it wasn't just her spoiled attitude or her lack of athletic abilities that almost made it impossible for her to take that hideous flag from its place.

if there's one thing she was afraid of, other than apologizing, it was heights.

heights. she wanted to laugh at how weak that sounds but she couldn't. she was terrified.

"uhm," she lets out after almost two minutes of staring at the rock and the ropes. "woo?"

the purple haired wasn't dumb, or forgetful, or oblivious. he could see how the girl was panicking at the mere sight of the obstacle.

"you, uh-" sooyoung swallowed the lump in her throat before continuing, "know how heights isn't really my thing?"

one time, when they were still together, sooyoung had this wonderful idea to go to an amusement park for the celebration of their fourth monthsary. she mentioned some time before that she wasn't really into heights, so wooyoung asked her if she was sure. she took that as a challenge and rode the dropper, resulting her shaking and vomiting as an aftermath.

it might have been a hassle for some, but wooyoung loved taking care of her.

that was then. there's no way he'd do her a favor now.

"i'll just go instead." damnit. wooyoung's tongue decided to roll out.

"no!" the girl exclaims before calming herself. "no, uhm, that would be unfair."

"stop letting your pride get the best of you." the purple haired boy had to stop his finger from flicking her forehead like he used to.

"that's not it, asshole." she strikes back. "can't you just, i don't know, climb with me?"

wooyoung raised a brow at the suggestion.

"i just," sooyoung inhales, "don't wanna feel useless." she says the second part quickly which came out like a loud whisper.

the boy took a few seconds to answer. "fine."

after talking to the people in charge, both teens had securely been strapped on the ropes.

even then, sooyoung still felt scared. she started imagining scenarios which could lead to be stuck, severely injured, or maybe even dead. what if the rope just snaps? what if the flag just falls down? what if 'this is safe' was a lie? what if i fucking slip?

"just don't look down." wooyoung's voice snapped her back to reality. "take the flag and it'll be over."

he didn't sound comforting but his teasing tone definitely toned down.

okay. sooyoung mentally prepares herself as she takes on this stupid challenge.

with shaky breathing, she grabbed on the large pebble on the wall to help her get up. she also began to put her foot on one of the rocks and moved herself upwards.

she did what wooyoung told her, not looking down, but it was hard when her only source of reassurance was following below her. still, he doesn't forget to talk from time to time to remind her he's just right there.

she doesn't exactly know why but she trusted wooyoung more than these experts on rock climbing.

after what felt like an eternity, sooyoung could finally get the flag with a stretch of an arm. "i got it!"

"woohoo." the boy could be a little more excited but whatever. "just jump and we can go back."

"what-" she looked down and saw her safety net jumping off the wall like it was nothing. "wait-"

she began to feel herself starting to hyperventilate. she screwed her eyes shut, gripping on the rope tighter as she felt her legs wobble.

"wooyoung, please don't leave me."

her voice was soft but it was enough for wooyoung to hear, enough to make him stop his movements.

"soo, please don't-" the next thing he heard was a beeping on the other line.

the boy blinked to snap out of memory lane and regain his focus. he looked back up, seeing sooyoung resembling a fragile baby deer. "yeah, i got you."

-

after managing to convince sooyoung that she won't die and got her down, the pair made their way back to the meeting place.

the walk wasn't awkward but it could have been more comfortable. sooyoung was embarrassed to be seen acting like a child, while wooyoung wanted to ask if she was okay.

despite their concerns, they simply kept quiet and walked.

upon their arrival at the said meeting place, they saw minjee and jongho already waiting for the others.

the petite girl waved vigorously at sooyoung and approach her. wooyoung took that as a cue to leave. "hi, soo! how was it?"

"torture." the girl informed as she sat down on some log.

minjee snickered at her tired frame. "how come?"

"well, aside from the gross sweat, i had to face one of my biggest fears just to get this-" she waved the flag with disgust, "-and i almost cried like a bitch with my ex watching me."

minjee sucked air between her teeth, a bit sorry for her. "i'll pair up with you next time, i promise."

"no, no. woo wasn't bad." sooyoung disregarded. "but how about you? you're barely sweating."

"i just really had to jump to hit the ball and i guess i'm kinda used to it." her friend explained, making her nod. "i'll go get you some water. wait right here."

sooyoung giggled as the shorter girl skipped away. she became aware of jongho's presence, standing not so far away from her. she found it odd how he didn't follow his best friend so she decided to ask. "hey, what's going on with you and minjee?"

she noticed how his usually emotionless face tensed up. "nothing."

"did you get rejected?"

jongho seemingly gulped at that, even though he tried his best to not react.

sooyoung's face contorts to confusion. "did you reject her?"

"soo, my precious!" somebody calls from a far, which jongho was grateful for. it was none other than their green streak haired friend.

"sannie!" she greets back as he sat beside her. "i haven't seen you all day."

"me, too! but that was until i saw you with jung wooyoung rock climbing." he chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows. "are you guys back together?"

that earned him a light smack as the girl looked around, hushing him. thankfully, the coconut haired boy she was interrogating a while ago had already left. "ew, no. we're just more civil now."

"god, i'm civil with a lot of people but none of them held me like that." san teases, poking her sides.

"how long has it been since you got laid?" she teases back, only causing more laughter.

"if only i had someone to civil with-" sooyoung shoved him before he could say anything more, more fits of giggles leaving their mouths.

"let me join in on the fun, i'm bored." another voice comes from behind.

"hey, hongjoong." san acknowledges, much to the girl's surprise. "where's yunho and mingi?"

"they're a couple. in the woods. god knows what those two are up to." the newly arrived male squatted in front of them. "and you left me."

"sorry. couldn't resist running to this cutie." san squished sooyoung's cheek, earning him a smile.

"you guys are group mates?" she questioned, seeing how san doesn't tense around the blue haired anymore.

"yeah, thankfully." hongjoong sighs out. "i was just about to ditch when i saw song waiting by our room. what are you doing here by yourself, snowflake?"

"well, minjee said she was gonna get water. jihae and her boyfriend aren't back yet, same with byeol and her boyfriend. and i don't really know where jongho and wooyoung went."

the aqua haired boy made a 'tsk' sound. "i told you. couples. in the woods."

the girl gave him a kick to get rid of lewd ideas.

the three had fun conversing, topics coming in very randomly, until an announcement was made saying that the joint teams must be grouped together, meaning the two boys had to leave sooyoung.

hongjoong didn't really care, but san told him that they might lose points if they don't follow instructions. he also caught how the girl ushered him not be so stubborn. "fine." he grumbled.

and there, sooyoung sits alone again. for a few seconds.

"here." it's someone else, a hand giving her a plastic bag. she looks up to see her lilac haired partner. "for those random bruises that appear everytime you do something active."

the girl felt the corners of her mouth tugging upwards and it takes a whole lot not to let it show. she takes the bag and checks the inside. pain relievers. "where'd you get these?"

"paramedics." he simply answers as he settled beside her. "they're not back yet?"

"minjee said she was getting water, but i don't know about the others."

silence crept up again and they really don't know why this keeps happening.

"thanks." sooyoung mumbles quietly but enough to reach the other's ears, catching his attention. "for everything."

wooyoung felt warmth spreading in his chest. maybe sooyoung didn't exactly mean what he thought she meant but it still made him feel appreciated.

before he could reply, however, a yell interrupts, "soo! sorry it took so long. i didn't know there was a line and- oh, hi." minjee stopped her rambling as she saw wooyoung.

he only gave her a little nod, seeing his pink haired best friend already back from the hunt. "i'll go."

"did i ruin something?" the volleyball player asked with a hint of nervousness, handing her a bottled water.

"what? no!" sooyoung assured, scooting a bit so that her friend can sit where wooyoung once was.

not so long after that, jihae and seonghwa were already back with the student council member ranting about something and the ravenette sheepishly smiling.

"guess what, guys. we're not eating the full meal if our items aren't complete, so if you don't want to be a victim of the jihae-saurus, you better have them all!" seonghwa blared while holding his grumpy girlfriend by her shoulders.

"no one said anything about not eating."

this is gonna be a long day.

a/n: yay, double update hehe<3 ilyyy