Genre: Drama, Horror, Psychological

Summary: Kim Chaewon sure that she isn't sick like everyone claim her to be. They often scold her for talking nonsense and often seen her walking alone, giggling merrily as if she is communicating with someone. Little did they know, she has a dear friend all along, one that they couldn't see with their eyes.

Word Count: 4810

Hashtag: #SSBB_SincerelyILY

Sincerely, I Love You

 “Right, I also think that it is fun!”

“No way, you run away when we tried doing that, remember?”

A chirpy voice can be heard echoing throughout the room, having a merry conversation. The girl who is in her early 20s has a healthy skin complexion perfectly paired with her wavy, mid-length jet black hair. She looks rather fine albeit wearing a hospital gown.

“Do you think we can do it again?”

“Chaewon?”

“Ah, I want to visit that place again. You won’t leave me alone this time, right?”

“Kim Chaewon!”

The soft voice from earlier suddenly barked which disturbed Chaewon's peaceful moment. She knitted her eyebrows at the red-haired woman who wears a worried expression on her face.

“What is it this time, Eunbi unnie?”

“Don’t give me that look! Until when will you behave like this?”

Truthfully, she is offended upon hearing the older woman’s words. It stabbed her heart deep and shattering her hardly glued shattered feelings. Staring mindlessly at the wine red-haired girl, Chaewon slowly carved a grin on her face.

“Unnie, why won’t you believe in my words? She is still here with us. You see, she is standing there, right on your left.”

“D-don’t mess around with me like that, Kim Chaewon!”

She despises it when Eunbi didn’t seem to comprehend her words at all although Chaewon had told the woman with bob cut hair about their dear friend’s existence together with her. Ruffling back her bangs, Chaewon clicked her tongue before glowering at Eunbi, “I believe that you know me quite well, unnie. I never speak nonsense, not even once. I only speak the truth.”

“Chaewon, please, stop. Just please.”

Eunbi burst into tears upon seeing Chaewon who seems cold while wearing that grimacing face. Where did things go wrong, the older woman wondered. Her sister who used to be a bright, outgoing girl suddenly turned into a different person after they both coming back from their hometown five years ago. Chaewon started talking alone in a dark room and refuse to go out even for a few seconds. Not only that but this girl also suddenly decided to cut her hair short when Chaewon always expressed that she dislike short hair before.

“Hah, I think you are too tired, unnie. Just go back home. I’m doing just fine here.”

Dismissing her older cousin whom she regards as her sister, Chaewon turned her back from Eunbi and continued talking with her friends. She couldn’t understand why others are worrying about her when she is sane just like everyone. What makes her maybe a little bit different from others is that she had a secret friend whom no one able to see somehow.

The sound of the door clicked makes Chaewon heave a deep sigh. She stared at the space where Eunbi used to stand just now. Why couldn’t the woman see her friend when in fact she even tapped Eunbi’s shoulder? Chaewon couldn’t fathom that at all.

Scratching her cheek she then slides away from her bed and tottered towards the door. Pulling the doorknob, she smiled at the person on her back, “No, I won’t go anywhere. Just want to have a drink. You want to go with me?”

Stretching her back, Chaewon plodded towards the vending machine at the corner of the hallways while humming happily. She never felt this genuinely jolly while living out there before. Who can ever think that Chaewon will find her inner peace inside a hospital? Hanging while contemplating what drink she wants to choose for today, another finger is faster than Chaewon as it pushed the cola can option.

“You’re too slow! Here, I choose this for you.”

A chirpy voice picks up the chilled can and planted it onto Chaewon's cheek which makes her startled by the coldness of her drink.

“Rude as always I see, Yena unnie.”

“Gee, I miss you too. Care to catch a breath with me at the rooftop?”

“Nah, I’ll pass. It’s too bright right now and there’s surely a lot of people.”

“You’re starting to resemble a hermit, you know?”

Snorted at the older woman’s comment, Chaewon extended her neck towards the left and the right, searching for another figure who is supposed to be together with this certain outgoing and kind girl. “Yuri isn’t here with me,” Yena instantly realized that Chaewon tried looking for her other friend.

“Oh? That’s rare. I thought you both are inseparable.”

“What do you think we are? Some sort of shadow with one another?”

“Maybe fleas on each other’s head fit you both better.”

Loud denial and retorts coming from Yena make Chaewon chuckled. She finds it amusing at the fact that she is vibing well with Yena albeit just know her for a few weeks. The taller girl treats Chaewon well and often inviting Chaewon to play together. Maybe the fact that they are both trapped inside this enormous building with countless people wearing white attire makes them both find solace in each other’s presence. What makes Chaewon like to spend her time with Yena is that the girl seems to not bothered with Chaewon's special friend. Heck, Yena even asked Chaewon if it is okay for her to talk with Chaewon's friend albeit cannot see her.

“Tomi-ya, you’re here right? You want to play with us?”

Yena also comes out with a pet name for Chaewon's special friend, making the short-haired girl felt that she finally has someone who understands and didn’t doubt her. Occasionally, she also hangs out with Yuri who is dragged by Yena and they eventually become good friends together with Chaewon's unique friend, Hitomi.

“Tell me more about Hii, Chaewon. I envy you to be the only one who can see her.”

Yuri once requested that and of course, Chaewon felt more than glad to talk about Hitomi in length with other people. She grew fond of these two and spend even more time with them as they make Chaewon felt better.

“Say, unnie. What makes you travel to my floor? I do understand that your room is supposed to be a few floors away from mine.”

“Oho, it seems our Chaewon miss me more than I thought!”

“Nonsense. I don’t want more nurses to come and increase their surveillance on me after hanging out with me.”

“Your words cut deep, you hear me? Do you want to imply that I am the one who incites trouble for all of us?”

“Sorts of.”

“Yah Kim Chaewon!”

The younger girl just chuckled at Yena’s complaint as she strides back towards her room together with Yena. They pushed the door to Chaewon's private room and revealed a girl with pale pink hair inside the room is smiling dazzlingly at Chaewon.

“Hitoma, I’m back!”

“Oh, is Tomi-ya in here? Hello Tomi-ya! I’m here to play with you both again!”

“She said hi back to you and ask what kind of menace you are planning this time.”

“Yah, I’m not planning to do anything bad! Don’t slander me like that you two!”

Chaewon just chortles at Yena who is in defense mode. Well, even Chaewon herself is quite anticipating what will Yena planned next as their last few hang out and games always ended up receiving an earful nag from the nurses and doctors. However, she enjoyed every moment they laugh like a fool without any care in the world. Chaewon thought that this is what she seeks in life, a comfortable, relaxing peace instead of the world that pit every people to race with each other and sees who gained the most.

“We will try the Elevator Game!”

“Huh? What’s the fun behind it though?”

A visible smirk cracked on Yena’s mouth as a mischievous glint appeared in that hazelnut, slanted eyes. Scooting closer, Yena whispered, “It’s a ritual to open the door into another world!”

“You spend too much time on the net again, right?”

“This one is legit, trust me! A few people even shared their tips to go there and come back!”

“Okay, given that we played this game, what’s the catch for us? I mean, what’s the thrill of riding this elevator only?”

The older girl about to explain about that part before Chaewon's door swings wide open, revealing tousled hair Yuri who is huffing heavily in her hospital gown. Her eyes set on a certain girl who resembles a duck before yelling with her husky voice, “Unnie! Didn’t I tell you to bring me too whenever you are visiting Chaewon!”

“Uh oh, hi Yuri-ya. You’re sleeping deeply earlier and I didn’t plan to wake you up as you often smack me if I disturbed your so-called peaceful energy recharge.”

“Still, you can at least leave me a note-”

“Alright lovebirds, stop your lover quarrel please.”

“WE ARE NOT LOVERS!”

Chaewon startled upon being sternly told off by her two friends. She just shakes her head at their antics. Spending most of her free time with them, she already familiarized herself with Yena and Yuri’s love-hate relationship although at the end of the day they both will giggle together and forgot about their banter.

“Tell me more about the Elevator Game.”

Steering back the conversation into the right path, Chaewon rested her head inside her palm while crossing her legs on the bed. Yena pulled Yuri and forced the girl to sit beside her before continuing, “Well, we can go to another world!”

“And? What’s the fun in it?”

“Duh, think about it, Chaewon-ah! It’s a different world from here, who knows what will happen? Heck, we even might meet Tomi there in the flesh. I’m tired of your privilege of being the only one able to see her.”

Yena words hit her the most as Chaewon whipped her head towards the right, staring at the friend whom she also yearned to touch. Yes, she might be able to see Hitomi but she can never touch the girl. It is a white lie if Chaewon said she never wish to share warmth with Hitomi. She at least wants to hold that dainty fingers which seem like a perfect fit with hers.

“Let’s do it then. This is by far the most exciting game you ever suggest, unnie.”

“Words can’t describe how hurt I am right now.”

Slumping her back onto the bed, Yena is faking her tears while whining at Yuri about Chaewon. Despite all of those noises, Chaewon able to dismiss everything sound in this world just to focus on this girl with rosy cheeks, Hitomi.

“Hello? Earth to, Kim Chaewon!”

“Huh? Yeah, sure. I heard you perfectly fine.”

Lies. She didn’t exactly listen to any of Yena’s rambling as Chaewon is too preoccupied in fantasizing about her moment to spend with Hitomi in another world. Maybe people will call her crazy for trying to cross this feeble world just to meet with a girl who didn’t even have a physical body but Chaewon didn’t care about their opinion. She will chase her happiness in her ways and that’s that. No stranger can just come into her life and blab about what rights and wrongs. They are not her and will never be.

“Then, this is how we will come back to this world. We just repeat the way we push the elevator button and wait until it brings us back to the first floor. If it, however, trying to ascend, we need to push any button to stop it from reaching level 10.”

“Sweet. So when will we start?”

Flashing her naughty grin, Yena replied, “This midnight. Come and meet us by the vending machine.”

Afterward, they just conversed about trivial things before being escorted back to their respective room as their curfew about to