8 years later

The steam of the chai latte Serin has ordered flows out of the mug like a gentle river as she spins the spoon around in the beverage. Seulgi is sitting right across her, looking out the window in a solemn moment of silence. They’re currently located in the only café her town has ever graced to bear. She doesn’t live here – none of her friends but Jongdae do anymore, but they’re all back here to celebrate christmas. Everyone besides Serin herself, since she’s staying here semi-permanently for the next couple of months. After she graduated university with an architecture degree, her eyes have remained dead-set on her town. With a view and nature as such, she knows it can be a culmative center for tourist attraction. She can’t lie – she does want to keep the town all to herself, especially after her colleagues took notice of it after she’d talked about it. Their plans are to rebuild the infrastructure and make the town more modern per se, but in reality it’s the authenthicity in the fact that time seems to have stopped in the town that makes it so appealing. Preserve is her plan. Not modernise.

There’s no snow around, because duh southern countryside, but the atmosphere is nothing short of magical. It’s always like that around here. After all, not much has changed.

Seulgi whips out her phone and shows her a  list she’s made on her notes application. ”Here’s the menu for the christmas dinner tomorrow night. I’ve already arranged for the stews and dumplings with Jiwon— who should be coming at any minute now, and she told me she was going to make the dumplings from scratch herself, while I take care of the oyster rice cake coup. Check the list and tell me what you’re interested in bringing.”

Serin follows her friends instruction and reads through the dish list. Not long after, the small bell that’s attached to the café entrance rings, and a very familiar voice resonates within the cream colored walls.

It’s Sehun, along with Jiwon. Even as the both of them salute her and Seulgi warmly, Serin notices a strange tension between the two.

Kang Jiwon is two years older than Serin, and half a year younger than Sehun— who she’s engaged with. Their wedding is set for april next year, and it’s still in planning but it was clear since the day she was them together that it was a relationship bound to last. Sehun’s a polemic bastard and Jiwon is the type who can shut him down with a simple shut it. A perfect match, if you ask her.

When it comes to Sehun himself, things have been pretty normal lately. The first three years after his coma were the hardest – between learning how to use his muscles again and dealing with the post traumatic amnesia as well as therapy. During the first weeks, he was unable to form new memories and Serin can’t recall the amount of times she has made amends with him because he kept forgetting about having read her letter, and questioned her over and over again. But it’s okay. It’s a natural process, and it has helped her out of her self-pride shell quite a lot. Eight years later, he’s more or less back to normal again. He still has some trouble with balance in his legs at times, but the first six months post his brain injury have proven to be the most fruitful to the rest of his recovery.

Even after Serin moved back to the city, she kept close contact with her friends, who would more often than not visit Sehun too—since, to be fair, he’s their friend too.

When the pair sits down, Sehun leans over to ruffle Serin’s hair affectionately, clicking his tongue. ”Why are you this dressed up?”

”She’s seeing Jongin later,” Seulgi answers for her.

”He’s only picking me up, I’m dressed up because I come directly from work,” Serin corrects her, playfully sticking her tongue out.

”So how is the ball kicking with everyone?” Jiwon leans back into her seat as Sehun asks her what she wants to order. ”Just a glass of water, I don’t feel very fine,” she hears her say.

”Why? Are you sick or something? We could always meet up another day, you know,” Seulgi asks.

The woman only waves a dismissive hand in front of her, smiling cheekily. ”Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”

”Anyways,” Serin takes a sip out of her tea. ”How have things been holding up with Jongdae ever since you moved, Seulgi?”

The question seems to take her by surprise, but Serin doesn’t miss the way the girl adverts her gaze and scratches her neck. ”We’re not on speaking terms.”

”Huh?” Sehun raises an eyebrow. ”I thought you guys were close.”

”We were, but he wasn’t happy about me moving out of town. You know, we’ve been always attached to the hip. He’s like a surrogate dad to Jaehyun and Jaemin, and you know those punks are fourteen and twelve now which makes them a thousand times more annoying. I don’t know if taking that job opportunity was the right thing, and things feel kind of empty without him.”

But there’s something else the girl is clearly trying to conceal – she sees it in the way she still isn’t looking them in the eyes. This causes Serin to raise an expectant eyebrow, much like her brother. ”…And?”

Seulgi bites her lips, playing with a stray lock. ”…And the night before I moved out we met up and had a few drinks. He was really sad, I could tell…” she eventually trails off, looking really red in the face.

”Oh my God,” Jiwon puts down her glass of water. ”What did you guys do?”

Seulgi remains silent for a good while before squeaking out her sentence all in one breath. ”We kind of…kissed.”

Serin bursts out laughing – partly in shock, and partly in we been knew. Jiwon gasps dramatically and Sehun doesn’t look the least bit impressed.

”Really?” he yawns. ”That’s all you did?”

Seulgi raises a fist in the air towards his direction. ”Listen, why don’t you—!”

”Okay, okay,” Serin waves her hands in front of her, motioning her friend to sit down. She does, albeit grumpily. ”So things have grown pretty complicated lately, huh? Do you like him?”

The latter’s eyes widen in embarassment, as she starts sputtering. ”You- you can’t just ask things like these! I don’t know, he’s always been there in my life, but I’ve been so used to just see him as a friend that all of this, is kind of new to me, you know?”

”I think the love was always there, to be honest. It just evolved now that you’re both adults. Honestly, what’s the problem? He’s clearly whipped for you, so just confess during christmas?”

Seulgi rests her head against her seat, closing her eyes while emitting a long, distressed sigh. ”You make it sound so easy. Just because you got lucky with Jongin. I don’t even know what I clearly feel, if that was just a drunk impulse or something a bit more, you know, deeper.”

”Then take the time this christmas to find out, no?” Jiwon nudges her. ”Everything will be okay. Jaehyun and Jaemin will be delighted to see him again anyways,” Jiwon nudges her soothingly.

At that, Sehun straightens himself in his seat, clearing in throat. ”About being delighted…uhm,” he statters, looking at his fiancé for support.

Jiwon’s eyebrows jolt up in surprise. ”Oh, you want to tell them now? I thought we wanted to make the announcement at christmas dinner.”

”To the other relatives, yes, but I want my sister to know first. Is that okay to you?” he asked sincerely, causing both Seulgi and Serin to frown in confusion.

”What is it?” she asks.

”It’s fine for me too, then,” Jiwon smiles, and spins the glass of water in her hand, causing the liquid to splatter around a tad a bit. ”We actually have an announcement to make.”

”Oh?” Seulgi nods, breaking off a piece from her cinammon bun. ”It can’t be a marriage, since you’ve already announced that.”

”Well, actually, we’re kind of…” Jiwon bites her lip, hiding a smile. Sehun is also smiling, though he’s looking away as if he’s trying to mask his feelings as much as poss