really? • taennie

059 - but it's over now

2013

He saw her running straight to Hanbin for a hug. Perhaps because since the announcement that Team A won, his eyes never left on her figure.

She was crying; he was not certain whether because his team won and her best friend's team lost, but her cheeks were wet. Lisa was beside her, frowning, resonating the same pain her friend was feeling. Everyone was hugging his team, then him. He only wanted to hug her.

But she hugged her best friend instead, the moment he entered backstage. Hanbin hugged her tighter, letting his own tears out of his system.

"You did a great job today, Hanbin. I'm so proud of you." She whispered repeatedly, as her hands soothe his back. They stayed together for minutes, before he came back to the dressing room with her to cheer up the other boys.

Song Minho wanted that, too. Jennie cheering him up, celebrating with him that their team won. That their debut was certain whatever it takes.

But his friends' debut weren't certain; he could not celebrate properly. Not to mention Jennie and him "mutually" ended their almost relationship to focus on each other's dreams. Who Is Next was close to ending back then, and she wanted to focus on training. It was the third time her girl group could have debuted, but almost. Her third major heartbreak.

And with Minho, her fourth.

It was all for the best, she said. She did love him, but YG's basement was just too cruel to handle now. Having the debut getting closer just added more pressure, more time not to spend together, more probable reasons to argue.

Minho didn't want to end it with her. But it was what she wanted, and all he yearned to do was to make her happy.

With a sad smile, he turned his back from the two, looking now at his dear bandmates whose tears would not stop. Team A will debut. Finally.

[November 2018, present day]

"You're too easy to read, Song Minho." Bae Joohyun rolls her eyes and shrugs. Coming back to reality, he flinches and continues washing the dishes in front of him.

"I thought you hated men?"

"I still do." She pulls herself up to sit on the counter behind her. She reaches for the cupboard and grabbed a snack, and started crunching on them. "Why ask?"

"It's still weird that you're where I am." He chuckles.

"You're close with Jennie. Because, you know," She shrugs and stares at him, eyebrow raised. "The whole 'missing you' thing."

He chuckles. With the looks of it, Joohyun wanted more. But he knew she knows the answer.

He does miss Jennie. A lot.

When Jennie and Irene became close even after he lost his 'relationship' with the former, he also treated Irene as a confidante. The world made it clear she hated men, or merely didn't like their existence in the first place; he wasn't sure how he even started to have this friendship with her. They both built a strong friendship no one knew would happen. Most especially the two of them.