HIBISCUS | Bang Chan of Stray Kids

Track 27

"Where did it go, your beautiful smile. You who used to smile so much, I miss it."

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Track 27

     Everybody has those days when they feel like the whole world has pinned every bad circumstance against them. Rain pours, heels break, and stacks of paper get blown into the wind. People that go through this, tread through each experience with every last effort in them. If good fortune was not granted, they would instead wish for the universe to give them the strength to bear through all the difficulties only until they are able to get home and have their mental breakdown without the fear of judgement from others. When they finally made it home, their loved ones would be the first to realize that something was wrong and ask them if they were still holding up. With that innocent question, the waterfall of held up tears would burst through the dam that gated its downward path. These tears represented the hardship endured and the desperation for somebody to ease the burden from their minds.

     This exact moment in countless other lives resonated with Hwayoung in this very moment as she once again broke down in front of her savior. Maybe she would have felt embarrassed if this was the first time, but it was not. It seemed that in all the instances in which Hwayoung was at her lowest point that Chan was the person that was always there to get her through it.

     "You must regret asking, huh?" Hwayoung continued to weep as she shakily spoke out her thoughts.

     Chan shook his head sympathetically, "I don't. I knew that you were probably not feeling too well. This is the whole point of going to Aunt Mae's in the first place."

     Without thinking, Hwayoung blurted out the nagging thoughts in her mind, "What's the real reason you went to Aunt Mae's?"

     "Like I said, I was hungry."

     She chewed on her tongue from Chan's aloofness; however, the topic of the conversation already soured the mood, Hwayoung decided to go all in.

     "No," Hwayoung gently shook her head, "There's another reason. Don't lie."

     "So you can lie, but I can't?"

     Chan bestowed a deadly serious gaze and aura upon Hwayoung, which was usually reserved for working hours at the studio, making her heart flood with anxiety. For a moment, she felt as if both lungs collapsed. Unable to maintain herself under his intense gaze, Hwayoung shifted her eyes elsewhere, "What?"

     Chan sighed, defeatedly, "I came to confirm a hunch."

     "Well? What did you find out?" Hwayoung said quietly, feeling extra small sitting across from Chan. The familiar, friendly guy that she knew was replaced with a very serious one. Hwayoung had only seen Chan so serious when practicing for the dance; however, the type of seriousness that he was with her at this very moment was much, much different from the one that she had ever known or seen before.

     "Why didn't you tell us that you worked for Aunt Mae as a cook?"

     Hwayoung looked away, not bothering to deny his statement, "How did you know?"

     "The food. It tastes exactly the same as when we went to pick it up," Chan pointed at her shirt, "And you're still wearing the uniform."

     Hwayoung looked down at her shirt which was indeed the uniform that she always wore for work. Even if she were to try to deny, both knew the truth.