"Good afternoon! How are you?" I greet cheerfully as I enter the restaurant.
Jisoo is busy behind the counter, conversing with Francis near the coffee machine.
"Oh, hello there, Francis! It's a pleasant surprise to see you here today!" I attempt to sound genuine while secretly feeling immense joy whenever I step foot in this establishment, especially when accompanied by Jisoo.
"Hello Y/n! Please join us. We're discussing something that may pique your interest," Francis warmly invites me.
"Certainly! Hey there, Jisoo. Are you doing well?" With a smile directed at my friend, I can sense a tinge of sadness emanating from her.
"Yes Y/n...do you want a coffee?" she gently asks, her caring gaze not leaving my somewhat anxious eyes.
I nod silently, attempting to gauge the situation.
Neither of them speaks a word until Jisoo presents me with a cup of hot coffee.
"So Y/n, I've made the decision to leave this job and pursue my dream of opening my own establishment." Jisoo's words freeze me in an instant; it's hard for me to comprehend this news.
Happiness? Fear? Sadness? Anger?
"I understand that it may seem sudden, but there hasn't been another opportunity to discuss it"
A loud whistle pierces through my eardrums, making it difficult for me to hear their further words.
My body feels numb as if rooted in place, the world around me appears blurry as I try to process .
Mixed thoughts come to the surface: first Jeon Jungkook's defeat and now Jisoo's abandonment.
"What do you think?" Jisoo asks, her voice filled with a floral tone as her eyes convey excitement through a bright smile.
"Oh, I'm truly happy for you, Jisoo! I sincerely hope everything goes well!"
Again, I find myself devoted to or caring only for myself, concerned primarily with my own interests, benefits, and welfare, regardless of others. Keep on manifesting concern or care only for my emotions: selfish motives.
The recurring errors that Lisa consistently makes whenever we spend time together, the same ones that Rosè attempted to explain to me, are rooted in traits like narcissism, personality disorder, depression, victims, and anxiety.
I can still hear Rosè's soothing voice resonating in my thoughts as she emphasizes the importance of self-improvement and resilience for Lisa.
Throughout this entire period of scrutinizing Lisa for her faults, it has come to my realization that I am the same as her.
"Is she really leaving?" Lisa asks me, her voice tinged with sadness but not as devastated as mine would be.
I simply nod and gaze out of the window, watching the rain cascade down while the bus jostles on its way to Rosè's house.
"Yes," I reply in a hushed tone barely audible above a whisper.
We've decided to have a girls' night since we've all been swamped with work lately, making it difficult for us to find time to hang out together, and after hearing yesterday's news about Jisoo leaving, I feel an urgent need to go out and distract myself from it all just for a little while.
As soon as we enter our friend's house, Lisa loudly exclaims, "Hiiiii! Is this where the party is?!"
"SHHHHHHH!" Rosè whispers back at Lisa whilst trying desperately not burst into laughter so that she doesn't wake up her sleeping roommates.
Once we settle in, the atmosphere lightens up. We bring out some snacks and Rosè starts playing a movie that none of us pay much attention to.
"Oh god Y/n. He's a dickhead, he's never going to find somebody if he acts like this with everyone" Rosè remarks disapprovingly while discussing Junkook. "Regarding Jisoo, i get that you're sad, but you should be happy for her"
Indeed... It is important for me to focus on my genuine happiness for her without thinking only about myself.
"Girls, I also have something important to tell you." Once more, a sense of unease arises with the awareness that Rosè's unpleasant message is about to be revealed.
A growing apprehension seeps into my mind in the face of anticipated harm.
Fear engulfs me, accompanied by feelings of foreboding, alarm, distress, anxiety, panic and overwhelming trepidation.
My skin perspires as it attempts to regulate body temperature while sensations ripple through my stomach, stir within my head, and flutter across my chest; tingling ever so slightly in my legs and hands.
"I'll be leaving next month. I'm going back home to work on my future...who knows, maybe we'll meet again here? ahahah..." her voice is so docile, a hint of pain could be heard in her tone as she delivered the news.
That's when an overwhelming sense of fear overwhelmed me, causing my mind to disconnect and become devoid of any emotions or concerns.
It was as if everything around me became hazy, obscuring my vision except for three distinct figures standing before me: Jungkook, Jisoo, and Rosè.
They are all standing side by side. Jungkook gives me a piercing glare through his masked face, not daring to show his appearance before he turns away and disappears into the void in front of me.
Then Jisoo smiles warmly at me, exuding feminine confidence and reassurance as she waves goodbye and walks away.
Rosè's eyes convey sadness and longing as she says her farewell with a radiant smile, also turning to depart.
As my vision becomes blurry, I cast my gaze downward; once again feeling abandoned by everyone around me, engulfed in an overwhelming sense of solitude and melancholy within this dark abyss -- until I notice a hand reaching out towards mine.
Looking up again with renewed hope, I see Lisa extending that helping hand for support. In that instant, my mother's words resound within me:
"In moments of darkness, accept for the ones who extend their hand to you"
