Yours Truly, The Girl By Your Side

Chapter 5

ITZY finishes a long day and relax in their dorm.

"Where's Yuna and Chae?" Yeji asks.

"They texted the group chat earlier. They wanted to get food from the convenience store before coming back."

Lia peeps from the couch, "How are we gonna do this, guys?"

The other two sit on the ends where there's space. The silence on the topic finally breaks.

Ryujin replies first, "Well, I think it's best if we talk to them about it."

"I don't know if they wanna talk to a professional, but I think they should do that, too."

"I can tell it's been hard for them, it makes me sad when I try to have a conversation," Yeji says.

"If we love them, bringing all of this up is the only way."

The three girls nod in agreement, and wait for the other two to return.

At the convenience store

Chaeryeong looks around and walks down an aisle with chips. One of the staff notices she's just on her own and quickly runs to her.

She gets startled, "Yah! Don't do that please!"

"What happened?" Yuna comes through in a hurry to the same section.

The staff member looks down in embarrassment and apologizes a few times before taking a few steps back.

"Nothing, I just got scared because of them..."

Yuna puts on a subtle frown, then hooks her arm with Chaeryeong's as they continue their foodie shopping trip.

"I know your appetite hasn't been good recently," the younger one says.

"I'm trying,  I really am. I think I'm more comfortable when we all eat together."

She smiles, "Good! I'm glad to hear that, at least. Did you want me to sleep over in your room tonight?"

"No, it's okay. I don't want Yeji to be disturbed. The last time you did, we were too loud and she didn't sleep that well."

"I didn't know that!! I'll apologize to her when we get back," the two share a giggle.

"How have you been, Yuna?" Chae asks suddenly.

"...Um, I'm not sure. I've been focused on making sure you're okay, too."

"Isn't that a burden to you?"

"No not at all!!" the younger one shakes her hands, "It helps me knowing that I can help you... I-I actually like it."

A smile spreads across her face like reassurance, "I like it too."

The girls share another giggle and gently touch foreheads, like they always do.

They've been around each other for so long, that their synchronicity is automatic. They'll always know how they feel and make sure to adjust the atmosphere accordingly.

Chaeryeong's the one who listens to ITZY's maeknae first—so she doesn't feel ignored or left out. There's an uplifting energy that will always support her.

Yuna is very similar to all of her members, but there's a deeper respect she shares with the raven haired girl. It exists in a way where she'll never know to put it into words, or in the very least—won't know as of today.

Back at the dorm

"We have to talk to you guys."

Ryujin, Yeji, and Lia are gathered in the living room with a serious look on their faces.

The other two girls just put on their slippers and entered the kitchen with bags of snacks.

"Huh, did you say something, unnie?" Yuna yells while putting drinks in the refrigerator.

"Just meet us in here when you're done."

A nervous energy fills the area as they wait for their maeknae line.

Chaeryeong and Yuna finally take a seat on the sofa and stare at their members.

Yeji breaks the tension, "Are you guys...okay?"

"What do you mean?" Yuna replies.

"...Ever since that day--"

"We want to make sure you guys can still talk to us." Ryujin cuts in as Lia was losing her words.

The silence is awkward now.

"I was hoping... that you all would say something." Chae says quietly, almost like she's talking to herself.

"I've been scared of going outside since," she continues. "I have nightmares and I can't sleep. I haven't had a full meal. And there's so much tension in my body that it takes me longer to warm up for practice."

There's tears falling from Lia's eyes as she's trying not to let out a weep.

Yuna looks at her crush, heartbroken. She'd be a liar if she said she didn't go through the same feelings.

"I want you all to help me, but I feel like that's asking for too much."

"No it's not, Chae!" Yeji lunges forward to give her a hug, but the younger member flinches. "Oh no, I'm sorry!"

Ryujin speaks up, "You just tell us what you need and we'll be there, always."

Yuna is frozen with sadness as she's also trying not to let out a loud cry. A part of her is relieved that the group wants to help them, but what needs to happen from here? They can't tend to her hand and foot for the rest of her life. That doesn't seem possible with the industry that they're in.

The news outlets have already made a big commotion about that day. In the first week, all they showed was security footage of the parking garage and Yuna saving her unnie. They kept putting up the photo that the driver took, and that disgusted Yuna to the core. Whenever there's public news on the TV around, she makes sure to change the channel for Chaeryeong.

It's been difficult to cope. Yuna's family tries their hardest, but there's a great distance between them. Most of the gap comes from her own feelings...

Her feelings for the person she respects and loves so much, are growing everyday.

Is there a world where both her career and fantasy romance can exist?

No one will ever understand.

And no one can control her.