"How did it go?"
"She thought that we were soulmates, or something as dumb." To say that Ophely was irritated would be an understatement. She was angry and deeply displeased. She didn't want to be tied to someone else because of some stupid magic and historical stories. Especially someone she couldn't easily communicate with, who had a complicated lifestyle, and someone that was making her life harder as well. Movie night because Ophely is angry. "Bonkers, that woman." She shrugged her shoes off and heavily sat on one of the sofas.
Her answer clearly showcased that she was Ophley in Jeonghan's body. The real Jeonghan arrived a few seconds later, calmly walking in with his mask down under his chin, he closed the door behind and quietly removed his shoes as well as his coat and other warm clothes. When he realised that his roommates were waiting for him to speak, he sighed and made his way over to the couch and sat down in it. "Thought we were destined by the stars to be together." Jihoon sighed as well, knowing that it wasn't a mis-talking from Ophely, the seer had said weird things. "That was a bit far-fetched."
-
To say that Ophely was grumpy and in a bad mood would not be an understatement. It was the truth. The crazy old woman telling her that she was somehow magically attached to this idol guy, it didn't make anything easier in the situation - her insight didn't help at all. She was still in a body that wasn't hers, one that belonged to some public figure and did things she never would be able to do for a living. She was somehow pissed that she was stuck where she was - in Korea, surrounded by guys who half wanted to befriend her.
She was somehow alone in the middle of twelve, now thirteen, men and was only something that was taking up space.
She grumbled to herself as she drew that afternoon. Lunch had been pretty silent, and she could tell that the boys had waited for her to leave the room before they could talk more with hyung. Thinking about that moment made her mood worsen, she crumpled her drawing up and started another one. All of her design were becoming more and more stupid. Nobody went to talk to her in the bedroom, she didn't hear anyone coming through the corridor either. None had moved from the living room and the kitchen
She truly felt alone then. In a house full of lively people, but she was alone in a room, all by herself.
At least, for now. Because she knew that it wouldn't be long until she was pulled back away from her own body and back into Jeonghan's. Who was right in the middle of the people who didn't want to talk to her.
Which was what happened. Ophely was angrily crumpling a piece of paper when she had been moved into the kitchen, a glass of water in her hand and the other two eldest members of Seventeen in front of her. Talking to her. Or at least they were talking to Jeonghan, she wasn't him. So she didn't do anything but listen in to what they were talking about. Her. No surprise, and the problems she was causing to the group.
She didn't really pay attention to what they were saying in particular and decided to keep drinking from the glass Jeonghan had already. Why wasn't the boy coming in? She kept all of her frustration inside. That is until she was addressed, herself, to answer a question by Seungcheol.
"Sorry, can you repeat?" She tried to imitate Jeonghan's way of talking as much as possible, but only having a few hours with him wasn't much to base off of.
"What do you think Ophely feels regarding this situation?"
"I think you should ask her herself? No?" It might have cam out rougher than she had expected it to, but she didn't care. They were asking themselves what she thought, without asking her themselves. It wasn't that hard, she was just two doors down the corridor. And yet they asked Jeonghan, who wouldn't know much about her. Around the same amount that she knew about him, and she lived with twelve boys who often compared her to him.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, annoyed that you didn't bother asking me such a simple question yourself." She finished her glass of water with a slight sneer to the man. Joshua quickly realised that they weren't speaking to their friend anymore.
"When did you swap bodies?"
"A few minutes, maybe five." She didn't mean to be rude, but they had been just that. "So, let me tell you what I think about this entire situation." She set the glass down on the table and stared straight at the two men in the kitchen, Seungcheol and Joshua, sat straighter in their seats, understanding that it hadn't been the nicest thing to talk about Ophely while they could have talked to her. And after living with her for around two weeks, they knew that she took small and big offences to heart.
"I think that you are all privileged, and that my parents are too nice for you. You are all adults who work and do public appearances, I am a student, a minor, who has to attend her classes so that she can get her diploma - something that you all have except me. So if I don't get my diploma at the end of my school year, be ready to take the blame because it wouldn't be my fault that I don't get to finish high school like I am supposed to and thus not be able to get a job or pursue higher education next year. And it won't be my fault at all. I am also pretty sure that you haven't even thought about it." A few heads poked in from the living room.
"You might not get as much money because of this situation, but I might not get any because of your actions, thus making it impossible for me to potentially pay you back in the future."
"That might be going a bit far." Myungho intervened when the young girl took a breather.
"You think so?" She was not in a good mood. "Maybe I can give you another point, to show you that I am not going far at all. I haven't even left yet." She looked at each of the faces she could see from her chair. " You are all friends and co-workers, you work together. If one isn't there, you all get a little lost. But I don't have my friends with me, I don't have my parents. And I have pretty much no social life.; You are not my friends, and you don't even try to be. I am alone most of the time, and nobody asks me how I am fairing. Not once have any of you asked me that.
We spent time together so I could learn Korean, not for me, but for your benefits. And I am no closer to understanding what the hell is happening to me and Jeonghan. You haven't done anything to help us, have you? Jeonghan tried, the moment we met, he did. It was a failure, but a trial nonetheless. And after two weeks with you, you took me to your boss who just said that he will make it public that Jeonghan will not have any in-person appearances. No help! I am still stuck in the wrong body most of the time, and the same for Jeonghan.
I am no help, I can't even play Jeonghan in public because I am shit at dancing and a simple catastrophe at singing. And because of this discovery, you don't tell me anything about what is going on with your life. Just 'do this choreography with us', 'try to get the rhythm here'. This might help Jeonghan when he gets his body back, but what does it do for me? Nothing except exhaust my body, because Jeonghan still has to learn the choreography too. I am the one between the two of us who has to make physical effort for the other. I don't do P.E., yet I still have to. Have I asked Jeonghan to learn French so he could take notes for me in class if we swap then? No. I haven't.
But, also, Jeonghan is allowed to get out when he is in my body and do the things he wants? And I can't? You are all privileged, and I am not. I can't go out either because I am a public figure and you have crazy fans and I can't be trusted to hide myself well. Or I can't go out because I am a female minor who doesn't know the ropes of Korean appearances and manners in public.
What am I? A doodad?"
"A what?" Ophely hadn't realised that she had been swapping between English and Korean while she talked, replacing the Korean words she didn't know with English.
"An ornament?!" She asked again more seriously. "A thingamabob that just makes you trip up every day?" She stood up and made her way out of the kitchen, stopping short when a body was barring her road back to the bedroom. "I heard you the first time when you said I was weird. And how you didn't want to befriend a stranger. Guess what? Everyone is a stranger before becoming your friend or an acquaintance." She nudged Hoshi out of the way, she didn't stop until she got to the room she was staying in.
"I am not in the best grace either, but you are thirteen, and I am a lonely one."
-
Ophely had forgotten that she had been in the room before being swapped with Jeonghan, she was surprised to see herself sitting in front of the desk, all of her scrunched up sketches flat on the desk and herself analysing them and anotting in the margin.
"What are you doing?" She scoffed at him, still standing in the doorway of the bedroom, staring down at Jeonghan looking at her trash drawing.
"Helping you. Your designs are not bad, but a few have details that might be missing or amiss. As an idol who has worn a lot of outfits, I thought that I could help you a little." When she raised her eyebrow at him, he continued. "Because I can tell you that they don't deserve to be in the bin." And he smiled. Ophely didn't understand why, or how that had happened; but his smile, hers actually, was beautiful. She stared a few seconds before forgiving him.
"Thanks." She murmured as she crashed into her bed, or was it Jeonghan's? Her words were muffled by the pillow.
After being angry and emptying her bag in front of all the boys, she was somehow happy that Jeonghan hadn't intervened. She had needed to talk to them, and have them listen to what she had to say. Which they had.
So following that anger-filled mind opener, she was tired. And thankful. So she just fell in bed, and fell asleep. Like that. Letting Jeonghan tweak her designs and add some insight. She trusted him as she knew he had a bit of work experience in that department. He may not be an expert, but he was surrounded by stylists and his wardrobe wasn't bad either. So she let the man be as she slept.