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Title: After Hello Venus

Genre: Sliceoflife, Friendship, Angst

Characters: Hello Venus Members, Yoo Ara, Shin Yoonjo

With both hands inside my winter coat pocket, I trudged down the road towards the place where I spent my last two years in. My boots made heavy noises as I passed by people on the street, some gave me some stares, while some just passed by, clearly not knowing who I was. Not that much people knows me, anyway. 

It has been months since Yoonjo and I left the group, not because we wanted to, but because our company pulled us out due to some issues concerning money. They might have thought that Hello Venus wasn't going anywhere, and so they pulled us out in the hopes of not making any more financial loss. 

And now, both Yoonjo and I are jobless.

But that didn't matter. I didn't honestly care if we were jobless, I was mostly concerned about losing four important people in my life. Though, I didn't totally lost them, since we always contact each other whenever we can. But the fact that I don't see them as much as I did before just brings me to tears. This isn't much of a leader Ara material, but this is how it was after leaving Hello Venus. I was strong then, but now I always crumble down whenever people fuss over about me and Yoonjo leaving. 

I've been online for quite awhile now and whenever I search up Hello Venus or my name, I would instantly see posts like: "Ot6, come back Ara and Yoonjo" and stuff alike. I can't help but tear up. It just wasn't us that was hurting, but the fans too. I know how much the loyal Hello Cupids are hurting, and I feel them. But the thing that hurts the most is that I can't do anything but just sympathize with them. I want to go back to Hello Venus, I really do, but under some circumstances, I can't. When you're an Idol, you don't exactly own your life once you sign the contract. Signing it would ultimately mean that you have to subject yourself to anything and everything the company wants you to do. There are no choices, especially when you're a rookie.

That's how an idol's life is led. But then again, if you don't follow the management's orders, how can you survive the entertainment business by your own?

I looked up the sky, and I can see the dark clouds hovering above us all, it probably would snow storm later. I kept walking, I was supposed to meet up with Yoonjo in a few minutes before we go to the dorm. I just couldn't bring myself to go to the dorm alone, I didn't want to break down infront of the door. Pathetic as it may sound, but then again, I am not the strong Ara that I was before. I'm just ordinary Ara. I didn't have five other members to lead, just myself. There was no need to be strict, to be strong in front everyone, there was no need. 

I approached a cafe and saw my pretty friend, Yoonjo, sitting by the window. She was scanning through her phone, probably looking at photos of her dogs again. I went inside the cafe and sat on a chair just in front of Yoonjo and smiled.

"How's life, Mojo Jojo?" 

Yoonjo looked up and made a face at the name I gave her. "Yah, Ara. Why are you always deleting your post on Instagram?"

"Because I just want to." I laughed, taking out my phone. "Infact, I have to delete the recent photo I just uploaded. I don't think it's instagram worthy."

Yoonjo shook her head and rolled her eyes at me. She looked at her phone again, and from my angle, I can see her pressing the post button on her phone. Yoonjo just uploaded another selca. 

"Can I make a video of us?" Yoonjo aimed her camera at me.

"No!" I laughed, covering my face. "My face is bloated."

Yoonjo rolled her eyes again and put her phone back to her purse and smiles. "Weirdo. You don't look bloated. In fact, you look pretty today." She stood up and looked at me. "Let's go."

I slowly stood up from my seat and placed myself beside Yoonjo and we both walked out of the cafe and walked down the corner. Neither of us spoke, both us probably were a bit nervous and excited that we were going to have a mini reunion. As we went inside the building, the guard smiled at us and so we smiled back - he remembered us. We stepped inside the elevator and pressed the familiar floor number, 06, and the elevator moved through the floors. The familiar ding ran through our ears as we reached our destination. All these things around us made us feel at home, and we couldn't help but be sad that we had to leave all of these behind.

Stepping out of the elevator, we went to the doorof the dorm we used to live in. Yoonjo reached out for the door bell, and a few seconds later, the door swung open and out came a very hyper lady throwing her arms at us and pulling us for a tight hug.

"Lime!" Yoonjo and I gasped out for air as she still suffocated us with her hug. As much as we appreciate the very warm welcome, but air is important too you know.

"You're here! Finally!" The then lime colored hair, but now back to her original brown hair color, squealed. I must admit, Lime looked prettier with her long locks.

"I need air." I gasped out as I pushed Lime away. The younger girl slowly released both Yoonjo and I, and still smiled goofily at us. 

"Come on in, everyone is waiting!" Lime pushed the door more wider and gestured us to go inside. Yoonjo and I carefully took some steps inside and like we used to, our feet instantly led us to the living area. The place didn't change much; the old painting still hung on the wall, the same floor was still unpolished- but was obviously swept since people knew we were coming today, and from the living room my eyes had access to the kitchen. I saw Yooyoung busy with the food and she had her headphones on, clearly, she doesn't have any idea that we already have infiltrated the place. 

Yoonjo took some quick steps and went to the kitchen and crept up behind the then busy Yooyoung. She have always adored and loved the maknae more than anyone else, and it was a pity that she had to part ways with her. I felt a soft pang in the heart as I witnessed Yoonjo wrapping her hands around Yooyoung's waist giving her the warmest back hug she could ever imagine. "Yeobo." I could hear Yoonjo call out softly to Yooyoung. The younger took off her headphones as soon as she felt some arms on her and turned her head slightly only to see a smiling Yoonjo. You could just imagine how Yooyoung's eyes popped out in shock as she hastily turned around to hug her eonni back.

"Hello, Ara-yah." A soft voice called out and when I turned my head to the left, Nara smiled widely to me. I felt a gush of blood running to my cheeks as I saw her, our visuals have gone prettier from the last time that I saw her. She left me speechless for a moment as I stared at her golden hair, but her ttochi-ttochi aura is still there though— that will never change. Nara pulled me for a hug and squeezed me a bit, she kept mumbling that she missed me a lot and kept ranting about how I have gone thinner and that I should take care of myself. As she pulled away, she brushed the lone hair that strayed on my face.

"Nara-eonni." After everything, that was the only word that I had the courage to say. 

"Don't tell me you've gone mute, Yoo Ara?" A different voice was heard, but I was pretty sure who owned it. 

"Alice-eonni." I turned to the right and saw Alice smiling goofily at me. She took some steps towards me and reached out both her hands. But instead of hugging me, she flicked my forehead and laughed. I was taken aback, "Eonni!" I literally whined like a baby. Although Alice look like the childish and the most random among us all, she is the one who cares the most. She tries to keep it subtle, but the more I stuck around her— the more you annoy her to be specific— it brings out the caring side of Alice. The way she projects herself to care is a little bit different; complete with smacks on the shoulder, shooting you a dirty look and sometimes even mooning on you. But you get what I mean, that's typically just her. The more she becomes weirder around you, the more she's accepting you in her life as someone she trusts. 

"I missed you, bubble ." Alice took a step and hugged me.

"I missed you too, eon— what did you just call me?!"

I heard some laughters on the side, and the one that stood out the most was Lime's. I tried to break free from Alice's hug but she just locked her arms around me to prevent myself from detaching from her. She chuckled, "Still the same, Ara." 

I sighed and let myself loosen up. "I really missed all of you." We broke off the hug a little while later. I stood there, with all five my members looking at me with a bit of water in their eyes, that looked like it was about to flow down. 

"Who doesn't, Ara?" Lime grinned. 

"Just shut up and let me be dramatic for awhile." I hissed at Lime and then let out a short laugh. "I'm so glad you've got rid of your green hair or else I would've shaved it off for you."

"Ooooh! Fiesty." Nara cooed.

"Always will be, Na—" I said but then stopped when two heads popped out from the door. As soon as I darted my eyes to them, they suddenly drew their heads back. I then soon heard some 'Ow, you stepped on my foot eonni.' 'I'm sorry, maknae-ah. I didn't mean to.' I stepped towards the door and opened it widely to find a red head and a blonde one looking terribly pale when I locked my eyes on them. 

They stood up straight and blinked at me. The blonde head nudged the red head and then as if on cue, they both bowed a good 180° bow, whilst saying "Good day, sunbae-nim." 

"G-good day." I scratched my head and blinked furiously. I'm guessing these are the girls that filled up our position. "I'm Yoo Ara." Alice stepped beside me, and the other girls soon followed. They were chuckling and I soon found myself being dragged by them to the living room. "Hey!"

"Hi, I'm Yoonjo!" Yoonjo squealed as she faced the two girls whilst holding their hands. "What are your names?" 

"I'm Seoyoung." The blonde replied, with her cheeks flushed red.

"My name is Yeoreum, eonni." The one with the red head replied. Nara and Alice stood beside the two girls and they smiled proudly. 

"Meet the newest members of our family." They both chorused.

My heart just crumbled into pieces. I don't know why, but it just did. The moment they said the word 'family', it just pierced my heart softly in the most gruesome manner. Not that I am blaming the new members, but I felt like it was that easy for Alice, Nara, Yooyoung and Lime to have easily replaced Yoonjo and I for a some new family members. It's a shame that my mindset was like this, I may have exaggerated everything but I couldn't help my emotions- it was quite overwhelming. I let a single tear ran down my face, but wiped it quickly so it wouldn't cause too much drama. 

"Hey, why are you crying?" Yoonjo blinked and took a step forward to me. 

"N-nothing." I said.

"Ara-eonni." Yooyoung called out and stepped closer to me too, before wrapping her arms around my waist. "Please don't cry."

"It's nothing, really, it's nothing." I squeaked. I guess my voice gave it all away the moment I saw Alice's lips curved downwards. "I'm sorry, I'm just—" 

I suddenly found myself being tackled to the ground by Alice.

"Silly goose!" Alice chuckled as she hugged me tight on the waist. "You're so transparent, Ara, that I could guess what was on your mind!" I propped both my elbows on my back, against the floor. I haven't quite caught up with what Alice was trying to point out, or have I been this slow since forever? "They're our family!" She emphasized the word our and chuckled a bit. She kept rubbing her cheeks on my stomach, just like a cat would. 

I slowly sat up, blinking. I looked up, only to find four sets of eyes being locked on me. They all had soft smiles plastered on their faces— smiles that I recognize as the smiles that cheered me up when I was down. Especially during the times when I had no one to run to, but my members. They all just looked at me hopefully in the eyes and smiled. They smiled, telling me that every little thing is going to be alright, telling me that they will be with me no matter the situation is. 

I cried. I let all my tears flow down my cheeks for the first time.

All four members kneeled down and hugged me, together with Alice who was still rubbing her cheeks on me. I could hear Lime sniffling on my side, while Yooyoung's eye literally turned into a water fall. Nara kept squeezing me, as well as Yoonjo. "Stupid, Ara. We will always be a family." Lime managed to say in between her sniffles.

Seoyoung and Yeorum, who remained standing, scratched their necks. They both were teary eyed too seeing that everyone was being emotional. I didn't know what ran through their minds, but the way they looked at us, the original six members of Hello Venus, made me realize that two new members wouldn't be too bad. 

"Yah, red head, blondie, come join us!" I smiled at them. Their faces lit up, and they both joined the hug.

"Ara-eonni." They both squeaked, holding back a tear.

"You guys still have to go through my wrath, though. Just like what Lime had to go through." I chuckled.

There were now eight members of the group. Although, people wouldn't see much of Yoonjo and I during promotions, since we are busy with our studies, still our hearts belongs to Hello Venus. Nothing will change, we will always be a family. 

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I seriously cried when I wrote this. I am, and always will be, a loyal fan of Hello Venus. So I guess, I got carried away by my emotions too, just like Ara on this story. I would like to imagine all of them— eight of them in one setting. Wouldn't it be so heart warming? I love stories with themes about Friendships. It makes me think about my friends more and how I should value them and cherish them too.

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