The sun was already blazing high in the sky when the short red haired girl stepped off the bus, the wedding invitation clenched tightly in her fist. There was a road that was newly-paved, lined with shiny black sedans and filled with the guests. But she chose to walk slowly up the beaten path through the trees, feet dragging her towards the giant chapel on the hill. And when she finally saw the white-washed stone walls, the crowds milling around the closed oak doors, the signs proclaiming the happy union, the white card in her grasp was crumpled, not unlike her already waning resolve. Already she could tell that she would know no one at this gathering, none of whom she recognised during her time by Mina's side. But it was probably for the best that no one knew her here, she would be spared the pitying glances or the awkward silences that came when one was at a lost of what to do. Chaeyoung's heart had already been shattered beyond repair when she received the invitation, it was hard to imagine anything else that could cause her any more pain.

So she wandered around, drifted from conversation to conversation, and not a single person paid her even an ounce of attention. She must have seemed so out of place, a young girl in a world of grown men. So much so that a small gnawing feeling begins to take seed in her stomach. Because from brief instances when they would talk about their families, Chaeyoung knew that Mina's family was huge and influential, maybe even more so then her own.

"Is this a political marriage?"

She asks herself under her breath, eyes narrowing at the multitude of adults talking to each other, some hushed, some in loud booming voices. Sense would keep her silent, a shadow in the background, but Chaeyoung supposes that she has always been quite rebellious, even if this new Chaeyoung might not seem so. And that was why she approached one of the staff standing off to the side, her darting hazel orbs betraying her calm expression.

"Hey,"

Chaeyoung greets quietly, waiting for her presence to be acknowledged. She stifles a small laugh when the girl points to herself, clueless.

"Yes, you."

Chaeyoung smiles as she moves to stand next to her.

The girl was understandably surprised, her already big eyes almost bulged out of her sockets and Chaeyoung wouldn't blame her, she wouldn't have expected anyone to talk to her either if she was in her shoes.

"How can I help you, Miss?"

The girl raises her eyebrow and Chaeyoung couldn't stop the words that come spilling out of .

"I'm probably younger then you, eonnie."

The girl blinks and something indescribable passes through her eyes but it's gone as quickly as it came and Chaeyoung was left wondering what she had done to warrant such a reaction. And when she remains silent, Chaeyoung clears and rubs her hands together nervously, this was already starting to seem like a bad idea.

"Well, I'm just an old friend of the bride's and I don't recognise anyone here. So I was hoping you could maybe tell me who everyone is?"

But when the girl doesn't reply immediately, Chaeyoung turns away, cheeks burning almost as red as her hair, an apology on her lips.

"You're Chaeyoung, aren't you?"

She freezes and turns back to face the girl. Sympathy is all she found in those brown eyes and when the girl opens , Chaeyoung doesn't know if that's her heart singing or breaking.

"I'm Jihyo, Mina's only friend in this stupid household. Do you want to see her?"

Chaeyoung surprises herself when she finds herself shaking her head but Jihyo doesn't even bat an eyelid, blank expression betraying nothing.

"I just want to observe from afar, if that's okay with you?"

She prays that Jihyo understands, Chaeyoung doesn't want to explain something she knows she can't. But Jihyo merely smiles and nods, the pair silently observing the many important looking men and women that walk past their spot, paying the two young girls no heed. But it wasn't long before Chaeyoung turns to the older girl, a question on the tip of her tongue and finds her staring into the distance, at another girl, a taller girl, hanging off the arm of young man. Chaeyoung usually wasn't one to pry into the affairs of others but the haunted look in Jihyo's eyes were so similar to Chaeyoung's own that she knew instantly. That girl was Jihyo's 'Mina'. And when Jihyo turns back and catches Chaeyoung staring, she only offers a grin which light doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"She's Tzuyu, the girl betrothed to Mina's younger brother."

Was the only thing she says. And Chaeyoung says nothing, moving closer to brush her hands with her own, her form of wordless comfort that she knows from experience will do nothing to dull the pain.

"Does she know?"

"Tzuyu doesn't even know I exist."

Chaeyoung cannot ignore the broken, defeated crack in Jihyo's voice but she forces herself to. Time, she hoped, would heal her new friend but she knows that it's an ache that never truly goes away. The silence blankets them again, but it was less suffocating as compared to before, as they wait for the doors to open to allow the guests to enter.

"Mina doesn't want you with her now?"

Chaeyoung was always the one that was break such silences when she was with Mina, she guesses some habits were hard to change.

"She doesn't want anyone with her now."

Jihyo bitterly replied and Chaeyoung couldn't help but expect that, because Mina had always been one to shoulder such painful secrets alone.

"The doors should be opening soon, I'll have to go show the guests in. Will you be fine by yourself?"

Jihyo suddenly straightens and Chaeyoung startles but manages to nod. And when Jihyo hurries away, Chaeyoung can do nothing but shake her head, watching as Tzuyu's group move closer to the tree they were standing under. The huge oak doors remained closed.

The doors open soon enough and Chaeyoung finds herself hanging back, watching the guests gush in at first and then slowing to a trickle, when the majority are already inside and seated. It isn't until Jihyo is walking up to her does Chaeyoung realise that she is the only one left outside.

"Mina loved to watch people."

Was the first thing she said when Jihyo is near enough and she completely misses the same flicker of emotion that she couldn't identify flash past Jihyo's eyes for the second time. A small smile finds its way into her face at the memory.

"Let's go in."

The hand that takes hers in very warm and very real and Chaeyoung realises that she is shaking. Mina looked so radiant in her white gown, all the words that Chaeyoung could think of to describe her fell short. So she was thankful that Jihyo remains by her side the entire time. And when Chaeyoung makes the mistake of catching Mina's eyes, she tells herself that the sharp jolt throughout her body and the electric tingles up and down her spine had nothing to do with the way coal black eyes widen when they meet hers. It's all suddenly too much and Chaeyoung drops her gaze, ending whatever that could have started.

I wish you would have told me sooner. I would have understood. I would have stood by you.

And Jihyo's hand find hers again, reminding her to breathe. It's almost funny, how someone she just met could read her so well, when Chaeyoung spent almost her entire life fooling everyone she knew, including herself.

"Mina wants to see you, do you still want to?"

She had assumed that after the ceremony, she would be ready, that the glass shards in her stomach would stop grating themselves against her resolve. The ceremony had ended and the guests were all leaving. There was a reception back out in the open so the chapel was mercifully empty. And Chaeyoung looks up from her clapsed hands, ring cutting a red mark in her finger. This time she nods, the entire wedding ceremony giving her time to plan out what she wanted to say to the girl that held and broke her heart. Her carefully planned words, however, all flew out of the metaphorical window when she sees the way Mina is hunched over herself, shoulders trembling in an effort to hide her tears.

"I would have thought that the bride would be happy on her wedding day."

She didn't mean to say that, even now it rings spitefully in her ears. But when Mina lifts her head to meet dark brown eyes with her own red-rimmed coal black ones, Chaeyoung wants nothing but to just wrap her up in her arms and never let go. But she holds on tightly to the door frame, something rooting her to the ground, because how Mina screams that she 'never wants to see her again', rings all too loudly in her ears.

"Congratulations,"

Chaeyoung lamely says instead, the tension was becoming so thick, she was finding it hard to breathe, much less piece together a coherent sentence.

"I didn't expect you to come."

And Chaeyoung has to remind herself to breathe then because even after not hearing her voice for so long, Mina still had such control over her heart.

"You don't look too well."

She chooses to say instead, purposely avoiding the statement. And she knows that she wasn't being particularly subtle but Mina doesn't pursue it. She's a little shocked when the brown haired haired girl gives a soft watery laugh, wiping at the tears that were already falling.

"You're ruining your makeup."

Chaeyoung frowns and steps foward, away from the wooden frame holding her upright, hiding how much she was shaking from Mina. She had to be strong, if not for her then for herself. But as soon as Chaeyoung's hands touch Mina's face, she knew how bad of an idea it was to even appear before her. Because when Mina closes her eyes and leans her head into Chaeyoung's palm, the younger girl can't stop the avalanche of memories, torrents of snapshots and voices all swarming her mind. It's making her want to throw up.

"I'm glad."

Mina's soft voice snaps her out of her daze and the way Chaeyoung just looks at her in confusion causes a small smile to appear on her already wan face. "You came." She explains and Chaeyoung found that she didn't need to fake her smile either because Mina was contented even if she wasn't.

"You would want me to miss the wedding of the year? Not a chance!"

She laughs and Mina just smiles wordlessly at her but Chaeyoung can see all too clearly, how badly her lower lip was trembling.

"I know."

Those two words, so simple, so cryptic yet Chaeyoung heard every single word that wasn't said, felt everything that Mina was feeling. Probably because she was feeling it too.

"Mina,"

Chaeyoung swallows as she tried to keep her tears at bay, barely succeeding. But she pushes herself to finish her sentence anyway, because her heart was already torn and she needed Mina to know.

"Remember how you asked me if I would run away with you and I said I would follow you to the ends of the Earth?"

Mina nods, still not understanding.

"I still would."

And she laughs, and the sound is so familiar, that Chaeyoung feels her head spin, her heart racing. She watches Mina stand up, her hands coming up to cup her face so lovingly, the tears start flowing.

"I love you, Son Chaeyoung,"

And Chaeyoung can suddenly smell the ocean breeze, hear the soft laps of the ocean against the sandy shoreline, feel the light from the setting sun marking warm spots on her skin. Because when Mina leans in and kisses her gently, she could have sworn she had landed in a memory of a dream, so far out of her reach, because there was just no way that she was awake.

"You have to let me go, please Chaeyoung. I don't want you to torture yourself over a coward."

Mina breathes into her lips as soon as they part, resting their forehead together for the last time. And Chaeyoung just pulls her closer, deeper into her embrace, hoping her actions conveyed what she couldn't say. Because no matter how long they have spent apart from each other, Mina was still the only one who could decipher her codes and read her like an open book. Because Chaeyoung wanted her to know that no matter how hard she tries, she will never be able to forget her.

"Chaeng, please."

Mina's begging now and Chaeyoung feels her non-existent heart shatter even further, the pain almost numbing her entire being.

"Mina eonnie,"

And she quietens, holding onto Chaeyoung just as close, just as tightly.

"I can't forget you, you know that. But as long as you promise me that you will try to find happiness in your choices, I promise you I will too."

The ring on her finger suddenly feels like a dead weight and Chaeyoung could barely recognise her own voice. Her heart was crying, wailing in pain as her brain remained silent, not even when Chaeyoung knew that it hurt to.

"Promise me, eonnie."

Chaeyoung refused to look into Mina's eyes, the tears she knew would find there would immediately crack her.

"Mina."

Both of them jump apart, Chaeyoung snatching her hand back as if she had been burnt, Mina with a face so full of fear, Jihyo feels her heart break.

"Let's go."

"Who wants to see me now?"

And Chaeyoung can hear it clearly now, the difference. This was the voice of the Mina that she now knew had to force herself to shatter her heart and her own.

"No one wants to see you now, I told them you were tired and wanted to lie down."

"Then where are we going?"

"You are running away."

Chaeyoung watches Mina's eyebrow raise so high, it disappears into her fringe and tries to stop her heart from beating any faster. And watches again and Jihyo cooly shrugs, pair of car keys appearing suddenly in her hand.

"Even if I can't get my happy ending, doesn't mean that you both can't too."

And Mina feels the emotionless mask she had perfected ever since her birth into this family finally crack. She flies foward into Jihyo's arms, bawling uncontrollably into her shoulder, feeling Jihyo laugh silently as she runs her fingers through her hair.

"I thought brides were supposed to happy on their wedding days."

Jihyo winked at Chaeyoung who could only smile back as tears rolled down her face.

"Thank you."

She steps foward, unsure of what to say, how to show Jihyo what she really felt. Because Chaeyoung was intruding and she knew it.

"Come here,"

Jihyo grins and Chaeyoung watches the light reach her eyes this time. And that was all she needed for her to throw herself into Jihyo's arms, sobbing quietly in thankfulness.

They were in the car now and Mina still hadn't stopped crying when Chaeyoung sees Jihyo's mouth turn down into a frown.

"We're being followed."

She announces a moment later, confirming their worst fears. Jihyo bites her lips and she makes a sharp left, turning the car into the forest. And Chaeyoung turns to look behind, watching the four black vans screech to a halt by the treeline.

"We don't have much time."

There's a note of urgency in Jihyo's voice that had both younger girls giving her their full attention.

"I'm going to drive to the cliff and drop the both of you off. Then I'll try to lead them away from the both of you."

"No!"

Mina instantly protests and Chaeyoung finds herself agreeing. But Jihyo just smiles.

"You guys deserve to be happy."

"So do you, eonnie."

Chaeyoung says quietly and Jihyo turns to look at her, surprise evident in her eyes. And then her expression morphs back into that bland smile. She doesn't say anything until they screech to a stop by the cliff side.

"I'm not getting out."

Mina stares at Jihyo but her friend just shakes her head.

"Get out of the car, Mina."

And Chaeyoung turns to get out, wrenching open the door to grab Mina and haul her out. Jihyo meets her eyes this time and Chaeyoung can see how hard she is trying not to cry.

"I know you'll take great care of her, Chaeyoung."

And the windows rolls up, the car speeding back into the trees.

"She's going to get killed."

Mina whispers into her hands as she sinks to the ground and it's all Chaeyoung can do but wrap her arms around her trembling form.

"Mina eonnie, she made a decision. Don't make it any harder for her."

Chaeyoung whispers because deep down, she understands exactly why Jihyo would do what she did. They were just so alike after all.

"Now stand up,"

They had both just gotten to their feet when they hear it, the sounds of dogs barking in the distance. Mina looks absolutely terrified and Chaeyoung just holds her hand tighter, glancing everywhere for an escape route. But she already knew there was nowhere else to go, they were effectively trapped. It is not until Chaeyoung looks behind her does finally she realise their only way out.

"Mina eonnie."

Her voice is so firm and strong that Mina stops shaking, pressing herself closer to the younger girl.

"If I asked you to follow me to the ends of the Earth, would you?"

And Mina doesn't even need to think about the answer to such a simple question.

"Always,"

"Then we're going to jump."

The fear returns tenfold as she looks to her calm companion with wide terrified eyes.

"Are you insane? We'll die!"

"I've just got you back, I'm not losing you to them again."

Mina just shakes her head harder, trembling as she curls deeper into Chaeyoung's side.

"Mina eonnie, look into my eyes, please?"

She does that and finds herself lost in the brown orbs that so much love and affection, her breath catches in .

"We won't die. I promise you that."

And Mina only nods as the barking gets nearer and nearer and suddenly she can't hear anything but the wind whistling past her ears. She hugs Chaeyoung close and counts to three, shutting her eyes as she hits the water hard.

Everything goes black after that.

When the bodyguards finally arrive at the cliff's edge, they only see pair of white heels lying forgotten in the long grass, their owner nowhere to be found.

5 Years Later

It had been a huge funeral, held for the oldest daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the world. There is not a single mention about the other girl, probably because no one even knew she was there.

"Should we just leave them here?"

"Yeah, why not? I don't see any problem with doing so."

"But what if they remove them before Jihyo gets here?"

"It's a risk I'm willing to take. We owe her so much."

She sounded so convinced, the taller girl finally relents, pulling out the old paperback journal, its pages thin, words almost fading, as her companion does the same for a worn-out stuffed toy with two rings in its pocket.

"She'll know. And she'll understand."

Because we've already told each other everything we ever wanted to say.

The stuffed penguin and the journal sit side by side by the gravestone, a message of reassurance to only those who understood. That their love withstood the odds. And when Jihyo kneels by the gravestone later that evening, she finds herself crying not tears of sadness but relief. Relief that her friends are finally where they always should have always been. Together.

Dear Jihyo (eonnie),
We've gotten our happy ending. It's about time you got yours.
Mina & Chaeyoung

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Anyone wants Jihyo's story too?
Anyways, thank you so much black_starrxx for starting this incredible plot that I fell so in love with. The inspiration for this sequel was off the charts, I really can't thank you enough. I hope you liked this story people, I'm pretty satisfied with it but I think I could have done better. Please feel free to leave comments about this and I hope you enjoy it!
P.S I'm going to disappear back into hibernation again, my major exams are in 3 weeks and I'm still not quite ready yet, please pray that I won't fail guys :((((

-Panda00