You Can Quote Me On That [Michaeng]

Chapter 13: Realization

A/N: Happy reading!

TW: references to abuse, depiction of a panic attack, anxiety, bar violence

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"Thank you for the gift the other day. That was really sweet. But, why didn't you tell me?" Momo asked.

"Tell you what?" Jeongyeon asked.

"You know, only that you got engaged!"

"I thought you knew!"

"I did not! I only saw the post a week afterward."

"Well, I'm sorry. I'm engaged. Now you know."

"I never got to give you my congratulations. So, congratulations. Sorry, I was late to the party on that."

"You're fine! Thank you! And if it makes you feel any better, we still haven't told our families yet, so you're not the last one to know."

"Weirdly, that does make me feel a bit better, thanks. I can't believe I was so down about that."

"I get it. I would be too. Are you doing okay now?"

"I'm fine. Just felt kind of disappointed, but that gift made me feel like I was important to this band, so I guess it kind of made up for it." Momo smiled.

"You are important! Don't you ever forget it! I'm sorry for not telling you sooner and making you feel bad." Jeongyeon hugged Momo.

"It's okay. Better late than never, right? Let's get started, shall we?"

"Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Then, let's go. We have a gig to put on!"

Momo pumped a fist in the air. "Yeah, we do!"

The band walked onto the stage and back into their element. Everything else fell to the waist side as the music and energy of the crowd were so infectious one couldn't help but to smile and have a good time.

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Chaeyoung froze, spotting a familiar face in the crowd. Her fingers stopped strumming her guitar and she blanked on the lyrics she was supposed to sing. She remembered why she had to cover most of her body even during the summer. Ju Haknyeon cut her, literally and figuratively.

The stage and bar suddenly felt suffocating, and her heart started racing. She had to leave, now. She set her guitar down with shaky hands and ran out of the bar breathing heavily. The rest of the members and the crowd were rightly worried and concerned seeing a performer run out in the middle of a gig.

"What just happened?" someone from the crowd asked.

"Did the guitarist just run out in the middle of the performance?" another one asked.

"I hope she's okay," another said.

The others expressed their agreement with the sentiment. They just wanted Chaeyoung to be okay.

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Chaeyoung was not okay. Even just the sight of Hakyneon in the crowd made her run away. She was a coward. Her palms were sweaty as she pulled open the door to the nearest convenience store, she was hyperventilating, her heart was just about ready to burst out of her chest, and no one was around to help her.

She sat at the nearest table and started taking deep breaths and counting slowly. She was proud she even got to ten before it became too much. Maybe she should've called someone. Her phone rang just as she thought that. A number she recognized, but blocked a long time ago. She turned her phone off and focused on taking deep breaths.