"Soooo, how did it goooo?"

 

Jiho chuckled at the tone of the voice on the other line. It's her friend—Mihyun, calling her after the blind date the girl set her up to. Jiho heard the elevator ring and saw the floor number "4" on the monitor.

 

Mihyun had been telling her to go on dates, she's already in her mid-20s and unlike her friend, who's already on the verge of getting engaged soon once Mihyun proposes to Shiah, Jiho is nowhere near the entrance of the "Wholesome Romantic Life" plaza. She shakes her head as she walked out of the elevator.

 

"It was fine.. and you're right, she's amazing, sweet, intelligent, and good lord; so is beautiful. Her name is pretty too, Choi Arin. You didn't tell me she's Miss Hyojung's sister." She heard Mihyun humming from the phone, Jiho pictured her friend smiling from ear-to-ear while listening to how she will describe the date. Miss Hyojung is a senior of them who used to help when they need resources for review.

 

"And then, we went to the park, had some ice cream.. She told me stories about her med-school life. She has a pretty great playlist." She continued while walking, she spots her unit from the end of the hall but Jiho decided to walk slower.

 

"Ohhhhh! Ohhh, do you like her now?" Mihyun asks, excitedly. It made Jiho laugh a little even with how exhausted she felt at that moment. She was almost drained because she and Arin went to five different places; Jiho has a car so it was easy.

 

"Shut up, I only met her once."

 

"But you have her number! You can go on another date." Ah..

 

"Wait, you did ask for her number.. right?" With the emphasis on 'did', Jiho sighed knowing she actually 'didn't'. And she knew Mihyun was gonna scold her again.

 

"Sorry, I forgot." Mihyun did not accept Jiho's excuse—her excuses were always not convincing.

 

"HUH? IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU FORGET AFTER AN AMAZING DATE!"

 

Jiho had to pull her phone away slightly from her ear after she heard Mihyun's shrieking scolding on the other line. Just in time, she's right next to her room that says "4-4". Jiho takes her backpack to her front and starts fishing for her keys while holding her phone using her left hand.

 

"Sorry, I just.. you know.."

 

"Why won't you get her number?" Mihyun asked, calmly this time.

 

Then, Jiho realized, her keys were not in her bag. She was scared she might lose it this morning—because she was meeting with a stranger (although the date went well, she was still cautious). Jiho had asked her unit neighbor to keep the keys while she was out.

 

The woman who lives right across her unit. "4-5" is owned by Bae Yubin, a good-looking woman whose hobby is to sit on her favorite spot of her couch: the corner most of it, and read her books.

 

"Jiho? Why didn't you get her number?" Mihyun asked again, from the other line. She heard her clearly.

 

Jiho turns around to see—peek through the slightly opened door. There she saw the woman she's been pining for since she first step foot here. The reason why she couldn't ask for the number of a person who was like.. Jiho's dream soulmate, the perfect girl, the girl who matched Jiho's ideal mate. She couldn't ask an Arin.. because what she wants is a Yubin.

 

                  

 

5 years ago, Jiho moved apartments because this one is closer to her part-time job and classes. She did not have a hard time packing and moving because she's pretty much good at adjusting and the neighbor was very welcoming back then.

 

"Hi! You're the new neighbor, right?"

 

And there she was, Yubin with cooking gloves, holding a still smokey pie on her hands.

 

"It's uh.. a welcome gift?" Yubin tells her awkwardly when Jiho did not respond. Almost immediately did Jiho realize she was staring at the girl—she quickly put the box she's holding down on the floor between them to open her unit's door.

 

"Yes. Thank you!" Jiho is a Mechanical Engineering student, she knows her stuff, she can get really good at learning and applying her knowledge to real life situations. Apparently, it didn't occur to her that the fact that Yubin was using gloves meant that the pie was hot (yeah, she didn't have the time to notice the little smoke from the top of it to realize it's still hot). What did Jiho do? She just tried to take the pie from Yubin with her BARE hands.

 

"-"

 

                  

 

"Sorry, it's the first time someone's welcoming me—I mean, giving me a welcome pie." Jiho sighed and leaned back on her couch after Yubin finished wrapping bandage all over Jiho's hands.

 

Smiling at her, Yubin stood up and picked up the empty boxes on the floor before she began unpacking more of Jiho's boxes.

 

The box she opened was filled with Jiho's kitchen stuff. It wasn't that heavy but Jiho wished she could help. After all, it's her stuff. She should be the one doing these. Yubin was so nice to volunteer to help her. The girl was even apologizing for what happened when it's clearly Jiho's fault.

 

Thank goodness, the pie was unharmed—only Jiho's hands.

 

                  

 

It's obvious. Jiho developed a crush on Yubin although they're only interacting once or twice in a while, and those interactions are mostly nodding, smiling, and waving at each other when they see or meet in the hallway.

 

"Come on, Jiho! You need to try it too! I can't be the only one tiring legs here." Mihyun was going on and on about encouraging Jiho to jog every morning like what her routine with Shiah is. Right now, the couple visited Jiho's apartment after their morning jog.

 

"Hey—it's not me who's dating an athlete." Jiho responded, placing her cup of cereal down the table—not forgetting to give a little smile to Shiah before she continued. "And please finish your meals, I want to sleep again, it's too early."

 

"It's not our fault that your friends are 'us', you'll be waking up early like today anyway because we'll be here so why don't you jog too?" Shiah is reeeaaaally good at explaining. Jiho was almost going to say yes, but then, she's lazy. So, no, she shook her head and spooned two pieces of her cereals, eating faster to distract herself from her two nosy friends about to mess up her daily routine.

 

"We'll fetch you every morning if you want!" Mimi insisted, Jiho chuckled sarcastically and pointed at Mihyun's feet resting at the footrest because she was pushed hard today. Shiah is a good runner, Mihyun must've tried catching up.

 

"How chivalrous, I'm good. Thank you." Jiho tells her, hoping they'd stop.

 

None of the two spoke a word anymore and let Jiho eat her cereals quietly. It was like that before a door opened, the one across Jiho's unit, and Yubin entered the room. Jiho has been keeping her door open, one is because she doesn't use her airconditioner that much so she needs the temperature constant for room temp and the second reason is because she wants to see Yubin; whose door was always open too.

 

"Oh?" Shiah raised her eyebrows, eyes following the girl into her unit. Jiho drinks from her bottled water and finally gave her attention to the two older friends.

 

"What? You know her?" She asks them, Mihyun smiled, nodding.

 

"She's the girl we see everyday. She jogs on the same area where we do."

 

Starting the next day, Jiho has decided she will jog every single day, early in the morning.

 

She got herself ready at 4 AM, plain shirt, jogging shorts, extra bandage patches on her pocket, face towel and another towel for her back, running shoes. She's wayy to ready for a first time jogger.  At 4:05 AM, Jiho heard Yubin's door clicking. It meant the unit owner was heading out so Jiho did the same. Of course, she acted like everything was casual.

 

"You jog too?" Yubin asked as soon as Jiho opened her door. The taller of the two just shrugged, so casual, so embarrassing.

 

"Yeah, I guess I do now." Jiho replied with an awkward chuckle. She was thinking of telling Yubin about how her two friends kept encouraging her to exercise but Yubin went walking ahead of her after they exchanged smiles.

 

Unlike what Jiho wanted, the two of them did not jog together like how she thought Shiah and Mihyun did it. Jiho was not ready, it's been years since the last time she actively used her legs. Yubin was consistently jogging. Jiho assumed it must be because she does this regularly so after an hour of trying to catch up, Jiho gave up and walked instead.

 

It happened again, and again and again, and again. Jiho can't catch up, no matter how hard she tries—well, she's not at that point where she'd gonna push herself so she just gives up every day. Jiho sometimes wakes up late and when she gets out of her unit past 4:05 AM, Yubin had already left. Yubin is just fast and consistent and Jiho ends up walking back to her unit because she's tired and sleepy.

 

That goes on for a month and a half until one day, when Jiho walked out of her room at 4:10 AM, Yubin was there by her doorway, waiting.

 

"Oh hey, ...why?" Jiho asked, it's unusual to have Yubin right here by her doorway.

 

"Do you wanna jog together? I'll be slower this time."

 

Yubin is just very, very adorable.

 

From then on, they jog together and eat something after. It became their routine. There would be times they would see Mihyun and Shiah around and those times came often that the couple got to know Yubin as Jiho's athletic neighbor. She and Shiah hit it off the first time they talked when the four of them had ice cream together.

 

                  

 

After some time, almost seven months after, Jiho got busier with her classes and jobs taking over her daily routines so she stopped jogging. She still sees Yubin going out for a jog and eventually soon, she comes back with a girl in her unit. Jiho was jealous at first but she did not see the girl again after that day so she thought maybe that was just some classmate of Yubin.

 

Anyway, thanksgiving came and Jiho thinks she deserved it when Yubin came knocking and ringing her door with a box in her hand. It was a gift, it's a small, wrapped in a blue ribbon box enough to fit a picture frame inside. Thankfully, it wasn't a picture frame.

 

"Thank you.. wow, I didn't know we're supposed to exchange gifts." Jiho says while looking at the shirt Yubin gave her. A black long-sleeved full-buttoned shirt.

 

"Oh no, no. You don't have to give me anything! That's just um, my gift to you."

 

Jiho will be putting this shirt in a museum.

 

She spent the afternoon looking for something to give Yubin. Jiho was not really good at picking stuff for someone so she asked Google and luckily, she got a great idea of giving Yubin a customized mug.

 

"Smile before you drink because I love your smile.." Yubin read the quote on the mug and it just came to Jiho that what she wrote was cringe and too obvious. Another lucky moment, Yubin seemed unaware of how Jiho's heart thumped. "Aww, thank you Jiho! I love this, really." Yubin giggles and hugged her.

 

That was their first hug. Unfortunately for Jiho who was scared that Yubin would figure out how she feels, Yubin did not feel how fast her heart was nervously beating as they hugged.

 

After the thanksgiving episode, Jiho and Yubin—even with their separate schooling lives and jobs or hobbies, still found something to thank each other for.

 

                  

 

There's this suspicious thing going on between their units and it all started when Yubin knocked on her door, asking Jiho can help fix her broken sink.

 

Despite living for more than half a year across Yubin's unit, Jiho still hasn't seen the full interior of Yubin's home until that day when she came to check Yubin's broken sink as asked. Jiho is a mechanical engineering student and also happens to know her way about this stuff because she usually helps her parents back at home too.

 

"What have you done here after it got clogged?"

 

"Nothing, I went straight to you."

 

"Okay good."

 

Yubin's place looked really nice. It's clear that Yubin is a very organized person. She must be cleaning a lot too. Though most of her stuff are grayish, the place still looked cleaner than white, her living room was pleasing on the eyes and nose. Yes, it smells good too. Meanwhile, Jiho's unit would only smell like something when she cooks something that has a strong scent, or when she sprays disinfectant all over her body, or when she uses perfume. Yubin's place smells like something familiar and welcoming. The more she thinks about it, the more she falls for the kind of person Yubin is. Jiho's heart fluttered knowing Yubin needs her for something-- even if that something involves getting soaked and sweaty while fixing the sink.

 

"Hey Jiho?"

 

Jiho turned the flashlight on and checked which pipe was damaged or if there's anything interesting there while Yubin talks to her. "Yes?"

 

"What do you study?"

 

Ah yes. They've been interacting many times before but they never really got the chance to talk about personal stuff. All Jiho knows is that they are going to the same school and that Yubin studies Sanitary Engineering.

 

"Mech. E." She responded and heard Yubin humming. Before Jiho sat down to check the sink, she saw Yubin leaning on the counter while watching her.

 

"I knew I came to the right person." Yubin says and Jiho chuckles as she pulls herself up to her feet from peeking down the sink.

 

"Mechanical Engineer at your service." She heard Yubin laughing, Jiho couldn't help smiling.

 

"Sorry. I know you study a lot more than just a sink."

 

After Jiho's done inspecting, she turned to face Yubin again. "It's okay. I can handle the sink."

 

Jiho fixed the sink flawlessly. Yubin made sure Jiho would be assisted at all times and of course, the assistant is none other than Bae Yubin herself.

 

"You're in Sanitary Department, right?" Jiho asks while theg eat pancakes, the one that Yubin prepared to express her gratitude towards Jiho.

 

Jiho appreciates it, and loves the thought of Yubin cooking for her. The food she makes are all wholesome anyway.

 

Yubin hummed and nodded, "If you haven't noticed, I'm kinda sensitive when it comes to sanitary." She joked and well, Jiho laughed wholeheartedly.

 

It takes extensive and unpleasant guts to not laugh when someone you like tries to joke or carry the conversation. Someone you like will always be attractive and interesting in your eyes and nothing can change that. It takes time to get over someone or find another love interest to stop the unchanging attraction towards Yubin.

 

Also, it takes getting overly brave to ask a neighbor to clean your unit.

 

Jiho can't stop thinking about the time she spent at Yubin's two days ago. She keeps thinking, what can she do to have that kind of alone time with Yubin again? Given that she can't barge in there to break the sink so she can re-fix it, she doesn't have the courage to ask the girl out as well.

 

I'm sensitive about sanitary.

 

She's sensitive about sanitary.

 

Yubin is sensitive about sanitary.

 

What did Jiho do?

 

She messed up her unit.

 

"Oh my god.. What happened here?" Yubin was shocked—to the point that she had to cover while looking at the mess on Jiho's living room.

 

Jiho, being smart, has prepared the response she'd say once Yubin asked her. "I got drunk..?"

 

"Ouch!" Yubin just slapped Jiho's shoulder.

 

"You can't live like that! Fine, I'll help you clean."

 

Although Jiho got what she wanted: to get an alone time with Yubin and talk to her about personal stuff, she admits it's really hard to create a mess, especially when Yubin cleaned it so well that Jiho was scared to touch anything.

 

Jiho can't sleep again, what can I do? That's what she keeps asking herself, what can she do to get Yubin to hang out—in her room or maybe Yubin's room. Any of their units. Jiho just wants to talk to her again. So around 2 AM when Jiho decided she'll get some sleep first, she also prayed hard to get her wishes to come true.

 

Her prayers have been answered after a week when Yubin asked her to check the sink again. It's almost the same problem, only that this time, Jiho had to buy a new PVC pipe because apparently, something broke the pipe directly from under the sink.

 

Jiho got herself another meal and chat time with Yubin.

 

Since it's been a week, she wondered.. it won't be too obvious if Jiho pretends she was drunk and had created a mess again.. would it be?

 

"What the hell, Jiho.. you should stop drinking."

 

Yes, she did it again. And even though everyone who knew her could tell that she was lying—because Jiho actually doesn't enjoy drinking, Yubin could never tell. Yubin gets along helping her clean her unit again.

 

The whole "Fix-my-sink/Help-me-clean" routine went on for almost two months until Jiho realized that Yubin must be spending excessive amount of money with all the pipe purchases since the pipes are always the ones needed to be replaced.

 

"Maybe you should just stop using this sink you know, use mine instead, maybe yours is cursed." Jiho joked after advising Yubin about checking her expenses on this sink in the past month.

 

The other girl laughed and got flustered. "Y-yeah.. It's weird that the pipes always end up being damaged."

 

That one time was the last time Yubin asked for her to fix the sink, maybe Jiho did the greatest job this time that the sink has stopped getting broken over and over.

 

                  

 

Jiho has become busy anyway as well, she started on-the-job training for her course and she had to complete the number of hours specified within the whole semester. Additionally, she's still taking her part-time job at the nearest convenience store and has an extra shift at night delivery of chicken at the store across their apartment. She is a hard worker, and maybe, all the jogging paid off too.

 

So then, her time spent for interacting with Yubin had become less and lesser throughout their senior year.

 

One time when she went home with tired feet from all the cycling and finishing requirements in the firm where she was hired, Jiho bought an expensive meal for her.. and for Yubin. For some reason, she wants to celebrate and eat with Yubin that night. It's the exact anniversary of when she first moved to her unit and she's doing pretty well with her jobs.

 

When Jiho arrived at the fourth floor, she walked excitedly toward unit 4-5. She didn't even glance at her own unit and went straight to Yubin's door.

 

But as much of excitement she had in her chest that moment, that same amount was shattered in pieces when she peeked through Yubin's door and saw Yubin kissing the same girl she saw one time months ago.

 

Jiho stepped back, slowly—but she was still in shock that she almost tripped. Good thing she managed to hold onto Yubin's doorknob. No—Not a good thing, the couple inside the room heard her and immediately went to check on her before she can even hide into her own unit.

 

The other girl's name was Seunghee. She resides at the 3rd floor and Yubin happened to meet her that one time she was jogging alone.

 

Damn it.

 

Jiho regrets she stopped jogging with Yubin.

 

By that time she learned that Yubin had been dating Seunghee for two months, Jiho realized she already lost her chance. And by that moment, she was still not at that point where she was too hurt or broken.. maybe she still feels regretful but what's done is done. In fact, she and Seunghee became good acquaintances.

 

Seunghee was always nice to her, but even nicer to Yubin. It's a given since they're dating. There are still those times when Yubin would come knocking on her door to give her some of the cooked meals. Sometimes, with Seunghee. Sometimes, Yubin would deliver it alone. 

 

Jiho liked those times when Yubin knocks on her door alone. 

 

But also, Jiho likes that she gets free meal evey month when the couple celebrates their "monthsary". At least, she spends less for food. 

 

What Jiho hated though, was that one time she's sitting on her couch watching an evening show on her TV— waiting for Yubin or Yubin and Seunghee to knock on her door because it should be that day when they would be cooking to celebrate yet.. Yet, it's already 10 PM and Jiho heard no knock since morning. The couple usually comes by around afternoon. 

 

Jiho wonders; did they celebrate alone? Decided not to cook? Should I check on Yubin? But Jiho was doubting if she should, she clearly does not want to see another episode of Yubin and Seunghee making out when it should've been her in there. 

 

No, scratch that. Jiho determined she should have moved on by now. 

 

There's only one way to aid the curiosity within Jiho's head and chest. Why haven't they come? Have I moved on? 

 

So, Jiho got up on her feet and wore her black slippers. She threw the remote on her couch and let the TV run on while she walked her way out of her unit. Then, she stopped and looked back to her unit, looking for something to give. 

 

Rule number 1 is to not act awkward around Yubin so there should be a reason why Jiho is knocking on Yubin's door. 

 

Jiho's eyes landed on one sealed cup of ramen on her kitchen counter. 

 

"Hi! My stove is being annoying, can I perhaps cook my ramen on yours.. Hey- Yubin.." 

 

When Jiho knocked on Yubin's door, the girl opened it right away but turned away, back to her couch before Jiho could see her face. Only when the girl sat back on the couch when Jiho realized she had been sobbing, her shoulders are tensed and Jiho could hear her silent sobs. 

 

Jiho was unsure at first if Yubin wanted her here. Seunghee was nowhere in sight, Yubin is crying on their special day. Whatever happened was obviously painful for Yubin and Jiho knew she's supposed to comfort a person crying.. think, Jiho. Yubin had let her in earlier. Does it mean she wants Jiho to comfort her? This is the second time this happened. Jiho did see Yubin crying one time before through her door but Yubin said she was just watching a drama.

 

"Sorry.. You can eat your ramen now." Yubin mumbled after the 5 minutes crying-comfort session. Well, Jiho can't resist it earlier so she came to give Yubin a hug and a pat—no, pats on her shoulders, telling her everything will be alright even though she's clueless about what's going on. 

 

Jiho chuckled when she was reminded of her ramen. "Oh right, I forgot." She takes the ramen she left beside her seat in her hand and was about to get up when Yubin pulled her again. 

 

"Yes..?" Jiho looked down and met Yubin's pretty eyes still sweaty from crying earlier. She looked so cute, so pretty even when she cried.. and Jiho got the answer from her second question earlier. 

 

She hasn't moved on. 

 

"Thank you." Yubin mutters before smiling at her. 

 

Thump. 

 

                  

 

It is wrong, very, very wrong to keep liking someone whose heart is already taken. It's cool if it's just a mere crush, an insignificant small attraction and interest towards the person but Jiho has been liking Yubin so much now at this point that she wouldn't categorize the feelings as just a mere crush. 

 

The thing is.. Jiho doesn't feel pain. Seeing Yubin cry made her feel annoyed at Seunghee but on the other hand, she still doesn't know what exactly happened between them. It's just confusing. Jiho's already confused about how she'll handle her feelings and things got even more confusing because the next day, Seunghee was there back in Yubin's apartment, having breakfast with Yubin.

 

Jiho just set in her mind: maybe Yubin was crying for a different reason.

 

Anyway, since Yubin had been sending Jiho lots of food ever since they became neighbors; when Jiho's birthday came, she decided she'll cook for her friends and for Yubin. 

 

Jiho texted her friends to come over, she also sent a text inviting Yubin.. and even Seunghee. Around midnight before her birthday, she received three replies. 

 

Mimi : Happy birthday tiger! Shiah said we'll come around 10 AM! ILYTYSMFEAHFEYDPDSS

Seunghee : Happy birthday :) Sorry, can't come. Yubin won't want to see me there. Enjoy anyway.

Yubin : Okay, open your door.

 

Okay, that was way too diverse replies from them and Jiho was not in the mood to decode Mihyun's message but she noted the time her friends would come over. Seunghee's message—did she and Yubin fight.. again? But wait- Wait! Yubin's at her door.

 

Jiho threw herself out of her bed and didn't bother putting on her slippers as she rushed to her door. As expected, Yubin was there with a party hat, wearing her reading glasses, in her white shirt, holding a box with cake on top of it, candles lit with a message on top of the cake that says: "Happy birthday, Jiho! ♡"

 

"Wow. Thank you for this, Yubin." That was all Jiho could say. She could've said more but the 'more' includes, you're amazing and I love you.

 

"Just thank you? I baked this for you, idiot. Come on! Blow your candles!" Yubin giggled while excitedly waiting for her. 

 

Jiho clasped her palms together and closed her eyes, wishing for impossible things she wants to have and want others to get: including Yubin's happiness. 

 

Once she's blown the candles off, Yubin smiled wide at her again and passed the box on her arms. "I'll take pictures of you, wait."

 

It could be because they're neighbors, or maybe because they're door-to-door neighbors that they've become this close now but Jiho was sure she wouldn't even get this much of Yubin if she was living father from the girl's unit. After the picture taking, Jiho invited Yubin over to her unit and they ate bread—not the cake because Jiho said she's gonna put it on her fridge and show it to her friends later. 

 

It's 1 AM and they've finished eating; Jiho also ran out of things to tell Yubin about herself. Side note here, Yubin wanted Jiho to talk about herself because as she said, 'It's your day so it should be about you.'

 

Now since Jiho's done talking and neither of them is sleepy, Jiho remembered Seunghee's text earlier. Would it be fine to ask her about it?  

 

"Seunghee and I are always like that. You don't have to worry." Yubin tells her after she showed her the text. Jiho's eyebrows knitted as she leans her elbows on the table.

 

"Like what?" She asked, careful not to sound too curious but Yubin doesn't mind anyway. It's like they both wanted to talk about it. Yubin needed someone to talk about it.

 

"On and off. I'm not sure when it's gonna stop though."

 

With Yubin's response, Jiho started asking questions in her head.

 

Why Seunghee?

 

Why, Seunghee?

 

"Don't you get tired?" Jiho asks again, but this time, she's looking at Yubin to see how she's gonna react. But,

 

it was a wrong decision. It seemed like Yubin stepped back and didn't want to continue the talk.

 

"I'm tired. Let's sleep."

 

Yubin was the only neighbor who Jiho had constant communication with. Although they don't really spend that much time with each other like talking everyday, Jiho knows they're close enough, closer than they were last year.

 

After Jiho's birthday, they've become busier with the upcoming graduation. Jiho would be spending the night at Mihyun's sometimes for review assistance. Since Yubin is also busy studying and she has Seunghee to entertain her anyway, Jiho did not worry about the girl until it came to her that 1.) graduation is coming, 2.) Yubin might be leaving the apartment by then.

 

(1) Graduation came.

 

It's the typical celebration day of four years of being situated in a secluded place called the university where only the greatest and hardworking achievers gets to survive and finish their courses in time. Jiho's parents arrived early at her unit. Yubin's too. Their parents have come to an interest of talking about Jiho and Yubin's achievements in life even though they've been just living for two decades only yet, the elders found strong words to express their gratitude for having hardworking and intelligent kids like Jiho and Yubin.

 

Their graduation ceremonies are gonna be held simultaneously but on different venues. So after the graduation, Jiho decided she'll just text Yubin to congratulate her. It was fine! No, it wasn't. She missed Yubin already and she fears not being able to see Yubin anymore once the girl moves out.

 

Yubin congratulated her too. Jiho couldn't decide though. She's been holding her phone for two hours now while her family is preparing food for dinner. Jiho can't decide whether to ask Yubin about her future plans or stay and let them slip apart this way because the girl arleady has Seunghee and it would be better for Jiho is she moves on this way.

 

(2) Yubin didn't leave the unit.

 

When Jiho went back to her unit after 5 days of staying at her parents', Yubin's door was slightly opened like how the owner always left it be. Jiho needed to go back to her part-time jobs and of course plan for her next career move.

 

Jiho's plan was supposedly to earn enough money for half of the expenses for review academy before she takes the board exams but it changed as soon as Yubin walked out of her unit, asking Jiho if she wants to come on a job interview together.

 

They both got hired.

 

Working life is one common phase in Jiho's life she's been doing for years since she graduated in highschool. She's pretty good at catching up on things to do at work.

 

Unfortunately, Yubin isn't the same case.

 

Jiho noticed from the first month that Yubin wasn't comfortable in her working space but she can see that the girl is trying. There would be times that Jiho would approach her and ask if she could do anything to help but Yubin would always insist she got it.

 

One time before a particular deadline for both Jiho and Yubin, their boss invited them to come join a certain celebration that Jiho didn't catch what was it about but of course, they agreed to come. Jiho had already finished her task but Yubin hasn't. Before their time-out strikes, Yubin went to see their boss and Jiho heard Yubin asking for extension.

 

Yubin got scolded.

 

They still came to the party anyway and Jiho knew Yubin wasn't feeling well at all.

 

She was worried to the point that she didn't drink anything aside water even though her boss told her to. She reasoned out that she's gonna drive for Yubin although she didn't have a car.

 

Jiho and Yubin don't always come to work together. Jiho wakes up late sometimes and Yubin is always an early bird. One constant thing is that they go home to their units together, always. Jiho makes sure Yubin goes home safely so whenever Yubin works overtime, she'd do it too.

 

This time too, they went home together. A sober Jiho and a wasted Yubin. Jiho had her arms around Yubin who can't seem to walk properly. The woman is reeking alcohol.

 

"Yubin.. We're here, give me your keys." Jiho whispered. She whispered because when she talked nomally earlier, Yubin shushed her and covered , saying she's 'too loud'.

 

"Why is life so hard, Kim Jiho?" Yubin mumbles, eyes closed, an arm raised because she's holding onto Jiho.

 

Poor Yubin was on the floor, leaning by her door. Jiho didn't think this day would come when she'll realize how much has she adored Yubin as a positive person yet here she is, staring at the matured version of Yubin who's desperate to have a good life but she can't seem to find a way to appreciate it. Yubin is having a hard time. Jiho didn't know what to do.

 

For some reasons, instead of grabbing Yubin's bag and taking her keys, Jiho sat down next to Yubin and let her lean on her shoulder.

 

"Living as an adult is so hard.." Yubin muttered with a soft sob.

 

"Yubin, it's okay to cry but don't give up, okay?" Jiho wanted to glance at Yubin because she can feel tears getting her shirt wet but she didn't and let Yubin cry.

 

"Coming from you." Yubin replied shortly, Jiho chuckles... confused.

 

"What?"

 

"Stupid. Do you know how many times I apologized to my sink just for you?" Huh?

 

"What..?"

 

Jiho didn't understand, she wanted Yubin to explain but she had no chance to do so.

 

"God, I hate my life. I hate Seunghee, I hate everything."

 

At that point, Jiho thought Yubin was just spitting words. She was drunk.

 

"Then why do you keep getting back together with her?" Jiho asked, it took her a deep sigh right after. She's using up all her courage to ask these questions yet she can't ask Yubin out.

 

She had many opportunities to do it but she didn't.

 

Jiho regrets she didn't.

 

Yubin hummed against Jiho's shoulder before she mumbled another set of words to answer Jiho's question earlier.

 

"Because I love her."

 

For the first time since Jiho realized her feelings for Yubin, she admits that she's hurt. Jiho picks up Yubin and let her sleep on her bed as she takes her own rest on the couch. She didn't bother opening Yubin's unit. As Yubin finally comes in peace by sleeping, Jiho comes in terms with her broken heart. Still, at the end of the night, she managed to conclude what kind of relationship would she continue giving and building for and with Yubin.

 

                  

 

Two years had passed since that day. The reason why Jiho agreed to the blind date that Mihyun set for her is because it's the same day Jiho cried because of her feelings for Yubin.

 

"Jiho? Are you still there?" She heard Mihyun from the other line again. Jiho chuckles and nods although Mihyun can't see her.

 

"Yes, sorry. I'll call you later." Jiho immediately hung up as soon as she saw Yubin approaching her. The woman must have noticed her through the door since Jiho was standing there for long minutes now. When Yubin noticed she was there, Jiho waved at her and Yubin stood up from her seat, with the book on her arm as she approaches the door.

 

"Where have you been at day-off?" Yubin rests her arm on the doorway. Jiho smiled and pointed at her backpack.

 

"Uh, groceries." She lied. A habit she developed when she's infront of Yubin.

 

"You've finally wear it." Yubin playfully tapped Jiho's chest and Jiho chuckled. Yes, she decided to wear the black shirt Yubin gave to her. "You decided to wear it for grocery shopping? Ya."

 

"And at night?" Yubin asked again, Jiho saw her eyes staring at her face like she's scanning Jiho's thoughts.

 

Jiho was quick to dodge her gaze. "Yeah, all-day too. I needed to wind up."

 

She wanted to tell more. Honestly, she was thinking of telling Yubin about her date but-- "Oh right! Here, I cooked some pie earlier, if you want.."

 

"Of course, I'd love them," Jiho responded, and Yubin went back inside her unit. She saw her walk around the kitchen aisle where the repeatedly broken sink is. Funny, she used to be there, fixing the sink every week because Yubin asked her to.

 

"I hope you like it." When Yubin gave her the plate of pie, Jiho touched her hands and felt a ring on her finger.. She quickly pulled away when someone came out of the door, Seunghee.

 

That was it.

 

Jiho smiled once again and gave Yubin a signal that she's going in her own unit now.

 

Later on, she called Mihyun again.

 

"Can you send me Arin’s number?"