under the same sky | chaekura

Minjoo: love

"Is she okay?" Chaewon asks. She's not and I'm worried sick. I get up and chase after her.

"Chaeyeon!" She's heading to the field. I have to run to catch up to her brisk-walking, but I make the effort anyways. What's with dancers and fast legs?
"Don't-" Her sobbing makes her trip over her words.
"Hey, hey..." I grab her waist and arm and walk her to the middle of the field. We both sit down and she starts crying, so I give her time. 1 minute. 5 minutes. 10 minutes. 20 minutes.
"I-" she begins. I tell her to take her time. "It's just..." 

She explains to me about the group LIGHT. How she used to be good friends with somebody there. How her friend stopped being there for her because she was busy fulfilling her dreams. How she felt that she wasn't good enough. 

"I want to win," she finishes off, sniffing. "I want to show her that I can make it without her too. I need to prove to myself that I'm worth it too."

"That's good." I pat her back. "I believe in you." I smile at her but her eyes are fixated to the sky, so I look up too. I'm not very good at the comforting part of a friendship. I usually panic whenever a friend's upset. But now, I think Chaeyeon's trying to get back on her feet by herself. So I'm saved by her bell today.
"There's something else." She turns to face me, not even hesitating to say it. "I think I like Sakura." Shocker. It didn't really come as a surprise. I'm the only one Chaeyeon has come out to in our class. Towards the end of last year, she said how she used to have a crush on me when we first met, but she realized it was just infatuation and she eventually got tired of my face after seeing me everyday in school (it was a joke). But I've kept her secret ever since. I kind of got all the pieces in the right places when Chaeyeon entered Yena's room holding Sakura's hand. 

"I think I would've been more shocked if you said you didn't." I smile and she laughs. "That's not so bad. She's pretty, she's nice..." She puts on this emoji-like sad face. Like the one whose mouth is like an upside-down 'U'.
"But it's not..." I squeeze her face with both my hands and play along, making my best not-so-pretend understanding face. Chaeyeon's better at the serious comforting. Sometimes I steal tactics from her playbook, but not when comforting Chaeyeon. I end up resorting to desperate cliche means - like banter and sending each other funny memes.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"Eunbi likes her too and it's making me a jealous wreck. And Sakura seemed really happy with her just now at lunch."
"Hey, hey..." I frown. "Firstly, everyone here is very aware that Sakura feels the most comfortable with you. Secondly, sure, what if Eunbi likes her? Are you going to stop trying just because you have competition? Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking any sides here. I love the both of you equally. But the Chaeyeon I know doesn't give up that easily." I smile and pat her head. "Anyways, what is it about Sakura that made you go crazy?"
"It's the same thing that made Yujin go crazy for you." I turn towards her, surprised. "Did you think I wasn't going to notice?"
"I don't know...I thought I hid it pretty well."
"Yujin didn't." She starts laughing and I hit her. "So...Are you two a thing already?"
"We're...how to say...unofficially official?"
"I'll take that."
"So you're crazy for Sakura because she's pretty, talented, smart, funny, kind. I could go on and on." She elbows me and laughs.
"Wow, you're humble."
"Oh my gosh, it's midnight!"
"Girl, you're right!"
We run back to the dorms.

I think Yujin's still awake. I saw her shuffling in her bed. Yujin doesn't move that much when she's asleep. I whisper goodnight but she doesn't answer, so I just change and fall asleep on my bed.

"You're not." I'm surprised because even I would have just let Chaeyeon be. She hates missing classes and has a really admirable way of getting herself together. Sakura's only been her for 2 days so she doesn't know Chaeyeon's routine like the 8 of us do, but 1 point Sakura for somehow getting Chaeyeon into bed. Missing dance class. I stop Eunbi from following them because somebody has to do the explaining to Ms. Kim and that's not going to be me. Also because Chaeyeon would want just Sakura there. And I had to give into the girl who fell sick because she was busy crying over another girl.
"Hey, you okay?" Yujin puts her hand on my knee which I instinctively jerk away because it caught me by surprise. I quickly hold her hand to make up for it, trying not to kick myself for the slightly appalled look she had for a split second.
"I'm okay," I say looking at the doors to the canteen. "I just hope Chaeyeon's okay." I smile at Yujin who half-heartedly smiles back.