A Day in Another World: Book Three

In Hye

I take the new medication I was given after that long doctor's appointment. The hospital doesn't change for me. It is still a terrifying place. But at least I got free healthcare because of my age and my condition. They said I was in a critical state, so my sisters don't have to worry about any of the costs since I'm under emergency medicare.

I was relieved to hear those news, but there was a pit in my stomach at his explanation to my sisters' relief. It's because I'm critical. Does that mean I could die at any given moment? My heart has betrayed me before. I hope it lets me enjoy some of this world before it decides to break on me again.

I close my eyes and wince at the uncomfortable feeling of those pills going down my throat. I open my eyes at the sound of the door opening. I smile at a new customer and then see Cheong-san enter from sweeping the sidewalk. He has the same suspicious look I met him with. I furrow my brows at the way he tries to avoid my eyes. We were doing just fine yesterday. What did I do?

"Oppa."

Cheong-san only gives me a brief side look before going to restock the fridges. I check out the items for our customers and quickly give them a bow as they leave. When they're finally gone, I go to the fridges and take hold of Cheong-san's arm. He tries to run away, but I hold on tighter and he has to stop to rub his hand on his arm. "Ow. How are you so strong yet so tiny?"

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you," he says as he takes the boxes of milk and starts to restock again.

"Yes, you are. Was it something I said?"

He hesitates before deciding to stay quiet. I furrow my brows at his fearful look. It almost feels like someone threatened him to be silent. I should know that look. I've seen it on myself many times when I was living with Hyorim and her parents.

"Hey." I take his arm again and he clicks his tongue with annoyance.

"What do you want, In-hye? Just leave me alone."

"Is someone bothering you?"

"No. You are."

I can see how stubborn he is today. Maybe I did offend him somehow. My heart falls and I decide to just walk away. Whatever I did, I hope I did not hurt him too much. I catch his eyes sadly looking at me and then he looks away.

By the end of our shifts, I start to get worried. He barely talked to me all day, as if scared that his secret might slip if he talked to me. I couldn't help it. I've never felt this way for any friend but Hyorim. I was back when my heart shivered at my friend's indifference and so I insist just like I did with Hyorim.

"Hey. Just tell me what I did wrong. I'm sorry, okay? Just...don't make my heart feel sad like this..."

His eyes soften and sadness crosses his expression. I can tell his heart is shrinking at my words and he lets out a pained sigh. "She told me she'd beat me up if I told you."

My eyes grow wide at this. "Who? A girl?" He stays quiet as he nervously scratches the back of his head. I let out a scoff. "No way. A girl is going to hit you? Wow. You're something else."

Cheong-san lets out a long breath through his nostrils before taking my hands. Out of instinct, I step back with surprise, but he still holds onto me as he burns his dark eyes through me. "Okay...but promise me you won't tell your sisters this. At least not yet. She looks scary and I don't doubt she'd kill me if she finds out your sisters know of this."

I'm back in Hyorim's mansion when I tried to connect the dots. So many hidden people. So many secrets I tried to make sense of. As if my mind is trained for this, I furrow my brows and try to understand his words. But then he suddenly says, "Your older sister, In-joo, has a twin sister."