Strangers with Benefits (Minji and Yoohyeon)-Jiyoo

12

Two weeks later my phone rang. I didn't understand why Minji was calling. I stared at the phone screen, hesitatingly holding my finger to the call accept key. Okay, I'm still wondering what she wanted from me.

- Hello? - my voice sounds hoarse and I'm ready to kick myself for it.

- Hello. Yoohyeon, do you have time?

- Well yes. Something happened? - Minji voice sounds strange. And if I didn't know her enough, I would think she was worried. But she never worries. She just doesn't know how, I think.

-Remember that hospital parking lot?

-Yes- I still don't get.

- Can you drive up there?

I look at my watch. Six pm Saturday. What the heck?

- What for?

-God, just do it.- The familiar displeased note.

- Minji something happened? Do you need help? - I am ready to ask her questions for hours, if it brings at least some clarity.

- Just get in your damn car and get there.

- I'm not going anywhere if you talk to me like that. -damn, I don't sleep with her anymore, so I don't have to endure that attitude. I was not obliged before, of course, but for some reason I tolerated it.

- Okay, I'm sorry, - sighs, - will you come or not? I will explain everything to you here on the spot.

The phone almost falls out of my hands. "Sorry" ?! From Minji?! I look at the screen again to make sure I'm talking to her. No, that's right. This is her number. It's strange.

- Okay. I'll be there in half an hour - I want to hit myself for this weakness, but still agree. In the end, I'll probably be able to keep myself in check and not do something that I'll regret for a long time. At least I hope so.

"Great," she says

And I get in the car and drive to where we last met. Minji stands by her car with her back on it. Arms folded over chest, brow furrowed. I park next to her and open the door. I go over and exhale quietly. I haven't seen her for too long not to react at all. And she is too beautiful....

"Hi," I still don't understand what I'm doing here, but I take a moment to admire her.

- Hello. Let's go to.

Minji straightens up and walks towards the main entrance to the hospital. I follow her in confusion.

- Where are we going? Why are we here? Minji are ill? - questions are pouring out of me, but I can't do anything about it.

She doesn't answer, and in a couple of minutes we are in a spacious white room. Minji walks to the machine, takes out two pairs of shoe covers, then goes to the reception, talks about something with a gray-haired granny in a snow-white robe and returns to me.

- Put on, - she hands me shoe covers.

I silently follow the instructions and, putting on shoe covers over my sneakers, I get up and look at Minji questioningly.

She doesn't say a word, and I don't even know how to ask what the hell we forgot here.

We go along a long corridor past many rooms with patients. Apparently traumatology. Because it's full of people with bandaged heads and broken limbs. We reach the so-called "rest room". A small extension of the corridor with a long sofa and a couple of armchairs. And by the window on the bedside table there is a wide TV. Several people are watching some kind of program, talking quietly, several are playing cards, chess and checkers at small tables placed against the wall. It is surprising that all the furniture, and indeed the condition of the hospital itself, is very good. Everyone is accustomed to seeing tattered walls, sofas, as if from a trash heap, and black and white TVs, which even the homeless will refuse. But here is not, everything is clean, beautiful and quite expensive. Maybe some special department? For the rich there, for example. I continue to look around and follow Minji. Probably the girls' department, because I don't see a single person who looks even remotely like a man.

She knocks lightly, rather for show, and opens the door. And then Minji face lights up with a sincere smile. And I generally cease to understand what is happening.

- Hi, little girl, - she smiles at someone inside the room and opens the door wider. Then Minji turns to me. - Come in.

I obediently go inside and see a girl. About twenty-two years old. The same black dark hair. She has a cast on her leg.

"Hi," she has a low voice and looks at me inquisitively, but kindly.

- Hi, - I nod and move my gaze to Minji.

- This is my sister Siyeon. This is Yoohyeon. My ... friend, - Minji makes a noticeable pause, and I want to laugh. I certainly wouldn't call myself a friend.

- Hi Yoohyeon. Nice name, - she smiles, and I recognize this smile.

"Thanks," I nod again.

- Siyeon is our hero-lover. She had a fight protecting a girl, and now she has been resting here for a week.

- Oh really? I raise my eyebrows in surprise.

-I'm fine. Almost healthy already. By the way, the girl comes to me almost every day and the girl is so cute and smol.

For the first time I see Minji kind. She doesn't want to offend or hurt Siyeon rather, it is the older sister's usual mockery of her younger sister.

- Leave me alone, crazy, - Siyeon laughs, - buy me some water, please. I lost my game to the kid from the room across the street.

- You haven't lost anything else?

-My honor and dignity are with me.- Siyeon smiles and brushes her hair from her forehead.

- Okay, I'll be right back.

Minji goes out the door, and we are left alone. And I don't know if I need to say something or if I can sit in silence.

- Have you been friends for a long time? - Siyeon decides to be the first to break the silence.

- We? With Minji? -I guess, she hears the emotion in my voice.

- Well, yes, - the girl looks at me as intently as she always does.

- Well ... - I'm trying to come up with something I don't want tell her the whole truth. - A few months.

-I've never seen Minji's friends. -Siyeon admits.

- Really?

- Yes. Well, since we moved

- Have you moved? - are they not from here?

- Well yes. Minji didn't tell you? - even if I had not seen her face, I would have understood that Siyeon was surprised.

- Honestly, Minji didn't mention it somehow, - I put on a smile. What can I say? Sorry girl, your sister and I only fucked for a few months, but we went to a movie once and for dinner. And I don't know nothing anymore.

- Interesting friendship, - Siyeon mutters and, luckily for me, the door opens and Minji comes in.

- I took water and juice. If you want to.

"Thank you," Siyeon smiles and looks at Minji with absolutely honest and sincere love. With dedication, respect and trust. I guess I look at her the same way. Therefore, I deliberately lower my eyes so that no one can see this. It's useless.

We spend more than an hour in the hospital, and it's already quite dark outside, even though it's only eight in the evening.

-I didn't think they were letting in visitors so late. -I notice as we descend the massive steps from the main entrance door.

- Well, when you regularly transfer a round of money to the hospital's account, you can demand some privileges, - she calmly answers, - for example, a separate ward or a visit outside of office hours.

- Wait, - I stop in the middle of the parking lot, - are you sponsoring the hospital?

- Well, not really me, but I have something to do with this.

Minji walks over to her car and freezes with her back to me.

"I was nineteen when my parents died.

.....