"Love hurts me again

Love makes me cry again
Love leaves me, 
telling me to forget all the loved memories"

[Ga Eul]

I glance at the two persons sitting across the table from me.

Jan Di was stirring her coffee absent-mindedly, while muttering something incoherent under her breath while Ji Hoo was looking down on the ground, as if contemplating something.

I had asked both of them a question, thrice, but it seems that both of their minds were somewhere else.

I sigh as I look back at the menu on my hand.

‘Chocolate cake, coffee cake and… strawberry shortcake.’ I read the menu in my mind mentally, trying to decide what to order for everyone.

Strawberry shortcake.

[Flashback]

“Um, Oppa, what are you doing?” Gaeul asked as she turned around in the sofa she was sitting on, to look at her favorite man moving around in the kitchen.

“Making something to eat.”, came the reply as he turned towards the cupboard, his back to her.

“Of course I know that, pabo, but what is the dish you’re making?” Gaeul turned back to flipping the magazine in her hand.

“Guess.”

“Hmm… ... your favorite egg rolls?” She asked, trying her luck and turned back again to check his response.

He shook his head as a smile crept on his face.

“It’s your favorite strawberry shortcake, silly girl” He said as he walked towards her and her nose with his finger then walked back towards the kitchen.

“Hey! You have whipped cream on your hand, you pabo!” she shouted as she threw a pillow at his head.

“Hey! That hurt!” He said, feigning pain, as he rubbed his head, “stop abusing me or I will eat the entire strawberry shortcake by myself!”

“No! You’d better not! Or else!” She tried to threaten him to make sure she got a piece of her favorite strawberry shortcake.

“Or else what? Or else what? Or else you will break up with me?” He chuckled. “You won’t bear to, no one else would make your favorite kind of strawberry shortcake then!” he joked.

[End of Flashback]

[Ga Eul]

I felt my eyes starting to burn as the tears started swelling up, I had to keep blinking to avoid breaking down in front of my best friends and the waitress, who had been waiting for my order while the other two were still in their own daze.

“How about a piece of strawberry shortcake, Miss? It’s our store specialty.” The waitress recommended.

I couldn't help it anymore, the floodgates opened, and my tears streamed down uncontrollably. I tried to controlled my sobs but it seems like my sobs woke my best friends up from their daze, as the waitress looked on shocked, not knowing what to do.

Ji Hoo calmly dismissed the waitress as Jan Di got extremely shook up at my outburst as I bent over, covering my mouth with my hand.

I shouldn’t be like this.

I have already grown up since my previous break-up, why am I still reacting the same way?

Crying, should be meant for little kids and babies.

Not for me.

I don’t want to be a weakling anymore… don’t want to be hurt by guys anymore.

[Ji Hoo]

My eyes widened when I was awoken from my daze by the sobs coming from the petite girl sitting across me.

Ga Eul was crying….

In all the time I was “dating” her, I haven’t seen her cry before. And I thought she was strong, to be able to put Yi Jung behind her.

And here, she was sobbing so hard, that I even wondered if she was in some serious physical pain.

I watched as Jan Di patted her on the back and said various comforting words as Ga Eul struggled to stop crying.

It was painful, watching her.

It was painful watching her cry.

But what was more painful, was her, struggling to stop crying.

Babies, all fight to cry, when they come into this world.

It is our cries that helped us to live.

When people are desperate, they cry too, they cry for help.

To me, crying is a means of survival.

To me, it is not a sign of the weak; it is a tool to help people survive.

To help us through our most difficult time.

If we can’t cry; we will never survive.

In fact, I admire the abilities of those who can cry so openly, those who can cry to let others know they need help.

It is something I always have trouble with…

Expressing myself was just not something I do well.

And now, all I can do is watch her cry.

It made me realize that, I must be the real weakling.

For I cannot even cry, to ease myself of the pain, of watching my best friends hurt.

End of Chapter 7

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A/N: I wonder... how many agree with Ga Eul, that crying is only meant for little kids and babies? And how many agree with Ji Hoo, that crying is not a sign of the weak? (: Do let me know your opinions, I am curious :D Thank you!