#HappyJoyDay #JoyfulJoyDay 

#수영아_태어나줘서_고마워

Picture edit credit fully to @Vanell0pe_

***

Joy stared at the screen as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. 

It was just a simple birthday wish from Irene but warmth engulfed her inside out because her leader still made the effort to send her well wishes despite being overseas, busy with schedules and having flights to catch.

She remembered when she first entered the company, she was just Park Sooyoung, a timid, unfriendly looking trainee who found it hard to adjust to the group of long term trainees. 

There was nobody who didn’t know about Irene, or better known as Joohyun back then, for her aura and beauty were wildly discussed. 

Being placed in the same training sessions made Sooyoung felt inferior about herself; her chubby cheeks, her slower progress in dancing and acting classes were slowly wearing her down. 

But it was her dream to debut, so she clinched her teeth and hung on through as much as she could, even though it was even tougher with barely much close friends within the trainees circle. 

“Your eyes,” 

The acting instructor began with a tone that made Joy sighed inwardly.

“Lacks of soul and emotions. Try harder.” 

She honestly didn’t understand the abstractness of acting classes and as a young teen with barely much social experiences besides in school, she really didn’t know how to convey emotions needed for the program. 

Everyone filed out of the studio in clusters, heading towards the cafeteria discussing the menu while Sooyoung stayed behind, slouching in front of the mirror as she stared back at her reflection. 

She needed to be better.

She had to improve in order to survive this cutthroat competition. 

She wasn’t even included in the SM Rookie lineup and that was what made her nervous. 

Feeling like an idiot making faces at herself, portraying as many expressions as she could, Joy felt like crying. 

Her shoulders shagged in defeat and she stretched her long legs out in anger, kicking her bottle away in the midst. 

A chill went down her spine when she realised the bottle hit a pair of small feet.

Her sight traced at snail speed, only to see Joohyun standing not too far away from her.

Was she watching all this time..?

“I’m so sorry!”

Sooyoung stood up so fast that a giddy spell hit her and only to make things worst, she accidentally headed Joohyun in the stomach while picking up her water bottle. 

As if her day wasn't bad enough… 

When Joohyun laid her hands on Sooyoung’s shoulders, the latter honestly thought she was going to receive a hell of a scolding or beating, even.

She had seen older trainees abusing their seniority around newcomers and although she may not have received such treatments yet, she was never not cautious about her behaviours around them. 

“Are you okay?”

The only words that broke the still atmosphere were soft and laced with concern, a fresh feeling from the usual when only criticisms of trainings were heard. 

When Joohyun got no replies, she just gently held Sooyoung by her wrist and sat them down side by side at where the younger girl was originally sitting. 

Besides having a feel of how warm the touch was on her skin, Sooyoung also realised how small Joohyun’s hand was. 

It was actually the first time she ever looked directly at Joohyun in the eyes and she was taken aback by how they were glistening, how the pale skin looked so spotless, or how those lips could look naturally pinkish with no cracks despite the dry weather. 

She truly understood what the rave about Joohyun’s beauty was about right then and there. 

“Sooyoung, right?”

How was it possible for her name to sound so soft, coming from Joohyun?

“Y-Yes, Unnie, Park Sooyoung.” 

“Here, you can have this. It’s new.”

Joohyun ed a bottle of what seemed like eye solution into Sooyoung’s clinched fists.

“It helps to moisten your eyes and if ever we are made to do a crying scene in acting class, this will do the trick.” 

The smile flashed at Sooyoung felt like the first ray of sunlight in the dawn; it was warm, which helped to loosen the girl’s nerves. 

The ringtone signalling a new message broke Joy’s train of thoughts, withdrawing her back from reminiscing the training day.

“I’m boarding now, see you when I get back poop puppy chick!” 

Joy smiled at the nickname before replying. 

“See you soon, Granny Bae!”

***

When Joy finally got home from filming, she was dead tired. 

The dormitory was dead quiet with her members away in Thailand, filming for their variety show and she wished to be there for the experience too. 

Crushing on the couch, she finally checked her chats that she never had time for. 

The first thing that she saw was a photo from Seulgi, posing with a chick doll on her head.

“I brought you around Thailand today, let’s come back again together!” 

Although Seulgi actually looked silly, Joy couldn’t help it but caught the tinge of handsomeness in the dazzling smile. 

Honestly, there was nobody in the group who didn’t have a crush on Seulgi. 

Even during their training days, Seulgi was popular among the rookies. 

Despite her long years of training and seniority she had over most of them, Seulgi never had shown superiority to anyone, even extending help to anyone seen struggling. 

Joy knew from the moment she stepped into SM that she was going to be trained to become an rounder, not just a vocal, which was a position she desired. 

But sometimes, she just didn’t make the standard she set for herself and it frustrated her. 

“Why are you looking so grumpy?” 

A young Seulgi flashed yet another cheeky smile at an even younger Sooyoung at the cafeteria during dance class break time. 

“I just can’t do it, you know, Seulgi Unnie?” 

“What can’t you do?”

The blur expression on Seulgi’s face sparked a mix of emotions in Sooyoung. Seulgi looked cute but an annoyed Sooyoung also can’t stand how slow Seulgi was at catching conversation sometimes. 

“I can’t dance!”

“Everyone can dance!”

Sooyoung rolled her eyes while Seulgi giggled.

“I can’t dance well.” 

Seulgi didn’t react, just sipping on her isotonic drink as she waited for Sooyoung to continue the rant.

“How is it that everyone seems to master the steps so quickly and can do it with so much groove while I just move like I’m trying to get a bug off my back?!”

Sooyoung bang her fists on the table lightly and Seulgi was quick to protect her drink from spilling. 

“Unnie! How do you dance so well?” 

The younger one was suddenly guilty at raising her voice when Seulgi creased her brows a little. 

“You see…” 

Seulgi started. 

“It’s my fifth year here now, and it took me a long while before I could get grooves in my moves you know?” 

Suddenly Sooyoung felt even more remorseful for her words, as if she discredited the five years worth of tears and sweat Seulgi invested before she got to where she was. 

“You did pretty well for the amount of time you spent here, Sooyoung.”

The seriousness in Seulgi’s tone made Sooyoung straightened her back, her hands placed politely on the table, the left over her right. 

“You can’t rush a newly planted seed to bear fruits if you don’t give it time to grow.” 

The spark in those monolid eyes cleared Sooyoung’s clouded mind and from that moment onwards, she developed an undeniable crush on Seulgi.

“Practice will make permanent, and your skills will sharpen with time. You understand what I’m telling you now, Sooyoung?”

She had never nodded that fast and earnestly at Seulgi’s words. 

From then onwards, Seulgi voluntarily stayed back with her after classes to practice basic moves, teaching her how to refine certain details in the choreography and even during her final year in high school when examination stress was suffocating, Seulgi still made time for the younger one. 

Joy grinned fondly at the memory, realising that her girl crush on Seulgi had never faded away since. 

She may tease the elder one a lot as their bond grew tighter over time, but they both knew that in Joy’s heart, Seulgi would always have an admirable position. 

“The doll is cute, but you look silly.”

Joy sent her reply after adding a pair of bear and chick emoji. 

“But yes, please take me there together again.” 

Joy sent again and she knew, this crush would really never go away. 

***

What Joy looked forward the most everyday after filming was to see her cellphone blowing up with texts from Wendy who was touring in Thailand with the rest of the group. 

She knew about the doll that the girls brought overseas in place of herself, and she also knew that it was Wendy who carried the doll most of the time. 

Being the first born at home means there was never pampering from any elder siblings but things took a good turn when Wendy joined the company shortly after Joy’s arrival and it was a whole new world for the latter. 

Being in the same team for so long bonded them well and Wendy understood how fragile Joy actually was despite her tough, always cheerful appearance. 

Wendy gave her so much moral support from the very beginning, which she had no idea on how to show her appreciation. 

How many times did Joy have to shake herself out of fear when she imagined a world without Wendy by her side to watch her grow, helped her sprout into the person who wanted to become? 

She lost count. 

Days before they took off for Thailand, Wendy was still helping her with the practicing of lines, getting her to focus on memorising and emerging into the character that she had to portray. 

Lying on Wendy’s bed instead of her own, she scrolled through the pictures one by one, including the burnt pancakes with a caption;

“I can’t seem to get it right, maybe because you aren’t here to help.”

Joy chuckled as she recalled how she was throwing childish tantrums for reasons only Wendy seemed to understand. 

It was shortly after Rookie promotional period and Joy was sulking in her room, all the while staring at the empty bed beside hers. 

Yeri was once again out with Saeron, no surprise, which means the youngest would be coming home late. 

Joy liked the feeling of having all the members in the dormitory at the same time, even if they were all in their respective rooms, doing things individually. It made her felt at ease, knowing that everyone was in a safe, common space. 

She loved it even more when they cuddle together in the living room for movie marathon until light snores came from Seulgi, Yeri taking videos of it while Irene and Wendy just focused on whatever that was still screening or occasionally, joining in the teasing of their bear-liked member. 

But Yeri was the social butterfly of their group and called her childish, but sometimes jealousy gets the better of her when she thought of how she had to share her satanic half with so many others and that night was one of those nights when she just wanted Yeri all for herself, not Saeron or anybody else. 

Things only got worst when Yeri didn’t reply her text, obviously busy with her girlfriend. 

Visibly upset, Joy left the room, looking for her other members. 

“Oh Joy,” Wendy chirped in english from the kitchen. “Want some pancakes?”

Nodding with no effort, Joy slumped on the kitchen counter. 

“Who made our beautiful Sooyoung so sulky?”

Wendy caressed her cheek softly as she grabbed the milk bottle out of the fridge. 

“Unnie, I want to be all of your best friend.” 

Wendy actually had to hold her breath so that her chuckle wouldn’t escape and upset Joy even more. Without having to ask, she knew that the girl was having one of those moments again. 

This “jealousy” was actually derived from Joy’s lack of security, given that she was often away from school and her fellow schoolmates during training days and that led to a smaller social circle. It made Joy felt like she was lacking a lot as a friend but Wendy would beg to differ. 

“Of course you are my best friend, and I’m your number one fan!” 

Joy watched Wendy did the usual silly dance in attempt to cheer her up and she couldn’t bring herself to not crack a smile. 

“Come on, help me with the pancake. In Canada that’s what best friends do!”

“Don’t lie.”

There was a split second of stillness, then they both burst out laughing. Joy let Wendy pulled her away from the counter to get started with the mixture and ingredients preparation, all the while showering her with praises for even the simplest thing. 

That was how Wendy was although she was naturally quiet; always generous with compliments, always having her ways of lifting the mood. 

Scrolling past the picture of the burnt pancake, there was another text that warmed Joy’s heart.

“Let’s make some pancakes with your number one fan again soon! All the best for filming!” 

Joy can’t wait for her best friend to come home soon. 

***

“Do you really want to stay with me even in the future?”

Joy nodded her head casually while Yeri wore no expression until seconds later, a wide grin broke across her face. 

“You are totally in love with me, aren’t you?”

“Yeah I don’t really know how to live without you.” 

It was almost a too causal comment that it almost sounded insincere but Yeri knew better that her roommate meant her words. Jumping onto Joy’s bed, wrapping her arms around the slender figure, Yeri let out a string of giggles. 

“It’s that nice living with me?”

“I mean there’s nothing too bad..”

Joy looked at Yeri mischievously. 

“You are ugly enough to scare the spirits off for me.” 

“Pfff.. Just admit that you are whipped for me, it’s not even a secret anymore.” 

Yeri went back to scrolling through the internet, but still remained in Joy’s bed. The silence didn’t even last for more than five minutes when Yeri’s curiosity struck again.

“We didn’t even room together previously, how can I be your amulet?”

Slowly but surely, all senses of mischief in Joy slipped away as it was replaced by a mixture of anxiety and sadness. 

She only looked Yeri in the eyes, pressing her lips tight together. 

Joy never knew she was capable of crying so much until that night when a text message sent into their group chat sank her heart. 

She was cradled in the arms of an equally worried Wendy, watching their leader paced up and down, speaking on the phone with urgency, strong and thick Daegu accent in every word. 

Seulgi and Yeri were just on their way back to the dormitory when the taxi collided with a garbage truck and they were sent to the emergency room to get treatment for their injuries. 

“Unnie?” 

Joy sobbed.

“Unnie, are they okay?” 

Irene forced a smile at her, wiping her tears away and pat Wendy on the shoulder, gestures to ease the younger ones. 

“Seulgi is coming back soon, and Yerim needs further observations but they are okay.” 

That was what Irene said but when Seulgi returned with bandages and a pair of puffy eyes, Joy wasn’t convinced a single bit. 

It got even more heart aching when Seulgi’s tears welled up instantly upon seeing her members’ petrified faces, waiting for her to come home. 

That night, everyone slept together; Irene by Seulgi’s side and Wendy by Joy’s. 

Even so, Joy began having sleep paralysis, constantly having nightmares of Yeri shouting at them for help but she just couldn’t move. 

It was safe to say that the first night without Yeri, Joy had one hell of a night. 

When they were notified that Yeri was going home to recuperate, they were relieved, yet slightly upset that they wouldn’t be having the youngest’s presence in the house for awhile. 

“Sooyoung ah,” 

She snapped out of her daze when Irene called for her, heading towards the kitchen counter when the leader placed a glass of warm milk in front of her, gesturing for her to drink up. 

“My room door will be open, if you need anything, alright?”

Never had she spoken about her sleep paralysis, but she figured it came to Irene’s notice and she flashed a tired but grateful smile, to which Irene ruffled her hair. 

“I’m not dead so stop crying!” 

Everyone couldn’t help it but to laugh at Joy who was once again sobbing like a baby when Yeri finally returned to the dormitory, looking energetic despite evident weight loss. 

“You look uglier than you already do, you know?”

Joy death glared at Yeri as she sniffed, snatching the tissue handed to her before the latter initiated a hug. 

“I miss you.” 

Yeri’s nerves loosened into Joy’s tall embrace entirely upon the confession instead of some sarcastic comments like how she reacted in attempt to lift the mood earlier on. 

“I miss you too.” 

Joy shook her head hard, shaking away all the dreadful emotions away as she pulled herself back to reality, back from the memory lane and snuggled closer to Yeri. 

“Can’t believe a petite person like you can make me feel safe.” 

Patches of pink surfaced on Yeri’s face. 

“It’s actually cute that a giant like you need me to feel safe.” 

Joy nodded. 

“Scratch the idea of buying a bolster, I will just hug you to sleep instead.” 

“You are 100% in love with me.”

Nobody spoke anymore after, but both wore the same knowing smile that they would always be better off with each other. 

***

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

It has been a long, long while...

Our precious baby chick is now 21! 💚

This was written just based on how/what I feel OT5 would be like & 

it is solely for story purposes, so please don't take things too literally,

especially about the car accident scenerio. 

Although Joy is the tallest, often a prankster in the group too, 

she is honestly a soft girl who we should shower affections to. 

Every member of Red Velvet is so precious and my heart is so full of OT5 feelings ever since Red Room, 

hence this story. 💖💛💙💚💜

I hope you all like it and please wait for more of my stories~ 😊