That morning I woke up quite early despite last night I slept at around 2 to 3 a.m – when I opened my eyes, I was welcomed by a snoring Moon Byulyi on my right side, one of her arms placed securely around my middle and her face almost buried on my shoulder. Before you ask, yes, she's snoring in her sleep. Nonetheless, it was still a bliss, a heavenly feeling and it's been years since the last time I wake up being this close to her. It's always been a pleasant feeling in her arm—warm, safe, comfortable, even though it always makes me so nervous that I end up being as stiff as a rock because I don't want to wake her up. Also, I can't let her see me blushing while we're in this position.

I would very much like to stay longer in bed but soon enough I feel the need to go to the bathroom. With a little effort, I try to lift Byulyi's arm and surprisingly enough, she didn't react to it. She's still in a deep sleep and still snoring. Well, that's a first. Next was me trying to slip myself off of the bed. Slowly, very slowly because Byulyi always—and I mean never once, ever stay in her sleep whenever I get off the bed. It was then I forgot how Byulyi's bed is smaller than mine or Byulyi's bed back in Seoul that I fell hard on the wooden floor. I swear I fell with a big thud and even yelped an "ouch!" but when I peak at the person on the bed, Byulyi was still there, eyes closed. She stirs a little, groaning softly before turning around and finds a pillow to hug.

"Wow… She must be really tired…" I whispered as I rose up and walk around the room carelessly. Byulyi is proven to be in a very deep sleep, so I can be less careful around the bedroom.

Once I finished taking a shower, wears the casual pair of jeans and a sweater then puts on simple make up, I kneeled on the side of the bed and just smiles at Byulyi's sleeping face. It was peaceful… I wonder if she has everything sorted out already with her father last night. Guess I will have to ask her when she wakes up.

When I headed downstairs alone, I can immediately smell the scent of a delicious meal. Byulyi’s mother must be cooking breakfast. I decided to help setting the plates, I didn’t miss the man sleeping on the couch in the living room. Byulyi’s father. I smiled faintly, guess the talk went well that night, that reliefs me at some point. I didn’t dare asking any of it to Mrs. Moon as I helped her. But it wasn’t all silence between us, she’s quite talkative. Her first comment about me that morning was, “You reminds me of Byulyi’s friend back when she’s still in Junior High School.”

“Oh, Ahn Heeyeon?” I wonder if we look alike? Definitely not physically. “Do we look alike?”

The small laughter Byulyi’s mother made sounds similar to Byulyi’s. “No, dear, it’s not that. I mean, you’re really kind and nice.”

I joined the small laughter, silly me. I shouldn’t have asked that. “I see Byul already told you about her?” It puts a frown on my face. Her mother made it sound as if it would take a longer time for Byulyi to tell me anything about Kang Seulgi.

Surely by now, I know Heeyeon wasn’t just close to Byulyi but along with her family.

“Oh, dear, don’t get me wrong—” I felt a hand on my shoulder, almost startling me from my train of thoughts. Seems like Mrs. Moon got a little worried, oh my, even the way her mother frown kind of similar to Byulyi. “—Byulyi barely tells anyone about her. It wasn’t anything serious or a bad memory, but I think the day that girl left still leaves a scar in her. It’s not easy for her to make friends and she really cherishes what she has with Heeyeon.”

I can see how Ahn Heeyeon affected Byulyi’s life back then. I will never know what Byulyi went through in all those years, I couldn’t imagine, but I know for one thing that losing someone so important will always leave a certain permanent scar. If it’s my mother and sister for me, then it must be Kang Seulgi for Byulyi.

“She’s pretty and cheerful.” Mrs. Moon resumed her cooking and while I help out with a few small things like preparing the pan, getting a few ingredients—if it wasn’t because of Byulyi’s love for cooking, I woul