CHAPTER 9: Mourn Day

Sandra woke up drenched in the morning. She looked to her left and her right. “Weird atmosphere,” she thought. “Oh, right,” muttered as she quickly realized that she wasn’t sleeping on her usual bed. The once white is now black. Tears flowed again. “Why am I being so pathetic?” asked Sandra to herself.

“Because it’s your choice,” said Jessica as she entered the room surprising Sandra. “You woke up in a good Monday morning with tears. Should I treat that as gratitude?” Jessica asked with a sigh. “Well, I guess mourning is a popular tradition every morning, nowadays,” she added.

“On the other hand, there’s no need to feel strange. You can leave this place later, anyway,” she said. “And… oh yeah, it’s time for work. You can’t just have a free meal hear. No work, no pay – that’s a must rule,” said Jessica. She turned her back to close the door when Sandra halted.

“Jessica, thank you,” said Sandra bowing her head.

“No need. By the way, just call me Jess. Jessica is just too long,” she said and closed the door. Sandra just sighed, “She’s right,” she told herself. One must know that when obstacles come and you’ll find yourself down like your world isn’t turning, remember that others’ world do.

After fixing herself hastily but carelessly, Sandra just went downstairs to the café. Early in the morning, there are really many costumers.

“Hey miss!” called one of the costumers and Sandra knew it was her so she hurriedly went to get the order.

“Two macchiato and one Café Americano,” the costumer said. This is her world now, and she needs to face it.

Sandra delivered the orders when one of the costumers spoke out, “Hey, you seem depressed. But as girl, don’t just neglect your body. You’re a beauty, y’know,” the blonde girl with arched eyebrows said.

“By the way, is Sehun here?” the girl asked.

“Sehun?” Sandra asked.

“Your boss here,” the girl said.

“I don’t know,” she said when a boy tapped her shoulders. “I’m here,” Sehun said with his passive face. “Go,” he softly uttered at Sandra’s ears.

“How long do you plan on working by yourself?” asked the girl.

“Mind your business Krystal,” Sehun replied and turned his back.

“Please don’t push me away,” Krystal ushered but Sehun was already too far for him to hear.

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Minho just woke up with an indefinite feeling. “What did just happen?” he asked out of nowhere.

Yesterday… was his birthday. Such a great event to know a bomb. A bomb that woke his world. A bomb that he never expected to happen.

Indeed, the girl who came crashing to him on a hug saying “I’ve been waiting for you for so long” as Sulli.

The way she stared at him was the Sulli he used to know nine years ago. The way she smiled with her cute eyes was the Sulli he used to be with. The way she utters every word was the Sulli he used to hear. And the way she is was the Sulli he used to love.

Minho heaved and sighed deeply. When he went home yesterday, he felt so blank and when he called out for Sulli’s name, nobody answered. He felt even blanker when he confirmed that Sulli disappeared. Just like a bubble. Well, he should stop calling her Sulli from now on. The real Sulli had appeared?

On the other hand, good thing that Minho had several DNA samples from the old Sulli, and the two Sullis. Science is the only ways to be sure, and to confirm it. He already had it yesterday to his close friend at the research laboratory. Results will be out later this day…

Minho got out from his bed and went at the shower. After which, he put a towel on his lower and faced the mirror. “So what if she is really not the real Sulli?” his thoughts muttered. He’s referring to the Sulli he’s been with for the past months.  The months, no, the years he’s been with her can’t be replaced by the truth.

He knew that from the very first, he was in love with Sulli. When the accident happened, his heart was broke then slowly reconstructed. Will it be broken again? Nope, the question should be, “Does time really matters?”

Thus, neither can his heart go the other way nor can his heart change. He’s in turmoil.

“I only loved Sulli and I will always love her,” he said and closed his eyes.

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Minho was reading a document when Onew, his close friend entered.

“What’s up? Results are out,” said Onew. “You really gave me a hard time doing analysis within just a night, you know. I really got huge eye bags now,” he added.

“That’s why I have you,” Minho replied and opened the enveloped handed to him.

Onew sighed and said, “Man, I’m leaving to Canada tomorrow.” Minho snapped at that.

“That’s sudden,” he just remarked.

“I.. I think I just need to refresh there… and maybe search for the real me… So I can be a better friend.. and show my face to you again,” Onew said stuttering.

“You’ve never been so sentimental, and stop doing that coz’ it makes you look like a gay. It gives me shivers,” said Minho laughing, “Just call me anytime you need someone else to talk.”

“I’ll go ahead then. I still need to pack up,” he said with his pale face.

 “Oh yeah, you seem like you cried. Put cucumber on your face,” Minho added before Onew’s departure. His attention then turned back to the papers. After scanning through the pages, he sighed and closed his eyes.

The papers state that Sulli Choi(II) is the real Sulli. That only means that he cared for the wrong Sulli for nine years.

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After a whole day of work, Sandra sat on one of the chairs and dropped her head on the table.

Meanwhile, Sehun entered the café and Sandra didn’t mind it. Perhaps, her head is on the table. Sehun walked towards her saying, “Today’s work is enough for your fare yesterday. Meals were included. You’re free,” said Sehun and left. Now, Sandra just realized that her work was temporary, and she has no place to go.

After Sehun left, Jess came running to her. “Oh my gosh! Sehun talked to you?! He never talked to us like that except for business things or ‘do something like this and that!’” said Jess.

“Jess, can we exchange lives then?” Sandra asked.

“If I can be with Sehun, why not?” she replied.

Sandra just smacked her head. What is she saying? “I wish we could really exchange,” said Sandra and went at Jess’ charter to get her luggage. She can’t stay; perhaps, she only worked to pay her debt. Now, she has to start all over again, but how? She’d just act like she was an alien from the other dimension.  The only thing she knew about herself is her name “Sandra.”

After fixing everything, she bid her goodbye to the café and went out not knowing here to go.

She looked at her wrist watch only to see that it’s already ten o’clock. She just sighed and held on her luggage as the cold wind pass through her face.

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Sehun was tired. Tired, physically and emotionally. He wished that he should’ve wished to be born as an orphan from the very beginning. Now, his life is crashing. He’s pumped in the life he never wanted. He has no choice but to go against it. His parents ultimately disagree with it, and he does not want it, too. He’s already old enough to be controlled by his parents. He’s like a dummy for more than twenty years. He thinks that he’s been too fool to realize that what he ever wanted was to be free.

On the other hand of physical tiredness, he just wants to drink soju. He called his friend, Baekhyun, but he’s out of town. He just sighed gripped the stirring wheel of his taxi. “What to do now?” she ushered. He’d probably just wait for a passenger at the waiting area.

After reading Jess’ text message that Sandra already left thirty minutes ago, he raised his head only to see a woman walking alone carrying a big bag. “Fearless, huh,” she said and smirked. From afar, he just watched the woman walk while the very cold wind meets her pretty face. “Hey, what am I thinking?” he asked himself. The woman’s three meters away from his taxi when he decided to get out and help her. Her bag seems to weigh more than her. She don’t even wear gloves and thick jacket.

As he was about to step his foot on the ground, he saw the woman and an old man -- who’s possibly drank. The drank man suddenly grabbed the woman’s hand and spoke some words that Sehun can hear. He was about to run to them when he suddenly stopped as the girl smacked his face and kicked his , making him fall to the ground.

“Don’t you have anything to do with your life? Yah! You just wasted your money for alcohol and did not even think of the people craving for food! Don’t just waste your life! You worthless man! You should’ve-” the girl shouted but she suddenly stopped when a man tapped her shoulder.

“Hey, that’s enough. I understand what you feel and if you have a grudge to someone, don’t blame it to him,” Sehun said and the girl turned her back to see him. Her cute eyes widened when he saw him, and he too, was surprised but he didn’t make it obvious. “What’s she doing here, alone?” he thought.

“C’mon, let’s go,” Sehun said as he grabbed Sandra’s bag. He thought it was not that heavy so he just grabbed it with a single hand, but he’s wrong. “You sure have big muscles to carry this, huh,” remarked Sehun and walked through his taxi.

“Hey, where are you taking that?” asked Sandra instead of saying something to him.

“You’re too brave for a woman to walk at this hour with your huge bag,” Sehun said. “You even had courage to smack that drunkard,” he added with a smirk.

“Give me that. I already owe you a lot,” said Sandra with no hesitation on her voice.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Sehun asked. Sandra can’t even answer. She knew that she don’t barely know, either.  “See?” he just said and put the bag inside the cab. He opened the door for Sandra but she just stared at him.

“It’s free for an orphan like you,” he said and that made Sandra’s brows frown. “Orphan,” she thought. He’s probably right. She just entered not minding anything.

Sehun drove off. In the middle of the way, he broke the silence saying, “Do you want to drink?”

Sandra remained silent and stared at him earnestly.

“I guess I should take that as yes. You need to have some, sometimes. And…” Sehun said but stopped.

“And what?” asked Sandra.

“And don’t stare like that, it just makes someone uncomfortable,” he said reluctantly. Sandra just nodded.

Meanwhile, Sehun stopped at an unknown street where there is a soju station. Sehun went out and Sandra followed.

“Ten bottles,” he said to the woman at the counter. The woman gulped and stared at him. “Why stare at me?” he asked.

“Are you going to drink it alone?” the girl asked. “Nope. I’ll share it with that woman,” he said.

“Ah, I see, with your girlfriend,” the girl said and took the order. “Girlfriend?” he thought and smirked at that. He was about to tell that she’s not when Sandra spoke out.

“Hey, I have no money to pay you,” she said.

“You don’t have anywhere to go which only means that you still don’t have job. Fine, I’ll give you work at the café starting tomorrow. Look, I’m already the one who offered you a job and you did not even look for it so, you have to accompany me drinking. I’ll pay for the soju but pay me when you got salary,” Sehun said when the bottles appeared in front of him. The cashier told him the prize and he paid it.

“Let’s share,” said Sehun but Sandra was surprised when he learned the amount. “I can’t even pay that when I still need a house to fund,” said Sandra.

“Aisshh… just don’t think of it yet, okay?” he said as he got the bottles and head to a table. He sat and Sandra sat across him.

“What’s that?” Sandra asked.

“Soju,” said Sehun. “Don’t tell me you haven’t had any of it yet,” he added and Sulli shook her head.

“From where did you come from?” he asked but Sandra just said, “I don’t know either.” Sehun just stared at her. She’s reading the bottle content and she smells the opening. She suddenly covered her nose.

“Drink it,” said Sehun and Sandra followed. After having a single toss, she spat out. “What’s this taste?” she asked.

“Just drink it, okay?” Sehun said and drank his. Sandra followed again and pampered some on . Meanwhile, she did not even notice that she already drank a bottle.

“You sure are a strong one,” Sehun said.

“Yah! Why did you offer a drink?” asked Sandra whose cheeks are starting to get red.

“Here’s a deal. You ask me a question and I’ll answer you. Then I’ll ask you a question and you’ll answer me too,” Sehun said. “Any question?” asked Sandra and Sehun nodded.

“Hmmmm… How old are you?” asked Sandra.

“Thirty,” Sehun replied. “Okay, your turn,” said Sandra.

“Yesterday, you entered my cab not knowing where to go, what happened?” Sehun asked and drank his soju.

“Hey, that far more cliché than my question,” said Sandra.

“It’s not my fault. Any question, right?” Sehun asked and Sandra just answered him.

“just yesterday, another bomb was unsealed and I had to get out from Minho’s house,” said Sandra, “My turn, how are you related with Ms. Krystal?” she asked.

“You know her?” Sehun asked. “She happened to be a costumer at the café’ a while ago and he was asking for you,” said Sandra.

“Ah, she’s my old friend,” said Sehun. “My turn too,” said Sehun and thought for a second. “Yesterday, when I asked you where to go, you told me that in a place where you can forget everything again. What do you mean by ‘again?’” he asked.

Sandra had to toss a whole bottle of soju before answering. “Do you want to know why?” she asked and hiccupped. “I had amnesia,” said Sandra and laughed.

Sehun was surprised. No wonder why she looked like an old woman carrying problems of the world. “So, could you tell me about it?” he asked.

“I had an accident nine years ago and for eight years, I was in coma. When I woke up, I was like a newborn baby. A being who does not even know she existed. I only woke up learning that my name was Sulli and that I was in love with Minho. They said he was my friend back then and we were lovers but we never got official. Do you want to know why?” she asked and drank her soju. “Why?” Sehun asked.

The Characters

Minho Choi

Sulli Choi

Sandra Kim

Sehun Oh

Baekhyun

Luhan

IU

Yuri

Krystal Jung

Yoona Im

Onew

Jessica

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We've just finished the introductory part. Soon, everything will be clear.

Thank you for reading!!!