CHAPTER XVIII: SUNSETS

“How’re you doing Jeongyeon?” Jessica smiles sitting on her desk. “Goodmorning.”

It's the typical monday morning on their architectural firm. Jeongyeon smiles and nodded and started to design their new strip mall project. “I’m good.”

“Thank god, you’re finally okey,” Jessica says putting her bag on her chair as she sat.

Jeongyeon chuckled, “I need to be.”

Jessica stops to observe at her then smiles, “I’m glad.”

Jeongyeon smiled and looked away—of course, she’s ‘okey’ but not happy. People who don’t experience it will never realize that the pain will only subside but never gone.

            The thing about a broken heart is it is unforgettable. No matter how many months passed, the pain lingers. When you think you have moved on, there will always be a relapse; nights when you would just cry and nights when you would curl up in your bed and just wish that when you wake up it will go back to the day when she’s still yours. 

and these things are the ones, Jeongyeon experiences. 3 months have gone yet somehow she always thinks about her—her regrets and the painful memory when she saw Nayeon choosing over a new love.  Somehow today is better. She can move forward. She didn't hear anything about Nayeon now, her friends tried hard not to talk about taboo topic-- though sometimes, Jeongyeon finds herself wanting to ask them.

"how's Nayeon?" yet she is swallowed by the thought that she knows she is. Momo is there to make her happy. Sometimes she finds herself typing to text her, to ask Nayeon-- yet they would all go down to her draft box, texts that were never sent.

        The whole day passed by fast—Jeongyeon has always kept herself busy; either working or talking again with her old friends. After work, her plan is to meet up with her cousin who came to visit the town. The working hours passed by quickly. 

“Unnie~” The youngster came as she pulled Jeongyeon into an embrace. Jeongyeon stopped looking at the younger cousin who looks bigger than before.

“Yujin? You’ve grown so tall,” Jeongyeon smiled looking at her cousin from head to toe.

“Of course, My goal is to grow taller than Tzuyu-unnie,” Yujin grins.

“Don’t bet on it,” Jeongyeon says, “your long-time crush is already seeing someone else.”

Yujin stuck her tounge out, “I don’t care, I still like her.”

Ahn Yujin was a 10 when Jeongyeon and Nayeon was 16 and dating. That time, Yujin spent her summer vacation on their town, getting to know Tzuyu in which she instantly had a crush on. 

“aigoo, you’re still a child, you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jeongyeon roll her eyes, “at that age you would be falling in love—with different people.”

“but--- you’re still in love with Nayeon-unnie,” Yujin says, “you’ve been an adult yet you’re still in love with your first love.”

“Ya!” Jeongyeon playfully head-butted Yujin, “mind your own business kid!”

Both of them decided to eat at a cafe near by. Jeongyeon treat her some vanilla frappe as they both talked.

"Thanks unnie," Yujin grins, "next time I'll treat you too."

Jeongyeon sighs, "As if you will."

"I will," Yujin grins, "just bring Tzuyu-unnie with you."

Jeongyeon laughs rubbing the younger's head. She adores the kid because they resemble each other. A lot of their relative says yujin has taken after Jeongyeon, both on hobbies and manners. 

Then suddenly, Both stopped when they saw a familiar person entering the café.

It’s Nayeon with Momo.  

Jeongyeon felt her breath stopping as she saw the person she loved after 3 months. She looks a lot better, her complexion looks fine, she looks healthier—and a lot happier.

Unexpectedly, Nayeon look at her way, she was abit taken aback, nevertheless, she smiled brightly.

A different look than before,

 a look that no longer screams of pain and longing.

After a smile Nayeon returned her gaze to Momo, momo gave her a smile too then they continued to talk. Jeongyeon saw Momo saying something to Nayeon which makes the latter laugh.

Maybe it’s then she realized that she’s no longer Nayeon’s apple of the eye; someone is making her happy now. She hates herself for not being happy for Nayeon, when she knows how she clearly deserves to be. 

Yujin and Jeongyeon talked nevertheless, Jeongyeon told her everything that had happened.  They ate and talked a lot of various things. Jeongyeon got herself busy—yet at the end of the day, you will still be alone.

When Yujin went on her own way to home, Jeongyeon walk towards their road home.

The sun slowly goes down as she walk down the road to their house. The sunset that signals the end of another day—Jeongyeon felt the gentle and warm last rays of sun until it goes down,

much like that last smile Nayeon gave her before her gaze returns to Momo.

 Gentle and warm, beautiful— yet it still signals how Nayeon’s feelings for her is also now ending.

Regrets filled Jeongyeon’s mind—If only she didn’t do that, if only she’s mature enough, if only she had listened; Nayeon would’ve been by her side now.

She arrived at her apartment, the last of the sunrays passes through the blinds, lighting a bit on Jeongyeon's dark room. She sighs heavily as she sat on her bed, putting both of her hands on her face. 

The pain of a broken heart never goes away,

Somehow you will always feel an ache in your heart when you see that person,

a scar that reminds you you once loved.

Step by step, the sun went down.

And Jeongyeon’s sleepless night begins again.

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“The café here serves great coffee,” Momo says, “Plus they let customers borrow books,”

Momo suggested a this cafe for their third monthsary. Always the thoughtful girlfriend, Momo always take Nayeon out. She knows Nayeon had the tendency to stay indoors- yet she deep inside she still craves company and so