I got startled at the sudden outburst.

“Oh? You’re still here?”

“Yeah. Hi to you too,” Sunny grumbled as she removed her hand from her chest.

“Sorry it took me so long,” I said. “I did tell you it was okay for you to leave earlier since I’d be coming anyways.”

She sighs.

“I know. But,” she paused. She looked over at the bed and continued to say, “I just don’t want her to be alone when she decides to suddenly wake up.”

I walked towards her and gave her a hug. For the past month, I’ve formed a close bond with Sunny. She’s been the one staying strong among their group of friends but I could see she could barely keep it together herself. I know she’s been working hard on behalf of Sooyoung ever since the incident. And from what I’ve seen and heard, she’s doing an amazing job. She wasn’t second in command for nothing.

“Hey, wanna go have a drink?”

She stared at me for a moment before cracking a grin.

“Are you asking me out? Sooyoung would be jealous.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Your answer?”

I see her look over her computer for a moment.

“Why the hell not? But would it be okay if we don’t go to a bar? I’d really rather not be around anywhere noisy,” she said.

I think for a moment.

“I’ve got a collection of imported wine at home if you’re interested?”

Sunny’s eyes widened.

“Are you hitting on me, Miss Jung? How did you know I wouldn’t say no to free booze?” she said. “I bet they’re the expensive ones too.”

I shook my head in amusement as I saw her eyes twinkle in excitement.

“Sooyoung mentioned you like to drink. I think she made an understatement seeing as I could literally see you drooling right now.”

“I just like my alcohol. I can’t believe I’m this happy going home with a woman,” she commented. “Well? What are you waiting for? Let’s go!”

And that’s when they started having weekly drinking sessions. They’ve been each other’s pillar of support. It’s nice to think I have someone else I can talk to besides Tiffany. I know she’s my best friend but I wouldn’t want her to receive the full brunt of my misery. She also has someone else who needs her support too.

“What happened to your cheek?” she asked.

“I made someone angry,” I answered. “I’m alright. It’s just a small cut.”

We stared at each other.

“That’s all you’re gonna give me, huh,” she says with a sigh. “As long as you’re okay then.”

“I am.”

“Okay. Since you’re here, I guess I’ll be on my way,” Sunny says as she picked up her belongings. “You’ll be okay on your own, right?”

I nodded.

“Good night, Sunny.”

“Night, Jess.”

As Sunny closed the door behind her, I walked to the empty seat I’ve become familiar with. I leaned back and released a sigh, my eyes landing on the still unconscious patient.

It was just us two now.

If this was way back before the incident, she’d be busy chatting me up, making me laugh and teasing me.

But now…

Now, instead of her voice and laughter, it’s just the sound of beeping machines filling the air.

It would be a lie if I said I’m not scared. Scared that she won’t wake up. The first few days, I would eagerly come and visit, expecting that familiar warm gaze would greet me once I opened the door.

But reality was cruel.

As the days went by without any sort of sign she’d wake up, I grew scared. Extremely scared.

The doctors said they did the best they could. She lost a lot of blood and needed several blood transfusions. Her bones were fractured badly. And most serious of all, she hit her head hard on the pavement. The doctor in charge wasn’t sure how long she’ll be in this state. I knew he was holding back telling us she might not wake up at all. In the end, he told us to prepare ourselves for the worst.

His words felt like a splash of cold water.

I could feel the floor beneath me crumbling.

The lump in my throat made it impossible for me to say anything at that moment.

At that moment, it was the first time I felt hopelessly mad.

Mad with grief.

Mad with murderous intent.

I probably would’ve gone and committed a crime by now if it weren’t for the several pairs of arms who came to comfort me. I could see how we were all sharing the same range of emotions. But they held onto me, telling me how it’s going to be okay. They were trying to be strong for my sake.

I felt it was only fair that I be strong too. There’s no time to be thinking about revenge. I have to take care of them in her place.

And so, I made it so that everyone would gather at the cafe once in a while. We all became a little closer. It’s nice to have all these friends gathered around. However, it was unavoidable that our conversations would lead to retelling stories about her and we’d all end up growing silent. Growing reminiscent.

It was apparent how much her presence was missed.

No one has said anything but everyone is scared.

It’s the fact that I can still see her breathing like this is what still gives me hope.

I approached her bedside.

I took her hand in mine, trembling as I grabbed tightly on to it.

“Earlier, I had a talk with your father,” I spoke.

“What do you think you’re doing here? How did you get in?” he practically yelled at me.

“Your employees did,” I replied coolly.

He scoffed.

“That’s impossible. I’m calling security.”

I rolled my eyes at that and continued to walk towards his desk.

“Don’t bother,” another voice came from behind.

He couldn’t help but stand in shock.

“What are you- was it you that let her in?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered.

She approached and stood by my side. He looked at us both with confusion.

“What’s the meaning of all this?!” he demanded.

Instead of answering, I dropped a folder in front of him.

“What’s this?”

“Look inside and find out,” I said.

He turned pale as he browsed through its contents. His face looked grim much to my delight.

“Are you threatening me?”

“It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t,” I answered.

“You’ve got quite some nerves,” he said. “But as expected from a woman, you’re stupid.”

I kept smiling.

“Oh? How so?”

“You think you can bury me with this? I have a lot of money I can use to get rid of these.”

Mrs. Choi laughed behind me.

“You think we didn’t think of that? There’s one way to avoid that,” she said with a grin. “More money.”

“I’ve already given them to the police. And later, I plan on giving them to media informants and to your competitors as well. You think they’d hesitate not to use it?” I said.

He started shaking.

“Then what the are you doing here?!”

“We’re only here out of courtesy. We thought you should at least hear it directly from us rather than wake up tomorrow to see your name all over the news,” I replied.

“Yo-you!” he looked at his wife. “Did you not think about your daughter? You think she won’t get affected by this?”

Much to his disappointment, she didn’t react as much.

“She knows. You think I wouldn’t tell her something this big?” she replied. “Also, you underestimate your daughter too much. She’s talented and ambitious, she could work anywhere she wants. She only stayed in this damn company because her ‘father’ asked her to.”

“Then...then…” he started to stammer. “Why? Why are you doing this to me? I’m your husband, aren’t I?”

“Did you forget? You signed our divorce papers already.”

Well that came as a shock to me? When did that happen?

“I-I take it back. I love you. You know that, right? I signed them because that’s what you wanted, right? Don’t they say, if you love someone let them go?”

His voice was trembling and turning desperate.

Mrs...well, I guess Ms. Choi, scoffed at him.

“You signed them so you can get me out of the way. You didn’t even take a glance at them and just signed the papers so you could get back to whoever it was you were calling.”

“That’s my mistake! I’m sorry for not reading them. Please. I love you.”

Ms. Choi’s gaze slightly softened. Her eyes held a certain sadness as she sighed at her ex-husband.

“No, you don’t love me. Maybe at some point you did. And maybe at some point I did too. Our children are proof of that. But somewhere along the way, you just...you neglected us. For years, I stayed by your side, hoping you’d change...change back to the man you used to be. But as time went on, you just got worse and I grew tired.”

“I’m tired. And angry.”

She sounded weary as she said that.

Ms. Choi’s eyes lit up in fury.

“You’re the reason why my baby, my poor Sooyoung is in the hospital. You were the one who gave him those photos. If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t be in a coma right now!”

“How was I supposed to know he’d run her over?!” he yelled back.

“Stop acting innocent because you’re the one who sparked all of this. You knew doing that could hurt her. That’s what you wanted, right? You just couldn’t stand seeing her happy!”

“I…”

He clenched his jaw and then started to yell and threw the evidence off his table. There was a figurine on his table and picked it up. He took a glance at me and seemed like he was thinking about throwing it at me.

I was unfazed. My smile was no longer there and changed into a cold expression. I stared at him, daring him.

His strong grip on the figurine turned his knuckles white. I watched him raise it over his head and threw it in my direction, going above my head and striking the wall behind me with a loud thud.

“GET OUT!!!”

I wasn’t interested in staying any longer anyway, so with that, I turned my back to him and left. Ms. Choi followed my lead and left his office together.

Will you hate me for what I’ve done to your father?

I smiled bitterly at the thought.

“See you soon,” I bid her as I’ve done numerous times these past weeks.

I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, lingering there for a moment with a silent wish and prayer.