SPILL THE COFFEE | jeongsung ✔️

HAPPY AFTER ALL

   "Finally, I thought you were gonna be depressed forever!" "Yah! Innie, you should be nicer." The four broke out into silent laughter, happy the gloomy mood finally disappeared. It had been going on for weeks too long.

   Just ten days ago was their friend's funeral, he was pronounced dead on the 23rd of November, a date all his friends and family were sure to remember—especially Felix and Sihyeon, the passed's father. After all, he was the reason the boy even went out that night, that he cried and ended up killing himself.

   It was all his father's fault.

   Felix knew he couldn't have done anything against it in the end but he felt guilty to the bones. Had he just run after him, would things be different? Deciding to just stop thinking about it for now, he sighed away his pain and took Hyunjin's hand in his. "I wanna get ice cream."

"Dude it's fucking December."

★

   Seungmin opened his eyes, immediately blinded by the never-ending white he was surrounded with. But it wasn't actually white, his mind was just too clouded to make him see, anything that is.

   The boy rolled on his bed, all the thoughts being too much to even make out a singular one. Yet soon, he would realise what was going on—or should I say She?

. . .

   Aaliyah let her eyes flutter open, enjoying the warmth of her bed and the soft duvet hugging her body. She sighed lowly, enjoying the comfort a bit too much—knowing she had to stand up soon.

   The brunette looked up at the ceiling. . . something seemed off but she couldn't quite pinpoint what exactly it was, that seemed to bother her so much.

   Liyah decided to just ignore the feeling and sluggishly got up from bed, tying her curly hair into a not-so-well-done bun to keep the strands from poking her in the eye, as she did her morning routine.

   Bit by bit she fully woke up and only then, realisation hit him. He had killed himself yesterday, what was he doing in this girl's body? Panick rose over the boy as he stared in the mirror of this random girl's bathroom.

   He had taken not only his—but this girl's life as well. Oh how could this have happened, he cursed under his breath, he cursed himself out with every possible swear word that could get to his head. What had he done?

★

   The curly-haired girl walked through the streets of Daegu, feeling the cold, freezing wind hit her skin and making her shiver but she didn't mind. Somehow it brought comfort to her.

   Everything about this day felt like a fever dream, Seungmin still wasn't sure whether he was dreaming or if this was actually real but it didn't matter, because he was enjoying himself—or herself.

   Earlier that day he couldn't believe what he had done—and he still couldn't—but he managed to love this life, the life that wasn't his. Yet perhaps, the girl was only living to give him this life.

   Seungmin didn't want to be selfish but everything just seemed so perfectly fit for him, the dog he found at her house, the loving texts on the girl's phone from her mother—wishing her a good day and telling her she'd be coming over for Christmas. He loved it.

   He could only hope, this life was gifted to him and wouldn't brutally be taken away. Finally, he had some peace, he didn't want to lose it that soon.

   "Aaliyah?" A familiar voice echoed through the streets, yet Seungmin wasn't sure if he or she knew the girl calling out her name. Carefully, he turned around. "A-Aki?" He stuttered, he looked down at his body, which was so unfamiliar, and back up again, at what used to be his fake girlfriend.

   "Noona, what are you doing here?" The word left his mouth so casually, he didn't even realise what she had said. "Noona?" The girl opposite laughed, "Liyah girl, have you gotten enough sleep?"

   Right, Seungmin wasn't Seungmin anymore—he still needed to figure out how to deal with that—he was now Aaliyah, this gorgeous girl who seemed to be friends with Aki. "Anyway, I was just out on a stroll, about to grab myself some coffee. Wanna come with? We haven't talked in ages!"

   Aaliyah smiled brightly, letting his head fall down to hide away the ugly grin adoring his face—his insecurities still didn't leave him, even in this life. "I'd love to, I don't have any money on me though, so maybe some other time." "Oh don't worry girl! My treat."

   He really couldn't be happier.

★

   The girl couldn't believe her eyes as she walked into the unfamiliar café, behind the counter—which was littered with books and sweets—stood none other than Han, his best friend since kindergarten. Oh how much he hated leaving them behind, his friends.

   He wished he could just run up to the boy, engage him in his arms and apologise to him, over and over. Even if he was happier now, with the decisions he'd made, he couldn't believe how selfish he had been—just. . . leaving.

   "Hey, girls! Haven't seen you two here in a bit, how's it going?" Seungmin melted at the words, they knew him, her? A smile made its way onto her lips, and the girl behind him grinned too. "Yeah, I've been busy. Met Liyah on the way here, nice timing, right?"

   The girl nodded in response, just like the boy behind the counter who was already brewing the two regulars their usual order. A few more words were exchanged before Aaliyah and Aki went to sit down, at the table next to the door.

   "So, what have you been up to? Any plans for Christmas?" "Yeah actually, Mom's coming around again." Aaliyah smiled at the thought of seeing her mother again, her loving mother. "Man, I love your Mother! She really is the sweetest, do you think she'll make that delicious turkey again? It was the best thing I ate last year, by faaaar."

   Funnily, Aaliyah learned more and more about her life as she talked to Aki. The older girl somehow knew so much to talk about, leaving hints of Aaliyah's life—as if she knew, she wasn't really her.

   Time went on and the two had fallen silent, Jisung had already brought them their drinks and they were now quietly sipping on their cups. "You know Liyah, you really remind me of him.." Aki's voice was faint and quiet, the girl wasn't even sure if he heard the older correctly.

   "Who..?" She hesitantly asked, feeling the sadness of the girl opposite her through the air. "Minnie," Was all she said, before it got quiet again.

   Seungmin felt lost, lost in time and space, lost in this body that wasn't his. The day was lovely, cold yet lovely, and he couldn't get enough of it but something was starting to feel off. How he had met the raven by coincidence, how all his friends seemed to be here, in this girl's life, and how Aki seemed to know something.

   "I know it's almost been a year since he passed but I can't-" She kept rambling on and on, yet Seungmin didn't even bother to listen anymore. Almost A Year? What was that supposed to mean.. didn't this all, happen just yesterday?

   "S-" Just as Aaliyah was about to ask her what she had meant, or maybe what day it was, he turned his head abruptly to the right—startled by a loud bang, that brought back memories he wished he didn't remember.

. . .

   "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Minho!" Chan stood there in shock, his clothes splattered with coffee—and the boy's before him as well. He full-on just crashed into him, spilled his drink and sent him flying onto the floor. Way to go, Chan. What a great first impression, he told himself, as he helped his crush stand up.

a/n: ok maybe one more chapter