Let's just say that life was going all too well for Jeongyeon.
She manages to make friends at the academy. Study and passing on the tests, while at the same time practice and train for her basketball team, which turned out to be great for her to practice some skills and get some exercise.
What caught her off guard though, was how sweet and gentle Nayeon turned out to be. Jeongyeon has been tutoring the latter for weeks now and slowly they gotten to know each other. It was starting to change for the better.
No more fighting and the urge to kill each other, once they made eye contact. Now for the first time in Jeongyeon's life. She was, surprisingly happy. Like nothing was trying to hold her back. Everything was going well until they were near the practical exam.
In JYP Academy, they have what they call "Practical Exam" After the normal written and listening one. It was a test of skills to see how much they have grown throughout the year. That means they will each fight other students from different classes.
The practical exam is known as a big spectating event from the school. It'll be broadcasted through live tv channel, where of course only authorised SuperPeople could manage to watch. The fight would usually be held in the big arena outside of the academy ground.
Each student would be graded by how they use their techniques against other kinds of power user. So it doesn't depend on whether they won the fight or not, but instead, they will judge them from they ways of fighting and strategic idea.
Something that Jeongyeon has been very fidgety about for the past few weeks. She was 100% sure she will pass the written exam, but she also needs to pass the practical exam to proceed to another grade or level, which Jeongyeon was so wrong.
Every time there was a fighting class with Mr G-Dragon, she'll always get low scores. The ways of her fighting were all based on her emotion, no strategy, nor techniques whatsoever, causing her to harm others rather than necessary.
Today, It was the same thing. Jeongyeon was getting a lot of punches and scratches from her sparring partner, Joy. A lovely and joyous person, just like her name. But Joy was bright, and her powers were beating her down.
Not because Jeongyeon couldn't defeat her. God, if she could, she would've kicked the ground up from the place of her stance and sent her flying to the other side of the wall. Instead, she was forced to listen to Mr GD's instruction about how to block or dodge an attack.
So far, Joengyeon was failing, and it causes her blood to boil. The vines slither its way towards her, tangling on her leg and the next thing she knew. She was thrown to the other side of the glass box, groaning at the hard impact.
She fell hard on her face, facing the hard and cold fall. The sound of Mr GD's shouting echoed, and it was sharp through the ear. Like a knife piercing its way through her eardrums. Words like "Pay Attention!" Or "Focus!" rings on her ear.
Before she could even regain her presence, another vine has made its way towards her. Wrapping around her leg and the next thing she knew, she was up in the air hitting the other side of the glass wall.
What makes it worse was the fact that the rest of her grade was spectating their fight: not just her class, but the whole degree. Making her the laughing stock, which doesn't go well with how she works.
She was seconds away to burn Joy alive. Screw all the defence techniques; she wants to get this thing over with. But deep down in her heart, she can't do it in front of hundreds of students watching over their fight.
One person's opinion matters the most to her, Nayeon's. Jeongyeon knew she was watching; she might not see her. But her feelings were that strong. Not only Nayeon but the other people in their friend group is also attending.
But Nayeon's was the most important of them all. She had promised the latter that no matter what, she would hold herself back and try to control. It was a stupid promise they made. Below one of the trees in Central Park, while watching the orange sunset.
Somehow, those words they made was ringing on her ear. Every time she made a move and was close to losing all of her sense.
"Promise me something, Jeong." She said, eyes still focusing on the sun that was slowly getting consumed by the earth.
The vibrant colours that were shining through her face made her face more beautiful under it, and somehow Jeongyeon was hooked. But she quickly shook it off and continue to stare at the sun.
"Promise you, What?" There was a paused for a moment, not much of an answer at first.
But before the colours were wholly consumed, Nayeon looked at her. She didn't look back though, scared at what the sight would be. Not that the latter was terrifying whatsoever, but she was afraid that her heart would burst.
Just because she was making eye contact with the other girl, but her ideas were gone to bust, once Nayeon asked her to look at her. "Look at me, Jeong." Voice gentle, yet demanding at the same time.
Jeongyeon didn't listen and act like she didn't hear anything. Then she felt a hand cupping her cheeks, forcing her to look at the latter. She swears that her face was red as a tomato at that point and hoping that the other girl was also in the same state.
But the shadows of the still setting sun covers the whole facial tone of the skin, giving her a slight relief. Once they were now on the same sight, Nayeon held her hand tight, and Jeongyeon has never felt this warm in her entire life.
"Promise me, that you would try to control your powers," Nayeon said, hands still covering Jeongyeon's
She chuckled at what the other girl has said, but it was toned entirely down once she saw that Nayeon was glaring at her.
"I meant what I said," She did mean what she said, Nayeon even said that she means it.
But it still didn't convince Jeongyeon to do it. She only smiles and faces the front once again.
"What makes you think I could do it?" Eyebrows were raised if challenging her, "I've promised Jihyo the same thing to but still no changes." Ending it with a smile.
It's not that Jeongyeon doesn't want to try. Believe her; she does try. But it was like she has reached the end of a wall and was forced to crash into it, a million times. So, instead of hitting, she turned and just stayed in the same cycle. Minus the whole crashing or in this case, she is trying.
Nayeon was having none of it, and slowly she intertwines their finger together. Jeongyeon froze and looked down at her hand. Before she could ask her, Nayeon beats her to it.
"At least do it for me," She said and smiled brightly.
She gripped harder as if their hold would come loose.
Jeongyeon snorted, almost laughing at what she said. Those words coming out of Nayeon's mouth was so rare to hear that it shocked her to the point that she snorted.
"Why should I do it for you?" Jeongyeon asked silly.
It was rather funny how they are having this kind of serious conversation. But then, Nayeon's expression changed to a softer one and gave a gentle and sweet smile.
"Because," She gently rested her head to Jeongyeon's shoulder and her breath hitched, "I'm doing to the same thing for you to by actually passing, You know what I'm saying, right?"She looked up to her.
Jeongyeon's brain short-circuited and out of nowhere, she rubbed her thumb to the top of her hand. With a low voice almost unheard, she whispered "Right."
Jeongyeon was no promise keeper, but this time she was determined to make it right. Before that tho, she has actually to lose control a couple of times. This fight is going to be another incident of it.
She was tired of all the constant shouting and throwing with no time of healing, all of that bruises were causing a lot of pain. Those pains are now in her vanes and were slowly channelled to her brain. She was starting to feel anger.
Because she didn't want to hurt Joy, she uses something less violent but still damaging. While on the ground, Jeongyeon waited for the vines to slither its way to her. She didn't care about blocking anymore; she wants to get this thing over with.
Once the vines were near her face, she conducted her powers to channel all over her body. It spreads to the entirety of her and with all her might freezes the end of the vines. The ice spreads immediately, travelling back to her and before she knows it, she was frozen still.
It was silent for a couple of moment, and Jeongyeon was able to breathe again. Then the bell rings, and her face popped out of the screen. She had won the match, but she would still get a harsh scolding from Mr G-Dragon.
Jeongyeon sighed at the thought of the lectures she'll get, plus the snickering from other students out of the box. When she was finally able to stand again, she went out and was surprised at how empty the place was.
The other student has already exited the building, leaving one man standing alone in a vast space. His face was flat with no expression, the usual judging face. Mr GD was having none of what Jeongyeon has done, and he wanted to change that.
Jeongyeon bitted her bottom lip and started walking towards him, but then she noticed something quite odd. The room was empty, yet there was a lot of noises, like whispering or echoed conversations that were starting to ring at her ear.
It bothers her because there were only the two of them there and she started to think maybe she hit her head too hard on the glass wall, that some of her brain nerves have detached itself from her brain making her lose all of her minds.
As she walked closer, the voices were getting louder and louder until it was clear. It was the voices of the other students of this room, but they could see them neither does Jeongyeon. She looked at Mr GD; both of his hands are on his back.
She is now standing in front of him, still bothered by the voices. She closed her ears, but it didn't help her at all. Mr GD just smiled like this didn't bother him at all.
"Relax, You're not crazy." He told him, his voice was soothing, almost calming her down.
"What is this place?" Annoyed because of the noises.
Mr GD took a deep breath and explained. "This, this is my power called "Room Manipulation" Have you heard of that before?" He asked, and Jeongyeon shooked her head.
It was the first time she saw a teacher shows how their powers work. Usually, they never used it because they have to show the students how to follow the rules correctly, and that means no skills at school time except his subject.
But even Mr GD himself never showed his powers to anyone, and for the first time in a long time, she is showing it to a student, like Jeongyeon. He continued to explain to her what it meant.
"The universe has many different layers; each layer has its kinds of usage. Same like the universe, the earth also has that, and every aspect has a layer. Even places like this have a layer. It depends if someone could open up that layer and transport themselves to it. We are in one of those layers." He said and motioned her to look around.
The room was ordinary; the difference is the voices are still there. "This is the top layer, meaning that it is not so deep. Which explains why we can hear the others talking."
She nodded but then she saw his facial expression change into almost a guarded one. He's going to tell her something profound. He looked her in the eye with sad eyes. "I was also raised in the facility."
Jeongyeon's eyes went wide; she was shocked at what she just heard. Mr GD was one of the Professor's patient?
Jeongyeon wanted to ask him more about it; maybe he had the answer about the facility itself. But he just continued his story, leaving her curiosity killing her.
"I was like you; I couldn't control my powers at first. It was a pain and impossible to control." He stopped to take a deep breath.
"I used to have a loving family, but it all went to bust because of my emotions. I told you that rooms like this have layers of space. You know what I did?"
She shooked her head, but deep down, she knows what he did, "I somehow trapped them to the deepest layer there is, and I kept doing the same thing over and over again. I can't bring them back now,"
Jeongyeon could relate to him, the feeling of not wanting to do something, the sense of losing control, then unleashing it, only with a cause. That is by losing someone they love dearly.
That was precisely what he was doing, laughing away the pain. The gripped on his hands was getting harder and harder, and Jeongyeon was starting to feel all of that energy he has. But it was somehow contained.
Then he started to show what was on his hand. It was a Rubik's cube, but the colour and texture were different. Then he looked at the hub, reminiscing it for a moment before he throws it at her, she caught it and finally noticed its details.
It was coloured dark grey, and one side of the tiny cube is rough while the other is soft. It makes it harder to solve and just by the touch, knowing that it needed more to make the pieces' moves.
"What's this for?" Moving the cube around on her hand, she looked at it more precisely.
He just smiled and turned around. "That's my way to control my powers; I want you to solve it." And then he opened the layer, ripping it opened big enough for the both of them.
But before he walked through, he looked to the side of his neck and said. "If you don't solve it, I will not allow you to join the practical exam; You have my words one that." Then he went through.
Jeongyeon stands there frozen solid; the practical exam is just two weeks away. How can she solve this cube before that? But before that, she has to go through that opening before it started to close.
She walked through and was immediately greeted by the same familiar face who's voice has been ringing on her ears.
______________________
Nighttime is the perfect time for an update, Tonight the Lazy-Ass Author-nim has come back from the dead to give you, yet another delayed chapter.
She is very very sorry for the late post she is working hard on it.
And well, Hei guys is Lazy ass Author-nim here.
Just ignore the narrative introduction. Sorry I was late on publishing. Other than high school problems, since I'm in grade 11. I'm starting to look for colleges or universities abroad.
Well Enjoy this week chapter and I'll see you guys later!
By the way, I'm sorry I didn't post Why Her? Today but I am pretty much happy and thankful for the 1K read. Thank you soo much and keep on supporting that story. My sis the brain of this story is having a crisis right now and she needs your support the most. We'll promise we'll come back with Why Her? again. Until then you guys have to wait for a while and we are very very sorry!
Also, can you guys also support my friend's story? I mean if you are a fan of anime such as Kimetsu No Yaiba and you love Twice then you can read my friend's story named "The Demon Inside of You" By Twicejjang10. I Co-Authored this story and I hope you guys could support it.
Thx!!!!
#Happy Birthday Jihyo
-Lazy-Ass Author-Nim!