Sugar

3 - Friendship & Siblings

  Third Person PoV
 
  "Lucia- I couldn't help but notice how different you are from your usual self. Is something the matter? Who knows, I might know how to help." Nicole said while lying sideways as she watched Lucia getting ready for a bath.
 
  Lucia sighed before she explained what was currently happening in her family.
 
  "I see- how much is the debt?"
 
  "Five hundred thousand." Nicole's eyes widen.
 
  "That much?! I could help you by paying it off, but I didn't expect it to be more than my monthly expenses! But I can ask for my parents' help if you want." Lucia shakes her head no.
 
  "It's alright. My family will somehow get through this. There's nothing we can't do together, right!" Nicole hummed.
 
  "That's true, but there must be a timeline for the payments to be made, right? I wish I could help you." Nicole continued to think of a way while Lucia went to the bathroom. While Nicole was immersed in finding a way to help her friend, Lucia's little sister suddenly walks past the room and was surprised to see someone in her sister's room
 
  "Are you my sister's friend?" Nicole smiled before introducing herself.
 
  "Oh- my name is Karina. But, I never thought my sister would bring her friend home. She doesn't even have any, to begin with. Are you from the same university?" Nicole smiled while nodding her head.
 
  "Then you must be one of those privileged people. Are you rich? If yes, how does it feel to live without worrying about anything?" Nicole finds it amusing to hear Karina's questions.
 
  "That would be a misunderstanding. Who says that we rich people don't have any problems? Isn't that a bit too bold? Of course, we have our problems. But we were taught never to show it because showing any sign of weakness is never good for our image." Karina raised an eyebrow.
 
  "Really? Then is it alright for you to be here? Our house is ready as luxurious as yours." Nicole chuckled.
 
  "You're right, but it's richer than mine in family bonding. My family doesn't care other than making a lot of money. My parents said they're doing their best to provide me with anything, but it's not what I want. I want them to care." Karina shakes her head.
 
  "You realize how lucky you are—being born into a good family with no money problem. I couldn't even go on a school trip because my parents couldn't afford it. But it's okay; I understand why." Lucia walked back to her room from the bathroom when she saw Karina talking to Nicole.
 
  "Oh- a school trip? Where to?" Lucia stopped her sister from saying anything.
 
  "Stop! Don't tell her anything. This woman will hand her own money so that you can go on your trip. Don't trust her, Karina." Karina's eyes lit up.
 
  "Really? You'll pay for my trip?" Nicole nodded as she walked back to the room to get her handbag.
 
  "Come on, Lucy- let your sister have the time of her life. I can't help you with the debt, but at least I can help your sister with her trip expenses." Lucia shakes her head no because she doesn't want others to think of her as someone who uses her friend's money.
 
  "What?! Why not?" Karin asked while sulking.
 
  "Karina, that's enough. There will be other trips. I'm sure."
 
  "But I'm a senior now! Why can't I be happy like other kids because our dead grandpa forced us to pay for his debt?! This is not fair, Lucy!" Lucia was about to yell back when she realized her friend was there.
 
  "Hey! I don't want you two to fight over it. Lucy, I am sincere. Treat it as a gift from me for letting me stay for the night. It was only a couple of hundred dollars. No big deal." Lucia decided to give up and let Nicole do whatever she wanted. Karina, who was in a bad mood for not being able to join her friends in the mountains, was happy when she received help from Nicole.
 
  "See, look at how happy she is. I am sincere, you know. You're like my first friend from the university. Everybody else likes to take advantage of me because of what my parents do. It's nice to have a real friend." Lucia smiled at Nicole.
 
  "Thank you, and I'm sorry that my sister acts like that. She's usually a nice person to be with. But after what happened, she begins to be rebellious for no reason." Lucia sighed as she picked some clothes to wear for bed.
 
  "Oh- do you need something comfortable to wear? I don't think you can sleep wearing a dress." Nicole nodded her head.
 
  "Well, if you don't mind." Lucia smiled before being handed a pair of pajamas.
 
  "It's been a while since I wore a pair of pajamas. It brings back memories of my childhood." Nicole chuckled before she started to strip her clothes off.
 
  "Whoa! At least wait for me to go outside." Nicole seems confused.
 
  "What's wrong? Have you never changed your clothes in front of others before? Besides, we're both women. Does it matter?" Lucia couldn't even retort back.
 
  "If you don't mind, I will have to borrow some clothes tomorrow too when we go to the university. You see, I was not prepared for the sleepover." Lucia chuckled.
 
  "If you don't mind wearing my clothes, be my guest," Lucia said while showing her closet.
 
  "Thank you." Nicole smiled as she grabbed a towel from the table.
 
  "I'm going to remove my makeup now. Where is the bathroom?" Lucia opens the door and shows her friend where the bathroom is.
 
  Lucia watched as Nicole disappeared into the bathroom before she went inside and wore her clothes. It didn't take long for Nicole to come back from the bathroom.
 
  "What? Is there something on my face?" Lucia shakes her head no.
 
  "You look even better without make-up. What's your secret?" Nicole laughed.
 
  "Really? I'm glad to know that. Also, there's no secret at all. It is all thanks to those Korean beauty products. It works like a miracle." Lucia couldn't hold herself from touching Nicole's cheek.
 
  "Maybe I should try their products as well." Nicole chucked.
 
 
 
  MEANWHILE,
 
 
  "Tiffany, if you're tired, you don't have to keep me company. I will eventually fall asleep myself." Tiffany smiled at her brother before messing up his hair.
 
  "Who told you that I'm tired? I'm fine. Anyway, how's the therapy? Have you made any sort of progress?" Thomas nodded his head.
 
  "I did! The therapist said my legs are not as stiff as they used to be. Perhaps I could use a cane to walk in the future, but it's too early to be happy." Tiffany smiled.
 
  "I'm happy to hear that. Hey, as long as you made some progress, that's all that matters. What about your fiancée? Did she call or text you back?" Thomas's expression changes when Tiffany mentions his fiancée.
 
  "Yuna went back to Korea. She didn't even bother to tell me. It was her mother who told me when she came to visit me a few days ago." Tiffany raised an eyebrow.
 
  "That woman didn't even bother to spare some time for you after the accident? The reason you're in such a situation was because of her! I-" Tiffany realized that she was raising her voice in front of her brother.
 
  "Tiff, it's not Yuna's fault that I was involved in the accident. It was my carelessness. I am alive- isn't that good enough?" Tiffany sighed mentally while smiling at her brother.
 
  "You're right. I'm sorry for raising my voice." Thomas waved his hand.
 
  "Anyway, do you know where mom went to? Is it an oversea trip?" Tiffany nodded.
 
  "If I'm not mistaken, mom went to Germany. She promises she won't be long, but you never know about business negotiation. Sometimes it takes more time than it should." Thomas sighed.
 
  "I see. What about you? Will you be going to Japan soon?" Tiffany nodded her head.
 
  "I'll be going to Japan next month for the new launch of our brand company. Why? Do you want me to get you something?" Thomas nodded.
 
  "Well, I will give you a list of things, and it should be alright." Tiffany chuckled.
 
  "Is it the toys you're collecting?" Thomas gasped.
 
  "Toys?! They are action figures! Not toys. Do toys cost a lot of money? No. Also, these figures are collector's items. Their prices will skyrocket in the future. You can treat them as an investment." Tiffany laughed at her brother, who defended his hobby like no tomorrow.
 
  "Geez. You don't have to be so overly protective. I was kidding around. Besides, I have my hobby." Thomas chuckled.
 
  "Collecting beautiful things? Tiff, sometimes I wonder if you're alright because the things you collect don't seem normal." Tiffany smiled.
 
  "What do you mean? The museum brings good money to me. Besides, it has a rare theme which intrigued its group of people that share the same passion as mine." Thomas sighed.
 
  "It's not the museum. I heard from Lia that you like to collect beautiful people too. Isn't that the same as human trafficking?" Tiffany laughed heartily.
 
  "Human trafficking? Thomas, is that how you view your older sister? I am hurt." Thomas watched his sister fake a cry.
 
  "Tiff, I know you. I'm not surprised if you are part of an underground organization. I don't understand how you continue to strike fear into others just by saying a few words. Even Yuna's family is afraid of you. The only reason why they didn't ask me to cancel the engagement is because of you." Tiffany chuckled.
 
  "What are you saying, Thomas? But since we're on the subject, are you going to continue your relationship with Yuna? As you can see, she hasn't visited you even once after your accident." Thomas sighed.
 
  "I love her, Tiff. How could I let her go? Yuna is everything to me, and I'll do anything for her." Tiffany sighed.
 
  "Even if Yuna dates another man while you're here, hoping that she would come back to you? Thomas, I never knew you would be this stupid." Thomas smiled before reaching out for something from his bedside table.
 
  "Could you do me a favor and ensure that Yuna is safe and sound in Korea? Also, please investigate if she has another man behind my back. Can you do that, Tiff?" Tiffany looks at the address and pictures that her brother gave him.
 
  "Are you sure about this? What do you want me to do after I find it out? Do I need to warn her to keep herself in check?" Thomas shakes his head no.
 
  "I will handle the rest. All you have to do is spy on her. There was something that Yuna's mom said to me that made me curious." Tiffany raised an eyebrow.
 
  "What did that woman say to you?" Thomas looked at his sister and said,
 
  "Yuna's mom asked me if we ever copulated before the accident. That question made me wonder if Yuna has a child right now." Tiffany sighed.
 
  "Let me guess; you two didn't?" Thomas nodded.
 
  "Even if we did, we always use protection. So please, Tiff. Find it out for me and protect her." Tiffany laughed while shaking her head no.
 
  "You're crazy, Thomas. Why would I protect a woman who hurt my brother?" Thomas smiled as he grabbed hold of Tiffany's hand.
 
  "Because I love her, Tiff. I want to make sure she's alright." Tiffany sighed.
 
  "You're an idiot for doing this. Love is stupid and what you're doing is stupid." Thomas smiled.
 
  "Love will make you do many crazy things. Even if things go south for our relationship, I will do whatever in my power to make her happy. We've known each other since we were ten years old. Of course, that feeling will linger." Tiffany nodded her head.
 
  "Find. I'll do what I can for you since you're my brother. But don't tell me to control myself because I won't do that." Thomas smiled.
 
  "Thank you, Tiff. I appreciate it."
 
 
 
  THE NEXT MORNING,
 
 
  "How do I look?" Lucia looks at Nicole from head to toe.
 
  "Are you sure those are my clothes? Because I don't think I looked like that when I wear them." Nicole chuckled before strutting forward.
 
  "I can make you look even better if you let me do something about your clothes and make-up. After all, you have such beautiful features yourself. It is a shame if you don't flaunt it as it should." Lucia took a step back when Nicole was about to grab her.
 
  "We're gonna be late." Nicole sighed.
 
  "Alright. Your brother must be waiting for us." Lucia watched as Nicole seemed to be nervous upon meeting her brother.
 
  "Are you nervous? Why? He's only my brother. If you're scared of him, I can ask my dad to send us to the university." Nicole shakes her head no.
 
  "I'm- I'm nervous because I don't know if I am presentable enough for him. I- I think I like your brother." Lucia couldn't believe what she heard from her friend.
 
  "Did you hit your head or something this morning? Oh no- is it because you ate something that I cook? I knew it! I shouldn't cook anything today." Nicole chuckled.
 
  "Hey! Your brother is quite a charming guy. It's just that his way of expressing himself is unlike others. But I like that side of him-  mysterious and always make me wonder what is he thinking." Lucia squinted her eyes as she listened to Nicole's reason for liking her brother.
 
  "I am speechless. I never thought someone would think of my brother like that. Let's go. James is waiting." Nicole looks at her reflection in the mirror before following Lucia out of the room.
 
  James smiled when he saw Nicole walk out of the house with his sister. Lucia looks at her brother with weird eyes before opening the door for Nicole.
 
  "What are you doing?" James shrugged his shoulder before smiling at his sister.
 
  "Don't get any strange ideas." James winked at his sister before getting into the driver's seat. Lucia sighed before getting into the car.
 
  "Ladies, seatbelt, please. Safety first." James smiled through the mirror as he looked at Nicole. Lucia watched as the atmosphere between her brother and Nicole changed drastically.
 
  "I hope I can answer the quiz today. I haven't studied at all." Lucia tried to make the situation less awkward for her.
 
  "Really? Me too. No wonder we're friends." Nicole chuckled.
 
  "Yea. It's a wonder that I even have a friend."