“In Indonesia?” Bomi was sniffling her nose and wiping her tears before they got a chance to fall, all the salinity on her now dehydrated skin burned and stung like absolute . She was on the phone with Hyeri’s mother and Hyeri’s body was going to be dropped off in Seoul tomorrow, in a casket. 

It was weird for Bomi, Hyeri’s body was coming but not Hyeri. She just found it so hard to believe her best friend was somewhere else, unreachable by the living. “June 9...” Bomi repeated the date Mrs. Lee had given her for the funeral and her eyes widened. 

Hyeri was just shy of her 22 birthday, Bomi didn’t even realize it before. “Why did you chose her birthday?” Bomi asked Mrs. Lee. “It’s symbolic, Bomi." Mrs. Lee explained simply.

Bomi hung up the phone and leaned her head back on the pillow sighing. “Chorong...” She thought of the girl and how thankful she was for her. Bomi needed someone right now and Chorong was being great to her. 

It’s not like Bomi was using her but they were somewhat friends now. Chorong was out getting some food for herself and Bomi, even though she knew Bomi was in no mood to eat, she hasn’t been yesterday and especially the day before that. 

Bomi heard the door opened and she felt safe again, knowing Chorong was there for her. “Bbom, I got food. I know you don’t want to but you’re gonna have to eat or at least drink something.” Bomi shook her head slowly, not a hint of energy was in her. “Food is not important right now.”

Chorong sighed hopelessly and sat beside Bomi, grabbing her chin lightly. “Look at your cracked lips, you’re super dehydrated.” Chorong put a glass of water to Bomi’s lip which she took willingly, Bomi didn’t have an appetite but she was thirsty as . 

Bomi mumbled a thanks but stayed quiet and Chorong took notice. It was hard to imagine what Bomi was feeling. It never happened to Chorong and she couldn’t even think how at lost Bomi must be. You’re young, beautiful, invincible bestfriend that you love is happily alive one day and dead and cold the next. How could it be?

It felt unbelievable, how could someone with a future just waiting for her to rejoice in it, die? “I don’t know what you’re feeling exactly but I’m here and if you talk to me, I’ll listen.” Chorong knew Bomi didn’t really want to talk about stuff but it was being the fattest ing elephant in the room. 

 Bomi groaned and lied down, closing her eyes. “Well her birthday is the day of the funeral, June 9th. Just a few days away.” Chorong put her hand on Bomi’s. “I can go with you if you want.” Chorong offered and smiled softly at the younger. 

“You don’t have to Chorong, I think I can gather the strength..” Bomi sighed out, not wanting to burden the elder, Chorong just shook her head. “I said I would be there for you, so here I am. Let me come with you Bbom.” Bomi nodded, “Thanks Unnie.” Chorong patted Bomi’s head.

Bomi looked out the window at the grey sky, her expression was sad and almost pissed. “Why.... Hyeri?” She mumbled and shook her head hopelessly. Chorong’s eyebrows knitted as she felt so bad for Bomi, it was so hard for Chorong to know her help couldn’t mend Bomi’s broken heart. 

A few days passed and it was June 9th. The day prior, the two drove to Bomi’s place and got some clothes for the funeral. She stayed at Chorong’s place for 5 days now and she had some stuff there for her. 

They woke up at 8am, the service was at 11:32am. It was mighty specific and it was the time that the plane’s signal was cut aka the time of the crash. Bomi was in a black dress and so was Chorong. The older noticed that Bomi was quiet since they woke up but the last couple days were better. Bomi was opening up and being happier even smiling, she also resumed working. However Hyeri was still nuzzled in the back of her mind. 

They reached the funeral home at 11:00 o’clock. “It’s okay.” Chorong whispered to Bomi when she felt her clutch her hand strongly before entering the room where Hyeri’s casket was set. A deep breath, then she stepped in and saw the faces of Hyeri’s family. They were all crying except for her father who was obviously trying to keep it in. 

Bomi put a white flower on the framed picture of Hyeri and kneeled down to bow and Chorong did too. They went on our knees, and they’re foreheads were to the ground. “Lee Hyeri, wait for me in heaven. I’ll never forget all the wonderful moments I had with you. Puppy, I have so much left to tell you about myself but you never gave me the time to say it, it’ll be said in my prayers that you better listen to. I love you you stupid, commitment breaking, . Stay young and beautiful.” She whispered and let out a slight laugh. 

Chorong heard it all and thought it was quite strange, like Bomi really had talked to Hyeri. She smiled like she got to feel her presence again, maybe she did. Bomi resumed crying though, it was hard for her to say goodbye, not getting a response from her bestfriend. They got up from the ground and bowed to the Lee family. 

“I’ll always remember that girl, she was everything to me. Thanks for bringing her into the world and into my life, Mr. and Mrs. Lee.” Bomi shook their hands and tried to smile. Hyeri’s parents smiled too and nodded. “Thanks for making her happy Bomi.” Bomi was relieved that she made Hyeri happy enough that the people around her noticed it. 

They got into Bomi’s car. “You’re very brave Bbom-ah. You can cry in front of me, it’s okay.” Chorong comforted Bomi as she sobbed. She knew that Bomi didn’t want to cry a lot in front of others but she didn’t want her friend to cave in all her feelings, it wasn’t healthy. 

They drove to Bomi’s place this time and Bomi changed out of her dress then tossed Chorong some sweats. “Put these on, you’re staying here tonight.” Bomi grinned and Chorong complied with the girl’s wishes.

Chorong sat beside Bomi on the white leather sofa. She knew Bomi's mind was still on Hyeri, she looked like she was thinking really hard and forcing herself to have a migraine. Chorong put a hand a Bomi's hand, hoping that it would help relieve the poor girl of the stress she's had to deal with these few days. Bomi didn't say a word and Chorong decided not to either, for the better.

Bomi cleared and sniffed her nose roughly a couple times, it helped her focus more on not doing the thing Hyeri told her not to do, cry.  "This is the first commitment Hyeri has ever promised me and not followed through. I've known her for 7 years and it's the first promise that she broke. That's why I loved her, I trusted her more than any ing one of my friends or family members, she was that good to me." Bomi flash backed to when she first met Hyeri.

-

Bomi was cutting herself in the bathroom of their high school. The night prior her mom was waving a knife around at her Dad. She eventually threw the damn piece of metal and it hit the ground, slid, the blade coming all the way underneath Bomi's door. Bomi went to inspect the item, just as she reached down it was grabbed in the other side of the door causing her index fingertip to split open. It was another physical wound that her parents had inflicted, the past year was horrible for the girl. Her parents really went haywire with the substance abuse and ended up hitting her with whatever was in reach. 

Hyeri walked in hearing a sharp shout as Bomi sliced again, the heated razor blade burned against her skin. "H-hello?" Hyeri asked, terrified if what was behind the close stall. Bomi stopped when she heard the voice, she was quiet, she did not want to get caught at all. What would people think of her if they knew she did this? She didn't know but she didn't want to know. 

Hyeri crouched down to see underneath the only closed stall of the 5 available. She screamed loudly when he saw a large pool of blood and a girls two feet planted on the floor, she fell back. "HEY! O-OPEN UP!" Bomi was persistent in staying quiet and not opening the door and Hyeri was persistent in the exact opposite. "Come out please, I know what you're doing in there and I want to help you." Hyeri said gently, unlike the last five minutes where she has been screaming. She thought a change of tone may persuade Bomi better. 

They went on back and forth for a while, neither one of them was going to leave the bathroom for a long time. Finally Hyeri took a bobby pin from her head and jammed it into the small lock. She got it open eventually, when she peared in she saw a graphic scene that couldn't be imagined by all of mankind. "Oh my , we have to get you to a hospital! You are probably suffering from bliss loss. You're Bomi in my English class right? Yeah, okay we really need to get you to the nurse or something because you're gonna die if you dont get stitch-" Bomi cut the nervous, babbling girl off. 

"Hyeri, I am fine. Nothing hurts." Bomi lied, her heart hurt 1000x as much as wrists though. Bomi insisted on being fine, she said she couldn't go to a hospital. Hyeri gave up on forcing the girl after hours and hours of useless convincing. Hyeri stayed with Bomi for the whole day however. "Don't hurt yourself anymore, okay? I'm here if you need anything, Bomi. Even if you're gonna hurt me, don't hurt yourself, promise me." Hyeri held a pinky up to Bomi. "Only if you promise not to tell anyone about this." Bomi pointed at her wrists, now covered in bandages that were soaked with red liquid. Hyeri shook on it, she never did tell anyone about Bomi's scars, and she never asked Bomi why she cut even once. That was the day the started their entire friendship up until this point. 

-

"She was a really good friend." Chorong got a glimpse of Bomi's past, her parents and the abuse. She knew Bomi was alone and she didn't talk to her parents, now she knew why and she didn't ask about it in fears it would hurt Bomi. "She was great. Kind, generous, brave and trustworthy. Not to mention she was beautiful, clever and witty. She did nothing to deserve to die." Bomi heaved out a heavy puff of air from her lungs. "I guess that's where I get my drive to help others though. The sky let an angel upon me and so I need to repay the deed, pass it forward." 

"What was she to you? Girlfriend, lover, crush?" Chorong finally asked one of the questions she has wanted to ask since she saw Hyeri at the bar. Bomi shook her head. "She was my best friend, that's it. We had and we loved eachother but not in that way. We were just best friends."

They talked and played board games, Chorong tried her best to make Bomi not think about Hyeri and it was very well working. Bomi was laughing and it was great, Chorong noticed that it was Bomi’s first time being genuinely happy since she had found out about Hyeri. 

“Hey you cheater!” Bomi chuckled out as she flipped the Monopoly board because she was about to land on the most expensive property that Chorong sadly owned, it was her last 8 million about to be gobbled up. “Sore loser!” Chorong shouted and threw a red hotel game piece at Bomi. 

“Yah, you probably go home and practice this game because you have no life!” Chorong rolled her eyes at the girl’s insane accusations. “Nobody can practice Monopoly, smartass.” Bomi shrugged. “Well then you’re nobody.” Chorong found Bomi’s smirk so cute and knocked her on the head. 

“Come here, let me hit you a couple more times.” Chorong grabbed for Bomi’s head and Bomi dodged the attack, getting up and running away. Chorong chased her to the end of the hall where a door was. 

Bomi teased at Chorong, “Come and get me~” She cooed and Chorong waited to catch her breath before charging. Bomi smirked and twisted the door knob, her eyes widened realizing the door was locked. “ you Sojin.” She hissed and Chorong tackled her against the wall. 

Bomi being a Taekwondo expert pinned Chorong on the wall, locking her in an impossible position to get out of. They both laughed and looked into each other’s eyes. Bomi noticed the older girl looking at her lips and in turn leaned in and kissed Chorong. 

Chorong kissed her back and the kiss was becoming passionate, heated. They didn’t stop once to get some air, Bomi let Chorong out of the lock and they kissed to Bomi’s bedroom. The younger climbed on top of the brunette and enjoyed the strawberry flavoured lip gloss Chorong was wearing. 

After a while, Bomi moved on to Chorong’s neck, and kissing. “Mmmm...” Chorong moaned and Bomi smiled into the older’s collarbone knowing that she provided Chorong pleasure. Hearing herself moan, Chorong opened her eyes and lightly pushed Bomi off her, snapping out of her trance.

Bomi looked at her with a questionable expression and Chorong shook her head, breaking the eye contact. “S-Sorry, sorry. I’m just not ready for that kind of stuff.” She sat up on the edge of the bed. It wasn’t that Chorong didn’t feel anything romantic for Bomi, but she was never in a relationship before.

She was an introvert, and she was innocent. She didn’t have any experience, in fact Bomi was her first kiss. She didn’t want to give up this information, it was embarrassing for her to admit especially with someone who seemed to be an expert. 

“No, no. I’m sorry that I pushed you into that, I don’t know what came over me. I guess I just feel lonely recently, without Hyeri.” Chorong fumed with anger at the last part of Bomi’s statement. She was furious. So I’m just a toy to her? Only to fill her needs? For sake, I actually like this girl. Did she really just take my first kiss because she felt ‘lonely’? 

Chorong got up off the bed and started crying. “So all I am to you is nothing. I devoted myself to make you happy for the past week and you feel lonely? Really, Yoon Bomi? I thought this meant something to you, because it does to me. If I’m giving my everything to please you and you don’t even appreciate it, I don’t think we can see eachother anymore.” Chorong cried and ran out of the room, grabbing her bag. 

Bomi chased her and as Chorong was opening the door, Bomi extended her arm and closed it before the girl could get out. “Chorong! I didn’t mean it that way, sorry. Look, this means a lot to me, our whole relationship means a lot to me. You’re all that I have right now, you’re everything to me right now.” She leaned in slowly, trying to kiss Chorong in hopes it would soothe her but it didn’t.

“Yeah right.” Chorong pushed Bomi off her roughly and quickly left the house, slamming the door. Bomi opened the door and ran after the crying girl and grabbed her wrists, turning her around. “At least let me drive you home, even if you never want to see me again.” Bomi said with care and rubbed Chorong’s shoulders. 

“No thanks.” Chorong said coldly and ran to the bus stop. Bomi shook her head, ashamed of herself. 

“.” She mumbled and stomped back to her house.