(A/N: yes i did reuse the same kinda concept from friend pt.1 except this one's yuqi's pov)
Song Yuqi was a student at the most prestigious school, and at the same time she was working a few or more odd jobs to sustain the nice apartment that she was currently living in. She did her homework on time, was never even once late to her jobs or school attendance, and seemed to have such an excellent fashion sense that people always complimented her. But at the same time, she cooked whatever and whenever she wanted, walked around her apartment in her underwear, and played Valorant in her free time.
She had it all, really. All of her classmates were jealous that she didn't have parents on her back about school and chores, her different bosses at her jobs always praising her. Except...
Song Yuqi has no friends.
All of her coworkers are always much older than her, or if she's babysitting, the kids are too young to be her real friends. So she's left with fantasizing what it'd be like to meet her online Valorant friends.
Until she finally finds an opportunity.
She's excusing herself from class to use the bathroom, but really she just has to text her job which shifts she wanted to take for the next week. That's when she walks in on a trio of girls vaping. She locks eyes with one of them and in slight shock at what they're doing, she reaches again for the handle to the restroom door that had just closed behind her.
"Wait!" One of them calls for her, making her freeze, "You not gonna, like, tell the teachers, are you?"
"No, I won't."
"Good, you promise, little puppy?"
"Puppy?"
Another one exhales, taking the device away from her lips. "Yeah, you look dumb. Like a puppy."
"O-okay. Yes, I promise," she bowed slightly, recognizing that they were seniors to her.
"Is it because you came in here to do the same thing?" Her eyes twinkle.
Yuqi's breath hitches. "Um, y-yeah, but I forgot mine..."
One of the girls who hasn't spoken yet, digs in her purse for a few seconds before pulling out a little black item. "Here, I've got like five extra in case my parents take them away," she says casually, extending her hand to give it to Yuqi.
Her heartbeat quickens significantly as she looks at it, real panic setting in. If she did this, these girls would consider her as their friend, right? That's something of her dreams, being someone's friend. If she doesn't, her lungs will still be healthy, but no one will be her friend at this school if she's marked 'uncool' by these girls. So, a shaky hand reaches forward to take it.
Then, a bathroom stall opens, a particularly short girl standing in between the vape and Yuqi. "Yeobo, you finally made it! Can't believe you skipped class for me, huh?" She pins Yuqi against the stall door, smiling. Her voice drops to a whisper, like it's only meant for Yuqi, but still loud enough for the other girls to hear. "I can't wait for you to fuck me until I can't feel my legs anymore... but it's got to be quick because my next period is gym– Oh shit!" She turns dramatically to the other girls, covering her mouth. "I didn't know there were other people in here! Oh– let's go, jagiya." The mysterious girl that was kind of saving her took her sweaty palm and led her out of the bathroom, all the way down the hall and around the corner.
Yuqi tried to take a deep breath, but it was getting to her. If this girl hadn't been here, she actually would've done it. There comes the zap in her chest and she suddenly can't breathe anymore without it faltering. She drops to the ground, hoping it will stabilize herself since she was probably going to fall anyway. Her breaths get so short that she's barely breathing anymore, and this is it, this is it, this is her last moment on Earth. She's going to die, with this stupid panic attack because she can't even control hersel–
"Hey, look at me. Look at me."
She lifts her head to look at the girl, unsure and embarrassed and feeling all too vulnerable in the open hallway because if anyone comes out of class she'll be teased for the rest of the year about this and–
"What do you see, hm? Focus on me, don't think about anything else."
"Y-your.. Hair?"
"Yeah? That's amazing, you're doing amazing. What color is my hair?"
"B.. black."
"Do you like that color?"
"Yeah.. yes."
"Now look at my lips, okay? See how I'm breathing? I want you to follow me, are you ready? Breathe in, a big breath, just for me, okay?"
Yuqi shakily breathes in, eyes focused on nothing else other than the girl's lips, holding her breath and waiting for her.
"Good job, now breathe out, just as slowly as you breathed in."
Yuqi exhales, rather quickly, and she hopes the girl didn't notice. But she did.
"Slowly, alright? Let's try again. Deep breath in, ready? Follow me, remember, slowly..."
This went on for a good ten minutes until Yuqi finally calmed down.
She buried her face in her hands, cheeks red. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry you had to see that..."
The girl cracks a big smile. "No biggie."
"But why.. Why did you save me?"
"Those girls are bitches, seriously, I just had to. You sounded all innocent like you'd never even seen someone vape before, let alone use it yourself. And actually, I'm sorry," she laughs, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with that weird excuse to get out of the bathroom."
Yuqi starts to laugh as well. "I'd actually be fine if you keep calling me jagiya," she wiggled her eyebrows.
"Stoppp, that was embarrassing, really. But what's your name?"
"Yuqi. And yours?"
"It's Soyeon." She tips her head, biting her lip. "Will I see you again, jagi?"
"You can come to my apartment after school if you want? I have work, but it won't be for long."
"Are you inviting me to a date and letting me stay at your place when you aren't there? Wow."
Yuqi blushed. "It's the least I can do..."
Soyeon stands up off of the floor, pulling her up too. "Well, I guess I'll see you after school!" She gave her a fistbump and then twirled around, which made Yuqi laugh again because it was so random and cute at the same time.
And it helped her actually look forward to going back to her lonely apartment at the end of the day.
