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"I'm so sorry," the girl in the doorway whispers. "So, so sorry." She's the spitting image of Jeong-Soon, tall and willowy and pale. The same soft, brown eyes peer out from her face. If it weren't for the delicate lines hemming her face and the cascade of tangled, undyed hair, spilling down her back in an inky waterfall, they could have passed as twins.
The Sister.
"What?" Jeong-Soon tears his burning gaze off Gregory, who's almost relieved for the distraction. His cheeks are hot, and he feels nothing but embarrassment---confusion and embarrassment, masked over with rage. Embarrassment at having Jeong-Soon rescue him. Confusion at Jeong-Soon's apparent cluelessness of the texts. Rage at himself for always getting into situations like these.
"I'm sorry." The Sister is fidgeting now, shifting from one leg to the other, fingers tugging at her hands nervously. "I didn't mean---I just wanted to help---"
"Si-Young." Jeong-Soon's voice is quiet, but not with the pianissimo touch of his usual serenity. He speaks with the calm before the storm, a man possessed with a deadly mix of ice and fire. The warm brown in his eyes has muddied, and Gregory can almost feel the chill in the air. "What did you do?"
"I thought it would---you looked so---"
"What did you do?" Jeong-Soon screams, arching up from his spot besides the bed in a move so fluid that Gregory instinctively recoils. Then his eyes clear, no longer mud and broken glass, but the rich, comforting brown of hot chocolate and gingerbread. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have---"
"I was the one who blocked him," the Sister blurts, and any sympathy Gregory may have even thought of having for her instantly dissipates, replaced by anger. Red-hot, burning anger.
"You what?" Gregory shouts, instantly lunging off the bed at the Sister. Something in his chest cracks, and he can't help the pained wheeze that escapes his mouth, instantly reminded of all his injuries. His entire face throbs, and his body feels like it's been set on fire. He's acutely aware of Jeong-Soon's long fingers closing around his bruised wrists gently, dragging him back onto the bed.
