“Are they on a date?”

                  “Are they having a staring contest?”

                  “Maybe they’re filming a drama … right?”

                  “They’re so hot!”

                  “Oppa! Why are you staring at them?”

                  “I-I w-wasn’t …”

                  Phrases such as these were heard through out the lounge on the top floor of a world-class hotel. Some were soft whispers, while others were audible harsh scolding. Lingering stares of desire and jealousy surrounded a table where two women sat. Both were staring icily at each other.

                  For the past fifteen minutes since their arrival, they have been engaged in an unflinching battle to remain as still as Roman statues. One woman, dark haired and tan, was dressed in a power suit. She emanated posh and passion. The other woman, light haired and skin, was dressed in a high-end dress. She radiated style and sophistication.

                  Both women sat with their arms folded across their chests and continued to stare at each other while the rest of the room watched with their breaths held. The anticipation soon dissipated when the light haired woman unfolded her arm. She gave the other woman the coldest glare.

                  “If there is nothing for you to say, then please excuse me. I have too much to do to waste time in a staring contest.” Jessica reached for her bag.

                  “Leave Sooyoung.” Yuri spoke clearly.

                  Jessica had anticipated those words, but hearing them still deeply bothered her. She did not frown, but instead she gave Yuri a look of indifference. “And what if I refuse?”

                  “Why do you insist on being with someone who no longer love you?” Yuri stirred her coffee that has cooled.

                  “I do not insist on anything, she is the one who insisted that she loves only me.” Jessica sat at the edge of her seat, ready to leave at any moment.

                  Yuri snorted softly before she lifted her cup and sipped on the coffee. She deliberately took her time while Jessica waited. “I would hardly believe that since she could not even tell you anything about herself.”

                  Jessica narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean by that?”

                  Yuri smirked. “It means exactly what it means.” She put down her cup on the saucer and crossed her legs at her knees. “What is her occupation?”

                  Jessica stared blankly at Yuri.

                  “What does she like to eat? What’s her favorite perfume? What kind of book does she like to read? Who’s her favorite singer?” Yuri fired one question after another while Jessica remained stone-faced. “You don’t even know the simplest of things about her.” Yuri chided with a cocky grin.

                  Jessica knew she lost in that department. It had been four years and Sooyoung taste surely had changed since their high school days. The fact that Jessica did not even know Sooyoung’s occupation bothered her the most. She pressed her lips together as her cold, confident act lapsed momentarily.

                  Yuri studied Jessica closely. She admitted that Jessica was beautiful, but Yuri was a beauty herself. She was y and she knew it. Even if she had the upper hand on Jessica, she knew that the history between Sooyoung and Jessica is something that she could not erase so easily.

                  “So you called me here to tell me that you know all these things about her? To gloat on a false victory?” Jessica shook her head. “She never said that she loved you.”

                  Jessica was not going to go down without a fight.

                  Yuri’s smirk faded.

                  “I’m the only one she had ever loved. She admitted to loving me openly and honestly, without any reservation.” Jessica leaned forward. “Are you sure what she’s feeling for you is not gratitude?” She paused deliberately and smiled. “Or pity?”

                  Yuri’s hand shook as she curled it into a fist. She fought the urge to reach across the table to slap Jessica. She told herself that she could beat this woman, without resorting to violence.

                  Jessica saw Yuri’s balled fist. She knew she had struck a nerve. She never thought that she would be degraded to a verbal argument in a public place. But she admitted that it felt good to anger Yuri. Slowly, Jessica leaned back against the chair and crossed her arms. She was finally getting started.

                  “So you intend on chasing her even though she doesn’t love you anymore?” Yuri narrowed her eyes at Jessica.

                  Jessica shrugged and tilted her head toward her shoulder. “I never said I was chasing her, she just comes to me because she loves me … oh wait … you wouldn’t know how that feel, would you?” Jessica stabbed Yuri with the metaphorical knife and twisted the handle. “Especially, since she never loved you.”

                  BAM!

                  Yuri slapped the table with both hands and leaned dangerously toward Jessica, who was smirking confidently.

                  “She does love me, even if she is not ready to admit it. I know that for a fact.” Yuri enunciated each syllable between her gritted teeth. Her glaring eyes looked as if they wanted to consume Jessica in eternal flames. “She loves me more than she realize … especially when she screams my name.” Yuri leaned back, “not that you would know anything about that …”

                  Jessica’s eyebrow twitched and she pursed her lips. “You naïve woman. You’re obviously mistaking lust for love.”

                  “Whatever the origin of the feeling, Sooyoung wants me with her body and soul. Has she ever wanted you that way?”

                  Jessica kept her cool face, but her inner thoughts started to recount her meetings with Sooyoung. Never has Sooyoung seemed like she wanted Jessica body and soul …

                  “I can see that you are hurting … so am I. All three of us are unhappy right now …” Yuri lowered her tone and softened her gaze. “You have your whole future ahead of you. You’re going to meet new people and be a great doctor … while Sooyoung is the only person I have … I’ve only ever loved one person and I hate to see her hurting like this. I don’t want the three of us continuing in this … predicament.”

                  Jessica remained quiet as her eyes looked to the ground.

                  Yuri pressed on with her quiet voice and placating words. “Please consider the situation …” If being straightforward was not going to work, she was going to change tactics.

                  “I have considered and reconsidered this situation.” Jessica snapped, she did not want to get lectured by the other woman. “And no matter how I consider it, I don’t see why I have to give Sooyoung up. What’s between she and I should be discussed between she and I.”

                  Yuri stared at Jessica and the other woman stared back.

                  “So you are not going to let her go?” Yuri reiterated Jessica’s meaning clearly.

                  “I have not made a decision. After I’ve spoken with Sooyoung, I’ll make sure that you are the first to know, Yuri-ssi.” Jessica grabbed her purse. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave first.” She set down some money to cover for her drink.

                  Yuri grabbed hold of Jessica’s wrist. Her dark eyes peered up at the fleeing woman. “Name your price. Whatever it takes for you to leave her, I’ll give it to you.”

                  Jessica looked down at the desperate woman. She tried to wriggle her arm from Yuri’s painful grip. “She’s not for sale … and I pity you for being so desperately in love with someone who doesn’t love you.” She pulled with all her might and quickly left the table in a huff.

                  “So what was all that about last night?” Kahi leaned forward while watching Sooyoung like a hawk.

                  Sooyoung shook her head slowly and attempted to smile. “Just a joke gone wrong. I'm sorry, Kahi-unnie.”

                  Kahi stared at Sooyoung through several seconds of uncomfortable silence. “Are you alright?” She had seen Sooyoung in and out of her office often enough to be able to tell that something was wrong with the younger girl. Sooyoung’s eyes lacked a certain brightness that often accompanied her smile.

                  Sooyoung felt exposed under Kahi’s scrutinizing eyes. She nodded, but avoided Kahi’s gaze. “I'm okay.” She wanted to say otherwise, but that would just open a topic that Sooyoung did not want to discuss at the moment. What would she say to the older woman? That she wanted to cry? That she wanted to hide?

                  With a soft nod, Kahi accepted Sooyoung’s answer. “Just don’t do it again, alright? You disturbed a very … tender … moment between Jungah and I last night.”

                  Sooyoung nodded and bowed her head. “I'm sorry, unnie.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

                  Kahi knew something was definitely wrong. A normal Sooyoung would have protested and said something witty or sarcastic about what Kahi said.  “Is it a love problem?”

                  Sooyoung was not sure what to say.

                  “Is Yuri playing around?” Kahi carefully treaded into questionable water.

                  Sooyoung shook her head.

                  “Is she not giving you enough …” Kahi shifted uncomfortably in her seat, “… you know …”

                  “It’s not like that.” Sooyoung shook her head again. “Kahi-unni … have you ever loved two women at once?”

                  Kahi paused before she nodded. “When I met Jungah, I was already in a committed relationship with someone else.” Kahi’s words caught Sooyoung’s attention so she continued. “She and I were highschool sweetheart. We dated throughout highschool and college. I loved her … with what I thought was all my heart until I met Jungah …”

                  “You broke up with her?”

                  Kahi felt awkward telling Sooyoung her story, but she decided that enough time had passed that she could tell someone else. “I did.” She nodded. “I didn’t want to pretend that I love her with everything, because that was not fair to her. I would be lying to her and myself.”

                  Sooyoung nodded.

                  “I told her the truth … and she wanted me to choose between her and Jungah … so I chose Jungah.”

                  “What happened to the other person?” Sooyoung asked.

                  “I don’t know the details. But she went abroad for a long time and came back to be a singer. She’s quite famous now …” Kahi smiled and pointed to the billboard opposite of her office.

                  Sooyoung’s eyes widened. “Son Dambi? Your ex was Son Dambi?”

                  Kahi hastily put her hand on Sooyoung’s mouth. “Not so loud! Do you want Jungah to kill me?” She said in a hushed tone. “She already gave me enough grief since that billboard was put up, that’s why I had to please her last night … which you so rudely interrupted.”

                  Sooyoung made a face and then nodded. “Can I ask you one more question, Kahi-unni?”

                  “Go ahead.” Kahi nodded.

                  “How do you know which one to choose if you love both equally?” Sooyoung looked helpless.

                  Kahi sighed and shook her head. “Your heart doesn’t have a gauge that tell you how much you love a person. The possibility of you loving two people equally at exactly one-hundred-percent each are slim. Your heart wouldn’t be able to handle that … I chose Jungah because I could imagine myself growing old with her. I could imagine her teasing me when I get all wrinkly. I could imagine smiling every morning that I wake up next to her …”

                  Sooyoung quietly tried to understand everything that Kahi was telling her.

                  “But, when you are in the mess … it’s hard to see things clearly like this. It’ll come after sometime of pain and sorrow. But I promise a time of peace and happiness will come.”

                  Sooyoung nodded again. “I just don’t want to hurt anyone.” She started to tear up.

                  “Keep thinking like that and you will hurt everyone.” Kahi sighed. “Okay.” She waved her hand in the air, as if she was warding off some bad mood. “Do you want me to buy you a drink or something? You look like you need it.”

                  Smiling slightly, Sooyoung shook her head. “I need sleep more than a drink. I couldn’t get any rest last night.” Exhaustion had painted dark marks under her eyes. Her shoulders slouched defeated on the sofa.

                  “I understand.” Kahi nodded. “Go home and get some rest, you look like you need it.” She did not feel good seeing her subordinate so downtrodden.

                  “Thanks, unni.” Sooyoung smiled tiredly and rose to her feet. She trudged out of Kahi’s office after bidding goodbye to the older woman. She did not feel like driving today, so she opted to walk instead to clear her head. She did not feel anything like herself. It was as if she was having an out-of-body experience.

                  The cold air greeted her the moment she opened the door. Her hands instinctively slipped inside her pocked while she lowered her chin and nuzzled it against her scarf.

                  Sooyoung walked with her gaze lowered and her head tucked in. People and vehicles blended into the back of her consciousness while she thought about what Jessica said to her last night. She thought about everything that had happened to her for the past whirlwind of a month.

                  She debated where she should go. Certainly, she did not want to go home since Sunny was waiting there to smother her with affection and attention. Sooyoung did not want attention or pity at that moment. She wanted to find a rock and hide under it all by her lonesome. She did not want to deal with her mountain of drama any time soon.

                  Sooyoung wondered if she should go visit Taeyeon at the café. “No …” She shook her head and spoke to herself. “I shouldn’t trouble her again …”

                  Normally, Sooyoung would spill her troubles to Yuri and let the other woman’s kisses make her life easier. But right now, that would only complicate things. “I hate this!” Sooyoung suddenly exploded and kicked a pebble out of her path. She did not care if she did it on a crowded street.

                  *Vrrrm Vrrrm*

                  Sooyoung pulled out her vibrating phone.

                  [Woori Yuri] flashed on the screen accompanying Yuri’s picture.

                  Sooyoung stared at the phone. Yuri looked so happy in that picture.

                  The phone continued to vibrate until the call went to voicemail.

                  Sooyoung quietly slipped it back into her pocket. She breathed deeply and continued to walk in silence. Not a minute had passed before the phone vibrated again. A voicemail had been left.

                  Sooyoung ignored this until it became simply too difficult to ignore. Her curiosity got to her and she raised her phone to her ear.

                  “Hey …” Sooyoung could her the soft breathing between Yuri’s pause. “I’m not surprised that you didn’t pick up my call. It’s okay, I’m not mad. I just want to talk you. I need to see to you. Please come by my apartment. I deserve that much.” The voicemail ended with a soft click. The slight drawl in Yuri’s voice sounded like she had been drinking.

                  What to do? If only the question in Sooyoung’s head was as easily as that. What to do? Her thoughts raced.

                  Sooyoung put away her phone and continued to walk with her lips and chin behind her scarf. She counted the sounds of her footsteps on the pavement. Eventually, she came to where she needed to go.

                  She raised her hand and hesitated. What would she say? She did not know how to answer her own questions.

                  [Knock knock knock]

                  It was too late to walk away now.

                  Sooyoung wanted to run away, but her feet were rooted to the ground.

                  A soft click from the lock stopped Sooyoung’s heart. She waited for a while, but the door did not budge. She wondered why before her curiosity motivated her once again. Her hand wrapped around the curve of the knob before she turned her wrist. The door’s hinges creaked softly halfway through and Sooyoung looked inside the apartment.

                  “Yuri-ah.” Sooyoung called out as she invited herself into the apartment.

                  Her eyes strained in the dark, searching for a light switch since the curtains were closed. “Yuri-ah.” She called out again as her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness.

                  “I’m glad that you came.” Yuri finally spoke.

                  “Why are you sitting in the dark?” Sooyoung asked with a worried smile, “you know that you blend right in, Black Pearl.” Sooyoung tried to be humorous for the occasion.

                  The answer never came. Yuri must have seen through Sooyoung’s forced attempt to joke around. Sooyoung decided to draw the curtains apart, thinking that the light may improve the dark atmosphere.

                  When sunlight was welcomed into the little studio apartment, Sooyoung found Yuri sitting in her favorite armchair in one corner of the room. Her eyes were dark and glazed. Her hair was messy. Her cheeks were sunken in. Yet, she still managed to look breathtakingly beautiful. Sooyoung hated to admit that the tortured look was highly desirable on Yuri.

                  With bleary eyes, Yuri smiled at Sooyoung. “Because I didn’t want you to see me like this.” She finally answered.

                  “You wanted to see me.” Sooyoung reason softly and came to stand in front of Yuri. “Come, let’s get you to bed. You look tired.” She avoided saying ‘drunk.’

                  All around Yuri’s seat were empty cans and bottles. The odor evidently rose from Yuri’s body.

                  “You can say drunk.” Yuri laughed and looked around her. “Looks like I broke my promise again.” She pouted at Sooyoung. “I’m sorry, Sooyoungie.”

                  Sooyoung could only watch while Yuri laughed. She shook her head and leaned over to gently take Yuri’s arm, lifting it up. “Let’s go, I’ll help you to your room.” She pitied the older woman, having only Sooyoung as a best friend. While Sooyoung surrounded herself with friends and family, Yuri had no one other than Sooyoung.

                  “DON’T!” Yuri suddenly screamed at Sooyoung, surprising the younger woman.

                  “What …” Sooyoung watched Yuri’s mood suddenly swung to one extreme.

                  “Don’t pity me!” Yuri cried and pulled her arm out of Sooyoung’s grasp. “I see that look in your eyes.” Yuri screamed again as Jessica’s words suddenly came into her mind.

                  “I’m not.” Sooyoung felt sorry because she caused Yuri so much pain. She sighed and kneeled down on one knee in front of Yuri. “I’m not pitying you.” She tried to control her voice, avoiding the cracking in her emotion. It was no good to argue with a drunk. “Let’s get you to bed okay? Aren’t you tired?” She wiped the tears from Yuri’s eyes. “I’m tired.”

                  With a sob of bursting emotions, Yuri leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Sooyoung’s neck. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me!” She cried into Sooyoung’s shoulder. “I feel like I’m haunted … I can’t sleep or eat or do anything without thinking of how to keep you from her!”

                  “I’m so sorry.” Sooyoung hugged Yuri tightly and patted the crying woman’s back. “It’s all my fault. If only …”

                  “Don’t say it!” Yuri pushed Sooyoung away, making the younger woman fall back on the floor. “Don’t say if only you and I never met. Don’t say that you wish we never made love. Don’t say if only …”

                  Sooyoung got onto her knees again and shook her head. “I wasn’t going to say that …”

                  “Then were you going to say if only you didn’t love her so much?” Yuri wiped away her tears. “If only you didn’t love her more than you will ever love me?”

                  Speechless, Sooyoung lowered her eyes. “No … I wanted to say if only I was a better person, then you wouldn’t have suffered so much.”

                  Yuri cried louder.

                  “But the truth is I do love you … as much as I love her. I realize that now. I’m going to have to choose and probably soon.” Sooyoung reached for Yuri’s hands. “But right now my heart and mind are not making sense, so I think that …” she squeezed Yuri’s hands, “I think that some time apart will do us some good.”

                  Yuri blinked, her sobs stopped. She was confused. “You …”

                  “I just need to clear my head and focus on studying for my entrance exam … I can’t keep doing what I’ve been doing. I need to try to push on.” Sooyoung avoided Yuri’s gaze. “I need a break from you … and her.”

                  Yuri was shocked silent. Until she granted Sooyoung a burning slap to the cheek. “It’s always about you, isn’t it? Even if I’m hurting, it’s about what is best for YOU! What am I to do when you’re trying to focus on your study? Put my life on hold to wait for your great big decision?”

                  Sooyoung massaged her cheek and quietly listened before speaking. “I don’t know, Yuri. I can’t tell you how to live your life, nor can I rush in to choose you. I can’t take care of everyone, so I’m going to fix me first. I will understand if you wish to move on and …”

                  “And make the decision easier for you? So that you can be with her? That’s your plan isn’t it? You’ll get into medical school with her and you two will be perfectly happy while I wait until I give up.” Yuri sneered as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. “You might as well tell me to jump off this building and get it over it.”

                  “Damn it, Yuri. Stop twisting my words around. That is not my intention.” Sooyoung grabbed hold of Yuri’s shoulders. “I can’t ask you to wait for me, so what am I to do?”

                  “You’re supposed to choose me. Me, the person who’s been there for you for the past three years. The person you’re supposed to be with.”

                  “Stop it!” Sooyoung finally had enough. “I can’t be pressured into this kind of decision. I won’t let you guilt me into choosing you while I love Jessica, too. What if later you realize all you wanted was to possess me? What if we realize later that we were never in love? What if … there are too many what if’s … I’m going crazy here and you’re supposed to be my best friend. You’re the person I’m supposed to talk to about this stuff … but I can’t even look at you right now.”

                  Sooyoung let go of Yuri and rose to her feet. “If you truly love me, then let me have time to think … don’t harm yourself because of me … it makes me feel forced to be with you. Take care of yourself and show me the Yuri that I would want to be with.”

                  “No!” Yuri lunged forward and grabbed hold of Sooyoung’s jacket. Her hand clung onto Sooyoung’s jacket. “Don’t leave me.” Her body was being dragged across the floor.

                  Sooyoung held her breath and shook free of Yuri. She left the apartment as quickly as she could. Hearing Yuri’s sobs made her steps quicken until she got out of Yuri’s apartment building.

                  The air outside was cold, but refreshing. Sooyoung’s chest was light, as if her trouble had been lightened. Sooyoung had found her courage and strength. She looked up at Yuri’s windows before she walk to the bus stop. Silently, she made a promise to herself that she will be strong for Yuri and Jessica. She told herself that what she was doing was right.

                  Yuri continued to sob alone in her apartment until the sun had fallen and darkness embraced her once again. She cried until she felt total exhaustion and she could cry no longer. Then she wiped her swollen eyes and tear stained cheeks. Pulling out her phone, she went into her picture gallery.

                  “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to do this …” Yuri muttered to herself, “but if I can’t force you to choose me, then let me take away your other choice.”

                  [Swoosh] The picture was sent and Yuri leaned back against her armchair, feeling tired and burdened. “I didn’t want to do this … you forced me, Sooyoung … you forced my hand …”

                  On her other hand, a phone that was not hers lit up. Yuri scrolled through that phone’s contacts until she found the name she was looking for.

                  [Swoosh] Another sound and the picture was forwarded to that person.

                  Yuri breathed and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Sooyoung.” She soon fell into an empty sleep.

Hello everyone ... *awkward wave* haha ... it's been a while, hasn't it?! I'm sorry it took so long, but I had (and probably still have) massive writer's block. So after writing about 1 sentence/day, I managed to put this chapter together. I hope it will not be a let down. Thanks for reading and for all the comments (I do think that I have the best readers/commenters of all the stories). You guys are great!

I'll keep working hard so the next chapter wouldn't take so long!