Soyeon tears almost blind her, running as quickly as her long legs can carry her. She didn’t know that she will be able to receive a message from someone about her mother.

Heart pounding, rasping throat, heavy feet and legs as she stared at the old place where her mother and father lives together long time ago, as soon as she went inside to the almost broken door full of dust, she saw her mother hanging on the wall without a life. Her legs feel numb and unsteady, painfully sore and dropped her knees to what she saw until there is no sound coming out to .

Thankfully Eunwoo follow her from behind trying to catch Soyeon but he failed, Soyeon held as she is still trying to suppressed how painful can see your mother dead in front of you.

“O---ooomaa!” She can only utter as tears automatically run down, Eunwoo held her. “How can this be happening, how could she lied to me Eunwoo tell me!” She yelled while tears continuously streaming down unto her face.

She cried like there is too much raw pain inside of her to be contained. Eunwoo used all of her power to carry her to go outside but she keeps on pushing him until finally the police came inside the house and there is nothing more Soyeon can remember as she passed out.

--

Jiyeon clubbing like this is her last night on Earth, she knew that’s just her way that her mind avoids thinking about Eunjung and her feelings, she already feels suffocated and anxious. There’s so much sweat on her skin but not all of it are hers, everything is hyped and ready to give her a good time.

The music is a drug that brings her higher, higher until her mind wouldn’t think of anything, every man in the club tried to lure her but she isn’t interested, she just wanted to drink and have fun until finally someone from behind held her hands and pushed her to go outside the club, “Hyomin! Get off me!” She shouted, trying to yank her away but Hyomin is so strong until they finally reached the parking lot.

“What the hell are you doing?” Jiyeon irritably said as soon as Hyomin let go of her hands.

“That’s all enough Park Jiyeon, you have to go home.” Hyomin said firmly, Jiyeon smirked, “I won’t go home tonight”

But before she could completely turn around and walk out, Hyomin sighed “Soyeon’ s mom is dead, she needs us Jiyeon”

Jiyeon stop and looked at Hyomin wide eye, “W—hat did you just said?”

“I will tell you the details, just go inside the car. Eunjung and everyone are on its way.”

Without any second thought, Jiyeon hop in inside Hyomin’ s car and fly the car away to where Soyeon is. “You better not be kidding Hyomin or I will kill you”

Hyomin exhaled, “Do you think this Is a good joke?”

“Where is everyone?”

“They are on the way, Eunjung just called me to pick you up and thankfully she knew where you are, and she practically stayed there to check on you every now and then just to keep you safe whenever you are drunk, aren’t you tired of being a rebel for yourself?” Hyomin suddenly raged while driving,

Jiyeon brows furrowed, how could Eunjung possibly know where she is. She stared blankly at the window while looking in the outside that seems to be so dark and gloomy.

-

Eunjung, Qri and Areum are the first person who reach the hospital followed by Boram behind who was still panting coming from the lobby. They all stop from searching at Soyeon when they finally saw her sitting at the corner. This is the first time to see her wasted and unexploited. Soyeon will always be the always calm and collected on the group but there she is, trying to suppress her tears.

For the last 9 years of being together, Soyeon has been their mother and caretaker of the whole house, she is the person you can always count on whenever you need advices. She had been generous with her smiles and free with her hugs, but It feels like emptiness in her heart, a shear of nothingness that somehow takes over and holds her soul and threatens to kill her entirely embracing both of her knees.

until finally Boram called her out, “Park Soyeon!”

Soyeon stand up slowly, her black eyes well up and tears streak down her face, her lips still trembling until she bites them and throws back her shoulder marching next to them. Boram open her arms wide as she lets Soyeon to bring out all the tears that she kept inside while everyone just keeps quiet.

“Ssh. It is okay Soyeon, we are already here” Boram said worriedly as she continuously tapping her back.

Jiyeon and Hyomin came as they saw Soyeon sobbed into Boram’ s arms. Her breathing was ragged and gasping. She cried until no more tears came, but still the emptiness and sorrow remained.

Areum faces the wall, her face creased, and her fists closed so tight that she can feel the sweat trapped inside her, she tried to hold in as long as she can but the pain inside of her killing her, she can feel the nausea fills in but before everyone can notice it, Qri hugs her that made her eyes wide open from its sudden but she has closed her eyes as soon as she realized that she can’t be passed out today.

The pain is getting any better as she felt the hands of Qri on her hair caressing it gently, “Hold on to it Areum, I know you can” she whispered enough for her to hear, she nodded as a response as she let Qri take over for her.

Eunjung take off her jacket and wear it at Jiyeon who is wearing a jean short and a layer gray tanked over a white one. Jiyeon looked at Eunjung hesitantly but to know that Eunjung didn’t even met her gazed.

Eunwoo came out from where Soyeon’ s mother embalms, “I have taken care of everything. The funeral is ready. They will just transfer everything” He mournfully said,

Hyomin step forward and respond, “We really do appreciate it, and may I know who you are?”

Eunwoo glanced back at Soyeon who was still crying before he responded, “I am one of her colleagues in the convenience store, I should go for now since our boss keeps on calling me, I have to take care of some things.”

Hyomin nodded and let Eunwoo to go his way outside.

--

Eunjung decided to take Jiyeon home since the latter smells alcohol and everyone need someone to rest tonight for tomorrow, Eunjung just only gazing straight ahead while Jiyeon absentmindedly stares outside the window and no one of them dare to talk until they finally reach home.

Jiyeon does things to prevent herself from being miserable. She sighed as soon as Eunjung park the car on their home but Eunjung not even looked at her nor asked her anything, she just walk and directly go to her room without even turn her back on her. She feels hurt but she started to lie down with her anyway.

Not long enough, Areum and Qri came following them from behind parking Qri’ s car. Qri and Areum approaches her from the door, Areum walk passed her but Qri stop in front of her, “You stinks.”

Jiyeon didn’t respond but she walks towards the kitchen followed by Qri, Jiyeon breath out. “Not now Qri please.”

“I didn’t say anything Ji.” She nonchalantly responded as she sat down on the dining table.

“but your eyes say something” she snaps back,

Qri didn’t respond, she took out a small packet of cigarette on her pocket and stand up, “You want to smoke?”

A small smirked came to as she nodded as a response, this is how it goes with Jiyeon and Qri, the older knows how stubborn and self centered Jiyeon could be but it doesn’t make her a bad person, she is caring and kind, but she is the type that she gets what she wants. “Call.”

--

Boram while looking at Soyeon who was staring blankly at her mother’ s picture in front of the coffin, it gives her this heavy feeling that’s like the weight of the world is resting on her shoulders and there is nothing she can do to get out from under it most especially she knows the feeling of losing parents.

“How can we possibly comfort her unnie?” Hyomin ask worriedly as they keep on looking at Soyeon’ s direction.

Boram let out a deep audible breath expressing sadness, “we just have to let her be and continue to be by her side.”

While staring blankly at her mother, her anger slowly dissolved to sadness as tears embrace her eyes, she had been craving for a mother love she didn’t get from her, but she was now gone. Forever.

She felt the hands of a friend wrap around her waist seeing Boram and Hyomin somewhat give her strength, “T—thank you,” She could only utter to them.

“Just don’t forget that we are here for you Sso.”

What she really loves about her friends that they all become as one family, they always giving her warmth, consistent love and patience that she wasn’t able to get from both of her parents. Their eyes always showed the kind of gentle concern like a true family can looked at. “I know.”

--

Areum is in her room and she tried to walk like her limbs doesn’t belong to her, Everything hurt now and she is trying to calm herself down while reaching out the drawer near side of her bed to take the medicine, Every damn thing on her body hurts and the feeling of never ending nausea fills in again, “This can’t be happening tonight or any sooner, please.” She plead to herself.

As soon as she successfully takes the medicine from the drawer, she stands up slowly as she reaches her bed and tried to suppress the pain inside of her.

--

The week passed painfully slow for them and they are taking in charge with the funeral 24/7 and by their scheduled available, Eunjung and Jiyeon didn’t talk as Eunjung distance herself from her while Hyomin and Qri started to talk about the schedule of the café and their schedule to be with Soyeon, while Boram never left her side. Areum is continuously helping but Hyomin made sure that she would not get tired and skip her chemotherapy.

Areum cut her hair into a short one for everyone not notice her hair keep on losing because of the medicine and the regular chemotherapy, Taemin sometime come by but can’t get inside the funeral because Hyomin still trying to distance him from the girls because it isn’t the right timing to add anything since they are focusing on Soyeon.

The official mourning hadn't yet begun, Soyeon cried until there was nothing left inside but a raw emptiness.

Qri went outside to take a break following Boram behind, she took out the cigarette lit it and smoke.

“I thought you stop smoking.” Boram ask,

Qri looked at Boram who have an unusual pale face. “I did, but I still do it sometimes like today”

She sighed and leaned her back at the wall beside them as she speaks, “Hope that these were all a bad dream, everyone is already tired, but I am still thankful that I never heard anyone complaining”

Qri glanced back at her, “We are a family Boram, let’s not all forget about it.”

Boram smile and sigh in relief, she knew Qri so well. She is the type of person that wouldn’t say anything unless she will find it fact and true. She is not the person who will just voice out her opinion. “Yes. Thank you for not forgetting that Qri.”

Qri sat down on the floor, trying to rest her feet from standing since this morning, as she responded, “I almost did,”

“Almost, but not yet.” Boram quickly responded.

Qri smirked and throw the last sip on her white cigarette, “Believe me Boram, after this with Soyeon. We still have a lot ahead of us. As early as now, we shouldn’t forget that we are a family.”

Boram arched her eyebrow as she sat down eye level with Qri, “what do you mean?” She looked at her with narrowed eyes to study what she is trying to say,

Qri smiled and pat her shoulder gently, “We shouldn’t talk about it at this time, Soyeon really needs our help and it will take time to see her smile again after this.”

Boram sigh and nod as a response, she knew that Soyeon needs help to overcome everything and it will really needs time.

--

Eunjung slumped her body to her swivel chair while resting her head to the table, she is not getting much sleep because of the back to back schedule at the café and her meetings, conference while taking care of the reports and inventories, at night, she supposed to stay with the group in the funeral.

She sighed as she looked around and the place seemed to be so empty without Boram, Qri and Jiyeon on their desk. It still bothers her a lot on how Jiyeon continuously ignoring her without even knowing the reason, she is about to stand up and get her coffee then suddenly Jiyeon open the door slowly meeting each other eyes automatically.

Jiyeon bit her lips, eyes everywhere but on Eunjung, Then Eunjung moves closer with those eyes that look so deeply into her own, “Hey,” she could only utter, Jiyeon breathing becomes softer, there is something about that gaze of Eunjung she'll never find in another.

Eunjung pulled her into a tight hug rested her chin into Jiyeon’ s shoulder with her eyes closed, and Jiyeon knew that’s all she ever needed, she let out a heavy sigh in relief to Eunjung’ s warmth. “Glad you came.” Eunjung whispered.

Jiyeon pulled out to face Eunjung half sleeping face, “I know you are tired, and I just know you needed a hug?” she teased back,

Eunjung open her eyes gently as she met her gazed again, “Your hug is what I needed the most.”

Eunjung wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, gently rubbing her arm. Despite the heaviness in her stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against Jiyeon. “we can stay like this.” Jiyeon said as a small smile came across to her beautiful face.

--

The day has finally come the casket lowered to its final resting place, Soyeon legs buckled and she can no longer feel her legs. It is getting dark, but she hasn’t move her place, she stared blankly to her grave while the rest of the group stays behind her. Soyeon had grieved so many times, Tears began to spill from her helpless eyes.

Emotional pain has a biological purpose, to teach, to educate us away from unhealthy patterns and relationships. Emotional pain leaves invisible scars, yet they can be traced by the gentlest of touch. They let Soyeon to cry until it will hurts no more at least from that every moment.

What can they do with each other is to heal and bring ointment to invisible wounds in the hope they can be reduced to scars and fade in time.