"One slice of apple pie and your three dollar coffee please."

The order rolled off of Yongsun's tongue as if she had never left. The store was still familiar, though the face at the register had changed. It had been years since she had stepped foot in this part of town and the nostalgia had finally caught up to her, urging her to come order her usual again. 

She paid and looked around as the cashier got her change. It was just as cozy as ever. Soft lights let the space feel much warmer and the stained maple tables floated apart from their plain counterparts that made up the floor. Decorated blankets draped over the back of every chair in the cafe, a trait that brought the small shop to fame in the first place. 

"Ma'am? I have your change."

"Oh sorry! Thank you."

Yongsun smiled sheepishly at the cashier as she pocketed the money. Her feet took themselves to her old corner before she even realized. The table had been moved slightly, oriented a little differently than it had all those years ago, but it was still there. The only table in the entire cafe with only two chairs. The same centerpiece, the same flowery napkin holder, and even the same blankets.

Her blanket. 

The fuzzy cloth held the essence of a night time forest in its seams. The pale beauty of the moon stood out against the deep royal blue of the night sky, broken up here and there by the roiling grey clouds drifting across the scene. White pins of fabric crept out from behind the moving masses, some barely glimmered while others shone with an intensity not meant to be contained by fabric. This all floated far above the trees below, their normally bright green leaves muted into more of a dull brown by the darkness. These sleeping wooden giants were rooted firmly into the earthy black pigment that made up the bottom of the blanket. Except now there were colors where they didn't belong. 

She frowned a little as she noticed the small stains dotting the cloth, then forced herself to relax and picked it up. Of course people would use it. It's not like she owned the blanket or had evened showed up for a while. Yongsun sat herself in the chair facing the rest of the room and tried to get comfortable. Put her purse on the table. Took off her coat. Rearranged the blanket once. Then twice, and finally a third time before she gave up. 

With a sigh she looked at the only other chair at the table. She didn't know what she was hoping for, but the sinking feeling still came when she saw the blanket wasn't the right one. This one was just a simple grassfield. She looked around trying to spot anyone looking at her, and seeing nobody, got up and rearranged the chairs. The other blanket was folded nicely over the back of the chair she was sitting in and Yongsun took the other chair for herself, with her newly reclaimed blanket. She was facing the wall now, just like old times. 

"Here you are miss. One coffee and an apple pie."

Yongsun murmered a quick thank you and turned to her pie. The waiter didn't leave yet though.

"Excuse me miss, but one of our regulars always sits here. She's a very quiet person so I don't think she'll mind, but is it okay with you if she shares the table?"

"Ah... sure. I don't have any problem with that."

"Thank you miss, I'll just take this and be back with her order. She usually comes around now."

Yongsun nodded and watched as the other blanket was taken to the back. What kind of regular wouldn't use the blankets? That was the entire point of the shop. Yongsun caught herself in her thinking and admonished herself. Who was she to judge this person, especially if they came regularly. She shook her head and turned back to her order, stirring her coffee. The last time she had been here she could barely afford it, ordering her favorites as a rare splurge. And even now, years later, she still ordered the same things. A cheap coffee and a slice of apple pie. A coffee and pie that were swiftly joined by another slice and a mug of tea.

"Thank you for sharing the table, we really appreciate it."

"No problem."

Yongsun was about to reply when she heard the voice behind her. The waiter went back to work and someone else stepped around the table to the empty chair, a blanket in hand.

A blanket that Yongsun immediately recognized. 

While her own blanket was a mix of dark colors, the moon being the only true light, this other blanket was a near polar opposite. The sun was a golden yellow that sunk its rays into the rest of the picture. Far below the ocean shimmered. Sea foam kicked into the air and mixed with the fluffy clouds as an ornate ship took centerstage. The only source of dark colors was the stained oak that made up the boat's hull, mixing with the natural grains in the planks. 

Yongsun lost herself in the blanket and her thoughts. There should only be one person who had that blanket, and she was sure they'd never meet again. She tore her eyes away from the memory to find the woman opposite her entranced in the tapestry on Yongsun's lap in the same way. And it was definitely her.

"Moonbyul?"

Her voice made the other woman flinch and their eyes met. Yongsun wasn't expecting to have ever see Byulyi again, much less sit at the same table with her. But what surprised her more was the look she was getting. A look both of longing and resentment. It showed, but only through her eyes. The face staring at her betrayed no emotions but she was sitting forwards, arms on the table, hands folded. After a moment of silence, she nodded.

"Solar-unnie."

Yongsun blinked at the name. It had been a long time.

"I... I just go by Yongsun now."

"And I go with Byulyi."

She nodded and took a sip of her coffee. It was still the same as it was so long ago, but obviously things had changed in other ways. Her coffee returned to the table, her eyes with it, and Yongsun wasn't sure where to take the conversation.

"How have you been?"

Yongsun cringed right away. Trust herself to ask something insensitive like that.

"I've been good. I moved in with my sisters after we... after you left. Ended up working with my family business." Byulyi stirred her tea as she answered, not making eye contact anymore. "Did you finally get that promotion?"

"Y-yeah. I did. I work in the corporate offices now. I'm managing this branch."

Her promotion. She'd been striving for it for years while she and Byulyi had been together. It had taken so much time and effort. Time and effort that had to come from somewhere else, namely their relationship.

Byulyi left her tea alone, sitting back in her chair and studying Yongsun.

"Was it worth it? The money?" Byulyi had said it neutrally enough but Yongsun knew better.

"You know it was never about the money Byul."

"Do I though?" Byulyi scoffed. "Because it seems like I got shoved aside for the sake of your promotion. At least after years of hard work you get to hear me say congratulations. Congratulations."

Yongsun could feel the argument trying to fight its way out of but she held it back. She didn't want to go through all of that again. It seemed like Byulyi didn't either, remaining quiet after her sarcasm was let out. Yongsun ate a piece of her pie, swallowing once for the food and twice for the nerves.

"It was all supposed to be for you. So that I could give you what you deserved. Because I knew you deserved more than a girlfriend working a dead end job that couldn't even pay her half of the rent."

It still hurt to admit it even after all this time.

"So instead you gave me a girlfriend that was never there." Byul looked straight at Yongsun. "I get that you were busy. I didn't mind waiting up for you, even when you got home at two in the morning. But after you started trying to get promoted it was like you didn't even live with me anymore. And even when you'd come home you'd just go straight to our room."

"Because I was exhausted! I don't get why you don't understand. I worked my off for you!" Yongsun couldn't help the frustration that crept into her voice. "And you'd always be hanging out with Wheein and Hyejin anyways."

"What else was I supposed to do? I got off of work earlier than you did. Did you expect me to be sitting alone in our apartment until you maybe came home for the night? At god knows what time?"

Yongsun opened to retort but found she couldn't. She hadn't even thought about that before. About the reason why she kept seeing Wheein and Hyejin everytime she came home. About how they always left after she arrived.

"I was trying to pass the time until you got home. I just wanted you home."

So many things had been left unsaid all those years ago and some would probably still not be touched after today. But at least something got out into the air. Even if it was at her own expense.

"I'm sorry. I never stopped to think about that." Yongsun paused as Byulyi shifted in her seat. "But I should've."

Her ex just nodded, taking a sip.

"You should have. But that was a long time ago. It's fine."

The conversation paused while pie was being eaten. And for a while everything looked like it did years ago. With the plates and the cups, the sun and the moon, just sitting with coffee and tea.