•Give• Jeongin Centric

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One year later

The sun reflected off of my phone screen as I looked at the time. 10:47 am. I was early but Ive always loved taking my time while I walk. It was warm, sunlight poured from above as I walked through the breezy street of my town. The melodic chirping of the birds and the hushed whispers of the people around me sent me into a place of tranquility. I missed walking this way.

I took the familiar path to the cozy Aroma cafe that i hadn't stepped into since... I don't even remember when. The small shops surrounding the area had a welcoming aura to anyone who passed, often convincing enough people to step foot into the shops and make a small purchase. Today I wasn't going to be one of those people.

I had a mission. That meant that I had to tackle one of my biggest fear foods and places. I want to prove to everyone- to myself, that I am me again. No more diets, no more avoiding foods, no more throwing up. I am me, again.

With those thoughts in mind I took the final right turn and was faced with what used to be my favorite cafe. I couldn't still say it was my favorite if I hadn't eaten there for months. I sniffed the air, and to my surprise there was still a lingering aroma of coffee even from outside of the cafe.

As I made my way closer to the door I was overwhelmed with emotions, this was my safe place. I ruined it for myself. I wonder what the outcome would've been if I had just been normal. If maybe I hadn't let everything get to me. If I had only just been willing to let someone else give for once.

It's over now. So I opened the door and felt myself relax, the inviting sage green themed interior enveloped my senses. I looked around, admiring the stark white flowers hanging around on the walls above. Everything was cozy and I felt at peace. Compared to the last time I was here I knew this would be an experience to remember for a lifetime.

I smiled softly to myself, I wanted to cherish these kinds of moments forever. The faint music from the cafe speakers made me happy and the atmosphere hadn't changed since a year ago. I relaxed and made my way to the larger booth in the corner of the cafe, it was the only table that would be able to hold all of us. Being early mean that I had some extra time to kill, as always. Ive never tried to be late to things, I like having the extra time to myself.

I hummed softly, remembering that I had my journal, the journal, with me to write in. It had been a while since I even spared it a glance, let alone wrote in it. I thought that by abandoning the journal I was saying goodbye to the old me, and was officially turning the page onto a new chapter of my life. Honestly I would say that my strategy worked, I bought myself a new journal and wrote in that one instead. My therapist had always said that writing was the one thing that I had done right during that time. She told me it was my way of coping, I wrote as much as I could to create a tangible manifestation of my emotional turmoil, I'm grateful.

Slowly I opened my bag, searching through its contents for the journal. After finally finding it I took it out and flipped through its pages, feeling the texture of the paper beneath my fingertips. Each page held memories, emotions, and struggles that I had faced and gotten over. As I brought the pen to the blank page, I felt a sense of empowerment wash over me. This journal wasn't just a record of my past, but a testament to how I had grown as a person in the span of just one year.