Oftentimes, people are afraid to start over again with a brand new perspective in life for the reason that they cannot let go of the cruel past that had happened. Because people sometimes hold on and stay locked up to their experiences and past events that changed them, it’s fearful to take a detour to search for something new. And once they are drowned and chained into these unfortunate past, the future gets dark and everything becomes a blur, even to those whose sights are clear.

However, when there’s someone fighting this unfair world alongside with them, what’s there to be scared of? May it be a family, friends, or someone far related yet they emit this positivity which can lead them to break free from an unpleasant event in life, why should they be afraid to change and for another chance to try again? Taking a detour in life, yes it can be terrifying for they have to restart and fight once again, but when there’s someone to hold their hand, why should they be terrified to face the world?

A brand new day, another day to take on this on-going challenge in their life. It’s not a new life, but indeed it’s a new day after a long yesterday of an eye-opener. After all the tears poured yesterday, after all the screams of sorrows and broken pieces of heart scattered the previous day, they welcome this brand new day with a newly fixed and repaired resolutions. Though not with a fully healed determination just yet, but because they are with someone they can lean on to, it’s enough.

“It’s here. This is Jennie’s house.” Jisoo said as she pointed at the closed house to her driver, Lisa, who parked the car just in front of it.

And as she did, Lisa comments while staring at the house astonished, “Woah, her house is pretty good, huh? I thought she only lives in an apartment complex.”

“This is what her father left for them when he divorced her mother.” Jisoo informed and that’s when Lisa had to zip .

Jisoo jogged fast towards the entrance and pressed the doorbell. The wind is freezing and they both make little jumps in their position while waiting for Jennie to answer. Their coats for this early morning has no match with the cold as they shiver from head to toe whenever the wind brushes against them. Unfortunately, even after how many times Jisoo pressed on the doorbell, they aren’t getting any answer from Jennie and not a single move inside can be glanced from the outside.

“Maybe she didn’t come home last night.” Lisa guessed as they are getting impatient with the cold.

But Jisoo firmly believes, “She’s inside. I know. When her curtains are open, it means she’s inside and I find it weird that she’s still sleeping at this time because as far as I know her, she’s an early bird even over the weekends.”

It’s true, the curtains can be seen opened from the inside and Lisa realized this when she roamed her eyes around the house. If it’s just another person like she is, she wouldn’t notice this fact and she would have left the place long ago. However, what took her aback is when Jisoo suddenly brought out a spare key out of her bag to open the entrance and she rampantly marched towards the house’s main door as if she owns the place and luckily no one is around at this hour yet to witness them.

“Wait! I know she’s your best friend but are you allowed to just enter here like this? Won’t Jennie get mad if she finds out we’re entering without her permission?” Lisa asked in panic and yet following Jisoo close behind her.

So Jisoo reasons out after pressing the right passcode to the main door, “Her mother gave me the spare key and Jennie told me the passcode in any case of emergency and this is an emergency because Jennie isn’t answering when she’s supposed to be. Don’t you find it odd that after how many rings we made at the doorbell, she still isn’t answering?”

“Well, you have a point.” Lisa finally acknowledged and followed Jisoo inside the house.

As soon as they stepped in the living room, reeks of beer immediately welcomed them, making them both cover their nose from the unexpected scent. The living room is on a mess, the magazines on the floor, some empty containers of foods on the table were left, and the dust are clear on the furniture everywhere. The dining room is no different as some used plates and tools for baking are left on the sink like Jennie is waiting for all these things to fix themselves and walk back to their places.

“Jennie must have been so busy with work and going to the hospital that she doesn’t have time organizing her place.” Lisa noted while skipping through the things scattered on the floor like landmines she has to avoid.

“We used to clean her house together at least once a week but ever since the café became bigger before, we didn’t really much time anymore. Hopefully we’ll get to fix this messy house again soon, just like how she cleans the café’s kitchen.” Jisoo explained for the foreign Lisa around the house.

Suddenly, startling the both, an alarm clock from a smartphone is setting off from Jennie’s room that’s only a few steps away from them. Jisoo gave Lisa a ‘I told you she’s here’ kind of look, boasting for her correct guess and Lisa just nodded and raised her hands up in surrender. And because Jisoo found Jennie’s room opened which used to be closed as far as she knows Jennie who hates having open doors in her private spaces, she marches in without thinking twice.

“YAH! JENNIE KIM!” Jisoo screamed her lungs out the moment she stood by the door and found an unexpected scene in front of her eyes, right in the middle of Jennie’s bed and under one blanket.    

Lisa then also rushes towards the door and as she saw what Jisoo did, she also gasps, “Oh my God! This is why I told you we shouldn’t have come in without permissions!”

In the middle of Jennie’s wide bed, sharing under the same blanket is Jennie herself and Chaeyoung, cuddling tight and they were sleeping soundly. Jennie was on top of Chaeyoung and the latter’s arms are wrapped around the former and both are in a comfortable rest despite their neck-stiffening position. But all of this sweet cuddles on a winter morning were ruined thanks to Jisoo’s loud screams that caused the both of them to wake up in a rattle.

“Huh? What?” Jennie reacted fast as she sat up on the bed quickly but was instantly taken down by a massive headache that suddenly hit her.

Chaeyoung also did the same, sitting up in panic with the sudden commotion, “What’s going on?”

“I should be the one asking what the hell happened here!” Jisoo crossed her arms and gave Jennie the deadliest glare, waiting for a valid explanation.

Lisa covered her eyes on the other hand as she points it out for the clueless Chaeyoung, “Uhm, Chaeyoung… your coat is open. Your pajama is showing.”

Chaeyoung wheezed and hastily fixed her coat that went to places, and it’s only now she’s realizing and remembering that she came here only wearing that same y pajama she often use and only used a coat to cover her exposed skins from the cold. Worse, like always, and how it should before going to bed, Chaeyoung isn’t wearing a bra which later also gave her a panic inside and she blushed hard for she recalled how Jennie comfortably rested on her chest.

“It’s not what you think it is! I didn’t do anything to her I swear!” Jennie stood up a little wobbly and defended herself to her best friend who still glares at her suspiciously.

Jisoo then moves towards Chaeyoung and sits on the bedside, asking her, “Did Jennie do something wrong to you innocent lady? I’m so sorry that you have to suffer like this.”

“Why the hell are you being so dramatic? I said I didn’t do anything wrong!” Jennie yelled.

Chaeyoung takes her side with Jennie, also defending, “Jisoo-unnie, it’s not really what you think it is. Jennie didn’t do anything. We didn’t do anything.”

“Huh? Are you sure? She didn’t… you know…” Jisoo was confused and shocked at the same time but gestured her hands inappropriately for the irritated Jennie to see.

Chaeyoung shakes her head but her flushing cheeks are getting worse for she knows what they are trying to point at, “We just fell asleep. I stayed here last night because Jennie wasn’t feeling well. So, I decided to accompany her and I didn’t notice we fell asleep…”

“See? I told you!” Jennie puffed victorious. “Yes I was drunk but I didn’t do anything to her, okay? Yes I asked her to stay with me and I suddenly dozed off. Whatever’s on your mind, I didn’t do it for God’s sake!” She further explained herself while massaging her aching head, moving around in circles inside the room as she cools down.

“Sorry if there’s any misunderstanding… I didn’t mean to cause any of this.” Chaeyoung glowered for she feels guilty over the best friend’s morning argument.

Jennie was alarmed from her apologies that shouldn’t be even spoke of. Thus, she rushes to Chaeyoung and shoves Jisoo away from her, holding her hand for a comfort, “Hey, don’t apologize. It’s not your fault and you didn’t do anything wrong. In fact I should be thanking you for staying with me the whole night and you never left me alone. And please don’t listen to Jisoo-unnie. She’s just teasing me and she doesn’t know what happened to me last night yet.”

Jisoo stood there wondering when did her best friend became this attached and caring to Chaeyoung to the point she can effortlessly caress her face and arrange her morning hair, fixing her first before herself that’s in a complete morning mess. Then she looked over to Lisa hoping to find answers but the latter also shrugged her shoulders, clueless of what’s happening around her. The shock only led Jisoo to utter, “Uh…”

“Anyway…” Jennie twisted her head and simultaneously glared at Jisoo and Lisa. “What are you two doing here at this hour? Why are you invading my personal space?” She then questioned them.

Lisa answers straight, “Alice called Jisoo earlier and she wants to meet us in her office today, especially you. She was trying to call you but she said you’re not answering your phone so she called Jisoo instead.”

This brought Jennie up on her feet to ask further explanation, “Huh? But why? Why does she want to meet me in her office? If it’s about Chaeyoung staying here then—”

“It seems like she wants to talk about the incident at the café and she’s going to gather more information from us. She’s going to be your lawyer about the incident.” Jisoo cut her off with what they know, smiling as she delivered.

Chaeyoung beams from the bed hearing this good news, “Really? My sister said that?”

“Yeah so the two of you better start getting ready because Alice-unnie is a busy person and we don’t want to make her wait when she already offered a help.” Jisoo clapped her hands to get everyone moving.

Jennie for the first time since yesterday that she found her café ruined, her lips stretched to its widest and an exhale of relief was heard loud. Just when she thought she’s powerless to do anything to fight for her business and for a justice, a blessing came to her just in the right time she needed it. She felt one of the million thorns in her heart was removed as finally she can start moving forward once again, slowly finding the fairness she wants to have.

“This is why I told you not to give up.” Chaeyoung said and grinned as wide as Jennie is.

Jennie stared at the one of the reasons why she’s able to hold on for the night, someone who perhaps removed a lot of thorns without even knowing it. Her presence is so effective that Jennie cannot hide it with her thrilled grin but she has to immediately cut it off after she saw Jisoo smirking at her and Lisa awkwardly whistling on the door acting like she didn’t sense the sweet atmosphere between the two who suddenly went on silence just for Jennie to stare at Chaeyoung.

“Jisoo-unnie…” Jennie called out to her best friend who only hummed in response. “Please help Chaeyoung get changed. She can’t possibly go out and go to her sister’s office with her pajama underneath her coat. I have wide shirts on my cabinet that might fit her so just use those. I’ll go prepare some quick breakfast for us before I go take a bath too.” She then planned and intensely eyed on Jisoo to agree.

“Okay. What else can I do but to help?” Jisoo giggled.

“Then… I’ll go help Jennie.” Lisa settled as she followed Jennie out of the room, leaving the two inside.   

Jennie quite dazed in her daydreams as she walked towards her messy kitchen, she recollected that night Chaeyoung cuddled her until she as well travelled to a peaceful dreamland. It’s not new for her to sleep after few drinks for she had done it in her past, getting drunk and going wild until she passes out. But last night was a whole new different story and experience for her. It felt magical like all her burdens and troubles vanished somewhere and melted into Chaeyoung’s arms.

She was heavily drunk and severely stressed and with these two mixing together she felt dying inside and going on berserk at the same time, but that’s when she was alone and not until Chaeyoung came. Despite how much her head was buzzing that night, she was aware of how she asked Chaeyoung to stay with her and she was more than sure with herself how she wanted Chaeyoung to be with her. She was drunk and miserable but she was certain she needed Chaeyoung that night.

It was one of Jennie’s best nights, she’s definite of that, as if she isn’t facing one of the biggest troubles of her life so far. She remembers how she didn’t let go of Chaeyoung in a warm and tight embrace which was returned the same. They were both drowned into a comfortable silence and she didn’t notice herself when she fell asleep and both dropped on the bed. The next thing she knew was she woke up at dawn because of her alarm setting off with Chaeyoung’s arms locked on her waist and she let her sleep on top of her for a comfortable sleep.

Jennie didn’t know how they ended up in such position but nevertheless, she found herself loving it that she had to shut off her alarm not to wake up Chaeyoung and disturb their moment. It’s a freezing night and supposedly more when they are both wearing just their coats but Chaeyoung’s body heat was so nice. Jennie was initially awkward when she realized Chaeyoung only had her pajama underneath her coat but it’s there already, what’s more to worry about instead just enjoy this comfort?

“She looks like a chipmunk…” Jennie recalled herself saying this while ogling Chaeyoung’s sleeping face up close.

Chaeyoung has the prettiest face, and cutest likewise, that Jennie has seen so far in her life. She had to shove off those hair strands covering her face so she can see better and with this close distance between their faces, Jennie swears she could kiss those pink lips if she wants to. But of course she didn’t and she was startled once again after her phone started to set off its alarm for the second time. ‘What the hell am I thinking… it shouldn’t be like that… no Jennie… that’s not it… that’s not right…’ Jennie had this in her mind but she didn’t bother moving out on top of Chaeyoung.

Staring at her one last time, Jennie mutters smiling, “Thank you for staying, Chaeng…” Then she went back to sleep with a better position on top of her with the blanket she pulled up to cover themselves from the dawn’s cold.

Jennie reminisced that one cold but intimate night and at some point she spaced out while smiling to herself having this memory revolving in her mind. All the drinks she had are still giving her morning sickness yet she’s grinning and this Lisa finds it so bizarre. Her eyes are so red and she stinks of beer, her strides are even unstable and she keeps massaging her head to relieve herself from the headache. Yet, again, she’s smiling and with this Lisa cannot pretend oblivious of her odd actions.

When Jennie joined her on the table as they slice the bread available from the counter, Lisa faked a cough to remind Jennie that she’s with her and voices, “Uhm… if I may ask… why is Chaeyoung here with you? I mean, yeah, you didn’t do anything wrong or bad and I believe you on that. But I’m just wondering what really happened…”    

Coming back to reality, Jennie answers, “Didn’t we tell earlier? She came here around midnight because she was worried. I was drunk and alone so yeah, she rushed here and somehow we ended up like that. I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

“Yeah I know. She must be a passionate kind of friend, huh? She made all the effort to rush here on a midnight when she could have just slept at home.” Lisa teased with a smirk but received Jennie’s raised eyebrow with a deadly glare. And because her eyes are piercing through, Lisa quickly corrects herself as she moves on to another topic, “J-jisoo was kind of like you yesterday too…”

“Oh, you were with her the whole day?” Jennie asked.

And Lisa nodded and confirms, “Yeah. I brought her to that popular hilltop so she can somehow unwind but then she cried too. And don’t worry, I immediately drove her back to her place when she calmed down. I just went to visit her again before coming here that’s why we ended up being together.”

“She cried? Jisoo-unnie cried?” Jennie gasped at this, shocked that she stopped from working on the bread.

“Y-yeah… what about it? Of course she’s greatly affected of what happened to the café and she was also worried about you. I just thought she might need someone to comfort her so I did what I had to.” Lisa explained with her eyebrows creasing at Jennie’s unusual reaction.

“Oh… yeah… yeah…” Jennie nodded, acknowledging Lisa’s reasons.

Jennie did recognize but that isn’t her main concern. She’s more shocked of the fact that Jisoo cried and let someone else hear or see her in tears. Jisoo has always been strong and as far as Jennie is concerned, Jisoo never cried and leaned to someone else but to her, her best friend and not even to Seulgi. Thus, knowing this new fact and experience, Jennie at the back of her mind is puzzled on why Jisoo, her toughest best friend, broke out in tears with Lisa and decided to let her witness the weak side of her.

“You guys are really the best of best friends. You worry about each other like real sisters. I don’t have sisters since I’m the only child in our family but it must feel good too that you have a best friend like her.” Lisa remarked when Jennie suddenly went mum while toasting.

Jennie chortles, “I’m the only child too and yeah, Jisoo-unnie and I are like sisters now. Ever since she moved here in the city, it’s like my mom also adopted her as if she’s her real daughter that’s why she also has access to this house. So, thank you too for taking care of her when I’m not around. She’s a strong and tough woman. She rarely breaks down and she’s always the one cheering us up but maybe yesterday was a little bit too much to handle. I’m glad you were there for her when I couldn’t pick up myself too.”

“She deserves someone to take care of her.” Lisa sighed as she thought of Jisoo’s tears that kept flowing last night. “Even the strongest person on Earth also has a weakness and needs someone to be there for them.”

Lisa flashed back to last night when Jisoo hugged her from behind as she goes on crying, with her howls that became louder each time. With her back only facing her, she can only do little for her. She can only hold those hands gripping tight on her shirt by her belly button. She can only be quiet throughout the long minutes she cried but within those long minutes of nothing but tears and silence from her, she felt she has come to know Jisoo more, her real emotions and her limitations.

Jisoo’s words were limited after that and Lisa chose not to keep a conversation going and force her to talk more. They stayed there for the snacks, for the starry night sky to enjoy together then Lisa drove her back home. The silence in between their short exchange of words were comfortable however. Lisa never felt heavy or burdened with Jisoo’s limited talks especially when she was driving for her, rather she felt that she’s getting to know Jisoo more, deeper than she ever imagined. Though Lisa cannot explain it herself why she felt such way, she just knows she’s starting to connect emotionally with her.

Having almost the same thoughts is Jisoo who is busily choosing a shirt for Chaeyoung on Jennie’s huge cabinets. Most of her outfits that Jisoo picks are black which nothing is new to her, but for Chaeyoung it is though she cannot really see it. The off-shoulder blouses and thick fitted long sleeves won’t obviously fit Chaeyoung’s tall figure and so she resulted on going to the next cabinet where it’s filled with Jennie’s oversized shirts consisting of her favourite ones.

“I’m surprised that you were able to stand Jennie’s stinky smell the whole night.” Jisoo said chuckling while checking out the shirt to Chaeyoung seated on the bedside.

“Well… she really smelled like beer but her hair smells nice though.” Chaeyoung also chuckled as Jennie’s hair scent still lingers to her nose, thrilled as memories of Jennie clinging to her like a small bear popped out in her mind.

As Jisoo picked the best outfit for her, she then sits beside Chaeyoung for her to tell sincerely, “But hey, thank you for being here for Jennie even if she was that drunk. I’m sorry too that I thought of something malicious when I saw you two cuddling here. It’s just that Jennie isn’t really calm when she’s drunk so I thought she might have done something wrong to you.”

“How does Jennie normally act when she’s drunk though?” Chaeyoung asked out of curiosity and also wants to know more of her crush.

“Jennie doesn’t really drink too much and the last time I saw her getting drunk was years ago? I can’t really remember the entire story since I was drunk too but it was when she came back from Paris. She’s loud and rowdy like she isn’t that decent and innocent Jennie that I know. And when she saw pictures of herself getting drunk the next day, which I took by the way, since then she makes sure she doesn’t get that heavily drunk anymore.” Jisoo recalled a past that can only make her giggle at Jennie’s experiences.

Chaeyoung slightly frowns at this as she also remembers her wild self and mumbles to no one, “Just like me… but always…”

And since Jisoo didn’t hear her saying, she continues, “This time, I don’t know if she wasn’t wild because she has a huge problem that she’s thinking of or if it’s because you were there to protect her and it made her feel safe. Jennie is really clingy and you should know that by now. But either way, I’m glad she didn’t do anything to herself that she might regret. So, thank you for not leaving her alone. I’ll make you your favourite iced Americano soon once everything has calmed down a bit as my gratitude.”

“I just did what I think is right.” Chaeyoung said humble.

“Anyway, wear this for today. It’s Jennie’s favourite oversized long sleeves so handle it with care. I’ll just go out and join the two so that you can change and prepare. Just call out to us if there’s anything you need.” Jisoo settled as she gave her instructions and left Chaeyoung alone before she could even argue on why she was given Jennie’s favourite outfit.

Chaeyoung stayed still for a while as she gives herself a time to relish everything that has been happening. It feels so good to be true that she had Jennie the entire night all to herself and saw sides of her she never knew before, plus the fact she was given this rare chance to touch those popular dumpling cheeks. Jennie may not know it herself how she kept mumbling for Chaeyoung to stay in her sleep, but Chaeyoung does know and remembers it crystal clear for she was still wide awake when Jennie did her sleep talks.

The memories are thrilling her and more as she sniffs Jennie’s shirt she’s about to wear. But as soon as she reminded herself of the reason why Jennie asked her to stay, and it’s because she’s in sorrow and agony over the café’s incident, she has no choice but shake off all these excitements of being with her, all these interests she has on Jennie which she isn’t even sure if it’s one-sided or not. And sighing her last ‘whatever’, she just resumed on what she was asked to do and it’s to prepare for another long day.

On the other hand, as the busy morning hours of the weekdays go on, Jong-in with his restless mind and body, though uneasy as well, he never thought he would be back into this mansion he once walked away from, his ex-fiancé’s place. He isn’t here to be reconcile with her and put that ring back on his finger. He isn’t here to take back his words he already threw to her. But he is here to confront her of all the wrongdoings she caused Jennie, and probably will cause her more if not provoked.    

As if she’s anticipating his arrival, Jong-in found his ex-fiancé pacing around the mansion’s garden in the front yard and no one is around but her, not even the bodyguards she usually have around her aren’t in the area to surround her. She isn’t wearing an expression of calm despite having all these pleasant and fragrant flowers everywhere but she has her dying eyes as she stares at them, those tired eyes from crying and from a night that all she wanted was Jong-in’s love.

“Hey…” Jong-in finally voiced and made his presence known from a distance.

For the first time of the day, the woman smiled but disappeared when Jong-in put a hand up to stop