A/N: I AM SO LATE AND I AM SO SORRY. YOU CAN BEAT ME UP OR SMTHNG IF YOU EVER FIND ME. So, I'm back from my bro's graduation and my vacation! But! I had this emergency response/rescue+firstaid training camp so I'm veryveryvery late and missed little dubu's bday! TT, so disappointed in myself. But anyways, THANK YOU to everybody for 1000 views and 70 subscribers. Hope we can hit 100 ahehehe... wishful thoughts. Enjoy?

Also... DAHYUNISM! Too cool, but still so hilarious... Dubu is so smol!

~Khazumi

"Nayeon-unnie..." She started, finding her hands wound up around the hem of her shirt, twisting it tightly, stretching the material mercilessly. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were on the living room's loveseat, seated across the long couch where the sisters were situated in, offering their moral support. Dahyun had put off telling the older girl at the door, but right now, it was inevitable to reveal the circumstances to her unnie who had caught on that something was going on from the grim demeanor resting on her face..

"Dahyun." She encouraged. But that encouragement sent a jolt of fear down Dahyun's spine. Nayeon only ever used her given name alone when things were serious. When they were meant to be kept serious.

"W-w-well...!" Her pitch came out in a wave of high and low tones before flying to the sky, hands shaking around the knot she made on her shirt.

A hand covered her much smaller ones, another cupping her chin and bringing her to meet compassionate eyes. "Baby, what's the matter?" Nayeon whispered so softly. "Please tell me. You're making me worry and I hate seeing you cry." 

Dahyun whimpered softly before hugging Nayeon tightly, burying her face in her chest as she apologized profusely, repeating the words again and again. "I'm sorry... sorry. I'm sorry, Unnie. Really, I'm sorry... sorry... so-"

"Shhh... shh..." Nayeon ran her hands down the girls back, trying to calm the crying girl. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong." She cooed.

"I'm being a burden." She whispered, soft that it could be blown away by the wind, but loud enough to be heard by everyone in the room who were seated closely together. It pained the other girls knowing that Dahyun deeply believed in her statement, believed that she was deadweight, believed that she only brought trouble- "bad luck" to others.

Nayeon's eyes stung with unshed tears, feeling a stab to her heart at the words. "You're never a burden. Never. Why would you even say that?" Her voice broke into a soft sob of her own.

"I lost another client... another job... Unnie... If I can't even pull my own we-"

"Is this what this is all about?" Nayeon cupped the soft, tear-stained cheeks, painted with salt water drops of fear and hurt. "Haven't I told you before that it's okay for you to take time searching for yourself? Because I'll always be around to support you. You're not a burden, and we're doing perfectly fine, baby."

"But-but... the new apartment-"

"Can wait, Dahyun. We've all talked about this. Momo doesn't mind another month, and Jeongyeon doesn't either. Sure, things get a little cramped from time to time if we're all at home at once... but I call it cozy. It's nice. Brings us all closer don't you think?"

Dahyun let a small smile show. "Yeah. It really does." It was truly a wonder, how Nayeon could make her feel so much better so easily, with so few words and a warm hug. She was truly blessed to have the older girl in her life, a constant comfort.

"Good. Now, don't worry about the two food blackholes, I can tell them if you'd like?" Nayeon offered, referring to their apartment mates who were out at the moment. 

"No, I can tell them myself." Dahyun shook her head and gave Nayeon another smile before turning to the kitchen. "Do we have anything to cook? I can whip up something for dinner. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, please join us. Join us." She turned to the two. "I'm not taking no for an answer."

In amusement at the insistence, and happy at the almost-demand, the youngest two nodded, Chaeyoung contacting her family while Tzuyu told her dorm roomate as she was still in college that she'd be home late. She was lucky they were on a short one-week break, so she could spend it out of the dorm a lot.

Nayeon came back from checking their fridge, pouting a little. "I forgot to go get groceries. I think it was my turn this week." She scratched her cheek. "Momo is busy with her upcoming showcase... Jeong has been doing overtime at work lately..." The news made Dahyun bite her lip in worry- hearing her mates working so hard, it made her guilty all over again.

"Don't start feeling guilty."

"Do you read minds?" Dahyun inquired, looking at Nayeon skeptical.

"No, but I can read you." She patted her younger sister's head. "So, shall we go out? I found this little pizza shack in the hidden crevices of the city. A rare jewel." She relayed dramatically, as if narrating a story.

"Let's?"

"Let's."

Facing the large multi-story building wasn't half as scary as actually having to enter it, these were Dahyun's thoughts as she clutched the straps of her backpack tight, knuckles going white from her grip. Was she really doing something as crazy as this? Maybe Nayeon had given her too many drinks last night. She regretted going crazy at the bar after they dropped off the younger ones at their respective homes. God knows what happens when two anxious, orphan sisters could do when they were left alone. If they ever got caught doing the things they usually do, Dahyun wondered what her record would look like.

(Maybe their luck wasn't so bad if they never got caught for all the stunts they pulled since they were younger and left to their own devices.)

So remembering waking up earlier half- beside a very still, snoring body that happened to be half-dressed as well- and was apparently Nayeon... on a bed that was not her own... It was no surprise that Dahyun would, well-

Scream. 

"GAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

"Ugh, what the- Baby?"

"OH , OH MY GOD UNNIE, WHAT THE ACTUAL FU-"

"Dahyun! Stop cussing so early in the damn morning! My headache's killing me!" Nayeon groaned, voice raspy. But sorry for her, If she didn't get up this instant, a headache wasn't the only thing that would kill Nayeon. Maybe a heart attack from this compromising situation they were in once reality sunk in, or so Dahyun thought.

"Unnie! What happened last night?!" Dahyun screeched, covering herself with the silky covers, face red and hot. Her mind was going over too many possible scenarios that she'd rather not consider, conclusions popping up left and right. She shook her older sister awake, trying to get her to open her eyes and sit up. Just how drunk had they been last night to even... to even think of... Sure biologically, they weren't actually sisters: they were just cousins- scratch that, they were cousins. 'It's basically the same thing, right?'

"Just what is your problem?!" Nayeon complained, finally opening her eyes and giving Dahyun a pointed look as the younger gestured in between them and at their entirety. "What? What does this mean?" She asked, imitating the gesture, very puzzled at the wild reaction.

Dahyun groaned into her pillow, afraid but deciding to ask. "D-did... Did something h-happen last night?" She shakily got out, trying to count her breaths to calm herself.

"What do you mean by that? We went out with the babies... then to the bar... what else?" Nayeon queried as she tried to fish out some more recollections of the past day from her murky mind.

"GHHh- Unnie!" Dahyun continued to whine, only further frustrating Nayeon who didn't get what was wrong at all.

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about?! You're starting to look crazy, What, wanna see the mirror?" Nayeon reached over to the bedside table of what Dahyun finally discovered to be NaJeong's shared room, shoving a hand mirror in the younger's direction.

Dahyun's slim eyes widened in horror at her reflection because on her collarbone was a mark.. a bruise... "What-" Pale fingers went up to touch the mark, shaky in fear as Nayeon's eyes followed her younger sister's hand.

"Oh. OH." Nayeon finally noticed and suddenly understood her sister's plight. A gasp of air turned into a snort, into a holler, into a guffaw and laughs could not be kept in. "Oh. Oh my gosh, hahahaha you didn't... NO! It's not what you're thinking!" She said through a burst of giggles, knocking on Dahyun's head. "Get your mind out of the gutter, that's just so wrong. Though I admit I'm irresistable." (Dahyun had to roll her eyes.) "It's not what you think!" Nayeon finally began to ask to be allowed to explain once realization sunk in.

"Please, by all means, do." Dahyun encouraged desperately, hoping that she was very wrong.

"Hey! Why does it feel like you loathe whatever presumption you just made?! I'm hot!

"Because I do, and though you are... that's just... no- I'm not going to finish that thought." Dahyun spoke with a shiver crawling down her spine. 

Nayeon rolled her eyes before continuing. "We were walking home and your neck hit the mailbox when you tripped 'cause you were too tipsy!" She laughed at the hazy, but hilarious memory, glad that her mind was serving her well. "Couldn't find the aircon remote and it was too hot hence the stripping~" She sing-songed while shaking her hands in a "ta-dah!" motion.

Dahyun finally sighed in relief (though she wasn't to sure she should feel that way after receiving the information that she could have possibly broken her neck), now feeling the pain of the too-large-to-be-a-hickey bruise.

"Damn that hurts, but I'm glad that I misunderstoo-oooooohhh why is my hair RED?!"

And so it brings her back to why she was standing in front of JYPE. Well, no not exactly. After clearing up their little mishap, Nayeon talked with Dahyun about the audition, Dahyun telling her tale and Nayeon offering her fullest support by listening and giving encouraging words in exchange. Nayeon commented that she had watched a few shows and was always so impressed by the place. She then suggested to Dahyun to apply as a pianist, not audition for a show. Maybe she could be one of the regular staff. Surely with her skills, she'd get in.

"Am I really doing this?" She muttered to herself, unable to keep herself from thinking that maybe she was being a tad bit too desperate towards this company, towards this job. But no, maybe not... not when she knew she loved it for years, not when she had so many people encouraging her, telling her that she made the right choice because not only did she love music. Music loved her all the same.

-Also, fate just so happened to play nice for the day, bringing one show director right behind her at the very moment.

"Ms. Kim?" A slightly familiar voice greeted, and Dahyun turned around to address the owner of said voice with a bow.

"M-morning- umm... yes... that's.. I'm... Ms. Kim..." Certainly not how she planned it to go. "Umm..." And how could she dare forget the name of this lady!

Sensing her plight, a broad grin stretched across the singer's face as she took in the innocence of the pianist. "Park Jihyo. We met a few days ago... my, well... my best friend sorta fired you." She said with an awkward laugh which Dahyun found to be unfairly pretty.

"Yes, umm.. of course.. I remember it so well- I mean, not in a bad way, I just.. it's impactful on my li-"

"Calm down, Dahyun-ssi." Jihyo placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance. "How 'bout you come on in with me. I'm assuming you have some business here?" She made polite small talk as she lead the way through the wide poster-filled walls of JYPE.

"Er, yes... exactly... I-uh, I'm here to try out to be a pianist, I guess?"

"You guess?"Jihyo repeated, amused. "Not too sure if you really want to be one?"

"More like, not too sure I can get in... Unless you have a shortage on personal pianists, then I'm sure I could convince you to need me."

Jihyo liked that little comment. "Trust me, shortage or not, after the way you played, I would definitely have you on the team if production wasn't already quite a ways in." She confessed, stopping in front of large wooden double-doors. "This is your stop, oh great one." 

Dahyun playfully rolled her eyes before bowing her deepest thanks to Jihyo who left for her office and rapped her knuckles against the hard surface. A husky voice beckoned her in to which she obeyed, stepping into the spacious area that was Park Jinyoung's office.

"I was expecting you to come back, didn't think you'd take so long though." The man grinned at Dahyun who half-expected the reaction, but stiil held a fair amount of pleasant surprise. "I know what you're here for. Shall we cut to the chase and discuss the terms for your contract?"

"... Gladly."

The sliding of the full-toned keys beneath her fingers in a smooth, melancholic melody served to immerse her in the world of her own musical tale. It- the song her hands were drawn to paint- portrayed the artist's regretful feelings as she reminisced her past, and the hopeful emotions that reached out for a joyous future.

A splash of color- bright, changed the original neutral shade of the song, taking on a lighter tune, innocent and young. The type that would come into mind when running across vast fields on a fair day, resting under the shades of trees, being hugged by your father and kissed by your mother. It transitioned to the first time you felt the tickles and tiny pinpricks of fear, but always having comfort hold your hand as you took courage leaping into a rushing stream that you once thought was a raging river. 

The smile on your face was of purity and youth, frolicking across meadows, love: all in your heart as you laughed and pointed to a cloud that looked like a rabbit, the tinier ones being its newborn offspring.

Suddenly the melody took a tone for the worse, a thunderstorm encompassing the sky, ending the good-weather day and sending lighting and clashes and rumbles that could shake the earth. The fluffy white bunnies were eaten up by the big bad wolf- no, the vicious dragon that came in blackening clouds. It became much too cold, dark... loud and angry. A picture of loneliness: a lost girl, losing her parents, the tree losing all leaves, leaving you vulnerable to the winds and rain-

"As I thought. You really are too good."

Dahyun jolted on the piano bench, a hand over her racing heart as she was pulled out of her imagery, ending the piece on a horrible chord- both figuratively and literally. "Miss Park."

"Just JIhyo would do, Dahyun-ssi."

"I, ah... Jihyo-ssi, h-how- what are you doin- may I help you?" The girl stuttered out, still dazed from her reverie.

"Yes, I guess you could. Help me by telling me what piece you were playing." She gave a small smile, awaiting the answer. It was quite unlike any piece she had heard of before, leaving her more than just a little bit curious.

"I actually don't know." Was the honest reply.

"Huh?"

"I play by my feelings. Sometimes I write by them. I suppose it makes things easier when it just... flows. It's been awhile since I've had them at this intensity. Sparked up my imagination." Dahyun spoke aloud, surprising herself for not keeping anything hidden, not at all addressing Jihyo in particular, rather speaking aloud her innermost beliefs. She could only wonder as to what response she would receive.

"Hmmm..." Jihyo walked closer to the forlorn pianist, still drowning in her negative feelings. "That does make a lot of sense."

Dahyun's head lifted and her eyes met large, brown ones, welcoming her into their embrace. "What do you mean..."

"I could feel it. I wanted to ask how you did it." Jihyo shrugged, a grin settled on her lips. "Not many people can manage their feelings to seep into the very core of their sound. You seem to do it so effortlessly." Jihyo held pale fingers softly in her grasp.

"I think effortlessly is quite the stretch..." Dahyun mumbled to herself, trying to ignore the warmth brought by their joined hands.

"Maybe that's the reason people are pulled into your music."

Dahyun stared at her in question, but later understood what the older girl meant by that. The sound of her feelings. She was well aware that they were absorbed by her music and taken places she never thought she could reach. She was still baffled and disbelieving at times when such comments on her work arose, but she had to accept it. She was glad for it. The music her parents gifted her with.

Her parents...

"Really, Kim Dahyun.. how do you do it?" The question halted any of her sad thoughts, bringing her to face Jihyo's brown orbs that were moving about, searching for the honest answer in Dahyun's own.

Really, how did she manage such emotion? Did she actually manage it?

The answer came to her simpler than she expected it would.

"When you're as broken as me... it comes naturally."

Dahyun didn't know why, but she just couldn't hate Myoui Mina. The moment their eyes met as she worked the register, she just couldn't help but feel a flutter in her stomach, and smile genuinely despite their rough introductions to one another. Also, Nayeon-unnie had told her to try to stay positive, and that rain always came before sunshine- or whatever gibberish.

So it definitely came as a surprise that days without the singer's presence later, and they were face-to-face as she worked, an unreadable surprise etched onto beautiful features as she just replied the absurd.

"You." Mina blurted out, and Dahyun could see Jihyo holding in her laughter from the corner of her vision. But more importantly... did Mina just say that she- No, Dahyun needed to confirm.

"I... what?" She inquired with a tilt of her head. It was a peculiar situation, the way Mina seemed to- and she wasn't even imagining things- blatantly stare at her as if she were some alien when she was only, in fact, taking orders.

"You..." The girl repeated, seeming to be at a loss of words, weighing something in her mind before randomly asking. "You want our orders?" Dahyun heard Jihyo's little laugh and wondered if she was allowed to laugh at this weird moment as well. What was with this odd Myoui Mina? It was like reliving a certain encounter in the very same place that Dahyun almost assumed she had travelled back to that moment in time. Her mind was in a definite struggle to process it, leaving her wordless in the face of Myoui Mina.

Momentarily stunned, she reached a hand up to her face and pinched hard, asking herself if this was actually real. Seeing she was wide awake and at work, she nodded and carefully replied. "Well, I do work here so... Yeah, I do want your order?" Her earlier tenseness gone as she realized the hilarity of this strange situation, breaking into a grin, before adding, "Don't you want your order too?".

She watched the other girl blink at her. Just blink. What even- 

"Is this like... a clue or something? Blink for a yes?" Dahyun questioned, turning to the less puzzling one for an answer.

"Maybe." Dahyun returned Jihyo's grin with a smile as she watched the latter bring her friend back to earth. "Mina, the people behind are waiting."

"Oh." Was her simple reply and Dahyun surpressed a chuckle as she watched Jihyo, now in frustration trying to get Mina to order. Funny how she did so very lifeless. "One order of nachos, and iced tea, two cookie bars and an Ameri-"

"I got it." Dahyun decided to interrupt before Mina had another mental breakdown.With a laugh, she took the payment and the order, replacing it with a receipt (that she had snuck a little message onto) handed to Jihyo since Mina seemed to be hard to trust at the moment still a dead woman standing in a crowd, shamelessly staring at Dahyun as if she had never seen her before, or that she grew another head during the time they did not see one another.

What was with today, really.

"So, an order of nachos, iced tea, two cookie bars."Dahyun decided to repeat, just to make sure, but of course she had noticed a little something and was sure to replace that. She obviously knew, after all.

Myoui Mina hated Americanos.

Smiling to herself, she almost missed the words of thanks if it weren't for one thing.

"Th-thank you. 

...Dahyun."

Sure it was a surprise, but something blossomed in her chest, and she felt her face light up, eyes forming signature crescents as she could not contain this sudden feeling of happiness that overrode her system. Such a simple thing renderred her such pleasant feelings, how could she not want more? She responded her exact feelings clearly. "My pleasure, Miss Myoui." Such a true pleasure.

Lost in shining orbs that held a spark she had missed in them before, she hadn't realized they were holding each other's gazes till she heard a cough.

"Right," Getting pulled back into the present she sheepishly smiled. "I'll have your orders at your table in a moment." 

Never had she wanted to just drop all her work to stay by another's side even for a few moments more. There was something she saw in the Myoui Mina of that day that was different from before and she felt her soul being magnetized towards it, like this dire need to know what and why. And never had she been more annoyed with an impatient customer waiting their turn in that long line.

No matter, one thing was for sure-

She called me by my first name!!!"

Dahyun was allowed to be this happy, right?

She had caught her glancing her way and her heart was elated. Even when Miss Myoui was talking with her boss, Wendy, they had exchanged glances and Dahyun was beginning to feel a weird sensation just from that. Although, she wondered why Mina looked so solemn after her talk with Wendy as she exited the cafe. Had Dahyun done wrong and the woman actually liked Americano? No... that was surely not it. But what?

It was closing time. Dahyun was still swimming in anxious thoughts when she felt a hand gripping on her shoulder.

"Go. Home." Wendy pointed to the wall clock that read it was already past closing time, way past eight, going into nine in the evening. "I've tried to give you space to think, but I want my dinner!" The older girl whined uncharacteristically, and Dahyun smiled, nodding silently as she fixed up all the remaining things to be kept, changed, bowed in gratitude and farewell, and left without another word. It got Wendy worried, but she just watched the silent worker head out into the night and to her home.

She hoped she headed straight home.

Dahyun did not head straight home. Again, she did not.

-But Wendy didn't need to know that.

Sitting on a random large rock in a wooded park at nearly nine in the evening was not something anyone could call "normal". But maybe for angst-ridden, depressed souls, it was pretty soft-core. For Dahyun,that is.

She didn't know what she was doing there, what she wanted- what she was supposed to be doing there, but that rock seemed steady and dependable so she decided to confide her deepest secrets in it.

"You know..." She began, actually sparing a side-glance to the inanimate object, sighing at the lack of response. "Damn, if it were Chaeng or Jeong-unnie they'd go, 'No, I don't know'" She imitated in a mocking, high-pitched tone. "Well, in the first place, if I wanted to have a two-way conversation, I should've have chosen something that was actually alive!" She groaned, realizing her stupidity. A small bark from a random place behind a nearby tree caught her attention, but instead of investigating it straightaway, she yelled, "Thanks for listening!".

Why was she thanking some random creature- not even a human, unless someone was into that kind of dog play- for replying to her. She must be losing her mind.

"What is up with me lately, one moment, joy fills my soul, the next... I'm such a mess..." She breathed into her hands, covering up her face.

Her mind drifted to so many things. Piano, music, her parents... their... moving on to a better place. She thought of her grandma, her nearly-insufferable roommates (nearly, because she was just the same so that took out some part of... insufferable...ness. maybe?), and her beloved older sister Nayeon who she would give the whole world and Venus to if only the older girl wasn't so conceited that she would argue that no planet was as pretty as her and that Dahyun should just get her a clone of herself to admire. Really, the things this girl spewed.

Then of course there was the recent financial development, or rather, the lack of it thereof that frustrated Dahyun to no end. Losing clients and she wasn't exactly all that willing to get back out in the world, not that it would be easy, the demands for her lowering, uninispired, unsold compositions that she personally loathed, Myoui Mina and failed auditions, her pending role in JYP. It was a lot to think about and Dahyun realized this was why she needed to sit outside and think.

"So, Mr. Rock... can I call you Mr. Rock? Whatever, My situation is just- wait, are you even a guy? An old guy? Are you older- maybe, yeah, but are you a woman? Man? Gay- out of context, whatever... Rock, what... why does my life ?"

"Probably because you're talking to a rock. Wait- are you talking to a rock?!"

Dahyun's head whipped up facing a short-haired, bespectacled blonde, plastic bags in one hand, and a jokbal monster in the other.

"Jeongyeon-unnie."

"Dahyun-ah, were you just talking to a rock?" She asked again, adding a, "Why?" at the end.

Embarrassed as she was, she replied, "I needed a friend to talk to... and get some advice from." She blushed.

"And you thought a rock could help you with that?" Jeongyeon's expression was absolutely priceless and Dahyun would have laughed if she wasn't caught in such a situation. 

"Hey, you could hurt its feelings! Calling it a "rock" like it's just that and nothing more." She tried to play it off.

"BECAUSE IT IS JUST THAT." Jeongyeon responded with exasperation. "Momo, help me out here!" She sent an SOS to her bestfriend who was silently eating during the whole exchange.

"Well." She swallowed. "First, if i were your friend, I wouldn't appreciate you sitting on me when you need me, specifically, my advice. What the hell is with your manners dude? You don't see me sitting on your face when we talk." She pretended to be annoyed as she huffed with arms crossed over her chest, one hand still in Jeongyeon's grip.

"You sat on my face last week when I wouldn't take you out for icecream, because... oh, I don't know, I didn't make the audition I had? and was really down because of it?" Dahyun reminded, glaring at her senior roommate.

"Right, sorry 'bout that, but anyway, secondly," Dahyun held back her vexation at being brushed off as Momo continued her "helping out". "-If I were you, I'd actually choose a partner who would reply? I mean, I don't know about you but I'd rather be talking a conversation with someone and stuff." She finished with a bite to her food.

"You think I didn't consider that?" Dahyun whispered to herself, but Momo apparently heard.

"No, you didn't. If you did, you wouldn't be talking to a rock and instead to us."

"Smartass."

"Oh! I got called smart for once, Jeongyeonie!"

"Is that really something to be happy about?"

"Yes! Self-improvement is a must!"

Dahyun cut the silly chatter with her own question. "Anyway, I'm surprised to meet you guys here. What's up?" 

"What's up? Dahyun, it's nine in the evening if you haven't realized. Why are you here? I got the night and following day off from work and Momo texted me to pick her up since it was another late night at the studio, so we thought of grabbing some food on the way home for all of us to eat." Jeongyeon explained their side of the story. "What about you? Why aren't you home yet? Isn't your sister worried?I know she's home for tonight, you know we all know her schedule."

Dahyun sighed. Leave it to the most responsible one to know and ask the important stuff.

"I was just... thinking. I wanted to think for a bit." Dahyun shifted on her rock, giving Jeongyeon some space to sit as well as Momo went off somewhere in the trees. The pair prayed the latter didn't get lost or something.

The park lights flickered as a late night breeze brushed past their coats, still allowing them to feel the chill of the hour. Jeongyeon waited for Dahyun to get comfortable and hopefully speak up first. She did, thankfully.

"Unnie, am I being a burden to you guys?" She said plainly, not bothering on hesitating anymore. Jeongyeon wasn't one to be too patient with her after all. "I mean, I'm sure you know about what's happened lately with me and work and- we have plans to move but because of me, it's always delayed. I'm really sorry."

"Dahyun," Jeongyeon began with a sigh. Of course Dahyun was feeling this way. It wasn't that she was being a burden to the older ones, she was being more of a burden to herself, if anything. "You have never been a burden, at least, not to us. Not too sure about Wendy though." Jeongyeon threw in a joke, glad that she could crack a smile out of the younger girl, roughing up her hair."Nayeon tells you this, doesn't she?"

Dahyun nodded, despite the lingering doubts. "But-"

Jeongyeon swiftly cut her off. "And we've told you that we can wait- or really, pay for the rent for the first few months until you're on your feet. No issue here." She pulled Dahyun into a side-hug. "You're our maknae. We're entitled to care for you. You're entitled to receive our care. Okay?"

That tone allowed no arguments so really, all Dahyun could do was agree. "I just want to help you all."

"You are. By being our little burst of sunshine, by making as laugh at the stupidest jokes that aren't supposed to even be funny, by your beautiful, beautiful music. Don't tell Nayeon, but more beautiful than her." The pair shared a laugh. "You're helping us more than you know. Even simply cooking for us when we're too tired- leaving us full healthy meals, Dahyun you help so much by cleaning up our place and all the little things you think we don't notice, but even Momo does and that's saying a lot."

Dahyun was near tears at the confession.

"You are not a burden, okay?"

"Okay."

"Guys!" Momo interrupted with a shout, a bundle of blue blankets in her hand. "Guess what I found!" A small bark, much like the one Dahyun heard earlier made its way to their ears as Momo got closer and closer. In her arms was a black and white border collie pup.

"Mo?"

"It was abandoned. So cuteeee" she patted the pup's head. "Can we take it home? I wanna name it Pengu! A dog that looks like a penguin! I wanna give it a red bowtie collar!"

"Momo?!" Jeongyeon ran a hand through her hair. "Just where did you pick this guy up?" Momo responded by pointing in a random general direction behind her. "What? Okay, I admit, the thing is loads adorable." The eldest of the three said after chancing a glance at the baby. "But you know we can't afford to care for it even if the landlady allows pets! M-money is a bit tight this month." She stuttered, the topic sensitive around Dahyun.

It surprised them when she raised her hand. "Then I'll pay for the costs. I'll be responsible for it."

"Dahyun... no, kid, I don't think right now is a good time to be bringing in pups-"

"Right, right, and we have to share the cost because I want it in the first place!" Momo nodded furiously.

"Unnie, you barely have enough money to feed yourself, what are you saying?"

"Just wait till I get my big instructing break! We'll see who can't feed themselves!"

"Are you being defiant?!"

"What if I am?!"

"What if you are?!"

"What if I am?!"

"What if-"

"OKAY STOP. Fine, fine, Gosh, dammit. We'll take it home."

"Yes!"

"But! Dahyun," Jeongyeon turned to the youngest, "you're allowed to shoulder the feeding costs and some medical stuff or whatever if this kid hasn't had its shots, but once you need help, tell Momo immediately. Okay? And since this er is gonna be living with us, feeding and bathing care is a shared thing between all four of us. Better tell Nayeon. Momo, you will tell her since this was your idea. Are we clear?"

"Crystal!"

"What even made you want to adopt it on a whim, Mo?" Jeongyeon asked as she lead the two out of the park on their way home.

"Well, it was so small... and so sad. Alone, not being able to fend for itself, I think it needed a second chance at life, you know?"

"Second chance..." Dahyun repeated thoughtfully.

"Yeah, doesn't everyone deserve to have another shot at life, especially when they've never done anything wrong?" Momo spoke unknowingly triggering something in Dahyun.

"Yeah, yeah they do." She responded looking at the girl's wise words in awe. "Everyone does."

"Right, so when the chance comes... why not just grab it?"

Grab the chance to get it, huh...

"Dahyun?" Momo called out as they reached their front door, Jeongyeon fishing out her keys from her pocket.

"Yeah?"

"What do you want to name it? Let's see..." Momo took a peek under the hood. "Oh, it's a girl!"

Dahyun looked at the pup closely. It looked so behaved, so quiet, so peaceful. Almost... graceful. With its shiny black coat and her pristine white mix of fur.

"Mina." She answered thoughtlessly.

"M-mina?" She was unable to notice the strange tone in Momo's voice. "Are you sure?"

Dahyun hummed in contemplation. "On second thought, let's call her Minari. It's cuter, no?"

Momo had this weird look on her, but smiled and nodded nontheless. "Ri-right, Minari~ is so much cuter." At the call of the name, the pup looked at her attentively. "Oh, you like that? Alright then. That's your name from now on, little Minari~." Momo smiled, much more genuine than the last.

"Come on you two, bring your "Minari" inside and let's have a late dinner." Jeongyeon urged as she called for their last member of their little family. "Nayeonnie! We're home, everyone is! Dinner time!"

Dahyun liked this, this domestic feel. These people weren't just her friends, they were her family. And with a new addition to it, one who inspired second chances... and looked like a certain woman Dahyun knew, she felt the home grow so much warmer.

"Coming!" They heard the reply. "Welcome home!"

Welcome home. Dahyun hadn't realized how lucky she was to be greeted by such. She hadn't been thankful enough. Now she was aware.

"Thanks unnie. We're home." She hugged her older sister, relishing in the solace of her embrace in peace- until a high-pitched squeal broke said peace.

"IS THAT A PUPPY?!"

Well... hopefully peace still wanted to come back some time soon. Even peace needed second chances.

A/N: Took too long, feels weird and idk anymore.... save me. My back hurts because I played catch with my brother while we pretended to be baseball players. lol. I didn't stretch so my back is reasonably strained. Anyways... feedback? and apologies for the late update. Ciao~

~Khazumi