The rest of the school year went by faster than I could follow. Chaeyoung and I have been quite busy, mainly me, I am a med student after all. Her, being an arts major, has some more time than I do, which makes me feel a little frustrated for not being able to give her the time she deserves.

But we have always been easy together, not like our friends. Take Momo for example, she is madly in love, and even already married, but has this long distance relationship. Or Nayeon and Mina, who seem to live for the drama, Mina is a master of push and pull, and Nayeon is just a big kid. Or even Sana and Jeongyeon, they took way too long to get together, but everything went way too fast after they did.

Sana was very serious about putting a ring on it, seems like she called ahead for a ring, and went straight to Jeongyeon’s house, once we arrived, and refused to leave without getting her parents to accept their engagement. Talk about madly in love, huh?

Anywho, I’ve just turned in my last assignment, now I can finally give my lovely little bean all the time she deserves. But I have to say she is taking too long to get here. And I’ve been having this gut feeling all day, telling me something is up with Chae. I usually get these things right, so now I’m preparing myself for the worst.

I always had someone in my heart, Chaeyoung knew that, but I love her with all I have. But I’ve been ready to let her go if she falls in love since the beginning, I know how it feels, it’s not something you can simply ignore. Of course I’ll be sad, certainly it will break my heart. But I can’t guilt trip her into staying, not when I would go to HER if given the chance, so who am I to tell her to stay when I know she has to go.

Just as I’m swallowing the lump on my throat, Chaeyoung walks through the door. I signal her and she says she will just get a drink and get back, her face looks very serious and her steps are heavy. Guess it’s time afterall, no use running now, I just grit my teeth and brace for impact.

“Jihyo, I need to talk to you. And it would be better to talk at your place, I don’t really want people around for this.”

“The time has come, huh?” I ask with a bitter smile on my face. Guess I really do love her after all.

“Can we just go? This already feels bad, and I want us to be alone for this.”

I just nod, gathering my stuff so we can go to my place, it’s the closest and I live in my own apartment, whilst Chae lives on the college dorm. As soon as we arrive, she gets two water bottles and a towel. Oh boy, here it comes. We sit on the couch, she clears and speaks.

“Jihyo, we agreed to be honest with each other no matter what, remember?”

“Ofcourse, I was the one to make you promise this. So you are here to tell me she finally showed up?”

“Yes, I am. I feel really bad right now, you know I love you. I love you with all my heart, and I’m sure you do too. But it just happened.”

“Chae, I told you it could come to you when you least expected it. But, at least tell me how it happened.”

She puts her hand on my cheek and wipe away some tears, to no use, since we are both crying a lot right now.

“Well, I was asked to show some transfer students around, who are starting next year, and once I saw her, everything you said would happen, really happened. I didn’t say anything to her, she never had any questions, so we really didn’t talk at all. But I knew then and there I had to talk to you right away.”

“It’s okay, well, not really. We’re both getting broken right now, but we have each other to get through this.”

“Are you really willing to face this beside me? Won’t my feelings for her and our past together hurt you even more?”

“Son Chaeyoung, I said we will face this together, and so we will. Also, we are too close to just brush this aside and wait for it to blow over. We have the same friends, remember? Our best friends are engaged. We can’t just disappear from each other and keep the hurt forever. This is something we have to face and get over with now, or it will just end our lives.”

“On that I must agree. But come to me when you need to break down, okay? Because I’ll certainly be doing the same. We are the only ones who understand what it feels like, this relationship belongs to us only. One day we’ll be okay with it, but until that day comes, I promise to hold your hand through it all.”

“Thanks, Chae. I promise you the same. But can we just let it out now? It’s getting harder to keep it in.”

We, then, cry on each others arms for hours. We exhaust ourselves and end up sleeping on the couch. I wake up a few hours later, Chaeyoung is still sleeping, and look at her face, taking in all the pain, love and regret this tired little face in front of me is showing.

It’s a little past ten, so I order some food and take a quick shower while I wait. I’m hungry, and surely will cry more latter, eating is something I should do, and so should she. We met right after lunch and have been crying our hearts out ever since, it’s not good for us to go on without some sustenance.

Chaeyoung wakes up with the bell, good, dinner is here. I tell her to go take a shower, so we can eat and talk a bit more. There shouldn’t be much more to say, but I feel like talking to her anyways. I don’t know, maybe is my way of coping with things? She comes back and we sit on the table to eat.

“You know we have to tell everyone, right?”

“J-jihyo *cough* could you let me *caugh* swallow first?”

“Sorry. But I was thinking about it since I woke up.”

“I know, I was thinking the same.”

“Also, are you planning on making a move anytime soon? I know it shouldn’t be my business, but I would like to know.”

“Don’t think so. This breakup really took a toll on me, even if I’m the one doing it. I need some time to heal first. WE need some time.”

“I know. But could you give the heads up? I want to be prepared when it happens.”

“Ofcourse I will. I would never just sneak up on you with something like this.”

“Thanks Chae. Should we just gather everyone tomorrow? It’s sunday anyways.”

“Yeah, and it’s better to get this over with. They will most likely freak out all day long for it, also.”

“I’ll send them a message and ask them to come by tomorrow, then. Tonight we’ll just cry some more and let out whatever it is we have to.”

“Sounds like a plan to me. And thanks for the food, I forgot I had to eat.”

She smiles shyly, hanging her head down a little. I just give her a sad smile back and proceed to message the kids. Now tomorrow is going to be very very hard on us.

From: OurLadyAndSaviour:

Kids, could you all come by tomorrow morning?

From: PrincessPeach:

Sure, but where? Yours or Chaeng?

From: OurLadyAndSaviour:

Me. And bring some food and some drinks, you gluttons.

From: Nabongbong:

Did something happen?

From: LittleStawberry:

Why?

From: Nabongbong:

You guys almost never invite us over on a sunday.

From: Ballemina:

That IS true, you know.

From: OurLadyAndSaviour:

Just come over, can you?

From: GodessFromTheWest:

Am I the only one who smells something fishy?

From: JeongJeong:

I have to agree with them, are you guys okay? Sure you don’t want us to come over now?

From: GodessFromTheWest:

Should I fly over?

From: LittleStrawberry:

No, no need to fly over. You guys are overreacting.

From: TamedSnake:

No, we are certainly not. Son Chaeyoung, you come clean right now!

From: LittleStrawberry:

OMG, Sana. Just chileax, will you? We are just asking you guys to come over.

From: OurLadyAndSaviour:

Yeah! Just cease this nonsense and get here tomorrow morning.

Chae just mutes her phone and goes to do the dishes, I take this moment to tell Somi what is happening. She won’t be here tomorrow, and that kid is too old for her age, so I can just tell her now.

To: GodessFromTheWest:

Somsom?

From: GodessFromTheWest:

Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong now?

To: GodessFromTheWest:

Yes, but you gotta keep quiet about it until tomorrow. We want to tell the others ourselves.

From: GodessFromTheWest:

Why didn’t you just say you guys broke up? I’m flying over!

To: GodessFromTheWest:

Okay, first, how? Just how?

From: GodessFromTheWest:

I’m that good. I’m hanging up now. Have a plane to catch.

To: GodessFromTheWest:

No. Coming from Japan just for this is a bit much.

From: GodessFromTheWest:

Yes, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.

To: GodessFromTheWest:

Could you please not tell Momo, then?

From: GodessFromTheWest:

Sure thing. But I’m crying already

To: GodessFromTheWest:

Will you stop the drama? We’ll talk tomorrow, then.

From: GodessFromTheWest:

Okay, be well. Both of you.

To: GodessFromTheWest:

We will. =*

I set the alarm, just in case, and go get Chaeyoung. We sit back on the couch and just talk and cry the night away. At some point in the morning I fall asleep, she slept some time ago, but the sky is starting to light up now. I should get some rest before they get here, my head hurts.

The alarm sounds, and it feels like I just closed my eyes. I drag myself up and wake Chae, telling her we should, at least, try to look presentable before the kids get here. She gets up and goes prepare some breakfast for us, I go take a shower to try and shake off this crying from me.

After breakfast, Chaeyoung goes to fix herself up and I clean the kitchen, I take the chance to fix up the living room and open a window to air out the house a little. I’m finishing throwing the last of the tissues out when the doorbell rings.

“Wow, you look awful.” Jeongyeon says.

“Thanks.” I reply, getting out of the way so they can come in. Seems like they all came together.

“So, spill.” Sana says sitting on the floor with her back on Jeongyeon’s legs.

“Nice to see you guys too. Somi, I told you not to come. But you wouldn’t listen.”

“Just start talking.” Momo says impatiently.

“I’m waiting for Chae.”

“I’m here. Will you, or should I?” She asks getting beside me and holding my hand.

I take a deep breath. “We broke up.”

And, just like that, hell breaks loose on my living room. Somi finally starts crying, Momo is looking from us to her not knowing what to do, Sana faints, Jeongyeon holds her up and tries to wake her up. Mina starts screaming at Chaeyoung and Nayeon starts scolding me while hugging me tight.

I can’t really let this go on for long, so I use my voice power to try and shut them up.

“Will you all be quiet and let us speak.”

They shut up at once and look at me a little surprised. Since I’ve never really lost my temper like this before.

“Just sit down and let us speak. We know this is surprising for you, but this is really hard for us, you know?!” Chaeyoung says and the tension eases up just like that.

We both sit on the floor facing them all, holding each others hand to tell we are doing this together. They look at us with very pained eyes, I try hard not to cry and squeeze Chaeyoung’s hand a little, she responds and starts off.

“Okay, so, yesterday we talked and broke up.” She says and nobody moves, so I take it as my queue.

“I know no one was expecting this to happen. But we found it to be best to break up.”

“How can a break up be best?” Sana asks with her voice full of sorrow and a very heavy expression.

“And how can you two be so calm right now? Even being together like this right now?” Mina says with a hint of anger starting to show.

I sigh “Fine, don’t listen. But if you are just gonna throw tantrums, go home. We don’t need this right now, it’s already very hard for us.”

“I’m sorry. Just talk to us, please?” Somi pleads.

So we just start telling them how all happened. They get riled up every now and then, but we get it all out. These girls are so precious to me, it pains me to see the sorrow in their eyes, for both of us. They take turns hugging us both, and I must say this is very comforting and liberating at the same time. I feel better to know these kind souls are here for me, for us. I know Chaeng is the one who brought it up, but I also know she is hurting as much as I am. Maybe more, thinking it’s her fault all of this is happening.

But we’ll be fine. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe in a month, maybe in a year. But I know we’ll be fine, we’ll get through this, we have people who will go to any lengths to help us. This right now, shows us that they are not going anywhere, none of us is. We just need some time now.