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It was another day, another slay for Hayoung and Namjoo as they managed to snag another client under their wing. This time, it was the head of a multinational corporation who had taken a liking of their proposals.

“I’m glad to make this decision, Hayoung-ah,” the man praised. “Indeed, I am impressed someone of the same nationality as mine produced such a brilliant program. Such caliber, wow.”

“You flatter me too much, Junhyung-ssi,” Hayoung replied shyly.

“Please, call me oppa,” Junhyung said. “You too, Namjoo-ah.” He faced the blonde woman with a bright, warm smile. “People like us gotta stick together, am I right?”

“Right…” Namjoo hid behind the tall woman, a bit flustered from their good-looking client.

A tall man entered the hall all of a sudden. “Hyung!” he called out, spreading his arms wide open.

“You finally arrived!” Junhyung ran into the embrace of the man, burying his lips onto him afterwards. “I missed you, Dongwoon-ah.”

“I missed you too, hyung,” said Dongwoon, ruffling the older man’s hair.

“Remember when I told you that my company invested on a security program?”

“Mhmm,” Dongwoon hummed. “You told me about that already.”

“It was invented by a Korean!” Junhyung said excitedly. “Come. I’ll introduce you.”

Dongwoon squinted his eyes as they approached the two women, finding out that one of them was someone he knew very well.

“This is Oh Hayoung,” Junhyung gestured to both women, “and this is Kim Namjoo.”

“Dongwoon oppa?” Hayoung’s eyes widened in disdain. “What are you doing here?”

“H-Hayoung-ah?” Dongwoon stuttered, confusing the man on his side about the sudden informalities.

“You know each other?” Junhyung asked.

“W-we met through friends b-before,” Dongwoon explained nervously, letting out an uneasy smile.

“I see,” Junhyung nodded in understanding. “Then I’ll introduce you to Namjoo then. This is Son Dongwoon,” he said, linking his arm with the tall man. “He’s my fiancé.” He flashed the silver ring on his finger. “We reunited not too long ago, but we used to be classmates in high school.”

“Fiancé?” Hayoung blurted out a bit too crudely. No one noticed the change in her tone except for her secretary.

“My name is Kim Namjoo,” the blonde woman introduced herself. “I’m Hayoung’s secretary-”

“And girlfriend,” Hayoung added almost immediately. “My girlfriend.” She grabbed the older woman by the shoulder and pulled her closer. Her hand gently traced the chin of the latter for their eyes to meet. “Right, Namjoo unnie?”

Namjoo immediately recognized Hayoung’s suggestive moves. She was able to go with the flow without a hitch even though she found it weird herself. 

“That’s right,” the blonde woman said in a sultry voice. Her hand cupped the cheeks of the younger woman and slid it down to further supplement their act of deception. “Why reveal it now, Hayoung-ah? Jealous?” she said, making the tall woman tug a sly smile.

Junhyung covered his mouth in surprise. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”

“To keep our matters purely about business, Junhyung-ssi,” Hayoung replied straightaway

“I understand.” Junhyung nodded in agreement. “So that’s why your chemistry’s so good,” he said, earning a lopsided smile from the tall woman.

“Hyung, w-we gotta go.” Dongwoon reminded his fiancé, trying to escape from the awkward situation. “Dinner, remember?”

“How about you two lovely women join us for dinner?” Junhyung asked to which his fiancé was reluctant to hear. “It would be a double date if you come.”

“We have somewhere else to go after this,” Hayoung replied. “So I guess my girlfriend and I have to decline. Thank you for the offer though.”

“I see,” Junhyung said, pouting in disappointment. “I guess this is where we part ways. Take care, you two.”

“Likewise,” Hayoung said in reply.

After the two men left, a relieved whistle escaped Hayoung’s lips. “Unnie’s acting was good. The hairs on my neck literally stood up. I’m impressed.” But that wasn’t what Namjoo wanted to hear.

“Why did you do that?” the blonde woman asked in a serious tone.

“I wonder too.” Hayoung masked a poker face. “Let’s just rest at the hotel, unnie. I’m tired.” She walked out first, leaving the other woman behind who just sighed downheartedly.

-----

Minah scrunched her nose from the antiseptic smell inside the ward. It was still dark, long before the sun in the sky. 

“Mom?” She realized she slept on a couch.

She found Bomi deep in her sleep at the corner of the room. Turning around, she saw Chorong sleeping beside the bed.

Minah was curious why she woke up inside a hospital, so she tiptoed her way towards the bed to peek. The patient was still awake, staring lovingly at the woman sleeping beside her.

“Who are you?” the patient asked in a hushed tone.

“I’m Minah,” the child replied in a similarly suppressed voice.

“I’m Chorong’s sister, Sojin,” she said. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” The eyes of the child wandered off the tubes and machines attached to the woman. “Are you sick?” Minah asked bluntly.

“Very sick,” Sojin replied as a somber smile traced her lips.

“Will you get better?” Minah asked worriedly.

The other woman shook her head in reply. “I don’t think so.”

Minah looked down dejectedly. “Why is that?”

Sojin heaved a deep sigh. “I don’t know too.” She patted the space beside her bed. “Come here.”

Minah obliged and climbed up the bed, resting beside the patient.

“How is Chorongie doing?” the older woman asked. “My sister rarely updates me a