De Novo

Chapter 44

Hyejin's intuition was correct. Something is clearly wrong with yongsun.

They invited her to dinner, but she declined, stating that she was not hungry and preferred to sleep. To begin with, that is obviously a lie, a blatant lie. She hasn't left her room in the entire day, which means she hasn't eaten anything. How could she not be hungry?

But, in order to respect her privacy, hyejin and wheein let her do whatever she wants. They didn't make her eat or come out and say anything. They waited, always waited.. just like the old time.

Though hyejin promised herself once tomorrow comes, whether yongsun likes it or not, she will force herself into her room and force her to speak. Yongsun keeps the problem to herself all the time, if it's always like that, she might not make it.

They can't always be this way. They're afraid that if they leave her there, alone and suffering, something bad might happen to their friend. That will be the very last thing they expected to see.

Exactly 7 in the morning hyejin was already preparing their breakfast. She made the food extra special, preparing yongsun's favorite dishes to lure out the woman in its cave. She hasn't eaten anything in the last 24 hours so hyejin knows she's hungry, and the aroma of her cooking isn't something yongsun can easily turn down.

She instructed wheein to assist her with the coffee while she finished the plating. Wheein immediately did as she was told, and when hyejin finished with yongsun's breakfast, she finished brewing the coffee as well.

They exchange glances, silently communicating through their eyes, before Hyejin lifts the plate and wheein with the mug. They both nodded like soldiers preparing for battle as they approached Yongsun's door, preparing to enter and knock.

"Yong? We made breakfast."

There was no response.

She's either sleeping or refusing to speak to them.

After a minute passed with no response, Hyejin knocked again, this time hitting the door harder and louder.

"Uhm, yong? This is just a hunch, but is there something wrong?" Hyejin wonders. She is aware that she is interfering with her friend's life, but the mere thought of Yongsun being in pain with no one to talk to hurts her as well.

"You've been there for a day. You don't go out and don't talk to us. I know it's none of our business, but we're your friends. Tell us what's bothering you. You know we always listen."

"Yes. If this is about Byul, tell us. We can kick her butt for you," Wheein says as they press their ears against the door, hoping to hear a response from the person inside.

But, as usual, there was no answer, and it started to get quite alarming.

"Yong?"

At this point, Hyejin's heart is already pounding inside her chest, and a slew of negative thoughts are racing through her mind. It's all not just any other negative thoughts, it's all the worst that could happen. She hurriedly took the key out of her pocket and inserted it into the doorknob, unconcerned about yongsun's resentment for invading her privacy.

When they opened the door, all they saw was an empty, cold room.

"She isn't here."

Hyejin states the obvious as she rushes to the restroom to see if Yongsun is there. She wasn't, as expected.

"What is it now, yongsun?" Wheein whispered.

Hyejin double-checked the bathroom, and when she was certain that no one was in there, she walked out, frustrated. She also looked under the bed hoping to see her there, but still, there was no sign of her.