A/N:

okay so lets chat about the last chapter; all i can say is,, dont be too hard on eunbi. she has a lot of baggage and its frustrating i know, but she literally doesn't have 15 years worth of memories of love and family, or her experience of emotional growth. it's hard for Eunbi to just accept everything as it is, even if it looks perfect, especially if it looks perfect. She's guilty in some ways, Chaeyeon in others.

and i know i'm defending myself here, but eunbi needs an honest time to herself to get her bearings, and the divorce is what she needs to do that. It's selfish but we're allowed to be sometimes if it's what's best for us.

D+75

Eunbi hasn’t been to her office at the company since before the divorce papers were even signed.

Frankly, Eunbi found it hard to be in the office that she shares with her friend, Sakura, who happens to also be the person she cheated on her then wife with. Eunbi hadn't made the effort to see or talk to Sakura. Not unless she had to. Not after she found out what transpired between them. It was too hard.

Maybe it was because Eunbi was worried that something else might happen. Or maybe she was scared that if Sakura would want to talk about the nature of their relationship, Eunbi just wouldn’t know how to respond. 

After a while, avoiding Sakura in the office seemed too difficult, considering they were supposedly close friends and are colleagues on top of it. In the end, Eunbi used her close friendship with the CEO Bae Irene to ask for a leave of absence––or basically just to work from home. Eunbi had all her equipment at home anyway, so it wasn’t that hard to convince her superior.

There was always the guilt that reminded Eunbi how it wasn’t fair to Sakura keeping her newfound information from her. It definitely wasn’t fair that Eunbi was actively avoiding her friend for the last month. But Eunbi just couldn’t help it, she wouldn’t know what to say to Sakura if ever they were to discuss it. Truthfully, Eunbi couldn’t even picture it, the idea of her and Sakura being together. She knows that what she felt then before the accident and now is different, because now… Eunbi is still in love with her ex wife, and not the woman she cheated with.

A knock broke Eunbi out of her thoughts. She looks to the door where Sakura had just come into Eunbi’s office. She almost grimaces when Sakura closes the door shut behind her. Eunbi was still not ready to have a conversation with her friend. A hundred different scenarios were going through Eunbi’s head as she wondered whether any of those hypotheticals didn’t end badly for them after having said conversation.

Sakura didn’t seem to notice Eunbi’s sullen mood. Instead, the Japanese woman looks around Eunbi’s office. Boxes littered about and the shelves were being cleared out. Sakura didn’t comment on it, choosing to focus on something else. “First day back and you’re already late?” she jokes.

The jest flew right by Eunbi’s head. “I just came here to pick up my things,” Eunbi says.  “I handed in my resignation last week,” she supplies after seeing the confused look on her friend’s face.

Once again, Eunbi had asked for a special consideration from the CEO. To Eunbi’s own surprise, Irene was able to grant it. The timing had felt right for her to do it. Her contract with the company ends in a month, and while Eunbi couldn’t formally quit her job yet, at least she was allowed to clear out her desk now and work from home. She wouldn’t have to go into the office unless they absolutely needed Eunbi to be present. 

Sakura’s brows furrowed. “You didn’t tell me you were quitting.”

Instead of explaining herself, Eunbi stayed quiet. Her eyes had darted to the floor, unable to meet her friend’s questioning gaze. 

It must have irked Sakura because she steps closer with every intention to question Eunbi, “What’s wrong? You’ve been a little…” she pauses, pondering on her words, “...a lot distant, actually. We haven’t even talked properly in over a month, Eunbi. And I’m your friend. I thought after everything you would have needed a friend to console you. Did I do something wrong?”

There was something about the look in Sakura’s eyes that made Eunbi’s resolve falter. Eunbi couldn’t bear to keep on lying, to anyone. “I found out about…” Eunbi purses her lips, stopping herself. It doesn’t ever get easier to say out loud, she realizes. “My affair with you,” she finishes.

Sakura her head to the side. “You’re quitting because of that? You’re leaving all of this behind––your dream job, your love for music––because I remind you of your mistakes, is that it?”

Eunbi sighs as she stops packing, then walking over to sit down on the sofa. “I’m still making music. I’ve talked to a music producer from a different company and they want me to work there.” Eunbi’s answer seemed to not satisfy Sakura. “It’s not because you remind me of my mistakes. It’s because I need a fresh start, where I’m not living in the shadow of my past self. A clean slate.” <