“Minhee!” Minhee heard a female voice shriek at her with alarm in her voice.

“Yes?” Im Minhee turned around to look at her best friend, Tiffany Hwang, “Whatever’s the matter, Fany?” She asked of her calmly while using her nickname for her.

The two girls had been best friends since they were 5 when Tiffany moved next door to Minhee back in California. Their brothers had even become friends and their fathers realised they attended the same middle and high school back in Seoul and were best friends. Then when Minhee was 10 and her father wanted to move back his hometown of Seoul, Tiffany’s parents decided to come with them. Even now, they both live in two apartment units which are right next to each other on the same level of an 18 floored modern apartment in central Seoul.

“Why do you have bruises all over your arm again!” She said with panic in her voice, “You haven’t been out fighting again have you! I mean, where are the cuts that usually come along too every time you go beat up some stupid guys!” She said firmly, then her expression turned devious, “And did you forget that you already signed that contract with me that if you went out fighting again, I get to force you to wear whatever I want you to wear with a month!” An evil smile was on her face at the end of that sentence.

Minhee looked at her in fright, “Oh god no! I didn’t go out fighting! I don’t even remember how I got these bruises! I sure as hell did not go on the streets to beat up punks again, though I did really want to beat idiots who were bullying this little kid up today… And plus I never really do the beating up. I feel too tired lately. I always get Jae to do it for me.” She started to mutter at the end of the sentence and turned away, but then realised something and turned back. “Fany?”

“Yeah?”

“I think I’ve been bruising really easily lately.”

Minhee watched as Tiffany furrowed her eyebrows a little. She only really asked Tiffany because she knew Tiffany was aspiring to become a doctor one day, and could possibly help her. “Anything else?” She asked Minhee.

Minhee thought for a while, “Well, I think I’ve also recently been having quite a few fevers, as demonstrated by the time I’ve taken off school.”

“Yeah, you have been away quite a bit… I’ve missed you in class.” She said, pouting, “But I thought that was just because it’s winter and everyone’s getting sick, so…”

“Well I don’t know… I’ve been treating my body well and I’ve tried taking care of it as best as I can, but I still keep getting sick… I also have night sweats.” She frowned a bit.

Tiffany narrowed her eyes at Minhee, then looked her up and down, “Have you lost weight by any chance?”

“Fany, now’s not the time to be concerned about how fat or thin I am…”

“No, I’m serious. Have you lost weight?’ Tiffany said seriously to Minhee. Minhee saw the seriousness in Tiffany’s eyes and gave in and just nodded. “Is it a lot?” Tiffany said looking at Minhee’s downturned face.

Minhee sighed and just nodded again, “Yeah… In the past 3 months I’ve somehow managed to lose 10 pounds, give or take 1 or 2…” She said sadly.

Tiffany widened her eyes, then just grabbed Minhee’s arm and dragged her out the door of Tiffany’s family’s apartment, “That’s it. I’m taking you to see the doctor. This could be serious, as in really, really serious Minhee… I just hope it’s not the worst case scenario I’m thinking of.”

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“Ah, I see, Miss Hwang.” The Doctor said and nodded after he listened to Tiffany explaining all of Minhee’s symptons, “I’m hoping it’s the worst case scenario that I, and I’m presuming you are too, imagining of. That would be most terrible.”

Minhee blinked clueless at them all. She was an excellent science student and all, but medicine just wasn’t her thing and she wasn’t interested in becoming a doctor at all, so she had no idea what in hell they were talking about. “Um, Doctor Jin I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what exactly are you g-”

“Miss Im, I’m afraid we’re going to take a small sample of blood from you to take a closer look at it under a microscope to determine what exactly is wrong with you.” Doctor Jin said, while shuffling through his drawer looking for something.

“Yes, that’s fine and all, but what exactly is this ‘worst case s-‘”

“Ah. I should call the lab. You should head over to the lab soon, okay Miss Im?” He said, cutting her sentence short again.

“Of course. Give us the address and we’ll head straight there!” Tiffany said smiling at him while starting to stand up, with her left hand holding onto Minhee’s right wrist trying to tug her up gently. Minhee narrowed her eyes at Tiffany while she too got up, wondering when Tiffany became such a gently person.

Doctor Jin soon printed out the address and said to the two girls, “I’ll ring the lab to tell them that you’re going over. You’ll be, of course, given first priority. It’s already been a few months, and if it is indeed the worst case scenario we are thinking of, then we must have this checked as quickly as possible so we can start treatment. Now, hurry along now girls, and good day to the both of you.” He said as he ushered the two girls out.

“Kamsahabnida, Doctor Jin.” Tiffany said at the door and bowed 90 degrees to him, but just as Minhee was about to bow as well, Tiffany suddenly looked alerted and gently dragged Minhee away, “Ah. Not you, Minhee. You don’t have to worry about bowing. Don’t exert yourself too much, okay?”

Minhee narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Tiffany as the doctor closed the door in front of them, “What exactly are you and the doctor both hiding from me? Why do the both of you keep avoiding my questions?”

“Hurry along now, Minhee!” Tiffany said, avoiding Minhee’s question again, arousing her suspicion, “This lab’s quite far away you know! Come along now!” She ushered Minhee out the door of their local clinic and ushered her into the waiting chauffeured car. The moment they got into the car, Tiffany quickly plugged her earphones into her ears and started singing loudly.

Minhee pouted because she realised that Tiffany was truly avoiding her, and it wasn’t just a big coincidence anymore. But she still forgave her best friend who had such an amazing voice, “Fine! I forgive you for avoiding my question Fany! Only because you’re such a good singer!” She yelled loudly over Tiffany’s singing, “But just so you know! I’m still annoyed!”

Soon they arrived at the lab, and Tiffany ushered Minhee in quickly, still with her earphones in to avoid Minhee asking any questions. “Uh, Im Minhee is here for her blood test?” She said unsurely to the front desk, while pulling out her iPhone and pausing the music.

The front desk lady looked at the computer she was sitting in front of, clicked a few buttons then looked up and smiled, “The priority appointment? Yes, please come through.” She said while guiding the girls towards where Minhee presumed the actual ‘lab’ was.

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“Ah! Miss Hwang? Well whichever one of you two is Miss Hwang, could we have you come in and talk to us for a bit?” A man wearing a white coat holding a clipboard said as he walked out of the ‘lab’. Tiffany looked at the man with scared eyes.

“Is it bad news?” She asked, cautiously eying Minhee.

“I think we’ll talk about that inside of here,” He gestured towards a small office next to the entrance of the lab, “Okay, Miss Hwang?” Tiffany nodded slowly and followed the man into the office. Minhee simply sat there worried about what the man might tell Tiffany.

After what Minhee estimated to be 10 minutes, she really didn’t know, Minhee was never really good at estimating time, the door to the office opened. She rushed towards it to see Tiffany a crying mess on the floor screaming, “Why!? Aren’t the chances of that really small!? She doesn’t even have a family history of it!” She sobbed, voice slowly rising despite the fact she already started off extremely loud, “She takes care of herself! She eats well, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink, why her!! WHY!!” She screamed the last word nothing like a question, but more like a demand for whatever the man told her to take it back.

“Fany! Are you alright? What’s wrong?” Minhee asked desperately with worried eyes, “You’re not hurt are you?”

“No! I am absolutely not alright!” Tiffany screamed through her tears, “This isn’t fair! Why! Why did it have to be you of all people! Why my best friend of all people! Oh lord, you aren’t being fair to m-” She suddenly choked on her tears and couldn’t get her voice out again.

“Miss Im, please shut the door. This office is soundproofed for times like these. I’m afraid we’re going to have to have a talk.” The doctor said grimly.