"It’s emotional days, it hurts so much.

It’s emotional days I will always love you."

— Emotional Days by GFRIEND

**

“You feel like dying but this is nowhere near the pain of death, Jung,” Eunha mentally reminded herself as she ran her last lap on her usual track around their estate. It was the night before their comeback, and she was firmly reminded to get a good rest, but her nerves and the clutter in her mind wouldn’t let her. So, she decided to let off some steam through her occasional runs.

Once finished, she plopped on the bench at the end of the track. She put her hood up, looking around warily when she realised that the bench, she was on was the bench nearest to the exit of the estate, where outsiders were able to look in easily. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt another figure take a seat next to her.

“Annyeong,” Jaehyun’s raspy voice greeted her. “It’s so late, Jung Eunha,” his eyes searched hers, curious on why she was out so late. He was taking a walk, when he noticed her familiar pink hair resting on the bench opposite of his apartment complex. They were acquainted with each other through several promotion periods, but they’ve never actually had a proper conversation together.

“I was running,” she replied, looking out towards the sight of the river in front of them.

“At this timing?”

“Too much in my head,” she chuckled, agreeing on the ridiculousness of her routine.

“I’m all ears,” he jokingly replied, not expecting much from a closed book one like her. Eunha looked at him for a bit, actually contemplating on decluttering her thoughts onto him.

“What’s your purpose of living?” She dropped a random question on him, looking back to the gleaming waters. Her question stunned him, and he was looking at her questioningly. Her eye diverted to his and she gave him a small smile, shrugging her shoulders.

“Yah, yah! Get out of here! Who allowed you in here?!”

Both of them were startled by the guard’s loud yells to someone, somewhere by the exit gate. Taking it as a sign to leave, both of them stood up and walked back towards the entrance of the complexes. “Mine is way over there,” Eunha pointed towards her complex which was a few blocks away, deeper into the estate. He nodded and bid her goodbye. “Be safe, and we’re continuing this,” he smiled at her. She smiled back and nodded hesitantly, before running back. He stood to watch as her figure got smaller, and eventually disappeared.

**

“Finally, we’re done for today,” both CEOs announced, standing up while they gathered all their things. “We are having our first company dinner tonight. See you all there later,” CEO Bang announced, walking out of the room together with CEO So. Everyone in the room stood awkwardly in silence, after they bid the bosses goodbye.

“Jung Eunha, outside. Now.” Sowon sternly called her out and walked out of the room, not waiting for the other girl’s response. Eunha knew what was coming, and she felt her eyes tear up slowly. She hesitantly followed behind the older girl, dreading each step closer to the exit of the room. Namjoon understood the situation and sat back down in his seat, taking out his phone. “Let’s rest for five more minutes, shall we?” Hoseok chuckled and did the same. They all knew Sowon well, and they knew what was to come. But the older boys fully respected her for it, knowing very well that Kim Sowon only meant well for her girls.

Outside, Eunha saw Sowon pacing back on forth by the door, her steps were jittery, and her nails were by her lips. “Unnie, it’s not what you think…” Eunha whimpered, choosing to speak up first to her leader.

“Then tell me what it is, Eunha! Why didn’t you talk to me about it first? Choosing to go ahead with this irresponsibly is rashly putting yourself on the line! You know I don’t stand for that for any of you!” Sowon burst in anger. Ironically, watching the younger girl stay silent infuriated her even more. She’d rather Eunha defend herself and fight back or scream or yell, than stay quiet with her head hung low. It meant that whatever assumptions she had about the younger one’s decision were true. She wished it wasn’t like that. That there was more to it than that.

“Eunha, use your words,” she reprimanded. “Are you secretly dating Jaehyun? Or did you just willingly throw yourself under the bus again for others?! Because you wanted to protect Jungkook?! If you’re going to keep protecting others, who’s gonna protect you?! I can only do so much, Jung Eunha!”

“You know it’s not like that, unnie!” Eunha defensively spoke up again, sobbing as tears began falling from her eyes.

“Then what is it like? Tell me what this is! Why did you choose to go ahead with it so simply then?” Seeing the girl’s tears, Sowon’s voice softened and she came forward to stand closer to her.

“I don’t know, unnie. I couldn’t even think,” Eunha spoke in between her small sobs. “I didn’t think I had a choice since they called me out personally, and not inform me through you. I’m sorry, unnie. I really didn’t know what else to do, but to just agree…” She couldn’t control it anymore and broke down in front of her leader. Sowon sighed and took the girl into her embrace. Her heart broke seeing Eunha like this. She understood her reasoning, she’d been in that position before. However, deep inside, she wished Eunha would be fully honest with her. She knew that Eunha was stuck with no other direction because the other party in the picture was Jeon Jungkook. But she knew the younger one would never admit it out loud to anyone, not even her. That the boy would always hold a soft spot in her heart forever.

In the room, the others fidgeted awkwardly in their seats, hearing the whole commotion on the other side. Mainly the boys. The girls knew Sowon had her reasons for her reprimands, and they knew Eunha needed to hear an earful from their leader for acting rashly. They all looked around emptily, or just took a look at their devices, not really wanting to converse with their new labelmates. It’s been a while since they were all gathered together like this, so they found that there was no common ground between one another anymore. They all had their own different lives now, and knowing their seniors’ lives very well, they did not want to know much more than what they already did.

On the other hand, the seven boys were looking at the girls, wishing they’d give away their thoughts on what was happening at that moment. When he heard his name being mentioned outside, somehow his instincts towards the younger girl’s emotions woke up, and J