collateral damage 🔞 - COMPLETE

•fourteen• later

~~~~~Jeongguk

I went to the doctor, and found out I have a deep bruise on my quadricep muscle. I also sprained a tendon in my knee. Now I'm home with a brace on my leg, waiting for the Hyungs. Noone has heard from Hobi Hyung or Jimin, so I don't know how the dance lesson went. My phone signals a message, but it's only Somi.

Since I met up with her, I have been messaging with her alot. She is super excited to reconnect with someone from Busan which mirrors my feelings. We were never close in high school, and I'd say that it was unlikely to happen now, if I were still with Haerin...

Haerin... I miss her...

Shaking the thoughts away, I pick up the phone and reply to her messages. She wants to meet for coffee, and since I'm all alone I decide to accept her invitation. We agree on a spot and I call for a car to pick me up since I can't drive for now. I'm surprised that the 2 aren't back from the kindergarten yet. It's actually dark out and I wonder if something is wrong.

They'd definitely call if there was an issue. I'm just feeling left out... I wanted to go with them, but knew I wouldn't be able to resist dancing. Hyung gets scary when we push too much, so I decided against it. Hobbling to my room, I change into a black hoodie and grab my bucket hat and mask. Taking the crutches that I'll have to use as soon as I'm out of the dorm, I head to the entrance.

After more effort than I'd like to exert to go for coffee, I'm finally in the van driven by a staff. He's new, so he doesn't talk to me. It happens every time... They get so nervous, and want to make sure they don't do anything that could harm us, that they are completely silent. I can't help but chuckle to myself while I play a game on my phone.

I climb out when we get to the cafe, and make sure I'm covered enough to get inside. I let Somi know I was on crutches, and asked her to find a table out of the busy area. Hopefully there will be one. I don't want any scandals just over a coffee date with an old hometown acquaintance.

I get through the door because a few people exiting were nice enough to hold it open. I bow a thank you and head in, looking for Somi. I see her waving to me and I make my way to the table, plopping down on the chair in exhaustion.

"You look beat! You didn't have to come. You could have slept or at least rested... Now I feel bad... It really would have been ok with me..."

She starts rambling and I begin to giggle at how cute it comes across. She continues without taking notice of my laughing, and soon I'm clutching my stomach with tears leaking from my eyes. When she finally realizes, her cheeks catch a pink tint and she gets quiet immediately. I settle down, apologizing for laughing, but occasionally choke back the snort that tries to escape.

A waiter comes to take our orders and we both get comfortable. She asks about idol life and I don't sugar coat it to make it glamorous, but tell her the truth only. I find out she relocated to Seoul for a job as a model. I'm suddenly reminded of the videos Haerin used to make when she was friends with Somi. Hae always made her the 'star' in her creations because she was so pretty.

"Where did you go? You zoned out."

"Ah, sorry... I was remembering the videos from high school..."

"The ones Haerin made? That was fun."

Not avoiding it anymore, I gulp some air and ask what I'm dying to know about.

"Have you seen Haerin since high school? I know you guys had a falling out, but did you make up?"

She looks suddenly nervous about something, and won't meet my eyes anymore. Maybe she thinks that I'll treat her differently because of the things that happened then. I don't hold grudges, and I'm sure Haerin wouldn't either all these years later... At least I hope not... I need to believe she won't.