worth it - ITZY sixth member (requested)

Yeji held you in her arms as sobs escaped your lips.

It's been another long hard day and you're feeling overwhelmed.

One of the things you've found during your time as a trainee so far is that those who aren't trainees don't ever seem to understand just how grueling it can be.

While you work hard to make your dreams come true and you're able to push through a lot to get there, it comes with a lot of pressure and stress.

It can be very overwhelming and sometimes you don't know who you can turn to so your true friends like Yeji mean everything to me.

"It's okay." She whispered and let you cry against her chest.

She didn't care one bit that your tears were soaking her sweater, all she cared about was trying to help you through this.

"I'm having a hard time."

"I know." She whispered. "Trust me, Y/N, I do. I understand completely."

You sniffled and pulled away from her chest before you went to wipe your tears away, only for her thumbs to brush below your eyes to dry them for you.

"I know it can be hard sometimes. The pressure we're all under catches up to us sooner or later. It's more than okay that you're having a hard time and you're feeling overwhelmed."

You sniffled and when another tear fell from your eye, she was quick to wipe it away.

"Don't cry, it's okay." She whispered.

"Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it." You sighed. "Does that sound stupid? Because I've come a long way and I want this more than anything but sometimes, the pressure and the anxiety it brings me makes me have a lot of doubts."

"That doesn't sound stupid at all. I think we've all been there at some point. We all feel overwhelmed. We don't sleep much, we're constantly pushing through the hard times in our personal lives, and we're under a lot of stress as we prepare for evaluations and constant practicing. Sometimes the words thrown at us can be harsh. No one prepares you for just how hard it can be."

She was extremely understanding because she'd dealt with it all herself too.

"But you know what?"

"What?"

"We're all here for a reason. As hard as it may be, it'll be worth every single thing we're going through now when we get where we want to be. When we see our dreams come true right in front of our very eyes someday, we're going to look back and be proud of ourselves for getting through all of these hard times and these obstacles in our way."

You cracked a smile because that's always been your motivation too.

The future seems so bright and so full of opportunities, you just have to make it through these hard days and you'll get there.

"And you know something else? I know you can do it. You're so strong, Y/N. Look how far you've come already. All of this is going to pay off someday, I just know it. It's going to pay off for all of us. We'll get there someday. The road may be hard and it may still be a while from now but someday, it's going to happen and we're all going to be where we want to be."

"You're right." You sniffled. "Thank you, Yeji. I don't know what I'd ever do without you."

"I feel the same way." She grinned. "Give me a hug."

You laughed before wrapping your arms around her.

"Promise that no matter what, we'll always be here for each other."

She wrapped her pinky around yours with a smile.

"Promise. We're going to be inseparable, Y/N. Who knows, maybe we'll even get put in the same group someday!"

"That would be amazing!"

She nodded before hugging you again and your heart skipped a beat when her touch lingered on your skin.

"Either way, it'll be so worth it. Just wait and see." She confidently spoke as you held each other tight.

No matter what happened, you knew that you always had Yeji to count on, and that's all you need to get through these hard times and keep going.