"I can't believe our manager lied about the Jimmy Fallon show," Eunchae complained to Yunjin as they walked into the dance studio.
Before leaving the hotel, the girls had learnt that the Jimmy Fallon show was just a distraction so that the girls didn't pack and, so that, the Kim Chaewon surprise was foolproof. Obviously, Yunjin and Eunchae were distraught but Sakura, Kazuha and Chaewon had endlessly teased them for it.
"And I can't believe we still have to dance even though we're in a different continent. The nerve," Yunjin responded sourly and dumped her bag on the floor violently.
"Is the floor OK, Yunjinie?" A familiar voice chimed in and Yunjin swore that all the demorilisation she was feeling had immediately disappeared.
"Aren't you gonna ask me if I'm OK, Pupu?" Yunjin pouted and Chaewon laughed.
"That would be a stupid question. You two are obviously still bummed about the Jimmy Fallon show," Chaewon questioned, looking at Eunchae for a brief moment before focusing her attention on Yunjin.
"Well, duh," Eunchae sassed and Chaewon rolled her eyes.
"OK, I'm ignoring the maknae. That ugly frown on your face will disappear as soon as you hear what our dance instructor has planned for us today. Don't worry, Yunjinie!" Chaewon winked and skipped off to Kazuha and Sakura to stretch.
Yunjin was worrying though. Not about the Jimmy Fallon show or the surprise but about the crazy increase of her heart rate as she had been talking to Chaewon. It felt as if her heart would soon burst out of her ribcage and go flying right into the mirrors. Yunjin had never been so smitten over someone before. Chaewon was definitely different.
__
"You girls are having a new comeback!" their dance instructor announced and there was a chorus of squeals (mainly from Kazuha and Chaewon).
"And, so clearly, a new comeback always comes with a new piece of choreography. Hope you girls stretched - this one's gonna be tough."
Yunjin sighed as their dance instructor fixed them into their starting positions. It felt like it had been a week ago when their manager told them Perfect Night was their new comeback. Now, they had to learn this choreography for a comeback they knew nothing about. It certainly would be tough.
They started dancing, following their dance instructor's steps from the mirror. Occasionally, their instructor would sing tiny parts from the song and Yunjin would strain her ears, trying to get a listen. It wasn't fair she had gotten to hear the demo before them but it made sense.
Yunjin tapped Kazuha on the shoulder as their instructor was occupied. "Our instructor started singing these exact lyrics: 'Damn, I really make it look easyyy'."
Kazuha cocked an eyebrow. "So?"
"So, maybe our comeback song's called Easy?" Yunjin grinned and Kazuha scoffed.
"You'll get to know later, Yun. Just be patient and focus."
Kazuha turned around and Yunjin shrugged it off. She looked back into the mirror and, from there, she could see Chaewon staring at her earnestly. Chaewon immediately broke eye contact when she saw that Yunjin had caught her looking. Yunjin shrugged once again. Maybe Chaewon was iritated that her and Kazuha hadn't been listening?
Maybe.
On the other side of the room, Kim Chaewon scolded herself internally. She didn't know why but, when she saw Kazuha and Yunjin talking, her face instantly tensed. She had told herself it was probably because they weren't paying attention and it was just leader instinct but she felt out-of-place. She grimaced and began to focus on the dance. If she was being honest, it didn't really matter anyway.
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"Our instructor wasn't lying when she said it would be tough," Sakura perked up as the girls (plus their manager) walked over to their car after a five- hour-long session.
"It just doesn't fit though," Yunjin said absent-mindedly and Kazuha tutted.
"What doesn't fit, Yunjin?" Sakura asked persistently but Yunjin wouldn't budge.
Kazuha told her instead.
"During practice, Yunjin was whispering to me about the lyrics our instructor was singing and she was thinking that our comeback song was called Easy. Not saying she's wrong but it was completely uncalled for."
"Oh, I understand what she means now. The dance practice was tough but our comeback song could possibly be called Easy. Our Yunjin has a functioning but odd mind," Sakura responded and Kazuha chuckled.
"You guys were talking about a song instead of focusing on the choreo?" Chaewon questioned bitterly, her tone of voice catching the attention of everyone, even Yunjin.
"Our song, Chaewon unnie. And I was focusing on the choreo, before Yunjin distracted me," Kazuha replied and then cocked her head to the side, as they reached the car, "You good, unnie?"
"Very," Chaewon said callously and she swung open the car door and walked in.
There was that feeling again.
And it definitely wasn't leader instinct.
__
After a long day of blood, sweat, tears and partial confusion, all Chaewon had needed was a warm, bubble bath and her favourite YouTube videos.
And that was what she had got.
She now laid in her bed, thinking about today's events and, most importantly, her feelings. Emotions and feelings weren't things Chaewon liked to muse about but, in this situation, she thought it was necessary. Yunjin talking to Kazuha had irked her off in a unusual way. She had never acted like that when Sakura was screeching at Eunchae or Kazuha was giving her amazing advice to Yunjin. So why now? Chaewon wished she knew the answer to that.
If only she had a personal therapist she could rant to about all her problems.
"Unnie, can I borrow a charger?"
As if on cue, Nakamura Kazuha, the part-time idol and ballerina and full-time therapist, walked in, asking of a charger.
Chaewon needed to take this to her advantage.
"I'll give you my charger-"
"Thanks, unnie!"
"-if you help me with something."
Kazuha's eyes widened in curiousity and Chaewon patted to the spot next to her on her bed.
"You see..."
Uh, oh. Chaewon definitely hadn't thought this through. She couldn't straight up tell Kazuha how she'd been feeling about her and Yunjin briefly interacting during their dance practice. But she could. And she had to, if she wanted to get to the bottom of these weird feelings.
"...during dance practice, when you and Yunjin were talking, I-"
"You were jealous? It was so obvious, Chae! Don't worry, I won't steal your woman. I have Kkura," Kazuha interrupted and Chaewon double-taked.
"Jealous? No, if I were jealous, I wouldn't be chatting to you. I just need help."
"Confessing to Yun? OK, so I don't think she'd want chocolate. She says it's way too cliché."
Chaewon internally facepalmed. Kazuha wasn't letting her get her point across and it seemed as if Chaewon was now asking for advice to ask Yunjin out.
"No, no, no. Zuha, listen. I've been feeling odd lately. When you and Yunjin were chatting during dance practice, I felt a burning sensation in my chest. I don't know how, I just need to know why."
Kazuha looked quite taken aback for a few seconds before regaining her usual demeanor. "That's jealousy, unnie. You're jealous. I know because I felt the same way."
Chaewon furrowed her eyebrows. "How come?"
"You remember our first promotion day for Perfect Night when you were acting really suspicious then you and Kkura went out into the hallways?"
"Yeah... she find out about me being ill and hugged me. Why?"
"I saw her hug you and I hated it. More than everything. I've liked Kkura for a long time now and that day was a real awakening of my feelings for her. Maybe, today's your day of awakening?"
Chaewon's forehead creased in disbelief. There was no way she liked Yunjin. There couldn't be a way. But Kazuha had made it clear.
There was a way.
And maybe that way was true.