Home

2

was about to leave my apartment when a crisp white envelope slipped from my mailbox.  My heart sank as I read the landlady's terse message: the entire building was being sold, and we had to vacate.  The words swam before my eyes, a cold wave of panic washing over me.  Homeless.  The word echoed in my mind, heavy and suffocating.

School that morning was a blur.  Lunchtime arrived, and I slumped onto the table, the weight of the news pressing down on me.

"What's wrong, Mitang?" Sana asked, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm going to be homeless," I mumbled, the words barely audible, yet heavy with despair.

"Eh? Why?" Momo's question was sharp, her brow furrowed.

"The landlady's selling the building next month, and I have nowhere to go," I explained, my forehead creasing with worry.

"Wait, next month? That's like five or six days from now!" Nayeon exclaimed, her voice a mixture of shock and disbelief.  She paused, her fork halfway to her mouth.  "That landlady's cruel," Dahyun agreed, her voice muffled by a mouthful of food.

"Hmm, by the way, where's Chaeyoung?" I asked, trying to distract myself from the impending crisis.

"Don't know," Dahyun replied.

"Looking for me?"

A voice, smooth as honey, cut through the tense silence.  We all turned to see Chaeyoung sitting beside Tzuyu, who looked at her with a mixture of concern and affection.

Dahyun's question, "Chae, are you okay?" was immediate, her concern evident.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm fine, but hungry," Chaeyoung replied, her smile bright, almost too bright. She pointed at Tzuyu's lunch.  "Give me that."

Tzuyu carefully picked up a piece of fried chicken and fed it to Chaeyoung. "You sure you're okay?" she asked, her voice soft.

"Yes, and oh, I'm sorry about the guy last night. He was just messing around, you know," Chaeyoung said, her smile unwavering as she chewed her food.

"But Chaeyoung, that guy looked dangerous. You sure he didn't do anything bad to you?" Jihyo’s worry was palpable.

"Yeah, Chaeyoung, we could call the cops," Nayeon added, her tone urgent.

"Geez, Unnies, chill. You don't have to. And besides, I'm fine, see?" Chaeyoung waved her hands dismissively, her smile still in place.

It was unnerving. Chaeyoung's smile was a mask, hiding emotions we couldn't decipher.  Even after last night's incident, she remained an enigma.

"Just tell us, okay? So we can punch that guy," Jihyo insisted, clenching her fist.

Chaeyoung chuckled. "I didn't know we had some awesome seniors here."

"Hey, we're not just your seniors, we're your friends now, okay?" Nayeon said, her voice warm.

"Yes, sure. Thank you, Unnies," Chaeyoung replied, her smile genuine this time. Tzuyu continued to feed her.

"Oh, by the way, what's the matter, Mina Unnie? You're terribly silent," Chaeyoung said, her words drawing our attention back to my predicament.

"Oh, yeah, she's got a problem," Jihyo announced.

"What?" Chaeyoung asked.

I explained about the landlady and the impending eviction, the words tumbling out in a rush.

"Hmm, Mitang, how about you stay with us in the dorms?" Sana suggested.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Eh? But dorms are expensive. You know my dad controls my expenses, right? I can't afford it," I explained, the frustration evident in my voice.  My father's strict control over my finances was a constant source of stress.  The dorms would consume my entire allowance.

"Aish, is your dad still controlling your expenses?" Jihyo asked, her voice laced with sympathy.

I nodded, and a heavy silence settled over the table.

"Oh, I know a good idea!" Dahyun exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.  "But it could be temporary."

"What is it?" I asked, a flicker of hope igniting within me.

"Well, you see, Chaeyoung here has a studio apartment that she rarely uses. Tzuyu and I often hang out there; it's got a great city view," Dahyun suggested.

My eyes widened, then shifted to Chaeyoung, who was busy chewing her food, seemingly oblivious to the unfolding conversation. Tzuyu looked at Dahyun in disbelief.

"Seriously, Dahyun?" Tzuyu asked, her voice incredulous.

Sana, Momo, Nayeon, and Jihyo burst into laughter.

"Eh? Why?" Dahyun asked, confused.

"Y-you just gave Chaeyoung's studio away! What are you, her attorney?" Nayeon laughed, tears streaming down her face.

It was funny, but also incredibly generous of Dahyun.

"Hmm, that's fine with me," Chaeyoung said, her voice calm, cutting through the laughter.

"Uh, no... no, it's fine, Chaeyoung. I can just look for other apartments," I said, feeling overwhelmed by their kindness.

"Mina, that apartment is the closest to school. Some apartment buildings are an hour away," Sana pointed out.

"Just live with us in the dorms," Nayeon insisted.

"Dude, we'll cramp the place. I know it's already a pain living with Momo and Sana," I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yah! What do you mean, a pain?" Momo protested.

"Yeah, it's true. They're a pain in the ass," Jihyo agreed, pinching the bridge of her nose sarcastically.

Chaeyoung, Tzuyu, Dahyun, Nayeon, and I laughed, while Momo and Sana pouted dramatically.

"You can use mine temporarily, Unnie, until you find one," Chaeyoung offered, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

"Yes, Mitang. Next month is just a few days away. I know moving can take time," Sana said.

I sighed, a genuine smile finally breaking through my anxiety.

"Okay."