𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟐
"doyoung... it's been six months."
"i know."
"i miss them."
"i know."
"i'll see them tomorrow?"
"you will."
"are you sure?" she asked and he looked up from his book with a sigh and removed his glasses.
"you're all going on this victor's tour together. don't worry. i told you they can't keep you away from each other. you're lucky they even allowed you to hologram every week."
ever since the seventy-fourth hunger games came to an end, the eight went back to their districts to live in the victor's villages. due to them all being from different districts and travel being a big factor in why they couldn't visit each other, they were permitted to use holograms to speak, to maintain their relationships. well, it was hardly a hologram. more like faint blue outlines so they could barely see each other. probably done on purpose.
tomorrow, the eight victors will reunite and it'll be televised for the whole of panem to see and then the day after, the victor's tour would begin. as much as jihyun was excited to see her friend again, she was also dreading the fact that she'd be out in the spotlight again. living within the quiet victor's village had been tranquil but it hadn't lasted long. she needed more time.
"i'm going for a walk." jihyun said, throwing her new fluffy jacket on. hana insisted she buy one and she was glad she did because it kept her warm during the cold weather.
"don't be out too long! we need to be on the train early in the morning." doyoung called after her as the door clicked shut and she disappeared outside. "this kid..."
jihyun stuffed her hands into her pockets as she walked out of the village. she waved to her younger siblings who were out playing with other children in the snow then continued walking towards the large mountains.
"where you off to?" a sudden voice made her come to a stop just below one of the mountains.
"jungwoo?!" jihyun nearly screamed, whizzing around and throwing her arms around the older boy.
"nice to see you too, jihyun." he said, rubbing her back.
"i thought you weren't getting here till tomorrow!" she said, smacking her hands onto his face.
"i thought i'd surprise you by coming early." he said, puffing his cheeks. "you're happy, aren't you? wait. don't answer. i know you are."
"six months and you haven't changed one bit." she shook her head. "but yes, i'm so happy you're here. you can stay the night in my new house. we can have a sleepover and talk all night."
"no, missy, we are not doing that. you need your beauty sleep for tomorrow. i plan to make you look extra cute and glamorous for those boys." he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and pushing her towards the mountain to start climbing.
"excuse me. what?"
"i didn't say anything... just that you need to look good for the whole of panem to see." he lied.
"no, you didn't say that."
"i didn't say anything then." he said then slipped on some snow and grabbed her arm to steady himself.
"that's what you get for lying." she scoffed, brushing him away.
"alright. fine. i said for those friends of yours."
"and why exactly did you say that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she took one big final step to the top.
"i plan to make at least two of them fall in love with you." he replied, nonchalantly.
"what?!" she exclaimed. "why?!"
"oh, everybody loves a little drama here and there. i bet the capitol would eat it up and you eight would be a hot topic for a long time." he hummed, doing strange hand gestures.
"jungwoo, i don't want that." jihyun sighed. "i'm exhausted. i don't like being watched from every angle and being talked about every day. i don't want fame. i want quiet."
"i understand." he said, sympathetically. "i was only joking, kid. but... you know if you do like one of them and need my help..."
"jungwoo!"
"okay, sorry!"
♆
early morning came and they boarded the train that would take them to district twelve in a few hours where jihyun would be meeting the other seven and have a brief interview with caeser. then tomorrow they would begin their speeches.
when they arrived in district twelve they were taken to the victor's village where donghyuck lived. there were cameras set up all over the place, pointing directly at jihyun and the door of his house, waiting for it to open.
and when it finally did, out walked the ethereal boy who had dyed his hair a lighter brown, contemplating his skin and eyes even better. he was wearing a black turtle neck and black pants underneath a trench coat. he looked as good as always.
jihyun had completely forgotten about the several cameras and rushed forwards, wrapping her arms around the boy. they nearly fell to the floor, laughing as he hugged her back.
"i'm so incredibly happy to see you." she whispered against his shoulder.
"me too." he whispered back, then pulled her by the shoulders, taking in her appearance. her re-dyed red hair had gotten a little longer which he knew she was probably glad about. "you look well, healthy, joyful."
"now that i get to see you, donghyuck." she said, lightly punching his shoulder.
"haechan."
"what?"
"i go by haechan now." he grinned.
"that's new. why?" another voice asked before jihyun could.
the pair turned around to see mark, jeno and jaemin. mark had cut his hair but kept it black and had it nicely styled on his forehead. he was wearing a large red jumper paired with beige pants and black shoes.
jeno now had platinum blonde fluffy hair that jihyun so badly wanted to run her hands through. he was also wearing a jumper but it was striped black and white with a large coat on top.
jaemin like don— haechan, also had light brown hair but a slightly different shade. oddly enough he was wearing a suit.
they all looked expensive and jihyun felt a little self-conscious about the fact that she forced jungwoo to pick warmth over nice fashion for appearing on tv for the first time after six months. but a large grin appeared on her face as she ran over to hug them, haechan soon joining her.
"jihyun, hey." mark greeted.
"hey?" she laughed at his awkward greeting which made him smile.
"foxy, how've you been?" jaemin asked, ruffling her hair. "donghyuck— i mean haechan, you?"
"been well." haechan replied after hugging mark and jeno.
"i'm fine too and don't mess my hair up. jungwoo spent ages on this." jihyun complained, hastily trying to fix the bun and her bangs framing her face.
"you must be glad your hairs growing fast. you look nice." jeno said, showing off his eye smile as always.
"thank you, jeno, but you're one to talk. look at you four dressed up so fresh and handsome! you must have all the girls falling for you." she said.
"i hope you'll turn that four into a seven."
"chenle!"
"jihyun!" chenle yelled back, rushing over to the girl. he embraced her and they fell onto the snow on their sides. "you don't know how much i've missed you!"
he had dyed his hair dirty blonde and styled it like curtains. he was wearing a large white shirt underneath a blue hoodie and denim trousers. jihyun couldn't even begin to describe the way her heart flipped at his new look.
"i've missed you too."
"hey, careful! jihyun's hair." renjun said, holding his hand out for them to take. "hello, jihyun."
his hair was black and he had grown it out, some strands covering his eyes. jihyun gaped at how pretty he looked. he was also wearing a fluffy coat, like her, over a simple grey shirt and denim trousers.
"renjun." she said, wrapping her arms around him as chenle went to greet the others. she buried her head in his fluffy coat. "i hope you've been well."
"i have. i missed cuddling."
"mhm. i'm sure you have, small spoon." she teased.
"don't even go there..." he playfully rolled his eyes.
"jihyun, if you don't hug jisung already he'll start pouting like a baby." chenle said, gesturing to the last boy to be greeted by her.
"and there'll be lots of crying." haechan added, his elbow resting on chenle's shoulder.
"i'm not going to cry!" jisung argued as jihyun went over to hug him.
his hair was also light brown and pinkish. he was wearing a leather jacket and all black which almost gave off a 'bad boy' vibe if it weren't for his puffed cheeks that made jihyun want to pinch for looking like a chick.
it seemed like only renjun and jihyun were dressed appropriately for the weather.
"aww the jiji reunion." jaemin said, clasping his hands together.
"oh my god. he's actually tearing up!" mark laughed, pointing at the taller boy.
"no, i'm not." jisung mumbled, but his eyes were stinging from the tears threatening to spill.
"why are you crying?" jihyun asked, rubbing his back. "you're so emotional."
"i'm just glad we're all reunited..." he whispered.
"hello. hello. earth to you all. are the greetings done now?" caeser's voice interrupted the group as the cameras moved closer to them.
"oh, caeser, i completely forgot you were even here!" haechan replied, bitterly.
"i guess we've been so caught up in the moment that we hadn't acknowledged anyone else." jeno said, urging them all to stand beside him.
"we went through a lot together. i think we're all just delighted to be by each other's sides again." jaemin added.
"i completely understand! so how've things been going in your districts?"
"i think i speak for everyone when i say great. things have been great for us all. even better now." mark said. "it was nice to talk to you again, caeser."
"you too. you too. well, we'll be checking up on you throughout the victory tour tomorrow. thank you all and see you later!"
finally, the cameras switched off and they released a breath they hadn't realised they were holding in.
"that was... something." renjun mumbled.
"something indeed." jeno sighed.
"i'm cold." jisung mumbled.
"not surprised." jihyun said, linking her arm with his.
"come on, kids. come along." hana appeared beside them, pushing them.
"where are we going?"
"you're staying at my house." haechan cheered, pushing open the house door for them to enter.
"jihyun, your room is the first one by the stairs. the boys have the other rooms. no going into theirs."
"just because you're dating my cousin, doesn't mean you start acting like my mum." jihyun scoffed at hana who gasped.
"i am offended that you think i'd date that weirdo."
"hanaaaa." doyoung whined, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "you think i'm a weirdo?"
"you're my weirdo." she replied, kissing his cheek.
"gross! gross! get out!" jihyun cringed, pushing the couple out the door.
"if you need us we'll be staying in taeyong's house!" doyoung yelled, his voice muffled by the door that she had slammed shut in his face. "bye!"
"peace finally..." renjun said and a silence filled in as they all stood in place, shivering slightly.
"last one upstairs has to start the speech tomorrow!" chenle suddenly exclaimed and in a second they were all scrambling to rush up the stairs.
jihyun panicked because she was by the door, furthest away from the stairs. she hurried over and up the stairs, just behind mark. before he reached the final step, he glanced over his shoulder, noticing jihyun was the last one and he slowed down, letting her overtake him.
"hey! hana said no going into boys rooms!"
"so?"
he followed her into haechan's room where the others were collapsed on his bed and floor. they all turned to look at mark who entered last.
"i guess i'm starting the speech." he shrugged his shoulders, sitting on the side of the bed.
"thank you." jihyun whispered and he smiled, patting her knee.
"it's fine. i would have ended up doing it either way because i'm the eldest and most responsible."
"most responsible?" haechan scoffed. "i sometimes forget you're eighteen and the eldest."
"i'm nineteen."
"you're nineteen? that's even worse!" he said, dramatically falling onto his bed, making the latter roll his eyes.
"yeah, i turned nineteen a little after the games ended." he mumbled and the atmosphere quickly turned gloomy. "i turned nineteen and i was meant to be celebrating, enjoying my day but i just kept thinking and thinking. before and during the reaping, i kept telling myself i just had to get through it because it would be my last one and then i'd be free! and it had happened, i was safe, but then... i volunteered and everything went downhill from there."
"but you met us. so that's a positive thing." jeno said with puppy eyes.
"yes. yes, it is. i'm very grateful for that. it's just crazy to think how age could be so significant. i really wanted to be a stranger, far from this society. the last six months were hard. i kept thinking if there would be anyone who can relate and understand me. but all i'd have to do was look up at the stars and i would be reminded that you seven existed."
(a/n: stream child.)
"mark lee." renjun mumbled, his tears nearly overflowing. mark looked around at the others who all held similar looks.
"did i go overboard?" he asked, sheepishly.
"no wonder you're going first for the speeches. you're good at this stuff." jihyun said.
"thanks." he said, looking down at his hands. "anyway, don't you agree with the age thing? aren't some of you eighteen now?"
"yeah. jeno, renjun, dong—haechan and i. i really don't think i can get used to this whole haechan thing." jaemin groaned.
"you can still call me donghyuck. just not when we're on camera or in the capitol."
"much easier..."
"wait. then this means jihyun is officially a member of the youngest-go-first club." jisung said.
"what? what? what?" jihyun asked, barely comprehending a word he had said.
"you're still seventeen and jisung and i turned seventeen recently so we're the three youngest. we are the youngest-go-first club because we are superior." chenle explained, sticking his tongue out at the others.
"i'm still kinda a year older than you two. i turn eighteen in a few months. you won't kick me out, will you?"
"we're making an exception for you." jisung said, placing his large hand on top of her head.
"i think it should be oldest-go-first." renjun interrupted.
"no, that sucks."
"does not!"
"does too!"