"is this all of it?" seulgi peeks her head behind the car door, urging joohyun to stride faster toward her spot and maybe offer some help to the other woman.

until she stops beside her and her gaze falters on the backseat. a small purple suitcase that has been under her bed for god knows how long, joohyun is even surprised its wheels are capable of rolling and a small duffel bag she got from her company's christmas party complimentary gift last year, are the only occupants of the seat. the sum total of her life's possessions.

joohyun nods. only realizing that, wow, she only has that stuff after what- living here for four years?

"are you sure your landowner didn't kick you out? aren't you supposed to be carrying some appliances like a lamp shade, rice cooker-" seulgi flutters her hands in the air.

"you do know i don't cook,” she quickly counters.

"correction, you can't." seulgi grins, and joohyun merely rolls her eyes before taking the honor to close the car door.

"well, i can boil water for my tea." joohyun murmurs, sending a smug grin across the woman as they both get inside the car. only when she gets inside, she realizes how wasteful it is to apply lipbalm when it gets covered up by the mask.

oh. the face mask, social distancing and all the changes that comes along with it. suddenly, joohyun is once reminded how her life has turned a hundred eighty degrees.

"ah, of course. is that what you've been feeding yourself for the past few months? you're getting thinner, unnie." seulgi's voice is no doubt, laced with concern despite busying herself with turning the car back to the main road.

joohyun hums, just focusing her gaze on the window as their ride begins and the music on the radio fill in the silence for her. it's not that she feels shy to discuss her situation with seulgi, but she's rather conscious at how it took her so long before reaching out to her, to the point where she had to hit rock bottom first before finally having the courage to press that button on her phone.

rock bottom. joohyun hit her rock bottom three months ago, when the pandemic took a toll on her company and she's one of those employees that they had to let go due to the decreasing sales. of course, she tried, she immediately looked for other jobs, ones that requires no physical contact and minimal requirements that she could do at home.

but luck hasn't been at her side since this year started. her laptop hasn't been at the best condition and it's version is so behind that she thinks it doesn't even have a webcam.

so here she is, on seulgi's car, on their way to her house. her fallen angel friend who didn't hesitate on letting her stay at her home, regardless of how people have been scared and cautious at this time of the year.

"about your stay unnie," seulgi starts again, her hand lowering the volume of the music before she continues, "the owner actually-"

joohyun’s head comes up in disbelief and panic, "what?"

"she says-"

"i thought it's your house!"

"it's my home!"