fragments of forever | han yujin zb1

chapter 3 : the dance of friendship

it was now after school, and the vibrant energy of the bustling arcade beckoned to the group. with animated chatter filling the air, they exited the school gates, the anticipation evident in their every step.

the twins, inseparable as always, strolled side by side, their laughter intertwining harmoniously. nestled between them, boreum exuded a sense of warmth and camaraderie, her presence a comforting anchor amidst the bustling crowd.

walking alongside them, yujin and aejung shared a bond that transcended words. his warm smile enveloped her, a silent reassurance of their unspoken connection. "what games are you planning to play?" he inquired, his eyes alight with curiosity and excitement.

"probably ddr as usual," aejung responded, her smile mirroring his own as she envisioned the rhythmic dance of the game.

"let's do it together?" yujin suggested, his smile widening as he extended the invitation. aejung's heart skipped a beat at the prospect, and she nodded eagerly in agreement.

reaching the bus stop, they settled into a comfortable rhythm, their laughter mingling with the soft hum of anticipation. as they waited for the bus to arrive, boreum gestured towards aejung and yujin, her kindness evident in her words. "you guys first," she insisted.

aejung settled into the seat by the window, the soft glow of the fading daylight casting a warm hue across her features. yujin joined her, his presence a comforting anchor amidst the anticipation that filled the air.

the twins, ever playful, settled in behind them, their laughter weaving seamlessly into the fabric of the moment. "i assume you guys are gonna play ddr?" beomseok's voice cut through the air, his playful tone laced with anticipation.

"it is the usual," yujin chuckled, his gaze shifting to meet aejung's, their shared smile a silent affirmation of their bond.

turning her head back towards beomseok, aejung nodded in response to his question. "did you all remember to bring your cards?" she inquired, her voice gentle yet filled with a sense of responsibility.

a chorus of simple nods followed, each member of the group confirming their readiness for the adventure that awaited them.

"i assume you guys will be at taiko drums?" yujin directed his question towards the twins, his curiosity palpable in the air.

the twins nodded in unison, their excitement mirrored in the spark that danced in their eyes. "i'll beat boreum though, as usual," beomseok teased, his playful banter eliciting laughter from yujin and aejung alike.

"will not!" boreum's playful complaint echoed through the air as she playfully slapped beomseok on the shoulder, their banter adding to the lively atmosphere surrounding them.

soon, they reached the bus stop for the mall, their excitement palpable as they eagerly rushed out of the bus and into the bustling streets.

the arcade loomed before them, its neon lights and vibrant colors drawing them in like moths to a flame. "i'm topping up first!" aejung's voice rang out, filled with determination as she dashed inside, her enthusiasm infectious.

however, her eagerness led to an unexpected collision as she accidentally bumped into someone's back. "ouch..." aejung winced, holding her forehead in pain as she stepped back, her brows furrowed in discomfort.

the person turned around, their expression filled with concern as they assessed the situation. "you okay, aejung?" gunwook's voice was laced with worry as he looked at her, genuine concern etched on his features.

"yeah, nah, i'm good. sorry about that, though," aejung reassured him with a chuckle, her smile returning as she brushed off the mishap with ease.

the other three quickly caught up, falling into line behind aejung as they approached the kiosk. gunwook swiftly topped up his card, glancing back at the group with a soft chuckle. "you guys can top up now," he said, stepping away from the kiosk to make room for the others.

without hesitation, yujin lunged forward, tapping his card on the scanner with a triumphant grin. "beat you guys," he teased, looking back at the rest of the group with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "especially you, aejung," he added, chuckling as he turned back to add more money to his card.

aejung couldn't help but smile secretly to herself at yujin's playful teasing. once he finished, she quickly topped up her card, her excitement bubbling over as she ran over to the ddr machine with yujin, eager to begin their game together.

"rock, paper, scissors. loser chooses one song while the winner chooses the other two," yujin smirked, raising his hand to make the gesture.

"best out of three?" aejung replied, mirroring his smirk, and yujin nodded in agreement.

the first round saw yujin's rock crumpled under aejung's paper, followed by yujin's scissors being snipped by aejung's paper once again. by the third round, it was aejung's rock that triumphed over yujin's scissors.

"i win!" aejung exclaimed happily, her excitement evident as she leaped up towards the machine. yujin chuckled at her enthusiasm, joining her as he hopped onto the machine beside her.

the two began to play against each other, with yujin effortlessly beating her at the first two rounds of the songs she chose.

"that isn't possible!" aejung complained, a playful pout forming on her lips.

"i'm just too good," yujin chuckled, a smug grin playing on his face.

the twins, noticing the banter, came over and watched them talk.

"seems like you two are having a good time," boreum teased, her voice laced with laughter, which was echoed by beomseok.

"she's somehow losing against me at the songs she chose," yujin chuckled teasingly, nudging aejung playfully.

"i'll beat you this time!" aejung declared, determination shining in her eyes as they began to play the final song, jumping on the different arrows to the rhythm of the music.the two had a good time, with aejung managing to clinch victory in the final round, but yujin still emerged as the overall winner.

despite the friendly competition, the group continued to enjoy themselves, playing various games together at the arcade until dinner time rolled around, signaling the end of their fun-filled day.

reluctantly, they bid farewell to the arcade and each other, heading home with memories of laughter and camaraderie still fresh in their minds.