"Sometimes it's not statistics…  It's just chemistry.  And sometimes just because it is over, doesn't mean the love ends…"

The past few days did nothing to calm her mind, soul and body.  Oftentimes, she would find herself startled in the middle of the night due to the tears staining her face.  Other times she'd wake up because she was suffocating.  The nightmares of Chaeyoung leaving her kept playing in her mind, and she was the one who got away.  She would effortlessly cry herself to sleep whenever she reads, watches or even hears the news.  Well blame Chaeyoung and her whole family for having so much power, that her engagement itself, even up to this day, is making headlines.  She finds it hilarious, really.  The first day seemed to be very peaceful for her, maybe because it hasn’t sunken in her mind yet.  Then slowly she starts to realize, Chaeyoung isn't with her.  And she thinks they'll never be together again, like what Lisa told her.  It hurts her to have believed in the naïve blonde.  Ever since the breakup, she wasn't quite the same anymore.

But has she ever been the same even with Chaeyoung?

She enters her workplace without a form of greeting to some of the employees.  She no longer was the warm and bubbly woman who could be savage at times, but only as a form of teasing.  She was now cold and distant.  The aftershocks of a breakup were wretched.  And if it could do anything to exploit her weakness then it would.  Mercilessly, without fail.

And it scared Lisa.  It scared the hell out of her.

The Jennie she once saw wasn't this cold and mute.  She knew how to speak her mind out and even smile.  And even if she had only met the woman for a day or so, she knew she was bothered and that she needed as much help as she can.  She had tried communicating with the brunette after the night where they had fun together, only to be scolded the next day for being so nosy.  It made Lisa very unhappy.  Just when she was starting to build up some sort of connection with Jennie, the latter chooses to downright turn her down.  And it somewhat the life out of her.

But turns out Lisa wasn't the only one who noticed this change in Jennie.  Even Jisoo was getting the cold shoulder.  After Jennie broke down, Jisoo gave her space.  Well, tough luck.  She now regrets it.  She should've known better than to leave Jennie and give her space.  Who knew what sorts of reckless thoughts clouded her brain while she was alone.  She felt as if her best friend was trapped much more than she was before.  She was statue-like.  Her replies came in very short, questions which needed explanations were left unanswered.  And it frustrated Jisoo, so she asked help from the only person she knew how to help Jennie.

"You were with her that day weren't you?" she asks the blonde who was helping in stacking up shoeboxes for their upcoming charity program.

Lisa was startled a bit by the sudden question, but when she turned to face Jisoo, she immediately beamed.  "Oh, Jisoo!  What brings you here?" she questions not minding the first question asked from her.

Jisoo could only be mesmerized by that small grin, therefore rambling in her thoughts.  "U-Uhm, it's about J-Jennie.  You were with her the day she and Chaeyoung broke up.  I just have to know… what really happened?  I've been with her through thick and thin, but never have I ever witnessed her this silent about a breakup.  Lisa please?" she begs.

Lisa's smile disappears and a frown replaces it.  She was also very worried about Jennie.  She then requests, "We should talk somewhere more private.  I'm getting concerned for her as well."

They reach the company rooftop in no time, taking sips from the can of milk either one had as they leaned on some wall of the building.

"I was there, yes.  I saw how her world crashed in front of her eyes.  Chaeyoung, the girl's name she kept repeatedly mumbling, was given as a bride to a man named Kang Seungyoon.  I was clueless at first, but as things started to unravel I knew right then that something was off.  I led her outside because I didn't want to see her suffer that bad.  They left things pretty bad when Chaeyoung came to look for her outside, and then we find ourselves in Hongdae.  I tried to make her feel better, and I even told her that she wasn't alone and that I would help her.  I thought that we could work things out, maybe even patch things up with Park Chaeyoung, but she shoves me away.   Now I don't know what to do.  I'm so stupid, I don't even know how to comfort her through this hard time."  Lisa narrates, even as regret and self-loathing could be seen in her entire face.

It saddened Jisoo seeing the blonde like this and so she squeezes Lisa's arm just lightly and tells, "Thank you for being there with her Lisa.  And that was quite enough.  You've done much more than anyone could do for Jennie.  But I'm just really worried.  The charity event is coming up and she rarely misses one.  With how she's acting right now though, I don't think she'll be able to do it." Jisoo sighs, unconsciously she squeezes Lisa's arm tighter as she speaks. 

Lisa doesn't mind though.  She kind of likes how comforting it feels.

"I wish I could do more for her than just this though," Lisa sighs, staring up with the clouds hovering above where they stood.  "She needs someone right now and I feel so helpless just standing here."

"Me too," Jisoo agrees as she also has her head tilted to meet Lisa's side profile.

Sooyoung, who was in much self-loathing than any other person, could not contain herself even as she tries to busy herself with painting.  And God knows how much she releases stress through said art.  Events of the past few days, had not left her mind yet, especially with Chaeyoung seldom appearing in the gallery.  She takes her coat from the rack and entrusts the whole gallery to the receptionist for the day.  She could not work with all the negativity surrounding her and it worsened every time she reminds herself that it was entirely her fault.  She needed to resolve this and fast.  Driving frantically as she can, she reaches an abandoned establishment in no time.

"If she isn't at home and at work, then she has to be here.  She just has to be." 

Using her incredible height, she slips her way inside one of the broken windows making a small thud as she enters.  The faint sound of a guitar being plucked could be heard, accompanied by soft hums as soon as she adjusts to her surroundings.  She knew she was here.  The sad melody being played was not very hard to pick up on.  She furthers and furthers until she spots, somewhere sitting by the pews, the woman she'd been dying to see ever since the dreadful second year anniversary.

"Chaeyoung," she speaks, her voice cracking with each step she takes forward.

The girl tenses a bit at her name being vocalized, but soon she relaxes knowing that it was Sooyoung who was around.  "This is where we created something beautiful together, Soo." Chaeyoung, who stops with her plucking, speaks without glancing at Sooyoung's way.  "This was the place we both loved… till it all stopped.  She… she stopped loving me, Sooyoung."

Sooyoung could tell that tears were already trickling down, so with a few more steps she sits down beside Chaeyoung and immediately cups her face.  With her thumbs tracing Chaeyoung's cheeks, at the same time wiping those tears away, she gives a cracked smile.

"She didn't stop loving you, Chaeng.  No one could ever stop loving you." Sooyoung was now in tears herself.  "It's just that she grew tired of this suffocating relationship.  And I-I'm sorry.  I-I'm s-sorry for being so late.  For e-even leaving you when you needed me the most.  I'm so sorry, Chaeyoung."

Chaeyoung slips the guitar out of her hands, letting it slide down the floor not minding if it would be dented, and embraces Sooyoung.  "It's not your fault, Sooyoung.  Stop blaming yourself.  It was mine.  I should've told her.  I should've said something even before things started to get out of hand.  I should be the one apologizing.  For even dragging you into this mess.  I'm sorry, Soo.  I really am."

Sooyoung shakes her head as she embraces Chaeyoung just as tight.  "W-Why didn't you realize that sooner?  We could've gotten a happy ending by now."  She whines as she tries to make light of the situation.

With tears still falling down from her eyes, Chaeyoung smacks the top of Sooyoung's head playfully and smiles, "You dork.  I'm trying to be resentful here, and you're making fun of me."

"It's totally your fault.  I told you, didn't I?  I told you, 'Tell Jennie…  Tell your parents.'  But no, all you ever did was ignore what I tell you, and look where it's gotten us…  Nowhere.  Seriously, Chaeyoung." Sooyoung, who breaks from the hug, lectures the strawberry blonde the second she seizes the opportunity.

Chaeyoung pouts as a response.  "Weren't you just being sad and apologizing to me a while back?  What happened?"

Sooyoung looks at her incredulously before clicking her tongue.  "What kind of friend do you think I am?  Of course I had to offer my sympathy with you."

"Thank--"

Chaeyoung was about to voice her gratitude, when the next lines prevent her from doing so.  "Then when you finally admit your fault, that's when I start to diss you.  It's what friends do, in case you haven't heard of it."  Sooyoung, mighty proud, declares as she wipes her tears away and then Chaeyoung's after.

The strawberry blonde groans.  She knew her friend was this straightforward, so it shouldn't have surprised her really.  But she still did.  Sooyoung was too full of surprises.  And sometimes those surprises don't really have the good kind of bearing in them.

"What are we gonna do now?"  Sooyoung suddenly asks when she gets tired of sitting around in dusty pews.  "Things ended pretty badly out there.  Both of you were a total wreck.  Do you still think you guys can work it out?"

Chaeyoung hadn't thought about that.  Jennie was a whole lot upset with her.  She didn't need Jennie to tell her that.  The ignored calls and the unseen messages on Jennie's part were sufficient to fill that fact up.  Will they still be able to work things out, and this girl really hoped they did.  She didn't want to be married to a man she didn't know, nor did she love.  She didn't want to be with anyone else other than Jennie.  But she also didn't want to disappoint her parents. 

With a heavy heart, she replies, "I don't know, Sooyoung.  I need Jennie in my life… but at the same time keep my parents.  I know I've messed up pretty bad, and I admit that yes, it is all my fault.  But if you would just look at things the way I did, put yourself in my shoes, then maybe you'd understand my concerns."

Sooyoung sighs, "You're right," she mutters.  "I can never see things the way you see it.  You look at Jennie as if she's the only woman in the world, and you look at your parents as if they're not nasty and sick people.  I will never understand.  But you should try putting yourself in Jennie's shoes.  Picture it, alright?  Are you picturing it?"

"Yeah," Chaeyoung mutters lowly.

"Before meeting you, Jennie was someone you can't tame.  A person who rarely shows her delicate side.  A girl as passionate as you are about the church.  Before you, Jennie had a dream.  A dream to create a masterpiece that would change lives.  But where did that dream go?  It went to the gutters, Chaeng.  Pardon me, but they all went to waste because you were too selfish to let her go and do the things she wanted to do."

Chaeyoung looks as if she were about to cry again.  But Sooyoung decides against it.

"Don't you dare cry!" she commands making Chaeyoung wince a bit.   With voice cracking because of how pained she sees Chaeyoung, she is resolute to continue.  "B-Before you, Jennie was free to do her own things.  And then you tried to change her.  It may not have come directly from you or your mouth.  But whenever you talked to her about the suitors your parents set you up with, she starts to feel insecure.  Thus she became this puppet that you and your parents controlled… until now.  Chaeyoung, do you not see it?  You're a stupid for thinking that your parents are the best people in the world.  And you're an even stupider for letting Jennie go and not fighting for her.  But of course you didn't, because you couldn't!  You had done nothing to refuse the offer of marriage, you failed to stand up for yourself.  How much more for Jennie?  Oh, Chaeyoung why are you so stupid when it comes to this?"

Chaeyoung, who apparently after so many tries of convincing and advising, finally comes to realize her mistakes… which was probably everything wrong in their relationship.  She frowns at Sooyoung and continues her best not to cry.  "What are we supposed to do now?" she asks desperate.

Sooyoung takes hold of her hand, and the back of her palm gently.  "I don't know yet, Chaeng.  You've put us in a very huge messy heap.  But whatever we will be doing in the future, just know that you'll always have my back.  You can be the perfect yet unhappy daughter your parents always ask of you, or you can be a simple church girl living her life without having to worry about anything.  Whatever your decision is, I'll be here.  Park Sooyoung will never leave you!"

"Thank you, Soo.  For your endless support.  Really, thank you." Chaeyoung expresses as she holds Sooyoung's hand tighter.

Sooyoung flinches a bit as she cringes at Chaeyoung's words, but to keep it low she teasingly states, "Ugh, until when are we gonna have to sit in dusty pews with nothing but the rats as our audience? Seriously, Chaeng.  We have to find you a better getaway place."

"Soon Sooyoung.  This church will soon stand up again." Chaeyoung's voice resonates through the empty halls that once used to be filled with people.

Another day passes by and Lisa feels herself getting migraines from always thinking of Jennie.  It was weird, even for her.  And Jennie made it clear… she didn't want any of her help.  So why should she squeeze herself in when it was obvious the woman didn't want her.  Not right now, at least.  That’s what Lisa keeps telling herself.  She wanted to give Jennie the time to think things through.  But she was getting antsy. 

Why?

She doesn't know either.

She once again roams the company halls like a headless chicken.  Her head hung up in the clouds… and not just because she was really tall.  If it weren't for Jisoo pulling her wrist to stop her from mindlessly waltzing around then she wouldn't have noticed the shorter girl.

"H-Huh?  W-What?" she shakes her head as she questions, unknowing that Jisoo was looking up to her with a glint in her eyes.

The shorter girl giggles making Lisa quite flustered.  Jisoo then pokes her cheek and states, "You're thinking again.  Mind telling me?"

Lisa sighs and chuckles afterward.  She was aware that she had been thinking of Jennie for too long.  And to tell Jisoo about it was sort of creepy.  Well who wouldn't be creeped out?  A woman you barely know keeps thinking of your best friend?  Weird, right?  It would really be inappropriate for her to just blurt out to Jisoo:  "Oh yeah, sure.  I'll tell you.  I'm thinking about your best friend, Jennie.  It's already been more than a week and I'm still thinking of her.  Fantastic, isn't it?" 

"Nothing much…" Lisa manages to squeak out.  Trying to create a lighter atmosphere she once again chuckles, "By the way, I was thinking of the upcoming event.  It's exciting me, really!  I've never been into one so I'm really looking forward to it!  Do you think we'll be meeting cute children?"

Jisoo giggles and wraps an arm around Lisa's.  "I honestly can't tell.  But I'm sure it would be fun.  We'll be helping out tons of children, and it's going to be great.  No matter how tormenting the summer heat will be."

Lisa agrees and tries not too hard to think of Jennie.

But it seemed impossible when the woman was standing there in a vacated room, with her eyes pleading as she listens to Manager Yang and his orders.  Taeyang was standing there too.  And he looked just as broken as Jennie was.  Fortunately, Jisoo never saw any of that and so they resumed their walk.

They get on through the day like any other.  With Lisa trying her best to mind her own business, while Jisoo still tries to get through Jennie.  It wasn't very hard for Lisa to not think of the brunette.  With the constant calls she gets from Jisoo to help assist her in anything, she was sure to have maybe at least seventy percent of her thoughts clouded by Jennie.  It also didn't help that she was just sitting there, her whole being engrossed by the activities outside the company as she was propped down beside the window. 

As usual, Jennie was trying her best not to show the deep-seated hurt she's been feeling for a while now.  She was certain Lisa had done a great job taking the pain away that one night she allowed her.  But she felt empty.  She's completely shut down everyone around her who was trying to help, how wouldn't she feel empty?

And not only was she feeling empty, she was feeling guilty as well.  She had so many people looking out for her, and instead she chose to just ignore their concern for her.  It wasn't her fault though, the years of being independent without having to lean on anyone made her that way.  And so she thought she could go through a painful heartbreak without anyone's help.

She thought she could.

But then, she finds herself being given a week off because the people around her were starting to worry for her well-being.  Which, in her defense, was clearly misunderstood.  She didn't need time off from work, she just needed space to think, and she was getting there.  She sighs deeply as she continues to kill time by watching whatever she found interesting outside the window.  Well, that was until she felt herself being watched.  It was uncomfortable, in a way which made her comfortable. 

She felt those eyes boring onto her soul, but the way she feels those eyes laid on her was too… caring, like it somehow wanted to protect her.  And that's what she wanted to think.  She didn't want to see it as some creep gawking at her and already doing unnecessary things in their minds.  Sparking up her interest, she sets her eyes to meet them.

She wasn't surprised to see Lisa looking at her with those big brown eyes.  She's seen how the blonde occasionally looks at her.  It was shameless, but she somehow found comfort in them.  It had reduced some of her thoughts about what Lisa's real intentions were about helping her.  So she searched those eyes once more for an answer to why she even had to care about her in the first place.  She pierced Lisa's eyes just the same and saw how much more  sincere the blonde had looked at her.  It was terrifying, even for her.  She ends up looking away, afraid that the more she looked at Lisa, the more she would once again get lost in them.  So she shakes the thought away and sets her mind on Lisa having some other motive.  How else would someone be so interested if not for some kind of prize to win in the end?  She couldn't let Lisa get in so deep; she'd been hurt too much already.

Finally, the day for the event has come.  Those who had volunteered to help were now outside the company's main entrance and were being accounted for. 

Among the people included was of course, Lisa, who could not contain herself from hyping the whole gang up.  With the brightest beam she could muster she moves from time to time as they check for everyone's presence.

"Okay, well that's everyone!" Manager Yang announces as he finishes with the list.  "We'll be travelling to three different places for the week.  So you guys should expect that the group will be needing everyone's cooperation.  Plus, these are children.  You can't let the summer heat get to you.  If you feel irritated in any way, then you may ask to be excused for a moment.  Another orientation will be given to us by the district head  once we arrive at our first destination.  I expect every one of us to all be in our best behaviour.  Is that understood?"

The group agrees.

Lisa, who stood beside Jisoo, had finally taken into consideration that a certain brunette was not present. 

"Hey, where's Jennie?  Is she not coming with us?  Come to think of it, I haven't seen her at all this morning." Lisa whispers into Jisoo's ear as she scanned the people surrounding them.

"Oh," Jisoo recalls an earlier, yet still short, conversation with Jennie.  "She told me she took the week off.  So she's not coming.  I don't know with that woman.  She usually was just as excited as you are about this time of the year.  I thought she would still be coming even with her situation, but I guess Chaeyoung really had an impact on her." Jisoo explains.

Lisa frowns upon hearing the news.  Even if she was going through a hard time like this, she shouldn't just take off like that.  It made her worry a bit more. 

"Alright, we'll be boarding the bus.  The male species takes bus plated as 1, the female species takes the bus plated with 6." Taeyang announces, making some of the people laugh.

"Yah, hyung!  Could you not have thought of anything better than species?" one man asks.

Taeyang shakes his head.  "What's wrong with the term 'species', Mino?  You better get in your designated bus, before I smack you." The older man jokes.

Lisa, however, could not find the luxury to laugh along with the others.  Her mind still infested with Jennie.  Unfortunately, they needed to board otherwise, the event would be delayed.

So one by one they boarded. 

And she finds herself waving them goodbye.

With nothing but Jennie's flat's address and her mobile number written on a piece of paper, she's determined to get through her.  She's figured the older woman's had enough time to think for herself… now it's time to intervene.

On the other hand, Jennie finds herself propped down her couch, fidgeting her hands while they were rested on a pillow.  Today the media had announced an interview with the 'couple of the year' and were just about to air when her doorbell rings.

With a few quick yet small strides, she decides to open up.

And what greeted her was something that had completely taken her aback.

Lisa.

The woman she had been trying to avoid this past couple of days, was standing before her.  Still slightly covered in sweat and terribly gasping for air.  Jennie could not help but feel sorry for Lisa.  Obviously, the blonde's plans were thwarted.  She could clearly see it. 

Lisa was wearing a shirt with the company's logo printed on it, there was a small flag placed somewhere in her backpack and she was evidently prepared to go along with the event prepared that day.  But why was she here?

And why was she putting her bag down to the ground?

And why was she inching nearer Jennie?

Strong arms had then enveloped a petite body into an embrace.  With breaths of air still ghosting Jennie's ear, Lisa speaks, "I hope you're happy now…  Is this what you wanted?  To lock yourself in your flat and be pathetic by yourself as you watch your ex's speech on live television?"

Jennie doesn't speak, still surprised and stiffed as Lisa could not do anything but continue to hug her.

"I told you didn't I?  I'll be here to help, so why won't you let me?" Lisa continues to rant.  "I know you had already told me to back off for being too nosy, but right now I say, 'To hell with it!'  Do you think I'll just let you off after you used me that night?  I'm not going to torture myself thinking about you and what if's.  Right now, we'll do it!  No more of that sad sack of a dumpling you are.  Please Jennie, don't hurt yourself any more than this.  Let me help you."

Jennie doesn't know what took over her.  Her hands slowly s their way around Lisa's waist.  A feeling of comfort embodies her.  And she was certain she had already felt this kind of warmth and protection.

"I-I'm sorry, Lisa," she manages to speak, even with thick tears now flowing out from her eyes.  "I'm sorry for pushing you away, and for taking you for granted.  I'm sorry for yelling at you.  I'm sorry."

"Shh," Lisa, who was feeling a sense of accomplishment, rubs the back of head as Jennie buries herself deeper into the embrace.  "You didn't take advantage of me.  I'm also sorry for coming to you so strongly like this, because what other choice is there?  But please, this time don't try to push us away."

"I'm sorry," Jennie confesses, "It's just that we barely know each other, and I was still unsure of what you truly wanted to do.  I couldn't just trust anymore."

Lisa nods against the side of her cheek, finally understanding why Jennie had told her off.  It somehow slipped her mind of what Jennie felt about her.  Of course she was startled.  "It's alright.  To be honest, I thought I was doing this to repay you for the trouble I had once caused you.  But right now, I don't think that's it anymore.  I really, do want for you and Chaeyoung's relationship to work out.  I've seen how your eyes tell each other love even without doing anything."  Lisa expresses as she breaks away from the hug.

Wiping the tears from her cheeks away, Lisa continues, "Do you think you can still find it in your heart to trust me though?  Trust that I won't do anything to harm you in anyway while we're on the road to rediscovery?" A small cheeky grin, and that's all it needed for Jennie to break into a smile as well.

"Lisa," she calls out.  Lisa lends Jennie her ears motioning for the woman to continue, in which she does.  "Save me, please."

"Fear not, milady," Lisa jokes, "I will be with you each step of the way." she bows in a fashionable manner, allowing for Jennie to laugh at the dork in front of her.

Unbeknownst to both of them was the woman on the screen who had a smile etched on her face, but it was clearly just a show, was already breaking herself apart.  But who would've given thought to that?  Everyone present in that interview could not tell the difference between that fake smile she had and the genuine smile the man beside her has.  People could see that both of them were in love.  But Chaeyoung could not even tell the polite interviewer anything.

"Kang-Park couple is now dubbed as the 'couple of the year', how do you feel about this?" the polite woman questions.

Seungyoon, who could not hide how happy he is, answers in a jiffy.  "Well, we're grateful that we could be dubbed as such." he expresses.  "We're also grateful that there are a lot of people who have come to support our marriage, it means a lot to us."

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