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Chapter Text

"You're sure they're ok with us being here?"

Handong scoffs, rolling her eyes as she stares at the porch steps. "Of course they are. They told me to bring my friends." She hopes she's coming across as cool and nonchalant because, on the inside, she's freaking out.

"Dongie, breathe," Umji says gently, reaching out to set her hand on Handong's shoulder.

Handong pulls in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I'm ok," She says, mostly to try and convince herself.

"Are you sure?" Sowon asks from near the back of the group. "I'm sure they'd understand if you didn't show up."

Handong swallows. "No, I… I already told them I'd be here." She slides her foot forward against the sidewalk, staring at the porch steps.

"Well, you can always tell them that you don't feel good," Eunha reminds her gently from the left.

Handong shakes her head again and lifts her foot, planting it on the first step. "I can do this. It's a big house. I'm sure I can find plenty of places to hide if I need to."

"I thought the whole point of coming here was not to hide," Sinb says in her usual deadpan. She grunts softly, meaning she must've just gotten an elbow from Sowon or Eunha.

"I mean, it is," Handong says, standing with both feet on the first step. "But if things go south, I might have to hide."

"Well, whatever happens, you know we're with you," Yerin pipes up from the back.

Handong hums and glances over her shoulder at the group of six girls. "Thanks, guys," She says with a smile.

"What're friends for?" Yuju asks as she playful slings an arm around Eunha's shoulders.

Handong just smiles at that and turns back to lift her foot to the next step. The door opens, and she freezes, lifting her head.

"Some mountain, huh?" Bora jokes softly, a soft look on her face as she smiles at Handong from the doorway.

Handong exhales a laugh, feeling tears starting to well up in her eyes at the sight of her friend after so many years. "Yeah," She says with a watery laugh as she finishes climbing the steps. She hesitates, unsure.

"Oh, come on!" Bora exclaims, stepping out onto the porch with her arms outstretched. She wraps Handong in a tight hug and sways them gently from side to side, her hands rubbing Handong's back.

Handong bites her lip to keep from outright sobbing and tucks her face into Bora's shoulder, hugging the girl back just as tightly. She'd been so scared that they would hate her for what she did. She stiffens. She doesn't know that they don't.

"What's wrong?" Bora asks, immediately noticing the shift.

"Do you hate me?" Handong whispers, digging her fingers into the back of Bora's shirt. "Do the others hate me? Should I leave? I shouldn't be here." She loosens her grip and tries to pull back, but Bora holds her in place.

"I wasn't your biggest fan for a while," Bora admits quietly. "But you're not the only one to blame in this situation, you know. Yoohyeon carries half of it."

Handong swallows thickly at the name and hums softly, bringing her arms back around Bora again. "She's here, right?"

"She is," Bora says gently. "Last I knew, she was out on the back porch. She knows you're here. With your friends."

Handong exhales shakily. "She hates me, doesn't she?" She whispers, feeling her throat starting to close up. "She hates me again."

"I can't speak for her, Dongie," Bora whispers. "So, I can't tell you whether she hates you or not. Why don't you come inside and join the party? I'm sure the others would like to see you."

Handong balks at this and stiffens up again. "Do they hate me?"

Bora lets out a soft sigh. "Dongie, just come inside, ok? You'll find out when you see them." She pulls away and holds Handong by the shoulders, smiling at her. "Bring your friends, ok? We'll introduce them inside." She pulls back and turns, disappearing inside.

"You ok?" Sowon asks from the bottom of the porch steps.

"Just say the word, Dongie, and we'll leave," Yerin offers.

Handong shakes her head, staring at the open door. "I'm ok," She says, mostly to convince herself. "We should go inside." She walks forward, stepping over the threshold and into the entrance hall of the house. She toes her shoes off and lines them up with all the other ones before shuffling further into the house to make room for everyone behind her.

"Sweet digs," Sinb says, whistling softly as she looks around.

"This is just the hallway," Yerin teases.

Handong tunes them out and shuffles down the hallway, stopping at an arch doorway. She peeks into the room, the kitchen, and finds Minji at the counter, digging through a pizza box. She swallows thickly and steps into the room, clearing her throat gently.

Minji whips around, a pizza crust dangling from her mouth. Her eyes widen, and she tears the pizza crust from her teeth, throwing it down onto a plate on the counter. "Dongie!" She exclaims, her voice muffled as she chews. She marches over and throws her arms around Handong's shoulders, crushing the girl in a hug.

Handong grunts at the tightness of the hug but sinks into it, tears welling up in her eyes again.

"Oh, my god, Dongie," Minji whispers as she sways them side to side. "You're back, you're home."

Handong hums, sniffling as tears start trailing down her face. She pushes her face into Minji's shoulder and just lets herself be hugged and swayed back and forth.

Her friends from California are nice; they do their best to make sure she's included, but she still feels like an outsider sometimes. And being here, held tightly by Minji, she feels like she truly belongs.

Minji pulls back but holds on to Handong's arms, squeezing her elbows gently as she sweeps her eyes over Handong's face. "God, look at you," She breathes with a motherly smile on her face. Then, her mouth goes stiff, and her jaw clenches; her grip on Handong's elbows tightens slightly. "Con-grad-ulations," She whispers, her eyes taking on a shimmer.

Handong snorts and feels tears slipping down her cheeks as she starts to laugh at the pun. It's not even funny; she's heard it before, from a few teachers when she received her diploma, but because it's Minji and it's been so long, it breaks her.

Minji laughs with her, pulling Handong back into a hug.

Handong should've known better. She should've known that Minji would've welcomed her back with open arms. Minji welcoming her back with ease and warmth further cements the thought that the older girl doesn't have a mean bone in her body.

"Let's go into the living room," Minji suggests gently after she pulls away again. She lifts a hand to wipe her face and gives Handong a big smile. "Everyone else is there."

Handong swallows thickly, the fear of them all hating her swirling to life in her gut again.

Minji must see her face fall because she reaches out and takes Handong's hand, squeezing tightly. "Hey, it's ok. I promise."

Handong ducks her head and squeezes Minji's hand hard. "What if they hate me?" She whispers.

"They don't," Minji assures softly. "I promise you no one here hates you."

Handong appreciates that Minji doesn't correct herself and mention Yoohyeon. It gives her some hope but, at the same time, makes her even more nervous to see the others. "Ok," She whispers, lifting her head to meet Minji's eyes.

"Ok? I can hold your hand the whole time if you want," Minji offers gently with a smile.

"Would you?" Handong whispers.

"Of course, Dongie," The older girl says. She squeezes Handong's hand tightly before she tugs gently. "Oh, hello. You must be Dongie's friends from California, right?"

"Right," Yerin answers for the group.

"Well, follow me, and we'll introduce you to everyone," Minji says with a bright smile. She leads the way down the hallway and into the living room, where Bora is standing behind the couch, watching two people play a video game on the TV.

"Oh my god, Dongie!" Siyeon yells, stabbing at a button on her controller before she tosses it down onto the couch and shoves herself up from the cushions.

Handong lets out a soft laugh, pulling her hand from Minji's as Siyeon rushes her, arms wrapping tight around her waist and making her stumble back a few steps from the force.

"Oh my god," Siyeon says in awe as she tucks her face into Handong's shoulder. "You're here. You're home."

Handong hums softly, sniffling through the tears that have, once again, gathered in her eyes. "Hi, Siyeon," She whispers, squeezing the girl close.

She knows Siyeon had been angry at her, angry at her for hurting Yoohyeon. But Siyeon had texted her a few weeks before graduation and told her she wasn't mad anymore. That Yoohyeon carried some of the blame as well, and she shouldn't put it all on Handong.

"Move outta the way!" Gahyeon snaps.

Siyeon laughs and pulls back, squeezing Handong's arms before stepping away to allow Gahyeon to take her place.

Handong doesn't have time to say anything before Gahyeon is hugging her tightly, hands digging into her shirt as the girl clings to her.

"Don't leave again," Gahyeon says angrily, her voice muffled in Handong's shoulder.

"I won't," Handong says softly, sniffling as she pats Gahyeon's hair gently. She looks around. "Where's Yubin?"

"Out on the porch with Yoohyeon," Bora answers gently.

Handong pulls in a breath, nodding as Gahyeon steps back. She's worried about seeing Yubin. They had been fine when Handong had left, but after Handong had broken up with Yoohyeon, the other girl had stopped talking to her. It hurt, but she understood completely.

Yubin and Yoohyeon were best friends, so it makes sense to Handong why Yubin would stop talking to her after everything.

"Is she still-"

"Why don't you introduce us to your friends?" Minji cuts in gently with a smile. She looks around at the group standing awkwardly behind Handong and smiles at them.

Handong blinks and clears her throat, nodding as she turns slightly. “This is Yerin, Yuju, Eunha, Sinb, Umji, and Sowon.” She points to each person as she says their name. "Guys, this is Siyeon, Gahyeon, Bora, and Minji." She gestures to the person with an awkward smile.

"Ah," Bora says with a glint in her eye. She steps forward and extends her hand to Sowon, looking up at the girl. "You're Sowon."

Handong tenses, watching Sowon reach out to take Bora's hand to shake it. Maybe this was a bad idea. Yeah, bad idea, she should stop-

"Before you say anything," Sowon says with a glance at Handong. "I have no romantic interest in Handong whatsoever."

"Would've been nice to know about a year ago," Bora says as she tightens her grip on Sowon's hand.

Sowon winces but keeps shaking Bora's hand, locked in a kind of standoff with the girl. "Well, I don't think that's my fault," She counters gently. "How was I supposed to know that things would turn out the way that they did?"

"Touche," Bora says with a small nod of her head. "Touche."

Handong lets out a breath of relief as Bora pulls her hand away from Sowon's and moves to introduce herself to the others. She turns slightly to Minji, who is still beside her. "I'm gonna get a drink real quick."

"Ok! There's soda and juice in the fridge. You know where the cups are, right?" Minji asks with a big smile.

"Oh, Dongie, could you get me something?" Gahyeon asks with a grin.

"Yeah. I remember. Sure, Gahyeonie," Handong replies, turning and leaving the living room. She moves back down the hallway into the kitchen and shuffles across the tile to lean against the counter, letting out a breath. She feels a bit sick to her stomach being here. She pulls in a breath and moves to open the fridge, peeking inside.

"Hey," Sowon says.

Handong looks up, seeing the girl walking into the room. "Hey," She says, grabbing two bottles of soda from the fridge. "Sorry about Bora."

"Ah, she's fine," Sowon says, waving her hand in the air with a laugh. "Not as bad as I thought it was going to be."

"Yeah, she's very…" Handong trails off, looking for the right word. "Mom, I guess."

Sowon laughs, nodding her head. "Yeah. She gives that vibe."

"But so do you, so maybe you two will get along," Handong says with a laugh.

Sowon blinks, a smile pulling at her lips. "What?"

"You give mom vibes, Sowon. Everyone says so. Sinb and Umji are basically your kids," Handong points out gently.

"That's true, I guess," Sowon chuckles. The girl sighs softly, stepping closer. "Are you ok?" She asks, setting a hand on Handong's shoulder.

"You're being a mom," Handong teases gently.

"Yeah, well," Sowon says with a shrug. "Are you ok?" She asks again, searching Handong's face with concerned eyes.

"Fine," Handong whispers, clutching the two bottles of soda tightly in her hands. The cold is beginning to hurt, but she just tightens her fingers around the plastic.

"Dong," Sowon says gently, setting her other hand on Handong's other shoulder. "Talk to me."

"I'm scared," Handong whispers, letting out a breath. "I'm scared she hates me like she did when we were kids. I'm scared she'll never forgive me. I'm scared Yubin hates me and will never forgive me either."

"You're not the only one to blame for what happened, Dong," Sowon reminds gently, squeezing Handong's shoulders.

"I know, but I'm the one who left. I'm the one who broke up with her. I'm the one who broke her heart," Handong whispers, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as she lets out a shuddering breath.

"And who's the one who thought you were cheating?" Sowon asks gently. "Who thought you were cheating based on two pictures?"

Handong clenches her jaw tightly. "I just… I don't want her to hate me again. But I understand if she does."

"You know, there's only one way to find out how she feels about you," Sowon says gently.

"I know," Handong whispers, opening her eyes with a sigh.

"So, why don't you go find her?" Sowon says, dropping her hands from Handong's shoulders and pushing her gently toward the doorway.

"And what are you doing?" Handong asks, turning back to Sowon.

"I'm gonna see what snacks they got," Sowon says with a laugh as she approaches the various snacks on the counter against the far wall of the kitchen.

Handong rolls her eyes and heads toward the door, hearing voices from the living room.

"Yoohyeon isn't feeling well, so I'm gonna take her home," Yubin is saying to the others.

"Aw! Yoohyeon, I hope you feel better soon!" Minji calls gently. Several others echo her statement.

"Thanks!" Yoohyeon calls, her voice trembling slightly.

Handong pauses in the kitchen doorway, hearing footsteps growing closer. She watches Yubin and Yoohyeon appear, walking past without looking over at her. "I thought-" She starts, her voice dying in her throat when Yubin halts in her tracks, and her eyes snap to Handong's. She coughs, clearing her throat, which is suddenly very dry. "I thought this party was for the three of us."

"She's not feeling well," Yubin says, her face a mask as she stares at Handong.

Handong swallows, her throat dry and uncomfortable.

"Yeah," Yoohyeon whispers, keeping her eyes fixed on the back of Yubin's head. "Headache," She says, lifting a hand and gesturing to the side of her head.

"Oh," Handong whispers. "Well, I hope you feel better, Yoohyeon." And despite telling herself not to do anything, she shifts to cradle one of the soda bottles in the crook of her arm, freeing one hand to reach forward and brush blonde hair away from Yoohyeon's eyes.

Yoohyeon flinches back, turning her head to meet Handong's eyes.

Handong's jaw clenches tightly. Yoohyeon looks tired. Her usual bright, shiny eyes are dull, and there is no sparkle in their depths. There are dark circles under the girl's eyes, and she looks like she hasn't gotten a good night's sleep in weeks, maybe months.

"I love you," Yoohyeon whispers, her eyes staring but not really seeing Handong.

Handong blinks, dropping both bottles of soda in shock. "What?" She asks, briefly glancing at Yubin to see the girl's eyes widen.

"What happened? We heard something fall," Gahyeon says as she appears in the hallway with everyone else behind her.

"What did you say, Yoohyeon?" Handong whispers, ignoring everyone in favor of looking at Yoohyeon, who blinks and glances at Yubin.

"What?" Yoohyeon asks, looking back at Handong with fear in her eyes. "I don't- I don't know. I didn't even know I was talking. What-"

Handong feels tears starting to slip down her cheeks, and she clenches her jaw tightly. Yoohyeon hadn't even known she was speaking.

"You said you love her," Yubin says gently, glancing at Handong with a guarded look.

Yoohyeon blinks and stares back at Handong, her eyes wide.

Handong clenches her jaw and balls her hands into fists by her sides. "Do you mean it?" She whispers, hoping against everything that the blonde did mean it. She hopes. She hopes. She hopes.

Yoohyeon's face crumples up at the question, and she exhales a shuddering breath, glancing down at the floor for a second before she lifts her head and meets Handong's eyes, a frown on her face. "I- I didn't mean to say it, but yeah," She whispers, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "Yeah, of course, I mean it. I didn't mean to say it, but…" She trails off, letting out a breath. "There's not a world where I don't mean it. I wasn't planning on saying it, but-"

Handong steps forward and reaches out to cup Yoohyeon's cheek, brushing her thumb over the girl's face and wiping away a few tears. "Can I kiss you?"

Yoohyeon lets out a soft breath and leans her head into Handong's hand, her eyes fluttering shut. Her hand comes up and presses Handong's into her cheek, her head turning slightly as she nuzzles into the touch.

Handong clenches her jaw, letting out a soft laugh at the display. She wants to kiss Yoohyeon so badly. Wants to step forward again and wrap the girl in her arms, but she waits. Waits for an answer because she doesn't want to cross a line and have Yoohyeon pull away from her. "Yoohyeon?" She whispers.

Yoohyeon blinks and opens her eyes, her gaze shifting to somewhere over Handong's shoulder. She lets out a shuddering breath and pulls Handong's hand away from her face, her face falling. "We shouldn't," She whispers. "I don't think that would be a good idea. Not with-"

Handong cuts her off with a soft laugh. "Sowon and I are just friends, Yoohyeon," She whispers.

"We're friends," Sowon echoes her statement from the kitchen.

Yoohyeon goes stiff, freezing up, as her eyes dart to Handong's face. She looks panicked, like she's just realizing what Handong had said. "I thought-"

Handong nods, letting out a soft laugh. "I know. I know exactly what you thought, Yoohyeon."

Yoohyeon pulls in a breath and reaches up to run her fingers through her blonde hair. "Why didn't you-"

"Because I was mad at you," Handong cuts in. "Because I couldn't believe that you would think that of me. I didn't… I was mad that you thought that I would do something like that to you. Especially when I told you, when I promised, that I wouldn't."

"I just…" Yoohyeon trails off, clenching her jaw as her lips press into a thin line. "I wanted you to be happy," She whispers.

"I was happy with you, you idiot!" Handong snaps, slapping a hand over her mouth as her voice breaks. She steps back, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as tears drip down her face.

Yoohyeon sniffles. "Can I… Is there anything that I can… Handong, can I fix this? Is… Is there any way I can fix-"

"You didn't… Yoohyeon, I was the one who-"

"No!" Yoohyeon cuts in.

Handong opens her eyes, watching Yoohyeon take a small step toward her, tears running down the blonde's cheeks.

"It's my fault," Yoohyeon whispers. "I should've trusted you. I shouldn't have-"

"You're both in the wrong," Bora cuts in, her voice stern but shaky at the same time.

Handong drops her hand from her mouth and looks over at Bora, seeing her standing behind Gahyeon with her arms folded tightly over her chest, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"You both fucked up somewhere along the way, and now, you have to fix it," Bora says, reaching up to swipe at her eyes as she clears her throat with a cough. "It's on both of you."

"Bora, are you-"

"Don't fucking turn this around on me," Bora snaps, cutting Yoohyeon off with a glare. "You two have to work this shit out, and you better fucking fix it." She pulls in a breath and glares at Handong and Yoohyeon. "Fix this shit. Fix this fucking mess between you two, so you can be happy again, and we can be a family again."

"Aw," Gahyeon coos, turning around to face Bora with a smile. "Kim Bora thinks we're-"

"We're a fucking family, but Dongie and Yoohyeon need to fix this fucking mess between them so we can-"

"Hey," Minji says gently, setting her hands on Bora's shoulders. "Easy, Bora. Breathe, ok? Come on, breathe with me." She pulls in a deep breath and looks expectantly at Bora.

Bora pulls in a breath, following Minji's breathing. She groans and turns to push her face into the older girl's shoulder, wrapping her arms tight around Minji's waist.

"It's ok," Minji soothes, running her hand over Bora's back. "They'll be ok, but I don't think shouting will help. And I don't think they want an audience, either," She says with a soft laugh as she looks around at everyone.

"I have board games," Gahyeon says gently, stepping around Bora and Minji to lead the way back into the living room. "Oh, I think I have Twister!" She exclaims.

Handong wipes her face and watches as everyone starts to shuffle away.

Yubin hesitates, looking at Yoohyeon with a frown. "Are you going to be ok?" She asks.

"Yeah," Yoohyeon says, wiping her eyes. "I'll be ok."

Yubin hums and glances at Handong, her expression guarded.

Handong swallows thickly, her stomach twisting tightly. "Yubin, I-"

"Fix things between you and Yoohyeon first," Yubin says gently. "Then, we'll see."

Handong clenches her jaw and nods, watching Yubin squeeze Yoohyeon's shoulder before the girl walks off.

Sowon clears her throat gently from behind Handong.

Handong blinks and steps to the side, letting the girl pass.

"Good luck," Sowon says, reaching out to ruffle Handong's hair before she nods to Yoohyeon and disappears down the hallway to the living room.

Handong huffs a breath and reaches up to fix her hair, hearing Yoohyeon sniffle. She drops her hands and looks at the girl in front of her, taking her in after so long.

Yoohyeon seems to be doing the same, her eyes slowly tracing over Handong's face. She breathes out a sigh, taking a small step forward as she lifts one hand. "Your hair is different," She whispers, her hand hovering in the air between them.

Handong hums softly, feeling a smile tug at her lips. "Yeah," She whispers, reaching forward to take Yoohyeon's hand to pull it closer. "I needed a change."

Yoohyeon swallows, her fingers brushing through neon orange locks. "It looks good," She murmurs, taking another small step forward. "It looks really good. It suits you."

"Thanks," Handong whispers, reaching out her hands to set them on Yoohyeon's hips, gently tugging the girl closer. She's dreamed of this. Their reunion. Most of the time, it's a nightmare where Yoohyeon doesn't look at or even speak to her. But sometimes, on rare occasions when her brain is nice, it's good, and they end up getting back together. She wants that now. She wants-

"We should talk," Yoohyeon whispers softly, pulling her hand from Handong's hair with a soft breath.

"We should," Handong whispers back. She doesn't really want to talk. She wants to pull Yoohyeon close and kiss her, wants to pull Yoohyeon close and just hold her and be held by her.

Yoohyeon exhales softly. "Dongie, I-" She stops, shaking her head. "Handong, sorry. I-"

Handong's heart aches at the correction. She hates herself for telling Yoohyeon not to call her by any nicknames. She hates that she did what she did, but in the moment, she'd been so angry that she hadn't been thinking. She'd just said whatever came to her mind and ruined them. "It's ok," She whispers, feeling tears trail down her face. "It's ok, Yoohyeon."

Yoohyeon sniffles. "Dongie," She whispers.

Handong chokes on a delighted laugh, and she pulls Yoohyeon closer, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist as she pushes their foreheads together.

"I know we have to talk. I know that we really need to, and we should, but…" Yoohyeon trails off, letting out a soft, nervous laugh.

"But what?" Handong whispers. Her heart pounds in her chest, and she hopes for the best.

"But I really want to kiss you right now," Yoohyeon admits in a whisper. "Dongie, can-"

Handong cuts her off, tilting her head to the side and pressing her lips to Yoohyeon's for the first time in years. She whines softly into the kiss when Yoohyeon's hands come up to cup her cheeks.

Yoohyeon whimpers against Handong's mouth and starts carefully walking the girl backward into the kitchen, one hand dropping from Handong's face to reach backward to make sure the path is clear.

Handong huffs a breath against Yooheyon's lips and tilts her head slightly to deepen the kiss, whining softly when she's pressed against the counter. She pulls away to catch her breath, her eyes shut tightly as Yoohyeon pants against her lips.

"I love you," Yoohyeon whispers, sniffling. "Dongie, I'm so sorry for-"

"It's ok," Handong whispers, moving her hands to hold Yoohyeon's face. "I love you too, Yoohyeon. And I'm sorry as well. I- I was just so angry."

"I know," Yoohyeon whispers, pressing her hands to the counter on either side of Handong's waist, trapping her there. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Handong whispers, brushing her thumbs over Yoohyeon's cheeks to wipe away tears. "And we'll talk about it," She murmurs. "But right now, could you keep kissing me?"

Yoohyeon breathes out a soft laugh and hums. "Yeah," She says, peeking open her eyes briefly to meet Handong's. "I can do that." She shuts her eyes.

Handong lets out a breath and shuts her eyes as well, humming softly when Yoohyeon's lips meet hers again.

"I love you."

Chapter Text

She has no clue, absolutely zero knowledge, of how she got here. Or why she’s here. That’s a better question. The how is easy to explain: She walked. Easy. She walked up to the door, knocked, and told the girl who opened it that she was there to audition for the band.

The why? Yeah, she couldn’t tell you why. Maybe it’s her love for music, her love for the drums. The way the thunder of the kick drum vibrates up her leg or the buzz of the snare makes her heart race. Maybe it’s the adrenaline she gets from performing, the energy that comes from banging out a rhythm.

Or maybe it’s the bit of rebellion against her parents that made her show up. Playing the drums in a band of fellow teenagers instead of playing the piano at fancy dinner parties to entertain affluent neighbors her parents want to get in good with. Maybe that’s why she’s here.

It could be those things. It probably is those things. But Handong isn’t sure if those things alone would have her here, auditioning to play drums for a band fronted by someone she hates. Someone who hates her back just as much.

There’s gotta be something else. Something else brought her here, to this garage with all the other members of the band staring at her, waiting for her to show them what she’s got. She just doesn’t have a clue what that something else could be.

“Han Dong, right?”

Handong blinks, looking up into the brown eyes of Kim Yoohyeon, the girl she hates and who hates her back. She bites back a bitter laugh. Of course, why would Kim Yoohyeon even bother to remember her name?

Yoohyeon raises an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest as she waits for an answer. She sticks her head out to the side slightly, pursing her lips. “Hello?”

Handong blinks again. “Yes,” She says, snapping back to reality. “Han Dong. You can call me Dong if you prefer.” She also has no idea why she said that. Why she offered for Yoohyeon to call her something only friends called her. Strange.

Yoohyeon hums distractedly, looking over her shoulder at the rest of the band members. “Right,” She says, drawing out the middle of the word as she focuses back on Handong. “Han Dong, we need a drummer.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Handong says, lifting up her drumsticks. They’re her lucky pair. They’ve lasted longer than any other pair she’d used before, and they seem to bring her good luck whenever she has them on her. She’s carried them around in the mesh pocket meant for a water bottle of her backpack since freshman year for the luck aspect alone.

“Right,” Yoohyeon says again, drawing out the word. “Are you sure you didn’t come here thinking we needed a keyboardist?” She looks over her shoulder again. “Because Yubin’s got that part covered already, so-”

“I play drums,” Handong cuts in. She twirls her drumsticks around her fingers for added effect, but Yoohyeon doesn’t seem all that impressed. Shame. That trick usually gets her a flirtatious giggle or flutter of eyelashes.

What the hell? Why does she care? She hates Yoohyeon, and Yoohyeon hates her. Handong shouldn’t care about impressing her. Well. Maybe she should. Just to get into the band, but that’s it.

“You’re a piano prodigy,” Yoohyeon counters with a sneer.

“Prodigy is a strong word,” Handong says with a small shrug of her shoulders. Wait. “Hang on, you know that, but you don’t remember my name?”

Yoohyeon lifts an eyebrow again. “Is there a reason I should?”

Touche. Handong grits her teeth and forces a smile. Play nice, Dongie. You want to be in this band. “No, I suppose not.” It bothers her to no end, though. Knowing that the girl who hates her and who she hates back doesn’t even remember her name.

Sure, it’s been years, and Handong had gone to an entirely different middle school, but she hasn’t changed all that much. Most of the kids from elementary school who she bumped into in the halls freshman year recognized her. Most remember her as ‘the kid who threw a rock at that other kid,’ but she can’t really blame them for that.

Handong stares up into Yoohyeon’s face, searching. Yep. There it is. The scar on Yoohyeon’s forehead. The only noticeable blemish on the girl’s otherwise perfect face. And by perfect, Handong definitely means there are no other blemishes or marks, obviously. She doesn’t mean that she thinks Yoohyeon’s face is perfect because that’d be silly. She hates the girl.

Yoohyeon clears her throat sharply. “If you keep zoning out, I’m just gonna say no and send you home without an audition.”

Handong shakes herself and clears her throat as well. “I’m here,” She says, tightening her grip on her lucky sticks.

Yoohyeon hums boredly. She glances over her shoulder and motions to the others before she looks back at Handong with a slight smirk.

It’s infuriating but, at the same time, kind of attractive. Kind of what? Hello? What the hell?

“We’re going to play a song,” Yoohyeon says ominously. She moves to take her place at a nearby mic stand, her back to Handong.

The rest of the band gather at their respective instruments, staggered in a kind of triangle with the two singers, Yoohyeon and Siyeon, in front. They stand slightly apart to allow Handong to be seen through the gap between them.

The two guitarists, Minji and Gahyeon, stagger themselves behind Yoohyeon and Siyeon, Minji behind Siyeon and Gahyeon behind Yoohyeon, standing further out to be seen by the camera that sits on a tripod near the closed garage door.

The bass player, Bora, and the keyboardist, Yubin, are on either side of Handong and the drum set but decently far away so they can be seen.

“What song?” Handong asks, looking around at the others. They offer no clues about the song, so she looks back at Yoohyeon, whose smirk has turned wicked. “Not gonna tell me?” She asks, rolling her shoulders back and tipping her head from side to side to stretch her neck.

Yoohyeon just smirks and turns back to the camera.

Handong glances over at Yubin, who blinks at her and glances at Yoohyeon’s back. “Dude,” She whispers. “What song?”

“Don’t tell her,” Yoohyeon says, turning around to glare at Handong. Her eyes soften when she looks at Yubin, but her gaze is still sharp. “If she can’t figure out what song it is, she has no place here.”

“That seems a bit mean, Yoohyeonie,” Minji says, turning slightly to look at Handong with pity in her eyes.

“She’ll be fine,” Yoohyeon says, stepping away from her mic to walk over to the camera. “But if she wants in, she’ll have to be great.” She fiddles with the camera for a second, a red light lighting up near the lens.

Handong frowns and watches Yoohyeon rush back to her mic, nearly tripping over the carpet that’s been laid down on the floor. She bites back a laugh and looks down at the drum set in front of her. She doesn’t own one herself. Her parents would throw an absolute fit if they found out she preferred drums over piano.

She exhales and hears Yoohyeon doing some kind of intro for the video she’s recording, something about an audition. Handong’s the star. Or she would be if the gap between Siyeon and Yoohyeon was slightly bigger. She doubts she can be seen very well.

Yoohyeon glances over her shoulder at Handong, a scowl on her face. “Well?” She asks, her voice a hiss.

Handong blinks at her. “Well, what?” She asks, watching Yoohyeon sigh and hunch over the microphone.

“Introduce yourself,” Minji says gently with a soft laugh. “To the viewers.”

“Viewers?” Handong asks, looking at Minji. She glances at the camera, frowning.

“We upload our band practices to a video-sharing site,” Yubin helpfully supplies. “We’re at, like, twenty subscribers.”

“Twenty-five!” Gahyeon exclaims with a pout.

Yubin chuckles and nods her head. “Sorry, twenty-five subscribers. My bad.”

Handong swallows down a lump in her throat. Oh. That’s new. Now she’s really gotta be great if strangers on the internet are going to see this. “Right, sorry. Han Dong. T-that’s me. Han Dong.” She laughs nervously, glancing around.

Minji smiles encouragingly at her, almost like a proud older sister or parent. “How long have you been playing the drums?” She asks gently, obviously trying to get a bit more from Handong for the video.

“Uh-” Handong stops, racking her brain. Since she first laid her grubby little mitts on a pair of wooden spoons and started banging on metal pots and pans in the kitchen when she was a baby, probably. “Since diapers?”

Siyeon and Bora both burst into laughter, but it’s not condescending or anything mean-spirited. They’re genuinely laughing.

Minji just smiles, her eyes warm and encouraging.

“I got my first pair of drumsticks when I was in middle school,” Handong says with a small smile toward the camera. She can feel everyone looking at her. Yoohyeon’s eyes are critical, judging, while everyone else looks mildly interested in what she has to say. “I played percussion in my middle school band, so I’ve done a lot.”

She shrugs, not sure what else to say. She glances at Minji, who just smiles and nods at her before the older girl turns and looks at Yoohyeon. “What song are we playing?” Handong asks, looking around at everyone.

Yoohyeon scoffs and turns to the camera. “It’ll be in the video title,” She says, a smirk evident in her voice.

“Yoohyeon,” Bora says gently, glancing at Handong with a frown.

“She wants in, she’ll figure it out herself,” Yoohyeon counters, adjusting her stance at the mic.

Handong watches her shift slightly toward Siyeon, making the gap through which she can be seen shrink. She clenches her jaw, watching the red light of the camera disappear from view behind Yooheyon’s shoulder. Whatever. It’s not like she wants to be videotaped during an audition.

Yoohyeon holds up her hand, three fingers in the air. A countdown.

Handong watches Minji and Gahyeon curl their hands over the necks of their guitars, assuming Bora is doing the same beside her. She just hopes the drums don’t come in immediately. Hopefully, she recognizes whatever song it is before she needs to start playing.

Yoohyeon drops her hand, the countdown over.

Handong tenses, gripping her sticks tighter.

Minji and Gahyeon start playing their guitars in sync with each other, and Bora’s guitar joins shortly thereafter.

Handong feels a grin pull at her lips. Safe. She’s safe. She knows this song and knows the drums don’t come in until after the first verse is nearly over. She watches Yoohyeon and Siyeon adjust their stances slightly, Siyeon tapping out the rhythm against her thigh with her free hand as the other grips her microphone.

”Be kind when you rewind the story of the two of us

Sometimes you wish it was a little more mysterious”

Handong grits her teeth and shifts slightly on the stool she’s perched on. She twirls her drumsticks around her fingers, waiting.

”When you look at me with your cinematic eyes

I wanna play the part, but I forget the lines”

There. That’s her cue. Just as Siyeon starts vocalizing, Handong starts drumming, startling Yoohyeon slightly because the girl whips her head around to glare at Handong. Handong just smirks at her, adding a wink for good measure.

It works and Yoohyeon misses her line, forcing Siyeon to sing it for her to keep the song from sounding messed up.

Handong grins and drops her eyes to the drums, focusing on them instead of making Yoohyeon mess up in front of her band and her internet audience.

The song goes by surprisingly fast, and soon enough, Handong is listening to Yoohyeon sing the last line of the song.

”But we know that’s not how our song goes

It goes like this, it goes like this”

And then, Siyeon and Yoohyeon start vocalizing, and the guitars and drums finish out the song.

Once it’s over, Handong relaxes, letting her shoulders drop as she exhales. Her arms feel heavy, and she can feel sweat beading on her forehead, making her bangs stick to her skin.

Applause breaks out from around her, and she blinks, seeing the majority of the band clapping and grinning at her. All except Yoohyeon, of course, who moves to shut off the camera with a scowl on her face.

Handong grins. “Well?” She asks, spinning her sticks and hoping for the best. She watches everyone look over at Yoohyeon. They all seem to be holding their breath as Yoohyeon pulls the camera from the tripod and walks back over to the carpeted area.

“She’s good,” Yoohyeon admits begrudgingly. She sighs, tilting her head slightly to the side as she fiddles with the camera. “We need great.”

“Aw, c’mon, Yoohyeon!” Gahyeon whines, stomping her foot against the carpet as she lifts the strap of her guitar up over her head. “You didn’t tell her what song we were doing, but she figured it out!”

“So?” Yoohyeon asks, glancing at Handong with a frown.

Handong sees the glint of recognition in the girl’s eyes and swallows thickly. So the girl does remember her. Great.

“So,” Bora says, placing her guitar on its stand before she moves over to take the camera from Yoohyeon’s hands. “You’re going to tell Handong here that she’s our new drummer, right?”

Yoohyeon scowls at the older girl and folds her arms over her chest as she turns her eyes to Handong.

“Yoohyeon,” Yubin tries, her voice gentle. “We need a drummer, and no one else has auditioned.”

“So, we have to let her in?” Yoohyeon asks, glancing at Yubin with a frown.

“I’d say she passed the audition, Yootoni,” Siyeon says, glancing at Handong with a smile. “She didn’t mess up once.”

“Yeah, unlike someone else,” Bora says gently, her tone teasing.

Yoohyeon shoots a glare Bora’s way, but the older girl ignores it, choosing instead to walk across the garage to a couch that’s pushed against the wall.

“Fine!” Yoohyeon exclaims, throwing up her hands in indignation. “Fine, whatever. You guys want her, she’s in. But one mistake, and she’s out.”

“That’s extreme, Yoohyeonie,” Minji says, rubbing at her shoulder where the strap of her guitar had dug in. “You made a mistake, and we’re not ousting you as our main singer. Why does Handong only get one mistake?”

“Because,” Yoohyeon says through gritted teeth. She glares at Handong, brown eyes sharp and full of hate. “Because I said so.”

Handong meets Yoohyeon’s glare with one of her own but less intense. It makes her stomach turn a bit, knowing that Yoohyeon absolutely hates her guts for a mistake she made in second grade. It’s understandable. But it still makes Handong feel sick.

Yoohyeon scoffs and stalks off across the room to the couch where Bora sits. She throws herself down onto the cushions and folds her arms tightly over her chest, glaring at Handong still.

Minji sighs and turns to Handong with a warm smile. “Congratulations, I guess,” She says with a soft laugh. She spreads her arms wide, gesturing to the space and the other girls. “Welcome to Dreamcatcher.”

Chapter Text

Handong wiggles her fingers into her mittens and claps her hands together, excited to head out onto the playground for recess. She plans on building a snowman, complete with a carrot nose and button eyes. She has a carrot in one pocket of her jacket and two black buttons in the other.

"Alright, remember!" The teacher calls from the front of the line by the door leading outside. "No throwing snow!"

"No throwing snow!" The class echoes.

"Alright, let's head out!" The teacher pushes open the door and the line surges forward as the 2nd grade class rushes out into the snowy landscape that is the school playground.

Handong takes it slow, beaming up at the teacher as she exits the warm classroom and steps into the cold winter wonderland that the playground has been transformed into.

She trudges through the snow to a spot near the playground that still has snow that's untouched by her classmates. There, Handong crouches down and starts forming a snowball, one that will soon become the base of her snowman.

She pushes it around, making sure to pack as much snow around it as she can while she rolls it. She tips the snowball sideways and pushes it that way once it grows to a certain size, determined to get it shaped into something that looks like a big ball.

Once she's satisfied with the size of the ball, Handong pushes it over once more and smoothes out the top to get ready to add the next piece. She crouches down a few feet away and starts on another snowball, gathering snow in her mittened hands and packing it tightly together.

She plops the ball into the snow and starts pushing it around while humming to herself. She's getting a bit tired pushing snow around, but she knows it'll all be worth it once the snowman is finished and decorated with the carrot and buttons in her pockets.

Taking a few seconds to breathe after pushing and rolling the snowball to the size she thinks is big enough, Handong crouches down and struggles to tip the snow boulder up and onto the base of the snowman. Grumbling and digging her feet into the snow, she heaves the boulder up with all her might, gasping when she almost pushes it right off the other side.

Grinning in triumph and looking around in case anyone else witnessed her feat of strength, she starts gathering snow to pack in the gaps to make the two boulders seamless with one another.

After that's done, Handong steps a bit further away to gather fresh snow for the head, hearing shouts of glee nearby. She looks over and sees a group of boys and girls playing a game of snowy tag. She wrinkles her nose, watching them warily as their game seems to be coming closer and closer to where she is with her snowman.

Ignoring them for the time being, she crouches down and pushes the snowball through the fresh, undisturbed snow while she hums softly to herself.

"Yoohyeon's it!" Someone yells, and footsteps race by, where Handong is crouched down and pushing her snowball. She frowns and looks up to glare at the boy who has just run past, but he's too busy running away to notice the sharp look.

"Devon's it!"

"Am not!" A boy yells indignantly, and there's a rush of wind next to Handong, which is accompanied by a sharp gasp and a grunt.

Handong blinks, getting to her feet with the snowball she is going to use as the head of her snowman cradled in her hands.

"No pushing, Devon!" A girl shrieks from the ground next to Handong. The girl gets to her feet, covered in snow. She grumbles to herself, slapping and swiping at the snow covering her snowsuit.

Handong turns to see the exploded remains of her snowman and the girl stomping away from her, still swiping at the snow on her. She stares at the chunks of snow that had once been her snowman and whips her head up to glare at the girl's back.

Her. That stupid girl did this. That stupid girl just ruined her snowman, which had taken most of their recess time for Handong to make, and she is just walking away without even saying anything in apology.

Handong looks down at the ball of snow in her hands and grits her teeth, tears forming in her eyes. She'd worked so hard on getting her snowman together, all for some stupid girl to come in and ruin it and not even say sorry.

The girl doesn't get far before a snowball explodes against her back, making her stumble forward a step. She turns slowly, looking first over her shoulder at her back before lifting her head to look around before her eyes land on Handong.

Handong sniffles, tears starting to roll down her cold cheeks. She crouches down and grabs a chunk of snow that had once been part of her snowman before straightening up again and meeting the girl's eyes.

"You're not supposed to-"

Handong hurls the chunk of snow at the girl, not caring that she isn't supposed to throw snow. The girl had ruined her snowman and didn't even apologize. She was just going to walk away like nothing happened.

The chunk of snow explodes against the girl's shoulder, and she flinches back at the impact, her eyes narrowing into a sharp glare. "Stop it!"

"You killed my snowman!" Handong shouts, crouching to gather more snow. She digs her mittens deep into the snow and gathers a handful, quickly mashing it into a ball before sending it flying at the girl in front of her.

"I didn't mean to!" The girl yells back, dodging the poorly aimed ball of snow sent her way. "Cut it out! We're not supposed to throw snow!"

"You killed him!" Handong shouts, ignoring the girl. She gathers more snow, digging deep enough to uncover a patch of grass and dirt. She balls the snow up and launches it at the girl, a surge of victory flooding through her when it explodes against the girl's forehead, knocking her hat off.

The victory, however, is short-lived when Handong notices the red streaming down the girl's face, blocking one of her eyes.

The girl screams in pain, red dripping down her face and coloring the snow.

"Yoohyeon!" Teachers rush over, two of them dropping to their knees next to Yoohyeon to assess the wound.

Handong stands frozen, more tears welling up in her eyes as she realizes what she's done. She didn't want to hurt the girl. Not really, anyway. She certainly hadn't wanted to make her bleed.

A third teacher crouches in front of Handong, letting out a soft breath as she reaches to wipe the girl's cheeks free of tears. "This is why we don't throw snow, Dong."

"I'm sorry!" Handong blubbers, throwing her arms around the teacher's neck and hiding her face as she sobs.

The teacher soothes her gently and rubs her back before scooping her up and carrying her over the snow.

"Let's take them both to the nurse's office," One of the other teachers says as she picks up Yoohyeon's hat from the snow. "I'll get the door."

"Okay," The third teacher says before scooping Yoohyeon up and carrying her toward the school.

Handong sniffles and lifts her head from the teacher's shoulder, seeing Yoohyeon glaring at her with blood still dripping from her forehead. There must've been a rock or ice in the snowball she'd thrown, and it had cut a gash into the girl's forehead.

She doesn't know what to say, so Handong hides her face again, guilt weighing heavy on her shoulders. She hadn't meant to hurt the girl. She was just angry about her snowman being destroyed after she'd spent almost all of their recess time putting it together. Now, she just feels horrible. And she's scared because she's definitely going to get in trouble for this.

They end up in the nurse's office. Handong is placed in a chair by the door while Yoohyeon is set down on the cot, her forehead still oozing blood.

Handong fidgets in the chair and reaches up to pull her hat off, starting to feel herself grow too warm with all her layers. She pulls her gloves off and unzips her coat, wiggling her arms out of it.

Across the room, Yoohyeon sniffles as the nurse wipes gently at the blood on her forehead, and one of the teachers helps the girl remove her gloves and jacket. The other teacher mutters something about calling parents before leaving the room.

Handong feels a chill run through her at the thought of her parents being called about what happened. She hunches in the seat, staring down at her hands in her lap while her stomach twists itself into tight knots. She really hadn't meant to hurt Yoohyeon.

"This might require a few stitches," The nurse says gently as she tosses away a bloody wad of gauze before pressing a fresh pad to Yoohyeon's forehead above her eyebrow.

"Stitches?" Yoohyeon asks, sniffling as tears well up in her eyes again. "Will they hurt?"

"It'll just be a couple pinches, and then you'll be all set," The nurse answers, giving Yoohyeon a soft smile.

Handong swallows hard. She doesn't know what getting stitches entails; she's never needed any, but they don't sound like they would be comfortable. And the fact that Yoohyeon might need to get some because of her makes the guilt on her shoulders feel heavier.

The second teacher reappears in the doorway to the office. "I called their parents. Yoohyeon's mom is on her way and…" She trails off, glancing at Handong with a strained smile. "Your mother's assistant is coming in her place."

Handong nods in response and lets her gaze fall to the floor. Better her mother's assistant than her mother. It makes her a bit upset, however, that even her father is unwilling to stop working to make sure she's alright.

She tries not to let it bother her, but when Yoohyeon's mom arrives almost ten minutes later and rushes to Yoohyeon's side, Handong feels an ache in her chest. She watches Yoohyeon melt into her mother's side and watches the woman soothe the girl's tears with gentle words and a hand running over her blonde hair.

Her mother's assistant gets there a few minutes later, looking worried and flustered when she walks in. "Dong?"

"Hi, Marie," Handong says quietly, waving at the woman.

Marie steps closer before she crouches next to Handong's chair, her blue eyes searching Handong for anything out of the ordinary. "They said there was an incident on the playground. Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," Handong replies softly. While she's grateful that Marie is there, she wishes she could melt into the woman like Yoohyeon had done with her mother. But Marie is her mother's assistant, not her mother. Marie cares about her, Handong knows that, but she isn't someone she can seek comfort from.

"Are you Dong's mother?" Yoohyeon's mom pipes up from across the room. Her voice is gentle, but there's a hint of something steely in it.

"Ah, no," Marie says, getting to her feet. She brushes off her skirt and pulls at her jacket before extending her hand to the woman. "I'm Marie. Mrs. Han's assistant."

Handong lifts her head just in time to see Yoohyeon's mother blink, almost in shock. The woman's face then shifts, and she stands slightly to shake Marie's hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Mrs. Kim, Yoohyeon's mother."

"Nice to meet you as well. I was told that- Oh." Marie stops when Yoohyeon leans forward slightly, a pad of gauze taped to her forehead.

"She threw a rock at me," Yoohyeon says, lifting her hand and pointing at Handong.

"It was a snowball!" Handong protests, looking at Marie nervously.

"And why were you throwing snowballs, Dong?" Marie asks gently, crouching down again next to the chair.

Handong gulps and fiddles with her fingers, afraid of what Marie might say if she finds out this was all because of a snowman. She already has an idea of what her parents will say.

"I was pushed, and her snowman was right there," Yoohyeon answers in Handong's stead. "It broke, and she threw snow at me." She glares at Handong, reaching up to press at the pad of gauze above her eye. "I hate you," She hisses.

"Yoohyeon!" Mrs. Kim exclaims sharply.

"There must've been a rock or a chunk of ice in the snowball that you threw, Dong," The teacher says gently. "This is why we don't throw snow."

"I'm sorry," Handong mumbles, staring down at her lap. She fiddles with her fingers again before pulling in a breath and lifting her head to look at Yoohyeon. She meets the girl's sharp glare and feels tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Yoohyeon's glare seems to sharpen, and she scrunches her face. "I still hate you."

"Kim Yoohyeon, that's enough," Mrs. Kim scolds softly, frowning at her daughter. She looks over at Handong with a softer look on her face. "I appreciate you apologizing, Dong. And I'm guessing you've learned not to throw snow anymore, right?"

Handong nods furiously. "Yes! I won't throw snow ever again."

Mrs. Kim nods and looks at the nurse and the teachers. "Are we all set here, then?"

"Oh, yes, of course," The teacher says with a soft, nervous laugh. "I can take you down to the classroom to get Yoohyeon's things."

"Perfect," Mrs. Kim says, standing from the cot. She coaxes Yoohyeon to her feet and takes the girl's hand in her own, squeezing gently. "You said she may need stitches?" She asks the nurse, who nods.

"Just a couple. I would take her to the hospital and get her all fixed up before heading home."

Mrs. Kim hums, nodding her head as she looks down at Yoohyeon, who leans against her side with fluttering eyelids as she yawns.

Handong shifts slightly in her seat, watching the nurse turn toward her desk and retrieve a glass jar full of assorted candy.

The nurse holds the jar out toward Yoohyeon, who eagerly shoves her hand in and fishes out a lollipop, her sleepiness suddenly evaporating. After Yoohyeon has taken her candy, the nurse wheels her chair over toward Handong and holds out the jar.

"How come she gets candy?" Yoohyeon pipes up, tearing the wrapper off her lollipop and shoving it into her mouth. "She hurt me, but you're giving her candy?" She asks, her words muffled slightly by the candy in her mouth.

Handong agrees with Yoohyeon. Why is she being offered a treat after what she did? She shakes her head in response to the nurse tipping the jar toward her and looks toward Marie, who gives her a tight smile.

Mrs. Kim clears her throat gently. "Let's go get your things, Yoohyeon."

Handong watches the nurse roll back over to her desk, and Mrs. Kim and Yoohyeon walk past her toward the door.

Yoohyeon whips her head around to glare at Handong over her shoulder and pulls her lollipop out of her mouth to stick her tongue out at the girl.

"Yoohyeon!"

Handong looks over at Marie, who sighs and pulls out her phone, flipping it open and tapping at the buttons.

"If you'd like to take Handong home, you can follow the others to get her things," The other teacher says gently.

Marie looks up, slightly panicked. "Take her home?"

"She's cleared to-"

"Oh, no, I have to get back to work," Marie says with an awkward laugh. She shakes her head and taps at her phone a few more times before snapping it shut and shoving it into her pocket. She crouches down by Handong and smiles. "You'll be okay for the rest of the day, right? No more throwing things, okay?"

Handong nods, staying silent. There's no comfort in Marie. She knows the woman tries, but she really shouldn't have to. It's not her place to try and provide comfort for a kid that isn't hers.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Marie asks, reaching out to gently brush brown hair away from Handong's face.

"Okay," Handong says quietly.

"She's fine to continue the day, right?" Marie asks, getting to her feet.

"I- Of course, I just thought…" The teacher trails off, shaking her head. "She's fine to continue the day."

"Great!" Marie exclaims. She gives the teacher a smile and looks down at Handong again. "See you later, kiddo."

Handong nods and watches Marie turn swiftly on her heel and leave the room, pulling her phone out as it rings sharply. She sighs softly and slides out of the chair, gathering her jacket, hat, and gloves. She looks up at the teacher. "Do I have to stay inside now for recess?"

Chapter Text

"Alright, well, I'm hungry," Siyeon says after a few minutes of lounging on the couch against the wall.

"Yeah, I could eat," Bora agrees, sitting beside Siyeon. She shifts on the couch, glancing over at Siyeon before leaning her head on the girl's shoulder.

Siyeon accepts the weight without complaint and tips her head sideways to rest it against Bora's.

"Yeah." Minji sets her guitar on the stand and stretches her arms up above her head. "Should we go for a snack run?"

"Sounds good to me," Yubin pipes up from behind her keyboard.

Handong looks around the garage, seeing everyone getting to their feet. "Where are we going?" She asks, standing from the stool behind the drums.

"There's a convenience store not too far from here," Minji says with a smile aimed at Handong. "Only a few minutes walk."

Handong nods her head and steps around the drums to join the others as they start for the door.

"What're you gonna get?" Siyeon asks Bora as they head up the few steps to the door of the house.

"I don't know. Probably chips and a soda or something," Bora answers with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm getting candy!" Gahyeon chimes, earning a few laughs from everyone.

"You should get more than just candy, Gahyeonie," Minji says softly, smiling at the youngest of the group as she follows her into the house.

"I know, but I want candy right now," Gahyeon replies. "Plus, I think my parents are gonna make pasta for dinner later, so…" She trails off, shrugging her shoulders.

Handong follows the girls through the house to the front door, her stomach twisting. She doesn't have any money to buy anything. The only card in her wallet is her school ID. She doesn't have any cash. There might be a penny in there, but that won't get her anything from any store.

As they spill down the steps of the porch, Handong hesitates to follow. She can't exactly stay by herself in Gahyeon's house, but she doesn't exactly want to go and have the others look at her weird for not getting anything.

Minji notices and slows her steps, smiling at Handong from the path leading to the sidewalk. "You okay?" She asks, her voice soft to not draw the attention of the others.

Handong clenches her jaw and descends the steps to join Minji on the path, ducking her head as she gets close to the older girl. "I don't have money," She admits in a whisper. It's embarrassing for some reason. Maybe because her parents are rich.

Minji hums softly. "That's okay. I can buy you something if you want."

Handong blinks and lifts her head, meeting the older girl's eyes.

Minji smiles brightly at her, nodding her head toward the other girls who are already making their way down the street. "Come on," She says, beginning to follow them.

Handong swallows and hurries to match Minji's pace, glancing at the older girl a few times before speaking. "You don't have to," She says. "Buy me anything, I mean. I'm not even that hungry. I'll be fine."

Minji makes a face, scrunching up her nose and pinching her lips together. “It’s really no issue, Handong.”

"You can call me Dong," Handong says with a soft laugh. "Or Dongie, if you want."

Minji's face softens and she smiles again. "Dongie. Let me buy you something."

Handong frowns, glancing down to kick at a rock. "I don't have any way of paying you back," She says, looking at Minji again. "So, really, I-"

"You don't have to pay me back," Minji insists. "Really. Please just don't get something really expensive," She says with a laugh.

Handong shakes her head. "I wouldn't." She sees Minji's eyebrows start to pull together. "I won't," She amends softly. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," Minji says with a shake of her head. "We're in the same band now. We're pretty much friends already."

Handong blinks at that. "Friends?"

Minji nods her head firmly, smiling brightly at Handong. "Yeah, and friends help each other out. So, let me buy something for you."

Handong makes a face but doesn't see herself winning this argument. "Okay," She concedes softly with a nod.

"Great!" Minji exclaims. "Now, come on. Let's catch up to the others." She lengthens her stride, forcing Handong to do the same in order to keep up.

They catch up to the others at a crosswalk, Bora jabbing the button multiple times before Siyeon laughs and grabs the girl's hand to stop her from pushing it again.

"It'll change soon," Siyeon says, letting go of Bora's hand.

Bora makes a face and folds her arms over her chest, glaring at the cars still driving by.

Across the road is a convenience store with a few picnic benches on a patch of grass near the store.

When the light finally changes, and the walk sign is displayed, Bora strides across the crosswalk, leading the way across the road.

Handong follows Minji across and glances at the older girl with a raised eyebrow as she nods to Bora.

"She gets hangry," Minji explains with a soft laugh. She shrugs her shoulders with another laugh. "It's cute sometimes."

Handong blinks, startled, and lets out a soft laugh at that, shaking her head as she follows Minji and the rest of the girls inside the store.

Once inside, everyone seems to go in separate directions. Gahyeon heads for the candy aisle, Yubin heads for the fridges, Siyeon and Bora head for the chips, and Yoohyeon, who's been quiet this whole time, approaches Handong and Minji.

Handong tenses when she notices and hopes that Yoohyeon just wants to talk to Minji, but there's no such luck. She's the target.

"So," Yoohyeon drawls, folding her arms over her chest. "Are you buying for all of us?"

Handong blinks, feeling the blood drain from her face at the question. She glances at Yoohyeon, swallowing thickly.

Minji sighs. "Yoohyeon…" She trails off, shaking her head.

"What? She's new to the group, she should buy us our snacks," Yoohyeon says with a glance toward the older girl. "It's only fair. Seeing as we let her join so easily."

"That doesn't make any sense, Yoohyeon," Minji points out. "You're just being mean."

"I'm not being mean," Yoohyeon counters. "If you're not buying for all of us, you could at least buy me my snacks, right?"

"Why?" Handong asks, her voice coming out as a whisper. She clears her throat and tries again. "Why?" She asks again, this time her voice audible.

"Because I'm the face of the band, and I say so," Yoohyeon says simply like it's an obvious answer. Like it makes sense.

Handong clenches her jaw and pulls in a breath, glancing at Minji. She knows the girl can't exactly help her in this situation, but she wishes she could. She looks back at Yoohyeon, swallowing and hoping her stomach settles by itself soon. "I don't have any money."

Yoohyeon blinks and lets out a disbelieving laugh. "Okay, I'll admit. That was funny. That was a good one." She nods her head, smiling slightly. Then, the smile drops, and her face hardens again. "Seriously. Buy my snacks for me, and maybe I'll let you keep being our drummer."

"Yoohyeon," Minji says, her voice stern.

Yoohyeon doesn't respond, staring at Handong with intense eyes.

Handong exhales. "I told you," She says, trying to keep her voice level. "I don't have any money."

"How is that possible?" Yoohyeon asks with a sharp laugh. "Your parents are filthy, stinking rich. There's no way you don't have money. Come on, I'm gonna go pick out my snacks, and you're gonna pay for them." With that, she turns sharply on her heels and stalks away across the store.

Handong glares at the girl's back before clenching her hands into tight fists and letting out a breath to steady herself.

"I'm sorry about her," Minji says. "She's not usually like this. I don't know what's going on with her."

Handong hums softly, shrugging her shoulders. "I have a pretty good idea why she's acting like this," She says softly.

"You do?" Minji asks.

"Yeah," Handong says, looking at the older girl with a sheepish look. "You know the scar on her forehead?"

Minji nods, her eyebrows pulling together. "Did you…" She trails off, her eyes going wide. "You're the girl who threw the rock."

"It wasn't a rock," Handong says quickly. She grits her teeth. "It was a snowball that had a rock in it. I didn't know the rock was there. But, yeah. I… I gave her that scar, and ever since then, she's hated me for it." She looks down at her shoes, pulling in a breath. "I had to go to a different middle school because of it."

She exhales slowly, wondering what Minji must think of her now. Probably rethinking the whole friends thing. Definitely rethinking buying snacks for her. She grits her teeth and pulls in a breath. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Minji asks, her voice soft.

Handong shrugs. "I don't know. Just… Figured you might not like me anymore. Yoohyeon's your friend and I… I hurt her." She shrugs again, scuffing the linoleum tile with her shoe. "Probably don't want me in the band anymore, right?"

"We need a drummer," Minji says.

"Yeah, but I'm sure there's plenty of others who can play drums who haven't thrown a rock at your lead singer," Handong points out with a bitter laugh. She shrugs. "Sorry. I'll-"

"I'm not the one you should apologize to, I don't think," Minji cuts in softly.

"I know. I've tried." Handong glances around the store, spotting the back of Yoohyeon's head by the fridges. "She won't accept it, and I… I kinda understand." She sighs. "We were kids. I made a stupid mistake."

"Very stupid," Minji says quietly. "But like you just said, you were kids." She laughs softly. "But we're all still kids."

Handong hums.

"We're gonna make mistakes, and all we can do is learn and grow from them, you know?" Minji shrugs her shoulders and turns toward the shelves, reaching out to grab a package of cookies. "Not much else you can do, and if she can't accept the fact that you're sorry for what you did, that's on her. And the fact that she's still holding a grudge after so long is kind of insane if I'm being honest."

"Yeah, I guess," Handong says with a soft laugh, following Minji toward the fridges. She hasn't grabbed anything yet, unsure if Minji is still willing to buy her stuff.

"Are you gonna get anything?" Minji asks as if she's just heard Handong's thoughts.

Handong blinks and looks toward the freezers. The cheapest drink is a tall can of iced tea, costing a whopping 99 cents. She pulls open the fridge and grabs a can, watching another slide into place as she shuts the door again.

"That's it?" Minji asks, making a face.

“Yeah,” Handong says. "I told you, I'm not hungry."

"You said you weren't that hungry, meaning you're a little hungry," Minji says with a smile. "Come on, grab something to eat."

Handong makes a face. "But-"

"No buts," Minji cuts in with a shake of her head. "Go get some food and meet me by the register." She smiles and walks off, stopping in front of another fridge to look at the drink options.

Handong sighs and grips the can tightly in her fist as she moves across the store toward the chip aisle. There, she finds Siyeon and Bora perusing the various brands and types of chips. Not really wanting to draw attention to herself, Handong grabs a random small bag of chips and leaves the aisle, heading for the register where she spots Minji.

But before she can get there, Yoohyeon appears with an armful of various snacks and drinks. Handong slows to a stop, the chip bag crinkling in her hand as she tightens her grip on it.

Yoohyeon shoots her what can only be described as an evil smirk before whipping around and approaching the register.

Handong exhales and steps forward, catching Minji's eyes as the older girl looks toward the pile of snacks and drinks Yoohyeon dumps on the counter. She winces, seeing Minji's lips tighten into a thin line. She looks down at the chips and the can of tea in her hands and blows out a breath. She really isn't all that hungry. She can go without. "I'll be right back," She tells Minji.

"What-"

Handong rushes back to the chip aisle, shoving the bag of chips back onto the shelf. She notices Bora and Siyeon glance over at her but says nothing to them, hurrying back over to the fridges to put the drink back. She sees Yubin raising an eyebrow at her but doesn't say anything to the girl, rushing back to join Minji and Yoohyeon at the register.

Yoohyeon glares at Handong. "Well?" She asks. "All my stuff has been scanned. We're just waiting on payment."

Handong balls her hands into fists. "I told you, I-"

"I'll get it, Yoohyeonie," Minji cuts in, passing the clerk a few bills with a tight smile on her face.

Yoohyeon's eyes widen and she looks at Minji in shock. Then, her face morphs into a mask of barely concealed anger as she looks at Handong. Her arms fold over her chest, and she digs her fingers into her biceps, glaring daggers.

Handong feels her stomach twist painfully and avoids the girl's glare.

"Dongie, I thought you were gonna get something," Minji says.

Handong clenches her jaw, shaking her head briefly. Her stomach aches. Why is Minji so kind? Why is she being so nice?

Minji sighs softly. "Alright," She says, and steps forward to put her own items on the counter.

"Let me pay for them, Minji," Yoohyeon says, pulling out her wallet.

"I've got it, Yoohyeon," Minji says with a shake of her head. "It's fine." She reaches out and pushes Yoohyeon's hands away, reaching into her own wallet and pulling out a few more bills to pay for her own snacks.

Yoohyeon stands there for a few seconds before snapping her wallet shut and shoving it back into her pocket, glaring at Handong as she gathers the plastic bag with all her snacks and drinks.

Handong stands off to the side, staring down at the tile floor, her stomach twisting and turning into knots as the cashier counts out Minji's change.

"Have a good day," The clerk says to the three of them.

"You too," Minji says before leading the way toward the door. She pushes it open and leads the way to a nearby picnic bench.

Handong doesn't take a seat, standing to the side and trying to keep herself from throwing up.

"Dong, come sit," Minji says, patting the bench beside her. "You can share some of my snacks."

Handong blinks and glances up at the older girl, frowning at her. How can she still be so kind after what just happened?

Minji smiles and pats the bench again. "Come on," She says. "You can have some of these cookies."

Yoohyeon, sitting on the other side of the table, frowns. "Minji, I'm-"

"Forget it," Minji cuts in firmly, shaking her head. "It's fine."

"But-"

"Leave it, Yoohyeon," Minji says. "It's over with."

"At least let me pay you back," Yoohyeon says, reaching into her pocket and pulling her wallet out again.

"Pay me back by being a bit nicer to Dongie," Minji says, pushing Yoohyeon's money away from her.

Yoohyeon clenches her jaw and tucks her money back into her wallet, glancing over at Handong.

Handong, still standing by the side of the table, meets the girl's gaze briefly before looking away.

"Dongie, seriously," Minji says. "Come sit. Who knows how long the others are going to be in there for."

Handong swallows and nods, taking a seat beside Minji. She hunches her shoulders and stares down the tabletop, tracing a crack in the wood with her eyes.

"Here," Minji says, offering the girl a cookie from the package she'd bought.

Handong hesitates.

"Come on," Minji says with a soft laugh, pushing the cookie into Handong's hand. "It's not gonna bite you back, I promise."

Handong hums weakly, not sure if her stomach will be able to handle anything at the moment.

Yoohyeon shifts on the other side of the table, digging through her plastic bag of snacks and drinks.

Handong glances up slightly, peeking at Minji who is happily munching on a cookie. She blows out a breath and looks down at the cookie in her hand, frowning down at it before lifting it up and taking a small bite.

"Minji, here," Yoohyeon says.

Handong glances up, and sees Yoohyeon holding out a bottle of soda to the older girl. She looks at Minji, who frowns at the offering.

"They're your snacks, Yoohyeon," Minji says. "If I wanted a drink, I would've gotten a drink."

Yoohyeon's arm sinks at that, and she sighs softly, setting the bottle on the table. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," Minji says softly.

"But-" Yoohyeon stops talking with a sigh. She glances at Handong, her face scrunching up. "Sorry," She mumbles.

Handong swallows her bite of cookie, her mouth dry. She knows the girl probably doesn't really mean the apology. It doesn't seem like she means it, either. But it's something, she supposes. "It's… It's okay."

It's not. Not really. She feels humiliated. But she wants to stay in the band. Needs to stay in the band. It's the only chance she's got to really be able to do what she wants to do, music wise. She doesn't want to play piano like her parents want her to. She wants to play the drums.

"It's okay."

Chapter Text

"I need a large hot chocolate with extra whip," Handong calls over her shoulder to her coworker.

"Large cocoa with extra whip, coming right up!" Seungwan announces with a bright smile as she gets to work making the drink.

Handong gives the customer in front of her a smile and lets them know it'll be ready for them shortly. Once the customer heads off to take a seat, the smile drops from Handong's face, and she heaves a sigh. She wishes she didn't have to work the register all the time, but she's not allowed to touch the machines to make the drinks. Something about her being too young. And she's not allowed to help in the kitchen for the same reason.

She thinks it's bullshit. She's old enough to get her learner's permit and her junior's driver's license, but not old enough to help in the cafe's kitchen or use the machines to make drinks. Ridiculous.

As Seungwan steps up to the counter and calls out the customer's name for the hot chocolate, Handong steps back to grab one of the plastic blue bins from underneath the counter to clear a few tables. She doesn't mind this part of her new job. It gets her away from the front counter, and customers don't really bother her while she's bussing the tables.

As she collects the last of the cups and plates from a table, she gives it a quick wipe with a cloth she pulls from the pocket of her apron. Deeming the table clean enough, she tucks the cloth back into her pocket and hefts the blue bin up into her arms. She strides across the cafe and behind the counter, bumping the doors to the back open with her shoulder.

"Aw, Dongie," Nicha coos as Handong approaches the sink with her bin of dishes. "You shouldn't have." She makes a face as Handong starts unloading the dishes onto the sideboard and sighs, shaking her head. "Really. You shouldn't have."

Handong laughs softly at that. "Sorry," She says.

"No, you're not," Nicha points out, lifting a glove-covered hand to grab a stack of plates.

"No," Handong agrees. "I'm not."

Nicha shoots the girl a glare and plunges the plates into the soapy water of the huge sink she's standing in front of.

Handong bites back another laugh and reaches out to gently pat the girl on the shoulder before she heads out of the kitchen with her bin. She tucks it underneath the counter and straightens up just as the bell above the door jingles to announce a customer. She opens her mouth to greet them.

"Oh."

Handong snaps her mouth shut and balls her hands into tight fists by her sides as Minji, Bora, and Siyeon approach the counter with wide eyes.

"Dongie!" Minji exclaims, quickly overcoming her shock and greeting Handong with a big smile and a wave.

Handong swallows hard, her mouth suddenly dry, and lifts one of her hands to wave awkwardly back at the older girl.

"Hey," Siyeon says, still looking a bit surprised.

"I didn't know you had a job," Bora says, her words blunt.

Minji nudges the girl with her elbow, sending her a sharp look.

Handong coughs to clear her throat. "It's… It's new," She says, her voice coming out as a shy whisper.

"What?" Bora asks, leaning forward as she cups one of her hands around her ear. "Say that again?"

"It's new," Handong says, a bit louder this time. She winces and glances to her left, seeing Seungwan quietly polishing the countertop in front of the drink machines. She looks back at the trio on the other side of the counter. She pulls in a breath. "What can I get started for you today?" She asks, lifting a hand to hover her finger over the computer screen.

"Hot cocoa, please," Minji says with a smile. "For all of us."

"What size?" Handong asks, tapping at the screen. She looks up at the older girls and waits.

Minji looks at Siyeon and Bora on either side of her and hums softly. "Mediums," She finally says, looking back at Handong with a smile. "Oh, and could we get marshmallows on top?"

"Three medium hot chocolates with marshmallows," Handong calls to Seungwan, who moves to gather the cups to start the orders. "Those'll be ready for you in just a bit," She says to the girls opposite her.

"Great!" Minji says, pulling out her wallet.

"Whoa," Bora says, hurriedly pulling her own wallet out from her pocket. "You don't plan on paying for all of us, do you?" She asks, digging out a few dollar bills.

Minji hesitates, her fingers already counting out the correct number of cash needed to pay. She glances at Bora with a sheepish look. "Maybe."

Siyeon scoffs and reaches back to pull her wallet from her back pocket. "No way," She says, pulling out some bills and slapping them onto the counter. "We'll split it."

Handong says nothing and just looks at the three girls while they quietly bicker back and forth over who's going to pay. She clears her throat gently, noticing a line starting to form. It's not a huge line, but it's a line regardless.

"Here," Bora says, slapping some bills down onto the pile of Siyeon's money. "That should be enough to cover mine."

Minji bites her lip and blows out a slow breath, her fingers working to tuck her cash back into her wallet before she pulls out a few bills to cover the cost of her own drink. "There," She says, snapping her wallet shut before shoving it back into her pocket. She looks a bit put out for some reason.

Handong scoops up the cash and counts it out, setting aside a few bills that she doesn't need. She tucks the rest into the cash drawer of the register and pushes the few bills back across the counter. "Your change."

Bora doesn't reach for the money, and neither does Siyeon. They share a look behind Minji's back.

Minji sighs and gathers the cash, holding it in her fist instead of getting her wallet again. "Thanks," She says, her smile tight-lipped as she steps away from the counter, the other girls following her to a table in the corner.

Handong watches from the register as Minji tries to offer the cash to Bora and Siyeon, only for them both to refuse. She shakes her head, deciding not to dwell too much on that encounter, and focuses on helping the line of customers in front of her.

Once she's gotten through the customers that had lined up, Handong heaves a small sigh and turns away from the register, watching Seungwan expertly fill a cup to the very top before she shuts off the machine, preventing the drink from spilling over. "How do you do that?"

Seungwan glances over with a smile. "Practice," She says. "Lots and lots of practice." She chuckles and carefully places a lid on the cup. "Practice and lots of scalded fingers," She amends with another laugh. She sets the cup on the counter and calls out the customer's name, smiling at them when they come up to collect their drink. She looks at Handong with the same smile, wiping her hands off on her apron. "Interested?" She asks, nodding toward the machine.

"Yeah," Handong admits. She'd love to be able to be the one making the drinks and not the one taking orders.

"Well, as long as you're supervised, you can work it," Seungwan says. "But we've gotta get permission from a manager for that first."

Handong scowls.

Seungwan laughs and reaches out to pat Handong's shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll ask."

"Thanks, Seungwan," Handong says, giving the older girl a smile.

"No prob, Bob," Seungwan says with a wink. She lifts her hands, her fingers curled into guns, and makes a few popping sounds with her mouth as she aims at Handong.

Handong blinks at the girl. "No offense," She says softly. "But you're a loser."

"And proud of it!" Seungwan says with a grin. She glances toward the door as the bell jingles and gives Handong another smile. "You're up," She says, nodding toward the register.

Handong sighs, suppressing the urge to full-on groan, and she turns back to the register.

"Oh."

Handong blinks, feeling the blood drain from her face as Yoohyeon approaches the counter with a girl beside her. It's almost in slow motion that Yoohyeon's sneer starts to form on her face, and Handong's heart pounds in her chest, her eyes darting over to the corner table where Minji, Bora, and Siyeon still sit.

"So," Yoohyeon says.

Handong snaps her eyes back to Yoohyeon. "So," She echoes quietly. Her hands are shaking, and she's grateful that they're hidden by the counter. She doesn't want any trouble, especially not at her job. Her new job that she got a few weeks ago. She can't afford to lose it. She doesn't know anywhere else nearby that's hiring or that would hire her. She doesn't have a car, and the buses only go so far.

"Are you gonna ask us what we want?" Yoohyeon questions, lifting an eyebrow.

Handong swallows hard. "R-right, sorry." She clears her throat and drops her eyes to the computer screen, one of her hands coming up to hover over the buttons. "What can I get started for you today?" She asks.

Yoohyeon rattles off a long and complicated order, finishing it off with a smug grin and a wicked look in her eyes.

Handong taps furiously at the screen, trying to keep up, and she can feel herself starting to sweat. It's made even worse because she can feel Seungwan's eyes on her back. She shifts uncomfortably, lifting her head slightly to peek over the computer at Yoohyeon and her friend.

"And for you?" She asks, her voice trembling slightly.

The girl hums, looking up at the menu board above Handong's head. "I'll get the special."

Handong blinks. She can't remember what the special is for the week. She only works weekends and Friday afternoons, and she's been lucky to have no one actually order the special when she's running the register. Seems like her luck has finally run out.

"Well?" Yoohyeon demands, crossing her arms over her chest as she raises an eyebrow and looks at Handong with a sharp look.

Handong meets the girl's eyes for a brief second before she darts her eyes down to the computer screen. There's no button specifically for ordering the special. She pulls in a breath and slowly turns her head to look above her at the board.

Yoohyeon scoffs.

Handong goes still, her heart hammering against her ribs so hard that she's sure it'll burst out of her chest and run right out of the cafe.

"You don't know what the special is?" Yoohyeon asks, her voice a bit too loud for how close to the counter she is.

"Sorry," Handong whispers, still looking up at the menu board. She finally locates the special and turns back to type in the order.

"Aren't you gonna repeat my order back to me?" Yoohyeon demands. "Just to make sure you got it correctly?"

Handong swallows hard and glances over at Seungwan, who gives her a sympathetic look. She pulls in a breath and looks at the screen, starting to read off the order. She knows she has to deal with this on her own. She's the one running the register, she's the one taking orders; She needs to get used to this.

She rattles off the order, stopping occasionally to glance up at Yoohyeon to confirm.

Yoohyeon seems to get more and more pissed with every correct ingredient that Handong says, and she huffs several times, uncrossing and crossing her arms over her chest.

As Handong nears the end of the order, Yoohyeon lets out a bark of laughter that echoes through the cafe.

"I wanted whipped cream, not marshmallows!" Yoohyeon exclaims triumphantly, holding up a hand with her index finger extended.

Handong lets out a breath and quickly fixes the mistake in the computer. "But everything else is correct?" She asks.

Yoohyeon drops her hand and purses her lips, looking off to the side. "Yes," She says begrudgingly.

Handong breathes a quiet sigh of relief and relays the order to Seungwan, who nods and starts working on the drinks.

Yoohyeon clears her throat.

Handong looks back at the girl and blinks, reaching out to accept the cash Yoohyeon offers her. She counts it out and tucks it into the drawer, carefully counting out the change that she owes the girl. "Your change," She says, holding out her hand.

Yoohyeon frowns. "Keep it," She says bitterly. "Apparently, you need it."

Handong blinks and watches as Yoohyeon and the girl she's with walk off to sit at a table near the door. She looks down at the change in her hand and swallows thickly before dropping it back into the cash drawer. She shoves the drawer shut with a loud bang and winces, glancing over at Seungwan with a sheepish look.

"Hey."

Handong lifts her head, seeing Minji, Bora, and Siyeon standing at the counter. "Hey," She says softly, glancing toward the table Yoohyeon is at. She looks back at the trio. "What's up? Need a refill?"

Minji shakes her head, frowning softly. "I'm sorry about her," She says quietly, nodding toward Yoohyeon's table.

Handong shrugs and looks down at the counter. "I mean, it's not like it's your fault," She whispers.

"No, but…" Minji trails off, sighing.

"You can talk to us," Bora says, giving Minji a small smile before she looks at Handong. "Yoohyeon can be a little shit."

Handong scoffs but bites back her words. She's not sure how the girls will react if she calls Yoohyeon a big shit.

"I don't really know the deal between you two, but you're really good at the drums, and we haven't found anyone else, so…" Siyeon trails off, letting out a soft laugh. "It'd be nice for you to stick around."

Handong hums softly.

"And if she ever gets out of line, you can tell us," Minji says firmly. "We'll talk to her. Or we can be there with you if you prefer to talk to her yourself. Just in case."

Handong blinks and lifts her head, looking at the girls in front of her. They barely know her. Why are they willing to do all that for her?

"We're in the same band now," Bora says with a grin. "We're basically fam…" She trails off, glancing discreetly at Siyeon and Minji.

"Basically what?" Siyeon asks, looking over at Bora with a raised eyebrow.

"Basically best friends already," Bora says, amending her words. She gives Handong a thin smile and steps away from the counter. She turns and heads across the cafe toward the table Yoohyeon is at.

Handong swallows hard, watching as Bora leans her hands on the table and starts talking to Yoohyeon in a hushed voice.

Minji sighs and shakes her head. She gives Handong a smile. "Well, we'll see you at practice tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Handong says with a nod. "See you, then."

"Later, gator," Siyeon says with a grin as she aims a finger gun at Handong.

Handong resists the urge to roll her eyes and waves as Minji and Siyeon cross the cafe to gather Bora before leaving. She glances over at Yoohyeon, who is sitting hunched in her seat now, looking like she just got scolded by her parents for making a mess.

She turns away from the register and meets Seungwan's soft gaze.

"You alright?" The older girl asks, taking a small step toward Handong.

"Yeah," Handong says softly. "I'll be alright."

Chapter Text

Handong looks over at the couch against the far wall of the garage and eyes the girl who sits there, scrolling on her phone and looking bored out of her mind. She glances at the back of Yoohyeon's head as the girl belts out the last few notes of the song they've been practicing for the last week or so.

Handong glances back at the girl on the couch, watching her set her phone down on the couch before her facial expression does a complete 180.

The girl smiles, big, wide, and extremely fake, clapping her hands loudly and cheering, her eyes focused on Yoohyeon.

Handong glances at Yubin, who turns her head in her direction to hide a scowl. She meets the girl's eyes, raising an eyebrow.

Yubin shakes her head and looks down at her keyboard, pressing lightly at the keys.

"Thank you, thank you!" Yoohyeon exclaims, stepping out from behind her mic stand to bow dramatically toward the couch.

Handong looks toward the other side of the room, seeing Bora and Minji setting their guitars on their respective stands, the two girls sharing a look. She wonders what all that's about.

"Alright, well," Yoohyeon announces, moving toward the couch. "I'd say that was a successful practice, wouldn't you guys?"

Siyeon blinks and glances around before looking back at Yoohyeon. "Yooh… We did one song."

"Yep, and I'm pretty tired after all that singing, so Claire and I are gonna head out," Yoohyeon says with a smile toward the girl on the couch. She offers her hand to Claire and helps her up. "See you Friday!" With that, she pulls Claire toward the side door of the garage and disappears through it.

The door clicks shut, and a tense silence descends over the garage.

Gahyeon breaks the silence with a bitter scoff as she pulls the strap of her guitar over her head and places the instrument on the stand.

Minji makes a face before breathing out a sigh, glancing at Bora.

After a few long minutes of no talking, Handong clears her throat gently, getting the room's attention. "Uh," She says smartly. Her train of thought derails with everyone's eyes on her, and she ducks her head, staring down at the drum set.

"I give it another week," Bora says, moving toward the couch. She plops down with a sigh and shakes her head.

"Give what another week?" Handong asks, glad that all the attention is off of her now.

Bora nods her head toward the garage door. "That," She says. She shakes her head again with another sigh. "Ten bucks she's in here next week, belting out a break-up song."

"You're on," Siyeon says, moving across the garage with her hand held out.

Bora smirks and reaches up to shake Siyeon's hand. "You're gonna lose again."

Siyeon purses her lips, still holding Bora's hand. "Maybe, maybe not."

"I give it 'til Friday," Yubin pipes up as she stands and moves out from behind the keyboard.

Bora's eyebrows shoot up, and she looks over at the girl, pulling her hand from Siyeon's, who flexes her fingers and hides a pout. "You're betting against her?"

Yubin hums softly, approaching the couch with her hand outstretched. "Twenty bucks."

Bora blinks and stares up at Yubin for a few seconds, searching the girl's face. "Yoohyeon's your best friend."

"Yeah, and?" Yubin asks.

Siyeon looks at Yubin with a slight frown on her face. "You're pretty confident," She points out gently.

"Yoohyeon's an idiot," Yubin says quietly. "I love her, but she's a moron."

"What makes you say that?" Minji asks, approaching the couch. She takes a seat next to Bora and looks up at Yubin, her eyebrows scrunched together.

"That girl had no interest in being here," Yubin says softly, glancing toward the door like she's afraid Yoohyeon will walk back through it any second. "Just like the last two times she was here. She was on her phone the whole time, and every time she cheers after a song, it's so obviously fake."

Handong spins one of her drumsticks around her fingers, listening quietly. She watches Gahyeon move to take a seat on the armrest of the couch as Yubin lowers her arm.

"She's my best friend, but she doesn't listen to me," Yubin says quietly, almost mumbling it. "At least not when she's in a relationship." She sighs and rakes a hand through her hair. "I told her last time that Clara, or whatever her name is, looked really bored, and Yoohyeon insisted that she was just tired."

Siyeon whistles softly. "Damn," She murmurs, looking at Yubin with widened eyes. "You know it's bad when Yubin can't even be bothered to remember her name."

Yubin scowls and shakes her head. "Twenty bucks. Friday," She says, offering her hand to Bora again.

Bora glances at Siyeon and then at Minji, who narrows her eyes and shakes her head. She looks back at Yubin and lifts her hand. "You're on," She says with a soft smile.

Minji rolls her eyes and shakes her head, shifting sideways a bit and patting the space between Bora and her. "Siyeon, come sit," She says with a smile.

Siyeon scurries to do so, snuggling into the space between Bora and Minji with a grin.

Handong clears her throat gently, getting the room's attention once more. "Um…" She trails off, her eyes darting down to the drumset. "Is this… Is that…"

Bora chuckles softly.

"Is that normal?" Handong gets out, hoping she hasn't asked an upsetting question.

"What?" Bora asks with a slight smirk as she tips her head to the side. "Us betting on Yoohyeon's relationship ending?"

Handong swallows thickly before nodding her head.

Minji clicks her tongue, glaring at the side of Bora's head. "It shouldn't be," She says firmly.

Bora ignores her, choosing instead to smile across the room at Handong. She shrugs her shoulders. "It shouldn't be, but her relationships can never seem to make it very far past the starting line."

Handong winces at that, and then she scrunches her face. She doesn't care. Sucks to suck. Womp womp. Too bad, so sad.

Gahyeon snorts. "And what's your deal?" She asks.

Handong looks at Gahyeon, seeing the girl staring back. She lifts a hand and points at herself. "My deal?"

Gahyeon nods. "Yeah. You and Yoohyeon. You two are constantly on edge around each other. What's going on?"

Handong swallows and glances at Minji, the only one who knows currently.

Minji gives Handong an encouraging smile and nods her head.

Handong pulls in a breath. "We went to elementary school together," She says quietly.

Bora sits up and leans forward, her elbows resting on her knees. "Did something happen between you two back then?"

Handong lets out a soft laugh. "You could say that."

"And you guys still hate each other?" Gahyeon asks, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. She looks at the others. "I've never known Yoohyeon to be someone who holds grudges. Let alone for years."

Handong blinks at that and looks down at the drum set. Damn. If the previous interactions she's had with Yoohyeon weren't enough to convince her, Gahyeon's words make it clear as day.

Yoohyeon absolutely hates Handong's guts.

Siyeon hums softly. "She doesn't really seem like the type to hold grudges. Especially over something that happened in elementary school."

"I threw a snowball at her," Handong pipes up. She lifts her head, giving the others a sheepish look. "There was a rock in it. Or ice, I don't know."

Siyeon's eyes get wide.

Gahyeon whistles softly.

Yubin stares at Handong, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Damn," Bora says with a chuckle. "So you gave her that scar on her forehead."

Handong ducks her head, her face burning with shame. She grips her drumsticks tightly in her fists as her heart pounds in her chest. Surely they'll kick her out now that they know what happened. How she ruined Yoohyeon's face. How she hurt the other girl.

"Dongie," Minji says, finally speaking up after being silent.

Handong swallows hard and peeks at Minji before dropping her eyes back down.

"Breathe."

Handong lets out a shuddering breath that she hadn't known she'd been holding. She sucks in a lungful of air and coughs, startled by the tears burning her eyes. She sets her sticks down on a drum and reaches up to scrub at her eyes with the backs of her hands, hoping no one can see.

She lowers her hands slowly and keeps her eyes down, focusing on her drumsticks. "I'm sorry," She says quietly, sniffling.

Bora lets out a soft laugh. "What're you apologizing to us for?" She asks.

Handong swallows and shrugs her shoulders. "She's your friend," She points out softly. "And I hurt her."

"Yeah, years ago," Siyeon says gently. "I'm sure you apologized." She pauses, and the couch creaks as she shifts. "You… You did apologize, right?"

"Of course!" Handong exclaims, lifting her head to meet the older girl's eyes. "I did! Several times!"

Siyeon blinks and holds up her hands in a placating gesture. "Whoa, I-"

Handong shakes her head and drops her eyes back down to the drums. "Sorry," She says before Siyeon can say anything else. "I'm sorry." She pulls in a breath and grabs her drumsticks, holding them tightly in her fist. "If you wanna kick me out, I understand."

The room goes quiet for a bit, and Handong lifts her head slightly, seeing the other band members all looking at each other, having a silent conversation between the five of them.

Minji is the one who breaks the silence. "Dongie, we're not gonna kick you out because of something you did years ago."

Handong blinks.

"It was a mistake and you apologized," Minji continues, giving Handong a soft smile. "It's not your fault that Yoohyeon's decided to hold a grudge. You apologized already, so the ball is in her court."

"And what if she never accepts my apology?" Handong asks, her voice coming out as a whisper.

"Her loss," Bora says. "You seem like a really cool person, and if she doesn't want to be your friend, that sucks for her. I want to be your friend."

Handong blinks and moves her eyes to meet Bora's gaze. "You do?"

"Yeah," Bora says with a grin. "Now, come on, you want in on this bet or what?"

Handong laughs and shakes her head. "I'm all set, thanks," She says. "I don't think I know her well enough to bet for or against."

Gahyeon lifts an eyebrow at that. "You'd bet on her if you knew her well enough? I thought you hated her."

Handong's eyes go wide. "Oh, I-" Shit. Fuck. Oh god. "No, I-" Fuck. Think of something to say, Dong. Fast.

"Hold on," Siyeon says. "Do you not hate Yoohyeon?"

"No, I-I do!" Handong exclaims and then winces at the way that sounds.

Minji hums softly. "It's okay if you don't, you know," She says with a chuckle. She tilts her head to the side slightly, frowning a bit. "But why do you act like you hate her, then?"

Handong fiddles with her drumsticks and ducks her head, her cheeks hot.

"You like her," Yubin states bluntly.

Handong's head snaps up, and she locks eyes with Yubin. "No," She says firmly. "I don't like her."

Yubin lifts an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "So, you hate her," She says.

Handong nods.

"And yet, you were willing to join a band that she's in just to play the drums," Yubin continues, glancing at the other girls before she looks back at Handong with a small smirk.

"You sure put up with Yoohyeon's bullshit a lot for someone who hates her," Siyeon gently points out. "Like your audition. Last week at the cafe…" She trails off, tipping her head back as she thinks.

"The time we went to get snacks from the gas station," Minji says quietly.

"I can't play drums anywhere else," Handong explains hurriedly. "If I were to join the school band, my parents would make me play a string instrument or the piano. You know, like classical type shit."

"I don't like Yoohyeon," Handong continues as she gets to her feet. She feels hot, and the air inside the garage feels like it's suffocating her. "I mean, there's a reason why I threw that snowball at her in the first place."

"I dunno," Gahyeon says in a sing-song tone as she sways back and forth on the armrest of the couch. She grins. "Seems like the lady protests too much."

Handong gapes at the younger girl before she shakes her head furiously. "You're ridiculous if you think I could ever like her. Her face is stupid. Her hair is stupid. She has a stupid smile. She's stupid."

"Right," Bora says, drawing out the word as she looks around at the other girls with a cheeky grin on her face. "If you think she's so stupid, you should join the bet."

Minji sighs and shakes her head.

"Fine!" Handong says, approaching the couch and offering her hand to Bora.

"Yubin's got twenty bucks on Friday's practice," Bora says. "I've got ten bucks on next week."

Handong hums softly, taking a second to think. She thrusts out her hand and says, "Twenty bucks she calls for an emergency practice on Thursday."

Bora's eyebrows shoot up, and she grins, taking Handong's hand and shaking it firmly. "You're on."

Handong pulls her hand from Bora's and turns to Yubin, offering her hand. "Well?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, sure," Yubin says. She takes Handong's hand and shakes it.

Kim Yoohyeon - Thurs, 10am
Gahyeon, is your garage free?