Coffee, Tea or Me?
Coffee, Tea or Me?Three months, or has it been more than that?
Yonghwa walks into the kitchen, eyes solemn whenever he glances back at her. She removes her stilettos, remembering to put them on the shelves properly because she knows how much he hates cleaning up after the mess.
Joohyun tries to keep her demeanor, looking at the amount of microwaved food wrappers overflowing in the trash can. He has not been eating proper food, she shakes her head, they are no longer together.
Yonghwa opens up the cupboard, subconsciously reaching for Joohyun's favorite mug. She stays by the counter, waiting as he pours tea into the mug before leaving it in front of her.
"Did you change teas?" She asks, bewildered by the taste.
"No, it's your favorite." He replies, pouring himself coffee. He hates tea, but he keeps it around in case she chooses to come back.
She does not remember her tea being this bitter or is it her mind telling her she is still not over him? Three months is nothing compared to the five years they spent together in this apartment.
"Can... Can I get my the rest of my things?"
Yonghwa nods, placing the empty mugs into the sink. "They are in your escape room."
A year after living together, they realised Joohyun needs more than just him caring for her; she needed an canvas she can return to just like how she left it before. It was a surprise he had in stored for her. He removed everything from the guest bedroom since neither of them ever have visitors over.
Joohyun caught him attempting to carry out the closet on his own. In his defense, he was not expecting Joohyun to return early from work with her own surprise for him. Yonghwa continued to work with a customized apron Joohyun had made when there was no customers by her workplace.
Nothing has been touched.
Yonghwa has kept everything just like how she left it. Tubes of half used paint along with her paint brushes in front of her artwork.
It was a painting of a their hands, fingers intertwined into each others.
She runs her fingers through her work, wishing she had the chance to finish it because humans make mistakes. None of us were exceptions. Even the best of us screws up in one way or another. We are entitled to our own opinions, even if we are alone. Maybe Yonghwa was right, getting married is a better idea instead of just living together in the same apartment. Marriage changes everything, changes their circumstances, changes their views of each other. She is afraid they would end up just like both sides of their family.
"We," Yonghwa interrupts her train of thoughts, stepping into the room, "we don't have to get married. I, I just want you to stay here with me. I know I should have said something three months ago, but I was scared. Please, I can't- can't live without you."
Joohyun gets up, closing the distance between them. She gives him a small smile, trying to reassure him because she has already made her choice. "I'm staying."
"Cinnamon!" Yonghwa yells when their cat comes running towards him. Cinnamon purrs at his touch as Joohyun drags her luggage behind her. "Hi, yeah, I need some help." Yonghwa promptly takes it from her hands, kissing her softly. "Thank you."
"No, thank you."
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