For the umpteenth time, Hyunjin rolled her eyes at her blonde roommate, who seemed to be lost in her own world as she cooked dinner.

"Soul!" No response came.

Hyunjin repeatedly attempted to get her roommate's attention again with an insult. "Yah! Dumb blonde airhead!"

Finally, Jinsoul was broken out of her reverie, and she turned her attention to Hyunjin with a bright smile as if she was given a compliment. "Yes?" Responding as if she wasn't just insulted. Okay, perhaps Jinsoul didn't register her roommate's childish banter, as her mind only processed that she was being called for.

"Ughhhh." Hyunjin couldn't stand her roommate right now. "You are doing it again."

The blonde gave her signature upturned eyebrows b with concern, "What did I do?" She truly was oblivious as to what Hyunjin was frustrated with.

Jinsoul wasn't sure what it was, but despite the gloomy clouds and rainy weather, the colors around her were more vibrant, every breath she inhaled seemed refreshing, the entire outlook of her surroundings seemed to emanate an inexplicable glow. As if a filter was screened over her eyes and saw everything in a new light. 

Perhaps she had a goodnight's rest despite not sleeping in her bed. Oh, that's right, she slept in Sooyoung's warm and soft mattress that happened to absorb the wonderful aroma of the brunette. The blonde giggled to herself, and a small smile crept along her face as she recalled her breakfast with Sooyoung and their promised future date. Jinsoul was too enamored in her own world to hear Hyunjin groan once again in the background. 

Sure, Jinsoul was an airhead at times, but she wasn't a complete fool, and she knew the feelings she harbored for Sooyoung were beginning to blossom into something beautiful. If anyone asked when her feelings of disgust and indifference turned to warm and infatuating emotions, she couldn't answer herself that either. She didn't want to put a label on what she was precisely feeling. It was more to protect herself, Sooyoung and her still had a ways to go, but for now, at this very moment, she wanted to enjoy the pure blissfulness of her happiness.

Hyunjin gave Jinsoul a look of disgust. "I have never seen you like this, and where were you last night? You didn't come home?"

Jinsoul didn't give her friend a proper response, only releasing a bashful giggle.

"Omo, did you get laid?!" Hyunjin gagged. The very thought of Jinsoul doing such a deed was like imagining her older sister sleeping with another person. The missing presence of Jinsoul from the night before. The weird happy mood the blonde has been in all day, and it's not like Jinsoul isn't always cheery. It just seemed her overbearing giddiness was on another level. The heart eyes she gave her phone every time she received a text message. Hyunjin nodded to herself, placing a bent finger over her chin as if she solved the mystery. "Ah yes, it makes sense now." She said out loud, speaking to no one but herself. 

Before the older roommate could correct the younger's self conclusion, the front door flew open. The two roommates both turned their attention to the familiar newcomer, Jiwoo. But what was unfamiliar, or rather discerning, about their roommate was the absence of the usually bright and joyful welcome. A routine Jiwoo had always done ever since they all started living together. Instead of the usual heartwarming and gummy smile the redhead wore practically 24/7 was replaced with a heartbreaking frown. Her plush cheeks that were always adorned with a light blink blush accentuating her cuteness were replaced with stained trails of sorrowful tears. The smiling crescents her eyes usually formed from her wide smile were now a blaring mess of wet mascara and smeared eyeliner; the skin around her eyes was red and puffy from crying so much.

Jinsoul quickly throws a concerned look at Hyunjin and immediately heads straight to their heartbroken roommate. 

"Jiwooming, are you alright?" The blonde tries to comfort Jiwoo by reaching out to her, arms already starting to encircle the younger girl.

Jiwoo dodged Jinsoul's embrace, brushing off her friend's hands. "I'm fine." The shakiness and vulnerability in her voice could be heard, only displaying a stark contradiction to the words she claimed.

Without further explanation, Jiwoo walked briskly past her eldest roommate making it a point to avoid eye contact with Jinsoul and Hyunjin. Usually, Jiwoo would love to be comforted by her friends, but she couldn't help but want to be alone. Jinsoul had warned her many times about pursuing someone like Jungeun, a playgirl. Jiwoo had hoped that Jungeun would prove Jinsoul wrong. That Jiwoo was someone different, someone special to Jungeun. She wanted to be the one girl that the blonde saw as something more than a fling.

But now, it was blaring clear to her that she was just like the rest. Just another girl crossed out on Jungeun's checklist of girls' hearts she had broken. Jiwoo wasn't sure if the list was real or not, but she wouldn't be surprised if the blonde had such a detestable thing. She was part of the heartbreaker trinity, after all.

Without turning the lights on, she locked her room door and went straight to bed. Full of plushies and stuffed animals, she pushed them all off her bed to emphasize she wanted to be alone. Hiding under the covers, wrapping her body in her comforter as if it was a cocoon that could protect her now shattered heart.

Eventually, she found Jungeun's red hoodie on her mattress. An article of clothing she secretly kept all this time unless Jungeun asked for it back. She never did. At first, Jiwoo thought that meant there was some permanence to their relationship. That the symbol of Jungeun's hoodie in Jiwoo's ownership meant that they were something more, every night, she used to cuddle with it in her sleep, it was a habit she had always done and even now. 

Jiwoo wanted to cling to the memories they created. She hated that she still felt so strongly for Jungeun. That even now with her mind replaying the blonde's rejection over and over in her head. She couldn't help but be drawn to the one thing that comforted her now. The redhead wished more than anything that Jungeun would call her to tell her that she made a mistake and that she wanted to fix everything. To say to her that she wanted Jiwoo back.

The heartbroken girl kept her phone close to her chest. She couldn't bring herself to hate Jungeun. She had hope. She always found the positives in everything in her life. Even when she was in tears with a shattered heart, she still clung to the idea that there was still a glimmer of light shimmering in the distance. That may be at some point Jungeun would come back to her. 

So the poor girl remained in her bed with tears continuing to stream down her face as she clung to the one thing that brought some solace close to her heart. The rain that pittered and pattered against her window matched the rhythm of quiet sobs that wracked her body. Jiwoo was finally granted some peace and eventually succumbed to her slumber. 

~ ~ ~

Sooyoung finds herself alone in Jungeun's apartment. Was it weird that she spends more time here than in her apartment? She chuckles at the thought. But she quickly reminds herself of the reason she was here in the first place. The brunette wanted to make amends with her blonde friend. Sooyoung wanted to apologize and quickly be forgiven for lashing out at her friends. They have always supported her and been with her for years despite all her cheesy pickup lines and half-