Work Text:
One week.
It’s only been one week—no, cut that. It’s already been one week since Soyeon heard anything from Yuqi. She knew the Chinese’s schedule was loaded, and she already expected that this would happen sooner or later, having experienced it previously in 2019 when her once-bestfriend-now-still-bestfriend-but-lowkey-flirting also went home to China. But that doesn’t mean she was used to it. Nor will she ever get used to it, in all honesty.
A frown drew Soyeon’s features when she glanced at her phone, still as empty as she left it three hours ago to work on her pending projects. Usually, around 3 PM, Yuqi would try to sneak a short reply or send a selfie instead to let Soyeon know her whereabouts. But ever since the younger girl started filming Keep Running after her quarantine, the messages became lesser, the updates fewer, and the greetings grew colder. In fact, the number of texts Soyeon sent that were left unreplied were too embarrassing to look at. It felt like she was talking to air. The only way Soyeon gets updated from the Chinese’s schedules was to follow almost every—if not all—of her fansites. CUBE was never dependable or is always late.
Contemplating whether she should open her private Twitter account to check on Yuqi or continue her unfinished project due next week was a battle easily won by the former, taking only a few seconds of thinking before Soyeon quickly scrambled to open her account. If she wasn’t wrong, today is Yuqi’s photoshoot for...what was that brand again? Soyeon shrugged. She couldn’t care less. All she wanted to do was check whether the picture looked incredibly—
“Cute…” she muttered, scrolling through her feed and smiling endearingly. She must say, Yuqi’s styling in China was so impressive she couldn’t forgive their Korean stylist even if she once thought about it. Well, even if Yuqi once told her about it.
As she was enjoying her time admiring the several photos of the Chinese, suddenly, a notification popped on her screen. It was just one message. But it was everything the Korean had been waiting for the whole week.
3:45 PM: Yuqi sent a photo
“Shit!”
A photo?
Biting her lip to stop the inevitable grin from forming on her lips, Soyeon was about to click the notification Yuqi sent after ignoring her messages for a week.
Right.
A week.
Soyeon huffed and threw her phone back at the desk, glaring menacingly at the bubble notification before the light faded on her screen. Yuqi made her wait for a week, so perhaps a few minutes wouldn’t hurt. Or even a few days because Soyeon was busy. Or maybe let Yuqi wait a week as well, so it’s fair for the both of them because Soyeon was too prideful to even open their chat and see a train of her cheesy and embarrassing ‘ good morning! I went out today! ’ or ‘ goodnight. Please rest well ’ or ‘ Hey, I miss you ’ messages. God, she swore it was Windy who typed that last one.
So, yes, a week would do. Soyeon doesn’t want to seem too eager, nor does she want Yuqi to think that she missed her a lot, and she was feeling down without her boisterous Chinese bothering her every time at the studio for small chit chats or random hangouts. If it weren’t for that last message she sent last week, maybe she wouldn’t be too fretful about the situation. But Soyeon was never one to initiate those words. It was always Yuqi who’d be very affectionate, clingy, and amusingly annoying towards her. They’re still just best friends until now, after all. At least that’s what Soyeon thinks.
Decided, Soyeon was about to turn off her phone so she wouldn’t be too distracted—or tempted—to reply. But as soon as her phone lits up, and the notification continuously popped due to Yuqi flooding her with sent photos, Soyeon clicked the chat app before her mind could even register what she did and smiled at the cute and funny behind the scenes of Yuqi’s previous magazine shoots and clips of her in Keep Running! Realizing what happened, however, Soyeon groaned and dropped her phone back at the desk, ruffling her hair in frustration before one of her brows raised with Yuqi’s following message.
4:00 PM: SOYEON!
4:00 PM: Don’t leave me on read!
4:00 PM: ANSWER ME, PABO!
Did she really just say that?
As she was about to type in her response— forget that fucking one week —Yuqi quickly sent another message, causing Soyeon to erase whatever reply she was about to say. (Idiot! You’re the one who ignored me for one week and basically ghosted me, and you have the audacity to…)
4:05 PM: I’m sorry I haven't been able to text you for almost a week now.
4:05 PM: Wait, I think it’s really been a week! >< Gosh!
4:06 PM: I was swamped… and tired. As soon as I got home, I’m literally dead on the bed! ;-; I know these photos won’t make it up with me basically ghosting you, but I hope it made you smile! ><
Of course, it did. There was no doubt about that. Re-reading Yuqi’s message, Soyeon couldn’t help the warm feeling on her chest, but a pout quickly followed after. She felt guilty for even thinking of making Yuqi wait when the younger girl had valid reasons why she couldn’t send a single reply. Still, a part of Soyeon thought that maybe a short, simple greeting wouldn’t be that hard. Shaking her head to erase the intrusive thoughts, she typed in her reply. But again, Yuqi had sent another one.
4:06 PM: I know it did make you smile ;)
Soyeon scoffed and rolled her eyes.
4:07 PM: Now, don’t go rolling your eyes at me.
How did she even know that?
4:07 PM: I know you, young lady.
4:08 PM: More than enough…
Seeing that Yuqi was still typing a message, Soyeon waited. Eyes glued at that one, hanging phrase, and heart beating fast in anticipation for Yuqi’s following words.
More than enough of what? Friends? But less than lovers? The idea made Soyeon scoff and rolled her eyes hard. Sure they’ve done some things that cross the boundary of being friends, but neither confronted the topic, so Soyeon thought it was fine. Everything was normal. They’re just— and still —best friends.
The sudden ring of her phone made her jolt, and she squinted her eyes when she realized Yuqi was requesting a video call. Letting it ring for a few seconds to check if the Chinese continued her last message, Soyeon was slightly disappointed when nothing followed. With a slight pout and pretentious angry facade, Soyeon accepted the call, immediately stopping herself from grinning upon seeing Yuqi’s bare face eating up the whole screen.
“Yah! Why are you leaving me on read????” Yuqi scolded, making a fist to threaten Soyeon.
“I was busy.” Lies.
“Sure, you are.” Yuqi rolled her eyes, and Soyeon raised a brow. “Did you see the photos I sent?” she asked.
“Ye—”
“Wait, yeah, you should’ve. YOU LEFT ME ON READ!”
“Can you please stop being childish and move on from it?!”
“Can you please stop being childish and move on from it?!” Yuqi mocked, “Pretty sure you’re sulking because I ghosted you.”
Spot on…
“What you did was—”
“I miss you.”
Soyeon unexpectedly gulped. She wanted to tease the younger girl back and maybe throw a tantrum, too. But Yuqi’s serious and sincere face made it challenging for Soyeon to filter her emotions. And for a split second, she was already smiling. Nothing too wide nor small. Just a soft, gleeful one. Placing her phone on the stand so she could rest her head on top of her arms while admiring Yuqi, Soyeon hummed a faint reply and nodded her head in acknowledgment. Yuqi pouted in response, however.
“Do you not miss me?” Yuqi asked, almost on the verge of sulking.
“Mhm…” Soyeon shrugged.
“That’s fine. I’ll be back soon anyway!”
“When?”
Yuqi thought for a moment. “Around July, I guess? I don’t know. But I’m sure it’s before your birthday, so don’t be sad now.” she teased, but her expression quickly reverted to sulking.
“What’s up with that face?”
“I miss you.” Yuqi tried again.
“Mhm…”
Soyeon chuckled when Yuqi began to scowl and whine about her being cold, then continuing to rant for a few minutes about how she needed lots of affection with her current situation and that it boosts her energy whenever she’s fed with it. Soyeon only listened to her talk, eyes slowly drooping from exhaustion, and listening to Yuqi’s voice made her cold studio a little warmer.
“I miss you, too,” Soyeon muttered. And in her blurring vision, she saw how Yuqi stopped, then, a broad smile formed on the Chinese’s lips before she moved closer to the camera, eyes squinting in happiness.
“Let’s talk when I get home. Get some rest. I love you.”
And with that, the video call ended, and Soyeon’s eyes finally shut.
Questions faintly filled Soyeon’s head. Things she should’ve asked while they were still on call but was too sleepy to even raise it. What were they supposed to talk about? And what does Yuqi mean when she gets home? From her schedule, or back here in Korea? She wanted to know the answers, but for some reason, it was the least of her worries right now, neither of her pending projects due next week. She wondered when she would see Yuqi again.
Yuqi made her wait for a week, so perhaps a few minutes wouldn’t hurt. Or even a few days because Soyeon is busy. Or maybe wait another week again before she sends a message so it’s fair for both of them, because recently, and truth be told, Soyeon had been initiating a lot of affection compared to when Yuqi left the previous year. Perhaps this distance is making her heart more vulnerable and honest. And maybe Yuqi’s presence had always filled her room with something she began to yearn for.
Soyeon doesn't think she could wait any longer. She’d probably send Yuqi another, “ Hey, I miss you,” tonight.
And blame that it was Windy who typed that.