| |
"They don’t pay me enough for this." Joel heaved a sigh as he plopped himself down on the dorm’s old blue couch. As soon as they’d arrived back, half the members started to call out his name. Naturally, he responded each time but was soon reminded he was no longer himself. When the members asked him why he’d respond to their leader’s name he had to lie and say he was just helping out their hyung.
First it had been Lucas who called him to ask for his socks, apparently his feet were cold and all his clothes had been out to dry. Once he took Lucas his socks along with all his clean laundry, Simon asked him for an extra blanket. Then after that it was Josiah who asked for some tea. And just as he was about to lay down on his bed, Seth asked for his help to put up some string lights in their room. It was really his own fault for going in the wrong room in the first place. If only he didn’t keep forgetting about the body switch then he would have been asleep in Cain’s bed instead of sweating as if he had just returned from dance practice.
"Sorry I couldn’t help you, here." Abby handed Joel a napkin to wipe off his sweat along with a cold water bottle from the fridge which she had grabbed by using a second napkin.
“Thanks.” He opened the water bottle and drank it as if he were a fish out of water all the while wiping his sweat from his forehead with his other hand.
"Did he really make you hang ALL those lights around the room?” She’d seen when Seth received a package and opened the box which had about 50, if not 60 feet worth of string lights. The only reason he even asked Joel to hang them was because he was in Cain’s body and hence the tallest out of all of them. Had she still been Cain, it would have been her that would have had to hang them and because of this she couldn’t help but feel bad for Joel.
"Yea but at least they look cool, want to go check them out?" He tossed the empty water bottle across the living room which ended up going straight into the trash can.
"Sure." Feeling more comfortable with Joel now that he knew who she was, Abby followed him to his room.
"Seth, can you turn on the lights? Ca—Ab—I mean Joel wants to see them."
"Sure. Let me just plug them in." Seth being the shortest out of the group was able to crawl under the small space of the bed to plug in the lights.
"CaAb, seriously? Way to be smooth." She couldn't help but poke fun at the leader’s mistake.
"Hey you called me JoCain earlier." He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Yea but at least it wasn't as bad as CaAb."
"Ugh. Whatever. Just look at the lights." With a click of his phone, their new comeback song started to play and along with it the lights flickered in beat with the music.
Abby’s mouth fell open as she saw the lights turn from red, blue, green and yellow. “Their bluetooth lights?”
“Yup. “ Joel nodded. “Cool, huh?"
"Way cool. You know what else is cool though? Glow in the dark stars. I know they're sort of old school and they're not fancy like some Bluetooth lights but they are neat to look at while falling asleep."
“Well I didn’t exactly have stars but I did have glow in the dark dinosaurs and yea, they were definitely neat to look at. I was sad when we moved houses because I couldn’t take those dinosaurs with me but then my mom bought me a lava lamp and it became my new companion for those dark nights.”
“You had a lava lamp?! I had one too! I was obsessed with it until my parents bought me a plasma lamp.”
Joel was about to say something when all of a sudden Seth got up from his bed and walked to stand in between them. He crossed his arms and looked from one to the other. "Since when do you two get along so well?"
If Abby remembered correctly, there were three members Cain told her he didn't get along with too well. Those members were the composers of the group: Joel, Seth, and Simon. They didn't exactly hate each other but as Cain was the "leader" of the choreographers of the group and Joel the "leader" of the composers, they would often end up butting heads. It was really just differences of opinions. Joel would envision different choreography for the songs he composed while Cain would want him to make songs to match with his style of dancing. Yet she would have never imagined such a thing as both their songs and choreography always seemed to go so well together.
Joel turned to Abby and saw how she wouldn’t say anything so he decided to speak for the two. "Uh...Well we're having our comeback soon so isn't it best if we try to get along? Besides, we both ended up agreeing on the choreography this time. Joel even liked the song, right Joel?" He turned to Abby a second time, hoping she would play along.
It took a moment for her to realize Joel was talking to her. She didn't really know much about Cain's past with the group’s leader other than what he told her but it seemed like agreeing with him was the best she could do at that moment. “Yup, what he said.” She smiled as she nodded.
"There's actually something different about you two though..." Seth looked them up and down while he walked in circles around them. "Joel, have you been working out more?” He reached out and poked a finger at Abby’s biceps which were really Joel’s. “You know our trainer told us not to overdo it. He'll scold you if he finds out you've exercised more than he's told you to. And Cain—” He leaned into Joel and sniffed him. “You’ve been smelling nicer. Not just that but you're neater too. Could this change perhaps be because of your girlfriend?"
Joel who had been just as nervous as Abby let out a laugh. It was one of his habits, to laugh right after feeling nervous about something but then finding out there was nothing to be nervous about to begin with. "So you were referring to our outer appearance? I thought you...never mind.” He shook his head. “But yea, I do like to smell nice for my girlfriend. I wouldn't want to end up losing a girl as pretty as her after all. And as for Joel, I just think it's his protein powder that's helping him out."
“Is that true?” Seth turned to Abby. “What’s the name of the protein powder? Perhaps I’ll get some for myself.”
Instead of answering, Abby kept her head down as she tried to figure out how to get herself out from there. She didn’t want to lie anymore and she most definitely didn’t want Joel to lie because of her either. The upside of having someone else know about her was that she no longer had to lie to them but in return they themselves had to lie to others. One of the reasons she always looked forward to going to her apartment every Friday was because she no longer had to lie, at least not when it was just Cain and her. Although it hurt her most to lie to her own mom and yet the lies never seemed to stop. Just that night she had to come up with another lie and she had very little time to do it.
“I think I should check up on Abel.” It was her excuse to leave.
She would have normally texted Cain to have him relay all of her messages to her mom but that afternoon Abby decided to do it herself. She had to try to plead to her as to why they couldn’t meet that day. Her mom was usually hard to convince but she had given into her a few times in the past. That day was however not one of those times. Even though Abby told her they could meet the following day instead, her mom was more adamant than usual and insisted she would go that evening no matter what. This left her with no other choice but to go as Joel.
"You look troubled. What's up?" Having been awake, Abel saw when Abby walked into their room and heard her sigh as soon as she sat down on her bed.
With her eyebrows creased, she bounced her leg. "I have to see my mom this evening. If this whole body switch with Joel had to happen it should have just been on some other day. Today is the worst possible day it could have happened." She sighed yet again.
Seeing Abby like this made Abel wish he could do something for her but there was nothing he could do. There was no way to get her back in either her body or Cain's, the only way he knew was one she wasn’t yet ready for. But even though he couldn't help her with her situation, he could at least try to lighten up her mood. "O if only some pretty lady were to just like me back like I like her, all of her problems would be solved." He said it as overdramatic as he possibly could, similar to how an actor in a Shakespeare tragedy would. Something no one knew about him was that he had been in plays for his high school when he was still living in Australia. Had he not become an idol, pursuing a career in acting would have been his second choice.
“Huh? What are you blabbering on about?” She stopped bouncing her leg and stared at Abel with raised eyebrows.
"O Abby, Abby, wherefore art thou Abby? Deny thy past and refuse thy stubbornness; or if thou will not, be but sworn my love and you'll no longer be a dude. Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? 'Tis but thy body that is your enemy: thou art thyself, though not a dude."
It was when Abel placed his hand on his cheek and pretended to gaze up at the sky that Abby started to laugh. She recognized the pose and the words from her favorite play Romeo and Juliet but the way he rephrased them to have them apply to her situation only made it funny. She couldn’t help but play along. “See how he leans his cheek upon his hand. Oh, that I were a glove upon that hand. That I might touch that cheek!"
"You can if you want, I just washed my face." He knew what she said were just lines in the play but he had to use the opportunity to try and get her to fall for him. Despite having decided he wouldn’t try to pressure her into anything, he feared if he did nothing to win her over then someone else would. It was why he got off the bed and knelt down on the floor in front of her.
He had his face close enough so she could reach out and touch him but it was also enough space so she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. He would have liked to grab her hand and place it on his face himself but knew that with Abby things were different. So instead he gave her the choice, she could either touch him or not.
It didn't take long for her to reach out and place her hand on his cheek but just when Abel thought it was an act of endearment, she pinched him. "That's what you get for being cocky."
He flinched and rubbed his cheek. "You're violent, you know that. First you poked my butt with your foot, then you hit me with a broom and now you've pinched my cheek."
"Well if you're going to keep being like this then you’ll have to get used to my violence.” She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Fine then.” He sighed and got up. “Go ahead and beat me up if you want because I'm not giving up on my feelings. I already said you don't have to feel the same way but at least let me keep true to those feelings. I wouldn't want to end up lying to myself like someone else is."
By “someone else”, Abby knew Abel meant her. "Do we always have to somehow talk about this though? You said Cain likes me yet he hasn't even once told me so. Couldn't you just be more like him?"
"We're different, remember? You even told me I shouldn't try to be like him so that's exactly what I'm doing, not being a dumbass like him that can't even tell the girl he likes that he likes her. But I get it, I'm annoying you so I'll stop."
"I just feel bad that I can't feel the same way about you..." Seeing how hurt Abel looked hurt Abby as well and it made her wish it were easier to be able to accept his feelings.
"Can't or you won't allow yourself to? Just think about that please." They were his last words before he walked out of their room.
With just that one question Abby was left with a lot to think about. She knew it wasn't impossible for her to feel that way about someone because she already did yet she had chosen to keep lying to herself and him. It was a lie she thought would prevent them both from hurting because just as much as she didn’t want to end up getting hurt, she also didn’t want him to.
Considering how things turned awkward between the two, she decided it would be best to leave to her apartment earlier than planned. She just didn’t think she could be in the same room with Abel so she started to pack. It wasn’t even 20 minutes that passed when he returned to their room with a bowl of strawberry ice cream.
"Are you leaving already?" He noticed the small bag in her hand, the one she always took when going out.
"Yup. I might even stay there the rest of the weekend." She had wanted to take care of Abel since he had been sick but as he looked to be doing better, she thought some time apart would do them both good.
"Well Cain's body will still be here, even if you spend the night there you’ll just end up waking up here. Get what I mean?”
It was something that hadn't occurred to her when she decided to spend the weekend at her apartment. She didn't know the exact time she and Joel had switched bodies so by staying at her apartment, she would really only end up making him wake up someplace else. And that would mean he would have to drive back to their dorms, she couldn't do that to him. "Fine.” She sagged under the weight of her backpack. “I'll be back later but I'll probably end up leaving again tomorrow morning."
"Well I really wish I could have spent your birthday with you but I guess I'll just have to give you your present now, here." Having opened the bottom drawer of his dresser, Abel took out a small rectangular white box and placed it in Abby’s hands. “Don’t worry, my hands are clean and the box has been disinfected as well.”
Surprised, she didn’t know what to do with the box but to just keep a hold of it. With everything going on, she had forgotten all about her 29th birthday.
Seeing how Abby was silent, Abel cleared his throat to speak. "April 7th, Cain told me it was your birthday when we were at the water park. I guess he must have seen your ID or something. Anyways, he said there should at least be someone to know about it so they could celebrate with you. The big doofus didn't even realize it would be on a day you would go to your apartment but I'm glad he told me as I was able to get you this, open it. I hope you like it."
Doing as Abel told her to, she opened the box. Her eyes widened at the sight of a necklace with a gold colored sunflower pendant. Sunflowers were her favorite flowers yet she never told him. "How did you know?"
"That sunflowers were your favorite flowers? Well to be honest I went to my grandma for advice. She caught you looking at a painting of sunflowers she had hanging at her shack and was able to read your mind just then. I actually asked her if she could sell me the painting so I could give it to you but she called me crazy and told me to get you something else. Apparently my grandpa painted it for her for their 25th wedding anniversary. I asked her why she didn't have it hanging at her house if it was so special but instead of answering me she hit me on the back of the head. I guess my grandma is just as violent as you."
Just imagining such a thing made Abby giggle. "I can't believe you would even ask her something like that. Thank you for the necklace. It's beautiful."
"Really? You like it?” He bounced on his toes. “Well you might like it even more once you open it."
"Open it?" She turned the necklace around and then the box but couldn't see anything else that could be opened other than the box she had already opened.
"The line running down the middle of the sunflower pendant. You're supposed to open it by sliding each half to the side, sort of like the wings on a ladybug. You'll see a special message once you do."
Abby flipped the necklace again and there in the pendant she saw a line just as he said. It indeed looked like it was meant to be opened so she did just that. Inside were four words engraved and she read them aloud, “You are my sunshine”.
"I know it's corny and I know I said I would stop bothering you but if you could just read the note that's inside the box once you leave..."
"There's a note?" She opened the box she had just closed but didn’t see anything in there.
"Yea but it's taped onto the bottom of the box so I could see why you wouldn't have noticed it considering how the note is white just like the box."
Not being able to wait a second longer, Abby opened the note as soon as she got in the taxi.
***By now you've seen what the necklace says. Well even though they were other necklaces with sunflowers on them, I got you this one for a reason. That reason being that I would like you to someday tell me those words BUT only say them to me if the day ever comes where you like me just like I like you. So instead of telling me you like me, tell me "you are my sunshine" and then I'll know it's okay for me to fall in love with you. P.S. You do know the word "sunshine" has a special meaning, right? I am your bias wrecker after all. If you don't then that just means you aren’t a true Ebenezer and have failed as a fan.***
Of course she knew. It was the nickname fans had given him and she too used to call him that even before she met him, "my sunshine". Always brightening up her days, always making them better. He had been the reason behind many of her smiles because his own smile was contagious in that way. And even though Abby didn't consider herself to be happy, there was no way for her face to lie. Just reading the note made her smile unconsciously, she was happy at that moment.
All along the way and up the stairs to her apartment, Abby couldn’t stop smiling. It was as if she were on cloud nine. Not even the person that bumped into her when she got out the taxi had caused her to react. Nothing could dissipate the feeling that was growing inside her. It was like a wildfire but instead of burning her, it only gave her a feeling of warmness.
"Joel? What are you doing here? Did something happen to Cain?" Having just gotten out of the shower, Cain was surprised to find his leader sitting in the living room. As far as he knew no one in the group knew where Abby lived, not even Abel.
"Oh my gosh! I can't believe I forgot to tell you! Joel and I actually switched bodies, it's only a 24 hour thing though. Sorry if I freaked you out by being here without having told you this." She had been too busy trying to sort out her feelings that she forgot all about letting Cain know what happened that morning. Just weeks ago it was always him who she texted about everything but as time went by her texts to him became fewer. Instead of reaching out to him, it was Abel who she started to turn to.
"How’d it happen? And how do you know it's only for 24 hours? Did you go see Mrs. Kang?" He quickly wrapped a towel in his hair and took a seat at the other end of the sectional.
Unlike Abel, Cain believed her right away. There was not even a trace of doubt in his voice. It wasn’t the reaction Abby expected, quite the opposite actually. She had expected him to react more like Abel but it turned out the two really were different. "So you believe me? Just like that? You don't actually think I'm Joel trying to trick you?"
"Well to be honest, at first I did think you were really him but then once I got to observe you I realized it was you. Not only that but I also had this feeling. Perhaps it's some kind of telepathy since we've been in each other's bodies. Anyways, now that I know it's you let me go fetch you your birthday present."
She had forgotten all about her own birthday and yet both Cain and Abel had remembered it. This only made her realize it had been Cain's birthday less than three weeks prior. His birthday was on the 20th of March but that had been at a time when she was still trying to adjust to her new life and schedule as an idol. It however didn’t excuse her for not having even sent him a text to wish him a happy birthday.
"Sorry I forgot about your birthday." She apologized as soon as he walked out from her room. He was carrying a gift bag in her favorite color, she assumed it was her present.
"It's okay. No big deal. At the time it was your second week at the dorms and I knew it was a busy time for you."
"I'll make it up to you somehow." After all he had been nice enough to tell Abel about her birthday because he hadn't wanted her to have no one to celebrate with and yet that was exactly what had happened on his birthday.
"I'm not sure if it'll be to your liking but I could always exchange it." He extended the neon green gift bag to her.
Opening it, Abby was surprised to see something totally unexpected, a UV sterilizer box. She had heard of them not too long ago and had been meaning to get one. They were used to sterilize all kinds of things so long as they fit in the box. Mostly she wanted one for her phone.
"That's just part of the present, the actual present is inside. I just got the UV box since I figured you might want to use it with the other present." He had always been awkward when it came to picking out presents for girls he liked. For this reason his mom would always pick them out for him. But no longer having his mom to rely on, it was his first time picking out a present on his own and he hoped it wasn’t a bad one.
Inside the UV box turned out to be a rose gold colored bracelet with various charms. Hanging from it was a four leaf clover, a wishbone, a star, a moon, a rainbow, a unicorn, a heart, and a key. It was so beautiful that it made Abby wish to try it on but as she wasn't in her own body, she couldn't. She had also wanted to try on the necklace when Abel gave it to her but because she was in a guy's body, wearing such jewelry wasn't possible. Even once the 24 hours were up and Joel returned back to his body, she would still be Cain. Looking up at him however gave her an idea that made her smile. "It's totally my style. Thank you. But would it perhaps be okay if you were to wear it along with a necklace? It will of course only be while you’re in my body as I can’t wear them right now. Basically you’ll just keep them safe for me until I'm actually able to wear them myself."
"Well it'll be a bit awkward for me to wear the present I got you but I totally understand what you mean so sure. What necklace are you talking about though?"
"Abel's gift to me. I hope he won't mind that I'll be giving it to you to wear but it's not like I could wear it while I'm in your body. Here let me put it on for you."
Having walked over to Cain, Abby swept her hair to the side before putting the necklace on him. She then went to stand in front of him to admire the necklace that hung from her own neck. It looked even more beautiful being worn. It looked as if it belonged there, as if it had been made just for her. In a trance, she reached out for the sunflower pendant and opened it so the words would show. "You are my sunshine." She read the words aloud all the while thinking of Abel, imagining what it would be like if she were to actually tell him those words.
"Huh?" Cain hadn’t looked down at the necklace yet but noticed the look on Abby’s face as she said the words. He wasn't an expert on such things but it almost looked as if she were in love, not with him though. It was Abel’s gift she looked at when she smiled and said those words after all. “You like him.” It wasn't a question but more of a statement, an observation and a feeling. He didn't know why or how but it had recently seemed to him that he was somehow able to feel and sense her emotions.
"What are you talking about?" She backed away from him.
"Nothing. Go ahead and put the bracelet on me." He thought it was best not to tell her. Figuring out her feelings was something she needed to do on her own but since he was able to feel her feelings, he knew it was already too late for him. Abby's heart belonged to another, Abel.
"So...do you already have a plan? Or do you need my help to come up with one?" Cain asked the question as Abby put the charm bracelet on him. He knew they would have to come up with something since she was in Joel's body and despite him not having expected such a situation, he was willing to help.
"No plan yet.” She shook her head. “I guess I'll be needing your help again this time." If they weren't able to come up with one then she would just have to wing it.
"Would it be too weird if we say Joel is also an Agoraphobic Germaphobe?"
"Definitely. There can't be that many coincidences." She had already thought of the idea but quickly dismissed it. They were lucky her mom believed it the first time. There was no way she would believe it again, not unless that second "friend" were from some kind of group therapy but her mom knew she had always hated the idea of going to such things.
"How about if we just say he's a Germaphobe?"
"And that I met him online? Cuz remember, I'm not someone that usually goes out."
"Yea, there shouldn't be anything odd about that."
"Or better yet, we can say he's your friend and that it was you that introduced me to him." In a way it was true, she had gotten to know Joel because of the body switch with Cain. She had even started to feel a friendship forming between her and the leader.
"Wouldn't it be odd though for this new friend to be here on your birthday but not the friend that introduced you to him? Were you not able to get Joel to come?"
"I actually did ask him but he got the wrong idea. Besides, he has no obligation to me. I felt bad even just thinking about asking him such a favor. And I don't think it'll be too odd. It's not like friends hang out together all the time."
"Well if you think it'll work then let's do it."
