[Tiffany]

 

“Ms. Kwon, this is my little sister, Tiffany. I hope you don’t mind letting her join us for lunch.” My sister said. “Also, acquaint each other already while I get my stuff in the office. Meet me in the lobby?” She asked, looking at me.

 

“In front of the hosp! I’ll go get Prince!” I exclaimed walking with my back already facing them, trying to hastily leave for I couldn’t stomach another second with this insensitive and hopeless person who’s stealing my precious therapy time with my sister. She’s MY sister. God. URRRGGRGRHG

 

“MiYoung-ah!” She called out. REALLY MICHELLE?! THAT NAME?!!?

 

I covered my ears while walking fast, not even looking back once. I didn’t want Yuri with me. It’s too much at the moment. I succeeded though, since I got out of the hospital alone. It struck people peculiar to see a woman walking fast, alone, with her hands covering her ears. Maybe I’m a psycho as well. Wait. IS IT CONTAGIOUS??! Kidding. Hehe.

 

I got back into reality when I heard cute little barks from my cute little munchkin who was tied onto the cart of the pretzel ahjussi. I ran towards Prince with little steps and thanked the kind ahjussi for looking after him. I picked him up into my arms and gave him a few kisses.

 

“Hey.” Someone called from behind me, I didn’t turn, I knew who it was.

 

She was probably waiting for a response… but really though, does she deserve one??? HELL. NO.

 

“You gave me a choice. I chose what I wanted. Why are you sulking about that when you yourself told me I could go?” She was losing her patience. THIS. PERSON. IS. SO. DIFFICULT. TO. HANDLE.

 

I brashly turned to her with threatening eyes.

 

“I don’t know you. You don’t know me. MY sister is YOUR boss. She introduced you. We only met today. Got it?!”

 

“Perfect.” She smirked, her head slightly tilted. A difficult person yes, but what a beautiful face this bastard has.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, then, MiYoung.” She offered her hand to me for a shake.

 

I glared at her, furiously. She remained devilishly smirking at me. God that smile is killing me how do I keep on glaring at this divine glory in front of me?!???!?

 

I must have had God’s favor in my side when I saw my sister before she saw us. I made sure that she was already heading our way before I play the nice pretty angel.

 

“You two sure are getting along fine. I thought I’d see the both of you screaming at each other out here in public.” My sister said with relief, seeing me shaking Yuri’s hand after I walked out on them earlier.

 

“Yeah, I just had a bit of an emergency a little while ago. Hehe.” I retrieved my hand away from hers, damn, a fine woman with fine long, soft, hands. I wonder what wonders she could do with them.

 

“Sure. I bet a mosquito was flying around your ear.” My sister sarcastically responded.

 

“Ah! Jinjja!” I shouted in confirmation to what she said. What a dumb lie, fany, what a poor lie.

 

“For the whole time you went out of the hospital?” Yuri added. OooOOh don’t start with me or I’ll burn you right in front of your boss Won Duri.

 

“JINJJA!” I lied again. Trying to act serious.

 

“Suuure.” My sister nodded away.

 

“Dornos?” I asked to drive away the focus from me.

 

“Do you like Mexican food, Yuri?” Michy asked the smiling charlatan.

 

She nodded in response to my sister’s question.

 

“Dornos, then.”

 

We started walking with my sister serving as the divider between us two.

 

“You wanna hold Prince?” I asked Michelle.

 

“Absolutely.”

 

Without another word she already took Prince from my arms.

 

“Do you like dogs, Yuri?”

 

Yuri hummed in response.

 

“Do you have one?” I asked, faking curiosity, to fool my sister.

 

“I did.”

 

Michelle who was busy giving soft kisses to Prince suddenly stopped when she had a glimpse of me in her periphery.

 

I couldn’t take another step. My mouth was stretched down. The both of them noticed and stopped walking, standing still a few steps in front of me.

 

“Yah! There’s nothing to cry about!” Yuri was… panicking???

 

“Ah, don’t mind her. She’s just a born drama queen, that’s all there is to it. Don’t you feel guilty about making her cry.” Michy reassured Yuri.

 

“BUT, MICHY! HER D-DOG DIED!!!” I tried to talk in between my sobs, genuine tears trickling down on my face.

 

My sister just looked at me. I knew that Michelle was bad at consoling people properly, and by people, it included me. Her own sister. OWN SISTER. Can you believe that???

 

“Aigooo, she was sick. I’m glad she’s in a better place now.” Yuri tried to smile. I knew it wasn’t a real smile. You can’t fool me, Ms. Kwon.

 

“You can hold Prince.” – was the only thing I thought of as a reason to turn her smile into a genuine one. I hope it did.

 

“Jinjja?!” She was surprised.

 

I noticed Michelle was wearing a warm smile on her face, she passed Prince onto Yuri. She took my hand and we walked our way to Dornos.

 

My sister seldom holds my hand. I guess, it was some sort of an apology from her that she wasn’t able to say the words that I needed to hear at that time. What she doesn’t know is that this is why she’s one of my therapeutic retreat. No words are needed for her to comfort me. Most of the time, it’s best when we don’t speak to let the hearts talk; a language not known, a language not fully understood, but a language felt. This is the epitome of my humanity, my empathy.

 

 

 

 

~

A few hours back…

[Yuri]

 

I went out of the door without a second glance. I had to get away. Let her take care of me?? After telling her I don’t need anyone taking care of me??! Is she mocking me?!?!? AAaaaAaHhHhh jinjja.

 

I was walking for roughly minutes to half an hour without any sense of direction when I realized that overthinking led me to a street familiar to me. I stopped in front of a convenience store.

 

This is my way to work. I’m so tired. I feel so tired. Sleeping at home would be so nice, but I might bump into those psychos I pray to God I don’t meet anytime soon in this state of mine. Plus, it’s too ing early to get good booze. Ugh, I badly need a drink.

 

I ruffled my hair. I realized I look more insane. I tried to fix my messed-up hair, looking at my reflection on the mirror of the convenience store. I saw an old guy with a moustache.

 

Wait. AH. Seulgi. I could rest with Seulgom. Right.

 

After the numerous visits I paid to Seulgi and Sooyoung, I learned that Gom’s favorite chips was Pringles. I’m not really into junk, but I figured I should buy one and give it to her for sharing later when I get there. The original flavor, I heard, is her most fave flavor. The red moustache ahjussi, then. I bought two long cans of the red ones and walked my way to visiting Gom.

 

The time was before noon when I knocked on Seulgi’s half-opened door.

 

“Come in.” It was a man’s voice.

 

I excused myself in entering, and saw Seulgi’s father offering me a seat near Gom’s bed.

 

“Ah, thank you, abeoji.”

 

Her father gave me a warm smile and fixed his eyes on the hanging television that was screening a drama I haven’t seen yet.

 

“Yurinnie, I thought you went out with Soo-unnie last night?”

 

“I did. We didn’t go home together and this visit wasn’t planned. She doesn’t know I’m here.”

 

“What made you come here then, unnie?”

 

“Ah. I was just in the area walking and I saw this. I know that this is your all-time fave so… the hospital wasn’t really far.” I reflexively glued my hand to my nape.

 

“Waaaaaaah, MR. PRINGLES!!! APPA!!!! PRINGLES!!!” Seulgi got ahold of the two cans and showed it off to his father. His father smiled a big smile seeing her daughter happy, even though she’s happy because of an unhealthy snack.

 

There was a knock on the door, and we all looked at who it was.

 

“You can’t have that for lunch, Seulgi-ssi” Dr. Hwang teased the gullible patient who lost her smile as big as her father’s after seeing Dr. Hwang’s serious stare.

 

“Waaaah, doctor. Seulgi’s been a good patient since day one, let her have her cheat day.” I faked my aegyo. Seulgi loved it. Abeoji loved it. Doctor Hwang cringed because of it. I silently died because of it.

 

“I didn’t know you have aegyo, Ms. Kwon.” She smirked. “But sure, Seulgi-ah, you can even finish those two cans as long as you promise me that you won’t let Ms. Kwon here a bite of that.” Dr. Hwang winked at the patient who found her smile again.

 

“Ahhhh jinjja?! But I have never had a taste before!!” I whined loudly.

 

“I’ll buy you a can if you join me for lunch today, Yuri-ssi.”

 

“What about me?” Seulgi’s father humorously butted in.

 

“Ah! Mr. Kang! Forgive me for being unprofessional. Good afternoon.”

 

“Aniya. It’s healthy for my heart to see two beautiful women making my princess happy. Her friends haven’t visited her yet, and I know my princess feels lonely sometimes. It’s good to see friends of hers who are older but can still play around with her.”

 

It was a good idea, going to the hospital. Abeoji was very funny. He told us some embarrassing moments of Seulgi-ah when she was younger. Her parents even thought that Seulgi believed she was a boy because she looked so much like her brother. Doctor Hwang, too, was happy to drop by. She didn’t say it, but it shows. I know that her work is her life, and it was good to see her taking a break from the professional side she’s always in. The whole time we were inside was a time filled with laughs and comfortable silence.

 

Mr. Kang was telling us how good Seulgi is as a student, and that she tries to balance her school activities commendably considering the number of hours of studying and training she has every day Halfway through the narration of Mr. Kang, the doctor excused herself from us. She went out and abeoji continued his story. I gave a glance at Seulgi-ah and found out that she fell asleep listening to us talk. I looked at abeoji and pointed at the sleeping Seulgi, her father only gave a kind smile. With the doctor gone and Seulgi sleeping, Mr. Kang let me in on a secret of Gom.

 

“My princess…. She’s a very hardworking kid. She often forgets taking care of herself. I know why Seulgi-ah worked harder on the day of her accident. She has this friend. A rival, should I say, who she considers as her friend, who plays as good as our Seulgi. That girl probably told Seulgi-ah to not slack off and lose to her during the scouting game. That girl… she has a reputation of a rich, talented, and smart spoiled girl in their school. I don’t know why Seulgi takes this girl se-

 

“Excuse me, Mr. Kang, I apologize for cutting you off. An emergency came up and I’d like to excuse Yuri as well.”

 

“Ahh. That’s no problem, doctor. It was a pleasure having the both of you stay with us this afternoon. Don’t forget to eat your lunch, ladies.”

 

Seeing that the room was somehow changed to how it was before I got here with the addition of some opened snacks and used paper cu