egoist // yuyeon.

10.

. . .

I look around the cafeteria, searching for a place to sit. Soojin isn't talking to me for some reason, and Soyeon, well, she left earlier.

I feel a sense of relief as I spot Minnie and Miyeon. Minnie sees me and gestures for me to sit with them, so I do just that. I take the seat next to Minnie and set my lunchbox on the table.

"Hey Yuqi," She says with a little mischief in her tone.

"I heard what they said to you in class today. I'm really sorry," Miyeon says, then takes a huge bite of her sandwich.

"Yeah, don't worry. It's fine," I reply, not questioning how they know about that, considering the fact that Minnie and Miyeon are in college.

"You know," Minnie starts. "You're not the other woman, but if you're jealous or upset I think you have a right to be."

I put my chopsticks down and look at her. "That's the first time I've heard anyone say this to me..."

Minnie shrugs. "Well, it's true. I can imagine what it's like for your best friend to slowly forget about you for what? Some rapping show?"

"I mean, it's not just the show, she's also—"

"I know, Yuqi, because I auditioned in the same company as her." Minnie interrupts. I hold back a gasp and just stare at her. "I don't know what Soyeon auditioned with, but I did a singing cover and I didn't get in."

"And let me tell you," Miyeon adds. "Her voice is good."

I just glance from Minnie to Miyeon, not knowing what to say.

"You, Yuqi, also have the right to think like, why not you, too?" Minnie continues. "Your singing voice is pretty cool. You can rap. You can dance."

I just look at her in silence.

"Why did Soyeon get in and I didn't?" Minnie asks.

"I-I mean, she can also write and—"

"Well I wrote songs too!" Minnie fires back, startling me a little. "I wrote a dozen of them and sent a bunch to the company in hopes of getting in."

Minnie leans closer to me. "And did I get in? No."

I just nod so she can move away from my face. Minnie giggles.

"Calm down, you seem so nervous." She says, and takes a bite out of a Thai dish she's eating.

The three of us eat in silence for a little bit until the bell rings, and Minnie and Miyeon invite me to skip with them. I mean, their classes are over anyway. I agree since I have nothing better to do, and we go down the emergency stairs and exit the school building.

"I have a question." I say. "How are you so informed about what happens in our class?"

"Well, I know and usually talk to one of those quiet kids all of you ignore," Miyeon replies, without specifying who it is exactly she talks to. "She's got a lot of gossip. Speaking of gossip, why did Soyeon leave today?"