I got called from my sister, she's going to give birth in two weeks and she wants me to come. I can't believe I forgot my sister's pregnancy almost reached it's time to give birth. About the permit, I don't think I'll get it. The company gets so many projects nowadays and I can't leave just like that even for just one week, besides I don't think Byung Hee would agree too. But I guess there's nothing wrong if I try to ask for it. I told Ga In the news about my sister.

"Hye Jin unni? Really? Wow, time flies so fast."

"Yes, my only one unni. You ask me like I have another one."

"So, are you gonna visit her?" She laughed.

"She asked me but I'm not sure I'll get the permit. Besides, the deadlines for several projects are choking my neck and I don't want to give Chang Sun a reason to pick on me again."

"Hm. That's so true but it won't hurt to ask Byung Hee."

"I think that way too. I'll ask him today although I already know the answer."

I went to Byung Hee's room and asked him if I can take leave next week but as I expected I didn't get the permit because some of the projects are deadline within this week. I feel a little bit disappointed. It's been three years since she went to US and I miss her so much. Besides, this is her first baby and she asked me to see her. I better call her now. I get back to my desk and start dialing her number on my cell phone.

"Hello."

"Unni, you're not busy right? I'm sorry but I already talk with my boss and I can't make it to your place. My works won't allow me to go anywhere for couple weeks."

"Oww, I'm so disappointed with you. So, you're work's more important than me? I'm mad at you right now."

"Unni, it's not like that. You know I love you more than anything but this time I really can't. I don't want to be an unresponsible person. I just can't leave my team while they're working hard here. Please understand, okay?" I almost cry when she said that she's not important to me.

"Uh-oh, I think my little sister is about to cry right now. Am I right? Take it easy, Hye Rin ah. I'm just joking with you, why do you have to take it so serious? Of course I won't let you choose between me and your works."

"Unni, you're so mean! Do you know how much I missed you?"

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Of course I know cause I miss you too. So, it's confirmed that you can't come. I'll send you my baby's pictures when she's born then. But I'm still hope you can come. I'm going to take a rest now. Bye, Hye Rin. Love you."

"Love you too, unni. Take care and don't forget the pics."

I hang up the phone and let my thought wander for a while. When I talk to her few minutes ago, somehow I feel that this is the last call I made to her and the last time I hear her voice. I don't know why I suddenly had this kind of feeling. Then I remember, she never teased me before but suddenly she act like that. I suddenly feel chilled and shook my head, try to erase that crazy thought from my head. I better not to think about it anymore and get back to work.

Chang Sun has been acting silently these few days. Since the day he returned my coat, he rarely spoke to me and didn't look for trouble with me, which is kinda weird. It doesn't look like him but I'm relieved. I can finish some of the projects faster than the deadline dates. He better stay on that behavior forever and I’ll have a peaceful life forever too.

Everyday I pray to God, hope that my sister and her baby are both in good condition after the birth. This morning, when I want to grab the bread I accidentally nudged the glass on the table and it broke into pieces on the floor. Ga In shocked by the noise and help me cleaned the broken glass, my finger got scratched by the pieces. Then few minutes later, I received a call from my mom saying that my sister already check in at the hospital and predict to give birth tonight. She will call me again when the baby born. I can't concentrate on my work all day, my minds keep wandering away.

I looked at my watch, its nine pm now but still no news from my mom. I see Chang Sun also take overtime today. He seems busy these days. I decided to take a walk in the garden. My back's a little bit hurt today. I was sitting on a bench when my phone ringing. I look at the screen, my dad's number. I frowned, where's mom? I pick it up.

"Appa, where's omma? I thought she's gonna call me."

"Hye Rin ah, your omma can't speak right now." His voice's a little bit weird.

"Appa, what do you mean? Something's happen with omma?" I begin to worry.

"No, your omma is okay. She just can't speak with you right now."

"Thank God, I thought something's going on with her. But appa, why do you sound a little bit weird?"

"Hye Rin ah, your unni was in the delivery room since afternoon and giving birth to baby girl at two am this morning but..."

"But what? Appa." His last word makes me worried.

"But there's something wrong with her body, she keeps on bleeding. The doctors tried hard to stop the bleeding but her pulse keeps dropping. The examination yesterday showed good results so they don't know what's wrong."

"So, is she okay now?" I started to hysteric and stood up from the bench.

"Hye Rin ah...she can't make it. She passed away 5 minutes ago." I heard my dad try to stabilize his voice.

"What—"

I feel my blood drained from my body. My hand suddenly feels weak and drops from my ear along with my phone. My feet also feel weak and I drop to the ground. My dad still trying to call me on the phone but I can't hear anything right now. I feel something heavy hit my chest so hard that I almost can't breathe. Hot tears falling down through my cheeks but I can't feel it. I keep staring to the front with empty gaze, my head's blank. My whole body is paralyzed, I can't move an inch.

*****

I stretched up my arms, these projects make me crazy. I haven't even finished one, yet another project added to my next task. Like there's no end to this. I see it also happen to Hye Rin, she took overtime for almost a week. But I saw something wrong with her. She looks worried in past few days. I took a deep breath, I better think about my work than her. My back's hurt again. I'm gonna take a walk and resting my eyes from the computer for a while. I walk to the garden.

I was almost near the garden path when I see Hye Rin sit on a bench. She's on the phone, maybe with hyung. When I walk closer to her place, she suddenly stood up but still talking to the phone. It only happens in few seconds when I see her drop to the ground. I shocked and ran to her.

"Hye Rin ssi, are you okay?"

At first, she didn't answer me but keep on looking to the front so I try to shake her body.

"Hye Rin ssi!"

She still hasn't move so I put my hands on her cheeks and make her head turn until she facing me. She looked at me with empty gaze. I see wet trail on her cheeks. I know something's not right when she's still on the phone. I wiped it with my thumbs and talked to her again.

"Hye Rin ssi, tell me what happen."

"Unni....unni...."

She muttered about her sister couple times and suddenly she collapsed. I immediately catch her body before she hit the ground. I don't know what happen to her sister but I can't let her like this for too long. I took her phone and put in on my pocket then I lifted her in my arms. I walked to the road side, trying to stop a taxi. I put her down on the seat then I told the taxi driver my address. I'm not going to take a risk sending her to her apartment. Her friend will accuse me for make her like this and then kill me.

She still unconscious when we arrived, so I lifted her up again in my arms and walk to my apartment. I put her down on my bed and covered her with blanket then I sit for a while on the bedside. She looked fragile and there's a still trace of tears on her cheeks. I touched her cheeks for a second then I go to the kitchen to get her water. I was just about to fill the glass with water when I heard her screaming. I run back to my room.

"Unni!"

"Hye Rin ssi, what happen?" I sat on the bedside and held her shoulder.

"Where am I?" She scanned the room, looks a little bit confused.

"You're at my apartment and this is my room."

"How can I be here?" She asked me.

"You're faint in the office garden so I brought you here instead of your apartment. You always calling out your unni name, something happen with her?"

"Un....unni?"

She frowned then she burst out into tears. My heart suddenly hurts seeing her crying like this. I don't know why but I want to erase her pain and hug her right now, telling her that everything's gonna be okay. Suddenly, she step out from the blanket and stood up from the bed. I stopped her on the way.

"Where do you think you’re going?”

"I—I must go. I can't sit here any longer. Ticket, I need ticket." She looked really confused right now, I guess the shocked is too big for her to handle.

"I can't let you go before you tell me what happen to your unni." I grabbed her shoulder and make her stand still.

"I—I must go. My unni needs me. I promised her to come. She's alone right now, she's..." She keeps mumbling about her sister.

"Hye Rin ssi!"

I shouted to her and shook her shoulder to make her calm down and back to reality but she keeps on muttering the same thing about her sister over and over again. I immediately move my hands from her shoulder to her face and kiss her to stop her. She looked shock by the sudden action and widened her eyes. I kiss her for few seconds before I finally release her. She looked at me still with shocking face then she collapse again. I caught her body before she hit the floor and lifted her up to the bed. I guess my kiss gave her another shock.

I walked back to the kitchen and get her some water. When I take it to the room, she already conscious and she sit on the bed while hugging her knees. Her gaze is empty. I put the glass on the table and sit on the bedside. I took her hands and she looked at me.

"Hye Rin ssi, can you tell me now what happen to your unni?" I don’t want to shock her so I lower my voice.

She immediately pulled back her hands and closed with it, she start to crying again. My heart hurts every time she cries like this. I slowly reached out to pull down her hands and wipe her tears with my free hand.

"That's okay, just spill it out. Don't keep it to yourself."

"Unni...... she passed away today after giving birth to her daughter. It was my fault. She asked me to come but I said I can't because of my work here. I never thought that it was her last wish before she died. It was my fault. My fault."

She starts blaming herself right now and hit her head with her hands. I grabbed them and pulled it down. She still trying to hurt herself by trying to free her hands from my grip so I pulled her to my body and hug her. She struggling to free her body by punching my chest but I hug her tighter. I guess she’s exhausted cause she finally stop punching me. I caressed her head and patted her back.

"Stop hurting yourself. It is fate and you can't change it. Just let her go. Do you think your unni will happy up there if she saw you blaming yourself like this?"

She didn't answer me, instead she cried louder than before. I continue caressed her head and patted her back. She needed to let it out all her pain in her heart. She finally stops crying and left out a small sobs. I look at her, she looked messed up. I decided she must stay overnight here. I can't let her go home like this. Besides it's already midnight, I don't want her friend shocked seeing her like this. I wiped her tears while talking to her.

"Sleep here. I'll get you new clothes so you can change but don't expect too much. I only have men clothes here. Wait a minute."

I left her and went to my wardrobe closet, deciding what clothes I should give to her. I picked up a blue t-shirt which I rarely use cause the size is too big for me. I went back to my room with the t-shirt on my left hand. I took her hand and help her up from the bed. She swaying a little bit so I grab her waist and helps her walk to the bathroom. She held onto me so tightly until her hand's white. When we reached the bathroom door, I pushed her in slowly and make her loosen her grip on my arms.

"No need to be rush. Take your time slowly." I closed the door behind me.

She needs something warm to stabilize her emotions so I decide to make some tea. Ah, I almost forgot to inform her friend. I took out her phone from my pocket and start writing a text message. I better said that Hye Rin is with Sang Hyun working on some projects rather than saying that she's here with me. So I'm texting her friend.

Ga In ah, I'm working on some projects with Sang Hyun tonight and I don't think I’m going home tonight. Don't worry. Bye.

I clicked the sending button. Done.

One hour has left but she hasn’t come out from the bathroom. I'm getting worried so I walk to the door and knock it. No answer. I tried to turn the door knob. She didn't lock it so I slowly open the door. I saw she already change her clothes with the t-shirt I gave her but she sitting on the toilet, her thought's wandering again. I called her name.

"Hye Rin ssi, are you finished?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm finished." She stood up. I see the t-shirt cover her body until half of her thighs.

"Come on, let's get you some rest."

I took her hand and walk her back to the bedroom. When we reached the bed, I make her sit and give her the tea. She drinks it without sound and after she finish, I help her slip into the blanket.

"Sleep now. I'll be sleeping in the living room so if you need something just call me okay?" I was just turn around when she grabbed my hand and look at me.

"Can you sleep here tonight? I don't want to be alone. I'm scared." She begged me and when I look into her eyes I know I can’t say no.

"Okay. I'll stay but I need to change my clothes first. I'll come back in few minutes."

Later, when I came back to my room after clean my body I see she still wakes. It looks like she's waiting for me to come. I pulled out a chair and place it beside the bed. She frowned at me.

"Can you come to the bed? I need someone beside me tonight so I can sleep. Please."

She begged me again and I can't say no again. She moved aside and gives me enough space to join her. She's having an unstable emotion right now until she didn't realized what she's asking, inviting man to share bed together. I didn't anticipate her action when she suddenly placed her head on my stomach when I was just about to adjusting my position on the bed. I was shocked for a while and didn't know where to place my hands.

"Thank you Chang Sun ssi, for accompanying me tonight."

I can't say anything. She didn't realize what she did have made my heart beating fast. I tried to calm down and put my hand on her shoulder, patted it. I saw her breath become stable but I feel my t-shirt wet, right where she put her head. This stupid girl, she even cried in her sleep. I caress her upper arm with my thumb.

"Hye Rin ah, why do my heart beating fast when I see you?"

I put my other hands behind my head and close my eyes.

*****

I woke up this morning with a headache then sit on the bed, retrieving all my memories from last night. I remember it all. From the moment I received call from my dad until I slept with Chang Sun. I rise up. I need to go to the office and told Byung Hee that I’m taking leave. I need to find the earliest flight today. I was just walking to the door when Chang Sun enters the room. He brought in porridge for me. We both looked at each other for a second then he dragged me back to the bed.

"I know you're in hurry right now but eat this first. You've been crying whole night and I don't want you to collapse again today because you haven't eaten anything. After you finish that, I'm gonna take you to the office."

"You've helped me too much yesterday. I don't want to bother you again today. I can go by myself."

"If I said I'm gonna take you then I'm gonna take you. Now, finish your porridge. You can find your clothes in the bathroom."

When he started to walk I grabbed his hand, he stop and turn around. I let go my hand and look at him.

"Thank you, Chang Sun ssi."

I looked down and start eating my porridge. If I looked at him too long I'll probably burst out into tears again. He didn’t say anything but just look at me for a while then walking out. After I finish, I went to the bathroom to change my clothes. He already waits for me, and we both walking to road side looking for a taxi. When we arrived at our department, I see all staffs look at us entering the office together. I didn't know Ga In was here too until she approached me. She looked so furious.

"Moon Hye Rin, how could you lie to me? You said that you're together with Sang Hyun last night to finish some projects but when I asked him, he said that he's on the leave until yesterday. Where have you been last night?"

When I see Ga In, I can't hold my tears any longer. She looked shock when suddenly I hug her and crying on her shoulder.

"Ga In ah, unni passed away yesterday."

"What are you saying? Hye Jin unni passed away? What happened?" She released her body and look at me. She looked shock.

"She kept bleeding after delivered the baby."

"She was fainted yesterday in the garden so I decide to take her to my apartment and it was me who texting you cause I don't want to make you worried for saying that she's at my place." Chang Sun added the explanation.

"Hye Rin ah, you should've told me about this. I'm still your best friend right?"

"I'm sorry, I was very shocked yesterday until I don't know what to do. Luckily, Chang Sun was there to help me. And now I'm gonna tell Byung Hee that I'm taking leave."

"Okay, wipe your tears before you go in. I'll take care of your ticket and visa."

I walked to Byung Hee's room and knocked his door. I told him what happened to my sister and i want to take a leave. i tried to hold my tears from falling down in front of him but it’s so hard. I cried again. He offered to take me to the airport, I told him that I have to wait for Ga In cause she's helping me looked for ticket and process the visa. Two hours later, Ga In enters the room with the passport and ticket on her hand.

"Hye Rin ah, your visa is done and you got flight at four. Let's go home now. We need to pack your luggage."

Byung Hee offered to take us home. We all walk out from the room when Hee Soo approaching me and hugged me.

"Hye Rin ssi, I just heard from Sang Hyun that your unni has passed away. I'm sorry. Are you going to the airport now?"

"Byung Hee will take me after I packed my things."

"Can I come to see you off?"

"You can come with me and Sang Hyun. I'll catch up with you later at the airport, Hye Rin ssi."

Suddenly Chang Sun answered Hee Soo's question and all of us look shocked by his statement; including Byung Hee but he didn’t show it. I just nodded my head and continue walking. At the apartment, Ga In helped me put in some winter clothes to the luggage and then we take off to the airport. I saw Chang Sun, Sang Hyun, and Hee Soo already wait for us at the departure gate. When my flight number is announced, I took my luggage from Byung Hee's hand and turn around facing them to say goodbye.

"Guys, thank you for your support today. I'll never forget this. I'm taking off now."

"Hye Rin ah, sent my greetings to your parents and took care." Ga In hugged me and I almost crying again.

"Thank you."

I was about to walking when Byung Hee grabbed my hand and hugged me. I was shocked and stiff for a moment then I let him be.

"Hye Rin ssi, try not to drown on your sadness for too long. I don't want you to get sick because of this. Come back soon, I'll be waiting for you here."

He loosened his hug and touched my cheeks then he kissed my forehead. I never thought he would do this in front of the others but I can't care too much about their reaction right now. My head's filled up with my sister. I grabbed my luggage and waved to them.

Unni, I’m coming.