Home, Few Days Later

Hyuna lay between the smooth blankets, wrapped in the warmth of the silky flax.

Out of the window the warblers whistled a sweet melody and the quiet rustle of the leaves filled the air with whispers of the wind.

The dawn was nearing, and the sunrays that passed through the glassy panels tickled her, tearing a lazy smile on her tired visage.

She wanted to drowse a few minutes more, secured by the older girl's arms and caressed by the sun.

It was Sunday, for God’s sake, all the work, all the study and all the chores could wait, she only needed a few minutes more to spend on that warm mattress, free from any thought or concern.

"Are you awake?" - She whispered, gently patting on her girlfriend's short hair.

Jiyoon stretched her arms out and loudly yawned, tightening her embrace. - "I am..." - The girl gibbered in a low voice. 

The red-haired girl turned her body and gave a peck on her lips of her girl, who deepened the kiss and softly placed her hands on the other one's hips.

They warm bodies touched in a sinuous movement and the older girl got on top of her, keen to remove the slim veil of clothing that she was covered with.

Jiyoon was about to denude her girl of the downy nightshirt but the doorbell rang all of a sudden, leaving her a little bit upset.

"Oh, come on..." - Jiyoon whined, burying her head again between the pillows. - "Who is the idiots who comes at this time?"

"I am sure you can wait a few minutes more, can't you?" - Hyuna chuckled, giving her another peck on the lips and grabbing a pair of shorts to cover - "I have to go; you just relax and wait, ok? I'll be back in a few minutes"

The red-haired girl pushed the door and walked in the corridor, going through it until she reached the stairs.

Leaning on the handrail, she hopped on the steps at a fast pace and jumped on the tiles of the floor in the living room, hurrying towards the door.

The bell rang again just when she was going to turn the knob.

"I am arriving..." - She loudly blurted at it.

Opening door, she could see a blond girl on her twenties, who had a slightly embarrassed look or at least she didn’t seem very willing to be there.

Her red cheeks revealed a tone of awkwardness mixed to deep dreariness.

Hyuna didn't know her, but at a guess she certainly looked like someone who she could trust, much less someone she could let in her house.

The woman looked too young and beautiful to be a retailer of crappy merchandise, but also too messed to hold some kind of business.

Maybe she was just one of the countless Jihyun’s relatives or a friend, maybe.

"Hi... My name is Rebecca" - The woman babbled, biting her lips. - "Is Gayoon home? I badly need to talk with her"

"You got some nerve to show up here" - A voice replied, but it didn't come from Hyuna's mouth.

Gayoon had made her way in the room and stood behind the taller girl, who was somewhere between oblivious and confused. 

The housemates exchanged a few glances and Hyuna stepped aside to let her speak with the stranger.

 "I didn't mean anything to you, did I?” - She murmured - “And now you dare to come here and claim you need to talk with me. We really don't have anything to talk about, so go yourself"

The sandy-haired girl was going to slam the door and run away, but Rebecca kept it open, leaning her arm on it.

"It's important" - She pleaded, seeking for her gaze with the eyes - "I know you hate me but this is not about us, it's about you"

"I don't really know who you are" - Hyuna grumpily interrupted - "But since she really doesn't want to talk with you, I guess you have already disturbed the quietness of the house enough" - She stated with a note of rudeness.

Rebecca sighed, desolately turning back to walk away, but Gayoon stopped her. - "Wait..." - She said - "I'll listen”

Both of the other two other girls were surprised but while the red-haired girl whined a bit, she heartened and came in - "Possibly, we shall talk alone" - She remarked, glancing at Hyuna - "It's kind of a sensitive issue".

" off" - Hyuna hissed, walking away - "I come back to my room..."

Gayoon quietly attended her upstairs, opening the door of her bedroom and walking in. 

She switched the lights on and sat on the disheveled bed, setting aside a few pieces of clothing and a basketball.

Rebecca vaguely remembered that room.

Even if she had crossed that threshold only once in her life, Rebecca could still bring to her mind those clear memories.

She was tormented by the remembrances of that night that gave no rest to her conscience.

"I hope you really have something to tell me since if you didn't notice, I'm really mad at you" - The girl whimpered as her eyes became teary.

Rebecca gently helped her drying the tears that flowed on her cheeks with a clean hankie and slowly caressed her features, gazing at her straight into the eyes. 

"I am so sorry" - She whispered - "You couldn't even imagine how sorry I am..."

"You took a shameless advantage of me and left me alone, without even a message or a mail or anything" - She groaned - "You just left..."

"If it had been up to me I would have just called you the day after to clear up things, we would have talked..." - Rebecca explained - "I didn't meet you by chance... I was there to gather information about you and bring it to people who manipulated me".

"Who...?" - The sandy-haired girl asked.

Rebecca bit her lips, devoured by concern - "I shouldn't tell, it would just expose you to dangers you couldn't deal with..." - She revealed - "These people are very powerful"

Gayoon had driven out the grudge and the dreariness, but a new emotion froze her chest: scare.

If she was really spied, it meant there were enemies around and suddenly she realized to have dozens of people who could have wanted her spied or even harmed for various reasons.

Her mind flew back at the time she attended that hell of a school, at all those people who loathed her. She still bore those countless marks of blows that she had been inflicted.

"I am scared" - Gayoon admitted.

She pulled the older girl in a tight hug, burying her head on the other one's chest and giving vent to all the insecurity and terror that gripped her heart.

A little bit astonished, Rebecca hugged her back and softly kept patting her.

"I know you suffered a lot in your life, Gayoon" - She stated - "I learnt so much about you exploring through the many documents, so many things I shouldn't have known...”

Rebecca paused, taking her breath away.

“Believe me, nothing would make me happier than just hold you forever, but there's one more painless truth you must know before I leave"

Rebecca sighed, wavering on her words - “Your sister is alive”

“She’s here, in America”.