Eunjung moved tiredly on the bed, she slowly opened her eye to find that she wasn’t sleeping in her room but unfamiliar pink wallpaper and glimmer decoration, she shook off the drowsiness and looked around, her heart stopped when she saw a woman lying beside her “Qri”, she frantically got up and wore her clothes that were left scattered on the floor. Qri opened her eyes to see Eunjung nervously stared at her.

“What the hell did happen here?” Eunjung asked Qri furiously

“Ask yourself, Eunjung” Qri coldly said

“What?” Eunjung shouted, she recalled the story that happened last night as she was walking Qri to the VIP guestroom then she felt dizzy and the last thing she saw was Qri’s face.

“That was no way I would do that” Eunjung shook her head

“That’s all you can say Eunjung?” Qri asked hurt, and tear ran down her face. Eunjung didn’t know what to do, she wanted to calm her down but just then her phone vibrated.

“ Hyomin is calling” , Eunjung chose to answer the phone

“ Unnie, where are you, you didn’t come home?” Hyomin just found out in the morning when she checked on the older woman room but found an empty room with neat bed.

“ Hyomin ah , I was kinda drunk, so I stayed over at my friend’s place, I didn’t want to call you at night to disturb your sleep” Eunjung lied

“ Unnie, did you get yourself drunk again?” Hyomin said in motherly tone, and Eunjung could hear Hyomin’s sigh, she knew the younger woman was concerned about her health.

“It was a party, so I couldn’t avoid it” Eunjung said

“ Arrasao, just wait until you get over from hangover before you drive back home, and make sure you have an aspirin”

“ Ok, Hyomin ah, see you soon, I love you” Eunjung intentionally made the last sentence clear and loud

“ Take care unnie” Hyomin ended the call

Eunjung looked at Qri who stayed still in the bed

“ Qri ssi, I’m sorry to say this, but it will never work out for us, please stop it, I just can’t return your love” Eunjung said turning her back on Qri and walked.

Qri cried hard when Eunjung left, this was the stupidest thing she had ever did in her life yet she could never get Eunjung. She accidentally found out from Lee Jang Woo, Eunjung’s loyal assistant and friend that Eunjung just confessed to her love and got accepted, Qri also noticed that Eunjung was wearing a ring on her ring finger, she let her obsession about Eunjung to take control of her self-consciousness and did what make herself hurt even more.

“You are stupid, Lee Qri” Qri couldn’t stop her tear.

On the way to her apartment, Eunjung kept thinking about the thing that happened last night, she almost believed that she was drunk and did the stupid thing but she came to realize when Hyomin told her on the phone to take medicine, if she was drunk she would always have that awful headache but she didn’t and now she was sure of being drugged. She couldn’t believe Qri would do such a thing, she had to be heartless to her before it was too late, the older woman had crossed the line too far.

***************

“Hyomin ssi” a man in his white gown looked at his patient, he found it very hard to break a news to the woman in front of him, a patient that he has been responsible for her case for years.

Hyomin patiently waited to hear from her doctor, she came to hospital today for her monthly check-up, lately she has suffered from sudden sharp pain at her chest quite often but she kept it to herself.

“I’m quite not happy for the check-up result today, we may have to re-check again” He tried to be positive.

“Doctor Kwon, please just tell me” Hyomin was urging to know.

“ Hyomin ssi , the hole in your heart is getting larger and you will need heart transplanted as soon as possible” he said, and it seemed to him that his patient could take it pretty well.

“Doctor Kwon, what if I can’t get a heart donation, how long do I have time left? ” Hyomin calmly asked. Once again, words stuck at his throat but he had to say it

“Three months”

****************

Hyomin was sitting at the park watching people passing by, she envied those who were jogging of how healthy they were. After a check-up at the hospital and bad news she received, she needed some fresh air to clear her mind, she saw an old couple holding each other hands, she smiled upon the scene and thought how they were so lucky to grow old together.

“Hold me tight Minnie if you don’t wanna fall off the bicycle” Hyomin heard giggle from two little girls enjoying cycling in the park, one girl was pedaling while another was riding on backseat, looked so scared. It brought her back to the younger year past

Flashback

11 years ago

Hyomin was enviously looking at the kids who were going home from the school on their bicycles as she was walking home from school with Jiyeon

“Do you want a bicycle?” Jiyeon asked

“It would be great if we could ride a bicycle home” Hyomin looked sad

“But I prefer to walk rather than riding on bicycle” Jiyeon stated.

 “Eh, why, can’t you ride bicycle?” Hyomin puzzled, it was obvious that riding on bicycle was less tired and more fun.

“Because I can’t hold your hands while riding on bicycle, and it would be too dangerous to always look back on you” Jiyeon said, looking down at their interlocked hands, smiling, Hyomin nodded in understanding and they kept walking.

End of Flashback.

Hyomin was now walking along the walk way to bus station, she spaced out all the way from the park, she didn’t even hear a horn beeping from a pizza delivery motorbike that coming from the back , she was about to get hit when someone quickly grabbed her arms and saved her

Jiyeon’s POV

I was sitting at the park when my eyes caught a grime of someone I missed a lot, she looked at people at the park smiling, I urged to run and hug her tight but my feet stayed rooted at the spot , I waited there watching her from where I was until she stood up preparing to leave, then my feet moved by them own, I closely followed her, she seemed a bit absent-minded and inattentive of her surrounding, then a saw a motorbike coming from the back, horn beep could be heard loudly, but it seemed that she wasn’t alarmed a bit, I got panicky and ran to grabbed her arms

Hyomin was a bit frightened when she realized what just had happened.

“ Jiyeon?” Hyomin was surprised to see me, she then hugged.

“Are you alright?” I asked her worried, releasing the hug and checked on her, Hyomin smiled and nodded

“How you dare smiling like that you almost got hit” I lightly knocked on her forehead.

“I’m happy to see you” Hyomin smiled brightly

**************

 “Are you alright, you were spacing out” Jiyeon asked Hyomin while she was placing her hot chocolate on table. Hyomin and Jiyeon were having their cup of favorite drink at a café.

“Ah, I was just thinking of stuff and things, I’m having my final exam soon” Hyomin lied

“Please be more careful Hyomin ah, I may not be around all the time though how much I want it to” Jiyeon said . Hyomin didn’t say anything but taking a sip from her cup

“Hyomin ah” , Jiyeon reached for Hyomin hand, she felt a silver ring on her finger.

“ Jiyeon , I guess I have to get going now , Eunjung unnie might be waiting for me by now” Hyomin pretended to check her wristwatch

Jiyeon gave a bitter smile, it seemed like Hyomin intentionally mentioned Eunjung’s name to remind her of their status, it hurt her to death

 I’ll drive you home” Jiyeon offered .

 **************

“ Thank you Jiyeon ah , please drive safe ” Hyomin said as she was getting off the car , she waited until Jiyeon left. As soon as she reached her room, she let the tears she has been holding to run down her face. She knew how Jiyeon felt and it pained her heart to see those sad eyes, it was all because of her.

“ Jiyeon ah, please forgive me and let me go, don’t make it hard for me” Hyomin said crying, she knew her time was running out, Jiyeon deserved much better, she deserved happiness.

The harder she cried, the more her chest got tightened, she reached for her bag and searched for her medicine before gulfing them down.

“Out of all people, why me?” Hyomin whispered, blaming her fate, she was mentally and physically drained, and let sleep took over her.

****************

Eunjung’s POV

I came back home to find an empty quiet apartment, which I liked it least, Hyomin might leave for her university by now, I really couldn’t imagine this place without Hyomin, it wouldn’t be called “home” . I softly placed a banquet of flower on the table and walked straight to my room, I needed some rest to clear my mind out of this mess, then I saw Hyomin’s bedroom door was slightly opened so I aimed to close it but I was bewildered to Hyomin sleeping on her bed, I raised my eyebrow and entered the room to check on her

“ Hyomin ah, are you alright?” I softly called her, she slowly got up and looked at me, her eyes are swollen.

“What happened Hyomin ah” I asked her worriedly

 “Oh nothing, I guess I overslept, are you hungry unnie? Hyomin said, smiling. Her smile lifted my heavy heart.

I shook my head and hugged her “ Hyomin ah, I’m sorry” , I didn’t know why but I said those words, though the thing that happened between me and Qri unnie, it wasn’t meant to happen but deep inside of me, I feel guilty for Hyomin.

“For what unnie?”, Hyomin asked, a bit confused.

“For not being enough good lover to you” I said, but Hyomin shook her head against what I just said

“You are the most wonderful person, God has ever given to me” Hyomin said.

I could feel my cheeks were wet of those happy tear, I really couldn’t love you more Hyomin ah.

************

Few days later

Hyomin was walking out of her campus to be greeted by a woman in sunglass

 “ Hyomin ssi , may I talk to you for a while, it won’t take long” a woman lifted up her sunglass and asked Hyomin. Hyomin was reluctant at first but the other woman seemed no harm so she decided to follow her to her car. Once they got inside the car, Qri started her conversation

“My name is Lee Qri, I am one of Eunjung’s bosses” Qri introduced herself and Hyomin bowed her head to her.

“It’s nice to meet you Qri ssi” Hyomin said humbly.

“Ok, Hyomin ssi, I’ll get straight to the point” Qri said sternly and Hyomin listened to her carefully.

“I’d like you to stop your relationship with Eunjung” Qri said before taking out few photos from her purse giving to Hyomin.

Hyomin took them and looked at those photos; they were pictures of Eunjung and Qri lying in the bed together. Hyomin raised her eyebrow but tried to collect herself.

“Qri ssi, I don’t know what your real intention is, but if you want me to break up with Eunjung unnie, then I would say I can’t do that” Hyomin said calmly, she did really mean what she just said, she wouldn’t have the heart to break up or break the older woman’s heart unless Eunjung was the one who wanted that, then she would accept the older woman’s decision.

Qri tightened her jaw in anger, she underestimated the woman in front of her, she expected Hyomin to cry or get shock but those never happened.

“You are not innocent at all Hyomin ssi” Qri forced her laughter

“ If that’s all you wanted to talk then I would take my leave” Hyomin was about the open the door but Qri locked it.

“Then you leave me with no choice” Qri said and started the car’s engine , she pulled off the car hastily, Hyomin got frighten

  “What are you doing Qri ssi? Please stop the car” Hyomin said. Qri just laughed and sped up.

Jiyon’s POV

It was one of another day that I’ve kept following Hyomin, and looked after her from afar, that all I could do, I just needed to make sure that she was happy and safe.  I saw Hyomin bidding goodbye to her friend then a woman approached her, I could recognize that woman, she was a women who followed Eunjung unnie outside the café the day I fought with her, I felt something odds about this. Hyomin followed her to a car reluctantly and disappeared inside the car, I waited for a while, just then a car pulled off dangerously, I didn’t waste any second and stepped on accelerator to follow that car. The car was being drove in fast speed and swerving here and there, this was weird, my heart raced up as I sped up my car then the car turned the next right and proceeded to an alley, I didn’t care about the traffic , I couldn’t lose them.

My heart stopped when I saw the direction that the car was heading to, it was a wall blocked alley, and the car didn’t even stop but ran in full speed

“Noooooo” I shouted from my lung.

 In side Qri car

Hyomin was frighten, now she was sure that the woman beside her was not in her right mind, she drove dangerously and laughed like a sick person, her eyes were filled with furiousness.

“Please stop the car Qri ssi” Hyomin pleaded, scared.

“Now you’re scared huh?” Qri asked, mocking at her, “Sorry, but you were the one asking for it” she added, while driving in full speed to a wall blocked road

Hyomin closed her eyes and said “This won’t change a thing, Qri ssi and Eunjung unnie will never forgive you for doing this”

The next thing Hyomin heard was a loud screeching sound of the tires on the road, the impact of the sudden brake sent Hyomin’s head to hit the console, she opened her eyes to find the car was just few inches away from the brick wall.  Qri was trembling.

Jiyeon jumped from her car and ran to the front car, she frantically knocked on the car door, she saw Hyomin with her bleeding head , then the door was unlocked, Jiyeon flung the door opened and helped Hyomin getting off the car

“ Jiyeon ” Hyomin said and hugged her, they quickly left the car leaving Qri behind .

****************

Jiyeon brought Hyomin to her apartment after they went to hospital and Hyomin got stitches on her head, it was a minor open wound, but she seemed so lost from mental shock, Jiyeon didn’t want to leave Hyomin at Eunjung’s apartment alone.

“Hyomin ah, drink this and you’ll feel better” Jiyeon handed Hyomin a cup of hot coco

“Thank you” Hyomin took the cup to hold in her hands.

Jiyeon sat beside Hyomin, she wanted to ask the latter about what happened and who was that cruel woman, but she held it back seeing Hyomin wasn’t ready to talk. Hyomin looked around Jiyeon’s apartment, it was a monotone décor style, and it gave off a lonely feeling.

“I’m getting tired, Jiyeon” Hyomin said putting her head on Jiyeon’s shoulder ; Jiyeon knew what Hyomin meant, she wasn’t only physically tired but mental drained , however she just couldn’t figure it out what caused the latter to be so down.

“You can lean on me” Jiyeon tenderly rubbed Hyomin’s hand. Hyomin felt at ease on Jiyeon’s shoulder, and her husky voice was so relaxing that it calmed her to sleep.

“ Hyomin ah” Jiyeon called her softly but no response , it confirmed that she’s already fallen asleep. Jiyeon. Jiyeon reached for a pillow and slowly put on Hyomin’s head to make the latter sleep in more comfortably.

“ How can I leave you Hyomin ah?” Jiyeon whispered as she sat on the floor, beside the couch. Jiyeon bent over to kiss Hyomin’s on her lip.

“Good night my love” Jiyeon said with a bittersweet smile.

TO BE CONTINUED