Broken

9

It was almost the end of the year when Jihyo was run into by Jeongyeon and Sana. Quite literally. None of the three really knew each other, Jihyo and Jeongyeon knew who each other were, as they worked at the same place, but that was as far as it went. Jihyo was waiting for Chaeyoung, the girl had asked her for lunch, and was coming her way with Jeongyeon, when Sana tripped down the stairs to their left.

In a reflex, Jihyo positioned to hold the girl, and Jeongyeon ran to do the same, and was just in time to catch the falling girl. It was winter, so the buds blooming in Jeongyeon's left forearm weren't seen, but the ones on Sana's neck were, Jihyo noticed them and saw it happen as they did knowing what that meant for her. They took a few seconds to come out of it.

Jeongyeon got her arm scratched, what led her to pull up her sleeves. Sana was wide eyed, and seemed to have grasped the situation, Jihyo was feeling a rather sharp pain in her lower back, so she decided to pay attention to that first. But everything went downhill when Sana spoke, she and Jeongyeon were focusing on each other and Jihyo was left out completely.

"It bloomed." Sana said, a hand went to her neck. "I never thought it would so soon."

"You kind of fell for me right away, huh?" Jeongyeon jokes.

"Jihyo, are you alright? You are bleeding a little." Chaeyoung breaks their moment, and both seemed to remember the girl that was there as well.

Jihyo just let Chaeyoung help her up, saw that she had a cut on her shin, it stung when she tried to lean on the leg. Jeongyeon looked apologetic, even though she had been hurt as well, Sana started panicking when she saw both girls got hurt because of her.

"I'm so very sorry. I'm Sana, Minatozaki Sana. I really didn't mean fo-"

"It's alright, Sana-ssi. I'm sure nobody would come flying down the stairs on purpose. At least the damage was minimal." Jihyo cut the girl off, trying to get away as fast as she could.

"Like she said, it was an accident. I'm Yoo Jeongyeon, by the way." Jeongyeon assured the girl.

They both looked at Jihyo and Chaeyoung, the younger one furiously typing away on her phone, Jihyo just looked.... Afraid? Shaken? A bit hurt? Maybe all of it. She took the hint, and decided to speak up.

"Park Jihyo, this is Son Chaeyoung." Jihyo introduced, gesturing to Chae, who was still busy with her phone. "I think I'll have to drop by the nurse's. You should consider going as well, Jeongyeon-ssi."

"Jeongyeon is fine. And yeah, I think we all should. Can you walk, Jihyo -ssi?"

"Jihyo is enough. I think I can. Chae could always help anyways."

"I got her, Jeong. Let's go." Chaeyoung declared as she pocketed her phone. "I was telling the girls." She added low enough for Jihyo's ears only.

Getting to the nurse, Jihyo insisted the other two got treated first, she really just wanted them to leave soon. But it never went as she hoped. Jeongyeon insisted that, even if she would get treated first, she would wait to make sure Jihyo was alright. Sana was too guilty to leave her alone as well, but was also there to act on her interest for Jeongyeon. Which led to both having some flirty conversation, shamelessly coming on to each other, seemed like they assumed both their buds had bloomed for each other.

Not common, but not unheard of. So both just assumed their bond was to be stronger, for both buds bloomed at the same time. Jihyo swallowed the lump on her throat, and tried to ignore the sensation coming from the, now, useless mark on her back. She understood the girls would never consider her, as they didn't really see her flowers blooming. And, as always, she just gave away the love she thought she would find someday.

Chaeyoung saw the extreme sadness on her friend's eyes, she had managed to get closer to Jihyo, they all did, since the day they forced the other to talk to them honestly, and knew something was very wrong. She had sent a message to Mina, asking her to tell the others they would be late for lunch, but would explain later. Now, she needed to talk to them without the girl in question, but also wanted to find out what was really happening.

"There is still plenty of time for lunch. We should get going. Are you ready?" Chaeyoung said as soon as the nurse finished treating Jihyo, looking at the girl.

"Can we come too?" Sana asked.

"I thought you two would go together." Jihyo answered, the old polite smile on her face, causing Chaeyoung to worry even more.

"I kind of want to treat you both to lunch. As a thanks, and a I'm sorry." Sana chirped.

"No need for that, Sana-ssi. Like I said, it was merely an accident, there is nothing to thank or apologise for." Jihyo tried to dismiss the girl again.

"No, I'm treating you both to lunch." Sana declared, puffing her cheeks.

"Alright, we'll take it." Jeongyeon tried to bring an end to the argument.

"Very well, if you both don't mind sitting with our friends, I'll accept it." Jihyo's polite face was too natural as she answered them gesturing to Chaeyoung.

"So, let's go. The girls should be worried already." Chaeyoung said, swallowing the wave of nausea Jihyo's face brought her.

Getting to their table was easy, Jihyo was walking much better after the nurse had cleaned and bandaged her cut. Chaeyoung had messaged Mina ahead, saying Jihyo's politeness was back, and got a rather worried response, but both agreed to just handle it as things went. It was never wise to push Jihyo into anything, she would just pull away.

The girls perked up when two new faces joined them, Momo and Nayeon seemed to have some classes with Jeongyeon, so they just officially introduced themselves. Mina knew Sana from some of her classes as well, but never really talked. Introductions over, Tzuyu offered to go get Jihyo's food, to which Sana declared she would handle since it would be her treat.

Chaeyoung just sat between Jihyo and Mina, and hurriedly whispered something to her girlfriends who looked worried, but played it off as just being concerned for their friend.

Tzuyu managed to whisper something to Momo and Nayeon little after, who also began looking concerned, Jihyo was the only one to notice, as Jeongyeon and Sana seemed to be more interested on each other. Jihyo played with her food, nibbling on something when Sana or Jeongyeon looked her way, but never eating. She even allowed Jeongyeon to tell their manager she wouldn't be going to work that day, as both were aching all over.

Now, THAT was something the girls got truly worried about, Jihyo would never miss work for such a simple accident like that. But they knew something was very wrong already. So they took it to their group chat, the one with Jihyo, and declared they would be going to Mina's house after classes, and talk there. Jihyo's polite smile never left her, prompting all the others to feel a wave of dread wash over them, bar the two new ones, who never seemed to notice anything.