The shrill sound of Yuri’s phone ringing broke our hug which I think lasted for several minutes.

I just confessed to her how much I love her still. Honestly I’m not waiting for her to say those three words back to me. I’m beginning to grasp the concept of not expecting anything in return. And it’s okay, I don’t care if she don’t feel the same way I do as long as I’m certain she’s still the one I’m hopelessly in love with.

“I have to go.”

She said as she hastily gathered her things and stood up from the bed. When she got everything, she turned back towards me and the sight of her crumbling made me jump out of bed to catch her.

“You don’t have to.” I murmured as tightened our hug. “We can make this last—just you and me. We can go somewhere—“

“They’re waiting for me Yoona. I’m sorry but I have to go.” Yuri said as she wiped her tears away.

She ran off. And all I could do is stare at the closed door.

I slowly moved towards the window and looked down as I catch Yuri’s form entering a car.

I will never be enough.

*

“Seriously Yuri aren’t you planning to come home? Do we really have to fetch you so you would go home?” Yuri’s mom was a bit disappointed. Who could blame her? She missed her baby so much and Yuri didn’t even stay the night at their home.

“I’m sorry mom. But I’m here now.” Yuri said as she hugged her mother’s arm. She missed her mom but she knows she misses Yoona more.

Was she serious when she told me that we can go somewhere just me and her? Can we make it?

The thought scared her. Not because she’s afraid of how they’ll survive after they elope but it scared her how ready she was to accept the offer. How wonderful could it be? Just the two of us?

It bothered her so much. Could she really leave her family for one person? Could she be selfish even just for once?

*

Sneeze!

“Oh great. You’re spraying your germs all over.” Hyo shook her head as she looked at Yoona with her nose red from all the sneezing and colds.

“You sure you’re okay? I mean we could just take you home you know. You look terrible Yoongator.” Tae said as she ate her ice cream. They’re now at Ice, the most popular ice cream bar of the country.

“Seriously, where have you been? We’ve been only here for days and you’re sick already.” Hyo added.

“When will you unnies stop nagging me? I’m dying here you know. Pay a little respect.” Yoona smiled weakly as she grabbed another tissue.

“That’s why you have to bring an umbrella with you always, just like us!” Tae said, feeling the responsibility of reprimanding her younger friend.

“But she has an umbrella. That’s yours right?” Hyo nudged Yoona as she spotted an umbrella handle poking out of her bag. Yoona looked at the bag and just nodded.

It was Yuri’s. She swore she’ll give it back the moment they see each other again.

Her moment of trance was interrupted when she felt a presence standing beside her and Hyo pulling on her sleeves.

“What?” She looked at Hyo but the figure standing beside her just smiled.

“I knew it was you.” The girl smiled at her and she can only smile back.

“Oh Krystal. I didn’t know we’ll meet again this soon. Are you alone? You can sit with us if you want.” Yoona stood up and gestured at an empty seat at their table.

“I’m actually with my sister and her friends. We’re quite a handful but don’t worry we already have a table reserved, I just came by to say hi.” The younger girl motioned to a place in their right.

“Well, if you need anything, like choosing a flavour or something this shikshin can really help you with that.” Hyo teased as she looked up at the two talking, making Yoona blush red.

“Yeah this girl has eaten every single flavour they have here.” Tae snickered, making Krystal laugh a bit.

“They’re your friends?” She inquired at the two girls sitting while casually eating ice cream.

“Unfortunately they are. This is Hyoyeon and this is Taeyeon. They’re both Kims, they’re cousins, not twins.” Yoona said as the two stood up to shake the girl’s hand.

“And this is Krystal, I met her days ago.”

“I offered her an umbrella while she was getting drenched with rain on the beach.”

“You’re such a nice girl. Thanks for taking care of her.” Tae said and sat back down.

“Hey Krys, we’ll just wait for—“

Everybody’s attention shifted to the owner of the voice and the shock they felt was thoroughly palpable.

“Jessica?!” The cousins both exclaimed in shock while Yoona stood with agape.

“Oh my God guys! Look who’s here!” Jessica yelled as the other girls started pouring in the room.

“Unbelievable! It’s the cousins and Yoona!” Tiffany rushed over to their side excitedly as all the other girls ran to give them hugs.

“Uhm, unnie, you know each other?” Krystal was a bit thrown off-guard with the turn of events.

“Of course! We met by the lake house last summer. They’re our friends!” Sooyoung answered and they motioned for the waiter to just join their tables.

Yoona looked around but no matter how much she craned her neck there was no sign of Yuri. She was about to ask when someone beat her to it.

“Where’s Yuri?” Hyo asked as she sat beside Jessica right across from Yoona.

“She has to go with her mom since she didn’t come home the other night; she has to make up to her mom for it.” Sica answered as she shared her ice cream with Tiffany.

“Is that a trend nowadays? Yoona here didn’t come home the other night too.” Taeyeon innocently said but there was a curious look on Jessica’s usually passive face.

“Why, where were you Yoona?” She sent Yoona a questioning look full with suspicion.

Should I tell her I was with Yuri? What will they think? Will they suspect us with our relationship?

“I just wanted to spend the night at a hotel since my parents aren’t home anyways.” She shrugged.

“Whoa really? How can they not be home to welcome you back?” Sunny asked.

“Well since they technically visit us every month in our house while at the states, she doesn’t really have much reason to miss them.” Hyo answered making all of them smile or laugh.

“Yeah, it’s like we didn’t leave home at all.” Yoona quipped.

“Hey I just remembered. How come you never replied to my texts Yoona? I was constantly bugging you for us to eat out but you never replied.” Sooyoung pouted.

“Oh, I changed my number.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, she kind of lost her mind for a while back then but don’t worry she’s fully functional now.” Tae joked, not exactly knowing why Yoona changed her number just that it was that time when she was quite so depressed and they can’t tell the other girls how much she cried that time.

The girls laughed but they all asked for her new number anyways.

Yoona was secretly hoping for Yuri to arrive but they’ve come to their goodbyes without the sign of the girl.

“It was nice meeting you all again. Try to reach out sometimes huh?” Jessica squeezed Hyo’s hand making the other girl grit her teeth for the pain.

“Yeah, yeah, I will just let me go already.” Hyo said as Sica smiled and finally let her hand go.

After a round of hugs they finally separated and went home.

“Who would have thought we’ll meet them here right?” Tae said excitedly inside the car.

“Talk about destiny.” Hyo laughed as she massaged her hand which was brutally squeezed by Sica.

They didn’t notice how the other girl beside them just kept silent, with one hand firmly holding on to the umbrella handle inside her bag.

*

“Here. It’s up to you now.”

Jessica said as she stood there in front of Yuri who was seated on her study desk, skimming some notes.

“What’s this?”

Yuri said as she looked at the paper Jessica just gave her.

“If you lose something look for it and make it yours again. It was a stupid thing for me to do, so I’m letting you do whatever you want. It’s for you to decide now.”

With that, she left Yuri pondering with the paper with numbers written on it. It seemed like a cell phone number.

Could it be?

Her heart pounded with both excitement and nervousness. What was she supposed to do? Is it okay?

She glanced at the clock. It was close to 11 pm.

She sighed and toyed with the paper in her hand.

Aish you are such a coward Kwon Yuri!

She bit her lip and picked up her phone.

Gingerly she typed the numbers one by one and hesitantly pressed call.

She didn’t know if she was praying for someone to pick up or not to pick up. Her heart started skipping beats with every ring but the call ended without anyone answering.

She gave a sigh of both relief and a bit of disappointment.

If she answered, what will I tell her? Maybe it’s better this way.

She resigned and sat back to her chair as she tried to focus on her notes. She was getting pretty hyped up with her notes when her phone vibrated, indicating a call.

Without checking the caller id she answered the call absentmindedly, thinking it was one of the girls.

She almost dropped her phone when she heard whose voice it was on the other line.

Her heart beats so fast and her hands started to sweat as the voice called out again, getting frustrated with the lack of response. Yuri gulped, not knowing what to do as she knows her time’s running out as the other girl was starting to feel impatient.

“Okay, just calling you back for not answering earlier, I’m hanging up.”

That was Yuri’s cue, it’s now or never. How can it be so hard to utter a single word?

She shut her eyes and exhaled before she worked up all her courage just to say a single word.

“Hello?”