Sincerity

Yeonsoo is performing and Haneul is watching it with the full team of the boarders with his sister and Junghyun as well. Minhyun and Sungwoo are impressed with the performance, it gives them thrills just to watch the actors act on stage. It gives them new perspective, new sights about the acting industry. “They must be practicing this for long,” Sungwoo whispers Minhyun while they’re immersing to the story. Chaera, who sits beside Sungwoo because he told her to, takes a notice that he’s very impressed with the show.

Yeonsoo acts so well. She always gets nervous when she performs but it's covered through the seniors who act well than her. She succeeds in saying her line and she even does an improvisation and it goes well.

The performance is done in one and an half hour. Yeonsoo goes backstage with the casts and crews after did a curtain call. She still has performances left for the month and it’s her first performance of this month but the reaction is great. She even noticed Haneul was watching with the crew. It’s her first time in meeting them all here. How Haneul brought them all here is a question for her. It seems like he has a strong leadership among them.

Instead of having a crew meal together, the cast and crew have their own appointments. They will have a meal together after the last show of the month. Haneul and the people he brought are waiting for her outside with a flower bouquet on his hand.  They’re talking and Haneul is the only one who nervously waits for her.

Yeonsoo finally is out with her wardrobe changed. “Hey, look, it’s our star!” Junghyun says and comes to her happily, shares a hi-five and Haneul looks at her with a smile. She smiles and he hugs her tightly. Junghyun goes to the group of friends and they’re looking at them being lovey-dovey.

“You did great,” Haneul proudly says with his hands are still embracing her. She looks at him and chuckles with her cute smile. “Here,” he says, letting his other hand go and giving her the flower. Yeonsoo receives it with a grin and softly chuckles. They rub their nose to each other’s.

“Should we go eat now?” Junghyun says, interrupts their lovely moment for a second and they look at him with a smile. They nod and Junghyun leads the pack. “Let’s go,” they will eat in a restaurant where Haneul, Junghyun, and Yeonsoo used to visit when they were in college. Junghyun walks with Hareum, puts his hand around her shoulders. The friends walk behind them with Minhyun and Sungwoo are excitingly sharing the performance, Chaera and Dowoon are just listening them from behind and responding them if they think some scene is good.

Haneul holds Yeonsoo’s hand, they walk in the most behind. Yeonsoo notices Chaera in front of her and she didn’t expect that Chaera will come. It’s a bit unexpected for her and she hasn’t seen Chaera trying to talk with Haneul, well Yeonsoo hasn’t seen that intention from Chaera to make her jealous. In other side, Yeonsoo thinks that Chaera is not that kind of person.

They arrive in the restaurant. The friends didn’t expect that they will eat seafood at night. “Seafood, huh?” Hareum says it in a low voice as she sees the sashimi, raw octopus legs, grilled fish and more. It raises their appetite and she can’t wait to eat it. They take a seat together in a rectangular table with Minhyun, Sungwoo, Chaera, and Dowoon are sitting facing the couples. Hareum sits facing Chaera and Yeonsoo faces Sungwoo. Junghyun makes an order and they wait for the food.

“Guys,” Haneul says a bit loud so Dowoon can hear. “Here, let me introduce my beautiful girlfriend,” he says with a proud smirk, with his hand around her shoulders and the boys chant for them. Yeonsoo slightly elbows Haneul as he’s being so cheesy and Hareum just shakes her head listening to those cringey words.

“You’re thankful that unnie accepted your feeling,” Hareum frankly says and sips her drink. Haneul clicks his tongue and glares at her for a second, but then he smiles again introducing her to the boarders. They slightly bow but politely say their hellos.

“Hello guys!” Yeonsoo slightly waves at them and smiles. They smile back and Yeonsoo didn’t expect that Chaera will also smile at her. It brings back her first impression of Chaera that makes her thinking more Chaera is not that kind of person. “I’m Ha Yeonsoo, nice to meet you all,” she slightly nods, makes a bubbly greetings. She’s outgoing.

And the rest of them introduce themselves, from Minhyun to Dowoon. Chaera introduced herself like usual, she puts a smile. Then, Minhyun talks to Yeonsoo, “Your performance was great, noona! It made me want to be on stage seeing those actors play,” and Sungwoo nods excitingly. Chaera takes a look at this and she smirks seeing their eyes are so bright talking about it. The food comes and Yeonsoo tells them to talk about it while eating.

Chaera is talking with Dowoon, Hareum, and Junghyun. Mostly about food and Junghyun told them how he was in college and interesting happenings there. The younger ones listen to it very well because the way he tells them is interesting, it makes them want to hear more. With focusing on their conversation, Chaera couldn’t let her ears go from listening how excitingly Minhyun and Sungwoo talk about the performance, theatre, acting techniques and more with Yeonsoo.

“I really want to be on stage,” Sungwoo says it even though he’s not that desperate, but she knows he really wants it. He’s desperate about it, he puts so much his hope unto it and that makes her thing on how he’s really working toward his dream for so long, that makes her impressed at the same time and understanding the hardships Dowoon, Minhyun and Sungwoo carry in order to be a star.

“Ya, me too,” Minhyun adds his words. “Who doesn’t want to be? Even our friends want it,” he says the fact. Chaera thinks about the Theatre and Film students who get in there with the hope of getting into performance on TV or on stage, but the reality is not all can be on stage. It’s a fact.

Listening to them, Dowoon says, “I really want to be in a band,” he says to Chaera, Hareum and Junghyun. Chaera just smiles while eating her food, Hareum and Junghyun look at him with a smirk. Chaera takes notice that the three boys seem want to enter the same industry.

“Yeah, you should,” Chaera says, with encouragement and Dowoon just nods because a part of him is not sure if he should or he could.

What Chaera said earlier was related to Minhyun and Sungwoo saying, “I can’t wait to be on this year freshmen performance,” and that will be great if Chaera could watch them play together.

“Just try anything and everything regarding to the acting,” Yeonsoo says her advice to both Minhyun and Sungwoo. They listen carefully. “Whether it’s a director, artis management, producer, casting director, floor director, and all, just try it. That way you guys can know each of their jobs, your minds are opened,” and they nod. “I was in the crew when I was in college, just to tell you guys.”

“Is it hard or the same as being an actor?” Sungwoo asks eagerly because he’s curious, he’s so interested in it and Chaera glances at him.

Yeonsoo catches Chaera’s glance to Sungwoo. She looks at her eating again, but she’s sure that Chaera is listening to what they’re talking about. It makes her remember the plan Haneul executed with the others for Chaera and Sungwoo. It makes her wondering If Chaera and Sungwoo are already in relationship. Despite focusing on that, she says to Sungwoo clearly, “Just try it. If you’re having fun in it, you’ll know,” Yeonsoo says and smirks. She eats her food again and Sungwoo just nods listening to her.

Listening to Yeonsoo’s advice, Chaera agrees with it. They should be part of it, Chaera thinks. It’s still echoed clearly in her mind how excited Minhyun and Sungwoo were talking about it. She can remember clearly how bright and enthusiastic their eyes were as she glanced on them. It makes her ponder hard.

They decide to go home, so Haneul and Junghyun starts to go to the cashier. The same-age friends are talking. Yeonsoo takes a look at her and goes to behind her. “Chaera-ya,” Yeonsoo taps her and Chaera turns, looks at her with a smile. Hareum takes a look at this, kind of thinking that Yeonsoo wants to talk something serious about Haneul with Chaera, but she talks with the boys instead of asking to Yeonsoo.

“Yes, unnie?” she says, delivers her comfortably. Yeonsoo is a bit flustered by it because she was once having a bad thinking about her.

“Can we talk?” she asks and Chaera slowly nods even though she’s unsure of what Yeonsoo wants to talk about with her. Yeonsoo smiles and says, “Let’s go,” they go outside and Chaera’s leaving the boys talking. Anyway, the boys don’t notice because they’re busy talking about soccer and she doesn’t get it at all.

They’re outside the restaurant, with Yeonsoo’s facing the restaurant door where she can see if Haneul and Junghyun want to get out already. Chaera just looks at her with wonder and a polite smile. “Yes, unnie?” she asks once again.

Yeonsoo looks at her, sighs at herself and smiles to Chaera. “I’m sorry, Chaera-ya,” she says sincerely and Chaera’s eyes are looking unsure to her. “Because I had misjudged you being a third person behind my relationship with Haneul,” she says and Chaera just smiles and nods.

“It’s okay, unnie,” she says sincerely and kindly. “I know, you’re worried about what he did, right?” Chaera says frankly and Yeonsoo is a bit flustered that Chaera seems to know what she’s talking about. “He said that he didn’t mean everything he did to me. It was his plan—and the kids’ plan, for me and Sungwoo. I knew about those already,” Chaera explains. “I had it sorted out with Sungwoo and Hareum, so,” Chaera smiles awkwardly and Yeonsoo chuckles. “And I’m determined myself, too, unnie, that I won’t fall in love with the guys here. I don’t even interested in Haneul oppa, ever,” she tells her firmly and she chuckles.

Yeonsoo softly chuckles and says, “Sorry, Chaera-ya.”

“It’s okay, unnie,” Chaera smiles assuring her once again.

“But,” Yeonsoo says looking at her. “Are you sure you won’t fall in love with those guys?” she asks teasingly but wondering too. “Like, Sungwoo, for example,” because Yeonsoo remembers how Chaera glanced at Sungwoo and she noticed how Chaera listened to their conversation attentively.

Chaera shrugs. “I don’t know,” she tells her in a low voice and weakly smiles. “But for sure, I won’t fall in love with Haneul oppa because I think of him as a big brother, and Dowoon is my relative so impossible forever,” she says with a chuckle and Yeonsoo just smiles.

“Well, just be sincere with others,” she smiles and gives her advice. Chaera just smiles and softly chuckles as she glances to Sungwoo whom is happily talking with the friends there. Yeonsoo sees that Haneul and Junghyun are done paying. “Let’s go inside,” Yeonsoo invites her in and Chaera follows her.

They come behind Haneul and Junghyun, go to their seats and take their bags. They all are ready to go home. They go outside and separate their ways with Haneul and Yeonsoo. Hareum and Junghyun are in the most front, while Chaera in the most behind, listening to the boys talk.

“Chaera-ya,” Sungwoo says and the boys look at her.

Chaera is a bit flustered, but raises her eyebrows at him whom is walking in front of her. “Hm?”

“Don’t be quiet, just talk,” Sungwoo tells with a smirk and Chaera just scoffs with a smile. The other boys just smirk looking at her and the three go back to their conversation. Still, Chaera is just listening. There are things going around on her mind.

…

Chaera and Hareum are having their lunch in the campus’ café rather than canteen, because Chaera wanted it so. She told Hareum not to tell the boys and Hareum did what she was told, because it seems like Chaera wants to have a private talk with her.

She stirs her milkshake with the straw, she’s in a deep thought and Hareum observes her carefully by how blank Chaera is. “So, what is on your mind, miss?” Hareum asks, puts her folded arms on the table and Chaera glances at her but continuing her useless activity.

“You know when the boys talked about being on stage?” Chaera starts.

“Uh-huh?” Hareum responds, she doesn’t know what Chaera is going to talk about but it takes a lot of her time to think. “What about it?”

“It’s just… I’m thinking it must be hard for them to reach that dream,” she says and Hareum nods. Hareum remembers too, how Dowoon determinedly talked about his dream to be in a band. “I’m thinking that we should support them, no matter what.”