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Sunday mornings are always the very best. It’s easily Yuri’s favorite time of the day after 5 days full of grueling laboratory practice and mind-boggling (not to mention, boring) lectures. Saturday is usually filled with club activity so let's skip on that.

 

Sure instead of lazing around she has tons of anatomy and histology reviews, and never forgets bio-medics individual assignment being due tomorrow. There’s biochemistry too but she’s long given up with that subject. Oh, and she has yet to start studying microbiology and physiology.

 

So it seems that her Sunday isn’t as peaceful and stress-free as she’d liked.

 

But hey, at least she gets to lay around on her bed instead of running around like what Minju does every weekend with Hitomi and their 1st-year pre-clinical peers. Poor froggy and cheeks can’t even breathe with all the mandatory seminars and community services every weekend. The Strawberry-Cheese Duo have been dead to their 4-person group chat since Thursday last week and while Nako tells her not to worry, Yuri’s motherly senses are tingling and she can’t even concentrate on her biochem assignment even with Nako helping her via online face-time.

 

The Japanese midget isn’t the least bit bothered by her studies. Except ethics, of course, because out of four of them, Nako has the most questionable morals. Yuri can’t get over the fact Nako passed bio-chem with flying colors but failed miserably at Ethics, only gaining a spectacular D when her friends gained a median of AB to A. Yuri heard Nako is the only person who has to get a mandatory remedial and second remedial. Nako reasoned she didn’t study enough for Ethics, but Yuri knew better to believe her. 

Nako has simply possessed a questionable moral. Which was strange, because she comes from a family of doctors with spotless records.

 

 

“You are a doctor and your enemy is, coincidentally, a doctor too. One day, a patient comes to you handing a tablet given by your enemy. You figure out the patient’s condition can get worse with this tablet. The next day, you met your enemy. What do you do?

1. Privately expresses your disappointment and lecture him
2. Acts passive-aggressive with him.
3. Humiliate him.
4. Scold him.
5. Insult him.”

 

“…Nako what did you answer?”

 

“I’ll freaking insult him.”

 

After witnessing Nako giving a senior in high school a broken nose and cheekbones for insulting Hitomi, Yuri isn’t the least bit surprised.

 

Actually, it’s rather safe for Nako to choose that opt—

 

“But actually I want to humiliate him.”

 

Sigh.

 

Nevermind, then.

 

 

Our Yuri is in the middle of finishing her review for the muscle of face region (with Nako giving her some of her knowledge in face-time) when her mother suddenly barges into her room, screaming.

 

"YURI-AH!"

 

Of course, that would lead to Yuri screaming because her mother is screaming and her exceptional notes are magnificently ruined, Nako screaming because Yuri is screaming, and Yuri’s mother screaming even more because Yuri is screaming.

“MOM!” Yuri screams loudly, horrified that her notes and drawing of the human head is ruined because of a black, stray permanent marker.

 

“I’M SORRY!” Her mother screams back in an equally horrified manner before switching to her usually dignified mother persona upon seeing Nako’s face on Yuri’s phone. Nako greets her politely, but energetically. She still couldn’t miss the bags under Nako’s round eyes as she greets her back.

 

“Yuri-ah, someone is looking for you outside.” She says, her eyes are strangely sparkling. “She refused to go in; hurried, she says.”

 

“Whomstve?” Nako says aloud in response, eyeing her best friend with wide eyes and wiggling eyebrows. “Yuri are you seeing someone without us knowing.” Her voice is teasing, mouth curled into that of a cat-like smirk.

 

Yuri only shoots her unamused glare, a simple demand to shut. Nako blithely complies, grinning ear to ear, her eyes never stop on giving the hamster teasing looks. Yuri hisses.

 

She whips her head towards her mother and made a face when her mother sighs, placing her palm over her heart as she gives a very sad look towards Nako. “Nako-chan, as her mother, I didn’t know it myself.”

 

Unamused, Yuri rolls her eyes, rising to her feet while kicking several books away to clear her way. “Ugh. Mom, stop being dramatic.” She rolls her eyes again when her mother winked her way. “Anyway, who is it?”

 

“Yena.”

 

And almost immediately, Yuri runs down the stairs.

 

“Choi YEna???” Nako inhales. “As in CHOI YENA, mum??? The duck-like human???”

 

Yuri’s mother nods, her heart clenches pleasantly with the return of Nako’s habit to call her friends’ mother, mom. “I assume Yuri speaks about her to you and the other two girls?”

 

“She can’t shut up,” Nako affirms and shuts down the call.

 

Before the call completely ends, Yuri’s mother can hear a loud shout of ‘YABUKI NAKO, FOREVER ALONE!’.

 

The middle-aged woman sighs, but the corner of her lips is pulled into a smile as she walks away from the room to the balcony looming over the terrace just below. She can clearly see Choi Yena leaning to her car, her fingers fiddling with the large bag slung on her left shoulder. She absently gazes at the sky, frowning for reason unknown by the woman.

 

Just then, Yuri arrives outside, and the frown disappears to that of a bright smile.

 

“I thought you left yesterday,” Yuri starts as she opens the gate a little bit wider, inviting Yena to come inside. Yena politely rejects the idea, pointing her thumb toward the car. Inside, Yuri’s gaze meets Yena’s dad, who waves at her and she bows out of respect for the elder. “The train gonna go at 12.” She says honestly, pointing at her watch.

 

It’s still 10 AM, Yuri thinks, but she's aware of Yena's father punctuality.

 

At the same time, she notices the large bag and points it out with a question of, “what’s that?”

 

Yena smiles and takes the bag off her shoulder. “For you.” She says and practically shoves it to Yuri’s arms. “Happy belated and early birthday, Yuri-ah.”

 

Mouth agape, Yuri looks back to Yena’s smile, then to the gift, then back to Yena’s smile before heat starting to creep up to her cheeks, lighting the fluffy pair aflame. It's about time Yena gives her a birthday present after being unable to do it last year, but Yuri didn't really understand how Yena even remembered her birthday with all the hectic schedules any medical students usually have on their second year. “T-thank you unnie... Y – you actually remembered??”

 

The older girl shrugs, now grinning goofily. “Whenever I return to Busan, how can I not?” She sighs. “Busan is my home. But you are too.”

 

Almost immediately, Yuri’s face reddens until it resembles a ripe tomato. “Un-unnie!” She squeals in embarrassment, hitting Yena rapidly with her free hand now that the other is occupied with the birthday present for her.

 

Yena laughs, easily deflecting the blows with one of her shoulders. As soon as Yuri is getting tired hitting her, Yena takes one of her hands with her own, interlacing their fingers together. With a smile, her finger reaches to Yuri’s hair, tucking a stray bang over her ear. At the same time, she closes towards Yuri, and presses her lips to Yuri’s forehead, pecking her softly and sweetly. As she retreats slightly, she gazes lovingly to her eyes.

 

Her eyes never fail to make Yuri melt. Years ago, when they were still foolish children, Yuri always tried to get away from Yena’s affectionate gazes. They were dangerous – they made something inside her churn in a very strange way, but the feeling is strangely welcomed – so Yuri tried not to involve herself with her neighbor that much like before. It was until Yena blatantly confessed to her, Yuri finally understood fully welcomed the strange feelings.

 

No – not yet love, the aieru kind – not really, or was it unsure? It’s not the first time she feels a feeling that beyond superficial but not really profound like Hitomi’s feelings toward – er, you didn’t hear it from Yuri.

 

Yuri isn’t sure she should call it love or something else, but losing Yena is unimaginable.

 

They don’t even have a label, but both of them honestly think that it isn’t needed.

 

Nako thinks it’s stupid, but at least Minju is supportive.

 

… Hitomi? Cheeks only smile at her, saying she’s neutral. Yuri couldn't help but think Hitomi saw something.

 

“Happy early birthday, Yuri-ah,” She repeats in a whisper, her soft voice effectively snaps Yuri back from her mulling. “I’m sorry I can’t take you to date as I’d promised.”

 

“It’s okay,” Yuri looks away as she mumbles, puffing her cheeks, pouting in disappointment. “Just… return by November, alright unnie?”

 

The older girl squeals inwardly. “Sure, sure,” Yena grins. “Until then, I’m making your friends’ life a little hellish.”

 

“It’s alright,” Yuri laughs as Yena slowly retreats to her car, waving lightly and Yuri waves back. She can imagine Hitomi bombarding their group chats with the complaints of annoying seniors and their questionable assignment. “Minju and Hii-chan understand – “ at this point, Yena laughs, because she knows the two simply don’t, “ – Have a safe journey, Yena unnie!”

 

“Will do,” Yena winks, closing the door only to unroll the window pane, waving more vigorously as the car starts to move away. “See you by November! Happy birthday in advance, Yuri-ah!”

 

As the car speeds and disappears, Yuri returns inside her house, ignoring the teasing looks from her mother and walks back to her room in a strangely calm manner.

 

It’s until the door is shut and locked, Jo Yuri lets out the happiest and loudest squeal she ever done.