Anuptaphobia

Sowon and Umji are bestfriends since their childhood. Sowon, being a caring, kind, and warm hearted girl, it was never hard for Umji to fall for her. Umji finds the girl perfect except for this one painful truth.

"Umji-ah, look" Sowon shows a photo from her phone to Umji
"Isn't he handsome?"

"Indeed he is" Umji agreed

"He's Jin. My boyfriend" Umji's heart broke when she heard that.

Months pass by and Sowon seemed to be so happy while dating Jin. The guy appear to be kind and gentle with Sowon which makes Umji sure that her bestfriend is in good hands but still, Umji couldn't deny the pain she's feeling in her heart whenever she sees Sowon happy with someone else. And the pain even grows when something Umji didn't see to happen occurs.

"Good day Umji-ah!" Sowon greets in her usual cheerful tone as she opened the door of her apartment for Umji. Umji wants to greet back but she end up frowning when she saw bruise in Sowon's right cheek.

"Where did you get that?" Umji asked as she pointed at Sowon's cheek.

"Ahh..this" Sowon touched her painful cheek yet she still managed to give Umji a warm smile.

"Unnie, come here. That bruise looks fresh" Umji said in worried tone as she went closer to Sowon; her bestfriend; her love.
Just in time when Umji was about to touch Sowon's cheek, Jun came while bringing his bag.

"Where are you going?" Sowon ask

"Out" Jin coldly replied then left the apartment. Umji's eyes wided

"Don't tell me he's living with you, unnie" Sowon smiled to Umji, indicating that it was a yes. Umji wants to cry but she stopped herself.
"Is he the one who makes this bruise?" Sowon's smile slowly fades. She looked down to refuse from answering Umji.
"Unnie, tell me. Please"

"Umji-ah, it's okay. I know he didn't mean it"

"No it's not unnie!"

"I said it's okay, Umji. No need for you to worry" Sowon then went to the kitchen, leaving Umji alone and worried.

Several weeks had passed and Umji noticed that Sowon have new bruises in any part of her body for almost everyday. She tried to talk to her bestfriend about it but Sowon will just avoid it.

One evening, when Umji is visiting Sowon in her apartment, Sowon suddenly cough so hard then spit some blood out of and during her hospital check-up, the doctor informed Umji that it was because Sowon's body is severely beaten. Sowon even refused to stay at the hospital for treatment thinking that Jin may be looking for her.
It was the moment wherein Umji couldn't take her anger towards Jin and her worries towards Sowon anymore.

On their way home, Umji remained silent while Sowon tried cheer up the mood but Umji didn't buy it. Sowon can see through Umji's face that there's something huge bothering her and she's aware that she has something to do with it.

"Umji-ah, I know you're now against me and Jin" Sowon opened up making Umji stop from walking then looked at her bestfriend, but then in just a few block from them, Umji saw Jin happily chatting with a girl inside a coffee shop. Umji bitterly smirked.

"Speaking of Jin, just look behind you unnie" Sowon obeyed and saw what Umji is referring to. Sowon let out a bitter smile.

"It's okay. He'll still come home in my apartment and be with me after this" Sowon said sweetly yet with a mix of a little bitterness in her voice.

"How could you say that it was just okay when it's actually not?!" Sowon didn't respond.
"Break up with him, unnie" Umji said firmly. She's now insulted with Sowon.

"No, Umji. I won't"

"Why not?! He's too much unnie! I can't take it anymore! I can't bare seeing you suffer from him when in fact you can just dump him! He's not even your husband unnie!"

"You don't understand"

"Then make me understand!" Sowon let out a deep breath first before giving Umji a serious look.

"You know too well Umji. Mom and dad divorced. Mom left and build her own family, while dad become an inmate. I wasn't even able to graduate in high school and that's one reason why I hardly couldn't find a job for myself! But Jin accepted me, Umji. I was so afraid that no one will ever love me because of my background but Jin proved me wrong. Without Jin, then I'll be single again. What if no one will accept me like he do? Does that mean that I'm going to stay single 'til I die? I can endure all the pain Umji, just as long as he's with me then there's nothing more that I could ever ask for" Umji couldn't help her tears from falling anymore.

"I can't believe it.. what are you talking about just now, unnie? Can't you see me? I've been with you for a long time already and I love you for who and what you are!" Sowon's eyes wided with Umji's sudden confession.

"What's happening here?" Both Umji and Sowon turn their gaze to look at the guy who spoke. It was Jin. He harshly grab Sowon's wrist then drag her.
"Let's go now" but before they could leave, Umji held the other hand of Sowon.

"No, she's not coming with you"

"Oh really? Why don't we just let Sowon choose?" Jin said, daring. Sowon took glances between Jin and Umji then slowly, she let go of Umji's hand away from her.

"U-unnie.."

"I'm sorry Umji-ah" Umji tighten her fist along with her heart who turns into pieces.

"This will be the end of us, unnie" Umji said then left, running.

Sowon was so affected after she lost her bestfriend. No one is visiting her anymore. No one is going to listen to her worries, either small or big. Yet Sowon tried to forget about it. She's with Jin. As long as she's with Jin. But everything fell apart when Jin packed all of his things. He got engaged with someone else and now he's leaving Sowon to be with the woman he choose. Sowon tried to stop him from leaving but she just end up beaten up then left alone after he lost his temper when Sowon blocked him from leaving.

Sowon cried while helplessly lying on the floor. She lost her bestfriend, the person whom she's with for almost all of her life. And now she lost Jin, the man he ever loved. She was still crying when she felt a soft caress on her back, as she looked up, it was Umji.

"I knew there's something going on here. I'm not comfortable since this morning" Umji said. Sowon immediately hugged Umji

"I'm sorry Umji-ah. I'm really sorry" Umji keeps caressing Sowon's back. Comforting her.

"It's fine now, unnie. It's fine now" it took long minutes before Sowon gets tired of crying on Umji's shoulder, but they stayed with their hug.

"Guess what, there's just the two of us together again unnie" Umji said. Sowon laughed, finally a genuine laugh after a long time without having even just a genuine smile.
"I guess we're meant to be together" Umji claimed

"I'm sorry for breaking your heart Umji-ah"

"I told you it's fine now" Sowon didn't answer anymore and just tighten her hug to Umji.
"I know I'm younger but I can take care of you too, unnie"

"I already know that since a long time ago"