“Nothing… It’s really nothing Khun oppa.” He had a doubtful expression on his face.

   “Sure?” he checked again.

   “Yup!” Yuri pulled him back into the room. The rest of their lesson was filled with blank silences. Yuri couldn’t seem to say anything at all. She was still under shock after confirming her worse fear. Her spirits weren’t very pleased with the situation at all.

   After finishing up in the music room, Yuri and Nichkhun went to the hospital for Nichkhun’s checkup in the evening. He went quite often since his condition got worse from day to day.  Yuri wasn’t sure whether her trembling came from the fact that she was pregnant, or the fact that Nichkhun’s results were coming out.

   As Yuri broke out of her gaze, she noticed that her hand was comfortably tucked under Nichkhun’s. She had no idea how it ended up that way. He seemed nervous. His hand trembled, making Yuri feel the vibration through her veins. The doctor coughed. Yuri didn’t even hear what was said previously.

   “I hope that these results won’t shock you, Mr. Horvejkul. I am aware that this is hard to swallow. You must be going through a lot of pain, but you should know this.” The suspense was torture. “You don’t have a lot of time to work with anymore. If you keep waiting to get surgery, the treatment won’t be affective anymore. The best would be if you schedule for next week. The sooner the better. If not, I’m afraid that the possibility that you ever gain sight will probably vanish.”

   “But what if next week isn’t possible?” he mumbled with dry lips, referring to the high cost issues.

   “You can pray. That’s probably it,” pronounced the medic. Without a word, Nichkhun pushed his chair in anger and stomped out of the room with overwhelming wrath. His hands struggled to feel his way out without bumping into anything. Yuri almost burst into tears when seeing her friend react this way.

   “Oppa!” she called while following him out the door and bowing to the doctor. Now, she felt really horrible about herself. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for her father. Nichkhun completely ignored her bickering. “Yah!! Oppa, calm down.”

   She could see his blank eyes turn a dark red. He crouched to his knees and covered his wet eyes. All his strength drained out of him. He felt that all of his efforts were wasted. Yuri sat down beside him and bit her lip. Yuri felt that the secret that she kept from him for so long had to be let out, even if it meant her father.

   His arms covered his face.

   “Mian. Mian. MIAN,” threw Yuri with disappointment in herself. The last apology was the loudest and the most sorrowful.

   “Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything!” he exclaimed, finally looking up to her. She got a hold of his hand and shut her eyes tight.

   “Nichkhun oppa, I want you to do me favor.” He listened attentively. “I’m begging you…” wasn’t under control anymore. “Please let me pay for your treatment.”

   “Yuri-ah, I told you that I didn’t want you to do that for me. It’s MY vision that we’re taking about here. I don’t want anyone to help me,” he explained.

   “But I’m not willing to do it just for you Khun! I need to pay because I want to. I want you to see again!”

   “Why would this make you so happy? It would be stupid to waste your money on me.” Yuri covered his mouth with her right hand in order for his words to remain inside.

   “Listen to me!  It’s my fault that you’re like this. You would’ve already been able to see if I wasn’t so stubborn.” Nichkhun was confused. He frowned wondrously.

   “Huh?”

   “Yeah. You heard it right.” Yuri held her legs near her chest in comfort. “You remember when your family was robbed, and that person took away all your savings that you worked hard to gain.” He nodded and tried to dive into that atmosphere in time. “You’re probably going to get mad at me for being so selfish and stupid. Actually, my dad was the one who broke into your house that night.”

   Nichkhun remained speechless. He wasn’t sure if this was even believable.

   “I’m so mad at myself for defending my father when you were the one who needed it.” Yuri wiped the tears going down her cheek. “Yah! You’re so suppose to get mad at me! You’re supposed to tell me to pay your treatment and get out of your life for good. Why are you just sitting there? Aren’t you mad?” Nichkhun’s facial expression was hard to read.

   “Wait, you didn’t tell me? You hid all of this from me because you were scared that I would expose you’re father?” he shouted, even forgetting his sorrows.

   “Mianhe. I won’t ever show my face on front of you again when this is all over.” Nichkhun’s fury grew bigger. He got a hold of Yuri’s wrists and tried to hurt her. He himself wasn’t even in control of his body anymore.

   “That’s not enough. Disappearing isn’t enough to pay back the amount of suffering you brought to me. You knew how bad I wanted to see, and yet you lied to me.” He squeezed and nearly even twisted her wrists. Yuri had no objections. She deserved this pain. She shut her eyes, telling herself that it would come to past, until Nichkhun helplessly let go in despair. Yuri opened her eyes and found her friend breathing heavily.

   “Yah! Why did you stop? I should be punished more.”

   “I can’t do it,” he confessed.

   “Why not? You can kill me if you want to. I deserve it,” she insisted as she forced her arms towards him.

   “You’re such a bad girl.” Yuri’s eyes widened. “Why is the person that caused me so much pain, actually the girl that I’m in love with?”

   His words brought the shivers to her skin. Something inside her felt like it wiggled. Could it be the baby growing inside her womb? Yuri’s heart began to beat faster.

   “Oppa, what are you talking about? You like Victoria. Not me. How can you like a monster?” she reacted in terror. Nichkhun didn’t respond and told himself that she had to be right, but somehow, he knew that he was lying to himself.

   Yuri stood up and dusted off the dirt on her pants.

   “Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll give Victoria back the money that I owe you. Then, you’ll do the treatment, possibly regain sight, and you don’t ever need to see me again.” At that moment, the doctor came out of his room with a surprise expression when seeing that they were still there. “Omo! Sir, you’re just in time.” Yuri helped Nichkhun get back on his feet. “My friend changed his mind. He decided on doing surgery. Right oppa?” There was a moment of hesitation, but he went for it.

   “Yeah…”

   “Then, I guess that I’ll leave him with you to discuss it,” stated Yuri as her hand crept up to touch her stomach as a form of apology to her unborn child for doing this. “Annyeong, Khun-sshi. I hope that this helps.”

   Her final greeting saddened him. The next thing he knew, he could hear her footsteps fading away.

   Yuri spent a long time in the middle of reflection. She thought of everything that was going on and tried to swallow it in one gulp. However, she had one main concern. It wasn’t that she would have to separate from Nichkhun, it wasn’t the fear for the chances of his treatment, and it wasn’t the amount of money that she would have to give up for her father’s misdeeds either.

   The most fearful thought that brought butterflies to her stomach was the future of her child.

   The young high school girl shuffled her feet on the sand of the park. She hesitated on whether or not she should make the call with the cell phone between her fingers.

   “She better answer,” whispered Yuri to herself. Her thumb pushed the call button with determination. It wasn’t long before a voice was heard on the other end of the line.  

   “Yeoboseyo?” said the voice.

   “Unni. Do you have time to talk?”

   “A bit. Why? Do you want to meet?”

   “Oh aniya,” insisted Yuri with a calmer tone. “I have something to tell you now, Victoria unni,” said Yuri before sighing. “I have two things to say. I’ll start with the bad news. Araso?”

   “Ne,” confirmed Victoria with knowing what was awaiting her.

   “ First of all, I…” Yuri felt ashamed of herself. It embarrassed her to say something of this sort. “I… I might be pregnant.”

   “Boh??” shouted her friend with sudden emotion. “Yah! Since when do you even go sleeping around with other people Yuri-ah? What are we suppose to do with this baby now? You’re only in high school!”

   “Relax. I didn’t even get to the worse part and you’re already freaking out,” warned Yuri with a whinny expression.

   “I’m just worried about you Yuri-ah. You’re too young for something like this. Who is the father anyway?” This was the part that Yuri was afraid of: mentioning who the father was. Although, she did know that it would have to be said at one point.

   “That is the bad news.” Victoria had an awful feeling about this. “The father is someone you like… Nichkhun Horvejkul.” She clenched her teeth together as she waited for the responds.

   “Yuri-ah, you betrayed me?” That melting voice always made her feel like everything was her fault.

“Don’t talk yet. I didn’t even tell you the good news.” Victoria obeyed despite her anger transpiring through her skin. “I… I want you to be the baby’s mother. I want you and Nichkhun to have her.”

   “Boh? Me?”