Together As One

In the eyes of Solar

[SOLAR'S POV]

"Kids!!! Come over and eat lunch now please!" I call over loudly to the maknaes who were sprawled on the floor.

I received no reply and nudged Byul to go check on them.

"Aish unnie! Why do you call them now, they just managed to get some sleep. Let them rest for another 5 minutes come on..." Byul replies my nudge with a half shout, half whisper.

After we set the food on the floor and prepare the cutlery for eating, we sit there and wait for a few more minutes. I take the time to look at the 2 young girls sleeping soundly on the floor. To be honest, their tired faces made me not want to wake them up and let them sleep somemore, but I knew they had to eat before we carried on with our dance practice. Especially with how over the 2 weeks from the time Hyejinnie was discharged, both Hyejinnie and Wheeinie were losing weight fast, looking skinnier then ever. I remember when we were still trainees, Hyejin was so desperate to lose weight she went on just water and one hard boiled egg a day for weeks. Sadly we had only found out when Wheein pointed out to us during one of our dance sessions in a mirrored room that Hyejin's legs were almost skin and bone.

/FLASHBACK//

It was the Christmas before our debut year. We were excited because we knew the next Christmas would likely be very different. We decided to take the day off from practicing to hang around the streets and soak in the atmosphere.

"Unnies! Let's take a picture at the chair beside the Christmas tree!" Wheeinie asks cutely and of course I could not say no to her puppy eyes.

When it was finally Hyegi's turn to take the photo, she raised her legs to her chest and that was when we realised how skinny she had become. Her leg bone showing and the knee cap joint being very bony looking.

"Omo! Hyejin ah! You lost so much weight! I just realised how skinny you are now!" Wheein exclaims, half concerned half confused.

"Ah really? That's good... It's finally working..." Hyegi softly replies.

"Hyejin ah, don't over exert yourself okay... dieting is okay but if you are not eating proper meals, I'm going to have to tell our Manager unnie..." I sternly warn, trying my best to express my concern and yet reassure her that despite my tone, I was not angry with her but instead just worried.

"Ah yeah... no worries. I eat well." Hyejin mumbles and we just carry on with our plans for the day.

As we moved along the streets, I noticed Wheein constantly staring at food but using her left hand to grip on her right wrist. As we pass more stalls, I notice her constant grip on her right wrist. When we finally reach back at our dorm, I took the chance to ask her about it.

"Wheeinie? Are you okay? I noticed you keep gripping onto your right wrist tightly today. Is something wrong? Why are you doing that?" I ask her while waiting for the other 2 to get some stuff from the kitchen.

"Ah, no it's nothing unnie... don't worry ya. I think it's just a habit I have." Wheein smiles slightly before standing up to go to the toilet.

/END OF FLASHBACK/

The sight of the 2 girls on the floor reminded me of how we found them that day also in the laundry room. After Wheein had came out of the toilet that day, Hyejin and Byulie had returned from the kitchen and after joining us on the couch for a few minutes, Hyejin left the living room to go to the laundry area. Soon after the youngest had left, Wheepup went in the same direction in search of her soulmate.

After the movie had ended, Byulie and I got up to find the maknaes wondering where they had disappeared to. There in front of our eyes were the 2 young girls sitting up right against the washing machine with their eyes closed but wet tear stains on their cheeks. Wheein was tightly gripping onto Hyejin's hoodie while Hyejin had her body tucked together tightly like a ball hiding her face in her soulmate's neck.

I sighed to myself knowing there must have been something bothering them and they were probably talking about it earlier on.

"Hyejinnie? Wheeinie? Time to eat please..." Byulie helps me to gently shake the sleeping beauties. I hear Hyejinnie groan loudly and Wheein swears out loud. I chuckle to myself, completely amused with the 2 cuties.

Finally we could start on lunch, I was starving after the whole morning of practice. As we were happily eating, I notice Hyejin constantly using her chopsticks to pick food and placing them into Wheein's bowl urging her to eat more. I smile sadly knowing Wheein was also struggling with body image issues. Hyejin was also struggling with it but it seemed like it was improving as although she wasn't eating regularly, she made it a point to consume abit of each type of nutrients.

I could only frown because I wish there was something more I could do to help the 2 maknaes to see themselves in a more positive light, less pessimistic and not always thinking they were failures.