Night 1 / Day 2 - Friday

"H-hyung?!"

"Hey Chae, I'm back."

For a brief moment, Chaeyoung just stood there, letting her consciousness sink in the fact that Jeongyeon is indeed there, standing in front of her. Finally believing that her eyes were not decieving her, she ran over the couch that seperated them with her arms spread to envelop her visitor with a hug. But Chaeyoung was a really proud person. At the last possible second, she halted her advance and stopped a couple of feet away awkwardly.

"We-welcome back hyung", she half whispered and stretched her hand for a shake.

Jeongyeon eyes the girl in pyjamas’ outstretched hand in mockery. She firmly grabs it and pulls her into a tight headlock and ruffled the victim's hair violently.

"What is this?", Jeongyeon asked in sarcasm. "Where's the foul mouthed bean I remember?"

"Ya! Let go of me you ing brute!"

"There she is!” the older girl exclaimed happily.

After a little struggle, and a lot of squirming, Chaeyoung decided to raise her foot closest to Jeongyeon and stomped it down with all her might, crushing the bully's toes.

"Motherfu-!", Jeongyeon tried to say after letting go of Chaeyoung. But as quick as she released her, she soon finds herself enveloped in a squeezing hug from the defender.

"I haven't talked like that in a while", Chaeyoung admits. "I-I missed you hyung."

Forcefully ignoring the stinging pain on her foot, Jeongyeon returns the hug as tight as her headlock earlier.

"I missed you too 'lil sis"

"Are you just visiting or... are you back for good?"

"I'm staying."

"I can't believe the first thing I'm doing right after meeting you is playing video games," Jeongyeon half complained.

"Sub Zero wins! Fatality!” the television announced.

"And I can still kick your !” Jeongyeon exclaimed, standing up from the couch and victory danced in front of Chaeyoung. The victory dance is choreographed with legs wobbling apart, head banging, arm flailing, and hip side s. 

"Oh shut up!” Chaeyoung retorted as she stood and lightly shoved the winner back to the couch. She walked towards her fridge and asked "You want a beer?"

"Beer? Hey, you're still underage!” Jeongyeon protested.

"I've lived alone ever since I moved here. Who's to stop me?” Chaeyoung reasoned as she reached the fridge. "So? You want one or not?"

"Alright, I'll have one."

Chaeyoung plopped down to her spot on the couch earlier and handed a can to her visitor before opening her own and took a chug.

"When did you start drinking?” Jeongyeon asked after taking a gulp of her own.

"Last year, I think? Nayeon wanted to celebrate when she got her driver's license after failing a couple of times. I swear her instructor only let her pass because he was afraid of her coming back again and endanger his life once more." Chaeyoung started chuckling after her short story, trying to remember how the instructor panicked most of the time. "Ever since then, we always have a supply here."

"Speaking of Nayeon, have you told her or Jihyo you're back yet?" Chaeyoung stared at Jeongyeon, peak curiosity clearly visible on face.

"Not yet, you're the first." Jeongyeon answered. "I was actually going to ask you to gather them here. But seeing your sorry face spitting indecency was priceless!" Uncontrollable laughter erupted from her while she tried to mimic Chaeyoung's face and (bad) choice of words at their first meeting that night.

"I see you haven't changed one bit hyung." Chaeyoung, not getting offended at Jeongyeon's bad acting, was amused to see her mockery again after all these years.

I can't say the same for the rest us...

"Well, there are a few things." Jeongyeon stood once again and walked towards the window in the living room, reached in to her back pocket, and scooped a box cigarette, "Example." She shook the box so that the younger girl would see before inserting the last stick, which she realizes only now, between her lips.

"You smoke now?"

"I started around the time you guys stopped contacting me," she confessed.

"Oh..."

"Don't worry, now that I get to see you guys again I'm planning on quitting." Jeongyeon took a drag and blew through the window. "It's just hard to if you do it so suddenly once you're used to it."

Chaeyoung felt a tad bit guilty hearing that they were the cause of her smoking and tried to divert the topic. "So when are you going to tell them?"

"I'm thinking about surprising them when school starts." Jeongyeon blew another lungful through the window.

Jeongyeon had actually talked to the school principal and requested to be transferred in the same class of Nayeon. Being an ex-student, the principal smoothly agreed to the request.

After a few more games of Mortal Kombat, twelve to three in Jeongyeon's favor, and a few more cans of beer, Jeongyeon bid goodnight to a now knocked out Chaeyoung. She wanted to stay the night but an internal debate told her to get back to her apartment and begin unpacking her stuff.

The ride back was calming. Cars were close to nonexistent, pedestrians can be seen walking passively every few seconds, and the chilly night gale breathing against her face as her heart beat faster than normal with the alcohol in her system. She closes her eyes frequently throughout the ride, let go of the handles and spread her arms wide.

No matter how many times she says it, it'll never be quenched. She really missed this place.

She nears her place, just another block away, when she notices a convenience store approaching her line of sight. Remembering that she lit her last smoke earlier, she stops abruptly and loosely chained her bicycle to the nearest pole. She might as well stock up on a few things while she's here.

"Good evening!" the girl at the counter greeted.

Jeongyeon picks up a carry basket heads straight towards the back area of the store where the drinks are located and grabs a 6-pack beer and a couple cartons of fruit juices. She picks up a few bags of junk snacks and toiletries too before heading for the counter.

"A pack of Marlboro too please." Jeongyeon requested the girl while she places her items on the counter.

"You having a party tonight?" The girl asked to initiate small talk.

Jeongyeon looked up to the girl when she finished placing her items.

"Nah, just filling my empty supply."

The girl has her back turned against Jeongyeon, canvassing the shelves for the inquired brand of cigarettes. She is wearing a creamy white sweat shirt and a pair of black leggings under her green convenience store apron with her black hair that has hints of a dark red shade highlights towards the ends tied up in a low ponytail. She seemed like she was having a hard time finding the pack. Must be new working here.

"Over there." Jeongyeon points at the second shelf to her right.

The girl tilts her head a little for Jeongyeon's finger to enter her peripheral.

"Found it!” she announced quite excitedly.

The girl faces her customer with a huge refreshing grin plastered on her face that shows her perfectly clean white teeth. The front half of her hair isn't tied, resting just below her collar. Her cheeks have a certain form to it that makes one want to poke them. And her pupils seem to be darker than normal which only compliments the rest of her facial features.

"Sorry, is this not the right one?" A worried look replaces her face, with her