Project IZ*ONE: Secret Files

Split Personalities: Part 2

"What do you mean I was the one who picked you up? That doesn't make sense." Chaewon argues. She was standing out there for an hour without seeing her.

"It's true! Why would I ever lie to you, Chae?" Minjoo replies.

"I don't know, Min! It's just been a long day. First, I have this strange nightmare. Then, I get random emails from HYVE. Then, I meet my mom and end up having some internal reflection. Then, I went to surprise you at SOOP, and you weren't there. Then, on the way home, someone sabotages my bus and blows it up!" Chaewon rattles off her entire day, and it leaves Minjoo wide-eyed.

"Wait, you told me a while ago that you'd auditioned for HYVE and got in. That's what we were celebrating over dinner a while ago, right?" The brunette says which only confuses Chaewon even more.

"You also told me this morning that you got a new number and to block the old one." Minjoo continues. The more vividly she describes her version of events, the more Chaewon questions if she was the one going crazy.

"And you just believed a message like that out of the blue?" She asks.

"Yah, I'm not that slow, I asked for a picture of you that I hadn't seen, and you sent the outfit you were wearing when I saw you a while ago. After dinner, you said that you'd visit your mother first, so I should go home on my own, which is why I was surprised to see you here before me."

"Wait...can you show me the picture I sent you earlier?" Chaewon asks, a chilling feeling starting to arise in her. When Minjoo holds up her phone, Chaewon's suspicions are confirmed. It was her...well, not her, but the clone she'd left at her mom's house. All the puzzle pieces seemed to fall into place, the random emails, her clone rushing out the house instead of merging when they met, Minjoo not replying to her texts.

~~~~

"So you're saying your clone has a mind of her own now?"  Minjoo tries to clarify.

"I think it all started back in Daegu when I tried to save you. I'd never sent a clone of myself that far before, and when I was trying to separate you from the lab equipment, I got sucked into your dreams, remember? There must've been some kind of internal reaction because ever since then, that one clone has always felt different." Chaewon explains.

"You think she's somehow connected to the bus explosion?"

"Maybe...but I'm going to need to find her first. Listen, Min, I'm sorry if I was insinuating anything bad. I know you wouldn't do anything like that. I was just really stressed from today."

"It's okay, Chae. I should've noticed it too. There were some odd things I didn't think much of like your hair getting that long in the span of a day. I thought you just got some hair extensions. I also noticed the clothes you were wearing were different from usual. I don't think I've ever seen you in a tank top before today." Minjoo says.

"But I looked good, right?" Chaewon jokes to lighten the air, but Minjoo gives her a playful smack on the shoulder while trying to hide her reddening cheeks.

"Yah, we didn't do anything explicit if that's what you're asking." She says with a laugh.

"Anyway, I think I'll discuss it with Eunbi-unnie tomorrow morning. It's been a long day." Chaewon says before yawning. Minjoo simply nods and goes to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

By the time she gets out, she sees Chaewon lying on her bed, dead asleep. Minjoo shakes her head and walks over to tuck her in, but is surprised when the short-haired girl reaches out and hugs her.

"I'm sorry again, Min..." Chaewon whispers. Minjoo sighs, deciding against breaking free from the embrace and settles in next to her.

~~~~