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hyttesanger · 8 years ago

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When You Wish Upon A Star (Your Dreams Come True)

T | Lee Soojung x Lee Mijoo

"Yah. When can we go back and sleep?" This is the tenth time Soojung whines since she and Mijoo arrived at their apartment building's roof few hours earlier, armed with layers of thick blanket and pillows and sweaters to fight October's chill air. She barely stifles a huge yawn with the back of her hand.

"Hold on." Mijoo fishes a phone out of her bag, scrolling through a page from some space and astronomy website before reciting what's written in there. "It's said here the best time to see the meteor shower is around midnight to early morning. Be patient, unnie, it's only 01:15 now."

"Mijoo..." Soojung retorts. It's that tone that normally precedes a long motherly nag, so Mijoo cuts her right away.

"Yes, I know we have schedule tomorrow. But I've never seen shooting stars before." She quickly does the sort of exaggerated pouty face - which she's very certain wouldn't work with Soojung, but oh well... At least she tried, right? "Pweeeaseee! Just one more hour! I promise if by then the meteor doesn't show up, we will head back to the dorm right away and sleep."

It all started few weeks ago when Little Sujeong discovered the information of Orionid meteor shower, which is supposed to be visible throughout October and peak tonight, then declared they should go see it. Everyone sans their leader seemed to agree and immediately launched numerous “Lovelyz Goes Stargazing” plans - Soojung preferred to call them nonsensical ideas. The one that gained most votes from all members was taking a gigantic tent up to the hill nearby, but it sadly didn't get approval from their manager ("Who would drive you all there? Do you know how much a tent for eight people cost?”), so they gave up and decided the dorm's rooftop and blankets would do fine.

Days passed, their previously empty schedule began to get busier and busier with preparation for upcoming comeback. Then on the d-day, of course, true to Soojung's dubiety, the initiator of this ridiculous big plan was the first one who bailed out.

"My eyes can't stay open for more than one second. You unnies, take lots of pics and show me tomorrow, 'kay?" Bbangdeokkie had said when Soojung tried to wake her up. The girl didn't even bother getting out of her comfortable bed.

In the end, nobody else beside Mijoo was awake enough to watch the meteor shower - which is kinda surprising actually, since the girl resents staying out in the open during this season. Taking pity on the dancer's sullen face (she'd even got her sweater and blankets prepared since morning), Soojung finally offered they climb up to the roof accordingly to the plan. Which then brought them to their current state; each of them snuggled into their respective pillows, occasionally sipping hot chocolate or munching the snacks they've stolen from Little Sujeong's secret food stash as they're waiting for the meteor shower to start.

They wait for another hour listening to owls hooting lowly and crickets chirping in the faraway, tonight's autumn breeze is pretty nice in a way that drives both girls drowsy. Just as Soojung is starting to regret her poor life choice of coming here, the first meteor cuts through the dark, faraway sky. It happens very sudden, in just a fraction of one second Soojung almost thought she might've been hallucinating. She blinks few times, beside her, Mijoo gasps an oh! quietly, indicating what they've seen was indeed, a real thing.

Soon, thousands more shooting stars continue to rain down, blazing the whole sky with their magnificent trails. It's magical. It's by far the prettiest scene they both ever witnessed, even someone as riotous as Mijoo actually seems to be too deep in awe to make a commotion this time.

"We should make a wish." She whispers.

But never one to believe in such fairytale-ish superstition, Soojung only scoffs watching the younger girl closing her eyes, hands clasped together before her chest and looking dead serious.

"I'd never understand why people do that. The best, logical way to attain something is by working hard, not talking to stars."

"Tsk, you really have no sense of romance." Mijoo chuckles. "Well, if you don't want to ask anything, then I will make a wish for you. I hope Soojung unnie grows tall and sexy like me—oof!"

A blanket smothered her entire head effectively shuts Mijoo's mouth. "I should've never accompanied you, jerk!" Soojung gets up, struggling to hold the urge to throw this stupid girl off to the cold street below.

"Fine, I have a wish now! I hope Lee Mijoo shrink into a dwarf and have to walk around with insoles hidden inside your shoes forever!" She says one last time before storms out of the roof, all the while Mijoo's still bursting fit of boisterous laugh.

The younger girl soon follows Soojung, dragging the whole pile of blankets down the emergency stairs leading to their apartment unit, occasionally rambling series of half-hearted apologies which Soojung completely ignores. Across the sky they've left behind, one last shooting star streaks beautifully; and little does Soojung or Mijoo knows, it might've been listening to their wishes.

———————

First abnormal thing Soojung notices right after she wakes up is her slightly bigger than usual boobs. Not that she is the type who obsessed over stuffs like that, Soojung just... can't help but observe the deep cleavage peeking out of the not-properly-buttoned pajama shirt. She mutters a confused hmm?, absent-mindedly kneading one of her own breasts while the other free hand is tucking some strands of her long hair behind her ear—

Wait.

Long hair?

"Unnie, I know you have a great pride in yourself, but please, don't be gross."

Soojung's head shoots up instantly when she hears Jiyeon's voice. The girl is in the middle of her morning skincare ritual, perched before the chaotic vanity across their bed, a very rare frown of disapproval spreads across her normally amicable face as she watches Soojung's reflection on the huge mirror.

"What are you doing here in my room?"

"Uh. It's our room?" Jiyeon corrects her.

Soojung begins to feel her blood run cold. She carefully climbs off the top bunkbed, inspecting her body while walking towards the younger girl, who's still giving her a weird look. The pajama shirt she's wearing positively isn't hers. These all-skin-and-bone thin arms, they definitely aren't hers. And these... Long?? Her legs are long? Is there any way Soojung, a twenty five, could experience sudden spurt of growth overnight?

She finally stops just beside Jiyeon, the sound of her thumping heart is deafening as she looks up to the mirror.

There, reflection of Lee Mijoo stares back right at her.

Soojung has never screamed that loud in her life before.

———————

"Soojung unnie, is that you?"

With her now smaller feet, Mijoo carefully pads through the bedroom, towards... Herself. Or more like, towards Soojung, inhabiting her body. The older girl sits hugging her knees by the corner of the room surrounded by Jiyeon's Rilakkuma stuffs, presumably trying to convince herself that this all are is just a very bad dream.

Surely Mijoo too, has gotten her share of huge shock when she found out about the whole situation few moments ago. Then came a loud screaming voice she recognized as hers, followed by Jiyeon running around the dorm telling everyone else I don't know what happened but Mijoo unnie suddenly freaked out!, and her gut feeling shifted to certainty; she and Soojung had swapped their bodies.

"This is.." After a long bizzare silence, Soojung finally speaks up, gesturing back and forth between... herself and herself. Lord this is so confusing she really wants to pull her hair out and shriek. "Is this because of what we wished last night?"

Mijoo tilts her head, feature scrunches while she's trying to remember. "Last night you said..."

"I wish Lee Mijoo shrunk..."

"And have to wear insoles... Forever..."

"Forever." Soojung echoes the last word slowly, turning even paler as the meaning of it dawns on her.

"No. No no no no. No! This is madness! I cannot live in this body forever!" She yells frantically. "Yah! There must be a way to reverse this, right?!"

"Maybe, I don't know. But first thing first, unnie, we have to perform in like five hours." Mijoo gives her a pointed look.

"Exactly why we have to figure something out before the schedule starts! Or— Or we should call it off!"

"Exactly why we have to get ourselves together and carry on!"

"But this is super emergency!"

"Yeah like hell the managers and our members would believe something as farfetched as this! How do you expect them to help anyway? Drag us to the hospital for mentally-ill people?" Where have their level-headed, undeterred by anything leader gone? Did they also swap their personalities along with their bodies? Mijoo groans in disbelief.

"Unnie, just stop thinking too much. We will figure something out, but right now, we don't have time for that. I promise we will discuss this tonight after the event. Are you understanding me?" She tries to offer an encouraging big smile. It must look good, she knows how adorable Soojung is when smiling.

"C'mon. As long as we don't talk too much, nobody would realize we've swapped bodies."

"Right. Okay." After a little moment of consideration, Soojung eventually allows Mijoo to pull her up and steer her out to the hallway. They walk stealthily past the other members' rooms with the mockery of burglars avoiding getting caught.

"Then, where are we going now?"

"Um. Let's shower first. Everyone else are getting ready to go to the beauty shop."

Suddenly, Soojung's eyes widen at the mention of shower. "Uh. Do you think we can survive without going to the bathroom for a few days?"

"No." Mijoo sighs again. "Don't be ridiculous, unnie."

"I mean, this is your body! I just don't want to see.. I... You get what I mean, don't you?"

"If it makes you feel better, I've sort of seen yours. Went to pee first thing after woke up, that's when I realized we have our body swapped." Mijoo says, the volume consistently descends with each word. "And I might have... Accidentally touched few things..."

"What?!" Soojung screeches, halting abruptly in the spot. "God, you're unbelievable! I hate you! Bastard! Pervert!"

"Well I didn't do it willingly, I swear! Stop hitting me!" Mijoo desperately tries to block all kicks and punches directed at her, which is hard, because now she is small and Soojung is so much taller. Oh so this is how it feels to be tiny person and get picked on by huge bully. "I had no other choice, is all! Do you want me to cause your bladder some permanent damage?!"

It makes sense, so Soojung finally stops her attack. She rubs her forehead in frustration. "This is crazy. I can't do this."

"Say, why don't we just do it together? That way we will be even, and each of us doesn't need to worry about what we do behind closed door, yeah?"

"You mean— Wait— No!"

But Mijoo is losing patience. Whilst Soojung is too stunned to fight, she ducks and hoists the older girl by waist, exerting all strength she got to push the now taller girl into their dorm's bathroom which, fortunately, located only few steps away from where they're standing. Another scream of terror ensues.

———————

Three hours later, Soojung is still flushed red, to the point her make-up artist falsely suspecting her of being ill. Been living together for years, this morning wasn't the first time she got to see one of the other girls naked, intentional or not. With so little break between schedules, it's inevitable for them to change or shower together occasionally to save time.

But still, to see her own body moving around across her, not to mention with Mijoo's mannerism - the way her hip would swing with each step like there is an invisible red carpet beneath her feet, the confidence projected as she struts forward, that's.... A whole new level of peculiarity.

And now, just remembering one second of that event somewhat can make her heart jolt uncontrollably. It's strange, why would someone feel like this - like having such a wrong desire towards their own naked body? Is she having some sort of narcisstic disorder she'd never known before? But then again, Soojung isn't particularly a big fan of herself no matter people keep telling her how cute she is. She has confidence, sure, but not in a shameless à la Lee Mijoo way.

"Uhm." The sound of Mijoo clearing her throat sends Soojung back to reality.

"What do you want now?!" Soojung spats. Being the fourth born now she can no longer be the first to get anything, and waiting for turn to get her make-up done at this moment really doesn't help toning down her rage. Why can't this day be over already, she just want to sleep and who knows, maybe everything would be fixed by itself once she wake up the next day?

"I need some earrings."

"So what?! You don't have hands to get it by yourself??"

Mijoo purses her lips, looking like she's contemplating a major life decision before finally lifting a finger up. "It's kept over there."

The shelf Mijoo's pointing at isn't actually that high, but Soojung remembers exactly that the accessories box is placed on the very top, behind any other boxes, which would be quite a hassle for someone's Mijoo's height - her height - to get.

"I can't reach it." Mijoo says, hands in the air, a defeated gesture. And Soojung immediately lightens up in a terrifying sort of way.

"Oh."

It's a very foreboding oh.

———————

The rest of their time in the beauty salon proved that Soojung could be quite a mean prankster when she wanted to. First, she took some of Mijoo's belongings and hid them on high places. When Mijoo refused to ask for help and insistently tried to find them herself, she hid the stool.

"Unnie." Mijoo's no longer able to remember of how many times she has came to the mischievous leader today in search for missing things. The way her shoulders slump makes her seem even smaller. "Where are my insoles?"

"Hmm.. I wonder where are they." Soojung replies is lazy drawls, internally very pleased at how super annoying it sounds in Mijoo's voice more than hers. Maybe this isn't so bad to dwell in this body.

Mijoo swears under her breath, watching with dread as Soojung casually takes out her shoes from beneath the couch where she's sitting at. Just now the manager oppa has told her they're going to depart in fifteen minutes. Not exactly a good time to play around.

"Can you please stop with all of this?"

"No." Soojung stands up to her full imposing height. She holds the shoes as high as her arm can stretch, out of Mijoo's reach, joker-ish smirk plastered all over her face. "Take this if you can, shorty—"

— and that's Mijoo's cue to act. She lunges wildly at Soojung, who seems to be well prepared and immediately scrambles out of the way.

"Oh crap!" The first attempt at catching the damned girl ends up with Mijoo's head slamming hard against the couch. She bolts back up, chasing Soojung around the bustling salon while rattling vile curses at a mile a minute. The ruckus is enough to cause every head turn at them with curiosity, and slight disgust.

"What's gotten into these two today?!" Jiae grumbles, clearly not enjoying the situation. "They are humiliating us!"

Yein only shrugs, standing perfectly rooted on her spot as the older girl is still busy dabbing some pink-ish blush on across her cheek. The salon is currently short of staffs, and there are eight of them, so everyone's instinctively helping each other as much as they can.

"And we thought they're past the stupid push-and-pull phase. Tsk tsk."

"I know right. If they want to date why don't they just do it the sane way like any other grown-ups! This is not high school romantic comedy!"

"But, unnie, don't you notice they are slightly... Hm, how should I put it? Different, today?"

"Different how?"

Like they are behaving super extra, more than usual, Yein wants to say, but a flurry of Soojung suddenly sprinting past between them kills her voice. She and Jiae barely spring apart in surprise when Mijoo follows suit just a beat behind. Yein hears Mijoo's warning of 'scuse me! Coming through!, but it's a little too late to keep her balance. With a yelp, the maknae slips backward, her long leg accidentally intertwined with Mijoo's short one in the process, dragging the older girl along with her and they both miserably falling together to the cold floor.

"Oww! Soul unnie, my nose!" Yein cries in protest, rubbing her nose which Mijoo has unknowingly elbowed just now.

"So sorry, Yeinnie!"

It's barely midday and she's already one step away from wishing death would come claim her right now. Mijoo pulls herself loose from Yein, whirling left and right in search of the woman who's been making her life hard. Instead of Lee Soojung, she finds their manager, stomping over towards them with his spine-chilling glare. Helping Yein to get up, Jiae blanches in fear.

Okay, lord, please just kill me now.

"Yah Soul-ah! Are you crazy?! What do you think you're doing, running around like that?!"

"It's not my fault, oppa! So— Mijoo took away my shoes!" It's no use, the real perpetrator has completely vanished, the shoes and insoles left neatly not far from her. Oh fuck...

"You're the leader, control you members! Am I managing some kindergarten group?!" He huffs one last time in annoyance before commanding everyone to gather, his face resembling the internet infamous grumpy cat. "We have no more time! Whatever you're doing, just resume it in the car! Let's go!"

One by one, the members start leaving while Mijoo is still gawking in disbelief.

"Why are you still daydreaming there, Soul unnie? Get yourself together." Mijoo hears Soojung sing-songs in mocking tone. She's leaning against the entrance's doorframe and sticking up her tongue teasingly at her.

This little shit.

So she wants to play dirty, huh? She will see how evil a Lee Mijoo can be.

———————

Once they get into the stage, Mijoo absolutely forgets about showing Soojung how evil she can be.

It's not until the intro to Candy Jelly Love starts playing and they have to get into their respective position Mijoo realizes that she isn't much familiar with Soojung's dance moves. Some of the student organization members in this college where they currently performing are Lovelyz' fans, and those people spared so much timeslot for the group, which means Lovelyz have to perform five title songs. Mijoo gulps nervously, taking a sideway glance towards the leader beside her. Seeing Soojung's face - her own face, is totally on high alert, she's certain another doom is waiting for them.

But somehow, they survive. The performance turns out not as abysmal as expected. In this time they are so grateful for the sweats and tears they'd shed practising until the wee hours, all they need to do now is just let their bodies taking control, moving by itself according to the strong muscle memories which had formed thanks to those hard work.

Few mistakes here and there still happen, like Soojung sometimes shuffles to the wrong spot or Mijoo accidentally almost crashes against someone. And two members busy exchanging silent you should go forward not backward, moron! wasn't really a good sight for the audience as well. Soojung catches how their managers are watching from faraway across the stage, evidently awestruck, but she decides they can deal with this later.

In between performances, the event's MCs show up, two young college students who seem all so excited to talk with pretty idols. They blabber every sort of compliments, to which Mijoo's tuning out the whole time until the part where they have to introduce themselves.

"Unnie." Jisoo slaps her back rather hard, and Mijoo jerks in surprise. "It's your turn!"

"Oh. Me— Yeah." Right, she's leader now, she's supposed to go first before anyone else. What did Soojung usually say again? Mijoo gulps. Her palms are clammy from the nervous sweat and she grips her mic tighter, afraid it might slip out of her hand. And yet while she's still momentarily disoriented and barely strings something intelligible, someone else already beats her to greet people.

"Good evening. I am Lovelyz' leader, Babysoul!"

The audience, the MCs, the other members, all fall into stupor. Soojung freezes, belatedly realizing the mistake she's done, whilst Mijoo hangs her head very low. Her cheeks are hot with embarrassment as she doesn't even have to see to know the collective hard stares directed towards herself and Soojung back and forth.

"Yah, Lee Mijoo, it's a hundred years too early for you to snatch the leader position from Soul unnie." Neither of them present a reply, and it's Jiae comes to save the day, oh-so-sweet smile concealing her exasperation towards the two nutheads. Predictably, the joke is gaining big laughters as response, and for awhile Soojung and Mijoo can let out a relieved breath.

(But they don't get out of the woods right away, of course. Later when the group are about to leave after their performance ends, as usual Mijoo is the one left on the stage, maybe attempting at giving a meaningful goodbye to their audience with.... Doing some extreme dance in the middle of the stage. She throws herself into all her moves, there's an expression in her face which even Soojung herself had never known she could make.

Holy fuck.

This is so gonna be the hottest topic within the fans in an hour; Soul did crazy dance without anyone placing her under a grave threat. Gritting her teeth behind the stage, Soojung can already feel her reputation is crumbling down epically.)

———————

It's finally evening and Soojung's ears are absolutely in pain from all the managers' severe nagging, repercussion of the chaos she and Mijoo had created on this one single day. Even their director is present just to reprimand the two harshly. Once done with the meeting, they both go to take a bath separately, and this time Mijoo doesn't bother to force Soojung to do it anymore. The younger girl doesn't even respond when Soojung calls her, only giving an icy later, unnie, then slamming the bedroom door shut.

Settled inside the bathtub, Soojung twists the shower knob to the lowest temperature. It's freezing like crazy, but she somehow finds the coldness is helpful at clearing her mind. What is wrong with that girl now, Soojung thinks bitterly as cold water hits her back steadily before pooling around her. The on-again-off-again feeling she used to had towards Mijoo long time ago involuntarily resurfaces, and it annoys her greatly.

"Don't be stupid, Lee Soojung." She whispers to herself.

First of all, Soojung still doubts highly two girls in love could actually make it out through the cruel, unforgiving world full of bigots and close-minded people here. Experiences from her naïve teenager days had taught her enough about it, and she doesn't want to get hurt once more. As long as she doesn't speak out, nobody will know and she can continue pretending that she's content with the life she has.

Secondly, Mijoo had once confessed to her few years back, and she was the one who straight-up rejected the other girl. It would be too late to regret it - to think about all the what ifs that could've been them had she ever given Mijoo one chance - now, wouldn't it? Mijoo probably had gotten over her completely just like herself as well.

So why is she having this weird aching sensation in her heart thinking about how Mijoo's face - hey no, it's not even Mijoo's, it's her own face - wilted with undecipherable sadness the last time they saw each other?

The water has filled more than half of the tub, Soojung turns it off before proceeds to lie down, soaking herself wholly along with all her worries.

———————

The thing Soojung never expected, is to find Yoo Jiae waiting for her as soon as she steps out of the bathroom.

"Lee Mijoo, would you come here a bit?"

Ugh, this can’t be good.

Jiae wriggles her finger, motioning for Soojung to come after her to her room, and the younger girl seems totally unreadable. Soojung knows despite their indifferent attitute towards each other, Jiae and Mijoo are actually pretty close and might’ve been confiding secrets towards each other. Oh no.

They close the door and Jiae immediately plops herself down on the floor. Soojung follows suit, sitting cross-legged and fidgeting uncomfortably, trying to avoid meeting the other girl's eyes. "What is it?"

"What happened with you and Soul unnie this early morning? Did you finally ask her out again? You two have been acting so weird the whole day!" Judging from her expression, this isn't some sort of teasing, Jiae is erious. And Soojung nearly bites her own tongue in her haste to response.

"Mijoo still likes me?! I— I mean, I'm still pining for her? How did you know?"

"Are you high?! We've talked about this like hundred times already!"

Aah. Is that why she always involuntarily felt like her heart was about to burst everytime the image of them sharing a bathroom popped out inside her head? Is that some sort of muscle memory deeply ingrained to this body which had caused all the butterflies going frenzy around her stomach whenever they touched or simply met each other eyes?

So it wasn't her, it was Mijoo's natural reaction?

"When did I—"

They both jump on their seat as a chorus of shrill screaming of Little Sujeong and Jisoo interrupt Soojung midsentence. Jiae's previous confusion is immediately replaced by an expression which translates as why am I friend with these bunch of looneys? At this rate, it's possible their neighbours would send some complaints regarding noise to the landlord, or maybe even report to the police that they’ve been hearing girls screaming from this unit.

"Now what?!"

"Wait! Jiae, wait—" Soojung tries to stop Jiae from storming out of the room to no avail, thus she decides to follow her to the source of the commotion. Whatever happened to that Bbangdeokki and Jisoo, it better be something worth more than her urgent need to figure out about this pining thingie.

———————

When they arrive, jogging in towards two Sujeongs room, the other members are already there flocking about the doorway. Yein and Myungeun quickly give way once Jiae makes an impatient waving gesture. They shuffle through the crowd, Soojung feels her heart doing spectacular flip when she spots Little Sujeong lying unconscious in Jiyeon's lap, a fresh, golf ball-sized lump already forming on her forehead.

"OH MY GOD!" The two oldest girls are yelling at the same time.

"Is she alright?!"

"She is! Um, probably not that alright, but she'll live. She's just... Shocked, I guess." Mijoo is the one who answers, guilt tainting her voice. She clenches and unclenches her toes in anxiety.

"How did all of this happen though?" Myungeun pipes in curiously.

"We wanted to borrow Soul unnie's novel." Jisoo, the sole witness of the whole catasthrope, starts her testimony. Everyone's gazes swivel in her direction as she's going back and forth, rounding up the evidence; a book, a dirty jeans, and a freaking plastic tarantula, the one which looks like a very convincing substitute for the real thing.

According to Jisoo, Sujeong was consumed by visceral stab of panic as soon as she found the fake arachnid. Then in an attempt to escape, the girl accidentally tripped on one of the clothes Mijoo's left littered around the room, and crashed headlong against the hard wall. The hit, combined with the initial shock caused her to pass out right away.

"Soul unnie are you out of your mind?!" Jiae's jaw hangs a fraction open in utter distress. Being mother of seven is a very hard job, eh? "You put a fake spider inside your book, for what purpose?! And don't tell me that's a bookmark!"

"It was just a joke!" Yes, like everyone said, it's fun and games, until someone loses an eye. "I intended to prank Mijoo! Thought she's going to continue reading it tonight."

"Oh so you intended to kill me?!" Soojung snaps, aggravated at best.

"Who do you think started this first?!" Mijoo hops one step forward, sending a challenging glare at her own tall self fearlessly.

"You really want to argue about who started first?! Then we should go waaaay back to years before—"

"ENOUGH!"

And the whole world seems to come to a standstill after Jiae's ground-shattering wailing.

It takes a moment before Mijoo manages to scrape a courage to mutter a quiet, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah it's on us." Soojung agrees. "No more fighting for now. We need to take Sujeong to the hospital now for a check-up."

"We will take Sujeong to hospital. You two, stay here!" Jiae's fingers jab threateningly at Soojung's and Mijoo's chest. "You are making so much non-sense, unnie! And I, as the second born in this group, will temporarily take over the leader position until you sort out whatever it is happening between you two!"

"Are you kidding me?! You can't do that!"

"Yes I can! Who knows what kind of disaster you two will cause later if we let you roam free." Jiae insists, in a way that brooks no argument. She begins instructing Myungeun and Jiyeon to help her raising Sujeong off the floor.

"Yein, Jisoo, hold these two in this room, so they can reflect on their mistakes!"

The two girls don't need telling twice, who would dare to fight with angry Jiae anyway? In just a couple of heartbeat, they're already grabbing handful of Soojung and Mijoo's pajamas, hauling them back into the room before they can flee the scene too far, then slamming the door shut.

"Let us out!" They've heard a click of lock, yet Mijoo still desperately bangs the solid wood, her tiny fists turning slightly red. "You will regret this! Jiae is the evil step-mother she will eat you all! YAH—"

"Hey, quit it and sit down, would you?" Soojung sighs, giving the other girl firm taps on the shoulder. "They won't listen to us, we were indeed wrong anyway."

"Well, at least now we can talk calmly." Following her own advice first, Soojung drags two bean bags for her and Mijoo to sit on. But the younger girl apparently ignores her, she walks quickly past Soojung then throws herself onto the bottom bunkbed instead, tousling her short hair in rough way that makes Soojung flinch.

"Yes, let's discuss on how to cure this stupid curse! None of this would happen if we didn't switch bodies!"

"Why are you acting so crabby now?! I thought you were like, super calm about all this crap before?!" Soojung nearly shouts, an action which she regrets a second later. Fighting fire with fire won't do any good in this situation.

"I'm sorry if earlier today I was too much." Soojung starts again, with more controlled tone this time. She moves to the bed as well, taking a seat by the edge of it.

"Nah, I've done worse to you. And to Bbangdeokki as well. I'm the one who owes big apologies."

"I heard from Jiae. You told her that you still like me?"

At this unexpected change of topic, Mijoo shoots up abruptly, her eyes widen slightly.

"Is that true?"

"It is." She answers after a moment of hesitation, yet still refuses to look directly at Soojung. "That's why right now I'm so... No, not angry.. More like scared."

"Of what?"

"I know you've said no one time, regarding us... But I just... I can't give up." For awhile, Mijoo fumbles with her own words. The way Soojung observes her intently right now isn't helping to melt down her uneasiness. "I've been in love with Lee Soojung for the longest time, and that's all I will ever be in the future too, no matter you would change your mind or not. I was ready to be stucked with this one-sided love as long as I live."

"But look at us now. All of a sudden, you are no longer you, you are me... I— I always imagined to hold or kiss you, and I can't do that anymore. It's just weird in any sort of way to love yourself like this, right? I don't know what to feel, what would we be.. And I don't want to lose my Soojung—"

Mijoo doesn't really realize what is going on when out of the blue a pair of hands are pushing her down the mattress, efficiently silencing her rambling. The next thing she knows, her lips are colliding against Soojung's, and she's pinned under the other girl's weight. Even more shocking, she definitely cannot resist herself from responding instantly with evenly fervent kiss, sliding a tongue into Soojung's welcoming mouth before her brain ever give command to do so. Everything's happened innately like it's the rightest thing for them, like they were made to loving each other.

"Was that what you've been wanting to do with me?" Soojung says when they finally parted for air, small smile on her lips. Beneath her, Mijoo still seems too dazed to say anything.

"I know it now, how much you think of me above anything, your sincere feelings... I can sense it. My soul may be occupying this body, but your instinct, your reflexes, everything you kept on the back of your mind, they are all still here." She takes Mijoo's hand and places it at her chest. "When I heard my own name, this heart would beat slightly faster in excitement. And when I saw my own upset face, it would hurt this heart greatly too."

"It's— Um. Just now, I—" Mijoo stutters, still burning deep crimson it would be unsurprising if steam comes out of her head next.

"Exactly." Soojung nods solemnly. "That's how much my body had been yearned for you."

"But you said our relationship would never work out?"

"I had a girlfriend before, it was my first love, long time ago when I was still living in my hometown." Soojung admits without preamble. "Of course our families and friends were all against the idea of two girls dating each other. But that time, I thought if we want it hard enough, we could stay together and be happy. I even told her we could elope to another country. Silly, right?"

"Apparently she didn't feel the same and decided to ditch me for some guy. Our breakup was pretty much messed up. She's maybe already got married to her boyfriend by now."

Mijoo opens her mouth but then closes it again, like she's unsure of what to say, before finally settles with a quiet, "What an awful bitch."

"It's fine, I don't hate her. Anyway we were both still too young back then." Soojung waves one hand dismissively. It's actually rather amusing to see someone else gets angry on her behalf. "But I could never defeat the trauma whenever I start to fall for someone. You included. I just can't stop this thought that one day you would eventually grow out of love, once the euphoria wears off and pressure from society begins to brutally set upon us. And I would be left hurt once again."

"Then be my girlfriend." Mijoo blurts out, her voice soft as she slings an arm around Soojung's shoulders and gently pushes the other girl down against her chest.

"I mean, I'm not going to offer you romantic promises here, given that you're not interested in sweet words. So why don't you just give me a chance? I will prove that my feelings for you will remain for the rest of my life. Plus, if the universe really wouldn't switch us back and we have no other choice but learn to live with this body, it's better to just stick together, don't you think? I will totally need someone to help me getting things from high places."

The last one gets Soojung unable to hold back burst of cackles that's escaping her. "Oh my life would be so much fun from now on.."

"Now you're already plotting something mean again, huh?" Mijoo scoffs. "Should've kept that spider before the girls confiscated it. Tsk."

"Lord, don't you ever dare pulling such stunt anymore. Jiae would cut you."

"Right."

Soojung waits a moment until their laughter completely subdued before continues, "But really, I'm grateful we swapped body."

"Because like this, at long last I can learn that you really love me."

Silence stretches on. And by the time Mijoo finds her voice again, it's tight with emotion.

"It's my actual wish, y'know." She mutters, willing all the sheer happiness brewing inside her not to spill as tears.

"Hm?"

"I wanted Soojung unnie to know how much I love her... Is what I wished for real that night."

Soojung doesn't reply, she nuzzles impossibly closer into Mijoo's neck, planting little kisses in every inch of skin where she knows exactly would feel amazing - and of course Soojung knows, it was her body afterall - until she can hear Mijoo's deep blissful sigh. Her heart flutters warmly, flooded with delight once again as she looks up to meet her own adorable dimpled smile. It still feels a little freak, but it's fine, Soojung decides. With them being stuck in such an unexpected anomaly, this is most likely the greatest turn-of-events she could ever hope for.

———————

They wake up still tingling all over with residual buzz of pleasure from last night, limbs remain interlaced together.

"'Morning." It is Soojung who speaks first.

"Good morning. Sleep well?"

"Never better." Soojung smiles. She rolls to the side and make a small space between them, propping her head against one hand while the other reaches out to brush off Mijoo's cheek. Waking up to Mijoo by her side like this really reminds of their roommates days, there's still that same warm sleepy eyes, lazy grin spreading across the younger's face....

Soojung blinks few times, inspectng her hand.

Her small hand.

And Mijoo's face.

Right in front of her.

"Mijoo! We— We are back!" She sits up hastily, then grabs Mijoo's shoulder so she can give her a vigorous shake. "We are back to normal!"

"Yes! Oh thank god!" No more hesitation, Mijoo launches herself at Soojung, tightly wrapping her arms around the smaller figure.

"Gosh. Turns out I still love you better when you're yourself." Her voice's muffled as she continues burying her head into the crook of Soojung's neck, taking in every single thing about her; the slighty sloppy shoulders which always carry lots of burden, the smooth hair that's been growing back longer recently, the small of her back that fits perfectly into Mijoo's embrace. Yep, this is absolutely Lee Soojung whom Mijoo loves so much.

"Same here, Mijoo."

They separate a few inches apart, foreheads still connected, and eyes locked with each other's. Soojung hands easily slide up to cup Mijoo's jaw on her palms, then she pulls her in for another searing kiss.

———————

The rest of Lovelyz come back at nine sharp, and judging by the deserted looking living room, they figure Soojung and Mijoo haven't managed to get themselves out. Or maybe they didn't even try, Jiae thought. If everything went along accordingly with the scenario she's got in mind.

"Don't you think we are too mean for locking them up like this?" Jiyeon says, eyeing Yein and Myungeun who've been giggling and whispering presumably inappropriate things regarding their leader and Mijoo. Kids nowadays...

"Like I'd care.. If this could bring those two together and resolve the sexual tension between them then it's gonna be a damn heyday for me!" Jiae exclaims, mouth filter already discarded to hell. "I've been constantly watching over them for six years! Give me a break!"

They skid to a halt right in front of the door on Jiae's command despite Little Sujeong's desperate whine about how tired she is and all she wants right now is just to sleep on her own bed. The eldest holds up her hand, signaling everyone to wait while she's inclining her ear against the wall in attempt to get a clue of whatever's happening in the other side.

"So, what are you hearing? Are they in the middle of making out session?" Yein asks smoothly, defying her unnies glares.

As she's listening with full concentration, Jiae's cheeks starting to color. "Uh. I think it's best for us to come back few hours later." She scampers away from the door with scandalized expression.

"Let's go! Go!" She glares especially at their maknae, who's still so petulantly trying to eavesdrop.

"Wait!" Sujeong cries out suddenly, turning around like she's remembering something very important. "We should stop them, they’re probably doing it on the bottom bunk! I just washed my bedcover yesterday! Oh my god!"

"It's too late. Unnie will buy you new sheets, Sujeong-ah. C'mon!" Jiae makes a high-pitched wheezing noise, using all her strength dragging Sujeong away before the tall girl manage to jog back to her own room.

"Nooooo my beddddddd!"

———————

#fic

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hyttesanger · 8 years ago

Text

The workshop where Hyunwoo works at is hot and rather suffocating despite the early winter season. When Mijoo arrives, he and few other staffs are trying out an old bike they've been working on for awhile now. Its frame creaking and exhaust pipe coughing thick cloud when Hyunwoo kicks the start lever. The poor thing's never gonna make it back to life, he supposes.

"Hey, Shownu! Someone's been looking for you!"

The guy glances over his shoulder towards the voice calling him, mouth forming an 'o' at the least expected guest that is coming looking for him.

"'Sup? It's rare for you to come here." Leaving the bike on the corner, he usheres Mijoo out. He grabs a towel to clean his grimy hands on the way. They sit themselves on the curb, Mijoo leans her back against a sign post pole, hunched inside her four years old coat as cold wind instantly assails her.

"Where do I sign up for that Hit The Stage you mentioned before?"

Hyunwoo's usually stoic face immediately turns alarmed, and Mijoo only smiles bitterly.

"I need the money."

"Are you out of your mind? This is out of your league, you know that!" He rasps, meeting her gaze steadily for a solid moment. But the woman doesn't falter.

"It's okay. I don't care even if I have to break myself in order to fix her."

———————

Hit The Stage is tournament with pre single-elimination system - once you lose, you're kicked out right away. It's ruthless concept, but at the same time will save lots of time and energy especially for Mijoo, who relies more on strategies plus fortune than physical strength this time. She is strong, of course. No one would look down on her at the stage, and the audience had been long since stopped mocking her wins were all thanks to the men go easy on her. But this is different - five billion is another level of prize, means another level of risk. Everyone would go ape-shit for that kind of money.

The tournament managed to reap attentions from not less than hundred of fighters from all over the country, some are beyond strong Mijoo is sure they could split limbs in one snap, some others just clueless weaklings who doesn't know what they're getting themselves into. Qualification matches had been over few days ago and every contestant's received the official round of 32 schedule - which Mijoo hung on the gym’s wall, right beside where she's doing bench press right now.

Glancing at the names, Mijoo has predicted potential threats. Most of the favourite candidates are consecutive champions from different areas in South Korea. Out of all, she personally knows Hoya, someone with longest winning streak in underground fighting scene of Busan. And Hyoyeon was once a regular in the same stage as well as her biggest rival, before that woman moved back to Incheon.

And Shownu. Of course she knows Shownu. Knows that he's as desperate to win. Knows that he, too, wants the money so badly to build a new, better life for someone he loves once she's released from her the jail.

The woman is Nicole.

Mijoo had once accused him of stealing her childhood sweetheart, but that's way too old story now. They're truly meant for each other, is what she decided after watching how Hyunwoo had been so dedicated for the woman. Meanwhile herself, was just a whiny kid who couldn't accept that her favourite playmate wasn't hers after all. It was heartbreaking to see them falling apart after Nicole was arrested, yet as much as Mijoo wants to support Hyunwoo, she herself also unable to give up now. How could things end up this way? Destiny is bitch, she remembers Soojung had said. Maybe it's not wrong.

"You love to peek at people working out, huh?"

From her peripheral vision, Mijoo registers the presence of her significant other leaning against doorframe of the gym's entrance. Wearing unobtrusive teal shirt and knees length skirt, she's probably on lunch break. Mijoo doesn't remember giving the address of Hyunseung's gym to Soojung though. Must be Bora again, she sighs.

"Ain't need up-close view, even from here I can smell your sweaty ass. Gross." Soojung and her sass; there's nothing new and Mijoo is honestly glad for it. Few days prior to the competition they'd almost got into hellish argument because the older woman was so against the idea of her going back to illegal fighting. She only relented after Mijoo promised would withdraw in an instance when situation grows out of the range she can handle.

"All this training seems tiring.." Soojung gingerly pads down the empty gym room towards her girlfriend, still making exaggerated motion of covering her nose. "If you haven't had any plan, I'll come to give you a good massage tomorrow. It's national holiday."

"I see you really admire this hot body.. Thanks, feel so appreciated." Mijoo flashes mischievous grin, deliberately lifting the heavy barbell up only to prove a point that she is so fit. Damn this woman is sexy and she knows it.

"Why did I want to date this shameless shit— Don't make that face!" The grin only grows wider Soojung wonders how is it not hurting to stretch mouth that wide.

"Your denial’s starting to lose its charm... Tsundere."

"Weeb."

"I don't watch as much as our friendly neighbor Jisoo though."

"Please don't, I'm gonna really strangle you if you ever call me kawaii waifu."

"Let's stop. I can get injured if you make me laugh more than this." Mijoo carefully puts the barbell down onto the upright above her head and sits up. Soojung still looks like she's going to barf her guts out at fucking 'kawaii waifu' while the fighter grabs a bottle of water, giggling annoyingly.

"Well, serious, sans innuendo speaking now, I'm good at giving massage."

"Mhm." Mijoo just hums, too busy downing her mineral water as though she just came back from one day trip around Sahara.

"My... Mother. She said so. I liked to give her massage after she got back from work. Long time ago, when we were... Happy." Soojung continues unexpectedly.

"... Oh." The black haired woman replies, partially stunned and somewhat feeling her heart sinking as she taking in the other woman's hunched shoulders. Small and lonely. Wounds that permanently sting.

Mijoo tosses the empty bottle accurately into trash box by the corner of the room, then grabs Soojung by arm, lightly tugging her closer. "How long do you have before heading back to work?"

"About... Half an hour, why?"

"Keep me company please. In the shower."

Soojung doesn't move for long, dumbfounded moment. Mijoo wheezes with laughter.

"I don't mean it that way! Just.. I just got this urge to hug you. Can't do it now because, yeah, I'm stink and all sweat and nasty."

———————

"You've got to know this." Soojung hears Mijoo says. Between soothing sound of warm water spraying from above. Fingers gently scraping against her scalp.

"I'm feeling so lucky just to have you. No matter what others think, you're precious."

———————

Since the beginning, Mijoo had sternly told her that she isn't allowed to watch her during the match. She also have never spoken a word about who's she up against in every game, leaving Soojung in complete dark. Thus the woman distracted herself with work; studying financial opportunities and planning new strategy for next year, counseling few of her subordinates, monitoring the company projects' progression.

Yet instead of help, all of them only doubled her frustration. In the middle of the night Soojung would be staying on her room in the office, emotionally wrung out because the what ifs and self-hatred stack of paperworks failed to hinder from infiltrating her mind. There was fuck all she could do about it.

In the end, she visits the venue where Hit The Stage's quarterfinal takes place. The hosts set the location pretty far on industrial area almost an hour drive from downtown of Seoul, the building belongs to nation's biggest electronic company and still partially functioning during midday.

Recessed so low in the underground, the stage's so much bigger than previous one Soojung had visited. It has lighting effects, laser and fog machine, glamorous stuffs like that. They even got DJ for side entertainment. The owner is undoubtedly avid fan of illegal fighting, hence amazing amount of prize and assurance for safety that police wouldn't sniff around their activities.

There, Soojung witnesses Mijoo taking apart another fighter. The guy wriggles his limbs, face contorted by pain under her heavy boots, then goes lax and completely unmoving. Nauseating feeling rushes over Soojung when people around her stand up and cheer rowdily as the referee raises Mijoo's hand and announcing she advances to the semifinal.

Hyunseung's already waiting for her by the time the game ends. They pass securities easily and head straight to the waiting room - an actual room and not isolated section in the corner separated by cheap, thin boards for fighters and their team to do preparations before the match starts.

When Soojung strides into the room, Mijoo is still in her usual shorts and tank top. She's sweating profusely and short of breath, brain all mixed up with hallucinations, crowded within her skull. This sight is another reason why Mijoo never wanted her girlfriend to come watch her. This is the reality of her; the stage is for loser, and despite winning, she is a loser.

"Effects from the stimulant." Bora answers the unsaid question quietly. "She's gonna be okay, once it wears off."

"Can I talk to her?"

Bora and Hyunseung look at each other before looking back at Soojung.

"Sure thing." Bora decides.

They walk slightly further away to the corner, giving way for the short woman, but wary eyes never leaving the pair as Soojung's taking an empty seat before Mijoo. The latter doesn't spare even a single attention at Soojung for awhile, her eyes bloodshot, its dark orbs shift from side to side and never still.

"Hey, how are you feeling? Do you get what I'm saying?" Soojung's voice is gentle, patiently watching the fighter's struggling to touch the edge of reality. Fading in and out and in again, inhaling deep breath, one by agonizing one.

"I'm a monster."

"No, no, you are not." Soojung says, exerting an assurance into the tone as much as possible. She reaches out, sliding the hairtie off to loosen Mijoo's ponytail, then smoothing down the tangled dark tresses.

"Let's go home, okay?"

Home. Mijoo shuts her eyes, drifting mind slowly comes to a halt.

Home means where she and Soojung soundly tucked under the blanket, small arms laying on top of her chest protectively, healing her wounds. Home is where all she could hear is peaceful, even heartbeats. Home means the next morning she will wake up to simple, freshly toasted bread and hot coffee.

Home means Soojung's smile.

"Yes." A deep, content sigh. Mijoo is back. "Yes. Take me home."

———————

Mijoo watches the other semifinal stage three days after she won hers. One of two tickets to the last game has been secured for her, now it's time to confirm who's her next rival.

Every naive supporter would say she's lucky if Shownu wins tonight. Mijoo otherwise hopes the other candidate - a guy stands six feet tall, living up to his nickname The Bulldozer - wins tonight.

To them, Shownu probably wouldn't be characterized so much as a death threat, meanwhile this bull guy can literally dislocate half of all bones on her skeletal system in just one second with just one single blow. News said his opponents from last two games before this went straight hospital's ER. Mijoo, however, knows better than thinking that way. To have your best friend as your rival could be the most horrible thing.

Referee fires the starter pistol, officially beginning the match, and Mijoo is thrown back to eighteen years ago. When she was around six or seven, and Son Hyunwoo first arrived to the orphanage. Despite being two years older, this scrawny new boy was so fragile, did nothing but moping and crying by the swings on the backyard. He was from rich family before his parents passed away, rumor had it, so no doubt Hyunwoo acted like a delicate prince and ended up being target of other kids' mean pranks. It was Mijoo who stepped to his side when bullies came circling and orphanage staffs tried to hit him with stick for being too much of crybaby.

Instead of let him admire her as his superhero - she would kill if any of those boys call her hyung - Mijoo taught Hyunwoo to stand for himself; how to speak up when there's something bothering him, how to use his fist to punch back and not only wipe his tears. When the whole house fell asleep, long after the curfew, they would be out - three of them including Nicole - exploring the town with delirious joy, finding some family diners who gave free food when they made convincing enough puppy eyes. It was the greatest fun they ever had during their childhood, although by the morning they would get caught and punished them mercilessly.

Perhaps no one would ever adopt them, they knew it well. Couple with no child usually would go to more reputable foster institutions to get more non-problematic kid. But it was alright. They had each other, and there was nowhere else they'd rather be instead.

Hyunwoo and Mijoo had only ever fought three times for their entire life. All three of them, it was always about a dispute over Nicole. When the woman went to jail, she made them swear to never fight each other anymore. Right now, that promise is one thing she wishes to forget the most. Burden from each word said that day creeping along her spine; bond that they'd sworn would remain unbreakable, memory of every up and down they'd gone through together.

It would be good if she could forget it all, just for one moment.

Long whistle blown, followed by wild victorious chants from audience, guiding Mijoo back to present time. There's an enormous LED screen across from where she's standing, displaying information of the current match. Just now, another name has been put into the empty bracket next to hers.

Hit The Stage Final Match: Mijoo vs. Shownu.

She lowers her baseball cap until it covers half of her face, padding out the exit door without looking back.

———————

"Bora-ssi. Why do most fighters resort to PED?"

Soojung just sent Mijoo out to get some drinks, so they are alone in the gym now, and Bora blinks at the question. Like, duh. "It's performance enhancing drugs, so it... Of course, enhances their performance. Significantly."

"Since this is illegal fighting, there's no rule that keep the athlete from using banned drugs, there's no such thing as you play dirty here. If anything, sponsors would instead encourage the usage because it would make the game more fun to watch. With the stimulant, fighters get lots of advantages, can instantly increase their strength, aggressiveness, pain tolerance..." She elaborates expertly. Two of them are sitting leisurely at some unused fitness equipment.

"Ungodly amount would drive you to blank out. Who's your opponent, how many punches you land on them or landed on yourself, you're standing in the stage with sole purpose of winning, and that's that. Like being hypnotized into a fighting machine." That explains the whole mess Soojung had seen in the waiting room the other day.

"It does come with a price, sure. Side effects range from rapid heart beat, insomnia, mini stroke to loss of motoric skills, organ failure and permanent brain damage."

"I'll supervise the dose she's consuming everytime myself, if that's what you're worried of. So don't be." Bora continues with a small smile, because Soojung right now seems utterly baffled. "She knows her limit too, just trust her."

"I do. Had I not trusted her, I'd never let Mijoo do this." Soojung frowns, absent-mindedly standing up and lifting one of the dumbbell lining on a rack beside her, surprising Bora when she actually able to swing the heavy object. "But you're right, maybe I'm a little bit too concerned."

"Yes. Overprotective, is what you truly are." The older woman chuckles. "Y'know, you and Mijoo is like the cutest couple alive. I'm not joking." Soojung almost drop the dumbbell, and Bora laughs even harder.

"Why are you all like this? No one's really called me cute or friendly before."

"Mhm. I thought so too at first. You were like a strict, exactly 180 degrees opposite of Mijoo and to be frank, I thought you two wouldn't last long." Bora says. She reclines over a training bench with both hands as pillow. "But nowadays all I see is just Soojung and Mijoo are stupidly happy in love, the kind of couple I dare to bet will stay together until earth stops spinning."

"I am not—"

"See, you're smiling... You smiled a lot when you're with or talking about Mijoo." A hand pointing directly at her face intercepts Soojung's words. “It means she draws out your good side, doesn't it?"

Soojung skids to a full stop. Doesn't budge even when Mijoo kicks the door open and comes stomping in gorilla-like manner.

"You two sent me out to this deadly freezing weather just so you can gossip about me?!"

Drawing out good side, huh?

She watches mutely the two women wrestle and Bora screeches unnie speak good things about you in front of your girl and this is how you repay me??, feeling how easy her lips can curve into a smile at such trivial moment now.

Guess it's true.

———————

They meet on the waiting room before the match starts. It's Hyunwoo who shows up in front of Mijoo's room, knocking two times to get an attention from the woman who's seemingly so engrossed on her own thought. Earlier she'd told her crews she wanted some alone time, so nobody else is present by now.

"Oh it's you. Hey." Mijoo greets plainly, but makes no motion. Hyunwoo walks inside, stopping beside his best friend with only few feet between them. They are standing facing a mirror, a ridiculously big one, whoever put it probably thought it’s cool to make this place looks like dressing room for celebrities. Both simply staring at each other through it.

"How are you, big guy?"

"Good. You?"

"Never better. I finally have a reason to break your neck. Woo yay." She jokes. Hyunwoo, however, doesn't find it funny.

"Listen, Mijoo. We can arrange something for this game. I don't need—"

"I don't need your sympathy." Mijoo cuts in. Finally turns to her best friend, expression steady as iron. "We are basically chasing same thing here, we fight for someone dear to us. Let us fight with all our might, for we both love our respective woman and deserve equal chance to make them happy."

She moves a step closer, extending her palm, corner of her lips tugging upwards. "Don't pull your punch, okay? Promise me you'll hit me as hard as you did back then when we fight for the first time."

———————

Mijoo remembers being seventeen and meeting someone who was trainer for an illegal fighter. He was pretty much old, with shaggy hair and wrinkled forehead, most of his teeth were artificial ones, if not gone already. An ex-soldier, he told her rather proudly. So in the beginning, Mijoo had thought the huge burn scars he had on his body was result of his hard work defending this country's safety. Turned out it wasn't. Not quite. Because when he got that scar, he was trying to save his boyfriend.

Long story short, there was an arson, the building where the guy stayed was set on fire, everybody else had given up except the soldier. It was crazy. Very slim chance they could make it alive, even slimmer they could be together without being exiled from society for being homosexuals during those time in the 90s.

"Why did you even do that? Weren't you scared of death?" Mijoo had asked. She's seen similar heroic yet foolish acts in movies and it had always intrigued her.

He didn't give any comment, only saying one day Mijoo would understand one day, a spark she couldn't decipher at that time in his eyes.

Recently, Mijoo had heard same question a lot from people around her. Soojung. Hyunseung and Bora. Even Nicole when she visited the jail before tournament started.

Are you sure you wanna risk it? You're not scared?

To be honest, she is. And she's certain so is Hyunwoo. To date, this is probably will be the most fucked up fight they would ever fight.

But then she looks at Soojung, and the answer is like popped out by itself before her. She's found someone so important in her life and that woman just dwarfs everything else. Including fear.

One last long breath. Mijoo lets the audience's cheers as her name being called wash over all her doubts. Bora's eyes go wide when she hands a clear plastic bag containing six small bottles and an used syringe, eyes red as she walks against bright spotlight and towards her final stage.

———————

It's been like this since she came to Mijoo's flat six hour ago and forced herself to sleep; an hour of tossing and turning, about twenty minutes dozing off, then there's same nightmare of bloody matted floor and unalive eyes so vivid it jerks Soojung from slumber nearly screaming to redo the first step again. The circle goes on and on. Giving up after the third time, she pulls back the blanket and goes to get some drink. This place has felt like home for so long now Soojung's able to move around taking out few cans of beer from the fridge without the lights on.

The short woman sits down on the couch, still not bother turning on the lamp because she finds the half darkness somehow more comforting. As her previously loud, racing heartbeat slows down into more steady rhythm, everything lapses into a standstill. Some time ago she and Mijoo had fixed and cleaned the one and only window in the room, now the transparent glass surface is spotless and has sheer white curtain, large full moon shines through it brilliantly. It's funny to think how pretty the world outside seem to be while myriad of emotions gnawing at her.

The clock ticks by, its hands pointing at three and twelve. Suddenly there's a faint whisper of rolling wheels scraping against the floor. The sound is almost deafening; louder, closer, and eventually stops behind her door. Soojung's stomach flips with anticipation as her eyes fixated in the dark, at that piece of wood creaking open in slow motion.

Except, the person who emerges later isn't Mijoo. It is Shownu, his form silhouetted in the dim light of apartment hall.

"Son Hyunwoo-ssi?"

Soojung bolts up from her seat, strutting towards the tall guy, she can't hide her disappointment of seeing him instead of Mijoo. His right arm haphazardly bandaged, and some more patch are visible on his collarbone underneath his shirt. He walks limply, struggling to haul a handling trolley with huge wooden box which seemingly was used to keep wines, blue padded coat drapes over one of his shoulder.

"Why are you here? Where's Mijoo?" Now standing close, Soojung notices a big, big bruise on his face that makes her stomach churn with dread. Something's gone wrong. Soojung knows what Mijoo is capable of, and this isn't it; no matter how strong she is, she would never be able to beat Hyunwoo up to this extent. Her girlfriend usually wins over bigger enemy by clever tactics, taking advantage of her agile build to avoid getting striked, then counterattacks right when her opponent has run out of breath. Even Mijoo herself had said this kind of trick might not work on Hyunwoo since they've been training together and practically memorized each other's techniques so well, thus in all honesty Soojung was more certain she wouldn't win tonight.

"There's five billion here.." Hyunwoo points at the box, insistently looking down avoiding Soojung's curious gaze.

"But where's Mijoo?"

"Mijoo told me to give the money to you. She won. I'm only here to inform you—"

"I DON'T FUCKING CARE ABOUT WIN OR LOSE OR MONEY! WHERE. IS. SHE?" She screeches, yanking him down by his shirt's collar so roughly the thin cotton material is slightly torn and his coat falls over the floor.

"I'm sorry, Soojung-ssi. I really am." Dropping to his knees, Hyunwoo's voice cracks with sob. "She— She's been overdosing."

———————

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