*** Seulgi ***

"1! 2! 3! 4! Now, turned back! Jump! And sway~" 

Hani's loud voice echoed around the gym, while me and the rest of the dancers rehearsing are asses off hard because tomorrow is the main event, the big event. 

The music started to fade away, indicating that we reached the end of it... again. 

"Alright!" Hani clapped her hands. "Let's call it a day!" Hani said. 

We immediately collapsed to the floor, catching each breaths. Some of us are holding on their knees but still catching their breaths. 

"Everyone, come forward." Hani demanded. We formed a circle around Hani, sitting on the floor while Hani is standing at the center. "What do you think?" She asked. It is her other way to ask us about our opinions, which is what we like about her as the dance instructor and adviser of the team.

She volunteered herself to be our instructor, which we find untrusted at first. But when she delivered her choreography to us, we found it amusing and at the same time challenging because most of it are very fast and hard to follow. 

James, which is seated in front of me, raises his hand. 

"Yes, James?" Hani said. 

"Can we have a re-run tomorrow before proceeding to the venue?" James suggested.

"And the reason to do that?" Hani faced him. 

"I'm still having a hard time in this part." James stood up and danced the part that he was talking about. 

"Yeah, me too, Ms. Ahn." Franco, who was sitting beside James, second demotion. And few of the dancers nodded their head's as well. 

Hani nodded her head, understanding each other's capabilities. "Okay," She sighed. "How about 10:00 am tomorrow?" 

The dancers start murmuring and looking at each other. 

"Tomorrow 10 am, we will rehearse here as much as you want until you are satisfied, and at exactly 1 pm, we will travel to the venue and when we reach there, we will start putting your make-ups and costumes. How is that sound?" Hani put her hands to her side. 

We immediately agreed to it because it was a great idea. 

"We don't need to be wary of the time because the competition will start at 6 pm. Are you all okay with the plan?" 

"Yes, we are!" We said in unison. 

"If that's the case, you are off to go." Hani said and all of us stood from the floor and walked towards the dressing room. 

I was about to enter the room when Hani called. 

"What?" I said, stopped beside the door. 

She looked around us, checking if there's still people around. "Come at the dinner tomorrow." She spoke when there was no one but us. 

"For?" I asked, acting like I don't know what's the dinner for. 

She made a face that I'm pretty sure she's annoyed. "Really, Seulgi? You really don't know what's the event for tomorrow?" She said while clenching her teeth. 

"If I already know what's the dinner for, do you think I will ask you?" 

She exhaled heavily, trying to maintain her calmed self. 

As long as I am not finish with the plan in revenging my mother, I will not let myself go back to her, to my sister, to my one and only family that's left. I have to make her hate me so she won't care whatever happens to me in the future, if in case I fail. And if in case I'll succeed to my plan, I will come home running and wrapped her tightly to my embraced. I missed her so much, us as inseperable sisters. I missed our dates and everything sisters do.

She sighed, surrendering to our verbal fight. "Nevermind," she finally walked away. 

I followed her by my eyes until she's nowhere to be seen. 

I get my bag and hooked it to my shoulder. I said good bye to the dancers, who are still busy fixing themselves. 

I bumped someone when I walked through the door. 

"Joohyun?" I said with eyes that widened. She's standing in front of me, hands on her bag, head hung low. "It's friday," I reminded. It's friday, it's my schedule to fetch her. "You don't have class?" I asked. 

Usually her class will end at 8 PM every friday. I checked my watch and saw it was still 6:30 PM. 

She gently shook her head, head still hung low, not producing a single word, which I found odd. She suddenly hooked her arms to mine. 

"You okay?" I asked and she just nodded. "No, you're not." I separated her arms to mine, only to hold it tight and squeezed it. "Tell me, what's on your mind?" 

"Let's go home," she said silently while walking away. I was here, left alone, standing while watching her expanding the gap between us. 

She turned around when she realized I wasn't following. That's when I saw her eyes, which were sad. It looks like she's thinking about something and it stressed her out.

"I will not come to you unless you're gonna tell me what's happening." I said, quite loud quite not. "I want you to know that I hate seeing you like that and I think I deserved a little explanation at least." 

She walked to me again, only to grabbed my arm and pulled me. 

"So, I'm a pet now?" 

She paused. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, you don't like talking to me and you just pulled me forcedly." I hold her arm with my free hand. "Could you at least tell me why are you wearing that face?" 

"What face?" Her eyes widened.

"That kind of face, like you were thinking about something and it stresses the hell out of you and you can't even share it to anybody and that stresses the hell out of you even more." 

She nodded. "You're right. I'm thinking about something. And you're right, I can't share it with anybody." She said, annoyed, finally looking at me in the eyes. Her eyes were teary and it scares me out. "Can we just walk together peacefully?" She suggested. She walked again away from me.

Suddenly, a memory of mine that is so vivid, flashed to my mind. 

"But you aren't just an anybody, Seulgi. You're the person I love." I said, trying to refresh her mind about what she said to me last time, loud enough for her to hear every single word. 

She pauses. She turned around to face me, eyes were asking what are those words for. 

"You told me talking is not prohibited, so let me talk." I mimicked again. 

"What are you doing right now?" She said, hands on her side, eyebrows raised for inquiry.

"I reminded you about what exactly you told me four days ago. I want to remind you that I'm not just an anybody, those words were from you. So, can you share anything to me now?" I said, slowly filling the gap between us. "Can you at least tell me what's wrong? And please, don't deny it because it's written all over your face." 

She sighed. "I will tell you but please, can we walk first?" 

I looked at her eyes, her orbs. "Promise me." 

"I promise," 

I looked at her, stared at her for a very long time, testing her words. "Okay," I said, finally giving up because she's not telling me through her eyes.

That's when she grabbed my arm again and pulled me closer to her. We walked together in the soccer field of the school like that.

No one dared to speak first when we walked together in a whole comfortable silence, I thought she might be in a serious situation right now, and to share it to others will be a bother. So, she decided to keep it to herself. 

I realized, me asking about what's the matter, makes it worse. So, I decided to walked with her together peacefully, no more questions, no more words unless she speak first. 

I can feel that what she needed right now is comfort and understanding. And I have to give her that.

So, I wrapped my arm to her shoulder. She was startled because of my action and looked at me with a what-the-hell face. "Yes, I know," I nodded. "People might see us. People might create an issue and your image will be in danger." I said silently. "But issues. it when you're in the deep thoughts, struggling for I don't know the reason. But I will not ask you again, I promised." 

The look on her face changes. 

I felt the urge to by mimicking her again with what she said to me last time. "Cry when you wanted to cry, laugh when you wanted to laugh." I said. "Is that what you said to me the last time?" A smirk is slowly showing to my lips. 

That made her laugh, but only a small laugh. "I really hate it when you listen to me." She elbowed me to my side. 

"Oww!" I exclaimed but never separating myself from her. 

She brushed her face using her hands, trying to get the exhaustion away. 

"You okay?" I said. 

"Yeah," she said. "Everytime I am with you, everything's going to be alright eventually." 

I laughed. "When did you learn another cheesy confession?" 

"That wasn't cheesy and for your information, I didn't learn it. I created it." 

I laughed even more. 

"What the hell? So, I'm a clown now?" She said, kind of annoyed.

"No way," 

"Why are you laughing at me?" 

"It is so new to me to see you saying those words in the public and it's funny to hear them, especially from you." 

"What's the problem if it's from me?" She asked. 

"You're an honor student, Joohyun. You're image is not like that." 

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever," 

I circled her with my arms tightly and I put my chin to her shoulder comfortably. "I'm sorry if I bothered you earlier." I said silently. 

She separated from the hug and leaned back a little to see me clearly. "You are not a bother to me, Miss Kang Seulgi. Stop thinking that way." 

I pouted. "I hope so," 

"Why are you thinking that way?" 

"I don't know." 

"Honestly, about my attitude earlier, I wanted to tell you something. You might get hurt. So, I'm struggling to say it or not." 

"Try me." I said while giving her a smile.

She lowered her head. "I can't come to your competition tomorrow." She said quietly. 

I wasn't able to answer immediately, because I was hurt knowing she can't come tomorrow. I know this dance competition I am joining is insignificant. I know they are more important things in life than watching a girlfriend's dance competition. I'm trying my best to understand.

"I understand." I put my hands to her shoulders. "I know they are a lot of better things to do in life than watching a dance competition."

But I wanted her to know that this dance competition is important for me. It's the reason why we met. It is a bridge of my lives.

"It isn't just a dance competition, Seulgi. It is your dance competition." She insisted.

I scoff. "It's okay, I understand." 

"By any chance," she said, looking at me in the eyes. 

"By any chance, what?" I said. 

"Do you hate me because of it, by any chance?" 

My eyes widened because of what she said. "What? No way!" 

"You're not talking to me the way you used to be." 

"What? That's ridiculous!" I tried by best to act like it was okay. "It's okay, I swear." I hugged her tightly, so she can't see my teary eyes. 

"Seulgi,"

"Come on, I will walk you home." I suggested. I grabbed her arm and pulled her. "It's getting late." 

"Seulgi," 

"Hey," I turned around to face her. "Stop acting like that. I swear Joohyun, it's okay. I understand." I said. 

I should understand, right? 

She nodded while giving me a small smile. "Okay," she whispered. I heard her sighed heavily. 

We started to walked again and we bid our good byes before she finally entered her dorm. I went straight to Krystal's house after I sent her. 

Honestly, I don't believe Joohyun's reason. That isn't an enough reason for her to be sad. I know her now.

There is something going on, but the thing is, she can't share it to me. Maybe, just maybe, it is connected to me somehow. 

I have to find it out!

Things are getting harder than it already was.

I pushed the button of Krystal's door bell. "Hey, can you open the gate for me? It's Seulgi." I said to the other line. 

Minutes later, nobody answered. 

"Krys?" I called again. But silence was the only thing that greeted me. 

"JUNG SOOJUNG!" I shouted when jittery starts creeping through my veins. But the same like earlier, no one answered. 

I stepped back, trying to measure the height of Krystal's gate. I stepped back further to make sure I can jumped off through it. 

I jumped a few times to have some warm up before started running towards her gate. I jumped as high as I can, but the lock of the gate caught my shoelace that immediately pulled me back and made me fell hard on the ground.

"Ugh!" I felt my back muscles cramped because of the impact. "The hell!" 

A worst case scenario that might happened inside of Krystal's house suddenly flashed to my mind. 

"Krystal," was all I can say while slowly pushing myself up from the ground.

*********

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

In celebration of Irene's advance birthday party and in celebration of Irene's purple friend revelation. 

Hope you'll enjoy this chapter guys! 

Leave a comment about your thoughts about this :)