Just The Way You Are

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Nako was playing a guitar when Sakura came by.
"Hey.." Sakura greeted.
Nako smiled then continued on what she's doing. "Nako, is there something wrong?" the cherry blossomed girl asked.
"Nothing Saku-nee chan" Nako said in monotone. Sakura holds her hand. "Do you think that your Saku-nee will believe in that? Tell me."
Nako stands up. "I don't know.." then she looks down. "Lately i feel like i'm not good enough, like all of my efforts aren't good enough. Saku-nee chan, have you ever felt like you're being left out and cast away?"
Sakura didn't say a word, she just listened to what her old HKT acquaintance was saying. Nako bitterly smiled at her. "Saku-nee chan is pretty. Everyone likes her, Everyone is looking forward to see her, Saku-nee chan.." tears suddenly circled in her eyes then fell down. "I wish i was you Saku-nee chan. I wish i was pretty, i wish i am tall, i wish i can do everything that saku-nee chan can!"
"Nako.."
"Sorry saku-nee chan" then she walks away.
Unbeknownst to both of them, Eunbi the leader was watching from afar.
She suddenly walked closely to sakura and talked to her. "I saw the whole thing, what was that about?" she calmly asked. "I noticed Nako was spacing out from everyone, even to me. As the oldest and as a leader, i must be accountable on what was happening to each of my "Sisters"."
"Nako, she.. I make her feel bad.." Sakura just replied.
Eunbi just put her hands on sakura' shoulders. "We're no stranger to what she's been through over the past years.. We cannot blame her if sometimes, she's losing the confidence that she was trying to build up for years.. Right now, i know that she feels pressured and frustrated.. at the same time, and she sometimes feel that she was being casted out."
"I know.. i just want to do something that could perhaps make her feel better for herself."
"Nako is a nice person.." Eunbi just said then smiled.
Sakura takes a walk and look for Nako.
"Sakura!"
"Oh hey Chaewon! Have you seen Nako?"
"Nako? I was about to ask you the same thing. i am also looking for her!"
"Mind to have a walk with me and look for her together?" Sakura asked.
Chaewon subtlety blushed. "W-well, its kind of awkward.."
Sakura just pulled her hand the walks.
"You guys! waddup?" Yena who's eating ice cream with Yuri asked. "Let me guess, you're also looking for Nako, ain't it?" Chaewon asked.
Yena noticed their hands being knotted together then smirked. "You guys.."
"Yena, this isn't a time for joke. We are looking for Nako and if you're not going to help us then bye!" Then she continued walking away.
"You know, you can let go of my hand now Sakura" Chaewon suggested.
"Sakura, Chaewon! sorry about that!!" Yena who's catching up with them said.
"I just want to make you laugh because you looked a little stress."
"That ain't helping ya know!" Chaewon replied. "We were worrying about Nako and all you did there was to eat ice cream."
"What's the commotion about?" Minju who happens to pass by with Yujin asked then awkwardly stared at them. "Y-you guys?" then saw Sakura and Chaewon's hands.
"I-i can explain!!" Chaewon flustered then blushed. "I-it's not what you think it is!"
"Chill out, i am not thinking about anything. By the way, have you guys seen nako? We've looked everywhere but still cannot find her."
"Its kind of sad that Nako-nee would space herself out last night." Yujin said with a trace of worrying on her face.
"It's all my fault tho" Sakura said. "I make her feel bad."
"No, it's OUR fault. We never asked her about what she feels, we never even bothered ourselves asking her if she's okay." Yujin said.
"We make her feel bad because we are enjoying our new found fame too much that we're forgetting that she is also a member." Minju added.
"We never gave her a chance to speak what's on her mind, to let her thoughts be said. We just open the camera and there we go." Chaewon said. "We're being naive. We're enjoying our moment too much.."
"I'm being insensitive too you know. Sometimes i make fun of her about being small that i didn't even thought about how it would make her feel." Yena summed up.
"You know what guys, I just realized that it doesn't matter if we become famous or not.. all that matters is we're still in one piece, as an OT12." Sakura commented.
"Hey guys have you by any chance seen nako?" Chayeon who happens to see them while searching for nako with Hitomi, Hyewon and Wonyoung.
"She's not in the HQ and studio!" Wonyoung said.
Hyewon figured out the reason what the eight of them are garnering.
"So you're searching for nako too huh? let me guess" Hyewon hinted.
the seven of them just looked at each other. "I am a little worried tho." Sakura said
"We all are." Wonyoung replied.
Yuri and Yena suddenly lets out a laughter then high five-d. "What's so funny?" Sakura asked being annoyed by them. "How can you guys still managed to laugh at a time like this?" Hitomi asked while raising an eyebrow.
"Relax guys.." Yuri said. "We just came to imagine ourselves as Nako.. If we were Nako, where's the best thing to go if you're upset?"
"Uhmm.. her room? That's where most girls went when they are upset.. but she's not there." Chayeon replied.
"Well she's not just a girl, she's Nako!" Yena said. "And you know Nako's favorite place, right? Even if she's upset, she can't resist the taste and smell of Caramel pudding from O'Sulloc Teahouse" then winks.
All of them suddenly smiled and laughed. "Oh yeah! How silly of us to forget that!!" Chaewon said then she scratched her head. "Its amazing on how can you still remember her favorite place.." Hyewon  commented. "Well" then she wiped her nose and acts pretentious. "I took her there before and if you only see the look on her face when Caramel pudding was being served. She was drooling.."
"No time for chit chats, let's go there"
Meanwhile..
"Hey nako.." Eunbi greeted.
"Hey" Nako approached in monotone. "How did you know that i'm here?"
"Well" then sits with her. "I secretly followed you. and i know that this where you'll be going.. Pudding here taste good, doesnt it?"
Nako just sipped her drink and continued eating.
"The girls will be here by any minute you know."
"Well, we're already here." Sakura who suddenly appeared with the others said while panting. "And it took us a while to realize that. And we got lost.. Yena seems to forgot the directions."
"Well atleast i gave you an idea about where nako is, right?"
"If you know where nako is going in the first place, why didn't you tell me?" Sakura asked.
"Well, i want you guys to sort it on your own. I also want you to team up in search for her."
"Nako, we're sorry.." Chaewon who initiated the apology said.
"Yeah nako, were being insensitive sometimes." Yena added.
"And we feel like we're overshadowing you." Chaeyon replied.
"Sorry if we never recognize your presence" Hitomi said
"Sorry if sometimes, we make you feel bad about yourself.." Minju said.
"Sorry if we're being too naive sometimes. Sorry if we didnt bother to listen on what you want to share." Yujin said.
"Sorry for being naive nako-nee." Wonyoung said.
"Also sorry  for sometimes, you feel being casted out." Yuri said.
"We want you to know that we care for you.." Hyewon added.
"All of you guys.. Its not your fault.. Sakura nee, sorry for throwing a tantrums over you. Guys, sorry for making you worried. These past few days, i just feel like i am not good enough. That i cannot be loved nor liked for the person that i am, i tried harder but it still feels empty. I cannot be as beautiful as Sakura nee, As talented as Yena, Yuri and Hyewon, As cool as Chaewon, as good as Chaeyon and Hitomi, as outgoing as Yujin and Minju, as mature as Eunbi-nee, as tall and appealing as Wonyoung.. I am just me, a petite girl who wants to be appreciated.. I tried." Tears suddenly falls from her eyes. "But it still doesnt make any difference.. Sorry minna! Sorry for causing--"
Sakura and the other suddenly hugged her. "No! you're wrong!" Sakura cried then she wiped the tears of her HKT friend. "Do you know" then smiled.. "You have no idea how amazing you are. How beautiful you are.. How gifted you are.. You keep on saying your flaws.. but have you ever take a look about how beautiful you are?" then she placed her hair behind her ears and caressed it. "You are worth it , you are loved just the way you are! If others can't see that then we do!"
"Yeah nako, you know i'm kind of jealous.. You're good at math, i suck at it." Yena said.
"You can play guitar and write songs.. and you sing beautifully.." Yujin complimented. "And you look good in everything that you're wearing." Wonyoung added up.
"If we were to say those things that only a "Nako Yabuki" can do, then it will take us years!!" Yuri joked.
"You can dance better than i am you know" Sakura said. "When we were shaking with fear and nervous, you are always there, standing with audacity while wearing a smile. That what makes us to go forward and more further.."
"And nako.." Eun bi said. "You contributed more than a lot to this group. I know what you went through, we saw it, we witnessed it. But you never gave in, you honed your skills in your own way, in a peculiar "Nako Yabuki" way. This world is a big stage nako and seeing that you have come this far after what you've been through makes us inspired and discover more of what we possibly can do.. to exceed our limitations."
"You guys" Nako sobbed.
"We're just getting started but we want you to know that we are here for you and we'll protect you at any cost.." Sakura said.
"We love you just the way you are Nako. No one can change that.. Not even the fame that we are having right now." Chaewon commented.
"You don't need to feel bad about yourself or to be insecure" Hyewon added.
"Because you are your own amazing person just the way you are." Yujin summed up.
"So never change and turn yourself into someone that you're really not." Yena said.
"If you do, then we'll feel sorry for the rest of our lives.. Letting an adorable creature like you lose in the very front of our sight." Sakura added.
All of them just hugged each other then went back to practice.

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