Final Puzzle Piece || SKZ 9th Member

Kala's Answer

"That Ryujin girl is right," Aesung who was on a video call with Kala said in an attitude. She somehow still had a beef with Ryujin for replacing her role as Kala's best friend. But clearly it was only on her side. Ryujin just thought she was cute for being jealous of her.

"She's also right about it being risky," Kala pointed out. It had been more than a week since Chan asked her to join Stray Kids, but she hadn't given him an answer.

Aesung hummed in front of her laptop. When her brain ran out of an answer, she looked at Grandma Mikyung who was cleaning up a table beside her. "Halmeoni, what do you think?"

The restaurant didn't have many customers at the moment, so Grandma Mikyung walked to Aesung while folding the cloth and sat on the remaining chair. "The real question here is do you want to do this? Joining them and being the only girl in the group?"

Kala fiddled on her shirt sleeve while her brain was generating an answer. "I thought about it and I actually like the idea," she admitted honestly. "I mean, sometimes it feels... empty to be a solo. You don't really have anyone to share the moments and it always makes me feel like something is missing."

"Okay..." Grandma Mikyung responded understandingly, trying her best to help her granddaughter find the answer. "Now consider the offer while thinking about what you just said and imagine you're in the group with the boys, then tell me, is it worth the risk?"

Kala was quiet. She did what her grandma told her. Her head worked on the image of her practicing together with her members, having meals together, spending time with each other, laughing and joking around between the tight schedules, doing things they're passionate about, and creating many precious memories to remember in the time to come.

All those things played in her mind like a film on the projector, displayed on the screen in HD quality, picture by picture.

And that's when she decided the answer, "I guess it is."

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

"Oppa! Channie oppa!" Kala shouted as she was running in the hallway of the studio vocal zone. Her breath was ragged, but she didn't feel exhausted at all. She's excited, eager, and full of energy.

The boy who owned the name rotated his body swiftly upon hearing the running steps behind him. His forehead creased watching Kala run to him in such hurry and excitement, but he still smiled when she finally stopped in front of him. "Kala, hi. Something happens?"

Catching her breath, Kala didn't immediately answer that. Chan patiently waited for her until she could talk properly. Her face shone so brightly with a wide grin plastered on her mouth, making Chan curious on what was the reason. Then he got the long-awaited answer.

"I'm in. I want to join your group. I want to be in Stray Kids."