The Close Strangers

t h i r t y

"Joohyun-ah just texted me," Yoona explains furthermore, "She said Yerimmie went back to Korea without telling her first."

Minhee gasps as she covers her mouth with her hand, "Wait, so do you mean she— she ran away?"

Yoona nods in response, "She kind of did, I guess. Joohyunnie said Yerimmie must have packed her stuff when both of her parents were not home."

"Her mother had to take care of something about the divorce and her father was in his own apartment."

"When she's back at the house, Yerimmie was not there. She thought Yerimmie went to met her high school friends, but then, around 11 pm last night, Yerimmie texted her, informing that she's currently at the airport and will take a flight to Korea in about half an hour."

Everyone makes an o-shaped mouth unconsciously, never expecting Yerim to do something like that. She's not that brave, they thought.

She must have been shocked and stressed out to go home just to find out that her parents are getting a divorce. But, really — no one will ever think Yerim can go this far.

"Then, where is she now?" Lee Chang Wook asks, meanwhile, Mark is already taking steps away from where his family are gathering, currently calling Yerim.

He keeps walking back and forth, stealing his family's attention.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm calling Yerimmie."

It takes three attempts of calling for Mark to finally give up and call Hyewon instead. Yerim is moving to Hyewon's dorm, so that means, she'll go there once she's arrived back in Korea.

Yerim must have arrived a couple of hours ago.

"What are you doing now?" Marcella asks one more time.

"I'm calling Wonnie," Mark replies, still going back and forth.

Minhee suddenly groans, "Can't you stop moving? You're making me anx—"

"WONNIE-YA?" Mark ignores Minhee once he hears Hyewon greets him.

"What's up?" Hyewon asks since this moment — when Mark calls her personally out of nowhere in the middle of a long break — is so rare to happen.

Mark finally stops walking, focusing himself on the girl who's in the line with him.

"Are you with Yerimmie?" He asks right to the point.

"Me— wait, why should I be with her now?" Hyewon asks back.

"Uh?" Mark raises his eyebrows, taking a glance to his family that is still watching him just like before, "You don't know that she's back in Korea?"

"OH, IS SHE? I thought she'll be back once the summer break ends. I guess she changed the plan?" Hyewon responds, still sounds really clueless about what is happening now.

Mark guesses Yerim was really running away from her home. It all shows on how Hyewon — the one who's starting to live with her now — still has no idea about that.

"But, anyway, what makes you think she's with me now? I mean, if she's back in Korea, then she must be in your house."

Mark becomes so confused to the point that he frowns really hard. He has no idea how his family is anticipating the result of his phone call. He assumes Hyewon is playing around right now, so he chuckles nervously, trying to calm himself down as he continues.