'That song…'
Seju wanted to ask about the song. It was a foreign song that only a few people in korea know. So how, how did Rohanne know that song.
"Hey sorry about that it was kind of important, anyway let's check the other patients?"
The blonde woman took the charts from Seju and started to walk towards the patients.
'What was I thinking… I almost hugged her'
Rohanne was silently scolding herself, thinking of what might've happened if she hugged Seju.
Rohanne and Seju went back to doing their rounds and tending to people who comes and goes to the ER. It's not really a busy day, since there was no accident nearby so they just took it easy.
While they were both on break Rohanne was at it again; asking too much random questions that's not related to their work, rather it was too personal for Seju.
Normally, Seju was the talkative and cheerful one; she's the one who bugs Sejeong all the time during their shift. But it seems like the tables has turned now.
'Is this what Sejeong feels when she's with me? Now I feel bad...'
She pinched her nose bridge; Rohanne keeps babbling nonsense to her ears that it makes her want to just cut the latter's vocal chords.
They were in the Doctor's lounge waiting for their break to finish.
'Ugh she's the complete opposite of someone I know'
She leaned on her chair, crossed her arms and looked up at the ceiling.
'I wonder how she's doing right now. She's probably enjoying her life abroad'
She shut her eyes closed, her eyebrows furrowed as soon as she remembered how 'that' person didn't even say goodbye to her and didn't even had the guts to show up on their best friend's funeral.
'That bitch, she didn't even bid goodbye or even get in contact. I'll make sure to strangle and give her a good beating once I see her one of these days'
Seju's expression softened
'Will I ever get to see her again?'
Rohanne was looking at the woman in front of her with confusion.
'What is going on inside her head, looks like one of her veins are about to pop'
Out of concern, she stood up and leaned forward to Seju, using her index finger and thumb, she tried to straighten the latter's eyebrows.
As soon as Rohanne's fingers get in contact with Seju's brows the latter opened her eyes. Rohanne's face was a few inches away from hers.
'Too Close!'
She looked at Rohanne with shock, confusion and embarrassment.
"W-What are you doing?!"
When Rohanne realized that she was too close to Seju she sat back on her chair and just smiled, hiding her embarrassment.
"Ah, sorry if I startled you, I was just trying to straighten your brow… You'll get wrinkles at a young age if you always do that"
Rohanne explained with a smile on her face.
A memory flashed in Seju's head when she heard Rohanne's explanation
'Don't furrow your brows like that, you'll get wrinkles'
She remembered what that person used to say to her whenever she's furrowing her eyebrows
"Yeonhwa…" She mumbled
"I'm sorry were you saying something?"
"Nothing… Our break is almost over let's go back"
The blonde woman nodded and stood up from her chair; Seju also did the same and put on her coat. Rohanne lead the way while Seju was just following her behind.
While walking Seju was staring at Rohanne's back, she has been observing the latter, and all of her habits and even some of her features remind her of her best friend
'Same habits different personality… And compared to her this woman is kind of childish…'
She just shook her head and focused on her work
===
August 20, 2007
"Seju! Look Out!"
Seju who was dazing off didn't hear her classmate's warning, she just continued to stare off in the distance; more like staring at her crush.
Being a student with Asthma she's excused to every physically exhausting activity, like physical education, but she's not excused from the attendance.
As soon as Seju was snapped back to reality the ball was almost near her face, she just shut her eyes closed and waits for the ball to land on her face. Before the ball could land on her face someone from behind tugged her by the collar, she felt a body behind her.
"Ahck! That hurts!" She protested but the person who pulled her away was still not letting go of her collar.
When she opened her eyes she saw a pale forearm just a few inches away from her face.
"I had to pull you immediately"
A cold familiar voice spoke near Seju's ears; she looked up and saw her best friend, Yeonhwa. The woman behind her looked down at her and released her collar.
Seju was about to say something when her best friend spoke
"Airhead, be careful and don't stare too much at Seungjae, you always daze off. And you're welcome" As soon as she was finished speaking she turned around and went back to playing soccer with their classmates.
She locked her gaze on her best friend who was coolly playing soccer with their male classmates.
"She always cuts me off… And she never calls me by my name…"
"Who cuts you off?"
She heard a cheerful familiar voice beside her. She immediately knew who it was; Seungjae, one of her two best friends and her crush.
"Seungjae~ your best friend always cuts me off when I'm speaking" She said in a whiny and playful tone. "and she always calls me 'Airhead' is that how she treats her friends?" she crossed her arms and pouted acting all cutesy in front of her crush.
"She always cuts us off, and she never calls me by my name, she calls me 'idiot' we're in the same boat" he laughed at his nickname that was given by her best friend
"The last time i heard that she called us by our names was like 5 years ago? when we were still in primary school" Seju laughed
"bet she never calls us by our names because she probably forgot it." Seungjae replied and laughed
Seju felt her heart skip a beat when she heard the man beside her laugh.
It's not like she haven't heard him laugh all these years, but ever since she developed a crush on him, every little thing he does always makes her heart skip a beat.
Yeah, she knows that it's hard to fall in love with your best friend, but can you blame her? Seungjae was someone who knows how to take care of a woman and make them laugh.
"If that woman was born as a man she'll probably be super popular among the girls here" Seungjae commented as the two of them watch their best friend dominates the soccer field.
"She's actually quite popular among the girls… Look" Seju replied and pointed out the girls watching from their classrooms, cheering and fangirling for Yeonhwa. "She's also popular among the boys"
"Wow, Ms. Student Council president is so popular, didn't know that being workaholic and studious are attractive!" Seungjae purposely said that out loud to tease Yeonhwa, but the latter was unbothered, she was focused on playing.
"You're also quite popular, you know"
Seju can't help but feel a bit jealous on how the other girls just freely confess their feelings for her best friend. She too wants to say what she truly feels but she doesn't want to risk their friendship.
"I know" Seungjae said feeling proud of his so-called achievement "Well It's a given since I'm part of the Basketball team"
"SON SEUNGJAE! GET BACK HERE!"
"Ugh, I was taking a quick break!" Seungjae clicked his tongue but still, he stood up and excused himself "I have to get going Seju, I'll see you later!"
"Sure, Hwaiting!" She cheered
After their Physical Education class, school is already over, Seju immediately went straight to the student council office after homeroom to nag Yeonhwa to walk home with her.
She was about to enter the office when she heard people talking inside the office.
She opened the door slightly to peek, only to see a girl standing in front of Yeonhwa holding a box of chocolates and a letter.
'Oh my, someone's confessing'
She watched as the girl confesses to her best friend.
"I… I really like you Yeonhwa! Please take this chocolate" The girl said and offered the chocolates in her hands along with the letter.
'hoho~ guess I'll be teasing someone later~'
Seju thought that she was watching some kind of teen romance movie, expecting that Yeonhwa would accept the chocolates and have a love life after the confession, but her fantasies were quickly shattered into pieces when she heard the next words that came out of her best friend's lips.
"I don't eat chocolates…" Yeonhwa coldly replied that made the girl in front of her flinch.
The girl slowly withdrew her hands and stood straight while looking down on her feet
'Did she just…'
"I-is that so? I'm sorry I didn't know…"
"I'll be blunt miss. And to make this conversation short I'll be direct to the point" She paused for a second and then continued "I'm not interested"
The girl's shoulders fell and tears were starting to well up in her eyes.
"Ah… I'm sorry"
"If you don't have anything more to say you can go, I still have more stuff to do"
'What the hell?!'
"I u-understand, I'm sorry for taking up your time"
The girl turned her back from Yeonhwa, who was standing in front of her desk. Seju who was hiding behind the door was surprised when the girl suddenly opened the door, crying. She locked her gaze at the girl who was crying.
She gritted her teeth and furrowed her eyebrows. She stormed towards Yeonhwa and as soon as she was at arm's length from her, she slapped her.
The thunderous sound of her hands landing on Yeonhwa's cheek echoed inside the quiet office.
"You monster! I thought you were a warm-hearted person on the inside but you're nothing but Ice Cold"
Yeonhwa just stayed silent.
"If you don't have any speck of interest in her you should've worded it nicer not like that! you were just outright being rude! You—"
"Then what do you want me to do?" Yeonhwa snapped "Tell her that I like her back? Either way she'll get hurt. It doesn't matter if I worded it nicely or not. You're just being Immature."
"You—"
"And why are you getting angry? Are you the one that got rejected by me?" The taller girl was starting to raise her voice, slightly getting irritated by the woman in front of her.
"I'm getting angry at you because you're being heartless!"
'Me, Heartless?'
"I'm lecturing you because you're my friend but I didn't know that you were that cold-hearted" Seju coldly said and then turned her back at Yeonhwa.
As she walked out of the office she bumped into someone
"Woah… Seju?"
It was Seungjae but she didn't notice that it was him; she just continued walking and headed somewhere.
Seungjae thought that she was about to go home so he just let her be and entered the Student council Office, as soon as he entered he saw Yeonhwa with a bruise on her face and forearm
"What the?! What happened to you?!"
"Nothing happened I'm fine, just go after Seju. She's probably at the rooftop"
"What?! You need to get that treated Yeonhwa! I'm taking you to the Infirmary!"
"I said I'm fine Seungjae… I can handle myself"
"But…"
"Just go after her…"
Seungjae was torn but he saw how determined Yeonhwa was, so he did as he was told, he ran after Seju.
"Hah~ damn, that airhead is strong…"
She poked her left cheek that Seju slapped.
"Ow!" She flinched as soon as her fingers made contact with her skin.
She went to the infirmary to ask for Ice and went back to the Student council office to finish her paper works. but her mind is going off somewhere.
While she was doing her paper works she remembered what Seju said
"Heartless…"
She chuckled mournfully and then sighed, she brushed her hair to the side using her fingers, and stared at the papers scattered on her desk.
'If only she knew why I rejected that girl…'
She smiled bitterly as she continued to do her paperwork, distracting herself from the image of the raging woman.
A few days passed and Seju didn't see Yeonhwa at school, she tried peeking at the Student Council office where the latter usually is, but she didn't see her there, instead she saw the vice president doing the paper works in Yeonhwa's stead.
She was feeling a bit guilty at what she did to Yeonhwa, and wanted to apologize but the latter was nowhere to be found in school for the past few days, and she doesn't know where to find her.
Later that day she heard that Yeonhwa personally apologized to the girl she rejected, after their fight and she was admitted at the hospital the day after their small quarrel.
===
September 27, 2007
The loud cries of Seju's family were drowned out by the sound of the heavy rain. It was her father's funeral; she was known as the closest child to her father, she's often called 'Daddy's girl' by her siblings but she was the only one who isn't crying. Maybe because she's the oldest daughter and she has to set an example for her younger siblings or she just can't let the others see her vulnerable side. No one around her knows.
After a few moments of mourning and talking, the close friends and families that came, eventually leave. And their family was the only one left…
She felt a hand resting on her shoulders. It was her mother
"Seju, honey… We need to go…"
"Just… a few more minutes mom…"
With a sigh her mom and her siblings left her alone, they left an umbrella with her but she didn't use it. She was already soaking wet but she doesn't have any ounce of strength to carry the umbrella in her hands.
Minutes have passed and there she was. Still staring at her father's grave. wet from the rain.
The droplets of rain weren't hitting her anymore she thought that maybe it was her mother...
"Airhead…"
As soon as she heard that cold familiar voice, she felt at ease, she felt a warm feeling in her heart and in her body. The person she trusts the most, the person she always confides with. She can't help but cry in front of that person.
She started to softly sob.
"You're soaking wet, you'll catch a cold"
She didn't move from her position she just continued to cry herself out, not minding the person behind her.
"Seju…"
She looked up at Yeonhwa as soon as she heard her name, Even though it sounds cold Seju can feel the sincerity and concern in her best friend's voice. It was written all over her face that she cares deeply for the crying girl.
Yeonhwa knelt behind Seju letting go of the umbrella she was holding and hugged the crying girl tightly. They're now both wet from the rain but Yeonhwa doesn't mind one bit.
Seju felt warm in her best friend's arms. It was warmer than anything else she had ever held. She felt happy at the same time, her best friend that's not fond of skinship just hugged her tightly.
"Just let it all out…"
The barely audible sobs of Seju were now getting louder and louder drowning out the sound of the rain.
"I'll be here to wipe all your tears…"
===
"... rk"
'I wonder how she's doing...'
"... Seju"
She snapped her head towards the person who called her, it sounded like Yeonhwa was calling her name.
Rohanne was looking at her with a concerned face.
"Sorry you were saying?"
"Are you okay?"
"Huh? I'm fine"
"Are you sure? you look pale" Rohanne really looked worried for her so she smiled and assured the woman that she's fine to go ahead
".. So you were saying?"
"I was asking about the patient in Rm. 1004" Rohanne said while looking at the clipboard she was holding
"Ah..."
She told the details of the patient while they were walking in the hall.
During their afternoon rounds Rohanne was unexpectedly quiet, she wasn't asking questions after questions and was just focused on her work.
Seju grew curious about the blonde's behavior, so she kept her eye on her and observed her, as the hours pass by she see more and more habits of Yeonhwa in Rohanne.
After their rounds they decided to go back to the Doctor's lounge since there's no patient in the ER yet.
They were just sitting across one another, Rohanne busy looking at her phone, and Seju just staring at Rohanne.
She can't help but see some kind of resemblance of Yeonhwa in Rohanne's face. She then found herself asking a random question to Rohanne.
"What do you prefer rainy days or sunny days?" Seju suddenly asked out of nowhere
Rohanne chuckles "What's with the random question?" She asked as she turns to see Seju's reaction
"What? you can ask random questions and I can't?" Seju quirked a brow that made Rohanne laugh.
The sight of Rohanne laughing made her heart thump, but she just shrugged it off.
"Rainy days" Rohanne answered while still smiling
Seju just looked at Rohanne with a questioning look
"Why rainy days?" Seju asked nonchalantly
"Rainy days reminds me of someone."
She just looked at Rohanne with confusion all over her face
"Why? is there a problem with rainy days?" Rohanned smiled as she quirked a brow, looking at Seju, but the latter just smiled, remembering a memory of her best friend.
"Nothing. I guess we both like it then" She said and smiled.