Loud sirens coming from police cars and an ambulance. People crowding in front of their house and police officers putting a ‘Crime Scene Do Not Cross’ tape around their picket fence.

All of it was making her disoriented. She was young but not stupid so this wasn’t too difficult to figure out. Something bad happened. She tried to get rid of all the negative thoughts and worst case scenarios that are flooding her mind. She ducked down so she could get through the yellow and black tapes but was stopped when she saw a trail of blood leading to what she could only assume was a corpse.

The tears that she was trying to blink away finally fell and it made everything blurry. She caught sight of the corpse’s bare feet and the small hope that she had was lifted up as she ran inside their home, getting pass the police officers and paramedics. Those feet were too small to be her parents’ and too big to be her sister’s. “Mom, Dad, Soojung!” she called as she ran even more and it caught an officer’s attention.

“Kid, you can’t be here!” he shouted but it fell on deaf ears. He ran after her and pulled her back before she entered a bedroom. From what his men gathered, it was where the whole family was massacred. It was the room of a little child named Soojung.

“Let go!” screamed the young girl as she thrashed around even resorting to biting the officer’s hand. The officer wasn’t fazed and instead, he knelt down so he was on the same level as the young girl’s. “Listen, you can’t be here,” he said as he held her shoulder.

“I need to see them. I-I…Soojung, my mom...where are they? Where’s my dad?” she asked the officer, hopeful that he would tell him that she was in the wrong house. She was sobbing uncontrollably. “Please let me go. I need to see them.”

He ignored her pleas afraid that if he let the girl see the gruesome scene that fate has led her family into, the girl would be traumatized and that was the last thing he’d want after learning that the girl in front of him has lost her parents and her sister because of a deranged man. So he carried the child in his arms despite the constant protesting, hitting and biting.

She only stopped crying when she felt the officer gently her back, soothing her, asking her to stop crying because it reminded her of her father. She fell asleep in his arms so he gently put her down in the back of his car and decided to bring her to the police station. A place that would eventually serve as the girl’s second home.


---


It’s been two weeks since it happened. Sooyeon, the fifteen year old girl who lost her whole family in the hands of a sick man, remained mum but she never failed to show what she felt. She never bothered reading any of the articles that talked about the murder of her family. She never talked but would never hide her anger towards whoever it is up there that let all these bad things happen to her and her family. She cried whenever she felt like crying. She would lash out on people who tried to talk to her save for the man who brought her that night at the police station, Chief Jung Yunho.

The man let her stay in the police station when she refused to go with any of her relatives, to go back home or to even stay at the chief’s house. Jung Yunho, thirty-eight years old and a single father of a thirteen year old girl named Yoona. Sooyeon never talked to him nor answer back when he tries to start a conversation but she was comfortable enough with him to let the man bring her food and other necessities.

The chief would sometimes go to Sooyeon’s house and get her clothes to change into. He understood that it was still too painful for her to go back to their home, if she can even call it that after that tragic event and it somehow surprised him when she finally decided to go back.

“I want to go home,” she mumbled.

Being the calm and collected man that he is, he nodded and told her to pack her things. On the way there, he can’t help but feel bothered about letting her go back. “You’re not planning on living there alone, are you? You could stay with us. I’m sure Yoona won’t mind. I can’t possibly let you live there by yourself.”

“It’s fine. My father left me enough money that’ll help me pay for school until I graduate but I would still need a source of income to buy foods and clothes. I don’t have anyone now and I need to get used to it. I have no choice but to live by myself.”

“But you do have a choice. You could live with us or live with your other relati—“

“No. I’m fine.”

“Sooyeon-ah, I’m only trying to help,” he said, carefully glancing at her profile and immediately looking back at the road.

“If you really want to help then you could just give me a source of income.”

“What about school? You need to study. Why won’t you just let me help you? There are people that are willing to help y—“

“I’ve already told you,” she paused and threw him a glare, “I have to get used to being alone. That’s what I am anyways. I’m all alone now.”

“That’s not true. Like I said, you ha—“

He was cut off for the nth time. “If you could just pull over here, that would be fine. Forget about helping me find a job. I’ll do it myself. Thank you f—“

“No. I’ll help you find a job and I’ll get a place near yours so Yoona and I could check up on you. If you still refuse, I’ll hand you over to a social worker and make you live on a youth shelter.”

That shut her up.


---


Yunho dropped her off at the front of their house and she muttered a ‘Thank you’ before walking towards their front door. Just when she thought she was ready and that she’s cried all that there is to cry, she felt a familiar lump forming on and the door that she never had problems opening before felt like there was an elephant on the other side not wanting to let her in.

When she was finally inside, she did not dare going upstairs. She reckoned that it would probably cause another break down so she walked to their living room where a black piano was placed facing the couch where Soojung and her parents would sit as they watched her play for them. She sat on the piano bench with a heavy heart and stared at the couch.

Their home held a lot of great memories that would usually make her smile had it not been for their tragic death. She never would’ve thought that those same memories would be the ones causing her so much pain and cause her to cry herself to sleep every night for possibly the rest of her life.

She looked away and focused her attention to the piano in front of her, letting her fingers graze the keys and the picture frame that had their family picture in it. She smiled sadly and was surprised that she was still capable of doing such thing. Smiling. She remembered the random people at the funeral that told her that it would be fine and that she shouldn’t stop smiling because Soojung and her parents wouldn’t have wanted her to be crying day and night. She just wanted to punch each and one of them and ask them how that was even possible.

How is it possible to smile when the most important people in your life, the ones who give you happiness, are taken away from you? How can you accept the fact that the guy who killed himself after murdering your family can escape the punishment that he could’ve gotten if he was captured by the police while you suffer alone, facing every single day without anyone by your side? How can she smile?

Sooyeon started playing a song that she, Soojung and her parents knew like the back of their hands. It was a song that made her happy so when her father told her one day that it was actually a song that could either reflect sadness or joy, she didn’t believe him but now she’s quite getting what her father meant. She felt happy playing it to them before because shewas happy.

She was happy that they were enjoying it. She was happy that Soojung was beside her, staring intently at how fingers move. She was happy that her mom and dad had their arms locked as they listened to the wonderful music that their daughter was making.

But this time it was different. She felt sorrowful. The song amplified what she was feeling.

She played this piece too many time before and messing it up wouldn’t make sense but at that moment, her fingers kept slipping against the keys and she kept on pressing the wrong ones. She stopped when she became fully aware that she was crying again and the tears that fell on the keys are the reason why her fingers slipped. The same tears are the reason why her vision became blurry and it made it harder for her to continue.

“You…you guys left me…you left me too soon,” she said in between her choked sobs. “I-I…what am I supposed to do now?” She furrowed her eyebrows and stared their picture. “You left too soon!” she yelled as her anger took over her but it was quickly replaced with sadness, a feeling that has been enveloping her since they passed away. “You could have…could’ve brought me with you.”

She wanted to blame her teacher for last period for dismissing their class late the day the incident happened. She wanted to blame her friends for forcing her to go with them to get a snack. She wanted to blame the old lady that caused the bus that she was riding to be delayed. She wanted to blame anyone. She wanted to blame everyone including herself.

She turned her attention to another frame that was mounted on their wall. Her mother liked cross-stitching and was a firm believer in God so it made sense that the first piece she made was an image of Him.

“YOU! WHY? WHY DID YOU LET THAT GUY TAKE THEIR LIVES? You could’ve protected them from harm but you didn’t…they…my dad, Soojung, mom… they were good people!” She removed her shoe and was supposed to hurl it across the room and knock out the framed image but was stopped by a cold pair of hands.

“Don’t.”

Sooyeon was expecting it to be Yunho or Yoona since they’re the only ones who know that she’s back here again but the girl in front of her was unfamiliar. She looked at her from head to toe and noticed the lack of footwear and the blindingly pink pants. The girl was also wearing a plain white top.

“Who are you?” she said, backing away and wiping her tears away. “How’d you get in?”

“Your door was opened,” she answered, still staring at Sooyeon. “I’m Hwang Miyoung, by the way.” She bowed and gave Sooyeon a small smile.

“Get out of my house.”

“But—“

“I said get out!”


---


Sooyeon returned back to school after a month and it bothered her teachers that the girl didn’t participate in class and would usually look outside the window. One teacher made her switch seats with another student in hopes of getting her to pay attention more but that didn’t work. It only made that teacher intimidated because Sooyeon would stare at her having no expression on her face so she just let her get back to her previous seat.

But the teachers weren’t the only one who were bothered, Sooyeon was too and it was because of the barefooted girl with the pink pants and white top. It’s been a month since the first time she’d seen the girl and ever since that day, she would see the girl sitting on the gutter in front of their house before going away to god knows where. She used to sit on the front door steps of Sooyeon’s house but that only lasted for a day. Sooyeon freaked out and yelled at the poor girl, threatening her that she’d call the cops if she won’t stop doing that. The girl sitting on the gutter still freaked her out though but she never bothered speaking to her until that night where she got home from the work that Yunho has given her.

Yunho made Sooyeon his…secretary, if you can call it that. She was ready to decline the ridiculous offer for she knows that Yunho was just making it up but was forced to take it when he threatened her again into living in the youth shelter. He finally found a house that he and Yoona could move into which was a block away from Sooyeon’s and he was relieved that even though she didn’t like talking to anyone, she would always try and at least answer back to any of Yoona’s inquiries.

The two of them even go home together although it was still awkward for Yoona because her conversation starters were useless with the other girl.

Sooyeon would usually say goodbye to Yoona by waving her hand and mumbling a ‘Goodbye. See you’ but that day was too tiring for her that she forgot her usual routine and it made the younger girl call out for her. “Sooyeon-unnie.”

Sooyeon felt her chest tightening. She turned around and although her mind was telling her that it was Yoona who called her, her heart deceived her and she felt like that voice belonged to her lovely sister. “Soojung-ah,” she whispered.

“Take care, Sooyeon-unnie,” Yoona said before going inside.

She walked back home clutching her chest and trying to stop herself from breaking down. She’d usually shrug off the fact that a weird girl was sitting on her gutter but not today. Today, she needed something to distract herself.

“You’re here again,” she muttered.

The small smile that the other girl usually wears grew wider. “I am.”

Sooyeon nodded and sighed. “What is that? Your uniform? You’re always wearing the same thing.”

The girl known as Miyoung chuckled. “I have a closet full of it.”

Whether the girl was kidding, Sooyeon didn’t know. “Why aren’t you wearing any shoes then? You look like a hobo.”

Miyoung scratched the back of her head and grinned. “I just don’t like wearing shoes. It’s more comfortable.”

“It’s comfortable feeling the concrete? Okay. Whatever you say, weirdo.” She walked past her but looked back and asked, “Do you want to come in?”

Miyoung just nodded and followed her.


---


Sooyeon wasn’t sure how they ended up in the kitchen with her looking for another canned food that she could eat for dinner and Miyoung insisting on helping her.

“I can do this by myself. I’ve been doing this for more than a month now.”

“Okay then.” She silently sat on a stool and observed Sooyeon.

“So…are you stalking me? You’re kind of freaking me out,” stated Sooyeon as she got hold of the can-opener.

Miyoung could only laugh at how ridiculous the question was. “Shouldn’t you have asked me that before letting me in? What if I was a stalker or maybe a killer and I’m out to kill—“ She stopped talking and bit her tongue, mentally punching herself for being so tactless. “I’m sorry.”

Sooyeon picked up the can-opener that fell on the sink when she heard Miyoung’s words. “I probably should have.”

Miyoung didn’t dare to speak anymore and Sooyeon was too busy preparing her meal. Once she was finished, she asked Miyoung if she wanted to eat but the latter politely declined.

She sat on the stool across the girl and stared at her. “So you’ve read, huh?”

“Hmm?”

“The news about my family and how they were…” she cleared before continuing, “How they got killed.”

Miyoung noted Sooyeon’s tensed jaw. “Uh…yeah. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You don’t have to say sorry.”

“Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“I saw you sort of…cooking the canned food again. You know they’re ready to eat, right?”

Sooyeon nodded and swallowed her food before answering back. “My mom taught me to eat canned goods that way.”

“Oh, I guess I don’t even have to question that anymore. After all, mothers know best.”

Sooyeon could swear she saw a hint of sadness in Miyoung’s eyes despite the wide grin that she plastered on her face but she just let it go.


---


“So you’re really not going to wear any clothes other than that?” Sooyeon asked as soon as Miyoung entered her house. They’ve been hanging out for quite a while now although she barely knows anything about the other girl but she told herself it was fine since Miyoung barely knows her too save for what happened to her family.

“I told you. It’s the only ones I have,” she said gleefully as she sat next to Sooyeon.

“Where do you live?” she decided to finally ask because her suspicion of Miyoung being a hobo seems to be very plausible now.

“Um, blocks away from here.”

“So you walk barefooted all the way to my house every single day?”

Miyoung tilted her head to the side and said, “My…um, brother drops me off and I leave…my shoes…inside his car.”

“Huh? Then, you walk home barefooted?”

“Yeah, I mean…No. He picks me up a block away from here, you know, to conserve gas. It’s very expensive nowadays…saving the earth.”

Sooyeon just found that odd and unlikely but she didn’t want to pry anymore. If Miyoung didn’t want to tell her the truth then she’ll let it be. She’s fine just having someone to talk to…

…Or so she thought.


---


She didn’t mind Miyoung lying to her about her family background, where she lives, which school she goes to or why she refuse to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner with her but having to get stood up thrice on a supposed movie date with her and Yoona was too much.

Yoona, too, was excited to meet Sooyeon’s new friend but every time she sets up a time for them to meet, the girl was always a no-show so that night both of them ended up having to watch the movie again and giving the other ticket to some random person that walked by.

When she got home, she slammed the door before plopping herself on the couch. She was angry at Miyoung for not showing up but she was yet again worried that something might have happened to her. Times like these when she wished that she would’ve insisted on knowing Miyoung’s address or her phone number so she could check up on her.

She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes. It’s been seven months since the death of her family, almost six months that she’s known Miyoung. In that short amount of time, the girl made her feel that she wasn’t alone. She barely knows her but every time she cries, Miyoung would be there to comfort her. The other girl would stay with her sometimes but would leave no trace the next morning which made Sooyeon a bit upset.

That night, she ended up falling asleep on the couch again. She was already used to it. Somehow, she still felt weak every time she goes upstairs.

She woke up the next morning to the incessant knock coming from her front door. She got up and groggily answered it assuming that it was the barefooted girl. “Miyo—“

She was greeted by a short girl with a pale face. Her long brown hair falls way past her shoulder with her bangs tied up revealing her forehead that immediately drew Sooyeon in.

“Sorry to disturb you but is this the Jung’s residence?” she looked down at the piece of paper in her hand and read the street and the house number out loud.

“Yes, it is. What do you need?” she asked as she rubbed her eyes.

“You’re Jung Soo…Sooyeon?” she stuttered.

“Yes. Now how about you answer my question and tell me who you are, what you need from me and how you knew my name?”

It irked Sooyeon more when the girl just continued to stare at her instead of answering so she stepped back and slammed the door on the short girl’s face. She could only smirk when she heard a little grunt from the other side of the door. “Serves you right, creeper.”


---


She was sulking. It has been a week since she has seen Miyoung and she’s been feeling down ever since. She was so upset that she almost knocked on every house and asked if a Hwang Miyoung lived there. But of course, her pride was too big for that and she didn’t really want to associate herself with her neighbours. She hates how they looked at her. She didn’t need their pity. Even Miyoung didn’t pity her.

Miyoung again.

She decided to skip class early in hopes of meeting Miyoung in front of their door steps but she was left disappointed when she didn’t see the familiar pink pants and white shirt that the girl always wear. She sat on their door steps and waited a bit more before deciding to go to the cemetery for the first time since the burial. She went to the police station and asked Yunho to bring her there but she couldn’t escape a short lecture about not skipping classes. He dropped her off at the gate of the cemetery because something came up and told her to give him a call so he could pick her up.

She strolled along the cemetery, looking at the huge trees and the wide field ahead of her. “I bet these are the saddest of trees. They get to witness people being buried here and the grief of their families.”

Her steps got smaller as she got nearer. She gave the flowers, which she and Yunho bought on their way to the cemetery, a light squeeze. She was almost certain that she was the only one there but when she got there, she was pleasantly surprised at the all too familiar girl wearing the same outfit for the past eight months. “How did she—“

Miyoung turned around and waved her hand. “Sooyeon-ah.”

She jogged towards the girl and hugged her with one hand, minding the flowers that she was carrying. “How did you know I was going here?”

“Gut feel. Ouch!” She rubbed the spot that Sooyeon just punched and pouted. “Why?”

“You jerk! Where have you been? I was worried that something bad has happened to you!”

Miyoung smiled and Sooyeon noticed the sadness in her eyes. “Don’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“How can you say that when you just suddenly disappeared on the face of the earth?”

Miyoung chuckled. “Sorry.”

The other girl scoffed. “Don’t think I’ve forgiven you for not going to that movie date with Yoona again.”

Miyoung held her hand and she flinched a little. She let go and took off her jacket before wrapping it around Miyoung. “Stupid, you’re cold. We don’t want you to get sick now, do we?” She walked over to her sister’s tomb stone and placed three white roses at the bottom of it and did the same thing to her mom’s and her dad’s.

They stood there silently and Miyoung watched her as she gave her family silent prayers. She glanced at Sooyeon and both of them laughed because apparently, Sooyeon had the exact thought as hers. “So…”

“Hmm?”

“I should go leave you alone and let you talk to them,” she started walking but the she was roughly pulled back when Sooyeon grabbed the collar of the jacket. “Oh right, you’d want your jacket back so—“

“No. Stay.” The barefooted girl nodded. “Soojung-ah,” she muttered, “Mom, Dad…I hope you’re doing fine there…wherever you are. I’m sorry.” It only took her two sentences before her voice broke. Miyoung placed her hand over Sooyeon’s shoulder and brought her closer. “I’m sorry it took me this long to visit you guys and I’m such a mess. I’m…I’m still crying like a baby.”

Three sniffs, Miyoung counted, was all it took for Sooyeon to continue talking. “I’m still mad that you left me alone too soon. Thank you though. I’m not sure but I have a feeling you sent this jerk to me,” she said and pointed to Miyoung who had opened. “This silly hobo’s been keeping me company.”

Miyoung was about to protest but was stopped when the other girl continued talking. “I still miss you three. The house feels empty without you.” She wiped her tears away using the back of her hand. “I love you, Mom, Dad, Soojung-ah.” She sighed. “Oh and before I could forget, Chief Jung Yunho and his daughter, Yoona…they’re good people and they take care of me. I hope you’d look after them like you look after me. Miyoung, too.”

Sooyeon missed the lone tear that fell off Miyoung’s eye. “We’ll go ahead now. I’ll visit you again soon.” She brought out her phone and started dialling Yunho’s number. “You can catch a ride with us, Miyoung-ah.”

“What? No, um, I, uh…it’s fine. I’ll stay and ask my sister to pick me up.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, missing another lie from Miyoung. She seemed to forget that the last time it was Miyoung’s brother that picks her up and drops her off and she never said something about a sister.

The girl just nodded and smiled at her. “I’ll stay with them for a while.”

It took Yunho fifteen minutes to reach the place. Sooyeon got up and dusted her pants off. “See you, Miyoung. Don’t disappear again, got it?”

She nodded weakly.

Yunho who was staring at her from inside his car tilted his head in confusion.

She made her way towards the car and got inside. Sooyeon rolled down the windows and waved goodbye to Miyoung which only confused Yunho more. “Who was she waving at?” he thought.


---


The two of them headed for the police station because Yunho said she forgot something. Now, when people say they forgot “something”, they usually meant they forgot a thing, an inanimate object but with the Chief, it was different and it surprised the heck out of Sooyeon.

“Why is she here?”

“You two know each other?”

“Of course, not. She’s just some creeper who knows where I live and knows my name.”

Yunho started the engine and glanced at his rear view mirror. “Taeyeon? I don’t think she’s a creeper. Her father’s my senior. Taeyeon’s going to be living with us, Sooyeon-ah. You two would be classmates starting next week so maybe that’s why she knows your name. Isn’t that right, Taeyeon-ah?”

Taeyeon, who was still looking at her lap and playing with her fingers, simply nodded in response.

“Still doesn’t change the fact that she shouldn’t know details about me especially my address. It’s creepy.”

Yunho dropped her off and she lazily made her way towards their house. She was, however, surprised when she saw Miyoung sitting at their door steps with her face buried in her arms. “Yah, Miyoung! Don’t sleep here.”

“Oh, I’m not sleeping. I was just resting my head. What took you guys so long?”

“We had to pick up this creeper who apparently would be my new classmate.”

“Creeper?” Miyoung asked as they both entered the house. She closed the door and locked it before sitting at her usual spot on the couch, beside Sooyeon.

“Yeah, you know, like you when I first met you. You have no idea how much I freaked out seeing you outside every day and here you are after eight months of hanging out with me, you’re still as mysterious as ever.”

Wanting to change the topic, she pointed at the piano across the couch and said, “I’ve never heard you play. Will you play for me?”

“Only if you tell me what your number is and your address.”

“I can’t. Ask something else.”

“Are you sure you’re not a criminal?”

Miyoung nodded. “Can I just tell you when I was born instead?”

“Fine.”

“August 1^st. I’m eighteen years old.”

Jessica gasped. “You’re my unnie! You’re seven years older than me. Okay then, Miyoung-unnie. I shall play for you.”

“Yah, don’t get used to calling me ‘unnie’.”


---


Taeyeon’s first day at her new school would’ve been a complete disaster if it weren’t for Sooyeon and Yunho’s non-stop nagging about how Sooyeon should look after the new girl. Seven months ago, she wouldn’t have cared about what Yunho said to her, but seven months have passed and she’s grown much closer to the man who’s helped her to somehow get back up on her feet.

She wasn’t that girl who insisted on being alone anymore, outside school at least and she rarely disobeys the chief, almost treating him like a father. Then, there was Miyoung who never let her feel alone save for the times when she disappeared without saying anything.

At school, it was still the same old story. Students would talk behind her back and teachers would look at her in pity. It was sort of refreshing to know the new girl though. That, she had to admit.

They talk sometimes and the small talks that they’ve had on the first week have turn into conversations about their interests and what they wanted to take up in college. Just like how she was to Yunho, Yoona and Miyoung, after two months, she had finally warmed up to Taeyeon. The incident that happened in the school gym just solidified their friendship.

There were students huddling up at one corner of the gym, pointing at them and then laughing. It was the same group of students that Taeyeon had presumed hated Jessica’s guts ever since they were born, if that was even possible, since they seemed to spend too much time on talking about the girl behind her back or blatantly telling lies in her face.

Sooyeon excused herself to drink from the water fountain outside the gym and she nodded in response. Not even a minute has passed and she saw one of them walking towards her being wary about Sooyeon’s return.

It was the guy that girls seemed to fall for because of his dimples which Taeyeon didn’t find appealing at all.

“Hi, Park Jungsoo but you probably already know that.” He grinned as he once again looked if Sooyeon was already back.

“You shouldn’t be hanging around with her, you know? We have a theory that she’s somehow cursed. I mean, how much bad luck could you possibly need to get your whole family kil—“

He wasn’t able to finish his sentence for he took a right hook and it sent him down just like that. Unfortunately for him, the small girl could pack a punch and was wearing a ring on her right ring finger that was ornamented with a diamond which made the blow more painful to the now squirming guy.

Taeyeon was fuming in anger and everyone found it absurd that the short girl they thought was harmless a couple of months ago could inflict such pain to a teenage boy twice her size. “Don’t you dare talk about her or her family like that, you heartless imp!” She gritted her teeth but soon relaxed when she felt Sooyeon pulling her.

“Let’s just go home.”


---


“You didn’t have to punch him that hard, Taeyeon. Why did you even punch him?”

She looked at Sooyeon who was currently inspecting her hand for any forming bruise. “You didn’t hear what he said?”

“No, I just heard you calling him an imp.”

“Good.”

“Thanks anyways.”

“You don’t even know what he did.”

“I’m sure he said something bad about me. He always does along with his army of idiots so…thanks.” She chuckled when she remembered her older friend. “She would probably give you an ice cream as a reward for defending me from those airheads. I always tell her about them and the things they say to me.”

“Who?”

“Miyoung-unnie, she comes around at this time so you…”

Taeyeon’s head went hay wire when she heard the name and she wasn’t even listening to Sooyeon anymore. “Mi-Miyoung-unnie?”

Sooyeon nodded.

“You…you talk to her?”

Sooyeon was confused. “Of course, she’s my friend. Do you know her?”

Taeyeon shook her head and said, “It must be a different one…I-it can’t be her. I, um, I need to go.” She picked up her bag and hurriedly made her way outside leaving a baffled Sooyeon behind.

She got home and she was thankful that Yoona and Yunho weren’t home yet. She didn’t really want to explain to them why she was panting and crying. She hasn’t cried for five months because nothing really reminded her of her but tonight she’d lock herself in her room and cry herself to sleep.


---


When Miyoung visited Sooyeon, she looked a bit paler than usual. “Miyoung-unnie, are you sick?”

“Sooyeon-ah, stop calling me that. Miyoung is fine.”

Sooyeon was persistent and she’s not just going to sit down and do nothing so she put the back of her hand on the older girl’s forehead and frowned soon after her skin made contact with Miyoung’s skin. “Why are you always so cold? Let me get you a blanket.”

After making sure Miyoung was comfortably lying on their couch, she proceeded on telling her how her day went but she wasn’t even halfway through when Miyoung stood up weakly and bid goodbye.

And their meetings after that went from every day to twice a week. How it ended up that way, she had no idea. She kept asking her what was wrong but the older girl only answered her with a weak smile and a tight hug.

She was worrying and there were countless of times when she tried to convince her of going to the hospital to see if there was something wrong but the girl would just stand up and leave without saying a word. Because of that, she tried to just enjoy the hugs Miyoung was giving her since she knows that having the older girl leave her alone wasn’t something that she liked.


---


The night when Taeyeon abruptly left Sooyeon’s house wasn’t brought up again simply because Sooyeon was busy worrying about Miyoung but Taeyeon could not seem to shake it off. Who’s this Miyoung that Sooyeon was talking about? It could not be her. Definitely not. How would that even possible?

When she finally decided to ask Sooyeon about it, the girl was not present so she opted to wait ‘til she decides to go to school again. It has been a week and she didn’t know why Sooyeon hasn’t been to school for a week now. She asked Yunho and Yoona but both of them thought she was going to school.

“Maybe I should go visit her,” she said to herself and look at the chief’s house before breaking out into a sprint towards Sooyeon’s house. She quickly glanced at her watch but halted when she saw the date. “It’s…tomorrow. Tomorrow’s their first death anniversary,” she muttered and she could feel tears forming in her eyes.


---


It’s been a week since she last attended her classes and although she tried to go to school, she just didn’t have any strength in doing so. She was physically and mentally exhausted from crying. Tomorrow’s the anniversary of Soojung and her parent’s death and although she has tried so hard to tell herself that it was fine, she knows that it wasn’t. It didn’t help that Miyoung stopped visiting her. She hasn’t seen her in three weeks and the same can be said to Taeyeon.

She felt alone again. She laughed bitterly at the impeccable timing. Just when she needed someone the most.

Her phone rang but she didn’t feel like getting up and picking it up. It stopped but then there it went again. She answered it only because it was making her head hurt. It was a phone number that was not in her phonebook. “Who’s this?” she said as she sniffed and pulled the blanket closer to her body.

“Sooyeon-ah,” the person on the other phone called affectionately.

“Miyoung-unnie?” She bolted up. “Where have you been? Are you okay?” There was no other answer but a few seconds later, she heard some sort of clattering on the other end of the line. “Miyoung-ah! What happened? Are you all right?” She didn’t hide the panicked tone in her voice. Why would she? She was genuinely worried for her.

“So-sorry…I dropped the phone. I’m at a phone booth. Hobos don’t have cell phones,” she chuckled but Sooyeon knew that it was forced and that the girl was still not feeling well.

“Miyoung-ah, come here and I’ll make you soup so you could feel better. I should’ve dragged you to the hospital that night. It looks like your sickness got worse.”

“Can I just go there and…and perhaps see you one last time?”

“Yah! Stop talking like you’re—“

“Dying?”

“YES! Now, get your fat over here!”

The line went dead.

“Sooyeon-ah.”

The said girl put a hand over her chest and shook her head. “You weirdo, you almost gave me a heart attack. No cell phone my ,” she said as she glared at the girl in front of her thinking that she lied and was actually just outside the door earlier because there’s no way that she could get there that fast. It’s humanly impossible.

Sooyeon spread her arms and waited for the older girl to embrace her but it never happened. Miyoung just stood there with that same smile Sooyeon saw the first time they met.

“Miyoung-ah?”

“Sooyeon-ah, you’ll be fine, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

But the girl in front of her didn’t answer her question. “You always complained about not knowing me and how mysterious I am. I guess it’s time for me to tell you the truth now.”

For a second, she was scared for her life. Was Miyoung really a stalker? A killer?

“I’m Tiffany Hwang Miyoung. Eighteen years old and I’ll stay that way,” she said as she chuckled bitterly.

Sooyeon furrowed her eyebrows.

“I moved in with my mom here a year ago. This day last year to be exact. Dad and my little sister were supposed to follow us after a month. My dad couldn’t leave his job and my younger sister decided to stay with him to finish the semester before transferring here.”

She looked at her still bare feet before looking back up again to meet Sooyeon’s gaze. “We were supposed to live a peaceful life here. That was the plan but the night after that…the guy who was high on drugs…he went and grabbed my mom as soon as she got off the car and stabbed her.”

Sooyeon gasped at the information that Miyoung was giving her. “I was still inside the car when he drove it here. He knocked on your house’s door while he grasped tightly on my wrist and your dad…he…he got punched by the guy. He fell but he was still conscious but he couldn’t do anything because the guy had his knife close to my neck, threatening to hurt me if he does something. He tried to save me by letting the man inside your house.”

She had to hold on to the wall to keep herself from falling on her knees. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to listen to it but she was too stunned to block the words that were coming out of Miyoung’s mouth.

“We were held up inside your sister’s room. All four of us. He was outside the door smoking and saying things that none of us could comprehend. She was crying…your sister and, and your mother tried to calm her down. Your father, he had planned on attacking the man and it involved me running outside to call the neighbours’ attention and to call for help. He knew…your father knew that it might not work and just as he was about to open the door, he looked back at me and told me about Sooyeon,” she paused as she recalled the old man’s words, “he told me that he does not doubt, not even for a second, that you were going to become a great pianist, Sooyeon-ah.”

This was too much for her to take and her legs finally gave in. She was back to her state a year ago when she learned about their deaths.

Miyoung knelt in front of her, wanting to hug her tight but she knew she couldn’t. “He was so sure that I’d make it out alive that he told me…he told me to look after you. He told me to tell you that they love you. He told me—he asked me to be by your side even though he didn’t know me. He asked me this as a favour for trying to save my life.”

It angered Sooyeon. All this time she’d been blaming all those other people when the right person she should blame was right in front of her.

“You were the reason they got killed!” she screamed as she sent her palm across Miyoung’s cheeks. But it only went through. She backed away. Scared. What was wrong with her? Was she not human? All sorts of things have once again flooded Sooyeon’s mind.

“What are you?” she muttered as she looked at Miyoung’s foot that slowly vanishing.

“I’m not so sure. All I know is…that I died that night.”

“No…”

“It would’ve worked, your dad’s plan, if the guy didn’t have a gun with him but he did. I was already outside when I heard the gun shots. Six of it and I tried to go back. I guess your neighbours were too scared to even go outside, unfortunately for me. He shot me outside.”

She stared at Sooyeon’s eyes and smiled sadly. “I didn’t make it alive, Sooyeon.”

“NO! STOP! THAT’S NOT TRUE!”

“Sooyeon-ah.”

“Stop it! You’re lying, Miyoung!” She buried her face on her palms and whispered. “Stop...stop lying, please. If you want me to stop calling you ‘unnie’ then I will, just stop saying these things. Please.”

“I’m sorry, Sooyeon.” She too was close to crying when she noticed someone entering the house. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to see this midget again,” she mumbled.

“Sooyeon!” Taeyeon and went in front of her, hugging the crying girl.

“Taeyeon, please tell her to stop lying.”

“Who?” She looked around but saw no one.

“Miyoung,” Sooyeon pointed her fingers at the older girl whose body seemed to vanishing into thin air. “Miyoung-ah, call Taeyeon.”

“Who are you talking about? It’s only us here.”

Sooyeon stood up and guided Taeyeon’s hand over Miyoung’s face but it was useless.

“Sooyeon, she can’t.”

“If you really are dead then why did you come back? Why are you still here?” she asked, her anger taking over.

“I promised him that I would be by your side but my time’s up.”

“You didn’t have to! He didn’t even succeed in saving your life so why did you bother coming back only to leave me alone again?”

“I just had to keep a promise,” she saw Taeyeon staring at Sooyeon and she smiled. “I won’t let you be alone though.” She walked towards Taeyeon and raised her right hand…what’s left of it. She chuckled as she tried to get a hold of Taeyeon’s head. “Take care of Sooyeon, short stuff,” she said even though she was fully aware that the girl won’t be able to hear her.

By the time she turned back to Sooyeon, only her torso and her head was visible to the latter. “Sooyeon-ah, I’m sorry I can’t hug you right now. I’m short on arms right now,” she joked. “My jokes are lame I know,” she smiled at her, “I wish I could’ve met you earlier, Sooyeon but the time I spent with you was good enough for me.” She walked closer to the still sobbing girl and whispered something in her ear before backing away and putting on her greatest smile for the younger girl to see. “Hug Taengoo for me, will you?”

“Miyoung!” she yelled and stayed at the same spot for quite some time. When she was done crying, she walked towards Tayeaon. She buried her face on Taeyeon’s hair and felt the latter hugging her back. She started sobbing again.

“I felt it. I felt her. She put her hand over my head, didn’t she?”

She sniffed and pulled away to stare at the other girl. “How’d you know?”

Taeyeon chuckled and let out the tears that she was holding back. “Miyoung-unnie always did that to me. Why’d you think I’m short?”


---


Sooyeon stayed the night at the chief’s house because Taeyeon insisted on bringing her there. She knew it’d be hard for Sooyeon to wake up the next morning inside their home where her family suffered in the hands of a mad man and realize that it’s been a year since their lives were taken away.

Sooyeon agreed but before going there, she didn’t forget to grab the picture frame that was on top of the piano. Before Miyoung completely disappeared, she instructed her to open the picture frame and read the note that she left for both her and Taeyeon.

Despite being tired from all the crying and shouting that she did earlier, she was still able to find strength into reading whatever it is that Miyoung wrote. There were two sticky notes folded in half with the name ‘Sooyeon’ and ‘Taeyeon’ written on it. She gave the other one to Taeyeon and read hers.

Sooyeon-ah, our time together was quite short but I enjoyed every bit of it. Sorry you didn’t get to introduce me to Yoona but I bet she’s a wonderful girl. I just didn’t want people to think you’re crazy, you know, talking to someone that only you could see. Kidding aside, I promise that wherever I go, I’ll look after you. Don’t miss me too much. Enjoy my sister’s company, okay? Don’t stop smiling. You better be smiling while reading this and not just a small smile. I like that smile of yours where your weird set of teeth along with your gums show up.

Sooyeon didn’t know whether to be insulted or not but either way, she smiled just like Miyoung said.

There you go. That’s better. Make awesome music, Sooyeon-ah.

If she’d met Miyoung a year ago at her family’s funeral and told her the same words she had written on the short note, she would’ve slapped her so hard. But it was different now, Miyoung showed her a reason to smile again. “This hobo better be with my parents and my baby sister right now.”

She looked at Taeyeon who was blushing madly. “What does yours say?”

Taeyeon quickly hide it from her. “She just called me short.”

Partially true.

Taengoo-ah, I’m sure you already missed your unnie. Sorry. I hope you and Appa are doing fine without me and Umma. I love you, you know that right? Make beautiful babies and name at least one of them after me, okay? I’d prefer you to make babies with Sooyeon. Don’t think I don’t know you two get along well. 

P.S. Maybe now you could grow taller, short stuff.

Taeyeon hid it insider her pocket. “I bet unnie is with your parents, your sister and our mom.”

Sooyeon nodded, wiping yet another tear that escaped.


---


[10 Years Later]

“Hi, mom, dad and Soojung. It’s been almost a year since we’ve visited you. I really missed being here with you guys. Taeyeon’s at her mom’s and sister’s place. She told me to say sorry for not being able to go here. It’s hard for her to walk because of the huge baby bump. She’s so fat now,” she chuckled, “I’m feeding her too much but it makes me happy every time her eyes twinkle when I bring her ice cream. The mood swing’s killing me though.”

She pointed at her forehead. “She threw a lamp at me the other day because I was being honest and told her that she was fat which she really is but it’s not like I mind. Fat Taeyeon means more Taeyeon to hug.”

She traced the letters on her sister’s headstone and smiled warmly. Something she’s recently learned to do every time she visits. It was Taeyeon, her girlfriend of five years and wife of three years, who taught her that instead of sobbing every time she visits.

“I still wish you guys were here and I still get mad at the person who caused all of these things to happen but recently I’ve been trying to forgive that same man. Taeyeon told me to let it go and to forgive him for whatever he’s done. It’ hard but after I learned about him more, I just felt sorry.”

Sooyeon followed her dream of being a pianist and was now known all over Asia for the songs she’s composed and how those songs touch the people who hear it. Taeyeon followed the footsteps of her father and took up Criminology and was recommended by the chief to work at the station soon as she graduated. It was a year after she graduated that she found out more about the criminal who took five innocent lives and his own.

She learned that the man had survived a crash that killed his wife and two daughters. The man fell into a state of depression and eventually led to drinking and taking illegal drugs.

“He didn’t have anyone with him and he felt lonely. No one was willing to help him with his problems so it got worse. I tried putting myself in his position and realized that I…if it wasn’t for Miyoung and Taeyeon or Yunho and Yoona, I would’ve probably ended up like him. Alone, depressed and a person who hates everything in this world. I guess it’ll take time for me to finally forgive him but I’ll get there.”

She looked up at the sky and put her forearm just above her eyes. “I hope you guys are with Taeyeon’s umma and Miyoung up there. I love all of you.”


---


“Hi, umma,” she said as she touched the top of the tombstone of her mother and brought her other hand to touch the tombstone beside it, “Hi, Miyoung-unnie.”

She carefully sat down in front of it and took a picture out of her pocket, setting it down at the bottom of her mother’s tombstone. “Sorry we haven’t been visiting very often. We’ve just been really busy and Appa broke his hip again. Sooyeon’s on the other side of the cemetery but she’ll be here soon enough.”

She leaned back and stretched her short legs while her belly. “Umma, your little girl is carrying not only one child inside of her but two. TWO!” She sighed. She still can’t fathom how she’s going to give birth to these twins. Her due date is a few months from now and she’s getting really anxious. “Miyoung-unnie, Sooyeon is really sneaky. She tricked me into doing it. I know you probably don’t want to hear about it but I’ll tell you anyways and you can’t do anything about it.” She grinned.

“We woke up one morning and told me she wanted to have a baby so I said yes but we couldn’t decide who’d carry the baby for nine months. So we came to the decision of playing rock, paper, scissors and she lost!” She released a frustrated sigh. “You might be asking why I’m carrying the twins now.”

She shook her head at the memory of the freaked out Sooyeon who just finished watching a documentary about giving birth. “So she backed out and told me that I should be pregnant instead of her. I didn’t agree at first but she,” she rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed to say the next thing, “She said if I don’t do it then, then…no . And I can’t live with that.”

“Miyoung-unnie, remember ten years ago, when we were both fifteen and you, you know, you saw her and she basically was a walking stick. Man, she grew up to be one gorgeous lady. I can’t even take my hands off her. It’s like she doesn’t need to try to lure me in, it happens naturally. That body…those weird teeth from before, yeah, she fixed it. She’s just…amazingly beautiful now.”

She looked down and giggled. “Seriously though, you both should’ve seen me before. I’ve never told you guys this because she’s always with me when I visit but I was a total mess when I realized I was falling for her, I was literally falling every time I see her walking towards me. I’ve slipped on puke, I know that’s gross but I did and it’s all because I was distracted by her. I’ve ran into a locker thrice. Fell down the stairs, a chair, name it and I’ve probably fallen off it. She’s the one who takes care of me though so I really didn’t mind getting injured. Even now that I’m pregnant, she pampers me. Every single day I feel like a queen.”

“I love her a lot,” she said as her grin grew even wider. She held the ultrasound photo. “So yeah, here’s our first look of our baby girls. We really weren’t expecting to have twins. This one right here would be Soojung and this would be little Miyoung named after both of our incredible sisters. Just like you said, unnie, we’re naming them after you and Soojung.”

“Hello, Miyoung-ah and Taeyeon’s umma.”

She turned her head towards the sound of the familiar voice and smiled at her lovingly. “You’re done talking with them?”

“Mm-hmm.” Sooyeon plopped herself beside Taeyeon and put her hand on top of Taeyeon’s hand that was on her belly. “Miyoung-ah, I reckon Taeyeon has told you that we’re going to have twins, right? I’m excited and I feel happy just thinking about it.”

“You’re saying that now because you’re not the one who’s going to give birth.”

Sooyeon raised an eyebrow in a teasing manner. “Don’t worry, fat wifey, I’d be by your side the whole time and I’ll hold your chubby little hand.”

“Yah! Stop calling me fat!”

Sooyeon kissed her cheek to calm the raging woman down. “Fine, I’ll stop just don’t shout. Our babies might get scared.”

“I can feel it. You’re going to be spoiling them.”

Sooyeon grinned in response. “I’d be spoiling you too so don’t get too jealous. Miyoung-ah, this sister of yours is a green-eyed monster.”

“I got it from her. Why aren’t you calling her unnie?”

“That’s what she told me when we met—“ She stopped when she remembered just how surreal it was meeting Miyoung. She was somehow thinking that it was a dream having encountered someone who’ve already passed away and even forming a friendship with her. “She told me I shouldn’t get used to calling her unnie.”

“Typical Miyoung-unnie. She doesn’t like feeling old.”

She stared at Taeyeon’s face and noticed a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I wish you could’ve seen and talked to her too before she went away.”

Taeyeon replied with a smile and kisses Sooyeon’s nose. “Knowing that Miyoung-unnie has taken care of you and has been by your side way before I met you was enough for me.”

Sooyeon couldn’t help but smile. She stood up and helped Taeyon do the same thing as well. “Aigoo, so fat.”

“Yah! Umma, your daughter-in-law is such a meanie.”

“Aww, I’m sorry my overly sensitive wife.” She held Taeyeo’s hand and let her free hand fall on top of Taeyeon’s mother’s headstone. “I’ll always take care of Taeyeon.”

“Umma, Miyoung-unnie, we have to go now. We’ll have little Soojung and little Miyoung with us the next time we visit. I love you both. Appa loves you too.”

The two was walking hand in hand towards their car as they saw two butterflies. One landed on top of Taeyeon’s head and Sooyeon stretched her hand to touch it but had the other one land on her index finger instead.

“I saw two butterflies when I visited them and another smaller one following me on my way here.”

Taeyeon smiled. “I bet this one on top of my head is Miyoung-unnie.”

Before Sooyeon could reply, the butterflies flew away.

“Bye, bye,” Taeyeon said while waving her free hand.

Sooyeon laughed but mirrored her wife’s action anyways. “Bye, bye. Thank you.”

The End. 

____

this is quite long and my first attempt at writing drama/supernatural. it acutally got low marks with the judges on that ssf contest but other readers seemed to like it so that's fine with me and it's a good thing i don't really write to make people happy. i just write because i want to=)