NO ONE'S POV

After a long day of practice, Jihyo let them go home early for the day. She wants them to enjoy the weekend before their practice games at Pohang next week. Jeongyeon managed to arrive at her place before the sun sets, a first for a long time.

*RUSTLING*

By this time coming home to a quiet place is more surprising for her.

"You're home early." The girl welcomed her.

JY : "Jihyo let us go earlier today." She said going straight to the bathroom as if nothing was weird like everything was a normal day-to-day scenario.

After a lengthy bath she needed, she laid in bed and fell asleep. Her bed was weirdly softer than it usually does. It's been a while since she slept like this slowly and all at once. This time it's not because she got tired of crying and without any help from alcohol.

-

Yoo Jeongyeon is a light sleeper, well, it's not how it used to be but when the older girl left and she woke up finding an empty space next to her, she regretted how she always sleeps deeply. You can't blame her, ever since she met her all she did was trust her.

When the girl left her with just a single note saying "Sorry, I can't do this anymore." She started sleeping lightly. Even the slightest movement and the quietest noise can wake her up now.

But how come when it comes to Im Nayeon she's always failing to wake up at the right time? Because when Jeongyeon opened her eyes she didn't see even the shadow of the girl, it's like the girl that she came home to was just part of a dream. Today after 7 years her heart feels the same way it did when she didn't find the older girl that Tuesday morning. She wasn't looking for her, no. Don't get her wrong, It's just she wants to check every corner of her house in case the girl is playing a prank on her. Indeed, the older disappeared again but there's one thing different from that morning. Jeongyeon found a note sticking in her refrigerator door

"I didn't want to wake you up, you look tired. You can eat the food I made tomorrow, I put it inside. Good night Jeong. I'll see you on Monday." -Nayeon

Even though she wasn't looking for her, Jeongyeon felt relieved that she found her letter. And a thought crosses her mind, it's just wishful thinking..... If only this was the same note she got 7 years ago, everything would have been better.

Jeongyeon heats the food the older girl has made, she sat on her couch, and somehow her place feels more empty than how it always use to. She took a bite while she stares at the dark sky. If she didn't saw the teardrops on her pants she wouldn't notice that she was crying. She didn't know why, maybe she's just having a bad night.

She wanted to go back to sleep but something was keeping her from doing so. So she decided to go out but she didn't know what to do or where to go, lately, she didn't have any urge to drink. If it's not the bar there's only one place she runs to, she went to the gym. She thought she could use a late-night exercise but to her surprise she found the older girl sitting up in the bleachers.

It's like every place she goes, she's always there.

All of a sudden she sees a flashback of days where they're still together. If she thinks about it, the older girl has always sat in one place. It wouldn't matter if it's in their grade school, middle school, or high school gym. Even that last year they're together the older girl has always sat in the middle of the gym, it's always a spot where Jeongyeon could see her even after they change court. The girl would jump up and down whenever she scores, and when she missed one she stands up and give her a big smile while giving her a thumbs up.

Life back then was different, it didn't matter if she won an award because she always thought she already have the grand prize, and that was Im Nayeon.

Seeing her sitting in the same place brings back memories. When Jeongyeon realized she's been standing still for quite some time, she slowly turns around. She didn't want to be seen, she didn't want to be accused of following her. She thought their world are starting to get smaller, it's starting to be bothersome. Before she could completely walk away the girl saw her.

"What are you doing here?" The older girl asked.

JY : "I could ask you the same thing. I thought you went home?"

"I couldn't sleep."

JY : "That's funny, I couldn't sleep properly for the past 7 years. Well, enjoy! I'm leaving. "

Even though she's getting used to talking with the older girl, she couldn't stop giving her the cold shoulder. Yoo Jeongyeon still hasn't forgiven her.

"Jeong...."

JY : "What?"

"N-nothing..." She said in hesitation.

Jeongyeon was already a foot out of the door when she suddenly remembered what Jihyo said. "Ask her the real reason why she left." This time instead of running away, she made her way back to the older girl. She stood still in the court and looked her dead in the eyes,

JY : "Why did you leave?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Uhmmm."

JY : "I want to know the real reason behind it and not just because you weren't ready."

"It'll take a while to explain the whole thing but if you think you're ready, I'll tell you everything."

JY : "What's there to get ready for? There's really nothing there that could hurt me more unless you want to stab me."

"Arraso." The girl slowly made her way down the bleachers. "I'll tell you the truth."

The girl stops a few feet away from where Jeongyeon was standing, she took deep breathes one after the other then smiles awkwardly.

"I wanted to end it..."

Jeongyeon just looks at her, the older girl's reason was too obvious. She wouldn't leave if she didn't want to end things between them. As she expected it's nothing but the same excuse she heard last time, it's a waste of time. It's not even enough to bring her to tears.

But that's what she thought because the next thing the older girl said wasn't something she was ready for, it was something she'll never be ready to hear, something that will never cross her mind.

"I wanted to end everything, I wanted to end my life."

The world stopped spinning and time stood still. Jeongyeon couldn't feel any air in her lungs, it's like she's being suffocated right now. Her hearts pound like there was no tomorrow. She wanted to punch herself, this can't be happening, it's not supposed to be like this. This is not the truth she expected. She was praying this is just one of those miserable nightmares she has.

"Jeong, I wanted to die."

The girl smiled at her but all Jeongyeon could see is pain in her eyes.

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