Lifelessly, with minimum force, Chaeyeon opened the door to their room, walking in like a sluggish zombie. "I'm home..."

 

 

Minjoo looked over at the door as soon as she heard it open. She was studying at her desk but immediately got up and went to Chaeyeon's side when she saw how the other girl looked. "What's with you? You look terrible.. you're pale.. are you sick?"

 

 

"No.. I don't think I'm sick." Chaeyeon dropped her back somewhere and flopped down on her bad. Her body just felt so weak; She wondered why she didn't just collapse on the way home. 

 

 

"Chae.. Is there something you want to talk about?" Minjoo sat at the edge of Chaeyeon's bed. 

 

 

With little hesitation, Chaeyeon answered, "No.. Not really.."

 

 

"...Well.. is there something you don't want to talk about but we need to talk about?"

 

 

...

 

 

Minjoo took that silence as a yes and sighed. "Chae.. you know how bad it is for you whenever you keep things to yourself.. You need to let it out or you'll keep being like that again?"

 

 

"I don't want to talk about it." 

 

 

Stern. That was Chaeyeon's voice. She really didn't want to talk about it. While she felt bad for Minjoo.. being unable to talk to her best friend.. She keeps getting reminded of Eunbi.. and how it was usually Eunbi who she talked to. 

 

 

Her only source of inner peace.. was suddenly part of the things that was tearing her apart. Why did all of these surface at the same time? 

 

 

"Chaeyeon.."

 

 

"I don't to talk about it. That's the end of it."

 

 

Chaeyeon wasn't looking but she felt the weight being lifted from the side of her bed. After a few gradually distancing footsteps, she heard the door open. She looked just in time to see Minjoo walking out the door and while she opened , Chaeyeon couldn't say anything at all. 

 

 

"Agh!"

 

 

After letting out a sound, Chaeyeon flopped back down, covering herself with her blanket. 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

 

"You two are working hard." Sakura commended the two first years who might as well be burying their faces onto their Korean books. Unlike her who chose to go to Korea for very personal reasons, Nako and Hitomi came to Korea as exchange students. 

 

 

"We don't really have much of a choice.. We don't want our school taking us back for being disappointments~" Nako said before laughing. 

 

 

"Should we try speaking in korean even at home, Nako? " Hitomi looked at Nako, and then Sakura. "Sakuchan can speak Korean really well since she's been here for three years. I think talking to her can help us."

 

 

Sakura nodded in agreement. "That's not a bad idea. It's easier to learn by talking to people compared to reading. I learned most of my Korean from talking to friends." 

 

 

"Korean.. we should speak?" Nako tried to speak.

 

 

It was slightly awkward but Sakura knows they were trying her best. When she first came to Korea, she barely knew anything. 

 

 

Growing up with Gaeun didn't really do much for her since Gaeun was fluent in Japanese and always spoke to her that way. Of course, when she came to Korea, Gaeun started speaking to her in Korean but could never fully drop the Japanese. 

 

 

"I think.. we can mix it?" Hitomi said slowly and they all started laughing. It was difficult to learn a new language but it was fun at the same time.

 

 

"It's good that you can laugh now." Nako smiled at Sakura. 

 

 

"Sorry.. Was I bothersome the past few days?" Sakura scratched her arm. "Things have been.. kinda complicated recently. It's great that I can laugh and feel at ease with you two."

 

 

Cutely, Hitomi smiled at their senior and said, "If our little space here can become your safezone, it's an honor." 

 

 

"Ooooh.. So cool." Sakura teased. "You're so cool~"

 

 

"Hiichan is so cool~" Nako joined in, repeating after Sakura.

 

 

Hitomi looked back down at her book shyly. 

 

 

"UNNIE." Their door suddenly burst open, causing Hitomi to almost throw her book in shock. 

 

 

"EH- WHAT? WHAT?" Nako placed a hand on her chest.
 

 

 

"Ahhh.. what.. that surprised me.." Hitomi covered her face with her book in attempt to hide the expression on her face.

 

 

"M-Minjoo????" Sakura got up from her bed. She was able to quickly calm herself when she saw the sulky face Minjoo displayed. 

 

 

Minjoo looked beyond just disappointed. "She's so stubborn- I- Please help me.." 

 

 

"Ah- I get it, I get it-" Sakura quickly guided Minjoo out of the room, nodding at her roomates before closing the door. "Calm down.. You shocked the life out of my roommates.."

 

 

"I-I'm sorry.. I was just.. It's really frustrating when she tries to carry everything by herself. She just won't tell me anything.." 

 

 

"I get that feeling but.. Why are you asking me?? If we won't tell you.. her best friend.. Why would she tell me?"

 

 

"First of all, you said you'd help me." Minjoo reminded her, and of course Sakura didn't forget. "Second.. she usually doesn't talk to anybody about her problems or whatever she keeps inside. She's too careful - She wouldn't slip up or blow even if it killed her inside.. But she talked to you.. and told you about what happened."

 

 

While Sakura did consider that, she thought it was all because Chaeyeon was caught up in her emotions and couldn't stop. From what Minjoo said, though, it seems like it's highly unlikely that Chaeyeon would simply breakdown due to bearing too much emotions. 

 

 

Minjoo took hold of Sakura's hand and tugged on it. "Please.. You said you'd help me.." 

 

 

She was hesitant - she wasn't sure if she really should be involving herself in this mess, but she decided to help. She couldn't reject Minjoo with the look the girl was giving her. "Ack- Okay! Okay.. I'll help."

 

 

Without any break whatsoever, as soon as she heard the answer, Minjoo pulled Sakura to the second floor. Sakura could tell just how worried Minjoo was. She was already desperate to help her friend and that was all the more reason why Sakura couldn't back out.

 

 

Once they reached the room, Minjoo offered no grace period and just opened the door, continuing to drag Sakura inside. While she had minimum emotions displayed on her face, you could tell from Chaeyeon's eyes how surprised she was to see Sakura. 

 

 

"Unnie..?" Chaeyeon watched as Sakura was pushed further into the room by Minjoo who then turned back to close the door. 

 

 

"Sit." Minjoo pointed at the space next to Chaeyeon who was sitting on her bed. While she was confused, Sakura went ahead and sat next to Chaeyeon. 

 

 

"What happened yesterday?" 

 

 

Both Chaeyeon and Sakura were quiet. Sakura looked over at Chaeyeon, studying the girl's reaction. With a dark look in her eyes, Chaeyeon was looking down, her hand playing with the pillow she was hugging.

 

 

"Chaeyeon?" Sakura called gently. 

 

 

The dark expression turned into a soft one at the sound of a voice calling her name. Chaeyeon looked back at Sakura, eyes filled with hurt and pain - the result of her memories having resurfaced. "I don't.. want to talk about it.. I don't want to think about it.." 

 

 

"Chaeyeon-ah.. Because you're keeping it all to yourself.. you can't help but think about it, right? When you isolate yourself like this, it only consumes you more."

 

 

Chaeyeon looked back down and thought for a while. 

 

 

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it and want to think about it on your own. If you want to sort things out with yourself, I can accept that Chaeyeon.. but if you intend to shrug it off.. and run away from it.. then that's something you shouldn't be doing."

 

 

"I know running away won't do anything, Unnie.. choosing to forget it now.. doesn't mean it's gone for good.. I mean.. Look at what that got me. For a year, I decided to forget it.. and then it comes back to haunt me.. like unfinished business." 

 

 

Chaeyeon laughed. It was a sarcastic one. "I was like an idiot playing tag for so long and finally got caught. The past finally caught up with me, huh?" 

 

 

Sakura looked at Chaeyeon and then at Minjoo. She tried to piece together what Minjoo's reaction could mean. Maybe that's the face of someone who's relieved yet disappointed? That her best friend was finally beginning to open up but it wasn't her that triggered it? Sakura wouldn't know. 

 

 

What she does know is that the concern in Minjoo's eyes were pure and genuine. 

 

 

Sakura turned back to Chaeyeon, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Look at me."

 

 

Reluctantly, Chaeyeon looked right into Sakura's eyes.. those big, worried eyes of hers. 

 

 

"Chaeyeon.. Running away from your own feelings.. it will only break you more. You need to face it head on. That's the only way to move on."

 

 

"But I don't want to face it! It doesn't matter anymore.. It's been a year.. I was just reminded.. I'll get better on my own soon so-"

 

 

"Chaeyeon."

 

 

"What?!"

 

 

"Talk to me.."

 

 

Chaeyeon's eyes shook, tears gathering when she heard Sakura's gentle voice. 

 

 

"What's on your mind?" 

 

 

It felt like she was being hypnotized my Sakura's voice.. or being lulled by it. 

 

 

"I.. I can't remove the image of Yuri in my head.. all her bruises.. and how weak she looked.. lifeless even.. and.. I just started forming images in my head.. what if.. that's what Momo-unnie looked like.. And I can't get it out of my head.. 

As if it wasn't enough that I have Eunbi to deal with already.. All of this.. It's all.. coming at me.. I.. I can't.."

 

 

"And?"

 

 

"I even.. had a nightmare about it.. Of what could've happened.. and I couldn't do anything but watch it.." 

 

 

What Chaeyeon just said pierced right through Sakura. The familiarity of those words was enough to make her go weak but she couldn't afford to do that. Composing herself, Sakura pulled Chaeyeon closer and hugged the younger girl. She exchanged glances with Minjoo, who only smiled at her. 

 

 

That probably means.. I did well, right?  Sakura thought to herself. She was worried about what she could possibly do to help but it seems like she managed to do something. She honestly didn't expect Chaeyeon to actually open up to her. Maybe it's because she's older that Chaeyeon relied on her? 

 

 

Chaeyeon cried silently as she buried her face against Sakura's shoulder. Much like Sakura, she also didn't expect the words to come out of . In fact, she's been acting.. strangely out of character whenever Sakura was involved. 

 

 

She went along with Sakura on the day they met.. She even told Sakura what happened between her and Eunbi. Did Sakura have a reliable aura? Chaeyeon wasn't sure. All she knew was that everything felt okay whenever Sakura was around. 

 

 

.

 

 

.

 

 

.

 

 

.

 

 

A few minutes or so has passed and the two remained still. Minjoo was starting to get awkward just standing there. 

 

 

The silence they had was broken when Sakura let out a chuckle, looking at Minjoo. 

 

 

"Chaeyeon-ah.. I think I should go now.. Look at the time.. and then look at Minjoo."

 

 

Chaeyeon was pretty out of it so she just did as she was told. She looked at the clock placed above the door. It was pretty late. 

 

 

And the looked at Minjoo. It took a few seconds to sink in but when she realized Minjoo has been staring at the two of them, Chaeyeon pulled away from Sakura and moved back, placing distance between them. 

 

 

Fixing up her messy hair and wiping off the remaining tears in her eyes, Chaeyeon said, "A-Ahem.. Er.. Thanks for uh.. coming, Unnie. I really.. appreciate it. It does feel a bit better to let things out.. It was starting to get too heavy for me alone so- Ugh.. I'm rambling, aren't I? Sorry.. Just.. Thanks." 

 

 

Cute.

 

 

Sakura thought.. or maybe that was Minjoo. It doesn't matter since they both seemed to think that way. 

 

 

"I'm going to leave." Sakura got up from the bed. 

 

 

"Thank you for the time, Unnie~" Minjoo hugged Sakura as the older girl got up. "I would've been frustrated the entire night if you hadn't come~"

 

 

"Hey!" Chaeyeon glared at Minjoo, puffing her cheeks. 

 

 

"What?" Minjoo pulled away from the hug, looking at Chaeyeon. "It's true though! You would've kept sulking and it would've stressed me out."

 

 

"I'm sorry, okay!" Chaeyeon covered herself with the blanket. 

 

 

Quietly, Sakura just left the room while the two were bickering. She smiled to herself. 

 

 

I finally did something right.

 

 

 

 

~ + ~

 

 

||a/n: Hello! Here's Pt.2 of Remember~

So here we're seeing some clearer development in KkuChaen's relationship~ It seems that while Chaeyeon doesn't know the reason, she seems to trust and rely on Sakura despite not having talked to each other for long. 

Also, so it's not completely angst, we got some cute J-line interactions~ The cutest roommates~ 

But have you guys figured out what's bothering Sakura about this entire situation yet? ;)

Well, that's a story for another chapter~ I hope you liked this one~||