There are tons of opinions and beliefs about relationships and bonds. There are sayings such as, ‘Bonds are like promises. They are meant to be broken someday and somehow’. And there are also those sayings that contradict the first as it goes, ‘The bonds formed without the sense of pressure or force can never be broken’. Either way, perception varies as everyone goes through different unique experiences that determine whether a bond is kept keeping or not. However, how about for particular bonds that are yet to blossom, will these bonds break like promises or will it flower and be colorful?

“Here? She seriously asked me to come to her place. I thought she was only kidding…” Jisoo sighed as she tilted her head up high to this tall building of condominium standing firm in front of her and simultaneously checking on this message that Lisa sent containing an address she indicated.

It’s a cold weekend in the town and under this cozy weather, people would rather stay home and have their needed rest coming from their busy weekdays. One of them is supposedly Jisoo, however, here she stands in front of this condominium where she’s expecting to find Lisa. As promised though reluctant at first, Jisoo fulfilled their appointment as negotiated during the weekdays and now here she is about to spend an entire weekend with a vlogger she barely knows yet.

“Excuse me, I’m Kim Jisoo from JNK Cakes and Coffee. Is Lalisa Manoban here? I’m supposed to have an appointment with her.” Jisoo approached the guard upon realizing that the place is highly private and exclusive, only rich people could afford to pay for.

The guard gladly opened the glass entrance for her, confirming, “Ah yeah. Miss Lisa is expecting you today and you’re just in time. She’s unit is on the 3rd floor room 327. You may just proceed straight up there.”

Jisoo is hesitant in her steps as the people coming in and out are mostly foreigners, high-class businessmen based from their expensive suits, giving her this awkwardness as she bows her head to anyone she passes by and for she’s only wearing so casual in her oversized hoodies and jeans but looking good enough to be presented on a vlog. The elevator she rode onto is spacious for her to be occupying alone making it for her too uncomfortable on this unfamiliar place. Thankfully, the ride didn’t last long as Lisa’s room is only located by the third floor and her room that’s only a few steps away from the elevator. 

“Geez, of all places she can choose for a meet up, she really chose her place. We’re not that even so close yet to be hanging around in her personal space. I should have decided about it and not her.” Jisoo kept grumbling to herself as she stood there in front of the closed door, contemplating when to ring the bell or to walk away and cancel the appointment.

“Oh, you’re here!” Lisa squealed in excitement at the sight of Jisoo the moment she came out on one of the elevators, carrying bags of goods under her long arms.

Jisoo didn’t see her coming for all she had thought was Lisa is inside her place, hence alarmed of her unexpected appearance outside joining her. Similar to hers, she’s wearing her oversized hoodie but in white and they are almost looking like in their couple outfit spending their weekend together. The paper bags she’s carrying are filled with cat foods and variety of toys not for herself but obviously for the pets and only a few that Jisoo can see as human foods from the other bag, the smallest one.

“G-good morning. I thought you’ll be in that’s why I came straight up here without telling you.” Jisoo said as she initiatively helped Lisa on some bags so she can open the door with her other hand.

While Lisa struggles on entering her door’s code, she voices, “It’s okay. I somehow forgot to tell you too that I was out to buy some things for my cats and I didn’t also expect there would be a lot of people at the pet shop that’s why I took longer than I thought.”

“Cats…?” Jisoo furrowed her eyebrows. “Don’t tell me… you…” She then started to realize what she’s about to see as soon as Lisa opens the door.

The door opened wide and what welcomed Jisoo are three cats meowing and looking up on Lisa. They all swarmed around them as they walk in and later the smallest was carried by Lisa. It has these cute rounded watery eyes as if it’s in a comfortable and secured place in Lisa’s hold and this Jisoo finds so adorable to look at. The other two that seems older followed them from behind while they continuously make noises as they reached the shoe racks where they remove their shoes.

“This is Lily…” Lisa introduced the smallest cat that’s hanging on her shoulder. Then she points at the other two, “and that’s Leo and Luca.”

“You travelled with them?” Jisoo asked as she’s guided further into the room and let the cats follow them.

“When I travel somewhere that’s too far from Thailand, I don’t. I leave them with my mom in our family house back in Thailand. But when I travel somewhere close like here, then I take them with me. In fact, I’m planning to adapt my fourth one here. I saw a cute one at the pet clinic earlier and they are waiting for someone to adapt it.” Lisa explained and revealed her personal space openly without any sense of aloofness.

Her place isn’t one of those typical condo units that anyone would expect; rather hers is close to a studio set-up. There’s an arrangement of cameras on its stands by the living room space that’s garnished with tables and chairs on a particular corner with a plain white background and Jisoo presumed it as Lisa’s filming site whenever she does records. The lightings are also properly placed around and it’s all directed on the area. There is not much furniture around and only set of couches and a television mounted on the wall can be seen decorated her living room and by the farthest corner Jisoo can see a closed door which she assumed Lisa’s bedroom.

“You rented this condominium unit all for your vlogs’ recordings? You could have just rented something cheaper or rented another studio and one for your comfortable stay here.” Jisoo asked as her eyes kept roaming from the ceiling down to the floor where papers are scattered. 

Coming from the narrow pantry area, Lisa offers a cup of tea and leads her to the couch for a seat, “I really did think about that but my plans have changed. I originally planned to stay for a month only but somehow, I changed my mind. This country has a lot to offer so I decided to stay longer than I thought I would be. I’ve already informed the embassy about my extension of stay so there’s nothing to worry about. Also, this is more convenient if I joined this temporary studio and my place since I can save expenses too.”

“I see. Then that makes sense why you rented a huge one like this.” Jisoo nodded then she hands over the bag she’s been holding herself, “By the way, I brought some coffee for our vlog today and some for you too. I already mixed it with that same taste as what you had back in the café and all you have to do is to add hot water or cold if you want to. I could have brought cakes with me too but Jennie is busy today so I can only get this for you.”

“Wow! Cool! Thank you! I didn’t expect you’ll personally spare some for me too but really, I appreciate it. Now I can have Kim Jisoo’s coffee for free every day.” Lisa sniffed the bitter smell coming out from the bag as she’s hyped from it like an ecstasy that made her high.

Jisoo stayed quiet watching the enthusiastic Lisa going back to the pantry area to fix the gift she got for her. She has never seen someone being this hyped up from the coffee she makes, not even Jennie who would only give her honest opinions about the taste with a straight face of a typical businesswoman. She’s pleased, nonetheless, seeing Lisa, a mere customer to building a close friendship with her through this vlog that they are about to make together.

Cutting off her thoughts is her phone that’s ringing aloud that even Lisa was alarmed from the pantry. Jisoo initially ignored it by cancelling but the calls kept coming that it’s hard for the both of them to keep on acting like this loud ring isn’t echoing all over the place. And these consecutive calls on weekends, Jisoo does know who it is without even looking at the caller’s name on her screen which at the same time, is her reason why as much as possible, she doesn’t want to pick it up.

“You can answer your phone. I’ll still have to fix some things before we can start the vlog so you can do anything for now.” Lisa broke the heavy atmosphere between them as she suggested.

And because it’s Lisa who said so, Jisoo felt the responsibility to answer it and thus she excuses, “Then, I’ll take it. I won’t take long. Sorry…”

Jisoo goes as far as she can so she can answer the call and that’s by the balcony where her cats are having their morning sunbathe in their own seats. She wasn’t mistaken when she thought it’s Seulgi and the missed calls even came with floods of messages she hasn’t answered since the moment she started her day. With all these messages containing these angry emoticons and sentences in exclamation points she don’t even want to read anymore, she’s doubting whether to answer or not.

But then another call came and this time, the pressured Jisoo has to pick it up as she answers bland and monotone, “What…”

“Oh my God Jisoo! You finally answered!” Seulgi was heard groaning from the other line, so loud that Jisoo had to put the phone far from her ear. “Anyway, it’s already kind of late. Did you just wake up?” She then calmed down as she asked.

“No. I’m actually at my friend’s place right now and—“

“Wait! At your friend’s place? Who? Why didn’t you tell me anything beforehand? I thought you’re not going out every weekend and you rather stay home or go back to the countryside to your parents.” Seulgi cut her off in a demanding tone.

Jisoo’s feeling her blood starting to boil but still manages to respond low, “Yeah… Lisa is a new friend of mine and we’re doing a vlog together today. She’s that owner of the popular vlog channel called Lilifilm Official and she happened to be at the café last week and now she wants to feature me in her channel since most of her followers were curious. I want to give it a try and Jennie permitted me so we’re doing it today.”

“But you didn’t bother asking my permission about it? I’m your girlfriend and you should also be asking about my permission and not just your best friend!” Seulgi strictly questioned.

“And you’re going to say no, right? You’ll just tell me to decline this opportunity because it’s not what you want. You disagree with everything I do that’s why I didn’t tell you anymore.” Jisoo reasoned out with her voice that’s starting to rise up.

And Seulgi confirms firm, “I’m glad you know because what’s even the point of doing stupid vlogs like that? You could have just gone out with Jennie instead of hanging out with a vlogger who doesn’t have future on doing those kinds of things! It’s pointless! Go back home! I don’t even know who that vlogger is!”

“See? This is why I don’t tell you anything anymore because you’re trying to control my life! It’s suffocating, okay? You’re just my lover and you don’t own me! Is it that hard to support what I want to do in life? Is it that hard to be happy for me and for what I’m doing just like how I’m happy for you working there because you want to?” Jisoo roared as she couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer, tears also followed afterwards which she hides under her dangling hair as she lowered down her head.

“You don’t understand…” Seulgi still tried to argue.

But Jisoo sobs, “You used not to be like this… What happened to you?”

Lisa heard Jisoo screaming on her phone which definitely took her aback while’s she busily setting the cameras and their shooting area by the pantry area. Though she didn’t comprehend anything because of the distance, she sighted her shoulders moving as she’s sobbing but all she can do is to act composed for she didn’t want to come in between her personal affairs and businesses. Lisa may not know what’s going on and why Jisoo is in a foul mood upon answering the call, yet however she knows the obvious that something isn’t brewing well in her life.

Later, Jisoo hanged up the call and walks back to Lisa but not before wiping off any stain of tears from her face, “Sorry for the sudden interruption. Something’s just quite not going well. You know, life…” She forced a giggle as she helped Lisa with the setting.

Lisa though extends a handkerchief for her as she points out cautious, “You have tears left on your cheeks…”

“Oh…” Jisoo flushed in embarrassment and accepted. “Well, this is awkward… No one has seen me like this, not even Jennie so this is embarrassing.” She again faked a smile while wiping everything off her face, even her make-up that she almost ruined.

“Tell me if you cannot do this and we can reschedule our shoot.” Lisa offered out of concern as Jisoo is obviously bothered with those creasing eyebrows of hers and uneven breathing.

“Nah, I’m good.” Jisoo straightened herself up and put back that genuine smile as she proceeds on changing the topic, “Anyway, are we going to shoot in your pantry? Why did you set-up there?”

“Ah yeah. I thought it would be a good idea to change locations too and bring new concepts to the people. It’s just like doing business, I also have to change things from time to time and have the people’s interest.” Lisa explained and let Jisoo stand in her position in front of the camera to get a gist of how the filming would go.

Jisoo’s nervousness began to spike again as Lisa is fixing the camera angles and so she speaks up shaky, “Excuse me… I don’t really know what to do yet and this is my first time to try this thing. What am I supposed to do?”

“Just imagine that the cameras aren’t on and talk casually with me as if we’re not being filmed. Be natural and don’t try to be something you’re not. So, don’t be nervous and think of this as if we’re just having a normal conversation like how we were back in the café during the weekdays. Also, I have scripts for the things I usually say to start my vlogs and I prepared one today as well so don’t worry too much. I got your back on this.” Lisa advised and comforted Jisoo with a light pat by her back as she rejoined her.

“O-okay…” Jisoo has no other choice but to nod and let this vlog start with her loud thumping heart.

“Now let me start this and film my part first.” Lisa said and gently pushed Jisoo into a side where the cameras cannot cover her.

Lisa started to film with a greeting in a cheerful way and loud that Jisoo almost made a noise in this room engulfed in silence, hearing nothing but Lisa’s voice echoing all over. She’s natural and professional in front of the camera as her hands are moving smoothly, the flow of her words are continuous and her gestures and expressions are on point in each part she does. Jisoo couldn’t help but to admire this professionalism from her, as if the once reserved and clumsy Lisa from days ago doesn’t exist anymore.

“She’s a total pro in this. I guess I’ll be fine if she’s with me.” Jisoo convinced herself after being persuaded by Lisa’s performance in the camera. 

Jisoo and Lisa spend their morning together, while Jennie spends her day on her own doing what she’s supposed to do as a daughter for her mother who needs her the most in these times they only got each other’s back. In the crowded area of the town’s general hospital, here Jennie hops excited to see her mother again for a weekend. Though it’s her routine to be in this hospital every weekend, she’s more excited today for she has these roses she especially brought for her, these red flowers that she loves the most in decorating her space.

By the hospital’s lobby, the chilling blow of wind remains unchanged, giving her a chill down to her spine under her red sweater and cooling her brain beneath that beanie wrapped around her head. There are patients checking out with their guardians while there are those seated waiting for results and people standing by as they cry. There are various kinds of people around and one of those that caught Jennie’s sharp eyes as she walks by is Alice, sitting in front of the emergency room’s waiting area that’s connected from the lobby.

Jennie cautiously walked towards her and taps her back to get her attention, “Hey…”

Alice looked up and by accident she revealed how soaked her face is from her tears and how swollen her eyes are. She also got her palms drenched for she has been covering her face while she was in tears. There are documents beside her and what caught Jennie’s attention furthermore is that there’s no Chaeyoung with her. This obviously shocked Jennie that she couldn’t say more than just staring at Alice who is as shocked as she is with her presence.  

“What are you doing here?” Alice sobbed one last time before wiping off her tears away with her bare hands.

Jennie replies in a stutter as she remains in her stand, “This is the hospital where my mom is confined. I’m always here every weekend to visit her. How about you, what are you doing here? And where’s Chaeyoung? Is she not with you?”

Alice looks over to the emergency room’s door, though opened but each bed can be seen divided by curtains that make no one to see from the outside as she speaks unsteady in her voice, “Chaeyoung was rushed here earlier. She’s inside the emergency room.”

“What happened to her?” Jennie gasped and immediately occupied a seat beside Alice.

Leaning her back to the seat, Alice took a deep breath before she explains, “Chaeng was crying last night and I guess she cried until dawn. She couldn’t sleep at all. She’s sometimes like that, especially whenever she remembers what happened to her or most of the times she’ll have nightmares. Then, in the morning, she was panicking because her eyes hurt so much. She said it’s too painful and I can see it. It’s true that she’s a cry baby but whenever she suffers from panic attack, that’s a different story for me.”

“Are the doctors checking her right now?” Jennie worriedly asked and Alice nodded weak.

“To be honest, I’m so worried for her…” Alice voiced but then her tears started coming out again. No matter how much she tries to stop it by looking up the ceiling, she couldn’t help it. As her tears endlessly flow, she goes on talking in between her sobs, “I’m going back to work on Monday and I have to leave her all alone at home in the morning. It may only be a few hours but who knows what happens within those few hours I cannot be with her. She kept telling me throughout the week we’re together that she’ll be fine but I know she might not be especially what just happened earlier. I don’t want her to feel like she’s a burden to me because she really isn’t. How will I take care of Chaeyoung…?”

Jennie gently patted Alice’s back to ease her from continuously sobbing as she’s catching her breath. She doesn’t know how to comfort her in a situation like this, hence she kept mum for long minutes hoping that Alice’s cries would calm down. Nevertheless, Jennie does know how it feels to be rumbled and not knowing what to do, like how Alice feels on not knowing how she should make Chaeyoung feel she’s cared without the sense of being a burden. It’s a difficult time, sure Jennie does know for similar to the sisters, she herself is on tough times of her life.

Jennie lends her handkerchief while she carefully asks, “Excuse me but, if I may ask, what happened to Chaeyoung and how did she become blind? It’s okay if you won’t tell me too. I understand…”

Alice hesitates for a moment while she recomposes herself from her hard cries as Chaeyoung never wanted to talk about the past and never Chaeyoung wanted to be reminded of it if possible. She’s too delicate of her experiences she doesn’t want to look back on it anymore, again if possible.  But here sits Jennie, someone who can be potentially a good friend for Chaeyoung, and Alice can see the care from her eyes as she asked, and not someone who is only curious to get new information to be passed around the town.

Thus, Alice speaks up, “It was because of an accident.”

“Accident?” Jennie tended closer to hear more.

“Well… you know, an unfortunate accident. She was with her friends. They were hit by a truck in an intersection and everyone inside that car died but my sister luckily survived. However, in exchange, her sight was taken away. That happened on a midnight, I can still remember that time.” Alice limited her words despite how she sees Jennie as trust-worthy.

Jennie’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened, stuttering as she’s losing her words in shock, “T-that’s…”

“Shocking, isn’t it?” Alice forced out a smile to contradict what her aching heart feels and somehow it aided her temporarily. And so she goes on, “What happened that night is still haunting Chaeyoung in her nightmares until this present day. There isn’t a day she cannot remember what happened to her and to her friends. It was that day that changed her life after all…”

“I didn’t expect this at all. It must have been so traumatic for her.” This is all that Jennie can comment as the shock is eating her up.

Alice nods, agreeing to Jennie’s comment, “It sure is a trauma for her. She didn’t even want to do anything anymore. For so long she locked herself in her room and she barely talked to any of us, especially to our parents even if they apologized as they feel responsible for what happened to her. Chaeyoung only trusted me, no one else. I even felt so bad when I had to leave her at home to come here for work. Thankfully, she’s here now and she feels a lot better compared to when she was staying in Australia where everything happened.”  

Jennie felt this urge to ask more for there are a lot that she finds intriguing in her statement, but she restrained herself upon considering the situation that Alice is in, heartbroken and downhearted as of the moment that Chaeyoung is in her difficult times. Moreover, thinking back of what Alice had told her, how depressed Chaeyoung is because of her condition but fighting for it, she considered she could be sensitive of talking about past and experiences, and even talk about the basics of her life. Jennie is afraid she might ask something that’s still too sensitive to tackle. In the end, she could only comfort Alice in her silence.

As Alice gets no response from Jennie but a gentle caress on her back to comfort her, she pleads, “Please don’t tell Chaeyoung I told you anything. As I told you before, she doesn’t really want to be talked about, particularly her past so don’t tell her I said anything. I trust you personally that’s why I decided to tell you some things about her.”

“Don’t worry. I understand. I won’t tell her anything.” Jennie agreed.

“The rest about my sister, I guess I’m not in the position to say more because I believe some things should directly come out from and not from other people even if I’m her sister. You know, there are some things I cannot disclose since it’s her personal life and I don’t want her to feel like I’m butting in or something. I have to respect her decisions too.” Alice said and again Jennie nodded.

“Miss Alice, the doctor is done examining your sister. You can come in now so we can explain it to you.” The nurse called Alice’s attention by the lobby as she interrupted the talk.

Alice immediately makes a stand and in a rush she asks Jennie, looking back at her, “Do you want to come? Chaeyoung would love to see you too.”

But Jennie has to decline politely, “I’d love to come but I think I might not know what to tell her after what we talked about. Also, I have to check on mom too.”

“I see. Then, I guess I’ll see you around.” Alice bowed down and went to the emergency room in haste.

Jennie was able to take a glimpse of Chaeyoung in her hospital bed as Alice shoved the curtain to get in. Chaeyoung was dejected as obvious in her expression but her mood became a lot brighter when Alice engulfed her into an embrace. It was only a few seconds that Jennie saw her but she already detected so much from her. Adding this to all those small facts she had known, Jennie in her strides is restless in her thoughts, so muddled to be even walking straight into the hallways of the hospital.

As the hallway is empty and the nurses are in there station from a distance, Jennie closed her eyes as she stood there in the middle and that’s when she’s surrounded with nothing but darkness. It’s only a small step forward that she did with her eyes closed but she’s already trembling and anxious of what’s around her, scaring her so much that her following steps turned so feeble her knees would fold anytime soon. Darkness, indeed, without knowing what’s around, this terrified Jennie and she didn’t last long until she opened her eyes wide again and found herself catching her breath.

“Is this how Chaeyoung feels every day…? Is this what she’s going through every day? This is hard…” Jennie asked herself and rested on a side as she somewhat attempted to understand more of what Chaeyoung feels.  

It was already late in the afternoon when Lisa and Jisoo wrapped up their filming with the sun setting and creating a beautiful orange sky. The sun’s rays reflected on the windows with its curtains moving due to the mild blow of wind from the outside, a perfect time to finally take their much needed rest. But before doing so, the two fixed the cameras and some of the mess they made on the shooting area and cleaned everything that’s needed to be put back to their places.

“Thank