The repeated words of apologies that passed thorugh Jungeun's ears were ones that she was sick of hearing.

"Shut up." She growled through gritted teeth, mentally unprepared for yet another breakdown. The fifth this month. 

"Jungeun..." The girl opposite her pleaded. She had a label of Jungeun's 'gf' but now she was gonna get the label 'ex'. 

'Two chances was a chance too many...three months with no explanation was one too many...four turndowns to agreed dates was 0 too many, simpy unacceptable.' Jungeun thought sadly to herself. 

She couldn't stand her, but really she couldn't stand herself either. Why was she so weak in pushing toxic partners away? It had become a vicious cycle over the course of years; Jungeun was tired of feeling deja vu in every restaurant, with every cliche and untrue apologies repeated like a broken tape.

"We're done." Jungeun fled the table, tears streaming down her face by the time she reached the main door. 

Her teeth chattered as she stepped into the open. She breathed in the crisp air as the tears basically froze on her face. She didn't bother retrieving gloves as she started walking in a random direction. She cursed to herself for forgetting her coat at the restaurant, trying to think of anything important in it that would make her turn around to grab it. But she didn't want to face her again, and there only was a lip balm in there, her purse had everything else. She wasn't in the mood to go home and cry into her pillow like the pathetic person she was. She wanted to stay outside. Touch the grass and gaze at the stars. Though she soon realised the weather was too cold to be doing that. 

Drunk men on the street catcalled her and some rowdy ones tried groping her. Being small and fast, she narrowly manages to dodge their advances and quickly enters a 24/7 Smoothie Shop. Too bad Jungeun was too heartbroken, confused and angered to appreciate the shop's cute interior. She blindly finds her way to the first booth in sight and slides right into a chair, unaware that the both was previously accompanied by someone.

Jungeun spread herself on the chair in an upright position, her body language of expressing exasperation. She nearly has a heart attack when she finds a presence by her side.

"Hi." A woman next to her greeted in a friendly manner.

Jungeun composed herself and looked up at her. Dark-blue hair, sweet eyes and a charming smile. "H-hello..." Jungeun awkwardly greeted in return.

The woman slid into the seat opposite her. "I uh left my bag here first so..." She sheepishly explained.

Jungeun understood. "Oh!" She scrambles up to leave. "So sorry I'll move-"

"No, no, please sit." The woman gestures her for stay. "I really don't mind and...it seems like both of us could use some comapany." She smiled sympathetically, as she read right through Jungeun.

Jungeun opened to speak but nothing came out. She reluctantly sat back down, only then feeling another tear slip past her jaw.

A tissue appeared in front of her. "Let me guess...a breakup?" The woman sipped on her smoothie, ready for the tea. She dismissed that thought when Jungeun only looked forlornly out the window.

"It's more complicated than that..." Jungeun sighed, but turns to her curiously. "How'd you know?"

The woman shrugged. "Why else would a beautiful woman like you be crying at-" She checks her watch, "11.05pm, without a coat or self-awareness." She lightly at the end, but spoke with a rather nonchalant tone.

Jungeun hid her face in her hands out of embarrassment, slumping back into her seat. She's had friends that were there for her after every breakup, but she always hated to be that type of person. To have the kind-hearted stranger opposite her sit to talk with her was all the more reason Jungeun didn't want to head home.

"I'm Jung Jinsoul, it's nice to meet you." She reached a hand out with that same charming smile.

"I'm Kim Jungeun," She shook it lightly, almost shocked from how warm her hands were. "It's nice to meet you too."

"Sooooo..." Jinsoul begins suggestively, taking another sip of her smoothie. "Are you gonna spill the tea or...?" 

Jungeun managed chuckle despite the whirlpool of emotions she was feeling. "I mean, it's really the smae problem over and over again. False promises, false hope, toxic communication and second chances." She admits heavily. 

"I see." JInsoul nods, but Jungeun could easily see from her averting eyes that she didn't feel comfortable with her reply.

"Did I say something wrong?" Jungeun questioned out of politeness.

Jinsoul shook her head, slowly returning her gaze to Junguen's. "It's just that I uh have never really been in that type of relationship." She frowns. "Not that I want to." She quickly adds but then realised what she said. "I don't mean to offend you-"

Jungeun dismissed her words with a nod, glad to even hear any sort of respect from another being. She's been experiencing a lack of respect from others lately, even when she respected them as much as she could. "Don't worry, I wouldn't want anyone to feel what I felt either." 

"Well yeah..." Jinsoul trailed off, which made Jungeun think she had something more to say. The follow-up sigh said it all, it sounded like it had been held in for a long time. "I'm the type of person to love everyone around me y'know? So when I indicate romatic interest, they just think I'm flirting in a platonic way and never take me seriously. Moderation is key, but I can't quite control my affection to people I'm comfortable with." She explains, and Jungeun could detect a hint of bitterness in her tone.

Jungeun understood her though, she was reminded of a friend who had a similar personality to Jinsoul's. She had also struggled capturing the heart of her lover seriously. "I get it. When you say people you're comfortable with, do you mean close friends?" Jungeun asked.

"Yeah," Jinsoul nods. "Anyone less than that, I still tend to hold a little more barriers." She scratches her head in wonder.

Jungeun nods. "Then maybe you should give blind dating a go. I assume you haven't done that before?"

Jinsoul shook her head. But a smirk grows on her face. The kind that suggested an idea. 

"Why don't we give each other a chance?"

Jungeun smiles at her boldness, knowing she was implying the strategy she had just told her.

"Hmm..." Jungeun considers. She had just broken up with someone after all. And...she would feel a little guilty in the end but she guessed that those feelings would be put to rest as long as she was...happy. Definitely a difficult emotion for her to feel. However, she still didn't want to go home yet so maybe they could work somethin' out...

"Depends on what we're gonna do." Jungeun prompts, using her phone to fix her appearance. She inwardly thanks the creators of waterproof make-up.

Jinsoul grins. "What about starting right here?"

Jungeun liked it. It was simple. "Sure."

"Great, you up for a smoothie? They got the good stuff here." Jinsoul held her half-full cup in the air. Jungeun now looked around to appreciate it's interior.

"Why not, it would only make this proper." Jungeunngot up to follow Jinsoul, sporting a grin when she spots a corner of stuff toys.

"Are we in the mood for fruity? Chocolate?" Jinsoul tugged her by the arm to the menu, Jungeun was about to wander off into the wall.

"Wha-?" Jungeun shifts her gaze to the menu. "Uhh fruity. Peach sounds good."

Jinsoul ordered for her as the smoothie veteran, allowing Jungeun to freely roam the place. They were a lot more details to the place than she first thought.

What felt like a second later, a cup was brought to her face.

"That was speed of light fast." Jungeun sipped the drink, almost shuddering at the sugary goodness. It tasted less artificial than she expected.

"That's why I love this place so much." Jinsoul sits back down with a sigh. 

Jungeun takes her seat. "What do you do?"

"I'm a singer." She replied coolly, before humming to a latest release.

"Ooo that was my childhood dream." Jinsoul cocked her head to the side, wanting to know a little more. "I had to carry my family's business." Jungeun finished bitterly, even if she was experiencing a sweet taste.

"Ouch." Jinsoul winces, but Jungeun shrugs, having accepted that fact for years. "We can karaoke together if you'd like." She offered.

"That would be awesome." Jungeun's eyes glinted.

Jinsoul then frowned briefly. Jungeun was about to question her when she said, "That's my jam right there-"  

Jinsoul slid out of the booth and started twerking her off in front of her, mouthing the lyrics with passion. Jungeun began laughing uncontrollably, falling back over onto seat, face scrunching up in amusement. Jinsoul became only more encouraged by her reaction and started dynamically making her movements larger.

The store's lonely employee shot their regular customer an un amused glance. They'd seen it all before.

Jinsoul recovered herself from her dancing fever before the song ended, not wanting to humiliate herself further than she already has. 

"Oh my god, that was hysterical." Jungeun breathed between words, joy evident in her tone.

"I'm pretty sure I slayed that ." Jinsoul sassily flipped her hair polishing off her smoothie. 

Jungeun wiped a fallen tear away, a happy one, this time.

"If you hadn't told me you were a singer, I would thought you were a dancer!" Jungeun laughed again.

"Haha." Jinsoul grinned.

Jungeun yawns. "I need sleep."

"So do I." Jinsoul yawns right after seeing her yawn.

"You know, the more I see you, the more I feel like I've met you before." Jungeun squints her eyes to examine Jinsoul's face. She was asking her brain to try and remember where, if that made sense.

Jinsoul squints her eyes right back. "You standing still reminds me of the way moms stand when they're exasperated." She teased.

"Yah!" Jungeun threw her hands to her neck. "I meant a place, not a person!"

"Yeah yeah, I was teasing Jungie." Jinsoul grabs her hands to put them down. "I can't think of anything but school..."

Jungeun perks up, having a hunch. "Did you go to Chun High?"

Jinsoul's eyes grow wide, reality hitting her in the face. "Kim Jungeun from class 4A?"

Jungeun's slaps a hand to . "You're from class 4C right?"

"Yup." Jinsoul rejoices, feeling a sort of warmth of reconnecting with an old peer.

Jungeun squeals, starting to relay information of her favoirite classes, teachers, activities while Jinsoul hit her with the whole opposite; everything she disliked anout high school.

Through reminiscing about the old days, Jungeun has never felt a stronger connection with someone else. Jinsoul had a...homey feeling to her. Going to the same high school couldn't account for that. In that moment she understood what Jinsoul meant when she was the type to love everyone. She had that vibe that made you loosn up and just vibe in the social energy.

And as a hardcore introvert, Jungeun was susprised by herself with how at ease she felt, talking to her. Due to her job, she was forced to be outspoken, even if at times she wasn't in the right state of mind to do so. This was the first time in a while that she was comfortable talking.

With all her exes, she always had to hold her thoughts back, not wanting to waste any time in expressing them. In the end that did more harm than good to her mental health. 

'Let's not compare anything...' She strictly reminded herself.

"Ho ho, it's getting late." Jinsoul her invisible beard. Jungen snorted at her Santa Claus impersonation.

"Oh it is late." Jungeun couldn't hide her own suprise as she tapped her phone's screen: 23:47

"Yes, we literally talked through 10 years of gossip like old aunties." Jinsoul chuckled.

"Ah time flies." Jungeun sigh pleasantly, referring to the past and present.

"Let's take you home sleepyhead." Jinsoul leaned over to flick Jungeun's forehead.

"Ow!" Jungeun reached over to flick her nack but the woman had swiftly dodged her attack, sliding out of the booth to escape outside.

'"This girl-" Jungeun dropped a quick thanks to the employee before chasing Jinsoul.

She was nowhere to be found. In the dark night it was even harder to make out the people walking on the streets. She squinted in the darkess but didn't see any familiar silhouette.

Something was then draped over her shoulders. A jacket.

"It's cold, we should go back." Jinsoul whsipered into her ear, her warmth breath tickling her neck. 

Jungeun calmed her racing heart down, instinctively tugging the jacket closer. Jinsoul smiled as she turned around to face her.

"4621226879." Jungeun replied.

"What?" Jinsoul's brows furrowed adorably, Jungeun giggles.

"Come on silly."

Jinsoul tilted her head in confusion before perking up like a puppy. "Oh oh! Wait," She whips her phone out and Jungeun repeats herself. "Damn I really didn't get it the first time." She shook her head, seeming disappointed with herself.

"Hehehe," Jungeun pats her cheek. "Thank you for tonight, it was a very meaningful time." She was sincere. "I'll see you next time?" 

Jinsoul grinned in a...handsome way, was how Jungeun could best describe it. Not too gleeful, but cool and charming. "I'll see you round Jungie." 

They both bid their goodbyes, heart lighter then when they first stepped out of the house. Who knows what tomorrow will bring them?

~

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!!