Xv. Echoes Of Yesterday

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE ─ expect the unexpected.

❛ and it feels like the start of a movie i've seen before, but you're not here ❜

Ryu Sunjae's Perspective

I practically ran down the stairs, my heartbeat drumming on inside my chest as I felt a new kind of giddy excitement to meet Eunyoung. I had always felt incredibly happy at the thought of her, but this was different. With all that had happened yesterday, it felt like all the puzzle pieces fit perfectly and we were together at last. Everything in my life seemed to lead me here, to Eunyoung.

To my disappointment, on descending the last stair, instead of seeing Eunyoung's smiling face greet me, I saw her sister, Yumi waiting impatiently. Before I could speak, she turned around suddenly, making me jump a little. She was glaring at me with a kind of resentment and disgust that made me feel sick. I took a step back, cowering before her.

"You know, I wanted to be happy about you and Eunyoung," she said menacingly, "But now I'm thinking that you're all kinds of trouble."

"What did I do?" I asked, furrowing my brows in confusion.

"Last night, you guys must have had your rom-com moment in the rain," she started, "But now Eunyoung is lying in bed with a 100 degree fever."

"What?!" I yelled way too loudly, my eyes widening and my heartbeat quickening, "Eunyoung is sick?!" It made me mad. Guilt seemed to be gnawing at my heart as I realized it was my fault. Before I could get a response from Yumi, whose rage had been replaced by surprise at my exaggerated reaction, I began running to Eunyoung's front door.

"I wouldn't go in if I were you," Yumi said. I stopped in my tracks. She continued, "Mom's been up all night taking care of her and her opinion of you is not exactly favorable."

Narrator's Perspective

By the time Sunjae and Yumi had reached school, there was a strange awkwardness between them since Eunyoung wasn't there to play the mutual friend. But when Yumi considered the situation in her mind and concluded that it would be a lot worse if Eunyoung had been with them, because then it would have been Yumi third wheeling with a couple who was so obnoxiously sweet she would have vomited. So, she sat there with Sunjae, feeling grateful for the awkward air that had settled between them.

"So, are you in the school play?" Sunjae asked her out of politeness. He had begun to get a little restless because of the silence. He had imagined his bus ride to college a lot differently. He thought it would be romantic with Eunyoung next to him. But instead he was forced to deal with Yumi; He knew by instinct that she was just tolerating him because of Eunyoung, and honestly he felt the same way.

"No, I'm not," she said without looking at him, "I don't even want to get into all this festival nonsense. I'm the last person to do a thing like a school play. And they chose a Shakespeare play? Forget it."

You ask a simple question... Sunjae sighed internally, "I just thought you would audition- you know, since your boyfriend is in the play."

I guess Eunyoung hasn't told him... This made Yumi feel a little at peace; The fact that Eunyoung was guarding her secret well was a comforting thought.

"Do I seem like the kind of person to humiliate myself on stage because my boyfriend i decided to do it?" she asked formidably.

"I guess not," Sunjae said, giving up on making pleasantries, "I gotta go anyways." He practically ran away from her.

💿

The auditorium was filled with playful banter and friendly conversations. The cast of the Shakespearean play As You Like It that had been casted so far were gathered there for the very first practice. The actors crowded the stage, discussing their roles and reading their scripts. The director and writers responsible for translating the play into Korean occupied a table with various sheets of paper stacked and a microphone to maintain some order.

"Excuse me ! Everybody! May I have your attention please?" asked the girl who was given the role of director. The chaos settled down, slowly but surely, "Thank you. Is everybody here? Or is someone missing?"

"Eunyoung isn't here," Sunjae answered promptly. His comment was followed with some girls eyeing him and whispering among themselves.

"Oh my gosh!"

"Do they like each other or what?"

"I swear there's something going on since the field trip!"

Sunjae wondered if he was being too obvious but chose to ignore the gossip.

"What's her character?" asked the director, looking down at her list of participants.

"Rosalind," he answered. He could hear more whispers.

"Rosalind?!" she repeated, taken aback, "Our Rosalind is absent? Why on earth would she miss the first rehearsal?"

"Uh, she's down with fever!" Sunjae told her, "Pretty bad, actually- hundred degrees. Her sister told me." He ignored the giggling that followed his rather enthusiastic answer.

"Oh, dear," said the director a little calmer than before, "Well, tell her to take care, then. And tell her that absenteeism will not be tolerated except for health related reasons. I'll let her off the hook this one time."

Sunjae heaved a sigh of relief. The writer sitting next to the director whispered something in her ear. Her eyes went wide, "She's one of the writers too? That is... unfortunate."

"Could you be any more obvious?" Taesung sneered.

"Shut up," he snapped, "At least she's in the play."

"Ouch," Taesung said defensively, "Damn, Sunjae didn't think you were stingy like that."

"By the way," began the director, addressing Sunjae, "What's your character?"

"Orlando," he answered plainly.

"Good," the director smiled. The students began hooting and screaming with excitement.

"Okay, settle down," said the writer. He took the microphone from the director, "We don't have an actress for the role of Celia. Does anyone have any suggestions? Anybody wishing to audition?"

A lightbulb suddenly lit up in Taesung's head, "I know someone who could play the role."

"Do they have a name?"

"Uh, yes," he answered, the palms of his hands feeling sweaty, "Choi Yumi from the Practical Music Department." Once again, people began ooh-ing and ahh-ing. 

"Bring her to rehearsal tomorrow to audition," said the writer in a matter-of-fact tone. Taesung smiled ever so slightly. Now he would get to spend some time with her...

"Okay, so since we don't have Rosalind or Celia, we can start with act one, scene one..."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: yumi is literally ready to fight sunjae

delphi's notes: don't mess with yumi

oh my god your acc is so pretty !! 💌

omg this made my day!! thank you so much <33 i love your theme sm it's so angelic 🤍

xii. melting

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER TWELVE ─ melting.

❛ i can't find my chill, i must have lost it i don't even know, i'm talking nonsense. ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

I let out my very best, oscar-worthy fake cough. Why? Well, I had just seen Kim Taesung smoking outside the school during lunch break. He turned to look at me with furrowed brows. He must have thought I was a teacher because his stiffened shoulders relaxed when he saw it was me.

"Oh, it's you," he said, relieved.

"Don't be so happy," I warned.

"Why? Are you going to turn me in?" he asked curiously.

"I'm thinking about it."

He let out a short chuckle. I couldn't help but stare at him. His fluffy hair fell messily on his forehead. His eyes seemed to permanently have a mischievous glint that reminded me of the Cheshire cat. Taesung's dressing style had been constant every time I had seen him─ a bright, vibrant biker jacket over his unironed school shirt with no tie and black bead earrings.

I tore my eyes away, diverting my attention to the ice cream packet in my hand that felt cool against my skin. My grip on it had begun to loosen as the ice started melting, leaving my hands moist. 

"Are you going to share that with me?" he teased with a cheeky grin, revealing his two dimples on each cheek.

"Not with that thing in your hand, I'm not," I pointed to the cigarette.

He tossed it on the ground and extinguished it with his foot, "Now?"

"Why would I share my ice cream with someone who litters?" I said thoughtfully. I was having too much fun. His desperation to eat the ice cream was kind of cute. He picked up the cigarette from the ground and tossed it in a nearby dustbin, dusting his hands.

"How about now?"

I let out an amused laugh, shaking my head. I broke the ice cream sandwich in half and offered him a piece.

"You gave me the smaller piece," he complained.

"Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins. Do you want the ice cream or not?"

Ryu Sunjae's Perspective

Bus rides home with Eunyoung had become the highlight of my days. Even on a dull Tuesday afternoon, I found myself smiling at the thought of seeing her. The rhythmic beating of my heart every time I saw her was something I had never experienced before. It made me feel vulnerable but sent a rush of joy through me at the same time.

I felt a poke on my shoulder, breaking my train of thought as I turned to see who it was. My gaze met Eunyoung's in a moment of surprise. I could feel my heart threatening to jump out of my body as my eyes were fixed on her, not wanting to look away. Her eyes became little crescent moons as she chuckled at the shock on my face.

"Hope I didn't scare you," she smiled, standing by my side, clutching her school bag, "I turned in the article today."

"About the interview?" I asked, to which she answered with a brief nod.

"The teacher seemed quite pleased," she told me, beaming with pride, "I think it turned out nice too. They're putting it in next week's paper."

"I'm looking forward to reading it," I encouraged her with a smile. Eunyoung always looked pretty no matter what she did, but something about her when she smiled set butterflies flying in my stomach.

"I found a different angle on it. People tend to praise the interviewee in these articles, but I always thought it seemed artificial. I managed to write it so it could serve a deeper purpose."

"You seem to be really passionate about writing," I observed.

"I want to pursue journalism when I grow up," she replied.

"I'm sure you'll do great."

The bus came to a halt in front of them and the doors hissed open. A few people got off, after which Eunyoung and I stepped into the air-conditioned bus. The weight of the long day seemed to lighten as we sat down beside each other.

💿

The bus hadn't moved in what felt like ages. The muffled sound of cars honking outside fell upon my ears, as I let out a sigh. There didn't seem to be a proper reason for the traffic; It was just one of those days. Eunyoung and I hadn't said anything to each other in a while. I turned to look at her, only to find that she had dozed off with her head tilting forward slightly.

I felt my eyes widen in awe of her beauty. Her hair framed her face as her features softened by her drowsiness. It felt as if she was conducting a puppet show with my heartstrings. Her head began to tilt towards the window. Without a moment of thought, I gently placed her head on my shoulder, afraid that she would get hurt. The action was so instinctive that even I was surprised. The contact sent a jolt through me as warmth crept up my cheeks. She shifted a little bit, finding a comfortable position and then became motionless again.

I couldn't stop my lips from stretching into a smile of admiration. I could look at her forever and be just as mesmerized. My attention shifted to the palm of her hand that rested on her lap. Her hand seemed so tiny despite her height. It looked so dainty that I had to fight the urge to intertwine my fingers with hers. I recalled her grip on my hand the day we ran through the rain, my heart swelling up at the thought. I held my hand next to hers, comparing them. My heart fluttered just looking at it.

Choi Eunyoung, what have you done to me? I'm acting like a lunatic and it's your fault.

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nayoung's notes: okay, i know sunjae did the hand comparing thing in the show, but it was so iconic that i had to use it. i HAD to. anyway hope u liked it!

delphi's notes: yumi coughing after she sees taesung smoking is such a mood, like i would totally do that.

xxix. blackout

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE ─ blackout.

❛ life is emotionally abusive and time can't stop me quite like you did ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

My eyes scanned my surroundings. White walls, busy chattering, phones ringing everywhere and a sense of urgency and busyness in the air. A police station. I looked down at myself. I was back in my formal attire- trousers, white shirt, blazer, that kind of stuff. Although I may have looked normal on the outside, I felt weird. I had never felt this way since my first day of work, and I could scarcely describe the feeling. Everything seemed new, and foreign, even though it was the same work I had done for most of my adult life. Maybe it was nostalgia because of the strange ache and longing in my heart.

Being a lawyer wasn't something I enjoyed. In fact, the last thing I enjoyed... I don't even want to think about it. I would feel a rush of adrenaline after winning a case, then the sense of emptiness would soon return to engulf me. It was an endless cycle that I was stuck in. 

There are certain cases that I receive that require me to go to the police station. This was one of them. I fiddled my thumbs anxiously- as if it was my first day on the job. I felt like an idiot; Which usually means something out of the ordinary was about to happen, so I braced myself accordingly. I had previously met the police when they came to my law firm, but today I had to meet a detective because it was a case of murder.

All of a sudden, an extremely familiar fragrance hit my nose. It came so unexpectedly that I nearly convinced myself that I was imagining it; but the reality was so evident. Slightly woody notes, like sun-warmed cedarwood and a sudden freshness, as if I was standing on a beach at dawn. The air around me was left fresh and alive and the scent was intoxicating and my mind wandered back to the first time I smelled it. It was almost as if I was back in high school, standing in the perfume shop, carefully picking out the perfect present.

I stood up, and taking a second to steady myself, I turned around rapidly to find myself face to face with a face even more familiar than the fragrance. I was met with those same beady cat eyes, but they seemed to have lost their spark. Kim Taesung. A voice in my head whispered his name, trying to grasp the reality in front of me. His disheveled hair had become tamer, and his bright and colorful apparel was replaced with hues of grey and black with a splash of olive green. He looked dull and dejected, and the glint of mischief had disappeared from his eyes. I had recognized him instantly, because his face had been imprinted in my mind. The rapid beating of my heart sounded in my ears, just like it had fifteen years ago. Yet, he looked like a completely different person. It was like someone had switched off the lights inside him.

"Choi Yumi?" he said it like a question mark, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Do you two know each other?" the police officer behind him asked, confused. For a moment, his words his words faded away and I stood entranced before Kim Taesung, staring blankly. I felt the same I had the first time I saw him. But now, there was a rift between us that was too evident. He seemed so far away even though he was right in front of me. Something that was once new, fresh and full of hope had withered like flowers during the winter. 

"It's been a while," I said, snapping out of my trance, my lips curling upwards ever so slightly. My hand reached up subconsciously to rub the back of my neck.

He simply nodded, shifting his gaze at the ground and his effort to keep it professional was evident, and I would have laughed if I could, but I kept my lips zipped shut when the sound disappeared on the tip of my tongue.

The police officer who I had previously met (who's name I had already forgotten) looked at me curiously, probably hoping I could answer his earlier question.

"We went to the same high school," I told him curtly, plastering a fake smile and turning to look at Taesung, but never meeting his gaze. My eyes glazed over the badge on his jacket. Violent Crimes Division. It felt surreal that he had become a detective- just like his dad. 

Then, suddenly, our eyes met, and time seemed to freeze that exact moment. They're so dull. I thought to myself. I couldn't get over how depressed his eyes looked, like the spark had disappeared. They looked like they were crying out for help. It pained me to look at him that way, and a small part of me pointed an accusing finger at me. Was it my fault? Another voice in my head said that it was unfair. And that he didn't deserve to feel sad. I watched as his eyes shifted to the scar on my face, then shifted back to my eyes, as if he couldn't bear to look at my eyes. The look of pity on his face made me want to cry and scream.

I tore my eyes away, looking at the other police officer. I stole a quick glance at his badge, then said with my best professional smile, "Shall we begin?"

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: not yumi forgetting the other police officer's name 😭✋

delphi's notes: and this kids is why adulthood fucking suuuucks.(this pair of adults are not the best example though)

next chapter: saturday (out now!) list of chapters here!

just between us, do you remember it all too well?

like the moodboard? it's a teaser for an upcoming fanfic! make sure u follow me and stay tuned! thank you, bye!! <33

@the-one-and-only-delphi

xxxiv. the rose that grew thorns

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR ─ the rose that grew thorns.

❛ my heart only wants you the moment you say no ❜

Narrator's Perspective

To Yumi, it seemed like all she did was stand and wait since she time travelled for the second time. But what other choice did she have? If she was completely honest with herself, she envied Sunjae and Eunyoung's instant connection. Things just seemed to fall into place for them. Not that they were completely carefree, though.

So, once again, she stood among the sea of students dispersing from school. The sun shone it's piercing rays over the campus, and the cheery chatter that filled the air along with the insane humidity was already giving Yumi a migraine. Her eyes searched the crowd for a messy-haired, cat-faced boy in a blinding biker jacket. 

The moment she spotted him, her eyes lit up, and her lethargic posture on the bench suddenly became erect as she practically sprinted across the street. "Taesung!"

He turned sharply to look at her, his expression as grim as ever.

"Look, I'm sorry for-"

"What the hell's the matter with you?!" he snapped at her, his face twisting with rage, "I don't know what sick prank you're playing with me. What exactly are you sorry for? That your mother comes and yells at me at seven in the morning?"

"Taesung, what?" Yumi tried to ask, her mind in utter confusion.

"She comes up to me before school, threatens me not to come near you or she would file a restraining order. And you come up to me not once, but twice, to apologize?" He said the last part like a question, as if it was just that shocking, "You're the one who asked me to piss off, so here I am, minding my own business and then you appear out of nowhere saying shit that barely makes sense. Look all I wanted to say is that it would be really great if you and your family stopped attacking me in the streets, thanks."

Heads were turning, and Yumi felt a lump in her throat and tears forming in her eyes. She lowered her head, and began walking away as her tears threatened to spill at any second.

Somewhere in the crowd, Eunyoung and Sunjae stood silently, watching the scene unfold before them. Eunyoung's heart twisted in pain. The story seemed to click in her mind as she came to a hurtful realization. Their mother must have overheard their conversation from the previous day.

"Sunjae I'm sorry, can we reschedule-" she began, but he cut her off.

"Go, go, I'll be fine, I swear," he urged. She said a quick thank you, running after Yumi.

 💿

Eunyoung unlocked the door to her house as fast as she could, rushing inside. When she stepped into the living room, her heart sank. Yumi was curled up on the couch, her knees drawn to her chest, sobbing uncontrollably. Without hesitation, Eunyoung hurried to her side, pulling her into a tight, comforting embrace. Yumi continued to weep into her shoulder, her tears soaking through Eunyoung's shirt.

Eunyoung had only seen her like this once before—when Yumi's mother had passed away. The sight of her closest friend in such deep pain tore at her heart. After what felt like forever, Yumi slowly pulled back, her voice trembling as she said, "It hurts, Eunyoung... it hurts so much. My chest feels like it's been stabbed, like there's a weight crushing it. I've... I've lost him, Eunyoung."

Tears filled Eunyoung's own eyes as she gently took Yumi's shaking hands in hers. "Oh, Yumi," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"I've hurt him so much... He hates me now- hell, I hate myself!" Yumi cried, her words broken by sobs. Her face was drenched in tears, her eyes swollen and red, the tip of her nose glowing. The raw pain in her voice and the way she trembled made Eunyoung's heart ache even more as Yumi's sorrow spilled out through her shaking sobs.

"It's not your fault, Yumi," Eunyoung assured her. Her own voice shook, but even that couldn't hide her genuine belief in those words, "None of it is your fault, Yumi. You have believe that. For me. And for mom. You know how much she cares about you and never wants to see you hurt or grieving. She's trying her best to protect you, Yumi. The accident was a horrible tragedy and it was nobody's fault that it happened."

"I ruined his life," Yumi continued to weep, her throat beginning to ache, "I should have never been here in the first place!"

Eunyoung had never felt as helpless as she had in that moment, watching Yumi cry achingly. She tried as hard as she could to wipe her own tears that blurred her vision. 

"At the hospital," Eunyoung began, trying to gather herself, "He checked with me a million times if you were going to be okay. He made sure you would be alright before shifting rooms. He really cares about you, Yumi, I mean it. He does care. You need to remember that. You need to cling to that hope."

 Eunyoung could practically hear Taesung's earnest voice in her ears.

"Eunyoung, hear me out for a minute. I know you, your mom and everyone hates me and I'm like number one on your hitlist, but I just need to know one thing and I swear I'll get lost. Is Yumi going to be alright? Just tell me that much, cause I NEED to know. You just need to tell me that much and then I'm going to shift rooms. I promise I won't interfere with her life EVER again."

Yumi's sobbing reduced a little bit, and Eunyoung saw it as a small victory as she saw a little light returning to Yumi's swollen eyes.

"I really want to believe that," Yumi whispered.

"You should," Eunyoung affirmed, "Because it's true."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: sunjae being the considerate king that he is <3

delphi's notes: TAESUNG NOOOOOOO

next chapter: friday (out now!) list of chapters here!

v. sudden shower

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER FIVE ─ sudden shower.

❛ she looks just like a dream, the prettiest girl i've ever seen ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"Thank you for your time," she expressed her gratitude to the Jagam High swimming team. Her smiling face reflected contentment with the outcome of their interview. The boys broke out in chatter on hearing a final note of conclusion and began biding their goodbyes to Eunyoung as well as to each other. Their coach gave Eunyoung a polite smile and a bow before taking his leave, his kind gesture returned by Eunyoung. She switched off her recorder, gathered her stuff and began her walk home.

Reaching the bus stop, she took a seat, a satisfied sigh leaving her mouth which seemed to say "It's over, and I did my best." Just as she looked out the window, she heard someone sit down beside her. Turning around, she couldn't believe whose face she saw. Eunyoung's eyes widened, her pupils constricting into tiny black beads. Her jaw slackens, and a breath hitches in her throat, momentarily stolen by surprise. She blinks rapidly, once, twice, willing herself not to be hallucinating.

"Choi Eunyoung?" Sunjae's voice fell on her ears, "So, you take this bus too?"

Pretending to look at his name tag, Eunyoung said, "Ryu Sunjae?"

"Hmm, that's me," he said rather cooly. His wandering gaze betrayed his faux composure, which went unnoticed by Eunyoung, who was too caught up in processing this new information.

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

Sunjae and I sat in silence for the first half of the bus ride. I had to fight my instinct to fidget with the hem of my skirt or press the buttons on my MP3 recorder, both of which would make me look like a nervous disaster, not to mention serve no purpose to calm my racing heartbeat. It took all the strength in my body not to look at Sunjae, as I knew that if I did, I doubt I would ever be able to look away. My favourite idol was sitting next to me on a bus, oblivious to his future that I was painfully aware of. After about ten minutes, I thought it was a good opportunity to talk to him privately, and I mustered up some courage to say something.

"The coach was telling me you recently came back from rehab after shoulder surgery," I started as he turned to face me, "How is it that you were able to bounce back so quickly?"

"It feels as if I'm still being interviewed," he said with a cheeky chuckle.

"Sorry to put you on the spot," I apologized quickly with an embarrassed smile, "You don't have to answer that unless you want to."

"I don't mind," he smiled politely, "I think my determination played a major role. During rehab, all I could think of was the day I could swim again. I wanted to start as soon as my doctor said it would be okay."

My lips curled into a smile, which surfaced despite my efforts to conceal it. I recalled the time he said that the day of his last swimming competition was the most heartbreaking moment of his life. He must have been so dejected. The realization hit me like a bulldozer, that Sunjae loved swimming with his whole heart.

"I might not be in the place to say this, but wouldn't it be better to rest a while longer, so you can return when you've regained your strength?" I suggested gently, "Taking time off might do you some good."

"I appreciate your concern, but I feel ready," he argued, "I've rested enough."

Just as I began to speak, the bus came to a screeching halt, the announcement of my stop breaking my train of thought. Sunjae rose to his feet before I could say anything, "I need to get off here."

I sat hesitantly in my seat, trying to comprehend his declaration. I snapped out of my trance and rushed out of the bus. Sunjae stood before me with his back to me.

"Sunjae!" I called out to him.

He was just as surprised to see me, "This is your stop too?"

"Yeah," I said through laughs. We could only chuckle at all the coincidences we realized within about thirty minutes. A fat, cold drop of water spattered on my face, missing my right eye by less than an inch. I flinched in surprise, looking up at the grey skies, darkened by the dense sea of clouds that floated around, threatening to unleash the rain at any moment. 

Another drop fell on my face, the water cool against my flushed face. The little droplets were followed by a whole downpour of them, startling me as well as Sunjae, who jumped back. It felt like the sky had opened up and decided to dump its entire bucket of rainwater on us. The wind whipped up instantly, yanking at my hair and sending loose flyers skittering across the sidewalk like startled pigeons.

"What now?" Sunjae shouted over the drumming rain.

"Run!" I yelled back. An unknown instinct took over my body as I reached for Sunjae's hand, which felt twice the size of mine. Warmth filled my body as I clutched his hand tightly and looked up at his face, eyebrows raised in surprise, eyes wide and full of confusion. "Huh?"

I pulled him along as I broke off into a run. I felt his shock too, as his body couldn't react to my impulsive action soon enough. At first, it was as if I dragged him along, but then his feet began to pick up pace, our footsteps splashing against the wet street as we made our way through the narrow lanes leading me home.

For a moment, I looked back at Sunjae, his right hand still clutched mine and his other hand was risen in a desperate attempt to shield his head from the rain. A chuckle escaped my mouth on seeing him struggling. Since smiles are contagious, he began smiling, hesitantly at first, then flashing his dimples in a real laugh. Our voices muffled by the rain rang through the air, drowning out any thoughts I might have had then. His hair flopped atop his head like a puppy's ears, the creased corners of his eyes lighting up his entire face.

Ryu Sunjae's Perspective

I watched in awe as Eunyoung pulled my hand through the streets of a series of familiar narrow, winding lanes. Our hands clutched each other tightly, not letting go for reasons to which we were oblivious. The rain had always felt bothersome; I hated being drenched after spending long hours swimming. It exhausted me, as I drowned in feelings of resentment for it.

Today, this moment, was nothing like anything I had felt before. Adrenaline rushed through my veins pulling me towards Eunyoung as our feet splashed against the wet streets. My gaze wandered to Eunyoung's face. Her long, black hair was getting soaked by the minute, little water droplets running down her face. She looked back at me, laughing heartily at my surprised face. Her lips extended into a bright smile, the creased corners of her eyes expressing happiness I hadn't felt in god knows how long. Unknowingly, I joined in the laughter, the melodies of our voices resounding in my ears, muffled by the rain.

Something about her aura pulled me in, refusing to let me go. It felt like we had become intertwined in a few fleeting moments. I didn't know how long we had been running when her surprisingly tight grip dragged me into a restaurant nearby.

Is this what they call love at first sight? 

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nayoung's notes: no matter what universe sunjae is in, he can't escape his loser identity. this scene plays in my head every time it rains 🤧 this is my probablly my favorite chapter(so far) hope you liked it!

delphi's notes: SONAKI BITCHESSS. Not the love at first sight tho. 

@the-one-and-only-delphi

next chapter: saturday! (out now) list of chapterss here!

It's my 2 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

happy two years to iheart-nana <33

back, back, backstabber ، ˖ . ° (>﹏<) . . .

✰ㅤ۪ 𓈒 ⋆ i'd probably still adore you with your hands around my neck.

like the moodboard? it's a teaser for an upcoming fanfic! make sure u follow me and stay tuned! thank you, bye!! <33

oc by @the-one-and-only-delphi

xxviii. the aftermath

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT ─ the aftermath.

❛ once the flight had flown, with the wilt of the rose ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

The surroundings seemed familiar. My mind was clouded with confusion, I couldn't understand what had happened. Moments ago, I remember being on my way home on Taesung's motorcycle, and then we...

"Yumi?" called out Eunyoung's voice which seemed to reflect my puzzled state. That's when I realized where we were. It was our shared apartment in Seoul and we were back to the present. I turned to look at her with furrowed brows, "Check the date quickly!"

She reached for her phone, and the screen displayed 00:02, 1st January, 2023 as the time and date, "What's going on?" she whispered, sounding lost, "This... this means we really time travelled."

"Yeah," I breathed. We had really gone back to the past, to 2008, and now we were back. I stood up to look at the CD player. It displayed 2:00 now instead of 3:00, "What does this mean?" Before I could sit back down, I caught a glimpse of my face in Eunyoung's vanity above her desk. A huge scar on the right side of my face, stretching from my cheek down to my chin. I ran my fingers over it, but there was no odd texture, "W...What's this thing on my face?" I whispered in horror.

I don't quite remember what happened...

❪ flashback ❫

I couldn't make any sense of anything. Where was I? How did I end up there? I had no clue. I could hear loud chattering, someone screaming, the sound of cars passing by in the distance. Then a blaring siren and someone taking me away. What happened after that? I had blacked out completely.

When I opened my eyes all I could see was a white ceiling above me and then the scent of antiseptic hit my nose. Soon, I realized that I was lying down, and my eyes scanned my surroundings. I was wearing a white robe- or was it like a nightgown? I don't have any nightgowns. There were white curtains around the bed I was laying on and that's when the realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I was in a hospital.

The needle piercing through my hand sent a sharp, shooting pain up my arm as I noticed it was there, making me wince. There was a huge white bump I could see on the right side of my face- bandages.

The rest of my memories were in a blur. I could still hear people's voices in the back of my mind.

My mom's voice, screaming, "KIM TAESUNG YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

Eunyoung's panicked voice and sobs, "Yumi, I'm so sorry..."

My own voice, yelling, "Look what you've done to me! This! This thing on my face is thanks to you! I'm going to have to live with this all my life. So, I'm sorry if the scar on your shoulder is an eyesore. Because that's too fucking bad."

❪ end of flashback ❫

"Don't you remember?" asked Eunyoung after a long pause, "Taesung was dropping you home... and... and then you..." her voice sounded choked and she closed her mouth, realizing it was too painful to remember.

"I think I remember," I said, spacing out. My hand reached to touch the scar again.

"You swore you hated him," added Eunyoung, "You guys had a huge fight. Screaming in the hospital and everything."

"It must have been quite the scene," I bit my lip, recalling the embarrassing memory.

"Yeah," she said. We both sat in the painful silence that hung in the air. The snow pattered against the window, as if it were knocking, asking to be let in.

"I'm sorry," I told her gently, "I'm sorry for all the horrible things I said to you."

"I'm sorry too," she said, reaching for my hand, "It wasn't my place."

"No, it was! It absolutely was!" I cried as the strength returned in my voice, "You're my family and you had the right to be worried. And you were right! He was trouble! And and... and he-"

"Shhh, it's fine," she said, noticing how my voice shook as I spoke, squeezing my hand, "It's over now. It's all forgiven."

Her eyes moved to her phone screen, showing the news article that Eclipse's Ryu Sunjae had passed away. Her eyes widened, then became moist, "It's... I couldn't do anything..."

I could do nothing but gaze painfully at her state, "Look at the display on the Cd player. I'm guessing it means we have two more chances. Two more chances to set things right."

Narrator's Perspective

Waking up and going to work the next morning seemed like too big of a task for me. From the moment the harsh sunlight streaming through the window entered my room, to the shower, it was as if the melody of sonaki rang in my head as tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. It was completely unlike me- I had never felt so pathetic and depressed in my 34 years of living, and I was feeling it now- all at once.

"Adulting is so hard," I grumbled under my breath as I left the house, wearing black because I was grieving. It had barely been a day since I had returned, but my heart ached with desperation and longing. I already missed my daily bus rides with Sunjae, our carefree, almost meaningless conversations. His smiling face and eyes that seemed to me dripping with honey occupied my mind the whole car ride.

"Teenage life was so easy," I muttered to myself as I parked my car and made my way up the elevator.

The moment I opened the door, I saw a sea of people- employees, all clad in black from head to toe. For a moment, I felt a sense of pride. I had made this happen; a team of people who actually gave a damn about journalistic integrity and not just nosy busybodies who wanted to pry into the lives of the rich and elite. A smile almost surfaced on my face when I thought about my slightly dramatic rise to power as I overthrew the previous CEO of The Seoul Daily.

"Ms. Choi," someone called out to me. A familiar face appeared before me as we bowed and exchanged greetings, "Kang Seoyoon, the head of the entertainment department released the article regarding Singer Ryu Sunjae's death because she lives near the hospital he was taken to. Would you like us to start research on the cause?"

The words felt like icicles against my skin- they were too official, so cold that it almost sent a shiver down my spine. I cleared my throat, trying to pull myself together; I then said to her, mustering up all the professionalism in my voice, "Yes, please get started. Tell Seoyoon that it was extremely prompt of her to write the article even though it was after work hours. Thanks."

With a brief nod and bow, she ran off. "You're all doing a really great job!" I cried out to all the hardworking people sitting withing earshot, plastering on my best fake smile, "Keep up the good work and report to me after the front page placements are done."

The news that I heard a while later felt as if someone ran a knife through my heart. Sunjae's cause of death- it was suicide.

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: i guess listening to sad kdrama osts makes me work faster 🤧😭

delphi's notes: sunjae needs to get his death pass revoked frfr :(

next chapter: friday (out now!) list of chapters here!