Prompt: Minju cheats on Chaeyeon without her knowledge, or so she thought.

One bright Monday morning in one apartment in Seoul, a couple is enjoying breakfast. Outside, they look like your average couple, who wakes up and eats in the morning before going to their day. But underneath the façade of normality is a couple hiding behind empty hopes and broken promises.

Chaeyeon and Minju had been together for seven years now, they were college sweethearts, and now they live together in the big city. Chaeyeon is a lawyer in one of the biggest firms in their city, while Minju is an aspiring model trying to break in the industry. They have a perfect life, at least to what strangers might say when they see them. But it's as if somebody flipped the switch because the once happy couple is gone, and what's left is two people who do not know each other, at least not anymore.

"I'll be home late today," Minju says as she places the cup of coffee down.

Chaeyeon averts her eyes from the paper she was reading, another case she was assigned to, and looks back at her girlfriend, "Again? That's the fourth time the past week Minju ah"

Minju responds by rolling her eyes as she stands up and takes the cup and plate in her hand. Not like you're any different, she thoughts, "I'm busy," she says as she takes it to the sink.

Chaeyeon sighs, she wants to say something, but she does not have the energy to have a fight. They have been having a lot of those the past few months, and frankly, Chaeyeon is too busy with her case to address it.

Minju waits for Chaeyeon to say something but is ultimately disappointed when she turns and sees the girl was already back to her papers. She shakes her head as she started washing her plate.

-

Minju arrives at the studio, mood undeniable in her face. Too obvious that people had avoided getting in her way. She's not always like that; in fact, it was the opposite, she's pretty, kind and always smiles, everyone loves her. So, they didn't know what happened; she had suddenly changed; the smiles were gone replaced by frowns.

When everyone was afraid to get near, there was one person who is not the least scared.

"Hey, Minmin,"

Minju sighs, sparing only a slight nod as an acknowledgment. The person seemed to have sensed the girl's mood as she moves to sit down beside Minju.

"What did Chaeyeon do this time?"

Minju sighs a second time as she recalled what happened before she came to the studio.

Minju was doing her makeup in their room; hearing the rattles from the kitchen, she assumes Chaeyeon is still there. A thought pops into her head, maybe Chaeyeon is waiting for her, perhaps she wants to leave together. The idea somehow made her hopeful; she'd admit that she misses going to work together. Ever since Chaeyeon got into that new firm, she always leaves early, and Minju gets left behind. At first, it was okay, Minju would wake up extra early to prepare lunch for the both of them, and Chaeyeon would wait a couple of minutes more if Minju overslept.

She's smiling as she remembers how they would always hold hands the whole way, how they would kiss before Minju gets off at the studio, just the little things like that, Minju misses them all.

She misses her girlfriend; then she cares to admit.

As she is applying her lipstick, that was when the door opens slightly and Chaeyeon's head popping in.

"I'm going Min; have a nice day," she says and moves to close the door.

It was too fast that Minju barely reacted. She stands up and calls her before she could close the door "Wait Chaen, I'm almost done, wait for me."

Chaeyeon stops and pushes the door open again, examining Minju then looking down at her watch, she thinks for a while, possibly calculating in her head before she says, "I'm sorry Min, I have a very important meeting, I can't be late."

"Come on, Chaeyeon, I'm almost done, just a couple more minutes," Minju says, hope evident in her voice.

Chaeyeon wanted to wait, but she just can't be late, seeing Minju is still in her bathrobe, the girl will most likely take a lot of time to choose what to wear. Adding that to the Monday morning traffic, Chaeyeon doesn't think she can spare another minute.

"I'm really sorry, Min, I really have to go."

"She could've waited, right? I mean, it's not like I'm some stranger, I'm her girlfriend."

When the other girl does not say anything, Minju finally looks to her side as she stops her ranting. "Hey, Chaewon, ah, are you listening."

Chaewon only smiles at her as she was resting her cheek on her palm, "You know I'am Minmin, you know I always am" she reaches her hand which Minju grabs, and Chaewon pulls her to sit back down. "You're really cute when you get like this"

Minju blushes at Chaewon's comment as she covers her face. "Why can't she be sweet like you?"

"Wasn't she sweet to you in the past?" Chaewon asks as she moves the hair that escaped on Minju's face.

Minju could not hide the disappointment, "Keyword there is past. She was the sweetest, most kind-hearted person I know."

"She still is right? At least to you, she still is."

Minju sighs as she turns away, "She will always be. But I just have trouble seeing that right now."

Chaewon wants to say something, it's been six months since they've started whatever they are doing, but Chaeyeon's name is what always comes out of Minju's mouth. She can't help but feel jealous, even if she does not have the right to. So, she does not voice it out; she can't act be jealous because if she did, whatever 'this' is might just stop.

Chaewon wanted to be selfish; after all, she finally got the girl of her dreams even if she has to share her with someone else.

She's not even sure if she was the one sharing.

--

Chaeyeon has been in her office ever since she arrived. She was too engrossed into the case that she did not notice how time had flown until her best friend and colleague, Kang Hyewon, comes dropping what appears to be a sandwich on her table.

"Yah Lee, aren't you glad you have such an awesome best friend like me?"

Chaeyeon only eyes the sandwich before continuing her work. Hyewon frowns at being ignored, as she swiftly takes the girl's glasses.

"Hyewon ahhh!!"

"Finally got your attention, huh, that's a win for Kang Hyewon!" the girl proclaims as she fist pumps in the air.

Chaeyeon rolls her eyes as she leans back, stretching her neck. "What did you get me?"

"Your favorite."

Chaeyeon moves forward and takes it, "Thanks."

Hyewon sits down in front of her, taking her sandwich, joining Chaeyeon to eat. It took only several seconds before Hyewon finishes her lunch. Chaeyeon raises her eyebrow in surprise. "Man, you really love eating, you pig."

Hyewon shrugs clearly used to her best friend's banter. She watches Chaeyeon eat as the girl occasionally looks back at her work. "Yah, don't you rest? It's lunchtime. People do need to eat, you know?"

"I'am eating," Chaeyeon replies, not even taking her eyes off the paper.

Hyewon leans back and rolls her eyes. "Wow, I didn't know you were married."

The comment appalled Chaeyeon, as she squints at her best friend's smug face as if she knew something Chaeyeon didn't, "What? I'm not married. I haven't even proposed yet."

Hyewon shakes her pointer finger, clearly not agreeing, "Oh yes, you are, you're married to your work," she deadpans.

Chaeyeon was stunned for a minuscule second, before huffing like a child. "I'm not."

"Right… I wonder how Minju tolerates you," says Hyewon shaking her head. "I mean Eunbi would behead me if I ignore her for even a second"

When Chaeyeon does not say anything, it caught Hyewon's attention. She watches as Chaeyeon fidgets on the sandwich in her hand, leaving the pen abandoned as she stops reading, "Did something happen?"

Chaeyeon sighs as she leans back on her chair again, the thing with Minju is actually eating her up, and she does not know what to do about it. She actually wanted to talk to Hyewon about it, but because of her cases, it completely slipped her mind, "I don't know, just the past few months has been weird."

Hyewon raises an eyebrow as she now leans forward, resting her arms on the table, the topic clearly grabbing her attention, "Weird in what way? Like you weird? Cause we all know Minju is an angel compared to your weird-."

Chaeyeon's expressions turn into a glare as she throws a crumpled paper from out of nowhere at her best friend, which the girl quickly catches. "Hey, you're weird too!"

Hyewon throws the paper back at Chaeyeon and laughs when it hits the girl on the forehead. "That's why we're best friends."

Chaeyeon rolls her eyes yet picks up the paper and throws it into the trashcan.

"So, what's wrong?"

"I don't know, but what I do know is that we're not okay."

Hyewon rests her chin on her palm, "Why don't you talk to her; she's your girlfriend, is she not?"

"Yeah... I should"

That's what she says, but she knows she can't talk to her without backing out, she can't exactly tell her best friend that she's scared to talk to her girlfriend of seven years.

--

"Here you go, Minmin."

Minju looks to her side and smiles, accepting the bottle of water offered to her. "Thanks, Chaewon, ah."

Chaewon smiles back and sits beside her. The two are currently on the rooftop of Chaewon's apartment. Chaewon had texted her this morning that she wanted to cook for Minju, so after they both finished their photoshoots, they went and got groceries then went to Chaewon's apartment for dinner.

Minju stares blankly ahead, just looking at the beautiful city lights. Chaewon watches her the whole time, wondering what's on her head. "Are you thinking about Chaeyeon?"

Minju stiffens then releases a breath, "Sorry." She says feeling guilty about thinking of someone else when they just had a great date.

Chaewon shakes her head as she takes Minju's hand in her own, "It's okay, I understand."

Minju turns to her side at Chaewon, her heart tightens. She knows this is bad, that doing this behind Chaeyeon's back, doing this when she has a girlfriend who she loves so much. But Chaewon is so pretty, so warm, so affectionate; everything Chaeyeon hasn't been doing lately. And Minju is still human, a girl, she wants to feel cared for.

When Minju does not say anything, Chaewon wants to cut through the sudden tension in the air. They both knew that Chaeyeon is a sensitive topic, but Chaewon also knew that Minju likes to talk about her. So, despite her heart feeling like it's being squeezed, Chaewon still asks.

"So how did you guys meet anyways? You never did tell me."

Chaewon tries to ignore the sinking feeling at Minju's fond smile as she listens to how the love her life, met the love of her life.

"We met on our freshman year of college, I was taking a fashion and music degree at the same time, and Chaeyeon is taking up law, just that fact, us having different degrees, us being in completely different buildings, different classes, different lifestyle, it would be close to impossible for us to meet." Minju starts as she leans back on her arms as she stares at the city lights again.

"But apparently, that did not stop that weird girl."

Chaewon watches as the subtle smile on Minju's face turns into a grin as she recalls their past, she watches as Minju continues.

"It was already halfway into the school year, and I was coming from my last class, I was alone for the first time since my friends had something to do, that's when I saw her, the timing was perfect if you'd ask me."

"Um…. Hi. My name is Lee Chaeyeon, and you don't know me, but I think you're the most beautiful girl I've seen in my life… and well, I would like to ask you out..., or we can be friends first..whichever you like."

Minju laughs out loud. "I can still remember it; she was wearing long black pants accentuating her gorgeous long legs, topped by an "I love law" printed white tee underneath a beige checkered blazer, hair golden as the sun and guess what?, she was holding this single white rose and that speech, can you imagine how surprised I was?"

Chaewon tried to imagine the event, how nervous Chaeyeon was, how surprised Minju was, just how she would see that scene as if she were there to witness it. Just two girls, meeting for the first time and triggers the start of years of happiness and love.

…. "She was so weird! I tell you!" Minju adds as she can't stop laughing. "She was shaking so much, and yet she was the most beautiful girl in my eyes too."

Chaewon keeps her silence the whole time, just listening to Minju's laughs. But soon it dies down, and Chaewon could see it, how those beaming eyes soften, how that joyful laughter quieted, how Minju takes a breath, how the girl's heart is crying.

"But, you know, accepting that flower was the best decision I've made in my life."

As the first tear slides down Minju's face, Chaewon instinctively moves, but before she could, Minju exhales again and rests her head on Chaewon's shoulder, stopping her,

"What are we doing, Chaewon, ah?"

Chaewon stays mum; she does not know how to answer such a simple question. She could feel Minju was crying; she can feel the sadness there the guilt, and Chaewon thought Minju would not stop if she didn't answer, so she did.

"We're just being human."

After staying for a couple more minutes more with Chaewon, Minju finally arrives home. She hopes that Chaeyeon is asleep; she does not want the girl to see her puffy eyes. She can't believe she cried like that, and in front of Chaewon too. Minju knows she should stop this; this is wrong. That no matter who she chooses, there will always be someone hurting. But what she's afraid of is that she does not know which one she should stop.

As she turns the lock and pushes the door, she was surprised to find it still dark. She checked her watch and saw that it was almost 11 pm. She walks further in, closing the door behind her, "Chaeyeon?"

When she was only greeted by silence, she takes her phone to check if the girl texted her about being late too, when the door behind her opens and Chaeyeon appears behind it. Both were surprised as Chaeeyon almost bumped into Minju, who was still near the door.

"Woah, why are you standing there, Minju?" CHaeyeon asks as her steps stop just before hitting Minju, "Did you just get home now?"

"Yeah"

Chaeyeon watches her silently, looking at her as if she was examining her and Minju felt angsty, but relief soon arrives when Chaeyeon turns to lock the door and walks past her towards the living room, "Why didn't you call me? I could've picked you up."

Minju rolls her eyes, suddenly defensive at being caught off guard, "Like you have the time to answer your phone."

Chaeyeon stiffens for a moment then sighs, it seems like Minju is not in the mood again as always, this morning was weird enough when the girl wanted to go to work together, and now, she's snarky "I'm tired. I don't want to fight."

But Minju is relentless; she did not know what came over her, she just felt unexplainable anger and sadness meshed together, maybe she was still high from her conversation with Chaewon earlier, maybe because she's seeing a stranger instead of the girl she fell in love with, maybe because she's mad at what is happening to their relationship, "You don't want to do anything!"

Chaeyeon does not even turn around as she sighs, "What do you mean?"

But this action only infuriates Minju; further, she could feel the heat rise up to her head, the way she's exhaling as if you can practically see smoke come out, "You can't even look at me when you answer? You can't even wait for YOUR GIRLFRIEND a couple of minutes in the morning. You can't even go on a date. You know I've never heard you say you love me for the longest time. Is this what our relationship has become? Are we strangers again?"

Chaeyeon finally turns around, "I lo—" she wasn't able to say it because what she saw is her girlfriend's back walking away from her and towards their room and closes it with a bang.

--

When Hyewon walks in Chayeon's office with two bags of sandwiches, what she saw wasn't the usual Chaeyeon with her glasses on, head down, hands busy on whatever case she has and was greeted instead by a Chaeyeon standing by the window, staring outside with a faraway look.

"Hey, I brought lunch."

Cha