The Hidden Treasure

~8~

Hyejin yawned as she picked up her phone that was lit up with messages from her friend.

Megan: "I CANNOT BELIEVE I WILL SEE YOU IN TWO DAYS!"

Megan: "Are you ready for this? You better get ready! ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ "

Megan: "I have my food request list all ready to go. Just plan on gaining weight while I'm there, okay? I fully intend to binge."

Megan: "Are you still working? COME TALK TO MEEEEEE! ಥ_ಥ "

Hyejin: "You are so persistent."

Megan: "AH! You answered! I'm so excited to see you! *\(^o^)/*"

Hyejin: "I'm excited to see you too! All packed?"

Megan: "I've been packed for days now. Just waiting for a plane and permission to board. Are you picking me up or do you want me to take a cab?"

Hyejin: "No! No! I'll pick you up! Don't even dream of a taxi. ಠ_ಠ"

Megan: "Don't use that sassy face with me, young lady."

Hyejin: "I'll use whatever face I want to use. ᕕ(ಠ_ಠ)ᕗ "

Megan: "Oh yeah? So this is how you want to play, huh? Yeah, okay, you win. I got nothing."

Hyejin: "*\(^o^)/*"

Megan: "Stop celebrating. You're such a putz. Hmph. Go to bed. I'm flying out tomorrow afternoon. Prepare thyself."

Hyejin: "Wow, with language like that, I'm so shocked that you haven't found a man yet."

Megan: "What you talkin' about? ლ(ಠ_ಠლ) Look who's talking? You are the pure embodiment of the proverbial librarian spinster."

Hyejin: "You've cut me to the heart. I don't think I'll be able to recover to pick you up from the airport. Go sell a kidney tonight so you can afford the cab fare when you get here."

Megan: "Already sold one just so I could some see your sorry carcass."

Hyejin: "I'm so honored. (ಥ﹏ಥ)"

Megan: "You're so extra. Love your face! See you soon!"

Hyejin: "Can't wait!"

Hyejin laid down her phone and stretched out on her bed. Her apartment was lonely, but at least it was hers. Jinjoo had offered for her to live with her, but Hyejin knew she would need her own space and privacy, if not now, then definitely later. So, after college, she had found a reasonably priced apartment and moved in.

She looked over to the family portrait hanging on the wall. She and her parents had been so happy. Their death still hurt her heart.

"Auntie Jinjoo, where are they? I need to see my mom and dad!" Hyejin had ran into the hospital with the school counsellor on her heels. Jinjoo grabbed the young girl by the shoulders and wrapped her in a tight hug, refusing to let her go.

"Auntie, please. Let me see them. I need to know they're okay." Hyejin whimpered and her voice cracked.

"Hyejinah, they're...they're not okay." Jinjoo saw no sense in sugar coating the fact that the girl's parents were both deceased, laying on cold tables in the hospital's morgue until their only child could come and identify them and say a final goodbye.