sae ron was a good actress. yeri was not.

“stop it.”

yeri, who wasn’t doing anything much, her head at sae ron.

“stop what?”

she sighs and brings her hands up to yeri’s face. squishing her cheeks between her palms.

“you don’t have to put on your idol smile when it’s just us two.” she holds eye contact, giving yeri an extra squeeze before releasing her. honestly, at this point yeri should know better than to think she could build a wall sae ron couldn’t see right through. yeri’s shoulders fall and her mask crumbles away. she leans to rest her head on her best friend, her comfort. sae ron feels her shirt starting to soak up drops. tears held back, tears shed for loss. sae ron understood. yeri barely had time before they were thrown back into work. schedules that couldn’t wait. yeri needed this time.

she hears “i miss him”  it’s faint. almost inaudible.

sae ron coos,“i know. let it out” circles her arms around the crying girl. encompassing her like a cozy blanket.

moving forward was a process and every tear was a step.