She barely slept. The sofa was uncomfortable and so were her thoughts. 

Embo...

She pressed the balls of her hands to the backs of her eyelids. They'd met. They'd chatted about this and that. They'd kissed. They'd....it had just never occurred to her that her first impression was wrong. 

A girl...

Her gut twisted. 

I'm not...I don't...do I?

She shook her head wildly, denying the thought. It just wasn't possible. 

But you like her.

"No I don't," she whispered to herself.  Not anymore. Not now that I know he...she...

"Are you sure you want to leave?" Amber asked from the bed, watching Krystal pack her clothes away the next morning. She got to her feet and put a hand on Krystal's suitcase, stopping her from closing it. "Can we talk?" 

Krystal looked up at her for a moment, blinked, then shook her head. 

Amber tried not to be hurt. Something was clearly going on, but what?

"Move your hand," she said quietly.

"Krys..."

Krystal sighed. "I don't need this." She stalked into the living room and snatched up her purse. "Keep the stuff, or burn it. I don't care." Her heels clicked on the way to the door, but Amber refused to give up so easily. 

"Let's just visit a few shops, or walk along the beach, or just lay in bed and watch something stupid on tv? I could get breakfast for us and-" 

"Just stop talking!" Krystal shouted her fists clenched. "Stop! I don't want to be here with you, okay?" 

"You were so excited until last night. What happened?" She cautiously walked across the room and held Krystal's hands lightly in hers. "Just tell me what happened and I'll leave you alone." 

Krystal's eyes were sharp and pricked with tears and her voice shook when she said, "You happened. I just realized what you are, and I can't do this with you, okay? It's my fault for being stupid and getting your hopes up, but we...just don't work." She pulled her hands out of Amber's to leave but said before opening the door. "You should stay. Don't let me ruin your vacation." 

Then she was gone, her scattered clothes still laying half out of the suitcase on the hotel bed. 

"I won't be back for a week or two. Make sure to meet my mom for lunch twice a week." 

"When have I ever forgotten?" Jessica muttered. 

"What was that?"

She wondered when the last time he'd actually listened to her was. They always talked about the most superficial things. Why had she married him?

Yuri's kiss was still on her lips and he didn't even seem to notice and probably wouldn't care if he did. 

She felt thin lips land on her cheek then heard the front door close behind her husband. She sighed and got her handbag and keys. Her son had already been dropped off at daycare by the nanny so she had nothing to do. She hoped Krystal was home. 

She stayed. The final night and two days in Jeju, she stayed. She walked along the beaches. She visited souvenir shops. She ate at a restaurant she couldn't really afford, but the owners were kind and let her bus the tables at the end of the night with their staff to make up for it. 

She tried calling Krystal, but she never picked up. She sent her a few texts and photos. No response. 

She broke up with you. Stop being pathetic, you've been through worse than a break-up.

She laid on the hotel bed running the satin ribbons of Krystal's red nightgown through her fingers, unable to let it go. She'd been laughing and warm and then...

After a few moments, Amber sighed and packed Krystal's clothes away with her own things. Even if she never saw her again, at least she had something to add to her memory box with the photos and letters from Europe, a napkin Krystal had sketched on at a coffee shop, and some socks with music notes and puppies all over them Krystal had bought for her, but was too shy to wear at work. 

She got to the door without crying. To the ferry. To the train. Up the hill and to her house all without shedding tears. But when she stepped inside her bedroom and saw the walls covered with photos of Krystal from her trip across Europe, she couldn't hold it together anymore.

"And then he just left, as usual. Krystal, are you listening to me?" 

Jessica rounded on her little sister and put her hands on her hips. 

"First my husband and now you too. Am I invisible or something?" 

Krystal sat up and hugged her pillow to her stomach. "I'm sorry. Sorry. I was just thinking about something else. Start over. I'll listen. I promise." 

Jessica huffed, but restarted her complaint about her husband, but Krystal's mind started wondering again. Her phone released those series of notes she'd set specifically for text messages from Amber. She squeezed her eyes shut, her head hurting. Her heart hurting. 

I should just pick up. I didn't have to hurt her like that. 

Those big, beautiful eyes watching her with confusion as she'd packed. 

No.

"You're not listening! Okay, whatever. I'm leaving."

She wanted to tell her to stay and keep talking, but she mostly wanted to be alone, so she let her older sister leave so she could flop back on the bed and wallow in her thoughts and feelings. She tried to untangle them, but they kept going round and round and twisting and turning and...

Her phone beeped again. Amber should be home from Jeju by now if she'd stayed after Krystal had left. 

She turned her face to glare at the offending phone just lying there on her bed. A quick link to Amber...if she'd take it. 

Another beep. 

Just stop texting me, she willed, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Please. Just leave me alone.

Her phone beeped. 

What more is there to say? 

Beep.

Did you get home safely? Did you stay after I left? What did you do with the clothes I left behind? 

Beep. Beep. 

Your eyes...

Beep.

Krystal let out a frustrated growl, grabbed her phone and tossed her phone across the room. It continued to beep at her so she snatched it from her densely carpeted floor, tapped Amber's number and gritted out angrily, "Stop texting me!" 

"Krys..."

Her hands shook and her knees lost all strength. She dropped to the floor and said softly, "Em..." 

"I know you don't want to see me, but I'm outside." 

Krystal rushed to her window and could see from her second-floor window a little head of dark hair pacing outside her gate. 

"Krys?" 

She hung up the phone and raced downstairs.