*flashback*

It had been a few weeks since there were no whining inside the house. 

“I’m not leaving! I’m not!” 

“Yebin ah, I have given you weeks to settle yourself down. I know you will miss your friends but you can’t stay here. We’re going back to Korea,” Yebin’s dad pats the whining kid’s head, “It’s not that we don’t want to stay here but daddy is assigned to go back to the Korean branch.” 

“Can’t you just go back there yourself? I want to stay.” 

“No. Yebin, no. To be honest, I thought you said that school here isn’t as fun as that in Korea?” 

The little shrugged, “Yeah, it isn’t…” 

“So it’s better to leave I guess?”

“School wasn’t everything!”

School really wasn’t everything in Yebin’s life, but it certainly . Yebin didn’t have much friends in school. She was being bullied. She did have friends but her friends had more important friends and left her alone.

Life could really be better if Yebin is in Korea.

“Then, tell me, why do you want to stay that much?”

“I enjoy my leisure time after school with my friends. I don’t want to say goodbye to them!” 

“I guess you mean her, my dear. Minkyung. Am I right?” 

“Surely, she’s the main reason but I’ve got many other neighbours and friends,” Yebin tried to explain. No, in fact, she didn’t. She only missed Minkyung. 

“You can still talk to her with your phone everyday. You guys can video call.” 

It’s different. Yebin wanted to shout it out but she stoppd herself from doing so. Her dad would had continue questioning her if she continued. How could you expect a 12-year-old girl talking about first love in front of her dad? 

Yebin does not know whether it is love. She does not even know what love is. All she knows is her life never can be the same without Minkyung next to her.  

Yebin loves most when Minkyung ruffles her hair. She feels herself being loved by the older one. Yebin wants to be inside her hug forever even though she is usually the one who pulls away the hug first because she does not want Minkyung to hear how fast her heart is racing.

Everyday, when Yebin returned home, she threw her school bag on the sofa and rushed to Minkyung’s house. Sometimes, Minkyung might fetch Yebin from her school. Yebin looked forward in meeting Minkyung every day even they normally did nothing special inside her house.

This has to be love. This was what the young Yebin thought. There were no other reasonable explanations behind all their electrifying touches, heart-racing and stupid smiles if this isn’t love.

Sometimes looking at Minkyung’s smile or hearing her surprisingly fast heartbeat when they hugged each other, she had a thought that Minkyung may actually felt the same as her. 

Yebin feels safe, relieved and happy with Minkyung. She is never afraid. She hopes she could be a similar existence in Minkyung’s heart and on the day she told her she will be going back to Korea, she thought she found the answer. 

Yebin remembered how her sorrowful eyes betrayed her calm-looking face when she had broken the news. Her reply was a tight hug which almost suffocated Yebin to death. 

“I don’t know how my life would be without you next to me, Yebin ah.” 

“Me too, unnie.”

“But it would be too selfish for me for not letting you leave.” 

“I don’t want to leave too,” the younger one pouts.

The older releases the hug and ruffles Yebin’s hair, “You’re so special and important to me. Nobody can ever replace you even if you are in Korea. This will never change and I want you to know it.”

“I love you.” Minkyung’s soft but shaky voice melted Yebin’s heart. 

Her thoughts turns into beliefs. Yebin was sure that their feelings towards each other were the same. 

Yebin decided to give Minkyung a surprise. It was the last day before Christmas holidays and Yebin went to Minkyung’s school to fetch her from school, like what Minkyung had done when she was free. She had planned to take Minkyung to the carnival.

Yebin was walking pass through the side of the school to the entrance. She peeked through the fences surrounding the campus, surprisingly seeing Minkyung and her sister playing with two or three more boys. 

There were not much people in the playground. It was almost dismissal so most of the students went back to their classroom to pack their stuff. She stopped and peeked through the fences, curiously looking at how Minkyung (and her sister) is like during school.

They were laughing when suddenly one of the boys started pointing somewhere afar, where Yebin was unable to see through the fence. 

Smiles and laughters faded. There were only deadly stares left in the playground. Kyungwon and two other boys scattered away, revealing Minkyung and another boy with a slightly taller than MInkyung standing at the centre.

The staring lasted for a while before Yebin saw the boy putting his front arm on top of Minkyung’s shoulder. This made Yebin very uncomfortable because his face was very close to Minkyung’s. She did not push the boy away, and to Yebin’s surprise (or not), she intertwined the hand hanging in the air after the boy whispered a few words next to her ear. 

The staring continued and Yebin swore that she saw the boy sneered, like some kind of plan has started. She saw the lips moved, but was unable to hear his voice which was covered by the heavy traffic outside school. 

The boy intertwined Minkyung’s hand and again and Minkyung did not rebel. Yebin held her breath and held the fences tight. She had never heard of Minkyung mentioning about this boy. 

The boy said something again. Yebin couldn’t hear it. She only see the Minkyung next to her, standing quietly and emotionless. 

Then what happened tore Yebin’s heart into pieces.

The boy puts a slight peck on Minkyung’s cheek. Yebin was baffled. Then he pointed his cheek, signalling Minkyung to kiss on it. She showed hesitation. Yebin can feel it even though it was short. The boy pretended cute and poked on his face again. She believed that Minkyung won’t follow his instructions because Minkyung does not like being instructed, but then she saw the girl’s head turned and kissed on the pointed area, Yebin breathed sharply. 

Yebin did not dare to stay anymore. She ran away, as fast as possible, to somewhere far away from the school. She crouched down and let her tears fall, the tears of anger and blame. 

She hated herself, not Minkyung.

Why would she be angry at Minkyung? It was never her fault for loving someone else or having a boyfriend. It was Yebin herself who is to be blamed,  

To be blamed for thinking herself too important and to be blamed for believing that she knew everything about Minkyung.

She thought of strange accidents and stupid memories with Minkyung. They were nothing special. They became more important because Minkyung was with her, everytime, and Yebin feels that bits of these shaped her world and Minkyung was everywhere in it. 

She hated herself thinking that Minkyung would really say everything to her like what she did to the latter. She hated herself for automatically filtered the words into speeches of love and hopes. Maybe she still was Minkyung’s favourite sister, and this was what she meant by she can’t lose her.

Now knowing Minkyung has a secret, an important one in fact, and knowing that everything was just a dream. Yebin knew that it was time to face reality, that she can never be with Minkyung forever. It’s time for her to leave, from Australia and from her heart.

Going home might be the best way. She doesn’t know how to face MInkyung after seeing what happened that day. Australia was bad. The Australia with Minkyung is literally . Staying this place will only make her think more about herself and the older one. 

Yebin wiped her tears and headed home without having her lunch. She first headed to one of packed box and poured out her sister’s yearbooks, flipping through the pages and finally spotted the person she was finding. 

Jun Wen.

She carefully returned everything into their original place and rushed to her room, muffling  her tears with banging and falling stuff that she had to bring back to Korea.

The gang was still there, standing at the playground after Yebin left. The atmosphere becomes less tense and almost immediately when it changed, a large slap from the centre of the playground was heard miles away. 

Smack!

Yebin opens her eyes, seeing the sun burning her legs and her sister swinging her right leg, pulling her out from bed. 

It’s morning already. Yebin couldn’t remember herself sleeping after such a heartbreaking flashback, and now she has to wake up and see her friends again. The first thing she heard after she sits straight was an exclamation by her sister.

“Geez, Beans, were you crying?”

Yebin touches the corner of her tear-stained eyes. It was wet. Yebin doesn’t remember herself crying. 

“What happened?” her sister looks at her worriedly, putting her palm on Yebin’s cheek, “were these tears of happiness for being with Minkyung two days in a row or what?” 

Yebin removes her hand, “Bruh, No! Had a nightmare, that’s all.”

“You looked calm when I came in.” 

“It was before that, the nightmare. I woke up once.” Yebin rubs her eyes.

“Aww, okay, our little scaredy cat. Nightmare shoo shoo. Wakey wakey. Get up or else we will be late!” 

Yebin rolls her eyes, “I’m not a 3 year old little girl.”

“But you were so scared about your dream you cried.”

Yebin can’t deny, recalling the old days was scary and did made her cry. She pushes her sister away and rushes into the bathroom, feeling relieved that her eyes were not swallowing or else Minkyung must be asking her what happened last night. 

It is perfectly normal when sisters do not chat in the car but not for today. Kyungwon knew things were not right since the moment her sister woke up this morning. Yebin looked down since Kyungwon woke her up.

The gang is walking to the barbeque site at the side of the beach, with Kyungwon and Yebin at the back.

“Yebin ah,” Kyungwon whispers to her sister. “What’s in your mind?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing means Minkyung.”

“You knew the answer. Why bother to ask, unnie?”

“I do not know what exactly you’re worrying or frowning at but I just want to say whatever that thing is you’re just thinking too much,” Kyungwon gives Yebin an assuring smile.

“Huh, funny,” Yebin snorts, “You know even better than me about her long lasted love. Then, of course, if you were me, you would not be thinking much.” 

“You sure you know who that person is? That Minky loves?”

“Did Minkyung really love him a lot?” Yebin tries to ask about this calmly, but it is obvious that her voice is trembling. 

“HIM?” Kyungwon screamed out in surprised. Though she knew there are some misunderstandings to be cleared, Kyungwon did not expect a HIM.

Yebin ignores her scream, “Does she love him a lot?”

“Can we refer that person to that person but not him? I don’t like ‘him’,” Kyungwon then continues, “She did. She cried for that person. A lot. She missed that person every moment. There was something wrong between them but nobody knows why and Minky thinks about it everyday, asks about it, blames herself about it.” 

HIM was never the right word, but it is not a good timing to change it either. Changing him to her does not make Yebin realise she is that person in the conversation.

Yebin did not reply and her sister did not really force her to do so neither. She recalls the day when Minkyung first came back to Korea. She wanted to hid from her. She tried to acted cold and emotionless. She made her heart frozen to prevent her from making the same mistakes like before. But seeing how Minkyung treats her even she was a brat stirred her conscience. Her walls protecting her heart starts to fall and little by little the layer of the ice melts. 

She hates to admit that she is in love with Minkyung again. 

Yebin expected Jun’s return coming soon. Her conscious told her that she should be taking care of Minkyung for gim so every time after she enjoyed her day with Minkyung, she tries to remind herself that she should not put too much feelings on her or else she will be the one suffering. 

But it was just to late.

It’s selfish but Yebin hopes Jun(e) never comes. 

-------------------------------------------------------

They finished barbequing and they all have their free time.

Kyulkyung and Eunwoo are walking near the shoreline, with Kyulkyung clinging closely at the latter. 

They acted like nothing happened after they came down from the ferris wheel although here was still a small shade of pink on Kyulkyung’s cheeks when they met Minkyung and Yebin down the ferris wheel and Eunwoo is just glad that Kyulkyung is happy again.

“Now, we are alone. I thought we will have another moment like yesterday,” Kyulkyung shyly smiles. 

Eunwoo simply smiles. She is swimming in her own plans on what to do next.

“You don’t seem like you’re listening, baby.”

“I am.”  

Kyulkyung stops, pulling Eunwoo’s hands from the back, “You know I am waiting for something.”

Eunwoo stops as well, acting dumbfounded, “Like what?”

Kyulkyung blinks, “Fine. I shouldn’t have expected too much. You are a dumb as always.”

It was totally out of Kyulkyung’s expectation that the girl beside her chuckles in reply but not whining and defending herself for not being one. She thought that such a response like hers will make Eunwoo act like her usual self, and they can be loud like usual. With things not going the way she wanted, Kyulkyung abruptly changes her topic.

“What’s that paper bag you’re holding? Why did you not put it down at the mat over there?”

Eunwoo is startled by the sudden question. “Something private that I don’t want Kang Kyungwon to have any chance touching it,” she finds this as the best excuse why she was holding the bag, which she has to give it to her girl later. She praises herself inside for being better at lying. “Can you just think of another question?”

“Okay! Then tell me since when Kyungwon’s tutorial school is right next to where you have  your dental checkups? And since when you two have to take a 30 minute trip from school all the way to the other district near Incheon.”

“Neh??????” Eunwoo’s heartbeat stopped for a second hearing the sudden question.

“You said you had a dental checkup and Kyungwon had tutorial class. You said you were busy and I caught you being with Kyungwon that day?”

“I’ll answer the first question first,” Eunwoo tries to act calm.

“Jung Eunwoo, you are avoiding the question. It’s just you and Kyungwon unnie. Is it even that difficult to explain what happened to me? You cannot even be honest to me? Who am I to you? I never asked during these weeks because I think I’m in no position to ask you these, but you told me to tell you everything and I did it now. And then, you avoid everything again.” Kyulkyung is enraged at the same time disappointed at Eunwoo, who avoided the question when she gave her a chance to answer. 

“I said I’ll answer it from the first question,” Eunwoo answers boldly. She takes a deep breath and started.

“Question 1: It is 20 May today. 520, I hope I can consider it more than just a date because I hope it can be something special between us.” Eunwoo raises the paper bag with the pouch inside. “This is surprise for you, something handmade by Jung Eunwoo, who has zero art sense but still wants to make the best for Joo Kyulkyung because she loves this person to the moon and back.” 

Eunwoo knows it is now or never and she herself is embarrassed to the max because she never express her feelings since day 1 when they started preparing the surprise.

“Question 2: Because Jung Eunwoo’s friend and self-claimed love expert, Miss Kang Kyungwon, knows her friend is the most clumsiest person and needs a helping hand. Just to make things go on the right track, she offered most of her free time to help this helpless Eunwoo to make her DIY pouch for her Chinese girl. We went to a studio of one of Chungha’s friend, Sunmi, that day, which we have no idea bumping into your car on the way back home from the airport. These days, Kyungwon unnie and I were busying crafting and writing because I don’t know how to start expressing what I have to say to you, because you mean too much to me and I want to tell u everything. Everything is a surprise and I have to avoid talking to you just in case Jung Eunwoo, this , will spill any tea. Is this answer enough?”

Eunwoo did not stop blushing and did not even dare to look at Kyulkyung when she blurted out everything, including a confession which she did not intend to say it out. Her eyes finally shot open only when she got a soft, sweet peck on the lips as an reply to her answers.”

Kyulkyung pulls the kiss away, asking gently as she hold Eunwoo’s hands. “More than enough. I’m glad I’m having a meaningful 520 this year with you. So can I take a look at the gift?” 

Eunwoo raises the bag up high so that Kyulkyung cannot reach it.

“Promise me you will read the cards inside only after you got home....And you will only get the bag if you repeat what you did once again.” 

Kyulkyung smiles sweetly as she slides her hands to Eunwoo’s waist, pulling her in and giving a longer touch on the lips. “So can i get it now?”

Eunwoo hands the bag to Kyulkyung, and apologizing for all the ditching and lying.

Kyulkyung nods in reply, jokingly replies, “If you dare doing it again, I’ll kill you, understand?”

Eunwoo smiles widely as she gives a peck onto her girlfriend’s cheek. 

“Understand!”