It happened sometimes. School could stress her out. Promotions could exhaust her. Voices could irritate her. Lack of sleep could agitate her.

Sometimes, it was a strain to be positive. To uphold that bolstering smile she knew gave strength to her beloved members.

So sometimes, though not all the time, she’d find solace in them. In Kahei’s genuine words of encouragement and kindness. In Sooyoung’s lighthearted teasing and loving caresses on her head. In Jinsoul’s constricting hugs and subtly cringey pet names. In Haseul’s motherly lullabies and light embrace. In Jungeun’s lowkey awkward drabble of compliments and downright painful handholds. In Jiwoo’s long sessions of clinging onto her like a sloth to a tree, and never-ending array of high-pitched validation. In Heejin’s cheek-pinches and Hyunjin’s tickles. In Chaewon’s cuddles and goofy dancing. In Yeojin’s hyper-activeness and ceaseless energy and affection.

And sometimes, though admittedly more so than the rest, she’d tiptoe across the length of the dorm, weaving her way through furniture she’d learned how to locate in the dark, and slip her way into the small bedroom which housed the yyxy unit.

She’d duck under one of the bunkbeds, having memorized where the girl slept at all times. Her hand would find her arm and she’d gently nudge her until she stirred awake. Like tonight.

“Hyejoo-ah, Hyejoo-ah,” she called out in a hushed whisper.

The girl blinked, took a moment to register her human alarm clock and sat up slightly. “Yerim? It happened again?”

Despite the dimness of the room, the drowsy raven-head could detect her timid nod.

Without further elaboration, she laid back down and shimmied backwards until her was to the wall, opening up the blanket invitingly.

Yerim smiled and joined her beneath the comforter, grin stretching wider upon feeling long, warm arms wrap around her cool torso. Not too tight, not too loose, not too clingy—perfect.

There was a reason her dampened mood only sprung up sometimes.

And Hyejoo—all of the girls—was why.

A/N: because HyeRim is majorly underrated. The girlies take turns waking each other up for school for goodness sake! Anyways, LOONA uwu hours are open permanently.