Late Call
Destiny
Months have passed, and the seasons have changed. Yerin, who has decided to stay in London for a while—mainly because she quite enjoyed her new job as a Content Writer for a Korean magazine based in London. Yerin didn't let the days she lived alone have the slightest gap to make her feel that loneliness. She worked the hardes, took overtime almost every time, and had actually a second job as a freelance translator. She wanted a new start and that's how it began.
That night, Yuju was finally able to force her to take a call from her, a Facetime video call that she had actually tried several times that day, but Yerin didn't pick up. The woman felt deep anxiety as she felt a significant change in Yerin. She knew how broken her heart was foreverything that happened, but how destiny was written, she couldn't do anything but try to always be a good listener, Yerin's best friend, even though she felt that gradually the woman actually felt more and more distant. Yerin was slowly became a distant friend.
"I hate you, Jung Yerin. I swear. Don't you ever dare to do this to me—"
"Yuju-yah. Annyeong." Yerin giggled softly. "It's been a while since the last time we called, and that's what you told me? Huh?"
"Exactly. It's been so long since the last time you would actually picked up my phone."
"I'm sorry. I'm so busy here."
Yuju looked at the woman from the video call. Yerin looked much thinner—maybe she lost a few pounds? And clearly, her face showed how exhausted she actually was, which also reflected in her slightly swollen eye bags. Yuju took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. That Christmas, she and Yewon planned to fly to London and visit Yerin. She was too worried about this one friend.
"Have you eaten?"
"I did."
"Look at you."
"What's with me?"
"So skinny."
"Great. Now you can see how sharp my jawline is."
"Yerin-ah. Stop joking."
"I'm not?" She laughed. "What's with you? Are you now my mom?"
"Is everything okay there?"
"Yeah. All good. Oh my God. Can you slow down?"
"I feel worry."
"I'm okay. I'm just doing fine here, Yuju-yah." Yerin's warm smiled melted her heart. Yuju felt a little calmer by then. "How about you? Is everything okay there, with you, with the gallery, with Yewon? You're going to visit me here in London next month, right?"
"Yes. We will. Remember how much we forced you to say yes?"
Yerin looked silent for a moment. She could see how the disappointment appeared on the face of someone who had spent almost her whole life with her, someone she had grown up with, Yuju. She shook her head slowly then smiled back at Yuju. From behind, suddenly Yewon's figure entered and approached. She hugged Yuju from behind and smiled happily seeing Yerin's figure on the cellphone screen. It had been quite a while since they had been concerned about the woman's condition.
"Yerin-ah. Did you eat well?"
"I do, Yewonie. Don't worry about that."
"Look, babe. She's so skinny. She barely—"
"Shut up, Choi Yuna."
They shared a little laughter, the laugh Yerin needed much that she didn't admit it. In the middle of the conversation, Yerin suddenly felt lost and her mind wandered somewhere, thinking of a figure she had been trying to get rid of. Her ego was too big to take her in, and her soul was too tired to find a way to walk towards that figure. She gave up, and felt a sharp loneliness pierced her heart.
"Yerin-ah. Are you listening?"
Yuju's bright voice woke her up. She smiled widely, faking it all once again.
"Ah. Yes. Of course I am."
Please Subscribe to read the full chapter
Comments