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스물 둘

Four weeks have passed, and both Yeona and Taemin are excelling at their traineeship. Alternating between school, work, and training has kept Yeona busy enough that she has hardly found a moment to cry. Though still feeling emptiness, and anger at herself, she has focused on staying preoccupied.

She knows to walk the short way to her dorm, to avoid the cafe at all costs, and she has not seen Jonghyun once since she left his room. Her body is exhausted every day, her diet has started to take a toll on her, and the frequent exercise is an added bonus.

At her weigh-in today, Jaeyeon was pleasantly surprised to announce to Yeona that she has met her goal weight. Yeona took pride in this accomplishment, feeling good about the hard work she has put in, so happy that it is paying off.

It has been four weeks, but Yeona still catches herself every time something even remotely exciting happens, opening her messages to tell Jonghyun about her day. She writes the message, and then deletes it instead of hitting send, knowing that speaking to him will undo all of the work she has done to get away and to pretend it doesn't hurt.

At traineeship, her and Taemin have become close with Chanyeol, and they spend their breaks together as a group. Most of their spare time at traineeship is spent teaching each other to dance and sing, the three of them working so well together. Yeona is grateful for another friend, and a friend that doesn't pity her too.

"What are you doing this weekend?" Chanyeol asks

The three of them are sitting on the floor, catching their breath after running through one of their routines. Sipping at water and dabbing at their sweat-dripped foreheads with towels, exhausted after their full day of training.

"We have our college dance performance on Friday night." Yeona replies

"Do you want to come?" Taemin asks

"Really? I would love to." Chanyeol replies

"It starts at 7. Tickets at the door." Taemin says

"I'll be there!" Chanyeol says excitedly

Yeona laughs, entertained by how excited Chanyeol is to see them dance, despite the fact that he dances with them four days a week. He is a sweetheart, funny, kind, and definitely the most chaotic of the three. Their group mesh so well, and Yeona tries not to worry that one or more of them will be asked to leave the traineeship. Having already said goodbye to a handful of people that they started with, has only pushed them to work harder, to strive harder.

"Do you want to get dinner after this?" Chanyeol asks

"I have work." Taemin replies sadly

"I have work, too, sorry Loey." Yeona says

Chanyeol doesn't reply, nodding as he understands, however much he wants to spend time with his new friends. His old friends not wanting to spend as much time with him around his new schedule has been rough, but the friendship he has made with both Taemin and Yeona has lifted his spirits a lot.

"We can Wednesday night, though?" Yeona asks, to which Taemin nods

"Wednesday night then!" Chanyeol says, a smile already beaming across his face

As it reaches afternoon, both Taemin and Yeona need to leave for work. After saying goodbye to the rest of the group, and a final goodbye to Chanyeol, they walk to Taemin's car so that he can drive Yeona to work before driving himself to his own job.

"Do you need me to pick you up?" Taemin asks

Parked outside the record store, Yeona shakes her head, the walk back to campus is not far, it is a pretty safe area where she has had no problems, and she is happy for the exercise.