Chapter Six

I knew I shouldn't have said that.

"A while ago," Dahyun murmured, moving a little closer to Sana on the couch. "You said someone had agreed to take you to Lake Geneva," she pursed her lips, wondering if asking about something like that was too personal. "I'm just intrigued; if you don't want to discuss it, that's fine."

"It was a previous relationship," Sana said immediately, her grin clearly insincere.

"I see," the pale girl said, nodding her head. She wasn't surprised in the least. Sana is stunning, and it seemed unfathomable to Dahyun that no one had ever appreciated her before. "An ex-boyfriend," she tried to confirm.

"Yeah," Sana replied. Later, chuckling, she continued, "He was an absolute , though."

"May I question as to why?"

"Nothing special. Just..." Sana hesitated, experiencing the same anguish as she remembered what had happened. "He was interested in dating someone like me," she explained. "And then when he realized he didn't enjoy it any longer-"

"He left?" Dahyun assumed, and the other person agreed. "Did he have any other romances?"

"He was still in love with his first girlfriend," Sana said. "The one he complained a lot about, saying she's not treating him well and all that." She couldn't help but chuckle in astonishment, still unable to believe how that man was so skilled at convincing her that he was done with that relationship. Sana was deceived quite well right there.

"I've never been in a relationship before," Dahyun stated flatly. "That's why I don't know what to say to you; I have no idea how to console you because I don't know what heartbreak feels like."

Sana nodded, finding it endearing that Dahyun tells her things like this. "But how come you've never been in one?" she wondered, noting the teenager's apparent attractiveness. Anyone would have assumed so.

"Probably because I haven't encountered someone worthy of such a sweetheart as me yet?" Dahyun bragged, winking at Sana, who merely rolled her eyes. She snarled, "You're no fun."

"You do understand I'm truly interested in it, don't you?"

"How are you even interested in the fact that I have always been single? That's pretty weird."

"I think you're too cute for that," Sana muttered, making it difficult for the other to hear.

"What?"

"I said maybe you're right," she remarked before rising to her feet. "You're quite tough to reach, such a sweetheart," Sana remarked sarcastically, straining her eyes and gently shaking her head.

Dahyun couldn't stop laughing. She enjoys how easily Sana may become irritated. It piques her curiosity in the girl even more. "Yeah, it's hard being me," she said, only to be disregarded by the other.

"Who gave you that?" Sana asked, noticing a cartoon human-shaped pillow on the mattress. She climbed up on the bed and picked it up without hesitation. "This one," she said before sitting back down.

Dahyun followed Sana to bed, now sitting much closer to her. "I don't know why my brother gave it to me," she replied, somewhat smiling as she looked at the pillow. Sana impulsively raised it next to Dahyun's face.

"Is it just me, or it does look like you?" Sana asked herself, turning her attention from the pillow to Dahyun simultaneously. "These days, everything looks like you," she even said.

"Aren't you thinking about me too much?" Dahyun questioned, making the other blush. Of course, the pale one noticed and formed a tight-lipped smile. "Alright, maybe that does look like me," she acknowledged, grabbing it from Sana's grasp and carefully inspecting it. "Wait here. I'll check on my brother."

Dahyun's return took a little longer than she had intended. When she entered her room, she saw Sana sound asleep on her bed, embracing the pillow she said resembled Dahyun. "Did you come over to sleep?" the pale girl guffawed, finding Sana unbelievable.

Dahyun chose to gently sit next to Sana on the bed, for she couldn't just go ahead and disrupt her deep sleep. Her head is against the headboard, and her hands are clenched together on her abdomen. Then again, here she goes, just staring blankly at nothing.

"Hmm," Sana hummed to herself in her sleep, drawing Dahyun's attention.

The pale girl raised one arm as she noticed Sana wriggling closer to her.

She let the girl hug her from the side before laying her arm behind Sana. The latter appeared to be at ease as she rested beneath and between Dahyun's underarms. The pale girl felt the same way as she gently traced circles on the other's back.

"This is why we shouldn't see each other anymore," she said, looking at Sana's face with hopelessness in her eyes. "It would be more difficult if we grew closer, and you'll realize it's time for me to go," she said, her eyelids falling together with the pieces of her heart until everything was completely black.

Sana was jolted awake by the sensation of hot breath on her face. She opened her eyes to see Dahyun sleeping with slightly open. Sana's face lights up just thinking about it. "Cute," she mumbled before tracing Dahyun's pointed nose with her index finger.

Her eyes widened as she eventually realized the girl would actually wake up from such a small gesture. First and foremost, their faces were in close proximity to one another. It's supposed to be awkward. "What time is it?" Dahyun queried in hushed tones, her voice a little husky.

Sana became distracted for a brief moment. She simply didn't know how to respond to Dahyun's intense gaze that pierced through her eyes.

"Uhm," Sana muttered as she turned to face the ceiling, and then she took out her smartphone to check the time. "Fifteen minutes after seven o'clock," she said.

Dahyun sat up, her hair a mess, and her eyes still puffy when she fully opened them. "I think we should go down; dinner must be ready," she said softly, looking at Sana, who was still lying down. "Are you not hungry?"

"I am," the other responded, "but I'd like to stay like this for a little longer."

"But you're already hungry, and if you don't eat soon, your stomach will hurt."

"You aren’t my mother," Sana said, but all she got was a raised eyebrow. "Fine," she grunted as she pushed herself up.

Dahyun was looking down at the floor in her slippers when she started to notice something flowing below her nose. She quickly touched it, and seeing blood on her hand afterward made her heart race. She stood up immediately, blocking her nostrils as she walked to her room's bathroom.

Sana noticed it, but she didn't think of it as anything much. She stood silently up and stretched. "I'll wait for you, and we'll go down together," she said out loud.

"You can go first!"

"I want to wait for you," Sana complained loudly before resuming her seat. "Go on and take your time!"

It didn't take long at all. Dahyun emerged from the restroom with a deeply worried expression on her face. Even if she tried, she couldn't hide it. Sana recognized it and asked, "What's wrong? Why is your face like that?"

"What?" Dahyun asked flatly, avoiding the other's stare. But then the girl approached her, raising her chin to examine her face closely. "What are you doing?" she grumpily said as she pushed Sana's hand away. It's just that she's afraid the girl will notice something she doesn't want to show.

Sana's eyebrows furrowed as she was taken aback by the behavior. "What was that for? I was only checking on you," her heart broke, and she couldn't help but become upset.

"First of all, why should you?"

"Why can't I?"

Dahyun gritted her teeth and closed her eyes as if constantly trying to calm herself. "Don't get too close to me without my permission," she murmured, oblivious to how cruel that may have sounded. "I hate that."

Sana was at a loss for words. She had the impression she was speaking to a different person. "Wait a minute, what did you just say?"

"Sana, you heard me."

"I don't understand you." It wouldn't bother her if Dahyun expressed what she wanted in a more reasonable tone. "You were acting so kind earlier, and now... What's up with the sudden change of attitude?"

"I'm just letting you know what I despise; can we please stop talking about it?"

"All right then," Sana said, faking a smile.

"And Dahyun, please don't be afraid to tell me if you don't want to talk to me at all. You don't have to give me this attitude; just tell me."

After hearing it from Sana, Dahyun's head felt even heavier. She reflected on how she should not have allowed her emotions to get the best of her. It simply irritated the other girl now. "That's not what I wanted to say," she protested, even though it was too late.

"But that's exactly what you said."

"I'm sorry, I was wrong," Dahyun said quietly. "I just..."

"Do you feel uneasy around me?"

"Not at all, Sana."

And now that the older girl's feelings were influencing her thoughts, she couldn't stop herself. "Does that have anything to do with the fact that I told you I liked you?" Dahyun chose not to say even a word.

"Well, I thought so because the day after I told you that, you stopped coming around the shop. You barely responded to my messages, and you don't answer my calls; I felt like you did all of that on purpose, but I didn't want to think of you that way."

Dahyun let out a sigh. It shouldn't have come to this if she had simply considered her choices carefully. But now that they're here, she's decided to be honest just once. "I honestly don't know what to do about the way you feel; I'm not used to people telling me they like me," she admitted. "Yes, I was taken aback—felt awkward. I'm sorry that I do, but that's how it is."

"Yeah," Sana said quietly, anxiously digging her fingernails in her palm. "I knew I shouldn't have said that," she murmured as she walked down first, leaving Dahyun speechless.

Taehyung widely smiled as he sat down with the two in the dining room. He was thrilled about how well would his dish had gone over with them. "I really think you girls will like this; I put so much effort into it that it can even be served in restaurants," he declared confidently, but no response was received. "Ah, you must be feeling lightheaded after your nap," Taehyung said, clearing his throat, "I wanted to wake you up, but you two were sleeping so soundly."

"Can we start eating?" Dahyun shifted uneasily, her gaze fixed on the empty plate in front of her.

"You should've mentioned you're starving," Taehyung replied as he stood up. He quickly removed the covers from the dishes. "Take as much as you like; I made a lot so that mom and dad have enough to eat when they get home."

Sana, however, pushed her seat back, drawing the attention of the two siblings. "I forgot I had to leave early. I'm so sorry," she said before standing up. "Thank you for having me here," she faked a smile at Dahyun before she turned her head to the confused Taehyung. "Thank you for having me here," she said to Dahyun before turning her head to the puzzled Taehyung.

"What—Is everything okay?" stuttered the man.

"Yeah, I just have to do things back at home, and I just realized I can't stay long," Sana replied, standing up with a heavy heart. "I'll go ahead." That quick, she left the scene.

Taehyung took a bit to respond. "Wait!" he exclaimed as he followed Sana outside, leaving Dahyun tormented by her own guilt.

The man returned in less than a minute, scratching his nape and saying, "She walked way too quickly," and it was only then that Taehyung noticed the expression on his younger sister's face. "What happened?"

"The right thing happened," Dahyun thought, hoping that it was for the best. Sana should resent her now rather than later. "I think it's fine."

"Did you fight?" the man inquired, wanting a more detailed explanation.

"I'm not sure," Dahyun replied before rising. "I've lost my appetite, so I'm going to sleep."

"You know you can't do that; you have to take your medications." He could only sigh as he sensed Dahyun had intentionally disregarded him.

Sana dashed inside her house; her footsteps heavy. She didn't even notice Mina hanging by the living room, waiting for her to return. "Hey, Sana. I have some exciting news for y—" The girl came to a halt after being entirely snubbed.

Knowing her friend inside and out, she was certain that something unpleasant had occurred. As a result, she stood up and followed Sana to her room, but the door was shut. "Hello?" Mina went to ask, lightly knocking. "Is everything good?"

"Yeah! I just want to rest!" Sana shouted from the inside.

"But I thought you wanted to hear how I got the girl living next door to talk to me," Mina remarked, attempting to convince her friend to leave the room. It was a failure, but she tried.

"Why are you just standing there?"

Hearing a voice behind her, Mina was startled. It made her laugh as she clutched her chest. "I was startled," she told Sana's mother, who immediately made a peace sign.

"I'm thinking your daughter had a rough day," she whispered cautiously to the elderly lady.

"Oh, she didn't tell you why?"

Mina shrugged and said, "I hope she did so I could do something about it," before deciding to let her friend go. Sana is a stubborn young lady who would never ask for help or even advice from anybody else. If she truly needs you, she'll come around eventually. "Don't be concerned, Mrs. Minatozaki; she'll come out when she's hungry."

"All right," the older lady responded, gently nodding. "I hope I know her as well as you do," she emphasized, her eyes saddened.

Another week had gone, and Sana's gloomy expression had remained unchanged. Mina and her mother were concerned, but every time they asked the girl, the response was invariable — "I'm alright," or "What are you talking about? I'm fine," and they were unable to do anything about it. You can't help those who don't want to be helped, as they all say.

Maybe Sana isn't aware of this, but Taehyung has been keeping an eye on her. He wants to do something about it since Dahyun has been absolutely out of her mind lately as well. The trouble was that he couldn't figure out what had gone wrong between the two. Her younger sister just refuses to discuss it, and he is not a psychic or anything of the sort to have guessed correctly.

However, while Sana is excellent at disguising her feelings, she's not so good at hiding the fact that she's still waiting for Dahyun to return. Every time someone came in, she had the same reaction. She is, nevertheless, on the verge of giving up. "Stop waiting, Sana. She's not even sorry," Sana said to herself, still irritated over how the other had just let her sleep that night without even apologizing to her even by text.

"Hey..."

She had to turn around to see who was behind her, and to her silence, it was Taehyung. That left her wondering if the man had heard her, but she was unable to delve deeper. "Hi, do you need anything?" she said warily.

"No, not really," Taehyung said, the corners of his brows. "I'm just wondering if you don't mind if I walk you home?"

Sana's expression was baffled as she pondered why the man would suddenly offer her anything like this. But then she thought about Dahyun. "That must be it," she presumed to herself. Taehyung probably wanted to talk a little and get a grasp of what happened that night. Nonetheless, Sana would stay silent. She believes it is not her story to tell since she does not understand why Dahyun suddenly acted like that either.

"Sure thing," was all she could say.

Taehyung finally broke the silence as the two walked down the street. "Is everything well between you and Dahyun?" he said, his voice tinged with concern.

Sana hummed, pursing her lips and contemplating what to say. "I honestly don't think so," she answered, and that was the end of the discussion to her.

"Care to tell me why?"

"I wish I could explain it to you more clearly, but," Sana sighed, "I have no clue either. It simply happened. She... I..." She tried, but there was no other way to put it. "I felt unwanted—pushed away, so I considered leaving. I sincerely apologize for the dinner."

"No, no, everything is good. Of course, I'm more concerned about you and my sister than my cooking," he chuckled.

Sana merely responded with a smile. Just then, she noticed her mother next to the mailbox. "That's my mom right there," she said, bringing Taehyung to slow down. He couldn't believe it when he realized who that lady was.

"Your mother is Dr. Minatozaki," he stated.

"Yeah, she's a doctor," Sana responded, curious as to how Taehyung knew. "How did you get to know her?"

"I—"

"Sana-yah!"

They both looked in that direction after hearing the woman's voice from a distance. Sana's mother was joyfully waving her hands in the air. "Kim Taehyung?" she said, a bit loudly, as she approached.

Taehyung is still taken aback by reality. He's in the presence of her younger sister's doctor—who turns out to be the mother of Sana, the girl who has just brought Dahyun's dreary world to life.

"You two are friends?" the woman questioned, her smile remaining on her face. "It is, certainly, a small world," she said.

"Yeah, he's the owner of the shop where I work," Sana proudly stated, leaving her mother lost for words. "How do you know him, mom?" she queried.

"He's—"

Taehyung would go to great lengths for his sister. So, before Sana hears anything Dahyun doesn't want her to know, he will come to stop the moment. "Sana-ssi," he said, hoping to end the conversation. "You should take a day off tomorrow."

"Huh? All of a sudden?" asked Sana, scrunching her brows.

"Well," the man said, nervously chuckling. "I know you came here for a vacation, and it's coming to an end soon, so I thought you should have fun and do stuff other than work."

That swayed the older lady's thinking. "That's fantastic," she remarked. "I was just considering going on a picnic."

"Yeah, I guess that's okay," Sana said to her mother.

"We should ask Mina first, though, because she's been leaving the home early for something I'm not sure about," Dr. Minatozaki laughed, and the other two hopped on board, not knowing what was pretty funny.

"That's, uh, a great idea, though," Taehyung uttered. "You do you tomorrow; don't worry about anything else, okay?" he urged to Sana, who merely nodded her head.

"Ah, I remembered you were asking about how we knew one other," the woman abruptly interjected, leaving Taehyung with no time to react.

"Yeah?" hummed Sana.

"I'm their primary care physician."

Taehyung exhaled a sigh of relief. That was, at the very least, a safe answer.