❝ 𝒀𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒆, 𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚, 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈. ❞
Surviving does not mean living. The meeting is always far too short, and the parting always far too long. If death insists, can one r...
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Cheong-San has been pacing nonstop for the past few minutes, restless, and palpably, he's not one for patience.
"I'm heading out."
"Wait!"
You spring up, ready to block his path when the sliding doors slam open from the other side, and you can hear Dae-Su before you even see him, a life-sized teddy bear barreling into Cheong-San.
"Yah! Where were you, you jerk?"
Dae-Su envelops Cheong-San, shaking him back and forth, unwilling to let go.
"What about On-Jo?" Cheong-San goes to peer over Dae-Su's shoulders, skimming the faces of each classmate as they sprint into the music room. As soon as his eyes land on his crush, he instantly heaves Dae-Su to the side, rushing toward her without another backward glance. You watch, amused, as Cheong-San grabs On-Jo by the arms and looks her over, leaving poor Dae-Su practically face down on the floor in a ball. "Are you hurt? Are you okay?"
On-Jo discounts the questions rattled off at her and hugs Cheong-San, much to his astonishment. He's frozen still, arms gawkily at his sides as she tightens her hold on him, in disbelief at the rare display of affection.
Dae-Su coughs awkwardly, recollects himself, and turns to you, overly theatrical.
"Chae-Wol!"
In the next second, he's squeezing the life out of you, and you finally experience why a bear hug is true to its name.
"Dae-Su. Can't. Breathe," you try to get out between ragged intakes of air.
Before you can so much as try to return the hug, Dae-Su is once again jostled to the ground, landing smack dab on his butt.
"You asshole!"
He narrows his eyes and jabs an accusatory finger at Wu-Jin.
The latter gazes at you from a foot away, unmoving, before his eyes soften and a different pair of arms are around you. Compared to Dae-Su's embrace, this one is much laxer and hesitant. Rather than read too much into his actions, you chalk up the random hugs going around as mere comfort at the idea that the fear of losing two more people in the group is now unfounded.
"I'm so glad you're safe." He sighs in relief. "I think noona is as well. I saw her arrows scattered around the hallways from Joon-Yeong's drone when we were looking for you and Cheong-San." He holds you at arm's length soon after, not wanting to trespass over any more boundaries than he might already have. "If you two—you and noona—are alive, I can die happy."
You shake your head, eyebrows knitting together. "Don't say that." Fixing him with a serious stare, you object, thoughtfully, "Especially not when we're all fighting to survive and make it out of here, together, every last one of us."
"I mean it, though." Wu-Jin pauses, before adding, "I'll always mean it."
"Why? Are you afraid Ha-Ri unnie won't let you live it down if something happens to me?"
