“Finally.” Jessica grunted after she used the stairs up to the fourth floor. For the past two days, seems like she’s playing hide and seek with Yuri, who never talked to her. She patted the tan intern’s shoulder. “Are you hiding from me?”
“…”
The blonde heaved a deep sigh. “What? You don’t know me now? Speak!
Stop the games Yuri. Come on.”
“You never called nor messaged me.” Yuri replied.
“So that’s what this is about?! And woah there, I did message you. Liar.”
Jessica crossed her arms over her chest.
“You didn’t! I waited for you.” Yuri sulked.
Jessica rolled her eyes in defeat.
March 19, 2013 LAX, Los Angeles
Jessica went out from the cab. “Ugh. Should’ve been brought here by my cousin. That little rascal!” she hissed. The taxi driver opened the
compartment and took out her luggage.
“How long did you stay here, ma’am?”
“A few days.” Jessica replied coolly.
The driver looked at her with eyes wide. He took out three huge bags and a small box.
“What?” Jessica growled.
“Nothing, ma’am. Take care.”
And the cab sprung away. Jessica delved into her bag to check her phone for any calls or emails. She looked at the side pockets, none. She searched inside, none. She got frustrated and took out everything from her handbag.
No phone.
“Oh what the?!” she held her head with her two hands. “Seriously? Now?!”
---“That happened?” Yuri asked eyes wide.
“Yes. That happened.” Jessica answered, her voice is rising.
“Really? You honestly thought I’m gonna believe that?”
“Oh come on! Look at this, this my new phone. I bought one when I get back to Korea.” She took her phone out and showed it to the other girl. “Luckily I saved your email on my PM list. And look, I emailed you like a lot of times.”
Yuri looked at the screen of the phone. It did show Jessica’s email and sent items. Ten messages were sent six months ago, then another five for the succeeding months. She laughed when she returned the phone.
“What’s so funny?” Jessica hissed.
“[email protected]? Seriously?”
“What? That’s what you saved on my phone. I copied it. Stop laughing! It’s not funny.” Jessica fussed.
Yuri caught her breath before she finally spoke. “It should be yurikwon1989.”
Jessica looked at her sent emails. And she laughed too. “Such a stupid mistake.”
“I know.” Yuri smiled. “Then why did you go here?”
“Just because-” Jessica couldn’t think of any reason.
Yuri raised her brows. “Go on.”
“I just needed a break from work and-”
“Okay, that’s it. I’m sorry I saved the wrong email. I’m sorry I thought you intended to fool me. And yeah, I waited for your call. I was frustrated. I planned to go to Korea once I finish my last year here.”
“Why are you planning to go there?” Jessica gently asked.
“I needed a break too.” The tan girl smiled mischievously.
“Kidding aside, I felt like I left something here.”
“Me too. I felt like I needed to find something in Korea.” Yuri couldn’t fight the butterflies in her belly, having Jessica with her at the moment. “Our start ended soon. So let’s do it again. Hi, I’m Yuri Kwon, a medical intern. And you?”
Jessica scoffed. “Really?”
Yuri raised her hand for a hand shake.
“I’m Jessica Jung. A fashion designer.”
“Wanna grab lunch, Jessica?”
The blonde took Yuri’s hand and they went down at the cafeteria. Both of them were happy. If Jessica didn’t decide to go to California herself, both of them could’ve been believed the wrong idea. Yuri on the other hand, thought Jessica played with her. And that she was a fool to believe they could be close friends.
After they ordered, they sat down, both beaming.
“How was Taeyeon?”Jessica chewed a spoon of veggies.
Yuri thought for a while. “Fine, I guess. She just came back a few days ago.”
The blonde stopped eating. “Came back?”
“Yeah. She took a three-month leave. She also took her qualifying exams on her sub specialty and she aced it, which is really cool.” Yuri pompously spoke of her idol.
“I should congratulate her then.” Jessica smiled. “So she took a break to review?”
“Uh, no. Actually, after Mr Song’s death, she changed. Like a lot. The old Kim Taeyeon just vanished.” The tan intern shook her head at the unsightly
memory. “She has become arrogant, distant and cold. She never gave
chances to patients anymore like she used to. It’s good she decided to have that leave. I finally enjoy a decent sleep when she got back, I was worried!”
Jessica laughed at how exaggerated Yuri acted. “Don’t over react Yuri. But whatever she did on that vacation, it was good for her.”
“Hm. How about Ms Hwang?” Yuri asked.
“She’s been doing well too. Like me, she took a leave from work, which is also good. For the first two months, oh my God. She’s like a zombie. She’s lifeless. It was like déjà vu. She’s that lifeless when she and Taeyeon broke up.”
The tan girl dropped her spoon together with her jaw. “So you mean,
they were together? And then Ms. Tiffany’s fiancé got into an accident and they took him here, to be treated by Dr. Kim? Woah, that’s quite
complicated.”
“Yeah.” Jessica reached out for Yuri’s face. She pushed the tan girl’s jaw up.
“And stop exaggerating, please.”
“Oh poor Dr. Kim. She tried to treat the fiancé of the love of her life.”
“What? Love of her life?”
“Dr. Kim never had any relationships when she got here. A bunch of guys, and even girls in and outside the hospital asked her out. And she rejected all of them. If there’s a heartthrob here, she’s the one. Not me.”
Jessica got interested in what Yuri just said. “Then what else did she do here?
She left Tiffany in Korea. Just, broke up with her and poof! She’s gone.”
“Studied and focused on her career, I guess. She always looked at the same picture every day. I never saw who’s at the photo though. It has a T. at the back. So maybe, it’s T for Tiffany?” Yuri creased her forehead. “All these years. Omo. When she saw Ms Hwang with Mr Song, that must’ve been hurt a lot.”
Jessica on the other hand only nodded.
---Yuri and Jessica were talking animatedly at the nurse’s station in that fine morning. Jessica bought a cup of coffee and a sandwich for Yuri, which the latter accepted gratefully.
“Thank you.”
“Sure. Eat more.”
“You look cute today. I like your shirt and jeans.”
Jessica blushed.
Taeyeon was passing by again and she saw a glimpse of the tan and the blonde girl.
“You two. Stop. Don’t you dare walk out on me again.” Taeyeon threatened behind Jessica. Yuri’s mouth was agape. “Jung, turn around and face me.”
The latter slowly turned around.
“Stay right there.” Taeyeon walked pass Jessica and whispered at Yuri. “I thought you said you don’t know her. Then why are you flirting inside my hospital?”
“Dr. Kim, it was mistake.” In which she earned a snicker from Taeyeon.
“Hey, what are you two mumbling about?” Jessica asked.
“Nothing. Doctor stuff.” Taeyeon nonchalantly replied. “Dr. Kwon?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“How’s the patient from room 07?”
“07, 07. Wait.” Yuri looked at Jessica who’s also waiting for her. “The uh- she was breathing fine.”
“And?”
“And then she uh- her stool- she then uhm vomit- over her bladder-” she paused. “That didn’t sound right.”
Jessica and Taeyeon laughed. “Try again next time, Yuri.”
“Sica, coffee?” Taeyeon offered.
“Sure.”
“Review you patients, Kwon. And stop flirting!” Taeyeon laughed.
“Bye, see you later.” The blonde smiled at Yuri.
Yuri face palmed as soon as the two left.
---“Congratulations on your exams. Yuri told me about that.” Jessica took a bite from her croissant.
“You call each other on first name basis now?” Taeyeon smiled playfully which progressed to a laugh.
The blonde glared at the doctor.
“Well, thanks.” Taeyeon nonchalantly replied after Jessica shot daggers on her through those scary eyes.
“How are you?”
“I’m fine. Getting back on my feet again.” She sipped her coffee. “And you?”
“Are you not gonna ask about Tiffany?” The latter changed the subject.
Taaeyeon shook her head.
“Why? Don’t you wanna know about her? Or see her?”
“Let’s leave everything from behind. The last time I saw her, everything literally went wrong. Maybe we shouldn’t see each other anymore.” Taeyeon sounded like she meant what she said, to convince herself that it was true.
But deep in her heart, she yearns to see Tiffany. She looked at her watch. “I have an appointment today. Don’t wanna be late. Thanks for the time. Are you staying here for long? Let’s go out some time.”
“Yes, sure. Take care.”
The other girl took her satchel and put some cash on the table. “On me.”
Jessica watched Taeyeon as went out the cafeteria. She dialled a number on her phone. With a single ring, the person on the other line answered. “Sica?”
“Yah, Yuri. Come down at the cafeteria. Now. No excuses.”
---“Kids! Careful at going down the stairs. Don’t run!” Candace and Carina’s mother yelled from the kitchen.
“Yes mommy!” the girls slowed down.
“Is she there yet?” Carina asked Candace.
“Nope, her car’s not yet around.”
“Dr. Taetae swore she won’t be late.” Carina sulked.
“She won’t.”
The girls closed their windows and helped their mommy prepare lunch. It was Sunday and they expect to spend the meal with Taeyeon. They never saw the doctor after their father’s surgery. And now the family’s excited to see her.
“Beep! Beep!” a car honked from outside.
“Yay! Dr. Taetae’s here!” the two girls jolted out of the house to welcome Taeyeon.
Their father went for the door to help the girl get out. The two kids stop at the sight of her. Both of them smiled. “Hi!”
“Hello. How are you?”