KNOCK KNOCK

Amber heard a faint hum from inside the room as she knocked. Deciding that it was her cue to come in, she slowly pushed the door open and put her head in to peek.

“Can I come in?” She asked nevertheless as her gaze automatically fell on the huge lump in the bed.

When another sound was heard, the woman slipped into the room fully and silently trudged to where her cousin was.

Krystal felt the other side of the bed behind her dip. She turned around to face her cousin who was sitting casually on the side. “What are you doing here at this time?” She asked rather casually. It was already turning 11PM.

Amber couldn’t help but be taken aback by the unusual calmness in her cousin’s voice. Somehow, it made her wonder if something really happened between her and Kris. Normally, she would be freaking out now considering that she had to travel via bus alone for almost an hour – because she never does that since the incident. But obviously, she looked nonchalant and that’s making the older girl freak out inside.

After clearing , Amber asked Krystal to sit up and the latter obeyed without ruckus – another thing that she wouldn’t normally do.

“Are you okay?” The older girl asked directly, with her voice filled with concern.

Krystal’s eyes widened in surprise but even before she could deny it, her cousin cut her off. “Kris called me a while ago asking where you were. It was when you just told me through SMS that you’re on your way home. So since he called and I knew you went to KBS, I easily concluded that you were on a freaking bus alone and I kinda went Godzilla on him over the phone because I was so worried that the same thing will happen again and I—“

“But I’m okay,” Krystal butted in, silencing her cousin at once. The obvious surprise etched on Amber’s face made her chuckle – and eventually a smile broke out of the other girl’s face too.

When comfortable air finally blew on them, Krystal leaned on the headboard of the bed and hugged a pillow. “Unnie should have gone easy on Kris since he completely had no idea about my trauma,” she clicked her tongue and pouted.

Amber slipped into the covers and imitated her cousin’s position. “Yeah, I thought so too,” she muttered upon realizing her mistake. “I should apologize to him tomorrow.”

Krystal nodded, saying nothing more. Her eyes were focused on her white fluffy futon, or perhaps she was looking at nothing in particular?

“But dude,” the older girl evaded the silence once more. “Why did you come back alone?”

The question made Krystal stiffen a bit but she decided not to let her cousin notice that. To not draw any suspicion, she slid under the covers and prepared to sleep.

“He had to take care of something,” she muttered the last word with so much emphasis.

Bitterness was dominating Krystal’s system as she thought of the incident that afternoon. It was the truth, after all; but she wouldn’t tell her unnie about it in detail. She had gone through enough trouble in the past for easily jumping into conclusions. And it’s not like Kris had done this to her before for her to overreact.

When she decided to enter the relationship, she made an unspoken vow to herself that she will be as understanding as she could towards her boyfriend. She wouldn’t fret about something unconfirmed. She wouldn’t let jealousy take the best of her.

So since she decided to take the matter like a cool woman, no one should know – even Amber. And maybe – just maybe – the pain shall pass.

***

The next day, Krystal and Amber went to school together. As expected, one man was waiting for them in front of the school. At the sight of the two girls, he ran to them in a hurry as he ily slung the strap of his bag on his shoulders.

But of course, Soojung won’t admit the last part openly.

“Soojung-ah,” Kevin called the queenka as soon as he’s in front of her. “Look, I’m really sorry for –“

“Aren’t you late for class?” The girl butted in with a random question. There was a smile painted in her lips which made Amber cringe. She had seen that smile enough to know that her cousin’s forcing it.

But apparently, Kevin didn’t notice, the difference. Oblivious, he returned the smile and moved beside his girlfriend