look after you | hyunin

xxvii

chaein's break conveniently begins just moments after she prepares food and a drink for her old friend.

this gives jeongin more time to tell her everything she has yet to know. he misses times like this. she understands him in a way that his friends didn't seem to sometimes.

it always feels good to rant to someone who understands.

"okay," chaein says with a soft sigh. she sits down in the booth across from jeongin with her own food and drink. she smiles softly at the boy in anticipation. "you can actually tell me everything now that i'm on break."

she's always been a positive person despite her personal struggles or any bad situations. her soul has been bright since the day jeongin befriended her.

"well, um... roughly 3 months ago, i had a bad argument with my parents and finally stood up for myself. naturally, they kicked me out," jeongin begins to explain.

"oh my god?" chaein frowns. "where are you now?"

jeongin scoffs awkwardly with a soft blush adorning his cheeks. she is not ready for the full story.

"well, basically..."

he tells all, from meeting hyunjin to everything in between. he follows with what led them to their stance now.

after his fairly long story, chaein only frowns again.

"jeongin..." she sighs. "you have every right to feel the way you're feeling. i'm very glad you're safe now and are in the process of bettering yourself.

"about everything else... you haven't said anything about your own feelings. do you like him?"

jeongin chews on his lip nervously.

"i think so?"

"okay, let me rephrase-" chaein giggles softly before pausing to take a sip of her iced americano. "once you're at a healthier place mentally, would you try out a relationship with him?"

jeongin's face flushes a bright pink. the girl in front of him giggles at his reaction.

"that tells me allllll i need to know!"

"well- this is kinda off topic but- listen-" the boy sighs. "i came here because i ran from channie and seungmin since i was getting overwhelmed and they brought up therapy again-"

"ah, you just mentioned that, right?" chaein asks. "isn't that why you and hyunjin- i hope i remembered that right- fought?"

"yeah, that's him. well, um... kinda?" jeongin sighs. "i mean, it was part of it? but uh- i um- i said the kiss meant nothing, like i mentioned to you earlier. i hurt him by saying that and i think he likes me but i just- i don't know.

"i like him! okay, i'll admit it," he continues with a sigh. "i've liked him for a month or so now. it didn't take long to catch feelings. i have so much going on and i already keep hurting him. i don't wanna do it again if we patch things up and possibly pursue something."

"you mean when you patch things up, right?" chaein raises a brow.

"he's so mad at me, chae..." jeongin's voice nearly breaks. "i've been such an asshole. nothing i've gone through excuses my behavior-"

"that's true! but it explains it, doesn't it? you own up to your actions, innie, i know you," she says with a soft sigh.

"listen to me, okay?"

chaein takes jeongin's hands in hers. she squeezes them in a supportive manner, smiling softly. her deer-like brown eyes sparkle with generosity and care.

"hyunjin seems like he really cares about you. you said you're pretty sure he likes you, too!" she exclaims. "that's a good sign! things are bad right now. it happens. you'll get through this, yeah?

"it's such an annoyingly cliché thing to say, i know," chaein laughs. "however, from my point of view, he doesn't want to let you go as much as you don't want to let him go. you guys will be okay. give him his space, enjoy the time with seungmin and chan, and let the trial pass before anything.

"everything happens for a reason, innie," his friend says sweetly. "believe me. when you met me last year, i was freshly 15 and going back and forth between staying with my friends and sleeping in hotels. now i just turned 16, i live with my aunt and uncle, and i have the strongest support system and best friends i could ask for.

"you'll have your time. real life is painful, but with pain comes eventual freedom when you really push to value your happiness. it won't always be okay. you will live the life you deserve. the rain just has to pour before the sun shines.

"please trust me on this, alright?"

jeongin takes a shaky deep breath and nods.

"i don't know how to respond so i hope this is enough. your words mean the world, chae. i'm proud of you and really thankful that you're still here," he says. "if i say more, i might cry... i'll text you, yeah? you should get back to work and i should find the way back to my best friends."

chaein smiles sweetly.

"you're a kind soul, jeongin. you've just been so hurt by people who were never able to find that kindness within them because they didn't get the help they needed. never stop loving, okay?"

the boy nods with slightly teary eyes as the pair get up and share a brief embrace.

"i won't. i'll text you. i'm sorry for going ghost," he mumbles. "there was just so much going on at home and then all that stuff happened at once-"

"hey," the auburn-haired girl says as the pair pulls apart. "it's okay. i've been going through shit, too. i get it. i empathize. you really are doing great, innie, but as irritating as it is to constantly hear...

"you should listen to chan and seungmin. it is definitely exhausting and you're valid for those feelings. however, they aren't lying when they say they want the best for you."

jeongin only nods. "have a good shift... thank you. really."

chaein smiles genuinely at her friend.

"i will! you don't have to thank me, jeongin. i hope to see you around, okay? let's hang out sometime."

"we really should. i'd love for you to meet the rest of my friends," jeongin says with a small grin. "they'd really like you."

"i'd love to meet them! i gotta get back to work now, bye!"

"bye, chae! see you later!"

jeongin watches as his auburn-haired friend adjusts her apron and goes back behind the counter. she converses with a long-haired blonde with bangs and jeongin can quickly tell there's something between the two.

he'll have to ask her next time.

right as he sits back down, jeongin hears footsteps coming in his direction. a voice he knows speaks once the person approaches him.

the boy gasps at the familiar face.

"chan and seungmin called. what's going on between you and hyunjin?"

what the hell?

𓈒⠀𓂃⠀⠀˖⠀𓇬⠀˖⠀⠀𓂃⠀𓈒

i'm so sorry that update took longer than i wanted -_- life has kicked me in the ass lately

skz cb next week!! ok ttyl 🤍✨

- ash 💗

editing ash: still forever patting myself on the back for including my personal fav lee chaeyoung... chaein u will always be famous <3