It was all a daze for Suzy. The car they rode was still Sunggyu’s, but it felt different because it wasn’t her brother who was driving the vehicle anymore. Sang Moon was quiet. He faced the window, only to stare at the blurry scenery outside which only consisted of flashing lights and trees hidden by the shadows. Mr. Bae, after several minutes’ worth of negotiation, managed to convince Myungsoo to ride with them on the way home.

   “I’m really sorry for the inconvenience,” Myungsoo began. He stayed in the passenger’s seat, while the Bae siblings and Daehyun settled at the back. Daehyun was already fast asleep, then, and he was resting his head on Suzy’s lap. She also had her eyes shut.

   “Nonsense,” Mr. Bae replied, smiling. “If you are a good friend of my children, then you are a part of the family, too.”

   Maybe they had no idea, but the student’s heart felt like cracking open then and there. He still found it strange how words could have a great effect on people.

   “It’s Suzy’s birthday today,” her father began.

   Myungsoo smiled. “Yes.”

   “It would be nice if you could come over this afternoon—once you have rested—to eat with us.”

   He looked at Mr. Bae, aghast. This only caused the older one to chuckle.

   “What’s wrong, Myungsoo? Will you not be able to make it?”

   “I-It’s not that…”

   “Are you available?”

   “Yes.”

   “Then it’s settled,” he said with finality. “You and Daehyun should come. I’ll pick you up.”

   Myungsoo bit his lower lip, wondering what was running through Sunggyu’s mind when he decided to go away on the day of his sister’s birthday.

   “Thank you for being so kind,” he whispered, his cheeks burning a little. “Even if we only met, thank you for accepting Daehyun and I so openly like this.”

   Mr. Bae glanced at the young man through the rearview mirror. “You remind me of someone, to be honest.”

   “I do?” he asked back in reply.

   Mr. Bae nodded, and he stopped in front of the red light. “Sunggyu’s social worker: Mrs. Kim.”

   Myungsoo’s eyes widened, and everything seemed to fall into place the moment he heard what the other had to add: “She died from a car accident.”

   He wanted to say that it was his mother they were talking about, but for him, it would be the same as saying, “I’m the one who killed her.”

   And he didn’t want that.

   The music in the background helped in drowning the bad thoughts away, much to Myungsoo’s relief.

   “You can rest,” Mr. Bae said. “I already know your address. I’ll wake you up once we get there.”

   “But it’s eerie,” he pointed out.

   With this, Mr. Bae chuckled. “On the way here, there was not a moment of silence due to Sang Moon and Suzy’s bickering. If there’s anything I need right now, then it’s eerie silence,” he glanced at Myungsoo, and smiled. “Go sleep. You have to make it in time this afternoon.”

   Sighing, he inclined his chair, and fell asleep in an instant.

<:>

   The airplane took its flight. Sunggyu stared at the sparkling city beneath him. The vehicles became as small as ants, and a string of neon lights seemed to pave the roads. He began to wonder what would await him in London. He was uncertain of many things, but he was quite sure that the warmth of his family wouldn’t be there to greet him.

   He sighed, and before he even realized it, tears began to emerge from his eyes.

   “I miss you already,” he whispered to no one in particular.

<:>

   “You’re finally here,” Mrs. Bae said, while removing her husband’s coat. “How is Sunggyu?”

   “He’ll be fine,” he reassured her. “Kids, go wash up and sleep.”

   “Yes,” the siblings chorused. They each gave their mother a peck on the cheek before heading upstairs.

   “I had to give a good friend of his a ride home, so it took us longer,” Mr. Bae explained. “I’m so sorry for making you wait.”

   “I was preparing for the birthday celebration, so it’s okay,” she replied.

   “I think Suzy won’t be able to enjoy it, though,” he pointed out.

   “We simply have to get over it,” Mrs. Bae said. She then turned to her husband. “Are you hungry?”

   “I might as well eat,” he replied with a soft chuckle. “You should join me, though.”

<:>

   Sang Moon and Suzy brushed in the bathroom together to save time, considering that all of them were tired and they knew that their father would have to use the shower later on.

   “‘Ey, ‘oo-a,” Sang Moon began.

   Suzy spat out the foam from . “I can’t understand you.”

   The younger one followed his sister’s lead, and repeated, “Hey, noona.”

   “What?” she asked, before gurgling.

   “Are you okay?”

   He washed his mouth, and wiped the minty foam away from his chin. The two only stared at their reflections in the mirror. Both of them were pale, and there were dark circles beneath their sunken eyes.

   “I’ll be okay,” Suzy finally answered.

   “One day?” Sang Moon asked.

   She smiled a little, and nodded. “One day.”

   The younger one laughed, and in a blink of an eye he hooked his arm against his sister’s neck. He brought her face closer to the sink, and he began to splash water on her face.

   “Hey!” she yelled, causing her brother to chortle even more. “Once I break free you’ll really get it, Sang Moon!”

   Suzy struggled, but Sang Moon held on tightly. Soon, she stopped fighting, and this caused his grip to loosen up. “Noona?”

   “Got you!” she exclaimed, as she started to tickle her younger brother on his weakest points. This sent him squirming on the floor, laughing and tearing up. “This is my revenge!”

   “N-Noona!” he cried between breathless titters. “I…I—g-give u-u-up!”

   Panting, she collapsed on the floor. The two stared up at the ceiling. The floor cooled their backs a little.

   “It’s really quiet,” Sang Moon began.

   “Yeah.”

   “Hyung won’t be here to stop us from fighting.”

   “Yeah.”

   “Hyung won’t be able to proofread my essays anymore, and help me on school projects.”

   “There’s always video chat,” Suzy pointed out.

   “He’ll be busy.”

   “Good point.”

   Sang Moon sighed. “You’ll miss him, right?”

   “Of course.”

   “I’ll miss him, too,” he admitted. “Noona?”

   “Hm?”

   “Let’s be strong together.”

   Without waiting for a reply, Sang Moon stood up and left the bathroom. Suzy stayed on the floor and pondered for a while longer. Sunggyu promised that he would try and make everything work. And he did. She wondered if things would be the same if he didn’t leave. She wondered if she would be able to meet Myungsoo through Sunggyu if things stayed the same.

   Guess not, she thought.

   Suzy grunted as she sat up straight. She stared at the door for a long while, and finally, she muttered, “Myungsoo is not a rebound, Sunggyu.”

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
- 1 Corinthians 13:7