Minju curses under her breath wanting to throw her phone for ringing so loud, she also wants to slap herself for not putting it on silent mode. It’s not her fault though, who would even call her on a Sunday, and Minju does not have to open her eyes to see that it is very much early in the morning – maybe 8 or 9.

But because of Minju being the good person she is, she sleepily grabbed the phone and accepted the call without looking for the caller.

“Yes?” She groggily said.

“Unnie! Open the door, I’ve been knocking for the past 10 minutes!”

Minju prays to God that Yujin would have a great excuse for waking her up on a Sunday, if the younger girl just chills around the apartment doing nothing, Minju would surely kick her .

“ you Yujin. I’m getting up, and shut up.” She hangs up. Dragging herself out of the bed she opens her door and padded to the front, opening it only to be greeted by a smiling Yujin – as if she didn’t not disturbed Minju’s peaceful slumber.

“Yes, good morning unnie!” Yujin hugs the girl, “I love you too!”

Minju just pushed the girl and walks inside her apartment, throwing herself on the couch. Looking at the new arrival, it is just then that she noticed that she brought something.

“A cake?”

Yujin hums and nodded, putting the said food in the fridge. “Yeah, it’s Hyewonnie’s favorite.”

“Oh.”

“Woah, unnie. You guys really did some grocery shopping yesterday.” Yujin said, amazed by the new foods in the kitchen – which is so unlike before where it is only full of empty take-out boxes or leftovers.

“Yeah, Hyewon knows what she’s doing.” Minju answers, her eyes almost closing. She just wants to go back from her sleep. But then she felt a body colliding with her, and Yujin is hugging her on the couch which makes Minju groan.

“Get off me.” She whines but the younger girl just annoyingly shakes her head.

“Seriously Ahn Yujin!”

Yujin laughs and sits properly beside the older girl, grabbing the remote to turn on the television.

“Stop being so grumpy.” She teased.

“Well, if you didn’t wake me up just to bring a cake then I won’t be.” Minju reasons out and glares at the girl, “On a Sunday, nonetheless.”

Yujin just grinned and looked at the television, quirking an eyebrow at the recent watched list on Netflix.

“You watched anime?”

Minju looks at the television and chuckles, shaking her head. “That was Hyewon, I went in around 10, then she decided to watch.”

“Oh, right. She loves her animes.” Yujin laughs, “What time did she sleep?”

“No idea, I heard her door closing but I didn’t remember the time.”

Then remembering their conversation last night, Minju decided to ask the younger girl regarding her roommate.

“Why is she so sensitive when it comes to people helping her?” Minju blurts out, not filtering her question – which of course, earned a surprised look from Yujin.

“What?”

“Okay, we made this ‘deal,” She air quotes, “That she would pay only the quarter price and split the grocery and cook for me.”

Yujin nods.

“But she was at first rejecting the idea because and I quote ‘I don’t want to be a burden’.” Minju rolls her eyes, “So, I made that deal and she agreed because it’s either that or she moves out.”

But what she didn’t expect is the smug smile forming on Yujin’s face, as if Minju just revealed a secret – and she has this weird need to slap the younger girl’s face.

“What?”

“Nothing.” Yujin says in a sing song voice, still with a grin.

“Oh, come on! What is it?” Minju whines, kicking the girl on her thigh.

“You’re really adamant on helping her.” Yujin turns and wiggling her eyebrows.

Minju scoffs, “Of course, I can be helpful you know?”

“Right, that,” Yujin trails off, “Or you have this tiny bit of crush on Hyewonnie.”

Minju choked on her own saliva, and threw a pillow to Yujin who is laughing already.

“What the hell, just answer the question!”

Yujin’s laugh slowly dies down and it turns into smile.

“Because that’s just how she is,” She softly says, looking into nothing, “She always feels like a burden.”

“But she’s not.” Minju frowns.

“It’s also our fault though, we pester her all the time that she became like that.” A

And Minju’s frown became deeper, she is not getting anything in this conversation – so she decided to ask a question.

“How did you guys meet anyway?” Minju question, “How did you get to know Hyewon?”

Yujin smiles and shrugs, “Through someone.” Then she changed the topic.

/

Rain. It was raining late in the night, the sound making Hyewon scared and everything was closing in on her – again and again. She was in a room, too dark for her to see, but she could see it was painted white. It was still raining so hard, and she wants to forget it. She submerged herself into the water and everything was quiet.

Rain. Thunder. Sobbing.

Then she was running, where is she? This is familiar and she wants to stop, but she’s running. From someone? Oh, she’s running to catch someone. But why does it feel like she couldn’t catch up? Hyewon wants to shout – to call that person. She knows who that is, but no voice comes out.

Rain. Thunder. Shouts.

Hyewon keeps running, but that person just keeps getting farther and farther. Until she crossed the street and turned around. Hyewon smiles, feeling hopeful that she would catch her. Finally.

Rain. Thunder. Shouts. Cries. Apologies.

Everything went black.

“Hyewonnie!”

Hyewon jolts up, sweating profusely, panting. She looks around only to see Yujin and Minju inside her room. The latter looking at her with shock written on her face, while Yujin with a concerned look. And Hyewon avoids her eyes. Avoids the looks that they are giving her.

Why does she have to dream about that? Why does Yujin have to be here? Why does Minju have to see her like this?

Then she stands up, not looking at the two. But she could feel them – the stares, the want to talk, to say anything. But Hyewon knows that it wouldn’t do anything. No words are needed. I’m broken.

“I’m going to take a shower.” Hyewon mutters, and she went out of the room not looking back. But she didn’t miss it, the glance of Minju. She didn’t miss the soft order coming from Yujin.

“Please, don’t take so long.”

And Hyewon hoped she never woke up.

Minju watched from the side as Yujin tries to wake up Hyewon from her sleep, it was just like that night. When she saw Hyewon having a nightmare, but this time it was much worse – Hyewon kept mumbling, but she couldn’t understand anything. Yujin tries to shake Hyewon but she keeps flailing her hands, as if catching someone.

Minju wants to help, but she stood there rooted in her place. Then Hyewon screams – Minju closed her eyes, Yujin shouts Hyewon’s name.

She could only stare at Hyewon, now awake. It was a blank look, but Minju feels thousand of emotions swirling into her eyes – she wants to say something, anything. But then Hyewon just stood up, going to the shower.

She could not help but to slightly glance as Hyewon walks pass her, trying to say anything – but she couldn’t. She didn’t miss the slight pause of Hyewon when Yujin asked her to not be too long on the shower.

“What was that?” Minju asked, hoping her voice does not sound too weak.

Yujin runs her hand in her hair, standing up. Her eyes hardened, “Just forget about it.”

“How could I forget,” Minju breathes out, “that?!” And points at the unmade bed of her roommate.

“It’s not my place to tell, so forget about it.” Yujin says sternly.

Minju will not forget about it. Not when the scream keeps replaying in her mind – mournful, despair, hurt, pleading. She could not forget even if she wants to.

Yujin pulls Minju out of the room and walked to the kitchen.

“We’re going out,” Yujin declares, “Hyewonnie and I.”

“Can I come – “

“No.” Yujin cuts her off, her eyes softening. “Sorry, not this time.”

Then they heard the bathroom door opening, stepping out and another door closing.

“Sorry, unnie. She needs this.” Yujin apologizes.

“Would she be okay?” Minju asks.

Yujin smiles, “I don’t know.”

“If I ask what’s happening you won’t answer?”

Yujin keeps silent, and Minju sighs. As much as she wants answers from her questions, she respects Yujin as a friend.

“Okay, just take care.” Minju yields.

Yujin hugs her and whispers her thanks. She pulled out when she heard the door of Hyewon’s room opening, and the owner stepping out wearing hoodie and sweatpants. Yujin walks towards the girl, who is still quiet and whispers something – in which Hyewon nodded, allowing Yujin to pull her out of the apartment.

Hyewon then stopped, which made Yujin turn around.

“I cooked something last night when you were asleep,” Hyewon says addressing Minju, “Just heat it up for your lunch.” She smiles, a small smile but still a smile.

Minju nodded and smiled at the older girl. Yujin smiles at her and pulled Hyewon out of the apartment grabbing her keys on the table on the way out.

//

Hyewon just stares out