TICKETS 2.0

chobomiverse

Leo

“We’re here, Leo.” Bomi said as she parked in the garage and followed by the rottweiler as they entered her old apartment, their old apartment. And memories come rushing like waves on the shore. 

—

“Bbom-ah.. I love you.” Chorong was out of words as she kneeled in front of Bomi stopping the younger one from leaving.

“I love you too, believe me, I do. But I have to go.” Bomi said walking pass through Chorong.

“Yoon Bomi. Once you step a foot out of this apartment, we’re over!” Chorong said losing herself into the bad side of her as she stood up. 

Bomi who’s hurting right now more than ever, didn’t dare to stop her way out and as soon as her last step left the living room she turned around to face one last time the girl whom she promised to keep by her side.

“Me, leaving this goddamn place might be the best choice we have right now.. and it might even help you figure out whom you really wanted to be with.”

—

It’s been more than a year since she broke up with Chorong, since she left the town and resigned from her job. Yes. She dropped the promotion, she left everything she had because of that break-up. The thought of staying in the same place is torture for her thus Bomi decided to move away, to run away.

“Leo! Careful not to break anything!” she told her dog who’s apparently enjoying this new place, his new home.

“When you said you’re coming back today we thought it’ll be around evening right when the party starts, didn’t think it’ll be this early.”

“Well the traffic was good so here I am. Can I at least get a welcome hug here?” Bomi asked as she saw her old neighbour Namjoo on the doorway with her girlfriend, Hayoung.

Namjoo walked towards Bomi and gave her a hug but immediately pulled away as soon as she saw Leo running towards them.. barking.

“Leo. Leo, stop! She’s a friend.” Bomi commands her buddy and the rottweiler obeys.

“So Bomi unnie, why don’t we go get coffee and catch up?” the tall girl asked with Namjoo hiding behind her back, now terrified with dogs.

“Sound good right? Before Leo eats me alive. Why did you even named him Leo when he’s totally a Hitler.” Namjoo said and three of them left the apartment with Leo on guard as they rode to the only cafe in the neighbourhood.

In the cafe, Bomi can’t help but be alert and look immediately at the door after hearing the chimes whenever someone comes in or goes out.

“Bomi unnie, you know she won’t be here right? Chorong unnie never goes back to the places the two of you used to-”

“Yes, I know that. I just can’t help it but be hopeful in seeing her.” Bomi cut her off knowing how Namjoo’s sentence would be. Year and months of not seeing someone she loves for more than 8 years.. it’s normal to have some hope that they’ll cross paths especially that they live in a small town with a relatively small population.

Speaking of a small population as the three of them were chitchatting a man in uniform approached their table or most likely approached Yoon Bomi.

“Bomi! It’s so good to see you back in the neighbourhood! How are things going on with you?” he asked and Bomi instantly stood up and salute to pay respect before answering the question asked.

“Sir! I- uhh it’s good. I’m good and I’m back here for good.”

“Well, you do know you’re still one of the best general I had. What I’m saying is that the promotion is still available for you.” This news may have caught Bomi off guard, her old self will accept it in a snap but she knows it’s better not to be back on that life. A life that circled to nothing but work and work.

“Thank you, sir. But right now I’m happy with what I do. I appreciate the offer, sir.”

“Ahh very well then now that you don’t work for me maybe we should get a beer sometime.” the man said as he patted Bomi’s stiffened shoulders that relax along with the invitation. 

“Beer sounds good, sir. I guess I’ll see you around.” Bomi said as she smiled to the man before he goes off with her wife waiting for him at the entrance. Bomi watched them and wonder how the man managed to have both his time to work and family. Something she knew she went wrong with.

—

With her eyes red and dark, Bomi went to work with nothing but a small envelope in her hand. Never in her life, she imagined doing this but there she is with her resignation letter handed to her senior.

“Yoon Bomi. Is this? You do know you’re throwing away a promotion right?” the man asked looking at a defeated girl. This is not the Yoon Bomi he knows, it’s fragile, it’s broken.

“Yes, sir.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“I- I just have to. Please let me resign, sir.” Bomi said with her pleading voice, and there’s nothing the man could do but give the girl what she thinks she needed even though nothing makes sense.

“Alright but I hope you’ll think this through. We can talk about this tomorrow okay? You can take a day off to-”

“It has to be today, sir. I’m leaving today.” Bomi cut him off. And working with Bomi for the longest time he knew once her mind is made up, there’s no point in arguing.
So he signed the papers and watched the girl walk out of his office. 

“Eunji. Do you know what happened to Chorong? She called saying she can’t make it to work. I know we all had fun last night but it’s her first day as your team leader and I’m not amused by this start.” their boss says as he handled Eunji the paperworks that Chorong should be handling. 

“Maybe she got into a fight with her real girlfriend.” One of her colleagues said that only reminded Eunji of how much she ed up last night. Not getting herself into more trouble, she started working quietly in her office cubicle and wait for the day to end.

—

“Unnie! I’ll wait for you in the lobby alright?” Eunji said as she picks her stuff and walked towards the elevator leaving Chorong in her very own office.

To: Hayoung

5:38pm

Eunji and I are off to Namjoo’s place to set up. 

Chorong sent her message to Hayoung as she and Eunji agreed to help the couple for their party later tonight. 

From: Hayoung

5:39pm

Alright, we’ll be home soon but just to correct you.. it’s my place now too, unnie!

Receiving Hayoung’s reply. Chorong closed her laptop and placed it in her bag then made her way to the building’s lobby to wait for Eunji as the latter gets her car. 

Seeing a blue hatchback in the drop-off, Chorong walked towards the exit and opened the car door only to see Eunji’s signature eye-smile.

“Let’s go? Oh, don’t forget to buckle up unnie.” Eunji said and she reached for the seatbelt helping Chorong to fasten it.

“You’re still as sweet as you were.” Chorong said as she pressed her head back and closed her eyes to get a little rest knowing that tonight’s gonna be long. Little did she know that tonight carries a ticking bomb waiting for it’s time to go off.

—

4 unanswered calls are enough for Eunji to know that Chorong is not doing okay so she decided to pay a visit but only to see a dark house literally and figuratively. The brunette knew that something is wrong as it is seven in the evening but the lights in Chorong and Bomi’s apartment are still out. Walking towards the door, Eunji knocked just to see whether the couple is home.

“Am I doing the right thing?” Eunji asked herself knowing that it won’t take long until Bomi realised what she and Chorong did or until Chorong confessed to Bomi about her. But she’s done doing the wrong thing, what happened last night is a slap on her face that she shouldn’t have done what she did. She shouldn’t have tried to ruin her best friends’ relationship to fill up her own desires. Right now she’s here in this doorstep as a friend like how she should’ve been.

Trying once more, Eunji knocked a little louder than the first one and then she heard footsteps rushing towards the door.

“Bbom-ah?!” Chorong said as she opened the door with a disappointed face as she sees Eunji instead of the one she’s hoping for.

“I’m sorry I’m not Bomi. No, I’m sorry for what I did, unnie.” Eunji said as she tries to follow Chorong inside but only to be stopped by the latter.

“Don’t come in here, Eunji. You shouldn’t be here!” Chorong said as she tries to push Eunji out of the place but the brunette is stronger especially against Chorong in this state. Just by seeing how Chorong is, Eunji knew that Bomi left. She knew that she ruined a life and she never felt so disgusted with herself looking at the person she has become. But it’s never too late to change, she knows Chorong needed a friend. So even though this will hurt a lot and maybe give her nothing but a miserable life, Eunji decided to stay.

“Unnie, you lost her I know but you’re not losing me too. I’m sorry.”

Hearing what Eunji’s saying just made Chorong feel silly as she laughs like a crazy woman. Who’s losing who? She lost Bomi, she lost everything. What Eunji is saying right now is not really making any sense to her. And seeing the brunette holding her hand somehow fired up the hate she’s feeling towards Eunji.

“Can you hear what you’re saying right now? I’m not losing you? Eunji! Wake up! Bomi left me for that one stupid mistake, and god I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. That mistake is you!” Chorong said looking straight to Eunji with nothing but hatred.

“Go on say it all out.” Eunji said like a death wish as Chorong’s words are like knives to , it hurts but she deserves it so she let the older girl says more.

“I shouldn’t have let you in! I shouldn’t have let Bomi’s lack of time given you the pass to get into my mind. I- I should’ve been stronger. She left me, Bomi left me and she’s everything I have. Bomi is everything to me, Eunji.” Chorong said tired and miserable thinking about how that one mistake has taken everything from her.

Eunji slowly wraps her hands around the broken-hearted girl. And as Chorong cries even harder but gives in as she leans onto Eunji’s shoulder, the latter knew she’s finally doing the right thing. Being just a friend and nothing else.

—

“So Bomi unnie, since you’re back early maybe you would like to help us too in preparing for our housewarming party?” Hayoung said and Namjoo gave her a questioning look that Bomi immediately noticed.

“‘too?’ Who else is helping?” Bomi asked feeling that cop personality back in her blood. And Namjoo knowing that hiding anything from the former is no good so she told Bomi that it’s Eunji who’s helping them out.

“Ah.. uh- well. I would help but I still have to feed Leo.” Bomi said, it’s true, Leo needs to be fed. “But I’ll be at the party! That I promise.” She knew sooner or later she’d be meeting Eunji and she’s done running away. But there’s one thing she’s hoping for, it’s that Chorong would still accept her after the runaway she did. Whatever it takes, she’ll do everything to have the love of her life back.

“Someone moved in?” Chorong asked herself but is surely heard by Eunji who’s now parking right in front of Namjoo’s house.

“What, unnie?” 

“I think someone finally moved in from our old apartment.” Chorong said talking about her and Bomi’s apartment as she saw the sprinklers on and the boxes through the glass window plus the pickup parked in the garage.

“Well, I guess so. You never wanted to buy back the apartment and it’s a good house to live in, of course, someone will surely move in.” Eunji commented and Chorong couldn’t agree more, as that place used to be her sweet home with hundreds of memories stored in it. Memories that she couldn’t take remembering as she goes through days without the other one composing it.

—

Bomi decided to book a hotel room until she finds a place to stay. And as she gets inside the room, Bomi immediately opened that wine refrigerator with the idea of drowning herself in alcohol. Before she finishes her fourth bottle of soju, she remembered the taste of it on Chorong’s lips. 

“Soju..” Bomi mutters and ends up laughing. “I missed drinking Soju. But- but you hated it so I never had one again.” Bomi said talking to Chorong’s photo which is set on her lock screen. 

“Why? Chorong unnie, why?!” Bomi screams as she throws her phone to the wall and tears come rushing on her cheeks. 

“When I said you deserve someone better, I mean me as a better person. Hah! Who would’ve thought god would hear my small prayers and finally give you someone else? Is Eunji better than me?! ANSWER ME!” Bomi’s now talking to who she called god, looking up the ceiling screaming incoherent words as she can’t express herself better, not in this state, not with alcohol flowing in her body.

“Is Eunji better?” with her defeated voice she asked, “Would Chorong unnie be happier if she’s with Eunji?” Burying her face in the pillow doesn’t actually make the tears stop but Bomi have always been a fan of hiding her tears, may it be with the help of the rain or pillow. Anything just to hide her vulnerability. 

Later her phone started to ring for the nth time now, calls from Chorong, her friends, even her parents but none she answered. She doesn’t have it in her to be strong enough and face everything when she’s this broken.

Days passed and the first call she answered was from Namjoo, her friend and as well as their neighbour, “Bomi unnie. Oh god. You answered! Where are you? Chorong unnie is a mess! Please tell me you’re coming back!”

“Namjoo I’m not coming back, I called.. to check on how Chorong unnie is.” Bomi said thirsty to know on how Chorong is doing. She’s been on and off Chorong’s social media page but there’s nothing and the only way to know now is by her friend, Namjoo because apparently the other one available is Eunji and there’s no way she’s calling Eunji.

“If you’re gonna make me your spy around here, I’m not doing that! It’s not fair to us, your friends, family, and especially to Chorong unnie!” and Namjoo ended the call, leaving Bomi once again miserable. 

But all those walls were destroyed as Namjoo ended up giving Bomi small details on how Chorong is and casually they talk from time to time. Bomi constantly calls just to know Chorong’s whereabouts. 

What Namjoo meant by Chorong being a mess are all those nights she hears the older girl scream as they were neighbours. There were days when she sees Eunji visits the place but didn’t dare to share it with Bomi as she doesn’t exactly know what’s the deal with the two. Eunji’s visit lessens as Chorong’s cousin from New York came back and stayed with the older girl. And months after that, Chorong moved out of the place.

“Naeun-ah.. you don’t have to do this for me you know that right?” Chorong said as she unpacks her bags and placed her clothes in the cabinet.

“Unnie. I wanted this for you. I can’t stand another night of seeing you cry in your sleep. It’s best to leave that place. Bomi did it and I’m sure she’s healing and you should to.” Naeun said wanting to knock some sense to her cousin but Chorong just ended up crying more. It’s been months but the crying never lessens and just got even worse.

“Chorong unnie, I’ll be flying back to New York in two days and I wanted to make sure you’ll gonna be okay and pulling you out of that house is one way for it. It’s time unnie. It’s time for you to let her go.” Naeun said but Chorong didn’t answer back since deep inside she knows she can’t do it. Bomi is the one for her, she will wait until her lover talks to her again and hear her side, she will wait.

—

“Chorong unnie, Eunji unnie you’re finally here! So where do we start?” Hayoung asked holding a box full of paper cups, party hats, and a punch bowl. 

“I’ll help Namjoo in the kitchen. I’m good at cooking.” Chorong said as she walked casually to the kitchen and started helping Namjoo with the food preparation.

“I guess we’re stuck to do the decorations.” Hayoung said to Eunji and Eunji looked over the kitchen before asking, “Hayoung-ah.. is she back?”

“