Chasing Rainbows

7. Best Friends

The following week, Yejin received a call while she was waiting for her patient on her clinic. She's sure it was from Seoul based on the country code. Answering, her mind wondered who it could be.

"Annyeong..Yejin?"

"Annyeong..who's this?"

"This is Hali, Yej..." Hearing her voice, and the way she called her name just like before cheered her up.

"Oh, hi Hali! Is this your number? It's different from the one given by Bin."

"No, this is Choi's."

"What's up?"

"Well, I've been meaning to call you back after you called...well, I just want you to know that I indeed forgave you...and that I'm still your friend that you can count on...I don't know if we could still bring back how we used to be, but at least, I wanted to just be a friend to you...I just realized you might have your reasons...and I'm sorry for not being able to understand you back then..." With Hali's confession, Yejin sobbed, but this time, happily.

"Oh, Hali, thank you, this is more than what I asked for. You just don't know how much you've made me happy. Nothing's change with me, I still consider you as my best friend."

With that, their conversation became lighter and they managed to catch up with some important details in their lives, with Yejin finally learning that Hali and Choi had been married for two years now. After that, Hali then broke the news she really wanted to Hali.

"I have a good news for you. I and Choi will be going on vacation to Florida, to meet some of his relatives there. We just got our visas now and that's why I also called you. Can we catch up please? Can you meet us there?"

"Wow!! That's great, and sure, I will clear my schedule and book a flight right now! Send me the details please, so that I can arrange my stay there as well." For the first time in years, she never got excited like this, like the young Yejin that she was before, always full of life.

"Okay, maybe you can meet us at Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater, Florida. You could stay there as well. Our booking's from August 22-25."

"Great, I'll check and clear my schedule, and then book everything right away. Gosh! I'm so excited to see you again, Hali!"

"Me too! By the way, do you do SNS? It's much easier for us to communicate there."

"Hmm, nothing now, but I'll make one for you. Send me your contact info, I'll add you. Send it to my email address." She said, dictating her email address to Hali.

"Alright!"

"Hey, Hali, are you sure it's okay for me to come, wouldn't I mess your honeymoon with Choi?"

"Hahaha Yej, honeymoon's over, it's our time to catch up, don't worry!"

"Okay then, see you Hali!" With that, they ended the call and Yejin got back to work, happily waiting for her next patient.

That night, after fixing her schedule, she managed to book flight tickets to Florida as well as a room in Sandpearl. She didn't mind the cost, because it's Hali, after all. She would do anything now just to mend things with her by catching up and just re-building their friendship.

-----

A week before their scheduled get-away, Yejin was scheduled to check up Ha-na again. It's been a month since her last appointment. After that "talk" with Bin, she did not have any conversation with him again, even through email, because Prof. Kim volunteered to do all the proposal revision and correspondence to the new sponsors. He just informed her that they got all the sponsors and that they are now finalizing the contract. She never heard from Bin again since then. And so at that day of Ha-na's check-up, she felt that uncomfortable feeling again, as always, whenever she'd meet Bin.