Static.

Stagnant.

Stationary.

That’s how their sophomore year went. Nothing too exciting happened and only the mundane was dominant. Nothing changed between them either. They were comfortable with each other. And it seemed like all was well. Even with their hectic schedules, they always found time to spend with each other. Even as Hyejin was invited to go to more and more outings and parties, she always made it a point to invite Wheein or leave when Wheein felt uncomfortable. Wheein also began to make new friends. New friends that asked her out.

For the first time in ages, they also spent more time apart. But, since they were comfortable, nothing really arose from it despite their friend’s questioning. 

“This is the third time she’s going to a party without you. Aren’t you worried?”

They asked Wheein as they sat around in a late night cafe with cards in their hands. Without taking offense, Wheein would calmly shrug. 

“What do I need to be worried about?” She would ask but she knows what they mean. 

“You don’t think that she may be….you know…” They would say as they looked at each other with worried eyes. Their preconceived notions about business students outweigh what Wheein has told them about Hyejin.

“Know what?” Wheein would ask. If they made such bold assumptions about Hyejin then they better say it rather than leave it vague and up to interpretation.

“Cheating.” 

The first thing they said.

“Not wanting to spend time with you.”

The next thing they would say.

“Looking for someone else.”

The next thing.

And Wheein took all their bold assumptions in stride. Time and time again, explaining that Hyejin isn’t like that. That Hyejin would never do that. That Hyejin loves her. Yet somehow they still doubt. Even when Hyejin does show up to some of their outings, they still question in the guise of jests. 

Wheein learned to pick her friends carefully. 

It was the same for Hyejin.

Hyejin would freely mingle with the crowd and find her own little bubble of people to hang out with yet bad apples still find a way to ruin the crop. Especially bad apples that have met Wheein before. The kind of bad apples that use their friendship with you as an excuse to cause drama in the guise of being helpful. 

“Hey, they’ve been checking you out all night. Why don’t you say hello?” Some of them would say. 

Little did they know that Hyejin already knew. She knew and didn’t care. It was obvious that they were eyeing her like a piece of candy. For consumption only.

“Why don’t you loosen up a bit? Nothin’ is gonna happen to ya.” They would say.

Hyejin made it a rule to not drink at parties when Wheein didn’t attend. Sure, some of those parties Ji Yeon or Sujeong attended, but her will was resolute. No drinking without Wheein. She wanted to make sure she got home in one piece. 

“Why are you with her anyway? She’s an art student. You have so many other, and better, options all around you.” Their drunken mouths would slur. The alcohol released them from proper societal tact and allowed them to finally speak their minds.

But Hyejin never budged. Never taking the bait. She would just let them talk. Knowing full well that afterwards they would never speak to each other again unless it’s for class. Acquaintances. All of them. None of their opinions mattered to her. And any opinion they had on Wheein was met with a kind smile that politely told the other how foolish they were. 

Hyejin learned who exactly were her friends and who were her acquaintances.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Hey, Hyejin-ah?” Wheein mumbled as she concentrated on her cityscape drawing.

“Mm?” Came Hyejin’s muffled reply from the couch. The couch that Hyejin was currently napping on. Dozing off ever so slightly so she can be ready in case Wheein needed something. But just as Wheein called out to her, she was more unconscious than anything. Her filters weren’t activated yet.

“Did you ever find the right words?” Wheein asked as she spared a glance at the dozing lion.

“Ah, words. The bane of my existence. The only taint upon the light I shine,” Hyejin drawled.

Wheein paused and slowly turned to look at Hyejin with her face scrunched in confusion. Only when she saw that Hyejin was half awake did she understand. Half awake Hyejin had absolutely no filter and anything out of now is bound to be the raw truth. Complete with flowery language. Or, as flowery as Hyejin can get. 

“The words I found were of no use. These feelings of mine were all in the head as my thoughts cascaded around me in a raging flood. Nothing makes sense…” Hyejin yawned.

Wheein didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

“All I know is that you deserve the best. Even if that best means I no longer have a place in your life. Words so painful to say but now are just an old burn wound,” Hyejin stretched and retracted back to place. 

Wheein held her breath.

“Wheenie deserves the best and that’s that. But Wheenie also has a hard time getting along with other people. Sometimes being a bit too obtuse or too aware for her own good. But there’s a commonality. Wheenie is only comfortable with certain people. And for Wheenie to be comfortable right off the bat, well, what could that mean?” Hyejin curled in on herself as she flailed her arm about to get a pillow to cover herself as the blanket was elsewhere. 

“What does it mean?” Wheein tenderly asked. Her heart ached as she heard Hyejin’s reasoning. 

“It means that there is finally a chance that the best finally arrived for Wheenie,” Hyejin’s voice began to fade as the heat of the sun lured her into a slumber, “But, that ain’t gonna mean I’m just gonna give in easily either. I’ll continue to do my best to be the best for Wheenie. And I’ll continue to do so until Wheenie says something otherwise….”

As Hyejin finally drifted off to sleep, Wheein remained frozen. Digesting everything that Hyejin said to the tiniest detail. Despite the urge to analyse everything, Wheein stopped herself. There was no need to look between the lines. Especially since Hyejin confirmed that she wasn’t going to give up easily. 

With a soft smile, Wheein got up and gently made her way to her sleeping lion. Gazing at the relaxed features on Hyejin’s face, Wheein tucked a stray lock of hair behind Hyejin’s ear. 

“I love you, Hyejin-ah,” Wheein whispered as she leaned over to place a kiss on Hyejin’s forehead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Four years.

Four years they have been together. 

Four years of trials and tribulation that only solidified their love for one another. 

Four years and they wanted to celebrate it with friends. 

So there they were. At the oyster bar, surrounded by friends. All of them celebrating how far they have come. From juniors in highschool to juniors in college. From Wheein being shy and a bit timid back in highschool, to being a bit more outgoing and sure of herself in college. From Hyejin being brash and at times wild, to being calmer and more considerate. The two of them both took and gave to each other.

And as they celebrated, not once did they let go of each other. Certain of many more years to come. Certain of so many things at the time. 

“I think Ji Yeon is gonna be the last one to be married,” Sujeong slurred as she took another swig.

“Wh-What?? What are you talking about?” Ji Yeon gently slapped Sujeong’s shoulder, “Why would I be the last one?”

The rest of the table fell quiet as they listened to Sujeong's reasoning.

“Ya basically the only single one here,” Sujeong shrugged as she looked at her now empty mug. 

“Well, what if I don’t want to get married?” Ji Yeon huffed, “It is kind of a sham nowadays.”

The table fell silent as everyone drunkenly contemplated Ji Yeon’s words. A moment of silence before an eruption of debate about the purpose of marriage. Or, as much of a debate a group of intoxicated young people could have. 

“What say you, Wheein?” Sujeong said once it became apparent that no one was winning. 

“Hm? What say I?” Wheein said as she squeezed Hyejin’s hand as Hyejin continued to eat the appetizers they kept ordering.

“Yea, do you want to get married?” Sujeong wobbled as her eyes twinkled with full awareness.

“Uh, well, I don’t want to get married,” Wheein nervously stated. 

“Why is that?” Sujeong pressed.

“It’s kinda needless? It’s more of a contract than anything and divorce is ugly and tedious.”

Wheein continued to list her reasons. With each reason, Sujeong became smug and Ji Yeon only focused on Hyejin. Wheein laid out her reasons, her thoughts, the same thoughts she has been meaning to tell Hyejin but there has never come a time where the marriage topic came up. And now was her chance. A burden off her shoulders.

But, as she explained, she failed to notice that Hyejin didn’t eat anything else for the rest of the night. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A calm winter’s day. The blinds were open and the sun lit up the majority of the apartment. The skies were clear and a beautiful shade of blue.

Wheein curled up on the end of the couch and gazed through the window. Memorized by the suddenly crystal clear detail of the surrounding buildings. She hugged the blanket closer to herself.

“How’s those mugs of hot tea coming along, Hyejin-ah?” 

The only response she received was the sound of one mug being placed on the table. 

As Wheein craned her head to look over at the table, she found Hyejin just standing there. Standing and looking mournful.

“Hyejin-ah?” Wheein asked with concern. The air around them made her uneasy. But why? Why did Hyejin look sad? 

“Wheein-ah…..” 

The crack in Hyejin’s voice made Wheein’s blood run cold. Something was wrong. But what? It wasn’t like Hyejin had been acting any differently lately. 

But that’s wrong.

Hyejin had been acting differently.

Her touch had been more distant. She smiled less. She no longer had the same appetite. She was less affectionate. She reciprocated, yes, but how could she not? It was as if Hyejin had been distancing herself from Wheein for the past couple of weeks. 

Wheein noticed those changes, but she just equated it to the stress at school. She became comfortable in the fact that Hyejin will always love her. She became too comfortable.

“Hyejin-ah??” Wheein called out again as she got up to face Hyejin. 

“Wheein-ah…..we…”

Hyejin took a shaky breath.

Wheein’s breath froze.

“Wheein-ah, we should break up.”