(Listening to TOMBOY by Hyukoh) 

"Argh... I don't like how this story is going on between two of you," Key complained, filling the glass for his tomboy cousin. He gripped on Amber's left shoulder, muttering, "We get used to a Cinderella story where she's been tortured by the evil step mother and her half sisters, but Krystal's story is..." 

"Very much different," 

She grabbed the glass before taking a big gulp of the drink, making Key bewildered. 

"I'm going to forget everything after this night pass," said Amber, "What can be worse than that, right?" 

Key tapped her shoulder again, "Jeez, you are scarier when you're drunk," 

"No, she's a lot more scarier when she got mad at me without any reason," the short-hair murmured, filling another glass of beer by herself. "I didn't even get a chance to say a thing and poof! She slammed the door very hard, Key! Very hard that made me almost died!" 

Key studied his cousin's face, hissing, "Aigoo, stop talking. You sound so stupid right now," 

"Yeah-yeah, that what she thinks about me too!" Amber claimed, gulping the alcohol at once and harshly put back the glass onto the counter bar. 

"For her, I'm the walking idiot who has no feeling and very senseless and just naturally nice to everyone. She didn't even know that I had once, tricked an innocent girl to make she sleeps with me and by the morning after that night, I dumped her!" 

He facepalmed himself, checking around if there's someone they both know are around. 

"Please, Liu. Stop talking," 

"No!" Amber unintentionally raised her voice at Key. 

"She refused to let me speak, and now you too???" 

"Why??? Because everything you guys gonna hear from me is the word from heaven? From the God Lord???" 

"No... " Key tried to sooth her, although he knew very well that the drunk Amber would probably forgets everything she has said when she gets sober. "I'd never think you're an angel like that, Ber. To be honest, as the only person who witnessed you, from the day you've been hurted by people, then you hurted them back-purposely, until now, when you found yourself-finally, I'm so proud on how you get to choose what you want to be," 

Then, the loud sound of the music echoed in their ears, as Key calmly stared at Amber's face, still tapping the younger's shoulder repeatedly. He took another sip from the big glass, giving a small smile.

"How I wish that girl is here to see you now," 

Amber breathed in deep before exhaling all the air she had, grunted in frustration. 

"And how I wish I don't like her this much..." she finished her third glass and hid her face between her folded arms. Still mumbling,

"I wish I'm feelingless and never to fall in love," 

"Yah, why you give up so fast? Don't let her control what you feel for her, okay? She's just... the object and you're the subject in the sentence. You may change the object anytime you want, Amber," Key delivered his secret tips. 

"Like you, then?" Amber shot Key an annoying look, "I'd rather be single until I die than changing partner like changing clothes," 

"Yeah, like Katy Perry said, 'you, changed your mind, like a girl, changed her clothes'!" he sang, playfully shook Amber's shoulders and laughed at her bloated face. "Come on cheer up, llama! There's not only one girl in this world! If Krystal doesn't like you back, open your heart for another woman!" 

"You at giving advice, cousin. You are even worse than Trump," she stated, started to feel dizzy. 

"Hah, maybe I'm not good at being loyal or giving you motivational advice but I'm a lot better than your decision to give up on one woman. At least I'm good at moving on after a heartwrenching relationship," Key replied, proud. 

Amber grunted as her head began to ache so she closed her eyes as tight as possible. 

"Shut up Key, my brain is in pain right now," she murmured. 

"Serve you right, that's what I felt before when you said ridiculous things," the feminine guy shot Amber his diva look, sipping the last drop of the beer. 

"I'm not going to send you home until you get sober, ugly llama," 

"But I have class tomorrow, at 8," Amber said, still fighting with the sudden headache. 

"Then let your housemates watch you being drunk for the first time and let their good impression on you go away," Key tried to warn. 

"Just... cut the crap out and send me home," Amber begged and shot him another glare. 

"Haishhhhhhhh," he scoffed angrily then. "Okay-okay, I'll get the taxi and send you home!" 

 Key helped Amber to get up from the seat after he paid their drinks and led the drunken cousin out from the bar. 

***

"So... how is it? Is she okay meeting you?" Jessica asked her look-alike, curious. She canceled the lunch date with her exclusive client purposedly just because she wanted to visit the sister she newly knew. 

Sinbi only gave her a quick nod and earned a disapprove look from Jessica, who groaned in frustration. 

"She's not going to go easy on you, Sinbi. I don't know until when that creature will forget everything," 

"No unnie, it's fine. My mom already explained to me, everything. Krystal unnie will never forget what our father did but what I seek from you and her is, forgiveness," 

That made Jessica felt guilty. "Its not even your fault. Krystal should know the other side of the story too so she will stop blaming and... disliking you," 

"She will, one day when she wants to know about it," Sinbi calmly answered. "By the way thank you for this treat, unnie. And for helping me signing up here," 

"Oh, it's nothing," Jessica said, opening the cap of the coleslow. "How's everyone? Your roommate? Did you get any friend yet?" 

"They are nice and kind," Sinbi shortly replied, sipping the soft drink as she continued when suddenly someone's face appeared, "Krystal unnie's housemate, the one who looks like a boy... what's her name? Ambo something," 

"Amber," Jessica fixed her pronunciation. 

"She was very generous for letting me into their house while I waited for Krystal unnie and even cooked a pot of chicken porridge for her housemates and me," 

"Ah.. that person, she is strangely nice to everyone," added the blonde woman, biting the chicken drumstick. "If Krystal goes wild, go find Amber, she can protect you from her. So far that I know, Krystal's weakness is that person," 

"But.. Krystal unnie... really got mad at her yesterday when she knew... Amber let me in," Sinbi stated, bowing her head down. 

"Haish! You should tell me earlier!" Jessica snapped. "That ungrateful child need to give a lesson!" 

"It's okay, Jessica unnie. I understand what she feels," 

"What did you understand? She should not get mad to someone without any reason, you know? If she really mad at you, I'm sorry, just scold you then, but why the heck Amber became her victim too???" 

Sinbi didn't give any reply. 

Jessica hissed again, "Let's wait one day when I can't bear with her ridiculous temper, prepare yourself if the third world war is going to happen, for real," 

Sinbi shifted her face at Jessica spontaneously, 

"Please don't fight? I only have you and her left if.. my mom can't make it," Sinbi sadly said. 

The older paused her eating afterward, glancing at the younger, feeling gulity again. 

"Don't worry, your mom is a fighter, right? She's gonna make it, just have faith," she spoke gently and awkwardly caressed the young girl's shoulder. 

"Yeah..." she weakly replied, forcing a smile for Jessica. 

"Okay now forget about what happened yesterday. I'm here to support you, Sinbi. If Krystal is not supporting, I will. I'm not like her, we are really the opposite of each other," 

"I can see that. Thank you for being here, Jessica unnie, I promise I will work hard to be a good student," 

For the first time, Jessica's heart fluttered as she heard the younger's words. 

"I want to repay your kindness towards my mom and I," she added. "And if it possible, I want to fulfill father's will too. He can smile from up there if he sees us three finally together," 

"That's not impossible, kiddo," Jessica tapped Sinbi's head, smiled a little. "Father must be so proud if he's here right now. Our youngest sister is all grown up and a very wise lady too," 

Sinbi tried hard to hold her tears when she finally knew Jessica just addressed her as one of her sister. "Thank you, unnie... Thank you so much for accepting me," she sobbed. 

Jessica nodded, closing her eyes as she muttered back softly, 

"Not a big deal, okay? You can call or text me anytime, I will always be there for you. And if that witch roars at you again, be sure to inform me first. I know what to do with her," 

Sinbi laughed then, thanking Jessica again and again for her kindness. 

***

Krystal avoided everyone on that day. She refused to meet Seulgi although the latter was begging her to show up for the sake of their duo's assignment. Her phone went off, and she wasted almost half day sleeping on her queen-sized bed. 

As she was pushing her brain to reminisce how her late father used to neglect her just for his affair, she heard a knock on the door.

"Soo Jung?" a familiar voice called out her Korean name.

"It's me Seulgi. Err please come out? I bought delicious food for you," 

When there's no answer from her friend, Seulgi added, "Actually... I want to tell you that... the lecturer suddenly change the due date for our assignment," 

"We must submit it by... tomorrow noon," 

Seulgi shifted her head to see Amber's face, as she covered with her palms, holding laugh. 

As fast as lightning, the door finally opened wide by Krystal. 

She stared at Seulgi with her sharp eyes before glancing at the tomboy. 

"I'm not an idiot to believe what you said," and walked through them, heading to the toilet. 

"At least she did come out from the cave..." Amber said, raising her eyebrows at Seulgi. "You don't know she was as scary as t-rex last night," 

"Huh? Why?" 

"Because I let her... half sister got into our house," Amber sighed. "I didn't even know she has... a little sister from, another mother, you know?" 

"Ahhhh, I know I know! Sinbi right?" Seulgi guessed. "Well Amber-nim I just knew from Wendy too, this morning. We got a text from Jessica unnie, asking us to look out for her sister. I thought she referred to Krystal but it turned out to be the new sister," 

"Hmmh, glad you guys have been informed directly from her," the boyish claimed, ready to excuse herself. "So my plan worked, and I need to leave now. The library is calling me, Seulgi-sshi," 

"W-wait," Seulgi insisted, grabbing her elbow. "I- don't feel so brave to be alone with... her," she whispered at the last part. "Can you.. please.. join us?" 

"But you guys have an assignment to accomplish, isn't it? What I'm going to do there?" 

"Just... stay with me...please, Amber-nim... I promise I'll buy you something good to drink once we finish," 

They looked at each other and Amber could clearly read Seulgi's fear to Krystal. She chuckled before nodding her head. 

"Okay, I'll stay but I will be very quiet because I don't think Krystal will like to see me either," 

"Deal," Seulgi raised her thumb. 

***