jungwon's p.o.v
"You did well. Everyone, let's go home'" I nodded to the others with a content smile, taking the towel around my shoulders to dab my face. The music stopped. Another dance practice was finally over.
"What's today's dinner? Steak?"
"Steak."
"Again?"
I laughed at the usual conversation between Sunghoon and Jay, before I sat down on the ground, feeling exhausted.
Grabbing my water bottle, I unlocked my phone when Ni-ki suddenly approached me energetically. He put his arm around my shoulders, wiggling his eyebrows as if there was something he wanted from me.
"What?" I mouthed, taking a big sip from my water.
He was just about to open his mouth to reply, when suddenly my phone rang, startling the both of us as we stared down at my phone's display.
My eyes widened after seeing the caller's id.
It was Ji.
I hurriedly threw the water bottle in a corner, looking around in panic as I was caught off guard.
Why was she calling me???
"Jungwon? What are you doing? Go answer it already!" Ni-ki who was just as taken aback as me looked at me with wide eyes, raising an eyebrow before he watched me dash out of our practice room in confusion.
I ran into the first empty room I saw. Which wasn't too difficult because our practice was at night, meaning we were one of the last ones in the building.
Closing the door behind me, I took a deep breath.
Before calling her back, I cleared my throat several times to make sure my voice wouldn't come out croaky or break.
The phone rang 3 times.
That's when she finally picked up.
Silence.
"Hello..?"
My voice sounded unsure and filled the tranquil room I was in.
"Hi. Jungwon?"
There was it.
My breath hitched as the seemingly silent room was filled with my loud beating heart.
I didn't expect her voice to sound this honeyed.
"Ji? Is that you?"
I managed to say, my voice didn't break. Thankfully.
"No, It's Santa. Santa Claus. For fuck's sake, didn't you look at the caller's id first?"
And there came soft, childish laughing from the other side of the phone.
A small smile made its way up to my lips, when it dropped immediately a second later.
It was then when I noticed that her disembodied voice slightly broke towards the end, revealing quiet sobs as she adjusted her phone, causing loud, disturbing noises to make me cringe.
Was she crying?
"What happened? Ji, Why are you crying?"
"I'm sorry. I really hope I didn't disturb you."
"You didn't, don't worry..."
"I just didn't have anyone else to call."
The phone in my hand tightened as I looked down to my shoes.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
"..."
"The usual."
She laughed again, but this time it wasn't convincing.
"What?"
"I like your voice."
I didn't answer, feeling my heart jump out of my chest.
"Please continue talking. Just say anything.
I really need it."
"Oh, okay. What do you...want me to say?"
I gulped, feeling nervous all of a sudden. I had no idea what to say.
"I..."
"Tell me about your day, Jungwon."
"Ah, okay, okay. My day? Nothing much happened. Uh, I..ate ice cream today. My friend ordered mint chocolate flavored one. When I bit into my ice cream he stared at me with big eyes saying people don't do that here."
I heard her chuckle from the other side.
"And I argued back saying people don't eat mint chocolate. At least they shouldn't. There's even mint chocolate chicken. Like? That should be considered a crime!"
"Mint chocolate chicken?"
"Yes! I barely managed to convince my friend not to order it."
I heard her laugh as I sighed in relief.
For a moment it was quiet again.
Except for her unsteady, shaky breathing.
"Jungwon?"
"Mh?"
"I'm so sad."
"It's okay."
"It's so tiring."
"It's okay to be sad."
"..."
"Just...don't give up."
"What if I don't have the strength
to keep going?"
"It's always the same."
"You aren't alone, Ji. I'm here."
"No, you are not."
"You are just comforting me
because it's your job."
"Ji."
"People always end up alone."
"What?"
"You struggle alone.."
"you suffer alone..."
"i'm and in the end, you die alone."
"It will never change."
"Ji, wait-"
I anxiously looked at my phone after the beep sound startled me.
She hung up on me.
jungwon's p.o.v end
_
xxx_ji:
jungwon
xxx_ji:
thank you for answering my call
xxx_ji:
i'm sorry for getting worked up for no reason
xxx_ji:
one day i will tell you my story
xxx_ji:
one day
xxx_ji:
till then don't forget our promise, okay?
xxx_ji:
you have to bring me to the auroras one day
xxx_ji:
i want to see the Northern lights before i die
:¨·.·¨:
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