A few weeks passed, Yuri and I barely got by with our $7.50 an hour pay check from the local supermarket. I hadn’t spoken to Jessica, even in fourth after I had requested a seating change. I guess he understood why I needed some space.

 

I had receive no further clues on my brother’s death, but still searched. It was the only thing that distracted me from all the problems I had.

 

Yuri was still hurt about breaking things off with Yoona that I noticed she wasn’t in the process of dating again, but something happened that made me realize that Yoona was really great guy for her and was just the person that I could see her being with for the rest of her life. He is also someone that I could see Nick wanting her to be with. Yoona reminded me of him so much. Now I understood what attracted Yuri to him in the first place.

 

“Tiffany!”

 

I turned around to see Yoona. “Hi,” I said surprised. Yoona and I had never spoken to each other so it was a bit awkward for the both of us.

 

“How’s Yuri?” he said, unsure about whether this was the right topic to bring up.

 

“She’s doing better,” I said.

 

“That’s great. Listen, I heard you were looking for a job, or a good paying one,” he said, changing the subject.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“I heard Yuri talking about it with a few friends in class,” he said.

 

“Well, yeah we are.”

 

“Well, I know my mom needs a few waitresses in her Café. I help out but I don’t look too good in a waitresses outfit,” he said as we both laughed.

 

“Okay. I’ll look into it. What’s the place called?”

 

“Oh you’ve seen it. Genie’s Café,” he said.

 

I hesitated and he noticed. “Don’t worry, Jessica hardly go in there.”

 

“Okay, thanks,” I said.

 

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“Yuri, I have some good news,” I said storming into the apartment.

 

She had her head on the counter, she was crying. “Yuri, what’s wrong?” I asked worried.

 

“It’s my mom. She’s in the hospital.”

 

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay here yourself?”  Yuri asked before she got in the cab.

 

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Besides your mom needs you more than I do right now,” I said.

 

“Kind of ironic don’t you think? I mean, her needing me after she told me she wouldn’t before she kicked me out. The funny part is that I never thought I’d feel this way about her,” she told me.

 

“Feel how?”

 

“About needing her in my life, even if I never see her again at least knowing that she’s alive.”

 

“She’ll make it, Yuri. She’s tough, just like you. Just go and be with her and tell her how you feel. She deserves to know.”

 

“And so does Jessica.  And don’t object because you know it’s true,” she said. “Come here,” she continued and pulled me into a hug.

 

“Bye,” I said as she entered the cab.

 

I thought about what she said as I waved goodbye to her.

 

“Yoona thanks again for getting me the job. I really appreciate it,” I said as I began to wash the dishes in the kitchen.

 

Two days had passed and Yuri was still gone but called me with updates on her mom. Yuri told me that her mom was in a car accident and they had lost her for a few minutes but she was doing better. She was still unconscious but the doctor told her it would take a few days to fully recover and hopefully wake up. Either way Yuri would be coming back to Wilmington by the weekend. She didn’t want to miss more than a week of school.

 

“It was no problem. Besides I think my mom really likes you,” Yoona said, wiping off the counter, as we were getting ready to close up, but then Jessica walked in.

 

I knew it was bound to happen but I was hoping it wouldn’t.

 

“Hey, Yoong,” he said, noticing me as I turned off the water from the sink.

 

“Hey, Jessie,” Yoona said.

 

 “I’m heading off to the Rivercourt want to shoot some hoops?”

 

“Um, I’ve still got some work to do, I’ll meet up with you,” Yoona said.

 

“No, go ahead. I’ll close up,” I chimed in from behind the kitchen.

 

I noticed Jessica’s facial expression when he saw me. He gave me a slight smile and looked away from me.

 

“Are you sure?” Yoona asked me.

 

“It’s really no big deal. I’ve done it before.”

 

“Okay, but if you need help just call me,” Yoona said.

 

“Uh, thanks Tiffany,” Jessica said a little awkwardly.

 

“Have fun,” I whispered as they left.

 

The next day Yuri called me to tell me that she would be back tomorrow. Her mother was doing better and could make a full recovery. Apparently they patched things up and her mother wanted Yuri to stay but Yuri told her that she had to go back. She had started a new life and didn’t want to go back to the old one.

 

After school, I headed to the Café. I barely had a chance to talk to Yoona about Yuri; every time I tried to a new customer arrived. When the crowd died down, I went to talk to him in the kitchen.

 

“Nice work out there,” he said when I walked in.

 

“You too,” I wanted to bring up Yuri, but I didn’t know how. But I didn’t have to.

 

“His heart hurts you know?”

 

“Who’s heart?” I asked, like I didn’t know who he was talking about.

 

“You know who,” I nodded as he continued, “it’s funny, Jessica told me what you said about how we both needed to be careful with you and Yuri because you’re both fragile. Who knew that you two would be the ones to break our heart?”

 

“She still does like you,” I said.

 

“I know, I just don’t understand why she would break things off. And on the night I was going to tell her that I was falling in love with her if that isn’t messed up enough.”

 

I looked at him and remembered how Yuri had that same expression when she told me that she had ended it with him. Then I told him about what happened to my brother and how much he meant to Yuri.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said, once I finished.

 

“It’s okay,” I said.

 

“That explains a lot.”

 

“Yeah it does. But I need her to know that she can move on. I’ve gotten to know you and can see why she was falling for you and why it scared her, but it shouldn’t stop her from loving you,” he looked at me and nodded as I continued, “Tomorrow she expects me to pick her up from the airport, but I think it’ll be better for her if she sees you there, waiting for her,” I finished as he smiled and agreed with me.

 

“Thank you, Tiffany. It means a lot to know that he best friend sees me as someone good enough for her and it’s an honour to be a reminder of your brother. He sounded like an amazing person and I don’t think I could ever measure up to such a man, but I’ll try my beat for Yuri. I also like how you’re helping Yuri to move on, you’re a great friend for doing that, but maybe you should take your own advice,” he said.

 

I looked at him and realized that he was right. Here I was, wanting Yuri to move on, when I wasn’t. Jessica had made it clear that he didn’t want Taeyeon, but I used her as an excuse so that I wouldn’t move on. When I knew that Jessica wasn’t like the other guys I dated. He was different and I knew that and maybe I let my fears of losing the love I still have for the guy who made me one night very memorable stop me from moving forward. I know it’s crazy, to still love a guy who has done something so unforgivable but it’s hard to let all the good memories go. Maybe that is why I chose not to open my heart to someone new, but I know now that I was only being a hypocrite. I had to make things right for me. I had to do one thing that would let me start a new life and put my old life behind me, like it was supposed to be already.

 

“He’s at the Rivercourt,” Yoona said as if he read my mind.

 

“Thank you,” I said smiling.

 

“No, thank you. Now go, I’ll close up,” he said as I got my things and left to the Rivercourt, thinking about what I’d say when I got there.