Jennie sat up in bed, staring blankly at the texts she sent last night. It was her 22nd birthday, It was 2021, it's been nearly a year since she heard from Jisoo.

The multiple birthday texts she received from her friends and family, and even her boyfriend Yeon-sal, they all felt empty without Jisoo to wish her a happy birthday as well. She had spent 10 years with Jisoo, this would have been the 11th, and she had gotten so used to having Jisoo be the first one to wish her because she'd always call her to wish her first.

But it all felt empty, day by day, month by month, she believed that Jisoo would return to her side one day, but with each passing day, that day seemed to postpone its arrival, dragging on the days that dragged on.

It was a suffocating sensation. She's right there at her fingertips, it would be so easy to reach out to her, she would have done so within the year they were apart, but she was afraid, no matter when she thought about it.

She didn't know how to feel about how Jisoo felt, she didn't want to break her heart if she needed to, and even if she was able to reject her, their relationship just wouldn't be the same. Even if she didn't reject her, she doesn't love her the way Jisoo loves her, she would feel ashamed if she didn't reciprocate her feelings even though she accepted them.

She prayed that Jisoo would get over her, maybe it was just something she said in the heat of the moment, maybe she didn't mean it the way she meant, maybe it was just a misunderstanding on Jisoo's part about her feelings.

And Jennie felt like maybe she really got over it, to the point where Jisoo didn't want to see her again.

She was afraid to face her, she was ashamed to look at her in the eyes, she abandoned Jisoo for so long, even if Jisoo did come back, would Jennie feel as comfortable as she was before?

She had lost her peppy, bubbly nature, feeling like she was wandering in the world alone. Yeon-sal tried to help her as he realised that Jennie and Jisoo had a falling out; he took Jennie out more often, tried to spend more time in her safe space, but as the days went by, his assistance slowly became ineffective. She actively invited him to celebrate her birthday though, so maybe she was getting better?

The day felt grey, Jennie quietly drifting along in the waves of time. She'd been feeling empty lately, and today, of all days, somehow managed to feel even more empty than 'empty'.

Winter had come early this year, covering the city landscape in a fresh layer of snow, many children and couples enjoying the new and romantic scenery, which only depressed Jennie even further that she couldn't see it with Jisoo.

She stood idly outside the restaurant that had seen their birthdays for years, feeling ashamed to even look at it without Jisoo by her side, as if tainting a sacred place.

"Hey, you alright?" Yeon-sal asked, gently lacing his fingers with hers.

She nodded, leaning her head on his shoulder. She felt nervous, she hadn't said anything today because it felt like she would burst into tears if she did, not knowing how to reply to the staff that had seen them grow up if they asked why Jisoo wasn't around. They'd probably prepare her order to-go, they'd assume Jisoo was sick and Jennie was buying food for the both of them.

But she wasn't, as much as she wanted to do so.

She was here with her boyfriend, as if explaining the absence of her once best friend was difficult enough, the staff treated her like a daughter, and bringing home a boy your parents never met is more nerve-wracking than it needs to be.

"Let's head in, alright?" He said, gently leading his girlfriend into the restaurant, a shiver sent down his spine as he felt as if the entire restaurant just stopped to look at him.

She was lead to her usual seat, Yeon-sal feeling uncomfortable as he sat opposite his girlfriend, feeling like he violated some sacred place.

"Hey, is it just me, or does everyone seem to hate me for some reason?" Yeon-sal whispered as Jennie ordered the same meal she had for so long.

"I've been here for a while, they probably don't recognise you. Don't worry about it, they won't stab you or anything," she said, her tone tired as she waved his paranoia dismissively.

"Right, you used to come here with her," he said quietly, gently taking her hand in his.

"Please," she said softly, squeezing his hand as she closed her eyes, "Please don't remind me about her."

"I'm sorry," he hummed, leaning down to kiss the back of her hand as his thumb rubbed it soothingly.

The two ate in silence, Jennie didn't feel like talking, didn't feel like staying out more than she needed. She was glad to be on a date with her boyfriend, but it just didn't sit right with her, it felt more like an obligation than a want to hang out with him, and that only weighed heavily on her conscience.

"Let's go," she said once they finished their meal, standing up quietly as they left the restaurant, Jennie feeling a little better now that their date was almost over.

As the snow crunched underneath their boots, Jennie suddenly felt her body being tugged into an alleyway, a sudden impact with the snow shaking her thoughts.

"Hey! What's wrong with you?" She yelled, her voice loud and clear with annoyance as her attention jolted up in the empty, secluded alleyway, her skin turning pale yet she still tried to keep her calm facade.

"Nothing's wrong with me," Yeon-sal hummed, brandishing a knife in his hands as he crouched down.

"W-What are you doing with that?" She stuttered, scrambling to her feet as she backed away from him. It was her boyfriend in the flesh, yet the look in his eyes, the composure he had, it was all unfamiliar, it was that