Shaking my head, I shifted my gaze back up to the sky. Inwardly groaning as I heard Mino moving closer to me I didn't want him to come any closer. "What," I sighed as I looked back at him. Grateful to have him stop in his tracks, I watched as he nervously shifted from side to side. 

"This would be so much easier if I was drunk," he nervously laughed. 

"Are you sure you're not drunk? Because you were acting like a ing idiot at my mother's celebration," I hissed. "What were you thinking?! It's one thing to make out with Chaerin here at my family barn, it's another thing to start a fight at my mother's celebration!" 

"I know," he regretfully said as he dropped his head with guilt. 

"And who are you to tell Bobby he can't touch me?! Are you my ing mother or brother?! Are you my boyfriend?! No! You are none of those," I snapped. "I'm a grown woman. I can make my own ing decisions! So please, don't tell me how to live my life and I won't tell you how to live yours." Furious, I was up on my feet squaring off with him. "But the most frustrating thing about all of this is you of all people tried to mess with my mind and my heart. I love you as a best friend, but what you did to me is so wrong on so many levels." 

Mino stood taking in what I said, before he softly spoke, "Who is Bobby to you?" 

"Why," out of everything I just said, he was hung up on Bobby? Really? "Who is Chaerin to you," I fired back.

"We've been dating off and on the past few years..." nodding as I heard the ing, like they are continuing to date. "I would be lying to you if I didn't tell you that she holds a special place in my heart. And yes we did kiss earlier at the barn." Hearing him confirm what I already knew, cut me just a little deeper. 

"Then why Mino?! Why are you telling me that I'm the one when I'm obviously not?!" I scoffed as I pushed at his shoulder, "We had a good thing!" Trying to make sense of it all, the years of being best friends seemed to out weigh whatever I thought was happening. Huffing as I had to turn away, I couldn't think looking at him. Staring up at the night sky, I spotted a twinkling star. That was it, that was my mom. She was there watching me, letting me know that I couldn't stay mad at Mino. The last time I had been mad, I had left years ago and returned motherless. Pressing my lips tightly together, I tried to hold back the sad emotions wanting to errupt. "Mino let's not fight," I honestly said. "I don't want to fight with you over something that can ruin us." Turning to face him once more, I pushed those confusing thoughts aside and remembered just who he was to me. "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I trust you. I want the best for you. As your best friend I want you to be happy okay?" As sincere as I felt about those words, I couldn't help how bitter sweet they tasted in my mouth. "I love you Mino, you're my best friend," I grinned at him hoping he would take it as a hint that I was willing to let go of whatever happened this weekend. 

Mino stood quietly for a moment, before he stared at me seriously, "Who is Bobby to you?" 

Wow, my words seemed to not phase him at all. It kind of hurts that he's brushing off what I'm saying. "Well, like you and Chaerin, Bobby holds a special place in my heart. We have been dating off and on throught the years. He's been the best friend away from home." 

"So are you guys dating," he questioned my relationship with Bobby.

"Does it matter? What Bobby and I have is none of your business. I will respect your relationship with Chaerin, so I expect you to respect mine with Bobby," I huffed at how this conversation was starting to go in circles. "You know what, let's just call this a night. Since I don't want to keep talking about other people in our lives." 

"Then let's talk about us. Let's talk about our lives," he suggested. 

"What about us," I sighed as I sat back down on the steps. 

"What if I told you that I was so happy to hear that you were coming home," he asked.

Not understanding why he was talking in what ifs, I decided to go along with it, "Then I would tell you I was happy to see you after so many years."

"What if I told you that I was so happy seeing you after so many years coming down from your little hide out," he smiled as he thought back to the memory.

I in turn smiled thinking about how I almost fell, "Then I would tell you I was happy that I didn't fall when you scared me."

"What if I told you that I told your brother that it was a bad idea to bring Dara over to see you and the best thing I could do was be there for your support," his smile faded. 

"Then I would have told you, you should have tried a little harder because you didn't bring me any shoes," I chuckled. 

"What if I told you that I tried to stop Dara from meeting up with you especially because you were drinking in the morning," he continued to point out my flaws this past weekend. 

"Then I would tell you that it didn't feel like you tried to stop her. In fact it felt like you were trying to help her," I said honestly. 

"What if I told you that Chaerin found me trying to come and talk to you at the pool and that she ruined my plans?"

Shrugging, I thought about the alcohol that went to waste, "Then I would say that you ruined my plans and owe me alcohol." 

"What if I told you that I messed up even more when I got drunk that night..."

"And acted very stupid? Yeah, you shouldn't do that again."

"What if I told you that my heart broke seeing you crying for your mother?"

"Then I would tell you not to worry. It's my burden to bare," I gazed down the road to where my mother was buried.

"What if I told you that I liked being in your arms and that kiss we shared?"

Every question seemed to be an automatic response until this question. This question had me doubting my answer. What should I say to it? "Then I would say that you didn't like it as much as Chaerin's." Shaking my head, I knew that he was trying to loop me back in, "What if you honestly told me what you wanted instead of playing this guessing game?" 

He pressed his lips tightly together before sighing and taking a seat next to me, "Then I would tell you that even though you may not believe me, there is such a thing as bad timing. Chaerin had kissed me in one last attempt to win me back. She hoped that we could work things out, but it was a lost cause because I was still hung up on the fact that you had kissed me earlier that day." 

I chuckled a laugh at his stupidity, "Yeah right." 

"It's true," he in turn chuckled along with me before bumping his shoulder against mine. "Minzy," he called my name and I looked over to see him smiling over at me. "I love you. I love you more than just a best friend. I love you like a man loves a woman. A woman that is stubborn. A woman that is strong. A woman that I want to be with." He paused as he reached for my hand and intertwined our fingers together, "When your hands were in mine it felt right. When I was looking at you and you were looking back at me it felt right. Then you kissed me and it all came together, what I was feeling for you felt right. Minzy I love you and you deserve to know that I am saying this with a sound mind and heart. I love you," he sincerely said as if he were begging for me to understand what he was trying to say. 

Absorbing everything he had just said, I turned to see the sun light peeking through the mountains. "What about Bobby," I sighed. "What if I told you that I was with Bobby?" Turning to look back at Mino, he looked handsome with the rays of sun light touching his face. 

"Then I would tell you that what I feel for you remains the same and that I will respect what you and Bobby have," he softly spoke giving in. 

Squeezing his hand, I smiled over at him and leaned onto his shoulder, "Good, he's a really good friend of mine." 

"Friend," Mino asked as I nodded. 

"I call him my city best friend," I chuckled. Snuggling against Mino, I leaned up to peck his cheek, "And you can be my boyfriend." 

"I can be your what," I could hear the shock in his voice. 

Sighing as I pulled away far enough to look him in the face, I wanted so much to laugh at how stunned he was, "If we're going to make this work, I'm going to need you to trust me when I say that I love you too. Not just as a best friend. But as a woman..." Suddenly my words were silenced as Mino crushed his lips to mine. The warmth of his strong hands cupping my face had me pulling in closer to him. Working my lips against his, I couldn't help to think of what he had said rang true. This felt right. He felt right. Reluctently pulling away to look into his eyes, I couldn't help but bite down on my lower lip wanting him to kiss me more. Gladly he descended once more, kissing me with so much strength and passion I felt like was going to float away on a cloud of happiness. I became so lost in the kiss, I was surprised when a soft moan escaped my lips. Embarassed, I was quick to pull away clasping my burning cheeks I couldn't believe I did that. Mino chuckled as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in. Wordlessly he let me know it was okay. It was okay to be vulnerable with him. It was going to be okay I thought as we sat quietly watching the sun rise. 

"I better head inside," I said feeling the exhaustion of everything hitting me all at once. 

"Alright," he nodded as he helped me up onto my feet. Spinning me up and around until I was facing him, I laughed as he pulled me in for another hypnotizing kiss. "I'll see you later," he whispered against my lips. Tempting me to capture them once more. 

"Mino," I softly whinned. Giving me one more peck on the lips, he gave me a knowing look as he turned to leave me breathless. Letting out a heavy sigh, I made my way back into the house. 

"So you and Mino are a thing now," I yelped surprised to see my father sitting in the living room. I shrugged as I moved to sit on the nearest couch. "Does this mean you're moving home?" 

Honestly, I didn't think that far into it. "I'm not sure. Mino and I just got together." 

Father nodded as a small smile spread across his lips, "Your mother was right." I grew quiet as I waited for him to explain, "She believed that Mino would bring you back to us." 

"I didn't come back for Mino," I replied. "I came to lay my mother to rest and...I came to see you," I grinned. "Losing mom helped me see that time is too precious to waste. I am sorry father for staying away for so long. I'm sorry that we always fought. I'm sorry that you and Jiyong went through losing mom without me." My thoughts went back to when I had packed everything to leave, "I never really hated you. I just never understood how you loved us." 

"I know that I am a hard man. It was not easy living under my roof. But you will always be my daughter and this will always be your home. You hear me? Even though we don't always see eye to eye, you can always come home," he said firmly. "Your mother and I will always welcome you home," he said with a sad smile. 

Never seeing so many emotions throughout my whole life with father, I moved to embrace him. "I love you father." 

"I love you too," he breathed as he kissed the top of my head. 

Standing next to father with Jiyong on the other side, we quietly observed as the men finished placing the headstone onto my mother's grave. Thanking them as they left, I knelt by the cool stone and let my finger tips graze the lettering. "Beautiful," I breathed as I mesmerized the carvings on it. "I love you mom." Kissing the stone, I smiled down at her grave before taking my leave. 

Walking back to the house, I was surprised to see Mino standing with my bags in hand. "What are you doing?" 

"Did you think I was going to let you go by yourself? I'm coming with you," he smiled as he turned to show me he had a bag packed as well. 

"Don't you have work to do," I teased as I tried to reach for my bags. 

He shrugged as he nodded over to my father and brother walking back towards us, "It helps when my boss is your brother and father." 

Laughing as Jiyong nodded his head, "He's been working a lot of over time this past week anyway. He deserves a week off." 

Smiling over at Jiyong, I walked up to him and embraced him, "You know you really don't as a brother right?" 

"I know," he smiled as he hugged me tightly. "But bring him back before he gets comfortable with the city life," Jiyong teased.

"I don't think he's cut out for that city life," father added. Smiling, I turned to hug him, "Come back to us sooner than later okay?" 

"I promise," I pecked his cheek before turning back to the taxi where Mino was stuffing our belongings into the trunk. 

"Ready to show me the city life," Mino smiled as he opened the door for me. Nodding, I hopped in moving over to let him follow as we both waved goodbye. Effortlessly pulling me against him, he intertwined our hands and brought them up to kiss the back of my hand. "I'm so excited." 

"Me too," I said as I took hold of his collar to bring him close to me. Capturing those soft lips, I couldn't help but melt against my new boyfriend and long time best friend. 

Author's Notes:

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! Though I should be focusing on my finals I'm updating this fic instead...priorities lol. Well, until the next mini series...deuces...