After her outburst in the restrooms Sumin had been quiet for a long time, her tears having dried up as she only kept staring at the closed door. Jayun pats her head once again as she tries to tell the girl that they should get outside as she has to return back to work but Sumin only clings onto her side even more, hugging Jayun's arm as she rests her head more on Jayun's shoulder.

Soon enough, uncle Ben texts Jayun that he wants to tell her something important so Sumin has to let go of Jayun's arms which of course makes the girl sulky and pouting nonstop. Jayun unlocks the door and opens the door only briefly so she would talk with uncle Ben in peace and then get back inside the restrooms to get Sumin.

"Sieun is outside." Sumin's ears perk up at the mention of the name, raising her head and staring at her uncle, feeling extremely nervous at his words. His eyes land on Sumin and from the hard look he gives Sumin, Sumin can tell Sieun has talked to him about everything. Jayun also gives her a glance and Sumin lowers her head, feeling guilty for some odd reason.

"I can't let Sumin near her."

"I didn't say that." Uncle Ben says.

"She passed by because she needed my advice on something." Jayun nods her head slowly.

"About Sumin, Jayun. She asked me what she should do with Sumin." He says, clearly, when he realizes Jayun isn't following, his eyes looking at Jayun seriously before they land back on Sumin giving the girl a glare.

"Oh! Well, I only got to know what happened just now. Have you told her anything? I've been thinking about it too ever since Sumin told me." Uncle Ben sighs before he speaks up.

"I was hoping you would have figured out something. Or that we could, together." He scratches the back of his neck before he continues.

"I'm not the best at these situations. But knowing them both, they're stubborn and strong headed and being around each other right now would only hurt them more. So I told Sieun to take some time away from her. She seemed to agree with it and has already texted Chaeyoung. We're waiting for her response. If Chaeyoung can't have Sieun over because of the lack of space do you think you can get her?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah sure. Though I was thinking of getting Sumin over for a couple of days. She looks... a little out of it." Uncle Ben glares at Sumin as Jayun looks towards her too, but doesn't say anything.

"Why do you seem mad at her? Has Sieun told you the worst about her? Has she Sieun? She didn't tell me such a thing!" Jayun can't help but ask what has been on both her and Sumin's mind though Sumin isn't that curious to know. She's sure her uncle wants to kill her just simply because she's hurt Sieun without needing any other solid reason or more details about it.

"Jayun. If she's done such a thing I wouldn't have let her live." Uncle Ben says as he glares at Sumin. Sumin isn't sure if his attitude now is better than killing her instead. She makes up her mind; maybe it's worse.

"Uncle Ben?" Sieun's voice is heard, faintly but surely from somewhere outside close to the counter and Sumin immediately flinches, her whole body heating up. She quickly mentions for Jayun to shut the door, shaking her hands in terror and nervousness, not wanting Sieun to see her at all.

"Yeah? I'm coming." He says before he nods towards Jayun whispering,

"Take care of Sumin." and with that Jayun closes the door again.

After that incident Sumin refuses to get out of the restrooms for hours even if Jayun has told her plenty of times that Sieun isn't outside anymore and has left hours ago. It takes them a long while until Jayun convinces Sumin to get out of the restrooms, having washed up her face and looking more presentable and less puffy by now. Then she sends her off to hers and Seeun's apartment, claiming that she needs to take care of her for a couple of days as she totally doesn't trust Sumin alone at home and with that... a long and tiring week with Sumin and Sieun being separated and not seeing each other at all starts...

*

The moment Sumin has left the apartment in a rush Sieun was left alone behind, crying her pain in her room, feeling emptier than ever, feeling used and heartbroken. She ditched college which is something she never does and she knows she will have to face the consequences of her reckless actions later on but she really needed some time to cry her pain alone at home. Hours pass by with her miserably crying in her room until it feels too much to even do that. Crying alone in pain in the same room she's made love with Sumin the night before hurts way too much. It hurts too much thinking of everything Sumin did to her, thinning of Sumin, of her lips on top of Sieun's, of her hands holding her, of her tender touch. Everything just hurts too much now...

She can't be here anymore. Her room is suffocating, her in it and in her own pain. She has to get out of there. But she has no one to run for comfort. Chaeyoung and Yeeun are at college ⏤where she should normally be too⏤ Seeun and Jayun are at work which leaves Sieun alone. Then again, there's one person that comes to her mind, one person that could help her feel better and would give her nice advice, one person that could help her out with Sumin too.

She doesn't mean to pass by Sumin's cafeteria and look like a creep or like a possessive friend. She doesn't want to see Sumin after what has happened between them anyway. She can't be around the girl's place cafeteria either as the place itself reminds her of Sumin so it hurts too much being there and the possibility of bumping into Sumin somewhere is very high. Yet again Sieun has to see Sumin's uncle no matter what. She already prepares herself to act all cold once she sees Sumin, preparing her cold and harsh comments aimed at her so once she enters the cafeteria and the bell rings above the door, her eyes immediately land by the counter, wherein Sumin usually is, basically glaring at the spot she is supposed to be.

With the only difference being that the spot in front of the coffee machines that Sumin is usually placed in is empty as Sumin's post is replaced by Seeun instead, the girl smiling brightly at the last customer in front of the counter, waving at them goodbye as they walk away, coffee at hand and smile on their lips, totally satisfied to get their order right.

Sieun walks towards her, frowning upon not seeing Sumin instead, wondering where the heck the girl must have hid herself. She takes a seat in front of the counter, making sure to fix the hood on her head once again, totally not being in the mood. As soon as Seeun's eyes land on her her smile falters and fades away immediately before she asks,

"What are you doing here unnie?"

"What do you mean? Can't I get coffee? Or am I not allowed to be in here anymore? What has Sumin even told you?" Sieun says, sounding defensive. Seeun shakes her head immediately.

"No no! You got it wrong! I'm not on Sumin's side if that's what you think! I'm on no one's side because I don't want to get involved in your guys' mess, alright? Leave me out of this. Please!" Sieun sighs as she places her arms on the counter, lowering her head a little, literally mopping and sulking on her seat, feeling at her worst.

"Sorry for bursting out on you." Sieun apologizes immediately, feeling bad for treating Seeun that way just because she's mad at Sumin.

"Apology accepted." Seeun says with a cheeky smile before she says,

"I suggest a warm caramel cappuccino for you today. It will calm down your nerves, hm?" Sieun nods her head, allowing Seeun to take care of her a little even if she's older than the girl and should be the one taking care of her instead.

"Where's uncle Ben?" She asks then.

"Over there." Seeun says as she points at a table behind them.

"I want to talk to him." Seeun nods her head and mentions for uncle Ben to come towards the counter once he's done gathering the empty mugs from the now empty table on his tray.

"What is it? Oh, Sieun! I didn't realize it was you for a second there. You don't usually hide in hoodies." Sieun forces a small smile and with that uncle Ben frowns as he places the tray on the counter and sits down next to Sieun.

"You don't look ok. Is everything alright?" Sieun takes a deep breath and sighs heavily before she shakes her head.

"No. No it's not alright." She mumbles weakly, her eyes almost getting watery just by remembering last night's events as well as Sumin's odd behavior earlier this morning.

"Are you sick?" He asks as he places his palm on her forehead before his eyes widen a little.

"Have you caught a cold? You're warmer." Sieun shakes her head before she mumbles,

"Wouldn't be surprising if I end up getting sick at some point." He looks at her confused but Sieun is struggling to tell him. Fortunately for her, he starts the topic, but unfortunately for her he gets immediately into the point, reminding Sieun a little too much of her pain.

"Who did this to you? Is this what's troubling you? Are they somebody that I know of?" He asks as he points at Sieun's neck. Sieun's body heats up even more as her muscles feel sore and ache, her anxiety rising up sharply as her hands immediately come to hide her neck in a defensive mode. She fixes her hair on her neck before she fixes her hood over her head and neck even more, making sure nothing is visible before she lets out a short, dry,

"Sumin."

At that, uncle Ben pauses as he looks at Sieun, shocked and serious as well.

"How? Weren't you two friends now?" Sieun takes a deep breath in, having a hard time explaining this but she has to, if she wants to find out a solution or know more about Sumin, if Sumin is hiding something or understand Sumin's actions at least since Sumin herself isn't good to talk to her about it.

"We are. Were. I'm not sure."

"You aren't sure if you're friends?"

"We were until yesterday at least. Now I guess she doesn't want to be anything to me." Sieun mumbles.

"Has she said so?" Sieun shakes her head.

"That's the problem. She doesn't say anything. She obviously acted like she regretted it when she woke up today but never said anything about it no matter how I asked her." Sieun explains, feeling already too mentally exhausted. Seeun walks closer towards them as she lets down the mug of warm caramel cappuccino that she's made to Sieun who thanks her softly as she takes a sip, totally needing the warm liquid to calm down her nerves and warm up her broken heart.

"Did she say anything last night?" Sieun tries to recall, trying her hardest not to cry at the memory of their heated moment that they've shared before she shakes her head. Sumin totally hasn't.

"What do you think about this?" Uncle Ben asks Sieun, wanting to know her thoughts too before he tries explaining Sumin's perspective without knowing how the girl feels of course but only guessing based on the knowledge he has on Sumin because he's her uncle.

"I believe that she used me. Or so she acts at least. Like friends with benefits and such. She was so warm with me last night, she was doing most things it's not like I pressured her or led the situation! But now she acts as if it was a mistake. What could it possibly be if she didn't use me? What is it supposed to mean? Do people just do it just because and then take it back? Because to me it was totally not that! To me it was love and... and I thought she loved me too for a second there. But I was wrong. I couldn't be more wrong actually." Uncle Ben sighs heavily as he looks deep in his thoughts upon hearing Sieun's side of the story and thoughts.

"I haven't talked to Sumin about it. So I don't know how she feels in order to give you a hint or help you out on what to do. She's not somebody to use others though that's for sure. Even when Ryujin told her she was fine with being used, Sumin still couldn't do it. So I highly doubt she used you. Can't tell what she felt or had on her mind though. She possibly regretted it though because she cherishes this friendship between you two a lot and is afraid of losing you. I'm sure she believes that this thing between you two threatens to ruin your friendship so that's why she's acting like it was a mistake that you both need to forget and moves on and acts as if nothing happened. Give her some time. And give yourself some time too. Maybe it's not the right time to get explanations from her now. But once you both decided it's time you talk, I suggest you tell everything to each other and stop holding back things. That way you'll clear things up more and be able to settle a better friendship with a lot of trust." Uncle Ben explains and Sieun slowly nods her head, deep in her thoughts. She surely needs her time away from Sumin. Even the mention of Sumin's name inside her head makes Sieun's heart ache as she thinks of last night's events and gets all depressed again. Moreover anything else related to Sumin makes Sieun a devastated mess. She needs her time away from Sumin which means...

Not staying with Sumin anymore or else she would have to face her all the time...

"I'll text Chaeyoung. I need to stay with her for a couple of days. I surely can't see Sumin right now or else..." Sieun says weakly at the end, her eyes getting filled with tears that threaten to fall. She doesn't let them slip though as she blinks hard to push them away.

"Yeah, do that. It would be nice not to be around her for a while but also to change your surroundings too. That way you will remember her less and feel less hurt." Sieun hums in agreement as she texts Chaeyoung who later on explains that she was inside the classroom having a lesson so she obviously couldn't text. She then texted Sieun that she would of course accept her at her place and would pass by later on to help her get her things.

Sieun doesn't see Sumin around the cafeteria at all for the little while that she's there and even though she badly wants to know where the girl is, she never asks anyone about her, not wanting to please her feelings but reminding herself and her own feelings instead that Sumin is the one who hurt her so she should stop caring about her already.

*

"So you and Sumin unnie? It feels odd. I didn't think you would get there this soon?" Yeeun asks Sieun as she hands the girl a glass of water and plops herself down on the couch next to Chaeyoung.

"It just happened. It was in the heat of the moment. But I always loved her and always wanted it. I don't know about her side though." Sieun says as she thanks Yeeun and sips some of the water. She then places it on the mini table before she lays down on the couch, her head on Chaeyoung's lap as she takes a few deep breaths, not wanting to cry again. All she's been doing all day is crying. She cried when Sumin left, she cried later on in Chaeyoung's car, she cried back at the apartment when Chaeyoung helped her pick up her things and she surely cried at the girls' apartment too when they've finally reached it.

"Yeah but... it's weird. You guys haven't even been the lovey dovey type. She doesn't like skinship and you haven't even confessed or went on a proper date. Plus thinking about you two doing it so out of the blue like how it happened feels weird. You guys always seem like the bickering type of friends, just like mom and dad. Can't imagine you doing anything more than just that." Yeeun explains, scratching the back of her head a little confused. Chaeyoung turns to look at her girlfriend, smiling softly at her cute confused expressions and adoring her once again for remaining so innocent still.

"Mom and dad also love each other romantically though. And surely did it to or else you wouldn't have been born, dummy." Chaeyoung tells her softly, a soft, light giggle following right after as she notices Yeeun frowning before she scoffs and slaps in shock immediately.

"Unnie! Don't make me think like that about my parents!" Chaeyoung shakes her head softly as she turns to look at Sieun on her thighs, her hands immediately coming into contact with Sieun's head, her nails caressing Sieun's scalp softly, brushing her hair and calming down the girl's nerves.

"I could see that happening. Maybe not now if I have to be honest. But back in high school, even if no one has confirmed it and none of you ever said a thing I always had in the back of my head the possibility of you two liking each other. Or one of you. But if there was anyone that ever wanted that to happen that surely used to be Sumin. At least that's what I used to think. She was the type of girl that liked all that hot stuff, you know. I was surprised to find out she hadn't had her first time by the end of high school. Still surprised she hasn't until you come back around." Chaeyoung explains, her observant side having noted both their personalities for a long time.

Unlike Sumin who doesn't share anything with their friends and keeps everything to herself, Sieun is the exact opposite. Maybe back then she also hadn't said a thing about Sumin because she was afraid and uncertain and there were other things going on too. But ever since she came back —or actually even before she came back— the girls knew every detail about Sieun's huge, hilarious crush on Sumin and had witnessed it first hand as she's been grumbling nonstop about Sumin and how annoying or weird or tough she has been with her. Then again that's also why everyone kept pushing Sumin to Sieun in every situation and in any way possible as they all knew Sieun's feelings towards her. They were just trying to help and Sieun has always been glad about that.

"So? How was it? How was she?" Chaeyoung asks and Yeeun gasps before she nudges her girlfriend.

"Hey, you shouldn't be asking her that question! Especially now that she's heartbroken!" She tries to reason with Chaeyoung who shrugs her shoulders before she says,

"I also share everything about our , Yeeun. The girls already know. And they tell me as well. So why not hear Sieun's side too?"

"YOU WHAT!?" Yeeun gasps surprised.

"Don't tell me you haven't told the girls either cause that has to be a lie." Chaeyoung tells Yeeun with a knowing smirk and smiles even more when she sees Yeeun smiling shyly as she lowers her head and rubs her hands on her knees.

"So?" Chaeyoung asks Sieun again and Yeeun perks up at that, also expecting an answer from Sieun who smiles faintly and shyly, for a second forgetting about her pain and focusing on that beautiful moment, that indeed caused her pain later on though...

"She did most things. And lead the situation overall. You were right to believe that. The way she kissed me was like... like she owned me. Like as if I was hers. Like as if she wanted me. The way she touched me... it was slow, hesitant at first but then her movements became sure, her touch wasn't hesitant anymore. She was touching me like she wanted it, like she yearned for it, like as if she always wanted it but has always kept herself from doing so. It was the first time she was touching me this much , after such a long time and in places that she's never had before, so it was pretty foreign for the both of us. The way she hugged me, the way she would pull me closer, the way she would hold me, kiss me..." Sieun pauses a little as she tries thinking of how to express how she felt during that moment the night before.

"Her actions... I thought she wanted me. I felt it. I'm sure I did. I'm sure I felt the desire, the longing, the need to have me just as much as I felt it. The need to touch me, to kiss me. I'm sure I felt it." Sieun explains as she changes her lying position to a sitting one, facing her two friends, her cheeks already having turned slightly pink at the mention of last night's events as well as just by thinking about them. She's not one to get on full details like how Seeun and Jayun usually do, nor blatant like Chaeyoung usually is but not too shy as Yeeun is either. She wonders how Sumin is when she talks about this, if she talks about it at least, but knowing her friend she either doesn't talk about it or is too blatant just like Chaeyoung.

"So how many times did you do it?" Chaeyoung asks. Sieun smiles shyly, copying Yeeun's shyness from earlier as she looks at her feet.

"Five in total. She was on top most of the time and... thinking about it now, she had way too much stamina. I-i... suppose she really wanted it. Or so I felt. She... uhm... made me reach my high thrice while I did twice..." Sieun says shyly, her cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red. The two girls cheer a little, totally loving to hear Sieun's love life, making the girl smile even more for a couple of seconds before reality hits her. Her smile fades away immediately.

"I felt it. I felt her want, I felt her love. Or was I always alone in this? Could she possibly just did it just because? Why with me? And how? How could she do this to me? Could it ever possibly be just good for her? Because to me... it totally wasn't..." Sieun says, mumbling weakly the last part as her eyes get filled with tears again, not being able to bear the mere thought that Sumin never felt anything towards her.

Chaeyoung shrugs her shoulders as both her and Yeeun lower their heads, looking sad at Sieun's sadness. Chaeyoung hugs Sieun again who rests her head on her lap once again, sighs heavily and lets the tears roll down her cheeks slowly.

"I've always felt it. I've always felt that she loved me more than friends do. But it could never be sure. Just like how you've always had it at the back of your head the same goes for me. Even if I was her best friend and could read her perfectly I still couldn't tell if she looked at me and felt romantic love towards me or if she just looked at me the friendly way. I could just never be sure..." Sieun trails off melancholically as she gets deep into her thoughts, thoughts related to her past as she shares them with the two girls, explaining her point of view, her feelings and overall how things used to have for her back in high school as she hasn't shared her feelings to them back then, or her thoughts, ir things that have happened back then overall...

*

4 years ago...

"What's taking you so long?" Sieun groans and Sumin's eyes wander from the board to Sieun's frame. Sieun's tiny body makes her look way shorter as she stands in front of the big whiteboard. Her straight long brown hair falling over her shoulders.

"I'm slow at writing. You mind?" The blomde between the two replies —though her roots are brown now and the blonde color in her hair has faded a lot as it's also reached the height of her ears at this point.

"Yes! I want to go home! Don't you?"

"I do. Then come write my notes for me." Sumin challenges Sieun and sticks out her tongue at the girl who gasps and groans, once again annoyed at Sumin's neverending playfulness.

"I'm not your slave Bae Sumin!"

"Then stay there and wait for hours." Sumin replies playfully and smirks to herself as she keeps writing down her notes at her own pace. Sieun sighs, frustrated. Sumin always enjoys teasing her, bickering with her and challenging her but most importantly annoying her. It seems like annoying Sieun is her personal source of happiness and reason she's living, at this point.

"Fineeee! Where is your notebook idiot?" Sieun grumbles, as she walks towards Sumin's desk. She sits down next to Sumin, takes her notebook and starts writing down the notes quickly.

"Hey! I want nice lettering in my notebook!" Sumin says in her own, cute, and teasing tone as she pouts and looks at Sieun before she blinks at her cutely. Sieun only groans as she glares at her before she says,

"You mean my lettering isn't pretty!?" Sumin giggles. She enjoys teasing Sieun way too much.

"I didn't say anything. You did." Sieun only groans, frustrated already as she shakes her head to herself and returns her attention back to writing down Sumin's notes. Sumin only stares at the girl or her lettering with a huge grin on her lips.

"There you go~ Idiot." Sieun says and tosses the notebook on Sumin's chest once she's done before she quickly stands up and walks up to the board to finally clear it. Sunin laughs and runs behind her, quickly grabbing a few chalks and starting to color the board, messing it up and ruining Sieun's work of cleaning it up. Sieun would clean it up and Sumin would color it back again, following Sieun from behind and messing up the spots Sieun would just clear up.

To Sieun, it really seems like a five-year old child is following her around. That's how Sumin looks right now. Childish. Sieun looks at her annoyed, but deep inside she can't help but smile at herself, her heart warming up as she stares at Sumin's huge playful grin that could easily be misunderstood from a mischievous one to an innocent one. Sumin looks adorable even when she's trying to get on Sieun's nerves. She looks loveable. She's just too easy to love and Sieun can't help but fall harder for her.

She's realized for a while now that she likes her annoying best friend whom she's known for a couple of years now. At first, it seemed odd. At first she even tried denying it or pushing it back. But that denying period didn't last long as her feelings would only get deeper and even though it's Sieun's very first time liking somebody, moreover a girl, she's pretty open and accepting about it. Accepting that she likes a girl wasn't even the hardest part.

The hardest part to accept was that it was Sumin out of all people. Who happens to be her best friend but most importantly who happens to be the complicated person that she is, acting all childish at times, annoying her at other times and at other times seeming so mature and flirty with other girls...

Maybe it helped Sieun to accept the fact that she liked a girl the, the fact that Sumin has always been open about liking girls in the first p