Hyewon wakes up fairly early to her liking, she didn’t even know how many hours she managed to sleep. She doesn’t remember anything, just that her dream, as much as she doesn’t like having any dream, was there and one minute it was gone. Then it all turned to darkness.

She looked at clock, 6:30AM. Just as she thought, too early for her liking. But she couldn’t sleep anymore so she just padded out of her room, hearing the other bathroom occupied. She’s an early riser.

She decided to prepare some toasts for the both of them, she’s not feeling much anything. She already wants to end the day. Hyewon then walks over to grab some bread and put it in the toaster, walking over to the coffee machine to make one.

She heard the bathroom door being opened and could judge that her roommate went inside her own room to put on some clothes. Hyewon then went to the toaster and put another batch of breads. She never knew she missed preparing breakfast for two until now, but those are the memories she does not want to remember.

She then felt someone’s presence and looked up.

“Good morning.” She greeted neutrally, grabbing the finished toasts and putting it on a plate. Minju was staring at her weirdly, but maybe she was just surprised that Hyewon is already awake that early.

“Morning.” Minju greets back.

“Coffee?” Hyewon asked, pouring some for her.

“Yeah, black.”

Hyewon could already feel the bitter taste of the coffee Minju would have, she loves coffee but not to the extent that she would relish on the bitterness of it. Grabbing the mugs, she slid one to Minju who is already seated and put the jams on the table.

Hyewon sighed at the sight of her own favorite jam, almost finished. She just grabbed it and spread some on her toast, eating it quietly.

Silence consumed them. Hyewon though, feels like Minju wants to say something. And she did. But Hyewon was not sure if that was the thing she wanted to say, nut she doesn’t care.

“Did you sleep well?”

Hyewon stopped eating and drank some coffee, did I sleep well? Hyewon chuckles at the thought and shrugs her shoulder.

“So-so.”

And it ended there. Hyewon is thankful for that, she doesn’t know what to say if Minju wants her to elaborate – she doesn’t want to snap at the girl again. And in a blink of an eye, they were finished eating.

“I’ll wash the dishes,” Hyewon volunteered, “Don’t worry.”

Hyewon could see that Minju was about to protest but she cuts her off.

“I can do it.” Hyewon smiles slightly, “Take care.”

And Minju stares at her for a minute, Hyewon just ignored it and went to the sink starting to wash the dishes. Then she heard the door click, and Minju was not there anymore. And Hyewon was left alone in with her own mind.

And maybe, a soft music was playing inside her – just to compensate to the silence and thoughts consuming her.

//

Minju was just staring at her computer, completely different form the last two days – having no work done and it is already lunch time. She just managed to sign some documents, stare at her computer, on her wall, and nothing more.

The image from last night keeps replaying in her mind – Hyewon being restless, having nightmares, and with just a single touch she slept like everything is alright. Then she was surprised to see the girl awake, which is weird – preparing breakfast for the two of them.

As if Hyewon hadn’t have any nightmare. As if she slept peacefully, but Minju knows better. From what she can remember, she entered the latter’s room around 3AM. And for Hyewon to be up around 6 in the morning, she is sure that the older girl did not have any good sleep.

She quickly grabs her phone and called Yujin, which thankfully answered it just after one ring.

“Unnie! Missed me?”

Minju could already see the grin and rolled her eyes, “Are you free right now?”

“Yeah, don’t have any classes until later. Why?”

“Great, let’s have lunch.”

“Cool. Where would we – “

“Café near the office. Don’t be late.” Minju said and hanged up. She just breathes out and called Chaewon inside her room.

“Yes, you called for me?”

“Can you please sort these documents and give them back to each department if there’s something wrong?”

Chaewon frowns but nodded, grabbing the stack of documents on the girl’s table.

“Are you alright?” She worriedly asked, “You haven’t done much work.”

Minju could only muster a sigh, because as much as she hates to admit it, her mind is being flooded by her roommate – and she doesn’t even know why.

“Just confused.” She said and Chaewon nodded, knowing it was not the right time to pry. She exited the room and Minju puts her forehead on her hands. Because maybe, she really is confused on what is actually happening inside her roommate’s mind.

/

“So, unnie. What do you want to talk about?” Yujin asked as she eats her own lunch, glancing at the older girl in front of her doing the same.

“I just want to ask how are you.”

Yujin snorts, not believing what she just heard. She knows Minju would not suddenly call out of nowhere and ask for lunch to just talk about her well-being – she could do that through text.

“Right, cut the chase.” Yujin says, “What is it?”

And Minju sighs. Yujin would seriously not believe her, she doesn’t even believe her own excuse.

“Is Hyewon insomniac?”

Yujin halts and no one would have noticed it, but Minju is a great observer and she knows the younger girl too much, so she definitely saw the slight pause.

“No. Why?”

“She just always comes home late.” Minju says nonchalantly.

“Scared that she’s much more workaholic than you are?” Yujin teased, wanting to change the subject quickly.

“Shut up,” Minju rolls her eyes, “Why take night shifts when you’re a university student?”

“The pay is good.” Yujin shrugs.

“She takes it even when she has a free day.” Minju points out, wanting to send her point.

Yujin knows what Minju is trying, and she just shuts her eyes as she drinks her water. “It helps her sleep at night.”

Minju keeps quiet. Continues eating her own meal, and Yujin is thankful for that. She doesn’t want talking about Hyewon to anyone – especially not to the people who doesn’t know her too well. But she spoke too soon.

“Really?” Minju asks, “Because I saw her last night having nightmares in the middle of her bed, breathless.”

Yujin drops her fork and quickly looks up at the older girl, not knowing what to say. She just continued eating.

“Ahn Yujin.” Minju demanded her attention, “Do I need to know anything?”

“It’s not my place to answer, unnie.” Yujin sighs, “But I promise you, Hyewon is a good person. She won’t do anything that would harm you.”

And Minju still worries for her roommate, while Yujin wants to confront Hyewon about what she learned.

//

Hyewon has been reading the book since Minju went out, and thankful that she is already finished with it. Checking the time, she realized that she has a few hours to prepare – so closing the book, she decided to cook some food. She remembers some ingredients that could whip up some simple dish for her, thankful that there’s still meat in that can be cooked.

She then put some in a container, letting the heat off first before closing it and putting it inside the fridge. Hyewon then ate quietly on her own, savoring the meat in . She doesn’t know if Minju knows how to cook or not, but judging from all the take-outs the girl has – she thinks it’s the latter.