You sat at a table in your favorite coffee shop, admiring the bustling nighttime outside. Lights twinkled brightly from signs across the street, illuminating the sidewalks sparkling from the rainy weather. People hurried by, some with umbrellas, others hailing taxis and making their way to someplace dry. Sipping your steaming beverage slowly, you turned your head to the table when you heard the familiar vibration of your phone.

Quickly, you answered without checking who it was, dumbfounded as to who would be calling you so late in the evening. The voice of your friend’s mother met your curious ears.

“Sweetie? You there? I have some terrible news.” You could tell by the sound of her voice that she had been crying, and you braced yourself for whatever news she was about to relay.

“Cheonsa…she was really sick the last few weeks…” You nodded to yourself. You had visited her two days ago and she seemed to be getting better quickly.

“She passed away last night,” her mother said, choking up upon speaking those words. For a moment, everything slowed around you. It felt as though your heartbeat paused, as though the other people in the shop had been momentarily frozen in time. No. She couldn’t be gone. She was young and healthy, her recent illness barely affecting her daily life. You expressed your sympathies to her mother as you choked up, quietly ending the conversation.

You rose from your table, walking to the door in a dream-like stupor. You had to hold it together. As soon as you left the store you could let go, but until then you clenched your nails deep into your palms, desperately trying to appear in control.

The moment the door closed behind you, your feet began to sprint forward, pulling you as far away from where you heard the news as possible. Something ridiculous in your subconscious thought that just maybe, if you ran home, you could escape the grey that cast itself over your demeanor. The rain mixed with the tears on your face, matching your mood and giving you the chance to cry without being asked questions by other people.

While you were wandering about, your boyfriend showed up in front of your apartment. He was surprised to see you weren’t home. You never went out this late without your car, especially alone and in the rain. Pulling his cellphone from the pocket of his jeans, he called your number urgently.

You didn’t notice the ringing in your purse, too consumed by grief over your lost friend to hear such trivial things. Your boyfriend began to panic, uncomfortable with the idea of you walking around in the dark by yourself. He started to walk away from your apartment, planning to search all the places you frequented in hopes of finding you.

As you turned the corner towards your apartment, you walked directly into someone going the other direction. You apologized quietly, stepping to the side so he could pass. Instead of walking, the figure pulled you in tightly, and you recognized his scent immediately.

“Is that you?” you asked, sniffing quietly.

“Do you know how worried I was? Why didn’t you answer your phone? You shouldn’t be walking around by yourself this late! You realize what kind of things could happen to you if you aren’t more careful, don’t you? Don’t make me worry like that!” You could see in his eyes how upset and concerned he was, but you didn’t make any attempt to respond. Instead, you let your face hide in his chest, allowing the sobs to shake you in his grasp.

At first he was startled, apologizing profusely because he thought you were upset with him for yelling. He quickly noticed however, that your cries were like nothing he had heard from you before. You sounded as though your whole world was falling apart, and he knew right away that something terrible had happened.

”Baby…what happened?” he asked softly, kissing your head and brushing your hair with his hands. You tried to explain in coherent sentences, but only managed to convey the situation through heavy sobs and broken words. His eyes turned dull and teary, understanding the pain you were experiencing. Lifting you up gently, he insisted upon carrying you back to your apartment, holding you tightly all the while.

When you eventually fell asleep next to him on the couch, he picked you up once again and laid you gently on your mattress, pulling the sheets tightly over you and leaning in close. Slowly, he traced his fingers along your features, brushing away the remaining tears with his fingertips. He sighed sadly, wishing desperately that he could change fate.

You awoke the next morning, tired and sore from the weight of yesterday’s news. Lamenting the fact that you still needed to get ready and go to work today, you turned around. You were surprised to see another face lying next to you, his strong arms wrapped protectively over your waist. You sighed, snuggling closely into his chest.

Some days, it was just better to stay in bed.