chimerical• Choi San

19•

Yunhee hadn't heard from Sojook in three days. She went to classes, took her meds, and went to work.

If she wasn't lying she missed his bubbly personality. It was sad. How she felt so connected to him, yet she knew nothing about him.

She felt suspicious of him though. About how he said things like 'so that's what you guys think of me' or using 'us' when talking about Ateez. The whole thing seemed highly suspicious.

So she asked what he looked like. Yunhee couldn't really find a problem with it unless he was famous, or just very very very scared of publicly exposing himself. But his friends sent photos of scenery and pretty views.

But he left her on read.

He could've said no.

But he ignored her.

She walked aimlessly across the street, the timer on the cross walk light blinking down from 20. She was so deep in thoughts she didn't even realize she was home. But she didn't want to be home.

It was noisy, everyone done with classes as it was Friday. She looked at her phone before walking past the apartment complex and heading off to where ever who feet brought her.

She ended up at a small pond, a single bench facing the water.

She went ahead and made her way to sit down.

She had lots to think about. How she was absolutely positive she had seen Wooyoung, and how the next day he dyed his hair black. How Sojook said very suspicious things and then left her on read. How Ateez seemed to plan on giving her their signature.

Suddenly a person sat next to her on the bench.

"Sorry," his voice echoed as Yunhee glanced at him.

He was wearing a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants, a hat and mask covering his face. He then pulled down the mask slightly to show her who he was and she inhaled.

"What are you- you could be seen," she said as she impulsive grabbed his mask and yanked it back up so his face was once again covered.

"Yeah I know," Wooyoung laughed, "I mean that's what eyes are for."

Yunhee paused to register what he said before sighing.

"What are you even sorry for though," she said looking at the pond. "You did nothing wrong."

"I ran and left you," he said, "I'm guessing you were having an panic attack of some sort and I left you. I left a young female alone at night in a city. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"Yes," she whispered, "but now that I know it definitely know it was you it makes a little more sense."

"Even then it's wrong," he said, "what if something happened to you?"

"It would've happened whether you had found me or not," she said as she watched a mother duck lead her ducklings into the pond.

"And I hate that," Wooyoung said.

"It's reality for women," Yunhee said looking at him. "We grow up knowing there's a chance we could meet our end walking home or to school. We know it and we walk anyways."

Wooyoung looked at her in sadness and nodded.

The sun begun setting, the beautiful oranges and pinks painting the landscape of the sky. The two sat in silence watching the horizon in serenity.

Finally, instead of a sunset, they saw the stars. Their dazzling light being the only source of illumination to the night.

"Let me walk you home this time," he said glancing at Yunhee after a long silence. "Please?"

She looked at him and smiled.

"Of course."

Wooyoung grabbed her forearm gently and pulled her up, his shoulder brushing against hers. They walked in silence before Yunhee froze in front of the complex entrance.

"If you ask a person for a photo of them," she said slowly, "and they leave you on read, but their friends talk and send scenery photos while they don't speak at all, would you be suspicious?"

Wooyoung froze.

He didn't know what it was about exactly, but he had a feeling it was about San.

He didn't want to lie though.

"Yes," he said, "I would."

Yunhee nodded before snapping a picture of him.

"What was that for," Wooyoung exclaimed one panic.

"Memories," she said, "who knows when something like this will happen?"

She gave him a quick hug then bolted inside the apartment complex, her face red.

As Wooyoung watched her retreating figure he smirked.

"Sooner than you think if I have my way."