Three days have passed after my little sad date in a park with Doctor Hwang took place. In those three previous days, I consistently visited Seulgi in the hospital. Whenever she falls asleep, I get to talk to her cousin, Sooyoung, who was looking after her during the day when her parents were still out for work. I learned that I was a year older than her, technically, just months older than her. It would be lame if I let her call me unnie, I bet she cringes at the thought too.

When we got back in the hospital from the football park three days ago, luckily, Seulgi’s parents were already present. They had just finished working and went as soon as they could. Doctor Hwang, that time, did the talking. After knowing about their daughter’s condition, we gave them some privacy. Seulgi stayed strong until the end, not letting out a single scream nor even a single word on the matter. It worried me, not seeing her let it all out. It will overflow, and once it does, it will strike a great blow.

I was strictly ordered to handle Seulgi’s rehab only. So, in the meantime, I’m more of an unnie visiting her rather than her physical therapist checking up on her. I reckon it would take two more weeks or more before Seulgi and I work together as a team to toughen her knee up. I’ve honestly been bored. What else can I do for the next two weeks or so?

Today’s a Tuesday, and I have just arrived in the hospital. I knocked despite of the door being left ajar, I peeked in.

“Annyeong!” I exclaimed.

“Yurinnie!” Seulgi eagerly responded.

I went in after receiving a lazy nod from Sooyoung who was sitting on a chair, playing some weird game in her phone. She’s a tall, skinny, intimidatingly big-eyed tanned woman. Her hair was short, and it was dyed brown?? I think??? She became a friend of mine in a matter of days.

A friend… Come to think about it, I didn’t do any reciprocating. I was the one who started it and now waiting for the benefits of what I’ve done. What the hell am I doing????

“What the hell’s wrong with you?” Sooyoung asked with creased brows.

“Huh? What?” I eyed her suspiciously while occupying the vacant seat near Seulgi’s bed.

“You just came here and you’re giving us, innocent happy people, with your overly negative… aura.” She explained, returning her focus on the game she’s playing.

I looked at her blankly. Blinking for a few times.

“Yurinnie, is there anything wrong?” The kid asked me, worry apparent in her tone.

“It’s nothing to worry about, gom.” I gave her a fake smile. A smile that people believe really is a smile since it’s given to them everyday. I sometimes wonder if there’s a real one.

“Says the one worrying.” The obnoxious woman scoffed.

“Yah!” I couldn’t think of a proper comeback.

Sooyoung shrugged and gave me a sinister smirk.

“Seulgi, are you sure this person is your cousin or is she the devil’s loyal advocate?” I whispered and secretly pointed at the woman who was still smiling diabolically.

“Yah!” It was now her turn to shout at me. Hah.

The three of us laughed with Sooyoung’s sudden outburst. We went silent and went on with what we wanted to do. Sooyoung kept on playing, Seulgi was interested in what she was watching, and I kept myself busy reading a book about mythology. It was a story about Cupid and Psyche. Psyche not wanting to be married to someone she had never met before. She didn’t know who she was married to was Cupid, the God of attraction and affection, the son of the Goddess of love, Aphrodite herself.

“Yuri-ah!”

“What.” I said, annoyed.

“Psh. I’m bored. Let’s go out tonight. My friend’s coming home back from a concert she went to out of the country.”

“I’m not friendly, plus, I’m thinking about staying in bed and finishing this book.” I said with my eyes glued to the pages of it.

“Could you stop pretending that you can read” She rolled her eyes.

“Could you stop pretending like you don’t need me?” I looked at her passively.

She stretched the sides of , looked down, and looked at the ceiling afterwards. She was trying to act cute and it annoyed me as hell.

“For Seulgi’s sake, you know that won’t work on anybody!” I whined.

“Urrrggh YURI PLEASE. I want to have fun tonight!!! I haven’t been a proper hoe lately because of this bed-ridden-in-the-meantime foster child of mine. Seulgi, honey, I’m sorry for the bad… joke. Anyway, this friend is in-sync with your humor, I swear to God. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine. LET’S GO OUT TONIGHT I’M BEGGING YOU!!!” she walked to me hastily, held my hand, and literally begged me. Since I wasn’t giving any response, she clung into my arm and continued to say my name over and over again, begging me to say yes.

“With you clinging onto me like this, annoying the little LIVING PEACE LEft inside of me, how the hell am I supposed to get away from you?!?”

Sooyoung laughed childishly, knowing that she’s guilty of pushing me to do something I’d rather not do.

“We’ll leave after Gom’s parents get here!!!” She happily skipped back to her seat.

My eyes checked on Gom. It seems like she fell asleep watching, not even waking up to the sound Sooyoung and I were making when we she was being a big baby moments ago.

Hours passed by, I woke up to Sooyoung formally speaking with two middle-aged people. I wanted my presence to stay unrecognized by faking my slumber, but Sooyoung saw me move an inch and shouted my name. This ????? I opened my eyes, pretending to be surprisingly awakened by her voice. I stood up, and bowed to the two people. They must be Gom’s parents.

“Yuri-ah, this is my gomo and my samchon, Seulgi’s parents.” Sooyoung presented.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Kwon Yuri.” I bowed again.

Without another sentence coming from me, Sooyoung interrupted.

“We’ll be going now. I’ll be here tomorrow early in the morning.” She bowed and pushed me at my back with her two hands stretched completely.

Before we could go out, Gom’s mother called us out.

“You girls enjoy tonight. Yuri-ssi, I hope you’ll take of our Sooyoung-ah. She may be hard-headed and intimidating, but she knows who her friends should be and she takes care of them.”

“AaaaAaAAHHHhhhHh GUMOOOO” Sooyoung covered my ears due to embarrassment.

I laughed hard at the rare opportunity God has given me, to see Sooyoung getting treated as a 12-year-old kid who has, for the first time, made a friend.

“Araso, araso, araso, Sooyoungie.”

“AAAaaAAAAAaAAaaHHHHH AnDWAE ANDwae AnDWAEEEEEE!!”

I laughed harder than ever to the sight of this woman openly humiliated by her aunt. She was SCREAMING BUT I COULDN’T TELL HER TO SHUT UP BECAUSE I WAS ENJOYING THE SCENE BEFORE ME TOO MUCH.

“You can come here late tomorrow. I won’t be going to work tomorrow. I’m going to spend the whole day with my princess.” Seulgi’s father commented.

A loud yes was heard from the ever-changing moody Sooyoung. With that, we said our farewell and went to Sooyoung’s friend’s place. We arrived at an apartment near mine.

A girl whose short hair was dyed blonde stood before us. Sooyoung shrieked and playfully hit the woman’s arm. Although Sooyoung didn’t intend to, the short-haired blond girl rubbed her arm implying that the attack was a bit hard. Nonetheless, the two showed me just how left out I was. They seemed to have been friends for a long time now.

“Hyo, this is Yuri. Yuri, this is Hyoyeon.” Sooyoung gestured her hand, pointing at us alternately.

She told me it was nice to meet another friend of Sooyoung. It was awkward, so I only faked a smile and nodded to what she said. We started walking, Sooyoung in between the two of us, her friends.

“So, Yuri.”

“Hmmm?” I bobbed my head forward as we walked to look at Hyoyeon who was next to a tall skinny crazy woman who kept on humming a tune with an inappropriate high pitch for a hum.

“Yah! Sooyoung! Shut up!” The woman called Hyo demanded Sooyoung with an irritated look.

Sooyoung gritted her teeth and looked down on Hyoyeon with big round eyes as she towered over her, emphasizing how much taller she is than her. Hyoyeon ignored her attempt of intimidation, she continued stirring a conversation with me.

“Going back… Where are you from?”

“Actually, I’m from this area.” I shyly answered. Trying to make my voice as soft as I can.

“Jinjja??!” Sooyoung unanticipatedly exclaimed. Hyoyeon and I were startled at her sudden reaction.

“Urrrggh you’re so loud.” Hyoyeon remarked.

“I didn’t know you’re from here. Why didn’t you tell me?” Sooyoung casually asked.

“You never asked.” I said passively

“You must know a good place to spend the rest of the night, then?” Sooyoung raised her eyebrows multiple times and nudging me arm with her elbow.

“Nahhh. I just moved here. I only know one place, but I’m sure you wouldn’t want to go there.”

“Let’s try it!” Hyoyeon excitedly suggested.

“HIYAAAA LET’S HOE OUT TONIGHT!!!!” Sooyoung, filled with thrill, loudly shouted.

“I’m already telling you right now. You wouldn’t like it there.” I unconvincingly said.

“Then how’d you end up going the