I peek from behind the wall and watch Iseul go out of her condominium unit while dragging along her laundry basket. On her other hand, she was holding a phone to her ear. “No, I’m fine. It’s just a mild cold but of course, they won’t allow me to go to work.” She speaks which alarmed me immediately. “Right now? I’m just going to do my laundry. Ha? Hana, it’s alright, I don’t want to bother you—no~ I won’t have a fever, it isn’t that serious.” She chuckles but what’s when I noticed her nasal voice.

She was indeed sick.

She is sick.

This can’t be.

Disregarding my initial plan of only visiting her secretly for a second, I let myself be revealed and left the wall. I walk her way and that’s when she turned to acknowledge my presence. “Hana, I’ll call you later. Wild penguin alert.” I hear her muffle before putting her phone down. She kept it in her pocket before shooting a cold stare at me. That cold stare that I will always hate. “What are you doing here?” She asks. “You’re sick.” I mutter and tried moving closer but she took a few steps back.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She grunts back while placing her hands up to her chest as defense. “I should stay away and let you rest first but I cannot do it right now. Let me take care of y—"Woah woah woah!” She cuts me off with her incredulous face. “Why are you barking?” I ask but she only glared at me more. “Just leave me alone.” She firmly tells before turning around while dragging the laundry basket. Before she could completely leave, I snatched the basket from her but she didn’t let go of it right away.

“I’m going to help you carry it.” I tell but she harshly pulls it back. “Why do you keep giving me the cold-shoulders?” I ask with a big frown. I don’t like the feeling she was giving me. I’m feeling much sicker than I already am. “I wouldn’t have given you anything if you’ll just give me space.” She hisses. “Alright.” I agree right away before taking four steps back. “Is this enough?” I ask but she only rolled her eyes on me. I stomped my feet in frustration.

“You need to elaborate it more because I am not a psychic although I am very intel—“I don’t want to see you, that kind of space!” She cuts me off which left me speechless. “W-why don’t you want to see me? Isn’t. . . isn’t it hard for you? Doesn’t it make you feel sick? Doesn’t it give you a hard time to fall asleep at night? N-not seeing me?” I ask hoping that she is under the same process as I am.

She looks away but she still had the firm expression that I don’t like seeing.

“It doesn’t.” She then answers before turning around again and continue walking. I still follow behind. “W-well. . . Well I think it does for me.” I mutter back. “Iseul.” I call and try to quicken my pace. “Now, do you want to try that café I was telling you about?” I try to ask another topic of discussion but she just ignored me until we got into the elevator. I was even thankful she didn’t push me out.

The two of us stand side by side, all alone inside this small space. She can’t ask for further space. Yes. She moved farther and leaned on the wall. I turn to her while having my hands inside my pockets. “I didn’t go to the ball because I don’t have a date.” I speak but she just maintained a straight face without answering. “I didn’t want any other date besides my girlfriend. And als—“I am not your girlfriend.” She cuts me off.

At least she reacted this time.

“Not because we’ve broken up means you’re not my girlfriend anymore. I haven’t altered the tit—“No, it means like that. I don’t need your permission to leave this relationship.” She answers back. “No, you do. We share a mutual feeling and so—“No, we don’t. W-we don’t anymore.” She retorts again. “I don’t believe you.” I answer firmly before looking straight ahead again. “Well you should.” She mutters and as if on cue, the elevator opened. We both got out and I trail behind once more.

“But I couldn’t.” I speak while staring at her back figure. “You can. You’re perfect right.” She coldly answers before turning to her right and I did the same. The wide door leads to the building’s laundry shop. “Perfection doesn’t