Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Slice of Life

Summary: It's Valentine's day. Both single. Two different circumstances. Will Cupid finally not miss this time?

Word Count: 8290

Hashtag: #KwonChaeng_CupidsArrow

Cupid's arrow
 

Valentine’s Day is here. It’s one day every year when everyone can freely express their affections, whether it be for family, friends or even our pets. It is that day, just one day in February, where everyone; young and old, boy or girl, celebrates Love.

While that much is true, for the most part it is generally a big event for couples or soon to be couples. Soon, due to the reason that it is when most usually confess their feelings — getting that much needed additional courage from the supposed ‘love month’. While in turn, for those who already have someone, this day could be the time they propose and even get married or it could totally be nothing extravagant like a wedding or an engagement and just having dinner with that special person.

However, for one Kwon Eunbi, this day does not involve those things, in fact it is just another day for the young doctor at least for the last 5 years. Valentine’s Day has been nothing but a normal day, like any other day in any month.

While everyone frolics in the park, buying flowers, setting dinner dates and just being in the festivities around the city —Kwon Eunbi stays in the comfort of her home; browsing through Netflix, eating whatever she has on the fridge or take outs if she’s too lazy. It is a day that Eunbi has both dreaded and at the same time also felt indifferent of – if that’s even possible, all because of one particular reason.

Yes, her then girlfriend broke up with her on the damn love month (). As if that doesn’t hurt more than slapping her instead. And now because of that, this specific day has completely changed for Eunbi.

What’s additionally weird though, is that for some unknown reason, she always manages to get the day off on the freaking day every time. She’s a busy doctor with long duty hours and yet on February 14 she is suddenly free. Like, what twisted fate is this? It feels like Cupid is making fun of her and is deliberately shoving her singleness to her face every damn year for the last 5 years. Eunbi had a thought once that it might be her ex, who she thinks is a witch and gave her that curse along with that bull speech she gave that night.

“I’m sorry Eun…abracadabra…”

Yep. That’s how crazy Eunbi becomes whenever she thinks about it. Even though she no longer cries, the scar is still there; that no matter how long ago it was, it’s a pain that will always be present. Okay, maybe it’s a lie and she still cry at night, but it’s just one day, one day to feel the anger, the regret of having fallen for someone so shallow, wasting her life on the person who chose to leave because of misplaced pride.

Now, it’s Eunbi’s 6th Valentine’s day and just like her 5th, her typical routine begins before lunch. This is the time when she gets the will after her 24-hour shift the day before to finally walk out of her room and into the kitchen for a meal. She scans her almost empty fridge; save for a possibly expired carton of milk and some eggs — all the while taking a mental note to go get groceries later before deciding to just heat up the dinner from last night.

She settles in her seat and was about to take a bite of the heated leftover chicken, when her front door bursts open, and she hears before she sees the two of the most annoying people you’ll ever meet.

“Unnie we’re here!” a loud voice echoes through her apartment, who she knows belongs to one Kim Chaewon, accompanied by monstrous footsteps of one Yabuki Nako, who has quite an obsession to heels. These two are her friends, the bane of her social life. She does not bat an eye, not even moving an inch to greet them and continues to devour her food, already used to their shenanigans.

Chaewon appears first giving her that signature smirk, “Unnie. What leftover food are you binging on, now, huh?

Eunbi does not look her way as she brings the glass of water to her lips, “Unless you brought me food, you have no opinion on what I’m eating.” She says as she places the glass down.

“And Valentine’s Eunbi unnie makes her comeback”, Nako comes in next as she walks over towards Eunbi, shaking her head. “Every year.”

Eunbi rolls her eyes, “Why are you two always here?”

Chaewon and Nako look at each other, “Same reason as always unnie.” they pause for dramatic effect. “You need to get laid.”

Eunbi groans internally.

And yet, another year has come for her friends to remind her how she’ll be alone for Valentine’s day. Great. When will she ever find peace?

“I really am not lying, Min.”

A girl in medium length hair is shopping at the grocery store, lending an ear to her best friend’s constant nagging.

“Okay, Chaeyeon unnie. Let’s say I believe you, just show me your basket first. Switch to video and show me that you are indeed just buying bathroom necessities and not dinner for one.”

Chaeyeon could not reply fast enough and by the time she was able to open , she already knew she got caught. She could hear her best friend’s already gentle voice soften before she could let a word out.

“Unnie… you know I’m not doing this to hurt you. I just really want you to be happy.”

Chaeyeon gets it. In fact, if it was the other way around, she will be the one nagging into Minju’s ear right now. But you can’t really blame her for not yet moving on, it’s only roughly been a year after all. Although it was a mutual break up. No hard feelings at all. Inevitable to be specific. In fact, she and Sakura are civil with each other. But for the last 4 years it was always Sakura and Chaeyeon. So, now that was gone and it was only her left, Chaeyeon has trouble getting used to not having the girl around.

“You don’t have to do this alone, you know? I’m your best friend. We can do it together.”

Chaeyeon spaces out, remaining quiet just listening to Minju babble. Hearing that ever sweet voice, the calmness of it makes her mind wonder, wonder to thoughts of what could have been and before she could stop herself, Chaeyeon blurts it out.

“Remind me again why we didn’t work out?”. This line immediately struck a chord in the two’s casual conversation, immediately bringing Minju to a halt. This was something that they both are over with but is also something that remained a mystery. Silence befalls the former lovers at the sudden question.

Minju was quiet, letting the question hang in the air for a few quiet seconds. She knows that it’s a harmless query, taking consideration to Chaeyeon’s seemingly wistful mood. Minju replies with her own question, already smiling, “Do you want to try it out again then?”

Chaeyeon chuckles fondly, not the least surprised, expecting her friend’s response. “I don’t think your date will like that.”

Minju laughs, “She wouldn’t”.

They were quiet again, just listening to each other on the line. Chaeyeon was standing at isle 37, staring at a can of tomato sauce, fingers hovering on the label, as Minju remains quiet, waiting for her to say something. Then Chaeyeon releases a sigh before she speaks again. “You know, I think we really are destined to be best friends in this lifetime, don’t you agree?”

Minju hums agreeing, “Yeah. But in our next life, I’m not letting you go.”

Chaeyeon laughs her signature rolling laugh making Minju’s smile to grow on the other line.

“Thank you, for still being here.”

Minju knows the meaning behind those words. Chaeyeon just lost Sakura, the person who she thought was the love of her life, her soulmate. While the two did try to stay in each other’s life after the break-up, it was hard for them to just be friends after all that history.

Which is why they were a special case. When they broke up in the past, a month didn’t even pass yet, and they yearned for each other like their first relationship did not just end. It seemed like the two of them are just meant to be in each other’s life no matter what they are to each other.

“You know that I will always love you, right? Of course, I’m here. You can’t get rid of me.”

Chaeyeon chuckles, “I know Min. I love you too.”

“Happy Valentine’s, Chaen,”

Chaeyeon might not get to celebrate Valentine’s day with Sakura anymore, she at least has this one tradition she has never broken — Greeting her best friend on Valentine’s day.

“Happy Valentine’s, Min”

It was a tender moment as the two best friends basks on the idea of how fortunate they are to have each other. But Minju also wants Chaeyeon to have someone to love again.

“So, come on Chaen, come and join me for dinner.”

Chaeyeon shakes her head at Minju’s relentlessness, “Don’t you have a date?”

“Yes, I do but I can’t just leave my best friend to celebrate her first Valentine’s solo, alone right?”

Chaeyeon giggles, “I’m fine, Min and It’s not the first Valentine’s. You know what happened last year.”

“I know, but what I mean is. Solo as in single. You weren’t single then. You guys were just in different countries.”

“So, you would know that I’m fine being alone.”

Chaeyeon could hear the teasing in Minju’s tone, “Right. I seem to remember someone calling me when Sakura was late going online.”

When Chaeyeon was quiet, Minju knew she slipped when she mentioned Sakura but as Chaeyeon’s best friend she also knows how to pacify it, “Anyways, come on. Isn’t it a best friend’s job to scrutinize each other’s date?”

Chaeyeon scoffs which makes Minju glad, turning the corner to look for the pasta, “Yeah. for you, you don’t have anyone to scrutinize”

Minju groans, “Ugh come on Chae, I really like this one, I need your support.”

Chaeyeon knows Minju is doing this because she thinks that she’ll be lonely. It is after all the first Valentine’s since she broke up with Sakura. And Minju is being that overly concerned best friend.

To be honest, Chaeyeon does not entirely hate the idea. Well save for the awkwardness that will definitely come with it but, quite frankly Chaeyeon does not want to spend it alone. She was so used to planning dates with Sakura all those years before, getting excited as the day draws near.

Chaeyeon loved Valentine’s day.

But now everything is different, this time she has nothing and no one to plan for, and she does not know what to do. Adding that her being alone might result into doing something she will regret. Like call some flower and ultimately suggest getting back together, even when she knows that it’s no use.

She releases a big breath, “Fine. But this doesn’t mean I’m lonely okay? I’m fine. I’m over it.”

Minju laughs, she’s not kidding anyone but at least the girl agreed. Minju considers this as a win, “I know. I know. I was there. I’ll see you at 6 then?”

“Got it.” After she says goodbye to Minju, she looks down at what she had been shopping for one last time before, promptly leaving it on top of the aisle. Then walks out of the store without looking back.

“Come on unnie, look at how many people are here. Why not just get groceries tomorrow and come with us?”, insists Nako, following behind Eunbi,

Eunbi turns around, stopping Nako in her tracks, eyebrow raised, “And do what? Be the fifth wheel? Like uh, no way.”

“We just don’t want you to be sad and lonely again”, Nako continues to explain,

Eunbi rolls her eyes as she turns around and continues to scour for a shopping basket. “I’m not lonely” she replies curtly. “Where the hell are those shopping baskets.”

Chaewon sighs, this is not going to work. She had to think of something, “You are not going to be a fifth wheel.”

This makes Eunbi stop… “What?”

Chaewon was about to answer when Nako suddenly announces behind Eunbi, “Found a shopping basket unnie, but it’s not empty”

Eunbi walks over Nako and looks at the basket, she sees it filled with ingredients to cook pasta just like she was planning to.

“Well, what do you know, someone out there must’ve had the same idea as you unnie but probably decided to go out instead of being a loner staying at home alone like you.”

Eunbi could hear the sarcasm loud and clear. Leave it to Chaewon for being blunt. She knows Chaewon is doing this as a friend, but it doesn’t hurt any less.

“Come on unnie.” Nako tries her turn and Eunbi instantly see the contrast. She knows her friends are worried and maybe going out isn’t worse than staying at home alone in the dark again.

So, with a glare towards Chaewon, followed by a big sigh, Eunbi finally relents, “Fine”, raising her hands up. “Elaborate on your last comment though, Kim Chaewon.”

“I will, unnie.”

Eunbi sighs, then looks at the two them sternly, “Okay, but I also need to tell you guys something so let’s meet up for lunch sometime soon.”

The two looks at each other before looking at her curiously, “Why not tell us later?” asks Chaewon.

“This isn’t something for other people to hear.”

“Now you’re making us nervous... are you finally gonna murder us?”, asks Nako.

Eunbi rolls her eyes, “Oh shut up. I could do that right here”

--

“Are you done preparing, unnie?”

“For the nth time, I’m still changing. Stop calling.” Eunbi hangs up the third time for the last hour. She sighs heavily and throws her phone on the bed.

When she got back home after the failed attempt at the grocery store 3 hours ago, Chaewon and Nako had persistently reminded her about what time and where to meet the whole way home. Even as she gets in and was about to have a quick nap, Chaewon texts her to not be late.

She shakes her head at how annoying the two is while she tries to look for an outfit. But looking at her closet right now, the newest piece of clothing she had was a set of yellow SpongeBob pajamas she bought on her last day off. She seemed to remember the sales lady then had asked her if it was for her niece and Eunbi had to hold herself back from chewing the girl’s head off. It was cute and yellow, her weakness what about it?

Thinking back, she does not remember when she had last shopped for actual clothes. She usually blames it to her being busy and just having no time, adding that she barely goes anywhere aside from the hospital and her home anyways, so why bother?

That reasoning brings her to this predicament of looking for what outfit to wear. She scours her closet looking for something ‘blind date worthy’, as Chaewon had dubbed. She was about to give up until she finally finds one of her favorite dresses in the past and apparently a lot of people too if she recalls. She tries it on and is amazed that it still fits. Judging from Chaewon’s explanation earlier, they are apparently setting her up with someone. Reason why the two were super relentless this year as comparted to the other times.

She stares at herself at mirror feeling relieved, but that relief was short-lived when she sees a big rip on the right side. “Great, now I really don’t have anything to wear.”

She had thought of texting Chaewon and telling her about having nothing to wear, but her thumbs stop when she realizes that the girl will most likely take it as an excuse not to go and badger her to just wear anything.

“As long as you don’t come then it’s fine.”

Yeah. That is what the girl would most definitely say. She decides to just go to the mall and buy something and might as well impress this stranger. She needs to boost her confidence after laying low from the dating scene for so long and who knows this might be her taking that step to move on.

She doubts that but who cares, right?

Eunbi arrives at the mall already regretting it as soon as she steps in. Part of why she was hesitant to go out is because of the insanely amount of people. She scowls at the many Valentine’s decorations, filling the mall like it ate a piñata.

“Let’s just get this over with."

But, as if the universe is deliberately making fun of her, amongst these insanely abundant crowd, she still manages to bump into the last person she wanted to see, the person she’d rather not see if she could help it.

But yeah, since it’s Valentine’s cupid really be playing her. Just when she had finally decided to go out this happens. Eunbi does not know whether to laugh or cry.

In a futile attempt. she tried to avoid them, turning around quickly but of course her ex still sees her and of course she isn’t alone.

F#ck

“Is that you, Kwon Eunbi?”

Eunbi takes a deep breath before turning back, plastering an obvious fake smile. “Yeah the one and only.” Seriously Eunbi? What the hell?

“It’s been a while. What are you doing here?”

Eunbi internally glares at her at the stupid question. But she holds back, she can’t let the girl boost her ego knowing that Eunbi is clearly still affected by her mere presence.

“I’m waiting for my date at the coffee shop.” She says in the most confident voice she could muster.

Her ex seemed skeptical and was about to say something back, but Eunbi holds her head high, squaring her shoulders, “Well, this was nice, but I got to go.” she says then turns her heels towards the coffee shop.

She walks straight not even turning back once. She luckily finds an empty table, immediately slumping on the chair as her legs give out.

“Dammit. Why am I so pathetic...?”

She could feel her eyes well up as the emotions finally caught up to her. Everything , she feels utterly devastated that seeing that woman still affects her this much. Adding that the girl had already gotten over her, looking so smug and had the audacity to even utter her name.

She could feel her chest tighten as her stomach drops. She laughs hollowly at herself, feeling miserable at everything.

What a big joke.

Her phone rings in her hand and she sees a message from Chaewon asking where she was. She can’t go like this. She just can’t. She feels like throwing up.

“What did Eunbi unnie say?” Nako asks

Chaewon sighs, “She’s not coming. Told me to shove that blind date up our asses.”

Nako pouts, “You reckon something happened along the way?”

This made Chaewon look at Nako and think, “You know, the only thing that can probably stop her is meeting her ex, but I doubt that’ll happen. She’s probably back at home.”

“Ah I see. Should we call her?”

Chaewon nods, and was about to call, when her phone rings. “Oh hey, yeah we’re on our way now, but she’s not coming. Yeah, we tried. Oh. I see.” She pauses and sees Nako looking beside her, “I guess that’s for the better then. Yeah, I’ll see you.” Chaewon hangs up, greeted by Nako’s curious gaze.

“Apparently the other one isn’t going too. So, I guess it’s fine. Let’s just let unnie rest and call her tomorrow.”

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