He had changed. His soft, noisy, cute and weird personality couldn't be seen these days. He didn't say it but the members knew. They knew that he was not okay. They tried talking to him but he would again change the topic or just tell them that they are overthinking and that he is totally fine when he clearly wasn't. But who was Jisung even lying to? To the people who could see right through him?
Lastly they thought giving him some space would be the best as for now. Now that he wasn't ready to open up, they thought they should give him his time to think about whatever situation he was in.
It was just one week until the survival show. Aera was in the practicing room, practicing on her own. She was almost done when her practice when her phone started ringing. Turning the speaker off, she took her phone to see Chan calling her.
"Hello?"
"Zo? Are you still in the JYP building?"
"Uhh..yeah I was just practicing"
"Its past 12 Zo when were planning to come back?"
He scolded.
"Ahh apppaa~ I'm done practicing I will reach the dorm in like 15 mins or something"
"Stop calling me appa and you better hurry"
"I will never stop calling you appa if you keep acting like one and yeah I am just leaving the building now"
"No wait wait-"
"Now what?"
"Its late. How will you come back on your own? I will just come and pick you up"
"It just takes 15 mins Chris oppa. I can come on my own"
"No wait I will- one minute Zo...did you see Jisung in the company by any chance?"
"Hmm? Jisung? Why?"
"Actually he is also not in the dorm. I guess he is still in the studio"
"Ahhh..."
She thought for a moment before talking again.
"Uh oppa if he is here then I will just come with him"
"What? You...you will come with him...?"
"Yes why? Is there a problem?"
"You sure you aren't actually planning to kill him or something?"
She rolled her eyes low-key knowing something like was about to come out of his mouth.
"Oppa seriously? Just because we fought doesn't mean I am going to kill him"
"And I can trust you?"
"Oppa"
She warned him.
"Fine fine. Im trusting you this time with him. He is my first child so don't even think about murdering my baby or else-"
"Woah so you think I can only be the one to kill him and he won't do something like that? Wow!! I saw how much you love me Mr. Bang Chris. Even if I sometimes plan about his death doesn't mean I will really do it. Or else I guess I will this time. Keep the phone now Im coming with him hmph"
Chan was saying something but did she care now? She had cut the call already with a hmph.
"I understand he is your first child but he is my first love as well and even if I have already found a place to hide his body still doesn't mean im going to kill that dumbass without confessing to him"
She packed her bag swinging it on her right shoulder before switching off the lights of the practice room and walking out with the sulk on her face.
She knew where he would be. She was the best at noticing that squirrel guy even if he payed near to zero attention to her.
She made her way to the studio on the 3rd floor after buying a choco shake for both of them.
She knocked twice and heard a sleepy voice.
"Who is there?"
She was about to answer but stopped when she heard his footsteps already coming near and the door opened revealing an exhausted guy who just woke up from his dreamland.
Rubbing his eyes with a small pout on his lips, Puffy cheeks, messy hair, tired posture but still the most handsome in her eyes.
"Aera"
She said as soon as the door opened while raising her right hand as if she was giving attendance.
"Wh...what are you doing here?"
His tone was different. He didn't seem annoyed by her presence but maybe was just surprised(?) That she was at the door of the studio at this time and that too with her bag and two bottles of his favorite shake in her left hand.
He took a look at the watch on the wrist of his left hand which displayed 12:25 am.
"What are you doing here this late?"
Oh. He cares? No no he would just be saying this because Im outside his studio.
She put a pause on her thoughts before answering his question with a question.
"I can ask the same thing too. What are you doing here this late?"
"I was just...working.."
Damn. Boy did he just- did he just answer my question? Is he still sleepy? Why isn't he just telling me to mind my own business?
Again. She got herself off her mind.
"Oh...I thought you were sleeping"
Her sarcastic self couldn't hold itself back. But this time too Jisung didn't give a nice reaction he just nodded his head.
"Yeah...I fell asleep while working"
Something is definitely wrong with him.
"Uh...I was just about to leave and Chan oppa called me saying you are also here so its good to come with you...its fine if you don't want to come I will leave-"
So she was still practicing? Wow Jisung and you thought she was talentless and not worth it.
"No"
He was quick enough to stop her as well as his thoughts midway.
"Uh..no I...I will come with you. You know what just come and sit inside and I will pack everything then let's leave together"
Did he just- The fuck Aera did he just say yes to travelling 15 mins with you?? I mean- come on something is definitely wrong with this guy. Should I ask him? But then I will come out as a nosy person but still this is too much why is he being this nice to me all of a sudden?
"Are you just going to stand there? I said come inside"
This time it was Jisung to put a stop to her thoughts
"Huh? Uh..yeah yeah"
She just went inside sitting on the couch watching him save his work and close all the tabs.
His studio was also as messy as his room. But did she mind? Oh hell nah.
She was just sipping on her choco shake. Staring at his busy figure dumbfounded.
It came to her head suddenly that she had bought one for him as well. She stretched herself, placing his shake on the table in front of him as now he was sitting on the chair and she was on the couch behind him.
"This is...for me?"
He asked turning to her and she looked away quickly.
"It was one plus one offer so..."
"But you got this from the company's cafeteria...? And as long as I know we don't have such offers..?"
"Huh? Uh yeah that uhm.."
"Wait- did you put poison in it? You are trying to kill me, aren't you?"
She was thinking of an excuse but his words made her stop and stare at him with the 'seriously?' Face
"What? I told you so many things...looked down upon you...pointed you out for things that you didn't even do...so its natural to think about killing me"
And now he was totally facing her. He had turned off his laptop and turned his chair in her direction.
"Are you...are you okay? Listen. Did you hit your head somewhere? Or did you ate egg shells for breakfast? Why are you so weird today? You do know that I am Aera right? Like Hwang Aera. The Hwang Aera. The one whom you didn't want in the group. The one who locked herself inside the practice room and framed Chaewon for it just to get in the group according to you and the one whom you hate. Why are you suddenly saying all these things to me?"
He sighed. It was normal for her to have all those thoughts in her head. And obviously he was the reason for it.
"I never hated you Aera. My mind was forced...to hate you. And I'm sorry for treating you so bad. Especially when you were never at fault. I hate to say this but yeah...you were right. Chaewon had filled up my mind with all those lies. And the truth finally opened my eyes. I don't know if you will forgive me or not but yeah...I...I'm sorry"
He said all of this with his head hung low. He lifted his head up when he heard no response from her. Only to find her staring at him suspiciously making him chuckle.
"Don't worry. I am totally fine. I didn't hit my head anywhere but yeah I guess the truth suddenly hit me. I know now that...Chaewon was the one who locked you in the practice room that day. I know now that she was just desperate to debut and nothing else. And I know now that she...she just...used me"
"Wow. Took you long enough to realise all of this"
Again her sarcastic self couldn't hold itself in and Jisung just gave her the done look.
"That's all you have to say?"
"Yeah. What else should I say? Well I shouldn't say 'I told you so' but yeah....I told you so..."
"Girl seriously I'm facing a heartbreak now and this is what you have to say? Like come on you aren't helping"
"You also weren't helping when you accused me of locking myself in the practice room when it was actually your shitty girlfriend who did that"
"Yah! Don't call her my girlfriend. It feels disgusting"
"Well but you still dated her so..."
"And I am no more dating her so..."
"Okay okay fine"
She took a pause, taking another sip of her shake and spoke again.
"So this was the reason why you were so low these days?"
"Hmm... I don't know why I feel like this. We weren't in a relationship for that long. But still I feel like this. I am just mad. And not even at her but at myself. Mad at myself for letting her fool me like that. Mad at myself for not knowing her cheap tricks. Mad at myself for letting her fill my brain with lies. Mad at myself for treating a good person in the wrong way"
"Hmm...but im not that good too"
"You are seriously going to ignore the rest of what I said?"
She sighed
"Even you should ignore all of that. Its alright to be mad at yourself for this but letting all of that take over you and your mind is not good. This much is enough. And you didn't even do anything wrong. Your only fault is that you chose a trashy person to date and you even trusted her. That's it. But nothing is going to happen if you keep regretting and whining about it and blaming yourself for it. The survival show is in a week. So come back on your track and show that idiot what she lost"
He took note of each of her word. He was unknowingly smiling at her.
"So...you are not mad at me?"
Can I ever be mad at you, you dumbo? I don't think my heart will ever allow me to do that.
"Maybe...well you yourself admitted that you didn't treat me that good so...shouldn't I be mad at you?"
He nodded his head and a small pout was visible even when he head was hung low.
Aera smiled looking at the guy in front of her.
"Fine. Im not really mad. I will forgive you"
His face lit up. It looked like someone just switched all the lights on of a dark room
"But there is a condition"
She continued
"What is it?"
"You will have to teach me how to rap like professionally and maybe even treat me some food next time"
He smiled widely at her conditions.
"Even I had thought that I needed to teach you how to rap when I saw you rapping that day"
"Yah! I rap well okay?"
"Oh yes definitely mam. 'You could be the king but watch the queen conquer'"
He mocked her lines from the verse that she rapped during the evaluation in the worst way possible. Legit speaking from his nose and doing hand moments like that 7th grade rapper wannabe guy who thinks he is cool.
"I should've just poisoned your coffee"
He started laughing making the corners of her lips turn upwards.
"But seriously though...are you okay? Did it hurt too much?"
"It would be a lie to say it didn't hurt. But I guess im fine now..."
He trailed off before adding.
"Can I have a hug though?"
He used the baby voice and enlarged his doe eyes making a cute face. And the way he opened his arms made his cute look complete.
"Okay...?"
She was unsure at first but as he already had his arms wide open she hugged him by his neck. It felt warm. Really warm. She can surely say that her crush life was successful now.
"But Aera...you know something?"
"What?"
"You actually sounded like that when you were rapping"
He referred to his mocking and burst off laughing. But that didn't last long because Aera had already tightened her grip against his neck giving him a neck lock.
"Yah...yah leave me I can't breath"
"Good. Cause im anyways aiming to stop your breathing forever"
"Yah you- I- I will die"
"Not like I don't want you to"
He struggled a bit but finally got out of her hold.
"Are you mad? Why am I even asking you. Its pretty clear that you are. You little monster"
He was still holding his neck while speaking.
"Who are you calling a monster?"
"You. who else?"
"You- I will seriously kill you"
And she ran towards him whilst he quickly switched off the lights of the studio and ran ahead with his bag on his shoulder. She followed him after locking the door of the studio and running behind.
Fortunately she didn't kill him on their way until the dorm. But instead they talked about a lot of stuff. Both of them were shocked by the similarities between them. Animes, kdramas, comics, songs, dreams, habits. They were just too relatable to each other.
Both of them even bought ice creams on the way. And like that the 15 mins walk to the dorm took them almost half an hour.
Jisung ringed the bell of the dorm and Seungmin opened the door. The duo just walked in not even caring to greet the guy in front.
"You both are alive? I thought you two would've killed each other until now..."
Chan finally gained the attention of the two.
The two just 'tched' at Chan and rolled their eyes totally being in sync.
"Yeah we both are alive. And we are going to sleep now"
Jisung answered the elder one who was checking both of them trying to find some cuts or atleast some scratches.
It wasn't actually wrong to think in that way. Because it was clear that Jisung hated her and that her feelings were also mutual. The two seemed frustrated whenever they were together and didn't even share a single word. Even when anyone tried to make the two communicate, they failed terribly. So this change was not expected.
The two just made their way to their rooms and even bid each other a bye. EVEN WISHED EACH OTHER A GOOD NIGHT??!!
Chan and Seungmin basically thought that they were hallucinating things and that the thought of making Jisung and Aera to get along was taking over their minds. They just sighed going to their respective rooms still shocked about what they saw earlier.
___
This chapter is so long!! Damn.
But yeah Thanks for reading!! <3