For everyone else scoring a 10 means chicken for dinner but for the challenger herself, scoring a 10 means Bae Joohyun will finally pluck a courage to confess to Son Seungwan.

///

Joohyun finds it ridiculous to put your fate on the clover of a mere flower. With each pluck, different fate awaits. Who even does such old school things in this age?

(She likes me. She doesn't like me. She likes me. She doesn't like me. She likes me.)

The crowd cheer brings her back to the present. Instead of the soft scarlet flower at the tip of her fingertip, the tight string of a bowstring prickles on her skin. Joohyun looks up to the stadium fill with thousand fans, hands thrown in the air chanting her name passionately.

Bae Joohyun. Bae Joohyun. Bae Joohyun.

It's loud and wild and Joohyun is grateful for each of them but among them all there's the voice she favors the most, in tune with years of listening to. It's soft and silence, and only for her to hear.

"Unnie, you can do this!"

Her heart thud louder than the crowd’s cheer. It’s simply because of that dazzling smile direct at her, brighter than the stadium spotlight, beaming brilliantly as the sun above.

Who even does such old school things in this age, you asked?

That’s when she understands why people put their fate on a mere flower. It’s never about the flower, it’s never about the destiny, it’s simply about needing a push so she can finally relive them all. They have been dancing on the line for far too long she couldn't even remember when it first started.

The feeling is always being there, nestle at the seam of her heart, waiting for the right moment that seem to never come. Or rather a courage that never surface, really. So, she takes a deep breath and pulls on the strings. Brown eyes zeroed in the bullseye made of camera.

(Let’s confess if the arrow hits the lens.)

As adrenaline rushes in, jitter long gone, she releases the arrow. She's sure this is love she's feeling for.
.
.
.
.
.

Thud!

And, the crowd erupts.


 

///
 

The thing is Seungwan is never good at sitting still. She for the love of god has to keep herself busy, it could be baking bunch of cookies at 2 a.m. or going to practice room at the break of dawn as long her mind is preoccupied with something. Or else it goes like this- Seungwan sitting on a plastic chair, hand fiddling at the strap of her chest guard, eyes fixed on Joohyun’s back with thundering heart. Really, it’s not her place to be nervous as hell when it’s Joohyun the one holding the bow, entirely too hot with her focus expression and that lil cute frown making an appearance. Seungwan is too weak, she just wants to kiss it away.

"Here." Hand holding an offending water bottle with equally mischievous grin break her thought away. Seungwan can't decide to either be thankful for the distractions or be offended by the gesture.

"You look thirsty," Yerim adds, as if Seungwan is not embarrassed enough. She can feel heat burns at the tip of her ears.

"No, I'm not." She said, gulping all while she watches a drop of sweat trailing a path through Joohyun's temple down to perfectly sculpted jaw.

She hears Yerim faintly snickers at her side.

Seungwan swallows her urge away and look up to the big screen and that’s when the arrow shot straight to the center. Her ears are ringing and Joohyun turns around and their eyes meet. Seungwan goes from thinking how long her lashes are to how amazing Joohyun is to how stupid her not so tiny crush is in mere seconds. The curve of Joohyun’s lips reaching up to her ears and gosh, that tiny jumps she made, Seungwan would risk it all for her.


And, risk it all is what she did. She leaps from her sit and along with her members they hop together in a circle merrily. Proud is an understatement, there’s a whole world at the palm of her hand, intertwine fingers that contains every happiness and bless in the world and Seungwan wants nothing more than to call Joohyun mine as Seungwan is hers.

"Unnie, you're the best." She said instead. For now, it will do.

 

///

 

A fact: Joohyun hates chicken. She doesn't even care about the MC stupid bet to treat every idol in the stadium chickens if someone manage to shatter the lens. She just wants to go back home and tuck her head at the crook of Seungwan's neck, drown inside soft baby blue bed sheets and comforting scent because that's definitely what friends do. And, maybe Joohyun also hate it that they're only friend because god, how Joohyun wish they were more than that.

But, Joohyun loves to give. It’s her nature to give out love unconditionally and so because of love she did shatter the poor camera lens.

Is it worth it?

Absolutely, when Seungwan laces their fingers together, it feels like a promise. With her members by her side, smiles paint on their faces, that's how Joohyun remembers it’s all for love. She may hates chicken, but her other parts that go through sweat and tears loves it with all their hearts.

And, when the small section of the stadium cheers louder than others, she sees them all. Our Luvies. She commits every face with palm tightly holding their precious Mandubong to the back of her mind. She dance for them in celebration of her victory.

It's stupid that she feels like choking up suddenly. The deafening cheer overwhelms her but she held it in. Irene is never meant to cry especially not in front of thousands spectacles. She looks down and distract herself by counting the arrows inside her quiver. Tear at bay.

One. Two. Thre-

She felt warmth spreading to her cheeks, hand so gentle cupping her face. The butterflies erupt and the flutter in her heart she had long learn to associate with her comes first. Pretty face which she learns to associate with the sun comes second, next to lips Joohyun can't take her eyes off from. Her breath catches and Seungwan is way too close. Joohyun never wanted to kiss anyone as badly as she wants to kiss Seungwan now.


The problem is they are not a thing, or at least not before tonight, she hopes. Then there's the fact that they are standing at a public space with dozens of camer