"…He's already dead…"
And with that Rohanne stood up from her seat and left the set. Leaving the host and the other Guest dumbfounded.
With her hands in her pocket, she slowly walked out of the studio with her head bowed down. Not a single soul dared to talk to her as she exited the building. Not the staff or the other people who watched the episode.
She sat inside her car for a couple of minutes just staring at nothing, holding the steering wheel. She buried her head on the steering wheel as she recalled the things she did in the set…
'I walked out of a set… Damn'
It was a good thing that the show was almost over that time.
'I just need to apologize to the staff and the director later for walking out…'
She lift her head up and was about to start her car when she heard her phone ringing. It was an unregistered number so she was hesitant to answer…
'But what if it's important?'
She was still a bit hesitant but she still answered.
"Hello?"
"Rohanne?"
A while ago all Rohanne can feel was guilt and devastation engulfing her body during the debate, she may look like she's all cocky and confident but as they continue the conversation she was like slapped right in the face
'Seungjae is dead and I can't do something about it…'
"Hey Sejeong…"
It may be weird, but Sejeong makes her comfortable and at ease. It's like she was someone who's always there for her, whatever happens. Even though the latter was kind of harsh with her, whenever they have a 'Drinking Session' she feels refreshed. Sejeong is the only person she can confide to, not even Seju, not even Jin-Ae; Sejeong was the only person. It's like they have a secret connection.
"What happened? You just walked out of the set? I—" Sejeong paused for a hot second which made Rohanne confused "I mean we were so worried about you!"
As Rohanne held her phone close to her ears, she felt tears slowly run down on her cheek
"Hey are you still there?"
With a bitter smile plastered on her face, she immediately ended the call, Sejeong was still saying something but she doesn't care. She tossed her phone on the passenger seat and drove like a mad man, with only one destination in her mind.
===
Seju can't help but worry for Rohanne, she was on night shift today and she can't check on Rohanne.
"…rk!"
'Where the hell is she? She didn't even drop by here…'
"Dr. Park!" Soah exclaimed as she held Seju by her coat to stop her from walking
"Woah!"
"You were walking towards the window Dr. Park"
"A-Ah… Thanks Soah"
"Are you sure you're okay Dr. Park? I could tell Dr. Choi that you're not feeling well to let you go home and rest"
"N-No I'm fine! I was just dazing earlier! But I'm fine now!"
She said as she walked away from Soah to do her rounds.
'I need to get it together'
While she was watching the show earlier she saw how Rohanne's expression turned from confident to gloomy, like she was telling all her claims with the thought of doing those for her best friend and lover. But Seju was wondering…
'Does she like someone right now?'
The thought of Rohanne liking someone was haunting her; a heavy feeling was engulfing her body with just the thought.
'Why am I worried about who she likes? It's her life and I don't have anything to do with it'
She shook the thought out of her head and proceeded to do her work like she always does… Well that's what she thought, she was still bothered by the thought of Rohanne liking someone and thinking about Rohanne with another person doesn't sit right with her.
'Damn it… She's driving me insane'
===
Sejeong was watching a Drama that was recommended by one of her friends; that's what she usually do when she has the day off, laze around and watch Dramas, it's her guilty pleasure.
She was still worried about Rohanne, they were in the middle of a call when the latter just suddenly dropped the call, of course it would made anyone worry. She kept trying to reach Rohanne but the latter turned off her phone, so she just decided to just check on Rohanne the next day.
Comfortably sitting on the couch, she was watching the drama while eating some Ramyeon, when suddenly there was a power outage.
"Damn! It was getting into the good part!"
She screamed, but her rage can't do anything about the power outage, so she just stood up from her comfortable couch and went to the balcony. She leaned on the railings as she count the stars in the sky, she remembered the first 'drinking session' she had with Rohanne back at the hospital.
She chuckled at the thought and continued counting the stars
"Twinkle, Twinkle little star~" She sang as she points to the stars one by one.
"How I wonder what you are~"
She continued singing while still counting the stars, when suddenly she heard her phone ring. She immediately went inside her unit to pick her phone up. She didn't even bother to look at the caller ID she just picked it up without knowing who it was.
"Hey…"
Just from the voice Sejeong knew who it was. The person she was unexpectedly falling for.
She didn't fall for Rohanne at first sight. In fact she hated the woman's guts, just walking up on them telling them that she's going to operate on a patient cockily, she snapped. If it weren't for Seju and the teenage girl that time she would've kicked Rohanne out of the hospital.
She hated the blonde woman… Well that's what she thought. But she just hate the fact the woman reminded her of Yeonhwa, she already told herself not to think about that woman but whenever she sees Rohanne she's constantly reminded that she once had fell in love with the ice-cold president when she was in middle school. And she can't really deny the resemblance of Yeonhwa and Rohanne. Not only in their appearances but also their habits. Making Sejeong more drawn to Rohanne.
She constantly found herself watching the blonde woman from a distance. Little did she know is that she was slowly falling for Rohanne.
"Rohanne?"
"I'm outside your apartment…"
Sejeong's eyes turned saucers.
"What?! Are you for real?! It's 2 am Rohanne!"
"Yeah I know it's 2, I'm well aware…" Sejeong was still not moving from her position she was just standing there processing the things she just heard "Can you open the door I'm afraid a ghost might come at me it's already witching hour. It's too dark here Sejeong, too dark" Rohanne pleadingly said, over the phone.
Sejeong immediately opened the door and saw Rohanne holding 2 plastic bags of food and her phone in between her shoulder and ears, the flashlight still open.
"What the hell are you doing here? And how did you know where I live?" Sejeong asked, staring at the woman in front of her.
"If you really wanna know why don't you let me in?"
Sejeong snapped out of it and took one of the plastic bags Rohanne was holding
"What? Are you a vampire you can't come in unless you're invited?" Sejeong said as she urges Rohanne to come in to her unit, well her and Seju's Unit.
"You read too much fiction novels" Rohanne retorted as she enters the unit.
Sejeong placed the plastic bag on the center table and sat on the couch comfortably.
"I didn't. Anyway what are you doing here? And how did you know my address"
"I just missed seeing you" Rohanne said teasingly
Sejeong on the other hand felt her heart flutter, even if it was meant as a joke, she can't deny the effect of those words to her.
"What the hell, why are you being cheesy?" She retorted, but if the lights were on, Rohanne would probably see how red she was.
"Nah, I'm just kidding, I'm here coz I wanted to have some drinks with you" Rohanne said as she placed the plastic bag she was holding on to the center table as well. "And I asked Soah for your address, she said she lives in the same apartment complex"
"I see, and you know I do—"
"I know, I know, you don't drink alcoholic beverages so I brought these" Rohanne took out the drinks from the plastic bag one by one and placed it on the table "these are different flavored milk. We have chocolate milk, banana mi…"
Rohanne's voice slowly faded in Sejeong's ears as she looked at the woman, the moonlight illuminating the beauty beside her.
"Sejeong?"
She was snapped back from her daze when the figure she was admiring stared back at her.
"Huh?"
"What flavor do you want?" Rohanne asked looking at her straight in the eye
"Chocolate" She plainly answered
"You sure love Chocolates, don't you?" Rohanne chuckled as she hand the chocolate milk drink to Sejeong. The latter stood up and went to the balcony.
She once again looked up at the sky and saw more stars than earlier. Rohanne got herself a drink too and followed Sejeong to the balcony. They were standing there side by side leaning in the railings looking up at the sky
"Yeah, how about you?"
"I don't eat chocolates"
"You're weird, everyone likes chocolates"
"I just said I don't eat chocolates, I didn't say I don't like it"
"What? if you don't eat chocolates that means that you don't like it"
"Then why would I drink that chocolate drink you bought me last time?"
Sejeong paused and smiled
"Fair point" She said and chuckled
They both stayed silent as they watched the moon that was hiding behind the clouds show itself.
"The moon… looks beautiful tonight…" Rohanne said as she stares at the full moon.
The hidden meaning behind those words… Sejeong knows it, but she knows that those words aren't meant for her. It was for another person.
She looked at Rohanne who was smiling while staring at the moon and stared back at the sky.
"When I was in Canada, whenever I missed that person, I would look at the moon at night. Then I would close my eyes, and somehow, I can feel that, that person was just beside me."
Rohanne still remained looking at the moon, while Sejeong was just listening to her. This was the first time Rohanne spoke about herself, whenever they're 'Drinking' they only sit and stare at nothingness, just each other's presence would suffice.
"And when I came back to Korea and saw that person again, striving. I felt guilty for leaving without saying anything, and then coming back like nothing happened"
"Why don't you find someone else?"
"It's not that easy you know… especially if that person really has that effect in you"
"Then why don't you try to talk to that person and see if they still remember you."
Rohanne chuckled as she remembered how Seju would kill her with her own two hands if Seju knew.
"Have you ever been in love?"
Sejeong looked at Rohanne the latter did the same and now they're looking at each other.
"Yes, I do believe I have been in love. Have you?"
Rohanne smiled as she rested her chin on her right hand, her left hand still holding the carton of milk
"Yes, In fact I am still in love…"
Sejeong just looked at Rohanne; the latter just smiled bitterly as she closed her eyes.
"I've been in love with the same person for 10 years now…"
Sejeong remained silent. She just stared at Rohanne; she can feel pain, love, and sincerity all at the same time
"Since middle school, all I can see was that person. And that person alone…"
"What happened?"
Rohanne laughed bitterly
"It was one-sided; she was already in love with someone else. I wasn't really inside the picture at all. I didn't matter, I was the third wheel. My feelings didn't matter to that person at all"
"You know…"Sejeong started, she turned around and sat on the floor, Rohanne just looked at her and followed suit.
"That person is stupid…" She blatantly said "I mean you're already close to perfection, what else do they need? If I were that person I would fucking grab the opportunity to date you" Rohanne looked at her with a laugh "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"really tho? you would date me?" Rohanne asked in a playful yet curious manner
"Well If I were her, I will, but unfortunately for you, I wasn't her. I'm me."
"You lost me…" Rohanne let out a laugh with Sejeong's analogy
"I mean look at you. You have the money, the face, the career, the attitude. What more can you give?"
Rohanne just laughed
"So you're saying that I'm awesome?"
"I'm not saying your awesome! Your ego really hits the ozone layer doesn't it?" Sejeong looked at Rohanne with disapproving look "I'm just stating facts here"
"Facts don't matter if the person you like doesn't see you in their radar at all" Rohanne chuckled
That statement made Sejeong pause, it was true, even though you're beautiful or rich, or even successful, if the person you like doesn't see you at all, you can show off all you want but the fact still remains that the person you like won't like you back just because of those things.
Sejeong chuckled
"True, True… Even if you tried so hard if that person isn't looking at you then all your efforts are just for naught"
"Yeah…"
They fell silent just looking at the nothingness like they always did when they both drink.
"You know, I think we're both meant to be third wheels"
"What?"
"I mean, you're third wheeling with another love story and I did the same before, we're both third wheels"
Rohanne just looked at Sejeong who was smiling at her thought process
"We're like the second lead in novels…"
Rohanne was lost in thought as she watch Sejeong smile while speaking, this was the first time she saw the latter smile like that.
"You're beautiful when you smile"
Sejeong suddenly stopped speaking and looked at Rohanne who was staring at her.
"Wha-What?"
"I said you're beautiful! I'm not saying it the third time!" Rohanne said as she chuckles "It was the first time I saw you smile genuinely. You always look so grumpy and intimidating..." Rohanne paused and then looked at Sejeong "Smiling suits you"
'This damned woman…'
"I know, that's why I don't smile that often" Sejeong said proudly, but deep down her heart was already doing a somersault. She looked at Rohanne again and saw that the blonde woman was still looking at her "Don't stare at me too much you might fall for me"
"If I did fall, would you catch me?" Rohanne asked while looking at Sejeong with a smirk painted in her lips
"Wha—I— Are you drunk on Milk?" Sejeong asked as she looked at Rohanne with a raised brow
"I was just joking! Just joking!" Rohanne was heartily laughing and Sejeong was just looking at her with her mouth hanging open.
"Fuck you!"
Sejeong smacked Rohanne's shoulder nonstop as the latter was still laughing.
"Oh god… that expression was priceless!" Rohanne managed to say in between her laughs
They stayed in the balcony talking about random stuff that comes into topic until the sun rises. They were both laughing nonstop when they realized that the sun has risen and they were still talking about random stuff.
"Damn It. I have forgotten the drama I was watching"
Rohanne just chuckled at Sejeong who sounded so regretful for not watching her Drama when the power returned.
"Wow you really regret spending time with me huh?"
Sejeong just looked at her teasingly and smiled. She didn't answer Rohanne's question which left the latter wondering.
"Oh and by the way you still owe me lunch" Sejeong suddenly said while she was fixing the mess they made
"I owe you what?" Rohanne asked in confusion, she doesn't remember owing Sejeong something
"Lunch"
"Huh? When?"
Sejeong just raised a brow threatening Rohanne. The latter tried hard to recall anything and as if a light bulb just lit up over her head
"Ah! That time!"
"Are we thinking about the same thing?" Sejeong asked making sure that they have the same thing in mind
"You mean the time where I dumped my work onto you?" Rohanne said, not so sure about her memory.
"Yeah, that."
"Sure I'll treat you to lunch tomorrow! We have the same shift right?"
"Yeah. Don't bail on me tomorrow!"
"I won't! I keep promises!"
Sejeong walked Rohanne up to the latter's car and bid her goodbye.
===
Seju's shift was already over. She was expecting Rohanne to be early like the latter always was, but today, Rohanne was late. She tried waiting for Rohanne for a few more minutes but 30 minutes has passed but there's still no Rohanne, so she just decided to go home.
'Maybe the thing yesterday was still bugging her'
She tried calling Rohanne during her breaks but the latter's phone just kept ringing and ringing, no one was answering the phone, so she just left a voice message.
While she was parking her car, she saw two familiar figure walking towards a familiar car
"Sejeong and… Rohanne?"
She felt a sharp pang in her chest as she saw the two laughing. It was the same when she saw them in the convenience store before.
She stayed in her car hiding and watched as Rohanne stepped in her car and bid Sejeong goodbye. She made sure that when Rohanne passed her car she wasn't visible.
'What was Rohanne doing here?'
She took a peek if Sejeong already went up and saw that there were no other people in the parking lot
She felt a heavy feeling in her chest as she thought of Rohanne and Sejeong's relationship.
'Are they dating?'
She looked at her phone when she felt a buzz from it. It was a message from Rohanne
From: Dr. Baek
Sorry If I wasn't able to answer your calls I was doing something important last night.
'Something important…'
She was feeling something in her chest. It was a weird feeling that she can't explain.
And she doesn't like it…