The Choices I Never Made (annyeongz version)

The Seventh Phone

They're on their way back to the campsite grounds after collecting enough kindling for the night. In the last five minutes of their trekking, Wonyoung's managed to pierce both of Yujin's ear drums, screeching whenever a miniscule insect found its away on her body or even within visible radius.

When they finally get their hands on an actual conversation that doesn't involve any squealing every ten seconds, Yujin is genuinely surprised Wonyoung jumpstarts with such a generic question.

Who knew a two-time Daesang-recipient idol-turned-actress had the conversing ability of an awkward teenage boy?

Yujin scoffs. "I'm sorry, did you just ask me 'how's life'?"

Wonyoung feels embarrassed herself.

The risks of starting a conversation with Yujin about their past, ten minutes after they mutually chose to become friends, is not something she'd like to test out, so Wonyoung ultimately decides to play safe for now and start a conversation with a different subject, this time she both anticipated and dreaded for.

"I did." She hides her embarrassment behind faux smugness instead. "You have a problem with that?"

Luckily, it only elicits an amused snort from the older woman. Wonyoung feels her stomach lurch from happiness. This is the first time she gets to see Yujin openly responding to her self-abasement.

"Wow, okay..." Yujin tries to catch her breath from all the laughing. "Are we really doing this right now?"

Wonyoung reflects at first and then agrees later on, the last standing wall of her self-esteem now officially crumbling into pieces. She desperately tries to act this role—the I'm-totally-a-friend-and-not-an-ex-who-may-or-may-not-be-still-in-love-with-you one—but her two Daesangs and Rising Actress of the Year award can't compensate for such a life-threatening act.

"Can you please just answer my question?"  Wonyoung miserably groans. "I'm trying to start a conversation here!"

Yujin continues with her fit of laughter. "Uh—HAHA—I've...I mean, life's---HAHAHA—been good HAHA!"

Wonyoung stomps her feet on the ground, cantankerous. "I'm serious here!"

The older woman steadies her breathing first before trying to come up with any coherent answer to satisfy the idol's whining.

"Um", Yujin takes a deep inhale. "Wow, okay, uh...life's been pretty much normal for me."

Wonyoung acknowledges with a nod. "And normal is...?"

She doesn't have the faintest idea of what normal is for Yujin; her version of 'normal' consists of never-ending CF shoots, movie filming, photoshoots and recording sessions.

"Normal is boring", Yujin lets out a faint chuckle even if it's apparent enough for Wonyoung to know it's just a façade. "Normal is paying your taxes and having to work nine hours per day just to earn the minimum wage and hopefully survive with it."

"If that's the case..."

Hearing people complain about their daily salary jobs is nothing new to Wonyoung. She's heard it thousands of times from the people she works with (her manager complains every single day about having to deal with her) but somehow, hearing it from Yujin is a far different experience—one that's very heartfelt and concerning. One that makes Wonyoung want to fight anything and anyone who dares lay a finger on the love of her life.

"...Why did you work as a cashier then?"

She's known Yujin for so long; she's sure as hell when she says Ahn Yujin is a woman of versatility and talent. Yujin can do a lot of things and actually succeed in them.