When things change, you can either embrace it or run.

Running from it, you don't see the possibilities.

Embracing it, you can see all the possible failures.

To say that Suyeon was nervous was an understatement of the century. She was back in her small apartment, Hyeonwoo at school and her locked in the cramped bathroom. The toilet was her new best friend, and she refused to be apart from it. That's what she had told Onew when she had called him that morning, her eyes red, hair a mess, and complexion a pale shade of green. She had blamed it on the weird meat they had had on New Years.

         They both knew that it wasn't the real reason, but thankfully he didn't push it or insist on coming back and staying with her. She needed time alone to clear her head. Easier said than done at this point. There was one thing (rather, person) on her mind at the moment and she was at her wits end about it. 

Who was on her mind? It couldn't have been more obvious than his obnoxiously large nose. (And yet it fit his face rather perfectly, if she really considered it.) Lee Taemin. Seemed rather cliche to be stuck in the same situation that led them to be friends in the first place--

         A shudder went through her body and back into the bowl of the toilet she went, hugging it like a life line. She needed to pull herself together. She had a double shift tonight, working the graveyard shift and the morning. Onew promised to handle Hyeonwoo, as long as she was better and back at school. If not, her son would stay with him until she went to see a doctor.

It was a trick, she knew. To get her back at school. She hated the doctor more than anything, and he knew that she'd rather die on the school grounds than go to that awful rubbing alcohol smelling place. 

    Wiping with the back of her hand, she leaned back against the tile of the floor, letting the cold sensation cool the heat on her cheeks. She hated getting sick. She hated that she got sick because of worry or anxiety. It and a lot of people didn't understand.

Suyeon heard her phone go off on the counter, and she didn't want to check it. She had a good idea of who it was and she didn't want to see what he had to say. It might just make it worse for her. Apart of her reasoned that it could be Onew checking up on her, so she dragged it off the countertop to check it.

       5 New Messages from: Taemin
U ok??? :'<
pls talk 2 me...
im rlly ing sorry...i just...im sorry.
pls... suyeon. just tell me ur ok.
suyeon pls ill do anything. pls...
 

    She felt sick again. He really did care about her. So much it almost hurt her. Suyeon repressed the feeling to puke again, turning her phone on silent after checking the time. She needed to get ready for work. She had laid around in her bathroom the entire day, moping. She was better than this. She shouldn't-wouldn't- let this situation bother her. Taemin wasn't a bad guy. He did nothing wrong. She convinced herself that it wasn't that big of a deal, brushing her hair and pulling it back, getting ready for work.

"You look like ." Amber sure knew how to give a compliment. As soon as Suyeon walked in the door, that's what she was greeted with. She rolled her eyes at her manager, sitting at the counter, seeing the place mostly abandoned save for a few groups of straggling teenagers (seriously, didn't they have homework? Or was that not a thing high school liked to give students anymore.) 

     "Gee, thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to hear my first day back." Sarcasm rolled off of Suyeon in waves. She had gone back to questioning everything on her way over here (this is what happens when you overthink everything) and she was in a bit more than foul mood. 

Amber raised an eyebrow at her. "Well someone's pissed off about something." She poured her a cup of coffee, hoping to brighten up the tired, pissed off look that had settled onto her co-worker's face.

    "Just," Suyeon sighed, inhaling the scent of coffee in front of her, "It's been a long break." Her tone suggested she didn't necessarily want to talk about it, so Amber just shrugged at set the pot down, placing a hand on Suyeon's shoulder. 

Amber patted her shoulder as she spoke, "Well, if you need anything from me, or need to talk about it, which I'm sure you will at some point in the future, I'll be here--"

"Suyeon?"

  She froze. She knew that voice. But he hadn't come near her yet. She quickly ducked to the other side of the counter, hiding underneath.

    "You okay?" Amber eyed her, looking towards the door. "Oh... It's about Taemin, isn't i