Chapter 7

The talent show was quickly reaching it’s date, meaning; participants were rehearsing; the class president was pulling her hair out; assistants are setting up the stage; vigorous anticipation had overloaded the air; and let’s not forget, Yuri was soon going to leave. 

A voice could be heard from the inside of the music room. “If I'm ever gonna fall in love I know it's gonna be y—” Yuri abruptly muted the sound of her guitar and sighed. 

It was extremely difficult for the tanned to not deliberate over the fact she was throwing everything and everyone behind her. It was unpleasantly repetitive; starting a new life for a short period of time until abandoning the happiness and comfort that was in the process of developing. Yuri absolutely detested this life she was undergoing. 

Flashback

“What are you still longing for?” Mrs. Kwon asked her daughter. Could Yuri have made it any more obvious with the excuses she continually offered to delay their flight?

The tanned never had the opportunity to express her own opinion so she took a stab at it. This was her last resort—to obtain and keep what she genuinely wanted. “It’s just… my friends.” 

“You have a lot of friends in America. I find they suit you better.” 

The latter raised her tone, but not too roaring to be considered rude and immediately reasoned her oppose, “But I’ve known Fany and Hyo since I was six. I don’t want to leave them behind.”

“Yuri-ah, do you know we are facing many problems right now? We’ve travelled back and forth without them before but you never complain in the past.” 

Yuri understood why she didn’t bother complaining in the past as the frustration in her body was on the verge of erupting. Her intolerant mother would always get her ways.

“Tiffany and Hyoyeon isn’t really the real reason you’re upset. You don’t want to leave because of that girl you told me about, am I right?” Yuri’s mother concluded. Lying wasn’t an option the Black Pearl had when it came to that woman in front of her so it was practically impossible to deny that statement. The next question Mrs. Kwon asked got her daughter to be speechless and rooted in her place. “Do you love her?” 

Flashback End

 

Yuri came back to her senses when she felt a pair of hands had covered her eyes. “Guess who,” said in an adorable kid-like voice. 

She immediately smiled, already knowing who the person behind her was without a second thought. “Yoona?” 

“Dammit, how did you know so quickly?” She dropped her hands and stood in front of the latter.

Yuri’s audible snicker was the only sound that filled the empty room. Did the younger one really believe she could fool the keen Black Pearl?

“How pathetic do you think I am? Obviously, I would know what your voice sounds likes.” 

Yoona sat down beside her friend and glanced at the worksheets on the music stand. “What are you doing here? Are you practicing for the talent show?” 

“Yeah, I’m just adding a few touches to my song but I don’t think I’m ready yet.” 

“Can I hear what you’ve done so far?” 

Yuri shook her head that made the younger one pout. “You’ll have to wait.” 

A set of despairing eyes were fixed on the younger one as she observed the music room. It wasn’t a challenge for Yoona to notice, but when she shifted her body towards the tanned, Yuri instantly looked away and played it off by pretending to do her work. 

This led the doe-eyed to raise an eyebrow. “Is there something wrong? You seem to be distressed lately.” She brought up again.

“I’m just a bit nervous about the performance, that’s all,” Yuri replied in a relaxed manner, writing down random notes on her paper to avoid eye contact. 

“I know you will do fine. Since when have you ever failed to impress me?” Yoona’s cheerful smile was intended to help the latter relieve her worries but resulted in the opposite. A frown plastered on Yuri’s face, knowing she wouldn’t view that beautiful smile for longer. 

“Do you mind if I hug you?” Yuri’s question had the doe-eyed in a frozen stance, staring straight into thin air. 

“W-What? I mean no, of course not.” She finally answered. 

After receiving the permission to do so, the tanned wrapped her arms around Yoona’s shoulders and pulled her closer into her embrace. Such a simple gesture, but it was enough to temporarily take the pain away from Yuri and make her feel safe, loved, and relieved. 

It was only the third time that their bodies were pressed against each other but Yoona’s heart was beating again from this current position. She was beginning to feel paranoid that the latter could hear her heart pounding through her chest and had prayed she didn’t. 

How could the warmth of another human being be unbelievably surreal? They both wondered as neither of them had hoped this moment would come to an end—so it didn’t.

-

The crowd had just gone wild when Hyoyeon was performing her hip-hop dance with the crew. Every move she carried out was clean and well-executed that made her the spotlight of tonight’s show. Throughout the intense music, Jessica grabbed all of Yoona’s favourite dishes onto a plate and brought it to the doe-eyed. “Yoong, I got you some food.” 

Yoona’s eyes had lit up from the sudden surprise. “Thank you~” 

After Hyoyeon’s performance ended, Seohyun who was the MC, soon announced the next participant. “Our next performance will include a song sung and composed by Kwon Yuri. Everyone, please give a round of applause.” Yoona clapped and cheered supportively with the crowd for the tanned on stage. 

“Why does everyone go crazy over he