comet

he was tired– he’d known since he was a kid how taxing being an idol really was, but somehow, it was even more so now than when he was in 24seveN, there was so much to do. maybe it was because of the online aspect of idol life blowing up, but it was like he never got a second to breathe

he’d just finished a vlive with some of the other members. they’d been heading back to the dorms, but he’d remembered he forgot his coat in one of the practice rooms. it was when he was on his way back to find that that he saw her. he barely knew sumi, but she was upset. she looked really hurt.

cautiously approaching her, he crouched down across from her, gently putting a hand on her arm. “hey, is everything okay? is there anything i can do?” he asked softly

she looked up, and then looked back down awkwardly. she knew him-- he was jinhee’s brother. he was the leader of scope. technically her senior (on many fronts-- from what she’d heard, he’d debuted in a group before). it was so awkward having someone find her at all, let alone someone so important that she didn’t want to burden.

“i... no, i just need to let it pass,” she said quickly, wiping her face. “sorry. did you need this practice room? i can go.”

“See, I didn’t learn how to ride a bike until… relatively recently, I guess by that metric I really can’t have forgotten,” Yeong replied, laughing. “Thanks, though. I appreciate the assurance.”

“oh my goodness. i feel like i’ve forgotten how like half of those taste,” achara said with a tiny groan. “you really didn’t have to, but that’s so thoughtful… when’d you bring these over?”

“i had some paperwork to finalize with my old company last week,” she explained with a tiny shrug. “i thought i’d fill my suitcase on my way back. my mom always says the best way to make new friends is to bribe them with food....” she giggled

“oh…….um….. you really don’t have to,” goeun said, blushing. her resting morose expression was at it again. “i’m sorry. i’ve been told i have a resting bitch face. i’m not… upset with you or anything?”

“maybe i’m just being too sensitive,” she answered, looking down, ashamed. “i just.. i’m kind of used to people assuming the worst after dispatch took their shots, you know?”

He wasn’t a stranger to Dispatch twisting situations to fit their narrative, to generate clicks. So really, he wants to empathize with her… he’s really just confused as hell why she’d want to leave such a good gig behind. “I mean… go ahead, I’m all ears.”

“well, i just...” she paused, trying to figure out how explain herself. “you know how kpop has the seven year curse? like groups that really love each other and what they’re doing and where they are stick past it, but a lot of times, seven years is enough and everyone wants to move forward? i was in daizee for nine years,” she started, hoping he’d started to see her point from there.

tiwi smiled brightly, taking the snacks excitedly to see whant sumi had brought. “that was so nice of you! you really didn’t have too…” she exclaimed. she’d been staying with the antares unit a lot, but when they’d moved to the new dorms, she’d made the decision to stay in the lyncis dorms. there were less people. even though in the dorm itself, it was just four people instead of five, it just felt like more space. “that sounds like a great idea! team bonding and stuff! dita and i know each other pretty well, same with achara but… i think it’s totally necessary.”

“yeah... all of you kind of got to know each other for a while before i came along,” she said awkwardly. “that’s why i want to do this. i know it’s weird having me thrown in out of nowhere, but... i really want this to work.”

riki bit her bottom lip, shrugging. she usually didn’t pay too much attention to tabloids, seeing how they talked about her family, but she’d seen the fan outrage. mostly she was just scared– you had to do something pretty bad to upset people that badly. “i…guess so,” serika answered. she’d give the girl a chance. besides, she was too nervous to straight up say no.

“i, well... first you have to know how young i was when i debuted with daizee, okay? i’ve been in the public eye since i was two, and i started in daizee when i was eleven. i was in daizee for like nine years,” she began slowly. “in kpop, there’s the seven year curse, right? you see people start to grow apart and want new things....”

“you didn’t have to do that…” thet answered with a smile and a tiny bow. “it’s much appreciated though. i think a game night is a great idea. have you talked to the others?”

“i mentioned it to dita offhand, but i haven’t gotten to catch up with the others yet,” sumi replied. “i.... don’t have tiwi’s number,” she admitted, embarrassed.

“i don’t know… my sister’s told me about what you did,” dajeong said, frowning. “and it’s really not cool. i love my group– i could never imagine betraying them for money.”

“whatever your sister told you, clearly it wasn’t the truth,” sumi said, trying not to be too offended. it was the rumor mill. this was how it worked. “really. if it were about money, i wouldn’t be here. i make way less with byulbit than with daizee.”

“i…if you want to,” isis said. she’d give sumi a chance. the things people had said in the media about dylan had been pretty bad too, right? maybe it was the same thing. just people blowing stuff out of proportion.

“i just... we’re in the same group, right? you deserve to know. if you want to,” sumi retorted quietly. “ i just don’t want things to be weird.”

“what is there to say? we all saw what happened. you were at the peak of your career, and you threw it all away,” naeun retorted. “i really don’t care. it’s your life.”

“that’s... hardly a fair way to boil it all down,” sumi answered, face falling even farther. 

that’s what happens when no one knows your motives or who you are. fans hated her. her old groupmates were upset with her. everyone in korea was suspicious of her, because all they knew were the headlines. it was so absolutely isolating. and sumi hit her breaking point.

after feeling like she wasn’t making any progress with one of her eval routines, she really broke down, falling into a crouch with her head in her hands, crying for the first time since getting to seoul. @sangheerv​