The promotions are finally over. Izone finished their final recording on Mcountdown and they were heading back to their dorm. 

Chaeyeon needed some rest, but the younger members suggested they should hold a gathering in her dorm to celebrate their final win by playing games and having supper together, she didn’t have the heart to reject them and even offered to order some fried chicken and pizzas.

The van was filled with hollering and overlapped conversations as it made its way to their dorms, Chaeyeon smiled at the sight although her eye bags are alarmingly obvious under her makeup, her feet are aching and her back hurts, she hissed under her breathe when she felt a jolt of pain shoot up her spine when she tried to steal a glance at Sakura settled at the back who was looking outside the window, the lamp lights flashing on and off on her serene features while the vehicle moved.

‘Ugh, that was embarrassing.'

She wished Sakura didn’t notice her.

Chaeyeon’s chain of thoughts soon was disrupted when the pain intensified, she reached under her clothes and gently grabbed her sore waist. She grimaced when it felt hard and tense as rock, maybe she shouldn’t have exerted so much force into the dance and stuck with her usual feathery light movements.

“You okay?”

Minju asked as she saw the scrunch on Chaeyeon’s nose. Chaeyeon’s spine felt like it’s going to snap in half but she has dealt with this many times as a dancer so she nodded her head in reassurance.

“Aish, Yujin hyped everyone else up to invade your dorm, that ‘choding.’”

“That’s fine! It has been long since we’ve gathered together and spend time. It will be fun!”

“You need some rest, Chaeyeon, your back is going to break. I will get you my hot pack later.”

“I’m fine-"

“Fine my ! You look like you were going to cry, you don't have to act all tough now!”

Chaeyeon cowered under Minju’s reprimandation and meekly nodded, before they could continue their conversation, the van has already stopped infront of their dorm. 

Chaeyeon waited for everyone to leave the van before she made her exit, because she’s sure that she’s going to take an annoyingly long time to walk out of the van as her back  at being a back, she might block her members behind her who were desperate to get ready for the late night gathering. 

‘I want to sleep...’

Chaeyeon struggled to get up, she hunched her back to minimise the stress on her sore muscles and hugged her bag into her chest. The lights were switched off and she couldn’t see well, she waddled her way down the van when her pointed loafer shoe caught itself in the van’s carpet and her body lunged forward like it was thrown from a catapult, she literally felt her stomach dropping out of her.

“Woah-!”

But as soon as she fell forward, she was adruptly caught by a pair of strong arms and was engulfed by that familiar sweet scent that only intoxicated her further, Chaeyeon could feel her saviour hurriedly pulling her into their embrace, as if they are protecting something precious to them,

“S-Sakura?”

Chaeyeon gasped in surprise as she tried to look at Sakura who’s breathless probably because she had literally sprung up from her seat to catch Chaeyeon in time, neither of them want to know what would happened if Sakura wasn’t there.  

Nowadays, if it’s a normal situation, Chaeyeon would have jumped out of Sakura’s embrace, but Chaeyeon was slightly feverish and hence took a long while to process what’s going on so she didn’t struggle in Sakura’s embrace.

“Don’t move. You’re going to hurt your back even more.”

Sakura breathed out as she clasped her hands on top of Chaeyeon’s tummy, Chaeyeon could feel her heart thumping against her chest and she’s not sure if she was hallucinating that Sakura’s heartbeats were equally heavy as hers.

“I-I didn’t know you were here.”

“Of course I’m here, I knew your back is in pain and you wanted to let them leave first because you didn’t want to block the way. How can I just leave you alone?”

“H-how did you know?”

Chaeyeon stammered in surprise, she was so sure that she didn’t break out of her facade infront of her members or her fans, the camera, anyone. Minju knew because she caught her secretly applying ointments on her back in the waiting room, she got a lecture from Minju of how she should have taken care of herself more and should have informed the staff, but Chaeyeon knows Minju is a real softie and she’s just worried of her.

“What do you think? I know you best, you can’t fool me by acting you’re okay, and I’m always watching you, that is.”

Sakura’s tone was criticising yet soft, as she pulled away, Chaeyeon’s stomach dropped when she saw the cross expression on Sakura’s soft features, she would prefer falling flat on her face than seeing Sakura this disappointed. Chaeyeon pouted as she obediently passed her bag to Sakura who already had her arm stretched out. 

Chaeyeon has this habit to keep things to herself which she is still trying to improve on, she just doesn’t want to be a burden to people she cares about. But they get so cross when she hides her problems from them so Chaeyeon feels conflicted about what she should do. 

They slowly made their way to the lobby and then entered the lift. The atmosphere was awkward in the lift, although Sakura’s brows were still creased, knowing that Sakura is genuinely worried make her heart flutter in happiness, not matter how inapproperiate it is to do so now.

“I’m just.....”

Chaeyeon looked at Sakura whose doe eyes were casted on the floor.

“Worried. I’m sorry I sounded harsh, b-but the thought of you being hurt just messes me up. I don’t know, I’m just mad at myself for not being able to help.”

“No no! It’s okay! I’m sorry for worrying you too.”

“If you’re really sorry, let me take care of you.”

Sakura sulkily puffed her cheeks as colors whelmed up her features. Chaeyeon blinked in surprise, because. this is not the kind of usual request people used to have on her when she made mistakes, but she also feels giddly upon Sakura's strange yet endearing request. 

“Oh? Okay?”

A funny smile appeared on Chaeyeon’s face as she tried to hold back her laughter when she bent down to take a better look at Sakura, Sakura gasped in disbelief and hid her face into her coat.

“Meanie.”

Sakura grumbled as she headed out of the lift first, not even sparing a glance at Chaeyeon. When Chaeyeon thought Sakura really got mad, Sakura  leaned against the wall cooly and waited for Chaeyeon to wobble out of the lift.

Without warning, Sakura suavely wrapped her arm around Chaeyeon’s waist like she has done this a thousand times and earned a bashful yelp from the latter that surprised the both of them.

“W-what-” 

“You said okay, now let me help.”

Chaeyeon’s head was too much of a mess to respond Sakura with coherent words, her body tingles upon the occassional sighs from Sakura as she guided Chaeyeon down the corridor.

Sakura’s random chivalrous acts never fail to make her heart throb, Chaeyeon wonders if Sakura ever realised that she has this reverse charm that swoons girls around her.

Sakura persistent hands remained at where they were around Chaeyeon until they got into Chaeyeon’s room, Hitomi was already in the bathroom washing up while Yuri, Nako and Wonyoung were setting up the gaming console in the living room. Chaeyeon was near her breaking point and immediately cried out in pain as she climbed onto her bed and lied down flat on her tummy. Chaeyeon bit down on her lips to resist crying out even louder, it didn’t hurt as much in the afternoon, why does it have to hurt like a now?

“Are you really okay? Do you not want to sleep?”

“I think I will have a quick nap for about 30 minutes but I have one small request.”

“Hm?”

Sakura hummed as she gently brushed the hair away from Chaeyeon’s face, her fingertips sliding along the soft curves of Chaeyeon’s profile. As Chaeyeon felt the hot touch glided across her face, she momentarily closed her eyes and opened them again to see her vision void of her frazzy hair, and hence focused on the beautiful woman infront of her.

Sakura’s eyes were full of sincerity, staring at her with so much meaning, not to mention her eyes are already beautiful on its own, but the way they sparkled like stars in the night sky made her stomach churn. 

‘How can you stare at me like that? Like you’re in love with me?’

Chaeyeon swallowed dryly as she saw Sakura’s eyes glanced down to her lips.

‘It’s just so cruel that you will never see me the same way I see you, but if you’re happy with this, I’m all good.’

“Can you hug me? I move a lot while I sleep but I can’t do that now...”

Chaeyeon finally said so, feeling even more vulnerable than usual, she avoided meeting Sakura’s searching gaze, it’s not an outrageous request, right? It’s just a friend thing, to cuddle and hug each other while they sleep, it’s no big deal. Although Chaeyeon will fall back to square one, as long as Sakura doesn’t know, everything will be okay. 

Chaeyeon stupidly craves for Sakura’s affection, now she has the chance to, why should she let it go?

“Scoot inside, will you? I will sleep on the outside.”

Sakura removed her oversized brown coat and revealed the black turtle neck hugging her slender figure, Chaeyein gulped at how alluring Sakura’s aura is when she crawled towards her. Chaeyeon turned towards the wall as quickly as she could to avoid having to witness any more of that and steadied her breath when she felt the mattress beside her sank.

“Relax, I’m not going to eat you.”

Sakura joked, Chaeyeon wasn’t sure if she has intended to make it sound seductive but in any case it worked. But as soon as she felt a warm pair of arms sliding up her body, she discarded her inapproperiate thoughts and indulged in the warmth radiating from Sakura’s body. Sakura is very careful and gentle with her actions as she pressed her face into Chaeyeon’s neck, Chaeyeon silently reassured Sakura by intertwining their fingers together. Although these are gestures of concern as a friend, Chaeyeon is already thankful.

“I will wake you up. Just sleep for now.”

Sleepiness spreaded throughout her system the moment Sakura commanded her to, Chaeyeon closed her eyes and drowned into oblivion, as far she could recall, the last thought on her mind is that her back can forever be sore as long as Sakura spoils her like this.

————————————————

She wasn’t sure what caused her to wake up, but sure it isn’t Sakura who’s supposed to do so. There were distant yellings and laughters, but it wasn’t bad till the point it could wake her up from her slumber. The next thing she n