ozone 》TWICE

solidity

SON CHAEYOUNG'S P.O.V.
****
I breathe in steadily to calm my pounding heart. My skin feels as if it's on fire, and each time I blink, my vision becomes blurrier. None of this seems too real. I want to wake up any second now, and be able to laugh because none of this has happened. But it wouldn't feel right. No matter how much pain we go through, no matter how much I'm scared, I'd miss all of these girls. 

My pain increases, as does my fear, when I hear of Jeongyeon and Sana being locked away for only God knows how long. And my distrust and anger increases when I hear of Jihyo lying to us. It isn't right. She made all of us so vulnerable just to break us apart. I feel a weight on my chest as I think about her.

All of us have reacted so differently, so vividly. Jihyo was like... My second mother in a way. I'd like to think she could still be like that because I don't know her side of the story. But it doesn't look too fantastic for her right now.

I'm close to Jeongyeon as well, and I look up to her just as much as I did Jihyo. I feel as if I am stuck between the both of them, and neither one is winning. I am irrational sometimes, but Jeongyeon is irrational most of the time. She is more mature than I am, she understands how to handle situations better than I do. But the Jihyo situation was different, and she reacted the worse.  And I can tell that she deeply regrets it. It shows in her eyes when Jihyo is brought up, but underneath that regret, she feels anger. The anger she feels is almost stronger than the regret.

Nayeon knew before any of us did. I'm not angry that Jihyo trusted her with the secret. As I've already confirmed, I don't know the whole story. It could have been an accident, and Jihyo forced Nayeon into hiding. Or she could have willingly told her. I don't care either way; it isn't my fight. Nayeon is still in pain though. It's too obvious. More than it should be.

There's too much going on, and my chest is tight every time I think about it. Jihyo still hasn't come home, but she's better, I know she is. She's strong. And Dahyun is stressed over Sana, who we haven't been allowed to see since they locked her up, and Jeongyeon is with her, and we can't have any contact whatsoever, and-

I breathe in shakily. We have all been struggling over our own battles since day one. JYPE has only increased them. Momo is worried sick over Jeongyeon, Mina, and Sana, and Mina can't do anything but sleep because she's so weak, but I don't know why. I know that she's been taking pills, but she says that they're to ease her mind. It makes me feel like whatever bond we formed is no longer there. But I can only accept her need for privacy.

The one person I should be taking care of right now is Tzuyu though. She's younger than me, not by much, but I still feel an overwhelming need to protect her. She's lonely, and she misses her family, and she misses Jihyo. She feels just as betrayed by Jihyo as everyone else initially did. But how could anyone blame her? Tzuyu confided in Jihyo more than she confided in me.

And it's no secret that Sana and Dahyun have found a home in each other, and how Jeongyeon fell deeply for Jihyo (I swear that Nayeon is involved in the mix, but I won't think about it too much). So I believe that it shouldn't be so selfish that what I feel for Tzuyu is more than platonic. Seeing her so upset makes my entire soul ache. I want to do anything and everything possible to make her just the slightest bit happy again, and I will. 

It's an absolutely terrible, and stupid, and crazy idea, but it's something I should do.

"You want me to fly Tzuyu's parents here?" Jinyoung deadpans. I almost roll my eyes. I shouldn't even be here because of what he provoked, and how he doesn't give a shit about us, but it's the quickest way I can get them here. Plus I don't want to stress Jihyo out right now despite her being completely recovered. She already has enough on her plate.

"Please?" I ask, shifting around, "I realize how busy you are-"

"Right? So you should leave me alone. Flying her parents here won't be easy. Do you not realize what's going on, Chaeyoung?"

"I do, and that's why I need them here. And, um," I bite my lip, deep in thought. I don't want to say the next words, but it's the best thing to say to a man like him, "the most dangerous Zodiacs are locked away right now. So it isn't like there will be much damage caused if something goes wrong."

"I understand. And I understand how capable you and the other young women are. Any of you could do just as much as Jeongyeon, Sana, and Dahyun can. It's just a matter of when it will happen." He says it so calmly that I feel nauseous. I know that I destroyed one room, but I've gained more control since then.

"I know. Can't Jackson stay with us though?" At this point I'm trying everything and anything I can do convince Jinyoung.

"Chaeyoung, I can't. There's too much at risk." I allow my temper to get the best of me as I turn on my heels, muttering under my breath about how much of an asshole he is.

"You're too afraid that a couple of Zodiacs you've known for months will ruin your precious building, but you'll bring in four fucking strangers who could absolutely destroy everything you've created. That's so smart of you," I scoff. The four that he brought in give me strange vibes, and honestly, it doesn't make sense. "You're just as thick as Jeongyeon says you are."