I'm Fine, Thank You

The End

She refuses to say what it is until Risae follows her into the hospital room. Risae thinks she knows what it is, but she also doesn't think it will work.

"Try lying down," Eunbi says. "Lie on top of your body in the same position."

"I think I saw that in a movie once," Risae says. She doesn't add that it didn't work in the movie and obediently lies down.

She doesn't feel anything. It seems the connection between her soul and body is severed. A shadow of panic flashes through her as she wonders if she'll be like this forever, wandering the hospital all alone, unseen by anyone except Eunbi. And considering the way Eunbi keeps flickering, she can't possibly stay with Risae much longer.

Risae sits up, leaving her body lying where it is. "It doesn't work."

"Maybe your body needs to heal some more," Eunbi says thoughtfully.

"I guess all I can do is wait," Risae says, not adding that she feels a sort of finality to the broken connection. "What-what about you?"

"I'll wait until..." Eunbi trails off, looking down the hallway again.

Risae takes her hand and squeezes it. They sit in silence. Time passes, but there's both the sense of stopped time and of eons passing. Risae feels she can see constellations shifting, the phases of the moon, a succession of sunrises and sunsets.

Finally she stands up, unable to bear it. "Let's play ping pong."

"But we don't have-oh!" Understanding brightens Eunbi's face so she looks more like herself, even as she becomes more transparent.

They stand across from each other, and Risae serves the imaginary ball, providing sound effects with her tongue and avidly following its invisible path with her eyes. The two of them laugh as they play their game, and everything is as it's supposed to be.

But then the ground rises up to meet Risae. Eunbi rushes to her side and crouches beside her. Sitting up, Risae rubs her chest and takes deep, shuddering breaths, trying to stabilize her body's breathing.

Risae's vision is hazy. She swallows hard. Getting up isn't quite as easy this time. Somehow even htough she feels the physical effect on her body, she is also surer than ever than she and her body are completely different entities now.

Eunbi sits on the floor with her back against the wall, and Risae lays her head in Eunbi's lap, closing her eyes.

"Unnie," Eunbi says after awhile, her voice choked. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't think I can stay any longer."

Risae pushes herself up although her entire spirit aches now. Eunbi is nearly transparent.

"Please don't go. You can't leave me."

"I'm sorry, I don't think I have a choice." The outline of Eunbi gets to her feet, and Risae thinks she sees tears in Eunbi's eyes.

"But I do." Risae realizes. With a sudden surge of energy, she stands. "I'm coming with you, Eunbi-ya."

Eunbi shakes her head. "You still have a chance. I have to protect you."

"I want to protect you too. We can only protect each other if we're together," Risae says. "You're my best friend and my sister."

"I can't let you give up," Eunbi says.

"I don't want to be alone, invisible to everyone else," Risae says with some desperation now. "I'd rather come with you."

Eunbi is almost gone now, but she holds out her hand. Risae takes it and holds on tight, Eunbi suddenly looking bright and sharp and normal again. Now Risae sees the brilliance Eunbi has been looking at this entire time. They walk down the seemingly endless hallway, stopping and looking back.

"Saranghae, Umma, Ashley, Juni, Sojungie," Risae says softly.

Then Eunbi and Risae smile at each other before they step forward into the brilliance together.