"Are you not gonna link arms with me this time?" Asked Amber.

Krystal turned to her "uh... No. I think... I should stop that from now on. You expressed not liking it anyway right?"

Amber frowned as Krystal walked ahead

'But I don't mind if it's you...'

They made sure their face masks were on as they headed into the simple meat grill.

They immediately felt the warmth of the open grill, and the smell of seasoned meat welcomed them. It felt refreshing.

They sat down in their seats, already having their meat choices in mind, also ordering for a bottle of soju to accompany their meal.

"You sure you wanna drink alcohol this late?" Asked Amber

Krystal averted her eyes at her "Yeah... there's been a lot on my mind I guess..."

Amber rested her chin on the palm of her hand, feeling uneasy "You know... You could just talk about it-" 

"-I promise you it's nothing to worry about. Just relax and enjoy the moment right now."

Amber cut her words off and nodded, as she coyly watched Krystal down her shots.

She normally doesn't really drink like this as she hates getting drunk or the taste of the strong bitterness of alcohol. So for her to gulp down each glass, it just has to mean she must be stressed out.

Amber tried to think back to when it all started.

Yesterday was perfectly fine. And she doesn't recall doing anything out of place during her visit either. It wasn't until that very afternoon that Amber began to take note on Krystal having a problem. So it could be something that happened this morning.

She eyed the already beet faced girl, "Krystal... At least wait until our meat gets here-"

Suddenly the griller came by with the very chopped up and whole meats, served on a platter, juicy and ready to be devoured.

Amber felt content, and was about to dig in, until she heard giggles up ahead.

She looked up to see 2 girls one of them with her phone out, presumably recording her and Krystal.

'Ah, they must be fans!' She thought.

Amber smiled and waved at the girls, which got a couple squeals.

Krystal took notice and turned back, a tad surpised to be seeing them.

The girls giggled even more, one of them saying "It's Kryber!"

Krystal lightly waved, then turned back around trying to focus on her meal.

'Are they shippers??' 

"Is this the part where we do some fan service?" Asked Amber

Krystal was startled by that suggestion. Maybe not... It'll feed into their imaginations, it's best not to cause anything that may mislead their relationship.

"Uhm... Maybe not right now...? let's not feed into their fantasies you know?"

Amber looked at her confused "What are you talking about? By fan service, I meant going to interact with them. I have a feeling they're kinda shy to approach us."

Krystal blushed "O-oh... You meant that kind of fan service... haha forget what I said then-"

She immediately felt embarrased. How dare she think of coupling just by the simple mention of "fan service" ?

After a couple more bites of meat, she got up and walked towards the girls

"Don't be shy! If you want to take pictures we don't mind. We're completely off schedule at the moment."

Krystal got up, not wanting to be rude, and smiled along behind her mask.

They took pictures with the girls, and the girls bowed their thank yous.

"We apologize if we invaded any kind of privacy by recording... We just think you two look really good together!"

Amber laughed and Krystal nervously chuckled

"I believe we should all finish our meals yeah? This is as much as we could do for you two."

The girls nodded and headed back into their tables both of them gassed up at their very lucky interaction.

Amber and Krystal both sat down, finishing their meals, but Amber couldn't help but notice Krystal still held a solemn expression.

"Are you not bothered by what they said?"

Amber looked up from her food and looked at Krystal.

"What do you mean?"

"That we look good together. They said that. Doesn't it... Doesn't it all bother you that people say things like that? That almost every one of our fans thinks we're actually a couple?" 

Amber was kind of baffled by Krystals sudden topic. Was this what was bothering her or...?

"Um... I just don't think much of it I guess? I mean if they find enjoyment in imagining us in a loving relationship, then that's kind of cute actually-" 

"But-"  

Krystal was about to retort something, which startled Amber, but she decided to keep shut.

She looked down at her clean plate, and got up "I'm going to pay for our meal now..." she said as she left.

Amber was left in her seat confused, questioning what was just happening. Could this be apart of her problem? 

Then again she doubts something like this would be the cause of Krystal to act so... differently. Especially considering that they both spent years knowing that fans love them together, so she reasons it could just be one of those times for her where you get easily irritated by the smallest things due to a bad mood.

Krystal tried to not act like it, but she was a bit tipsy, and she felt slightly nauseous.

Amber finished her meal completely, and she got up to follow Krystal to her car.

Amber noticed Krystal walking a bit weirdly and immediately figured out she was slightly drunk.

So she held onto her by grabbing both her arms from behind.

"Woah Krystal, take it easy, I think you had a little too much to drink-" 

 "Don't touch me!" Krystal immediately shoved Amber off.

Amber looked at Krystal, hurt and in disbelief.

That's it, no more of being the gentle llama she had always been.

Amber furrowed her brows, and grabbed ahold of Krystal's wrist, averting her from the car

"What are you doing!?" Asked Krystal as she was being harshly pulled by Amber, a little scared as the tomboy normally isn't this aggressive.

Krystal struggled to let go as Amber tried to take her to a more a secluded place.

Krystal, with a final pull, retracted back her hand. She rubbed her wrist as it hurt a little.

"Amber, what was that all about?-"

"Why are you asking me that!? Shouldn't I be asking you, what all this is about!?"

Krystal still didn't look Amber in the eye and scoffed "I don't know what you're talking about! And don't raise your voice at me, you're making a big deal out of nothing-" 

"-out of nothing!?" Amber laughed in disbelief "Krystal, all day you've been acting so weird! You completely shove me off whenever I touch you the way I usually do, our conversations aren't meshing like they used to! And-" 

She ran a hand through her hair clearly distressed

"You think I haven't notice the way you haven't been looking at me in the eyes?? You're talking to me, yet you refuse to face me! What's going on Krystal? Why can't you look at me like you used to??"

Krystal gritted her teeth while looking the other way "I... Its something I dont want to get into, I thought I was over it, but I guess I was wrong-" 

"Over what?"

"Over- all this! Amber all these things you do it's starting to give me the wrong idea! Why do you keep treating me so well?? Why do you insist in putting me first so much, why do you keep saying such weird things to me?? You- You act as if I'm actually your girlfriend or something!" 

Amber stepped back not at all expecting those words to come out of Krystal. 

"So... That's your problem? That I'm treating you so well? I cannot believe this-" 

"People actually think we're dating Amber! And it's because of the way you treat me-"

"Krystal, I treat everyone else like this what are you talking about?? I put everyone else first over me, I make sure to give what I have to every one of my friends so they can be happy! Krystal, you're not the only person fans assume I'm dating! It's a ton of other people too, and it's also because of the way I treat them! You're no different!" 

"You're no different." Krystal wasn't sure why but she felt hurt hearing that.

So... She's just like any other friend of Amber's? 

"I'm... No different?"

Amber nodded.

Now it all makes sense. Amber is affectionate not because she likes her but because that's her character, it's how she is normally.

Still though it stung... to know that she wasn't something special to Amber.

Is Krystal not special? Was there nothing about her that made her stand out to Amber more? Does Amber seriously just see her as another friend of hers and nothing else??

Krystal looked down. Feeling hurt, embarrased, ashamed, everything. She just wanted to go home now.

"Okay fine I'm sorry..." she said.

Although Amber was delighted with Krystal's apology, she damn well knew the issue of Krystal not being 100% comfortable with her wasn't over. 

"Apology accepted. Now look at me in the eyes."

Krystal was startled by that.

"N-no..."

"Krystal!-" 

"No! Just take me home already-" 

"Krystal all you have to do is face me like always, why is this suddenly so hard for you??" 

Krystal tried to turn the other way but Amber kept blocking her

"Krystal, just-"

Amber then cupped her face, and forced her to face her.

"Look at me!" She said

Krystal had no other choice but to look at her. The moment she did, she felt her heart beat a much faster rate than normal, her palms get sweaty, her mind going haywire... but she also felt hurt.

She doesn't know why, facing Amber hurts her in such a foreign way and she's positive it's because of realizing that Amber doesn't see her as the special princess she had initially thought. 

The hurt gave her the urge to cry, and she didn't want Amber to see her in tears so she struggled away in her hold

"Let go of me!" 

"No!" 

"Amber please!" 

"Krystal it's just me! This doesn't have to be so har-" 

"Just leave me alone!" 

Krystal then slapped Amber in the face, brutally loud.

Amber heaved in pain, as it stung her cheek harshly, Krystal immediately regretting her action.

"Amber!? Oh my god I am so sorry I didn't mean to-" 

"-It's okay!" Replied Amber loudly, still holding her cheek

"I wasn't giving you the space you wanted... I deserved that..."

'No... Stop it'

"Amber... stop talking like that! You're supposed to be mad at me, why are you just-"

Krystal couldn't help but suddenly cry unable to maintain her tears

"Why do you have to be so damn passive all the time!? Stop it! I know you treat everyone else like this, but treating me this way is making me doubt that I see you as just a friend!" 

Amber's eyes widened "W-what-" 

"Oh no..."

Why did she say that??

"I... I'm so sorry-"

Krystal then began to run off wanting Amber to not catch up to her at all.

She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't care as long as its away from Amber.

"Krystal Wait!" 

She heard Amber yell and call out for her name.

Krystal doesn't want to see her. Not again at least for a while.

But the alcohol was affecting her a bit, thinking irrationally, making her feel light headed, as she also felt her breathing get shorter, her heart beating way too fast that she could hear it in her ears.

It was all getting too much. She felt weak and dizzy. She also felt cold, she could barely feel her lips and hands as the snow fell heavier 

"Krystal!"

As the snow fell it was harder to see, it was harder to run. Her eye sight felt blurry, she was freezing.

Inevitably, forgetting the poor girl was anemic and was experiencing such overwhelmingness, she fainted.