Peaceful Saturday morning at KU dorm

It’s been a month since her last time meeting Joohyun in the cafe.

A month since Sooyoung deleted the older girl’s number from her phone.

And a month since she heard anything about the girl.

She’s glad that the older girl is giving her space.

For the first time Joohyun listened to her.

It’s sad that all the things between them must go downhill first for her to realize that she’s been foolish and selfish to people around her.

But the most important thing is that she is willing to change, with or without Seungwan.

Probably, without myself, Joohyun can be a much better person.

Maybe it’s not love that she needs right now.

Or maybe it's just not me...

Perhaps it’s a sign for us to walk in our own path, separately.

We’re just not meant to be.

Seungwan says to herself for the nth time, everytime she thinks of the older girl.

“Wannie...can you help me bake carrot cake for Seulgi?” Sooyoung bats her eyelashes

“I can bake them for you” Seungwan says while wiping the kitchen counter

“No, I want to help”

“By help, do you mean over heating the oven?”

“Yah!” Sooyoung shouts but then remembers that she need to be cute “No...i legit want to bake them myself with you assisting me”

“Me? Assisting you?” Seungwan stops her chores.

Last time Sooyoung helped her, she left with no edible cake.

Sooyoung nods enthusiastically

“Ok” Seungwan feels like she’ll regret this later “But I need to buy all the ingredients first”

“Here’s the money and don’t go to the supermarket we usually go to. I suddenly craving this strawberry from Lotte mart”

Seungwan frowns “But Lotte is an hour bus ride from here. Wait...are you not coming with me?”

“I need to finish these reports” Sooyoung pouts, holding a bunch of paper in her hands “Please Wan, please, please??”

“Fine, fine” the older girl is weak to her plea.

After all Sooyoung been helping her a lot during her sad break down phase

**

Seungwan arrives at Lotte Mart by 11 AM.

She rarely buys groceries here because it’s more pricey and far from their dorm.

But Sooyoung insists she has to shop here.

Like is there any difference between Lotte’s and that supermarket’s strawberries?

She pushes her cart from one aisle to another aisle as she’s not familiar with Lotte.

It’s hella huge.

After 15 minutes of wandering, she finally reaches the bake ingredients section.

Well, they certainly have more stuff here.

Look at all those flour brands!

A heaven for baking nerds like her...

Seungwan is in the middle of choosing the flour when someone calls her name.

“Seungwan-ah”

The younger girl instantly looks at her left side

There she is, standing with a basket, looking a bit nervous

“Irene-ssi”

Ouch.

Joohyun grimaces “Um...hi?”

Seungwan nods before focusing back at her task

This brand or that brand?

Choosing flour is essential and no one can take her focus from it

Even a fidgeting goddess, beside her

Joohyun is sad with the cold response.

If she has bunny ears, hers would be flopping down right now.

She was so excited to finally see the younger girl again.

These past 4 weeks were filled with worries and longing.

Every time she was losing her patience and about to flee herself to the KU dorm, she would find Seulgi instead and rant at her for hours. If Seulgi was not in the studio, she would be busy scrubbing every corner of K2. Tried hard to take her mind off of the younger girl. Tried hard to prove that she could listen to the younger girl.

But finally, finally the opportunity has come!

Sooyoung (after so much difficulty)...finally agrees to set up a situation for her and Seungwan.

Not forgetting to give her a piece of wisdom...

If you hurt my friend again, I’ll burn your studio.

She just wants to see the younger girl.

Whether she’s doing well or not

But it looks like she’s doing okay without her

Joohyun absentmindedly takes whatever flour on the shelf and puts it into her cart.

Her attempt to linger around Seungwan, a little bit longer.

The younger girl glances at Joohyun’s basket, wondering, why the heck is she taking gluten-free flour?

“Um...how are you, Wan?”

Seungwan finally decides that she’ll get this one brand and she puts it in her cart.

“Good” she says before walking to another shelf, of course, Joohyun is hot on her tail

“I’m good too” Well, no one asking her but Joohyun is so desperate to keep their conversation flowing

“Are you going to bake today?”

“Yes”

“Um..cool” has she always been this bad at small talk?

So she just follows Seungwan, walking behind her and takes things that she doesn’t need but pretends to…like what is she gonna do with gluten free flour, cabbage and extra olive oil??

They finally arrive at the self-checkout counter and do the business side by side.

But to Joohyun's horror, she forgot to bring her wallet.

Of all the time, she forgot it today!

Seungwan is done with the payment and about to walk away.

“S..Seungwan!”

The younger girl raises her brows

“I forgot my wallet” Joohyun is so embarrassed with her situation

Without saying anything, Seungwan swipes her card to the booth

“I will pay it back” she hurriedly chased after Seungwan.

“Ok”

“Are you taking the bus? Let me drive you to dorm”

“It’s fine”

“Oh...be careful then” She says weakly, the old Joohyun wouldn’t take a ‘no’ but she’s learning to respect the girl’s decision.

Seungwan bows a little before crossing the road, not giving a single glance back at her

The young potter looks down at her feet before shaking her head.

It’s ok, Joohyun.

One step at a time.

At least she still responds to your questions, even if it’s only one word.

**

By one step at a time is...coming to KU dorm the very next day with an excuse to pay her debt.

She’s fidgeting in front of the entrance.

How the hell is she gonna go inside?

Both Seungwan and Sooyoung still blocked her number.

They are not informed that she'll come.

Not even Seulgi knows.

She has no options but to call Seulgi now.

After the 8th rings finally her friend answers her call.

[It’s 8 AM. What's so urgent, unnie?]

“I need you to call Sooyoung. I’m outside her dorm” Joohyun says, teeth clattering. It’s only the second week of autumn today. But she already can’t stand the cold.

[What?!]

“I need to pay Seungwan for groceries yesterday”

[You...Aish. She’s gonna be so cranky, she’s not a morning person!]

Ahchoo

Joohyun sniffs and Seulgi pities her

[Go back to your car, i’ll try to call Sooyoungie]

“Okay”

She rubs her arms and is about to walk to the parking lot.

“What are you doing here?”

She jumps a little, startled by the voice behind her.

It’s Seungwan.

She is taking the trash out.

“I...I want to pay for the groceries”

Joohyun takes out her wallet, well she’s hoping to get invited upstairs but it’s fine.

At least, she gets to see Seungwan today too.

Seungwan phones ringing before Joohyun can give her money

“Sooyoung-ah? Yes, she’s here”

“Upstairs? You sure? Fine”

Seungwan puts the trash in the bin before motioning Joohyun to follow her.

“Sooyoung wants to talk to you”

Thank Goddess Sooyoung!

They take the stairs together in silence until Joohyun can’t take it anymore.

“How are you today?” lame. So lame.

“Good”

“Me too”

Ahchoo

“How long did you stand outside?”

“30 minutes” Joohyun says timidly

“Stupid”

Joohyun wants to cry.

Seungwan just called her stupid.

The old Seungwan would never, she would immediately wrap her arms around her.

She wouldn’t even let Joohyun wait 30 minutes outside like the fool she is.

**

The first thing she sees when entering Seungwan’s dorm is a very grumpy Sooyoung.

As usual she’s only in her sleeping attire.

Her tank top and undies.

“Seulgi panic called me. I thought she’s on accident!”

Seungwan shakes her head as she lets her roommate scold Joohyun.

“What’s the matter? Why are you here?”

“I want to pay for my groceries” Joohyun mumbles

“I paid for her groceries yesterday. She forgot to bring her wallet” Seungwan says from the kitchen

The tallest girl looks at her suspiciously

“I swear it’s unintentional” She whispers to Sooyoung only

“Sure”

“I swear”

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