Yuri

Contracts.

Yuri hated the sight of them. They were usually fixed and hard to get out of. A slight mistake could send you literally hurling yourself at the wall.

The first one had made her life a complete hell; what would the second one do? Completely destroy it? Completely destroy her?

She had gone through the basics of the contract and even read it umpteenth times. Fortunately (or Unfortunately for that matter), there weren't any loopholes. There was just no escape route.

She signed the contract, her eyes trailing to the window to see her child. Her Jiyoung.

A wave of determination swept past her, and suddenly, she didn't feel like the scared and soft-spoken Kwon Yuri anymore.

 

Yuri dragged her own luggage, walking silently behind Yoona and Jiyoung.

Yoona carried Jiyoung as they walked to her apartment, with Jiyoung's head resting comfortably in Yoona's neck. Occasionally Yoona would give her little pecks on her forehead, and Yuri felt guilty just by seeing it.

"We're here."

There was no doubt that Yoona was reluctant to let her in the house. Her voice was laced with such coldness, and her protective hold on Jiyoung obviously showed that she didn't want Yuri near her.

Yoona left to place the sleeping child on her bed, and Yuri walked around the living, catching sight of all the photo frames, mostly of Jiyoung.

The first one was her as a baby, with Yoona's smiling face next to it.

Then there was Jiyoung, a cute toddler with messy chocolate ice cream all over her face.

Another one showed Jiyoung hugging a Minnie Mouse stuff toy with her crescent shaped eyes.

Was that?

No, why would it be?

She picked up the photo frame to scrutinize it. That Minnie Mouse doll looked so familiar, like the one she placed in the basket five years ago...

"It is."

Yoona's voice made her jump, and she quickly turned her head to face the doe eyed girl.

"It's the Minnie Mouse stuff toy you gave her." Yoona clarified, her face void of emotion.

"T-thank you for keeping it." She felt that it was basic courtesy to thank Yoona, especially since she was absent in such a vital part of Jiyoung's childhood.

"Do you want any tea? Coffee?" Yoona asked, and Yuri knew that she has purposely ignored her. She shook her head and asked for water, letting Yoona leave to the kitchen.

Tears pricked her eyes. This was no better than living with him. She will always be treated like a rag doll, easy to be played with and fun to throw around.

She was starting to regret that contract.

 

Yoona

Kwon Yuri was a peculiar one. She had a bad habit of pulling down her left sleeve, and she was just too timid and shy.

She wasn't trying to be unintentionally bad, but what if Yuri was just playing games? Was her behavior all just for show?

Yoona wasn't one to trust people easily, no matter the situation.

She brought their drinks over to the living room in silence. What were they supposed to say anyway?

Yuri thanked her quietly, and Yoona could see the tips of her eyelashes glistening with tears. Guilt washed over her as she realized how cold she had reacted.

After a long pause, Yoona decided to start a conversation. "Hey, let's play a game."

"What kind of game?" Yuri looked up, her tone curious and hopeful.

"Remember when Edward asked Bella questions in twilight?"

Yuri nodded.

"Let's do that. What's your age?"

And so Yoona fired Yuri questions, and the girl answered as truthfully as she could.

By the end of a series of questions, Yoona found out that Yuri was one year older than her, her favourite colour was pink (but not hot pink like what Tiffany wore that day), and that she shared the same birthday was Walt Disney.

Yoona could see Yuri warming up to her, as she chattered about her favourite Girls' Generation song. She still needed answers, so she decided to ask a few more.

"Why did you marry him?"

She watched regretfully as Yuri's face fell, her right hand automatically pulling her left sleeve down again.

"My parents signed a contract. I was supposed to change his attitude, but it didn't work out..." She stopped shakily, and Yoona thought that her left sleeve was going to be torn anytime soon.

"Then, why didn't you report him earlier?"

"If I did, it would mean that I had failed. I failed my parents, and I had failed him. Somewhere inside, I know Youngbae isn't that inhumane. He's... just lost."

Yoona scoffed in disbelief. Lost? What kind of husband abuses his wife anyway? Her parents practically sealed her fate in a contract, and yet she's still worried that she failed them?

"Well he would obviously have noticed that you were pregnant."

"He was on tour then. Big Bang had an international tour so I was alone."

Hmm. Kwon Yuri is really straightforward and rigid. Why can't she just complain about Dong Youngbae?

Yoona just couldn't understand why Yuri wasn't screaming her hate for Youngbae. Instead, she was practically protecting him. What kind of self-respecting woman does that?

Yuri pulled her left sleeve down yet again, even though it obviously didn't travel up her arm at