“Excuse me… May I?”

Youngjae and you looked at Sarah who was at the door. He put his hand over yours to get your attention.

“I’ll leave you two to talk now. I must keep getting ready for tonight’s talent show.” –He hopped off the bed. –“Hope you can make it…”

“If the nurse and my teacher say so.”

He chuckled and added. “I’ll go look for the nurse and tell her you woke up.” –He looked back to Sarah who was still waiting by the door and back at you before waving goodbye. –“I’ll take my leave now.”

As he passed by Sarah he bowed his head and she just had her sight on him, but just when he left it was back on you who were still in bed.

You were feeling nervous and anxious. She gave couple steps forward and it seemed like she could read you better than anyone else.

“Just because I was mad at you, it doesn’t mean I don’t worry about you.” –She bluntly said.

You heaved a sigh. “I know…”

She stood in front of the door silently,

“Come and sit here.” –You patted in the space next to you.

She hesitated, but eventually gave a step forward taking in on your invitation. As she did her eyes roamed around the small room. The mere sight brought her bittersweet memories she quickly shook off her mind.

 She spotted the bedside table and some of the unopened snacks there.

“Did you eat?” –She asked not taking her eyes away from the table.

You hummed in response and put the wrapper from the one you had eaten already in the table.

“I ate this in the meanwhile; the nurse said she’ll bring in some dinner.”

She nodded and then took a deep breath before speaking.

“____-ah… Why did you do this to yourself?” –Sarah asked.

You put your head down and heaved a sigh. “I suppose… I just had my mind very worried with certain things. I-I just didn’t have much appetite lately…” –You said not wanting to mention the quarrel the both of you have had.

She nodded and a small chuckle took you by surprise.

“I guess some things really don’t change…” –She finished with a sigh.

“What are you talking about?” –You asked taking her attention.

With a small smile she began. “Did you forget already when we were little before you moved? You lost a puppy, and you got so sad when you understood he’d never come back that you became really depressed. To the point you lost your appetite. Not even your mother would make you eat.”

You put your head down and pinched the bridge of your nose. “I can’t believe you still remember that. That was too long ago!”

“Of course I do how I can forget about that! I remember not knowing what was wrong with you, you barely even spoke to me, and then you started to miss school. I got really worried.”

“I couldn’t quite get why I didn’t have him with me anymore. Even when my parents explained it to me I couldn’t get that through my head. Now that I think about it, it does sound a little stupid to be depressed by something like that. But he was my friend and I just missed him too much.”

“We couldn’t understand many things when we were little, and I couldn’t understand either when your mother told me that your health was in danger. But either way I had to interfere…” –She looked at you. –“Do you remember that?”

You chuckled. “How can I forget finding all my favorite snacks scattered all over my bed and little Sarah kneeled begging me to eat something.”

You both fell into a small silence, perhaps the same image going through both your minds. Sarah spoke up quoting her younger self.

“If you don’t eat, then you’ll leave too, and I’ll be lonely.”

You looked at her as you felt the same feeling in your heart when she repeated those words. Flashbacks of the young Sarah pleading you to take care of yourself and do something so you’d feel better overcame you like a strong gust of wind.

“I’m sorry.” –She spoke up in between the quiet moment.

She was looking down to her lap and she continued. “I know my reaction towards everything these past weeks wasn’t the best… I can see why you talked to Yeon Ae instead of me.”

What she said wasn’t truth though. “Sarah, I wasn’t planning on telling her in the first place.”

“Really?” –A heavy burden was relieved from her shoulders as she heard that.

“No. I didn’t want to tell anyone just yet. Honestly, she misunderstood my relationship with Youngjae, and she thought I was leading him on. I just couldn’t let her think so lowly about me.”

“I see.”

“That’s really the only reason why she knew about it.”

“If I had just taken the time to listen to you, maybe this whole thing wouldn’t have happened.”

“Maybe it did have to happen… We all make mistakes, but we learn about them. Let this be a lesson for the both of us. Because, I also didn’t give myself the time to explain, and became defensive when you talked about him. And I’m sorry. I should’ve understood your reasons, and I didn’t.”

She nodded accepting the apology and you both simultaneously heaved a sigh. But your talk with her wasn’t quite over yet.

“W-Why… Why do you like him?” –Sarah asked all the sudden.

You were taken a bit aback by her question. “Why do…”

“I’m not going to judge him. I just want to know, what made you change your mind.”

You sighed deeply. “I-I think…” –You took a couple more seconds to think through your answer. –“He’s not as bad as I put him to be Sarah. He’s changed. And I suppose, I saw ahead, and I think he can really make me happy. He cares about me, and he’s shown it very well.”

Her reaction was opposed to what you were expecting. She hummed and adjusted herself in the bed to face you. Taking your free hand, she spoke looking right into your eyes.

“____-ah. I trust your judgment, but though I did say I wouldn’t judge, that doesn’t mean I’ll just change my mind all the sudden either.”

You pressed your lips into a thin line and then replied. “I wouldn’t want you to do that either.”

“But listen me out. I have thought this