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LSM Lost Files #2: Missing You (Part Two)

"Better now?" I asked. She chuckled and nodded. "Much. Much... Better..." she uttered, then she wrinkled my nose. "I missed you, Yori." "I missed you too, Chaeng..." I whispered. "Ya... Your friends must be worried. Do you wanna call them now?"

Chaeyoung nodded, and I helped her to her feet. She took a deep breath, and walked towards the door.

"Okay, girls... Please come in now."

The eight girls walked into the room. I took off my scarf and folded it neatly before placing it into the pocket of my hoodie. One of the girls walked up to Chaeyoung and gripped her shoulders.

"Everything okay?" she asked. "Yup, everything's fine now, Mina-unnie..." Chaeyoung said. She walked over to me and gave me a side hug. "We're good now."

Chaeyoung looked up at me and I smiled at her. One of the girls squealed.

"Awwwww~You two should just kiss already!" she yelled. Jihyo slapped the girl. "Ya! Sana!" "Whoops! Sorry, Jihyo," Sana said, but she chuckled naughtily. "Stop being horny over them. You've already got Dahyun-unnie and Jeongyeon-unnie to play with," said the tallest one.

Sana pouted and gripped onto the short-haired, chubby girl next to her.

"Jeongie... Tzuyu's bullying me~" she whined cutely. Jeongyeon laughed. "That's on you, Babe. You're the one who made her say it," she replied. Sana frowned. "Yoo Jeongyeon! I thought you're supposed to be on my side!" she exclaimed. She let go of Jeongyeon's arm and turned to the pale girl on her other side. "You've got my back, right, Dubu?" she said.

The pale girl took a step back and raised both of her hands. Sana gasped.

"YA! Don't do me like that!" she exclaimed.

The girls collectively laughed at Sana's antics. I let out a chuckle. These girls sure did seem like fun.

"Alright, alright... Girls, that's enough. We've got someone else here, remember?" Jihyo said as she gestured over to me. "Ahh–That's right!" they exclaimed. "Joesonghamnida, Tomioka-ssi," Jihyo said with a bow. I waved it off and smiled. "It's alright! And... Just call me Yoriichi or Yori. I hate it when people call me Tomioka-ssi," I replied.

Chaeyoung pouted.

"Ya~Only I can call you Yori!" she whined. "Aren't you the one who cut contact with him?" Tzuyu said a little too matter-of-factly.

Chaeyoung's smile faded. I saw this and quickly hugged her tighter. I glared at the tall girl.

"Tzuyu-ssi... Chaeyoung didn't do it on purpose. She's a great girl," I defended her. "Still..." "Tzuyu! That's enough," said Jihyo, turning to face the girl. Tzuyu's lips formed a line and she looked away. "M–Mianhae..." she uttered, looking embarrassed.

Momo sighed.

"Jesus, Nabong... You gotta get her more under control," she uttered. A sly grin crept across Nayeon's face. "Oh, don't worry Momoring. I'll make sure I punish her later..." she said.

Her emphasis on the word 'punish' made me raise an eyebrow. Tzuyu turned beet red and looked at the floor. Jihyo gasped.

"God damn it! Not now, Nayeon-unnie!" Jihyo cried, clearly frustrated. Nayeon giggled. "Mi-an-hae..." she spelled cutely, but she didn't look sorry.

Jihyo sighed and shook her head again, before collecting herself and looking at me. She smiled and turned to the members.

"Right... Let's... Let's introduce ourselves formally now. Chaeng, why don't you join us?" Jihyo commanded.

Chaeyoung nodded and broke away from me to join the girls.

"Shall we do a proper introduction?" Chaeyoung said giddily.

The girls laughed, but they nodded. They lined up, and I noticed that Nayeon was standing on the leftmost, while Chaeyoung was second from right. Was this based on age? Somehow, I felt excited. I straightened myself and waited for them to introduce themselves.

"Alright then... Hana, ddul, set..." Jihyo counted down. "One in a million! Annyeonghaseyo... TWICE-imnida!"

I chuckled. These girls are so cute. They turned to see Nayeon, who flashed her bunny teeth.

"Annyeong! I'm TWICE's prettiest member... Nayeon-imnida!" she said confidently, making the others cringe and laugh. "Annyeong! I'm Yoo Beep-beep... Jeongyeon-imnida!" Jeongyeon said. "Niko-niko-ni... Momo-imnida!" Momo said, and I couldn't help but laugh. "Annyeong! No Sana, no life... Sana-imnida!" Sana introduced herself cutely. "Annyeonghaseyo! TWICE's leader Jihyo-imnida!" Jihyo exclaimed proudly. "Annyeong... TWICE's Black Swan, Mina-imnida!" Mina said softly. "Annyeong... Dahyun-imnida!" said the pale girl from earlier. She smiled brightly.

I stared at Chaeyoung, who laughed and stared back.

"You know me. I'm Baby Beast... Chaeng-imnida," she said, winking at me. I chuckled.

The tall girl smiled a gorgeous dimpled smile and nodded.

"Annyeong... I'm TWICE's maknae... Tzuyu-iminnida," she said gently.

The girls cheered, and I clapped politely at their small introduction. I bowed slightly.

"Annyeonghaseyo, Yeorobun..." I said.

Jihyo gestured for us to sit down. I took a seat on the couch and Chaeyoung plopped herself down next to me. The rest of the girls joined on the couch and on the floor. Jihyo smiled and looked at me.

"Right, Yoriichi-ssi..." "Just Yori, please..." I said. "Ah, okay. So, Yori! Tell us more about yourself," Jihyo began.

I told them as much as I could about myself, including how Chaeyoung and I met during elementary school. After I finished, the girls nodded, but they all looked like they were processing the story in their minds.

"I see..." Jihyo uttered. "What's up with the eye, though?" Momo blurted. JIhyo glared at her. "Momoring! That's... Inappropriate!" she said.

I chuckled.

"It's alright, Jihyo-ssi. Chaeng, can I tell them?" I asked my best friend who had snuggled herself close to me. She nodded, so I took a deep breath. "Well... It's... Uh... It's a little complicated."

I told the girls everything, including Chaeyoung's past. I got to the part where she called me and I did my best not to make myself sound too heroic.

"He... Slashed at me, which I managed to move past, but then he slashed up, and... Well..." I opened my palm, mimicking the knife, and swiped up at my left eye. The girls winched and hissed at the thought. "Ow! That's gotta hurt!" Momo said. Chaeyoung nodded profusely. "Yes, Unnie! He was on the verge of blacking out, but... But this absolute fucking legend stood back up and got back into the fight!" she exclaimed.

I blushed and looked away as the girls stared wide-eyed in shock.

"Okay, first of all: Language, Chaeng... But secondly: DAEBAK YORI!" exclaimed Jihyo. "I–It's not much..."

Chaeyoung slapped my arm. It hurt.

"YA! NOT MUCH? Yori, you lost your eye! Your frickin' eye for God's sake!" she exclaimed. I blushed even redder. "Aish... Calm down, Chaeng... He's being very humble! Yoriichi, thank you for keeping our Baby Cub safe..." Mina said with a soft smile. I flashed a smile and nodded.

Chaeyoung snuggled tightly at my arm, letting a cute squeal out.

"I'm so lucky to have him..." she whispered. I swore my heart would explode if she kept this up.

I knew Sana wanted to tease us again, but Jeongyeon's hand on her knee stopped her. I chuckled, and looked at Jihyo. She beamed brightly.

"Right. So... Now that we've got your story... What do you wanna do, Yori?" she asked. I thought for a moment before answering. "Mm... Just talk, I guess? I mean it's not every day you can just sit down and have a chat with Twice! Besides, I've already got your autographs," I said, raising my album. "Alright!" she replied.

Hence, the ten of us just chat. I knew we talked for a long time, but it didn't feel like it. These girls were absolute crackheads. If Jihyo–and sometimes Jeongyeon–wasn't there to keep them in check, I would have seen a few wild things going down.

"Jesus... It's 6 already?" Jihyo suddenly said when she checked her phone.

I glanced at my watch and saw that she was right.

"Well... I guess I'll get going, then..." I said, slowly standing up. "Woah, woah, woah! Who said you should leave? You're coming back to the dorm with us, silly!" Chaeyoung said. I was stunned. "Huh? Ch–Chaeng, I don't think your manager will allow that..."

Nayeon giggled.

"It's fine! If that's what Chaeng wants, we can talk to her and convince her! Right, Jihyo?" she said. The leader nodded. "Yeah! Besides, you're pretty cool, and we want to get to know you more!" she said.

The others nodded, and I knew there was no backing out of this. I chuckled. I wanted to spend more time with Chaeyoung anyway.

"Fine... But... On one condition," I said, raising my index finger. Chaeyoung's eyes widened. "What is it, Yori?" she asked confusedly. "You'll have to let me cook for all of you," I said. The girls gasped. "C–Can you cook?" Jeongyeon asked, a little apprehensively. I wanted to answer, but Chaeyoung glared at her. "Unnie! He's a great cook! I can vouch for him!" she exclaimed vehemently. I nodded and chuckled. "In that case... We'd be more than happy to!" Sana exclaimed suddenly.

Jeongyeon shot a glare at her.

"Ya! Is my cooking that bad?" she asked, sounding hurt. Sana hugged her arm and laughed. "No... I love your cooking as much as I love you! I just don't think the girls will be able to eat kimchi ramyun for the third day in a row!" she replied. I chuckled. She was having her revenge. "Y–Ya... B–But... I–I've been doing that because... I'm perfecting my kimchi ramyun recipe..." defended Jeongyeon, looking flustered. Sana giggled cutely and pinched her cheek. "I know..." she whispered, before staring at the girl with dreamy eyes. "You can still cook for me personally."

Jeongyeon blushed. Hang on. What was going on with those two? Jihyo smiled.

"Well, it's settled, then! Yoriichi will be our chef tonight!" she exclaimed.

The girls clapped their hands and cheered. I bowed jokingly. Nayeon tapped Jihyo's shoulder.

"Let's go talk to manager-unnie!" she said. Jihyo nodded.

The two girls led the others out of the room, but Chaeyoung lingered for a while with me. She rested her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Anata ni aitakatta," she whispered. I chuckled. "Since when did you learn Japanese?" I asked. She giggled. "Mina-unnie taught me," she explained. "That's neat... Boku mo aitakatta, Chaeng..." I replied. "I'm being completely honest... I have no idea what that means..."

I laughed.

"It means 'I missed you too, Chaeng'," I said gently.

Chaeyoung's smile became wider. She lifted her eyes to stare directly into mine. We stared at each other, and time stood still. Somehow, our faces were drawn to each other, getting a little closer by the second.

"Right! Manager-unnie said–Oh! S–Sorry... Am I... Interrupting something?"

We got startled and immediately pulled apart from each other. Jihyo had entered the room.

"N–Nope! Not at all!" Chaeyoung exclaimed loudly, sounding nervous.

She stood up, dusted herself off. Jihyo smiled a knowing smile.

"Oo--kay. Anyway, Manager-unnie said you can follow us back!" Jihyo announced. "That's great!" I said as I stood up. "Where did you park your car? Do you bring the parking ticket? We can validate it for free parking too," Jihyo asked, but Yori shook his head. "Oh... I–I... I took the subway here. Figured the car park would be full with all the ONCEs here, so..." he said. Jihyo chuckled. "Very well... You can just take the van with us! Follow me!" Jihyo said.

Jihyo led us out of the green room, through the dressing room, and back out to the expo hall. The three of us reached a car park where a van with a large, blue JYPE logo on the side, was already waiting.

I quickened my pace, and the three of us piled into the huge van. A heavy lady with a kind face looked up from the driving seat as I entered behind Chaeyoung. This must be the manager.

"So... Is this the lucky ONCE?" she asked as I took my seat next to Chaeyoung and strapped on my seatbelt. "Ne!" I replied. "Okay then. When you get into the dorm, do not try any funny business. Understood?" she said, staring me dead in the eye. "Understood," I replied solemnly. "Good," she said curtly. Chaeyoung pouted. "Ya... Unnie. There's no need to intimidate him," she said. The manager chuckled. "I'm not trying to intimidate him... Just giving him the house rules," she said.

I grasped Chaeyoung's arm and shook my head.

"It's fine, Chaeng," I whispered. She smiled and nodded.

The manager started driving the van. Everyone was busy with their own phones, and I saw Dahyun already sleeping, snoring lightly. I chuckled seeing her, but Chaeyoung leaned in to whisper to me.

"It's a pretty long ride home, so you might want to get some rest, just like Dahyunie," she said.

I nodded and rested my head against the window. I felt Chaeyoung resting her head on my shoulder as I slowly drifted to a peaceful slumber.

* * *

"Psst, Yoriichi, wake up!"

I groaned and lifted my head off the window slowly. I opened my eyes, and saw Chaeyoung staring at me, grinning wide.

"Morning, Sunshine! We're here!" she said, pulling me out of my seat. "W–Where are the others?" I asked groggily. Chaeyoung chuckled. "Oh they've all gone up. You slept so soundly so we decided to give you some time to rest. I came back down to pick you up," she said with a smile.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes as Chaeyoung dragged me out of the van. I let my eyes adjust to the late afternoon sunlight, and I was stunned to see a familiar building.

"W–What the... C–Chaeng, you guys... Live here?" I asked. "Yep!" she exclaimed, still towing me by the hand. "W–Wha... N–No way... I just moved here two days ago!" I exclaimed. "WHAT?!" she yelled, her eyes rounding. Then she gasped. "Omoo... That explains all the moving trucks, then!"

We laughed, and I shook my head.

"Small world, huh?" I commented. She chuckled and nodded. "Tiny!" she said, "Now, come on! Ga ja!"

I followed her towards the lobby, and the two of us took the lift to the 22nd floor, the top floor. The lift door opened, and it revealed a single door at the end of a short hallway.

"Take your shoes off and put them there, Yori!" Chaeyoung said cheerfully as she gestured to the shoe rack.

I slipped off my sneakers and placed them next to Chaeyoung's. She smiled from ear to ear, and with flourish, she swiped her card on the door and pushed it open.

"Welcome to Twice's apartment!" Chaeyoung exclaimed happily. My eyes widened.

The place was much bigger than mine. Much, much bigger. It was as if we were in an entirely different building. Damn, it had a second floor and everything!

"W–Wow... This place is neat..." I muttered.

Chaeyoung giggled and grabbed my hand. She dragged me in, and I saw seven girls chilling in the living room. And... Well... They looked... Very comfortable with each other.

Sana was snuggling with Jeongyeon and Dahyun, looking adorable. Momo was watching Mina play a video game on her phone, and Tzuyu and Nayeon were... Well... They were making out. Nayeon pulled away from Tzuyu as she heard Chaeyoung and I enter.

"Annyeong, Yori! Enjoying your sleep? Ya, Jeongie and Jihyo are waiting for you in the kitchen!" she said. "N–N–Ne..." I stammered, feeling heat rushing to my face.

Nayeon flashed her bunny smile, before turning back to Tzuyu, yanking her closer again, continuing their lustful kiss. I turned away panickedly at Chaeyoung. To my surprise, she looked unfazed.

"Chaeng, t-they..." I stuttered. She shrugged. "Common sight," she said casually. "Come on! I'm hungry!"

She pushed me towards the kitchen. I entered, and saw Jeongyeon and Jihyo washing their hands. They had put on their aprons, and looked ready to start cooking.

"Ah, there you are, Yorisa-nim!" JIhyo exclaimed. "I hope you're well rested!" "Ne..." I replied.

Jihyo smiled and opened a cabinet, took an apron and tossed it to me. I caught it, and swiftly put it on. I decided to push away my shock from seeing Tzuyu and Nayeon making out, and instead focus on cooking. I rubbed my hands and approached the two girls.

"Right. So... What ingredients do you guys have?" I asked. I felt Chaeyoung following behind me intently. "Not-too-sure..." Jeongyeon replied slowly, then she chuckled. "I've been too absorbed in perfecting my kimchi ramyun recipe these past few days that I only concentrated on the ingredients for that dish. You can check the fridge!" "Alright," I said.

I walked over to their fridge and opened it. The cool air greeted me as I looked through its contents. Hmm... Samgyeopsal, leeks, radish, potatoes, shallots. Do they have... Bingo! My eyes fell upon the chunjang that was in a bottle in the fridge. I grabbed it and checked the expiry date. Still a long way to go. I grabbed everything that I needed and placed it on the kitchen counter.

"Alright! Looks like... We'll be having Jajangmyeon!" I announced. "Huh... Strange. I don't remember having chunjang," Jeongyeon muttered. "That's because you've been so busy cooking your kimchi ramyeon," said Jihyo. Jeongyeon smiled and nodded.

I walked to the sink and washed my hands. Chaeyoung skipped to my side and eyed me with child-like excitement.

"Can I help?" she asked. Jihyo gasped. "Ya! You never even tried to help us whenever we're cooking!" she scolded her. "Majayo!" protested Jeongyeon. Chaeyoung giggled embarrassedly. "Come on... Today's a special occasion, right?" she said cutely. I laughed. "Sure thing, Chaeng! Grab an apron and we'll get started!" I said.

Chaeyoung squealed and rushed to the cabinet to take her apron. Jeongyeon whipped a pan and placed it on the stove.

"I'll get the sauce started," she said, sounding excited. "I'll start boiling the noodles," said Jihyo, taking a large pot from the cabinet. "Well, looks like it's you and me with the cutting duties, Chaeng," I said.

Chaeyoung nodded and grabbed the vegetables to wash. I took two knives and walked towards the counter. Jihyo had placed a large cutting board there, so I started dicing the samgyeopsal. Chaeyoung came back with the washed vegetables, and we started working together.

"Just like with Okasan, huh?" I commented. She smiled and nodded. "How are they, by the way, Yori? Gosh, I miss them so much!" she said.

My smile faded.

"They're..." I paused. Chaeyoung looked up, noticing the hesitance in my voice. "What is it?" she asked. Shit. There was no easy way to say this. "They're... They've passed away, Chaeng. Car crash, Jeju. Two years ago," I said slowly. "W–What?" Chaeyoung whispered.

She slowly placed the knife down on the cutting board. I realised that tears started filling their eyes. I smiled and reached her shoulder. She must have been so shocked. She must be really sad to hear this for the first time. She must have felt sorry for me.

"It's fine, Chaeng. I'm fine," I said, trying to comfort her, but Chaeyoung covered her mouth. "I–I... And I missed..." she stuttered. I raised an eyebrow. "Chaeng?" "I–I... I... I'm..."

She ran off. She was sobbing.

"Chaeng? W–Where is she going?" asked Jihyo. "B–Bathroom," I lied.

Jihyo stared at me quizzically, but then she shrugged and got back to her noodles. I mentally kicked myself for telling that to Chaeyoung. She wasn't feeling sorry for me. Well... Maybe that too, but I knew she was blaming herself again for not knowing about my parents' death.

I sighed. I really wanted to chase her and comfort her, but knowing Chaeyoung, it was best to leave her alone and give her some space. I decided to simply continue dicing the pork belly.

* * *

I slammed the door shut and locked it. I pressed my back against the door and slowly slid down until I was sitting. I stared blankly at the three beds, tears streaming down from my eyes.

I had missed it. I missed the funeral of the people who took me in as their own.

Why? Why didn't I write? Why didn't I–

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Chaeyoung-unnie? Are you in there? I... Need to take something," Tzuyu's gentle voice rang through the door. "Not now, Tzu..." I uttered. "But..." "I SAID NOT NOW!" I yelled.

The other side went quiet for a moment. Then, I heard the sound of her footsteps leaving the door. I sank my head into my arms and sobbed.

Why was I such a bad friend? Yori was always there for me when I needed him, but when he needed me the most, when his parents left him all alone in this world, I was nowhere near him.

"I'm sorry, Yori..." I sobbed. "I'm... A terrible person."

My own words echoed in my head as I rocked back and forth, bawling my eyes out.

* * *

"YEDEURA! DINNER'S READY!" yelled Jeongyeon at the top of her lungs.

I heard the thundering footsteps of the girls echoing down the hallway as they ran into the dining room.

"FO––OOD!!" yelled Momo and Nayeon together. "YAAYYY~!" exclaimed Dahyun, running while raising both of her arms in the air, looking like a crazy person.

The girls took their seats. Jeongyeon, Jihyo, and I placed the food on the dining table and started distributing the serving plates and utensils. The girls squealed excitedly and clapped their hands.

"Woah... Everything looks so good!" exclaimed Sana. "Ya..." complained Jeongyeon. Sana giggled and scrunched her nose at the girl, grabbing her hand cutely. "Jeongie Baby... You know I still love your cooking," she said, blinking her eyes rapidly. Jeongyeon laughed, but she pouted jokingly. "But you never say that these past few days..." she said, pretending to sulk. Sana giggled. "I'll make it up to you... Don't worry," she uttered sweetly. Jeongyeon chuckled and nodded. "I'll be waiting..." she whispered, and I thought I saw Sana blush.

Okay. Something was definitely going on between these two. The girls thanked me for the food, and they started taking their portions. Suddenly, Mina looked up.

"Where's Chaeng?" she asked. "She's in the bedroom. In a pretty bad mood..." replied Tzuyu.

I sighed and slowly stood up.

"I'll go talk to her," I said. The girls nodded, looking concerned. "Down the hallway, the second last room on the left," said Jihyo, giving me directions.

I nodded and made my way out of the kitchen. I crossed the living room and went to the other hallway. I walked slowly to the second last room on the left and knocked on the door.

* * *

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Again? I sighed exasperatedly. What did she need to take?

"Tzuyu... I told you not now..." I said with a weak voice. "It's... Yori."

My heart stopped. I looked up.

"Chaeng, can you... Open up, please?" he asked gently.

I froze. He waited for a few moments before calling my name again.

"Chaeng..."

I sighed and reached up to unlock the door. I slowly walked over to my bed and sat on it, curling up my knees against my chest, and closed my eyes. The door opened and closed, his gentle footsteps approached me, and soon I felt his familiar warmth next to me.

"Dinner's ready," Yori said softly.

I didn't reply. He let out a small sigh.

"Chaeng. Please stop beating yourself up... It's not your fault," he said.

I still kept quiet. I couldn't reply. He gently placed his hand on my elbow.

"Chaeng..." "Yori... I'm sorry..." "Chaeng..." "... I'm a terrible person..." "Chaeng, don't say–" "DON'T TELL ME 'DON'T SAY THAT'!" I yelled at him.

Yori went quiet. I turned and glared at him. Tears drip down from my eyes.

"I MISSED THE FUNERAL OF THE ONES WHO TOOK ME AND MY MOTHER IN! I MISSED THE DEATH OF THE ONES MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU! I WASN'T EVEN THERE FOR YOU WHEN YOU WERE A–lone... I–I... I...."

I started bawling all over again. My eyes were aching from all the crying, but somehow I couldn't stop myself. I slumped on the bed and cried my heart out. I punched the bed with all my might, feeling so disappointed at myself.

I felt a hand rubbing my back gently.

"Chaeng... Stop it... Stop saying all these things about yourself..." he said. "No! I–I... I–I'm... A t–t–terrible... F–friend..." I sobbed. "Son Chaeyoung... Please," he begged. "I'm a... H–Horrible... P–person," I kept beating myself. "SHUT UP!"

His scream startled me. I looked up, and I saw him in tears. He... He was crying. In all my years being with him, I never saw him cry, but... But here he was, sitting on my bed, crying. His whole body shook as tears flowed down from his eyes.

"S–Stop... S–Saying... These... Bad... Things... A–About yourself, Ch–Chaeyoung. It... It hurts me... to see you... Killing yourself inside!" he yelled painfully.

His voice was breaking. He struggled to say those words. Tears were streaming freely down his cheeks. His eyes were full of pain.

"This... Isn't... What Ok–Okasan... And... Otousan... W–Would've... Wanted!" he tried screaming again, but his voice kept breaking apart.

I stared at him blankly. I had never seen Yoriichi like this. I hated it. I hated seeing Yori like this. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Please... Stop beating yourself... Up... Y–You're... You're the only one I have left, Chaeng... P–Please..."

He was begging me. He was pleading. His words hit me hard.

I was the only one he had left.

I hugged him. I hugged him tightly. I pulled his head and rested it on my shoulder. His hands reached to my back and pulled me closer to him. He cried. I cried. We both cried. I traced his cheek with my hand, caressing it softly.

"Stop crying, Yori... Please..." I whispered. "I... It breaks my heart seeing you like this."

He nodded silently. My fingers traced his hair, and after a while, I could feel both of our hearts beating back to a normal pace. I lifted his face with my hands, and I stared directly at him.

"Will you forgive me... For shutting you out all these years? For abandoning you?" I asked him seriously. He stared at me. "Chaeng, I've told you... I've forgiven you long ago. Please stop beating yourself. Don't let the past burden your future," he said. I smiled. "I promise..." I said.

He smiled and nodded. That wasn't the only thing I wanted to promise him. I kept staring at his eyes.

"And... I promise that I'll never leave you again. I promise I'll always be there for you, just like you were always there for me," I whispered.

Slowly, his warm smile crept up on his face again. His smile grew to a chuckle, and his hand slowly reached my cheek, his thumb caressing it gently.

"I know you will," he whispered.

Suddenly, I had an idea. I pulled myself away from him for a moment, and I took off the moon bracelet I had on my wrist. I gently lifted Yori's wrist and put it on him. His eyes lit up.

"Chaeng?" he asked slowly.

I grabbed both of his hands and stared at him with a smile.

"This is my promise to you, Yori: Let this moon on your wrist remind you that I'm always here if you need me. Just... Just like..." I touched my neck, "... Just like this sun pendant always reminds me of you."

He chuckled.

"Look who's cheesy now..." he uttered. I laughed and slapped his shoulder. "Ya!" I protested. He laughed with me, and suddenly... He rested his head on my lap.

My heart skipped a beat.

Yori lifted his hand, placing it in front of my neck. He smiled beautifully.

"Ya... It's kinda funny, don't you think?" he mused. "What is?" "Sun and moon..." he uttered as he twirled his wrist. "Put it over each other, and we'll get an eclipse."

I giggled. Somehow, my fingers traced his hair.

"You and your cheesy words..." I mused. He chuckled. "You were cheesy too just now..." he said. I giggled. "Are we competing for the Cheese Award?" I asked. He laughed, and sat back up. "You know... We should probably go back to the kitchen. The others must be waiting. Plus... I'm very hungry," Yori said.

I laughed and nodded.

"You're right. We should get back before Nabong-unnie or Sana-unnie start having strange ideas about us," I said.

Yori laughed, and he grabbed my hand. We walked hand in hand out of the room to the kitchen, and we found the girls had already helped themselves with the jajangmyeon.

"Oh! You're finally here! Mianhae... We couldn't resist the temptation," Momo said as she took another helping of the jajangmyeon. "It's fine, as long as you guys saved some for us!" I exclaimed.

Yori and I took our seats next to each other. Yori took the tongs to scoop some of the jajangmyeon and placed it on my plate. I thanked him silently with a smile. Suddenly, I heard giggles.

"You know..." Nayeon started. "You two make a really sweet couple..." Sana completed, a dreamy look in her eyes. "Sana..." Jeongyeon warned. "I know, I know..." she said with a huge smile, shoving some noodles into her mouth.

Jihyo sighed and looked at Yori.

"So, Yori... What's your occupation?" Jihyo asked, trying to change the subject. Yori smiled. "I'm a... Security contractor. A freelance scout, to be precise. I do a lot of gigs for the SMPA," he said. "SMPA... The police, right?" asked Mina. Yori nodded. "You said you're a swordsman, right?" Momo asked. "Ne. The Tomioka family descends from a long line of swordsmen, dating back to the Edo period," he replied. "So you have a katana?" she asked again. "I have a collection of katanas," Yori replied. "Damn... You gotta let me see your katana collection someday!" said Momo excitedly. "Sure thing!" Yori agreed, smiling wide.

I chuckled. Momo did have a katana collection herself. At that moment, I saw a naughty look on Nayeon's eyes. Somehow, I knew what she was going to say. Her smile grew to a bunny grin, and before she could say anything, I raised my hand.

"Ya... Nabong-unnie..." I warned her. "Hajima..." "W–What? I wasn't saying anything!" she defended herself, but she chuckled mischievously. "I know what you were going to say when Momo-unnie mentioned 'katana'..." I said exasperatedly. Dahyun choked on her noodle and laughed. "Fuck. I get it now..." she said, reading my mind. "So do I..." uttered Mina, smiling wide. Momo giggled and continued eating. "Yeah... Me too..." said Jeongyeon and Tzuyu almost at the same time. Jihyo merely sighed and shook her head.

Nayeon cackled. The girls shook their heads tiredly at Nayeon's constant naughtiness, but Sana looked confused.

"What, what? What was she going to say?" she asked confusedly. I sighed. "It's... Katana... Yori's... Katana..." I explained, trying not to say anything too directly.

Sana blinked her beautiful eyes for a moment. I could almost see the gears turning in her head, until eventually, a few seconds later, she understood. She gasped and clasped her hands on her mouth.

"YA! NABONG!" she exclaimed.

Nayeon laughed even harder, and we all laughed with her. I turned to see Yori, who had turned red. I knew he got it too. This boy was so cute.

We continued chatting for a bit as we ate. Yoriichi was surprisingly comfortable with the girls, and the more we talked, the more he looked like he had known them for ages. The girls too looked comfortable around him, so much so that Sana spilled about her secret relationship with Jeongyeon after a while, drawing gasps from everyone. I smiled. I guessed he deserved to know.

We continued our talk long after dinner. We moved to the sofa in the living room, and we all shared stories and jokes. Nayeon and Mina stood up after a while. They were always in charge of desserts, so they took out some pastries from the fridge and set them down on the table.

"Anyone want coffee?" asked Mina. All of us raised our hands. Nayeon laughed. "Okay! Anyone want milk?" she asked. Only Yori raised his hands. We all loved our iced americano. "I'll have some milk," he said. "You can get it from Jihyo," Nayeon said mischievously.

Jihyo's big eyes went so round I was afraid that they would pop out of the sockets. Yori looked confused as hell.

"E–Eh? W–What do you mean?" he stuttered. "Jihyo lactates," blurted Sana casually while taking a pastry, but then she gasped and covered her mouth, realizing her mistake. Jeongyeon slapped her girlfriend's head, but Jihyo yelled. "MINATOZAKI SANA!"

Sana squealed and ran away as the flustered Jihyo chased after her up to the second floor deck. We all laughed out loud, but Yori sat and stared blankly at us, looking completely confused.

"N–Nan... Nantekotta..." Yori muttered.

I calmed myself down and leaned in to whisper at my best friend.

"She's right. Jihyo-unnie... She's been able to do it since she reached puberty," I said. Yori stared at me quizzically, but then he shrugged. "A–Ah... Okay..." he uttered, leaning back to the sofa.

Nayeon and Mina placed 9 iced americano for us and one iced latte for Yori. Jihyo returned, dragging a very giggly Sana behind her.

"Sorry about that," Jihyo said as she dropped Sana back to her seat and walked back to hers. "Joesonghamnida, Yori-ssi..." said Sana, still giggling.

Dahyun sighed exasperatedly and checked her phone while munching on the strawberry pastry, then suddenly a gasp left her mouth.

"Ya! Tomorrow's our free day!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Oh? Is it?" asked Jihyo. She pulled out her phone and gasped. "Oh damn! It is!"

We all checked our phones and found that Dahyun was right. Our schedule was completely empty tomorrow, not even a practice was scheduled.

"Yay!!! Jeongie, Dubu! Let's go shopping tomorrow!" she exclaimed. The two girls nodded and smiled. "What do you guys plan to do tomorrow?" asked Jihyo to the room. "I have yet to punish Tzuyu properly..." mused Nayeon. Okay. She was starting to sound scary. "Y–Ya... Unnie~" protested Tzuyu, blushing red and smiling shyly, but I knew she'd enjoy it. "I'll play some games," chipped Mina in. "I'll have a date with Heechul-oppa," said Momo. "What about yourself, Jihyo?" asked Jeongyeon. Our leader smiled. "I'll have time to finish up on the book I've been reading. I'll stay in," she said happily.

I felt eight pairs of eyes landing on me. Shit. I had no plans for tomorrow. Suddenly I was put on the spot.

"I–I... Umm..." "Do you want to go to Everland with me tomorrow?" asked Yori suddenly.

I looked at him with wide eyes.

"E–Everland?" "Yep!" he said confidently. "O–Okay... Yeah. That... Sounds great!" I stuttered. "OOOOH! You guys are going on a date!" Sana exclaimed.

The girls all cheered. Yori sighed and shook his head, but he smiled wide. I knew I was smiling from ear to ear, unable to hide my happiness. Yori glanced at his watch, and his eyes widened.

"Holy shit! It's 1 am!" he exclaimed.

We all checked our watches and phones, and he was right. I heard Nayeon chuckling.

"Time flies when you're having fun..." she said, gulping her coffee, suddenly sounding wise.

We all smiled and nodded. Slowly, Yori stood up, stretched his body, and thanked the girls.

"Well... I should get going then. Thank you, girls, for the hospitality. It's been grand," he said politely. "We're the ones who should thank you, Yori!" said Jeongyeon kindly. "I'll call a cab for you," said Jihyo, whipping up her phone, but Yori waved his hands. "No, no! There's no need! I literally live a few floors below you guys," he said quickly.

The girls all gasped.

"W–Wait. What?" asked Momo. "Yeah! I... I moved in 2 days ago!" he said with a smile. "Woah... Small world!" said Dahyun. Yori chuckled and nodded. "Anyway, thanks again for having me. If you want, I can come back tomorrow and cook breakfast for you before leaving with Chaeng," he offered.

The girls squealed in excitement, but Sana was squealing a little too loudly, making Jeongyeon stare sharply at her. I laughed. I loved Sana's subtle way to tell her girlfriend that she was sick of her cooking the same dish over and over these past few days.

"Ya... I know, I know... I'll stop cooking kimchi ramyun!" Jeongyeon said, rolling her eyes. Sana laughed and cupped her girlfriend's face with her hands. "You know what, Babe? For me your kimchi ramyun is always perfect, as long as it's cooked by Yoo Jeongyeon. You don't need to perfect it anymore," Sana said truthfully. "I–I..." Jeongyeon stuttered. Sana's sweet words made her blush.

We all laughed. This couple was the sweetest. Yori chuckled and nodded.

"Right. I'll come back tomorrow morning. How do pancakes sound?"

All eight heads perked up immediately. He laughed at the spontaneous reaction.

"I'll take that as a yes! See you all tomorrow!" he said, turning to the foyer. I stood up. "I'll walk you out," I said.

He smiled at me and we walked towards the foyer. I opened the door for him, and he turned to look at me.

"It's nice seeing you again, Yori..." I said while he was wearing his shoes. "What a day, huh?" he said with a smile. "Y–Yeah..."

We stood there for a while, staring at each other, unsure of what to do.

"W–Well, I, uh... I'm going then, Chaeng. See you tomorrow!" he said.

I smiled and nodded. He smiled back, and then... Somehow... I did something I myself didn't think I would do.

I tiptoed and kissed him warmly on the cheek. Yori was stunned, and he turned red instantly.

"G–Good night, Yori..." I said, feeling my cheeks heating up. "G–G... Good... Good night... Chaeng..." he stammered.

I laughed and waved at him as he quickly entered the lift down. He waved back, chuckling shyly, his hand clutching the cheek I just kissed. Finally, the lift door closed, and he disappeared.

I let out a sigh and turned around, only to find eight girls staring at me, all with wide grins plastered on their beautiful faces. I felt my face go as red as an apple instantly.

"W–W–Were... Were you guys... W–Watching the entire time?" I stammered.

The girls cheered and whooped loudly.

"WOOO-HOOO!!! OUR BABY BEAST HAS A CRUSH!" Nayeon screamed so loud Tzuyu had to place her hand on her mouth to tone her down. "I'm so happy for you, Chaeng! Finally!" exclaimed Mina, suddenly sounding more excited than I thought she could be.

They cheered again, and I ran past them in embarrassment, going straight up to the second floor bathroom. I brushed my teeth and did my evening skincare routine, and the girls started doing the same. To their credit, they didn't tease me any longer, just giving me knowing smiles as they said goodnight to each other. I was grinning wide the entire time.

As Dahyun turned off our bedroom's light after we settled on our beds, I fiddled with my necklace. I shuddered as I remembered the tears streaming down his cheeks. He... He really cared for me so much, didn't he?

I put away the thoughts in my mind and flipped on my side. I closed my eyes, and I felt a smile curving up on my lips. Everland with Yori tomorrow. I couldn't wait.

* * *

My phone's alarm blared next to me. I groggily opened my eyes and tapped the snooze button, throwing my arm over my eyes. I collected my thoughts... And then I remembered.

It was time to get up.

I threw the covers off my body and slid out of bed. I checked my phone; it was 8 am. Tzuyu and Dahyun were still sleeping soundly–Tzuyu like a Disney princess, Dahyun snoring loudly in a weird, twisted position–so I quietly picked an outfit from my wardrobe, exited my room, and tiptoed to the bathroom upstairs.

I came out a few minutes later, all clean and ready, in my jeans and simple grey long sleeved shirt. I threw my pajamas into the laundry basket and headed down the stairs. As expected, Jihyo was already up, chilling on the sofa, staring at her phone.

"Morning, Jihyo-unnie!" I said. Jihyo looked up and smiled beautifully. "Morning, Tiger Cub! You're up early!" she said cheerily. I chuckled. "Long day ahead! Better start early..." I said. She gasped as she remembered. "Ah, right! Everland with Yoriichi!" she commented. "Yeah..." I said with a dreamy smile.

Jihyo eyed me with a knowing smile.

"You like him, don't you?" she shot at me. "E–Eh? N–N–No... N–Not like that... I–I... I..." I stuttered. Jihyo giggled. "Come on, Chaeng... You literally kissed him on the cheek last night," she pressed.

Damn. Forgot about that. I sighed and accepted my fate. I guessed I could be honest with our Leader.

"Y–Yeah... I guess..." I uttered shyly. Jihyo's smiles grew wider. "It's nice to see you having someone you love, Chaeng..." she said sincerely.

Ding Dong

"I'll get it!" I exclaimed as I ran towards the door.

Jihyo laughed, seeing how excited I was. I had a feeling I knew who would be there this morning. I opened the door, and sure enough, it was Yori.

He was wearing a simple white hoodie with jeans, and he had his katana hanging from his side in the scabbard. He had a plastic bag in one hand, most likely filled with ingredients. He beamed brightly when he saw me.

"Morning, Chaeng! Hope you don't mind the katana! Just came from training," he said cheerfully. I smiled back and shook my head. "No, no of course not! Come on in!" I exclaimed happily.

I stepped aside and let him walk in. I closed the door, and we walked into the living room.

"Morning, Jihyo-ssi!" he greeted her. "Annyeong, Yori! Let's go to the kitchen!" she said.

We walked to the kitchen, and Yori placed the plastic bag on the counter.

"What do you have?" asked Jihyo. Yori began removing the contents of the plastic bag. "Let's see... Pancake batter, sausages, strawberries, blueberries, cream, maple syrup..." "Woah! That's a lot!" I quipped as Yori continued taking out stuff from the bag. He chuckled. "Well... Judging from how much you guys ate last night, I adjusted the quantity," he said.

I couldn't help but smile at him. He was always thinking about others. He was just so cute.

"Alright, then! Let's get started!" Jihyo said, grabbing 3 aprons from the cupboard. "By the way, do you mind if I play some music, Jihyo?" Yori asked. "Be my guest!" Jihyo said happily.

Yori nodded. He tapped a few things on the phone and placed it on the counter. The music played... It was the unmistakable intro of Blueming by IU. My face lit up.

"Excellent music taste!" Jihyo said as she grabbed a bowl. "Thank you!" replied Yori.

We enjoyed IU's sweet voice as we got to work preparing breakfast. As Yori started ladling the pancake batter onto the pan, we heard footsteps approaching.

"Waahh.... Smells good!" Sana squealed with her high pitched voice. She stretched and yawned. "Morning, Shasha! Are the rest awake?" Jihyo asked. "Yup! You can't expect everyone to be asleep with this heavenly aroma, no?" Sana said. "Great! Hey, can you call them here? Breakfast is almost ready!" Jihyo said as she came back with a large plate. Yori used a spatula to put a piece of pancake on it. "Ne!" Sana exclaimed before jogging off.

We finished platting the pancakes, sausages, eggs, and berries on all the plates and bowls. We quickly placed them on the dining table, and the girls started streaming into the dining room. We washed our hands and took off our aprons, before sitting around the table together with the girls.

"Jalmokhaesubnida!" we exclaimed as we picked our cutleries and dug in. "MMM! Hiz–Iz–Goor!" Momo exclaimed with a mouthful. "Momo-unnie, swallow, then talk," Jihyo said, pointing her fork at Momo. Momo blushed and swallowed. "Right. Mian. THIS IS GOOD!" she exclaimed loudly with a huge grin. "Arigato, Momo-san," Yori replied as he cut a small piece of his pancake and put it into his mouth. "Thank you for the breakfast, Yoriichi~" Sana said with overflowing aegyo.

Everyone cringed and laughed, but Yori simply smiled and took another bite of pancake. Jeongyeon gasped.

"Omo! Did he just resist your aegyo, Sha?" she asked incredulously.

I suppressed a giggle. Yori had a knack for going into something that he called 'emotionless state' from time to time. He used it often when fighting, and I remembered he said that 'emotions can get in the way of critical decision making'.

To put it simply... Yori loves to zone out. I punched his arm.

"Ya... You're in your emotionless state again," I said.

He blinked a few times before realizing. He snapped out of it and blushed red.

"O–Oops... Sorry," he uttered shyly. I laughed at him before popping a strawberry into my mouth. "Emotionless state?" Dahyun asked. "Y–Yeah... I tend to slip into it subconsciously. I used it a lot when training," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

Everyone's mouth formed an 'O' as they understood him. Sana tapped her girlfriend's arm rapidly as an idea came to her mind.

"Ya! Ya! Let's play a game! Let's see who's aegyo can snap him out of his emotionless state!" she exclaimed. "But... Can you slip into it consciously?" asked Mina. Yori nodded. "Of course," he said. "Alright! Let's play the game!" squealed Nayeon.

The other girls nodded in agreement. Yori and I glanced at each other, knowing what was going to happen. I felt heat rushing to my face, but I smiled and nodded.

"O–Okay... Let me just get back into it," Yori said slowly.

Yori set down his cutleries. He closed his eyes, took a long, deep breath, before opening his eyes back again. They were now empty. It was as if his soul had left his body. With that, the game began.

Everyone tried their best to make him snap out of it, but all they did was make the girls squeal and scream in disgust. Yori, however, did nothing. He had no reaction, still staring blankly to the dining room wall.

After Sana failed the second time, Nayeon tried. I somehow felt a little uneasy, knowing how cute Nayeon could be when doing aegyo, but, to my surprise, Yori still stared blankly when Nayeon finished. Our bunny unnie sighed.

"Damn... This is the first time my aegyo doesn't work! Sha! You want to try your legendary bl–" she started. "YA!" exclaimed Jeongyeon, Sana, Dahyun, and Jihyo all at the same time, shutting her down. I looked around confusedly, but Nayeon was giggling profusely.

Jihyo sighed and shook her head, before turning to look at me.

"Chaeng... Your turn," she said.

I turned to face Yoriichi. I stared at him for a moment, then, quickly, I pecked his cheek.

Yori's defenses instantly broke apart and he blushed red. I laughed and threw my hands up in victory. The girls cheered and Yori grew redder.

"A kiss on the cheek from Chaeyoung is all it takes?" Dahyun wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Woah... You must really like her!" Tzuyu said, her mouth gaping wide. "W–Well... I–I..." he stammered.

I giggled and snuggled up to his arm. The girls went 'Aww' for a while, but then they continued eating without teasing us, and I was thankful for them. We finished eating, and Jihyo looked up to the table.

"So... We all have plans today?" Jihyo asked. We all nodded. "Everyone back for dinner?" she asked her second question. "Nee!" the girls all replied, but I didn't. Jihyo turned to Yori and I. "What about you two?" she asked. "Depends on what Chaeng is feeling. We'll let you know if we are," said Yori.

Aww... He's always thinking about me...

"Oooooo... Planning to go back to your place?" teased Nayeon naughtily. "Goodness gracious, Unnie... Calm your horny ass down..." Tzuyu scolded, slapping Nayeon's arm. Nayeon cackled, but Sana picked this up. "But she's right though... There's a possibility that..." "Sha, you might wanna watch your tongue. Yori has his katana on him," said Jeongyeon casually.

Sana's eyes went wide as she turned to look at him.

Shringg...

Yori drew his sword from its scabbard, revealing a dark blue blade. He held it up, the tip pointing at the ceiling. Momo squealed excitedly, clapping her hands.

"Well, Sana-san... It was nice knowing you..." Yori said jokingly. "Kyaa..." Sana squealed and buried her face on Jeongyeon's shoulder.

We all laughed out loud, and Yori sheathed his katana back, chuckling satisfactorily. Jihyo looked around the room.

"Alright! Let's get cleaned up so everyone can head out!" she exclaimed, drawing cheers from everyone.

We picked up our plates and washed them together. Yori left to his unit to put his katana back. I chuckled. Couldn't really have a random guy walking around with a sword, could we? A few minutes later, he came back to the dorm, now wearing his scarf.

"Ready to go, Chaeng?" he asked. "Let's! Annyeong, Yaedul-a!" I exclaimed, waving to my members. "Annyeong, Chaeng! Don't come back without fuc–"

Smack!

"OW! JEONGIE!" Sana cried out, clutching her ass. Jeongyeon giggled naughtily as her girlfriend chased her around the dorm.

I laughed and closed the door. I walked up next to Yori and hugged his arm.

"Let's go, Yori!" I said. He smiled and nodded.

We took the lift down to the carpark and entered his car. He started the engine and we pulled out of the complex. As we took the freeway towards Yongin-si, he turned and smiled.

"Excited?" he asked. "Very," I replied. He chuckled. "Me too. Do you bring your mask?" he asked.

I pulled out the black surgical mask from my jacket pocket and waved it in the air.

"Nice," he said, before looking back to the road with a wide smile. "Hey, can I play some music?" I asked, pulling out my phone. "Sure!"

He connected my phone to his car, and Alcohol Free started playing. Yori chuckled.

"Shameless self promotion," he laughed. "Ya! It's a pretty good song, okay? Besides... The lyrics are just so sweet!" I defended myself.

He smiled and nodded, and continued driving to Everland.

* * *

We reached Everland and I parked my car. We stepped out, and the summer breeze slapped us in the face.

"Damn... It's hot, but cold at the same time," I commented. Chaeyoung pulled her face mask up. "Luckily you have me to keep you warm!" she exclaimed, clutching my arm tightly.

I blushed and looked away as we continued walking to the entrance. I lifted my scarf over my own face mask as the wind started blowing again. We got our tickets and entered the park. Chaeyoung's eyes instantly lock onto the Hurricane.

"Let's go on that one, Yori!" she exclaimed, and immediately dragged me over to the line.

I could feel myself getting ready to throw up after the ride as I watched it swing and twist, eliciting screams and shrieks from its occupants. I gulped silently as we joined the line. Chaeyoung noticed this. She looked up at me with concern.

"Yori? Are you okay? You're... Shaking," Chaeyoung said. "I–I... I'm fine, I guess? Just a little scared..." I said truthfully. I knew she was smiling under her mask, and she intertwined her fingers with mine. "Don't worry, Yori. You've got me here..." she whispered, trying to calm me.

Good Lord... She's girlfriend material.

"T–T–Thanks... Chaeng..." I stammered back, my face going red from my own thoughts.

As quickly as she came back into my life, my feelings came back for her.

"It won't be that bad, Yori..." she continued, squeezing my hand tighter. "Y–Yeah... C–Can't be that bad, right?"

I was wrong. I was absolutely wrong.

I stumbled out of the ride with my head spinning. Chaeyoung cackled and grabbed onto me to support me.

"Jesus, Yoriichi! You're telling me that you can slash and spin with a katana... But you can't handle a ride?" she jokingly mocked me. "In my defense... Those are two completely different things!" I said.

Chaeyoung laughed louder and clutched back onto my arm. With that, we continued making our way around the park. I hoped the next ride was better, but again... I was absolutely wrong.

To put it simply, Chaeyoung was an adrenaline junkie. She literally gunned straight for the fastest rides, all of them leaving me more dazed then the last when coming out of it. After the umpteenths ride on a few different roller coasters and my heart was threatening to leap out of my chest, Chaeyoung finally decided that it was time to grab lunch at a burger restaurant.

We ordered our food and found a seat. The place was really crowded, and I was starting to worry that people would notice Chaeyoung and go berserk.

"Chaeng, there's a lot of people here... Are you sure no one will recognize you?" I asked concernedly.

To my surprise, Chaeyoung smiled and shook her head.

"Highly doubt it. Besides, the more people, the better we blend in," she said as she removed her mask. I decided to trust her, and concentrate on the food instead.

Chaeyoung put a generous amount of ketchup on her burger before taking a big bite out of it. I laughed as ketchup got smeared all around her mouth. I folded a napkin and used it to clean the stain.

"Calm down, Cub... We have the whole day here," I said as I finished wiping the ketchup off.

Chaeyoung giggled in embarrassment, scrunching her nose cutely.

"Sory, Yori... Just... Food, you know?" she said, taking another bite of her burger.

I chuckled. As an idol, her food choices were rather limited, so it was normal for her to gorge herself a little when they have the freedom to eat whatever they want like this. I remembered Chaeyoung was always a good eater, and apparently years of being an idol didn't change this.

"Yeah... I understand," I replied as I took a bite out of my own burger.

We continued exploring the theme park after lunch, and evening fell rather quickly as Chaeyoung and I took the cable car back up to the top of the park. We swung our legs as we slowly ascended the slope.

"Thanks for taking me here, Yori..." Chaeyoung said, putting her head on my shoulder. I rested my head on hers. "No problem, Chaeng..." "I missed these moments between us..." she uttered gently. "Me too.." I whispered.

Chaeyoung lifted her head and looked at me. I smiled and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. I stared into those big eyes of hers and got lost in the dark brown colours of her pupils. My heart fluttered. Should I...?

A jolt on the line snapped me out of my trance. I looked down and saw that the cable car was reaching the landing. I reluctantly turned my gaze away from Chaeyoung, and we lifted the safety bar before hopping off to the ground.

* * *

I loved it. I loved every second of it.

The way his dark blue and milk white eyes stared into mine. It was perfect. I felt so warm and fuzzy when he brushed my hair behind my ear.

I... I loved him.

Oh God. I loved Yoriichi.

These words repeated in my head as I clutched his arm as we made our way out of Everland. The sun had already set, leaving us in the surprisingly chilly summer night. A wind blew by and I shuddered.

"You cold, Chaeng?" he asked gallantly. "A–A little..." I stuttered.

Yoriichi stopped moving. He pulled off his scarf and wrapped it snugly around my neck.

"Better?" he asked as he straightened it.

I stared at him.

"Chaeng?" "Y–Yea... A lot better... Thanks, Yori," I replied, feeling my face blush red.

He smiled and we continued walking back to the car. He was so nice and warm. What did I do to deserve him in my life?

"So... Back to the dorm?" he asked. I thought for a moment. "Actually, no... I'm... Not ready to end this day yet," I said.

He smiled.

"Okay. Where to, then?

I hesitated for a moment, but then my mind was made up.

"Can we... Can we go back to your place instead?" I asked.

He looked a little shocked.

"H–Huh? You... You sure?" he asked. I nodded confidently. "O–Okay then... Let's go," he stuttered.

We drove in silence until we got back to the apartment complex in Hannam. We took the lift to his floor, and we went in. I felt my mouth gaping as I walked inside. I flung my eyes around the unit, taking his apartment in. It was definitely way smaller than the penthouse unit upstairs, but it still felt incredibly cozy and very Japanese styled.

"Nice place," I commented. He smiled and closed the door behind us. "Thanks. I... I don't think I have much ingredients left... Are you okay with ramen for dinner?" he asked as he set his keys down on his counter. "Sure. Anything's fine," I said. "Right. Make yourself comfortable," he said, walking straight into the kitchen.

I sat down on his couch in the living room and lost myself in thoughts. Did he love me? If he didn't... What would he say? Should I tell him today? Or should I wait? I didn't think I could wait anymore, though... For 10 years, he'd never left my mind. Could I wait just a little longer?

"Chaeng... Dinner's ready!" he called cheerfully from the kitchen.

I snapped out of my thoughts and quickly walked over to the dining table to join him. He handed me a pair of chopsticks, and we dug in. I savoured every single strand of the delicious Japanese soup. I knew I had eaten kimchi ramyun for three days in a row for breakfast, but this was a Japanese-styled tonkotsu ramen, so I had no complaints.

"This is really good!" I said with a mouthful.

Yori smiled and continued eating. I caught myself staring at him as he sighed after slurping the soup and looked out of the window. As soon as he looked back, I returned my gaze back to the food. I decided to just eat in comfortable silence with him.

"That was... Really good," I sighed contentedly as I leaned back onto my seat after finishing the ramen.

Yori smiled and grabbed both of our bowls and took them to the sink.

"You want some tea, Chaeng?" he asked. "Yeah... That'll be nice," I said as I walked back to the couch.

* * *

I finished washing the dishes and started brewing some green tea. As the water in the pot boiled, I started thinking. I caught Chaeyoung throwing a few glances my way today, but they weren't her usual glances. Was it....

The whistling sound of the kettle brought me out of my thoughts. I quickly poured out the hot water into the teapot. I placed the teapot on a tray along with two teacups before picking it up and walking back to the living room. Chaeyoung was sitting on the sofa.

I poured the tea into one of the cups and handed it to Chaeyoung before filling my own. I took a seat next to her. She sipped her tea and sighed, before placing her cup back on the table and staring at me with her beautiful eyes.

"I had a really fun time today, Yori..." she said. I looked at her and smiled. "Me too, Chaeng..." I said.

We stared at each other in silence, just like we did on the cable car. But this time, there was no interruption. As if drawn by an invisible force, our bodies started moving closer to each other. Without words, our faces inched closer.

"Chaeng..." "Yori..."

Our lips touched. I felt Chaeyoung's arms snaking around my neck, and I slipped my arms around her small waist. She kissed me more passionately, and I returned with the same gusto. Her lips were so soft and warm, her strawberry scent slowly intoxicating me. Our lips stayed locked with each other.

We finally pulled away to catch oxygen. She pressed her forehead on mine as we stared deeply at each other again.

"Yori... I... I–I love you... You've never left my mind since I left..." she breathed. "Chaeng... You've never left my mind either. I love you too..." I whispered back.

Her hands slipped down, and they started caressing my neck, then my chest. I shuddered. I was unsure of what to do, and at that moment Chaeyoung came with her guidance.

"Touch me, Yori..." she whispered.

I obeyed her. I ran my hands down her slim body slowly, caressing her gently. A small moan escaped her lips.

"Ch–Chaeng... You're... Amazing..." I whispered tremulously.

Chaeyoung held my hand, and she guided it gently beneath her shirt. I felt her smooth skin on my palms, and I felt my cock starting to harden beneath my pants. Suddenly, Chaeyoung let go of my hands. She grabbed the corners of her long sleeved shirt and pulled it off herself, leaving her in a silky black bra. I stared at her.

"I want more..." she whispered, her voice laced with lust. "I... I want you."

Her words stunned me.

"C–Chaeng... A–Are you sure?" I asked.

She nodded her head and bit her lower lip. My gosh. I had never seen her like this before. But I wanted her. I wanted her so badly.

"I want you, Yori... I need you..." she whispered.

With that, she pushed me down onto the couch and started straddling me. She reached behind her back and unclasped her bra. She let it drop, revealing her small, round breasts. I let out a shuddering sigh as I ravaged her with my eyes.

Son Chaeyoung. My Son Chaeyoung. Topless. In front of me. This was even better than my wildest dreams.

Without words, she guided my hands upwards, placing them on top of her tits. She squeezed my hands gently. I took the hint, and started kneading her breasts with trembling hands.

"A–Ah... Y–Yori..." she moaned softly.

I continued playing with her tits, both unsure to do anything else and because I was so entranced with this feeling. This was my first sexual experience, and it was with her. Of course it had to be her. I wouldn't do it with anyone else. Chaeyoung closed her eyes and enjoyed my touch, before finally she sighed loudly and shuddered. Hang on. Did she just... Cum?

"Y–Yori... I... It's... Your turn now," she uttered.

I didn't know what she meant, but she reached down and nimbly unbuckled my jeans. She slid them down, leaving me in my boxers. By now, a tent had formed, my cock begging to be set free. Chaeyoung giggled and slowly pulled down my boxer, making my rock hard dick sprung free.

"O–Omo..." she squealed cutely as my cock swung in front of her face. A nervous chuckle left my mouth.

Chaeyoung gently grabbed it, and gave the tip a kiss. Slowly, she started jerking it off with her tiny hands. I closed my eyes and squirmed.

"C–Ch–Chae–Chaeng..."

She grabbed my shaft tightly with both of her hands and jerked it off even faster. I felt electricity rushing from my crotch to my brain then all over my body. I started jolting. This was heaven! At that moment, Chaeyoung opened her mouth wide, and with one swift movement, she swallowed my dick.

"G–Gu–Guh! C–Chaeyoung!"

As her head started bobbing up and down, she reached down and started removing her jeans and panties. I gently grabbed her hair as I felt her oral cavity engulfing my shaft, my dick head reaching her throat.

She continued sucking me off, and I closed my eyes to enjoy her. She gagged and choked, and I looked down. Her eyes were wet with tears, but she kept vigorously blowing my cock. Shit. I couldn't last long like this!

"C–Chaeyoung! C–C... A–Ah... M–Mnh... I–I'm... C–Cum...!"

Chaeyoung didn't pull her head away after hearing this. Instead, she kept my cock locked inside her throat, and I exploded inside her. I came again and again inside her throat, and she closed her eyes, waiting for me to finish. As soon as I stopped cumming, I felt her gulping down all of my semen, and eventually she released my penis from her mouth.

"G–Gosh... Chaeng..." I stuttered, panting for breath. "D–Did you... Really... Swallowed it all?"

Chaeyoung giggled and nodded, opening her mouth wide to show that there was not a single drop left inside. She laid down on the sofa and chuckled, turning her head to stare at me.

"It was delicious, Yori..." she whispered naughtily.

Her words made my cock sprung back up to life. Chaeyoung noticed this and laughed out loud. I chuckled embarrassedly.

"Ya! You... Had a hard on by just me saying your cum was delicious?" she asked. I laughed. "B–But... It was so sexy... The way you said it," I said, defending myself.

Chaeyoung pulled me for a kiss, and my hand reached up to grope her tits. I could never get enough of this fluffy sensation. Hers was just nice. I never liked breasts that were too big anyways. Maybe that's why I didn't react when she told me about Jihyo last night. Chaeyoung was perfect for me.

"If you can continue... I... I want more," she whispered sheepishly. I chuckled, knowing what she meant. "I... It... It would be my first time," I said, a little embarrassedly. Chaeyoung giggled and pecked my cheek. "Mine too..." she whispered.

I stared at her in surprise.

"Really?" I asked. "Ya! Do I look that slutty?" she asked, jokingly sounding offended. I laughed and kissed her lips again. "N–No... It's just... You're so beautiful and popular... I thought... At least someone must have gotten lucky," I explained. She shook her head and smiled at me. "I was waiting for you..." she whispered sweetly.

That did it. I pushed her to the sofa, making her squeal. I positioned myself on top of her and stared into those beautiful eyes of hers. Chaeyoung smiled wide, and she placed her hands around my neck.

"Let's... Take it slow, shall we?" I said gently. She nodded. "I'm ready..." she whispered.

I slowly pressed my cock inside her pussy. Her eyes went wider and wider as inch by inch my cock impaled her, and she started whimpering. Suddenly, she grabbed my ass and pressed myself strongly inside her, my cock went fully inside.

She wailed in pain as her hymen broke. I quickly stooped down and pepper her neck with kisses to help her cope.

"Ssh... Slowly, Chaeng... Easy does it..." I whispered, continuing to kiss her neck. "O–Okay..." she whimpered.

We stayed still for a while. I let her breathing go back to normal, before finally I started moving. She clasped her legs around my waist, and inside, I felt her tight walls squeezing my member. I stooped down and took one of her breasts, putting it inside my mouth. My tongue swirled around her nipple.

"Y–Yori! A–Ah... A–Anh... M–Mh... S–S... S–Soo... B–Big..." she moaned. "Ch–Chaeng... So–So tight..." I replied.

I slammed my cock repeatedly into her tight pussy. Her mouth started gaping open, her eyes staring into mine. She was moaning louder and louder and so was I. Our breaths started synchronizing.

"Y–Yori... S–A–Ah... Ah... Y–Yori! F–F–Fuck..." "Ch–Chaeng... Chaeng... S–So good..."

I started increasing my pace. She pulled my neck and we kissed again, lustfully. Her tongue poked my mouth and I opened up, allowing her to explore the insides of my mouth. Our tongues danced with each other.

Chaeyoung started moving her own hips, and I took the hint. I moved my hips a little stronger, practically pummeling the petite rapper mercilessly. Chaeyoung gasped and moaned, her eyes rolling back to her skull.

My cock head slammed her cervix. I felt her womb opening, as if inviting me to breed her. I felt shockwaves all over my body. Fuck. I was reaching my summit. I wanted to pull out, but my body told me otherwise. Shit! I wouldn't be able to pull out in time like this! Chaeyoung started screaming.

"G–God! Y–Yori! I–I... F–Fuck! I... L–Love... Y–YOU! A-Ah! AH!" "I–I... Love you too, Chaeng... A–Ah... Mmh... I... I love everything about... Y–you..." "Y–Yori! I–I'm... C–C–Cumm... Cumm–Cumming... Y–Yo–Yori! CUMMING!!!" "M–Me too! Me–Me... T–too! Ch–Chaeyoung! A–Ah... M–Mh!"

Her walls clenched around my penis tightly, and we both came. We both came hard. I continued slamming her body through our orgasm. I filled her womb with my semen until the very last drop, before finally, I slipped out of her and slumped to the carpeted floor.

Chaeyoung twitched and shivered on the sofa. I looked up, and saw thick white liquid streaming out of her gaping pussy. We were both gasping for air, completely spent. Chaeyoung rolled over and fell on top of me, and both of us giggled like little children.

"F–Fuck... That... That was incredible Yori..." she whispered. "I–It was... Chaeng... Sorry I... I came inside you like that," I said. She giggled and kissed my chest. "Don't worry... I'll ask Mina-unnie to share me her pills tomorrow," she said. I giggled and nodded.

Chaeyoung laid her head onto my chest. I brushed her hair gently with my fingers.

"I love you, Chaeyoung..." I uttered lovingly. "I love you too, Yori... I... I will never leave you again," she whispered. "Neither will I..." I whispered back.

We laid on top of each other for a few moments, smiling contentedly. Chaeyoung suddenly giggled and looked up.

"Are we dating now?" she asked. I chuckled. "I mean... If you want to..." I said. She giggled and nodded. "I definitely want to," she said, but then her smile faded. I was alarmed. "What is it?" I asked her. "It's... I'm not sure... If JYPE will allow us to be together," she whispered. "What do you mean?" I asked.

She sat up, and I followed her. She looked deep in thought.

"We... We might have to keep our relationship a secret, Yori..." she said. "Like Jeongyeon and Sana?" I asked. "Y–Yeah... Like them," she said. "But we're not a lesbian couple..." I said. She chuckled and slapped my thigh. "I know that! I mean... We can't be seen in public together. Dates like today... If it happens too often, fans and the media will start noticing it, and... And well... It'll lead to a lot of troubles," she said.

I smiled and grabbed her hands gently.

"Chaeng... I've been apart from you for 10 years. I don't want to lose you again. If we have to keep our relationship a secret, then so be it. I don't need to announce it to the world, as long as we both know it..." I said.

She looked up at me.

"Y–You... You're okay with that?" she asked. I nodded confidently. "I just wanna be with you. Even if I can't see you in public, I can see you behind closed doors, right? It's better anyway..." I said slowly. She chuckled, but her eyes welled up with tears.

Chaeyoung buried herself onto my chest and hugged me tightly.

"Thank you, Yori... You have no idea how happy I am to hear that..." she whispered.

I stroked her hair to comfort her.

"But the girls have to know, don't they?" I asked. She nodded. "Yeah... They have to know. Don't worry. They can keep the secret," she said.

We stayed in each other's embrace for a while, then a thought came to my mind.

"Nayeon and Tzuyu, Jeongyeon and Sana, Momo and Heechul... So we're the fourth couple?" I asked her. She giggled. "Used to be Jihyo-unnie and Kang Daniel-oppa, but... That didn't last long," she said. I nodded. "Ah yes... And what is this... MiChaeng thing I've been hearing?" I teased her. I could feel her blushing. "Y–Ya! N–No... It's... We're... We're just..." she stuttered nervously. I laughed and kissed her lips. "Don't worry... I understand," I said gently.

She realized that I was only teasing her, so she slapped my chest again jokingly. I laughed, and at that moment a loud yawn escaped my mouth. She laughed and stood up slowly.

"Let's sleep, Yori... We'll tell the girls tomorrow," she said, stretching her arm to reach me. "Let's... It's been a long day..." I whispered.

We walked hand in hand to my bedroom, and we climbed the bed together, pulling the covers on top of our naked bodies. As she snuggled by my side and stared at me, I kissed her forehead, making her giggle cutely.

"Good night, Yori..." "Good night, Chaeng..."

She closed her eyes and cuddled me tightly. Slowly, we drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

* * *

"Ready?" she asked.

I gave her a nod. We were standing in front of the door of Twice's apartment. Somehow, I felt nervous, and by the coldness of her hand inside mine, I could tell that Chaeyoung was nervous too. We were about to announce our relationship to the Twice girls.

Chaeyoung reached for the door handle and opened it. As if an alarm was attached to the door, as soon as Chaeyoung stepped inside, Jihyo came running to the foyer.

"Oh God! Chaeyoung!" she exclaimed.

She rushed to hug Chaeyoung tightly, making the rapper giggle. She pulled herself away and glared at my girlfriend.

"Son Chae Young! Where were you last night? Why didn't you text or call? I was worried sick!" Jihyo exclaimed loudly.

The other seven members reached the foyer. They all looked concerned. Chaeyoung giggled sheepishly and stared at the leader.

"Sorry, Unnie... I–I... Decided to crash at Yori's place downstairs last night. I should've informed you," she said.

Jihyo let out a sigh and shook her head.

"Well, at least you're with Yori. At least you're safe..." she sighed. Chaeyoung giggled again. "Why wouldn't I be safe? I was with my boyfriend," Chaeyoung replied coyly. I smiled. So that was how she wanted to do it. Jihyo didn't notice this immediately. "I mean... Becau–HANG ON A MINUTE!" Jihyo suddenly realized. "What did you say, Chaeng? Am I hearing correctly?" asked Mina, but she was already beaming her gummy smile so widely. "WHAT DID YOU SAY, SON CHAEYOUNG? WHAT DID YOU SAY?" yelled Nayeon loudly.

Chaeyoung's face blushed red, but she was grinning from ear to ear. The girls yeeted her inside to the living room, and I followed them behind. They all surrounded her and stared at her excitedly.

"W–What? What did I say?" Chaeyoung teased. I laughed. She could be like that sometimes. "WHAT DID YOU SAY! YOU WERE WITH... WHO? WHO?" yelled Nayeon even louder. "For fucks sake, Nabong-unnie... Calm down!" scolded Tzuyu. Nayeon didn't care, and neither did Sana. "SON CHAEYOUNG! RE–PEAT-IT!" she screamed. Jeongyeon and Dahyun shook their heads, but they were smiling wide too.

Chaeyoung looked at me. Slowly, she grasped my hand and stared back at the members.

"I–I... We're... Together now," she said, gazing at me lovingly. I chuckled and nodded.

The girls went ballistic.

"YAAAAAYYYY!!! THE SONMOON SHIP HAS FINALLY SAILED!!!" Sana squealed at the top of her lungs. "YAAAYY!!!" screamed Nayeon. "Ya! Sana! Nabong! Stop yelling around!" scolded Jeongyeon, but she too was jumping up and down in happiness.

Sana covered her mouth and giggled. The other girls started cheering and dancing around Chaeyoung like crazy people. Jihyo finally calmed down and hugged Chaeyoung. The rest did the same, and I saw Mina hugging Chaeyoung the longest.

"I'm so happy for you, Chaeng..." the girl said kindly. Chaeyoung smiled and nodded. "Kamsahamnida, Unnie..." she replied. "Ya! Are you planning to tell JYP-PD-nim?" Momo asked. We shook our heads. "Come on, Momo-unnie... They'll need to keep it a secret, at least for now," said Dahyun. "Ooo... So just like Jeongyeon and I!" squealed Sana again. "Yes. Please keep it a secret for now," I said. They all nodded. "We'll keep our lips sealed! Right, girls?" asked Jihyo. "NE!" everyone exclaimed happily.

Chaeyoung rested her head on my shoulder. I plant a kiss on her forehead, making everyone go 'Aww'. I smiled. I could tell that we would be a very happy couple.

SIX YEARS LATER

"I, uh... Well... He asked me to inform you that... If all nine of you want to stay in JYPE, then... The company would need to make some adjustments financially. He... He'll send the complete list to Minsoo by the end of the year, but... one of the main changes would be... Not extending the rent for this apartment, which would end by the end of February next year," Suzy said carefully.

What?

Not... Extending the rent? But... I was living here full time still! Sure I was making plans to move in with Yori but... This was still my home!

"What? Are you serious? He wants to evict us?" I asked. Suzy nodded. "Yeah, and... A lot of other things are being reduced too... Including..." she paused.

"No, Sunbaenim... No. That's just not right. That's inhumane!" Minsoo-oppa interjected. Suzy looked at him for a few seconds.

"In–including...Mina and Jeongyeon's...Medical benefits," she whispered, before bowing her head low.

The room fell silent. We all stared at Jeongyeon and Mina, both looking horrified. They were both healthy now, but they still had to do their regular check ups with their psychologists and purchase their medications. Mina's eyes started to well up with tears.

"But why? Why so sudden, Unnie? After all that we've done for JYPE these past 12 years!" asked Nayeon, sounding hurt. "Isn't there another way, Unnie?" asked Sana softly.

Suzy looked up, her eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry, girls... That's what he told me. He said that JYPE simply cannot afford to maintain all nine of you together again, not with the current economic condition. I stalled for as long as I could... But... There's just one week left, not including this Christmas weekend, and..." she said apologetically.

"Hang on, Sunbaenim," interjected Momo.

Oh shit. I knew where this was going. We all turned to look at her. She contemplated her words for a moment, then she spoke.

"'Maintain all nine of us together'? So that means if a few of us leave, then it's okay?" she asked her.

"Momoring..." said Sana, warning her, but Momo shook her head and stared intently at Suzy.

"Sunbaenim, is that what you're saying?" she pressed Suzy. Slowly, reluctantly, Suzy nodded.

"Yes. That's what Director Jung kept telling me. All nine of you stay with reduced luxuries, or...Some of you leave to join another company," she said slowly.

Momo clapped her hands and smiled wide.

"Then it's settled! I'll join SM!"

What the fuck? Why was she so happy about this? Jihyo glared at her, but it was Jeongyeon who spoke first.

"Momo! What the fuck are you saying?" yelled Jeongyeon. The anger in her voice sent chills down my spine.

Momo looked at her in defiance.

"What? I'm doing this for the sake of you who want to stay, right? It's for your own good!" she said casually.

Jeongyeon stood up from the sofa, staring in anger at the Japanese girl.

"How could you say that? So these past twelve years don't mean a thing to you?" she yelled, sounding furious. Momo glared at her.

"Don't mean a thing? It is precisely because these twelve years mean so much to me that I cannot allow those of you who want to stay in JYPE to have less than you deserve! That's why I'm leaving!" she defended herself.

"DON'T FUCKING LIE!" yelled Jeongyeon. I saw tears filling her eyes. "Don't fucking lie, Momo! You just want to join SM because Heechul is there!" "He's not even my boyfriend anymore!" yelled Momo. "Girls! Stop!" Mina had stood in between Jeongyeon and Momo.

She was already crying, her slender body trembling.

"Unnie... M–Momo is right. Please. We're doing this for you. For all of us..." she said softly, her voice cracking. Jeongyeon stared at her in disbelief. "We?" she repeated her words slowly. "You too, Minari? Is it because of Ansel?"

Mina looked down, crying. I looked over to Minsoo-oppa. He looked absolutely terrified.

"Answer me, Mina! Is it because of Ansel?" pressed Jeongyeon, her body shaking in anger.

Slowly, looking terrified, Mina nodded. Oh shit. Shit shit shit shit shit!

Minsoo-oppa stood up. Tzuyu followed his action and stood up as well. She stared at Jeongyeon, and from the look in her eyes, her mind was set.

"Unnie... They're right. I'm... I'm also joining Chaeyoung in YG," she said slowly. Wait, what? I stared at Tzuyu with confusion. "Joining me? I haven't even decided!" I said, defending myself.

Tzuyu scoffed.

"Well...Whether you decide to join or not, I'm joining YG," our maknae said, sounding serious. "Tzuyu!" exclaimed Jihyo in surprise.

She had stood up as well, glaring at our her. At that moment Nayeon walked slowly towards Tzuyu and gently grabbed her arm.

"Tzuyu, please..." begged Nayeon, but Tzuyu glared at her. "What? 'Please' what, Unnie?" she shot at her. Nayeon closed her eyes, tears streaming on her smooth cheeks. "Please, Tzuyu... Don't," Nayeon whispered bitterly. Tzuyu kept glaring at her. "Don't try to tell me what to do, Unnie..." Tzuyu uttered slowly, but I could tell that she was saying those words in spite. "I'm not telling you what to do, Tzu... It's just... Please... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." she said through her sobs.

Tzuyu's eyes welled with tears hearing Nayeon's words, but she didn't say anything. She shook Nayeon's hand off her arm, then she picked up her bag, and walked quickly towards the door, leaving the apartment.

Nayeon broke down and ran to her room. Mina, Dahyun and I exchanged glances before running after her. We chased her into the room where she collapsed on her bed bawling her eyes out. We sat around her and comforted her as much as we could.

"T–T–This... This is all... This is all my fault..." Nayeon sobbed. "Unnie, don't say that. Tzuyu's just making decisions in the heat of the moment..." Mina said, patting Nayeon on the back.

We all sat there for quite some time, unsure of what to say to her. Nayeon kept crying, and I felt both pity and remorse for her. She was always so strong, so cheerful, even when all the others were feeling down, Nayeon would be there to cheer us up. But now... She was unconsolable.

"Chaeng?" Dahyun finally broke the silence. I looked up at her. "Are you... Are you joining YG too?"

I bit the bottom of my lip and sighed.

"I–I... I don't know, Unnie... I... I really don't know..." I replied.

Dahyun grabbed my hands. I stared at her, and saw that her beautiful eyes started to fill with tears.

"Chaeng... Please. Don't go..." she whispered.

I closed my eyes and looked away. Shit. I wanted to get out of here.

"I–I... I need some space to think. I... I need to leave," I said.

I pulled away from Dahyun and ran out of the room. As soon as I reached the hallway, I saw Jeongyeon walking slowly. She took a look at me and instantly knew what I was doing.

"Yori?" she asked.

I nodded silently and walked past her. The living room was empty now. Everyone must have left. I took my winter coat off the rack and slipped out the door. I took the lift down to Yori's floor, and I walked over to his door to knock on it. Soon, the door opened.

"Babe? Is everything alright?" he asked. I shook my head. "I'll explain on the balcony," I replied.

He nodded and stepped aside, allowing me to walk in. I made a beeline for the balcony and slid open the door. I took a seat in one of the chairs and lit up a cigarette. I took a long drag out of it before exhaling the smoke out.

"You really need to stop smoking, Chaeng..." Yori said as he wrapped a blanket over me. I sighed. "It's my stress reliever," I replied. "That's the same thing you said when you asked me to zip tie you to the bed frame and fuck you last night," he said as he sat down next to me.

I laughed out loud hearing him. Gosh. What was it about him that always managed to make me laugh? I took another puff of my cigarette and rested my head on his shoulder.

"So... What happened?" he asked. "Is it the contract thing?"

I extinguished my cigarette and sighed again.

"It's... A long story..."

I told him everything that happened, not missing out a single detail. When I finished, he nodded his head slowly. He leaned back on his seat and sighed.

"Shit... That's... Complicated," he said. "Majayo," I said.

We sat in silence and gazed at the stars. It was Christmas Eve, but I didn't feel like it was merry and happy, like it was supposed to be.

"So... What are you gonna do?" he asked. I shrugged. "I... I don't know, Babe... I was hoping that you could help me decide," I said. Yori pondered for a moment. "You love the girls, right?" he asked. I nodded my head slowly. "Then... All I can say is... Follow the little light in your heart, Chaeng..." he said.

I stared at him in confusion.

"The little light?"

Yori nodded.

"Yup. The little light that guided you to where you are today. Follow it, and you'll reach a peaceful decision," he said with a warm smile. I stared deep into his eyes. "O–kay...?" I said, but I knew I still sounded unsure.

He picked this up and chuckled. He stared at me and grabbed my hands.

"Let's change the mood shall we? Let's go see your Christmas present," he said with a smile. I giggled. Yori always knew when I needed to escape. "Can't say no to that!" I replied.

I stood up and followed him inside.

"Where is it?" I asked excitedly. He grabbed his car keys. "It's not here. Somewhere else," he said. "It's a little... Big." "Is it your cock?" I blurted without thinking. "YA!" he scolded me. I laughed and hugged his arm. "Joking... I like you when you're mysterious..." I whispered.

He chuckled and opened the door. We walked out, headed to the basement, and got into his car. He started the engine and we drove off. I looked out the window and let my mind drift off.

Should I stay with JYPE? Or should I go to YG? I started factoring the pros and cons of each company. Sure, YG fits my style and persona, but... JYPE had been so kind towards me. I practically grew up in the company. But... What Suzy-unnie said today... Why were they suddenly being mean?

"Chaeng... We're here."

Yori's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I had been zoning out for quite some time. I looked out the window, and saw that we were on a familiar street. Wait. This was Jamsil. Wasn't this...

"Come on, let's go see your present," he said.

I followed him out of the car and looked around. My mouth gaped open as I stared at a familiar house. Wasn't this... This was...

"Babe... W–What are we doing here?" I asked him. He chuckled as he opened the front gate of our childhood home. "What do you mean what we're doing? We live here now, silly..." he uttered.

Wait. Live here?

"Remember when we said we wanted to move in together?" he asked. I stared at him. "Y–yeah?"

"Well... I wanted to renovate the house after Otosan and Okasan left it for me in their will, but I was short on funds, so... Instead I rented it out, and moved to my current apartment in Hannam six years ago. When you said you wanted to move in together earlier this year... I remembered this house. The tenant moved out late last year, and I decided to just renovate it for us. Most of the renovation and restoration finished yesterday, just in time for Christmas!" he said, bringing me inside the front yard.

He unlocked the front door, and we stepped into the dark house. He flicked the light on, and I gasped.

Holy shit. This place looked amazing! Everything looked expensive and glamorous, while still maintaining the simplicity that was so Yori. I could still see several unfinished spots, but it was at least 90% done. I turned to look at my boyfriend.

"W–Wha... Y–Yori! How much is this?" I gasped. He chuckled. "It's... Worth one risky ass scouting mission for the SMPA. I used the money I got from it to renovate the place..." he said. He laced his hand with mine. "Come! Wait 'till you see the second floor!"

He dragged me up the staircase. The second floor had the same cozy feel to it, and I found myself gasping in awe. He towed me towards a big door.

"This is... Our bedroom," he said as he swung the door open.

It was his old bedroom, but it had been renovated completely. It was amazing, it was everything I imagined it to be. It looked almost like a separate cabin in the woods.

"Yori... This is... This is amazing," I said breathlessly. "I knew you'd like it..." he uttered. I turned and glared at him. "Like it? Yori... I LOVE IT!" I exclaimed, as I threw myself onto the bed.

He laughed and lied down next to me. He turned and stared deeply into my eyes.

"Merry Christmas, Chaeng..."

He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. I smiled at him, and that's when it hit me...

I had always had Yori for the past 6 years. He showed me the importance of having someone to rely on... And I realized... That other than him, I've also had 8 people to rely on for the past 12 years.

"Yori..." "Yes, dear?" "I think I've made my choice," I said. He smiled. "Oh? Let's hear it then," he said. "I'll... I'll stay with the girls," I said confidently.

His smile grew wider.

"I always knew you'd say that..." he said softly, cupping my face gently.

I reached up and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you, Yori... I love you soooo... Much!" I said. "I love you more, Chaeyoung..." he replied.

I laughed and quickly straddled my boyfriend, pinning his wrists to the bed. He laughed and simply let me do it, and I stooped down to kiss his lips gently.

"Now..." I whispered naughtily. "What about... We fuck in our new home, hm?" "So... You're moving in?" he asked, his smile grew to a grin. "Of course... I'm getting evicted anyway... Now, shut up and fuck me..." I whispered, pulling my top. He laughed and shook his head. "Son Chaeyoung... You never fail to surprise me..." "I know... That's why you love me."

He pulled me into a deep kiss. When we pulled away, a pair of fluffy handcuffs were already in his hands. Hang on. Where did he pull that from? My eyes widened in surprise.

"Tomioka Yoriichi!" I said in shock. He laughed. "I know... That's why you love me," he teased me.

I laughed out loud as he turned my body to the bed and slowly tied me to the bed frame with the handcuffs. I licked my lips lustfully, watching him take off his pants.

"Fuck me, Baby..." I hissed. He smiled and started taking off my pants. "Oh, I will..." he whispered.

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