"Umm... why?" Dahyun's voice barely managed to croak out, the usual soft raspiness now softer, raspier. "Did I do something wrong?" Her world felt like it was being flipped over, like this was a nightmare she never expected and never wanted to happen. Nevertheless  it was occurring. Right this moment.

"No, no...Ok, Maybe... you're just... so FAKE, Dahyun. I don't think I can live like this, knowing you might be lying to my face." Dahyun's current boyfriend replied, rolling his eyes at what he assumed to be a hurt act from the younger student. .

"F-fake?" It felt like a stab to the chest, that word having been something she's heard a fair amount of times, and had been the cause of four out of ten break-ups she's had in the course of her highschool to college years. "Why do you say that?" How can you say that- was what Dahyun wanted to ask, but refrained from doing so. Had she ever done something to end up giving the impression that she was faking her love, her loyal and kind love?

"I don't know. You always smile, but it feels too happy to be real, y'know?" He explained half-heartedly, and Dahyun thought he was just making up some random excuse to make her agree to breaking up. (Because maybe he actually was, and this was just a way for him to get out, and not the real reason.)

No. She didn't know. She thought people liked her smile. Apparently she was wrong.

"Also, your laugh gets annoying after a while." Ouch. That hurt. But no, Dahyun would not cry right now. Not in front of this petty man, not for this petty man. "And everyone knows you're in the drama club. So who knows, maybe you've been faking relationships here and there. I'll be frank, babe, I've heard rumors about you. And people breaking up because of fake relationships or fake feelings."

But rumors are just that. Rumors. She didn't feel the need to explain herself. She didn't have to. She thought he trusted her and she trusted him.

"I also heard you were gay."

OKayyyy, now that wasn't necessarily a rumor. Or a lie. But not entirely true.

"I'm bi." Dahyun admitted softly.

"Whatever, same thing." He brushed her off, and turned his gaze elsewhere, exhaling deeply. "Anyway, to cut this short, cause I cannot stand your face..." He looked into her eyes. "Let's just break up." And with that, he walked out the door, each step he made trampling on the remnants of Dahyun's heart.

"HE SAID WHAT?!"

"Shhh... calm down Nayeonnie..." Jihyo drew circles on the fuming girl's back. "I'm sure-"

"Oh, no no, Park Jisoo, he is DEAD. So dead! Imma kick his little , I will-"

"Language, Unnie, language." Jeongyeon warned, covering Tzuyu's ears as the group of nine childhood friends sat in the council room after school hours as Jihyo, Nayeon, Tzuyu and Momo did council work. Yes, Momo, the surprising Vice-President of the student council. (The story to that will be for another time.) The rest of the girls had finished club or class and were there to hang around as they always did.

"Jeong!" Nayeon complained, but she felt Jihyo and Jeongyeon's hands on hers as they were tense and tight and she quieted down, understanding that they were just as- if not more angry, but doing their best to keep it in. "I'm still gonna pinch his little man if I ever come across his stupid- face." She grumbled, her words garnering looks of disgust from their female-loving group of friends. Yeah, they weren't exactly the straightest bunch. The fact never stopped any guys from trying though.

Ha, Losers.

Anyway...

"I don't get it. When has Unnie ever given the impression of being fake? I mean, isn't she always like that, sure we know sides to her that no one else knows, but she has never been fake to them. Not that I know of, and trust me, I would know." Tzuyu spoke up, arms crossed on her chest. "She tried to lie about being fine when she fell from a tree during P.E. when we were in sixth grade when the ball got stuck and no one had the balls to go and get it." She said, the crying girl in Sana's arms on the council's resting couch, flushing momentarily.

Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon shared a giggle as they whispered back and forth, "Ball... and balls, Gh hahahah-" and garnering a smack on the back of their heads from their leader. It wasn't the time for that.

"I agree with Tzuyu, it just doesn't make any sense." Mina sighed, leaning against Momo's chair as her girlfriend seemed engrossed on something that was displayed on her laptop. "He seemed so nice." She tried to get out, though she knew much better. It was only to support Dahyun and not make her feel bad about her choice... maybe?

"Seemed." Sana spat out, patting the poor maknae's head.

"Right, seemed." Mina rubbed her pulse as she was getting a headache. "Dahyun tried so hard for him. What the hell? She gave up Movie nights with us and Choco pie! CHOCO.PIE. For a damn date." Mina's frown deepened before she turned to the ashamed tofu. "No offense, Dahyunnie, we don't blame you. Girlfriend duties." The girl nodded in response.

"She even bought him gifts and a watch for their first half-year anniversary." Nayeon muttered. "." She whispered, but the second eldest still caught it and reminded her of her language around the younger bunch. But hey! They were eighteen! "I knew something was fishy with him. Dahyun's Fake my , he's fake!"

"That's why it doesn't make sense, when they were just on a date two days ago." Though the way Dahyun came home to their shared dorm after the date spoke volumes of disappointment as the younger girl covered for the man saying he was probably tired from work or club or school, so he didn't talk so much. "I doubt he payed attention to her half the time on their date, though." Mina grumbled, (having noticed flirty tendencies with the guy Dahyun dated a few months ago) as she tried to peek over her girlfriend's shoulder who had yet to look up from her laptop.

Suddenly, the said girlfriend spoke up. "You know what doesn't make sense? This." She turned her device around to show the screen to the group who either gasped, growled or tried to rush out the door to give someone a beating. (Jihyo had to stop them.)

On the screen, Dahyun's ex had posted a pic on social media with another girl, both in a heavy liplock in what seemed to be a club setting, the caption "Date Night with my one-and-only soulmate" in bold letters. The little tofu let out a whimper before bawling into Sana's chest, gripping tightly onto her shirt.

Before anyone could comment harshly on it, Dahyun spoke first.

"Why?" She asked, and her friends had a collective heartbreak. Their pure little baby was being broken by some guy they had half the mind to barely know his name. He seemed like a douche from the get-go when Dahyun introduced him, but she seemed so happy that they didn't want to ruin that adorable little smile. Now they knew they should have trusted their guts and warned Dahyun so long ago.

They did notice at times, when they saw him without Dahyun around campus, that he had a tendency to play around with some ladies- dare they say blatantly hit on other girls and even go so far as to plant some sneaky flirtatious kisses (Sana confronted him once, and he said the girl was a cousin. Like hell Sana would buy that bull, 'cause what kind of cousin would look like he willingly wanted to her face off and exchange bodily toxins. Gross. Sana may be a flirt, but she never let anyone random touch her, plus she was a biology major). Momo, as dense as everyone knew her to be, even knew that the days she saw the guy with other girls out in town weren't friendly outings, because who sneaks their hands on their friend's waist and takes them to dark alleys?

All Dahyun's friends saw something odd going on, but no one could say anything to her, not when every date he took her on made her so happy, she glowed brighter than a night light and it was so hard for them to fall asleep with how excited she was. The most they could do was make sure the guy didn't go too far on intimacy, and they knew Dahyun was a conservative girl so they prayed for the best because honestly? They knew he wasn't the one for her.

"Why?" Dahyun asked again, quieter than the last, but they all heard it. A small seething cub made a grunt as she approached Dahyun and knelt in front of the couch to make sure their eyes met and the girl understood and believed every word. (Though they knew she might not. Past experience said so.)

"Because he's a jerk and he doesn't deserve someone as amazing as you." Chaeyoung finally spoke some sensible words. As Dahyun's best friend, she knew that this was a painful break-up because of the excuse the guy used. The "You don't seem satisfied with our relationship, Fake-feels." card. She knew it was an excuse because she was aware of the similar events that had happened before. And it hurt her more to see the older girl break because of some guy who was faker than fake. She hadn't spoken ill of him during this whole talk with the girls, but she knew most of them knew how angry she was. Especially with the little secret she had been hiding for such a long time. "You are the most beautiful, most clever and charming, charismatic, amazing person we know." She said whole-heartedly with deep emotion.

"I'm... I'm not amazing..." Dahyun looked shy, trying to bite her lip, before her face contorted back into pain as she remembered reasons on why she wasn't what they said she was. "If I were... He might... he might still love m-me..." She cried. She really had believed him. And they were doing so well too. "It's our first anniversary t-today!" She sobbed, and that was what made it all the worse. Nayeon's anger was overpowered by the sorrow she felt for the younger as she ran to embrace her with Sana as she let her own tear slip. Chaeyoung had to move away to not get hit by the affectionate members' wild cuddles.

Dahyun had been expecting something all day from the moment she woke up to remember that it was her anniversary with her first ever long-term boyfriend (no one had stuck around with her, in terms of dating, to get to know her on the level her friends and family did, but he seemed to be the one). And she had never given herself to anyone, but maybe she would to this kind, loving man. Sure he had been cold the past few weeks, but maybe he had planned something for her! She couldn't wait! So when he called her out to an empty room after ignoring her all day, she was excited and prepared for a surprise- but not too prepared she guessed.

Needless to say, she didn't like his surprise.

Tzuyu sighed. She went closer to join in on the hug from behind the couch, and despite knowing it would hurt her precious unnie, someone had to say the truth before Dahyun got more hurt. "He never did love you, Unnie... at least not properly, or in the way you deserve to be loved." She said, and cursed herself as the usual bundle of sunshine quivered in their embrace, harsh sobs exiting her small form. "I'm sorry to say." She finished.

Sana looked at her and shook her head. "Don't be. You're right, Tzuyu. We all saw, and we're sorry because we didn't warn you Dahyunnie... we could have prevented this. It's our fault." She said sadly, and the others nodded their agreement.

"We're all sorry." Jeongyeon said, joining in the protective hug.

"Do-don't be..." Dahyun replied in a near whisper, her voice was already losing strength from all the crying. "It's just me... I'm just... not... good enough."

"Don't say that Hyun!" Chaeyoung argued, but they were surprised when there was no more response. Usually, when Dahyun got left behind by a former lover, she would really downplay herself, and become negative, always wondering what was wrong with her so she could correct it for whoever she loved. And the group of childhood friends hated that. So, so much. Because Dahyun was perfect the way she was. Tzuyu had told her before. Her Dahyun-unnie was just perfect. But she never did believe it. Because everyone else she dated or loved romantically made her feel otherwise, and the girls found it to be oh so wrong.

It was a surprise when no more self-hating comments came from her, until Sana spoke up.

"She fell asleep." She explained as the five-person-hug ended and they showed a softly breathing, tear-stained Dubu, cradled into Sana's arms, sleeping sadly with a frown.

"Yeah?" Jeongyeon reached out a hand to wavy raven locks. "She must be exhausted. I can't blame her."

The girls sighed, Mina moved to sit on Momo's lap as the older held her sadly, and Jihyo just watched on from her desk. Chaeyoung got closer again to hold Dahyun's hand and placed a soft kiss to the older girl's knuckles as the friends looked at the baby cub sadly,yet fondly.

"Why is the world so unfair to her?" She said, wanting to keep her from harm and protect her the way she needed to, because damn, Chaeyoung would now admit that she loved Dahyun, always as a friend, but realized  a few months ago after getting out of a toxic relationship that there was something more to the way she looked at Dahyun, her sunshine, everyone's sunshine.

"We wish we knew, Chae." Jeongyeon patted her head softly. The rest only nodded sadly before Jihyo suggested they go home and take a rest. Mina volunteered to cook dinner with Sana and Jeongyeon offering their help. Tzuyu volunteered to carry Dahyun to Momo's car so that they wouldn't need to wake her up- she was a heavy sleeper anyway, and right now, all anyone wanted for her was rest. The maknae line rode with Momo, while Jeongyeon drove with Nayeon, Jihyo and Sana in their own cars, Mina with the latter.

Once they arrived at their shared home, the maknae's took their eldest to their room and laid her on her bed, watching her sleep with concerned frowns on their faces. From time to time, she could toss and turn and whimper sadly, clutching her sheets as a tear would occasionally slip only to be wiped away by Chaeyoung.

Soon, Tzuyu went out to help the Unnies with anything in particular, and left Chaeyoung to watch Dahyun. She also wanted the pair to spend time together because she had noticed the way Chaeyoung looked at the older, and she found it absolutely endearing. So with Chaeyoung left to watch Dahyun, the atmosphere settled into a gloomy awkwardness for the cub.

Chaeyoung let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding as she gazed on porcelain skin, pinkish lips, and shut eyes. "You're so pretty, Hyunnie." She whispered, caressing a soft cheek and brushing away loose hairs that had stuck to Dahyun's face due to her tears. "Too pretty for anyone else..." She unconciously found herself being drawn in by the beauty, her face nearing, noses touched, foreheads stuck together until their was minimal space between their lips. "Why couldn't we just..."

Chaeyoung pulled back. She knew what she was doing wasn't right at the moment. She couldn't take advantage of this vulnerability, so instead she sat on the floor, against Dahyun's bed, her hand reaching for Dahyun's nearby and playing with the little fingers on the pianist.

She decided to just go and think about why she suddenly felt this way towards her unnie. When did it actually start?

She remembered coming home a few months ago, in the same state as Dahyun. Her latest ex-girlfriend, someone named Cassy that she had grown very attached to as a friend with whom she shared her Major in Art with, had used her as an experiment on dating girls, which wasn't quite an uncommon thing. Sana used to have the same problem before she and Tzuyu started dating, and boy was everyone glad when they did. They met through art and broke-up through art. Chaeyoung found their "love story" publish-worthy and even thought about writing a song or creative poem, or essay- heck she almost allowed Sana to write a book for it since the older girl was studying literature.

She did admit that she was glad things had happened though, and that she met Cassy. After all, she was the one who helped Chaeyoung realize who it was she really loved. In summary, Chaeyoung believed she fell in love with an artist who was Art herself, the girl happened to be interested as well, and they dated after a few weeks of hinting and subtle courting. One day, during a class where the teacher told them just let their emotions flow and draw whatever, Chaeyoung thought she'd draw what- or rather, who she loved the most. Love was so strong an emotion after all. So she told her girlfriend she would draw her from memory, with all her feelings.

The girl agreed and said she would in turn, draw Chaeyoung and they could do some of those cheesy couple goals to which she agreed. Chaeyoung remembered closing her eyes and imagining Cassy, then opening her eyes and starting the outline. She repeated this process till a light rubber ball hit the glass window of their room and collective yelps were heard along with a 'sorry!' from the outside. When she looked, it was her very own long-time best friend, Kim Dahyun, with her dazzling sheepish grin, and heart-tugging eyesmile, making her way over to apologize to the teacher for disrupting the artists' concentration.

"We were playing around with this ball from the teacher's daughter and accidentally kicked too hard... too light to be soccer ball, hehe, my bad." Were her words as she scratched her head while the teacher scolded her, telling her to be more careful, and that she should be glad nothing broke. Chaeyoung giggled as she watched the girl allow the words to go in one ear and out the other- before their eyes met. 

Dahyun threw her a wink before walking back to her group.

And Chaeyoung couldn't get it out of her head.

By the time Cassy showed her her amazing portrait of Chaeyoung, Chayoung had also finished. She was confident she had done her work well, but Cassy frowned, and the cub wondered why until she saw it.

"You drew her?" Cassy had asked. "I thought you said you would draw me?"

"...I thought so too..." Chaeyoung responded absentmindedly and dumbfounded because staring back at her was the gorgeous Kim Dahyun with the softest eyesmile Chaeyoung had ever seen.

Cassy didn't talk to her after that, she didn't ask questions anymore, and after a few days they just continued to date. Three weeks later, Chaeyoung had wanted to surprise her girlfriend, who she knew was always early to go to art club in the afternoons, with some flowers and her favorite cake, but came into a scene she remembered so vividly.

Chaeyoung was a fan of portraits. Each curve of the body, the shine of skin, the words they spoke that could not be written as the language of the body was more complex than that on paper. But today, she didn't like this art, no matter how beautiful it should've looked. Not when it was her girlfriend writhing under a well-built man on her artwork desk. She wanted to run, but she couldn't. Her feet were glued to the floor.

She remembered slamming the door and rushing forward, pulling the man away by the hair before slapping Cassy, hard and firm, before saying.

"Happy Birthday, Love. I hope you are actually happy." 

She was surprised when there was no retaliation. No slap, scream or harsh words. Cassy dressed herself up as she made the man do the same, before turning to Chaeyoung.

"Listen, I know you expect this, but let's end this. We both know you don't love me."

"What do you mean? Of course I love you!" Chaeyoung had replied in confusion, and then she saw the hurt, the anger that she had expected earlier come forth.

"Then explain all the sketchbooks you have that are filled with her! With her eyes! With her hair! Her damn smile! EXPLAIN. Because if you loved me, it should have been my face that you drew on the canvas that day. My face that has been by your side for more of the semester than you've been with her! Why then, just a few seconds with her and you could draw her life on a paper! Tell me you don't love her!"

"I don't!" Chaeyoung tried to reason, but there was an odd sensation in her heart at the denial that she knew should have been true.

"You don't what? Say the word and I'll believe you."

"I don't... I don't... I just don't, okay?!" 

"If you can't say it, then you do." Then Cassy became much more gentle. "Baby, you have to admit it to yourself. I've come to terms with it these past few weeks. The thing we had isn't the same. If we ever had a spark, it's gone." She cradled Chaeyoung's face in her hands. "And I know this is the worst way to realize it, and I'm sorry, but, Chaeyoung... you love that Kim Dahyun girl. And I don't know for how long, but it seems too long. You'll never touch me the way you want to touch her. You'll never look at me with the same eyes that see her. You'll never love me the way you love her."

And Chaeyoung finally knew.

With one last kiss, their story ended.

It was impossible not to be hurt, after all, Chaeyoung did feel something for Cassy, and she took a while to recover. The only good, or bad, thing was that Dahyun was right by her side to help her through it, and Chaeyoung became more concious of her feelings and fell inevitably deeper and she couldn't get out. But Dahyun had a boyfriend, and no matter how much she hated him since the moment she laid eyes on him (which the reason was now made known to her once her feelings surfaced), she did not want Dahyun to hate her. So she stayed silenced.

But now, with the girl so sad...

Chaeyoung smiled to herself as she felt a the hand she was holding tighten its grip, and when she turned to the object of her affections, the girl gave a small smile in her sleep, whispering  words that sent Chaeyoung's heart running at hundreds of miles per hour.

"Chaeyoung-ah... don't leave too..."

She didn't know what was going on in Dahyun's dream, but whether she said that in a dream or in real life, Chaeyoung was sure her response would be the same.

"I would never... Because I love you."

And she really did love her.

Chaeyoung found herself leaning in again, this time, wanting to feel lips on her own-

"Chaeyoung-unnie, dinn- Oh mygosh-it, sorry!" Tzuyu turned around, covering her eyes as she blushed. Chaeyoung sighed, cursing under her breath, before addressing the giant Maknae.

"Save it Chewy. Don't have to be so shy. You and Sana-unnie do it a lot." She responded before shaking Dahyun gently. "Hyun?"

"Hrmm?" Chaeyoung saw the heavy bags and the tired red eyes, and she wanted to let Dahyun sleep more, but eating was important and she would never let her starve.

"Dinner's ready if you want it?" She said, slowly helping the girl sit up, an arm supporting Dahyun's back.

"Okay." She whispered as she rubbed her eyes, at first gently, then going harsher and harsher till the two maknaes realized it was because she had started crying again and was furiously wiping away tears.

"Hey, hey!" Chaeyoung took her hands away softly, replacing them with her gentler thumbs before hugging Dahyun closer. Tzuyu went in the room, leaving the door open as to not worry the unnies if they came by to check on why she was taking so long to call the others for dinner. She hugged the smaller girls tight.

"There's chocopie." She whispered in an awkward attempt of comfort that actually worked as the two giggled and rocked around in the embrace.

"Thank you." Dahyun murmured before planting a kiss on each of the younger girl's heads.

"You're welcome." Tzuyu replied and got up first.

"Anything for you." Chaeyoung followed, helping Dahyun to stand. "Anything for you." She repeated.

And she really meant it.

A/N: Feedback is appreciated!!! Lotsa love!