Amber yawned as she slipped the key into the keyhole and unlocked the door lazily. She was home later than usual as she had a lot of works to clear. “Grandma, I am back.” She shouted the moment she went into the house.

Mrs Liu looked up from her favourite tv show again and beamed a warm smile at Amber. “I think Krystal is too tired. She is in the room for the entire day. Go check on her.”

Amber merely nodded and threw her briefcase on the sofa, waiting for the domestic helper to tidy up. “Yah, I am home.” She announced to basically no one as she stood in front of her room. She knocked on it twice, then slowly pushed the door open when she received no response.

“Are you in the bathroom?” She asked, then walked towards the bathroom and was bewildered to find that there was no one in the room at all. “Krystal Jung?” She called out and checked on every room at the second floor.

No sign of her.

She panicked. She didn’t know why did her heart beat so fast when she could not find Krystal. Maybe she was worried and of course she would be worried because Krystal was basically pregnant with her child. “GRANDMA!”

Amber dashed down the stairs and ran to her grandmother who was busy watching the tv show still. “What’s the matter?” she asked without looking at Amber

“Krystal is not up there!” Amber said, looking at her grandmother intensely as she waited for the elder to react.

“What? How could it be?” Mrs Liu was alerted and she stood up, facing Amber. “I am home since the afternoon and no one told me that she went out.”

Amber brushed her fringe back and sighed out heavily. The girl was gone. “What the heck. I knew something was wrong with her this morning.” Then she quickly ran up the stairs to her room again just to double confirm that the girl had really left.

She was right. All her belongings were gone. “Aish!” She kicked the mattress in annoyance and then stormed down the stairs again. “Grandma, she is really gone.” Amber informed the anxious lady who was pacing up and down the living room.

“Did you chase her away? Amber, I told you- Amber! Where are you going?” Mrs Liu asked Amber who had already grabbed the car key and left the house in a hurry.

“Aish, this girl. How can she just leave like this? Where am I supposed to find her now?” Amber talked to herself in her car as she drove to nowhere. She didn’t even have a destination in her mind and she just kept driving.

The car passed by Krystal’s ex workplace and Amber stepped on the brake immediately. She got out of the car, ignoring those raging drivers behind her as she parked her car in the middle of the road. “Just shut up!” She screamed at them before she entered the café.

“Welcome- Amber?” Yuri looked at Amber who was walking towards her in a great speed and with a serious look that was scaring her.

“Tell me where’s Krystal.” Amber said and snatched a glass of water from Sulli who was about to serve a customer.

She gulped down the whole glass of water as she waited for Yuri to reply. “Do you really want to know?” Yuri asked after Amber returned the glass to Sulli.

Amber nodded with her eyes closed, she didn’t want to take any more nonsense. “Just tell me.” She said quietly.

“She’s with her sister. Don’t worry.” Yuri said.

“Don’t worry? How can I not be worried? She has my child. What if something bad happened to her? What if my child is gone?” Amber questioned rudely.

“So you’re finally admitting that the baby is yours.” Yuri chuckled and shook her head at the unamused Amber.

“Tell me the address.” Amber stated sternly and looked into Yuri’s eyes intently.

Yuri stared back and saw the certainty in Amber’s eyes then she finally relented. “Fine. But make sure you don’t ever let her feel that way again.”

What way? Amber thought as she watched Yuri jot down some words and digits. She grabbed the piece of paper hurriedly as soon as Yuri was done writing and left without saying goodbye.

“Back off.” She warned the traffic police who was inspecting her car and just slumped into the driver seat even though the traffic police asked for her ID card. “Just go to the company and collect the stupid fine.” Amber said flatly after she winded down her window to pass a business card to the traffic police who was knocking her window.

Amber stepped on the gas pedal and sped her way to the destination. It was in Busan for god’s sake. “Why the heck do you have to run so far?” Amber scolded Krystal even though she wasn’t there with her.

The car ride took her almost 3 hours from Seoul to Busan. It was already 1am in the morning and Amber had finally arrived in front of Jessica’s house. She yawned and stretched on her seat then turned off the engine.

Amber pressed the doorbell nervously, she didn’t know why but she felt nervous.

After a while, the front door swung open, revealing a sleepy head girl who was leaning against the door. “What do you want?”

“Can I see Krystal?” Amber asked, uncertainly as she was not sure if Krystal even wanted to see her.

Jessica’s eyes fluttered open when she heard her sister’s name. “Amber?”

“Yeah I am Amber.” Amber rolled her eyes and looked at Jessica as she opened the door for her. Amber stepped into the house and stood rooted to the ground as she didn’t know where was Krystal. “Erm… can I know where is Krystal?”

Jessica eyed her up and down wearily and then said, “She’s in that room.” She pointed with her chin and then plopped herself down the sofa. Amber nodded and followed the direction to the room.

When she opened the room, her heart was put at ease and she could finally feel herself breathing normally when she saw the girl sleeping soundly on the bed, hugging a soft toy close to her chest. Amber thought she looked kind of cute but then she felt angry when she remembered Krystal running away.

“Careful with her. Don’t wake her up.” Jessica warned as she saw Amber standing by the bed. Amber turned her head to face Krystal again, then she sighed.

“I promise this won’t happen again.” Amber said after she carried Krystal in her arms in bridal style. Jessica just looked at Amber and nodded approvingly. She was glad to see Amber at least care about Krystal’s safety even though the younger always claimed that Amber hated her.

“You promised.” Jessica repeated before she closed her front door. Amber turned around and smiled at Jessica. Then Jessica waved Amber to go as it was late already.

Krystal felt someone carrying her and she was woken up by it. Why am I moving? Oh no, is he trying to kidnap me or something? Please no, save me unnie. Where’s unnie? Is she hurt too?

“Please please, don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt my baby. I will do anything for you just don’t hurt my baby.” Krystal whispered fearfully and she was shutting her eyes tightly as she didn’t dare to open them. What if the kidnapper stared at her till she died?

Amber frowned as she didn’t know what was Krystal talking about. Was the girl sleep talking? She looked down and saw how Krystal clench her fists tightly with her eyes shut tightly as well. She stifled her laughter as she realised that the girl had mistaken her for a kidnapper. 

She shook her head and unlocked the car. Luckily, the door can open by itself and Amber put Krystal down gently. “Open your eyes. It’s me.” She said, still trying to stop herself from laughing at the sight of scared Krystal.

Krystal’s eyebrows furrowed at the sound of a familiar voice and she slowly opened her eyes. “Am-Amber?” She was surprised to see Amber so up close to her and she almost had a heart attack when Amber suddenly leaned forward.

“You. Better. Not. Run. Away. Like. This. Again. Do you hear me?” Amber scolded her lightly and backed away after Krystal nodded. She was satisfied at how Krystal was afraid of her. She was just still immature.

“Good.” She smiled and walked to the driver seat. Krystal watched as the tomboy started the engine and Amber suddenly spoke, “Sleep if you’re tired. I think it will take another 3 hours to drive back to Seoul.”

Krystal quickly nodded and closed her eyes as she didn’t know how to face Amber. She was feeling extremely embarrassed and awkward that Amber found out about her running away. It was stupid, she thought.

“it is stupid to run away just like that.” Amber suddenly said, as if she could read Krystal’s mind. Krystal gulped and pretended that she had already fallen back to sleep. Amber threw a quick glance at Krystal and increased the temperature of the air-con when she saw that the girl was wearing very thin pyjamas.

Amber reached to the backseat and took the blazer on it then used it to cover Krystal’s upper body. Krystal felt the sudden warmth and she peeked at Amber secretly, she smiled to herself when she saw how Amber was trying to adjust the blazer on her without looking away from the road. Then she pretended to stir and pulled the blazer up so that it covered her fully.

What made her dizzy next was Amber gave her a soft and quick pat on the arm after making sure that the blazer had covered Krystal. Krystal felt her heart almost explode when Amber did that.

After nearly 4 hours (because Amber drove with extra care since Krystal was on board), they had finally arrived in front of the Liu’s mansion. Amber stretched her upper body again and looked at the sleeping girl beside her. She had already lowered the seat for Krystal and the girl was sleeping comfortably. Amber looked at the clock in her car and it showed 5 45am.

Just sleep here and wait for morning to come then… Amber thought to herself as she saw no point in waking up Krystal just to go in then a couple of hours later, they would have to wake up again.

Amber lowered down her seat as well and shifted around until she found a more comfortable position. She found herself facing Krystal. If she was not wrong, that was the first time she slept facing Krystal and to be honest, Krystal looked really serene when she was sleeping.

Then she wondered why did Krystal leave? What did Yuri mean when she said that not to make Krystal feel that way again? Amber kept wondering until she could not take it anymore. Her heavy eyelids kept drooping until she finally shut her eyes to deep slumber.

The bright morning sun shone against Krystal’s face and tried to open her eyes. It took her awhile to get adjusted to the brightness and when she was done, she saw someone sleeping beside her. It made her jump up but then she realised it was just Amber. She smiled when she recalled last night. Even though Amber did nothing particularly sweet, it still made Krystal felt happy that she stood a place in Amber’s heart because the girl was actually worried for her.

“I will take care of you…”

Krystal’s ears perked up when she heard the girl mumbling. She noticed how Amber had this habit of chewing nothing when she was sleeping. It was cute, she thought. Then she reached out her fingers to brush away the longer fringe that fell on Amber’s forehead. Amber mumbled the sentence again softly and made Krystal wonder who she was referring to.

“Krystal…”

Krystal’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Amber mentioning her in her sleep. So the girl was talking about her? Krystal could not contain her emotion and her lips formed into a huge smile. She cupped Amber’s cheek gently, so that she wouldn’t wake her up.

Krystal wanted to squeal when Amber mentioned her name again and she used her thumb to brush on Amber’s face softly. She could only get closer to Amber when the girl was sleeping, so she wouldn’t let the chance slip away.

After much thoughts and ponders, Krystal slowly leaned forward until she could feel Amber’s breath on her lips each time the girl breathed out. Krystal knew that what she was doing was wrong but she could not suppress her feeling.

She gave a quick peck on the lips after she had mustered up her courage for so long. It was enough to make her feel happy and flip her world around as she was celebrating in her own world. Amber’s lips felt so soft on hers and for a moment, she thought that the pair of lips was meant for her only.

“I like you…” She whispered with a smile on her face and rested her head on her arm as she watched Amber sleep.