She arrived in front of the store and stood staring intently at it, completely disregarding the heavy rain that was pouring down on her.
She bit her lower lip and stuffed her hands into the pockets of her clothing.
A cynical expression emerged on her face on seeing that she had no money with her.
Worst of all, her mother had taken all the money in her account, leaving her with nothing.
A deep breath exited her nose and she slightly shook her head.
"Even getting sober is impossible for me. How pitiful, haha."
She chuckled at her miserable self and turned to leave, but as though her attention was grabbed by something, she turned around and looked inside the store at a waiter, who was gazing intently at her.
Her face crinkled, and she arched her brow at him.
"What? Why are you staring at me?" She asked in an annoyed tone, and the young, beautiful man with curly hair smirked before averting his gaze from her.
He folded his arms as though thinking, and when it seemed like he had made up his mind, he walked out of the store towards her.
He stood in front of her and, under her heavy gaze, he cleared his throat and allowed a half smile to ensue on his face.
"Miss, it's raining heavily, so I think you should come inside. I am afraid that you will end up catching a cold."
He said to her in a gentle voice, and Yennefer, who didn't expect that at all, raised her brows in surprise.
"Do we... know each other?" She asked, and the young man shook his head.
"No, we don't. But I can tell that you're not in a good situation and you probably want to have a few shots. So... I am asking you to come in."
He explained with the smile still evident on his face, and Yennefer's eyes narrowed into a thin line.
"I would have loved to, but I, unfortunately, have no money on me. So I-"
"It's fine. The drinks on me." He beamed at her and, seeing the reluctance on her face, he gently grabbed her wrist and walked her into the store.
She took her seat on a stool, and in no time, he passed two bottles of alcohol to her and a shot.
"Enjoy." He said to her and she glanced at him, before unhurriedly opening the bottle and pouring herself a drink.
She gulped down the whole shot in one go, and the young man smiled as he watched her drink.
"What is your name?" She abruptly asked him to break the silence.
"Me? Hmmm... my name is Yuri." He answered.
"Yuri..." Yennefer repeated the name as she began to examine him.
Her lips curled up into a smile as she glanced at his emerald green eyes, and her smile widened, even more, when her gaze trailed down to his lips and halted there.
"Have you ever gone through bad things or fallen in love before, Yuri?"
She inquired, and Yuri shook his head at her.
"Yes, I have fallen in love before and I must say it is a beautiful thing. I don't really have a family or anything that could hurt me, so bad things, not exactly."
He smiled as he replied and a deep sigh left Yennefer's nose.
"Well, we are really opposite then." She chuckled, and Yuri raised his brow at her.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Well, I have a really bad family and they have made my life a living hell, haha."
"Love, nope, never experienced that before. You know, who would want to date or love a depressed girl like me? My life is miserable."
She cackled softly, and Yuri folded his arms with his gaze fixed intently on her.
"Do you mind telling me what happened? I will be a listening ear." He said to her, and Yennfer lifted her head to look at him.
"Well, I don't really mind, it's just that it's kind of a painful memory."
"Around the time I was thirteen years old, my mother committed this act of... adultery, and when my father found out, he was furious and, in the end, kicked us out of the family."
"He actually had no reason to kick me out as well, since I did nothing wrong. No, in reality, he didn't want to kick me out at all because he really loved me, just as he loved my siblings, but everything fell apart when he took me for a DNA test because obviously, he suspected that I wasn't his biological daughter."
"It came out negative and, realizing that I did not have his blood in me, he instantly despised me and sent me out of the house along with my mum,"
"My mum, on the other hand, bore this sudden hatred for me, and constantly, daily, she would always hit me, pour her anger on me, as though everything was my fault."
"It kind of messed with my mental health and I fell into a depression to the point where I had to start using drugs."
"I got addicted and now am a drug addict, and because of it, my mum finally threw me out of the house, because honestly, I am a completely useless human being now."
She explained and took a long deep breath to restrain herself from breaking into tears.
"Who is your father?" Yuri asked, and she turned her head to look at him.
"My... biological father?"
"No. I mean the one you always considered to be your father."
"Oh... He is, um, Mr. Bellegard Fornsio. The one who owns the famous wine company, Brewers."
She replied, and Yuri slowly nodded his head as though contemplating something.
"Yennefer." He called.
"Hmm?" Yennefer answered.
"If... someone walked up to you and offered you a new chance at life, one completely different where you could shape your future, would you take it?"
He asked and, appalled by the question, Yennefer stared at him, unsure of what to say.
A new chance at life? Does that mean a life completely different from the one she is living now?
She asked herself and let out a soft breath.
"Well... I can shape my future, right? Step out of this unbearable situation. Yes, I would take it."
She replied, and Yuri smiled gently at her.
"And what if it requires your most blissful desire to grasp this life, would you still go for it? "
He pried further, and Yennefer furrowed her brows at him.
The most blissful desire? She pondered herself and raised her head to look at Yuri.
Her most blissful desire was to do something she had always wanted to do since her last grade in high school.
Most people she knew had literally experienced it, whereas she had only ever fantasized about it, never actually getting to do it.
"Blissful... desire?" She asked and Yuri nodded his head at her.
"Yes."
He replied, and Yennefer proceeded to reply as though in a trance.
"That... would be to have my first kiss."