"It can't be... I mean..." Chaewon was lost for words because of what Yena just told her. She was trying to hold back her tears so she won't look like one of the pathetic people who cry in cafés, but her tear ducts had minds of their own.

"So you're telling me that yesterday kept repeating for Hiichan until I died, and the cycle only stopped when she broke up with me?" Chaewon muttered between sobs, but loud enough so Yena could hear. Yena just kept silent and answered with an affirmative nod.

Chaewon continued to ask as she brushed her tears away with her hands, "She broke up with me to save me?" Again, Yena could only nod as an answer. She could understand what the crying girl is going through; it also took a while for her and Yuri to get to terms with Hitomi's story.

Chaewon shrunk to her seat as she continued to cry. She didn't care if anyone judged her anymore; no judgment can invalidate what she was feeling right now.

Why was she trying to do this alone? She should have told me what was happening. We're a team, we solve things together. This is now how it's supposed to be.We're supposed to lean on each other, be each other's rock. How am I supposed to catch her if even I didn't know she was falling?

Chaewon quickly took her phone out of her bag and dialed Hitomi's number. The standard prompt told her that the number couldn't be reached at this time. Right, I'm still blocked. How am I supposed to get in touch with her if she still has my number blocked? 

That was when an idea popped up in her head.

Chaewon looked towards Yena and blurted out, "Yena-unnie, can I borrow your phone?"

Yena hands her phone to Chaewon, who immediately grabs it. "Sure, but why?"

"I'm going to call Hiichan since she blocked my number---"

Upon hearing this, Yena swiped her phone from the younger girls hand and interjected, "No way. I don't want either of you to die by a freak accident or loneliness. You know Hitomi better than I do. You should know that she has a reason why you're blocked."

"BUT I NEED TO TALK TO HER, UNNIE. I NEED HER TO KNOW THAT I LOVE HER! 

AND THAT WE SHOULD GO THROUGH THIS TOGETHER!"

Yena was stunned by Chaewon's loud voice. She has never heard her best friend shout so loud before. It was so loud that Wonyoung and the other customers turned to their table to look at where the loud voice was coming from. Chaewon was beyond caring at this point; her head dropped low, her tears were freely flowing from her eyes, and her fists clenched in frustration.

She continued speaking, but now in a softer but more heartfelt voice, "And I want her to know that I'm still here for her. That I'm alive and I still want to be by her side."

Yena sympathized with her best friend. She took a chair from an empty table and sat next to her hurting best friend. She put her arms around her shoulder so that her best friend could cry on her shoulder without being seen by the other customers, a gesture that Chaewon appreciated so much.

When Chaewon finally calmed down, Yena gave her her phone and said, "I'd recommend texting her first."

Chaewon grabbed the phone with her shaky hands and started texting Hitomi. She had a lot of things that she wanted to say, but she felt like she needed to take it slow.

[Text Conversation. Red: Chaewon]

Hitomi, can I talk to you? Please? 

I'm alive, and I know everything.

Huh? Yena-unnie? Are you high?

No, this is Chaewon.

Oh. Okay. I hope you live a good life, then.

Hitomi please.

I'm guessing Yena-unnie told you, huh?

Yeah, but I need to ask you something.

Fine. But I need some time to think this through too. I'm also in shock about all this. 

Sure, I understand. 

Since we don't know what's going on yet, let's talk without seeing each other.

I'll figure something out. 

How about we tal