Together As One

Protect our maknaes

[Solar's POV]

Byulie and I stood outside Hyejin's house. The scene in front of our eyes caused my eyes to start to water a bit. Wheepup was hugging Hyegi tightly using one hand to slowly place the can of beer originally in the younger's hand down onto the table top. Soft sobs could be heard and I knew immediately how much pain she was in.

"Yong unnie... both of them are crying again." Byulie says softly and I respond by pulling her into the house before closing the door shut.

I gesture to her to just sit on the sofa beside the two young girls and offer comfort if appropriate.

I slowly leaned in and hugged Hyejinnie from behind, my hand brushing against Wheein's arm accidentally.

"Oh? Unnie? I didn't know you have both arrived so quickly." Wheein suddenly pulls away from her best friend and accidentally hits Byulie's arm.

"It's fine.. we just arrived..." I reassure Wheein, trying to send her a signal using my eyes, wanting to ask what happened to the youngest. She shook her head and mouth a reply, "Later unnie".

"Shall we order some food? Spicy rice cakes and jjampong?" Byulie suggests excitedly, whining that she was hungry.

Wheein and I nod and Hyejin shrugs her shoulders, "Anything." She says rather coldly.

As Byulie walks to the kitchen to call for delivery, I hold onto Hyejin's hand.

"Hyejin ah... is something bothering you? Did something happen today?" I ask her softly.

"No. It's nothing unnie. Sorry. I'll be fine." She replies, adding on a soft "I hope..." thinking that I didn't hear her.

"Yah... jinnie ah, you will be okay. I believe you can get better." Wheein counters her negative thoughts for me, giving me a small smile.

Hyejin only sighs and stands, walking to the kitchen to get some non-alcoholic drinks for us all.

"Unnie... I'm so scared.. what if I really lose her forever, what if she doesn't get better? I know I shouldn't be negative as well instead optimistic for Hyejin but I'm scared. I don't want to lose her really really... She means so much to me..." Wheein suddenly confesses, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh Whee..." I pull her into a hug and pat her back. I knew how she must have felt about this whole situation. She herself having gone through the same things before just that this time, Hyejin's condition was... was... was really quite severe.

/FLASHBACK/

"Wheein? Are you okay?" I waved my hands in front of her face trying to get her attention. She was zoning out in one corner again.

"Ah.. unnie.. yeah I'm okay..." She smiles fakely before standing up to walk to the water cooler.

As she leaves the room, Hyejin walks in, holding all our water bottles. We had sent the maknae to help us refill out bottles while we were having a break in between practice.

"Is Wheein alright?" I ask Wheepup's other half.

She sighs as she puts down the bottles on the table.

"No unnie... her anxiety is getting from bad to worse. Last night she couldn't even sleep a wink. I went over to her place because she was messaging me at 1am but even then, she couldn't fall asleep. She's been taking the anti-depressants from Dr Lee because she is going through a relapse... I think... I personally think, she should really really take a rest. Even a short one would be good for her to destress and help her to find a balance in her mind." She whispers softly, her face full of concern for her best friend. I knew from the look of her eyes, Hyejin must have been unable to sleep as well. Probably awake all night from worrying about Wheein. The 2 of them were like that, impossible to separate, and always always had each other's back. Although sometimes they pretended not to bother about each other, it was clear they absolutely adored each other.

"I'll speak to our Manager about it. Don't worry too much yeah... busy season is coming up so you take care too alright? If you need help, just tell Byulie or myself okay. We love you too." I whispered back, hoping to get some worry off her back.

A few days later at our dance practice, something happened. Suddenly while dancing Wheein stopped abruptedly and crash against the wall. Hyejin ran over to her, supporting her body.

"Call for a doctor now please!!!" Hyejin exclaimed anxiously. Byulie ran out to get our manager.

"Wheein.. wheein.. come on girl, breathe in and breathe out okay... you're going to be alright." I hear Hyejin say calmly to Wheein, trying her best to get Wheein to stop her heavy and rapid breathing.

Dr Lee came after a few minutes and we all give way to let Dr Lee take over the situation. Except for Hyejinnie. She was still squating there, holding on to Wheein's hand, fingers intertwined together.

"Okay. Here's what you need to do for Wheein ssi. Give her a break, maybe 1 month or so. What she had was over-exhaustion due to lack of sleep and abnormally high anxiety levels which set off her panic attack. Other than that, as long as you all continue to support her and she takes her medicines accordingly, she will be better. I'll need to speak to your CEO and manager. Take care of yourselves girls." Dr Lee says and she goes off with our Manager to find CEO Kim.

/END OF FLASHBACK/

Wheein stops crying and picks up the half-empty can of beer and finishes it up in one shot. I can only look at her with concern in my eyes and let her drink.

[Moonbyul's POV]

When I end the call, I see Hyejinnie squatting at the fridge looking for some drinks that weren't alcohol.

"Need some help holding the drinks Hyegi?" I ask her, offering to help.

"Oh unnie, you ended the call already. uh yeah... sure i guess." She lets me take a few can drinks out to the table. I come back to take more but she has already stood up to get some ice and cups.

"How's our precious baby doing?" I put my hand around her shoulder and ask her.

"Eh I'm fine unnie... just trying to recover... you know... I don't want to be like this forever too... it's... it's tiring... As much as possible, I wish I can just snap my fingers and get myself out of this hellhole that I dug for myself."

I frown slightly. I knew from her tone that she must have been engaging in a lot of self blaming. She must have loathed herself for being in such a state.

"Hey... it's okay. It's not your fault. And trust me... trust us... we will hold your hand and we will see you get better day by day okay... Remember our song? Wind flower?" I offer her another smile.

Her eyes light up a little before she softly sings, "Get better day by day, get better day by day".

Soon the food arrives and we all lie on the sofa watching Frozen. I have no idea how we ended up choosing that movie but it was a nice film to watch anyways. Cute but also a little sad. To be honest, the movie seemed like a re-enactment of the situation at the moment.

Suddenly Yong Sun unnie holds up her glass of coke and says loudly.

"Let me make a toast without any alcohol. We will stay together as one Mamamoo, as one family, counting on each other, and always caring for each other. Cheers!!!!!" She says a little too excitedly.

We all laugh at our oldest unnie and also raise our glasses up to join her in her toast.

I understood why our leader had said that. The whole situation now with Hyejin and Wheein last year had made us see how fragile our maknaes were. We already knew they were sensitive like glass bottles, but we didn't know the extent. Now that we knew much better, as the unnies of the group, we felt entirely responsible of protecting them.