Hello! So, uh, if you may or may not have seen my announcement yesterday, I have mentioned that I will be taking an exam to become a part of the university's editorial board. It'll be on Monday and gaaah I'm trembling af :< anw,, onto the update!

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Chapter 12

Hyunjin noticed that Yiyeon was unusually quiet the moment they arrived at their house. She looked gloomy and less energetic than usual, as compared to Yiyeon being loud and annoying.

He could only scrunch his face as his cousin ignores his entire existence.

Yiyeon, on the other hand, plopped herself onto her bed and did nothing. She didn't know how to feel and react. Everything was driving her crazy.

From Jeno saving her from the ball, Yejin suddenly blowing up, and now, Yangyang.

What does Yangyang have to do with this?

The door to her bedroom opened, causing her to look up, "Oh, it's just you," she told Hyunjin and buried her face on her pillows once again.

The boy snorted, "Who else would it be? Yikyung-hyung is still in Los Angeles, and your parents and my parents are in Italy." Hyunjin sat on her bed. "On a serious note, I came here to check on you since you were awfully quiet today."

Yiyeon sighed, "I'm just... frustrated." She sat up and took a deep breath. "I didn't even know what I did, yet everyone's suddenly mad at me."

"Everyone? Mad at you? Who?" He asked.

"Well, I might have overreacted. It's just Yejin. We kinda fought earlier, and I was only asking about Yangyang's whereabouts," she sighed. "I mean, I already knew that Yejin could be immature sometimes, but I don't quite get it. She doesn't get mad easily, too."

Hyunjin went silent for a while. He actually recalled the people around their booth earlier. They were talking about another booth and said that two of its owners are fighting. He didn't expect that it would be Yiyeon and Yejin.

His cousin sighed, "Yangywang was absent earlier. I just asked her if she knew where he was or what happened to him, and she just... blew up."

"I think I kinda know what's happening," Hyunjin started. "Though just an inkling."

Yiyeon looked at him and raised a brow as if waiting for him to continue what he was about to say.

"Look, I don't exactly know what's going on, but let's put it this way," Hyunjin shifted his body so that he could look at Yiyeon. "Let's say you like a person," he said, and she was nodded, too engrossed in everything that Hyunjin was saying.

He showed her his pointer finger, "Let's say that you're this person... and my other pointer finger is the person you like," he said while holding them up high. "Let's say the person you like still hasn't moved on from his ex, but the two of you are in a good relationship, not just in a romantic one."

Yiyeon raised a brow and just nodded, "Go on, continue..."

"How would you feel if you made all of the efforts in showing him that you love him, but he couldn't see that because he won't even look your way?"

Yiyeon was taken aback. "I... I don't know." She looked down. Her hands balled up into a fist in an instant. "But I would probably do anything so that he'd look my way," she said.

It was Hyunjin's turn to be speechless.

"I did that once, with Jeno, before," he looked at his cousin, who was still looking at her feet. "And I'd do anything again..."

***

"Yangyang is in his room. Sit down for a while, and I'll be calling him." The three thanked the maid who went to call Yangyang in his room.

Yejin removed Daewon's grip on her arm, "You do know that I do not want to speak with him yet," she muttered.

"For fuck's sake, can you swallow your pride, even for once?!" Daewon said in gritted teeth. "You're also not on good terms with Yiyeon as of the moment, and it's also because of your temperamental ass," he scoffed. "Do you think I'll just sit here, do nothing, and watch all of us crumble into pieces?! Like hell, I would!"

Sungchan sighed, "If Jeongmin were here, she would have said the same thing to you, noona," he said and looked away. "You, Yangyang-hyung, and Yiyeon noona are the closest among all of us, right? You guys were even called as 3y's."

The girl among them looked down. She didn't want to admit it, but Sungchan and Daewon were right. But she also has to do something for Yiyeon and Yangyang as the two have been helping her all the time.

The three of them sat on the couch.

Daewon sighed, "I know that you want to help Yangyang and Yiyeon, but I think it's time for you to let them be. Yangyang knows what he's doing, and I'm sure Yiyeon does, too." His eyes scanned the pictures hung on the wall. "Yes, you want them to be happy, but would they be truly happy if all you do is push them together?"

Yejin looked down.

Yangyang cleared his throat, "What brings you guys here?" He asked and went towards the three. "Shouldn't you be home already? It's getting late?" He asked again, his voice full of concern.

Sungchan and Daewon looked at Yejin, who stood up.

"U-Uh... I'm sorry for everything that I have said," she said and looked down. "I didn't even realize how you were feeling, yet I said those words... I'm sorry."

Yangyang sighed, "It's alright, sit down," he said and placed a hand on his waist. "But I don't think I could talk to Yiyeon again anytime soon."

"But she's asking about you, hyung," Sungchan said. "We said that you were sick earlier, and I don't know what lousy excuse we'll use tomorrow if you'd skip school."

"I won't skip school tomorrow," Yangyang said. "Tomorrow's the opening day of the foundation week, and I'll be performing with the orchestra. I'm more than a hundred percent sure that she'll bombard me with questions tomorrow, though."

"An important question, though," Daewon asked while his hand was on his chin.

"What?"

"Would you still be a part of our booth for the foundation day?"

***

"Shotaro, go and take photos from the east side of the auditorium, Yiyeon and I will be taking photos from the center, and Jisung will be taking photos from the west side," Jaemin instructed his fellow photographers as they went inside the auditorium, which was packed because of students who came from nearby universities.

"Is everything alright?" Jaemin asked the girl once they were already in front.

Yiyeon nodded reluctantly, "It's just something..." she sighed.

"Woah, that sigh felt heavy," Jaemin chuckled. "If you want, you can tell me anything so that it would be lifted off your chest. It would be easier for you to breathe, then," he smiled.

Yiyeon nodded, "It's just a whole squad situation..." she sighed as she played the strap of her camera. "Yejin's mad at me, and they know something, but they wouldn't tell me."

Jaemin noticed that Yiyeon looked genuinely upset. Not unlike when she and Jeno used to fight over petty things, this time hit differently.

"I just wanted the things to be back the way it is, but I don't know," she shrugged. "I guess it's a little too late for that."

The emcee, Jaehyun and Joohyun, went up the stage and started introducing the students who would be performing first.

And Yiyeon felt a wave of relief splash onto her the moment she saw Yangyang onstage while holding his violin.

"Yangyang performing with the orchestra again is a first," Jaemin comments. "He was always with the basketball team that I almost forgot he was in the orchestra," he chuckled. "Which reminds me..."

Yiyeon looked at her partner and raised a brow, "Reminds you of what?"

"Weren't you also a varsity player?" He asked.

The girl looked away and turned her camera on. She started taking photos, which made Jaemin sulk. She didn't even answer.

Yiyeon looked at her shots, surprised as they turned out better than she had expected. She then looked at Jaemin and nodded, "Yeah... I used to be a part of the school's volleyball team."

"I know," Jaemin nodded. "We always watched your games."

"We?"

The guy nodded again, "Yeah, Me and the gang," he chuckled. "Jeno would always buy us tickets to your game, and we would always cheer for the team at the top of our lungs."

Yiyeon squinted her eyes and tried to remember those times. It was around three years ago, and her memory isn't that sharp.

"Were you... Were you guys the people who got kicked out of the security team because you cursed at the opponent?" She asked, chuckling at the memory.

Jaemin's eyes widened, "H-How can you still remember that?! It was a long time ago!"

"Well... that was my last game," she shrugged.

He looked at her in surprise, "What—"

"Jaemin, focus on our duty for today," she said and ignored him once again.

The taller frowned.

How the heck did Jeno liked this woman?!

They continued taking pictures until the orchestra was finished performing. Yiyeon threw glances at Yangyang, hoping that he would look her way, but nothing happened. The moment their performance ended, Yangyang quietly carried his chair and his violin. He didn't even spare the audience another glance.

"Hey, is Jeno already okay?" Yiyeon asked.

Jaemin nodded, "He's already discharged, but I don't know if he'll be attending today since it isn't an academic day," he shrugged. "But yeah, he's okay. Don't worry about him. It's just a sprain."

"Yeah, and he got it because of me," she sighed and gripped her camera tightly.

Jaemin patted her shoulder, "Don't worry about Jeno too much. He isn't that reckless, you know." He grinned. "He wouldn't do that if he knew that it wouldn't benefit him."

"But he didn't! He just hurt himself because of me..."

The guy stepped closer and flicked her in the forehead, "You really are an idiot," he chuckled as he walked away. "Stay here and take pictures. I'll go in front for closer shots."

Yiyeon rolled her eyes as she felt the pain on her forehead, "What the hell is Jaemin's problem?" She hissed.

Renjun went up the stage with a girl.

"Who is she... it's my first time seeing her perform..." she muttered to herself as she adjusted the lenses of her camera.

"Lyin' isn't better than silence
Floatin', but I feel like I'm dying"

Yiyeon focused her camera and continued to take photos.

"Still, no matter where I go
At the end of every road
You were good to me
You were good to me, yeah
I know it's easier to run
After everything I've done
You were good to me
You were good to me"

"Why is the song so gloomy all of a sudden? The mood went down from the orchestra's Fireworks performance," she scoffed as she let go of the camera. She let it hang on her neck as she watched Renjun sing.

"You were good to me
You were good to me"

She smiled when she heard the girl sang, "Is she a transferee? Because damn, if she has been here all along, this school is an idiot for not letting her sing." She sighed and looked around.

Until she saw a familiar figure.

"Now I'm worried for my soul
And I'm still scared of growin' old
You were good to me
You were good to me, yeah
And I'm so used to letting go
But I don't wanna be alone
You were good to me
You were good to me, yeah, oh"

She blinked several times, and it was gone.

"Am I just seeing things?" She whispered to herself as she started to take photos once again.

Get a grip, Hwang Yiyeon.

"God only knows where our fears go
Hearts I've broke, now my tears flow
You'll see that I'm sorry
'Cause you were good to me
You were good to me"

She could only smile when the two performers smiled at each other.

The crowd started to yell, especially Renjun's friends who were even whistling.

"They really had the guts to tease Renjun at a time like this?" She chuckled.

Yiyeon let the camera hang onto her neck once again as she smiled unknowingly.

From her peripheral view, she saw someone looking at her.

It was a guy, standing a couple of feet away from her, and he was wearing his crutches.

"And now I'm closin' every door
'Cause I'm sick of wantin' more
You were good to me
You were good to me, yeah
Swear I'm different than before
I won't hurt you anymore
'Cause you were good to me"

"Jeno..."

The song ended, and the lights started to dim. After a couple of seconds, it was back on.

But the moment it lit up, he was already gone.

She looked around and couldn't find him.

"Was it just a hallucination?" She asked herself and wiped her eyes, in hopes to get a clearer vision. "No, he smiled at me."

She ran towards Jaemin who just came back.

"Jeno... is here?"

"Was that supposed to be a question, Yiyeon-ah?" He asked.

"I saw... him..."

- tbc.

song used: you were good to me (jeremy zucker and chelsea cutler)