Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. 

Yeonwoo and Nancy had been very good friends since then. 

They got over the getting-whipped-and-smitten-over-each-other phase and they’re more comfortable with each other now. 

“I’m hungry.” Nancy pouted. She buried her face into the girl beside her’s neck.

Which happened to be Yeonwoo. 

Yeonwoo looked at the younger girl and patted her head, “I’ll get you something to eat.” 

But Nancy clinged to her and snuggled even closer so Yeonwoo just sighs. She asks Ahin to buy food for them which was gladly agreed to by the girl. 

“Rumors are spreading.” Hyebin whispers to both Yeonwoo and Nancy, “They say that the two of you are dating.”

Nancy hurriedly sits up properly and glares at the older girl, “We already told you we aren’t!” 

“Well your fanclub doesn’t think so.” Jane says as she sips on her soda. 

They were currently at the cafeteria, where lots of noises come around, and lots of different people from the campus interact.

The volleyball team was considered one of the prides of their university. So it’s no doubt that the players of that team are popular among the students. Especially the gorgeous, cute maknae of the team who also happened to win the MVP title last season. 

Nancy had a fanclub of her own, who, right now, are snapping pictures of them and Yeonwoo. 

Yeonwoo on the other hand, has a fair share of fans as well. She was the very first student to have full scholarship in their academic focused school. Aside from being the smartest student in all her subjects, she was really pretty and kind as well. Which would make boys and girls swoon after her. 

So when Nancy and Yeonwoo became ‘close friends’ probably half of the campus began gossiping and talking about them. 

“Let’s go out this weekend.” Daisy said to the group. 

“What for?” 

“Because I’m bored. We just finished the season and the next game is a month from now. Exams aren’t coming soon either. The schedule is basically inviting us to go have some fun!” Daisy beamed at them. 

“I can’t. I have a date.” Jane smirked.

“This is the third time this week!” Daisy exclaims.

“Yep.” 

“Guys! Shhhh.” A soft hiss was heard by the group. 

Nancy told them to keep quiet. Yeonwoo was leaning her head in Nancy’s shoulder and she was asleep.

“Dabin seems really tired. She woke up late today and she usually wakes up earlier than me. And she isn’t talking much either.” Hyebin says as she scans Yeonwoo’s sleeping face. 

Soon after, Ahin arrives with the food that Nancy had been waiting for.

Before she could pick up the burger though, she felt a strong throbbing in her head. 

“Argh,” She grunts.

Yeonwoo whimpers in her sleep as well, but that was unnoticed by everyone in the group. 

—

It was the next day when Nancy felt another throbbing in her head. She grunts again as she grips on her forehead and steadied herself for a moment. 

“I don’t think something’s wrong with me. It’s probably my soulmate.” Nancy whispers. “I wonder what’s wrong with her?”

Soon enough the headache subsided and she eventually reached her locker to put down her things. As she was doing this, she heard three girls beside her talking. 

“Yeonwoo unnie called me earlier and said that she was sick. Let’s go visit her later.” A blonde girl said to her two friends. 

“Yeah. We haven’t been spending much time with each other since we had exams to finish.” A red haired girl answered. 

Nancy didn’t listen to the rest of the conversation as she hurriedly ran to Yeonwoo’s dorm. 

When she reached the other girl’s door, she knocked on it softly. 

She assumes Hyebin isn’t here as it was class hours and the Captain Ball had a lot of catching up to do on her lessons.

This goes for Nancy as well, since the volleyball team had been busy for the past month, but instead of catching up on her lessons, she was here, in front of Yeonwoo’s dorm just because she was worried.

After another knock, the door was opened. She was greeted by a groggily looking Yeonwoo, who was covered in a blanket and her hair was messy with her eyes half closed. 

‘Wow,’ Nancy thought, ‘She looks so cute.’

“Nancy?” Her voice sounded hoarse and weak and Nancy feels her heart break when seeing the other girl looking so vulnerable. 

“Hey unnie.” Nancy smiles, “I heard you got sick. So here is your personal nurse for the day.” 

“What?”

But Nancy doesn’t reply anymore. She walks into the door and inside the room. She carefully holds Yeonwoo’s arm and brings her to sit down.

“Sick people shouldn’t be standing up.” She said.

“But how did you know?” Yeonwoo asks as she settles down into the couch, her body growing heavier and heavier every moment. 

“I overheard some of your friends talking. Wow, you didn’t even inform me!” Nancy playfully glared at the older girl. 

But Yeonwoo looks away and says in a low voice, “I thought you wouldn’t care.”

Nancy heard this loud and clear though, so she walks closer to the girl, “Of course I’d care! You’re important to me.”

“Important? What am I to you then?” Yeonwoo asks, her voice softer than before and her head turned away so Nancy can’t see her expression. 

“You’re...” Nancy starts, but she trails off when she realized she doesn’t know what to say. 

They were friends of course. Nothing more than that. Nancy is just a really caring friend to rush to her friend’s side when that friend is sick. She’s just a friend who wants to always be beside the older girl. A friend who wants nothing but happiness from Yeonwoo. 

A friend.

And yet, Nancy can’t bring herself to say that. As if had been cut and all her voice had been lost. Like her words had been stuck and have never been delivered. 

A few moments passed, Yeonwoo turns to look at Nancy. And Nancy could have sworn her eyes looked a bit red. 

“Don’t mind my question.” She smiles. 

And really, even if Nancy is in her current state right now, Yeonwoo’s smile made her smile as well. 

The volleyball player stands up properly.

“I’m going to make you some ginger tea to help you get back your voice. Rest for a bit Unnie.” Nancy says. She doesn’t look at Yeonwoo’s eyes. Because she’s afraid if she does, she would start feeling unexplained emotions again. And really, Nancy doesn’t want to add problems or things like that to her confusing life.

So she walks away.

—

When Nancy got back from the kitchen (she took a lot of time because her mind was too preoccupied thinking of the sick girl and also because her head was throbbing again) she noticed that Yeonwoo was already fast asleep on the couch. 

Nancy sighs, she sets down the cup of ginger tea and props her body ready to carry Yeonwoo to the room. 

She carefully holds the girl and brings her to her back, her hands wrapping on the older girl’s thighs to secure her from falling. 

Nancy lays her down the bed without waking her, and Nancy takes this opportunity to take in the older girl’s beauty. 

She looked pale and really fragile. Bags of dark circles were under her eyes. But she was still very beautiful. It almost seemed unfair. 

As she was waiting for the older girl to wake up, occasionally putting a warm towel on Yeonwoo’s head, she received a text.

From Hyebin: Where the heck are you?! We have practice!

Nancy: How come we have practice? The last tournament just ended!

From Hyebin: We have an upcoming training game against our rival. We can’t lose against them. We’ll lose face of being the crowned champion.

Nancy: Sorry unnie. I can’t go right now.

Hyebin: Why not? And where were you! Your classmates told me you didn’t attend class! I swear Nancy Jewel Mcdonie if you’re doing drugs or hooking up with someone, you’re dead!

Nancy: What?! No. I’m in your dorm. Taking care of Yeonwoo Unnie. She has a very high fever. 

Hyebin: Seriously? How did you even get there? 

She didn’t bother to reply and Hyebin soon followed with another text.

Hyebin: Fine. I’ll tell coach that you’re doing something important. Take care of Dabin for me!

“I will.” Nancy whispers to herself.

Nancy puts down her phone. A few minutes later, Yeonwoo stirred awake.

“Hey.” Nancy smiles. She was about to stand up to heat the ginger tea when she felt someone tugging her by her shirt. 

She turned to look at Yeonwoo, who was holding the bottom of her t-shirt to keep her from leaving. 

Yeonwoo was staring at her while pouting. But her face looked like she was in pain, because of how she grits her teeth and how her eyebrows clashed with each other.

“What’s wrong?” Nancy asks. She moves closer to the girl and puts her hands on the side of Yeonwoo’s head.

Because Nancy was so worried, she did not notice that she was quite literally pinning the girl to the bed. And also because Yeonwoo was in pain, she didn’t notice this either.

Nancy asked with a whisper, “What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?”

Yeonwoo grips on her head while she whimpers. Her eyes are tightly closed and her breathing ragged.

“Your head hurts?” Nancy asks. 

She stood still for a moment to think. What does she want her mother to do to her when she’s having a head ache? 

She gently sits down beside Yeonwoo and puts her head in her lap. She then proceeds to massage the older girl’s head.

After a few minutes, Yeonwoo calms down. She heaves a tired sigh and looks up at Nancy. 

“You don’t have to do this. To stay with me.” Yeonwoo says.

“I care. That’s why I’m here. Look at you, you’re in pain. What would your soulmate feel when you’re like this? She might be hurt as well.” Nancy smiles. 

“Oh right.” Yeonwoo nods. For a moment, she had truly forgotten about the concept of soulmates. 

“So don’t worry about anything. Just rest up.” 

They both stare at each other, “Hey Nancy.” 

“Hmm?”

“Do you not feel anything?” 

“Feel what?” 

“Like...pain?” 

“Pain? I’ve felt pain. Do you mean right now?”

“Yeah.”

Nancy paused to think, but she hasn’t really felt pain, (she forgot about the recent headaches she’d been having) “I don’t feely any pain right now. Why did you ask?”

Nancy looks at Yeonwoo, and she swears she saw Yeonwoo’s eyes being a bit watery.

“No. It’s nothing. I was just curious.”

Yeonwoo knows now. Her soulmate isn’t Nancy. 

And damn, it hurts to fall inlove with someone who isn’t your soulmate. Especially when the person you love is too focused on the concept of soulmates. 

She’s fallen for this kid. This bubbly and caring kid. 

But sadly, they aren’t meant to be together. Yeonwoo knows now. So she’ll stop hoping and start focusing on other things in life. 

Heck the main reason why she’s even sick right now is because she was too preoccupied thinking of Nancy, that her sleep cycles are ruined, and she’s eating less. Not to mention her studies, which added stress to her. 

So she thinks it’s time to stop. Stop hoping that she’s soulmates with Nancy. Stops hoping that Nancy would fall for her as well. And even if she does, their relationship is doomed as well. 

Because relationships between two people who aren’t soulmates are relationships doomed to be broken.

As Nancy smiles at her, she smiles as well. She smiles even if she’s breaking down inside. 

—

Eyyyy, a bit of angst at the end. But that just means we’re getting to the story. 

Anyways, if you’re wondering why Nancy said she didn’t feel anything, was because she forgot about the headaches (yeah stupid reason I know, but that legit happens and real life)

And to clarify about the soulmate concepts, you feel a certain amount of pain when your soulmate does. When a certain impact causes pain, the soulmate would immediately feel it as well (as seen in chapter 1) but when it comes to continuous pain, (like when your soulmate has cancer, or a permanent injury, or in this case, a fever) the soulmate only feels snippets of it. She feels the pain, but not as continuous as the one who is sick. And not in the exact time that the pain was felt. 

I hope you guyss understood my little explanation ahahahahah.

Thank you for those who are reading this! Have a good day to everyone!