in real life
THE next few weeks fly by. Yuri doesn't know where all the time went. One moment she was curled up in Jungwon's warm embrace, and the next, she was waking up in her own bed, the day of their final presentation to their business class. To say their project wasn't a success would be a lie; Jungwon and Yuri's project was a massive hit, just like Kang Saem predicted. Yuri supposes it has to do with Jungwon being an idol, and nothing to do with her. But, Yuri didn't mind that. She was just happy she was able to produce a successful project for her business class. Choi Yuri was certain she would get a high grade with this assignment.
Between Jungwon's promotions for ENHYPEN's new album and Yuri studying for the end of year exams that were fast approaching, neither had the time to talk about what happened between them the night Yuri stayed at the ENHYPEN dorm. It was that, and both were afraid to talk about what happened. All in all; they didn't talk about the kiss. It was a barrier between them. It was the tension between them. It was the elephant in the room.
But, Yuri decided, that after this whole business project is over and they go to the dog park together, she'll confess her feelings an hopefully leave the dog park hand-in-hand with Yang Jungwon and a wide smile on her face. Yuri doesn't think she's wanted anything more than Jungwon around to comfort and take care of her. Yuri's definitely hot-headed, she's definitely independent, but when it comes to Jungwon? She's anything but independent and cold. (She's definitely still hot-headed).
Yawning, Yuri steps into school to start her long day. Jungwon has a few promotions today, but he's assured Yuri that he'll be able to make it to business class - hell, he even promised it. So, Yuri places her complete trust and faith into the boy to not let her down. There's a lot riding on this presentation and Yuri's definitely feeling the pressure as she trudges through the school halls, extremely exhausted.
"Hey!" Ji-woo's voice floats through the school building, "Yuri on ice! Wait up! Hurry the fuck up Seo-jun - can you shut up too?"
Yuri rolls her eyes and stops in the middle of the hallway, turning around to watch her best friend and cousin shove each other up the stairs, earning looks from disgruntled students who clearly weren't ready for Ji-Woo's and Seo-Jun's loud nature this early in the morning. Yuri used to feel embarrassed whenever Ji-Woo or Seo-Jun was around, but now, she never gets embarrassed.
"Are you excited for today?" Squeals Ji-Woo, wrapping her arm around Yuri's shoulders and walking through the hallway with Yuri and Seo-Jun, "because I am! I can't wait to see everyone's presentations. I've also been listening to your album you made with Jungwon non-stop! It's super good! It was worth the won I spent on it."
Yuri smiles at Ji-Woo, "I'm glad you enjoy it. Seo-Jun? What about you?"
Seo-Jun scratches the back of his neck, "yeah. . . I haven't listened to it yet."
"Seo-Jun!"
"What?! My sister stole the album off me and I haven't seen it since!" Defends Seo-Jun loudly, "and you know my sister, I can't just ask for it back. She'll try and get something out of it; like making me do all her chores again!"
"All I hear is some bitch complaining," Ji-Woo retorts, "suck it up male."
"Ji-Woo, I hope you die today," snarls Seo-Jun, his face resembling a thunder storm.
"Get in line, Junnie, a lot of other people have wished death upon me," mutters Ji-Woo as they stop in front of their first class for the day. English. Entering the classroom, Yuri's first instinct is to look for Jungwon - but he's not there. Yuri's mood slightly dampens, she'll miss Jungwon sitting next to her, knees touching and whispering silly thoughts into her ear. She'll miss it a lot, but she can easily get through this class and the rest of the classes until business class.
"Where's your little bitch?" Ji-Woo asks, throwing her bag on her desk.
Yuri frowns and sits in her seat next to Ji-Woo, "don't call him that. And, he has some promotions to do today, but he'll be here for business class."
"Good," Ji-Woo responds, "I want to see his cute face today."
"Is my face not cute enough?" Seo-Jun asks a question practically everybody knows the answer too.
"No," the two girls say in unison. They then high-five as Seo-Jun scowls.
Each class passes by, and by the time lunch rolls around, Yuri's scanning the room every few seconds to see where Jungwon was. He's supposed to be here by now, he promised Yuri he'll show up with some lunch for the both of them. He promised Yuri he'll bring the boards they worked on for the project with him as well. If he doesn't bring them, it's okay because Yuri has backup slides just in case, but Yuri's never depended on someone like this before. She desperately wants Jungwon to come and stay by her side during business class.
"Is Jungwon still not here?" Seo-Jun asks Yuri gently, "he's never around when I wanna meet him," he adds in under his breath.
"He'll be here soon," Yuri tells Seo-Jun, "he'll never let me down." Her heart skips a beat. How can Yuri be so sure? Oh God, when did the doubts appear? Since when did Yuri doubt Jungwon? The ever-so cute and reliable leader of ENHYPEN. Yuri's crush. The boy Yuri likes more than the moon. Than the stars. Than the universe.
Yuri sends Jungwon a quick text, asking him where he is. Yuri does everything in her power to soothe her beating heart. It's beating out of control, Yuri's never felt this nervous before. Her palms are sweaty again and her head is full with thoughts. Negative thoughts, doubts, positive and encouraging thoughts, thoughts of Jungwon's warm embrace. The kiss they shared a couple weeks ago. Yuri feels like exploding, but not in the good way.
Lunch is over and now it's business class time. Yuri sends Jungwon another text when she's walking to business class with Ji-Woo. She sends him another text when they're sitting down at their desks. And another when the teacher calls out his name for the attendance. And another when the third group goes up to present. And another when it's Ha-Yoon's and Seo-Yun's turn. Another when it's Ji-Woo's turn.
"Yuri and Jungwon, it's your turn to present," the teacher calls out and Yuri feels like screaming. She feels like tearing out her hair.
Her phone dings and she rushes to answer it, finding a text from Jungwon. Her whole world collapses around her. Yuri feels like dropping to the ground and screaming her lungs out. Jungwon can't make it. But he promised her. He promised Yuri he'll come, he promised Yuri he would bring her some lunch, he promised Yuri to never leave her.
Yuri's panicking now. She's partner-less. Her hands are shaking as she sets up the presentation, feeling Ji-Woo's concerned eyes on her. Yuri can do this! She can make it through this presentation and deal with Jungwon later. He's not the issue anymore; her presentation is. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, Yuri gives herself encouraging words before opening her eyes and plastering a smile on her face.
Jungwon's never let her down like this before and it's tearing her apart.
◾◾◾
Yuri sits on the steps outside her school, waiting for her dad to come and pick her up. School is well over - in fact, it ended over an hour ago. The wind was cool against Yuri's bareskin, her fingers were lifeless as they held her phone. Yuri's never felt this empty before. She knows the promises her and Jungwon made to each other shouldn't mean this much. . . But this is Yang Jungwon we're talking about. Everything he's ever said to Yuri has been something he's meant with his whole heart.
Her presentation went well, but the moment Yuri sat down at her desk, she wanted to break out into tears. Yuri didn't trust herself to text back Jungwon, she would've definitely said some rude words, some words she didn't mean, so she made Ji-Woo guard her phone for the rest of the period, listening to it vibrate in Ji-Woo's bag repeatedly.
Jungwon's sent her multiple texts and Yuri's re-reading them over and over, her heart burning along with her eyes. Yuri's never felt so many emotions at once.
Yuri dials her dad's number. "Dad?"
"Oh, Yuri," her father's voice sounded. . . surprised? No, it sounded like he had been caught doing something bad.
"Dad, where are you? You were meant to pick me up an hour ago," Yuri can feel her throat closing up and her tears threatening to spill over.
"Yuri. . . Uh. . . I don't know how to put this," he sighs and there's some voices from his side, a shuffling of papers and a sip of water, "Yuri, darling, I'm sorry I wasn't able to pick you up. I'll send your step-mother over now," he calls out to Yuri's step-mother, asking her to go and get Yuri from school.
"Dad? What's wrong?" Yuri can't take anymore heartbreak today.
"Yuri, your mother's back. She's with me right now."
Yuri was no longer dangling off the cliff, she was now tumbling through the air. She was now freefalling into darkness which swallows her whole. Yuri still hasn't landed. She's still falling. And falling. And falling. And falling. And falling. And -
"Yuri?" It's her step-mother, "we're home."
Yuri doesn't want to enter that apartment. She doesn't want to see the woman who abandoned her for some other guy from America. She just wants normalcy back. She wants to be back in the ENHYPEN dorm with Jungwon. In the recording room with Jungwon, Jay, and Heeseung. She wants go ice skating with Sunghoon again. Not in front of her apartment door with her step-mother pushing it open and her mother's voice flooding Yuri's senses.
"Yuri," it was her step-mother again, "go say hi to your mother."
Yuri doesn't want to.
But, her feet takes her to the kitchen anyway.
Her mother looks the exact same.
"Yuri!" Her mother's voice is the exact same.
"Yuri?" Her father's voice sounded worried, "why are you crying?"
This was all too much. Too much for Yuri. She misses Jungwon's voice. She misses Sunghoon's voice. She misses Seo-Jun and Ji-Woo, she misses her other friends from school. Why do bad things happen to Yuri? What has she done to deserve them?
Yuri takes a step back, ignoring her loud sobs filling up the kitchen, "I'm sorry," she shakes her head rapidly, "but I can't do this." Her voice cracks and that's Yuri's tipping point. She turns and leaves the kitchen, her heartbroken sobs sounding through the apartment, mixing with her father's, her mother's, and her step-mother's loud shouts for Yuri to stop and come back. But Yuri can't stop. She can't go back.
She has to get away.