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1.8

     [December]

     About a month and a half had passed and I soon became a regular university student again. After a couple weeks of crying myself to sleep, I kind of accepted the fact that Minghao and Jun forgot about me. The group chat was completely dead, and the most recent texts were when they were still on the plane. Jun didn't even text Meiling. Nevertheless, they were still my ult group.

     Not many things changed, besides the fact that I got a new job. I worked as a cashier at Sunday Morning with Shancai. The pay wasn't as low as I expected.

     I began painting on the wall, the one we had been working on. It was almost done. We also worked on the project. Our professor called it "Feelings."

     "XIAOHUA!" Shancai yelled as she dropped her paintbrush. "LOOK!" She shoved her phone in my face. "Seventeen Winter World Tour - LA, Korea, Canada, China, etc." My jaw dropped. "We have to buy tickets." Shancai begged. "Of course!" I replied.

     "Sorry, you have not been chosen at this time." It was like a shot in the heart. Shancai got up and cheered, Liang Wei as well. They'll be going to the concert. I will not. "Xiaohua, did you get picked?" Shancai asked after calming down. I looked down to my socks. "Oh..," Shancai patted my back, "Do you want me to stay here with you?" My eyes widened. "Of course not! You should enjoy it. You're always so busy nowadays." Liang Wei also comforted me. "I'll film lots of videos. You can see them after." Wow. How nice it is to have good friends like them.

——

     December 4th. I peaked at the audience, looking for the three. Right in the front, Liang Wei and Shancai were scrolling through their phones. Where is Xiaohua? I thought to myself. Minghao joined me as I looked out into the crowd. "Do you think they're here?" Minghao asked me. "Yeah, Liang Wei and Shancai are over there." I pointed. "Oh. Where's Xiaohua?" I lifted my shoulders. "I'm not sure."

——

     All I could feel is a gaping hole in my heart and the craving for milk tea. But I don't want to stand up. I turned on my phone. 6:05 pm. The concert will start soon.

     I began doing my makeup, I haven't done it in a while honestly. There's no reason for me to put it on, no one to put it on for. I then recalled the scene with Minghao. "Snap out of it, Xiaohua."

     "Oh! I haven't looked through this in a while." I said while opening up my suitcase. Boom. The albums that I hid a few months ago. Why does everything need to remind me of them? Why can't I just forget about them for one day?

     I woke up in my bed and checked the time. 9:57. The concert ended about 30 minutes ago. Suddenly, Shancai burst through the doors, I flinched. "XIAOHUA! GET UP!!" Shancai yelled while pulling the sheets away from me. "Why?"

     "JUN TOLD LIANG WEI TO GO TO A FANCY RESTAURANT WITH ME. HE ASKED IF YOU COULD ALSO COME."

"HUH? SERIOUSLY?!"

     "YES. NOW HURRY UP AND GET READY."

     I jumped out of bed and quickly got ready. Why would he want to meet us at this time? Shancai hurried me while on call with Liang Wei. She said that the restaurant was a bit far.

     Me and Shancai ran like our lives were one the line. I was so excited.

     We stood at the front of the restaurant. Jun nor Liang Wei was in sight. Shancai texted her, no response. "Should we go in and look for them?" I asked. Shancai nodded.

     "This way please." The waiter guided us to a room, further away from the main diner. And then I realized that not only was Jun in this room, but the whole of Seventeen. I playfully hit Shancai and squealed.

     We were warmly greeted as they introduced themselves. "Say the name, Seventeen! Hello, we are Seventeen."

     Me and Shancai sat next to each other, in between Jeonghan and Mingyu. Jeonghan asked Jun something, and I guess it was for our names since I heard Jun say them. It was kind of weird since nobody could really understand each other very well. I couldn't speak Korean and nor could Shancai. Liang Wei knew a bit, so she was able to talk to them. I guess you could say that we felt like total outcasts.

     Shancai received a call, so she stepped out for a bit. I checked my phone for the time. "Oh! It's 10:10. I should get going now." I told Jun. The rest bid their goodbyes as I walked out. I honestly didn't have anywhere I needed to be right now, but I didn't really want to be there. It was nice seeing my idols, but we couldn't communicate either way.

     I kicked a rock back and froth as I stood in front of the cafe. It was closed, but I kind of needed the fresh air right now.

     10 minutes later, I heard my name being called in the distance. "Xiaohua!!" Hm? Is that, Jun? "Xiaohua," Jun said while panting, "I thought you had somewhere to go?" I looked at him, isn't he supposed to be getting ready for a concert tomorrow? "Oh, um, it was a false alarm." I muttered. "I see. Have you thought about the thing I told you?" Jun asked while we walked. "Hm? What thing?" I said, confused. "The makeup artist job. Their contracts end this month." Jun went on. "I'd love to, but I think my parents wouldn't agree.." I said while frowning. To be honest, that makeup artist job was the least of my concerns. I already knew my parents would say no. "Have you tried asking them yet?" Jun said with his arm around my shoulder. My heart hasn't done that thing in a while. That fluttering. "Well, no, but they even fought with me when I told them I wanted to be an artist." Jun laughed at that. "Well, aren't you studying studio arts right now? That means that you were able to convince them." He does have a point. "Alright, I'll ask them tomorrow." I said, hesitantly. Their answer is unpredictable.

     "Why weren't you at the concert today? Liang Wei and Shancai were." Jun looked a bit worried. "I didn't get the tickets." I responded, feeling guilty. "Were you looking for me?" I joked. Jun laughed nervously and nodded. "You should have texted me, I would have been able to get you tickets."

     "Shouldn't you be getting ready for tomorrow's concert right now?"

"Well yeah. I snuck out."

     "Why?"

"I'm not sure, I guess I just wanted to talk to you."

     My heart fluttered again, so I hit it this time.

"Are you okay?"

     "Yeah, just uh, heartache."

     Jun smiled at that. "You should get going, I don't want you to be tired tomorrow at the concert." I said. Jun nodded and began walking away. "I guess I just wanted to talk to you." Ah, everytime I think about that one sentence, that pain in my heart comes back. Geez, what did he even mean by that?

a/n

if i'm being honest, i really like the storyline.

even though i'm not professional or whatever, i think it's pretty good

that's my self-confidence speaking. >.<

also i heard if you press the vote button you get a free cookie~ 🍪 (pls vote)