SOUR

'But if you're out there,'

milli.

I look back at Sunwoo. He's sitting at the edge of the grass field looking at the beach below, I bet he's playing a game on his phone.

Sora and I walk around the path surrounding the graveyard. There's a long silence, and I think that maybe we might never talk about what happened.

But then she takes a deep breath in and out and I prepare myself.

"...if I could take back that night I would." Sora says. "I just want you to know that while I was away I was not making excuses for myself. I fucked up, and I'm so sorry and you didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of whatever confusion I was going through."

I nod, because she's right, nobody would have deserved that, but I can tell there's more.

"I'm... I have something to say, and you don't have to answer because I don't want it to sound like I'm making excuses." She says slowly.

"Okay," I say with curiosity.

"I...I think-no, I know I like girls." Sora says, her voice is confident, like she's been practicing saying that. "I haven't told anyone yet because I kind of just figured it out."

My mouth opens, simply because I was not expecting her to say that.

"And this day is so not about me, I just thought maybe I'd help get some closure for you so you'd know for sure I-"

"Sora. I'm happy for you." I say, my smile isn't forced today. "Even if I were never going to forgive you and we were enemies, I'd still be happy for you and I want you to know that I'm really really proud of you."

Sora's tear brimmed eyes finally close with a sigh of relief and her cheeks become wet as she cries. I bring her closer and she cries on my shoulder for a short while, because Sora never cries.

Seeing her break down like this... it doesn't make me feel good, but it makes me know that she completely understands. She's been through things, and everyone makes mistakes when they're under pressure. I shouldn't treat her any differently than I would for someone else.

"You're the first and maybe the last person I'm telling." She says.

"Thank you for telling me," I add.

"Thank you for reacting like that," she sighs with relief. "I stayed with my parents at my house, and when I figured it out I hinted to them and th-they couldn't even respond. My dad looked so disgusted just at the thought so it terrified me from ever telling them."

"Oh, honey." I hug her again tightly because I know she needs it.

If ive learned anything from Sunwoo it's that I can't go around wondering why some kids don't appreciate their parents while they're still alive. Not all parents are perfect, or even close. The fact that Sora's might not ever accept her for who she is pains me. And I wish I could take some of that away from her.

"But anyway, today is your day, not mine." Sora says. "I'm sorry I'm such a selfish bitch, I'll try to do better from now on."

I let out a soft laugh and I shake my head. "I could never stay mad at you... but I have to ask why? Why did you do it in the first place."

Sora kicks a small rock in front of us. "It's embarrassing, actually that I'd just believe Mj like that over you."

"Hm?" I ask.

"He... he told me that you had cheated on him with Sunwoo, and that it had always been your motive to have him reject me so you could have him"

"What??" I gasp. "That's so... how could he even think that??"