*Tick tock* *Tick tock* The only sound resonating through the house as the hands of the clock move from one number to the next. Jaehyun stared at the passing of time as if in a trance waiting for either Krystal or Jessica to get home. They had promised earlier in the week that they would all get together for a sisters bonding due to their packed schedules keeping them apart lately. As the clock struck midnight Jaehyun sighed as yet another gathering between the Jung sisters were inevitably forgotten and postponed. Turning to look out the window to see the droplets of rain hitting the glass, the sadness in your eyes reflected back at you. No call or even a text to say where they were, having no idea whether either of your older sisters would even be home today. ‘Maybe I should send another text? No, no, they must be busy, I shouldn’t bother them’ Jaehyun thought releasing another sighed before heading upstairs to get some sleep.

 

‘This isn’t the first time its happen, in fact I’ve lost count.’ Shaking her head Jaehyun tried to to break away from these negative thoughts but they came again like cancer for the mind ‘They get so lost in their work sometimes, I wonder if they really just forget me? I know I shouldn’t trouble them……..maybe I’m just a burden.’ Getting lost in her thoughts as she stares up at the white ceiling of her bedroom ‘They love me and I love them, they’re my sisters but I’m just some student and they……they’re like the stars that shine brightly in the sky….I’m just nobody.’

 

Eyes drowning in sorrow accompanying the tragedy the night brings as it forces open your deepest regrets, sins and guilt. Thinking back to some events that occurred for the past few months …

 

Flashback

“Unnie !!! Sooyeon unnie your back” you exclaim happily, jumping on to Jessica to give a hug to welcome her home.

 

But you were met with a light shrug and an annoyed glare “Yah!! Jaehyun stop that, I have to get to my room to type up an email to a designer I’m collaborating with, I don’t have time to play with you today.”

 

Surprised you back away from Jessica releasing her from the hug “Ah a-arasso unnie mianhe” you reply softly. Ignoring you Jessica just stomps her way up to her room mumbling things that she had to do. You were shocked as it is only rarely that Jessica would call you by your full name rather than by Jae or Hyun. Always separate never together. Understanding that she must be busy with her business, you try to dismiss the incident thinking that she must just be stressed.

 

Later that night, as a way to try and cheer Jessica up Jaehyun decided to cook her favourite meal as Jessica had been cooped up in her room ever since she got home. Knocking on her unnies room door Jaehyun called out “Unnie, I made your favourite for dinner, please come out and eat something.”

 

The door opens roughly and Jessica glares at you “ Jaehyun, I told you I’m busy can you just leave me alone so I can get my work done.

Biting you lip whilst looking down at the floor, glancing up to meet with the fierce glare you reply “But unnie, you haven’t eaten yet and…”

 

You get cut of as she replied “Listen Jaehyun, I have a lot of work to sort out, I’m sorry that I can’t have dinner with you but can you need to stop bothering me, you want unnie’s company to do well right?” To which you nod in agreement. “Then you have to stop pestering me, I’ll find something to eat later, just eat by yourself ok.” Not waiting for a reply Jessica slams the door shut in your face.

 

Still staring down at the floor you mumble to yourself “But unnie, I made your favourite” as you bite your bottom lip harder to stop your tears from coming out.

 

A few days later a similar situation occurred with Krystal:

Krystal had promised to take you out for a one on one bonding session as she has been in China filming for a drama and you hadn’t seen her for months. Now that she was back in Korea you hoped that you could catch up with her. You had missed your older sister over the past few weeks with Jessica also ignoring you in favour of work.

 

It was already 10.30pm but Krystal had not gone home yet, and she had promised to be home by 6 so the both of you could eat dinner before catching a film. Having been worried about her whereabouts had called her numerous times and had sent a few texts all without a reply. Jaehyun was growing worried by the second until she heard the click of the door opening. Rushing to the entrance Jaehyun cries out “Unnie your home, why didn’t you text me back, I was worried.”

 

Krystal sighs in exasperation “Listen Hyunnie, I’m the unnie so you don’t have to keep track on where I go.”

 

Furrowing eyebrow in confusion “But unnie today we were supposed to..”

 

Krystal lifts her hand up into a stop signal “No listen Jae, I’m older than you, and its okay for me to go out and hang out with my friends, I mean its not even that late. Jesus people would think you were mum or something” she teases, patting your head and making her way up the stairs to her room.

 

You look towards her retreating body and only sigh in defeat, no knowing what you had done to be treated this way lately “But you promised…..”

 

Flashback end

 

The next morning you had checked both the older the Jungs room, to see them untouched. Looking around the empty home, the emptiness in your heart grew and loneliness slipped in, adding cracks to the fragile dam that kept you together during these somewhat abandoned times. Sighing for the nth time you steeled your resolve and called your parents.

 

“Ne annyeong umma, can I go and stay at a friends house.”

 

“Wae, aren’t your sisters home this week?” Mrs Jung wondered.

 

“They’re busy this week, I haven’t seen them, so I think it would be safer if I went to stay over at someone else’s place in the mean time.”

 

“Arasso, don’t forget to pack everything, and be careful, appa and I love you, annyeong.”

 

“Neeee, nado saranghae.” And with that you make a quick call to your friend to confirm that it is again okay for you stay over. Packing up your clothes and essential items, meaning your ps4, phone charger, and so on (first world problems) you look around once more and head out the door, not forgetting to lock up as you leave.

 

That evening

“Woooh, thanks for picking me up unnie, I can’t believe we forgot about yesterday, I’m sure Hynnie must be very worried about us especially since both of us didn’t get our phones charged till today” Krystal said as Jessica parks the car not too far away from the house entrance.

 

“Yeah, I feel terrible that we haven’t been giving baby Jung a lot of attention because how hectic our schedules been. I remember I even made her eat alone because I had to make a few more designs for a client” Jessica says disappointed clearly shown by the worry lines on her forehead.

 

Grabbing the older Jungs hand Krystal comforts her saying “Hey, it’s ok, Jaehyun understands that were busy, she won’t get mad.”

 

Looking at the younger, her next words absolutely breaks Krystal’s heart “That’s the problem, haven’t you noticed that we have been neglecting her. She’s our baby, were meant to be there for her but when was the last time either of us have spent any meaningful time together.”

 

Tension in the car builds before Krystal sighs and opens the car door to let herself out “You’re right unnie, lets go and apologise and spend some time with our baby Jung.” Nodding in agreement, they head towards the front door only to come face to face with a dark house and no Jaehyun.

 

“What?! It’s already 7.30pm where is she?” Krystal wonders out loud “Her classes finished at 4 today” panic building in her voice as she scrolls through her phone not seeing any new texts from the youngest Jung.

 

“Now calm down Soojung, maybe she’s just out with friends” Jessica states, as Krystal calms down slightly.

 

“Yes, you’re right, we’ll just wait a home till she comes back. I don’t have anything schedules for the next 2 or 3 days what about you?”

 

Thinking through her own timetable Jessica replies “No there isn’t anything urgent for me to handle, after I sent the designs a week ago and got the confirmation today for the all clear.”

 

But the clock only served to mock the sisters as each hour passes but no head or hide could be found or heard from Jaehyun.  “Unnie I’m getting worried, its almost midnight and she’s still not home yet” Krystal voices out the worry that also floats in the older Jungs mind.

 

“Have you tried texting her again?” Jessica says trying to stay calm.

 

This only service to make the younger more agitated “Unnie, I’ve texted and called but she won’t pickup!!!” Jessica wraps Krystal in a hug trying to soothe the girl. Krystal then chokes out a sob as tears stream down her face “I think she’s mad at us this time unnie, I think Jaehyuns runaway from home because of how badly we’ve been treating her.”

 

In the meantime, elsewhere

In a dorm located somewhere in Seoul, Jaehyun can be found in a certain idol groups dorm playing her ps4 whilst her phone is left in Naeun’s room messages from her unnies filling the phones memory capacity.

 

“Yah, bomi-unnie that’s cheating you can’t block my sight to win” Jaehyun says whilst playing Call of Duty with bomi of Apink. Naeun leaning her head on Jaehyun’s shoulder, smiling in happiness that her crush was staying the night at the dorm.

 

“Hahaha all’s fair in gaming wars” Bomi replies with an impish grin.

 

Groaning Jaehyun looks towards Chorong who is sitting next to Bomi and with puppy dog eyes pouts and says “Chorong-unnie, Bomi-unnie is bullying me again.” Seeing as you had a deathly cute puppy dog face Chorong could not help but hit bomi upside the head.

 

“Owww, Chorong-unnie what was that for?” Bomi whines.

 

“That’s for being mean to my favourite dongsaeng and Naeunie’s guest” Chorong replied causing Jaehyun to smile and give a thumbs up at the leader of Apink.

 

“Unnie jjang, saranghae” Jaehyun says.

 

This caused Naeun to be a bit jealous as jaehyun had never said I love you to her even though she had known her longer than Chorong. Tugging on to Jaehyun’s oversized t-shirt to get her attention, Naeun puffs up her cheeks cutely and looks angrily at Jaehyun. “Unnie,wae” Jaehyun questions confused when she saw the girls expression.

 

“Jae, you never said you liked me even though I’ve known you longer than chorong-unnie, does that mean you like chorong-unnie more than me?” Naeun asks.

 

“Of course not Naeun-unnie, I like you both equally” Jaehyun says looking deep into the other girls’ eyes, causing Naeun to blush and as they drew in closer…and closer, lips so close they could touch….”

 

“YAH, Jaehyun-ah !!!” a voice bellows making the duo break apart from each other, faces burning red from embarrassment at their almost kiss.

 

Still slightly flustered, Jaehyun clears “N-ne Eunji-unnie, what is it?”

 

“I passed by Naeun’s room on my way to the toilet and your phone is going crazy, buzzing around your bag” the Busan native replies.

 

Getting up and heading towards the room, Naeun right beside her, Jaehyun scrolls through the multiple messages and phone calls from the older Jungs ‘Omomo, I’m dead.’Jaehyun thought after she saw the 20^th missed call by Krystal. 0-0

 

Seeing the worry on Jaehyuns face Naeun places her hand on the others shoulder squeezing it “Jae, is something wrong?”

 

“Naeun-unnie, I think I have to go home. My sisters are worried about me and are going hysterical since I forgot to tell them I would be here.”

 

Nodding in understanding, Naeun replies “Do you need help packing up?”

 

Thinking through for a bit Jaehyun looks at the slight disappointment on Naeun’s face and says “How about I just take some things back with me and leave the rest here and come back tomorrow for a sleepover after informing my unnies?”

 

A smile blossoms on the visuals face and she nods happily as she helps Jaehyun grab some essentials. Jaehyun inform the Apink members of what has happened and Namjoo, Hayoung and Bomi are ecstatic to hear that she will be leaving her PlayStation in their care for the night before returning the next day.

 

As she bids the group goodbye, she turns to take her leave but is stopped by a tug on her sleeve. Turning around she see’s Naeun’s blushing face, her hands clenching in nervousness. “What is it Naeun-unnie?” Jaehyun asks curiously, head cocked to the right staring at the beautiful woman in front of her.

 

Breathing deeply to build up her courage, Naeun eyes flash in determination as she grabs hold of Jaehyun’s and gives her a quick peck on the lips, before releasing the girl “Come back soon” Naeun says quickly as she rushes into the dorm not waiting for a reply.

 

Jaehyun stands there for a bit, body frozen, mind unable to process what just occurred. ‘She has soft lips’ a thought appeared causing her to re-focus back into reality.

 

Blushing a bit, Jaehyun takes out her phone and dials Naeun’s number “Hello? Jae did you forget something.”

 

Smiling at the girls sweet voice through the phone Jaehyun merely says “I’ll come back to you soon” leaving a few beats of silence before hanging up and grabbing a taxi to rush  off home.

 

Time skip back at home

Both Jung siblings are now bawling their eyes out, not knowing what happened to their beloved dongsaeng, their minds coming up with the worst possible scenarios: Did she get kidnapped? Omg what is she got hurt on the way home, or worse killed? What if she couldn’t take the loneliness and decided to go to Hand River to commit suicide? At this though Krystal got up and screamed hysterically “JAEHYUN!! DON’T DIE UNNIE IS COMING” as she grabs her jacket and makes her way towards the home entrance.

 

Jessica who was by now way out of the calm phase, and is straight in crazy paradigm quickly grabs the others hand “Dying ?!?! Who’s dying?? Got damn it Soojung, when did Jaehyun get sick? OMG is Jaehyun terminally ill ?!?! Is that why she’s not here, she got sick while we weren’t watching her ?? WE NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL!!!”

 

As they were in their own world thinking about the potential ways Jaehyun might have died while not under their care, a soft click of a door opening. Jaehyun comes in with a serene smile on her face not being able to get the kiss out of her head. Only to walk into a living room where her Jessica-unnie was seen pacing up and down calling ‘hospitals?’ asking whether they had a patient by the name of Jung Jaehyun. And her Krystal-unnie looked like she’s half-way between casual and about to go for a run, muttering something about dying together.

 

Slightly alarmed at her older sisters’ actions Jaehyun calls out “Unnie!!”

 

 Jessica holds out her hand and looks at Jaehyun “Shhh, Jae I’m trying to find which hospital you are admitted in.”

 

Krystal then adds in “Yeah, I have to go to Han River now to make sure that you haven’t committed suicide” as she makes her way towards the entrance and as she is about to pass you by her head whips towards you “HYUNNIE!!” she screams in happiness.

 

At this Jessica quickly turns and lets her phone hit the floor as she crashes in to you for a hug, tears coming out like Niagara falls. “JAE!! WHERE WERE YOU!!” Jessica questions angrily hitting Jaehyun softly on the chest, Krystal just nuzzling her cheek against yours.

 

“U-unnie” Jaehyun stammers out from her sisters affectionate behaviour “I went over to Apinks dorm for a sleepover for today but came back when I saw the messages, mianhe for not telling you.”

 

“Why were you there?” Krystal questions eyebrows furrowing in confusion “To hang out with Naeun?” she says with a bit of jealousy in her tone.

 

 The name causes you to blush which both sisters caught and Jessica then says “Yah!! Why are you blushing, did something happen while we were gone?”

 

Biting her lip a bit anxiously Jaehyun replies “Both you and Soojung-unnie have been so busy with work lately that you haven’t been at home a lot. Umma and Appa are also away on vacation, I didn’t want to disturb either of you, so I decided to go over to play with her and her groupmates.It’s less lonely than an empty house” Jaehyun says her voice just above a whisper.

 

Feeling guilty the two older Jungs embrace their baby, vowing to be better older sisters to her and keep her not only safe but to feel loved and never lonely again.

 

After a few minutes Krystal then asks “So care to tell us what the blushing was about just now?”

 

Feeling flustered jaehyun replies “I-its nothing unnie, cheongmal.”

 

“Jessica then unwraps on hand from the youngest Jung and points her finger up like a teacher scolding a child “Now, now baby Jae, don’t keep things from your unnies” she says in mock sternness.

 

Relenting to her sisters’ authority Jaehyun tells them “As I was making my way back home Naeun (mumbles) (mumbles)”

 

Both older Jungsis look towards the youngest in confusion “What was that I don’t think I caught that” Krystal says.

 

Breathing in Jaehyun repeats herself a tad louder “I said when I was making my way back home, Naeun tugged on my sleeve and kissed me.”

 

“WHAT !!!” both Jessica and Krystal exclaim, flames of fury burning brighter than the sun and hotter than hells fire.

 

“How dare she take my baby’s lips for herself I’ll kill her” Krystal says making her way to the kitchen to get a knife for a supposed murder.

 

Jessica went for a different approach, knowing full well how bad her cooking can be she thought to make the worse possible poison, I mean dish for the girl “Tell me my baby, what is Naeun allergic to?”

 

(-____-lll) “Unnie, please calm down. Lets just got to sleep now okay, it’s late already.” Jaehyun says pulling her sisters up to her room to share her bed, her secret method of cheering them up.

 

Both sisters happily bounce up the stairs towards their dongsaengs room after changing into their pyjamas. As they were about to fall asleep Jaehyun the remembers “Oh by the way unnies, I’m going to Apink’s dorm to sleepover tomorrow since I couldn’t do it today.”

 

“WHAT !?!” both her unnies cried out in protest.

 

“SHE ALREADY KISSED YOU AND NOW YOU WANT TO STAY WITH HER” Krystal accuses.

 

“BABY, HOW COULD YOU, I THOUGHT YOU WOULD ONLY LOVE YOUR UNNIES FOREVER” Jessica wails out dramatically.

 

“What, unnies ? No, I’m just staying over, her members will be there too” Jaehyun defends.

 

“I don’t care, I want a kiss too” Krystal replies petulantly.

 

“What, unnie we can’t we’re sisters” Jaehyun replied panicked.

 

“No, we can because were sisters. I must sterilise your lips from her contamination” Jessica says seriously bringing her face closer to the youngest Jung who is in the middle of the bed, between her two unnies.

 

“Contam-what?, Unnie noooo” Jaehyun says trying to get out of the others grip.

 

Grabbing onto Jaehyun from behind Krystal smiles deviously “And after Jess-unnie, you then have to kiss your beloved Soojung-unnie as well okay.”

 

Looking back and forth between Jessica and Krystal, Jaehyun cries out a “NOOOO!!” that echoes throughout the street to the oblivious neighbours.