Chapter Text
"...qi!"
"Yuqi!"
With a snort, Yuqi abruptly brought her head up from her arms and tried to focus on who was calling her.
"Huh? What?" she said while looking around and catching sight of a brush of short, straight, black hair. It was Soyeon, looking down at her with a slightly exasperated expression.
"School's been over for almost two hours, Yuqi!"
"Oh crap..." Yuqi rubbed her eyes and ran her fingers through the hair that had fallen onto her face to push it back. "But why are you still here?" Soyeon looked flustered for a moment before replying.
"I was doing work in the library...I forgot something here so I came to get it." She had actually waited for Yuqi the whole time since they usually walked home together, but Yuqi didn't have to know that... Yuqi hummed. She had begun packing up her things as Soyeon spoke. "Here, let me help you," Soyeon said.
She was worried about Yuqi. For a while now, she had been looking so worn and beaten down. Her eyes had dark circles, she didn't smile as much as she used to, she trembled all day and wore long sleeve shirts and jackets often as if she was always cold. The girls suggested that she talk to Yuqi about it. Yuqi would open up to her more because they became friends on the very first day. Yuqi was a new student, a foreigner from China. Soyeon ignored her, Yuqi tried to get her attention, and soon enough they were inseparable.
She decided to do it. When she had finished putting everything away, and before handing Yuqi her bag, she asked, "Yuqi...are you alright? You seem off lately..." Yuqi looked up into Soyeon's sincere eyes, filled with worry, and in that room, golden with the light of the setting sun glowing through the drapes, she smiled. It didn't reach her eyes, but it was the best she could do.
"I'm fine, Soyeonnie!" Yuqi stuck out her pinkie. "I promise. The work has just been a little overwhelming lately." And Soyeon took Yuqi's pinkie with hers and smiled back. She held Yuqi's hand in hers tenderly.
"You can always talk to me. To us. We're here for you, no matter what." Yuqi nodded and smiled, staring at Soyeon for a second and pulling her arm away gently. Soyeon broke eye contact and cleared her throat. "Let's go. It's getting late."
They walked home slowly, arm in arm while singing softly, with light conversation sprinkled in between. Both enjoyed music, and Yuqi was even planning to lead a band someday. The twilight sun behind them illuminated Yuqi's wavy brown hair, creating a gold frame around her tired face. As Soyeon looked at her when they waved each other goodbye, she wondered how it was possible to look so somber, yet so beautiful at the same time. She wished she had asked Yuqi then.
[NEXT WEEK]
"Have any of you guys heard from her?" one of the girls asked at lunch. She had wavy black hair tied into a high ponytail behind her and looked innocent and pale, but slightly impish and was clinging onto another girl with long blonde hair and red lipstick that looked like it was made specifically for them. There was a chorus on "no's." The blonde spoke.
"The last time we texted, she said she was sick. That was just a week ago. She'll come back soon."
"Yeah!" another girl added optimistically. She had a friendly, elegant face framed by shoulder length, dark brown hair. "She probably just feels too tired to talk to us. Right, Soojin?"
"Oh, come on. Be realistic Miyeon!" It was another girl. She had long, straight black hair with white highlights and thick curtain bangs. She had soft features, but an intoxicating gaze. "You know what she's been like these past months. There's definitely something wrong. I think we should check up on her. I'm worried."
Shuhua sighed and disconnected from Soojin, straightening her blue blouse. "Minnie is right. Something had to have happened." All heads turned to Soyeon, who had been silent throughout the entire interaction. Soyeon set down her spoon. She hadn't been eating anyways.
"When we were texting a few days ago...she suddenly stopped responding. I'm worried for her, too. I don't know exactly where she lives, but I know the general area...Will we get in trouble if we start asking around for her?" Miyeon pursed her lips, deep in thought.
"It's worth a shot. Let's go after school today. No one has anything going on today, right?" Everyone shook their heads.
"We should organize the plan a little," Soojin said. "Let's split up and search different areas of Yuqi's neighborhood. We can share our locations if we find her."
Shuhua added, "Some of my relatives know a couple of Yuqi's. I can ask them!"
"That's perfect," Soyeon said.
"Okay, we'll meet at the school gates right after school." Minnie concludes. Soojin chuckled slightly.
"Imagine her reaction when we show up at her house if she really was just sick." A bit of laughter sprung up around the table, easing some of the tension.
[AFTER SCHOOL]
"Damn, I didn't think it would get dark so fast," Soyeon said.
"It'll be fine. The sun is still up!" Minnie said. They were waiting for the rest to show up. Shuhua and Soojin, lastly Miyeon.
"Okay, guys!" Soyeon moved the group away from the stream of students exiting the school and handed each a different slip of paper that looked like small sections of maps covered in arrows and numbers. "These are the routes you all will be taking. After two hours, we should regroup near my house." "Thorough as ever," Shuhua commented. Soyeon chuckled dryly. "Let's split up now."
.
.
.
.
The neighborhood Soyeon chose for herself was a lot more rundown than she expected. There was no way Yuqi could live here, but she would ask every person that did in that alleyway of a neighborhood if they knew where Yuqi was. If it turned out that Yuqi was simply resting at home, sick, Soyeon would gladly deal with her yelling and annoyance if it meant that she'd be relieved of the thoughts she was having. The thoughts of every single bad thing that could be happening to Yuqi... She had felt the roughness of Yuqi's wrist when she held her hand that day. The way she shivered and tugged her arm away. She should have thought more about it...
Soyeon shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I better hurry up," she thought. She hadn't tried hard enough to get Yuqi to open up to her. This time...Soyeon resolved to never let Yuqi out of her sight and protect her until the younger girl was in her arms, crying and telling her everything. Yuqi probably needed something like that. That girl...what was stopping her from telling them? In the back of her mind, she prayed and hoped Yuqi was okay...and alive.