--// Read between the lines and don't get confused. It's gonna be a long one-shot. Please enjoy!//--

"Are all this your things?" Chaeyoung put down the box she's holding, putting it on the floor among the boxes she have. She nod at her friend, Jeongyeon who's done putting down the boxes above the other box.

"Oh my, my back hurts." She stated stretching her back while looking all the boxes scattered on the floor. "I should exercise more." She added and eyes landed on Chaeyoung who's checking each boxes.

"How much per month?" She asked walking close to her friend. 

"800,000 Won." She replied nonchalantly.

Jeongyeon gasped. "Wow, that's...expensive." Chaeyoung didn't say anything. She move and open another box and see what's inside. She sighs when she saw the model she made - her proposal for her company she's working at. 

"Can you pay for it? I mean you only been that company 2 years right?" Jeongyeon who's already walking at the window, facing the other part of the Seoul. Chaeyoung close her eyes;
 

"So you're telling me to build this crap-hotel you made to put in our land in Apgujeong-dong?" The man in his 50's yelled at her. Chaeyoung nodded her head, eyes dilated, speaking in perseverance.

"Yes, sir. This will be a big help-!" 

She bowed her head down. "This is just a piece of junk! This is nothing compared to other proposal your co-workers presented to me!" The man stood up, "You know how important this is. It's urban project development. You'll make or put our company's reputation on the line!"

"But sir-!" She clench her fist.

"Have you even think about our client's needs about this before building this dinky project-proposal to me?!" She gasped when the man shoved the 3D building she designed herself were now scattered on the floor, some pieces wrecked and some were broken.

"Open your eyes Son Chaeyoung! Time to wake up!" The man yelled at her for the last time before walking out of the room, defeated.

-

"Shut up! Leave me alone!" She slam her both hands on the table, startling her parents.

Her mom stop eating and so her dad. "I just want you to wear my knitted scarf I made for you. There's nothing to get upset about." Her mom said calmly, hoping to calm her daughter.

Chaeyoung stood up and started walking back to her room. "Those little things distracting me. I need to focus on work." Opening her bedroom door. "I decided to leave this house. I already picked an apartment." Her mom widen her eyes and look at her husband. 

"I know it's kinda childish act but...I don't care. I'm leaving. I have my own job." She close the door, hearing her parents muffled arguments about her leaving.


 

Chaeyoung open her eyes. Closing the lid of the box and proceed to the other boxes. "Jeongyeong eonnie, we didn't left any box right?" Jeongyeon look at her and shrugged.

"I don't think so. But if we do so, we can go back there and get it." Jeongyeon said nonchalantly. 

"No, we can't. That box is important to me. It has my tools and blueprint from work." Chaeyoung sigh and open another boxes containing some papers she didn't know.

"Wow you have a pretty nice view here!" Jeongyeon said while opening the window. "You can see the Apgujeong-dong here!" 

Chaeyoung widen her eyes when she saw the papers flying around. "Jeongyeon eonnie! Close the window!" She yelled at her, hands were trying to catch the flying paper and put them back on the box, blocking it to prevent the paper from flying.

"Some parts haven't been demolished. Your grandma still lives there, right?"

"Yeah.." 

"When we were kids, that place was like a huge maze. But from up here it's just a blotch. So small."

Chaeyoung groan. "How about stop reminiscing and close that damn window and give me a hand here." Jeongyeong giggled and close the door. 

 Chaeyoung sigh. She look at the paper on her hand, tilting her head. "This paper is kinda old." She wondered. "This was still from high school entrance exam.." She look over the box from earlier and saw the a tape. 

She frown, getting the cassette tape that almost covered with dust. She tilted it to examine before wiping off the dust. Thumb caressing the surface and she gasped. 

"Penguin and Tiger"

She then remembered, a girl. Hair glistened hazel in the sun, blowing with the wind as her eyes arc when she smiles...

"Hey, that should be the old cassette tape Mina gave me before high school entrance. You still have it, huh?" Jeongyeon smile. 

Chaeyoung immediately look at Jeongyeon who's looking at her. "What do you mean she gave it to you?" She asked curiously. "And why is it in here?" 

Jeongyeon stood up, "That was right before our high school entrance exam. That time you study like mad man. Mina asked me to gave it to you. I guess she don't want to bother you and just ask me." She pause, "I felt kinda awkward to give it to you so I asked your mother instead. You didn't know that?"

Chaeyoung clench her first and stood up. "Do you have a tape player?" She asked eagerly. 

Jeongyeon shrugged, "Why the hell do I have one? Do you know what year is it?" Chaeyoung sigh.

She look over the window and saw the city below. There she saw Apgujeong-dong, her hometown. "That's it. It's still there!" She started running out of the house and left Jeongyeon.

"H-hey, where are you going?" Chaeyoung didn't mind her and just run off her apartment. "What about the rest of your stuff Chaeng?" Jeongyeon sigh and shook her head.

Chaeyoung run to the elevator and patiently awaits to go down. She gaze at her hand that's holding the cassette tape until the elevator stops at ground floor.

She runs.

"Is there anymore, if so, please let me hear it." 

Getting out of the building apartment. 

"The love that I lost, the dream the I failed to chased."

Passing by all the people she bumped with. Lights from the stores shone, noise from the people along with the noise from the transportation and her loud foot steps can all be heard.

"Back then, you and me, we had it all." She pants. "I want another taste of what we could've been. So please let me hear another word other than goodbye." 

She saw a bridge - overpass bridge. She remember everything. That bridge is somehow special for her. For them, because it reminds her of everything she have with her. 

"Because without you, I don't think my heart will ever stop aching."

-

Summer 1999

Three children were running, foot steps, heavy breathing could be heard from a peaceful run-down place, inner city area of Apgujeong-dong. 

"Be careful, there's a construction going on, so watch your steps." An old lady warned them who saw the three children running. 

Mina, Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon jump over a lift that's under construction. Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon head straight to her house while Mina stops and greet Chaeyoung's grandparents.

"Good afternoon, Ajumma." She bowed and smile brightly than afternoon sun. Chaeyoung's grandma was watering her plants, the old lady turn and smile at her. "Good afternoon, Ahjussi." Greeting Chaeyoung's grandpa who's reading a newspaper.

"Oh, Hi, Minari. Glad to see you today." Mina bowed as response before heading upstairs where Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon are.

"Jeongyeon eonnie, play Minari's tape first." Chaeyoung scolding her friend who's handing her own cassette tape.

Jeongyeon shook her head. "Uh-oh. There's no 'ladies first' among friends, Chaeng." The latter completely put the cassette tape.

Chaeyoung frown, "Wh-what, n-" Mina lazily stock a cookie on Chaeyoung's mouth to shut her up who keeps blabbing nonsense.

"Come on. I just want to listen to music after a stressful day at school." Chaeyoung munch the cookie and pout. Jeongyeon smirk.

"Minari, give me one of those please~" Mina roll an eye, ignoring her and just eats her cookies. Jeongyeon pouts. "Meanie. Now I'm starting to think you like Chaeyoung..."

Chaeyoung and Mina choked on her food. "Ya! Yoo Jeongyeon!" Chaeyoung playfully punch her but Jeongyeon dodged it and click the play button. "D-don't make s-some n-news!" Jeongyeon giggled, teasing her.

"Ohh, wait, did I strike a nerve there?" Chaeyoung blushed and Jeongyeon smirk wider, "I guess I'm right~" Chaeyoung punch her again but no to avail.

"Chaeyoung likes Mina~" Jeongyeon chanted. "Chaeyoung likes Mina~ Chaeyoung likes Mina~ Chaeyoung likes Mina~..." She chanted repeatedly to the point their neighbors can hear it.

"Shut up! Before I-I punch you on the f-face!" Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon holding each other, fighting again. Mina on the other hand was blushing and looking at the cassette player.

"Oh, the tape!" The two stop fighting and saw Jeongyeon's tape didn't function as the tape reels came out. 

"Oh man." Jeongyeon pull it out and stared at it. "Now it's ruin great." She whined. Chaeyoung scoff, "Guess it's your punishment."

"What did you say?" Chaeyoung make face.

"Calm down, both of you." Mina spoke pulling off her own cassette tape and played it. 

Soft instrumental music engulfed the three of them. Mina fixed Jeongyeon cassette tape while Chaeyoung was secretly looking over Mina who was elegantly turning the knob around the cassette reels.

Wind crashing over Mina's, making the latter's hair dance along the afternoon breeze, eyes sparkle under the sunlight as it hits her eyes, emphasizing her hazel nut eyes. 

Chaeyoung look back at the notebook she's working at, blushing, as her hands gaze upon the white blank paper, fingers wrapped around the thin pencil as she drew Mina's side profile which she labeled as 'perfect'.

"Oh Mina, are you heading home already?" Chaeyoung's grandpa asked her as he saw her walked out of the house. "Why don't you stay and eat dinner with us?"

Mina smile apologetically, "I appreciate the offer Ajussi, but I need to review for our exam tomorrow. See you around, Ajussi." Mina wave her hands, eyes locked with Chaeyoung and wave her goodbye.

Ajussi sigh, "Mina is such a nice girl." He stated, passing by her granddaughter. "Maybe you should offer her to walk home?" 

Chaeyoung blushed, turning around to her grandpa. "G-grandpa! You know you sounded like Jeongyeon eonnie!" She yelled while blushing making her grandpa giggled.

"Aww!" 

Chaeyoung heard Mina's voice. Chaeyoung gasped, walking out of the house with a frown in her face. "Minari!"

 

"What do you think they will do about this urban development?" Chaeyoung asked Mina who's at her back, carrying her.

"I don't know." Mina replied softly. 

"Roads cracked and they never fixed them.." She said while looking over the same place she always walked Mina home. The overpass bridge.

"That's true." Walking up the stairs, Chaeyoung felt Mina tapped her shoulder lightly, "You can put me down here."

"I can carry you up to your house." Chaeyoung debated. Mina shook her head. "I can walk the rest of the way." Chaeyoung copied Mina, shaking her head. "Who was the person crying 'ow, ow!' When I tried to put her down earlier?" Chaeyoung mocked her. Mina grabbed Chaeyoung's cheeks and pinched those.

"Well, maybe I was worried about you being able to carry me the rest of the way?" Chaeyoung can't fight as her hands occupied and supporting Mina's weight. 

"Stop! Ok, I'm sorry! It hurts!" Chaeyoung complain. Mina let go and smack Chaeyoung's shoulder. "Hold on tight, you might fall down." Chaeyoung tighten her hold to Mina and Mina wrapped around her arms around Chaeyoung's neck. She don't know why she felt hot, guessing she's blushing due for being intimate on each other.

Chaeyoung continue to walk upstairs, "Do you think you might be able to go to school tomorrow?" 

"Good question, do you think you can record the lesson for me?" She pull something at the back of her pocket. "You can record it on this tape." Chaeyoung accepted it. "And maybe you can say something funny, too. Something that I can listen to it over and over again."

"Sure thing. If that will make you smile, then I'll be glad too." Chaeyoung smiles. 

"I can wait to listen to it!" Mina cheered. "But please don't make something that will made the class distracted." Chaeyoung roll an