ELECTRIC ϟ LEE HAECHAN

thirty four

"You've missed school the whole week, what is it?" Seorin sighed, sitting across the silent girl at her dinner table.

Minseo didn't touch the plate of rice in front of her or even the glass of water she set down. Her appearance seemed malnourished, the color in her usual tanned skin faded. She didn't have to urge to cry, nor any tears left. With the touch of his hands, he took her remaining sanity with her.

Only the smallest pieces of her strong front were hanging on. Minseo was broken.

"Coach is wondering how you are. We won the game yesterday." Hyerin's voice cut through the silence, sitting on the left of Seorin. She had been informed of her shifting abilities leaving only the select three to accompany her through learning about them.

Again, no words left Minseo's mouth, just like the past week.

"Don't make me have to manipulate your tears again." Seorin said lightheartedly, but a dry chuckle left the pale girl's lips.

"I think I was done crying after the first day." she mumbled, voice hoarse from not using it. "Either way, it's a pain I'd never wish on anybody. No one deserves to feel it."

The two best friends hid their confusion, looking at the girl in concern.

"Was it Hyuck? Did he-"

"No, what?" Minseo looked up with her eyebrows drawn together. The mention of the boy she hadn't gotten the courage to respond to grabbed her by the neck and into the whirlwind of emotions she had turned away from.

"Hyerin." Seorin mumbled, shaking her head slightly.

"You can talk to us about it, that's the reason we're here— and not Jisung." she continued, cracking a genuine smile. It was soft like a feather, as if she were laying back into the most cushioned pillow. She had that affect on people, the ability to calm them down with simple actions.

"I've never talked about it to anyone." she choked out, followed by a dry cough. That was when the tears she didn't know she had left finally crept up, blurring her vision altogether.

"We're here for y-"

"Don't touch me." she jumped back in fear, tearing her palm away from Hyerin's that brushed against hers. Concern grew on their faces, making her bite down on her lip with an intensified force.

Pity, just as expected.

"He did it again, didn't he?" Seorin's voice cut through her millions of thoughts. Minseo looked up with glossy eyes, almost tearing her lip enough to bleed.

She saw the memories last time, didn't she?

A sudden pang of guilt washed over her, mustering up the courage to nod up and down.

"Piece of shit." Seorin mumbled, shuddering at the remembrance. Hyerin sat there confused, eyes flickering between the two.

"H-He touched me, again. I kept telling him to stop and I tried pushing and shoving- nothing worked." she sobbed painfully, feeling it pulse in her sternum. The brunette automatically connected the dots, fists clenching in rage.

"That asshole did that to you?" she spat, eyebrows drawing downwards. "We can beat him up, people like him don't deserve anything."

Minseo shook her head rapidly, burying her teary eyes into her palms. "It's not his fault, I've just been away for too long." she exhaled unsteadily, sniffling harshly as the mucus began running to her mouth.

The sounds of thunder and sobs filled the kitchen, somehow not enough to interrupt Aerin's nap on the couch.

"It's all his fault." the comfort of Seorin's words cut through the violence crashing in her head.

"You deserve more."

Three words. The same ones she had heard just days before, except from the sweet tune of her favorite voice. She was brought back to the serenity of the calm waves, sat in the black interior of the warmed up leather seats. The melody she had never gotten out of her head since the moment she heard it was on repeat.

She was back at the river that January evening in the red drop top, cookies and cream on top of her lips instead of the haunting reminder of her stolen innocence.

Safety.

"What can we do to help?" Hyerin spoke softer, unclenching her fists as she calmed down.

Silence lingered for a moment, sorting through the mess that unleashed in her mind. It was filled with all of her anxieties she had turned a blind eye to, yet they always caught up.

Her identity, her boyfriend, and all the complexities that came with being associated with her newfound friends.

Why was the baggage so heavy?

"I don't know." she spoke soft, voice almost cracking at the end.

Seorin stood up, walking behind her soundly. Cautiously, her arms wrapped around the shaking figure, feeling her flinch under the first contact.

"It's just me, I'm not gonna hurt you." she cooed.

The embrace of a friend, one she hadn't felt often. It was warm and kind, filled with compassion. It wasn't invading or rough, but soft like the ripples that formed on the water's surface.

The scent of the brunette's classic vanilla perfume followed, resting her chin on top of her wavy head of tangled hair.

"You don't need to worry about getting hurt when you're with us. You have us now." she whispered, pulling all of them into a group hug.

And for once, her teeth gleamed through the tears.

"Boys suck." Seorin chuckled.

"Yeah, boys are asses sometimes. Jaemin's not responding because him and Jeno are going night biking again." she rolled her eyes, making Seorin shake her head lightheartedly.

"Jisung's gaming at Chenle's house." she added. "So what about a girl's night?"

Minseo's brows raised at the mention. "Girl's night?" she repeated.

"That sounds amazing!" Hyerin jumped upwards, eyes sparkling at the thought. "Sometimes you just need a break from stupid boys and time to bask in your true femininity." she exhaled with a wide grin on her face.

"Is there an issue?" Seorin asked, looking at the girl who's facial expression was more surprised than excited.

"I've just never had one of these." she said awkwardly.

"Well, consider this your first of many." the blue haired girl replied, her pearly whites gleaming.

"Yeah, cause boys are ass!" Hyerin added, twirling on the kitchen tiles.

thirty four — three fourths

i decided itd be nice to take a break from all the serious stuff and include some girly time bonding <3

next chapters are gonna be so fun hehe