A New Start || Seventeen

Chapter 67

Daena opened the front door and heaved the heavy grocery bags through it before closing it firmly behind her.

"Is that you dear?" Her mother called from the kitchen.

"Yeah" She called back.

She dragged the shopping bags into the kitchen and lifted them up onto the counter.

"You don't have to do the shopping you know" Her mother sighed.

Daena turned to face her mom and saw she was sat at the table with Joshua's mother.

"Hi Auntie" Daena replied brightly. "It's okay Mom, I was out anyway and knew what we needed so I sorted it" She explained while she unpacked the bags and started to put the groceries away.

"What did you do while you were out?" Her mother asked.

"I was applying for jobs" Daena replied looking directly at her mother.

Both women rolled their eyes at Daena. "You have a job, you don't need to stay here for me" Her mother responded.

Daena sighed, she was tired of having this conversation. It had been nearly a month since she had decided to stay and her mom had initially been adamantly opposed to it, insisting Daena return to her life, but as the weeks had passed her mother had become more and more accepting of her decision but that didn't stop her still throwing in the occasional comment about it where she could.

"Not anymore Mom. I need to find one here and soon. I need the money" She replied.

Daena had called her job back in Korea a few days after she had made the decision to stay in America and explained the situation to them. Her boss had been very understanding and accepted her resignation without much argument only adding that if she ever found herself back in Korea she could call and they would try and make space for her. She had thanked her boss but explained that would be unlikely.

Quiting that job had brought up the complication of her apartment back in Korea which had been arranged through the school. Daena had called Joshua and asked him to pack it up and ship her things back to her when he could. He had reluctantly agreed and said he would collect her stuff as soon as he could but wouldn't be able to ship much until after the tour had finished due to his schedule.

Her call with Joshua that day had been very matter of fact. He had asked how she was doing but had found an excuse to end the call quickly.

"Daena" her mother said now standing beside her at the kitchen counter.

Daena realised she had been lost in thought. "Hmm.. sorry"

"I asked if you found a job" her mother sighed.

"I have an interview coming up in a few days so we will see" Daena explained.

Her mother nodded in response. Joshua's mother chose to keep quiet.

Daena looked back and forth between the two of them.

Her phone buzzed from the counter beside her.

She looked down and saw it was Leah. "I better get this" She said picking the phone up and heading to the stairs.

"Tell your friend I said hello" her mother called after her waving her away.

"Hello" Daena said answering the call as she climbed the stairs.

"Hi!" came Leah's bright response. "Just calling to see if you had come to your senses yet"

Daena rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. She knew Leah didn't mean any harm by it, they had already discussed her decision to stay at length and Leah had made it clear she supported Daena in her decision even if it meant her being on the other side of the world.

"I saw Joshua today" Leah said suddenly.

Daena couldn't help the pang of jealousy that coursed through her. Her decision to stay meant she didn't get to see her friends anymore but she didn't expect Leah to get to. "What? Why?" Daena snapped.

"Whoa, chill, nothing like that. He came to the school. He wanted me to convince you to come back" Leah explained.

"What did you say?" Daena asked as she sat on her bed.

"That I wouldn't. It's your choice. Even if I don't fully agree with it" Leah replied.

"Thanks Leah. It means alot" Daena said.

She meant it. Leah had been really supportive through everything that had happened and she really didn't know what she would have done without her.

"It's wasn't just Joshua that came to see me" Leah continued.

"Oh.. who?" Daena asked, now confused.

"Hoshi was with him" Leah explained.

Daena rolled her eyes "Honestly. They are just looking to create a scandal"

"Don't worry. No one saw them. I got out really late and they stayed in the car" Leah reassured her. "But oh my god Daena. That guy. The way he went on anyone would think it was his heart you broke"

Daena flinched at the reminder.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean... Ah.. sorry Daena I shouldn't have mentioned it" Leah rambled.

Daena took a deep breath and with her free hand started to fiddle with the bracelet that was on her wrist. Even though things between them had been over a while now Daena couldn't bring herself to take it off.

"It's okay." Daena finally replied.

"Have.. have you heard from him at all?" Leah asked hesitantly.

"Hoshi? Hmm yeah he messages me occasionally. Not much though" Daena said with a small sad shrug.

"No.. I meant.." Leah tried to explain but Daena interuppted.

"You meant Jeonghan?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah" Leah replied.

"No. I haven't. I.. I tried to call a few times after to apologise for how I handled that conversation but he didn't pick up. I just wanted to explain better and for things not to end so badly between us." She explained her eyes stinging with the threat of tears.

Leah was silent for a moment. "Oh.. well maybe give him some more time"

"I don't think time will do it. I was pretty harsh. You know, after I came home they all checked in on me, even the members I wasn't that close with but since everything with Jeonghan.." she trailed off unable to continue.

Daena pulled herself together for a moment and continued. "Since that day, I've barely heard from any of them. I guess I should have realised it would destroy more than one relationship" She explained letting out a shaky breath.

"Oh Daena. I'm so sorry. I know you were good friends with them" Leah said, her genuine sadness at hearing her friend so upset clear from her voice.

"Some of them I never really got close to. But I haven't heard from Seungkwan once and I thought we were friends. Joshua and Hoshi check in every now and again. Even Mingyu sometimes. But nothing from the rest of them" Daena explained with a sigh.

"Are you sure you did the right thing?" Leah asked.

"I.. Honestly sometimes I'm not sure and then I see my mom and she's a little bit more like herself than the day before and I know I made the right choice" Daena replied.

"I just want you to be happy again. I know how important he was to you." Leah said with a sad sigh. "Couldn't you have tried long distance?"

"It wouldn't have worked Leah. It never does. Sometimes love isn't enough you know" Daena said sadly.

"Maybe it could have been" Leah replied.

"I'm okay, really. I'll get there. I just feel like I've lost a lot lately and it caused me to lose part of myself but I'm on the mend. I just need to find a new normal" Daena said trying to reassure her friend.

"Oh. That reminds me, how did the job search go?" Leah asked.

"Good, I have an interview" Daena explained.

Glad to be off the subject she laid back on her bed and enjoyed chatting away to her friend.