"Siyeon?"
Bora's hands dropped to her sides as she took deep breaths, not believing the sight she was seeing.
Panic settled in her stomach as reality sunk in, Siyeon's eyes raked in disgust over her filthy appearance.
The two stood there in silence, neither of them even daring to say a single word. Not even a tiny sound.
The wolf couldn't believe her eyes. There stood Bora, covered in filth and rags. She noticed the woman's fragile frame, her arms looking thinner than the last time she had remembered.
There stood her ex-wife, now living in the streets.
"What were you doing?" The taller asked, mouth slightly curving in disgust.
"No- nothing!" Bora lied, hiding her sticky hands behind her back. She made a mental note to herself to wash it with the bucket of rain water she gathered.
Siyeon hastily walked towards the dumpster and took a look at the contents inside it. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as the acrid scent of garbage mixed with leftover food washed over the air.
"Bora what the fuck?" She questioned, coughing the disgust away.
"I'm sorry," Bora apologized, biting her lip.
"How petty are you?" Siyeon hissed in disgust,"What were you even looking for in that dump?"
Bora averted her eyes, unsure of how to respond. It was already bad enough as is that Siyeon saw her in her current state, what more if she found out that she was searching dumpsters for food?
Bora opened her mouth but no words came out. She gripped her rags as she felt herself tremble, Siyeon wasn't taking her eyes off of her.
"Food," She replied with came out in a hoarse whisper,"I was looking for food,"
"Jesus Christ, Bora!" Siyeon shook her head as she ran her hands down her face, not believing what she just heard,"Food in the dumpster?!"
"Where did all your dignity go?" Siyeon asked, face scrunched up,"I didn't expect you to stoop so low,"
"I have to survive, Siyeon," Bora replied, a bit louder this time,"Those are my only sources of food,"
Siyeon had to double check to see if her ears were still fully functional. Was she hearing right? She couldn't accept the fact that her ex-wife was resorting to salvaging leftovers in public dumpsters for survival.
No, she couldn't accept the fact that she once married the now homeless, poor woman.
She felt her pride crush at the sight of the frail woman, she mumbled a faint curse as she closed her eyes once again.
"Siyeon," Bora started,"How are you?"
"Definitely a billion times better than your current situation," Siyeon spat out.
"Are you seeing someone?" Bora asked, a small smile on her face.
"Yeah,"
"Then you shouldn't be talking to me,"
Siyeon scoffed as she rolled her eyes,"Yeah no shit sherlock I didn't have any plan to talk to you."
Bora stared at her, her small smile not leaving her face as she listened to every word Siyeon was saying.
"I just had to see for myself if it really was the woman I used to marry fucking rummaging in the goddamn dumpster," She continued, voice full of spite towards the other woman.
"And Phil?"
"Phil is having the best life," Siyeon replied,"Don't worry about him,"
Bora smiled at the thought of Phil. It was a few years into their marriage when they came across a baby crying inside an abandoned cardboard box. The two then made a unanimous decision to adopt the baby, and soon named him Phil.
"What's her name?" Bora asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
"Yoohyeon," Siyeon replied,"And she's not like you,"
Bora nodded, unsure of what to say or ask next when Siyeon bid her farewell.
"Wait!" Bora called out, her voice a hoarse mess.
Siyeon turned around to look at the woman once again,"What do you want?"
"Can I have a hug?"
The wolf snorted,"A hug?" She shook her head in disbelief,"When you look like that?"
"Just one,"Bora insisted, a small smile on her lips,"It's okay even if you don't mean it,"
"I just want to feel your arms around me for once," She added.
Siyeon shook her head in disapproval,"A while ago you said that I shouldn't be talking to you because i'm seeing someone,"
"Now you want a hug from me?"
Bora stifled a laugh,"Sorry,"
As she apologized, she found her eyes admiring Siyeon's beautiful features. The bangs which perfectly framed her face, her slender figure, her piercing eyes and her pink lips.
"I just want one hug from you," Bora smiled,"Even if you don't mean it,"
Siyeon stared at her ex-wife, facial expression unreadable which caused Bora to purse her lips.
"No," Siyeon mercilessly replied,"Never,"
And with that, Bora has been left alone in the dark. She laughed to herself. How could she possibly think that Siyeon would even dare to give her a hug? She knew all too well that Siyeon hated her. No, she resented her.
After all, she was the reason why they split in the first place.
Bora walked back to her makeshift house and washed her hands free of the sticky substance. A sigh left her lips as she hugged herself. Her thoughts drifting to a smiling Phil and Siyeon.
She tightly wrapped her arms around herself as she felt her heart break into a million pieces.
She thought about the times when Siyeon would stop whatever she was doing whenever Bora felt sad. Siyeon would always pull the woman into a warm embrace as she softly patted her head while she mumbled soft "I love you"s.
Bora would always melt in her arms. And she missed it. She deeply missed it. She would often have dreams about being in Siyeon's arms once more. But of course, those were nothing but a dream.
Losing her appetite in the previous encounter, she sat infront of a nearby wall which was also her usual spot to beg. A small cardboard sat infront of her paired with a tin can.
And so Bora continued her lonely life. Her lonely life without her lover. Her lonely life without her son.
Her lonely life without Siyeon and Phil.
~~~
"Welcome back home mommy Si!" Phil exclaimed as he hugged Siyeon's leg.
"You're just in time for dinner," Yoohyeon stated, chuckling.
The family then ate in silence as Yoohyeon was keeping a close eye on Siyeon's pockets, waiting for her to pull her cigarette pack out.
She saw Siyeon's neutral expression from the corner of her eye as the latter poked on her food.
"Um," Yoohyeon began,"I have to make a trip to the studio tomorrow,"
"New designs?"
Yoohyeon nodded,"I'll get you both something when I get back!"
The statement was met with silence. Yoohyeon raised her eyebrow. Normally, Siyeon would keep the mood up.
But tonight was different.
Siyeon was the cause of silence, she never bothered to say anything. She didn't seem to also want to eat.
With a shake of her head, Siyeon stood up and made her way into the balcony as Phil watched with worried eyes.
Yoohyeon reassured him that Siyeon was going to be fine as she ushered Phil to his room.
She let Phil pull out a book from his shelf, then the boy settled under his covers with a smile.
"Okay," Yoohyeon chuckled,"Here goes,"
Yoohyeon read the first few lines of the story slowly, though full of emotion. She took small glances at Phil as the boy slowly drifted off to sleep while she read.
"The end,"
Yoohyeon smiled and placed a small kiss on Phil's forehead, turning the lamp off then making her way to the door after.
"Yooh," Siyeon greeted her, a smile on her face,"Can I have some time with you?"
"Of course," Yoohyeon smiled as she walked to their bedroom. Spreading her arms as she sat on the edge of the plush bed.
Siyeon dived into her embrace, snuggling on the woman's neck as she felt Yoohyeon's arms wrap around her.
"What's wrong?" Yoohyeon asked, eyes closed.
"I'm just disturbed," Siyeon sighed,"I met my ex-wife,"
"I'm sorry," Yoohyeon frowned. She was aware that Siyeon's ex-wife was the reason why they split.
"It's okay," Siyeon hummed,"I just don't want to think about her,"
Yoohyeon suggested a cuddle session, to which Siyeon happily agreed to.
~~~
Yoohyeon left the studio and she stepped out under the scorching, hot sun. She sighed as looked around for her car location. Upon finding it, she hurried to get inside. Only for her butt to get burned by the sun.
"FUCK!" She whined,"Stupid sun,"
She turned the engine on and soon sped away. Traffic wasn't bad, and Yoohyeon was happy with it.
The lesser traffic = the faster she can go home.
Yoohyeon grinned as she turned up the radio volume, softly singing along to the tunes as she drove. When something clicked inside her mind.
She promised to bring something for the two once she gets home. With this in mind, Yoohyeon parked her car at a nearby convenience store which was right next to a fast food chain.
She stepped out of her car and she immediately spotted Bora consuming leftovers given by customers from the fast food chain.
Yoohyeon watched her with furrowed eyebrows. At this point, Bora was just nipping on the naked chicken bone, hoping to get more flesh.
It ached Yoohyeon's heart.
She was rich, and infront of her was a stranger with nothing but herself.
The silver-haired woman entered the fast food restaurant and placed an order for a 2 piece chicken with side dishes and a drink. Upon arrival of her food, she quickly stepped outside and looked for Bora.
She spotted the poor woman and made her way on to her.
"Hello," Yoohyeon greeted, a kind smile on her face.
Bora looked up at her as she chewed her lip in anxiety,"Hello...,"
"I bought this for you," Yoohyeon stated as she offered the food.
Bora's eyes widened as she looked at Yoohyeon's eyes,"Are you sure?"
Yoohyeon replied with a small nod as Bora took the food, shyly mumbling "thank you"s over and over again.
Bora immediately went to munch on the food like a hungry wolf, her stomach was very much empty since she hasn't eaten properly in the past few months.
After consuming every last bit of the food, she took the other chicken piece and preserved it for the next few days.
"What's your name?" Bora looked at Yoohyeon, biting her lip.
"I'm Yoohyeon," The latter replied,"Kim Yoohyeon,"
Bora froze at the name. She was certain that "Yoohyeon" was the name of Siyeon's current lover. She just had to know for herself.
"Do you know someone named Siyeon?"
Yoohyeon's eyes widened,"Yeah, she's my fiancée,"
Bora's heart ached once more. She was looking at Siyeon's lover. No, fiancée, meaning they were engaged.
She closed her eyes as she felt the pain radiate on her chest. Yoohyeon deserved to know the truth, so Bora took a deep breath.
"I'm Siyeon's ex-wife,"