Amber

"So-Mi, won't you come and help me..?"

She raced her scooter, all the way to Muju.

The scooter she has hardly used in the past four to five months.

Ahjussi has literally been her personal driver since that street attack.

Totally forbade her to go about on her own.

Driving her to and from school, either from or back to their apartment or her Oppa's and Amma's.

Unless the chore was taken up by Lee, or Amber.

But then, driving So-Mi around was not seen as a chore by any of her three drivers.

Likewise, So-Mi as the recipient of the favour, relished the extra time she got to be with the current three favorite people of her life.

She loved chatting and bickering with her Ahjussi about nothing and everything.

Loved the pretext of being a girlie girl with Lee.

And loved gossiping with her tomboy of a girl, best friend.

Amber has been so busy with her hospital internship and voluntary work at the clinic of late, that it was then So-Mi's turn to complain of not seeing enough of her best friend.

Hence, at Amber's hoarse desperate voice, So-Mi did not think twice from coughing up her two wheeler to get to her friend's aid.

Leaving only a cryptic note to Ahjussi on the phone, of her destination.

She thanked her lucky stars that it was already spring.

Hence, driving up to the small city was not as cold or such a feat to complete.

Still, it took her a good two and a half hours from Seoul to reach Muju.

---

The hotel room door was unlocked.

The same room So-Mi and Amber stayed in, two years ago, as part of a university excursion trip.

The hotel was quiet being out of holiday season.

"Amber...?" So-Mi called out hesitantly.

Amber was in the balcony.

In a drunken stupor.

"Aah... Wasso?" Amber smiled, with glassy eyes.

"Amber..!" So-Mi called out worriedly at the state her friend was in, rushing towards the girl on the balcony floor.

Amber just smiled and gave her friend a robust hug, giggling like a school girl.

"Amber, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," the cute short haired girl hicced. "Everything's peachy!"

So-Mi waited in aprehension, knowing her friend was not ready to talk.

So, even if So-Mi was worried at her friend's state of being, she just let Amber do what she wanted at that moment.

Went through the motion of Amber's uncharacteristic erratic behaviour.

First the latter sang, then she laughed for no reason, then she told a silly child hood story of how her father used to beat her for being naughty.

Then she cried.

A gut wrenching wail that slowly died into pitiful sobs.

Making helpless So-Mi shed tears together with her friend.

"Amber... Please tell me what's troubling you. Why are you so sad...?"

So-Mi hugged and rocked her friend, trying to comfort Amber and herself.

Amber continued to sob.

"Why is life so hard, So-Mi?" she asked. "You try to do good, but the world slaps you hard."

So-Mi simply held her friend, willing for Amber to let what was in her heart out.

"You think you are helping, but actually you are not."

So-Mi continued their rocking motion, the cool air accompanying them on the small balcony.

"You think you are solving problems, but you are really creating more."

So-Mi's mind raced, trying to price together what Amber was babbling.

Doing good? Helping? Solving problems?

But nothing connected?

And nothing made sense.

"Let's run away So-Mi," Amber suddenly said, grabbing So-Mi by the shoulders. "You and I. We've gotten along fabulously together, haven’t we?"

"Amber, please... What are you talking about?" So-Mi again helplessly asked in concern.

"Tell me what's wrong. Is it the clinic? Or your sister? Is your sister all right?"

Amber sat on her knees, again holding So-Mi tight by the shoulders. Shaking them slightly.

"Forget about my sister. Forget about everything. You belong with me, So-Mi. Let's just run away. And live a quiet happy life, together," she stumbled towards her. "Huh? Come on so Mi, lets do that."

"Amber."

"They're not for you. Both your Ahjussi and Lee," Amber's glassy eyes danced crazily, making So-Mi more and more alarmed. "I am. I love you. I've taken good care of you, haven’t I? Men will just f*#k us up and leave."

Amber said that with such vehemence, that it left So-Mi clearly startled.

"Let's get away from here. To another country if necessary. I have the money. Neh?"

Amber continued shaking So-Mi by the shoulders, trying to put forth her case.

"I can work in another clinic somewhere and you can set up your photo studio. Just the two of us. Leave this world as we know it. It's f**ked up, anyways."

So-Mi looked at her sadly albeit with alarmed eyes.

"Come, Amber, let's put you to bed, huh? We'll talk about this tomorrow," So-Mi said gently.

"Tomorrow will be too late. They'll come for me. I know they will. They'll brainwash me into doing the things they want."

Amber violently stood up, looking around her for unseen enemies.

"I don't want to do it So-Mi. Please dont let them make me," Amber started to sob again. " I just want to be happy. Doing things that make me happy. You make me happy."

So-Mi tried to hold on to her friend. Trying to comfort her.

Both girls had tears of desperation running down their cheeks.

One with the need to convince her friend into doing things she wanted.

The other in trying to understand her friend. And in finding a solution to help.

Amber started to cry incessantly.

And hung on to So-Mi for her dear life.

But in a way that was making So-Mi slowly uncomfortable.

So-Mi tried to move away, pushing the latter away.

Away fron Amber's groping hands.

"Amber, don’t..."

"So-Mi... please So-Mi," Amber's hug became tighter. Fiercer.

"No, Amber..!"

So-Mi struggled away, a tussle that went on for a few endless seconds.

Until Amber suddenly collapsed to the floor, toppling So-Mi beneath her.

A tick of the clock later, So-Mi's phone rang.