Eunjung reached out her hand to touch Hyomin’s red face where she just slapped her, tear that just stopped, was flowing again, she hated herself for being like this, she was too shocked to take the news, she couldn’t accept the fact that Hyomin, the woman she loved the most was dying. When she heard Hyomin cheerful voice and all smiling when she was back, she couldn’t take it anymore, she rented out her frustration and anger on the younger woman, and now she was overwhelmingly feeling guilty for hurting her.

“ Hyomin ah, I’m sorry” Eunjung apologized

“ I deserved it” Hyomin said, “ I should be the one to apologize for hiding things from you, and let you know from other people, I’m sorry for keep disappointing you” Hyomin continued.

“No, you don’t ” Eunjung shook her head

“If I were you, I would feel the same” Hyomin said; She put herself in Eunjung’s position, if it was her to find out that someone she loved was dying she wouldn’t be able to take it too, she might be shocked and reacted worse than Eunjung unnie.

 “Unnie, can you promise me one thing?” Hyomin said holding Eunjung’s hand.

“What is it?” Eunjung was curious

“When I’m gone, promise me to live happily for me” Hyomin said

“Don’t you say that Hyomin” Eunjung wiped away her tear.

“Please unnie, I love you and I don’t want to see you sad” Hyomin said

“ Hyomin, you are so cruel” Eunjung took Hyomin into her embrace , “ How can I do that Hyomin ah , I can’t live without you”  Eunjung thought

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

Hyomin woke up in the morning, surprised to see Jiyeon in her apron cooking while Eunjung was setting table

“Good morning sleepy-head, go wash, we will have breakfast soon” Eunjung told Hyomin as she was busy wiping spoons and forks

“I’m making your favorite dish, if you are slow, then I bet Eunjung unnie will eat them all” Jiyeon teased before going to stir the food in saucepan

Hyomin was still standing there trying to comprehend what was going on, Eunjung noticed that she walked closer to Hyomin and pinched her cheek

“Ouch, it hurts unnie” Hyomin winced

“I just make sure for you that you are not dreaming, so now go wash” Eunjung slowly pushed Hyomin’s back to bedroom, and went back to wipe the dishes.

Flashback

Last night Eunjung couldn’t sleep, she was thinking hard what to do, and how to help the younger woman, she was going crazy and she needed someone to talk to, then Jiyeon popped up in her mind, she tried calling her number in case she wasn’t sleeping, Jiyeon answered right away, and she sounded awake.

“ Eunjung unnie , anything happens, is Hyomin alright?” Jiyeon shot the answer, alarmingly

“ Jiyeon, I need to talk to you about Hyomin” Eunjung said

“Tell me what happen to her, did you hurt?” Jiyeon asked quickly

 “ No, no she is sleeping now” Eunjung said “ However, you know about Hyomin’s condition , don’t you? Eunjung tentatively asked

“I just found out recently about her heart disease, why? ” Jiyeon felt there was something in Eunjung’s tone

 “ Hyomin had less than three months to live if she didn’t get a heart transplanted, we need to help her” Eunjung’s voice cracked , she heard nothing from the end line for a long moment , she knew Jiyeon would find it hard to take this

“ I’ll try each and every possible way I can, meanwhile we need to make her happy” Jiyeon finally said , which it surprised Eunjung of how calm and composed Jiyeon took the news

“ Jiyeon, don’t you get shocked ?” Eunjung asked, puzzled.

“ I would be lying if I said I didn’t , unnie, but at this time we need to stay strong for her, I believe Hyomin will be alright” Jiyeon said.

Then Eunjung realized there was no point off holding guts against each other when both of them love the same person, and the most important thing now was to make Hyomin happy, she even admired how the youngest woman’s way to cope problem, she might be wrong about this kid.

End of Flashback

Hyomin walked out from her bedroom fresh and bright, she was all smiling to see these two people helping each other for breakfast

“Let’s eat now, I’m hungry” Jiyeon said

“How was your trip?” Eunjung started the conversation

“It was fun, Hyomin ate all the time” Jiyeon said, laughing.

 “Stop it Jiyeon, you were the one stopping at very food and sweet stand” Hyomin bickered

“But, you tasted everything” Jiyeon didn’t give up

“I wish I could go too” Eunjung joined

“The city was really beautiful, unnie” Hyomin told Eunjung.

“Don’t make me envy” Eunjung said to Hyomin

“Oh, I got you something from Japan” Hyomin said and went to her room to take a small paper bag.

“Wow, thank you Hyomin ah” Eunjung said admiring her new wallet.

 “The one you were using was so old and torn so I want to give you a new one” Hyomin said

“Thank you Hyomin ah, I love it” Eunjung said delightfully.

“By the way, how was your business trip Eunjung unnie?” Jiyeon asked, chewing rice.

“It went well, we got a new business partnership and due to this successful negotiation, I was awarded with extra couple days off from work”

“That’s a good news” Jiyeon said

 “I’m proud of you unnie” Hyomin said smiling.

“Since you are free why don’t we go somewhere together?” Jiyeon suggested

 “That’s a good idea” Hyomin added

“But I have to return to work tomorrow night so I can’t make it to somewhere far” Eunjung said

“Let’s go to the beach and have good seafood restaurant” Jiyeon suggested the idea

 “Ah, that would make it” Eunjung said

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

Three of them were on Jiyeon’s car heading to a beach after breakfast. Jiyeon was driving while Eunjung sat on the passenger seat next to her and Hyomin sat on the back passenger seat. They were chatting along the way with random things. Hyomin could never be happier, Eunjung and Jiyeon would childishly bickering time to time but it was fine for her, she loved to see them this way, it reminded her of their childhood memory at the orphanage home. Just two hours of driving, they finally arrived at the beach.

Three of them were walking on the beach, with Hyomin in the middle hugging Eunjung’s and Jiyeon’s arms from each side until they found a nice spot to sit on the sand, they sat there inhaling fresh air into their lungs.

“Let’s go to a seafood restaurant” Jiyeon broke the silence

“Jiyeon, didn’t we just have a huge breakfast?” Eunjung asked raising her brow

“I’m hungry now and I know Hyomin also gets hungry right?” Jiyeon looked for help

“She is an eating monster unnie” Hyomin said laughing

“You are not helping it, Hyomin” Jiyeon looked at her, pouted

“Ok, Ok , let’s go I’m hungry” Hyomin said

Jiyeon helped pulling Hyomin’s left hand while Eunjung was pulling her right hand, they walked together to a restaurant. They enjoyed seafood and a little strolling along the beach till the sunset.

On the way back, Eunjung switched to drive and let Jiyeon rest. When they arrived in front of the apartment, they found that Hyomin was already asleep.

“Will you stay over Jiyeon?” Eunjung asked Jiyeon

“I’ll just drive home, and come back tomorrow morning” Jiyeon said

 “Ok, drive safe, thank you for today Jiyeon” Eunjung said before opening the back seat door to carry Hyomin

“Thank to you too Eunjung unnie” Jiyeon said, they both knew what they meant.

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

Next day Eunjung and Jiyeon accompanied Hyomin to hospital for doing a medical check-up, her condition was stable but still they couldn’t find a donator that could match with hers, and her time was running out.

Eunjung was so stressful and depressed while Jiyeon was not much better, while they were alone waiting for Hyomin, Eunjung had a open talk with Jiyeon

“ Jiyeon, did it ever cross your mind that may be one of us shall donate our heart to Hyomin? Eunjung asked audibly

“Yes, I did” Jiyeon said firmly, Eunjung looked at Jiyeon didn’t believe her ear

“ But when I thought it over, and considered how Hyomin would feel when she woke up after a heart surgery to find out that one of us donated our heart to let her live, she would be devastated and living the rest of her life with guilt, it would be like an empty shell without the soul, I’m sure you or me would be happy to see her that way” Jiyeon reasoned and once again Eunjung was surprised to see this grown up Jiyeon.

“ Believe me unnie, I was living all my past ten years of life like an empty shell before and I knew how it was like, if I could turn back time I would stay and go through everything with you guys, instead of living a good life there alone.” Jiyeon said giving a bitter smile.

“ Stay faithful and pray Eunjung unnie” Jiyeon said quietly

 Eunjung reached out to embrace Jiyeon’s shoulder, she understood everything Jiyeon said and how she felt. Hyomin was walking toward Eunjung and Jiyeon, she smiled upon the sight, if she had to leave this world, she wished her two beloved people still be there for each other until they found their own happiness.

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

“Please unnie, please let me go there just once” Hyomin was shaking Eunjung’s hand pleading her.

“It’s not a nice place, Hyomin ah, and I’m sure you won’t like it” Eunjung reasoned

“I just want to see the place that my Eunjung unnie has been working everyday” Hyomin pouted

“Fine, but you have to leave early, and Jiyeon has to accompany you” Eunjung couldn’t never resist Hyomin’s pout

“No problem” Jiyeon called from the kitchen as she was doing dishes.

“You are the best unnie”, Hyomin said and hugged Eunjung, the older woman could only messed up her hair adorably.

Jiyeon just smiled along, this was not time to be selfish or getting jealous, she knew Hyomin felt for the older woman not more than sister and she felt secured in Hyomin’s love.

Jiyeon would drop at Eunjung’s apartment whenever she could and hanged out with them until Eunjung left for work, and sometimes she would stay overnight at Eunjung’s place. She started taking Hyomin out for her freelance ( photo-shoot ) job, and Hyomin seemed to enjoy to be tagged along. 

It wasn’t was like Hyomin really wanted to go there for fun, she could imagine how the pub would look like but she just wanted to know how Eunjung did every night, working to support her all these years, she wished she could live longer to work and make Eunjung proud of her as the way she was always proud of Eunjung.

When night came, Eunjung drove to her work with Hyomin and Jiyeon followed them on her car, when they entered the pub, Eunjung led them to a reserved zone

“Are you ok?” Eunjung asked Hyomin when she saw the younger woman scrunched up her nose 

“Yeah yeah, I am fine, just not used to smell” Hyomin smiled,

“See, I told you, you wouldn’t like it” Eunjung wasn’t sure if she made the right decision to allow her to come here

 “Don’t worry unnie, I’m fine” Hyomin reassured.

“Eunjung unnie, just go to work, we will be here for a while and then I’ll take her home” Jiyeon said

“Ok, take care kids, and only non-alcohol drink is allowed for you Hyomin ah” Eunjung gave instruction before leaving them to check around pub and off to her office.

“You know Eunjung unnie has always worked hard to give me everything” Hyomin said “But I could never thank her enough” She added sadly

“I don’t think Eunjung unnie needs you to repay or do anything for her either, Hyomin ah” Jiyeon said, caressing Hyomin’s hand making her feel better. 

“She looks more serious in working mode” Hyomin said, looking at Eunjung’s direction.

“Yeah” Jiyeon agreed.

They stayed there for a bit longer before making a phone call to Eunjung to let her know that they were leaving.

“ Jiyeon, I’ll need to go to WC first” Hyomin said and got off the chair

“I’ll go with you” Jiyeon said

“No, it’s fine, it will be only few minutes, just wait Eunjung unnie here, she’s coming”

 “Ok, then” Jiyeon agreed.

When Hyomin left for her business, Eunjung arrived at their table, and looked for Hyomin

“Where is Hyomin?” Eunjung asked

“She went to WC, I needed to accompany her but she insisted that I should wait for you here” Jiyeon explained.

“Ok, I see” Eunjung said

“When she comes back, we will leave here and drop Hyomin off” Jiyeon said

“Just stay over at my place Jiyeon, make sure Hyomin is ok” Eunjung said putting her hand on Jiyeon’s shoulder

“Arraso” Jiyeon smiled.

They were chatting while waiting for Hyomin to return but still she didn’t show up after ten minutes.

“I’ll go to check on her, give me call if she’s back here” Jiyeon couldn’t any longer and left

Jiyeon went inside to check the nearest WC, there were few people inside but no sight of Hyomin, she walked to a further WC at another corner but nobody was inside, she dialed Hyomin’s phone number, it was ringing but no answer, she walked closer to a toilet unit, the ringtone was getting louder and louder, she pushed the toilet door to find Hyomin’s handbag left there, her heart dropped, she took the handbag and called Eunjung phone’s number.

“Eunjung unnie, did Hyomin go back there?” Jiyeon asked hurriedly

“Not yet, you didn’t find her?” Eunjung asked, alerted.

“I found her bag left in toilet unit but she was nowhere to be found” Jiyeon said quickly.

Eunjung hastily walked pass crowd of people to look for Hyomin, but she couldn’t find her, while Jiyeon was frantically calling her name. Jiyeon and Eunjung were dead worried now.

 Just then Jang Woo, Eunjung’s assistant approached her, looking alarmed.

“Eunjung ssi, I saw Qri ssi and her two guards taking a lady out through the back door” Jang Woo informed her

Eunjung and Jiyeon widened their eyes, looking at each other.

My story almost comes to an end now, ending chapter will be updated soon, I promise not to keep you guys waiting for long . Thank you my dear readers, and thank you for all comments. Big hugs to you.