“Today was my last day but she still has another week of school left. On her last day I'm going to Seoul and im going to wait at her house to surprise her but I'm on my way home now so I'll call you later ok? Yeah ok bye!” Yoona hung up her phone just in time to get off the bus.

 

She walked up her street with a smile on her face thinking about how that time the following week, she would be hiding in Seolhyuns room before jumping out and surprising her. Seolhyun was her best friend but they were more like sisters especially since they knew each other since they were babies. She would also get to see Jongin. Seolhyuns older brother that she had a thing with. Not in a relationship but not just friends. Seolhyun teases her about it and says things like ' You two will date and then get married and then we'll be in-laws! Oh my god I want a niece before we're 27!'The last time she saw them, she could defenitely feel something between the two of them especially when they would just stare at each other until Seolhyun would push her out of the room while sticking her tongue out at her brother and saying 'She was mine first'. Seeing him was like a bonus but these holidays were more about Seolhyun since it was also her 18^th birthday later in the week. At the beginning of the year they planned to do something since they were both of age. The past week was spent counting down to her last day of high school ever and now a new, more exciting countdown had begun.

 

'7 days until I see her again. 7 days until I see him again.' Yoona thought.

 

As she walked up her front steps she checked her watch and noticed that she got home at 6:30pm which was later then usual. She quietly walked through her door and heard her parents hushed voices in the kitchen.

 

“I can't tell her. You know how close they were, she's just going to break.' Her mother spoke.

 

'What are they talking about?' Yoona raised her eyebrow but stayed hidden.

 

'Well we can't keep this from her! When she finds out from someone else that we knew then she'll hate us.' Her father replied.

 

Yoona then decided that she should find out what they were talking about. She walked into the kitchen to see her mother sitting at the dining table while her father stands next to her with his hand on her shoulder. Both with swollen, red eyes that made them look as if they had been crying.

 

“What are you keeping from me?” She said.

 

She noticed the look her parents shared before her father walked towards her and pulled her to sit next to her mother. Straight away her mother grabbed her hand and she noticed that her mothers hands were shaking. She could feel her mood dropping.

 

“Yoona, what we are about to tell you is not easy to say or believe and you won't like it but we need you to stay calm okay?” Her father spoke.

 

Yoona nodded wanting him to tell her already. She looked at her mother only to notice that she has started crying which made her eyes look even more swollen. Immediately she turned to her father and spoke.

 

“Tell me. Now.”

 

Her father took a deep breath before opening his mouth and after hearing what he said, Yoona felt like someone had just stolen something from her and her heart stopped. This wasn't possible! This had to be some kind of sick joke that they were playing on her. She could feel her eyes stinging as her vision became blurry. She glanced at her mother who was crying out loud after her father stopped talking but Yoona just stared and heard the words repeat in her head.

 

“Yoona, Seolhyun was attacked and stabbed today on her way home from school and she died in the ambulance on her way to the hospital.” That one sentence was on replay in her head. Attacked. Stabbed. Seolhyun. My best friend. Attacked. Stabbed. Seolhyun. MY Seolhyun.

 

“Yoona? Honey please say something.” Her mother cried out while squeezing her hand bringing her back from her own little world.

 

“You're lying.” Yoona harshly removed her mothers hand and glared at her father as if he had committed a crime.

 

“YOU'RE LYING!” She screamed as she stood up before freezing and slowly sinking to the floor.

 

“No, that's not true. She didn't get stabbed. It was someone else. Seolhyun is at home safe and sound.”She mumbled. She started shaking and her eyes started watering before a tear escaped. Followed by another and soon there was a stream of tears. Her parents immediately brought her into a tight embrace as she let herself go slack against them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the next week, Yoona barely ate, didn't talk to anyone or come out of her room. Her parents tried talking to her but she shut them out. Her phone rang constantly that eventually she just took the battery out. She wasn't aware of what she was doing to herself. All she could think about was that instead of counting down to when she could spend the holidays with Seolhyun, she was counting down to the day of Seolhyun's funeral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day before the funeral, Yoona and her parents had gone to Seoul and were staying the night at Seolhyuns families house. The moment Yoona saw Seolhyun's parents and Jongin, she broke down all over again and Seolhyun's parents joined her while Jongin stood to the side watching her with glossy eyes. They talked about how unexpected it was and how she was talking on the phone to Jongin just minutes before she was attacked. They asked her if she was able to speak at Seolhyun's service the next day and Yoona agreed. Jongin gave her a sad smile before going to over to Yoonas parents and talking to them. When they all decided to get some sleep, Yoona went to Seolhyun's room and sat on her bed holding one of Seolhyun's pictures. After a few minutes passed, she put the picture frame back on Seolhyun's dressing table and sat on the bed again. She heard the door open and turned her head to see Jongin closing the door behind him.

 

“Hey. How are you holding up?” Jongin asked.

 

“I'm okay I guess. I should be asking you that. You are her brother after all.” Yoona answered.

 

“We both know that something is wrong with what you just said.” Jongin replied while taking a seat next to her.

 

“You were a sister to her too. She used to tell her friends at school that she has a brother and a sister but she lives in Busan. Her friends would ask her why and she would just say “Because she is gone to live with my aunt and uncle since they have no kids.” and then run off.” Jongin smiled at the memory. He looked at Yoona and noticed that her eyes were red and were once again watering before speaking.

 

“Seolhyun wouldn't want you to be like this.” Yoona sniffed and looked at him.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Yoona replied before standing up and walking over to sit next to the window and looking out of it.

 

 

“Let's not pretend I'm blind or stupid enough to believe you. I've known you since you were a baby. Your parents are worried for you so they told me if I could talk to you. I would've done so even if they didn't tell me. I can see for myself that you're slowly killing yourself. When was the last time you ate a full meal or talked to your parents?” Jongin said turning his body towards Yoona, angry tears rolling down his cheeks.

 

Yoona turned her head and noticed Jongin and quickly went over to him. She wrapped her arms around him and placed her head on Jongin's. Her own tears dripping onto Jongin's head. For the next ten minutes they both just sat there in each others arms. Jongin moved away and held one of Yoona's hands.

 

“I know it's hard. It's hard for me too but we can make it through this together. You are my little sister's best friend and I love you and I don't know what I will do if I lose both my girls.” Jongin whispered while he watched Yoonas eyes widen from his confession. She looked at him and smiled before whispering back.

 

“I'm sorry. I didn't even realise what I was doing to myself. I'll try get through this and I'll help you too. Let's do this for her.” Yoona replied. “I love you too.”

 

Jongin smiled at her and Yoona smiled back before Jongin stood up and closed the gaps between their lips. Their sweet kiss lasted a few minutes and when they pulled away they both smiled and looked at Seolhyun's picture on the dressing table where she was smiling brightly into the camera.

 

“It looks like she's smiling at us. Watching over us. Happy to see us together.” Jongin grinned.

 

Jongin looked at Yoona after he noticed that she wasn't next to him any more. She was at the window again, looking up at the moon and the stars. Jongin went over to her and wrapped his arms around her. At that moment a shooting star flew across the sky. He heard Yoona giggle and looked down at her. She had a big grin on her face as she turned to Jongin before whispering.

 

“She's smiling from above.”

 

The next day at Seolhyun's funeral, there were tears but there were also smiles between Yoona and Jongin but also between Yoona and Seolhyun. When Yoona was saying her speech, she kept her eyes on Seolhyun's photo and as she finished she turned her head and faced the sky where the sun shone down on her face and her face was immediately warm. She could feel the presence of Seolhyun and knew that she was happy with how things were. She walked off the stage and stood next to Jongin interlocking their fingers both with smiles on their faces matching Seolhyuns.