The Moments In-Between - A JeongHyo fanfic

Chapter 23 - Moment of Calm Before the New Storm

"Jeong!"

She doesn't respond. She's too focused.

"Hey, Jeong!"

She doesn't respond again.

"Okay, might as well scare you!"

That's when Momo tapped Jeongyeon on the shoulder as she turned around, saxophone in her hand nearly falling.

"Damn, Momo, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Jeongyeon tries to catch her breath.

"I've been trying to call you, but you didn't hear me."

"Sorry... I just got into my music."

"I can... I can see that." Momo noticed a messy room, the only thing that looked sort of tidy was Jeongyeon's bed.

"I haven't been too loud, right?"

"Nah, I mean... I am on the other side of the mansion so whatevs... Listen, Mina and I were thinking of going out and grabbing a bite, maybe the rest of the gang will follow, do you think you would want to join us?"

"Nah, I feel like staying in today, heh" Jeongyeon smiled at her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah... Why?" Jeongyeon was legitimately surprised to hear that question.

"I don't know... It's just, lately, you seem to be avoiding any group activity..."

"No I haven't!" Jeongyeon defended. "We literally went shopping two days ago..."

"Hah... that's right..." Momo remembered. "And yet, something feels different... Like you've been different lately."

"Momo, I don't know what to tell ya, I don't feel different." Jeongyeon replied.

"Okay, okay... I won't pry, but if you need to talk about anything, I'm here." Momo raised her hands in the air as she said that.

"No need, I'm really good." Jeongyeon replied smiling. "Do you want to stay and listen to me play?"

"No, like I said - I'm going to go and eat now... Maybe later?"

"Sure... I'll be here." Jeongyeon replied happily as she walked Momo out of her room.

Momo wasn't completely wrong - something was different about Jeongyeon lately.

But, that something was actually positive. Or at least that's the way Jeongyeon saw it.

She spends 8 hours a day sleeping. She spends at least 8 hours a day with the group. During that time, she has 7 members she can interact with without anything seeming suspicious.

In Jeongyeon's mind, no one can argue that she's neglecting anyone, she just has a lot of members with which she can interact, and sometimes she doesn't get to do it with everyone. By doing so, she has cut the time she spends with Jihyo by a lot. And while she interacts with other members, she's all smiles, happy... Confident. And that's what she really loved about this new freedom - her new confidence.

To not make Jihyo suspicious though, like she was last time, she just devised a new system - when she has to interact with her, she pulls a prank, followed by a quick hug and then just gets back to hanging around with the other members. It's quick, it's efficient and it gets the job done without there being too many questions. 

When Jihyo offers to hang out in private, she accepts 1 out of 3 times. The other 2 times, she says that she wants to practice her saxophone, and Jihyo is fine with that.

"Making use of a talent is something I think a person should follow if they can." Jihyo would usually say, and she would usually put a smile on Jeongyeon's face.