“Soonkyu!”

Soonkyu turns her head briefly then roll her eyes and resumed feeding the chickens. “What do you want Sooyoung?”

Sooyoung drapes her arms around Soonkyu’s shoulders; dipping her free hand to the chicken feed to help her friend. “Helping you” she smiles before throwing the feed around them. Chickens immediately lines in front.

“I’m not in the mood to play with you Sooyoung. Where’s Kangin by the way?”

Sooyoung shrugs but her arms not leaving Soonkyu’s shoulders. “Maybe running off to somewhere chasing chickens”

Soonkyu sighs. She knows the only reason why Sooyoung is pestering her is because Kangin, their other friend, is nowhere to be found. She hates it when Sooyoung only goes to her when he is missing. And when the three of them are finally together it was like she’s invisible.

“Seriously Sooyoung why are you here?”

Sooyoung rubbed the crumbs on her pants. “Kangin and I will go to the beach later, want to come with us?”

“I have chores, Soo” Sunny slowly shrugs Sooyoung’s arms off of her shoulders. “Maybe next time”

“Soonkyu?” Soonkyu’s mother walked out of the house and saw Sooyoung standing beside her daughter. “Oh! Hi Sooyoung”

“Hi auntie” Sooyoung smiles and waves.

“What is it mother?” Soonkyu asks.

“We need more log for the fire dear” Soonkyu’s mother smiles. “Will you be staying for dinner Sooyoung?”

“I would love to auntie” Sooyoung smiles then winces when she felt someone elbowing her side.

“Alright” Soonkyu’s mother smiles and walked back inside the house.

“What are you doing?” Soonkyu hisses when Sooyoung suddenly walks off.

“Auntie said she needed more log for the fire. I’m going to get some”

Soonkyu glares while she follows the taller girl. “I thought you and Kangin will go to the beach?”

Sooyoung smiles. “We always go to the beach. He wouldn’t mind if I miss out this time. And besides I love auntie’s cooking” then she walks off not noticing the smile on Soonkyu’s face.

Soonkyu doesn’t know why but her heart started doing summersault inside her chest knowing that Sooyoung choose her this time over Kangin. With a smile on her face, she watched Sooyoung gather all the logs her mother needed for cooking.

›››

“Soonkyu-ah” Sooyoung cries while she held Soonkyu’s hand.

Soonkyu is very weak, almost dying and Sooyoung knows it was only a matter of time before Soonkyu’s small frail body gives up. As selfish as it might sound, Sooyoung doesn’t want Soonkyu to give up, she wants her to fight, only until the doctor from the other town arrive and cure her. But Sooyoung knows, in her heart, that Soonkyu can’t wait.

It was a bad case of plague that infested their small little town and Soonkyu is one of the many unfortunate residents who got infected. Due to their town being the furthest from the main city, help is rather slow to arrive. Their healers lacks knowledge about the said disease that’s why they also lack knowledge on how to cure it. All who got infected died, no one survived. That’s is why Sooyoung knew, in her heart, Soonkyu only has a matter of second.

“Sooyoung” Soonkyu smiles. A tear falling from her eyes. “I’m tired. I want to rest”

Sooyoung held Soonkyu’s hand tightly while shaking her head. “No please no. stay with me” she placed her free hand to cups Soonkyu’s face and wipes the tears. She can feel the unusual heat of Soonkyu’s body. “Your father will be home any seconds now. He’s with a doctor from the other village. Please Soonkyu don’t leave me”

Soonkyu smiles reaching up to wipe Sooyoung tears. “Let me go Sooyoung. I’m ready”

Sooyoung’s tears continue to flow while she shakes her head. “I’m not, please Soonkyu don’t leave me”

“Sooyoung” Soonkyu’s gentle voice emerge amidst the crying and sniffing that was coming from Sooyoung. “I love you”

And that was the last thing Soonkyu said before Sooyoung felt Soonkyu’s hand going limp.

“Soonkyu?” Sooyoung calls but Soonkyu’s eyes were already called. “Soonkyu-ah! Soonkyu!” she keeps shaking Soonkyu’s shoulders while screaming her name but she didn’t get any response. “Soonkyu! Don’t leave me!”

Soonkyu’s father arrived while Sooyoung was in the middle of waking Soonkyu. He sadly looks down, the doctor mimicking his actions. They were a minute too late.

Sooyoung blinks the tears away. Lately, she had been getting more and more of those flashbacks and she hated it. Seeing Sunny, brought back painful memories and opened closed wounds. But nonetheless, she needs to stop this nonsense and force herself to not feel again.

Sooyoung smiles and slowly lowers the magazine she was reading. She was greeted by a glaring Kwon Yuri and a rather troubled Kim Taeyeon. “Nice to see you again Kwon Yuri” she snaps her fingers