Krystal sat in her bedroom staring at the wall. Her third semester would start soon, but she couldn’t find any excitement for it. 

Her first year, she’d loved getting the new books and thinking about what she would learn in her new classes. And Amber…

The end of her second year, she had none of that. She hated all of her classes, most of her classmates, most of the professors, and well…no Amber. 

Sulli had suggested she find someone else, but despite what she first thought about herself, it seemed she had a type. But she couldn’t be a lesbian, she just couldn’t be. Weren’t there supposed to be some kind of signs or guidelines or something. Or had Amber…converted her somehow?

She laughed at the silly thought and pulled a book onto her lap. A dog-eared romance novel. 

She her hand down the cover, trying to find something attractive about the wide-shouldered man, but her eyes kept drifting to the delicate throat of the lady on the cover. 

Reading the book again, she realized that what excited her hadn’t been any of the descriptions about the man, but the things he’d done to the woman. The sounds he’d made her make. The discussions of her smooth and perfumed skin. 

Amber’s skin was so warm and soft and sweet and-

She tossed the book to the other side of the room. They’d broken up seven months ago. It was time she let it go. 

“What’s all that noise?” 

Krystal looked up, her sister Jessica peeking into the room. Her brows rose realizing just how long it had been since they’d last hung out. 

“I threw a book,” she said, gesturing at the offending thing. “Come here,” she said, holding her arms out to her waddling sister. “It’s been ages since I saw you.” She rubbed her hand over Jessica’s belly. “Hello.” 

Jessica laughed, looking somehow radiant. Krystal grinned widely. “What’s going on with you? You look amazing and…happy?” 

Jessica waved her off. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s probably just my skin getting oily or something.” She went to Krystal’s vanity and got some blotting papers. “What’s going on with you though? You look like you’ve been moping,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.

Krystal groaned. “How do you get over a break up? I can’t stop thinking about-“ 

“That guy I caught trying to get my little sister pregnant?” 

Krystal glared. 

“What? I wouldn’t even have been able to wedge a sheet of paper between you two. What happened? You give it up and he disappear?” 

“No,” Krystal answered firmly. “We never got to…” 

“Ah, so he broke up with you because you didn’t want to-“ 

“No!” She sighed. “I’m the one who broke up with him…but I…I keep wishing I hadn’t.” 

Jessica sat on the edge of her sister’s bed, wriggling a bit to get comfortable because of her belly. “Was he a good guy?” 

“Umm, yeah. The best.” 

“Then why’d you break up with him.” 

Krystal looked into her sister’s eyes, wondering if she could tell her the real reason. She shrugged hopelessly. “I don’t know. I know mom and dad would never approve of him.” 

Jessica wanted to say that their approval wasn’t everything that mattered, but she was still trapped in a marriage with someone she didn’t love for fear of what may come after. That made her think of Yuri, who’d grown close with her first child and already loved her second one though she hadn’t met her yet. She made such a good partner for her and parent for her children. Jessica had a plan to repay her for all that. For her patience, and her love, and her trust. 

“Jess?” 

“Hmm?” She asked, coming out of her thoughts. 

“You really do seem happier. Has something happened? Have things changed between you and your husband?” 

Jessica just smiled a little and nodded. 

“I’m glad,” Krystal said with relief. Maybe some day she would find someone else who could make her happy the way Amber had. The way her heart ached though, made her seriously doubt it. 

“What’s this?” Yuri asked, wrapping her arm around Jessica’s waist and pulling her in close. They were at Yuri’s house. She was taking it over from her parents since they were moving to Florida in the United States. They just wanted some where warmer than the harsh Korean winters in their retirement. They also had a few relatives there already. 

Jessica just gestured for Yuri to open the book she’d laid down in front of her rather than saying anything. 

Yuri grinned suspiciously at her, but cracked the cover. Her eyes went round when she saw the first page and stayed that way as she continued to flip through the portfolio. 
“What are these?” 

Jessica draped her arms around Yuri’s neck. “Ever since you came back into my life, I’ve wanted to design again. So I just started sketching one day and couldn’t stop.” She bit her lip. “And I have even better news.” 

“Yeah?!” 

“I may have a jobbed lined up. After I’ve had the baby. I’ve been having a few discussions with the manager over at-“ she trailed off, noticing Yuri’s not-so-happy expression. “What? I thought you would be happy for me?” 

“And I thought you were telling me you were getting a divorce,” Yuri shot back, getting to her feet. “Listen. We’ve been doing this for months. I thought you wanted to be with me.” 

“I never asked you to come back into my life. You did that all by yourself.” 

Yuri mouth twisted into a scowl. “I forgot how much of a coward you are.” 

“Yuri!” Jessica gasped, hurt. 

“It’s true! You broke up with me back then just because your dad got a little angry when he caught us together. You didn’t even try to talk to him-“ 

“He broke my arm!” 

“You told me that was an accident.” 

“It was,” Jessica assured her. “But I got scared. I was so scared and I’m as only fourteen.” 

“And what about now, Jessica? What about now? You’re not fourteen, but you’re still scared. I have a good job. I can take care of you.” 

“I don’t want you to take care of me!” Jessica shrieked, throwing her hands into the air. “I’ve had too many people taking care of me! I want to take care of myself for once.” 

“What are you saying?” Yuri asked her, proud but worried at the same time that it would mean the end for them.

“I’m going to have this baby and I’m going to get that job, and then, only then will I get a divorce from my husband. He got me pregnant and then disappeared to yet another business trip. The least he can do is cover the cost of the birth.” 

Yuri clapped her hands and laughed, making Jessica blush in embarrassment. But she surprised her by pulling her into a hug. “Fine. Fine. I’ll wait. Only five more months though, so you better be on your job hustle, sweetheart.” 

“I’ll work hard,” Jessica said, a fire in her eyes.

Yuri kissed her. “That’s the Jessica that I love.” 

“What’s this?” Amber asked, taking the thick envelope from SunYoung. She’d come to Seoul to pick up a special fabric for her grandma and had decided to stop by and visit Amber’s new place.

She shrugged. “The mailman figured the sender didn’t have your new address so he’s just been delivering them to me. I’ve been too busy to bring them by, so I just packed up all the ones I’ve gotten so far.” 

Amber frowned at the envelope, but gave her friend a quick hug before having to say goodbye to her. The sun would be setting soon and SunYoung’s parents got extremely upset if she was ever out too long after dark. They hadn’t seen much of each other since Mrs. Liu had moved to America to be with her husband after Amber’s royalties came in. They’d all decided it was best for Mrs. Liu to go there than for Mr. Liu to come live with them since he already had a good job and he hadn’t seen any prospects in Korea. 

“I’ll drop by when I have a free weekend,” Amber told her friend. “Don’t talk to too many strangers on your way to the bus stop. I know how you are.” 

SunYoung laughed, but agreed. 

Amber closed the door and examined the package closely before opening it and blinking in surprise at the three letters enclosed. She looked at the return addresses, shocked. 

Germany.

…Krystal…