A Melody Of Us | Purinz (discontinued)

11 : Jealousy

The weather had turned colder, and with it, the mood in the practice room seemed to shift as well. Yunjin could feel the tension in her muscles as she ran through the choreography for what felt like the hundredth time that day. She could hear Chaewon's laughter from the other side of the room, light and melodic, like the song that played on repeat in her head.

But Chaewon wasn't laughing with her. She was laughing with Kim Minju, her best friend.

Minju had been a familiar face around the company for years — a beautiful, bright-eyed girl who seemed to have a natural talent for everything she tried. She and Chaewon had been inseparable since their trainee days. Minju was the kind of friend who knew all of Chaewon's secrets, who could finish her sentences, who could make her laugh until her sides hurt. And recently, she seemed to be around even more than usual, showing up at practice sessions, popping into meetings, and lingering in the hallways, always by Chaewon's side.

Yunjin tried to ignore the gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach every time she saw them together. She tried to remind herself that Minju was just a friend, that Chaewon had chosen her, had kissed her, had promised they would figure things out together. But every time she saw Minju throw her arm around Chaewon's shoulders, or heard the easy way they laughed together, she felt a pang of something dark and unfamiliar.

Today was no different. As Yunjin worked through the dance routine, she could see Minju and Chaewon in the mirror's reflection, standing by the water cooler, their heads close together, their smiles bright and easy. Minju was whispering something to Chaewon, who giggled and playfully nudged her.

Yunjin's jaw tightened as she tried to focus on the choreography, but she found her movements becoming more rigid, her muscles tensing with every passing second. Her eyes kept flicking back to them, unable to look away.

"You okay, Yunjin?" one of the backup dancers asked, noticing her falter.

Yunjin forced a smile. "Yeah, just a little tired. I'm fine."

But she wasn't fine. Not when she felt like she was standing on the outside looking in. Not when she saw Chaewon's attention diverted elsewhere.

The practice continued, and Yunjin did her best to focus, but the frustration was bubbling up inside her, threatening to spill over. When they finally took a break, she grabbed her water bottle and headed toward the back corner of the room, trying to calm herself.

"Yunjin!" Chaewon's voice called out, and Yunjin turned, feeling a spark of hope in her chest. Maybe Chaewon had noticed her mood, maybe she would come over and—

But no. Chaewon wasn't calling her over. She was waving Minju over, a wide smile on her face.

Yunjin's stomach twisted as she watched Minju bounce over to Chaewon's side, their shoulders bumping playfully. They looked so... perfect together. So comfortable. So familiar in a way that Yunjin felt she could never be.

She clenched her water bottle tightly, turning away before she could see more. She shouldn't feel this way, she told herself. Minju was Chaewon's best friend — they had known each other long before she'd even met Chaewon. But that didn't make it any easier.

Chaewon noticed the change in Yunjin's mood and furrowed her brows in concern. She quickly said something to Minju and started walking over to Yunjin.

"Hey," Chaewon said gently, standing in front of her. "Are you alright? You seemed a bit off today."

Yunjin forced a smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm fine," she lied. "Just tired."

Chaewon's eyes softened. "You sure? You can talk to me, you know."

Yunjin hesitated, feeling the words stuck in her throat. She wanted to tell Chaewon how she felt, how seeing her with Minju made her stomach twist into knots, but she didn't want to sound petty or insecure. She didn't want to ruin whatever good thing they had going.

Before she could say anything, Minju bounced over, sliding an arm around Chaewon's shoulders with an easy familiarity that made Yunjin's chest tighten. "Chaewon, come on! You promised you'd help me pick out some new songs for my cover series," Minju said, completely oblivious to the tension.

Chaewon glanced between Minju and Yunjin, looking conflicted for a moment. "Right, I did say that..." she said slowly, her gaze flicking back to Yunjin. "But maybe we can do it later? I wanted to spend some time with Yunjin."

Minju pouted playfully. "Oh, come on, Chaewon! You see Yunjin all the time. Just a few minutes, I promise!"

Yunjin's heart sank at Minju's words, and she looked away, pretending to take a sip from her water bottle to hide the hurt on her face. She knew Minju didn't mean anything by it, but it still stung.

Chaewon seemed torn, but eventually, she sighed and turned back to Minju. "Alright, alright. Just for a little while, okay?"

Minju grinned, pulling Chaewon away with a bright smile. "Thanks, bestie! You're the best!"

Yunjin watched them go, her chest tightening with every step they took. She tried to shake it off, telling herself she was being ridiculous, but the feeling only grew stronger. She felt like an outsider in a moment that should have been hers.

The rest of practice dragged on, and by the time they were finished, Yunjin was practically vibrating with frustration. She left the room quickly, heading down the hall and out onto the rooftop where they had shared their first kiss. She needed air, space — something to help clear her head.

She stood there for a while, staring out at the city skyline, her mind racing with a mix of anger and insecurity. She hated feeling this way, hated the jealousy that gnawed at her. She didn't want to be that person, the one who got upset over something so small. But she couldn't help it.

The door to the rooftop creaked open behind her, and she turned to see Chaewon stepping out, her expression worried. "Yunjin?" she called softly, closing the door behind her.

Yunjin's heart ached at the sound of her voice, but she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to maintain some semblance of calm. "Hey," she replied shortly.

Chaewon walked over, her brows furrowed. "Are you... mad at me?"

Yunjin shook her head, but the frustration was evident in her voice. "I'm not mad, Chaewon. I just... I don't know. I feel like I'm... competing with Minju for your attention or something."

Chaewon's eyes widened in surprise. "Competing? Yunjin, you don't have to compete with Minju. She's my friend — my best friend, yes, but that doesn't mean she's more important to me than you are."

Yunjin looked away, her heart aching. "I know that. I do. It's just... hard. Seeing you with her all the time, watching how close you two are. It makes me feel... like I'm just on the sidelines."

Chaewon's expression softened, and she felt it.