The scene of Yuri’s tears trickled in every breathing hour that Yena took in. A reminder of the damage that they had done for each other. The damage that they both knew had to be resolved between them only and for no one else to interfere.

The only definition for their relationship was just being fools in love for the wrong person.

What started out as a simple confession, one that Yena decided to accept for she figured no harm in doing so. Besides, she didn’t want their friendship to spiral down to somewhere that couldn’t be repaired.

Next came the confession of love for each other, in which Yena found herself buying little plushies, sending messages as a farewell for the old day and a greeting to the new day that awaited for them in their relationship. She just didn’t figure she would send messages as a farewell to the relationship and a greeting to the new day that awaited for them individually on their own doors that they would take their own step through by themselves.

Being fools in love like everyone else, they had a sort of attraction to each other that was only for them to revel in. Continuing the cirque of emotions, blindfolding them straight till they walked into the trap of being simply temporary magnets. The blindfolds on the fools pulling themselves off as a flashing orange greeted them on the huge screen, televising the fact that they weren’t the neon greens like Yena had wanted. The laughter of their rooms slowly died down to mere grunts, serving as acknowledgement that they existed as people who love each other, just waiting to be in the next phrase of words.

To exist as people who had loved each other.

Time passed for Yena couldn’t control it but confessions of losing interest in being leads to this play of a relationship. Being the older came with many expectations on her which meant she had to make a sensible decision amidst the growing stress on herself which she failed to address for she focused on the two individuals in this ridiculous play of a relationship.

Next came a suggestion from Yena and that was to take a break in their paragraph of a relationship, from each other, to drive themselves away from the temptation of ruining what little respect they had for each other.

It was a good year. That is if she closed her eyes on the fact that Yuri seemed to have a spring in each step she took forward, all while Yena took a step backwards to analyze her own actions. Was it the way that she preferred to show affection that she deemed as useful? Or would it be the way that she didn’t voice out her worries from the start?

However, theories couldn’t prove a viable solution to make the love they had for each other stretch even longer and maybe past the wounds they had inflicted upon each other.

According to Aristophanes in Plato's The Banquet, in the ancient world of legends. Existence of three different types of people is made to be known throughout their lives. In these times people weren't simply male or female, but one of three types: male/male, male/female or female/female. To put it simply, everyone was just two different components made to run a person. Peace existed despite these differences. But then God decided he wanted chaos in this peace so he took a knife and cut everyone in half, right down the middle. Not even bothering to spare someone alive to bear witness to this tragedy of love playing out. So after that the world was divided just into male and female, the downside being that people spend their time running around trying to locate their missing half.

However in this dimension they breathed in, love was a manufactured thought for them for they had to focus on other aspects of life. It was exhausting to play this game of love but was it really worth it to them? A thought that usually crossed Yena’s heart as she looked back on the wide toothed smile and the hugs that she found herself holding longer onto as time went by.

And so, with the little respect she had for each other, Yena decided it was the better decision for the both of them. And that was to simply end the paragraph of being in love with each other.

Yena returned her focus to Chaeyeon who was chewing slowly on her rice cake, steam wafting out of the steamer at the corner of her eyes as Yena sighed to herself. The roadside tteokbokki stall was enough to cater to Yena’s desires to blank out her worries for tonight all while satisfying Chaeyeon’s random cravings of the night.

However, spicy rice cakes weren’t of any help to bless whatever was wandering through her mind and neither is the fact that Chaewon hadn’t messaged her for nearly a month since the new year had passed. But it didn’t change the fact that certain feelings never fade with each passing day.

"She hasn't messaged you?" Chaeyeon mumbles through a huge mouthful of fishcake as she shoves another fish cake into .

Shaking her head dejectedly, Yena reached out for the soju bottle, pouring herself a bitter shot.

"I heard from others." With a pause, Chaeyeon looks back down on her plate, her chopsticks drawing figure eights through the thick red as she continues hesitantly, "Actually, no. You're better off without knowing it."

This, of course piqued Yena’s attention as she slowly set down her shot glass, her hand trailing up to support her tilted chin as her eyes shot a questioning glance.

"What is it? Might as well tell me when Chaewon doesn't seem to be around most of the time."

Biting her lips nervously, Chaeyeon’s voice dropped to a low whisper as she leaned forward, looking around to ensure that their conversation was well kept under the covers even if they were the only patrons of the stall.

"I heard that she made her temporary magnet go insane to the point that she," With a thumb held against her neck, Yena watched on, confused as the thumb flicked itself quickly against Chaeyeon’s throat, before her entire hand dropped down back onto her figure eights of chopsticks.

Knowing well enough that the gesture was enough to signify one sole reason, her jaws clenched tightly as Yena poured herself another shot to which she quickly downed.

Noticing this, the younger Lee’s eyebrows furrowed deeply before she timidly pointed it, her tone which grew a little anxious for herself.

"You’re not worried?”

Scoffing bitterly, Yena shakes her head dejectedly as she brings her head to a heavy slump on the plastic table, the filled shot glass rattling as the alcohol trickled slowly down the sides, adding on the list of things that just seem to be mocking her emotions like a circus.

"Why should I be worried? The damn girl can't even be bothered to send me a text or anything. To let me know she is well and breathing and not swallowed by a black hole." Shaking her dejectedly, Yena drawled on, "It's as if she's simply a figment of my imagination."

With that spoken thought, Yena propped herself up, a disheartened expression on her sleeve as she whined to herself,"I'm not hallucinating or anything, Chaeyeon?"

Snickering to herself, Chaeyeon popped another fish cake into as her eyes wandered round Yena’s outline, hovering to the beyond. A little chuckle escaped Chaeyon’s lips but Yena shrugged it off, owing it to the stress of the incoming midterms piling on her friend.

“I’ve seen her breathing and eating food before us, countless times. I can even check her pulse right now if you want.”

“As if you can.” The older Choi rebutted as she downed another glass, another a refreshing splash against her parched throat as the familiar knocking of headaches came on her.

“Well, let me say, I can safely assume she has an accelerated heart rate,” Tilting her head to the side, the familiar thinking face that Chaeyeon wears on in exams as she continues, “Considering she is blushing.”

“Nonsense, you’re acting like you're drunk but I’m the only one drinking between us.”

Continuing on, not fazed by Yena’s words, “It’s a wonder how her temporary magnet chooses to go past the line of living when she looks, I have to admit, she looks quite stunning in this harsh winter.”

“Did the auntie slip alcohol into the tteokbokki or something? Why are you acting so weird?”

“Save your insults for Chaewon.” Chaeyeon remarked before she turned to ask for two more servings of tteokbokki, for takeaway while giving a friendly wave to a figment of Yena’s imagination.

“Chaewon?”

Looking up, Yena found herself facing a figment of her imagination which became the reality. The sight of someone left her swimming in her ocean of her doubts, taking a seat in front of her as she ordered a takeaway of tteokbokki, the order rolling off in a familiar sweet voice, Yena remembering the voice solely as a lullaby to her insanity of wanting to reach out to the other girl.

“Happy new year, Choi Yena, 21. Alcohol University and currently, majoring in being drunk.” Chaewon greeted politely as she pulled her hands out of her dark peacoat, waving it amicably, though it looked like a white blur in her vision.

Without a word escaping , Yena looked over to Chaeyeon who had already flashed a knowing smile before bending over to whisper something in Chaewon’s ears which made her smile faintly. Unknowingly, Yena’s fists had a mind of their own as it gripped round the shot glass tightly, barely being able to withstand the flood of emotions.

“.” Yena spat out once Chaeyeon had left, two servings of tteokbokki swinging merrily in her hands.

Yena watched in a blurry daze as Chaewon hummed to herself, reaching out to pry Yena’s hands away from the tight grip she had on the glass. A numbing shock passed through them briefly but it wasn’t as noticeable as the previous times. Sparing a moment between them, Chaewon held her gaze against Yena’s fuming expression as she downed the shot she poured for herself in one gulp, her lips imprinting themselves on Yena’s shot glass.

“You’re a ing .”

Without any exchange of her thoughts, Chaewon poured herself another shot. Another moment spared between them as she held her gaze, firm against Yena’s before downing it again, making another imprint on the glass upon doing so. Cranking her neck sideways, Chaewon let out a tired sigh, riling Yena’s temper even more that made the older spat out in fury.

“Do you know that Kim Chaewon is an absolute ?”

With a slightly amused ghost of a smile playing on her lips, Chaewon continued as she stopped herself from going past her second shot.

“I didn’t know she’s a female dog.” Setting down the glass, the younger girl looked up, her own eyes meeting Yena’s eyes in a rather exhausted gaze, yet it still held its own sturdy charming self against her own will.

“I didn’t know she’s the type to show up randomly in a makeshift tteokbokki stall and crack ridiculous jokes. After leaving someone on ‘seen’ for a month.”

“I didn’t think she'd be that important to someone.” Chaewon rebutted before gazing off at the pile of snow that grew bigger with each passing second between them. Maybe in the morning it will become a massive blockage on the pavement.

Such words found themselves passing through Yena’s mind, the alcohol in her system slowly dissipating as she struggled to come to her senses.

‘Why are you being like this? Kim Chaewon?’

up her crawling worries, the older girl took a deep breath in, trying to pacify the pacific ocean of signals that Chaewon had been throwing at her amidst the throbbing headaches that were banging mercilessly against her skull. She didn't want to think any further into the words, so she simply said the next sensible thing that came to mind.

“I didn’t either.” Yena confessed quietly, reaching out for the shot glass, an exchange of a crawling shock between their hands to remind her of the fact that they couldn’t be even a temporary sort of happiness for each other without their past reminding them in each action they took forward, individually.

Circling the rim of the glass with her forefinger, Yena listened to the raw silence growing on them. Only the soft clinks of glasses and the clatter of plates were left in this little bubble they had together. Looking out, the snow had abruptly diminished to a pathetic heap like her heart as she watched Chaewon withdraw from her place, pushing back the stool under the table as she strode off towards the cashier, her hands stuck out ready to make her payment. Her peacoat flapping against the harsh calls of Yena’s heart silently asking for her to return to her grasp.

The new past repeating itself, the younger girl with her built manners paid for Yena’s bill along with hers. Out of pity? Or simply as a means of asking for forgiveness?

Asking for the reason was the easiest part for Yena, the only problem was that she couldn’t ask it to the right person for they had decided to leave on their own accord, not even bothering to leave a simple nod to affirm Yena’s confession which was left alone in the stall as it lingered in their minds. Yena’s eyes trailed over the last bits of footprints imprinted in the snow before snow covered the tracks, leaving no traces of the girl she came to wait for gone once again.

There weren't the typical questions that were asked for the sake of Yena’s wellbeing which was slowly crippling with each passing minute she spent in the warm stall. Yena expected her to leave herself hanging with more questions instead of answers. She just didn't expect her heart to surrender so eagerly to Chaewon's whims. And above all, she prepared for all sorts of situations but each one she had with Chaewon left her doubting herself at the end.

People say love makes you doubt it, for there are no specific answers. But how can there be even an answer if one shouldn't question love nor ask questions from it.

It just seemed ridiculous to Yena but the idea of pursuing Chaewon felt like a fever dream. One she dared not wake up from, fearing that if she did, she wouldn't find herself wanting love after it. So, in return, she simply let nature run its course. If the system had already designated their permanent magnets for each other, the beyond had other plans, ones that spanned past rules and time itself.

The edge of the beyond seems tempting, even more past the rules that governed the system. But right now, Yena just wants her own self to be governed by Chaewon.

Even if the system burnt itself to a crisp, she'd still want to jump over the edge and into the depths of love. Together with Chaewon and this time, for herself.

Deciding upon it, Yena simply stood up, hurriedly paying her share of alcohol and everything else left on the table, not even bothering to pick up her change as she sprinted out of the entrance. With her heart beating wild