Third Cup (of my heart)

For doubtful and bruised hearts kept.

For a world that doesn't end with a heartbreak and a new found love.

For promises made stronger.

And lastly, for our love ones never forgotten.

Seohyun sat down in front of Tiffany for their afternoon breaks at the coffee shop greeting her friend with a smile. "How was work?" she asked as usual.

Tiffany suddenly leaned closer, ignoring her question. "So," her friend started, grinning. "Did your 'new friend' visit?"

Seohyun leaned back in her chair, rolling her eyes on her friend. She should have known better than to tell Tiffany about Yonghwa when she knew she is probably the most romantic person she knows, but it was too late now wasn't it? Her nosy friend is already on it. "Do I really have to tell you, Tiff? I mean-"

"Yah! That's what I'm here for. So, of course you do!" Tiffany said, as if it was the most obvious part of their friendship. 

"What if I refuse?" She tried being stubborn as her friend.

Tiffany laughed. "I don't think so, Seohyun. I'm not leaving here until you tell all the things I want and have to know."

 For a moment there, she thought her brother was the one talking to her. She sighed remembering. "You and my brother are really alike, huh?"

At the mention of her brother, a flicker of sadness passes through, but then it was gone as soon as it and Tiffany nodded, radiating her smile more. "I learn from the best." She smiles, annoying her even more. "Now details!"

Sighing in frustration for the umpteenth time of the day because of some customers and now her best friend, she shrugged in defeat and turned her head up. "Yes, he stopped by. Happy?"

Tiffany nodded grinning as she listened attentively about that night when he came for the third time, though Seohyun noticed her smile growing more and more with details she had complied. There were times when she went on with the story, that she found herself pausing or mesmerizing herself how she remembers the details almost so accurately and even remembers what she felt at those moments as if she was reliving them.

That night wasn't much; really, they shared mostly moments of solitude and some simple information normally exchanged between people in normal circumstances. But then what made all the difference was that she trusted him, despite being a stranger. She'd never done that before and that was what dawn to her the moment she finished and she realized that her best friend, Hwang Tiffany looked at her as if she was an open book.

Tiffany squealed breaking the silence. "Oh my gosh, I knew it!"

A moment of confusion brushes through her. "What? What are you talking about?"

At that moment, Tiffany looked at her as if she knew something she didn't. Her eyes sparkled with amusement that she wasn't getting. "I think..." Tiffany paused as if thinking. "You... my friend is on the verge of finally finding your match," she says, adding a smile.

She frowned, still at the moment of disorientation. "Will you stop talking in another language, Tiff? I don't understand a thing." 

Tiffany shook her head. "I think you do. You're just ignoring it, Seohyun” she says rolling her eyes, "Like always."

"Tiffany-"

"You know, Seohyun, liking someone isn't the end of the world."

"Can you stop that? I don't like anyone. I've only seen him three times."

"And yet you trust him, somehow."

That made her pause. She wanted to deny it but she knew her friend knew better. "How do you know that?"

Tiffany laughed a little, looking at her straight. "You don't just let strangers come and go, Seohyun. And that stranger you're talking about, you even let him stay and linger around you. Even I don't do that."

She looked away because she had to, afraid that Tiffany would see through her again. She didn't want any more of that. "It's not going to happen, Tiff. I'm not going to be like him."

Tiffany didn't say anymore, knowing part of the reason. Silence took over them for a long time, and her thoughts lingered around different memories of her past.

Falling in love is one thing, falling out of it is an entirely different story.

Seohyun had much witnessed the difference in between when it came to her father, which is why she learned to guard her own heart as strictly as possible at such an early age.

There were a lot of things about her people found different. For example, how she found books particularly more interesting than dressing herself or going after boys when she was still young. Or that she didn't act so lady-like as well as every other girl did. Her patience ticked like a bomb, as her father always said with laughter whenever people pointed it out. Even now, things still seem to be the same.

There were also times when she caught his father staring into space, then he would say something like, you should have stayed and guided her-- because I don't know if what I do is good enough. 

Even if her father doesn't say or point out a particular person, she knew who that person was. And every one of those moments, she remembers feeling a tight knot inside of her squeezing her heart until her lungs empty that she has to turn and run away to gasp for air.

She knew her father had loved her mother until his dying day, even when she had left their family for another. And until now, she still didn't understand that kind of love.

She knew of affection, yes, thanks to knowing Hwang Tiffany, who's known to be very fond of her big brother. But that was all. There was an uncertain reason that kept her from finding out the answer.

After their kept silence, Tiffany finally spoke and she turned to look at her.

"You know, Siwon Oppa called last night..." Tiffany said, trailing off, as Seohyun something sad in her voice.

"Is there something wrong?" She felt nervous all of a sudden.

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