Sakura stared absent-mindedly at the window, watching the hurly-burly of people running away from the rain. It was the first rain of the spring and forecasts were expecting more to come for the next few weeks.

On the seat next to her, Chaeyeon was busy texting someone.

The empty seats across their table were pulled back, catching both their attention and the two best friends looked up to a pair of teenage girls taking those seats.

“Hi,” the one with pale blonde hair smiled, eyes shifting between Sakura and Chaeyeon, “I hope you guys haven’t waited that long. The rain was a pain.”

Chaeyeon was the first to react. She shoved her phone into her bag then leaned forward to take the girl’s hand for a handshake. “I’m Chaeyeon,” she introduced herself.

“Wendy.” The pale blonde said her name then she gestured to the other girl sitting beside her, “This is Irene, the one we were talking about.”

Sakura had lost the ability to speak ever since her eyes landed on the other girl, Irene. The girl was breathtakingly beautiful (Sakura bet everyone in the cafe would agree) but there was something else about her that made Sakura squirm in discomfort. Maybe it was the way Irene’s eyes never left her or the way Irene’s whole reminded her to someone…

The realization finally hit Sakura hard in the face.

Sakura straightened her back, her eyes pleading at no one in particular. She was about to flee before Chaeyeon put her hand on Sakura’s shoulder, keeping her firm and rooted in her seat.

“Saku-chan,” Chaeyeon sensed Sakura’s discomfort, “please.”

“Don’t.” Sakura whispered, her hand gripped Chaeyeon’s thigh under the table, “Please don’t.”

“But it’s been six months, Saku-chan…”

“It’s just six months, Chaeyeon.”

“I didn’t ask you to forget about her,” Chaeyeon bit her lip, “I just want you two to meet each other and say one thing or two. She is inside her, Saku-chan. You can’t deny that.”

Sakura closed her eyes, feeling Chaeyeon’s hand cupped hers under the table silently encouraging her. She finally let out a sigh.

“Fine, I’ll listen to her once.” She said, shoulders still squared and stiff. Chaeyeon gave an encouraging nod, urging for her friend to look at Irene. Sakura did.

Irene smiled, finally happy that she had Sakura’s attention and she leaned forward. Her hands draped awkwardly on the table, itching to reach across to take Sakura’s in a handshake just like Wendy and Chaeyeon did earlier.

“Thank you for finally agreeing to meet me,” she started, her eyes never leaving the japanese, “though I’m sorry that you’re kind of forced to. I’ve been wanting to meet you since a long time ago.”

Sakura bit her lips, doubting her ability to properly speak at the moment as she waited for the other girl to continue.

“My name is Bae Irene. I was admitted to Sahmyook Medical Centre when I was a kid due to heart disease and I saw you occasionally back at the hospital. What happened to Kwon Eunbi was unfortunate. But Sakura, I believe it might be fate that I, who have been watching you two since a long time ago, is now living with a part of Eunbi inside me.”

Sakura’s eyes started to water, watching as Irene slowly ed her shirt buttons from the top. Her milky white skin appeared from hiding when Irene nervously pulled the shirt apart, revealing a reddish mark on her chest.

She’s inside her, Sakura’s mind echoed and all feelings were dropped on her all at once. She gasped, yanking Chaeyeon’s hand away from her body and finally fled the place.

Sakura heard faint footsteps approaching her door and she buried herself even deeper into her blanket.

“Chaeyeon?” She called. Silence fell upon them before the door opened softly. Sakura pulled the blanket slightly to peek at the other girl who stood by the door with worried eyes. She chuckled, “What’s the point of coming over if you can’t even approach me?”

“I don’t know…” Chaeyeon shrugged, “Am I okay to approach you?”

Sakura sat up, pulling the blanket high with her. She patted the spot next to her on the bed and Chaeyeon gladly complied.

“How are you feeling?” Chaeyeon started, putting an arm around Sakura’s small back. It was warm, warmer than normal. She put her other hand against the japanese’s face and felt the skin burn.

“I had a fever and my throat is sore.” Sakura answered, “Dad gave me medicines earlier so I’m still waiting for its effect.”

“Do you want to drink?” Chaeyeon looked around for water and saw only an empty glass, “I’ll get you water from-”

“Stay here.” Sakura’s burning hands shot to grasp Chaeyeon’s and the latter grimaced at the temperature. She looked back at her friend who looked so vulnerable.

“Okay.” Chaeyeon put both her arms back around the smaller girl, rocking her softly before slowly pulling her down into the bed. Sakura closed her eyes, enjoying her best friend’s presence while Chaeyeon herself watched Sakura with worries still painted in her eyes.

“I cried all night long.” Sakura confessed, “I know at some point I have to accept the reality, but I didn’t know that it’d be this hard.” Sakura then softly chuckled, “Did you know I felt so uncomfortable the moment I saw her? I guess their resemblance gave it away.”

“Yeah, that one was unexpected.” Chaeyeon drew circles on Sakura’s soft cheek with her finger, “They really do look so alike.”

“I thought all this time, I’ve finally started to move on. But when she, Bae Irene, told that Eunbi is within her, beating for her. Heck, she even showed me.” Sakura paused to cough, “I realized that all this time I wasn’t trying to move on. I simply blocked her existence inside my memory and refused to acknowledge the fact that she’s gone. It was so scary that I left.”

Chaeyeon moved her hand to rake Sakura’s scalp, “Wendy unnie reached me about two or three weeks ag