Up in the Sky

Advisor

The rest of the girls went to their respective seats. As Minjung stood still. Her hands clasped behind her back. She put on a smile. Minjoo knee it was fake. So did Nako. So did Hyewon.

"Are you going to eat Unnie?" Wonyoung asked.

"Hm? No I-I'm not hungry." Minjung declined.

Now something was wrong. She always ate. Why wouldn't the younger join them for breakfast; she had always preached about eating right. Nako looked at the other girls. The shortest girl walked to the second shortest.

     "Minjung." She whispered. "You're not okay. Are you."

     "It's alright. Nako-Chan."

     "It's not alright. You do this every time. You're suppressing those emotions. I don't expect you to be happy all the time. It's okay to fall apart. Come on let's go to the room." Nako didn't give her a choice. She pulled the younger into the room.

     Minjung trudged to her bottom bunk before falling face first onto the mattress. Nako climbed into bed next to her. Together, they leaned against the wall.

     "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want. I'm here for you."

     They sat silently. Nako ran her thumb over Minjung's hand. "I've seen Minjoo hurt before. How devastated she looked. I told myself that she would never be hurt again. I didn't want to see her in more pain after the voting thing. So when Minjoo said that Chaewon hat hit her, I snapped. I was gonna kill Chaewon."

     "That just means you care." Nako reassured.

     "I'm scared that might happen again. And when it does, what if Eunbi Unnie or Hyewon Unnie or Yena Unnie isn't there?"

     "And it's kinda stupid that I would react this way for Minjoo being hurt than myself."

     "You suppress your emotions. And that's not healthy. And when you do, it's when you can't hold onto that stress anymore and burst. I know you care Jung. But you need to give yourself 100% care before you give anyone else anything."

"I'm trying. But I'm just lost Nako."

"Okay first start off with your achievements. Of each day, write something good that happened. Then forgive yourself for your mistakes. Whether it's a misstep for dances or tripping over nothing. Then make a list of your achievements."

"That's a lot easier said then done." Minjung mumbled.

"I'll help you with it then." Nako offered. An ear to ear grin appeared on Minjung's face before Nako poked the younger's cheek. "For one, your in Izone. Two, you've graduated high school. Three, we won rookie of the year. Four, you have the best person in the world sitting next to you."

"Oh! Tako(octopus in Japanese) the octopus? How'd you know?" Minjung joked pulling the stuffed animal to her chest.

"Yah." Nako glared.

"Right sorry sorry. You meant the other side. So Mr.Pooh Bear." Minjung laughed. Nako's eyes widened. The older stared at the bear before sighing.

"Anyway... anything else bothering you??" Nako changed the subject.

"Well... This is my home. Where I finally feel loved and supported. I can't lose that."

"You're not."

"I know that. It's just this all seems to good to be true. I had nothing before this and then I got you guys." Minjung sighed.

"Well we're all one call away— Don't start singing." Nako pointed at Minjung's open mouth. The younger closed her mouth. "Anything else?"

"Oh! Remember Violeta? When I first debuted, there were comments saying that I slept with the producers to be in Izone?"

     "Girl you barely know how to kiss."

     "How would you know?" Minjung pouted.

     "I didn't say you didn't know. I'm just saying you're inexperienced."

     "And you are?"

     "Yeah. I've kissed more people."

     "Just because you've kissed more people doesn't mean your more experienced."

    "Do you want to bet?"

    "Ye-" Minjung started. Heat rushed to her cheeks. Nako pulled away with a smirk then an innocent smile appeared as Nako poked the younger's cheek. "Well played."

     "You're worried that those comments will resurface right? Well I'll tell you what. Those people don't know how hard you worked to get here. And just pretend I'm writing those bad comments. And that I mean the opposite."

     "So what's the opposite of sleeping with the director?"

     "Beating him up."

     "Okay."

     "Feeling better?"

     "Yeah. But I'm not that hungry actually." Minjung told.

Nako raised her eyebrow. Minjung always ate. As small as Nako was, she still managed to pull Minjung out of bed and into her designated chair.

     Minjung groaned. "Seriously Nako. I'm not hungry."

     "Do I have to strap you down to the chair and force feed you?" Nako growled.

      "Honey you can try but I'm stronger than you." Minjung spoke.

     "Ugh!!! Eat! I don't care if you're not hungry. You need energy."

     "Yeah energy so I can thwart off evil spirits like you."

     "So eat." 

     "So no."

      "Are we supposed to act like they aren't having a fight like a married couple?" Yujin asked.

     "You know what? You can't go back to The room until you eat something." Nako ordered. Minjung raised her eyebrow as a challenge. She slammed her hand onto the chopsticks while keeping eye contact with Nako. She grabbed a piece of radish before shoving it into her mouth. She walked away. "Yah!! Come back and eat!"

     "I ate the radish! Therefore I ate something. Which means I can go back to my room." Minjung flopped onto her bed and hugged her ice bear plush gritting her teeth. She buried her head into the pillow. No matter how she moved, her head still continued with the pulsating pain. "Stupid headache!" She groaned.

"You should sleep." Hyewon suggested as she knocked on the door.

"I don't suppose you'd tuck me in."

"I'd be happy to. Close your eyes." Hyewon smiled. She threw the blanket over Minjung as she hummed a melody.

"I've never heard that song before." Minjung mumbled.

"Oh I just made it up."

"Oh."

"Do you know why your head is hurting?" Hyewon asked.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm tired."

"Get some rest then. I'll bring Nako in later so you can cuddle."

"Sounds good."