(A/N: original title was: "恋人 たち; 넌 항상 내 마음으로가는 길을 알고은" but that's WAY too long T^T.. also- yahhh wooooo finally a long chapter from your fav author!! relax, i'm joking 😂🥲🥲🥲)
"Are you going to order, ma'am?"
Soyeon swallowed, gazing at the all-english menu above her as she tried to find at least one word she recognized. She didn't understand the person in front of her, behind the counter, but, judging by his tapping foot, she could guess that he wanted her to hurry up.
"I'll have the seven, without whipped cream please," she said, pleased that she had at least said the number seven in English. She just hoped that this guy understood her.
"Uh, one number seven, right?"
Number one? Soyeon pinched the bridge of her nose. "No, no, seven."
The person behind the counter nodded, disappearing for a few moments before coming back with her coffee. She paid, and thanked him with a small sigh. She shouldn't be struggling so much to just order a coffee. She shouldn't be here, in the United States. But she was.
Soyeon had been away for weeks. Never contacted anyone, just kept to herself. No one even knew that she had left Korea. After Soojin's case... she just needed a break. Seeing her team so sad only made her cry harder at night, and she couldn't burden those around her any longer with her unhealthy cycle of grief.
She exited the coffee shop, sighing at the sight of the whipped cream at the top of her cup when she asked for none. Oh, they didn't even get my order right! She thinks after tasting it. Or maybe American coffee just tasted like this. So bitter. Soyeon hates bitter coffee.
She throws the foul drink in a nearby trash can and crosses the street without looking both ways. Barely anyone was out right now, so early. Which is why she panicked when strong arms behind her secured themselves around her torso.
"Who the fuck–"
"I missed you." Soyeon's breath hitched as she recognized the husky voice. "I've been looking for you everywhere." Yuqi buries her face in Soyeon's neck, the younger's whole body trembling.
"Well, I didn't want to be found," Soyeon mumbled, the bitter taste in her mouth slowly fading the longer Yuqi's hot face pressed against her cold neck.
"But we're a team," Yuqi said, struggling to keep the tears inside of her body.
Soyeon clenched her fists, getting reminded of why she left Korea temporarily in the first place. "We're not a team any-fucking-more! Soojin—"
Yuqi intertwined their fingers and turned Soyeon around to face her, not at all fazed by the older's harsh language. "I meant us. Me and you. We're a team." Yuqi gave her hand a gentle squeeze, resisting the urge to kiss the Korean's knuckles to calm her down.
"I'm sorry for yelling... I- how did you even find me?"
"I'm smarter than you think," Yuqi smiled softly. Soyeon took a step in, pressing their foreheads together, chuckling to herself lightly to prevent herself from losing her composure. Yuqi knows this.
"You don't have to hide... Grief shouldn't be as lonely as you want it to be, Soyeon." A tear slid down Yuqi's cheek, gliding down to her chin as she felt Soyeon break down in front of her.
"I know," Soyeon shut her eyes, allowing a sob to wrack her skinny body. She hadn't eaten properly ever since the scandal started.
Yuqi knows this too. But she also knows that she needs to care for Soyeon's mentality before the older will let her touch her health. So she held her. On the sidewalk somewhere in the States, far away from Cube, Shin-ae, Korea, everything.
