Jisoo clutches onto her passport, fingers trembling with fear and anxiousness. She has never done something as rebellious as this before, simply because she didn't understand the whole point of doing so. Putting it that way, however, means that Jisoo never considered the possibility of her parents being extremely manipulative and conrtrolling. Ever since the time she woke up in the hospital and demanded to get home, her parents have never talked about what exactly happened on the pretext of ‘protecting’ her. It's quite pitiful and frankly, pathetic that this is the extent they have to go to just to make sure Jisoo never meets the people who were with her before. Yes, she managed to maintain contact with some of her friends like Rose and Lisa up till now but the rest of her past is still a blur. Her mother’s reaction has already given her several answers though; it’s never been about keeping their daughter safe.

“Good evening, Miss. How may I assist you?”

“I would like an air ticket to Seoul, please.” Jisoo is quick and thorough with her words; she just wants to leave this place and go back to where she was supposed to be. There shouldn’t be a problem with going back to where she grew up if her parents are as good as they are.

“The next flight will be going out at two in the morning. Will that be okay with you?”

Even if the flight was going out at four in the morning, Jisoo will take it without hesitation. She can’t bear to look at her mother without getting angry and that isn’t what she wants at all. If going back to their hometown can preserve some good memories of her parents, Jisoo is willing to do so. She already feels terrible that some people have been deliberately left out of her memories though not her intentions. Will going back to Korea make her feel better? Or will it even earn her the forgiveness that her friends need to give her? Jisoo just wants to make things better between them. If there are broken friendships or relationships that are on the verge of being ruined with no thanks to her genius parents, then Jisoo isn’t going to hold back anymore. There is no point in being a member of this family if they’re all inhumane with no morals whatsoever.

“Thank you so much for your purchase. Please wait for the boarding call and have a good rest before that.”

Dragging her feet towards the lounge area, Jisoo wishes it wasn’t so hard. How did things become this messed up with her family? Her childhood period was not perfect for sure, but her grandmother’s existence had made things wonderful all by herself. She wishes she could preserve the precious memories of her family members and maintain their good image in her mind, but seeing the events of today – it’s more than unlikely to happen.  

Leaning her back against the comfortable sofa rest, Jisoo looks up at the ceiling with a sigh. She can’t help but imagine the reactions of her friends when she finally touches down in Korea. Are they going to be surprised or upset with her return? How could she have taken so long to realise that her memories have been thwarted with ulterior motivates? From their viewpoint, they might be concluding that Jisoo no longer wants to get in touch with them personally anymore. Jisoo herself knows it's been years and very well after her accident, which was later told to her truthfully by her sister. All she was told was that she was in a coma after an accident, but she never thought about it being a plane crash. After all, the possibility of her plane crashing on the very day she was flying home seemed far too unbelieveable. To think it couldn’t get nearer to the truth then it already is… Jisoo has a long way to go if she wants to recover her memories to the fullest capacity.

It only hits her right there that she hasn’t checked her email in weeks, at least not after her falling out with her mother and her ex-boyfriend – how could she have been such a fool? She must have looked amusing to the two of them, especially with how she clung onto their every word for hope. The emotionally draining part of going through the inner turmoil with her family took its toll on Jisoo too; she really should have known better than to ignore the world outside of her. Of course, no one else would understand her actions except herself, unless they’re going through the same thing as well.

The number of emails she has from the same person takes her breath away; she doesn’t remember ever exchanging so many before. There are some almost every few days, until there’s a complete stop and one more from four days ago.

To: Jisoo-unnie

Unnie… I can’t believe I’m saying this but we all miss you, and I need to talk to you too. I think I have to come clean about our emails, I hate lying to my girlfriend about this…

To: Jisoo-unnie

Why can’t you just talk to them…

It’s driving me crazy.

Tears well in Jisoo’s eyes at the two emails, unable to open the others without feeling like she’s going to break down any moment now. She feels absolutely terrible for putting her friend through this much pain, but it’s not like she has a choice either. If Jisoo had the courage and curiosity of her own life beforehand, it wouldn’t have taken her this long to get an air ticket back home. It always seems to become a huge problem whenever Jisoo wonders how her friends are getting along back home. Of course, her sister filled her in on how and she and Lisa became friends in the first place and how she got to know Rose by extension. The only one who had been deliberately left out was this girl named Jennie.

It’s only when she finally spots the subject topic in the next email, with the girl’s name in the title. She takes a deep breath and her finger hovers over the open button, debating with herself until she musters enough courage.

To: Jisoo-unnie

I’m sorry, Unnie. That was insensitive of me to say… but the thing is, Jennie-unnie already knows that we’re in contact. I really want the both of you to meet so you would know what exactly happened between the two of you. It’s not my place to say anything but I do hope whatever is happening over at your side is only temporary. It’s so difficult for all of us and I wish you could understand too.

I just really hope you read this and tell me some good news soon, Unnie. I miss you loads, and I want to see the people around me happy again.

By the time she gets to the end of the email, Jisoo’s entire face is wet with tears. She doesn’t know how many people have been staring at her by now but she can’t afford to care. Her friends are desperate for her to go back home; things must be chaotic back there. Of the many times they’ve communicated, Lisa has never once asked for her to come back but the past few emails have proved her wrong. It makes her feel incredibly selfish and self-centered – if she had been in her right mind, she would know better than to expect something. “I’ve really hurt them so much…” Jisoo whispers, tightening her grip on her phone. It's only then she remembers her laptop nicely tucked into its case in her backpack; it would be a good time to let them know of her pending return.

***

It’s approaching a week since the last time they’ve managed to talk to Jennie without her chasing them out of her apartment. There hasn’t been much progress within either of their friendships, and their relationship seems to have come to a halt too. Staying in the same apartment and still sleeping in their bedroom doesn’t seem to be a good thing at the moment though; nothing productive comes out of their days. Going to their daily jobs everyday become more and more of a relief, especially since it takes away all forms of awkwardness back at home. Since when do couples work like that? It should be them looking forward to coming home to be with their respective partners since they are a form of comfort after all. Are they still considered partners if they're trying to get away from each other so badly? 

“Lalisa, are you paying attention to me?”

Lisa looks up in a blur, her eyelids struggling to keep themselves open. She can’t remember the last time she had a good sleep, one that could give her at least a decent amount of energy. How could she possibly sleep with the rift between her and Rose?

“Sorry… I’m exhausted.”

Seulgi’s eyes soften at that, albeit sympathetic of the situation her friends are in. She already knows there’s a problem brewing behind the scenes but it’s not exactly her place to say anything about it. Between both her and Lisa, it’s easier to see it because they use the same dance studio from time to time. Lisa’s skills and expectations of herself don’t allow her to make multiple mistakes in one session; Seulgi would know because they’ve been dancing together for a long time now. It would be sad if she didn’t know her friends by now. It’s funny how they met again though, because losing contact back in school didn’t seem to be an issue. Seulgi was walking around without her glasses with an over-sized jacket that day, looking for an empty practice room to borrow and boom, Lisa was there.

Taking a seat opposite the Thai woman, Seulgi snaps her fingers to get the bartender’s attention. Working in the bar here on alternate nights allow her to get some of the perks the full-timers get. Speaking of full-timers, Seulgi wonders if she’ll ever be able to see her friend here again. Her job was actually introduced to her by Wendy.

“Have you gotten any sleep at all, Lisa? You look worn out and unhealthy,” Seulgi places her hand on the younger’s. She doesn’t want to be blunt with her friend, not when Lisa looks like she’s going to start bawling her eyes out any moment now. “I know you came here for a drink but I’m not going to give you any alcohol. This is a drink, but a mocktail so you can’t get drunk.”

The original light in Lisa’s eyes dim once she hears Seulgi’s kind words, and it takes all of Seulgi’s strength not to give in at once. She knows the problems that could possibly arise in a relationship since she's in one too, but to let an external problem become the cause of it all is the worst. The one thing that stands out the most is that Lisa and Rose are the same age, so there shouldn't be too many problems trying to understand each other unlike her partner, who is three years older than her. Even during their dance sessions, Seulgi is the one trying to get some advice to manage her relationship better since Rose and Lisa never seem to have problems. However, the recent events have only proven Seulgi wronger than before; the couple who have been ideal since high school are now having problems that can't be solved easily. To say that’s unfortunate and a waste would be an understatement, it’s not easy to pull through for so many years.

This is the first time Seulgi has seen someone make drinking a mocktail so sad, which stirs her heart quite a fair bit. She has worked in this bar for months now, and it’s been a lot easier when customers aren’t heartbroken or in a depressed state like this. Of course, Seulgi would take care of Lisa because they’re friends but she can’t possibly do it all the time.

“Unnie, do you have any idea how many things we have to juggle right now?” Lisa mumbles, playing with the straw of her drink absentmindedly. She doesn’t want to relay all her problems since it might seem irresponsible. “I just want all of us to be happy again, you know?”

Just then, her phone lights up with a notification.

Seulgi is silent about everything else, minding her own business as her friend struggles to get her together. Furthermore, she’s definitely not supposed to know what the contents of the email are. She is curious about what’s going on but judging by the look of Lisa’s constant changing expression, it’s probably not a good time to ask or even show concern. Her hands turn sweaty when she watches Lisa furrow her brows, her face turning pale fast. Lisa wears her heart on her sleeve most of the time, so it’s easy to see what kind of emotions are coursing through her veins. It worries Seulgi even more when Lisa’s tears start making their way down her cheeks.

“I… I have to go.”

Rose sits quietly in the library, unable to pull her mind together. She already knows her girlfriend is off somewhere, probably getting a drink to distract herself. It’s extremely normal for Lisa to find comfort in alcohol; she might not have the best tolerance among their friends, but it still does its role perfectly well. As long as Lisa manages to forget everything that is happening in the world for the time being, she will take it. This problem, however, doesn't seem to be looking any more positive anymore. Remember when Rose promised she wouldn't act out of it again? She can't help but blame Lisa for their broken friendships all over the place. It's not like she can whine about not being forgiven too; they deserve all the harsh treatments that they're getting for sure. 

“Rosie?”

The latter turns around at the call of her name; not many people call her by her English name around here, save for those who can speak that language as well. She is surprised, but a part of her is wowed that the surprise person looks this good now.

“Wendy-unnie? Hey!”

Wendy usually has a warm smile to greet everyone else with, because it’s part of her personality. She became much more of a social butterfly in the later years of school, which caught Rose’s attention effortlessly. That’s not just that, but Wendy’s failed confidence in herself which resulted in stronger motivation and drive to perfect herself. Being the talented all-rounder in their year, Rose took the initiative to make friends with her. It also turned out that they didn’t just have similar interests, they were also budding members of their performing arts club in school. For two girls who had so many things in common and were both extremely soft-hearted for the people they loved, getting along is not difficult. If Rose were to choose the most memorable thing about Wendy, she would make sure everyone knows that Wendy was willing to risk her life to save someone else.

She knows because she witnessed it first-hand; Wendy had rushed onto the road to bring a child away from danger. It was just extremely fortunate that the driver managed to stop the car in time.

“May I?”

“Of course, Unnie,” Rose can feel herself slowly becoming breathless the longer she stares at the brunette. Her beauty doesn’t come as a surprise or a shock but the confidence? Remarkable. “The new hair-cut really does wonders. You look so much prettier and the likes of it.”

The bright red hue that glows over Wendy’s cheeks at the compliment, still not used to receiving such open feedback about her new look. She knows getting a hair cut would be a step-up and completely different from her long ombre hair, but Wendy needed to do something. Exercising, dieting, singing and even dancing, but nothing could stop Wendy from feeling depressed again. These things, she does it on a daily basis since it's a part of her life but at night, nothing has changed. The more she stayed at home and let her mind run wild, the more she thought of Irene. None of the outcomes are something that Irene chose willingly but it upsets her so much that they’re in this situation. If only Irene had listened to her earlier and flew home when she got the chance… they wouldn’t be a thousand miles away from each other with no other solution.

That day at the salon, Wendy didn’t even leave instructions for the hairdresser. All she said was preferably something short and new; since then, there have been many people expressing good feelings. Now that her own friend is complimenting her, of course Wendy’s going to feel more embarrassed.

“What are you doing here, Unnie?”

“Needed to get my mind off things, and I haven’t read in such a long time so here I am.” Wendy answers very honestly, resting her arms on the table. She probably doesn’t realize how much her new look is affecting her friend though. “And you’re here because…?”

Rose doesn’t know whether to be truthful about this, but her expressions must have given her away because Wendy pats her hand with a shake of her head. The two of them aren’t exactly good with lying so it’s no surprise that Wendy can see through her effortlessly. They do have a lot more in common than they actually know, so it’s time to find out and bond over it. Unlike their friends who are closer than they know, neither Rose nor Wendy have actually got the chance to have a meal together. Back in school, they spent loads of their time in the library when they weren’t busy with their other activities but at different tables with different people. It also went from hardly any opportunity to none at all when their girlfriends started having more free time in their timetables.

It’s only normal for them to pay more attention to their beloved partners too, and it didn’t occur to them that they could very well become closer friends.

“I’m glad you’re here though, because that means we can finally be closer friends instead of just saying hi and bye when we pass each other in the halls. Remember the first time we met in the school dorms? I was struggling with my Korean and then I went into your room by accident?”

It is a lovely memory, though it won’t be so lovely in Irene’s mind for sure. They had just come back from their date and were planning to watch Netflix, maybe chill just a little… but who welcomes them? Oh, no one they know – just some redhead who transferred in not too long ago casually chilling on the beanbag that Wendy bought for Irene. It’s needless to say that Irene went mad and would have gotten her hands on the new girl if Wendy hadn’t held her by the waist to calm her down. To sum up their friendship, Wendy and Rose have only had awkward first meetings and short conversations out of courtesy.

“I still remember Irene-unnie ready to clobber me for rolling around on her beanbag,” Rose chuckles. That had effectively scared her away from even speaking to either of them when they crossed each other’s path.

Wendy’s smile no longer reaches her eyes, especially after her girlfriend’s name was brought up. She hasn’t been paying much attention to their conversations lately because it hurts her; Irene seems to understand that so they’re both not talking temporarily. This has never happened before, because Wendy and Irene know when to step back. They’ve always solved their problems before it could get to the state of not talking but this time proves a very big step back for their relationship. Wendy often lies in bed at night, thinking about the future they might possibly hold together. It’s not easy to have a lo