ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕑π•₯𝕖𝕣 πŸ™πŸ›

β€’ Yujin β€’

A week passed and we did nothing but stay at home. I went out a few times to handle some matters along with Yeseo who still diligently attended school whenever her schedule allows her.

True to their words, Ting and Youngeun stayed with us and the house became more boisterous, but evidently more homey. Since we didn't have any guest room, Youngeun stayed with Yeseo. The two became so close in a short amount of time. On the other hand, Ting and I still shared a room. She even bought a table because she didn't want to move any of my things in my office. Yup, I had a small office in the first floor. We usually spent our time there in comfortable silence – I'm busy having online meetings with my management and going through my social media accounts to answer some fan questions, while Ting would quietly read documents and answer to her emails.

I can't help thinking like we were living a married couple's life. I smiled at the thought.

"Care to share what made you happy?" I looked up from my phone when I heard Ting.

We were in our office. I didn't have anything to do so I was sitting on the couch beside Ting.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just a meme I saw on twitter. Are you done with work?"

I put down my phone and faced her. "Yes, I don't have anything urgent to do anymore. I heard Hikaru telling you that Hiyyih, Youngeun and her are going to the arcades?"

"Yup. They wanted to give Youngeun a tour around the area."

"I see. Do you also want to head out?"

I pondered for a moment. "I guess we could. We've been cooped inside despite it being our break."

She smiled. "Do you have any place in mind?"

I shook my head no and casually rested on her shoulders. "Hmm, not really. Anywhere's fine, how about you?"

She was quiet for a few moments and was probably thinking for a place. I hummed a song as I waited for her decision.

"... Do you want to visit the place where we first met?"

I couldn't help but laugh when I remembered our first meeting. "Sure. Let's go reminisce our first snow together. Namsan Tower won't have plenty of visitors around this time so that's good for us."

After deciding our itinerary for the day, we started preparing for our afternoon outing.

β€’Β°~Β°~Β°β€’

"It's still as beautiful as ever."

"Yeah." I muttered as I glanced at her.

After having some light lunch, I drove us towards the Seoul Tower. There were only a few people in the observatory but we were still geared with beanies and face masks.

"You know..." I started. "I always made time to visit here every time snow falls."

"Any special reason?"

I smiled, looking straight at the view in front of me. "Not really. Back when I just began my career, we were shooting a show in this tower. I fell in love at first sight at the view that I couldn't help coming back every year."

"Hm."

Silence enveloped us again and I can't help but sigh at the comfort that this place and the presence of a certain woman gives me.

"Yujin."

"Yeah?" I faced Ting while she kept her gaze in front.

"... The day we met was the death anniversary of my parents."

I felt my heart crease at the pain I sensed from her words. I didn't know what made her share something so personal, but I didn't think too much about it as I quickly tried to show her I'm with her now.

"I'm sorry. Forβ€”"

"No, don't be. I just... I want to share what happened back then. I want you to know a part of me that I want to forget but still hold dear in my memories."

I reached out my hand to intertwine it with hers. I squeezed her hand to show her that I was here to listen.

That's when I learned that Ting, when she was just a very young and innocent little girl, witnessed first-hand how her parents died.

Ting's voice would quake and I would always notice a tear slip from her eyes. I gently removed her mask. I would always make sure to wipe her tears and kiss her cheek. I remembered that this was what my mom did everytime I cried. She would always wipe my tears away and kiss my eyes and told me that I was still pretty when I cried, but I would be prettier if I smiled. I was hesitant at first, but when Ting gratefully smiled at me the first time I did it, I knew I did the right thing.

When she was at the part where she told me that she and the little girl they saved was safe because the kidnappers run away upon hearing the police sirens, I sighed in relief.

I asked her if she knew how the little girl was doing. She shook her head guiltily.

"I was so broken and devastated at that time that I couldn't care for anything else. All I knew was that she was taken to an orphanage to be taken care of while I was sent back to China to my grandparents. I still feel bad about it because she was so much younger than meβ€”"

I furrowed my eyebrows at her words. "Don't say that. You lost a piece of you, it's understandable that you can't make anyone else whole either. Don't invalidate your feelings just because you think others had it worse than you, okay?"

She gave me a small smile as she tuck a stray hair behind my ear.

"Okay."

I smiled in approval and motioned for her to continue her story.

"I did ask my grandma if the girl was okay and if she got back to her family. The people from the orphanage told her that the girl was probably too traumatized because she wouldn't speak. Luckily, a good family adopted her. Knowing that information, that was the last time I asked and heard about her. I trusted my grandparents judgment."

"Mm," I hummed. "Then, were you able to find those... bad guys?"

A quiet laugh emerged from her. "My grandparents didn't spare any money and effort to bring justice for the death of my parents. It took them a short while to find the suspects. The case was immediately closed with the criminals' lifetime imprisonment in jail."

"Deserved." I nodded my head in agreement.

Silence enveloped us again until she spoke.

"... They're in a better place now, right?"

"Of course."

"Do you think they're proud of me out there?"

I gently grasped both her cheeks in my hands and made her face me. "They are."

"Really?" She sounded so vulnerable that I felt myself tearing up.

"A hundred percent. If they saw you here right now, I'm sure they'd be celebrating every day that you're alive. They would spend every day with you like it was your birthday. You know why? Because you're their child. Their daughter. Their beautiful, talented, smart, and kind Shen Xiaoting. That's why I'm so sure that they would be so proud of you, Ting." I wiped the tear that escaped from her eyes. "Just so you know, I'm also proud of you. I'm honestly glad that I spilled my coffee on you on that day we met because we're here right now because of that," I laughed. "I'm proud of youβ€” Yesterday, today, tomorrow and the coming days."

Ting smiled. Oh God, I dont think I can ever get use to it.

"Thank you, Yujin. Always." She wrapped her arms around me as I did on her waist.

I returned her smile. "For you, Tingβ€” anything."

After that heartwarming moment, we spent the rest of the afternoon talking about anything and everything. My heart felt full at this moment. We were sitting on some chairs while we ate our snack. She was talking about Youngeun calling her in the middle of the night to buy her tickets to a tournament. She was laughing because at that time, Youngeun was paranoid of buying something that exceeded what she earned. The tournament was two months away but Youngeun was panicking as if it would be held tomorrow. Ting directly hang up on her. She was laughing so much that no sound was coming out of her. I smiled and knew that being just her friend is impossible to me now.Β 

β€’Β°~Β°~Β°β€’

We decided to have dinner when the sky was getting dark. When we were choosing where to eat, I almost crashed the car when I heard what she said.

"Are you serious right now!?" I asked and made sure that there was no car behind us.

"Yes." She said laughing.

"We're eating there tonight. This is unacceptable."

"You know that voice in your head that tells you you're doing something wrong?" She deadpanned. "This is one of them, Yujin."

"You mean the one that sounds like Shiro?" I raised an eyebrow which made her laugh again.

"Pretty much."

"We're still going anyway."

"May I remind you that it's a fastfood chain. Meaning, there are a lot of people dining there. Meaning, you shouldn't go because you're a famous idol." She said exasperrated.

"Oh, you flatter me, Ting." I feigned patting my chest.

"Yujin."

"Don't worry! We'll just choose drive through and eat inside the car."

"Good. That will save us the trouble."

"Of course. That's why settle back until I serve you the best chicken nuggets from McD's."

She chuckled at my declaration. I glanced at her and saw that a small smile stayed on her lips.

I smiled, but internally panicked because of the thought that flashed through my brain.

Shit, I'm in danger of falling.

If I haven't already.

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