“Why I’m not surprised that it has something to do with Hwang Tiffany?” Yunho commented after Yuri told him the story behind her complicated relationship with Siwon. Yunho’s lips curved into a somewhat amused smile. “You really like her a lot, don’t you, Yul?”

“I’ve told you, there’s no one else like Fany! She’s the best-est friend I ever had!”

“You always talk about her even during our phone calls when I was in army,” Yunho pointed out, “I figured that she must be really special to you.”

“Well, she is,” Yuri quietly said. Tiffany Hwang has always been special to her and what recently happened between them only solidify her feelings for her precious best friend. Yuri was grateful that Tiffany was beyond understanding even after Yuri made a terrible mistake that could easily ruin their years of friendship.

“I actually thought you’re in love with her… I mean, I thought you’re–“

“Gay?”

He quickly added, “Not that I would mind if you were…”

Yuri laughed, “I hope you’re the only person besides Choi Siwon who thought that I love Tiffany in that way – not that I mind girls who likes girls, but I’m sure I’m pretty much straight.” With a smile Yuri shrugged lightly, “I mean, she’s my best friend, of course I love her, Oppa! Well, there’s something different with Tiffany… it’s like, I have to make sure that no one would hurt her, make sure that she’s always happy… you know, that kind of feeling.”

Yunho raised his eyebrows, waiting for further explanation.

Yuri bitterly chuckled as the overwhelming guilt washed over her once again. She paused for a moment before explained, “She reminds me of unnie… a lot.”

“Woori  Boa?”

Yuri nodded, “I don’t know… I think it’s her naivety, her determination, her lovingness… and how her eyes tend to look as if there’s sadness inside despite her cheerfulness. It’s so much like unnie... maybe that’s why I want to protect her with all my heart. I don’t want to fail her…”

Yunho lightly nodded, understanding her sentiment perfectly. It just occured to him that Yuri was greatly affected by their sister’s death too. He wasn’t the only sibling who felt the guilt and regret over what happened to Boa.

“It’s… ridiculous, isn’t it, Oppa?” Yuri quietly asked. She felt weird since this was the first time she ever expressed what made Tiffany Hwang so special to her – aside from, of course, how the girl has been such an excellent friend for her too.

“No, it’s not. I understand,” said Yunho gently.

“Are you sure you don’t love her in that way, though, Yul? Because you definitely sound like you are,” Yunho teased, “Actually, I was convinced for the longest time that you’re gay… but then Choi Siwon happened.”

“Oppa,” Yuri sighed.

“Which one do you love more, Hwang Tiffany or Choi Siwon?”

Yuri tilted her head, “How many times I should tell you that I do not love him. What’s going on between him and I is purely on partnership level!”

“Right, let’s see how long you will stay in denial,” Yunho smirked, to which Yuri let out another cry of protest.

“Okay, okay,” Yunho laughed, lightly ruffling the hair of his seventeen-year-old little sister. “Speaking of Siwon, how does he like his job? The pay is enough, right?”

“He’s more than okay with it, actually, we’re very grateful. The pay is unexpectedly good… and the convenience store manager is so nice to us, he even helped me to get a job too! We’retruly grateful. Before we met the manager, it was soooooo hard for us to even get any job, Oppa!”

 “I see. So, is it tiring to earn money? It’s not easy as you think, isn’t it?”

“It’s hard,” Yuri quietly said, “If it’s not for Manager Yoo, Siwon and I would most likely be in huge trouble by now.”

Yunho tried his best to stifle his laugh, and flashed a knowing smile instead.

Yuri noticed her brother’s change of expression. A disregarded suspicion reoccurred on her mind, again. Her heart felt odd just from the thought of her initial suspicion to be true.

“Oppa…”

“Hmm?”

“Manager Yoo… he’s doing this because of our appa, right?”

“Do you think so?” Yunho made an intrigued face.

“He is, isn’t he? He works for appa, right? The convenience store… the gas station are appa’s right?” Yuri curiously asked. She thought it was too much of coincidence that her father owns a gas station somewhere in this area and how Manager Yoo has been extremely helpful to her and Siwon.

Yunho softly laughed, “Ah, I didn’t expectwoori Yuri would learn about that this fast. Manager Yoo is really a good man, though. I’m sure he’d help you even without our father told him to.”

“But why… Why is appa doing this?”

“Appa knows it won’t be easy to bring you back home. So, as long as you prefer to not coming home, he planned this as a punishment.”

“Punishment?”

Yunho nodded, “I also agre