The "real" Ssambbang Bakery entry i wanted to submit, but I forgot where did I save it kekw. 

It’s not the first time for Minjoo, Nako, and Yuri to have a Depressed at Love^TM Hitomi at their disposal when it’s their weekly foursome date. Yes. Foursome, you read that right. You have to blame Yuri for that creative naming.

It will always start like this: Hitomi palming her cheeks, Hitomi exhaling so deep it racks her body, Minjoo asking what’s wrong, Yuri asking what’s wrong but is a lot more barbaric than the previous questioner, and Nako will only snap with a—

“Of course something is wrong. It’s about Chaewonnie, isn’t it?”

And then Hitomi will reply with,

“That’s Chaewon unnie for you,” uttered with a warning glare accompanies by a fork (or spoon, depends on what’s Hitomi is eating) getting pointed at Nako’s direction. Depending on the cutlery Hitomi is holding, Nako will either snort and brush it away or she will raise both hands and repeats that she’s innocent.

Which, she isn’t. Really. None of them are innocent.

“Chaewon unnie, again?” Yuri raises her left eyebrow. “Did she—um, I don’t know, pin you to the wall only to say that she loves mintchoco so much she’s willing to fight your scary boss for a bucket of it?”

“Talk about obsession,” Nako chimes in, shaking her head and completely forgetting she used to say the same thing.  

“Again?” Minjoo squawks before Hitomi can say anything. Her concerned look stops Hitomi from trying to talk, because she looks so serious and concerned Hitomi doesn’t have the heart to burst her bubble. “I don’t know, Hii. If she’s willing to fight a scary boss for a hateful, nonedible goo colored object like that, I’d say she’s a keeper.”

Again, before Hitomi can say anything again, Yuri barks out her laughter, effectively interrupting whatever thing Hitomi wanted to say. “Keeper your flat (“EXCUSE ME?!”). Chaewon could have traded Hitomi for a small bucket of mintchoco for all we know. She would just disappear from Seoul and the next time we met her will be when we’re visiting Himalaya, and it’s not Chaewon’s Hitoma anymore but it’s Himalayan—”

“Oh my God, Yuri shut the f up.”

“Yes, gladly, Your Majesty.” Yuri obediently shuts .

“Are we really going to collectively ignore how Hitomi said f instead of ?” Nako ponders loudly.

The eldest of the group nods, clearly interested. “Wouldn’t want to kiss her Chaewon unnie with that filthy mouth.”

“Would Chaewon unnie kiss her, though?”

“Jo Yuri do you want to die?”

Hitomi inhales and exhales again. Her hands fly back to her temples, actively massaging the tight knots there. “Will you stop talking?”

They stop. Instantly.

“Let’s go back to this matter at hand,” the stressed-out blonde begins slowly, as if patiently, but patient she is not. If anything, she sounds as if she’s trying to not -slap these three crackheads she calls her friends. “This matter is… I don’t know if it’s more concerning than Chaewon unnie wanting to fight EunBig Boss-nim for a bucket of mintchoco or not. But I’ll leave it to you to do the judging.”

The blonde eyes her friends.

Minjoo and Yuri both slowly turn their head to Nako.

Nako rolls her eyes.

“Say the magic words, Nako-chan,” Minjoo encourages, noticing the reluctance coming from the shortest one of their group.

“Stfu Min,” she scowls, but she takes a deep breath. “Alright, Hii-chan. Spill the tea.”

It happened last Wednesday—but I thought that day was still Tuesday. Nothing happened due to that, though, thankfully. I worked normally and the office was as ty as days before, but I still love it there.

I guess it all because I have someone that I really like. She’s my source of happiness in that dreary place. If there wasn’t any her, I would have long resigned from my position and switched career as a food photographer. Maybe I could replace Minjoo. I know her boss likes me better, anyway.

The story is quickly stopped with a loud groan coming from across of Hitomi.

“That was unnecessary,” the woman in the narrative protests, balling her fist and then pounds it gently to the table. It shakes, but it’s nothing compared to where Nako literally flipped their table during their last meeting. “Just because Hyewon Boss-nim offered you her snacks you decided she likes you more than me? Unbelievable.”

“She only tells the truth,” Yuri sagely says, nodding with a smirk on her face. “Don’t stop your narration, Tomi. Come on.”

—Continuing from there, this inspiring woman is none other than Kim Chaewon. She is my senior and she is perhaps the scariest but fluffiest person I’ve ever met. She had that duality like that. Is that the same as being two-faced? Wait—don’t answer that, don’t taint my judgement to my beloved.

Chaewon unnie often, intentionally or unintentionally, made my day happier. Even if it’s just a small pat on the head, it already feels like I’m touched by the Heavens itself. Even if it’s just a small smile, I feel like the sun is shining so pleasantly only for me. And you know the rest. She is magical like that.

That day was no different. She hugged me to congratulate me because I told her that I won a contest, and I swear, being hugged by her was more—delighting, compared to winning. Okay, I’m kidding, it was nearly equal. My soul nearly left my body.

“Congratulations Hitoma!” She said to me again, for the nth time that day. Her arms coiling around me slowly loosened, and I had to suppress a sigh of disappointment at the loss of contact. It was too short of a moment. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a gift, but I can treat you to something?”

“Like a date?”

I almost lost my footings when Chaewon unnie’s smile only split even wider. She leaned closer to me, and I really really got dizzy when Chaewon unnie said,

“Sure, if you want to thought of it as so.”

And left after leaving a small peck on my right cheek.

“A DATE?!” Minjoo roars unexpectedly, jumping to her feet with her hands slamming hard on the poor, poor table. “You managed to snag a date with the love of your life, because you won a contest for a—for a—”

“Don’t. Say. It.”

“They deserve to know,” Minjoo emphasized on the they, completely serious, “The readers must know about how you won a contest for a—”

“Can’t we just skip that particular part? I don’t think I want to know what it is,” ever the Savior, Yuri, interrupted. Minjoo throws a tantrum next to her, but it’s left ignored. “So, a date? Nice, when will it be?”

“Tomorrow,” Hitomi sighs. She ignores the apparent surprise and disapproval her friends show—how her friends blink rapidly and mutter wtf under their breath and throw their hands up in surrender. “And I really need your help, because I want to make my feelings clear to her. I want her to be mine.”

“Assertive,” Nako nods her head, approving. “You go girl! Let’s devise a plan, then…”

…

“Is it just me or does Hitomi looks even… gloomier than our last meeting?”

“Definitely not you, Nako.”

“Thank God, I thought I’m the only one who have a gloomy outlook on life.”

“Don’t worry, you’ve got Minjoo doing that long before you.”

“I Breathed.”

“Exactly.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

Hitomi groans loudly again. This time it’s effective to stop the Always Bickering Minyul to stop.

Nako immediately stops sipping her boba. She snaps her fingers together.

“Spill.”

And Hitomi begins her story.

To summarize it, the date went exceptionally well. I was so sure we had this chemistry of a couple and we’ve actually been mistaken as a couple for several times already. We were that perfect of a couple.

We ended it with a small stroll on Han River. It was a little cold, but I was so warmed because Chaewon unnie lent me her jacket to me. She wasn’t cold, she said, and while I didn’t believe that bull, her sweater was thick and it was definitely warmer than the pretty top I was wearing. Logically speaking, it really wasn’t as cold for her.

We talked a lot on that stroll, about anything, really. I lost count on how many topics we covered. It was so natural of us.

And then, after a topic about two idols dating scandal, I asked her.

“Unnie, what kind of girls do you like?”

Chaewon unnie looked surprised at the sudden personal question. She turned her face away for a moment, coughing on her fist, clearly flustered. “H-How do you know I like girls?”

Well, to be honest, I never had the chance to confirm it. I had my suspicion, because who else read gravure on workplace aside from erts that likes women? It was brazen of me to say, “You like tiddies,” with all seriousness I could muster, but did I lie?

“Can you blame me?” Chaewon unnie laughed. It sounded sooooooo pretty and angelic omg I think I fell in love—again. “As Seungwan sunbaenim said on that bonding time: World, cold and hard. Tiddies, warm and soft. Which will you choose?”

“Can I be honest?” Nako interrupted, looking giddy and—that wide grin is worrying, really. But her friends nod their heads either way, allowing Nako to share her thoughts on whatever matter that caught her interest.

“I think your Chaewon unnie and I will go along exceptionally well.”

“Figured,” Hitomi mocks, shuddering as she remembered the secret stash of gravure magazines hidden on the midget-sized woman’s room when she visited her months ago. “Byuntaes mind think alike.”

“Just as she said, Hii-chan,” Nako winks, not at all bothered by the disgusted looks directed her way. “World, cold and hard. Tiddies, warm and soft.”

I didn’t humor her question. “So, are you?”

“I am,” Chaewon unnie nodded, chuckling. “What about you, Hitoma? Do you like girls too?”

“Yes, I like you.”

“Hm?”

“Yes, like you,” I repeated, and I really hope my big cheeks didn’t redden when I said that. “What type of girls do you like, unnie?”

“Hmm, let me guess…” I held my breath. “I like younger girls.”

“Yuri, drop your phone.”

Yuri slowly lowers her phone from her ear. She frowns at Hitomi. “Hitomi, this is very concerning. We don’t know how young she is talking about.”

“Not to mention disturbing,” Nako chimes in, also raising her phone to her ear. “Are you sure we can’t FBI her and take you all for ourselves?”

“I like that plan,” Minjoo nods and Hitomi throws them all her cheeseballs.

“Younger girls?” I gasped, fumbled with my phone, and jokingly called FBI to issue her. She looked a little panicked, but it was leaning on the joking side.

I hope.

“I mean that—” she cleared . “I deliberately phrased that wrong just to gauge your reaction, I’m sorry. I’m not a pedo, okay? I just like this girl… and she’s only a little younger than me. Though, sometimes doesn’t look like she’s younger, haha.”

I felt my heart skip a beat. And it wasn’t in a good way.

“Who is it?” I choked out my question. I couldn’t help it. I felt a sudden lump in my throat when realization dawned on me. My hands unconsciously gripped Chaewon unnie’s arm a little tighter, and I only realized that when Chaewon unnie glanced down, her gaze landing on my hands around her biceps. It felt like I was holding to her for support.

She didn’t say anything after that.

“I just feel like,” she sighs. She’s not crying, she really isn’t—but she can’t help but shed a tear or two after that recollection. “Am I on the wrong side to think that... that the girl she is pertaining for is... not me?”

“You’re not,” Nako soothingly says. She reaches her hand up to pat Hitomi’s blonde locks, rubbing her crown tenderly in a circular motion, hoping it would at least give some comfort. “It’s alright Hii-chan. Gullible is not a sin.”

“Aww,” Yuri croons, moving off her seat to Hitomi, engulfing the down-trodden girl in a big, warm hug until Hitomi pushed away because she’s suffocating. Yuri leaps to her feet, unbothered. “Don’t worry, Hii, Nako is right, we’re still here for you.”

“Yes,” Minjoo nods vigorously, so quick and energized everyone is worried she might snap her neck that way. “If you can’t marry your Chaewon unnie, you can always marry one of us.”

“Or all of us.”

“Shut the up, Nako.”

“Damn, no wonder Chaewon unnie doesn’t want to kiss you.”

Yuri roars. “I DON’T EVEN KNOW HER.”

Hitomi sighs again, and once again, the attention is on her.

“It’s so stupid of me,” Hitomi begins. “Because I’m so caught up with my own fantasy of Chaewon being the one for me and never consider that Chaewon unnie likes someone else—and I actually know that someone else Chaewon is thinking of. Maybe, anyway. Hell, I interact with her daily.”

She doesn’t wait for her friends’ reaction to whip out her phone, typing and scrolling vigorously on what Yuri assumed as Instagram, and finally turns it to them once Hitomi squeals out a ‘Eureka!’.

Hitomi patiently waits for her three friend’s reaction, busying herself by stuffing with the spicy yet delicious tteokbokki they bought for today’s foursome date—that is held on Nako’s flat, instead of the usual café.

Yuri reacts first. “She doesn’t look younger than you. She doesn’t even look younger than your Chaewon.”

Followed by Nako. “Call me a betrayer but this shot here? She looked like she’s your Chaewon’s boyfriend—or girlfriend.”

And then Minjoo…

Minjoo rubs her chin very thoughtfully. Veeeeryy thoughtfully.

“I’d tap,” she finally deigns to comment, after a long, torturous wait that made Hitomi regret showing her three lacking-braincells friends the photograph of her crush’ crush.

The moment they hear Minjoo’s comment, it’s the moment they snapped their head towards the innocently smiling oldest one of the group. The atmosphere freezes, it’s cold like it’s on Arctic, a stark contrast against Minjoo’s sunny smile that beams pure innocence despite her comment that certainly couldn’t be categorized as one.

Realization only dawns on Minjoo a tad too late.

Her sunny smile immediately changes into a horrified expression.

[Narrator’s voice]

It’s was at this moment Minjoo knew, she ed up.

“WAIT—”

“Whoever wants to boot Minjoo out from this group says aye.”

“I’M SORRY.”

…

Fortunately, their foursome date doesn’t turn into and Hitomi is glad for that. Even though Minjoo is responsible for her gradually decreasing braincells the more they spend time together. It’s highly concerning, but Hitomi loves every single one of her useless friends—who are only useful when she bribed them.

And so, Hitomi returns to work, still depressed, but a tad happier with yesterday’s gathering with her best friends. She’s still sad about how her feelings aren’t reciprocated by the object of her affections, but that’s life, isn’t it? She’s young, but Yujin—AKA the suspect—Is even younger, but at least Yujin looked like she’s a real adult compared to her. But maybe that’s the thing? Chaewon likes Yujin because she’s mature and not because she’s actually younger than her?

Speak of the Devil…

“Yo, Hitomi-unnie!”

Yujin is always, always cheerful. No matter how heavy her workloads are daily, she always has this warm, dimpled smile on her face. It never failed to make warmth seep into her soul and in turn, Hitomi always finds herself returning that smile naturally even on her worst days.

“Morning, Yujinie,” Hitomi smiles at her, greeting the younger with a small wave of her hand. “How are you? It’s very unlike you to be here early every Monday.”

Yujin an eyebrow up, reeling back dramatically, her hand on her forehead as she shakes her head side to side. “How rude, how cruel! Can’t I be a model employee like you once in a blue moon?!”

“Sit down, you’re making a ruckus.”

Yujin saluted Hitomi. “Aye ma’am!” She chuckles before sitting down on the cubicle next to Hitomi. Yes, this is what Hitomi meant by interact daily. She works beside her, every day. And Hitomi loves having her around because she makes this bleak atmosphere filled with sunshine and rainbows even when Chaewon isn’t around.

This, by no means, that Hitomi likes Yujin more than a friend.

“Anyway,” Yujin begins again, turning on her computer to prepare. “What’s with the long face? I know that it’s Monday but is there any reason for that little pout, unnie?”

“I don’t pout.”

“Sure you don’t,” Yujin nods, giggling as she leans back, “Don’t you think so, Chaewon unnie?”

Hitomi jolts at the familiar giggle echoing behind her. She turns her wheeled chair around, surprised to see Chaewon smirking down at her. “Sure she doesn’t,” Chaewon says, flipping her long, black hair back over her shoulders as she her chin up. “Besides, I treated her a lot of things last Saturday!”

Yujin’s eyes grow wide, her puppy-like expression Hitomi always sees returning in full force as the younger woman bounces on her seat. She pushes her chair and turns to face Hitomi, her body leaning forward, pure excitement is apparent in her expression and body language. “You went on a date? You went on a date?”

“Er, yes…” Hitomi manages to mutter, herself malfunctioning with how Chaewon is gripping her shoulders firmly but gently and there is an overexcited puppy right beside her.

It’s somehow strange.

…

“You’re right, it is strange,” Nako finds herself saying after the narration has ended. She takes a sip on her beverage, eyebrows scrunching together to form a frown, her mind immediately starting theorizing on what exactly happening until her gaze flickers towards Minjoo.

“Minjoo,” Nako begins with a soft tone, but her next is anything but. “Don’t.”

Unfortunately, the only one who can stop Minjoo from running in reckless, reckless abandon is Hitomi herself. Nako is holding her fork menacingly but it's just not enough to dissuade Minjoo from threatening their sanity.

The oldest one of the group raises a finger up to the Heavens with a wide smile on her face. “Plot twist: Chaewon unnie and this tappable girl are conspiring together for an office takeover.”

Hitomi wrestles the knife from Yuri’s hand.

“Can’t we seriously boot her out from this group?” Asks a hopeful Yuri, mourning the loss of her weapon.

“I’m just kidding!” Minjoo shrieks, flailing her arms around, until one of them hits Yuri’s square on her back, and Yuri chokes on her saliva. “What if, what if, your Chaewon unnie actually likes you, and Yujin is actually helping her win your heart?”

They are silent for a few moments, heavily contemplating on Minjoo’s theory with their hands propped under their chin.

Until the silence is broken by the theorist herself.

“Nah, that’s too farfetched.”

Followed by Yuri with a slow nod. “That’s too Wattpad-ish.”

Nako who only goes with the flow. “Agreed, agreed.”

And the ever-pessimistic hopeless romantic. “I don’t think Chaewon unnie likes me that way.”

They all sigh at the same time.

“Here’s to y, free, and single life.”

“Can we add miserable too?”

“Nako, we don’t need your bleak outlook in life.”