It started with this.

 

Yoona looked up from her blank stupor the moment the strong and familiar scent of strawberry hit her nose. Steps away from her was Yuri—the same, gorgeous and dominant Kwon Yuri.

 

They locked gazes; both held it.

 

Various emotions from Yuri’s brown ones mirrors that of Yoona's doe-eyes; though no one said a thing.

 

They just..simply stared.

 

Yoona was the one to break it off, however, when she sent a fleeting glance to the other person who was with Yuri, not noticing her the first time.

 

She remembered her name to be Wendy and if her memory serves her right, she was that host that took in Yuri to take care of her.

 

Yoona darted her eyes back to Yuri’s piercing ones after a second though, dwelling more into familiarizing the warm feeling she is getting from staring at Yuri than the curiosity in the back of her head as to their purpose of being here.

 

Not that she didn’t expect them to be; she’s a detained person subject to interrogation and Yuri’s a cop.

 

It’s just that she didn’t expect Yuri to personally come and see her after…after went down.

 

It started with “Miss Im..” that Wendy used to address Yoona, though Yoona’s eyes remained glued to Yuri. “..I am Wendy Son and I’m going to be your lawyer. Starting today, any questioning from the police or prosecutors shall be void in my absence. And any statements they will obtain from you without me will be inadmissible as evidence against you. Not that they were successful in getting anything; I’ve heard you’ve been everything but cooperative...”

 

Then Yoona darted her eyes to Wendy upon hearing this, a teasing smile tugging on the younger's lips.

 

 

This prompted for Yoona to blatantly utter, “So is that why you brought her here?” glancing at Yuri and back to Wendy, missing the way Yuri swallowed the lump in upon hearing Yoona’s voice again after what seemed like a long time “You think I’ll make it easier on you with her to ask me now?”

 

“Er, you got me..” replied Wendy with that stupid smile remained on her face, “But it’s just one among the few reasons why I actually chose Inspector Kwon to accompany me, Miss Im. And I’m actually expecting a thank you right about..now”

 

Yoona looked at Yuri this time and caught her still staring. She held it again because it's Yuri and she missed staring at the woman and nothing else matters because staring at Yuri and her gorgeous face and her slim, tall nose is the only thing that did.

 

But then suddenly it’s not because right now, Yoona realized, is a different case scenario.

 

They are not in Yuri's office; this is not their typical day of banter and petty arguments; this is a whole lot of new story. 

 

Because Yuri is here, sitting right in front of her, as the cop to interrogate her–because Yoona is a fugitive of the law–the one Yuri just caught a couple of days back. And Yoona just broke not only her trust but all of her heart altogether.

 

Yoona can see the various set of emotions in Yuri's eyes and something burns in the middle of her chest at the thought that she caused all of these exhaustion and hurt on Yuri herself–her being the person who was least to inflict such.

 

“I would have thanked you if you just left her out of my mess, Miss Son,” So Yoona said, eyes never leaving Yuri, “She had enough of this , don’t you think? Is she even strong enough to be here?” she hardly swallowed the lump forming in when she continued, “Is she alright? How..how is she?” 

 

Yuri swallowed her own set of invisible lump in , eyes becoming a little misty at the words.

 

Yoona might not have asked her directly, but the softness of her stare made Yuri believe that it is.

 

Which it is.

 

And that made Wendy ship the two even more.

 

Because DUH, they are an arm away from each other and they can’t, for the life of her, make a proper conversation? Using indirects through her??

 

What a bunch of hopelessly, in love, idiots.

 

“She’s alright, Miss Im. She’s been coping fine with the medication I’ve been giving her. There still exists some pain but nothing intolerable” Wendy replied softly, speaking in behalf of Yuri. 

 

“In fact,” the lawyer glanced at the cop beside her before turning back at Yoona, “..she is here to help you,” leaning more towards Yoona when she added, “We are here to help you..”

 

Yoona just stared. Stared at Yuri who just stared back, too. 

 

Every memory that Yoona had with the Kwon suddenly rushed through. From the moment she landed her eyes on Yuri and her tall, slim nose and tantalizing brown eyes and how it piqued Yoona’s interest even through the lens of a camera; to their fateful meeting at the park and remembered how she annoyed the crap out of Yuri instead of sweeping her off her feet as what she initially planned; then from there began their everyday banters and arguments that actually made no sense if one has to point out, yet it had been nothing but what both of them had been looking forward to in their days.

 

Then there were those cringe worthy moments like when Yuri would be catching Yoona’s lingering stare and both would be lost in their worlds and would only break apart when some stupid intruder would interrupt; or when Yuri’s face would be smudged with steak sauce and Yoona would be reaching out to wipe it out of her face and it would leave Yuri flustered at first but would blabber words like “I can help myself out, I don’t need you” or something like that before grumpily resuming on her food with tainted cheeks and its fine that Yuri feigned arrogance to hide her blush because she’s adorable like that and she just made Yoona’s day a lot better.

 

But then there was that tragic moment of truth—the turning point of it all—that threw all of them off the hook; especially Yoona and the wave of conflicting emotions that rushed through her when she saw Yuri’s face mixed with betrayal, disappointment, anger, pain and...and love.

 

Yes. The cliché, four letter word that made the world a whole lot better place to stay.

 

After everything that transpired and the hell she went through, Yoona still witnessed a glimpse of ardor beneath Yuri’s mixed up emotions and glistening brown eyes and she just…she cannot simply take it.

 

She doesn’t deserve whatever Yuri’s willing to give her. 

 

She doesn’t deserve Yuri.

 

Yuri deserves the world and Yoona is a piece of rubbish ready for the vultures of the world to be devoured.

 

She is the antagonist here, alright.

 

And remember what happens to the bad guys in the story?

 

They burn in hell.

 

So Yoona, with all the depressing thoughts lingering inside her head, painfully decided to avert her gaze away from those piercing brown eye. Completely away from the only person who can fix the turmoil going inside her.

 

“I don’t need your help. Or any’s help for that matter..”

 

Wendy let out a small chuckle out of her lips with the statement, "Oh please.." shuffling through her folder now with a bunch of papers stack in them, seemingly looking for something, “..I’ve heard that from a couple of clients I handled, Miss Im. And let’s just say that a few of ‘em regretted it the moment the words left their lips because either they ended up rotting behind jail bars or dead frozen corpses with hearts pumped out of oxygen from lethal injection. You don’t want to be either of those I mentioned, do you?”

 

Yoona shrugged with nonchalance, “I’ve had enough of cold, dead bodies under my sleeves,” she stared right through both of them when she finished with, “Perhaps it’s time to reward the world with my own cadaver..”

 

She doesn’t want to admit it, but Yoona felt her heart wrench when she noticed Yuri going tense in her peripheral vision, hands clenching into hard fists and her eyes starting to bear holes on her.

 

But it’s the truth right? It’s time to end this whole mess that comes along with her very own existence.

 

“What’s the best way to put a stop to the mayhem than to get rid of the very source of the chaos—which is me. The world is better off without me..”

 

Amidst all these, Yoona is slightly amused that Wendy seemed to be taking all of her self-pity and destruction to nothing, nodding like she’s listening to a child ramble about the bullies in her schoo. Like she’s expected Yoona to take it all out like this and Wendy just absorbs it just fine.

 

Contrary to that one Kwon Yuri whose knuckles were going white with how hard she was clenching her fingers.

 

“You don’t mean anything that you’re saying right now, mate” Wendy said, “If anything, your self-depreciation is just your coping mechanism with about everything that transpired. You don’t want to die just yet, Yoona-ssi..”

 

Huh.

 

“Oh yeah? Try me..”

 

“No..” Wendy stared right through Yoona this time, her good-natured set aside, “..you try me..” She pulled out a piece of paper out of her folder and reached it out to place it in front of Yoona.

 

The Im looked away from the heated eye contact and down to the paper, her mind and body freezing altogether upon reading whatever the heck was written on it.

 

She did not even remember when her hands starting to shake and her teeth gritting in rage. Everything about the note pasted on the piece of paper screamed gravely wrong, suffocating Yoona with fury, apprehension and…and remorse.

 

Because how could she though?

 

Forget about Hanna?

 

The one person who she swore to protect even at the expense of her own life?

 

“You still want to die right at this moment without doing anything, Miss Im?”

 

Her whole body trembling with something undecipherable, with ire obviously taking over rather fast, Yoona peeked through her lashes, saw Wendy’s calm demeanor and then to Yuri’s composed and resolved one.

 

“Sorry to break it to you. But I’m afraid you’ll be needing our help.” 

 

 

***

 

 

“Hey, it’s me Jessica. I..I just want to thank you for what you did. It must’ve caused you some issues with Sooyoung and I hope you didn’t get into trouble. I..I hope you’re getting enough rest, too. Don’t forget to take your meds for your wound, alright? …for me? Um..so yeah. Thanks for covering for us, Taengoo…take care…”

 

“Hey, it’s me again. Jessica. So..um..how’s Yuri? Yoona’s been so out of it and I’m scared she’ll lose it if she doesn’t hear any news about your friend soon. Is she okay? Um…are you okay? I-I know I don’t have the right to demand answers given the truth but I hope you could give me a decent reply at least for once. I am ing worried, Taeyeon. About Yoona losing her . About Yuri...about you…especially about you. So please..let me know… I miss you..”

 

“Taeyeon you ! Will you never answer any of my voicemails?!! Will it really ruin your perfectly painted nails to just tap on the screen and give me a reply??!! I’ll give you the hardest time of your life if you don’t get me an answer right now, you hear me???!! KIM TAEYEON!”

 

“..Taengoo..it’s me Jessica..I..I’m sorry for hiding the truth about my identity and for keeping the truth about me and Yoona. I don’t know what to say for you to believe me that I am sorry and that I didn’t want to cause you any pain or distress right now. But I…I miss you, okay? I miss hearing your voice and the giggles you make when I crack a joke or…or the little snorts you do when you laugh so hard. God, I miss everything about you.. Call me please? Baby please..”

 

“H-hey..*sniff* I just watched the news and…I know what happened. *sniff* Please please please take care of her, Taengoo. Don’t let anyone hurt her. That kid went through a lot already, god knows she doesn’t need any more unfortunate things happen to her. I..I don’t know what to do Taeng *sniff* But listen..I think Seulgi and I are going to leave and go far away for the meantime. Kim Young Min must’ve known about it by now, too, and I’m afraid he’ll be going after us. If there’ll be a chance that you can talk to her, please tell Yoona not to worry about Hanna. I intend to get her tonight and bring her with me. Hopefully, we can be somewhere safe soon. I know this is so ed up, me telling you, the cop who captured my dongsaeng just hours ago, all these when you could as much report what I’m about to do and stop us. You could do what you want with this piece of information Taengoo. I am only telling you this because you deserve to know..it’s the least I can do after all the secrecy. I’ll try to contact you soon, hopefully. Goodbye for now, Taeyeon… I..I love you…”

 

This has been the hundredth time Taeyeon has listened to Jessica’s voicemails but it still has the same effect on her. 

 

The same twinge in her chest. The same pang of regret for not answering of what can be considered Jessica’s last words before everything went downhill for her. 

 

The exact same prickling of tears on her pair of eyes that will roll down her cheeks the second the last voice mail will end.

 

Jessica loves her. 

 

She said I love you for the first time and Taeyeon is hoping that won’t be the last.

 

No, god, please no. Taeyeon cannot even forgive herself now that she blatantly disregarded her phone and Jessica’s call that should she haven’t, they wouldn’t have been in an accident and Yoona’s sister would not have been seized by Kim Young Min.

 

How would one expect her to forgive herself more if she lose Jessica for the rest of her life before she could even have her?

 

“Tssk..Aish..” Taeyeon sniffed, wiping her face with her hands as she tried to compose herself from yet another breakdown, “Just why did I have to listen to them again when I know what happens to me when I do? What were you thinking, Kim Taeyeon? Eeeyyy..”

 

Clearing and making sure she’s calm enough to fend for herself, she took a deep breath and slid in her phone to her pocket. She was about to take a step and walk back towards where she left Sooyoung and Irene to wait for Yuri and Wendy when the same item rang.

 

Confused, she took it out again and saw a text message. 

 

The name Tiffany appears on the screen and something tugs in her chest upon reading it.

 

Right. The doctor is yet another subject she is yet to deal with.

 

Darn it. Just when did her love life turn a hundred eighty. From flat zero to a complicated triangle? She never really imagined herself to be in a middle of something like this at all.

 

“The kid is awake. She is looking for you and Yuri. How’s it going out there, by the way? Don’t overwork yourself please.”

 

Taeyeon sighed. Tiffany may have been away for years but she’s still the same girl Taeyeon had fallen in love with.

 

A total sweetheart and caring person.

 

Now tell me, how can she choose between two amazing persons who both hold part in her little, beating heart?

 

But Taeyeon re-read the message and her eyes went wide a bit upon realizing the more relevant part of the text.

 

The kid is awake. Seulgi is awake. This means she’s okay.

 

And she is looking for both her and Yuri.

 

..and with the kid being awake, perhaps she can help in—

 

Inhaling thoughtfully, Taeyeon started making her way back to the hallway where Sooyoung and Irene were waiting. 

 

Yoona is under strict surveillance and only two persons are allowed to be in the interrogation room, which has no two-way mirror and windows whatsoever. Under normal circumstance, this will tick Yuri and Taeyeon off, given as it would have been advantageous for the investigating officers like them to observe the suspect and their body language from the two-way mirror.

 

However, this time, the two—make it four including Wendy and Irene—sighed in relief when they found out that Yoona was put inside this kind of location. With the exception of Sooyoung of course, who had been worried sick and disappointed that she won’t be seeing the interrogation and still paranoid that Im Yoona will be doing things that will hurt Yuri (which Taeyeon still argues that she will never, because seriously how could she?). The presence of installed cameras around the room pacified her a bit though.

 

The four thought that the odds are with them when they found out the arrangement of Yoona’s interrogation room. In fact this makes things easier for them, Taeyeon thought, as the presence of the kid Seulgi might be of help now that she’s awake.

 

She definitely need to talk to Yuri right now.

 

Arriving at the scene, she saw her colleagues in the same way she left them. Sooyoung was still pacing around the hallway like a maniac and Irene, well, Irene looks like she could use a good punch right now with how infuriated she looks like. The punching bag can be in the form of the anxious Choi Sooyoung in front of her.

 

She patted Irene in the shoulder as a greeting and quietly pointed at Sooyoung, earning a tell-me-about-it look from the youngest and a roll in the eyes, making her smile a bit, situating herself on the seat beside Irene soon after. 

 

“Are they still inside?” Taeyeon asked after a few seconds of getting comfortable.

 

Irene nodded in reply, “Yeah. Apparently, there are no guards coming down to stop a brawl inside so I am guessing everything is going good and civil in there, contrary to whatever vile images Sooyoung unnie must be imagining now.”

 

The said woman stopped in her tracks and scoffed, turning to them with unbelievable expression on her face, “How can you both be so calm about this?? For all we know, that bastard has a blade right now hidden under the table and she’d stab them both before they could even make it outside..”

 

It was Taeyeon’s turn to scoff now, “That’s absurd. In case you were blind all these time or you simply ignored what is happening around you, Yoona cares about Yuri. Deeply at it. So I’ll say it again for the umpteenth time, Syo, she will never hurt Yuri.”

 

“She had hurt her, alright?” Sooyoung retaliated, “In case you too had been blind these past few days or simply ignored what is happening with your bestfriend, Yuri was hurt with what that Im did to her. Deeply at it. So I’ll say it again for the umpteenth time, Taeng, she hurt Yuri AND she can do it again in ways that are far worse than a broken trust,” she said it with conviction and ended it with the same tenacity when she said, “So I won’t be at ease unless they get out of that room safe and intact.”

 

With that, the lanky woman resumed her frantic pacing around and Taeyeon just rolled her eyes. Choi Sooyoung can be so stubborn sometimes, no scratch that—she IS stubborn as , that Taeyeon wondered how the hell she survived being roommate with the woman throughout her college days.

 

“Suit yourself. I’m not the one tiring myself out over nothing.”

 

Irene snickered beside her and Taeyeon turned to her upon realizing something. She gestured to pick out her phone and wait. The Kim fiddled with her own for a while and pressed send. Soon after, Irene received a text message and her face lit up—all these all the while trying to be subtle around the still oblivious and pacing Sooyoung.

 

“Jinja?” Irene quietly asked, a small, delighted smile plastered across her lips. Taeyeon meekly nodded with small quirk of her lips, too, and went back staring at the wall infront of them.

 

Irene’s smile beside her grew exponentially and Taeyeon had to silently nudge her or else Sooyoung will notice and apparently ask them.

 

They can’t seriously tell her that Seulgi’s up, could she? That it’s the reason why Irene suddenly became elated and all smiley??

 

Definitely not.

 

So with that, the three continued waiting for Yuri and Wendy to come out of the interrogation room calmly—bar Sooyoung who was relentlessly walking around.

 

On the first minutes, it was bearable for Taeyeon. Seeing Sooyoung like a bat crazy ahjumma, that is.

 

But as the minutes pass by, with no signs of Yuri and Wendy coming out soon, with Sooyoung’s stupid pacing and Taeyeon’s own building anticipation of going home to see Seulgi, the Choi’s act was soon rubbing the Kim on the wrong way, depleting her patience at every step she takes.

 

“Will you stop pacing around now?? We get it, you’re worried. But they’ll be out soon, Syoung. So just stop, come here and take a seat..”

 

Sooyoung was unfazed and continued.

 

“Choi Sooyoung”

 

No response.

 

“Yah… Did you hear me?”

 

Still no response.

 

“I said stop! I’m getting dizzy just by looking at you!” Taeyeon hissed, gritting her teeth as she glared at the distraught Choi.

 

Sooyoung’s patience must’ve rubbed off thin too since she halted and glared back with a “Then don’t look! Problem solved, “ before began pacing around again.

 

“Stop it or I swear—“

 

“Or what??” Sooyoung stopped dead on her tracks now and faced the impatient Taeyeon with a taunting stance, “Or what huh? What can you possibly do in the hallways of the investigation bureau with your annoying colleague in the broad daylight?” She saw that the shorter girl was seething and it gave Sooyoung a sense of confidence.

 

Her lips quirked up in a challenging smirk, “That’s right. Nothing. And that’s the thing about you, Kim,” Sooyoung pushed it even more when she added with a smug, “You’re all bark. No bite.”

 

The statement was the last string before Taeyeon loses her cool.

 

“What did you just say???” 

 

She is now on her feet, eyes levelling the challenging glare Sooyoung was giving off; though the apparent height difference completely defeats the purpose of trying to be menacing.

 

“Didn’t know you’re deaf, too.”

 

Then a hard tug on the collar made Sooyoung stumbling forward, nose to nose with the death-glaring Taeyeon.

 

“Don’t try to push my buttons, Sooyoung. You know all too well what I can do,”

 

“I’m afraid not,” the Choi had the nerve to snort and smirk more, “Care to show me?”

 

“Oh god, seriously!” An annoyed Irene broke the two off, now on her feet too and scoffing at the very entertaining show, “Would it kill both of you to live a day without being on each other’s throats?? God.”

 

“Ask her." Sooyoung barked, "She’s the one to tug on my perfectly ironed shirt and leave it in a heap of mess. I wasn’t the one who started going physical."

 

“Oh I did, alright.” It was now Taeyeon’s turn to humorlessly smirked, “And it’s nothing compared to what I can do to your pathetic excuse of a face if you keep getting under my skin. I swear you wouldn’t want to get me all worked up because I’ll make sure you’re too beaten up you wouldn't want to see yourself in front of a mirror ever again. You hear me?”

 

Sooyoung gaped at the bold statement, “Did you just—“ 

 

"Burn!"

 

Their heads snapped at the direction of the sassy remark, finding Wendy with the biggest smirk on her face with an expressionless Yuri beside her.

 

"Oh please carry on with whatever what was about to ensue before we barged in, Inspectors." The young lawyer grinned mischievously, "God knows we need a little entertainment around here,"

 

Irene sent a deadly glare at the teasing Wendy which the girl easily responded with a cool shrug and a lopsided smile.

 

"What? I'd kill to see them going Ronda Rousey at each other.."

 

Yeah. Irene will definitely kill her later, "Shut your mouth."

 

Yuri and Taeyeon, ignoring everyone around them, exchanged a knowing look, both of them quietly communicating through their eyes, with Taeyeon subtly taking a deep breath and nodding. She turned her attention to the still grinning Wendy and gave her the same look, to which the young lawyer sneekily replied by raising her perfectly-designed brow.

 

Okay. Now what?

 

“How was it?” Sooyoung asked, argument with Taeyeon forgotten and anxiously inspecting the newcomers, especially Yuri, “Did anything interesting happened in there? Like physical resistance or such?”

 

Yuri eyed the tall girl and the Choi slightly recoiled, suddenly remembering the Kwon’s words that definitely left a sore in her concerned heart.

 

“Nothing happened,” replied the Kwon, “It was a good talk, though,” the unreadable expression on her face saying a lot to the people around.

 

Of course it was a good talk. Pfft.

 

“Well? What now?” Sooyoung inquired, breaking the thick tension created by Yuri’s indifferent words.

 

Taeyeon eyed everyone with cautious eyes and landed them back with Yuri saying, “Um…actually I need to go back to my apartment. Uh, my…my puppy just woke up and she’s uh..looking for me… Yeah...”

 

Four set of eyes was confused at first before the three were able to put things together, the one looking more relieved while the other two beaming in delight, Wendy beaming in both relief and glee just as the way Irene was when she received the news.

 

One can even say that Irene and Wendy are both basked in happiness right now. (see what I did there?)

 

Sooyoung on the other hand, remained confused as hell.

 

“Your puppy just woke up and she’s looking for you??” she asked, “Like how, dude? How exactly did you know he’s looking for you?”

 

Taeyeon stutters in panic, looking around the girls to find an answer, “W-well, it’s a..a motherly thing. Yeah, you know, like a connection between the two of us. It’s uh, it’s a really personal connection mhm-mm,” nodding, more to convince herself than Sooyoung.

 

She saw how the other girls were physically relieved after hearing her quite peculiar but believable explanation, opting for her to continue, “You know how pups do. They take a nap and they wake up waggling their tails to find their mums. Mine just happened to be so clingy that whenever she opens her eyes, I need to be there or else she’ll turn my whole apartment and the whole complex upside down with her incessant barking. I’d installed something inside her room that whenever she wakes up, it will notify me of her awakening wherever I am..”

 

Three of the girls seemed impressed with how smooth she lied her way out of that especially since Sooyoung seems to buy her story.

 

“Heol… Really? I’m sorry dude,” she said, apologetic, “I never knew you had that big responsibility on you..”

 

 

Well that was easy.

 

Don’t forget pretty pathetic, too.

 

But at least it was easy.

 

Taeyeon managed to chuckle awkwardly and scratch her neck, “Yeah…Quite a big one..”

 

“You should go.” The oblivious Sooyoung encouraged, “Don’t want to get some noise complaints from your neighbors..”

 

“Yeah sure,” Taeyeon eyed Yuri and nodded her head to follow her, “Shall we go, Yul?”

 

But this confused Sooyoung once again, “Wait, why would Yuri need to go with you though?”

 

Shoot. She didn’t think of that. Taeyeon never actually thought she’ll make it this far.

 

“Well, um..” she turned to Yuri for a back-up and the Kwon seemed to think of something just as peculiar for an excuse too.

 

“Ddeulgi had been attached to me since I visited Taeyeon that one time,” See? Just as peculiar, “Since then, we’d been teaming up to pacify her during her panic attacks,” 

 

“Ddeulgi? Is that her name?” the Choi asked, to which Yuri responded with a hesitant nod, “Aww! That is sooo cuuttee!” cooing at the adorable name she will never know is not even existing.

 

All of them, with the exception of Sooyoung, internally cringed at the pseudo-name for Seulgi, because seriously?? 

 

Ddeulgi??? 

 

The did that come from?

 

“Oh..well, off you go then. That poor pup must be so scared right now..” Sooyoung encouraged once more, this time with a glint of pout on her lips with the thought of the non-existent tiny ball of fur losing her inside a lonely apartment.

“I’d really want to meet this puppy of yours, Inspector Kim,” Wendy suddenly interrupts, a mixture of both amusement and hopefulness embedded over her face, “I’d want to help in case you two won’t be able to placate her with your ways. I’ve learned a thing or two from some of my classes regarding animal behaviors and stuff back in the uni. It’d be helpful,”

 

“Me too!” Irene barged in too, raising her hand a bit for display of her eagerness, “I want to help, too…” awkwardly lowering her raised one soon after when she sees Sooyoung’s hella confused state and the other three’s glares and disapproving looks from further screwing up their cover, “…you know, just in case she needs someone to play with or someone to walk her around the park after she calms down,”

 

If Sooyoung didn’t find Taeyeon’s situation with her pup quite amusing and odd, she sure now find it that way with her friends’ unbelievable willingness to help the puppy out, willingly lending a hand to help the poor animal off of her misery.

 

Didn’t know a group of four can be as thoughtful for a puppy—so much as to unashamedly leave her without a tad bit of hesitation.

 

Quite the friends she got here actually.

 

“Then I’ll go with you guys, too,” so she decides, much to the four’s horror, “I’d want to be of help and meet this cute, lil fella of yours Taeng..”

 

Taeyeon began to panic, opening and closing for a believable response to come out of it. Thankfully, Yuri saved her again before she can even make a fool out of herself.

 

“Actually, I need you to run some errand for me, Syoung. Is that okay?” The Kwon asked, using her own puppy dog eyes at Sooyoung, knowing all too well that no one can actually resist that.

 

Not even Yoona, she swears.

 

Flustered, Sooyoung nodded vigorously at that. Of course it’ll work on her. It always works on her, “S-sure, Yul. I can do that..whatever it is…”

 

Yuri smiled, “It’s actually about Kim Young Min. I’d want you to look over his profile, background, stock shares, his company history, anything that you can find about him,”

 

The name rings a bell in Sooyoung’s ears, “Wait, you mean that influential tycoon, Kim Young Min? KYM Group of Companies?” Yuri nods at her, “Can I know why?”

 

The Kwon took a pause and breathed in, not leaving the Choi’s inquiring look, “It’s something related to her case,” she paused again, taking in Sooyoung’s slight wavering stance, “We may or may not have a name squeezed out of her.”

 

Yuri’s not practically lying though. Yoona may have not said it herself that the man was behind all the directives of her plotted killings, but the note that Taeyeon gave and the putting of pieces together points it out to the said man. 

 

They are, after all, after him altogether and Yuri is hitting two birds in one stone here: trying to get as much as information about their new found suspect and distract Sooyoung from going with them and blowing up everything.

 

“Oh,” mutters the Choi, “So he’s the big boss then? Says her?”

 

Yuri nodded and she almost let out a relieved sigh when she saw Sooyoung finally nodding her head in understanding and resolution.

 

“Okay then. I’ll do it.” She paused and pointed at Irene beside her, “I need Irene to come with me though,” she turned to look at the girl, “You need to come with me,”

 

“What??”

 

“Duh, I intend to gather as many information as I can and I won’t be able to achieve this if I’m all alone. I’ll need an extra hand, buddy.”

 

“B-but—“

 

“It’s okay. Bring Irene with you,” Yuri said, eyeing the resisting Irene with a pointed look who reluctantly deflated in agreement, “You’re right. You’ll need as much assistance that you can have to gather more,”

 

With that, Irene complied—but not before sending a glare at the snickering Wendy who has that smug look on her face, looking all triumphant like she had won a lottery or something. 

 

They bid their goodbyes and went off to their cars, promising to call each other for an update of anything and the three making sure that Sooyoung’s car had driven away far enough before Taeyeon started her own vehicle and driving the opposite way.

 

Though not before hearing Wendy’s amused chuckle on the backseat, with that teasing tone coming off as natural as the girl’s flawless face.

 

“Y'know, I might need to learn how you guys do it” she says, amusement laced in her voice “I was pretty sure your cover's gonna blow up the moment I heard  that crap of a story. But man was I wrong. I am totally floored right now"

 

Taeyeon was left shaking her head with a scoff while Yuri was more occupied with the thought of meeting the kid Seulgi, ignoring Wendy's musings in the true Kwon Yuri way.

 

“You said she wants to meet us both?” she asks the short cop on the driver’s seat, “What could it be about?”

 

Taeyeon can only shrug, turning left in an intersection as she spoke, “I have no idea,” she briefly glanced at the Kwon beside her before putting in something that might actually interest her more, “But I know something that she might want to help us both..”

 

 

***

 

 

Seulgi glances around. 

 

It’s a foreign place and not the usual apartment she had typically woken up to for the last few weeks. She gets the exact same homey aroma she got from living in her unnies’ apartment though so it doesn’t overwhelm her.

 

What overwhelmed her, however, was a woman, a very beautiful one at that, barely as tall as her, only years older, who came barging through the apartment door, wide eyes at first but soon squinted into the most heart-melting eye smiles that could match Seulgi’s own version.

 

Her apprehension quickly dissipated into thin air when the woman introduced herself as Tiffany and catches Seulgi before she falls face flat on the floor—not really sure if the reason why everything around her began spinning was either her still throbbing head or the stunning lady in front of her.

 

Probably the latter though; Seulgi has this bad habit of making a fool out of herself infront of gorgeous people.

 

Her handsome unnie and Irene for example.

 

Which reminds her..

 

“I-I need to talk to Taeyeon and Yuri unnie..” she remembered saying, her hazy eyes searching that of Tiffany’s worried ones, “Jaebal. There’s something I need to tell them..”

 

So that’s why she ended up here, seated anxiously on the couch of the apartment’s living room, glancing at the door and the clock hanging up the wall, waiting.

 

Tiffany unnie (“call me unnie,” the eye-smile girl warmly instructed, “I’m in my mid-twenties and is too young to be called ahjumma”) went to inform the two cops of her intention to talk to them and eventually went to check on Jessica. 

 

Seulgi’s been on the living room since, Tiffany telling her to take time to rest for a moment while sinking in everything that has happened.

 

She thinks she'd done enough sinking in, alright.

 

Ever since that night of her handsome unnie’s arrest and their very fateful accident, Seulgi was swallowed by the fact that whatever this is that she and her unnies were involved in can wipe them off from the surface of the earth any minute and Seulgi’s afraid—specifically afraid that whoever this person was has her handsome unnie’s sister Hanna.

 

It’s on the note. The very note that she can vaguely remember clutching inside her fist as she read, blacking out soon after so she doesn’t know what gives then.

 

Seulgi can only hope she didn’t lose it; it’s the only way she can convince the cops that Hanna was taken away.

 

Not that she will just let them ignore this because no, she won’t. If she needs to kneel and beg them to help her save her handsome unnie’s sister, Kang Seulgi will.

 

“Here,” 

 

She snaps her head towards the direction of the voice and sees Tiffany handing her a mug of hot chocolate, the aroma filling her nose before she timidly reaches for the cup, shyly smiling a thank you to the beaming Tiffany.

 

“They’re on their way,” Tiffany said, settling herself on the seat across Seulgi, “They had to go see your unnie for a while,”

 

This piqued Seulgi’s interest.

 

“They went to see Yoona unnie?” Tiffany nodded in response, “H-how is..is..is she alright?”

 

The eye-smiling lady exudes a warm and sympathetic beam before answering, “I cannot answer that, sweetie. Taeyeon and Yuri didn't tell me about her and I didn't dare ask, knowing I am not in the place to pry. But if it'll help you calm down, I am pretty much sure she's fine."

 

Seulgi nodded, hanging her head low as she fiddles with the brim of the cup on her lap.

 

"She is a great person, y'know. Yoona unnie, I mean," she looked up to see Tiffany listening and staring at her, "I feel the need to defend her from you because you never really met her and I swear whatever this is that she and Sica unnie was involved in, is something that they never wanted to be in if given the choice. She is a very cool and warm person at the same time. She really loves her sister so much. Hanna is her name. I've seen her once and she looks very much alike handsome unnie. She is sick though so she's frail and she's—"

 

Before she knew it, the bear has tears b her eyes, threatening to spill all over her cheeks as her breaths starts to become ragged.

 

"Hey," the older girl gently grabbed the younger's shoulder, looking at her straight to the eyes, observant and sympathetic at the same time. 

 

The meds are still in Seulgi's system, stimulating this hypersensitivity and elated emotions from the girl. Tiffany knows that she will need to be more attentive while showing sympathy to avoid possible panic attacks at this rate.

 

"Focus on me, kid. Breathe. That's right. Breathe in.." Tiffany smiled, encouraging the still panting girl. "You need to calm down in order to think straight. Your Yoona unnie and her sister needs you, Seulgi. You need to be the strong girl that I know you are. For them. And for your Sica unnie too. Just breathe.."

 

After a few more seconds, Seulgi's breathing was almost back to normal, much to Tiffany's relief.

 

And as if in movies, the door clicked open and came barging in was the people the two of them were waiting for.

 

"How is she?" 

 

Two heads turned to the direction of the voice and saw three figures approaching. Tiffany and Seulgi stood up from the couch, with the latter a little bit more eager about the presence of the new incomer.

 

"Taeyeon unnie. Yuri unnie. W-where is Yoona unnie?? Is she o-okay? I need to tell you something. It's very important and it's about Hanna and sh–"

 

"Seulgi..breathe.."

 

Yuri noticed the apprehension on the Kang's state and glanced at Tiffany who was trying to pacify the younger.

 

"She had a mild panic attack before you came. She was just recovering when you came barging in.."

 

"Y-Yuri unnie.. Please.. You need to hear me out. I-it's Hanna and sh-she's in da–" Seulgi's breathe started going ragged and Yuri instinctively reached out and placed both her hands on the girl's face.

 

"Hey, hey.. Seulgi.. Breathe.. Breathe with me, okay? Follow my lead kiddo.."

 

And so she did. Everyone in the room find themselves subconsciously breathing in and out with Seulgi as Yuri principally attended her with much attention and focus.

 

In Seulgi's part, she was trying hard to stay focus on her breathing and steady it, given the fact that all these stunning women are all here, giving her wanton attention. She doesn't know if their gorgeous presence can help her calm her raging emotions or intensify it.

 

After a couple minutes and minty breathes from Yuri (which Seulgi can live with everyday), the latter's breaths were steady enough for Yuri to pull away and pat her head sweetly.

 

At this rate, Seulgi thinks she might have another set of panic attack if Yuri will not stop with all these sweet gestures.

 

"Are you okay now?" The said sweet woman asked, making Seulgi nod her head shyly.

 

"Y-yeah. I-I think so, unnie.. Thank you"

 

Yuri smiled. "No problem, Sseul." 

 

It wasn't forced nor a smile given out of obligation. It screamed 'its okay i gotchu kiddo' and so solemn and boy, Seulgi wondered how her handsome unnie got so lucky having this woman.

 

Speaking of which...

 

"Yuri unnie.." Seulgi tentatively began, glancing around the figures in the room, from Tiffany's encouraging stare, Taeyeon's kind one, to Wendy's worried orbs (woah, she looks really cute in that face, Seulgi thought) and back to Yuri's attentive gaze, "Hanna.."

 

"I know." Yuri replied, sliding out the piece of paper containing very relevant words from inside her coat, giving it to Seulgi, "Taeyeon told me. Together with all the things that occurred with you and your Jessica unnie."

 

Seulgi's lips showed a sad smile, pursing it right after to stop it from trembling.

 

"I just want her to wake up."

 

"She will be soon." Yuri assured, "Tiffany here is one of the best doctors in the country, Seulgi. With Jessica in her care, she will be better and awake in no time. Right, Ppany?"

 

Tiffany beamed, placing a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, "You have my word, Seulgi-yah."

 

"Thanks unnies, this means a lot."

 

Seulgi looked like she was about to burst into tears and Yuri isn't just fond of seeing people cry.

 

"Quick questions though," she opted to divert and distract the girl away from the sensitive topic to an equally important matter.

 

The matter which led them to Seulgi in the first place.

 

Which will hopefully lead them to Yoona and Hanna's liberty from the shackles of their reality.

 

"Do you know anything about hacking and stuff?"

 

"I know a thing or two, yeah.."

 

"Have you ever hacked a government's security system before?"

 

"Umm.." Seulgi nervously glanced around the just as startled eyes around them, "..not that I remember unnie, no.."

 

"Great.."

 

Yuri smiled.

 

It wasn't forced nor a smile given out of obligation. But it screamed 'this is a dope idea and im dragging y'all into this' and filled of mischief and boy, Seulgi wondered how she ended up in this situation in the first place.

 

"..because you are going to do just that."

 

 

 

A/N: 

Battling depression in a very judgmental world full of stupid expectations and disapppointment can be so hard. Talking to someone can help. It can be a professional or a family member or a friend. You can also talk to me, AFF loves. I know the feeling of having a constant battle with yourself. The feeling of having someone inside your head telling you you're not good enough. And it.is.ing.hard. We can be each other's awesome therapist, yeah? Take care of yourselves, please? Let's welcome 2018 with hope and confidence that things will get better. Spread the love <3

 

PS: You did well, Jjong. Rest in peace, angel.

 

sleepylashes- (formerly forever09GG)