Pink Hoodie TXT BEOMGYU

십팔

CHOI BEOMGYU

"We're not fetching Yujin?" Kai asks as we take the route directly to the school instead of passing her apartment.

Our driver, Guk-hyung shakes his head. "Yoongi messaged me and told me she's not going to school today."

Taehyun frowns. "Did he say why?"

He shakes his head. "No."

Everyone in the car is quiet, but you can tell what each one of us is thinking from the atmosphere.

"It's her time of the month. Maybe she isn't feeling well?" Taehyun suggests.

But why didn't she tell us? Why didn't she tell me?

For the nth time, I open my phone and check the one-sided messages of our chat.

"Hey, don't stress it. I'm sure everything is okay," Yeonjun, who's right next to me, tries to assure me.

I give a halfhearted smile in response but can't stop my mind from constantly wandering back to Yujin.

"Hey, you don't look too good," Samuel comments when he takes his seat next to me. "Did something happen?"

My eyes quickly glance at the clock that is hung above the door. We still have 10 minutes.

I turn back to Samuel. "Yeah...It's about Yujin."

He makes an 'o' with his mouth and motions for me to continue.

"Yesterday she went back with us to the company. She told us she was going to study and come back. She didn't return, so I messaged her and asked where she was. She didn't reply, and it wasn't until after practice we found out she went home. She texted Taehyun and didn't bother to see any of our other messages. I was so worried, and it's like that didn't matter." I sigh and sit back while crossing my arms. "I'm not mad that she told Taehyun instead of me, I'm hurt that she said nothing at all." Right?

"So will you talk to her today?"

I lower my head with another heavy breath. "She's not here. We didn't know until our driver told us Yoongi-hyung told him not to fetch her."

"Did he say why?"

I look back up and shrug my shoulders. "Nope. Not a word from her either."

He frowns. "That's really weird. She always replies. You know how she is about–"

"–replying, yes," I finish.

The school bell rings and the noise of conversation dies down as the rest of the class gets ready.

Samuel places his hand on my back. "I'm sure she didn't mean it. It's gonna be fine," he tries.

"Thanks," I say doubting his words, but at the same time hoping he's right.

It's no big deal. It's just a few texts.

"Isn't it kind of weird how every time Yujin is absent, so is Hyeongjun?" Taehyun says with a mouth full of food.

My eyes drift over to where they both usually sit, but I don't say a word.

Samuel laughs. "Maybe he's stalking her."

The two go on with chatting and eating while I pathetically continue to repeatedly open my phone and check my messages.

"Hyung, you should eat. We still have practice later," Taehyun says as he pushes my tray of food closer to me. "And stop worrying will you, I'm pretty sure her brother's with her."

"Look, you're just lucky she said something to you. You don't have to rub it in," I snap.

He looks baffled. "I'm not RUBBING IT IN. I'm just saying that she's FINE. She messaged and–"