The wind blows as she exhaled, looking at her reflection in the river just separating her from establishments with worn-out beige walls. The approaching quacking black swan reminds her of someone, it was the person she loved the most.

(Well, she thought that the swan is doing more of a whistle than a quack though)

Taking a crumb of the small bread she was eating, she threw it to the water near the swan and the animal quacked happily as if thanking it's her. She chuckled and continued feeding the swan until the bread is gone. The swan waved its head slightly before slowly floating to another direction.

She watched as it reconciled with another swan on the other side of the bridge. Rubbing their heads like they missed each other on the short span of time they were apart.

Sighing, she stared the ring in her index finger where a silver ring was located, shining amidst of the darkness the night is bringing.

(The sapphire inside the moon is beautiful as always)

Stretching out her fingers in front of her, words that she can't seem to comprehend replays in her brain once again.

"Hey Sana"

Keeping her eyes on the road while driving with one hand to hold the cold bony hand of the other, she hummed quietly to acknowledge the girl beside her. She was driving leisurely, because that's the only way she can prolong their time together.

"About what I said on Christmas eve, at your house..." Mina slurred with her words as she softly caressed the ring, "About wearing this ring for the rest of your life. I'm not serious about that. You can remove this ring."

Sana flinched and shifted her eyes from the road to Mina, then to the road once again. She held Mina's hand tighter, "What are you talking about? I will not do tha-

"It might not be now, it might not be tomorrow, but someday. Someday you will remove this, promise me Sana." 

Her teeth clenched inside her pursed lips at Mina's words, "Stop, I will never do that, I will never-

"Sana... right now, freedom is the only thing I can give you. For once, please, please be selfish." Weak pleads came out of Mina's mouth, Sana doesn't know what to reply anymore, she doesn't know what to think anymore. She can't understand Mina, she's been selfish the whole time she was with Mina, she was the most selfish one for wanting to be Mina's side in the first place.

Sana already took Mina's everything, the younger gave her everything she could. Her jaw clenched and she sighed in frustration because , all of this is her fault. The airconditioner of Tzuyu's car is working perfectly, the cold winter brought must be that freezing but Sana can't seem to feel any as she feels hot in anger.

Mina sensed that Sana is having an internal battle and she's too weak to convince the girl anymore, "Please Sana, promise me. I will not be at peace if I know that- 

The girl suddenly coughed and Sana woke up from her internal battle to tend Mina, "Hey! Are you alright? We're close to the hospital- Ahh !" 

Sana stepped on the gas and the car went faster. Mina's coughs are subsiding but her breathing became ragged.

"Stop" Mina mumbled and reached for Sana's arm, "Please I want you to promise me"  

"Yes! I promise, please hang in there darling. Please hang in there, we are so close please" 

She heard Mina exhale a contented sigh but she didn't saw the smile of sadness that formed on her pale face.

"Thank you so much Sana"

Sana didn't reply as she got off the car immediately to get Mina from the other side. She carried Mina inside the hospital and went to the front desk for assistance.

She remembered clearly how weak Mina was completely unconscious and was rushed to the emergency room.

Sitting outside the dirty floor of the emergency room, she heard muffled shouts inside and covered her ears to drown all the sounds around her. Her pupils are shaking but there are no tears coming out. She doesn't want to believe that this is real, that this is all happening. She stared into the stained white tiles of the hospital halls like it's the most interesting thing in the world. 

Two pairs of shoes presented themselves in front of her, and she surely knows who are the owners of those. However, she's not in the slightest to give a care as she slowly stood up swinging from side to side and bowed weakly at the people in front of her.

"Sorry"  That's the only word she could manage at the moment, but what for? What is she sorry for?

Oh, I'm so sorry for taking your sick daughter away?

I'm sorry for being together with your daughter?

I'm sorry for being happy with your daughter?

Silence enveloped the three of them and Sana braced herself for getting a hard slap, because she knows damn well that's what she deserves for all this she did. She can hear the flickers in the almost burnt out fluorescent lights because of the overwhelming silence.

What she didn't expect is to get a warm, tight hug from Mrs. Myoui, the woman rubbed her back and Sana had agape at surprise.

"We are the ones who is sorry darling" 

The utter shock prevented her brain from functioning even further, "And thank you so much, for giving our daughter the happiness and love she deserves, for giving her the understanding we should've gave her. Thank you for being with our daughter Sana-chan" 

Mr. Myoui held Sana's shoulder and squeezed it gently, "We are so thankful that you came in Mina's life" 

Sana didn't know what to do, all the emotions are overflowing and her heart can't contain it all at once. She helplessly leaned on Mrs. Myoui's shoulder and shamelessly sobbed like a child. 

Tzuyu and Chaeyoung watched it all unfold and Tzuyu was glad that she knocked some sense into the old couple. It took all her guts to do it and her somehow troublemaker girlfriend was proud of her.

The couple notes how Sana looks so devastated and lost, they might be in pain but they know that their pain is nothing compared to Sana's. 

She didn't know how many minutes she spent staring at the ring in her hand until she heard a whistle, it's the swan quacking, now together with the swan from the other side of the bridge.

"Hey" 

Talking to swans as if they're going to answer is quite.... lunatic

But she doesn't care because no one can see her anyway.

"Do you think my interpretation of her words are right? That I should remove this ring once I'm ready to let her go?" She looked at the swans that are looking curiously at her, they waved their heads side by side and Sana laughed.

"Should I know what that mean?" 

One of the swans whistled and Sana chuckled, "Okay then"

Sana then took the ring off and caressed it, 

"I love you, I'm going to miss you a lot, but I have to let you go"

Mumbling this words, Sana smiled and closed her palm with the ring in the middle. She slowly stretched her arms and opened her fist, letting the precious accessory fall in the deep depth of the river. The sapphire is still shining brightly despite slowly sinking and disappearing.

She thought that it's quite beautiful.

The art of moving on is quite beautiful

It took her days, months, years to earn the courage, the strength, and the guts to do this.

"SEE? MINA? I FULFILLED MY PROMISE TO YOU!" She shouted on the top of her lungs and she chuckled right after.

"YES IT TOOK ME THIS LONG HUH!  I BET YOU'RE LAUGHING AT ME BUT YES! I'M NOT A PROMISE BREAKER!"

Then light of one of the houses on the other side of the bridge . Sana remembered that it is already night in France and she may or may not woke up a couple of people because of her reckless shouting. She laughed at herself and bid goodbye to the swans before running with all her strength.

She laughed like a lunatic she was while running to the endless like street. Having as she feels like a very heavy weight in her heart heart was lifted. Fulfilling your promise is very, very, very satisfying and Sana can't seem to describe the feeling she has.

Freedom, the last thing Mina gave her, the thing that Mina forced her to accept. Accepting freedom from Mina is the last thing she can do to make Mina hapoy, and now she did it, she knows that she made Mina happy.

At last, she arrived at the hotel room she booked with her co-worker and best friend, namely Hirai Momo.

Panting and giggling to herself, Momo looked at her weirdly and threw a towel at her, "Where the did you go and why are you sweating like that?" 

Sana laughed at the memory, "I think I woke up a couple residents in the nearby area"

Momo looked at her ridiculously and raised an eyebrow, "Why is that then-

"I'm letting her go" Sana said with a smile, "I'm fulfilling our promise"

Momo looked at Sana, she's surprised that she sees no pain in Sana's eyes. She was so proud of her best friend for moving on.

The black-haired girl stood up and hugged Sana

"I'm so proud of you Sana-chan" Momo mumbled on Sana's shoulder and smiled.

She pulled away and looked at Sana with a big warm smile, "I also think that she is also proud of you" She caressed Sana arm and head.

"I know she is" 

The blonde girl mumbled and saw the cleanly pressed clothes on the bed, "And why are you picking clothes for tomorrow?" Sana raised an eyebrow at Momo while the latter snickered.

"Well, the company gave a week off AND hear me out, I found a good place with macarons and cakes and coffee and milk tea!!! and get ready because we are going to go there tomorrow" Momo excitedly squeals and opened Sana's luggage to find a good outfit for the blonde.

Sana looked at her best friend who is more excited for her. She jumped on the bed and ruined the clothes Momo placed.

"What the fuc- COME BACK HERE" Sana laughed and ran to the bathroom, not after she got Momo's purple hoodie.

She looked at herself in the mirror and caressed her hair while Momo is banging the door on the other side. She chuckled once again and wondered if she should dye her hair. Laughing, she went to take a shower and waited for Momo's rage to calm down.
 

⚫⚫⚫

It's been and hour since Sana is in the bathroom and honestly, it's making Momo anxious. It's making her remember that time.

Knocking on the door to Minatozaki's residence, Momo's grip on Sana's favorite snacks tightened as seconds pass in silence. There is no creak or noise inside the house and it's been days since their fight. 

Tapping her shoes on the pavement of the entrance impatiently, she knocked again but after the deafening sound, silence just followed once again. It's been a while since she saw Sana because as usual, they had a fight.

Sana's parents asked her a favor to watch over their daughter because they're going on a business trip. Momo would not go here if Sana's parents didn't ask so.

(Bull to that, she misses her friend and she's worried as hell)

Momo snickered as she remembered what they fought about. It's about that Sana's ex, she doesn't know the whole story since Sana refused to talk about it. It's their first real fight, usually they just bicker about useless things and now, Momo seem to hit a very bad nerve on Sana.(She feels quite guilty about it but she won't