Line 49 - Epilogue: Seohyun and Yoona
Title: Line 49
Pairing: Yulsic, Taeny, Hyoyoung, Yoonhyun, Sunsic
Rating: G - NC-17
Genre: Drama, romance, angst, high school AU
Summary: The struggle is different for everyone; we all take different measures to deal with our problems. Friendships are created and tossed upside down, love is found, love is lost, and trust is formed and betrayed as these nine girls find their places in each other's lives.
Chapter wordcount: 3,033
A/N: epilogue part 2 of 4. i usually have problems focusing on the same thing for too long but i'm writing on pure adrenaline now i think, haha. i can't imagine what it'll feel like when it's over.
hope you enjoy~
Prologue
Chapter 1: "Would you have said paranoid or socially retarded, I would have done a dance of joy."
Chapter 2: "Line 49 for homo- and bisexual youngsters."
Chapter 3: "Do you know what kind of relationship Jessica and Yuri share?"
Chapter 4: "A real fight? With like claws and stuff?"
Chapter 5: "You were acting like a crazy person today."
Chapter 6: "Do you even know my name?"
Chapter 7: "Ask her if she's straight? Are you kidding?"
Chapter 8: "Did somebody hurt you?"
Chapter 9: "Stop this before it's too late."
Chapter 10: "I found something that moved me."
Chapter 11: "This is who you are, Taeyeon."
Chapter 12: "If it helps you, it's not a waste."
Chapter 13: "I'm going crazy thinking about her."
Chapter 14: "I-- I want to be with you too."
Chapter 15: "And what if there are no solutions?"
Chapter 16: "Will you go out with me?"
Chapter 17: "So I'll have to marry you before you finish telling me this story?"
Chapter 18: "Oh, Taeyeon... It changes everything."
Chapter 19: "You're just so cute when you get excited."
Chapter 20: "What's happening to us?"
Chapter 21: "There's always time for miracles."
Chapter 22: "I don't want to live without you."
Chapter 23: "I have some things I want to say."
Chapter 24: "It's powerlessness."
Chapter 25: "What are you scared of?"
Chapter 26: "Did your mother kick you out because you're gay?"
Chapter 27: "That's the most important thing, right? Happiness?"
Chapter 28: "I love her."
Chapter 29: "Everything that's happened... It's making me confused."
Chapter 30: "You lied to me."
Chapter 31: "Did you run away or get kicked out?"
Chapter 32: "I just thought you should know."
Chapter 33: "I think I'm okay."
Epilogue: Jessica, Yuri and Sunny
The first person Hyoyeon met after coming back home - after Sooyoung, of course - was Seohyun. It was in the early morning the day after Jessica said her goodbyes to Yuri and Sunny, the last day before Seohyun was set to be released from the hospital.
Sooyoung stood back in the bright hospital room and allowed the two to have their moment, Hyoyeon with her back crouched to embrace the younger, who was sitting up in her bed. They held each other silently; only their calm breathing could be heard in the room.
Truth to be told, Sooyoung had been a little worried about Seohyun's reaction to Hyoyeon's homecoming. She thought Seohyun might give her a lecture or let her know just how upset she was with the other girl's decisions, and Hyoyeon was very jumpy. Considering it was her first day back, it wasn't too hard to understand. But Seohyun said nothing, simply stroking Hyoyeon's back calmly, eyes closed and features relaxed. When they pulled apart, Seohyun faced her with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're back," she said, and Hyoyeon gave a breathy laugh. It was all that needed to be said, Sooyoung thought, and she was relieved. Too much sympathy and reliving of her painful memories was not what Hyoyeon needed right now.
"When will the others be here?" Seohyun asked then, holding onto Hyoyeon's hands and gesturing for her to sit down in the chair by her bedside. "It's getting late."
"They should be here any minute now," Sooyoung said, checking the time on her phone. "We're all going to school together later."
"Except for me," Hyoyeon said, stretching a little. "I need to get some sleep."
Seohyun gave her a reproachful look, and for a second it seemed like she was going to go off on the other for skipping school, but she composed herself. "Where are you staying?" she asked instead.
"At Tiffany's," Hyoyeon replied.
"We decided that makes the most sense right now," Sooyoung filled in. "Since Taeyeon is staying with me for the moment and Tiffany has a lot of space..."
"And Tiffany is extremely protective, I get it," Seohyun finished for her with a laugh. Sooyoung and Hyoyeon exchanged a glance. "Well, they'd better hurry here or you're going to be late."
"It's okay if we miss first period," Sooyoung said, shrugging, grabbing a chair from the other end of the room and moving it to sit beside Hyoyeon. She didn't dare to hold her hand.
Seohyun was about to shoot them a glare when the door opened and Sunny, Taeyeon and Tiffany hurried through it. Hyoyeon jumped up from her chair to catch Tiffany as she threw herself into her embrace, hugging too tightly to breathe. Taeyeon and Sunny watched her impatiently, but seemed to realize that their turn wouldn't come anytime soon, so Taeyeon leaned against Sooyoung's chair while Sunny went to give Seohyun a hug.
"I'm sorry but I can't stay for long," she said. Seohyun stared up at her through wide eyes. "I... Yoona told me Yuri is coming along," she explained, "so if I could just get to say hi to Hyo..." She raised her voice, looking over at Tiffany, who still had Hyoyeon in a death grip.
"Don't you dare," Seohyun said, grabbing a hold of Sunny's wrist.
"I just don't want to make a scene," Sunny tried to reason with her. "This is supposed to be Hyoyeon's and your thing. A happy thing. Me and Yuri trying to kill each other could bring the mood down."
"Yuri isn't unreasonable," Seohyun insisted. "Unless you're going to bring it up, you can stay in the same room together."
"You have to," Tiffany said, finally pulling back from Hyoyeon, but keeping her hands placed firmly on her sides. "I'm not letting either of you go, so you have to learn to be in the same room with each other. Okay?"
"And Jessica isn't coming," Seohyun added.
"You still haven't been able to reach her?" Sooyoung asked from where she was sitting, looking up at Taeyeon.
Taeyeon shook her head. "No one's heard from her."
"That's... a little worrying," Hyoyeon said, guilty smile on her lips.
Tiffany pushed Hyoyeon's hair behind her ear, and Sooyoung felt something brewing deep inside of her. "Yuri says she'll get in touch when she's ready," Tiffany muttered, "and I think she if anyone would know."
"Fany," Taeyeon said quietly. Tiffany looked at her, and seemed to realize what she was doing. Giving Hyoyeon's shoulders one last squeeze, she skipped over to Taeyeon's side.
"I... I don't know, guys," Sunny hesitated, removing Seohyun's hand from her wrist carefully. She turned to Hyoyeon finally engulfing her in a bear hug, even spinning them around a few laps while Hyoyeon laughed uncertainly. "I'm so glad you're back, you have no idea," Sunny said, resting her chin on the other's shoulder. "And I wish I could stay, but..."
"You can," Sooyoung cut in. "And you should."
"Yeah, it's been ages since we were all together," Tiffany said, slipping her hand into Taeyeon's.
Hyoyeon nodded, pulling back from Sunny's touch. "Please stay," she said, giving her friend her best set of puppy eyes.
Sunny tilted her head and whined. "I can't say no to this, can I?"
"That's right, you can't," Sooyoung interjected, nudging the other with her foot. "So stay."
They were interrupted by the door opening again, this time to allow Yoona and Yuri to step into the room. The girls all tensed up, anxious to see if it was possible for them all to be together like this again, but their fears were washed away as Sunny went to stand by Seohyun's bed, and Yoona rushed into the room to launch herself at Hyoyeon.
"Hyo!" she cried, voice high pitched and overjoyed. "You're actually here!"
Yuri gave a quick glance around the room, but didn't show any reaction to seeing Sunny there. "Yoona, get out of the way," she said instead, and followed the younger to give Hyoyeon another hug.
"Never," Yoona grunted into Hyoyeon's shoulder. "I'm never letting go again."
"Well then," Yuri said, circling around them to give Hyoyeon a back hug instead. Hyoyeon laughed between them, but eventually started coughing instead, causing the girls to immediately let go of her, while Sooyoung bit at her nails to keep her possessiveness from boiling over. Seohyun cleared her throat and Yoona looked at her over her shoulder.
"Sorry," she said, and sunk down next to Seohyun on her bed. "Hi." They gave each other a quick kiss on the lips, and most of the others looked away, except for Tiffany, who was staring at them with a satisfied smirk on her face.
"How are you?" Yuri asked, now facing Hyoyeon instead.
The older of the two shrugged a little. "I'm okay," she said evasively. "We just got back this morning, so... I'm tired."
"Let me know if you want me to give you a ride home earlier, Hyo," Tiffany said. "Although, we should probably get going soon anyway."
"It's okay," Hyoyeon said, giving her a grateful smile. "For now, I just... want to be here with you guys. It's been a while." She laughed, and it still sounded insecure.
Yuri walked over to stand by Tiffany's side, her whole posture seeming hesitant. Hyoyeon sank back down into her chair next to
Sooyoung. And they all looked at each other, the scene seeming so familiar, the atmosphere feeling so much like home that they forgot about all the grudges they still held against each other. "Yeah," Tiffany breathed. "I wish we could just stay here all day."
Some of the other girls nodded in agreement. Sooyoung nudged Hyoyeon, and when the older looked at her, she mouthed: "Are you okay?" Hyoyeon nodded, giving her a genuine smile, but her eyes gave her away. The exhaustion shone through them without a chance of being hidden. Sooyoung debated with herself again on whether or not she should take her hand, but she knew it was too soon. Much too soon. Hopefully the right time would come someday.
"If only..." Seohyun started, and everyone in the room knew what she wanted to say. If only Jessica was here too. She cleared her throat, looking everywhere but at Sunny or Yuri. "I mean, I hope the nine of us won't have to separate again for a long time."
Sunny and Yuri's eyes met instinctively at that. They looked away quickly, both knowing what the other knew. And it was strange; such an odd feeling to be keeping a secret with someone who hates you. Or, in Yuri's case, someone you hate.
Yoona laughed suddenly. "It's been a hell of a ride, hasn't it?" she replied to the questioning eyes thrown in her direction.
"What has?" Seohyun questioned, fingertips playing with the hem of Yoona's shirt.
"Just... our lives," Yoona said. "Since we got to know each other. Hasn't it been crazy?"
"Yeah," Sooyoung agreed. Some of the heaviness in her heart seemed to disappear in the breath she used to say it. "Let's calm down from now on, okay?"
"Dude," Taeyeon said in a laugh. "Deal."
The others joined in, and the room suddenly seemed warmer than before. The things they had lost, the horrible things that had happened over the past few months still hung in the air, there was no denying it, but for some of them, this was the moment when it started to fade. It wasn't the focus of their attention anymore.
Despite her cold facade, there was a small, warm smile playing even on Yuri's lips, that seemed to say: "It's okay as long as we're together." At least that's what the other hoped it said. They hoped they all felt the same.
Tiffany leaned over towards Yuri as conversation broke out in smaller groups. "I'm glad you decided to come," she said, low enough so that only Yuri would hear it.
Yuri snorted. "I had to do my duties as a friend, you know," she replied, showing her best friend the slightest of smiles. She took in the words for a few moments before she saw the underlying meaning in them.
In time, they would probably be okay, too.
Yoona sank deeper into the chair she was sitting in. She felt overwhelmed, slightly dizzy and speechless, happy that she didn't have to try to make sense of her feelings and words at that very moment.
Five hundred people sat behind her, and she could only imagine they felt just as hypnotized as her. Because on the stage in front of her, her girlfriend, her Seohyun, was soaring across the stage in the most beautiful dance Yoona had ever seen. It was as she remembered it from the first day that she tagged along for Seohyun's dance practice; she moved with such grace that Yoona almost felt like she wasn't supposed to be seeing this.
After each dance number, the audience gave round after round of applause. The sound was overpowering. The pride was addicting. And now, as the dancers performed the final number, where Seohyun's character's life hung in the balance, tears formed in her eyes, and she had to swallow down the lump in her throat constantly to stop herself from bawling like a child. She was done with that.
But this happiness was so strong that it kind of hurt.
It was just who she was, Yoona supposed. The dizziness continued as the curtain closed, and Yoona was the first one to stand up in her chair to give them a standing ovation. Her mother stood up from the chair beside her a few moments later, and her father followed suit in from the seat beside hers. Whistles echoed in the concert hall, a few calls of "bravo!", but the sound of applause took up more space than she thought possible; it resonated through Yoona until she wasn't sure what was applause and what was the beating of her own heart anymore.
She rushed out of her seat with a quick: "I'll see you soon," half-yelled into her mother's ear, and she set off out of the hall, out into the corridor to find the door that would take her backstage. After all the time she had spent with Seohyun at her dance practices, she was practically a part of the team at this stage. She skipped through the corridor, between discarded props and busy staff workers, almost tripping over the skirt of her dress as she ran, and when she finally found Seohyun, she felt as if her heart would stop beating.
The youngest's face lit up as she saw her, covered as it was in white makeup and heavy blush. "You," Yoona said as she hurried the last few steps over to her and holding onto her waist, "you absolute genius."
"How was it?" Seohyun asked through bright pink painted lips. "Was it good?"
"It was perfect," Yoona replied, knowing that it was a cliché, that there was nothing she could say to explain the feelings tearing at her heart. "You're such a star, Seohyun."
"Really?" Seohyun asked, beaming at Yoona, hands finding their way to the back of Yoona's neck.
"I have no words," Yoona said, laughing as she shook her head. She pressed a quick kiss to her girlfriend's lips, and Seohyun looked around, always embarrassed to be kissed in public. "How do you feel?"
Seohyun's smile was bigger than Yoona had ever seen it, and it made her smile even wider herself. "I only have one question," she said, and Yoona tilted her head. "Am I really alive? Did I survive the accident?"
"I sure hope so," Yoona said, raising her eyebrows. "Why?"
Seohyun exhaled. "Is it possible to be this happy?" she asked then, and Yoona felt her throat close up again. "I'm so happy I feel like it shouldn't even be allowed."
She fell into Yoona's arms, and the older had to fight for a breath. "Me too," she said, and for the first time in a while, she could feel it through her entire body. "Me too."
"It means so much to me that you were here tonight," Seohyun said then, voice careful, before she leaned in to steal another kiss. "You made it perfect."
"You'd be perfect whether I was here or not," Yoona replied, shaking her head. She couldn't believe this was real, that this girl in her arms were hers, and willingly at that. Insanities. "I'm just glad I got to see you do it."
"Oh, you're going to make me cry." Seohyun fanned herself. "And in this makeup, that would be a disaster." She laughed, the sound making Yoona's heart beat faster again. "Come on, let's go find Sunny. She's around here somewhere, I saw her before I went to find you."
She grabbed Yoona's hand and attempted to drag her down the corridor, but Yoona pulled her back and remained where she was standing. She whined a little, and Seohyun raised an eyebrow at her. "Can't we stay here for just a little while?" Yoona pleaded.
"It's our duty as her best friends to let her know she did a great job, you know," Seohyun said incredulously. "Let's go." She pulled at her hand again, and this time Yoona allowed herself to be led away.
"Fine, fine," she grumbled. "As long as I get you all to myself later."
Seohyun flashed her a knowing smile, her eyebrow still suggestively crooked. "You will," she said, holding the other's hand tighter. "Just wait until we get home."
Once they had seen Sunny, they made their way back to the entrance to find their parents. Just as they had decided, they found their parents among all the people in opposite sides of the room. This was the first time their parents would meet, and the thought caused a rumble of nervousness to storm in Yoona's stomach. The girls separated to greet their parents alone first, and proceeded to lead them towards each other.
"Mom, dad," Seohyun said, "this is Mr. and Mrs. Im."
"And this is Mr. and Mrs. Seo," Yoona told her own parents, watching nervously as the adults shook hands.
"At least they remember who we are, huh?" Yoona's mother said. "With the amount of time they've spent together over the past months, you'd think they had forgotten about everyone but each other."
Mr. and Mrs. Seo laughed heartily, and that was all Yoona needed. She zoned out, relaxing as Seohyun's arm wrapped around her back. They smiled at each other, Yoona's excitement over the meeting reflecting in Seohyun's eyes. They leaned in close, foreheads touching, and whether or not the younger's makeup smudged over her forehead, Yoona didn't care.
Nothing could change what she had lost. They had visited Sungmin's grave together just a few days earlier, and it seemed like Yoona had only now been able to process what had happened. It had gone so quick; from a burdening problem to an irreversible crash in a matter of days, and it had been too much for Yoona's mind to bear when it happened.
She was going to honor his memory. She was going to start right now, by not letting it ruin her present. Life hadn't stopped. She was still here, and so was Seohyun, and they were happy. It had gotten easier for her not to become hung up on the past, but there were still times when it was impossible, of course. She missed him.
But life didn't allow her time to mourn, because it wasn't something she could just be over and done with after a few days of rest and reflection. The feeling of missing something would always be there. But that didn't mean she had to be unhappy. If she could at least be part of the reason why Seohyun was happy, who was to say she couldn't do the same for herself?
She would do it by building her trust in the other girl back up again. She was finally ready to trust in life again, and she knew that more than anything when Seohyun leaned closer to whisper into her ear.
Epilogue: Taeyeon and Tiffany
Pairing: Yulsic, Taeny, Hyoyoung, Yoonhyun, Sunsic
Rating: G - NC-17
Genre: Drama, romance, angst, high school AU
Summary: The struggle is different for everyone; we all take different measures to deal with our problems. Friendships are created and tossed upside down, love is found, love is lost, and trust is formed and betrayed as these nine girls find their places in each other's lives.
Chapter wordcount: 3,033
A/N: epilogue part 2 of 4. i usually have problems focusing on the same thing for too long but i'm writing on pure adrenaline now i think, haha. i can't imagine what it'll feel like when it's over.
hope you enjoy~
Prologue
Chapter 1: "Would you have said paranoid or socially retarded, I would have done a dance of joy."
Chapter 2: "Line 49 for homo- and bisexual youngsters."
Chapter 3: "Do you know what kind of relationship Jessica and Yuri share?"
Chapter 4: "A real fight? With like claws and stuff?"
Chapter 5: "You were acting like a crazy person today."
Chapter 6: "Do you even know my name?"
Chapter 7: "Ask her if she's straight? Are you kidding?"
Chapter 8: "Did somebody hurt you?"
Chapter 9: "Stop this before it's too late."
Chapter 10: "I found something that moved me."
Chapter 11: "This is who you are, Taeyeon."
Chapter 12: "If it helps you, it's not a waste."
Chapter 13: "I'm going crazy thinking about her."
Chapter 14: "I-- I want to be with you too."
Chapter 15: "And what if there are no solutions?"
Chapter 16: "Will you go out with me?"
Chapter 17: "So I'll have to marry you before you finish telling me this story?"
Chapter 18: "Oh, Taeyeon... It changes everything."
Chapter 19: "You're just so cute when you get excited."
Chapter 20: "What's happening to us?"
Chapter 21: "There's always time for miracles."
Chapter 22: "I don't want to live without you."
Chapter 23: "I have some things I want to say."
Chapter 24: "It's powerlessness."
Chapter 25: "What are you scared of?"
Chapter 26: "Did your mother kick you out because you're gay?"
Chapter 27: "That's the most important thing, right? Happiness?"
Chapter 28: "I love her."
Chapter 29: "Everything that's happened... It's making me confused."
Chapter 30: "You lied to me."
Chapter 31: "Did you run away or get kicked out?"
Chapter 32: "I just thought you should know."
Chapter 33: "I think I'm okay."
Epilogue: Jessica, Yuri and Sunny
The first person Hyoyeon met after coming back home - after Sooyoung, of course - was Seohyun. It was in the early morning the day after Jessica said her goodbyes to Yuri and Sunny, the last day before Seohyun was set to be released from the hospital.
Sooyoung stood back in the bright hospital room and allowed the two to have their moment, Hyoyeon with her back crouched to embrace the younger, who was sitting up in her bed. They held each other silently; only their calm breathing could be heard in the room.
Truth to be told, Sooyoung had been a little worried about Seohyun's reaction to Hyoyeon's homecoming. She thought Seohyun might give her a lecture or let her know just how upset she was with the other girl's decisions, and Hyoyeon was very jumpy. Considering it was her first day back, it wasn't too hard to understand. But Seohyun said nothing, simply stroking Hyoyeon's back calmly, eyes closed and features relaxed. When they pulled apart, Seohyun faced her with a warm smile. "I'm glad you're back," she said, and Hyoyeon gave a breathy laugh. It was all that needed to be said, Sooyoung thought, and she was relieved. Too much sympathy and reliving of her painful memories was not what Hyoyeon needed right now.
"When will the others be here?" Seohyun asked then, holding onto Hyoyeon's hands and gesturing for her to sit down in the chair by her bedside. "It's getting late."
"They should be here any minute now," Sooyoung said, checking the time on her phone. "We're all going to school together later."
"Except for me," Hyoyeon said, stretching a little. "I need to get some sleep."
Seohyun gave her a reproachful look, and for a second it seemed like she was going to go off on the other for skipping school, but she composed herself. "Where are you staying?" she asked instead.
"At Tiffany's," Hyoyeon replied.
"We decided that makes the most sense right now," Sooyoung filled in. "Since Taeyeon is staying with me for the moment and Tiffany has a lot of space..."
"And Tiffany is extremely protective, I get it," Seohyun finished for her with a laugh. Sooyoung and Hyoyeon exchanged a glance. "Well, they'd better hurry here or you're going to be late."
"It's okay if we miss first period," Sooyoung said, shrugging, grabbing a chair from the other end of the room and moving it to sit beside Hyoyeon. She didn't dare to hold her hand.
Seohyun was about to shoot them a glare when the door opened and Sunny, Taeyeon and Tiffany hurried through it. Hyoyeon jumped up from her chair to catch Tiffany as she threw herself into her embrace, hugging too tightly to breathe. Taeyeon and Sunny watched her impatiently, but seemed to realize that their turn wouldn't come anytime soon, so Taeyeon leaned against Sooyoung's chair while Sunny went to give Seohyun a hug.
"I'm sorry but I can't stay for long," she said. Seohyun stared up at her through wide eyes. "I... Yoona told me Yuri is coming along," she explained, "so if I could just get to say hi to Hyo..." She raised her voice, looking over at Tiffany, who still had Hyoyeon in a death grip.
"Don't you dare," Seohyun said, grabbing a hold of Sunny's wrist.
"I just don't want to make a scene," Sunny tried to reason with her. "This is supposed to be Hyoyeon's and your thing. A happy thing. Me and Yuri trying to kill each other could bring the mood down."
"Yuri isn't unreasonable," Seohyun insisted. "Unless you're going to bring it up, you can stay in the same room together."
"You have to," Tiffany said, finally pulling back from Hyoyeon, but keeping her hands placed firmly on her sides. "I'm not letting either of you go, so you have to learn to be in the same room with each other. Okay?"
"And Jessica isn't coming," Seohyun added.
"You still haven't been able to reach her?" Sooyoung asked from where she was sitting, looking up at Taeyeon.
Taeyeon shook her head. "No one's heard from her."
"That's... a little worrying," Hyoyeon said, guilty smile on her lips.
Tiffany pushed Hyoyeon's hair behind her ear, and Sooyoung felt something brewing deep inside of her. "Yuri says she'll get in touch when she's ready," Tiffany muttered, "and I think she if anyone would know."
"Fany," Taeyeon said quietly. Tiffany looked at her, and seemed to realize what she was doing. Giving Hyoyeon's shoulders one last squeeze, she skipped over to Taeyeon's side.
"I... I don't know, guys," Sunny hesitated, removing Seohyun's hand from her wrist carefully. She turned to Hyoyeon finally engulfing her in a bear hug, even spinning them around a few laps while Hyoyeon laughed uncertainly. "I'm so glad you're back, you have no idea," Sunny said, resting her chin on the other's shoulder. "And I wish I could stay, but..."
"You can," Sooyoung cut in. "And you should."
"Yeah, it's been ages since we were all together," Tiffany said, slipping her hand into Taeyeon's.
Hyoyeon nodded, pulling back from Sunny's touch. "Please stay," she said, giving her friend her best set of puppy eyes.
Sunny tilted her head and whined. "I can't say no to this, can I?"
"That's right, you can't," Sooyoung interjected, nudging the other with her foot. "So stay."
They were interrupted by the door opening again, this time to allow Yoona and Yuri to step into the room. The girls all tensed up, anxious to see if it was possible for them all to be together like this again, but their fears were washed away as Sunny went to stand by Seohyun's bed, and Yoona rushed into the room to launch herself at Hyoyeon.
"Hyo!" she cried, voice high pitched and overjoyed. "You're actually here!"
Yuri gave a quick glance around the room, but didn't show any reaction to seeing Sunny there. "Yoona, get out of the way," she said instead, and followed the younger to give Hyoyeon another hug.
"Never," Yoona grunted into Hyoyeon's shoulder. "I'm never letting go again."
"Well then," Yuri said, circling around them to give Hyoyeon a back hug instead. Hyoyeon laughed between them, but eventually started coughing instead, causing the girls to immediately let go of her, while Sooyoung bit at her nails to keep her possessiveness from boiling over. Seohyun cleared her throat and Yoona looked at her over her shoulder.
"Sorry," she said, and sunk down next to Seohyun on her bed. "Hi." They gave each other a quick kiss on the lips, and most of the others looked away, except for Tiffany, who was staring at them with a satisfied smirk on her face.
"How are you?" Yuri asked, now facing Hyoyeon instead.
The older of the two shrugged a little. "I'm okay," she said evasively. "We just got back this morning, so... I'm tired."
"Let me know if you want me to give you a ride home earlier, Hyo," Tiffany said. "Although, we should probably get going soon anyway."
"It's okay," Hyoyeon said, giving her a grateful smile. "For now, I just... want to be here with you guys. It's been a while." She laughed, and it still sounded insecure.
Yuri walked over to stand by Tiffany's side, her whole posture seeming hesitant. Hyoyeon sank back down into her chair next to
Sooyoung. And they all looked at each other, the scene seeming so familiar, the atmosphere feeling so much like home that they forgot about all the grudges they still held against each other. "Yeah," Tiffany breathed. "I wish we could just stay here all day."
Some of the other girls nodded in agreement. Sooyoung nudged Hyoyeon, and when the older looked at her, she mouthed: "Are you okay?" Hyoyeon nodded, giving her a genuine smile, but her eyes gave her away. The exhaustion shone through them without a chance of being hidden. Sooyoung debated with herself again on whether or not she should take her hand, but she knew it was too soon. Much too soon. Hopefully the right time would come someday.
"If only..." Seohyun started, and everyone in the room knew what she wanted to say. If only Jessica was here too. She cleared her throat, looking everywhere but at Sunny or Yuri. "I mean, I hope the nine of us won't have to separate again for a long time."
Sunny and Yuri's eyes met instinctively at that. They looked away quickly, both knowing what the other knew. And it was strange; such an odd feeling to be keeping a secret with someone who hates you. Or, in Yuri's case, someone you hate.
Yoona laughed suddenly. "It's been a hell of a ride, hasn't it?" she replied to the questioning eyes thrown in her direction.
"What has?" Seohyun questioned, fingertips playing with the hem of Yoona's shirt.
"Just... our lives," Yoona said. "Since we got to know each other. Hasn't it been crazy?"
"Yeah," Sooyoung agreed. Some of the heaviness in her heart seemed to disappear in the breath she used to say it. "Let's calm down from now on, okay?"
"Dude," Taeyeon said in a laugh. "Deal."
The others joined in, and the room suddenly seemed warmer than before. The things they had lost, the horrible things that had happened over the past few months still hung in the air, there was no denying it, but for some of them, this was the moment when it started to fade. It wasn't the focus of their attention anymore.
Despite her cold facade, there was a small, warm smile playing even on Yuri's lips, that seemed to say: "It's okay as long as we're together." At least that's what the other hoped it said. They hoped they all felt the same.
Tiffany leaned over towards Yuri as conversation broke out in smaller groups. "I'm glad you decided to come," she said, low enough so that only Yuri would hear it.
Yuri snorted. "I had to do my duties as a friend, you know," she replied, showing her best friend the slightest of smiles. She took in the words for a few moments before she saw the underlying meaning in them.
In time, they would probably be okay, too.
Yoona sank deeper into the chair she was sitting in. She felt overwhelmed, slightly dizzy and speechless, happy that she didn't have to try to make sense of her feelings and words at that very moment.
Five hundred people sat behind her, and she could only imagine they felt just as hypnotized as her. Because on the stage in front of her, her girlfriend, her Seohyun, was soaring across the stage in the most beautiful dance Yoona had ever seen. It was as she remembered it from the first day that she tagged along for Seohyun's dance practice; she moved with such grace that Yoona almost felt like she wasn't supposed to be seeing this.
After each dance number, the audience gave round after round of applause. The sound was overpowering. The pride was addicting. And now, as the dancers performed the final number, where Seohyun's character's life hung in the balance, tears formed in her eyes, and she had to swallow down the lump in her throat constantly to stop herself from bawling like a child. She was done with that.
But this happiness was so strong that it kind of hurt.
It was just who she was, Yoona supposed. The dizziness continued as the curtain closed, and Yoona was the first one to stand up in her chair to give them a standing ovation. Her mother stood up from the chair beside her a few moments later, and her father followed suit in from the seat beside hers. Whistles echoed in the concert hall, a few calls of "bravo!", but the sound of applause took up more space than she thought possible; it resonated through Yoona until she wasn't sure what was applause and what was the beating of her own heart anymore.
She rushed out of her seat with a quick: "I'll see you soon," half-yelled into her mother's ear, and she set off out of the hall, out into the corridor to find the door that would take her backstage. After all the time she had spent with Seohyun at her dance practices, she was practically a part of the team at this stage. She skipped through the corridor, between discarded props and busy staff workers, almost tripping over the skirt of her dress as she ran, and when she finally found Seohyun, she felt as if her heart would stop beating.
The youngest's face lit up as she saw her, covered as it was in white makeup and heavy blush. "You," Yoona said as she hurried the last few steps over to her and holding onto her waist, "you absolute genius."
"How was it?" Seohyun asked through bright pink painted lips. "Was it good?"
"It was perfect," Yoona replied, knowing that it was a cliché, that there was nothing she could say to explain the feelings tearing at her heart. "You're such a star, Seohyun."
"Really?" Seohyun asked, beaming at Yoona, hands finding their way to the back of Yoona's neck.
"I have no words," Yoona said, laughing as she shook her head. She pressed a quick kiss to her girlfriend's lips, and Seohyun looked around, always embarrassed to be kissed in public. "How do you feel?"
Seohyun's smile was bigger than Yoona had ever seen it, and it made her smile even wider herself. "I only have one question," she said, and Yoona tilted her head. "Am I really alive? Did I survive the accident?"
"I sure hope so," Yoona said, raising her eyebrows. "Why?"
Seohyun exhaled. "Is it possible to be this happy?" she asked then, and Yoona felt her throat close up again. "I'm so happy I feel like it shouldn't even be allowed."
She fell into Yoona's arms, and the older had to fight for a breath. "Me too," she said, and for the first time in a while, she could feel it through her entire body. "Me too."
"It means so much to me that you were here tonight," Seohyun said then, voice careful, before she leaned in to steal another kiss. "You made it perfect."
"You'd be perfect whether I was here or not," Yoona replied, shaking her head. She couldn't believe this was real, that this girl in her arms were hers, and willingly at that. Insanities. "I'm just glad I got to see you do it."
"Oh, you're going to make me cry." Seohyun fanned herself. "And in this makeup, that would be a disaster." She laughed, the sound making Yoona's heart beat faster again. "Come on, let's go find Sunny. She's around here somewhere, I saw her before I went to find you."
She grabbed Yoona's hand and attempted to drag her down the corridor, but Yoona pulled her back and remained where she was standing. She whined a little, and Seohyun raised an eyebrow at her. "Can't we stay here for just a little while?" Yoona pleaded.
"It's our duty as her best friends to let her know she did a great job, you know," Seohyun said incredulously. "Let's go." She pulled at her hand again, and this time Yoona allowed herself to be led away.
"Fine, fine," she grumbled. "As long as I get you all to myself later."
Seohyun flashed her a knowing smile, her eyebrow still suggestively crooked. "You will," she said, holding the other's hand tighter. "Just wait until we get home."
Once they had seen Sunny, they made their way back to the entrance to find their parents. Just as they had decided, they found their parents among all the people in opposite sides of the room. This was the first time their parents would meet, and the thought caused a rumble of nervousness to storm in Yoona's stomach. The girls separated to greet their parents alone first, and proceeded to lead them towards each other.
"Mom, dad," Seohyun said, "this is Mr. and Mrs. Im."
"And this is Mr. and Mrs. Seo," Yoona told her own parents, watching nervously as the adults shook hands.
"At least they remember who we are, huh?" Yoona's mother said. "With the amount of time they've spent together over the past months, you'd think they had forgotten about everyone but each other."
Mr. and Mrs. Seo laughed heartily, and that was all Yoona needed. She zoned out, relaxing as Seohyun's arm wrapped around her back. They smiled at each other, Yoona's excitement over the meeting reflecting in Seohyun's eyes. They leaned in close, foreheads touching, and whether or not the younger's makeup smudged over her forehead, Yoona didn't care.
Nothing could change what she had lost. They had visited Sungmin's grave together just a few days earlier, and it seemed like Yoona had only now been able to process what had happened. It had gone so quick; from a burdening problem to an irreversible crash in a matter of days, and it had been too much for Yoona's mind to bear when it happened.
She was going to honor his memory. She was going to start right now, by not letting it ruin her present. Life hadn't stopped. She was still here, and so was Seohyun, and they were happy. It had gotten easier for her not to become hung up on the past, but there were still times when it was impossible, of course. She missed him.
But life didn't allow her time to mourn, because it wasn't something she could just be over and done with after a few days of rest and reflection. The feeling of missing something would always be there. But that didn't mean she had to be unhappy. If she could at least be part of the reason why Seohyun was happy, who was to say she couldn't do the same for herself?
She would do it by building her trust in the other girl back up again. She was finally ready to trust in life again, and she knew that more than anything when Seohyun leaned closer to whisper into her ear.
Epilogue: Taeyeon and Tiffany