"Just run to me, run to the start, run from the past, away from all the troubles, away from all the debris"

Thursday, drink away all your tears and pain.

JinRin

She ran like the wind, like a race against time.

She gasps for air as she meanders through the throngs of people.

She passed by countless families who were smiling from ear to ear, enjoying the warmth of family love.

The only thing JinRin ever wished for in her life.

And the only thing she couldn't have.

The inertia caused her to slow down a little, striding pass some hurdles and curbs, stones and signboards didn't seem to stop the girl's high.

Mouth pale as the sheet of blank wall, face striking red due to the immense amount of wind hitting her face like a continue cannonballs of fire.

In due time, her face would've undoubtedly froze— an accelerating popsicle, how funny.

JinRin dodged her way through everyone, squeezing like a red blood cell in a capillary before she soon entered her supposed destination.

Lucky for her, people seem to not mind her, equally moving away to allow the girl to pass through. Within seconds, she made it out the traffic jam of humanity, thanks to the many kind-hearted individuals.

It was rather abnormal, an uncanny sensation.
Since when were strangers so nice?

Now, the stalls JinRin briefly caught a sight of we're familiar, memories flooding in— a hit back into her young teenage days.

Gosh, how she craved for the fishcake stall to be open right now, maybe then she can forget all that had happened in her life.

She was being nonsensical at this point. With a missing mother and useless father, JinRin is a total failure. So what if she topped the entire school, so what if she has been earning a good income to support her family? So what...

The cooling air immediately welcomed her and the instant refreshing scent of the caramel coffee tingled her senses.

Whirls of the ceiling fan made the girl dizzy, vision slightly foggy. Tumbling down on the nearest sit, JinRin slowed her breath down, letting the adrenaline in her seep in.

"JinRin? What are you doing here?" A voice immediately welcomed the disoriented girl, rushing to her right after clearing up the last table.

JinRin stood up and stumbled her way through the place, walking wherever her legs could take her.

"Please give me eight shots of ice americanos" The girl casually muttered as she heavily took a seat on one of the chairs nearby yet again.

"Are you crazy?" The same soft voice radiated throughout the empty café, the café JinRin once worked at.

She sounded strict but nonetheless, her voice was a sweetened concoction filled with worry. Just like a latté, sugary whipped cream adorned the top while the bottom was bitter with misery.

The girl who looked about the same aged as her, went to JinRin's side, concerned for her friend who hadn't been there since last December.

She had airy bangs, a pair of tilted glasses stood on her mask and was has a rather petite figure.
In fact, she was sweating a lot as well, hair a good mess.

"Juni... my mother- " JinRin faltered, eyes uncontrollably being filled with pearls of worry and self-loathing.

Juni had the ineffable effect or power to make anyone open up to her, like a butterfly preaching into the flower to pollinate it.

"Oh my lord what happened to you... you promised to not make me worry about you after you leave didn't you" The girl sighed, fretting about her once strong and hard-headed friend.

Knowing well the best way to comfort her friend, the girl immediately rushed to hug her only to be met with a hesitant shake of the head.

"Why—?" The girl asked as her eyes made their way to JinRin's clenched fists and just like that, the witty girl knew there was definitely something wrong— and something more damaging than she had thought.

The girl looked down as she decided to give JinRin some space— knowing well that was the only thing she could do— despite how useless she felt at that moment.

She was the worst possible person to comfort others. She didn't know what to do, except to squat and stare sympathetically at her friend

But the girl wasn't going to give up that easily. She might be an amateur— and very awkward at this but it was JinRin.

She must help her.

"I'll— just go prepare your drink now... I don't mind you know...you can tell me everything later." The girl gave JinRin a weak smile before getting up and walking into the back kitchen to prepare JinRin's energy drink.

JinRin gave no reply.

The sobbing continues, drowning the last of the café joy, sapping away all its remaining energy.

There wasn't much of a difference anyway, as every night, the only enthusiasm in the café left was the jazz music playing... not the best taste of music at night especially when you're in solitude.

"Thanks Juni... you didn't have to make one for me you know... I was just not in the right mindset"
JinRin croaked out, grasping onto the piping hot after.

"Stop worrying! It's totally fine to ask for coffee at night, after all you visit made me less lonelier" The girl replied with a bright tone, all her lethargy disappearing at an instant.

"If you're trying to cheer me up, it's not going to work" JinRin only smiled painfully as she gulped down a large mouthful of that deadly coffee.

"I know it must have been very difficult for you but don't be so harsh to yourself... you don't always have to drown yourself in your problems, you have shoulders to lean on" The girl comforted, worried about what JinRin was going through.

JinRin muttered out a small word of thanks, grateful to have her old friend beside her.

"Enough about me, how are you doing?" JinRin asked the girl, who was yawning for the nth time.

"It's nothing... just school and all, it's quite stressful"

"if the job gets too overwhelming, maybe try out something else"

"I've been planning on doing so for a long time... actually ever since you left. But I just couldn't bring myself to"

"I need this job desperately"

"I know," JinRin sighed.

"I guess both of us hadn't changed since middle school"

"You've changed, what do you mean?" The girl gave a soft chuckle, looking at JinRin.

"This is our reunion in months Juni, what do you mean I've changed."

"Okay before that, I'm still mad you haven't kept your promise of visiting here frequently"

"Right- I'm sorry... i was too caught with some problems, I neglected the brighter side of my life"

"So I'm that bright side?"

"Mhm your that sunshine"

"Hey.. you're changing topics aren't you. Guess you really haven't changed at all"

"But you did" The girl wiggled her brows, teasing JinRin like the old times.

"What are you talking about" JinRin rolled her eyes whilst taking another gulp of the coffee naturally... as if it's just a glass of water.

I guess that's the effect of caffeine combined with  heartbreak.

"Who's the lucky guy then?" The girl asked suggestively, eyes glancing at JinRin jokingly.

"God you're still the same. And yes I'm still dating my English homework"

"No it's not paper, it's a real living guy"

"Anime? A manga character?"

"You're very delirious and dense you know" The girl sighed disappointedly.

"What-what are you saying?" JinRin genuinely asked.

"I saw you the previous day and you looked like you were in a frantic so I didn't bother you"

"The previous day...? Where?" JinRin queried, tension growing and she was on the edge, her head spun like a fidget spinner.

"Another café nearer to the east side of the district"

"Oh"

"You should probably get some rest, you know..."
JinRin jokingly said, her eyes faking an eye smile whilst changing the topic.

"Is it the guy?" The girl teased again.

"You want to avoid talking about him?

"who"

"Tall, lean, hot"

"I think you find every guy like that Juni"

"Hey! This backfired" The girl pouted, hitting JinRin playfully.

"I don't know his name but his eyes were glued to you among your other friends"

"I want to know who's that lucky guy"

"You're joking— why would one of my friends do that"

"Maybe he doesn't consider you as a friend"

"Ouch"

"He considers you to be something more"

"Oh come on... on every meet up there must be a cheesy comment?" JinRin groaned, a tint of happiness spread throughout her.

"I bet that the lucky guy would be so worried right now." The girl continued with her fairytale or in other words her intuition on JinRin's life.

"Aw come on"

"The girl he likes is out here all alone at close to midnight, of course he would be anxious"

JinRin tittered at her friend's words, shaking her head in disbelief.

There was absolutely no way that was true.

The café's bell jingled out of nowhere right after Juni finished speaking.

Two distant figures barged into the café and without hesitation made their way straight to the cashier.

Their heavy pants took the two girls by surprise and after seeing the two mysterious guys from far away, their fingers were crossed, praying that they were nothing but just regular customers coming by at midnight to buy a drink.

That even sounded off in their thoughts.

The two girls were currently sitting at the small resting area behind where the baristas usually work at, the spot Juni was supposed to be.

Awkwardly, the girl stood out of her comfortable position and got straight to work, telling JinRin that she will be back soon.

As she made her way to the counter, the girl swore her eyes popped wide open, mouth gasping in incredulity.

"Oh my gods"

Standing in front of her were literally the two guys whom she had just involuntarily mentioned.

Juni called out JinRin whilst being in a state of shock as the two guys soon came even close, making them in her full view of vision.

One of the guys stared at her with confusion but froze the next second. The other was frantically typing on his phone, mindless about his surroundings.

"Juni you swear you aren't hallucinating right—"
JinRin whispered worriedly from the squatting position near where Juni was standing.

"Hi can I have eight shots of ice americano plus a milk tea" A deep voice reverberated around the café, even the jazz music couldn't drown his voice.

And that's when curiosity got the better of her and JinRin made her way beside Juni.
The moment she stood up, she regretted it.

Her pulse uncontrollably quickened as she felt a sudden electric current from the pair of hazel eyes staring at her. No way

"JinRin? Is that you?"

——————————

A rather heartwarming chapter.
Side note: JinRin is craving cinnamon

LOL