The next evening, Joohyun apologized to her girlfriend, telling her she was feeling better now. Seulgi was still worried, but accepted the apology and wrapped the other woman in a tight hug. Joohyun’s skin still felt cold. On second thought, it was always like that but Seulgi only really noticed last night. It was probably normal then.

Joohyun invited Seulgi into her apartment and the dancer smiled, even if they were apart for only less than a day, Seulgi missed her. Seulgi had apologized for being so clingy, but Joohyun told her that she didn’t mind. She thought it was cute.

They sat on Joohyun’s couch, watching a movie with a glass of wine in their hand. They spent the night talking, kissing and Joohyun still teasing Seulgi about their awkward meeting.

In another part of the town, three women were walking down the street. Yoohyeon was at her favorite cafe with her friends Bora and Siyeon and they were now on their way home. They didn’t mind that it was dark. They knew how to defend themselves in case anything happened and until now, they fortunately never had to use their knowledge and fight skills.

Yoohyeon had hoped that by now her friends would finally confess to each other. She was usually the dense one in their group but it was frustrating for her just how oblivious Siyeon and Bora were of their feelings for each other. Instead, the two had tried to find someone for the youngest.

“I don’t want to date anyone,” Yoohyeon muttered as they walked.

“You just haven’t met the right person yet, Yooh,” Siyeon said with a smile and ruffled Yoohyeon’s hair. “Don’t worry, we’ll help you find a girlfriend.”

Yoohyeon wanted to protest, but she knew it was useless. Once they had set their mind on something, they wouldn’t give up until things went how they wanted. And if she was honest, she wouldn’t mind having a date after being single for so long.

The next minutes were spent asking Yoohyeon all kinds of things about her ideal type and some teasing, which Yoohyeon only responded to with groans and whining.

The peaceful atmosphere was destroyed by a loud gunshot.

Yoohyeon jumped when she heard it, cursing under her breath, her heart racing in her chest. “What the was that...”

She turned her head to her left where her loud and cheerful friend had just been walking next to her.

“Are you okay- BORA?!”

Yoohyeon froze in her spot, her face pale and breathing starting to sound panicked. She was unable to move, only hearing Siyeon’s screams as the woman kneeled down on the ground, clumsily trying to stop Bora from bleeding out.

She heard footsteps coming closer. A group of men was running towards them, one of them holding the gun he had just shot Bora with.

“You need to leave,” Bora whispered, looking at her friends with half lidded eyes.

“No.” Siyeon shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “We’re not letting you die. You can’t die.”

All Yoohyeon heard was screaming from the group, threatening to shoot them too if they didn’t get away from here. She looked at Bora, who told her it was okay. Bora was scared, just like the two of them, but she still managed to flash them a faint smile even if she was about to die on this cold night without her friends by her side.

Yoohyeon’s heart broke. She felt like she was betraying her friend, but if they stayed here, it wouldn’t end well for them either. She grabbed Siyeon’s wrist, who screamed at her to let go of her, who screamed for Bora and that she loved her, and dragged her away with all her strength. She only started crying when she heard the sound of the second gunshot fill the air.

Siyeon didn’t handle Bora’s death well. Yoohyeon spent every night crying, but Siyeon was losing her mind. She refused to eat, sleep or leave her apartment. She was basically a lifeless shell. Without Bora she was nothing.

Yoohyeon wouldn’t forget that night. The pictures wouldn’t leave her mind. Bora’s body on the ground, Siyeon covered in her friend’s blood, looking so desperate and helpless like she never looked before. None of them should have had to experience that. Especially not Bora.

They were told that Bora’s body was nowhere to be found and Siyeon didn’t even want to imagine what the men had done to her. She couldn’t blame Yoohyeon for saving them, even if she seemed to do so for a few days. She felt like she should have at least tried to save Bora, the guilt was eating her up.

One night, Siyeon was outside, walking down the same streets they did that night. She knew it was stupid, especially since she was alone and didn’t tell anyone where she was. But she didn’t care. She stopped at the spot where the bullet went through her friend’s body. Before she could even realize it, she was on her knees, her emotions overcoming her as she started to cry. She didn’t care if the men came back now and killed her. Life without Bora was meaningless anyway.

She only hoped that Bora heard her that night. The three words she was so scared to say all along. She never thought she would say them in a situation like this and if she could turn back time, she would, to properly confess to the woman like she deserved.

Siyeon was too lost in thought that she didn’t notice someone walk up to her slowly.

“Singnie?”

Siyeon shook her head. The last weeks were hard for her. There were times when she would see Bora or hear her voice, but it was all only in her head. A consequence of not sleeping.

“Siyeon?” she heard again and this time the voice sounded like it was closer. That’s when she saw a person kneel down in front of her and Siyeon dared to look up. When she did, she felt like her breath got knocked out of her.

“Bora?”