╭ ╮
━━━ " 📂 " ..⃗. ༉
𝙍 𝙀 𝙈 𝙀 𝘿 𝙔
! chapter seven ─── ʚĭɞ
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It was completely dark by the time that Seojun and Miyeon reached the incredibly familar apartment block that Eunjoo and Hyunwoo's family lived in. It was a welcoming sight to the night, archway into the building lit by the glowing streetlamps and a neighbourhood cat or two dotted around - one sat by the bus stop, a second balanced on the edge of the open hallway balcony.
They got through to the courtyard, which was similarly lit by dim lamps that were much closer to the floor, opening the door into the stairs and climbing upwards, reaching Eunjoo's floor.
This set of apartment was so much more alive than the one that the dorms were in. Even though it still towered so high in the sky and there was floor after floor of apartments, behind every single (used) door was a happy setting.
And just on Eunjoo's floor, this was so obvious. Some windows, despite being covered by curtains, still let out a welcoming amber haze, music could be heard from a few and voices another.
A cat's mew echoed down the corridor, Miyeon and Seojun looking up simultaneously, their eyes landing on the cat. "Aw." Miyeon's grin lit up her face, pulling herself away from her best friend and skipping down to the creature, hand raised and tickling it behind it's ears before Seojun could even react. "Hey - come on, they're look at you too."
"I'm not too much of a cat person." Seojun frowned, edging towards the white-haired creature all the same. "One bit me when I was younger - I still have the scars from it."
"Not all animals are the same." Miyeon replied in an almost sing-song tone. "But I won't force it on you - just knock on Eunjoo's door for me?"
"You're in luck." Seojun didn't complain before nodding, turning to look at the closest door to see the number on it - surprised to find that it was already the Choi woman's. He stepped forward and knocked, returning to look at his best friend whilst waiting.
"Hello, hello!" Eunjoo always welcomed them so warmly, and that night was no different. "I see you've met Jia!" She smiled as she looked towards Miyeon, who held out the flowers to her.
"Jia?" The Hwang girl asked, straightening up and letting her hand stray away from the animal's head as she looked at the housekeeper. "This is your cat?"
Before Eunjoo could even answer, Jia was jumping off of the thick balcony wall and shot through the door into an apartment with a flash of white. "Yes - well she is now." Eunjoo nodded, smiling fondly.
"You got a cat!" Miyeon exclaimed, pushing herself away from the balcony and reaching to hug Eunjoo. "It's about time!"
"Well I didn't think I had the time until now." Eunjoo shrugged. Seojun looked confused, and the woman turned towards him. "I've always wanted a cat, and even when I stopped living in the Hwang household full time I didn't think I should I could get one.. but I've always wanted one."
"Miyeon? Seojun?" Voices down the hallway interrupted the group before Seojun could process the information. The three by Eunjoo's apartment followed the voices, eyes landing on Hyunwoo and his mother and sister.
"Hyunwoo?" Miyeon and Seojun echoed, eyes wide in surprise. They hadn't expected to see Hyunwoo there - usually if they were all visiting on the same day they co-ordinated, walked together or something.
Seojun and Hyunwoo had long gotten over their small, insignificant differences. And Hyunwoo had stuck to his words and stayed Miyeon's friend. He managed to keep the best friends' complicated feelings for each other a secret as well as everything else Miyeon would tell him.
And now that they were groupmates, well it seemed that the Han and Song boy were even closer than the latter had been with Miyeon at times.
"Seokyeong, Hyunwoo and Hyunji!" Eunjoo smiled at the family. "You wouldn't happen to be in need of dinner? I've got plenty and these two never eat enough."
"Oh that would be lovely." Seokyeong smiled. "We'll be over in a couple of minutes - I've made desserts, so I'll bring them with me. Hyunwoo - Hyunji, you go on."
"Yes Mom." Hyunji, a little girl of barely nine was down the hallway in a flash, smiling up at Eunjoo before slipping into the apartment, already making repetitive noises to try and find Jia.
"Hey." Hyunwoo smiled as he reached the group, joining Seojun and Miyeon as they followed Eunjoo into her apartment. "Decided to break the news in person?"
"Figured we could do it along with one of our dinners." Miyeon confirmed. "Sorry if we interrupted anything with your mom and sister."
"Oh I don't think you interrupted anything." Hyunwoo shook his head. "She made dessert - enough for all of us, this wasn't a coincidence."
Miyeon giggled as the group do three sat down at the table. "What are you laughing about." Eunjoo eyed them suspiciously, hurrying to begin dishing out all the food. "You know it's considered rude to whisper in front of your elders."
"You're just saying that to get information out of us." Miyeon replied. Eunjoo's words were indeed true, but never once had she made Miyeon tell her everything, not one single time has she invoked the 'I'm-older-so-I-automatically-should-know' card - that was more of her mother's thing to do and Eunjoo steered well clear of it.
"It's just that this almost seems planned." Seojun spoke up, shaking his head at the Hwang girl's words. "How Mrs Song has enough dessert for all of us." He jumped when Jia appered by his side, tail brushing the skin of his hand. Instantly, Hyunji was there to guide her away.
"And my mom rarely makes more than enough dessert, if that makes sense." Hyunwoo added. "It sounds silly, but.."
"You're right, we did plan it." Seokyeong's voice echoed through the apartment as she pulled open the front door and slipped through, closing it with her back. In her arms were a couple plates of bukkumi with rather bright coloured flowers decorating the top.
The three trainees faltered in their movements, glancing between the adults. "Hyunwoo - come help me with these plates." Seokyeong didn't say anything more and instead moved towards the table, letting her eldest take the two plates and settle them down on one of the free kitchen counters.
Eunjoo finished up with placing the different dishes into bowls and onto plates, and with the help of the three additions to their two families and Hyunji keeping Jia away from the slowly growing table of food, they were sitting down and eating in no time.
The group made their way through the main course, Miyeon getting her fill of tonkatsu (Eunjoo made it every time they came), and then Seokyeong helped give out her homemade bukkumi.
"So what was with the planning?" Hyunwoo asked eventually, speaking the question that they had all been thinking.
"In all honesty.." Eunjoo began, almost enjoying the way that Miyeon, Seojun and Hyunwoo leaned forward as they waited for an answer. "We just thought it would be nice for us all to eat together - but it seems like you're thinking about something else."
The three looked at each other, the two boys either side of Miyeon moved closer to her, heads almost bumping together. "Do we tell them now?" Seojun asked, his voice low and almost like a grumble when Hyunoo's temple bumped against his.
"Alright - don't get too close." The Hwang girl reached past them and pushed their shoulders out. "I can tell them? Is that okay?" The two boys nodded and sat back, smiling when they felt the waiting eyes of Eunjoo, Seokyeong and Hyunji.
"Well.. this morning we were called into a meeting and it was discussing our groups' futures." Miyeon's tone was almost diplomatic, as if she was still talking to their managers. "And it's been decided that VIVID will be debuting in about a month's time, and INDIGO two."
The three girls in front of them reacted instantly, cheering and clapping and reaching out to hug the trainees, arms squeezing around their shoulders and celebrating the news.
The feeling was electric.