Sooyoung glanced down at her watch. It reads -1:43PM- and still there was no sign of Hyoyeon. Thursday was their usual day to have lunch since they both would be on the university campus. While the hyperactive kinesthesiology major usually ran late, she was never forty-three minutes late. This caused the shikshin in Sooyoung to become agitated, since she was super hungry after a long exam that she took this morning.

                *ring ring* Her phone peeped.

                “Hello, Sooyoung speaking.”

                [“Hey, shikshin, it’s Hyoyeon. Sorry I’m going to have to cancel our lunch date. Kahi-unni assigned a new client to me and I am on my way to meet them.”]

                “Hyo, you couldn’t have called me earlier? I’ve been waiting for almost an hour!” Sooyoung was now very annoyed.

                [“I’m sorry, I was in a meeting with one of my professors and it ran long. He hates people using their phone during a meeting. I’ll make it up to you later!”]

                “You better!” Sooyoung sighed, “Good luck with your client.”

                [“Okay, thanks lovely shikshin. I’ll take you to a seafood buffet place next time!”]

                Sooyoung lowered her phone after she heard the click on the other line. She exhaled then slipped her phone into her pocket and then pulled up her hoodie to cover her head. Another meal alone, since most of her classmates have gone home and Yuri … was in another country. The US need to stop stealing the people she cared about. Without another choice, she wandered toward the cafeteria.

                “Oh …” Sooyoung groaned when saw the long line that wound around the food counters. The already impatient girl grabbed a tray and slipped right into the last place in line. She started to space out as she shuffled along from food tray to food tray.

                “Hey mom, I just wanted to let you know that I will eat lunch on campus today.” In her unfocused state, Sooyoung overheard a familiar voice behind her. “Yes. I want to tour it some more before my official transfer … oh, mom. I’m not judging a school by its cafeteria food … okay, maybe I am … I’ll talk to you later, byebye.” The voice hastened before it stopped.

                Sooyoung’s body stiffened and she tried to turn to catch a side-glance of the person. She did not know why her neck refused to turn, but for some reason, it was stiff as a board.

                “Excuse me, the line is moving …” The sweet familiar voice was directed at her now.

                “Ah yes …” She turned and looked at the person, who was distracted with her phone for the moment. “Hey there … Jessica.” Sooyoung managed to say after a big gulp.

                Jessica quickly stared up at her. Sooyoung recognized the surprise from those warm brown eyes before the furrowed brows changed the surprised look into a glare. Without another word, Jessica turned and left the line, she headed straight for the door.

                “Jessica, wait.” Sooyoung hurried after her. “Jessica.” Their food trays were abandoned.

                Sooyoung called after Jessica, who was powerwalking through the campus yard, until her long legs caught up to the fleeing girl. “Please, wait. Let me explain everything … Jessica, please.”

                Jessica suddenly stopped and swirled back to glare at Sooyoung with those heated eyes that made Sooyoung’s knees weak. “What is there to explain? All you ever told me were lies. Why should I believe anything you say?” Her sweet voice was shrilled with anger.

                “You should believe me because I love you. I always have and always will. Now, will you stop and let me explain or should I tie you down  and then explain?” Sooyoung raised her own voice.

                “How dare you yell at me?”

                “How dare you not let me explain?” Sooyoung shot back.

                They engaged in a long staring contest before they realized that people were starting to stare and point. Sooyoung looked around before she grabbed Jessica’s hand and dragged her along. Despite Jessica’s struggle, Sooyoung managed to drag her into an empty lecture hall, where there were no bystander. She pushed the shorter girl onto a chair and kneeled down in front of her.

                “Please, Jessica. Give me just five minutes of your time. If you decide that what I have to say are lies, then you can leave whenever you want.” Sooyoung pleaded with puppy eyes that she knew Jessica could not resist.

                “Fine.” Jessica huffed and rolled her eyes, “but if you lie to me then I never want to see you again.”

                “Deal.” Sooyoung smiled victoriously and took a seat next to Jessica’s on the bench. “I will start at the beginning … four years ago.”

                **FLASHBACK**

                “I saw everything.”

                The voice surprised Sooyoung and she looked up from the book she was reading.

                “What did you see, Soojin-unni?” Sooyoung smiled at her sister, who was standing at the doorway to her room. She watched Soojin close the door and noticed that something was gravely wrong. Her sister had on the harshest look that had ever loomed on that beautiful face. “What’s wrong? You’re scaring me.” Sooyoung laughed nervously.

                “I went to your school today to surprise you and take you to lunch … but I saw you and Jessica …” Soojin came to Sooyoung’s bedside and sat down.

                “…” Sooyoung’s heart stopped and she stared at Soojin, while thoughts formulated in her head.

                “I won’t tell our parents if you promise to never see that girl again.” Soojin smiled and petted Sooyoung’s hair, “She’s going away soon, so just forget her, alright?”

                “I-I can’t do that, unni. I love her.” Sooyoung’s voice was a stern whisper that stopped Soojin’s petting.

                “Don’t you dare say such a ludicrous thing!” Soojin yelled. “How could you, a girl, love another girl?”

                “Unni, please. Calm down.” Sooyoung grabbed her sister’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “I do not see her as just a girl. She is the person that I love. She is completely and utterly irreplaceable. I know you don’t understand, unni, but please don’t make me forget her because it is impossible for me to do so.”

                “How dare you!” *SMACK*

                Sooyoung felt her cheek burn. It was the first time that her sister raised a hand to her. It was the first time in her life that anyone hit her. She touched the sting on her red cheek and looked tearfully at Soojin, who stared back at her with the coldest look.

                The door burst opened and Sooyoung’s mom came in with a worried look on her face. “What’s wrong, girls? Soojin … did you hit your sister?” She came running toward her daughters.

                “No, umma. Unni didn’t –“ Sooyoung started to cover for her sister.

                “Yes, umma. I did.” Soojin cut in, “I wanted to slap some sense into her.”

                “Will someone tell me what’s going on here?” Sooyoung’s mom looked confusedly between the two girls.

                “Sooyoung, why don’t you tell umma what you just told me about your lover?” Soojin rose from Sooyoung’s bed and stepped out of the room.

                “Umma …” Sooyoung looked down at her hands and fidgeted. “I …”

                “You’re in love? My daughter finally found a boy worthy of her love? Tell me who’s the lucky guy?” Sooyoung’s mom happily cupped her daughter’s cheeks.

                “I …” Sooyoung stuttered and looked away from her mother. She was not ashamed of her love for Jessica, she just did not want to hurt her mother. “I … I … I’m in love with Jessica … and she loves me.” She finally articulated after some struggle.

                Sooyoung’s mother’s mouth dropped widely and her eyes broadened while she remained speechless. After a while, she finally let out her held breath, “J-Jessica? As in Jung Jessica? The girl who has been over to our house and had sleepovers with you? The girl I saw as another daughter?”

                Sooyoung nodded and reached out for her mother’s hands.

                “This just can’t be. Please tell me that you are just kidding.” Sooyoung’s mother rejected her touch. “Tell me that you are not a crazy sinner!”

                “Umma, please. I love her so much, I can’t imagine being without her. You don’t have to forgive me, but please don’t hate me or Jessica.” Sooyoung cried and crawled after her mother, who walked away.

                “I can’t believe my ears. This is a nightmare. My daughter is an abomination … it’s all that Jessica’s fault! You used to like boys … I won’t allow it! I won’t let you become a despicable stain on our family.”

                “I’m sorry, umma. Please don’t …” Sooyoung weeped loudly and rushed after her mother.

                Sooyoung’s mom ran down to the livingroom where Sooyoung’s father and brother were playing chess. She told them what Sooyoung just told her, despite the young girl’s pleading for her forgiveness. When her father and brother heard the news, they yelled and chastised her for sullying the family’s honor. She was lectured for a long time and they finally got tired of her unrelenting admission of love for Jessica. No matter their threats, whether they were beatings or  a convent she did not yield. She was grounded to her room while they tried to figure out what to do.

                ***END FLASHBACK***

                “The next day, while I was trying to sneak out to come to your graduation ceremony, they caught me. I was held in the basement for three days, until you have left. Then I was sent to live in Japan with a long distant aunt in a farm in the countryside. Three years ago, I escaped and came back here to Korea with my cousin, Sunny, and her family.” Sooyoung finished the summary of her story.

                She turned to look at Jessica, who had been quietly listening. She could not read the other girl’s thoughts since her face did not betray any emotion. “I am sorry that I was not able to get word to you. But your family moved to the US during the year I was gone and I could not manage to find solid contact information for you. I tried and tried, but I failed … I failed you.”

                “I’m sorry, but I’m trying to take all this in … I sent you emails and letter, but there was no reply. I tried calling, but no one would answer. Two years agao, I left school for a week and secretly came back to look for you, but your family had moved.” Jessica finally spoke. “I don’t know what to think anymore. This is more than I can comprehend after four years of sadness and sorrow.”

                “I understand, Jessica … had I been stronger, I might have been able to see you and explain everything four years ago instead of now.” Sooyoung looked down at her hands with regret. “But I have never stopped thinking about you. Every night, I prayed for us to meet again … and here we are.” She smiled a little, at the thought that her prayers were heard.

                “But Sooyoung, you are with someone else now …” Jessica reminded the taller girl of the night of the ball, when Yoona kissed her in front of the entire room.

                “No no! I’m not with her!” Sooyoung quickly and adamantly shook her head. “Yoona was just trying to make Seohyun jealous. I was being a friend and accompanied her to the ball, I did not think that she would kiss me like that!” She did not want to disclose her occupation to Jessica just yet.

                “That’s why … Seohyun was crying by the curb …” Jessica started to put the pieces together. “She said it was because of the stress of the wedding and everything. Everyone felt sorry for her … but it was because of this … Yoona?”

                “That’s right, Yoona said some heartbreaking things to her that night. Seohyun was just crying because of her disappointment in the girl she loves.”

                “What about my brother? He doesn’t know at all does he?” Jessica nipped her lower lip and contemplated.

                “I want to try to help them sort this out … but it has proved to be more complicated than I’d hoped. I don’t want them to have to part like us.” Sooyoung rested her hand on Jessica’s shoulder.

                “Why were you being so mysterious that night? You didn’t want to tell me anything.” Jessica replied coldly.

                “Jessica, why are you being so cold? You were never this cold to me … what did you want me to say? I couldn’t explain everything in the five minutes that we were talking. Or that I was helping a friend make your soon-to-be-sister-in-law jealous.” Sooyoung turned toward Jessica and pouted.

                “I believe you, Sooyoung. I honestly do. But this is all too much for me. To think that the past four painful years have been in vain is a bit more than I can comprehend right now. I have never hated you, but I have been so angry at you … and hurt and disappointed … I was starting to move on with my life after so long …” Jessica shook her head and looked away to wipe a tear that started to well up in her eyes.

                “Then why did you come back here?” Sooyoung reached over and turned Jessica’s gaze to her. “Why are you crying? I am trying my best to honor our promise … I’m applying to medical school. I will join Doctors Without Borders. I am doing my best to show you that I have never forgotten you.”

                “Y-You are?” Jessica sniffled.

                “I am. I’ll be taking my entrance exam at the end of next month … are … are you back here for that reason as well?” Sooyoung spoke softly and smiled at the adorable princess. This princess can act cold and mean, but she is still the sweetest and most innocent one at heart.

                “…” Jessica nodded and looked away shyly, “I got into the medical school of this university. I’ll start next in the Spring.”

                “When I get in, we will be classmates!” Sooyoung squeezed Jessica’s cheeks.

                “Aren’t you a year younger?”

                “Yes, but I don’t plan on finishing my bachelor degree. As long as I finish the pre-requisites and pass the entrance exam, I’ll get into medical school … so I’ll be saving a year.” Sooyoung smiled.

                “I see …” Jessica looked up at Sooyoung, who was just as cute and sweet as she remembered.

                “I can’t wait …” Sooyoung’s gaze answered Jessica’s before she started to lean in for a kiss.

                Just as Sooyoung’s lips were about to touch hers, Jessica turned her head and Sooyoung’s lips pressed against her cheek instead. “I need some time to wrap my mind around things, Soo.”

                “Sica …” Sooyoung replied with Jessica’s nickname after the older girl used hers. Though she could not hide the disappointment in her eyes, she nodded. “I understand. Take as much time as you need, I will wait.”

                “Thank you.” Jessica pulled away from Sooyoung and stood up. “It’s time that I go; I still have some errands to run before I go home.”

                Sooyoung rose from her seat as well and smiled sadly, “Alright … let me walk you to your car.”

                Jessica nodded and started walking toward the parking lot. The whole way, they silently walked side by side. Sometimes it was just better to save words and enjoy the presence of the other person.

                “Here we are …” Jessica stopped next to a silver sedan, though she lingered near Sooyoung. “See you later.” The shorter girl awkwardly waved and turned, but she was suddenly caught in a backhug.

                “Don’t run away. You haven’t even given me your number.” Sooyoung’s breath tickled Jessica’s ear.

                Jessica smiled to herself when the familiar sensation of Sooyoung’s hug brought back a rush of memories. “… When I see you at the start of medical school, I’ll consider it fate for us to be together. We can start over then and I will give you my information.” She reluctantly unwrapped Sooyoung’s arms from her body. The absence of Sooyoung’s warmth brought an unwelcomed chill to her frame.

                “But …”

                Jessica’s index finger on Sooyoung’s lips stopped her complaints. “I want to see your determination, Soo.”

                Sooyoung nodded and held Jessica’s hand in hers. “I will see you next semester.”

                Jessica nodded back then turned and got into her car. Sooyoung stood in one spot and let Jessica’s hand slipped through her fingers. She watched until the silver car disappeared from her view. She had forgotten her hunger and heartache, because Jessica renewed hope in her. For some reason, she felt light and excited as well as invincible. “I’ll see you soon, Sica …”

                *chirpchirp* Sooyoung’s phone announced the arrival of a new message.

                When Hyomin’s name flashed on top of the screen, Sooyoung grinned to herself. “Maybe very soon.” She slipped her phone into her pocket and proceeded to the cafeteria. A girl gotta eat if she was going to study like her life depended on it.

Hello readers :) It's getting colder here and my feet are freezing. I sipped on hot chocolate while I wrote this chapter. I was too relaxed, please let me know if you spot any errors in the chapter!

I love winter vacation! Thus, I am shopping for ski gears for my trip next month. I can't wait! Maybe Sooyoung should take a ski trip too!