“Yoona…” Mrs. Park approached the girl, who was seated at the dining table, seemingly immersed in a pile of books.

“Yes?” The girl’s head shot up at once as she capped her pen.

“It’d do you some good if you took a break from those books… here, have some tea.” The older lady set a steaming hot mug of liquid in front of the girl.

“Thank you, Mrs. Park.” Yoona managed a quick smile before diverting her attention back to her books once again. After several seconds, she realized that Mrs. Park had not left.

“Is there something else?” Yoona looked up once more.

“Hmm… I’m just trying to understand the situation here so don’t get me wrong… did something happen between you and Miss Jung? I noticed the both of you didn’t leave home together this morning…” The lady wore an apprehensive expression as she spoke, afraid she might stir more trouble instead of helping.

“I don’t even know… I’m pretty flustered myself… things aren’t supposed to be like this. It was just a tiny matter but I think I blew it up. Maybe it’s all this stress from school, I don’t know.” The poor girl looked as though she was on the verge of tears and Mrs. Park regretted she even brought the matter up in the first place.

“Don’t worry, my dear girl. Things will be fine. It’s perfectly normal for two people to quarrel now and then.” Mrs. Park hurried back into the kitchen as soon as she finished her sentence, not wanting to rub it in.

Yoona sat in silence for a few moments, carefully contemplating the entire issue. Perhaps she had been a little too selfish, always thinking only about herself. Something in her told her she needed to clean up her own mess, and she decided upon apologizing to Jessica as soon as the girl got home.

It was a timely decision because as soon as she wrapped up her thoughts, the main door creaked open and Jessica stepped through it. Much to Yoona’s dismay, the girl didn’t look too happy.

“Why did you do that?” Jessica questioned as soon as she got her shoes off.

“Me?” Yoona gestured towards herself immediately.

“Do you know how upset she is over what you said?” Jessica made her way towards the table and set her bag down abruptly.

Yoona finally caught on after a few seconds. Of course. She wouldn’t expect to get away so easily after the confrontation with Taeyeon. Jessica’s sudden accusation aroused some sort of frustration in her, and the apology that was supposed to happen was unfortunately postponed.

“You’re siding with her now?” Yoona scoffed. She hated how she was getting all defensive and stuff but this was ridiculous. She really did not want another argument over some unimportant third party.

“I just want us to talk things out calmly. There’s no essence in being childish over this.”

“Okay, so now I’m childish? I very much want us to have a peaceful discussion as well but I can’t bring myself to do it when you already know which side you’re on. I’d lose anyway.” The taller girl slammed her pen onto the table and started to amass her materials.

“Yoona, I’m not taking sides. I just want a resolution. I don’t want us to keep fighting over this.” Jessica did her best to contain her indignation. Sometimes she felt as though she couldn’t get through to this girl at all because whatever she said would be turned against her. Furthermore, Yoona’s behavior was really beginning to tire her out.

“She told me she has feelings for you! She’s trying to get close to you! Doesn’t all this matter to you at all? Okay, maybe it doesn’t because you feel the same way. Maybe I’m the idiotic one trying to get between the both of you.” The girl stopped packing momentarily.

“What are you talking about? I’m trying too, you know. But you need to get past all those insecurities you have lodged so deeply inside you and learn how to have some faith in me.”

“How can I when all I see is you being so chummy with her?”

“That’s because you’re choosing to see things that way. I’m here trying so hard to explain things to you and yet you’re still being so unreasonable.” Jessica took a moment to look away and to take a breath.

“Fine. I’m the unreasonable one. I’m the one at fault and I’m to blame for everything that happened. Perhaps I shouldn’t have allowed the both of us to become so close. I knew this would happen. Perhaps you’d be happier if I moved out.” Yoona grabbed her stuff and was about to go off but Jessica blocked her from taking a step further.

“I can’t believe you’re saying all this. Are you saying whatever we share is a mistake? Is that really what you have been thinking all along?”

“I don’t know.” Yoona pushed past the girl, unable to handle the pressure of the situation.

“Hasn’t anybody ever told you that you shouldn’t keep walking away from your problems? Because honestly, you’re wearing me out by walking away like that all the time.” Jessica raised her voice eventually and the taller girl paused in her tracks.

When Yoona eventually turned around, Jessica was taken aback to find streaks of tears already running down her cheeks. She wanted to take back those words she said so badly but what was done was already done.

“I had nobody okay? I thought things changed when we met but I guess I was wrong. Sorry for causing you any pain or hurt. I’ll leave now.”

-----

“Shh… it’s okay, Yoongie… it’s okay… she didn’t know…” A doleful Yuri pulled her best friend as close as she could and gently patted her back. She felt a heavy tugging in her own chest as the girl sobbed uncontrollably in her arms. The girl was quivering with each sob. Yuri had never seen her so torn up before.

They sat in the park and Yuri held the girl for more than an hour before she was finally able to settle down. Her hair was slightly tousled, her eyes were all red and puffy from the excessive crying, and she looked depressed as ever.

“Yoongie, do you wanna talk about it? Or should we just forget it?” Yuri began softly.

“Yul, have you ever been afraid in your life?”

“Hm? Afraid? Of course I have. Everybody has.” Yuri answered accordingly. She was relieved that Yoona was in the mood to talk things out but slightly unsure about what she was trying to get at.

“I’ve been alone all my life as you know but I never really knew how it felt to be really fearful; fearful of losing somebody because there never was somebody to begin with.” Yoona stopped to blow her nose into a tissue.

“Go on…” Yuri prompted, draping her arm over the girl’s shoulder endearingly.

“I never even dared to feel happy. I was too accustomed to being on my own, and being miserable. I didn’t want to get used to feeling blissful because I’m afraid of losing it all one day. But she was just different. So different than the rest of the people I knew. I unknowin