#501

*Ding dong*

Sung Soo opened his apartment door. Standing outside was a cheerful lady holding a cake box in her hands, she was smiling at first, but when their eyes met, there was a sudden dazed and shocked look in her eyes.

Kiyoko’s thoughts: He looks….

Sung Soo (blur): Can I help you?

The lady startled back to reality. She bowed politely to Sung Soo.

Kiyoko: Hello… I’m your new neighbour… I just moved in today… Here’s a little something for you and your family…

Kiyoko extended the cake box towards Sung Soo. He looked at it blurly, but accepted it from her.

MInha: Oppa… who is it? Hurry up and cook… I’m sooo hungry….

Minha came running towards the door, and when she saw Kiyoko, she was a bit embarrassed, as she didn’t know if Kiyoko had heard her.

Kiyoko: Hello… I’m new in the neighbourhood… My name’s Ken Kiyoko… Nice to meet you…

Kiyoko bowed another time to MInha.

Minha: Hello Kiyoko-unnie… I’m Park Minha… This is my brother Park Sung Soo…

Minha smiled and bowed back to her.

Kiyoko: Unnie?

Minha (covering her mouth cos of her blunder): Sorry… unnie means elder sister in Korean… I should be calling you Kiyoko-ane… instead…

Kiyoko (smiling in recognition): Oh I see… You guys are Koreans? Your Japanese is really fluent… I’m fine with anything actually… I don’t mind… I’ll leave you to your meal then… Sorry for the untimely interruption…

Back at Kiyoko’s house…

Kiyoko picked up a photo frame, there was a photo of herself with a man that looks exactly like Sung Soo, but with blonde hair.

Kiyoko (caressing Hero’s face on the photo gently): Hero… Am I missing you too much till my eyes are playing tricks on me? How can two people look so much alike?

A few weeks later…

Minha found out that Kiyoko is an artist who spends most of her time painting in her apartment, or out in the nearby park, where Minha saw her one day. On further conversations, Minha got on really well with Kiyoko, and shared a lot of information about their family with her. She even told Kiyoko about Sung Soo making friends on twitter and falling in love with Haru on twitter.

Kiyoko who stays alone in her apartment, often invites Minha over to her house for meals, where Kiyoko would generously prepare delicious dishes for Minha to try, and most of the time there would be extra for Minha to bring back for her Sung Soo oppa too.

But despite being next door neighbours, Kiyoko rarely saw Sung Soo, even when she met Minha everyday for meals, and makes extra for Sung Soo.

One evening when she was walking towards the station to go home, after spending a whole day painting sakura blossoms in the park. She noticed Sung Soo talking to a lady near the station.

Kiyoko’s thoughts: That lady must be the Haru that Minha mentions everytime… The one Sung Soo likes from twitter…

As if to prove her right, Sung Soo suddenly hugged Haru, before running off shyly to the station.

Kiyoko smiled. They look so sweet together. She looked up into the night sky. The Cassiopeia constellation’s W shone brightly down on her.

Kiyoko’s thoughts: Seeing them… Makes me miss you… SO MUCH…

Another few weeks passed…

Minha came running to Kiyoko’s apartment one evening. She was crying. Kiyoko sat her down and gave her a warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows to drink to calm her down.

Kiyoko: Don’t cry Minha… Tell unnie… What’s wrong?

Minha (sobbing): Unnie… I shoplifted…

Kiyoko (shocked): Why? Does your oppa know?

Minha (sobbing): Yes… He knows… He was the one who came to get me from the bookstore…

Kiyoko: Bookstore? What did you actually shoplift?

Minha (sobbing): Reference books… I needed them… But oppa… I didn’t want to bother oppa about money for them… Cos I know he isn’t doing very well too… So I… But I can tell that he’s upset with me… Even though he didn’t say anything… Or reprimand me…

Kiyoko (hugging Minha): Silly girl… You still have unnie right?

Minha (sobbing): But unnie… I don’t wanna cause any trouble to you…

Kiyoko (smiling): What trouble? I am the only child… So I never had any siblings before… You don’t know how much I enjoy your company… You’re already like my god-sister… What can’t I do to help you? Next time give me a call… I’ll come running to your rescue…

Minha smiled at Kiyoko’s remark.

MInha (gratefully): Thanks unnie… But oppa…

Kiyoko (finger over her lips): Shhhh… Let’s just keep this a secret between the two of us… Like how we did about the meals… Okay?

Minha: Thanks unnie… I don’t know how to thank you enough…

Kiyoko: Just be happy and healthy… That’s the best gift you can give me…

Minha: I will…

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