Hae-Li slowly approached the bed, staring at her sister with a worried frown. A moment later, Mr. and Mrs. Cho followed her inside. Mrs. Cho hurried over to Angel, who was sitting casually on the bed with a sheet mask still stuck to her face.
"Sis, are you okay?" Hae-Li asked in a panic.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Angel replied casually, without a hint of guilt.
Mr. Cho planted his hands on his hips, holding back his irritation. "Then why were you screaming like that?"
"I-I just, just..." Angel began to look nervous as she twisted the hem of her shirt.
"What happened, really?" Hae-Li frowned even more, demanding a clear explanation from her sister.
"I was so scared. I think I've made a huge mistake. I don't know what to do now, I—" Angel slowly peeled the sheet mask off her face.
"Speak clearly! Are you pregnant? Who's the bastard who did that to you?!" Mr. Cho shouted, his temper flaring at Angel's roundabout explanation.
Angel immediately lowered her head. "Dad! I'm not that cheap."
"Then tell us the truth!" Mrs. Cho chimed in.
Angel slowly lifted her head and let out a resigned sigh. "I... ah!"
She suddenly got up from the bed and casually walked toward the vanity in front of the mirror. "I guess I was too active outside today. Look at this! My skin looks so dull, and I'm breaking out. It's so annoying! I have to go back to the beauty clinic for treatment tomorrow."
Silence fell instantly. Mr. and Mrs. Cho and Hae-Li could only let out long sighs and look away in random directions. The tension that had seized the room suddenly vanished, replaced by ridiculous irritation.
"You little brat! How much more money are you planning to spend just on your face, huh?" Mrs. Cho stepped forward and gave her eldest daughter a playful tug on the ear.
"Ow! Mom, I'm sorry!" Angel cried, wincing.
"That's enough," Mr. Cho cut in as he rolled up both of his shirt sleeves and turned to leave. "Starting tomorrow, I'm cutting your monthly allowance."
"Dad!" Angel protested, staring at her father with wide eyes.
"You already work outside without my knowledge, so learn to save using your own salary." Mr. Cho stopped in the doorway and glanced back at Angel.
"B-But how did you know, Dad?"
Mr. Cho ignored the question and turned to his wife. "Honey, let's go. I'm tired."
Their parents left the room, leaving the two sisters behind. Angel dropped back onto the edge of the bed, looking dejected. She knew there was no point arguing with her father's firm decision.
Hae-Li, who was still standing there, let out a short sigh. "Did you really have to scream that loudly over a few pimples, Sis?"
Angel looked at Hae-Li, then smiled faintly. "Sorry, sorry. I was actually really happy today."
Slowly, Angel pulled open the nightstand drawer beside her bed. She took out a premium chocolate bar and a fresh flower. She hugged the chocolate and flower to her chest, her cheeks flushed as she giggled softly.
It had been a very long time since Hae-Li had seen her sister this happy. Angel had always been too busy working herself to the bone to remember how to enjoy life. Hae-Li stepped closer and pressed the back of her hand to her sister's forehead.
"Sis, you're still healthy, right?"
"Come here!" Angel pulled her sister down to sit beside her on the edge of the bed. "Have you ever been in love?"
The sudden question left Hae-Li speechless. But a second later, she gave a hollow laugh.
"Are you crazy, Sis? In love? You don't even have a boyfriend, so why are you asking me about romance when I'm obviously your junior?" Hae-Li shot back.
"Hey, idiot! Don't laugh like that," Angel chuckled, lightly patting her sister's head. "Is there really not a single guy who likes you at college? Or maybe back when you were in Indonesia?"
"Sis! No!" Hae-Li snapped, her eyes narrowing in annoyance.
"You're already an adult. It's so pathetic if you've never been in love. Even if you never dated him, you must have liked someone at least once, right?" Angel stared sharply at Hae-Li, demanding honesty.
"No one. Besides, does everyone have to fall in love just because they're adults?" Hae-Li turned her face toward the corner of the room. "Look at you. Whenever you get your heart broken, you cry all night. As far as I'm concerned, love is completely useless."
"Hey, not every love story ends in heartbreak. Have you ever experienced it yourself to be talking like that? Didn't you say you'd never been in love?" Angel grabbed both of Hae-Li's shoulders and turned her around so they were facing each other.
Hae-Li fell silent. Her lips pressed tightly together. She had never liked it when conversations started veering toward romance. Not because she had never experienced it. She had once liked someone, but that memory had left a wound that ran too deep.
Yes, Rocky had been her first love. But their relationship had moved too fast and gone nowhere. It had fallen apart just like that, less than twenty-four hours after they confessed their feelings to each other.
Rocky had been an accident in the journey of her life. No, it wasn't entirely Hae-Li's fault. Rocky had been the one who chose to fall for her first.
If only Hae-Li hadn't gotten carried away and returned that man's feelings, perhaps the pain wouldn't have been like this. For Rocky's sake, she had even had to let a long-standing friendship fall completely apart.
Since Rocky left, Hae-Li had never again found the courage to open her heart. She had firmly shut the door on her feelings so that the same trauma would never happen again.
"Kiddo? Why are you spacing out?" Angel tapped Hae-Li's shoulder, breaking her sister's reverie.
"Forget it! I was only asking about the chocolate and flower, but you started lecturing me about love. Whatever, I'm sick of it!" Hae-Li rose from the bed.
"Jeez. You're acting like you have some serious trauma over love. Come on, tell me. Who dared to hurt you?" Angel asked, catching Hae-Li by the wrist.
"No one! No one hurt me, and I'll never fall in love with anyone!" Hae-Li declared. This time, she yanked her hand away and actually headed for the door.
Seeing how sensitive her sister was being, Angel suddenly realized what was going on. She hurried after Hae-Li and grabbed her arm, her face filled with regret. She had completely forgotten about Hae-Li's dark past with Rocky in Indonesia. All this time, Angel had been too focused on their move and the changes in their new life.
"Hae-Li. I'm sorry," Angel whispered gently. But when her sister still refused to look at her, she tried to encourage her. "Even if it hurts now, I'm sure you'll find your true love someday. Your heart will come alive again. Trust me!"
Bam!
Hae-Li slammed Angel's bedroom door from the outside and hurried toward her own room.
"What a brat," Angel muttered softly, then let out a small laugh behind the door.
Even though she knew her sister was easily offended, Angel always enjoyed teasing her. To Angel, seeing Hae-Li let her emotions out was much better than watching her continue to carry her burdens alone.
Angel lay back down on her bed. She reached for the flower and chocolate bar, tucked them safely beside her pillow, then smiled up at the bedroom ceiling.
"I wonder when I'll see him again," she whispered.