V 

say it

How quickly it comes and how slowly it leaves. The pain in her chest is steadily creeping up on her. This is how most evenings go, with a supercut playing on her bare bedroom wall. Sudden memories flood before her eyes, twisting her heart in a number of ways. Her head spins as she tries to find a way out of this never-ending maze. She knows how lovely yet perilous memories can be if they are allowed to overtake you. This is how most nights go, and it's when she feels the loneliest. She can't fall asleep when the lights are off and the noise ceases, but she does slip into a nightmare she can't seem to wake up from. 

JiSoo rises from her bed and walks into her living room. She opens the curtain, allowing the moonlight to illuminate her living room. She turns on every single light in the room. She starts listening to her music and lighting her scented candles. She can no longer allow it to devour her. She's not going to let it hold her hostage any longer. She's had enough. It’s time that she finds whatever that can help her ease her mind. She looks at her phone and sees that it is still 1AM. Instead, she leaves a message on Lisa's KakaoTalk, saying that if she wakes up early later on, she wants to go for a walk. 

JiSoo sits on her balcony, envious of the moon's fullness and brightness. When will I become full and bright as you? She asks the moon.

But she seemed to be oblivious to the fact that it goes through several phases before being full and bright again. And, if she compares herself to the phases of the moon, she believes she is still in new moon. The moon is nowhere to be seen, and the night sky is filled entirely with stars and clouds. 

She's still a long way from healing. While taking small steps, her feet continue to shake. Her small, slow steps, however, are leading her further away from where she had been. Days that had become yesterdays will become todays and tomorrows. Better days are closer. She'll walk the path to healing one day. And all it takes to get there is one single step, no matter how slow or small; the rest of the world can wait. 

≈

Jennie is awakened by the sound of birds chirping outside her bedroom window. She rises and immediately goes to the bathroom. She checks her phone after having a shower and notices a reminder. Today is the day that she will submit her application to the YGE Corporation. She isn't even going for an interview; she is simply passing her résumé, but her knees are already wobbling in terror. Even from her cramped apartment, YGE's building can be seen. It is a well-known company not only in South Korea, but also in other Asian countries. Jennie's confidence is shaken just thinking about entering the massive building. 

She gets ready and double-checks her bag for anything she might have forgotten. She reorganizes it in the same manner as the previous night. She didn't get much sleep the night before. What if I'm summoned to an interview? Will I have to deal with sleepless nights once more? Jennie's mind is filled with such thoughts. 

Before heading to the YGE building, she grabs a cab to Gangnam to meet MinHo. She has a few more hours to waste, which she will spend on a cup of Americano. She hurries into JiYong's coffee shop after paying the cab driver. When MinHo watches Jennie open the door, he waves his hand. Jennie smiles and waves back. 

“You seem nervous,” MinHo mentions, chuckling. “Americano?”

Jennie nods. “You have no idea. I couldn’t sleep last night.”

MinHo proceeds to make her order. While waiting for he