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Chapter 2 - Dancing Around Over The Edge

AN: Thank you to all the people who read and voted for this story. I really appreciate it. Please expect updates once per week / every ten days as a tentative schedule. (also wanted to remind that this is an adaptation, credits go to the original author, thefooliam)

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Chaeyoung seems unsettled, and Jisoo hates that it bothers her so much.

She's not been the same since Jisoo woke up to her talking to her mom on the phone at one in the morning. She leaves the room when Jisoo arrives from class, or she shoves earphones in and disappears into her world. Her face is always downturned unless she is with her friends, and Jisoo wonders if she intruded too much when she asked her if she was okay. She wonders if she overstepped, assuming that something might be wrong.

It doesn't help that Chaeyoung has returned to their room late and drunk almost every night for the past week and a half. Sometimes she lets Jisoo help her, but other times she shrugs and changes out of her pants to fall into bed. The times when she does let her help are the times when she is too far gone to care.

It happens more frequently than not. Jisoo hates that Nari and Jihye dump her in her room and hope for the best. She hates that Chaeyoung only comes back on her own when she has had enough to drink to the point of danger.

There is only one night that scares her.

It is about two and half weeks after the phone call, and Jisoo watches her quietly as she goes to the bathroom. She hears the toilet flush, and the tap starts to run. She waits for Chaeyoung to remerge, but she doesn't. She expects the shower to turn on because Chaeyoung has done that before, but it doesn't. It isn't until she hears a crash and a thud that she panics. She rushes for the bathroom door and calls Chaeyoung's name repeatedly. She decides she doesn't care what happens when Chaeyoung doesn't respond. She opens the door and finds Chaeyoung sprawled out on the bathroom floor.

"Chaeyoung-ah," Jisoo says, approaching her carefully. There is a dumb smile on her face, and Jisoo kneels beside her before checking her over. "I heard a crash."

Chaeyoung chuckles. "I slipped."

Jisoo pushes her hair from her eyes because it has become a habit. It is the only thing she feels comfortable enough to do. "You should be more careful."

Chaeyoung gives her a look. "We can't all be as sensible and put together as you."

Jisoo ignores the comment and reminds herself that drunk people say things they don't mean. "You're going to hurt yourself."

Chaeyoung starts chuckling and throws her arms out dramatically. Jisoo catches them as Chaeyoung almost hits her with a stray palm. "I drink to numb the pain!" she hollers and only laughs harder when Jisoo presses a hand to her mouth. "You're so serious!"

"You need to go to bed," Jisoo tells her, panicked and quiet. She is scared because tonight isn't like other nights where Chaeyoung grumps around until she falls asleep. Jisoo knows there is something wrong. "You need to sleep it off."

Chaeyoung's head rolls as she turns to her with a sudden look of anguish. "But I'll dream about him."

Jisoo frowns in confusion and starts to tidy up all the things Chaeyoung' knocked over to avoid the discomfort she feels. "Who? Your boyfriend?"

Chaeyoung shakes her head and swallows dryly. Her jaw quivers when Jisoo watches her. "My dad," she whispers. "He died four years ago today."

Jisoo stops fussing and can't think of anything else to do than reach up and push the hair from Chaeyoung's eyes again. She hates how bright they are when she is like this.