5:43 AM

     As the sun rose through the rosy cotton curtains, little shadows of black were casted on the walls and sheets of her bed. They replaced the spots where the flowers had been woven by her mother. Who new what such delicate hands could create? Looking up at the ceiling, the roof would slant downwards as it continued to the other end. The whole room was covered in one solid color- pink. Why? Because of the fact that ever since she was young, she was never treated like a princess- not even close. Growing up with a single father and older brothers, she understood why her father was always busy. He built this house from scratch in hopes of finishing for her mother but then came May 12, 2008- when her mother had died. No it wasn't from cancer, nor was it from a hit-and-run incident. She was murdered right in front of Jinri's eyes. Murdered. Stabbed. Abused. And left to rot on the wooden floor of the living room. What was Jinri suppose to do? She was merely an teenager who got scared at the sight of beetles. The emotion resulting from trauma was just too scary for her. She hid herself in closets, tried to arrive the earliest and be the last one to leave her classes, and was just too broken to do anything. Can you really blame her?

     She pushed herself up and walked across the room to shut off her alarm...only to walk back and throw herself under the covers of her bed. This was the routine every morning and she was used to it- she liked it. It made her feel happy to have someone nagging her to get out of bed just like her mother used too...only her dad was- well, her dad. 

Papa Choi - "YAH, Jinri come out before I throw water on you!"

Jinri - "Go away appa! You wouldn't dare!"

Silence filled the hallway as she finished her last words. Then she felt a small amount of crawling amount up the side of her leg.  Ew, ew, ew, ew-

Jinri - "Ew! It's a bug! Appa, it's a--"

Before she could finish her last words, she started to gargle on the ice-cold water that covered her from the waist and up. She closed her eyes and sat still for a moment before rolling her eyes inside of her eyelids.

Jinri - "Nevermind, it's just a rodent."

Her dad scoffed and through the bed sheets onto the wooden floor, "Get up, ppalli."

She groaned and muttered, "You're cleaning this up, appa."

     Papa Choi smiled and nodded, "It's my job." A little sad smile spread on his lips. A little sad smile spread on her lips too. Jinri scooted across the bed and placed her hands softly on his shoulder, leaning to give him a kiss on his cheeks. "I know you miss her appa." He shook his head, placing a smile on his face, "No, No- don't worry sweety." She smiled but only because of the fact that her father had gone through so much alone but nonetheless always kept a smile on his face for her and her brothers. He was her hero and would always be. Suddenly he stood up and fanned his nose, "Yah, you stink. Go brush your teeth." That's my dad alright.  She grinned and nodded, "Arasseo."

6:43 AM

    She, being probably the first person at school, stood under the tree where she sat beside its trunk to read her book in silence. This was her favorite part of the morning, of course, until--

Baekhyun - "JINRI-AH!"

There stood Byun Baekhyun. Her dork of a friend who stood waving his arms like a maniac across the field which only happened to be a few feet away. A gigantic smile was plastered all of over his face and his eyes almost seemed to disappear because of how big he was smiling. He ran over the grass and in seconds, stood a few inches away from her.

Baekhyun - "I was looking for you!"

She sighed and shook her head with a small smile taking over her lips, "Yah, pabo, I've been coming to this place since the school year started and everyday at this time, you come to annoy me."

His ears became slightly red but he shook it off, "Guess what, guess what, guess what?!"

Replying in a monotone, she replied, "What?" Suddenly he grabbed her hands and started to jump up, "I'm going to officially start training for SM Entertainment!" She was definitely shocked but being the stubborn person that she is, she stood still, only moving her arms. "Congratulations, I guess?" He halted and looked questioningly at her as if she was an alien or something. "I'm not the only one who's going to train with them." She wasn't following his Bacon logic at all. "...Who else is going to be a trainee?" Then, all of a sudden, his bubbly attitude came back, "YOU ARE!" She didn't understand so she nodded but in a minute, she froze, "What did you just say?" He bumped his hip out, "You heard me.

     Good thing they were the only ones at school or else she would've been banned for doing what she did next. Giving him the eye of death, she walked closer to him and wrapped her hands around his neck, "Aw, are you looking out for me?" Then she flexed and squeezed her hands lightly. He lost his breath for a second. "Y-yah, I just sent those little singing clips you would message me." Not the right answer. She squeezed her hands together slightly tighter but let go...eventually. He rubbed his neck and looked back at her frightened, "Aish, when'd you get so strong." 

She laughed and replied, "You're just a fragile piece of Bacon." And as usual, she mouthed the response as she walked away which was often an over-exaggerated "YAH!" from the one and only Byun Baekhyun.

9:13 AM

     The subject she detested most was definitely math. Who needed to know arithmetic and geometric sequences, even more so how to describe them? She sat next to Himchan, school's hottie of the year. Every girl must've liked him for his looks because if they had an inside scoop on how he his brain worked, boy they'd be disappointed. (just kidding, Himchan - saranghaeyo.) Once, he even asked her what an independent variable was. She stared at him in disbelief but still tried to help him understand the concept. Surprisingly, his fangirls hadn't tried to kill her-yet. They glare at her for sitting next to him but they think she's too much of a loser to have a chance with Himchan. The bell rung but she stayed back for 2-3 minutes before gathering her stuff and walking out of the door and bowing to her teacher. 

     Just as she walked out of the door frame, Baekhyun decided to grace her with his presence. Quickly, he grabbed her hand, intertwining it with his, and pulled her outside of the school gates without giving her a chance to talk. "Where are we going?!" She began to freak out when she realized she was being graded on an art assignment being done in class. He stood in his place and turned to her, placing his hands on her shoulders and giving her a long gaze. "Calm down Jinri. You can do the art thing tomorrow and I already called your dad to get permission. Let's just go to this thing first." She nodded understandingly but repeated her question once again, "Where are we going?" He cheekily smiled and said, "The SM building."

1:24 PM

     As Jinri and Baekhyun sat in the chairs, her leg continued to fidget. Baekhyun, being the extremely observant person he always is when it comes to Jinri, placed a hand on her thigh small circle patters. "Take a breath and calm your nerves." She spun her head towards him, "What if I do badly? You know I don't dance well." She was trying to whisper but she was really just yelling in his ear. He laughed softly and reassured her that there was nothing to worry about. Practice was practice.

     When she and Baekhyun got called in, she stood among 4 other girls who stared back at her blankly. There go my nerves. Then, one of the girls with the brightest smile walked up to her and introduced herself, "Hi! I'm Luna!" Jinri smiled back politely and braced herself for the next girl. Tomboyish style but beauty radiating from her naturalness, "Yo. What's up, I'm Amber." She looks like a cute llama. Then a girl with the biggest eyes she had ever seen walked up to her and spoke in broken Korean(/English), "Hello, I'm Victoria. It's nice to meet you." She seems like she'd be really perky like a child. The last girl, who looked about Jinri's age, stood up from her chair and introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Krystal." She spoke really quietly and shyly but still gave off an icy feeling. She looks so chic. Jinri bowed and formally introduced herself, "Hello, my name is Sulli. Please take care of me." The other girls laughed at her cuteness but smiled to give her a sense of comfort.

     A man wearing a pair of sunglasses, sweats, and a t- entered the room followed by several other guys and girls. He welcomed them all and began to explain the dance moves that went along with the song. Jinri had trouble keeping up with the other people in the room but tried to focus on herself- it wasn't working.

You're not good enough.

Give up.

Don't kid yourself and go home.

     She ran out of the dance studio and was followed out by Baekhyun who followed her to make sure that she didn't get lost as he knew she would. She stopped running and stood in the sidewalk beside the parking lot and dropped to her knees, sobbing for a reason even she didn't understand. "Yah, Baekhyun what do I do?" He took a seat beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, patting rhythms on her back to calm her down. "What's happening this time?" he asked with sincerity. She dropped her face to her hands and tried to explain through hiccups, "I don't-know. It's my-head telling me tha-t I can't do-o it." He sighed and sadly pulled her face upwards to clear her bangs out of the way. "Stop putting yourself down Jin. You're one of the most talented girls I know." She laughed sarcastically, "I'm beginning to think that I'm the only girl you know." He shook his head softly, "That's not true and even if it was, you'd still be my #2 girl after my eomma, of course." She smiled and stood up, grabbing his hands to pull him up in the process, "Gomawo, Baekhyun." He hugged her and said, "Baekhyun is the hero of the day again!" She shook her head and lead them both back to the studio. Technically Baekhyun lead them both back since Jinri kept going down the wrong hallways.

2014, (Choiza issue arises)

     Jinri sat on her bed with heaps of tissues scattered around her cloudy sheets. Ever since people had believed that she was dating Choiza, her life flipped upside down. It gave them a reason to hate her more. They hated her lack of effort. Did they ever stop to think that the reason she stopped trying and having fun on stage was because of all of their hate? Wherever she goes, rumors and hate follows her around. She doesn't have a chance to breathe- at all. She's suffocating in her own bubble, alone, wishing to share everything with Baekhyun. Ever since his debut in 2011, they lost the chance to be able to see each other physically every day like they always would. They still talked on MsgMe be it wasn't the same. The fame had gotten to both of them and not in the best way for their friendship.

     She ran her finger up and down the screen of her phone and her eyes constantly met comments that were being written all over the internet. 89% of the comments had something to do with what she did wrong and thoughts about how f(x) would be better off as f(4). 11% of the comments tried fighting for 'Sulli'- as SM had labeled her - and supported f(5). She was stuck and lost and scared and alone. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to get through the hate. She didn't know if all of her 'fans' hatred would ever vanish. She couldn't handle reading another article on her and her doings anymore- she just couldn't.

    She opened her phone and began to text Baekhyun at 12:20 AM because she knew he was always free from then on until another even came along. She felt guilty though because he must've been exhausted.

Choi Jinri 12:23 - I need something to distract me from feeling lost.

Byun Baekhyun 12:25 - What do you mean by 'feel lost'?

Choi Jinri 12:26 - feeling as though every where I look, I can't find my way back.

Byun Baekhyun 12:28 - What do you mean by 'can't find your way back'?

Choi Jinri 12:30 - Yah, Baekhyun are you going to help me or not?

Byun Baekhyun 12:32 - The only person who can help you is yourself.

Choi Jinri 12:33 - Don't you think I'd ask myself first?

Byun Baekhyun 12:40 - I don't know, you're kinda stupid. ^-^ kekekeke

Choi Jinri 12:46 - YAH

Byun Baekhyun 12:50 - Mianhae Jinri-ah. My eomma is calling me but I'll answer your first question before I leave. Feeling lost is so much more than just an emotion that affects you mentally- it also affects you physically.

Choi Jinri 12:54 - ...are you lecturing me?

Byun Baekhyun 1:02 - Yah, don't interrupt me. Anyway, the feeling of despair- don't hide it from anyone, especially from me. I care for you. The last thing that I want to go through is losing a best friend.

Choi Jinri 1:03 - You aren't really answering my question...

Byun Baekhyun 1:07 - Maybe I'm your answer.

Choi Jinri is typing....

Byun Baekhyun has gone offline.

She was confused, seriously confused. Was that a confession? Yah Byun Baekhyun, why do you always have to mess with my emotions? She sighed and ruffled her already messy hair, forcefully dropping herself back onto her bed. Everything was even more complicated now. 

9:32 AM

     Sulli hopped out of her bed and mindlessly walked around her room trying to figure out what to do. Staying at home was such a boring option in her opinion. She wanted to go outside and hang out with her friends. With Baekhyun. Then, as if a light bulb inside of her head, she grabbed her phone and began typing away.

Choi Jinri 9:38 - YAH BAEKHYUUUUUN. Wake up and let me hang out with you. I'm lonely :'(

Byun Baekhyun read at 9:40

She groaned, he was more stubborn than her in the mornings- surprisingly.

Choi Jinri 9:41 - You can't leave your best friend alone. :(((( see how many sad smiles I put?

Byun Baekhyun 9:42 - That's just the amount of chins you have.

Choi Jinri 9:45 - Come pick me up!

Byun Baekhyun 9:46 - Be there in 20.

Choi Jinri 9:47 - <3333

     She skipped to his car and planted herself in the passenger seat, singing "Good Morning, Bacon!" He rolled his eyes but still smiled at her, "Morning, Sulli-ah." Her cheerfulness disappeared. "Don't call me that," she frowned. "That's not who I truly am and she's not real either." He nodded in silence and drove the main street back to his home. "Have you eaten yet?" he asked. She shook her head while pouting, "Baegopa." 

     "Okay, just go sit down okay?" She jumped happily in response and danced over his couches like in F(x) Koala. He laughed at her wierdness and began to cook them both large dishes. He called her over when he was finished and placed the plates opposite of each other at the dinner table. She looked around and noticed how his home was awfully roomy, "Doesn't it get a little lonely living on your own?" He shrugged, "It's okay I guess, it'd be more fun to have people around all the time." She cheekily smiled and pointed to herself, "People like me right?" He raised his eyebrows and dragged out, "Sure." She didn't care if he was sarcastic or not, she accepted his response. 

     While they were eating, she brought up the conversation that had ended on a confusing note.

Jinri - "What did you mean by 'Maybe I'm your answer?" Baekhyun, taking a spoonful of soup, replied, "What do you think I meant?" She whined, "Yah, stop doing that, just tell me." He put his spoon down and looked her in the eye, "Do you think you can handle it?"

     Even though she was unsure herself, her curiosity was too large to control, "Of course!" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, letting it all out with his next words. "I like you."

She froze, "What?" He repeated the same three words, "I. Like. You." 

     She didn't know if she was hearing things or not, "Jinjja?" He nodded with a slightly pink color spreading on his cheeks. Suddenly she stood up, walked over to him, and threw her arms around him. "Wow, finally, Bacon. I've been waiting for you to tell me." Before he could reply she gave him a kiss and pulled back to see him wide-eyed. She laughed and he snapped out of his trance. "D-did you just k-kiss me?" She pretended to think, "Maybe I didn't, maybe I did." He broke into a grin, "Does that mean you like me too?"

     She gave him another quick peck and smiled, "Of course, pabo-ya."

Ahh Baeklli // Baeksul so cute! <3 I really hope you guys liked and enjoyed reading my story. I tried incorporating small Korean words even though I'm not actually Korean (but I want to be). Thank you so much for giving this one-shot a chance!

Forever and Always,

Shake that Brass // lauranx