"So, what do you think about this mattress?" Seulgi asks nonchalantly. 
"Well, unless my preference is the same as Jihoon's, then I don't think my answer would matter." 
"Your answer matters to me, silly." 
"I think it's a good bed for two. Not that bouncy, nor that sink-ish that it consumes you in the middle of your sleep at night." You answered as you added some weight on the side of the bed with your fist. 

Seulgi then grabbed your arm, and opted you to sit down next to her on the mattress. After you did sit, she embraced your arm, and rested her head on your shoulder. 

"Can't believe I'm moving out now ... We've been housemates for what? 5 years now?" Seulgi recounts. 
"Well, you met me as I just graduated from college, working a 9-5 in the stock exchange, and you were pursuing that PhD. Next thing we knew, we were splitting the rent, and we've become the best of friends." 
"Now - I got that PhD, met the love of my life, and we're going to move in together now." Seulgi declares. 
"Cheers to that." 
"How about you though? Have you not met the love of your life? What about that girl from the Café across our place? She was awfully flirty with you." Seulgi teases. 
"Yeah, but she's not my type ... And besides, I've met the love of my life already." You admitted. 
"Well, whoever she maybe, she is one lucky person - I can tell you that." Seulgi uplifts you as she stands up from her seat. 

You just kept silent and decided to give a feign smile, Seulgi then left your side to go talk with one of the salespeople about availing that mattress you two canvassed. Money is not exactly a problem for Seulgi and her boyfriend, and the fact Seulgi is out here with you, doing a tad of shopping on house inventory explains much. A bit of paperwork at the transaction desk, and that mattress is sold, and to be delivered to Seulgi's new flat. After an entire morning of going around the mall, purchasing everything that Seulgi wills, it was time for a great lunch - and as much as you wanted to make a statement on being able to pay for your own, Seulgi heavily insists she pays for your lunch. This for some reason dented your ego, because you're well aware of the fact Seulgi is just using her boyfriend's card for all the expenses, so in an indirect manner, Seulgi's boyfriend is going to pay for your meal that you're well aware you can pay for your own. 

Doesn't matter now though, once the aroma and flavour from the kitchen crept up to your nose, the basic survival instinct of any animal kicks in, and food is all that you can think of now. Seulgi apparently knows this very discreet restaurant in the less crowded side of the mall that serves the best Hamburg Steak one can enjoy. It was definitely to die for, as any person would say after tasting such masterpiece. 


Whilst in the middle of lunch, you and Seulgi were of course having a conversation about anything under the sun. Your jokes fits her humour like a glove, and her stories always amazed you - especially when she does that eye smile she does whenever she's happy. 
The conversation was about the topic of childhood memories, something that deepens the relationship of any two persons when they discuss such an issue. It was Seulgi that was steering the talk, so it was you who kept on eating spoonfuls of your delicious meal, and it was Seulgi sharing what was on her mind. 

Suddenly, her phone rang, and it was Jihoon - her boyfriend. 

The couple talked in their native language, and though you can understand the gist of their call, you can't help but wish you didn't - because you were cringing the hell out of yourself, hearing the flirting and the sweet words the two are throwing at each other. It was something that saddened you, and fuelled you to detest Jihoon more. Luckily though, the call was about to come to a close, and the two have finally exchanged those three words you longed to tell Seulgi for some time now. 

Little did you know the phone call was just the calm before the storm, because suddenly, Jihoon appears out of nowhere from the front of the restaurant to your table. He had time to get out of the office for lunch, so he did, and this was basically a pestering of your consciousness. Seulgi stood up from her chair to give Jihoon a peck on the cheek, and you reached out your hand to give him a pretentious handshake. 

"Hey, thanks for taking care of my Seulgi for today. I would've wanted to join her on the shopping - but the office is always demanding." Jihoon expresses his gratitude towards you. 

"Hey, no worries, mate. I bet it's really challenging to run daddy's company, aye?" You replied with a quip. 

"Don't be mean!" Seulgi lightly scolds you.

"I wasn't trying to be mean, I was just joking! You know how British humour goes. We really love to throw a jab every now and then, but it's all for the sake of laughs." You reasoned to excuse your childish behaviour. 

"No, baby, it's okay. I like these kinds of jokes. When you've met lots of Westerners, especially for the sake of business - you have to adjust yourself to their culture, as they do to you." Jihoon explains. 

"Anyway, I hope you could take it from here now. All the bought items, including the mattress are already inside Seulgi's car. I have to get going now, and don't worry - I asked them to split the bill, I'm paying for my own. You two have a good one." You said as you stood up from your chair, leaving your meal unfinished. 

You left the table without turning your head back once, or leaving a smile for the couple. You've called one of the employees for your part of the bill so you can pay for it and leave before further damage to your sanity is provoked. You exited the restaurant without even waving goodbye to Seulgi, and you just marched as fast as you can away from the scene. Descending two escalators, and a little bit of walking to reach the mall entrance/exit, you've planned to flag a cab down the road, when suddenly Seulgi appears beside you, waiting at the exit of the mall. You passed by her, and you were super surprised of the fact she knew where to wait for you, and she was faster than you.

"Christ alive, Seulgi! How the bloody hell did you get here so fast? And how did you know which exit I was going to?"
"Don't mind that, because we have to discuss something far more important. Why do you always act like that when Jihoon -oppa is around?" 
"Act like what? I'm just being myself, there's nothing wrong with that, right?" 
"By being yourself, you mean you constantly show the hate you have for him, you always hand him this expression that he never impresses you, and it's like your day is ruined whenever he shows up!" 
"Because my day is ruined whenever that mong gets approximately two feet near me!" 
"Why?!" 
"Because he has someone that I want! Good grief, Seulgi! How dense are you? I'm in love with you!" You confessed as you placed both your hands behind your head. 

"... What?" Seulgi mutters. 

"Kang Seulgi ... The moment I met you when we were both looking for flats to rent here in Seoul, my heart was drawn to you. And every single day we've been together for five years, I became more and more enamoured with you - because it was like re-descovering someone, like life was suddenly technicolour, and I learned to love every inch of what makes you." 

"I don't-" 

"From the way your snores can be heard all over the house after an entire night of studying for your classes tomorrow. From the way you get up in the morning, and brush your hair as you prepare your breakfast - consisting a banana and cornflakes cereals. To the way your eyes smile and shine bright everytime we were together, and the world just slows down everytime - and I can't explain why. Everything just slows down when I'm with you." 

"Still doesn't explain why you hate Jihoon." Seulgi reiterates. 

"I guess ... I hate myself much more, than I do hate him - because I couldn't handle the fact all was really fair in love and war. I hid my feelings for you, never have I shown, nor said anything. Then suddenly, this moron comes out of nowhere, and takes you by the hand. I just realised now I have no right to be angry at all ... So all that's left for me is the right to be hurt." 

You then turned around from the perplexed Seulgi, and walked away from her. The heat of the summery skies only helped you sweat your back, as you went down the sidewalk of the mall, until there was a cab you could flag down. Taxi took you back to your flat, and once you unlocked the door with your key, you could now see the apparent picture of your new chapter in life. Half of the stuff inside the flat is gone, packed away, and has revealed the spaces needed to be filled out by new items and inventory once Seulgi has completely moved out. You couldn't help but just close your eyes, and hope you'd wake up to all of this was just a horrible dream, and you had the chance to live out those five years with Seulgi again. Maybe that time around, you wouldn't make the same mistakes. 
You stripped off your blazer, placed it on the coatrack, took off your shoes and placed it on the shoe rack, and just went straight to your bed to take a nap. 

-

You were awoken by creaking of footsteps audible throughout the entire house, and when you turned around, you saw your door open. You could see from your bedside that it was Seulgi producing the sounds, collecting the last bits of her items from her room beside yours to pack up. She places the last of her items inside her bag by the table, and then she turns around to see you lying down on your bed, observing her. She zips her bag, places it on her shoulder, and then approaches your doorway to maybe have a conversation one last time as flatmates before she goes. 

"Cleared out my room, finally got my stuff out of the bathroom, and most of my food in the fridge I'm gonna leave - I'm sure you could use a few snacks every now and then." Seulgi starts the conversation as she rests her head on the door. 

"Just please lock the door when you leave." You requested as you turned your body away from Seulgi. 

Seulgi nodded her head, and even though you didn't see it, you felt her presence come near you on your side. True to what you felt, she actually did - she wanted to give you a big embrace before embarking. She was so close that you can hear and feel her breath touch the skin of your neck. But any hug or kiss she gives you now feels wrong, because she's a taken woman - and you're the unfortunate one to fall for her. Seulgi instead placed her hand on your surfaced shoulder and patted it. 

"Goodbye, my lover." She said. 

She then stood up and left your room before you can even drop a tear on your blanket. Slowly, you hear Seulgi's footsteps get farther and farther from your locus, until there was nothing left but the defeaning silence of loneliness. The clock can only tell the time she went away, and nothing else of significance after 6:39 PM. The last noise you heard from her was the closing of the front door, and after that - you were gone like she was. 

After hours of just staring out into the wall of your room, you took a glimpse on the clock and it said 11:55 PM. Not like you cared about the time, but the fact a knock on your door was audible at such an hour, it irks you and the same time puzzles you to which person in the right mind would visit you at that moment of the night. You stood up from your bed, and walked towards the door to answer. A few seconds it only took to unlock the door, and the answer becomes clear. It was that girl from the coffee shop across the street - the one that Seulgi said who was very friendly with you. 

"Hi..." You started. 
"Hello, I heard your friend moved out." 
"Yeah ... Minkyung. Your name is Minkyung, right?" 
"You remembered! Wow, I'm quite happy. Anyway, by any chance, is the room for rent? I'm looking to move, and I heard half of the rent for this unit is quite affordable. It would really be lovely for a woman like me with my salary." Minkyung deviates. 
"Minkyung, it's minutes to midnight. Couldn't you have swung by tomorrow Morning instead?" 
"I just got off work, and I have plans for tomorrow - so I wasn't really thinking much by visiting at this hour." 

You couldn't be assed to care about Minkyung's explanations or intentions, you just wanted to go back to bed, and wallow on the gloom feeling of Seulgi's departure. This was evident on your face, and Minkyung read this loud and clearly. She bowed to apologise, and left as fast as she could. You couldn't help but feel sorry for her - because she was just an honest person doing the best she can to survive in a capitalistic society. But a part of you feels relieved that she sodded off.

The rest of your days were just like a portal leading you to the next inconsequential part of your week. But weeks turn into months, and months surely lead to a year. The daily ritual you've become accustomed to was difficult with a missing piece, and that missing piece was Seulgi. A great example of this is that every morning, you'd wake up instantly to head out the door to cross the street to buy yourself and Seulgi your favourite morning beverages, whilst Seulgi prepares your breakfast and hers. One day you woke up, and the table that was still empty of any activity no longer affects you, but the moment you stepped out to the pavement, was that the wind was blowing a mighty chill down your body, and the streets were covered with an everlasting snow. You decided to just cross the street already rather than returning back to the flat to put on some insulating clothes. Once in the store, you still indulge the habit of picking out Seulgi's drink to buy, when only yours was the only sound purchase. After exchanging pleasantries with the store owner whom you've become good friends with - exiting the store was a change of scenery as well. The street was no longer covered in snow, but a due morning precipitation languishes the idea of the seasons in your mind, and Spring comes up just in time.  

Seven months have passed since Seulgi went away, and the heartache still lives fresh in your system. You never opted to split the rent ever again with another person. You've decided to pay for the entire loft, even if you're only occupying half of what it offers to you. The four seasons never mattered to your perspective, because without Seulgi near you, there's just no sunshine when she's away.
The middle of March still travels yonder through the windows of the apartments in your district, and whether it was just another hour coming home from work, or living your life through it - there was no real sense of happiness. 

In the middle of continuously pining on the couch, staring at thin air with a bottle of Tsingtao, a knock befalls on your door. You were very hesitant to answer it, and you'd rather just continue drinking your lager. Then, the voice of a tethered longing graces your hearing, begging for you to open the door. You quickly rubbed the beer off your mouth with a face towel, and rushed to the door to see if it was really her, or your mind was just playing tricks on you. 

You were struggling to unlock the door since you've been quite buzzed due to drinking liquor, but you still were able to open it. Upon opening the door, you confirmed it wasn't your mind deceiving you, and it was really Seulgi.



"Can I come in?" Seulgi asks with a low tone. 
"Definitely! Please, come in." You obliged. 

Seulgi spends no time outside your doorstep, and brings herself inside the old place where she used to live. She takes off her coat, and hangs it on the coatrack like usually done. You weren't even beginning to ask her what was up, and she ultimately breaks down in tears in your presence. She stood in the middle of the living room bawling her eyes out on her palms, and she bellows like no tomorrow. You quickly went up to her and hugged her. She reciprocated that embrace like it was the first ever genuine care she received in a longtime, and she has no qualms with showing how much she missed that. 

-

Two hours after Seulgi's arrival in your flat, the tension has calmed down, and now you two are in the middle of catching up with each other, over tea and tteokbokki Seulgi bought on her way to you. 

"So, Jihoon cheated on you." 
"Yeah, I learned about a week ago, and last night I confronted him about it. Apparently, their affair was still on-going even to this day." 
"Damn ... I'm sorry to hear about that. Can't believe that bloody bastard would do such a thing to you ... Why would he hurt the girl who loves him so very much?" 
"I don't know ... All I know is, I've packed all my stuff over the night, and I'm looking for a place to stay. I've been driving around Seoul, and the only place I could think of was yours." Seulgi admits. 
"Please stay. Stay as long as you fancy." 
"My old room still vacant?" Seulgi wonders as she takes a peek of the chamber. 
"Yes, it's still unused. But it's bare, it's gonna need a new everything to be inhabited." 
"I guess that means mattress shopping again." Seulgi jests as she brings out a hearty chuckle. 

You laughed along, and leaned back on the couch. Seulgi sets down her teacup, and moves closer to you. Next thing you know, she was resting her head on your chest, and she was embracing you like she found solace in the midst of the bedlam. 

Maybe it's too early to say the love story of you and Seulgi is underway, there're still lot to be done. You and Seulgi will have to deal with her now supposed ex-boyfriend, and the living status will surely melt sluggishly, but none of that mattered. 
Seulgi is here to stay, and you've been given another chance to be with her. No more mistakes, no more imprecisions, it was time to finally make her remain all through your life.