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Soyeon glances at the clock. Five minutes to 2am and she still can't get this damn chorus right. The lights outside are still on, glimmering through the window of her studio. The janitor knows she stays late sometimes (more like most of the time, but Soyeon still carefully keeps her denial) and so he leaves the light on. Soyeon is grateful. She remembers the first time he shut it off, much before she was Jeon Soyeon of (G)I-DLE, and she ran outside, panicked. A sigh of relief escaped her throat as she caught him right before he locked up the doors. Soyeon giggles, remembering how startled he was to see a little brown-haired girl with bleary eyes still in the building.
Ever since then, he always made sure to check if she was still in her studio. Taught her how to lock up when she finally decided to go home. Wakes her up when she accidentally spends the whole night there.
Today was one of those nights. Soyeon eyes glazed over as she stares at her laptop screen, the display suddenly a little too bright, and she knew that she would stay yet another night in the Cube building. It was nothing new for Soyeon. It wasn't uncommon enough for her manager to wonder where she had gone and it wasn't rare enough for the girls to blow up her phone with worried texts and missed phone calls. Sure, they'd quip at her with teasing comments that hid concern, they'd tell her to come home, but Soyeon always gave them a disarming smile, told them it was okay.
It was simply something that sometimes happened. And Soyeon was okay with that.
Soyeon shuts off the building lights, flops on the couch in her studio, and dozes off.
Back home, Yuqi is still awake, and she glances at the clock. 2am. She merely sighs, and knows it's just another one of those nights. Another one of those nights where Soyeon would be turning off the lights to Cube Entertainment, and would flop on her couch and sleep in her studio.
She knows it was simply something that sometimes happened. But unlike Soyeon, Yuqi wasn't okay with it.
Yuqi thinks. Almost gets up. It…sounds easy. Drive to cube, use the janitor's keys to open up the building (which he silently provided one day, with a gleam in his eyes), drag Soyeon home. Get her to bed, let her sleep in the next day before she inevitably goes back to her studio.
The consequences don't seem so bad either. She might get scolded by her manager but that was nothing new. Soyeon might get locks for her door but…Soyeon wouldn't do that that, right? She wouldn't. Probably. Yuqi ignores that line of thought.
It would be new. The girls never really interrupted Soyeon when she kept herself engrossed in music. They knew how much it meant to Soyeon to be left alone, and respected that boundary. Didn't barge in during vlives, kept their worries at a minimum.
But there was only so much Yuqi could take of rule following. Besides, this would be for Soyeon's own good, sleep in a bed for once, be home for once.
Definitely not for Yuqi's comfort, no. She definitely didn't miss Soyeon, definitely didn't want to sleep soundly with Soyeon at her side, wake up with a drowsy Soyeon and eat breakfast together (with Minnie, of course).
Of course not. This was for Soyeon.
And with that, she gets out of bed. She changes into a hoodie and jeans, grabs the car keys, and silently leaves for Cube Entertainment.
~
Cube is dark. Yuqi tries to peek into the windows for a sign of anything, really, and just sees darkness and her own reflection staring back at her.
"God, I hope no one thinks I'm breaking in." Yuqi thinks to herself as she unlocks the door and steps into Cube. She flicks on her phone flashlight, and takes practiced strides towards Soyeon's studio.
It was familiar ground, floor she's been treading for years, but it was different at night. Quiet and dreary, shadows dancing off each corner from the light streaming from her phone, each creak of her footfalls sending chills down her spine. It was haunting to see it so empty, so lonely. She wonders how Soyeon stays here alone. She supposes Soyeon is just used to it, and her heart pangs. With guilt? Maybe. Yuqi shakes her head. Not the time.
She gets to Soyeon's studio, and can see Soyeon's figure through the window. She's still, and Yuqi knows she's asleep. She quietly turns the doorknob and walks in. Soyeon is sound asleep on the couch, her jacket serving as a makeshift blanket, a stuffed bear her pillow. Yuqi's heart pangs again, a little louder this time. She flicks on a small desk lamp, right next to the couch.
Yuqi stares at Soyeon a little longer. She's not, well, used to seeing Soyeon sleeping and can't help but stare at the girl. She notices Soyeon's slight curled position into her jacket, the way her mouth turns a little downward as she sleeps.
Suddenly, Soyeon shifts and Yuqi is shaken from her stare. "Just do what you came here for." She tells herself, and carefully shakes Soyeon awake.
Soyeon moves, but doesn't wake up. Yuqi shakes a little harder and whispers, "Soyeon? Hey, wake up."
"Hm-" The words fall from Soyeon's mouth, still slippery with drowsiness. "H-What?"
"Wake up, c'mon. I'm getting you home."
"Y-Yuqi?" Soyeon's eyes flutter open. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm going to drive you home. It's late." Yuqi says as she looks away because Soyeon is looking at her with the cutest little dazed expression- "Stay on task! Not now!" Yuqi reprimands herself.
Soyeon sits up and rubs her eyes. "O-Okay…let's go home."
A beat.
"Wait what?!" Soyeon yelps and Yuqi flinches, ears too used to the dead-of-night quiet. "Wha-how are-why-"
Yuqi interrupts Soyeon's barrage of questions. "I snuck out of the dorm and drove over here to pick you up." She puts a hand up. "And no, I didn't break in. I have a key."
"I'm not even going to ask where you got that." Soyeon sighs. "Why did you even come? You know I stay overnight sometimes, it's nothing new."
Yuqi pauses. "I just…well I just…" Soyeon just looks at her confused. "Er, you know, I thought…" Yuqi tries to get the words out, but Soyeon's eyes are just so pretty even with the minimal light, the way they just shimmer with-
"Ijustthoughtyouwouldwanttobehomehaharandomly." She blurts out. Yuqi cringes at herself.
"What?"
"I just thought," Yuqi sighs, "That you would want to be home."
"Oh." A few seconds pass in silence. "What are you doing up so late, then?"
"Ah. Well. I was just, busy. On my phone. You know?"
"I see." Soyeon says, clearly not believing it. But she seems to drop it, and Yuqi sighs a breath of relief.
"So you missed me?" Soyeon grins suddenly, and Yuqi nearly doubles over in shock.
"N-No! That's literally not what I said!" Yuqi shouts, eyes wide. "Where- how- where did you even get that from?!"
Soyeon just chuckles. "Nowhere. Let's go home, then." She stands up from the couch and stretches, shuts the lamp off, strides over the Yuqi by the door. "Well? Are you coming?"
Yuqi scoffs. "Y-Yeah, whatever, I'm coming." She grumbles.
They navigate through Cube in silence, Yuqi slightly trailing behind Soyeon. She stares at Soyeon's frame, leading the way. They reach the exit and Soyeon holds the door open, and locks up the door as Yuqi steps outside. She takes a deep breath. "The car is over there."
They clamber into the car. Yuqi starts the engine and drives away.
It's quiet. Calm, even. Yuqi sees in the corner of her eye Soyeon nodding off. Soyeon seems asleep, and Yuqi releases a quiet smile. Yuqi drives and takes in the empty streets, only passing a few cars on their way back to the dorm.
"Hey Yuqi?" Yuqi slighty jumps at that.
"Y-Yeah?"
"I missed you too." Soyeon says with a smile painted on her lips. "Thanks…for picking me up."
Yuqi looks over and sees Soyeon curled up with her eyes closed. She's still smiling. Yuqi's heart is thrumming under her chest.
"Yeah. Yeah, no problem."
She drives them home.