When Changsub invited her on a road trip, it was surprising.

She wanted to refuse, but something told her not to. Something told her to go.

That something that held her hand excitedly, enjoying her company.

That something that held his hand excitedly, enjoying his company.

Three’s a crowd.

Bomi knew that. Bomi knew she would regret this, but she ended up coming along anyway. For her.

“Come on! We’re a family~” she grinned. “It’ll just be you, me and Bomi! Road trip!”

Changsub looked just as uncomfortable about it as Bomi did. 

“Bomi and I… You know we don’t exactly get along,” he tried to reason quietly.

The next thing they knew, everything was packed and they were off on a healing weekend together. The three of them.

With money to splurge, they drove up to a nice hotel in the great big city. On second thought, “nice” might be an understatement. 

The lobby was fashioned with gold decor and chandeliers. They felt like stars walking down the red carpet when they checked into their hotel suite. 

It was luxury.

With fine dining and room service. A swimming pool and spa. A gym. A big-screen TV with movies on demand. What more could you need for a weekend getaway? Besides going out sightseeing and getting some vitamin D.

The point is, with all these services, you don’t even have to leave the gorgeous comfort of the hotel. It was just how Chorong would love it.

Music items played late into the evening at the lovely restaurant they were dining at. People were relaxing and having fun as families left their tables and made their way to the dance floor. Couples were grooving, patrons were smiling and chattering, children were bopping and goofing off with their parents’ funny dance moves; happily spending their bonding time. 

The three of them joined in too. 

Bomi had been hesitant and was dragged towards the dancing at the pair’s insistence. The two were being encouraging and never left her out. They were always trying to make her feel included on this trip, and deep down, Bomi thought it was sweet of them. Seeing how everyone was having fun and enjoying the moment, Bomi started to loosen up. 

You know, maybe it wasn’t so bad. Spending time together like a family. Maybe she could get used to this. Maybe she could get used to being around him. 

That sure would make things a lot easier between the three of them.

“You’re having fun!” Changsub said delightedly through the music. 

Bomi was smiling. “Yeah I guess!”

“So dance with me, Bomi-” he laughed, waltzing Bomi off her feet.

“No!”

It was louder than she intended. Breaking away from Changsub with her heart beating agitatedly, her hands immediately clasped over . 

Bomi was surprised. The people around them were surprised. But the music and dancing continued because the world didn’t revolve around them, making it a little less embarrassing than it could’ve been.

But Bomi was still mortified. 

“No.. I... I’m sorry,” she apologised, walking quickly out of the restaurant.

Changsub sighed, patting the other girl on the shoulder. Maybe that was too forward of him. He got carried away in the moment. 

“Don’t worry about it… It’s always been like this.”

Bomi found the courage to return to their suite a couple hours later. After walking through the city streets and calming down, she understood there was still a lot she had to face and think about. At times like these, she felt so alone.

The lights were off when she entered, and Bomi didn’t feel like turning them on. The glow of the city awake at night was enough to illuminate the space through the large windows. And maybe the pair went to sleep already. 

She had to check. So she tentatively pushed open the door of the master bedroom, and was surprised to find one of them still awake, tucking the other into bed. 

“Oh… Changsub.”

“Bomi, you’re back.”

The two stood awkwardly in the dark, both wanting to apologise for what happened earlier, but they didn’t know how to begin. 

Thankfully, someone had impeccable timing. The tension was relieved when light snores filled the atmosphere, prompting them both to giggle. If they’re going to have a conversation, they should probably take it elsewhere.

“Do you.. wanna grab a drink?” Bomi offered hopefully.

Changsub accepted the invitation in a heartbeat.

Together they popped open a bottle of champagne from the mini bar and poured two glasses, enjoying their beverages out on the balcony, where the city lights lit them up from below. 

“I thought you didn’t drink.”

“I don’t,” Bomi responded instantly. “But… just for today.”

Changsub acknowledged it silently, sipping on his own glass for liquid courage. He his lips nervously, wanting to get right onto the apology.

“Bomi, I’m sorry for pushing you to dance with me earlier. I don’t know what I was thinking. I shouldn’t have done it. I get we’re not close enough that I can initiate a waltz without asking for permission first. I guess I took it for granted that I’ve known you a long time. I made you uncomfortable and I’m sorry.” 

Silence.

Changsub turned to look at Bomi, who was staring blankly at the city landscape. Air passed through his lungs as he contemplated how he should continue. 

“Will you forgive me?” he finally asked.

Bomi snorted unexpectedly. “Forgive you? What are we, kids? There’s nothing to forgive.”

It was like a slap to the face. Changsub was saddened with Bomi’s answer, who didn’t seem that bothered by what she said. 

Frozen in his place, he didn’t notice when Bomi finished her drink, cheeks already rosy. 

“You know, I was fine…” she started softly. Changsub had to strain his ears to hear her. 

She left her vague words hanging for a while. Bomi smiled lightly, tracing circles on the balcony ledge with her finger. As always, she seemed unreadable. As always, Changsub was slow to understand her. He was slow at catching on to what was really going on. 

“I was fine… I was always fine with it. With the men who would come into her life, now and again. I was fine… because I knew they didn’t really matter.” 

She inhaled a breath. 

“At least, they didn’t really matter… until you.”

Huh?

“You came along and… It’s so silly looking back on it. We’d fight over her like kids. As if love was all just a game.”

She chuckled even though it really wasn’t a laughing matter. Changsub could feel the heaviness. He just stayed quiet and listened, to better understand her. 

“You’d think I would realise something by then, but I… I had been fine with that too,” she sighed. “Fighting over her, who she’d choose, and I was always just fine with it. I guess, after all those years… I never thought I’d lose.”

It was true. Bomi knew Chorong much longer than he did. He couldn’t imagine how much pain she’s bottled up in the years they’d been together. 

“Today, when you tried to dance with me, I just couldn’t. I realised… I still think about her, and what I had with her, and how I lost her to you. When I ran off, I kept asking myself: “It’s over… isn’t it? Isn’t it? Isn’t it over?””

Hearing this, Changsub felt so guilty. He didn’t quite realise how affected Bomi still was.

“You won. She chose you. It’s over… It should be over… but…”

“I didn’t know you felt that way,” Changsub murmured gently.

Unfortunately for him, reaching out only caused the opposite reaction.

Bomi snapped, her eyes growing red. “Because of you, I don’t know who I am anymore! Who am I? Who am I without her?” 

“It’s over, Bomi! It’s over!” she scoffed at herself, slamming the balcony ledge to make her point, frustration building up like the tears she held back. “It’s been over for three ing years. It’s over, and now I’ve got to be there for her daughter.” 

Bomi had turned to shouting from the balcony, tears streaming down her face. 

“It’s over, isn’t it?? Isn’t it over?? Why isn’t it over??”

Changsub hated to intervene, but he was fretting about the volume now. Bomi was getting through her emotions at what could be the best and worst time.

“I get it Changsub. You won-” 

“Bomi, please-”

“And she chose you-”

“Could you just-”

“And she loved you-”

“Bomi-”

“AND NOW SHE’S GONE.”

Bomi breathed with ragged sobs in the dead silence, slumping to the floor of the balcony. 

“She’s… gone…”

Knees to her chest, Bomi’s shoulders shook as Changsub slowly took a seat next to her.

“It’s over, isn’t it?” she whispered, her walls completely torn down. “Why can’t I move on… Why can’t I move on…”

“Nothing’s gonna change with us, is it?” Changsub mumbled dejectedly.

“I shouldn’t have come-”

“Dad? Bomi?”

Their heads tilted upwards to find a little girl greeting them on the balcony, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Changsub called her over. “Sweetie, what are you doing here?”

“I heard Aunt Bomi crying and wanted to help her feel better,” she said, running over to hug Bomi’s figure from the side.

Bomi sniffed, ruffling the soft hair on the girl’s head. “Thanks kid. That’s really sweet of you.”

The little girl pulled away, looking at both adults seriously. “This is about Mom, isn’t it?”

They could only stare back at her in shock.

“I know you’re trying to avoid it, but I don’t know why,” she continued. “It’s exactly why I brought you two here. So, why don’t you talk about it? Talk to each other. Talk about your feelings.”

They faced each other hesitantly, with Bomi in a clearer state of mind. She regretted shouting before and instantly averted her eyes by looking down at the ground. 

“If I were you, I’d hate me too,” Changsub expressed with shame. 

“I don’t hate you.”

“But.. I knew how you felt about Chorong and I stayed anyway.”

“That wasn’t the problem.”

“Then, what was it?”

Bomi’s voice wavered. “She fell in love with you.” 

“Well, you know Chorong…” Changsub tried to lighten up a bit. “She was complex.”

“She was confusing,” Bomi said at the same time, causing them both to laugh for once. Maybe there really was a chance for them to grow better from this.

“I might not understand how you feel, Bomi, and how deep your bond with her was, but I want you to know that I’m here for you. I miss her too. I miss her a lot.”

“…Thank you. I really appreciate that.”

Bomi glanced at him timidly, before giving him a hug. Changsub gladly returned it, a smile of relief on his tired features.

Their little counsellor saw all of this with a proud smile. They might not be able to fix everything so quickly, but it was definitely a step in the right direction. “You might not believe it, but you have a lot in common,” she commented afterwards.

“Hm? Like what?”

“You both love me and I love both of you!” she grinned. “I’m sure Mom would have felt the same way.”

Tears flowed from Bomi’s eyes again as she pulled the little girl into a bear hug too, smiling ever so gratefully.

This kid was all she had left of her. This kid really meant everything to her.

And in the end, she wouldn’t trade that for anything.

“Thank you… Bom-ah.”

By ckaz99.
Inspired by Steven Universe.
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