A black sedan perfectly parked right at the front of some blocky, greyish apartment. The person inside of the car sighed, playing with her phone, contemplating whether to step out of her car and get inside of the apartment or not. She looked at her left, where there is a warm food she just bought earlier for the person whom she will meet, or not.

She groaned, putting her head right on the steer. Scowling at herself for really contemplating whether to get inside or not.

Well, she needs to. Since she doesn’t like the food she just bought, it’s the person who lives at this apartment’s favorite.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This is it.

She stepped out from her comfy leather-seat car and took a deep breath once again, didn’t forget about the food that she just bought when her phone letting out a notification sound. A sign that there is a new message. She fished out her phone quickly.

‘Are you already there?’

She bit her lip, thinking what should she replies. Yes, it’s a simple question. But there is a more important problem than that mere question.

‘I don’t think I can do this.’

She can imagine the person she currently chatting with, sighed when reading her texts.

‘Yes, you can.’

‘Why are you so sure?’

‘Because I know you can do it. I love you. Good luck.’

What a type of cheering message that she needs.

She looked at the tall apartment in front of her. It’s been two years since that happened, but it’s still as gloomy as ever. Dark with heartbreak and hopeless lingering at the building. Covering them like some thick blanket.

Or maybe it’s just going to rain.

She gripped the food bag tightly, forcing herself to step inside the apartment.

She was greeted by a familiar lobby and front desk, immediately going to the right where the lift exists. She punched the number 21, the second-highest floor of this apartment. The floor where the person she’s going to meet live.

Her grip on the food bag keeps tightening as the lift going up, until a familiar sound informing her that she already arrived at her destined floor. She stepped out from the lift which did nothing to calm her nerves down. And walking towards door number 2129.

She is still confused by how come they literally got their apartment with the combined number were their birthday dates.

Her finger punched the bell button right beside the door. Cold sweats covering her forehead as she trying to calm herself down while waiting for the door to be opened.

Which is somehow pretty long.

A frown quickly wipes off all of her nervousness at her face. Is she outside? But it sounds so impossible though. She was going to punch the bell button once again when the door is finally opened.

She was greeted by the emptiest looks ever, the one she dreaded the most. She gulped the invincible lump at , sending the person in front of her a wide, convincing smile.

“Hi, unnie.”

“What are you doing here, Yerim?”

Yerim shrugged, trying to shake off her nervousness. “Just visiting. Oh, and I brought you lunch.”

They have been standing there for almost a minute, just looking at each other. Yerim with her nervous one, and her with the empty gazes.

Yerim decided to break the awkward ice. “Um, Seungwan-unnie? May I come inside?”

Seungwan, as if she has been in a trace, blinked when she realized that they’re still at her front door. “Ah, yes. Sure. Please come in.”

The interior of the apartment is gloomier than the outside. It feels cold, suffocating, empty. Full of heartbreak and tears. Yerim looked at Seungwan who walked towards the kitchen like a zombie.

It’s been two years, yet she still running away from reality.

“Is coffee fine?” asked Seungwan from the kitchen.

Yerim smiled a bit at the question. Glad that she’s still looking out for others. “Anything is fine, unnie,” answered her as she took a seat at the big white sofa in front of the wide plasma TV.

Under the TV, there was a desk full of photos on it. Photos of the two people who lived with so much love every day inside of this apartment. So much affection. So much sweetness. It was lovely. But all of that need to vanish for good two years ago, as one of the people who inside of those photos, need to leave for good. Never coming back.

Yerim blinked, trying to make the tears that somehow suddenly pooled at her eyes gone when Seungwan put a white mug full of black coffee in front of her. Yerim muttered a small thank you, as she took a sip of her warm coffee.

“The apartment is tidy enough,” commented Yerim as she took another sip. The taste of the coffee is so familiar in her taste buds.

“I just finished cleaning it up an hour ago,” muttered Seungwan as she took out the food that Yerim brings for her. “You really buy me my favorite food.”

“And bubble tea.”

Seungwan’s head perks up. “Gongcha?”

“Gongcha.”

“Grapefruit green tea ade, jumbo size, sugar level 50%, coconut pearl, normal ice?”

“Yes, unnie. I still remember it.”

“Well if you not I might need to kick you out from here.”

“As if you dare enough.”

Silence greeting them, as Seungwan eating her food in her emotionless state, while Yerim trying to think what question should she ask. And not pushing the wrong button.

“What have you been doing, unnie?” asked Yerim finally.

“Trying to be alive,” answered Seungwan with no emotion.

Of course.

“Unnie, I’m serious here,” scowled Yerim.

“I’m serious, too. Well, I have been back in writing. But not much. At least enough for me to survive,” answered Seungwan.

Yerim is sure that she heard “I hope I don’t have to survive, though,” as the last sentence spewed out from Seungwan’s mouth. But it’s too soft for her to catch and to make sure that what she heard is right. She hopes not.

“How’s Sooyoung?”

“She’s good. Well, she’s getting busier that’s why she can’t come here, but yeah, she’s good.”

“Still together with her?”

Yerim smiled a little. “Of course, unnie. We can’t leave each other behind, you know?”

“Both of you better take care of each other right.”

Silence covering them once again. Only the sound from TV filled the whole apartment. Yerim sighed, deciding to turn off the TV and dropping the bomb.

“It’s been two years, huh?”

No answer and Yerim already expecting this. Seungwan never answered the question that was linked to her deceased wife. In this case, Yerim step-sister.

“I miss her so much. Aren’t you too, unnie?”

The clanking sound of food utensils make Yerim slightly jumped, didn’t expecting such a harsh answer. “Get to the point, Yerim. Stop saying nonsense,” spat Seungwan with venom in her voice.

“It’s been two years, unnie,” Yerim said with a harder tone, braving herself to look straight at Seungwan’s blazing eyes. “It’s been two years and you’re still like this.”

“Like what?”

“Reluctant to die, yet don’t want to live.”

“Another part of me has already died two ing years ago.”

Yerim closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She really didn’t want to say this, but she needs to. To crack the tough head of hard-headed Son Seungwan.

“If she was here, she won’t like this, unnie. She won’t accept the state that you’re currently in.”

“Well fact check, Yerim! She’s not here!”

“She will be disappointed-“

“Stop it.”

“-she will be very, very sad-“

“I said stop it.”

“-her eyes will be full of sadness when she said, ‘What is wrong with you, Seungwan?’”

“I SAID STOP!”

The panting noise from both filled the silence, as both of them looked at each other with a different kind of emotion. The indescribable emotion.

“She wants you to live, unnie. Like you usually do,” Yerim softly said. It’s too soft, almost whisper-like.

Seungwan darkly chuckle. “What’s the point of being alive if my reason to continue my day is her? And she’s already gone.”

Seungwan walked towards her, standing right in front of each other. She looked at her right in the eyes and Yerim only wants to close her eyes. Since the eyes in front of her are too dark. Too cold. Too empty.

Too broken.

“I still feel her, Yerim. I still feel her presence in this damn apartment. I still hear her voice. Every day I wake up, expecting that my side of the bed is warm, feeling the bed being pressured by a familiar weight, her usual scent fulfilling all my senses. But no. It’s cold. It’s empty.”

Tears running down Seungwan’s face, but it seems like it didn’t bother her. Or she just doesn’t feel it in the first place. Her senses already numb from two years ago. It makes Yerim’s heart clenched painfully.

“Every time I’m going out from our room, I saw her glimpse in the kitchen, making our breakfast. I saw her glimpse on the sofa, sitting and enjoying hot chocolate while watching those stupid cartoons. And every time I’m going to reach her, the glimpse is gone. Like a shadow that was never meant to be there.”

Yerim touched her cheeks. It’s wet with droplets of liquid that was falling down from her eyes. She gritted her teeth.

“It’s suffocating me, Yerim, to live in this apartment. Every corner that I go, I will always see her. It’s hard for me to breathe. It’s hard for me to do my usual things. But I can’t leave this place. It’s stabbing me, yet it’s healing me. I’m able to be alive because of that. This is one of the mementos about her that I have. Even though it’s killing me,” Seungwan gulped. “I need to.”

Yerim pulled her into a hug as they keep breaking down. Her body shook, her hands limp, as she crying all her tears out at Yerim’s shoulder, making her clothes wet with tears.

Whenever she hugged Seungwan, she always feels warm. It’s always comfortable. But now, if Yerim hugged her a little bit too much, she’s afraid that Seungwan might be broken into pieces. Since she’s too fragile now. Like a cracked porcelain doll that needs to be taken care of carefully.

“I miss her, Yerim. I miss her so much,” whispered Seungwan, a little bit muffled since she’s still carefully tucked in Yerim’s shoulder.

“I know, unnie. I know. I miss her too.”

Yerim still mad that her sister left them in such an unfair way. Dying because of a rare disease, yet never telling anyone about it.

Including her and her sister-in-law.

Yerim also knows that Seungwan can never accept the way she left all of them behind. It’s too hurtful to be ignored, too heartbreaking to be accepted.

They missed Joohyun so much it makes them mad and lost.

“If Joohyun-unnie is still here,” Yerim said, ignoring the hard clench at her heart while saying it, “she might tease us by saying that we are a cry baby.”

Yerim ignored the familiar voice that fills her hearing sense, saying ‘cry baby’ in a teasing tone. Ignoring the familiar figure that fills her sighting sense, with that teasing grin but eyes full of warmth and love.

The body in her arms shook harder, probably going through the same state as her. With a much greater amount of heart and affection.

Yerim really wants to blame the universe. Blame everything. Blame whoever gave Joohyun such a rare disease. Blame whoever makes the angel-in-devil-disguise having the thought to cover this up and going through all the pained moments alone.

Even hiding it from her loved ones, including the one in her arms.

She doesn’t know how long she hugged Seungwan. She doesn’t feel her legs getting tired, preventing two bodies to fall to the ground. She doesn’t feel her arms going numb, being in the same position for a long time, circling her arms to an entire fragile human being.

“Thanks for coming here, Yerim,” said Seungwan while breaking off herself from Yerim, wiping her tears.

Yerim softly smiles and nodded. “I need to go back now, unnie. It’s getting late.”

Seungwan gives her a small smile she barely catches it. “Be careful, alright? Say hi to Sooyoung from me.”

“I will.”

Seungwan walked her to the front door, sending her last goodbye when Yerim reminded about something.

“Unnie?”

“Yes?”

“Never reject my calls or Sooyoung’s from now on, okay?”

Seungwan just staring at her blankly, before slightly nodded. “I’ll try.”

Yerim fished out her phone from her bag once she reached her car. There are tons of unread messages and it’s all from Sooyoung.

‘How was it?’

‘Is it going well?’

‘Kim Yerim, is everything alright?’

She punched a dial button, which quickly being received at someone across the line.

“Oh my God, Yerim! Baby, I thought-“

“Where are you?”

“Um… I’m in the apartment? Why?”

Yerim started her car as she ends the call. “We need to talk.”

---

Sooyoung looked at the small café in front of her. A small, warm, yet suffocating café. The bright and lonely sign above the entrance door did nothing to brightens the mood of the café. Even the name that was engraved on the sign just making it darker, almost covering up the warmth.

Time Slip Café.

Sooyoung almost snorted when her mind brought her back to the moment when the owner of the café decided to name her place with that name.

“Because I was slipped. And all the times that I use for ‘it’ just gone like that, like a smoke finally blending themselves with the sky. Making all the time that I used, useless.”

Sooyoung unconsciously shivered, remembering how cold the tone of that person. She tightens the brown coat that she currently wearing, decided to step into the café.

A soft ringing from the bell shows up as she opened the antique looking door. There are only four tables inside the café, all of them lined up on one side near the wide window which showcase the busy yet calming street, looking like a train of tables. Each table only has two chairs with them, facing each other.

While on the other side, there was this big coffee machine where the barista will make the coffee. Both of the sides being separated by a large counter as a place to order and pay and also took your drink.

The barista side is empty. There is literally no one there, even at the cashier. Sooyoung frowned, tried to find the person she wants to meet, when she found two human beings, sitting face to face at one of the tables, occupying them.

Sooyoung decided to sit behind them, without wants to eavesdropping at all.

Well, she wants, actually.

She sat behind the long-haired woman, who still talking to the man in front of her. Or, just listening to his rants about his not-so-fun life. There are two drinks in front of them. One is a hot chocolate which surely has gone cold by now, and an empty mug that used to be filled with some dark liquid, which was already being finished by the guy.

“And when the court decided to imprison him, that’s it. I feel like I’m owning the world, you know? I finally won my first ever big case. The euphoria, the cheering of people congratulating me. All the people who have names in this society shook my hands. That is unforgettable, really something else,” he sighed with happiness.

Sooyoung needs to hold back her snort when she heard what that guy just said. What a narcissist, she thought.

“That is, a really wonderful story,” the woman said with a flat tone, making Sooyoung cringed. If that guy didn’t notice that-

“Yeah, right? I always tell everyone about it. And their answer is always the same.”

The guy just got worse than he already is. Sooyoung feels bad for the woman. She deserves so much more.

“Anyway, I need to go now. You know, work and stuff. I got a really pretty big case this week, so I need to prepare for now,” said the guy.

“Oh yeah, sure.”

“Ah, I just remembered. Are you free in the morning? You know, we can hang out in my office so you know what I-“

“It is so nice to meet you today, Jungsoo-ssi. I will contact you later.”

The guy beamed, showing off his annoyingly blinding smile. “Alright. I will go now. Good evening, Seulgi-ssi.”

The guy finally left, leaving Sooyoung and Seulgi alone inside the café.

“I believe I already put the sign as ‘Close’ earlier,” said Seulgi.

“You know I will always ignore that dumb sign,” answered Sooyoung as she chuckles. “How’s the blind date?”

“Never ever put me into your stupid plan of blind dates anymore. I’ve had enough,” protested Seulgi as she rotates her body, looking to Sooyoung who also already rotates her body. “Do you want hot chocolate? It’s in the house.”

“Oh, come on. That guy is not that bad,” reasoned Sooyoung as she took the now-cold hot chocolate from Seulgi’s hand.

Seulgi groaned. “Not that bad my . He literally just talked about himself.”

Sooyoung laughed. “Believe me. When my friend introduced him, I thought he would be that cool lawyer, not the annoying, snob one.”

Seulgi looked at Sooyoung with disbelief. “So, you literally didn’t know him personally?”

Sooyoung just shrugged. “I’m running out of people. And my friend was asking me when I’m already that desperate to find you another blind date so, walla! There you have it. The snob lawyer, Choi Jungsoo.”

Seulgi just shook her head in disbelief and scoffed as she left her seat and goes to the front door, changing the sign back to ‘Open’, and walking to the counter.

Sooyoung took a sip as she looked at Seulgi who trying to reach the counter while moving with a limp. She looks at her legs, her limping right leg to be exact.

The leg that breaking it all for Seulgi.

“Where’s Yerim?” asked Seulgi, as she did something with the coffee maker.

“Meeting her sister-in-law,” muttered Sooyoung.

Seulgi frowned. “Shouldn’t you be going together with her?”

“Because I want to meet you,” answered Sooyoung with seriousness in her tone, making Seulgi stop doing things that she has been doing. “How are you?”

“It’s good, actually,” said Seulgi. “The café has been increasing with sales. The studio got more new students and it’s been doing well. I have something to ask, by the way.”

“Shoot.”

Seulgi leaning her body to the counter as she spoke, “What did you do to my café?”

Sooyoung frowned. “I did nothing.”

“Oh yeah?” said Seulgi unfazed. “Explain to me why my sales have been sky-rocketing for almost two weeks, the same time as you ask my permission for you to post something about this café.”

“So, my marketing works?”

Seulgi squinted her eyes. “What marketing?”

“Oh, you know. Just some random post saying, ‘Oh my God, this café has a really good coffee and other drinks. You guys should try it!’ And BAM! All my colleagues suddenly went here and spreading it to their friends and their friends did something about it too. That’s why.”

Seulgi looked back at Sooyoung with a blank expression. “Huh.”

“You should thank me because of that, Seul. And because I work in this field called marketing,” bragged Sooyoung as she whispered the last word and emphasize it.

“Whatever you say. I got busier because of it.”

“Isn’t that good, though?”

“No, it’s not,” snapped Seulgi. “Not with my condition.”

“Then hire an employee,” said Sooyoung nonchalantly.

“This café is small enough to be managed by one person.”

“You know this café needs another employee, Seulgi,” bites Sooyoung. “Stop denying it. I know the real reason. It’s the studio, isn’t it?”

Seulgi didn’t answer her immediately. She stopped for a couple seconds. “The studio needs me.”

“They not. The studio has your so-called friends. This café, is not,” said Sooyoung, slightly raising her voice. “And you don’t even answer my question.”

“I already answer it-“

“You only answer about the condition of things around you! Not yourself! Goddammit, Seulgi, it’s been two years!”

“Stop it, Sooyoung,” gritted Seulgi.

“The studio doesn’t need you. They can function properly without you. This café is the one who needs you.”

“You will never know-“

“You can’t dance anymore, Kang Seulgi! Accept it!”

Sooyoung immediately closed after she said that, looking at Seulgi who got rigid from her words. She suddenly felt worse. Worse than trash.

“Seul, I-“

“You don’t think I didn’t know that?” cut Seulgi coldly as she closed the gaps between her and Sooyoung. “You don’t think that I woke up every day, thinking that if I just could go to the studio like usual, playing my favorite songs, and then just dance, it will be awesome? But realizing that I can’t even do it, because of this stupid, permanent injury on my right leg?”

Seulgi looked at Sooyoung in the eyes. The coldness from her eyes pierced Sooyoung so hard, making her winced.

“Do you, Sooyoung?”

“No, I don’t know that!” snapped Sooyoung. “But all I know is, I want my cheerful, full of hope Kang Seulgi back.”

“That Kang Seulgi has already dead two years ago, Sooyoung. Along with my dreams. Accept it.”

Something broke inside Sooyoung’s heart, as they keep their locking gaze battle. Sooyoung trying to find something inside that cat-like eyes. Anything. Lights. Hopes. Happiness. The will to live. Knowing that the only thing inside that eyes is only emptiness, Sooyoung broke it off with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’ve crossed the line there.”

“No worries,” sighed Seulgi. “I know you’re worried about me, Sooyoung, so it’s okay.”

Sooyoung watches Seulgi walking back to the counter when she catches an empty bag of medicine inside the shelf at the corner. “You still going to the hospital?” asked Sooyoung.

Seulgi shook her head as she washes some mugs. “No. It’s not even helping.”

“Seulgi, for the love of God and for the well-being of yourself, please keep going there,” groaned Sooyoung as she circling the counter and back-hugging Seulgi, making her stop. “Please do it for me.”

“Thank God Yerim knew that we’re childhood friends. If she saw us in this kind of position, I’m already dead,” deadpanned Seulgi.

“Is that a yes?” asked Sooyoung with an obvious wide grin on her face.

Seulgi sighed. “I’ll try.”

“Should I find the best psychiatrist in here, too? For you?”

“No need. I’m fine with the current one.”

Sooyoung raised her eyebrow. “Doctor Kim really did something good?”

Seulgi shrugged. “I don’t know. I think she is. But there is no significant change yet in me.”

Sooyoung hummed as she took in Seulgi’s word and scanned her long-time best friend.

She definitely got thinner. Her eyebags got darker than the usual. Her eyes usually bright and curious over everything, now just an empty, cold hole of darkness. How Sooyoung really missed the Kang Seulgi that she knew.

The bubbly, always smiling Kang Seulgi. Who lives her life like there are no life problems ahead of her.

What an irony that sounded now.

“Anyway, I know you want to talk about something else, not earlier. What is it?” asked Seulgi, caught Sooyoung red-handed. She threw her a grin, making Seulgi unconsciously shivered.

“I mayhaps have another blind date plan again for you.”

“Not that again,” groaned Seulgi. “Why are you so keen on this plan of giving me a blind date?”

“Because I don’t want my best friend to be alone,” answered Sooyoung, grabbing Seulgi’s face with both of her hands. “And I think, this one person might be the right person for you.”

Seulgi pointed her finger to Sooyoung. “Promise me this will be the last one. If this one is not working-“

“Then I will never, ever ask you to go on a blind date anymore. I promise.”

“Alright then,” said Seulgi, surrendered. “When it will be? And where?”

“What about here? And for the time, I will inform you once I asked about this to your future partner.”

Seulgi frowned. “You know this person personally, right?”

Sooyoung chuckled. “Of course. I really know her this time. Even Yerim knew about her. She is guaranteed top quality.”

Seulgi just rolled her eyes. “Alright. Now I need you to leave because I need to close this café.”

“Kang Seulgi, are you kicking me out?” gasped Sooyoung.

“Stop being dramatic, Sooyoung. You are not in a drama club anymore.”

Sooyoung laughed. “Bring back old memories, doesn’t it? Anyway, I need to go now, in case of Yerim already waiting for me in our apartment.”

Seulgi snorted. “As if. Say hi from me to Yerim.”

“I will!” said Sooyoung with a loud voice while opening the door, before stopped mid-way. “Seulgi?”

“Yes?”

“Call me if something happens, okay? Or when you just need a friend to talk to. I will be available anytime for you.”

Seulgi gives her a tight-lipped smile. “I will.”

Sooyoung also throws her a smile. “Alright, then. Goodbye, Seul. Go back home safely!”

“You too!”

---

Sooyoung looked at her phone screen and the TV in front of her back and forth. She bit her bottom lip. The grip on her phone keeps getting stronger, her fingers turned to white. She looked once again at her phone screen, who shows the history of her phone call.

It’s been 15 minutes since Yerim called. And she still hasn’t arrived.

No, she’s not worried that her wonderful girlfriend will get lost in the middle of the road or something. Yerim will be back for sure. What she afraid of, is the moment when the locked on the door letting out a beeping sound, a sign that Yerim has arrived.

Somehow, she can hear it clearly now.

Wait, what?

“We need to talk, Park Sooyoung,” spat Yerim as she closed their apartment door with a loud bang.

Sooyoung winced at her spot. “Baby, I think you need to calm down first before we talked about this,” she said as she gets up and followed Yerim to the pantry. “You know, take a shower first. Refreshing yours-“

“This is such a dumb idea, Sooyoung.”

“It is such a wonderful idea, Yerim. Believe me.”

“The root of their problem is totally different, Sooyoung,” deadpanned Yerim as she took a gulp of cold water, trying to calm her raging emotion.

“I know, but their problem is the same,” explained Sooyoung as she made a gesture for Yerim to follow her to the living room. “This will be successful.”

“I don’t know,” sighed Yerim as she took a seat beside her. “I still think this is such a dumb idea.”

“Hey, Yerim. Look at me,” said Sooyoung before grabbing her face and force her to look directly into her eyes. Sooyoung wants to open before noticing something, which makes her frown. “Have you been crying?”

“Yeah. That’s why I still not agree with this plan,” said Yerim, breaking off herself from Sooyoung’s hold. “It’s impossible to bring Son Seungwan’s back.”

“And it’s also impossible to bring Kang Seulgi’s back,” Sooyoung paused, as she grabbed Yerim’s smaller hands into her bigger ones. “If we did it with ourselves. Just with us.”

Yerim looked at Sooyoung with doubts, still unsure about this whole grand plan of Park Sooyoung-Kim Yerim that they made a week ago after that heated night. Heated, because they letting out their inner anger about those two to each other.

“They need each other, Yerim,” said Sooyoung softly, rubbing her hands.

“We are trying to connect two broken-hearted people into one fixed heart. This is literally mission impossible,” sighed Yerim. “It’s not just us that will be done if this is failing. They are too.”

“But it will all be flowery and rainbow if this is a success,” reasoned Sooyoung. “They might be back to who they were used to be.”

“Underline that might.”

Sooyoung sighed. “Look, Yerim. This is might be our last chance. We both wanted them to not be like this anymore. Why we connect them? Because they understand each other. They know how it feels to be hopeless, to feel like the other part of you is dead. But we are not, Yerim. We clearly don’t understand that feeling. Heck, we don’t even want to ever feel that in our life.”

Yerim looked away from Sooyoung’s eyes, right after Sooyoung throw her a reassuring smile.

“They are the only ones who can help themselves.”

Yerim sighed. “Alright, then. Let’s do this.”

Sooyoung widened her eyes and screamed. “Yes! I know you will finally agree with this.”

Her cheering stop as Yerim pointed her finger right in front of her face. “Remember this, Sooyoung. If this your grand plan is a failure, I will make your whole life a living hell, you will wish you were dead. Understand?”

Sooyoung just nodded, didn’t want to bargain at all. Because making Yerim agree into this plan is already a big success. And she’s completely okay to live in hell if the one who makes it feel like that is none other than Kim Yerim, the devil spawn herself.

“Now help me to tell Seungwan-unnie that she has a blind date.”

Sooyoung blinked, looking at Yerim who looked at her phone screen with a great amount of seriousness. “You didn’t tell her earlier?”

“Duh, we have been crying for the whole day.”

“Let’s call her then.”

Yerim looked at Sooyoung in disbelief. “Are you in your right mind right now? Are you drunk?”

“Nope. I’m completely sober. Now, refresh yourself first, honey. I will handle this just right.”

 

---

“Hello?”

“Hi, Seungwan! How are you?”

“… Where is Yerim?”

“She’s currently in the bathroom right now. You know, shower and stuff.”

“You can just call me from your own number, Sooyoung. No need hers.”

“Well, it’s already happened, so.”

“What do you want?”

“Straight to the topic, aren’t we? We mayhap have some plans for you.”

“What is this evil scheme that you two think about inside your apartment?”

“Ha ha ha, it’s not evil, Seungwan. Trust me. It’s just a plan where two strangers meeting each other for the first time with something in mind. Something that somehow having a connection with heart and romance.”

“Both of you just planned a blind date.”

“Bingo! And for who?”

“Me.”

“Bingo once again!”

“My answer is no. Goodbye.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Seungwan, we believe that you need to take some air. Some refreshments.”

“I can just randomly take a walk outside.”

“A much different kind of refreshment air. Not literal.”

“I’m not interested, Sooyoung. At all.”

“Please, Seungwan. I’m begging you as your sister-in-law’s girlfriend. Both of you can just be a friend!”

“A friend?”

“Yup! And before you questioning is she a good person or not, she is. Believe me. I know her personally, in and out.”

“So I can assume that she is your friend, then?”

“Bingo! My really, really close friend. We literally sisters. She is such a wonderful woman. You will like her.”

“Like her, huh?”

“As a friend! Like her as a friend. So, how is that offer, Seungwan? Interesting?”

“Not at all.”

“Damn. I thought I caught you.”

“Is she already know about this plan?”

“Who?”

“The one who supposed to be my blind date if I accept this.”

“Yup! And I told her to meet up in her place! She owns a small café, by the way. A really cozy, small café.”

“When is it?”

“We still not talking about the date yet, because I need the confirmation from both of you about this blind date. And I already got one so, up to you. The answer it’s in your hand.”

“You will not stop bugging me about this, will you?”

“Yup.”

“Alright, then.”

“Oh? You in?”

“It’s not like I have a choice to say no in the first place.”

“Yes! I will inform you later about the date, the time, and the whereabouts of the place. Good night, Seungwan. And thank you for accepting the offer. Sleep tight!”

“Good night, Sooyoung.”

---

“So, you successfully make Seungwan-unnie accepting this blind date?” asked Yerim as she stepped out from the toilet inside their shared bedroom.

“Yup! Now the only thing that we need to do is making the plan,” said Sooyoung as she brought her little notebook and pen with her to the bed.

Sooyoung feels Yerim’s gaze fixated at her. Still full of doubt and unsure about this grand plan. Sooyoung sighed, gesturing Yerim to join her in the bed, which she complies. She put her notebook and pen at the nightstand beside her.

“Still unsure?”

“… Yeah. I still think this is not a good idea,” answered Yerim while lying down beside Sooyoung, using her girlfriend’s arm as the pillow.

Sooyoung sighed, rubbing Yerim’s shoulder slowly, calming her. “I know this is too risky, but it’s worth a try. And, we actually just gave them a one-time blind date, that’s it. They will be the ones who decide if they want to continue it or not.”

“What if they decided to not continue it?”

“Then we’re back like usual.”

Yerim looked at Sooyoung in the eyes. “Usual? As in, these past two years?”

“Yeah.”

Yerim put her head inside the crook of Sooyoung’s neck, circling her arms around her waist. Hugging her tight. “God, I hope this works for good.”

“Yeah,” whispered Sooyoung as she kissed the top of her head softly. “Hopefully.”

In the end, all they want is just saving their loved ones, the meaningful people in their life, the ones who they hold dearly inside their heart, out from the hole of darkness.