“Haha very funny,” I said scrolling through her profile pictures.

“No, seriously!” he said mouth open. “I’ll prove it.”

He once again took my phone and opened the closet door.

Sav’s figure rose up and down deeply.

Dreaming of Kai. Or maybe Jun. Or Hoshi. 

Or maybe even Wonwoo. 

Not likely.

Vernon grabbed my hand and dragged me over the peaceful bodies. I kicked Seokmin’s head by accident but he just turned over nodding.

He pushed open the bathroom door without knocking.

“Oh—“ he said abruptly, “did I interrupt something?” 

I peeked over his shoulder to see Jeonghan and Joshua fully clothed in the bathtub, Jeonghan twirling a bar of soap on the edge.

“No, of course not,” Joshua said. 

I wrenched my hand out of Vernon’s and pushed passed him. 

“Hey…”

“Elena?”

I sat on the edge of the toilet next to the bathtub. 

“What is going on?” Jeonghan asked looking annoyed.

“So…” Vernon knelt on the tile, “Elena’s friend—Kimmy— is @oncetwice17times”

Blank stares.

He turned the phone to show them.

“Oh my goodness,” Joshua transferred the rubber duck in his hand to mine and took the phone. 

Thank you?

“It IS her” he covered his mouth.

“Who?” I asked. This is ridiculous.

“Elena, this girl, she’s a Twice fansite.”

“Twice? The girl group?”

“Yeah,” he laughed handing the phone to Jeonghan. 

Kimmy didn’t like Kpop. But if she were to like it, it would probably be a fun girl group.

“That's ridiculous. But just say Kimmy is @oncetwice17times, what does that have to do with you?”

They all looked at each other.

“She’s determined to take us down,” Joshua said.

Oh my god.

“Shh!” Vernon put his hand over my mouth.

“Determined to take you down? What is this, war?”

“In a way yes,” Joshua responded. His eyes were wide reflecting the moon. He’s completely serious.

“I don’t understand,” I put the duck on his head.

“Look, Kpop is vicious. I was telling you how most groups don’t make it,” Vernon sat on the tile.
“You were telling her?” Joshua asked

“Twice debuted same time as us. When it comes to numbers and awards, they’re our biggest competition.”

“What?” this doesn’t make any sense. “Aren’t you all supposed to be friends?”

“They seem like nice girls,” Jeonghan said leaning back against the wall. “But looks can be deceiving,” he glared at me. 

Jesus what did I ever do to you seriously.

“So Kimmy has been following us since debut, taking pictures and trying to make us look bad. She’s the one who unearthed the whole Wonwoo Girl’s Generation scandal, helped throw the fake fan letters in the garbage…”

They continued to tell me about their experiences with Kimmy for the next 2 hours. A long saga of he-knows-she-knows who did what/this/that ending in them recognizing her face behind a long lens.

Sam joined us at 5am to puke in the toilet, and then stayed to hear about what his kind-of girlfriend had supposedly done. 

“Don’t tell me you believe this Sam,” I said after they gave him the short story.

He leaned against the sink, pensively staring at the window.

“Sam…?”

“Did you ever go over to her apartment Ellie?” he asked.

“No, we always met at your place. Because it’s the biggest.”

“Well I went over…a couple of times…” he blushed. “Let’s just say, I know she likes Twice.”

That’s 4 boys who are certain that Kimmy, my language school friend Kimmy, Gyopo Kimmy, my mom hates me Kimmy,  is a twice fansite/seventeen anti. And I know that at least 3 of those boys would never lie.

But there's just no way. She's in the Group Chat. She can't lie like that. To us.

There’s only one way to find out. 

I stood up and headed for the door, jumping over the sleeping boys. 

Whoops.

I kicked Hoshi.

“Lee Jinki Kim Jonghyun Kim Kibum Choi Minho Lee Taemin Shinee Ev-ery-bod-y.” He turned over.

I just want to pet him.

“Wait Elena, where are you going?” 

Vernon tripped over arms and legs as everyone slowly woke up.

“I’m sure Kimmy would never hurt me. Or Sam. So if you’re sure that it’s Kimmy, then I’m going to tell her leave us alone.”

He froze standing over Seungkwan, who reached up and slapped his .

He can’t argue with me.

I opened the door.

Sunlight shown down. Last night’s club flyers blew across the stairs. Nothing.

Click Click Click

Where are they even. I don’t see anyone.

A movement in the hedges. 

Oh my god.

There are lenses poking through leaves. Everywhere.

“Kimmy, if you’re here, please stop.”

Still can’t see any bodies. But I can hear them.

It feels like they’re coming from all directions. But it may just be the echoing entryway.

This is ridiculous.

“Kimmy?”

Sam appeared next to me.

The clicking slowed. 

“Kimmy…are you here?” he said.

He scanned the area.

  “Wherever you are, I miss you.”

The bushes shook.

“Miss you too,” a voice said. And the noises stopped.

________________________________________________________________

Mingyu complained about not having milk for about 10 minutes before starting the rice cooker and some eggs.

Vernon said everyone knows about Joshua and I.

Does that mean we can be more…public?

He stood near me but didn’t touch me. 

Infuriating.

We gathered in the living room—all 16 of us. Wonwoo kept stealing glances at Sav, in giant penguin pajamas, one of Vernon’s big t shirts, messy hair and no make up. She didn’t notice. 

Elena: Kimmy why didn’t you ever tell us

Hampton: I knew it

Elena: Please

Hampton: I was on to you

Sav: Do you have any pictures of Kai?

Hampton: you all should call me Detective Hampton

Kimmy read them all but didn’t respond.

“Guys, she just went on hiatus!” Sam held up his phone. Sure enough, @oncetwice17times went black and simply said “hiatus” which no explanation.

Holy .

29.5k followers. English, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Thai…because apparently she translates too? How many languages does she know? Most of her followers were just twice fans looking for news and if seventeen gossip popped up well…all the better. What is this secret life that she has. I thought I knew her well. Apparently not. What else has she lied about? Does she have other accounts? On the one hand I feel betrayed but on the other I'm just mystified. Like--what the hell.

“So Sam basically just became a shield from our number one anti?” Seungcheol said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

He looked sadly at his eggs. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Thanks hyung,” Chan slapped him on the back.

“No problem.”

“We don’t know why she hates you guys though?” I asked Joshua to clarify.

“No idea,” he said swallowing a spoonful of rice.

We sat with our backs against the couch, my knee rested on his.

“But hey,” Joshua whispered. “If @oncetwice17times and her minions really have gone on hiatus, then we are a little more free,” he put my empty plate under his. “There’s these weird outdoor library building things that the government built down the street. Do want to go check them out?”

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes yes

“That sounds fun,” I said.

_______________________________________________________________________

I met him outside Hongdae Station at 5pm.

He wore a little blue button up and nice dark jeans. He combed his hair up, forehead bare. 

“You look…beautiful,” he said smiling at me.

“You too. I mean handsome. But also beautiful. Yeah.”

Oh my god. It’s like when I’m around him I get used to it. But the moment I leave and return it’s as if I’m seeing him for the first time. Why am I like this.

“The buildings are this way,” he held out his arm and I linked with his.

“You sure no one will care?” I asked.

“I told you, we really aren’t that popular. We haven’t even won a show.” We turned to a small park with cherry blossom trees about to bud. “It was just @once—I mean Kimmy—and her friends who made our lives difficult.”

He pointed to the couples sitting around sharing sandwiches. The high school girls watching videos on their phones. Old ladies on exercise machines.

“These people, don’t know who we are. They may be like, ‘oh he looks familiar’ from a subway ad or something, but they don’t actually know.”

“You’re sure?” I asked as we stopped at a door. A little rectangle, bunker looking building, smaller than Vernon’s apartment, was in the sidewalk. Similar buildings dotted the park further down. “This one is nonfiction” he pointed to a sign above the door.

We continued to walk. The sun shone brightly on his hair, reflecting on the gel that kept it in place through the breeze.

I wonder if Mingyu helped him.

His arm warmed through his shirt. Or maybe it’s mine?

Why didn’t I dress up more.

White t-shirts are so boring. And I forgot to put in my fake pearl earrings. Mingyu needs to teach me how to do my hair.

“or fairytales more?”

“Hm?”

“Do you like science fiction or fairy tales more?” he laughed.

Two buildings ahead of us. 

“Definitely fairy tales,” I said.

“Me too.” 

We followed a small path to the right. He opened the glass door and the air conditioner blew back my hair. 

The left and right walls had bookshelves from top to bottom. The other end was another glass door out to more grass, cherry blossom trees, and people on picnics.

“It’s like a little tractor trailer maze that someone painted and changed into mini libraries,” I said.

“I guess so,” he laughed. “You and your similes.”

A little boy was reading Snow White to a little girl on a big couch in the middle.

Joshua took my hand and led me to a bookshelf.

“And which princess do you identify with most, Elena?” 

“Hm…” it’s hard to concentrate. “Sleeping Beauty?” I said

“Oh my goodness,” he laughed, “why Sleeping Beauty?”

“You know…she pricked her finger on a needle…I pricked mine just the other day…it’s relatable”

“You’re so funny,” he said looking over at me. 

“It’s a simple story you know? She stops breathing. He resuscitates her. Happily. Ever. After.”

His eyes are on my face as I roam the bookshelves. There goes my heart rate. 

“You make me so happy,” he said.

So much sincerity.

I need to tell him I’m leaving. 

It’s not fair to him.

But not yet.

Just give me today.

Just let me kiss him first.

“You make me happy too,” I said biting my lips to keep from blushing.

This is so cheesy.

I love it.

People who say they’re too cool for romance or cheesiness just haven’t had it happen to them. 

“And which prince do you identify with, Joshua?” I asked.

He moved his arm around my waist.

His answer doesn’t really matter right now. I’m not thinking properly.

“Hm…” he scanned the shelves with his fingers, “Prince Philip” he grabbed a book off the shelf and led me to the couch. 

Wait who’s Prince Philip. I forget.

“Do you mind if we sit here too?” he asked the kids. They nodded and scooted over.

This is too much.

We sunk into the couch.

He put his arm around my shoulder and opened the book. A castle popped open.

It’s Sleeping Beauty. The Disney one.

He started to read to me.

This is so silly. A pop up book? How old are we.

I love it.

The little boy had stopped reading and was now listening to Joshua’s english.

Joshua didn’t notice.

He traced my shoulder with his fingers.

We got to the part when the prince arrives to the castle.

A handsome brunette popped out of the book.

Prince Philip.

Oh my god.

My heart isn’t racing—it’s melting. 

I want to slap him like I slap Vernon but I’m afraid it would hurt him. He’s so.

Soft.

Oh my god.

I see where this is going.

He turned the page.

Prince Philip kissing a Sleeping Beauty popped up.

The kids stared at us. 

I can’t look at him. I can’t do this. This isn’t real. He isn’t real.

But he’s looking at me. I can feel it.

Now that we’re in the light, his eyes aren’t actually completely black. The irises are actually a dark chocolate brown. But you could only tell the difference if you were Really. Really. Really. Close.

His traced his hand up my neck and brought me nearer. Tingles.

There’s children here.

Whatever.

He left the book on our lap and brought his other hand up to my jaw bone, tilting my head up to his.

The world stopped spinning.

“Minji! Minho!” harsh yells as the door flew open.

We broke apart.

“” he said audibly.

I’m laughing.

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a/n I'd change my username to QueenofFluff if I didn't like writing angst more.

COMEBACK MAY 22.

I gotta finish this asap. 13 more songs to finish through the Going Seventeen album.