Tale 8

I never had close friend before, for so many reason that obvious anyway. Elementary school’s students were the worst of them all because younger me obviously weaker without knowing anything while the parents put doctrines to their children like I was sort of a disease. But even when children freed from their parents’ and started to know things by theirself, I wasn’t cured, I still was the same disease.

Even when I could defense myself well both physically and mentally, they just turned their shoulder on me, too afraid to mock again, but still the same disease.

But then I met Kim Hyoyeon in high school, tough and easy-going teenager that somehow bother to befriend me. Hyoyeon was a normal child from normal family, definitely not an outcast, but she didn’t care much about my background—everything sort of that made me a disease. She just got along well with me. From then on, I discovered whole new world that some people called friendship—with some antics, Hyoyeon’s antics, that is.  

“That is the problem of arrogant people. Who the hell made such giant sculptured ice in party?” The said person spoke, loud and frown attached in her forehead.

Friends are people who share your burden, not because they’re many that your burden becomes light, but because we bring it together.

“Everyone. The wealthiest the host of the party, the bigger the sculpture, Hyo.” Jessica gave her the answer with a matter-of-fact tone. Hyoyeon didn’t really ask it as question to be answered, actually, more like an annoyed statement, but we knew that and so did Jessica—she just need to voice the fact, that is, just like she always do.

I love food. But friends always lighten the burden faster than any food can be.

“And you! Sica! Where are you when that’s happen anyway?”

They make you feel safe and happy just in minutes, especially if they brought you food.

“I don’t know… I lost Sooyoung and even Donghae too, and then suddenly the big thing fell…” Jessica trailed while undoing my hair, “by the way, Soo… That was your fourth slice.”

“Do you think I do that?” I wailed, still full of cake in my mouth. My look was definitely not a sight, but who cares, as long as I don’t see the mirror, I don’t have to see such a sight.

The slender fingers of Jessica started combing my hair and Hyoyeon rolled her eyes, “Even if you do,” Jessica said slowly, “that’s just an accident.” If I didn’t knew better, I take what she said as a comforting words from a friend, but Jessica isn’t someone that said things like that.

Jung Jessica is one wonder in my little circle of friends, daughter from a famous doctor generation family who happen to have some hospitals in Korea. She just came as naturally as the leaf flew with the wind, one heir who rebel, ran from home, and lived on her own—but without being miserable like those in the drama, Jessica had her way so her inheritance and glory still flowing to her pocket, that just why I called her a wonder.

Even with Hyoyeon’s temper and Jessica’s attitude, they still are the best friends I could ever ask for.

“I need to check on her at the hospital…” I put down my plate—after I finished the fifth slice. Hyoyeon doesn’t look quite happy with my plan, and Jessica—well, that indifferent face of hers is a default, isn’t it?

“She is in-patient?“ Hyoyeon asked, “That… bad?”

I cringed and nodded slowly. When I asked Mom by telephone on the way home with Changmin, she said Seohyun was getting a little surgery and needed to rest in hospital for couple of days. Even when Mom kept assuring that it was only stitching, but the guilt still ate me up.

“Accident or not, I still need to visit her… right?”

“As stepsister?”

It is a label I start to get familiar, that whatever happens, she still is going to be my sister, by law yes, but sister nonetheless.

“Soon-to-be,” I corrected, “But, yes, stepsister…”

“I’ll go with you,” Hyoyeon said sternly, there’s fire in her eyes and background—a little bit overreacting really, or overprotecting, well, sounds the same Hyoyeon.

“You have classes tomorrow,” I rolled my eyes, and before Jessica even opened , “You have too.”

“I never offer to accompany you. You are a big girl and can go by yourself, it’s not like you’re going to a war.” Jessica reason casually, “Beside, you can always ask Changmin to come with you.”

“Hey—“

“Good night,” Jessica cut me off—before I could said my usual rebuttal—already finished untangling the mess that I can once again called hairs, stood up from my bed and left the room like she was never here at the first place. Both of us who left behind looked at each other, and then Hyoyeon shrugged her shoulder like a silent ‘Yup, a wonder, indeed’.