AT THE REHABILITATION CENTER, as usual, Chorong would stood beside Hayoung’s bed and held her hand throughout her little sister’s massage therapy session to learn as much as she could because she would have to take-over the job after a week. Naeun and Namjoo sat on a couch and watched from afar. They could hear Hayoung’s and other patients’ and grunting during the process. Namjoo kept making faces as if she was the one who was being massaged. Naeun’s forehead wrinkled listening to the unpleasant and soft yelling voices from patients in the room.

Chorong glanced at them both and called them to come over. At first, they hesitated because they were afraid that they would be in the way but the therapist assured them that it was okay to come closer, so they did.

The therapist grabbed Hayoung’s legs to bending her knees, and touched it on their maknae’s chest made them frowned and gasped. It looked harsh and painful but they understood that it was for Hayoung’s own good.

“Hayoung had to endure this much…” Naeun uttered quietly.

Chorong heard it and thought to herself that it was a great idea to bring Naeun there on that day. That way, Naeun would be able to understand that even though Hayoung survived, it was not all rainbow and sunshine for the girl to go through her days after the accident.

“Rong Unnie…” Hayoung called Chorong.

Chorong brought her ear closer to Hayoung’s lips.

“Unnie, today’s therapy is more painful than past days. Is that normal?” Hayoung whispered.

“Are you sure it’s not just your feeling?” Chorong whispered back.

Hayoung pouted, grasping Chorong’s hand harder.

Chorong nodded and turned to the therapist. “Excuse me, Hayoung said that today’s massage feels more painful than usual, is this how it’s supposed to be?”

“Because today is the last day I’m doing this, so I’m putting more pressure. This is normal, don’t worry…” The therapist answered while doing her job, unbothered by her surroundings.

“Is that so? I see…” Chorong replied. She looked back at Hayoung and smiled to her, giving courage.

Hayoung bit her lip. Slowly, single tear rolled down from her eyes.

Chorong naturally wiped her maknae’s tears with her fingers while telling the kid to bear it.

It was not Hayoung’s first time crying at the rehab centre.  One day, she cried even louder than this time and begged Chorong to stop the therapist. Chorong had to hold her until the treatment ended otherwise Hayoung would not stop screaming and kept attracting attentions from other patients and their guardians. There was no way the therapist would stop doing her job unless if it was medically too severe. Chorong had to apologize for so many times to the therapist on behalf of Hayoung for making her job difficult. Fortunately the therapist understood as it is her everyday work and such situations are normal for her.

(FLASHBACK)

“I can’t endure this, Unnie. Save me…” Hayoung wailed with her arms covering her face. “Tell her to stop, Unnie…”

Chorong pulled Hayoung’s arm and touched her forehead with Hayoung’s while patting the girl’s head, telling her to have patience and stop crying.

Hayoung hugged Chorong’s neck to keep her unnie close.

Chorong exchanged glances between Hayoung and the therapist. She wanted to tell the therapist to give Hayoung a break, but she was afraid that she would be asked to wait outside, which if that were to happen, she would not be able to stay by Hayoung’s side.

Normally, Hayoung’s therapist would do her job gently. But that day, the therapist could not come to work due to a personal problem. Therefore, another therapist took over the job and she was not as gentle. Her massaging techniques made Hayoung cried out loud and even screamed, attracting attention from every patient and their guardians. The therapist though was calm and assured Chorong that she does not have to be worried about it.

When Chorong could not take it anymore, she mustered up her courage and stopped the therapist. “I’m sorry, but my sister’s still young, she can’t endure this much of a pain. Please do it gently…” She begged.

The therapist nodded and said ‘yes’, but she changed nothing.

Chorong bit the inside of as she was mad at the therapist who did not seem to understand her words. She held her tongue from saying anything at all because she was afraid that she would create a scene. All she could do was holding Hayoung’s hands and let the younger girl to clench it hard.

During the ride home, Hayoung slept out of tiredness from the beginning until they reached home.

Both Chorong and Hayoung hope that it would be the first and the last time they met the harsh therapist.

“Does it hurt, Hayoungie?” Namjoo asked.

“You wanna try it?” Hayoung asked sarcastically, voice still wobbly.

Chorong and Naeun looked at Namjoo to which she shook her head rapidly. “NO! I’m not… I don’t… No thanks.” She stuttered, trying to be calm.

Her Unnies and the therapist grinned and laughed softly.

Hayoung grabbed Namjoo’s hand, pulling her unnie closer. “Your turn is next…” She teased.

“Let go of me. Why you little…” Namjoo looked white. “Aish~~” She freed her hand from Hayoung but then her ear was flicked by Chorong. “Ouch! Unnie, why?!”

“You tried to curse!” Chorong glared at Namjoo.

“But I… ahhh….whatever…” Namjoo gave up. “Excuse me. May I use the treadmill?” Namjoo asked Hayoung’s therapist.

“Sure, go ahead. No one is using it…” She permitted.

Namjoo left her sisters and ran on the treadmill.

Chorong shook her head, “I thought she was sick…”

Another hour passed by and it marked the end of Hayoung’s week of clinical massage therapy.

“See you in a week,” the therapist said to Hayoung while waving her hands to the Park sisters.

“Thank You!” Hayoung and her sisters waved back.

Chorong stepped on the gas and left the hospital compound. “Let’s eat outside today, shall we?” She asked.

“I would like that,” Naeun smiled ear to ear.

“Really? Yes!!! Let’s go, let’s go!!!” Hayoung danced in the backseat.

“Hooray! I’ve been waiting for you to say that, Unnie!!” Namjoo exclaimed.

“I guess my cooking taste dull, seeing that you guys are being overly excited…”

“No! That’s not what we meant. It’s just good to eat out once in a while.” Naeun replied.

“I didn’t say that, Unnie…” Namjoo claimed.

“Me too!” Hayoung joined.

Chorong giggled. “I know, I know. I’m just kidding. You guys took it seriously…” She laughed.

“Should I give Bomi Unnie and Eunji Unnie a call to have lunch with us?” Naeun asked.

“Yeah, do it. Tell them…” Chorong replied.

Naeun called Eunji and put in on loud speaker. “Eunji Unnie!”

“Emm?”

“Unnie, we just got back from the rehab centre. Let’s have lunch together!”

“That sounds great! Where should we meet?”

“Remember that restaurant in the back alley of your middle school? The one that you showed me a few days ago…?” Chorong interrupted.

“The new restaurant? Sure. I remember that…”

“Let’s meet there in thirty minutes and give Bomi a call too, Eunji-yah. I can’t talk with these maknaes shouting and singing loudly at the same time…” Chorong said while peeping at the backseat via the rear-view mirror.

Eunji could be heard laughing through the phone call. “Okay then, see you there…”

“See you, Unnie. Don’t be late…” Naeun replied and hung up. She shook her head as she glanced at the maknaes over her shoulder. “Gosh, they’re fighting again~” She mumbled quietly.

“Give it to me. You’ve used it long enough!”

“You use it all time while I’m at school. Give your eyes a break and let your Unnie play in comfort!”

“That’s not fair! You used it when I was receiving my therapy. It’s my turn now… Give it!”

Namjoo pinched Hayoung on the arm, making the younger girl to scream out of pain.

“Ouch! Why did you pinch me?!” Hayoung rubbed her red arm. “Rong Unnie, Namjoo Unnie is hurting me!”

Chorong on