Winter Flame [Book 4] | Pentagon ✔

Chapter 5

"If he really loved you, he would be proud of you no matter how small or how big your achievement is."

"Well, I guess he didn't really love me at all. I mean, who am I, right? Just a girl he met in a comedy bar. I live in a cramped apartment. I'm barely managing to continue my studies. I let us break up because I think he deserves better."

"You say goodbye to someone you love especially when you know they are better off without you." He said and my eyes widened in astonishment upon hearing my own words coming out of his mouth.

"You remember that?" I asked.

He smiled just a little. "Yeah, the things you said to me, they come back in my head from time to time. That's why I wanted to thank youㅡfor everything you've done. We're all worth something, you know? And just because that person couldn't see your worth, doesn't mean you worth less than you really are."

I gave him a quick glance then back at the streets, hiding a smile. "I could say the same thing for you."

"Hey, do you want some warm waffles? We're near by a place I know." He said excitedly. I wonder how is he so full of life right now when just the night before he looked so broken.

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[[ CHANGGU ]]

It's when someone I'm with is feeling sad or down, that I start to act like a complete happy pill even though I'm not so happy myself. I've just been this way since forever. I thought I've changed since last summer when I went on a roadtrip with my friends. Freshly broken up. Fresh wounds. I almost couldn't bring myself to enjoy the memories we were making. But hearing the sadness in Jiyoo's voice and everything she'd done for me ever since we met brings back the old habit.

I led her to the waffle shop that Yanan loved. "I have a friend from China. Whenever he visits Korea, we would get waffles here almost every day." I told Jiyoo.

"Do you have friends all over the world too?" she asked playfully.

"I also have a friend from Japan. Actually, he's been staying here for a while now. We all met in high school. But from the rest of the world? Nah. My connection ends in China and Japan."

We ordered waffles. Jiyoo flooded covered hers with vanilla syrup.

"What did the syrup ever do to you?" I asked.

She grinned. "I have a sweet tooth."

I caught her stealing glances at me, so I asked, "What?"

Her cheeks heated up. "I don't know if I should ask you or not."

"What is it? Ask away. Since you're a bartender, I'll be an open book."

She chuckled, shaking her head until she turns serious. "This heartbreak of yours, since when did it happen?" She asked hesitantly. "You can dodge the question if you don't wanna talk about it."

I sliced the waffle and filled my mouth. "Last summer. About five months have gone, I think. But we only got to talk face-to-face about it yesterday."

"That explains why you passed out drunk again."

"Yeah," I said. "I don't usually drink more than I could take, but when I drink a lot, I forget for a while and my dreams become meaningless. When I'm sober, I keep thinking about her and even when I'm dreaming, she's there."