“Nothing lasts forever. The pain won't last. The pain tells you it will last. Pain lies. Ignore it."

- Matt Haig

In the daylight she does not pick up her phone. It takes Myungsoo a while to get a hold of Krystal after last night's incident and he has countless recurring day dreams of how his almost-confession should have gone. She does not see the world through rose coloured glasses - he knows this. How could I be so stupid? He thinks to himself and his hand - another extremity he does not have control over - slams down the phone onto his bed. Myungsoo crouches down beside his bed and hangs his head between his knees. How did I not let her go?

*

The night before she left him they are sprawled out in the ever-growing library of the Jung residence. They are lying down on the floor juxtaposed with the books around them, eating chicken nuggets in a comfortable silence. Myungsoo is beginning to acquire some kind of fondness for Krystal’s short hair as it does wonders to his heart when he combs his slender fingers through it. Although he prefers long wavy hair, he takes into consideration Sulli’s words; ideals are just ideals.

His hand moves up her arm, he's got his eyes on her, and she does not know what to do. He leans in and gently kisses her on the forehead, slowly his lips move down to brush her left cheek then press against her slightly trembling upper lip, his hand entangles in her hair and hers are planted steadily on the floor. He pauses momentarily, his hot breath and hers making both their cheeks flush a discernible shade of pink. His boyish half-smile appears at the sight of Krystal’s half-lidded eyes and parted lips.

He softly bites her lower lip, careful enough not to let it bleed. He never wants her to feel pain again. But she breaks away from the kiss, turns away and wanders off into her kitchen. He sits there, cheeks still flushed.  The repercussions of his actions do not come to him until she wanders back and stares at him with a kind of intensity that puts him on edge. The regretful expression on Krystal’s face is plainly written and he looks pitiful as he looks up at her in hope that she will speak. His face saddens because he know perfectly well where things will go from here.

She is shutting him out alongside selective memories of her past.  It is quite clear that she will continue to drift apart from various nuances of her life, himself included. Yet, there is an unbearable lightness to how she presents her agenda. He leaves without a word and she does not bother to break the silence as they part. Krystal immediately feels at ease with his departure and exhales a sigh of content. 

*

Krystal stands in her kitchen, humming to the tune of Young Blood by The And The Famous. She is boiling spaghetti and for some odd reason the song's lyrics are really hitting her heart today. At one point she belts out, "The bittersweet betweet my teeth, trying to find the in-betweens, fall back in love eventually, YEAH-YEAH-YEAH-YEAH!!!" Her feet stomp the ground and she nearly bangs her head on the counter trying to swing her head to the beat. She laughs at herself, Sica often reminds her to do that every now and then.

Surround yourself with good souls, that's all you need in life - that and plenty of sleep.

She makes a mental note to call her up her big sister to inquire about her day genuinely and without any snarky comments. Eventually she will come back home and they will camp just outside the fridge like they always do during summer, leaving the fridge open so the cool air to soothe their burning skin and aching hearts.

Author's ramble: please don’t kick me for ending it there. I actually don’t know what to do and I would write pretty ty (haha unintended oxymoron right thurr) tbh. Also, as I have mentioned in my previous fanfics, I am not quite fond of happy endings - most of the time. :)) I also can and cannot believe it took me 8 months to finish this. jesus christ.

Anywho, thank you for reading, ya lovely human beings!!