WAIT 10,13,14 HURTS SO MUCH TOO😭😭😭
ok so here's 10. i tried to work in 13 but it got too long.... I have a bunch of requests for roommates au 13, tho, so don't worry I'll do that, and i did 14 here
prompt list, if you're curious
10. "it's okay to cry, you know" [Roommates au, tw past abuse implied]
...
Dahyun was already in bed when Chaeyoung got home. It was only eleven; her boss had let her off early tonight as the bar was kind of dead anyway. She tossed her bag by the door, popped her completely dead phone on the charger (she desperately needed a new one), and opened the fridge, digging for a diet Pepsi, but stopping as she found a takeout container with a bright blue post-it note. She plucked it out.
‘please enjoy these. Jihyo’s mother’s special recipe. - Mina’
She smiled and opened the container to find it half full of dumplings.
“Nice.” She popped one in her mouth cold as the others heated up, humming in delight. They were delicious and filled to the brim with pork and vegetables.
She carried the container of now-warm dumplings to the counter and leaned on it as she ate. She sorted through the mail pile – mainly a bunch of ads, or bills meant for previous tenants. Nothing of importance. Her eyes wandered the counter as she took a swig of pepsi.
Dahyun’s lesson plan book lay open – she’d stopped mid-compostion, it seemed, the pen laying under the next page as if she’d flipped back before giving up. She raised a brow. Dahyun wasn’t one to easily be pulled from her work. Maybe she’d gotten stuck?
Chaeyoung swung around the counter to look – it’d been the beginning of a cute little melody, an easy one that even she could sight-read. She must be working with the younger class this week.
She turned the page, to where Dahyun had left off, and found the rest of the melody blocked by an envelope. A very official looking envelope, hastily torn open and empty. She had a horrible feeling she knew where it came from.
She flipped it over to check the return address.
Kim Suseong-gu, Daegu
It felt like a rock sunk into her stomach. Her mind raced.
How had they even gotten their new address? How did Dahyuns parents know where they lived? Why were they reaching out when they hadn’t seen their daughter in nearly two and a half years – and before that, when they had, they were nothing short of awful to her.
She dropped the envelope and made a beeline for their bedroom, opening the door as softly as she could in her panic so she wouldn’t wake Dahyun.
Or rather, so she wouldn’t wake the empty bed.
Fuck.
She got back to her phone and ignored the notifications when she saw none from her roommate. She dialed Dahyun’s number in an instant, but got no answer twice.
Fuck, fuck.
She typed out a text.
‘I’m home, please call me back when you can and let me know you’re safe’
She watched it deliver and stared at the screen for a few extra seconds. Where would she have gone? She couldn’t picture Dahyun leaving the building so late at night, not with how jumpy she’d been lately, but that letter could have messed everything up; she was positive her friend wasn’t in any sort of headspace to be thinking anything through.
Out of desperation, she walked down the hallway and stopped in front of Mina and Jihyos door. She felt bad – she knew Mina woke up super early to get to the hospital most days, and their apartment was pretty quiet by ten. She knew they’d panic, too, no matter how calm Chaeyoung tried to pretend to be.
But she needed help.
She knocked. Ray barked immediately, which was odd.
Within seconds, the door opened to reveal Mina, brow creased and frown etched onto her face. She was still in her work clothes, though she must have gotten home hours ago.
“I’m so sorry to bother you-”
“She’s here.”
“What?”
“Dahyun’s with us. I tried calling you but your phone was dead. Come in. It’s okay, she’s safe.”
Chaeyoung could have cried on the spot, she was so relieved. Mina seemed to sense this and pull her into a hug, patting her on the back
“She came by right after dinner. We’d stopped by to drop off some dumplings, so she knew we were home. She… She knocked on the door and asked if she could stay here, because she didn’t feel safe alone. Chaeyoung, what’s going on?”
She didn’t know what to say for a second. A rush of emotions met her: Dahyun had gone and asked for help, which was good. Amazing, even. But the letter had obviously shaken her, and now Mina was asking questions Chaeyoung didn't have the right to answer.
“Are you two in danger?” Mina leaned back to make eye contact. “You can tell us, Chaeyoung, we’ll keep you safe.”
It was so… certain. So absolute. They’d keep them safe, if they needed it. A second of calm.
“No. I don’t… I don’t think.” Chaeyoung whispered. Then, more sure of herself, “No. We're adults."
“Chaeyoung…”
“It isn’t my place to tell you any more than you know.”
Mina nodded, accepting it with a grimace. “Okay. She’s in the spare room. She’s been there for about an hour. We can’t get much out of her, just that she doesn’t want to be alone and she – I think she must have thrown up before she left your apartment, we gave her a new shirt.”
Chaeyoung winced. Mina led her to the door opposite their bedroom.
“I thought she was drunk when she first showed up here.” She admitted.
“She doesn’t really drink.”
“Yeah. But she’s… super out of it.” Mina said the last part softly. She turned the door handle slowly, and spoke in a soft, melodic voice. “Dahyun, sweetie. It’s Mina, and Chaeyoung’s here. Can we come in?”
A bit of silence.
“She nodded.” Jihyo’s soft confirmation from within the room came and anxiety surged through Chaeyoung’s veins.
The door opened slowly to reveal her poor roommate, wrapped snugly in a big blanket, curled up on the little sofa they had in their extra room. She was still crying, albeit silently; her face was splotchy and red, her hands in fists pressing in on closed eyes. Jihyo sat a few feet away, in a desk chair, looking nearly heartbroken as she met eyes with Chaeyoung. It was hard seeing their smiley Dahyun like this, and Jihyo had never even seen the girl cry over something minor.
“She’s so scared.” Jihyo whispered. “It’s like, a massive panic attack. I can’t get her out of it.”
Chaeyoung nodded and gently went to sit on the couch next to her. Dahyun jumped when she put a hand on her back.
“Just me.” She whispered. “I’m here.”
One bloodshot eye opened to meet hers.
"Chaeng..."
“I know, Dahyun, I saw the envelope.”
Dahyun doubled over, hiding her face in Chaeyoung’s chest, allowing a terrified sob to leave her lips. Chaeyoung wrapped both arms around her.
“It’s okay. You’re an adult. They have no power over you. None whatsoever. This is just a panic attack, Dubs.”
Dahyun still shook.
“You’re financially independent, you’re stable, you never have to see them again.”
“They know…” It sounded hard to get out. “They know where we live.”
Chaeyoung closed her eyes. “I know.”
“Wh-what if-”
“They wouldn’t, Dahyun. There’s nothing in it for them to come find you. You made it clear you weren’t… one of them anymore.”
There was a poignant silence.
“I know I’m prying, but please, please tell us if you’re in danger.” Jihyo whispered. Dahyun tensed. “Whoever this is – whoever found you, we can protect you from them.”
“Do you owe people money? We can help you, just, please tell us.” Mina added. “We just don’t want you in harm’s way.”
Chaeyoung was frozen. It truly wasn’t hers to share.
“We’re not in danger.” Chaeyoung said, and she made sure she was addressing all three of the people in the room. In reality, she wasn’t sure what was going on – what could they possibly want from Dahyun? What more could they take from her that they haven’t already taken?
“You’re scaring me, Chaeyoung. One of who?” Jihyo pressed.
Dahyun took a sharp breath.
“A K-kim.” She said, shakily. “My family.”
There was silence again.
“Are they looking for you?”
“I didn’t think they were.” She whispered. “But now I don’t think they… they ever lost me. I think they know my every move-” her voice was getting choked up again, so Chaeyoung shushed her.
“Are they dangerous?”
More silence.
“No.” Dahyun whispered. “Not.. anymore. Not dangerous. Th-they can’t do anything to me.” It sounded a bit like she was trying to convince herself. Jihyo closed her eyes. Chaeyoung could tell she was getting the picture.
“Did you move here to get away from them?”
A quick nod. Chaeyoung rubbed her back.
“B-but they haven’t been a problem since, I m-moved out three years ago to live with Chaengie and her mom.” She said. “They aren’t dangerous, not when I’m not living with them.”
“Okay, sweetie.” Jihyo whispered. She shared pointed eye contact with Mina before turning back. “Did something happen? That sparked this panic attack?”
Dahyun nodded. Chaeyoung felt her dig through her sweatshirt pocket and pull out a paper – what must have been the contents of the letter. She put the crumpled paper in Chaeyoung’s hand.
‘Miss Kim Dahyun,
We regret to inform you of the passing of one Kim Yeong-ja. You have been included in the will for a total of 1,134,700.00 won. Please see enclosed check. Acceptance of this check means you confirm you will not protest the contents of the remainder of the will…’
Ice filled Chaeyoung’s veins; then something more sinister. Rage.
She stood, not wanting Dahyun to sense the change in mood, though Chaeyoung was sure she knew it was coming. She kissed Dahyun on the head and let herself into the hall, shutting the door and doubling over, hands on her knees.
Mina joined her a minute later. Chaeyoung just passed her the paper.
“Is this her grandmother?” Mina whispered. She nodded. “1,134,700.00 won? That’s... not much. And so… Specific.”
It’s so specific, it’s deliberate. She wanted to say, but the frustration, the rage, the pain was closing her throat. Her head was pounding. She thought she’d gotten her friend to safety, finally, gotten her some peace of mind and here it was falling apart around them both.
“Chaeyoung, shh…” Mina pulled her into a tight hug. “It’s okay to cry, you know. It’s hard watching someone you love go through so much. You’ve both clearly been through a lot, I don’t know exactly what you’ve both had to do, but I know you’re so strong for her.”
“Dahyun’s parents are… the worst pieces of shit to ever walk the earth. Her grandmother would have given her more than that.” She could feel tears burning behind her eyes.
Dahyun and her grandmother had had a decent relationship. To Dahyun, her grandmother’s house was a place of respite; of safety and warmth. To Chaeyoung she was another in a long list of adults who knew what Dahyun had to put up with and failed her… But she knew the woman loved Dahyun.
“You think they messed with the will?”
“I know they did.” She could barely get the words out. “1,134,700.00 is our rent, Mina. They messed with the will and they’re telling her they know everything about her, still. They know our every move. They know how much comes out of her account every month for rent.”
Mina frowned.
“Well, that’s illegal and we will deal with that when everything calms, okay?" Her voice was strong, unquestioning. "Until then, will they try anything-”
“No. They just wanted to wreck her peace. Revenge. Her mother is a vengeful little shit, blames her for their marriage falling apart – god, she was in highschool, Mina, everything turned bad and she was in highschool, none of it was her fault.”
“Shhh, I know.” Mina whispered. She rubbed her back and Chaeyoung found it calming, and a little odd to be wrapped up in such a comforting hug from someone she hadn’t known two months ago.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t home.” She whispered.
“We’re happy to help. Any time either of you needs anything, okay? You never have to be sorry. We’re here for you both.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course.”