The steaming cup of coffees sitting on top of the table occupied the attention of both girls as they kept their eyes fixed on the warm beverage in front of them. It was a different coffee shop. Far from the one where Aeri opened up her heart to Jimin a few years ago. Nonetheless it was a very fitting place for the both of them. Jimin has no more unspoken words of love towards her best friend while Aeri is beginning a new chapter in her life.

Jimin's phone lights up indicating that she have received a new message which also led her eyes to the numbers on top of the screen telling her the current time. "Aeri you better start talking because I have to go somewhere later by six." She says upon remembering Minjeong's text yesterday.

"Oh yeah. Sorry, I was just...I—" Aeri says stammering still unsure on how to unfold the news to her best friend. Ningning have given her full permission to reveal everything to Jimin however that doesn't make it easier.  Not even a little bit. 

Jimin was never the one to like sudden changes. Aeri learned that the hard way in the early years of their friendship. It was also the same reason why she have told her plans of going overseas to Jimin one year ahead of her last year in the university.

"Is she your new best friend?" Jimin tries to humor the girl who seems to be spacing out at the moment.

The light hearted soft sounds that Jimin emitted instantly took away all of Aeri's worries. Those pretty eyes and perfect smile still has the same effect on her after all these years. Comfort. She need not to utter a word for Aeri to know that she's always have her back. She was and will always be Jimin's sunshine the same way that Jimin was and always will be her comfort.

"Nice try, Jimin." Aeri answers with a roll of her eyes.

Languidly sitting back on her chair, Jimin strikes a playful smirk before reaching for her cup. "Hey I'm just rechecking my best friend status."

Aeri takes a sip of her coffee and looks up from her cup. "As if that will ever change." She says with confidence through her coffee stained lips.

Jimin sits up straight and pulls her chair closer to the table. A warm smile playing on her face.

"Well you're picking her up from school so if she's not your best friend then..." She says not wanting to stray away from the topic at hand, purposely leaving the sentence unfinished for her best friend to fill up the last words.

"Fiancé" Quick and easy. That's how Aeri dropped the news on Jimin. There's no use in beating around the bush anymore.

The expression on Jimin's face instantly changes after hearing the one word that left her best friend's mouth making Aeri's heart skip a beat. 

It was a rare sight. A one of a kind situation in their relationship where silence reigned bringing a looming feeling over them.

"Since when?" Jimin inquires after a while.

Jimin was able to pop up a smile but Aeri knew better. That smile wasn't the usual one that she can see what lies beneath.

The change of atmosphere have shifted drastically that Aeri had to take her time to make sure that she could give Jimin the proper answer. "A few weeks maybe a month?" She mutters once she's certain that she was right.

Jimin nods as an acknowledgement of Aeri's answer.

"How?" She asks right after. She knows. The whole university knows that Ningning only have ever dated guys. It was a fact. Not that she doesn't find Aeri attractive because for heaven's sake her best friend is one of the most beautiful person that she have ever laid her eyes on. 

Aeri takes a deep breath and leans in a little closer to the table."We both didn't know it at the time." She started to say in the most gentle way possible. "Apparently her parents and my grandpa already had talked about the arrangement. You know I can never say no to my pops right?"

Of course it is her grandfather, Jimin says to herself after seeing Aeri's eyes which told her that she didn't have control over the situation even if she wanted to. Jimin understands her knowing well enough how Aeri's grandfather means so much to her.

"What about her?" Was Jimin's next question.

Aeri expected this. She knew that Jimin would ask a lot. But she never thought that she'd be asking about Ningning.

I'm not backing out, Ningning's voice echoed in her head. A heavy feeling suddenly nesting on her chest. "I think she didn't have any choice." She answers after enclosing the now cold cup of coffee between her palms.

A loud sigh filled the table as Jimin pushes back her own cup of coffee and shakes her head in confusion. "I can never get this situation where one is handed to another over business talk. I mean how?"

Aeri knows where Jimin's words are coming from. Not everyone would and could fathom how strict their old beliefs and rules affect the shape and direction of their life.

She quickly scans the other tables near them  and after seeing that the other customers are engaged on their own conversations only did Aeri answer Jimin's question. "It's very normal in the circle that I grew up with. It's either your lucky with your match or the other way around."

Aeri could explain all day and all night about their situation but it still wouldn't make sense for Jimin. They were raised in very different homes with different upbringings. Although Aeri's parents walked away from that old tradition and raised her the best way they knew possible, the former's grandparents were the ones that introduced and opened up her eyes in such ways.

Once again, Jimin nods in response because there's nothing she could do about it even if she wanted to. Right now, her foremost concern is Aeri. "Where do you think do you stand there right now?" 

The question definitely made Aeri think. She knew that Jimin would ask it but she never got around on how she'll answer it because she herself doesn't know. In business terms and conditions, Ningning's family definitely got the most out of the agreement but on a personal and relationship level? For her it is still too early to say. Yes she knows Ningning as a friend but Ningning as her fiance? That's a different story that would reveal both of their worse and best sides.  She knows that they still have a long way to go.

Seeing how the girl across from her was struggling to find her bearing to answer the question, Jimin quickly diverts the topic at hand. "What about your studies?" She asks instead.

"I'll be staying for the meantime."

"What...what happened?" Jimin says with a knit of her eyebrows making it obvious that Aeri's answer came to her as a shock.

"Jimin I just told you." Aeri answers trying to clarify the situation.

Jimin closes her eyes for a moment before speaking again. "Yeah...I just...I mean..." She tried to start but her words seems to be buffering this time around. "I... you're supposed to go abroad...I mean that was your initial plan right?" She finally finishes but was now more confused than ever.

"What a turn of events huh?" Aeri responds simply.

"Yeah." Was all that Jimin could answer. Everything has started turning for her and to her dismay it wasn't in her favor.

"You're late." Those were the words that greeted Jimin as she slides out of her car to meet Minjeong. She quickly checks her phone to see what time it was to at least defend herself from the blonde.

6:03

Three minutes. 180 seconds. She was late for three minutes and Minjeong is already being snarky.

She couldn't drive fast. Not tonight. Not after knowing what happened to Aeri. She wasn't mad. She felt no anger towards Aeri or Ningning. What towered above her was fear. Fear of the inevitable after seeing Minjeong and Ningning's brother on the first day of school. She wasn't dumb. She knew from that very secon