The chatter of the other customers became a hum and your thoughts became a jumble. The panic hadn't settled in yet, but the longer you watched Amber walk down the street and away from you, you felt a dread creep up farther up from your toes. It wasn't until she was a speck in the distance that you turned back, hoping that Youngji wasn't there. She was. She was at the counter getting her food.

Should I leave now? Do I have enough time to get out the door before she sees me? Oh no oh no, I never had a plan for if something like this happens. Aish, Amber are you trying to cause problems for me?? First she tells me to follow my rules, then she practically sets me up to break them... Oh no.

Youngji was walking towards you. She hesitantly said, "Ae Sook? Can I sit with you?" You feel your eyes prickle and nod. Okay. Maybe Amber is right. I mean, I'm already going behind Zico's back to see my ex and his friends. So what more is sitting with an old friend?

Neither of you talked. She ate quietly and hummed in between bites. You stared at the spot on the table that you had been looking at from earlier. She finished and got up to throw away her trash. You held your breath, hoping to hear the door swing open after, that maybe she had left. But no, the footsteps came back. Youngji sat back down and said nothing. You waited, and then slowly raised your eyes. She was examining you, with a look on her face that was a mix of sadness, worry, and longing.

"Is it silly of me to have hoped that you were going to call me last night? I mean, I didn't really expect for my phone to ring, but." She trailed off and shrugged, taking a sip of her drink.

"No.. it's fine. I was busy after the party. Zico needed a ride home and I went straight to bed."

It was silent for a moment. Then she spoke and you jumped. "Ae Sook, what's wrong? Tell me. There must be a reason why you've been avoiding me. What did I do? I thought everything was looking up for all of us! You had gotten better since Baro left--" you winced, but she kept going. "And when you got together with Zico, everything began to come together. You and I were visiting Shin and Mi Kyung at their school every weekend, and it all was so perfect... and then one day.. it just. Stopped. Us interacting. Please Ae Sook, I need to know!"

You stared at her for a very long time, contemplating whether to just tell her or not. You made your decision when tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. You spoke low and quietly, "Come on, let's go on a walk." She followed you out, and you walked back the way you had came. You explained as you went.

"It's Zico... he said it was best. If-if I dropped my friends, I mean. He said I would have better friends, and it wouldn't be good for his- I mean our image. It was hard, Youngji. Don't get me wrong please, it was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. There were countless times where I went to dial your number and didn't realize it until it was on the third ring. I shoved you and Shin out of my head as best as I could." You stared at the sidewalk, slowing down. "Mianhae, Youngji. I never wanted to hurt you, but I needed to keep him happy. He introduced me to some great people, the queenkas and kingkas. I've been very happy. It's not the same without you though. It never was..." you trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

You stopped walking. Youngji was farther behind you than you had expected. Tears were streaming down her face and she was shaking her head. "Y-Youngji... Mianhae." You ran back and threw your arms around her.

"Wae...?" She sobbed into your shoulder. You stood there holding her for a few minutes until she was calm enough to speak. "Why would you choose Zico over me?? I've been there for you for 15 years! And he never paid any attention to you until you were weak from a breakup. Why would you let Zico come between you and your frie--"

You cut her off and pulled away from her, not wanting to hear any more. "He hits me, okay?! He's an alcoholic and he's abusive and I never saw his bad side until we had been together for a couple months. It was when we had made plans, and he wanted to spend time with me that same day. I chose you over him and it- it didn't end well. He told me I had to stop being around you and any of my 'old' friends. That I would be friends with his friends and that would be it..."

❧Flashback❧

You got out of the car, replying to a text while walking up your sidewalk. You bumped into something. You look up and jump, dropping your phone. "Z-Zico! What are you doing he--"

"Where the have you been?" The venom in his voice made you cringe.

You stared at him, wide-eyed. You were scared. He'd never cursed at you before. "I-I was with Youngji. I told you on the phone that I had made plans with her weeks ago. I couldn't just drop her and go--"

"Actually, you can. And you will. I'm your boyfriend, and that means you stay with me. You do what I tell you, and you see who I say you can. And guess what? I say you can't see those losers you call friends. No Youngji, no Shin, or his girlfriend either. They're history. I've put up with them for almost three months, but this is it. Having my girlfriend talking to the outcasts is bad for my kingka image. So. It's me.. or them." He looked at you expectantly.

You were bewildered. "I pick my friends."

"Wrong answer," raising his hand, and you shut your eyes. You felt a strong sting and you held a hand to your cheek. You kept your eyes shut. You recoiled when he closed in on you, giving you something like a hug. He lowered his lips down and whispered, his breath hot in your ear.

"From now on, you're going to do what I tell you. You won't tell me no, or choose anybody else over me. You're going to be friends with my friends. That's that. And you'll tell no one, either.. or else." You pushed against his chest, escaping his hold.

"Zico... wae?" You tried to let your expression tell him just how confused and hurt you were.

His face slightly softened. "I-I'm doing this for you... for us. You love me, right? This is the only way it will work. It will be better this way. Yah! Princess, look at me..." He grabbed your chin and forced you to meet his gaze. "Saranghae... jebal. Ae Sook, do this for us." And you stared at the boy you had thought you loved for years. Slowly, hesitantly.. you nodded.

"Okay..."

❧Present day❧

Youngji's voice broke through your thoughts. "You can't stay with him."

Your head jerked up. "Wae? I love him! I could never leave him. He's not always bad. Remember who it was that got me through my depression? I felt alive again when he entered my life."

She shook her head at you, frustrated. "He hits you! Why would you be with somebody who only cares for you when they see fit? It's not okay. And don't say it is, because that's bull."

"Well what do you suggest I do, huh? Just break up with him? That's a terrible idea."

Youngji threw her hands up in the hair, then pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. Typical Youngji-needs-to-calm-down behavior. "Jebal.. it pains me knowing that you're purposely putting yourself through this... Just think about it, okay? Consider it. Please?"

You nod. "I have to go back home... Yuna needs me. I-I'll think about it. I promise." She pulls you in for another hug and you tear up once again. "I've missed you, Youngji. I'll call you sometime, okay?" You meet her eyes once last time and then turn around, crying the whole way back home.

"Yuna! I'm home!" You  walk to the kitchen, passing the bathroom on the way. You stop when you see her turning back and forth, looking at her belly in the mirror. She jumps when you appear behind her. "You're fine. I don't see anything. Here," you pull the pregnancy tests out of your bag and hold the boxes out to her. "I bought two.. just in case you want to take it again in a week or two..."

She hesitantly grabs them. "Wha-What do I do?"

"The instructions are in the box, babo.." You give her a faint smile, and put your arm around her shoulder. "Everything is going to be okay." She nods slowly, and closes the door. You walk upstairs and sit in your room, waiting for Yuna. You think back on the encounter with Youngji..

It wasn't as bad as I imagined it would be. She cares about me still even after all I've done. Could she be right? Am I wrong for staying with Zico? Just then, Yuna came back up the stairs. You raise your brows. She offers it to you.

"I couldn't look. Can you?" You look down... and see two purple lines. You put the test on your bedside table and put your arms around your baby sister...

"Oh, Yuna... it'll be okay I promise you." She sobbed into your shoulder. "I'll help you. P.O. has plenty of money to take care of him..or her. They will be the most loved child on this side of the planet. Do you hear me? I'll babysit when I can. You'll finish school like everybody else.. it'll just take more work." As you comforted and soothed her, her shaking seemed to calm until all you could hear were sniffles.

"I need to call Pyo." The sound of her voice startled you. She unwillingly pulled away and smiled at you. It wasn't the thousand watt smile that you were used to, but it was something. "It really will be okay, won't it..?" You nod.

She walks out and closes the door behind her. You lie down on your bed, thinking about all of the events of the day. A few seconds later, you know she must be on the phone with him.

"Pyo!... Oh. Yeah, I did... it-it was positive...... mwuh?... Yah! Don't say that!.... jebal, Pyo. It'll be fine, right...? ........ okay.. No, we'll work it out.... thank you.... Saranghae, P.O... ne.... Okay, I love you. Thank you so much annyeong, love." She hung up.

You went back to your worrying. Without realizing it, a tear had run down your face. After that, you just let them flow. Before you know it, you're sound asleep, with your mind on Zico, the boys, Youngji, and your poor poor little sister....