>> Hours by Jung Jin Hyeong 

Her eyes are fixed, unblinking to the sunset views. The cigarette that is still lit red emits smoke that then disappeared into the cold air, which is lightly clamped between Imme's slender fingers. 

She has a simple thought, so suddenly. If the sun, is as true as what some people believe, a source of light that stays bright forever able to be explored, it is likely that the population of the earth will drop sharply. Why? Because this planet, and its inhabitants are tired, tired of those extreme needs. Money, for instance. 

Her first impression is simply correct as taking into account how money and luxury easily captivate someone's trust, belief and faith. She remembers what her life coach has said, "Money is not everything, but everything needs money". 

She can't argue the statement anymore and agree to agree that Mrs Jang is always right. Life's full of surprises and disappointments but money always seems to be the right tool to fix them. 

"They're really like kindergarten kids," Sunyoung says, joining Imme by her side at the balcony. 

"You mean Nayeon and Jeongyeon?" 

"Yes, yes, who else I can refer to right now, Imme," 

They both chuckle in sync. 

"I'm glad they seem to enjoy the stay," Imme replies, inhaling the cigarette for the last time before crushing it with her bare hand. "Tell me what I can do, for your pleasure," she adds and put it into the right pocket of her trouser. 

Sunyoung instantly denies, "You did much than you need to, Imme. I want to stop you there, all is enough," 

"I can't help it, you are my guest now," 

"After getting into a hot shower and blowing my hair, I feel like sleeping already, Imme. Other than those two crackheads playing their asses at the beach, I think we got all the things we need, so don't worry," 

Imme hums with a little smile, and nods her head. 

Sunyoung, a wise and attentive woman as she is, studies Imme's side profile secretly. 

"Imme, if you don't mind, I would like to ask you something," she calls her out. 

The latter replies properly,

"Yes, sure, go ahead," 

"What's your ambition? I mean a dream job you wanna have since a kid?" Sunyoung's question, for Imme, sounds a bit childish but she refuses to laugh at her so suddenly like that. It's not the way she has been raised and educated. Manner is the essence of impression after all. 

"I don't have," Imme responds, momentarily glancing at the short woman. "Just wanna be a real human of human, that's it," 

"What about your real talent? Is there any talent different from this field?" 

"You mean, this business?" 

Sunyoung bobs her head repeatedly then.  

"Let's see," Imme clicks her tongue, finding a safe answer to provide while pretending to look at the dawn sky. "Clearly nothing in my head. I can't recall anything related to dreams or ambitions of the younger me," she looks at Sunyoung with an apologetic smile. 

"Poor you little child," Sunyoung utters like a mother to Imme. "I'm saying this not because I'm trying to meddle your life but after this week, hit the pause button. Go back to sleep as long as you want, eat everything that appears in your brain that makes your mouth water, and, enjoy your hobby, your sweet little time," 

"Did you just read me, Director Park?" Imme sniggers a small laugh. 

"I just did, that's the reason I'm asking you about dreams and ambitions. I want to know, what's really embedded from deep inside your heart. There must be at least, one single thing you were dying to do when you're younger, that's the real definition of trying to be a human of human, Imme," 

Imme's pale skin gets fair for every second, as the blood is being by a paranormal entity and her soul has been captured. 

Dreams, her younger self. Those lead her to a dark memory of the past. A memory that is forced to be deeply ingrained and embedded far away from anyone. A painful truth that she tries to conceal by her calm, charming smiles. 

"I wish a dream is like a prayer you know. He's up there would listen and grant it anytime He wants," Sunyoung says. "I don't know about you, but God always listens to me, I kinda feel like it, you know?" 

Imme pauses for her ridiculous thoughts. She eyes Sunyoung who is a lot shorter, and raises another question in her mind, "How do you know God is listening to you?" 

But she decides to keep quiet instead and stabilizes her rushing adrenaline earlier. 

"What about you, Imme? What beliefs do you have?" Sunyoung asks in her mannerly tone. They stare at each other as Imme replies so casually, "I don't have any. I don't believe in God," 

"O-oh... so you're Atheist then?" Sunyoung makes a quick guess. 

Imme denies, "No, Atheists usually don't believe in God's existence. But I believe He, you know, existed. But I don't believe in what He believed for ages that we called obedience,"  

Sunyoung is flabbergasted but manages to suppress a little smile when their eyes met. 

"I know there's someone there directing us, on how our life should be. But I don't take His rules so seriously, I am not to obey Him whatsoever, Ms Sunyoung," Imme clarifies calmly. "So I'm not in the same belief, I'm sorry," 

"Imme," Sunyoung utters slowly. "What about love, don't you believe in it at all?" 

Another pause for Imme. She breathes and sighs in desperation. 

"Does believe and certifying it is similar to you, Director Park? I believe in love, always. But I don't think I'm lucky enough to have it," 

"Why is that so?" 

"I can't be with someone I liked. It's against the rules that have been lined up for me since birth," 

"Then when it comes to love, we are similar, Ms Cho," Sunyoung states out, tapping Imme's left arm gently. "I was right, you're lonely, Imme. We are both lonely," 

"You're lonely? May I know why?" Imme asks. 

Sunyoung inhales before she furthers, 

"My lover passed away in a car crash when I'm in high school," Sunyoung opens up. "Long time ago, we're both so innocent and young. He even promised me a wedding but God has another plan for him. I was depressed and distracted myself with studies and multiple part-time jobs after that. Graduated, got a nice job and now living a lonely life as a single person," 

"You're enjoying it?" 

Sunyoung hums. "Yes, I can support my parents with my salary after struggling for so many years. Just thinking about that makes me happy and proud. I was traumatized by my past lover's death, but then I realized he's the one who caused me to work and live harder. To appreciate every single thing in this world and be more thankful," 

Imme smiles, hiding the tears building from her eyes. 

"So it's okay to be lonely, Imme. You might think you're the only lonely person in this world, but no. You're not alone in that matter," 

"Got it, Director Park," Imme agrees. 

"So want me to find you a lover?" 

"O-oh... no thank you, I'm fine on my own," 

"Great," 

--------

>> Star by Jessi

A little bit she knows, Imme is losing her weight, day by day. She works as if her life depended on it.

"Yes, I will do it," 

"Yes, I will try," 

"I'm sorry I will redo it again," 

These answers are repeated again and again. If the leader of their department demands a presentation of their work's progress, Imme volunteers to analyze all the data and findings by herself. She won't ask for any help and rather sleep in the office before the grand meeting with the department's leader. 

Observing Imme's hard work, Sunyoung can't help but be worried. 

"There she goes again, unnie," Nayeon mumbles to her one day after their meeting is dismissed. Other employees walk straight back to their place but Imme follows their leader so closely after that, hoping she can get further advice about things they all need to improvise. 

Jeongyeon yawns but Sunyoung releases a heavy sigh. "What should we do?" she taps the white desk so impatiently. "I'm scared if she's losing it soon," 

Another yawn from Jeongyeon before she adds, "What are you saying, unnie? You know we can't stop her. Anyone from this big company couldn't ever stop her, am I right? She's the big boss's daughter, who dares???" 

"No... not like I'm trying to stop her but I want her to take things easy, you know? She's a human being," 

"That's what we see! She didn't even bother!" 

"Yah, have some empathy!" Nayeon shouts at Jeongyeon. "We know she's struggling because everyone's looking at her as the big boss's daughter. You can tell it based on her gloomy eyes, she's incredibly tired, Jeongyeon-ah. So please, if you have nothing good to say, just go back home and sleep!" 

"Haish, I didn't mean that way though..." Jeongyeon pouts her lips at Nayeon. 

Sunyoung massages her temples, "You two, please get out from my sight. Let me think and breathe for a moment," 

Nayeon bows then, "I'm sorry, Director Park. Have a nice rest," she grabs Jeongyeon and forces her to bow too. 

"Yes, I'm sorry too, Director Park. We get off now," the two best friends almost disappear from Sunyoung's sight but she stops them immediately as something emerges from her messy mind. 

"Yah, at any chance... Do you have Imme's cousin... what's her name?" 

"Ms Cho Miyeon," Jeongyeon replies. 

"Yes, her number?" Sunyoung stares at them with her bright eyes. 

"Oh... I don't have," Nayeon says. Jeongyeon copies Nayeon's answer then. 

Sunyoung flops her back instantly to the chair. "Aish... what to do? We are not allowed to meet CEO Cho if nothing is related to work, but I hope I can meet him in person and bring this matter seriously," 

"Wait wait," Nayeon suddenly remembers. "I think I follow Ms Cho Miyeon's Instagram," she quickly takes off her cellphone from the handbag. "Right! I followed her!" she checks it and shows it to Sunyoung. 

"Well done! Now DM her, tell her if is it possible to meet her soon!" Sunyoung claims, excitedly. 

"Okay-okay!" Nayeon pulls the chair and sits on it as her fingers run fast on the cellphone's screen.

They wait for about 10 minutes until Miyeon replies, "Eh, who is this?" 

"Ugh! I forgot to introduce my real name!" Nayeon slaps her forehead, hissing. She starts to type back then, reading about every word to Sunyoung and Jeongyeon, "Oh very sorry for this sudden message, Ms Cho Miyeon. Im Nayeon here, writing to you. I'm your cousin's workmate," 

They wait again for a minute and Miyeon replies, "Oh... okay. Is there something I can do for you, Ms Im Nayeon?" 

Nayeon looks at Sunyoung. "What now, unnie?" 

Sunyoung immerses into deep thinking momentarily before she asks for Nayeon's phone, which she gladly gives.

Sunyoung types, "Ms Miyeon, we have something so serious to talk about your cousin's condition, Ms Cho Imme. If you're available, we're hoping to see you in person. Only if you don't mind we gonna take some of your time," 

Sunyoung is getting nervous as it has passed almost 15 minutes but Miyeon doesn't leave a reply.  

"What is she thinks we're a prankster? Or scammer?" Jeongyeon says, out of her curiosity. "Texting someone in social media is quite suspicious you know?" 

"Yeah, especially if so suddenly like this," Nayeon joins in. "Unnie, I don't think we have to meddle like this," she stares with concerned eyes at Sunyoung, "They're rich and so highly educated. They can take care of themselves, why bother you so much?" 

Sunyoung says, "Didn't you who just said we need empathy, Ms Im? Or it was a ghost I've listened to?" 

"I know...  but I think it is so impossible to help her out this way," Nayeon sighs. "I'm afraid we won't get any support from her cousin either," 

"Think positively, please. We're doing this with good intentions, I don't want to see a young, talented and charming person like Imme, wastes her life because of work," Sunyoung voices out, tapping her fingers again and again on the same desk. "I doubt it, but I think Imme is facing a severe depression," 

The two 'musketeers' in the department have all their senses wide open. Jeongyeon says, "Now it's interesting to meddle," 

"What made you think... Ms Cho has depression?" Nayeon asks but starting to think about Imme so vigorously at the moment. Only the picture of Imme's stone-cold face appears, nothing else. 

Sunyoung starts explaining to support her statement, "I don't know if you guys notice this," 

"Imme prefers to smoke rather than having a meal during lunch break. She's getting skinnier, I can clearly see her veins and her bones, you know her wrists are so tiny, not even as same as my size of a thumb. And her pupils, so static. I was talking to her, she reacts but her pupils, never move so ordinarily that way," 

"The details surprised me," Nayeon expresses her thought. 

"Hmm, that's what I'm saying," Sunyoung says. "I'm not an expert but I feel, Imme is talking to us, only is moving but her soul, her mind is somewhere else. You know the feeling, right? When you're talking to someone and we can feel either they're interested or not?" 

Both Jeongyeon and Nayeon nod. 

"Yes, Imme seems so stressed out, but maybe because she's been raised to be a strong person, she tries to bear it all alone," she her teeth. "Last time when Director Jong Suk scolded our team, her tears came out heavily but she had her head so low like she will be swallowed up in the ground," 

"Unnie... you're good at acknowledging things," Nayeon intrudes, caressing her chest. "Now that you told us these, I feel guilty. Imme is not a person we think of then," 

Sunyoung closes her eyes, humming to the notion. "She's far away from what we think, Nayeon-ah. So let's try helping her?" 

The three falls into a brief silence and the message tune from Nayeon's cellphone surprised them all. 

Nayeon reads out loud the new message from Miyeon, "Okay, I'm available this weekend, Saturday at 2 pm. Text me the location soon," 

Sunyoung claps firmly as she fixes the glasses hanging on the nose bridge. 

"Come on sisters, let's finish this week soon and figure this out together yeah?" 

"Yes!" they make a high five and quickly straighten their mind. 

-------

Imme plucks AirPods into her ears and lays quietly on the sofa. She still has socks and her day attires on when she stretches her numb nerves. 

She has a bad day. Their team's proposal for a new design has been declined rawly by Director Lee and either Sunyoung, Nayeon or Jeongyeon express their voice in the meeting. Not because they're being irresponsible, but they are silenced by the position. Knowing her seniors won't say a thing, Imme decides to zip too, even though they've been working on the proposal for two weeks, consecutively. 

She's listening to her favourite k-RnB song 'Back', the latest single by former YG trainee, Jung Jinhyeong, in repeat mode while reminiscing of a few memories of her past. 

With the late Joanne. 

Imme imagines, how her long hair falls perfectly on her narrow shoulders, and she ties it tightly to the ponytail style. Her eyes, lips and nose, when she's tying her hair- it's so beautiful. 

Joanne had her own way of talking. She's not originally Korean, her father is, but her mother was Taiwanese. Imme remembers her voice clearly, her husky and cracky voice. Every time she spoke, her eyes were blinking brightly, as if the stars were overlapping there. 

Imme smiles unconsciously, when Joanne's face flashes in front of her eyes. 

"I thought you're sleeping?" Miyeon's voice breaks her daydreaming time. She opens her eyes immediately, acknowledging her cousin sister's presence in the spacious living room. 

Miyeon playfully slaps Imme's right shinbone, before settling herself on the other sofa. "Imme unnie," she calls her, pouting. "Let's go on a trip with me?" 

Imme sighs, turning her body over. 

"I know you're busy, but... I don't have anyone else right now. I booked two tickets already, to Jeju this weekend. But I broke up with my boyfriend yesterday," 

Imme sits up and faces her, 

"Was he the same person you're talking about last month?" Imme asks, covering as she yawns. 

Miyeon pouts, "No, this one I just met two weeks ago. And that one from last month, we didn't even last for a week," 

Imme chuckles, and takes off the AirPods. 

"Your relationship is shifting as same as how we changing clothes, Miyeon-ah," she grunts, pushing her body up. "I don't get it sometimes. What is the foundation of love, in your point of view? I lost count, how many males have you dated since high school? Almost hundreds, I guess?" 

Miyeon's pout getting longer, "How could you doubt my unconditional love for males, Imme unnie? I love them, but they always ditched me for some stupid reasons," 

"They did it because you're being too easy to catch," 

"I was not!" 

Imme makes a face, "Tell me, frankly, would you like to get married to your boyfriend if he happens to propose to you soon?" 

"Propose for a marriage? Of course, not! I'm too young for that!" 

"See? You're not serious in a relationship, that's why they ditched you bridge nose!" Imme claims, disappointed. "Now get lost, I'm so tired, I have a bad day and I really need a sleep. Go play with your toy," she gathers her cellphone, a box of cigarettes and a smart car key on the wooden table. 

"Cho Shin Mi, I'm asking you nicely, since I really have no one who can love me just the way you do. Please, clear your schedule next weekend? I'm rooting for this, so deadly," 

Imme stares at Miyeon, unblinking. "I'm busy, I'm the future representative, Cho Miyeon. Why won't you get it?" 

Miyeon rises from the cushion and approaches her older cousin. 

"You're still a human, Imme. I'm asking this for your own sake too," Miyeon reaches for Imme's wrist, squeezing it softly. "I miss you so much, you've been ignoring me for weeks. Why won't you understand me, as your only sister here?" 

Miyeon forces herself not to cry but she can hold the tears no more, staring up at Imme's pale face. "Look at you, Imme. You're so skinny, pale and messy. Where my handsome, charming and beautiful sister goes? Where are her smiles? Why I can't see any right now? Do you really think I'm a nuisance in your life?" 

Imme feels guilty, as she's aware of Miyeon's sudden tears. She's out of words, so she stands still, mouth sealed. 

"The fact you're getting more quiet than usual scares me, unnie. Please don't ignore me like this, I'm so scared. Is there something I've done wrong? Tell me," Miyeon's tears get heavier as she struggles to express every word. 

Hurt seeing Miyeon's cries, Imme pulls her body close to hers slowly, as she embraces her tightly. 

"No, you've done nothing wrong," Imme pats Miyeon's back then, putting her chin on the latter's head. 

"Then... then why you didn't reply to my texts and take my calls?" Miyeon asks, sobbing. 

"No... I didn't mean it, Miyeon-ah. I was out of my mind," Imme replies, closing her eyes. She feels like crying too since she's the reason Miyeon bursts into tears. "I also miss you, my sister. I'm really sorry," 

Imme keeps brushing Miyeon's head with her massive palm, shushing her to stop crying. The cousins engage in a touching moment, after being a stranger to each other for weeks. 

After her secret meeting with Imme's colleagues, Miyeon couldn't stop worrying. She's been informed well about Imme's condition, working like a robot and rarely eating. Mostly, it was Sunyoung who clarifies and explains everything, including Imme's bad habits such as smoking, avoiding course meals and regularly spending time zoning out in their pantry room or the building's smoking area. 

At first, Miyeon doesn't have any idea why Imme's colleagues reach her so suddenly. She recalls the moment she first met Sunyoung, Nayeon and Jeongyeon a few days ago.

Flashback

"We know we're nobody and not the right person to tell you this, Ms Cho Miyeon, but we really have no one we can trust other than you," Sunyoung starts to be serious in the conversation. "Our Imme, I don't know which part I need to tell you first," 

Miyeon frowns a little. Studying the trio's expression, she can tell they're full of hesitations. 

"She's done something wrong to you? Being an in the office because she's the heiress?" 

Sunyoung quickly denies, shaking off her head vigorously. "No! Never think of that please, Ms Cho Miyeon!" 

"Then?" Miyeon questions, her curiosity is rising. 

She looks at Sunyoung who's having a hard time opening , so she tries to reassure her, "It's fine. You can tell me anything. I promise I won't ever tell anyone, especially my uncle," 

Jeongyeon and Nayeon exchange uneasy looks. 

"It's about Imme. We... we..." Nayeon interrupts carefully. "She's getting immersed into work and seems to be lost in her own world, Ms Cho. She doesn't get home and spends her night in the workplace, always alienated herself at a corner and day by day, Ms Imme is getting miserable, she's so skinny," 

"Yeah, we kinda follow her progress recently. Every lunchtime, she smokes. In the pantry room, she is obsessed with gazing at the view outside the window, sometimes for hours. We don't think she's fine, you know? Mentally in particular?" Sunyoung finishes. 

Miyeon blinks repeatedly, trying to process the words she hears from the two. 

"So... what are you trying to say is, Imme... is sick?" 

Jeongyeon replies, "We are more confident to say Ms Cho has depression, Ms Miyeon. We are so worried about her health, her mental health. She used to brag about you before, her only cousin sister she has, which is you. But now, trying to get her into a casual conversation is difficult. So difficult for us in making her speak comfortably," 

"Jeongyeon here is right, Ms Miyeon," Sunyoung adds, scrunching her forehead. "If because she's too pressured by her duty as our future representative, we think you are the right person to convince her, on slowing down. We know she's a diligent and reliable rookie, we can write a long report on how great she is, how talented she is in this field to the authorities, you know? But Imme needs a rest, a real rest," 

The pretty and young Miyeon bites her lips, as she's hurt knowing Imme's update. 

"We are sorry to burden you, but we really care about her. She's kind, nice and always try to be the best in anything she does, for our team's sake. But everything has limits, Ms Cho. We don't want our Imme to suffer any longer," Sunyoung keeps on gripping her own fist, nervous as she utters. 

There is a silence, a long silence from Miyeon. 

She's getting to what Sunyoung and her friends trying to say about Imme. What they are trying to warn her is something that never crossed her mind. 

She reckons, maybe Imme is exhausted because of work, and that's normal for everyone. What's so peculiar is, the way Sunyoung describes in detail Imme's change of personality. Imme that she knows, a calm, organized, friendly and lovely person. She might be the type who doesn't talk much, but deeply Miyeon recognizes her cousin's bright side. 

Imme is losing her bright side, and that's a big question to her now. 

"This is shocking for me, too, Ms Sunyoung," Miyeon comments, holding herself from crying. "I thought because Imme is busy with work, so I seldomly text or call her. To be honest, Imme is a very determined person, what she has in her mind, all must be done perfectly," 

The trio nod in sync. "We agree with that, she's a real perfectionist," Nayeon says. 

Sunyoung talks again, "I saw her once, in the pantry room," and pauses before she continues, "She's making a plain black coffee. Her lips were moving, but there was no sound out. The hot water was pouring fast into the mug and filled it already, but Imme," Sunyoung has a hard time to further as she remembers Imme's gloomy eyes, since she has deep sympathy for her. 

"The hot water was flowing directly onto her shoes, but she didn't seem to notice, or feel anything," Sunyoung manages to say, tears building up. "I was actually so afraid and concerned because her foot might get burned from that, so I walked in and tried hard not to surprise her at the moment. I slowly took the mug away from her and pressed the 'off' button. It took her a minute to feel my presence, Ms Cho," 

Miyeon covered , as the tears run down her face. "Imme unnie..." 

"My sister was always attentive to her surroundings! What's happening to her, Ms Sunyoung???" 

Sunyoung replies back, "We're trying to figure it out as well, Ms Cho. The only chance we got now is you," she wipes her own tears too. "Maybe, you can assure her or distract her from work? We don't mind if Imme will be on leave for a couple of days or weeks. We will try to cover the work, as long as she gets proper treatment for this," 

"Yes, please consider this seriously, Ms Cho. I'd also witnessed Ms Imme smoking a cigarette, then crushed it with her bare hand, not once, not twice, but so many times. She got bruises for that and didn't even bother to use plaster or something to cover it," Nayeon tells. 

"Yes, I saw it too," Sunyoung says. 

"Yes, me too. I saw Ms Imme do that on the balcony once, and then outside the building, a couple of times," Jeongyeon expresses her opinion as well, making Miyeon's heart shrink by seconds. 

She usually gets excited about a meal, but when the waitress comes and serves their orders, her appetite has clearly gone. Miyeon stares at the tempting bowl of mushroom soup, with an empty mind. 

"What should I do? I'm afraid Imme won't ever listen to me," she confesses, using her fist to support her chin as she leans on the table. "She can be such an annoying hard-headed girl if she found out I'm trying to get her off from work," 

"Ms Miyeon," Sunyoung addresses her politely. "Show it how much you love and care for her. I think Imme always has a soft spot for everyone, she always does. Only she doesn't know how to show her affection," 

She tries to smile, "Do you know anything that can make Imme back to herself again? I mean, something, or someone she... treasures so much for?" 

Miyeon looks down on the black table and then shift her eyes at the trio, one by one.

She suddenly thinks of someone. 

"I know!" 

Sunyoung's smile gets bigger then. 

"I know! I know just a thing, Ms Sunyoung!" 

Jeongyeon and Nayeon express their smiles too, clapping together at Miyeon's sudden act. 

"Don't mind telling us what it is?" Jeongyeon asks, staring right into Miyeon's beautiful eyes. 

"Shuhua," she says. 

The three are perplexed, confused by the name so only Miyeon gets excited on her own as she repeats, 

"Shuhua, Yeh Shuhua. My Shuhua, her Shuhua," 

----

Hiiii... Now, finally the update ^^ 

I hope whoever reads this will have a fully blessed love and life!

I had so much bad news but trying my best here to overcome each of it. Life is hard and difficult but things can always get right if we have good intentions, am I right? 

I hope Covid will disappear soon and stop evolving! Stay safe and healthy!!

Love-love, 

YOUR RYAI.