Chapter 33

"A plan"

"I'm surprised to see you again," Ji Woo said as she sat across from Na Ri, trying to get eye contact with her, "it's been almost a month since I last saw you and at that time you didn't seem too happy about talking to me. So what's your reason for coming today?" Na Ri shrugged her shoulders, still avoiding diverting her eyes.

"You turned in your group project today, right?" Na Ri nodded, "and tomorrow you're presenting the play to the class and your family, right?" Na Ri nodded again.

"Maybe that's why you're here, you're nervous about tomorrow." Na Ri finally looked up and got eye contact with Ji Woo for a split second before she lowered her head again and shrugged her shoulders in the process.

The room got filled with silence while Ji Woo simply leaned back in the sofa, hoping for Na Ri to initiate a conversation herself, but no words came out of Na Ri's mouth.

"How are things going with you and Lee Min Ji-ssi?" Ji Woo asked and tried to send Na Ri a friendly smile.

"It's good," Na Ri replied in short.

"Look, Song Na Ri-ssi, if you want me to help you with whatever is worrying you, you got to give me something," Ji Woo said in a firm tone, making Na Ri's eyes shoot up in the same second, "otherwise we're both wasting our time." 

Ji Woo looked directly at Na Ri and for once Na Ri didn't look away. She kept her eyes focused on Ji Woo and with every second that went by, Na Ri's chest felt tighter and her throat closed up more and more. Ji Woo took in a deep breath and was just about to say something again, when suddenly, a single tear slipped down Na Ri's cheek. And that one tear was enough to make it all come pouring out, while Ji Woo just stayed in her place, giving Na Ri all the time she needed to cry.

"It feels like... my head... is about to explode..." Na Ri said in between her sobs, "I have... some many emotions inside me... and I don't understand a single one of them... I just... I keep thinking about... him..."

"It's okay, you don't have to understand everything," Ji Woo said and handed her some tissues, "you said you keep thinking about him, are you talking about your neighbor?" Na Ri looked up and her red eyes met with Ji Woo's as she nodded.

"Did you perhaps confess to him?" Ji Woo asked and Na Ri's eyes widened.

"No," Na Ri quickly responded, "it... doesn't matter... it's all... it's all just wrong..."

"There's nothing wrong about being in love," Ji Woo said in a calm voice, but Na Ri just shook her head continuously while saying:

"It's wrong... it just is..."

"Alright, why don't we change the subject?" Ji Woo said when she saw Na Ri was getting more and more anxious.

"You said you have all these feelings inside you, so there must be something else on your mind as well," Ji Woo started, "how do you feel about your education ending soon?" Na Ri lifted her eyebrow when she heard Ji Woo's weird question and for a while she didn't say anything.

"What... do you mean?" Na Ri asked.

"Well, maybe you're thinking about what you want to do afterwards," Ji Woo said and Na Ri gulped.

"There's... enough time to figure that out," Na Ri replied while avoiding eye contact. Ji Woo leaned forward in the sofa before continuing.

"You know, I find it a little strange that a person as structured as you don't have a plan for what to do when your education is over," Ji Woo said and noticed how Na Ri's eye started twitching, "it's almost like you don't want to finish." Na Ri looked at Ji Woo and held her breath for a while as she thought of a way to reply.

"Why wouldn't I want to finish?" Na Ri said, "I worked so hard for the last 3 years."

"I know you did, you've worked really hard, maybe harder than anyone else," Ji Woo said, "but maybe that's what's bugging you so much. You worked so hard, but you don't know why. You don't know what to do next."

"Why wouldn't I know?" Na Ri said, her voice a little louder and more defensive.

"Then, do you know?" Ji Woo asked.

"No... but..." Na Ri dragged the sentence and before she could finish, Ji Woo spoke again.

"Song Na Ri-ssi, tell me this, why did you choose this education in the first place?" Ji Woo said and looked directly into Na Ri's eyes, "what do you want to do with your life?" The room turned completely silent. No words. No movements. Not even the sound of two people breathing in and out seemed audible. As if they had been frozen in time and space, that was until Na Ri suddenly got up from the chair and she looked at Ji Woo with an unreadable look in her eyes.

"Song Na Ri-ssi?" Ji Woo asked, but just then, Na Ri stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

***

Na Ri's heart was beating at the speed of a racing car putting in it's last effort before the finishing line, but Na Ri knew she was far away from her own finish line and even still, her energy was running out. She looked at her phone and read the message from her mom again, saying she had arrived and was sitting in the front row, waiting in anticipation to see their play.

"Hey Na Ri-ya," Min Ji said and laid her hand on Na Ri's shoulder, but was surprised when she jumped away the same second, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, are you okay?" Na Ri simply nodded and Min Ji didn't get a chance to say anything else before Taehyung popped in from behind.

"Woah, it's so cool we get to use the big scene," Taehyung said with great enthusiasm, "Professor Kim must've pulled some strings to be able to borrow this from the Department of the Performing Arts."

"It's really cool," Jungkook said as he also appeared from out of nowhere, "he really wants us to feel like we're showing a real play, even though it's just an excerpt."

"Yeah," Min Ji just said as she kept her focus on Na Ri, "Na R-ya, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm just... a little... nervous..." Na Ri said.

"Hey, don't worry," Taehyung said as he swung his arm around Na Ri, making her entire body freeze up, "Jungkook and I are used to being on a stage, we got your back."

"Ah... good..." Na Ri said as she slowly backed away from Taehyung, showing a nervous smile. 

"You're making her uncomfortable, Taehyung-a," Jungkook said with a sigh, "Na Ri-ssi, it's gonna be okay, just trust me." Na Ri looked at Jungkook. His big brown eyes and that honest smile on his lips someone how made her a little calmer.

"You're all here I see," Namjoon said and surprised all four of them, "how would you like to start out as the first group on stage?"

"Well..." Min Ji said, "I think we're okay no matter when we go on stage, what about you Na Ri-ya." Na Ri looked at Min Ji and her mind suddenly went blank.

"Song Na Ri-ssi," Namjoon said and snapped her out of it, "are you okay?"

"It seems like she's a little nervous," Min Ji said and Namjoon nodded.

"I see," Namjoon replied, "well then it might be even better for your group to begin, get it over with, right?" Namjoon looked at Na Ri and winked, but he got no response from her.

"Na Ri-ya?" Min Ji said and gently nudged her shoulder.

"Yes?" Na Ri said until she realized she hadn't given an answer, "ah... yes... that's okay..." She put on her best smile and it seemed good enough to convince the rest to leave her alone for now.

"I'll just go talk to the other groups and then we're about to begin," Namjoon explained, "just stay here and wait until I call you on stage." Min Ji, Taehyung and Jungkook all nodded while Na Ri just stood with her head held low, all her energy focused on breathing as calmly as possible.

It felt like time stood still while Na Ri waited behind the stage. Once in a while, Min Ji would try to initiate a conversation with her, but she quickly realized Na Ri wasn't in the mood today. 

At last, Na Ri heard Namjoon's voice from the other side of the curtain, and even though her mind was blurring out every sound, she knew he was in the middle of presenting their group. She could tell from the look of anticipation on the other three's faces and Min Ji send her a smile of encouragement before she waved her over, telling her to come with them.

The stage light blinded Na Ri the second she stepped out, but as her eyes slowly got used to the light, the huge crowd became visible in front of her eyes and in the front row, her mother was sitting, looking at her with eyes full of expectations.

"Na Ri-ya," a voice whispered and Na Ri looked around in confusion.

"Na Ri-ya," the voice whispered again and Na Ri finally noticed Min Ji who was looking at her in worry, "It's your line."

Her line? Did they start the performance already? She hadn't heard a single word.

What was her line again?

What was she even playing?

It was Shakespeare, that was for sure.

But was her part? What was her line? How could she forget? How could she be this stupid?

Na Ri lowered her head again and looked into her mother's eyes, as if she would be able to find the answer in there. 

"Na Ri-ya? Are you okay?" Min Ji whispered and Na Ri looked at her again, her eyes widened in fear.

"Na Ri-ssi?" Taehyung said as he neared her.

"Na Ri-ssi what's wrong?" Jungkook asked, coming from the left.

"Song Na Ri-ssi," Na Ri heard Namjoon's voice from behind her say.

"I..." Na Ri stuttered and looked around frantically, "I..."

Again Na Ri lowered her eyes to her mother, but she wasn't sitting down anymore. She had gotten up from her chair and was walking towards the stage.

No.

No no no.

"Na Ri," Hye Jin said as she entered the stage, "what's wrong?" Na Ri looked at her mother and held her breath, until suddenly, she turned around and in the flash of a second, she ran off stage before anyone could catch her.

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Remember to stay warm and eat healthy and take care of yourself. Stay safe.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment down below.

Love, Annalise~