violet. [yoosung★]

chips.

"Don't worry, perhaps I'll find you someone better right here in this grocery store with my spectacular matchmaking skills!"

You smile at Zen, grateful for having such an amazing friend, but his "encouragement" isn't really helping. "Thanks, but that's not the only thing making me upset right now."

He winces, knowing full well how much of a horrid week this has been for you. "Right, right. I'm sorry."

You squeeze his arm in an "it's alright, it's not your fault" gesture and lean onto him. "Ughhh, the worst part is that my period started last night. I mean, you go through a breakup, getting fired from your job, and run out of food and then how does your body cheer you up?"

Zen nods and pulls your cart down the sweets aisle silently. You follow after him, trying really, really hard to ignore the rising cramps forming right below your tummy. You could've stayed at home, especially when Zen was more than eager to do the shopping for you, but you couldn't stand staying at your apartment a minute longer—pain or no pain. Being sealed up in there the past two days after such a harsh breakup made you miss being outside, and it was a step in the right direction towards cheering up.

Additionally, your fridge was empty. You needed it filled back up again in order to live, and today, you wanted to splurge.

"Do you think they have Honey Buddha?" You absentmindedly ask, only to be answered with a groan.

"Do you know how expensive those are?" Zen sighs, but he knows how much they mean to you. He also knew you would throw a fit if he didn't get them, and he was wiser than to dive into a thunderstorm head-first. "Fine, but only because you've had a hard time."

You give him a satisfactory grin and walk up ahead in search of the magical, amazing, mouth-watering, crispy, melt-on-your-tongue, sweet and spectacularly delicious...

"Honey Buddha!"

You stop dead in your tracks and look on ahead down the aisle. A guy that didn't seem to be much older than you was standing in front of the shelf that usually carries your beloved chips. He had three bags in his hands, and was moving them over to his cart.

The shelf itself, however, was now empty.

You stare over at the shelf, then at the stranger, then back at the shelf in disbelief.

Losing your job? It had come to you as a surprise (especially when you were fired for the stupidest of reasons), but it would turn out fine with Zen's offer of a small part-time opportunity at his agency. Breaking up with your nearly-two-year boyfriend? It was rough, yes, especially when you found out he had been cheating on you for two whole months without you suspecting a thing. But Zen was there for you through everything, and you would find someone who actually cared about you. Coming home to an empty fridge? Pure blasphemy, but grocery stores were created for a reason.

Stealing the last few bags of Honey Buddha chips right when you needed their warming taste the most? Heck to the no, this was not fine, and there were no alternatives to provide a happy ending. What kind of—who does this to a person?

Tears formed in the corners of your eyes out of frustration. Your cramps were getting slightly worse now, and your soul felt crushed. That's right, your soul felt crushed. This has been a crappy week, and this stranger—this monster—thinks he can just swoop in and take the last of your favorite comfort food? Argh, this was the last straw!

There was only one thing left to do. You burst into tears, and as you thought about what has happened this entire week up until this point and how the area right below your stomach felt like it was being stabbed and scavenged through, they escalated into harsh, desperate sobs.