Xxiv. The Start Of Something New

( +🥐 ) ｡˚ ִ⋆｡˚ like we were in paris . . . >_< @the-one-and-only-delphi

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE DAZAI KINNIE

edit: LMAOOO IN ALL THE EXCITEMENT I FORGOT THAT IT'S DAZAI'S BDAY TOO ASJKSHFA HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DAZAI LOL

i don't think @the-one-and-only-delphi being a dazai kinnie gets any realer than her sharing a birthday with him lmao what a flex

here's a hot take: how about you actually study instead of watching gilmore girls?

just know that this is completely self-directed thank you very much

xxviii. the aftermath

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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.

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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!

xlii. piercing through my soul

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CHAPTER FORTY-TWO ─ piercing through my soul.

❛ i wanna hold you just for a while

and die with a smile ❜

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

The chatter and buzz in the interview room rekindled after the cameraman's "Cut!" People switching off all the extra studio lights, packing up their things and chatting with each other. The tense atmosphere that previously hung over the room while the filming was ongoing was replaced with a new friendliness and lightheartedness. Words of encouragement and several people saying "Good job!" seemed to raise everyone's spirits. 

I heaved a quiet sigh the moment the cameras were out. During the interview, I felt as if I had been holding my breath the whole time. Never in my career of doing interviews for famous, influential personalities had I ever felt so nervous. At the same time, I knew I was obviously holding myself back. Every cell in my body wanted to drop all formalities and throw my arms around him and tell him how glad I was to see him. 

His experience writing 'Sonaki' was something that pricked me from inside. His words constantly echoed inside my mind. He met her on a rainy day. It was dangerously similar to how I met Sunjae. A part of me- the hopeful part, wanted to believe desperately that it was me. Despite wanting to hold onto the hope, an anxious and worried voice inside me told me not to get excited over it. It was too good to be true. Him writing a poetic masterpiece about his first love who was none other than me? It sounded impossible. I was also afraid. Afraid of being wrong after thinking it was about me. At the end of the day, I'm nothing more than his fan. And to him, all he's going to remember me is as a distant memory from his teenage years.

I gave in to all my temptations as I stole a glance at Sunjae, sitting across from me rummaging through his bag and talking about something or the other with his manager. I nearly smiled seeing his relaxed posture and radiant glow. Something about him had changed in the best way possible. He looked happy, and that was enough for my heart to be content. For a split second, our eyes met and I tore away forcefully and unnaturally, probably making a fool out of myself. It was too much. Seeing him again uprooted so many repressed feelings.

Soon, he was telling his manager to go on without him and saying that he would be out soon. Watching his manager leave the room, I found myself thinking- Am I really going to be here alone with him? It hadn't even been that long since I'd last seen him, yet my heart pounded in my ears like a thousand drums.

"Hey," he began once he was sure everyone was gone. I nearly jumped out of my skin hearing his voice, "It's been a while, huh? How've you been?"

"Hi," I answered with a small smile. So he remembers me... "Yeah, it's been ages. I've been good. How 'bout you? How's everything?"

"Good, you know. Life's full of surprises," he answered, smiling.

"That's nice to know; You...look... good- like you've been well," I stuttered like an idiot, "This is awkward, isn't it?"

"Yeah," he agreed, sounding disappointed, "It's been too long, I guess."

"Yeah."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air as we both looked here and there, thinking hard about what to say next. It seemed like both of us had a hundred thoughts racing through our minds, but no words nor courage to express them.

"You don't have any like... illness or anything lately, do you?" I asked slowly, afraid of the answer.

"No, not at all," he answered, sounding confused.

"I read some of the articles you wrote," he said after a few more moments of silence.

"About Eclipse?" I asked, sounding a bit too eager.

"Yeah," he replied, fidgeting with his clothes, "And other things. Your writing's as good as ever."

"Thanks," I cracked a real smile, "Should we go? Your manager must be waiting."

"Yeah."

We made our way through the door and into the elevator. I had never realized that our building elevator had no mirror. Or music. I stared at the ground, soaking in all the silence between us. The awkwardness sent a chill down my spine. I wanted to do something. I wanted to tell him that I missed him. But that would make things even more awkward and I would die of embarrassment.

Gosh, were elevator rides here always so insufferable?

The elevator finally stopped at the ground floor after what felt like a million years, and we exited the building, still completely quiet. Standing on the pavement looking onto the highway, I looked up at Sunjae, who was already looking. My face felt hot as I forgot what I was about to say.

"So this is it?" he said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

"We should keep in touch this time," I blurted out too quickly. Why was I so jittery? "You can get my number from your manager."

"Yeah, let's do that," he said with a smile, finally showing his beautiful dimples. I returned his smile, feeling my heart swell up at the very sight of a happy Sunjae.

"My manager's car is over there across the street," he said, looking at the black car parked on the other side of the road, "I'll see you?"

"You will," I said with conviction, the smile never leaving my face.

I watched as the made his way across the zebra crossing, going further away, but in that moment, he felt the closest that evening. The soft glow of the streetlamp and the dim starlight seemed to give me a glimmer of hope. That this was the beginning of something new. Something special. Then, as if to throw water over all my happiness, I loud crashing sounded, like a huge truck suddenly stopping. My eyes went wide as my body seemed to freeze from shock. I felt my blood go cold.

Time seemed to splinter into fragments, each one more agonizing than the last, as I watched the massive, green truck barrel forward, unstoppable. There was a horrid screeching of brakes, but it was too late—the impact was thunderous, like the world cracking open right before my eyes. Sunjae's body collided with the force of the vehicle, a sickening blur of motion as he was thrown to the ground, his form limp and unmoving.

A piercing cry escaped my throat, one I barely recognized as my own. My chest constricted, an unbearable ache tearing through me as if the impact had shattered not only him but every part of me, too. For a brief, surreal moment, I couldn't move; I was paralyzed, bound by the horror of what I'd just witnessed, by the helplessness sinking like iron into my bones.

I stumbled forward, heart hammering wildly, tears blurring my vision as I rushed toward him. "Sunjae!" I cried, my voice trembling, desperate. My knees hit the ground beside him, the unforgiving pavement scraping through the fabric of my jeans, but I barely registered the sting. All I could see was his stillness, his face pale and serene in a way that frightened me more than any amount of pain ever could.

A sob broke free, raw and guttural, as I reached for his hand, cold and heavy in mine. Memories flooded my mind—his laughter, his warmth, the look in his eyes when he talked about the future, a future I suddenly couldn't see. It was slipping from me, unraveling like sand through my fingers, and I was powerless to stop it. The sight of him lying there, broken, filled me with a heartbreak so deep I felt hollowed out from within. I could feel my heart shattering, piece by piece, each shard lodging painfully within me.

"Please...please, Sunjae," I whispered, voice breaking as I clutched his hand, unable to stop my tears. The world had collapsed around us, reduced to this one horrible moment, to the unbearable thought of losing him.

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nana's notes: sunjae's death breaks me in every timeline.

delphi's notes: here we go again.

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

It's my 2 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

happy two years to iheart-nana <33

xli. threads of fate and regret

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CHAPTER FORTY-ONE ─ threads of fate and regret.

❛ you stood there in front of me, just close enough to touch ❜

Ryu Sunjae's Perspective

Fireworks seemed to go off inside me when I walked into the interview room. A wave of deja vu hit me when the rapid thumping of my heart sounded in my ears just like the first time I found out that Eunyoung was going to interview me. Since the time I started preparing to release 'Sonaki,' all my past feelings slowly began resurfacing. I could envision myself, a lovestruck nineteen year old sitting in my bedroom and writing the song, thinking of Eunyoung and occasionally gazing at her window that was just in front of mine. I kept telling myself that it was just a memory in the past. I couldn't accept the fact that my feelings were exactly the same after fifteen long years.

It felt quite pathetic, to be honest. To think that I spent two years with her by my side, and still never had the guts to tell her how I felt filled me with insurmountable regret. I would have given anything to go back in time and hold on to her. 

Sitting across from her, responding to each question with careful, practiced formality, felt like the most challenging task of my entire career. With every carefully measured word, I felt my resolve slipping, as though the years we spent apart had only heightened this ache within me. It took every ounce of restraint not to close the distance between us, to forget the cameras and the professionalism and tell her just how much I'd missed her.

As I spoke about the song, Sonaki, describing it simply as a memory from my youth, my heart pounded with the urge to reveal the truth. There was a cruel irony in it all, sitting there explaining how the song was about my first love while she remained unaware that she was the muse behind every line, the inspiration behind every note. She was still, unknowingly, my everything.

In my mind, I could see myself breaking the silence, confessing it all—how she had stayed with me, haunting my every step and shaping every melody I'd written since. But in reality, I remained stoic, carefully choosing my words, my gaze avoiding her eyes for fear of giving it all away.

"I used to be a competitive swimmer back in high school. I remember despising it whenever it rained on my way home after a long day of training. But the day I met her was a rainy day. After that day, I mysteriously found myself unable to hate the rain any longer. It was magical, unlike anything I had experienced before," I said, pouring my heart out.

"That's such a beautiful way of expressing your feelings. I'm sure whoever she is would be touched to know it."

"Actually I never got a chance to express my feelings," I confessed with an embarrassed chuckle, "It was an unrequited love."

Choi Yumi's Perspective

I sat nervously shaking my leg in the police station. I had caved and agreed to meet Taesung to help him. The truth was that I wanted to understand him. I wanted to believe more than anything that he was innocent; And if I had the power to prove that he was, then I wanted to pour my heart into this case and win at any cost.

Taesung emerged from behind one of the doors, being dragged by one of the police officers who clutched his jacket with a death grip. The nostalgia was way too obvious for me to ignore. I found myself remembering the last time I saw him sitting across me. His hair was no longer wild and crazy like back then, but a sort of mischief shone in his eyes. A smirk that seemed to ridicule the man dragging him was plastered across his face.

The two sat down across from me, the man glaring at Taesung. For a good few moments I found myself staring at Taesung. Despite the dull, muted tones that replaced his bright biker jackets, he still looked as good as the first day I encountered him outside the music club. I found it quite unfair that I looked like a Tim Burtons character while he looked ready to start a photoshoot.

"So, you're going to help me or not?" he asked right away.

"Depends," I said skeptically, "How exactly did you get yourself into this mess?"

"I have no idea."

"You have to answer seriously or I can't help you."

"So if I answer seriously you'll help me?"

"Just answer the damn question," I sighed, realizing he was just as petty and childish as before, "I haven't got all day."

"My bad," he cleared his throat, "So you know my father is a detective in the Violent Crimes Division, right?"

"Yeah," I replied, feeling curious and anxious at the same time.

"One day he had to go to one of the places where Kim Youngsoo was allegedly hiding. But he suddenly fell sick that day. 102 degree fever; And look, I'm not the biggest fan of my dad, but I couldn't let him go there like that. That's why I went in his place. Then the guy who was supposed to be there with him never showed up."

"That's quite the story."

"I'm not done," he said, "I completed the investigation like he told me to, and I brought the report home. He gave it to the higher ups and everything was fine for a couple of days. Later, we found out that he messed up the dates and the other guy went the day after that. That's when they found my fingerprints all over the place. I tried to explain this to them but they refused to believe me and now I'm here. They don't believe my dad either."

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nana's notes: writing sunjae's pov made me sob he loves her so much T_T when will it be my turn...

delphi's notes: leave it up to taesung to get into that kind of mess 👏

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

xxii. you and me and awkward silence

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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ─ you and me and awkward silence.

❛ don't you notice how i get quiet when there's no one else around? ❜

Narrator's Perspective

"Why are you all standing like that?" Taesung asked his friends who stood on the other side of the safety door of his house.

Taesung's birthday had arrived at last, and his friends' plan of throwing him a surprise party had fallen into place. Yumi stood at the front- against her will, for Inhyuk had pushed her ahead while everyone fumbled. The Eclipse members and Sunjae held balloons in their hands, and Yumi held the box containing the cake and a small paper bag.

All she could do was stare at his face as he repeated his question impatiently. Realising Yumi wasn't responding, Inhyuk jumped in and exclaimed, "Happy birthday! Did you think we'd forget?!"

A slow smile appeared on Taesung's face as he chuckled in disbelief. His hand reached for the doorknob, which he pushed open. The party was not a large one- the members of Eclipse, Sunjae and Yumi, but it was a meaningful one. They entered his house one by one, as Taesung stepped aside to make way. While everyone else dispersed, putting up the balloons, Yumi stood frozen before him, staring blankly, "Happy birthday," she uttered quietly.

Taesung stood motionless for a brief moment, admiring the girl in front of him. Her voice sounded like music in his ears. His eyes remained fixed on her, unable to pull away. She was dressed in a baby blue dress that hovered above her knees. The dress was sleeveless, drawing attention to her graceful arms, and it boasted a sweetheart neckline that framed her collarbone beautifully.

"Thanks," he smiled, "I'm glad you're here, piano girl."

There it was again. That nickname. Yumi thought to herself, clearing her throat. It took all the willpower in her not to misinterpret his words. What did he really mean? Plus it was really hard to focus with him standing right in front of her. She couldn't bring herself to look away from him. He was dressed in a simple monochromatic outfit- black jeans and a plain white t-shirt, and it was evident that he wasn't expecting company. Yet, there she was, staring. She moved past him, placing the cake on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Is that for me?" he snapped her out of her thoughts, gesturing to the bag dangling from her wrist. 

"Huh?" she blurted out, "Oh, right! I got you a little something."

"What is it?" he asked as he peeked into the bag after she handed it to him. 

"Look at it later!" she spoke more urgently than she intended to. Taesung's face twisted into a confused frown, setting the bag aside for time being. His suspicion was evident through his expression, and Yumi realized that she had pretty much shot herself in the foot. A blush surfaced on her face from embarassment as she moved to where everyone else was standing.

Why am I even here? She wondered. She barely knew these people. Yet a part of her wanted to be there for him. How heartbreaking was it that his parents couldn't be there for their only son's birthday? Yumi wondered if what she felt for him was pity or something more? Yumi pushed the thought away, refusing to explore it further. It was too terrifying, too soon. She prayed she'd never have to confront those feelings.

Choi Yumi's Perspective

It was as if  I had zoned out for the entire duration of the party. I think this was my fatal flaw. I spent to much time thinking. I never took action. I just sat and thought. And thought. And thought some more until even I was afraid of my thoughts. Before I knew it, everyone had left, leaving me alone with Taesung. The thought made me want to dig a hole in the ground and bury my head in it. I told myself that since I was the only one there, I should help clean up the mess. Yet, in the back of my mind, I knew that every moment spent with him was special.

"You don't have to stay," he remarked, breaking the awkward silence that previously filled the room, "It's getting late."

"Are you kicking me out?" I asked with a hint of hostility in my voice, "I want to help."

"Who am I to argue with you?" asked to no one in particular.

We worked in silence, neither of us knowing how to start another conversation. I realised what a horrifying thing it was to be alone with my thoughts- especially with him around. Why was I behaving like this? It's not like I'm a teenage girl- I mean, I am, but I'm not at the same time. Half of me wished I could go back to my time and everything would be normal. I would be working at a miserable law firm, just like I studied for; But there was another part of me that kept stealing glances at Taesung as we picked up the trash from the wooden floors. 

What the hell is wrong with me?!

After we finished picking up the confetti and remains of the balloons (that had been popped by our small yet lively party), we stood in the living room, which had now become devoid of any evidence that it was full of liveliness a while ago.  My gaze wandered around the room and I stood completely still as if my feet were rooted to the ground. My eyes finally fixed on the green guitar placed against the wall. It was as if I was hypnotized by it as I took an unconscious step towards it.

"Do you like it?" he asked, as I tore my eyes away.

"What?"

"Do you like the guitar?" he repeated himself, the corners of his lips tugging at a smile. 

"Ummm," I stuttered, "I... I guess so? It's a nice guitar."

"Do you play?"

"No."

"Do you want to?"

I suddenly found myself unable to answer his seemingly simple question. I froze there, my stubborn voice refusing to speak. The truth is, that I felt drawn to the guitar. It was something new and exciting. I took another look at it; It was as if it had been calling my name this whole time.

"I can teach you if you like," he offered, and I thought he might have observed the manner in which I was staring at his guitar.

"Right now?" I said with too much enthusiasm. I bit my lip- was it too much?

"I mean, if you really want to," he stammered out, taken aback by my sudden display of eagerness.

I glanced at the clock, "It's already 9 o' clock," I observed.

"You're right. I should let you go home," he realized, "We can meet after music club practice tomorrow. If that's okay with you?"

"But it closes at 5," I frowned, "Where will we go?"

He thought about it for a brief moment, "How 'bout you come here?" I felt heat rise up my cheeks, "Here?" I asked, trying to figure out if I misheard him.

"My dad is usually not at home, so we won't have any disturbance," he explained.

"Sure," I agreed, trying my best to sound nonchalant.

It was almost as if I was breathless. What do I call this feeling?

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nana's notes: the tension between yumi and the guitar-

delphi's notes: something is brewing...

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

. ˚  · ( 🍒 ) we were drivin❜ the getaway car . . .

★☆ 𝓝ana, she/her, @iheart-nana

xl. whispers from the past

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CHAPTER FORTY ─ whispers from the past.

❛ this is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the storyline ends ❜

Choi Yumi's Perspective

"I need a lawyer."

I stayed silent for a good minute, trying to register the words. It wasn't about the words, even. The voice sounded far too familiar, making my heart drop. Gentle, with a hint of mischief. It was undeniable. The person on the other line was Kim Taesung.

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Y-yes," I stuttered, feeling goosebumps crawl up my arm at his voice.

"Oh, sorry, how rude of me. It's Taesung. Do you remember me?" He spoke the last sentence slowly, and the doubt in his voice was evident.

"Yes," I said quietly, wondering if he had even heard me. It was all so unbelievable. For a third time, fate had brought me back to Kim Taesung, "What do you need a lawyer for? Are you in trouble?"

"Look at you, already assuming the worst of me. You haven't changed one bit, Choi Yumi. Even after fifteen years."

The way he said my name sent chills down my spine. I felt like I was slowly losing touch with reality the longer I spoke to him. Suddenly, I was a teenage girl again. "Just tell me what you need."

"You must of heard the name Kim Youngsoo."

"Yeah," I frowned, wondering what that serial kidnapper had anything to do with any of this.

"Well they've kept me in custody 'cause they think I'm his alibi."

The moment his words fell on my ears, I almost felt my heart stop. Confusion clouded my mind as my breath became suddenly erratic. I placed a hand on my chest, feeling the rapid thumping of my heart against my ribs, threatening to break out. Then, as if to disregard my shock, I heard someone yell "Time's out!" and a beep as the call disconnected, leaving me shaking in my seat, eyes wide.

Narrator's Perspective

"I really want to say 'I told you so,'" Eunyoung said after hearing about the mysterious and cryptic phone call Yumi got from Taesung, "But I'll hold back for your sake. I knew he was bad news, but I never thought he'd actually end up in jail."

"He's not in jail," Yumi corrected her quickly, "They've kept him in custody, so he's just a suspect-"

"Yeah, but imagine what he must have done to make him a suspect for a mass kidnapping case," Eunyoung pointed out.

"This is too much to process," Yumi sighed, running her hand through her hair, "Please tell me something to distract me before I lose my mind completely."

"Sunjae's alive," Eunyoung blurted out the first thought that popped up in her head. Yumi's eyes were full of shock as she suddenly sat up straight.

"Wow, that worked."

"I could barely believe it when I heard it," she continued, "I thought I was dreaming."

"I don't understand how you did it," Yumi asked, looking eagerly at Eunyoung, expecting an answer.

"It sounds really stupid if I say it out loud," Eunyoung warned, "But one day, I was just sitting and thinking about how miserable Sunjae must feel-"

"As one does," Yumi sneered.

"Shut up," Eunyoung said, her lips stretching into an involuntary smile, "I had quite a stupid idea, but I started writing encouraging messages for him and tossed them into his house."

Yumi blinked her eyes rapidly, frowning, "That sounds ridiculously simple."

"Exactly," said Eunyoung, "But he must have really needed to hear something like that."

"You always have been good with words," Yumi pointed out, "You really did it, Eunyoung, you saved him."

"I know," she whispered dreamily.

Eunyoung took a long look at Yumi's face. It was the very essence of the word 'misery.' She looked just about ready to fling herself off a building. She reached for Yumi's hand.

"It's going to be fine," she assured Yumi.

"I'm scared," Yumi said, fixing her gaze on the ground, "Scared that it might be true."

Choi Eunyoung's Perspective

Sitting in the interview room of my office, it felt as if I was glued to my chair. The temperature felt colder than ever before while I sat motionless, clutching the interview script tightly. An unfamiliar anxiety had settled in me when I realized it was my first time seeing Sunjae in 2023. Doubt clouded my mind and I began wondering whether I had it in me to keep things professional. All of a sudden, nostalgia seemed to engulf me as I reminisced on my very first interview with the Jagam High Swim team. My nervousness, self-doubt and jitters were exactly the same.

I watched the door open, through which Sunjae entered. I definitely stared at him for longer than I should have, but somehow, I couldn't bring myself to pull away. He looked completely different from the 19-year-old schoolboy I was used to seeing on the bus every day. Dressed in brown trousers and a black woolen turtleneck, he looked like the personification of perfection. This formal, mature attire was something that was hard for to adjust to, but a part of me was just glad that the liveliness had returned to his beady, hypnotizing eyes.

I stood up from my seat an bowed at him and his staff that followed close behind him. Our eyes met briefly, and in that fleeting moment his blank gaze made me wonder if he even remembered me. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't, but it would be a lie to say it wouldn't bother me. For a few moments, everyone scurried around, setting up their stuff and settling down before the filming began.

I took a deep breath before beginning, "Hello and welcome! It's an honor to have you here today."

"Likewise, I'm glad to be here," he replied, flashing a kind smile.

"Eclipse is soon going to release their fifth studio album, so how do you feel about that?"

"Well, not too long ago, we had our first concert in five years, which is when we announced that an album would be released. It was a really thrilling and exciting moment for me, and I think my members would agree. We also had doubts as to how it would be received by everyone, but what got us through it is our faith in the fans."

"Eclipse's connection with their fans is truly something to appreciate, and they're always grateful for your hard work. They're eagerly looking forward to listening to the songs listed, particularly 'Sonaki,' where you are the songwriter. Could you tell us something about the song?"

At this point, he was grinning from ear to ear and I had to really control my smile that would have surfaced otherwise. He began, "Sonaki is actually a song that I wrote a long time ago. I wasn't too sure as to whether it would ever be released, but what can I say? It's a song that's very personal to me as it brings back memories from my high school years. Even now, while 'm preparing to perform it for my fans, it's as if I'm 19 years old again, writing about my first love."

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩⋆｡° ✮

nana's notes: it's so surreal that we've hit forty chapters omg. never thought this would be possible. so grateful for everyone who has been reading this fic <3

delphi's notes: YAYYY FORTY CHAPTERS! tysm everyone <3 yumi defending taesung is the funniest thing ever like girl you're DOWN BAD.

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

𝐢𝐢. 𝗇𝖺𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗀'𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗀𝗎𝗂𝖽𝖾

books to start the new year right!

Atomic Habits- James Clear

Ikigai- Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia

The Compound Effect- Darren Hardy

The Magic of Thinking Big- David J. Schwartz

Big Magic- Elizabeth Gilbert

The Dip- Seth Godin

Eat That Frog!- Brian Tracy

Surrounded by Idiots- Thomas Erikson

Rich Dad Poor Dad- Robert Kyosaki

The Secret Life of Money- Daniel Davies and Tess Read

goodbye, 2023!