This morning is having a clear sky, Minji checked about the fine dust conditions, seems today is a nice time to running. It's been a while since the last time the sky of Seoul is this clear enough to work out outside. Not sort of workout inside the gym with all running machines they have. 

 

Minji drives to Han River Park, a nice place to run. People are busy commuting so early morning, but it's okay when she is self-employed and doesn't care about late to work. 

 

It's already 2 years since she resigned from the office work to continue to manage her Aunt’s bakery. She just takes care around the bakery without need to go there regularly while she already has a manager who helps her there. Manage the profits thing and check the quality of ingredients in the kitchen. Something like that. 

 

So far she had a nice life to become a kinda boss. Try to be the best boss for her employees. Somehow she managed about it even though at first she doubted herself. But now all are fine to her. She has the best life so far. 

 

She starts to warm up before running. Trying to breathe a clear air around Han River Park. 

 

And then she runs. 

 

Feeling her body through the morning breeze. She smiles to everyone who looks at her and makes eye contact at her. Have a small encouragement to other people who do the same thing like her on her track. 

 

She's having fun. 

 

It's already one hour and she's looking at around her. The scenery of the Han River is something else. While enjoying the scenery she's taking a break and breathe to feeling a nice air. 

 

She just needs to running back to the parking lot and have another nice break before going home. 

 

She continues her run but suddenly stops doing it after seeing such a scene. 

 

There is a person who sleeps at the side of the track. She looks around and just realized no one around here and notice this poor person here. She walks to her, from distance looks like a woman. After at a close distance she analyzes her. 

 

Looks familiar.

 

"Uh, wait." She surprised when recognized the person who not sure either sleeps, passes out or perhaps died. The last probably the extreme one because Minji still sees that the person has her breath. 

 

"Bora?" Said Minji, questioning to makes sure it was her and also waking her up at the same time. 

 

No response but Minji is sure that she clears smell the alcohol from her. 

 

Is she drunk and kinda pass out here and sleep? Thought Minji. 

 

At this freaking morning? When was she drinking though? 

 

"Bora? Wake up!" 

 

Still, no response even though she shakes her body. 

 

What should I do? 

 

No other option. Seems like Minji needs to bring her to her place. 

 

Minji doesn't know what happened to Bora to got at this poor state, but she knows it must be hard for her. She let her sigh and just remembered something that probably related to this event. 

 

She looks at Bora on her back, glad that she was kinda small even though she should be more weight than this. Because Minji can weight how light she is. 

 

It sure takes her back to their high school years. When Bora had sprained ankle and Minji piggyback her. It was a moment she knew that even Bora has a small body but quite heavy. 

 

Compare to now, she is light. 

 

At the parking lot, Minji let her lay down on back seat comfortably as she can. 

 

She drives back home with sometimes glance at the rearview mirror. Drive slowly. Worrying her friend that been a while she hasn't meet. 

 

Minji hopes her friend is fine. 

...

 

Bora wakes up in an unfamiliar place at all. The bed is comfort enough for her and it makes her too lazy to process everything. She tries to close her eyes again, thinking about what happened. 

 

She’s remembering that she was drinking at so late at night, bought every liquor she could at a convenience store. She tried to go back but seems like it never happens and now she’s here whoever place it is. For sure it isn’t a hospital, she opens her eyes again and looks at around her. 

 

Yeah, it is not a hospital . 

 

There is a desk with a computer on it, dressing table, a single closet, and one big bed that she’s laying on it now. 

 

There is nothing that indicates the owner, no photos hanging on the wall or something like that in her laying view. She tries to lift her body and looks closely, but her head feels heavy and pain. 

 

‘How much alcohol I took?’ 

 

The room’s door open suddenly, Bora can’t look at the person come in from her condition. 

 

“Oh, you are awake. Let me bring water.” 

 

The person left, but somehow from the sound of her is so familiar to her. It reminds her of how soothing the sound of her. It’s been so long time she heard something like that. The people in the industry never sounds like that, not even someone in her group too. To know this fact, it makes her sure that she’s not in that kind of people place. 

 

The industry calls, an ordinary. 

 

She is somehow glad that is not someone in her group or someone in the industry who take her drunk to their place. 

 

The person comes again with a glass of water, the first Bora noticed it was how blonde her hair. But after seeing her in the close distance her eyes wider, a small smile on the person’s face it makes her throwback to years ago. 

 

“Minji?” Bora let the name out from her lips. 

 

“Hey, are you okay? Let me help you.” 

 

Minji helps Bora to sit and give a glass of water to her. Bora sips it a little, don’t think that she has enough energy to empty the glass in one gulp. 

 

“Better?” 

 

She just shakes her head weakly and tries to bear with the pain on it. 

 

“Sorry, I don’t have any painkillers at the moment.” 

 

Listen! Bora never heard that kind of worry tone in a while and somehow it kinda soothes her heart a little bit. It hit her so hard that she can’t hold her teary eyes. It’s been a while, she even forgets since when it is. 

 

“Hey, are you okay?” Minji questions it, she confused to see the tears on her friend. 

 

“Don’t! Not with that tone!” 

 

Minji back off for a little, startled at her friend raised her voice. So she just stands there in silence. Minji didn’t ask anything after that, instead of asking, she just sits beside Bora on the bed. The last thing she did was gave her handkerchief to Bora. 

 

“Sorry.” 

 

Minji doesn’t reply at all. She just smiles like what Bora always remember. Another time travel to their high school years. It was around the first year, they were at the same class and one morning Minji came to her with her smile. She just talked about she watched one of Bora’s performance at some gig. She coincidence passed by there and unconsciously watched till the end. 

 

And that was the time they were sharing their dreams. 

 

“It’s been a while,” Minji let her minds out. “Seven… uh, eight years? No, it’s ten years. A decade.” 

 

“Un-Hmm.”

 

It just sniffles that fill in the room, Minji tries not to push hard at her after a barely reply from Bora. 

 

“Since when you are in Seoul?” asked Bora while wiped her tears away. 

 

“Three-four years I guess. Yeah, around that.” 

 

“How is that I end up here?” 

 

“I was running at Han River Park and you were there, sleeping on the grass. Fortunately that area there isn’t any people around. To make sure you are okay and safe, I just brought you here.”

 

Bora looks at Minji carefully, trying to find something that she doesn’t know what it is. It has just been a while to see her friend and it’s not the best time either with this kind of situation. With this kind of messy situation. With her life situation right now. 

 

For starter, Minji gives that soothe she was always giving years ago on their high school years. Bora kinda depended on her back then. They always spend time together, at school, at the gym, at her dance academy, at her home. They shared songs that they listened, films that they watched, albums that they bought together. 

 

It was fun.

 

“Decade ago, I was really mad at you. You just gave up on your dream. Now to think about it, I don’t want you went at the same path as me. This path…… I don’t know what can I describe it……” 

 

“Are you regretting it?” asked Minji gently. She knows this is kinda deep and hurt at her situation right now.  

 

“No… Yes… I don’t know,” replied Bora trying to not having another breakdown. 

 

“I’m sorry.” 

 

Bora startled, looks at Minji immediately. Now that smile she knew gone from her face. It’s not like Minji she knew. Even the last time she said goodbye at her, the smile was there even though it’s just a little smile. And that time she was mad at her too, Minji still smiled at her. 

 

“I always check on you, your career. I have all your albums, watched all your performances, watched every shows that had you on it. I always think that you had a life that you dream there.” 

 

“Now you said that in front of me, with all happened recently on you, I don’t know it was that hard for you,” Minji said it slowly, pace her breath to not make her cry. 

 

It failed. 

 

The tears fall on her cheeks. 

 

“I should be there with you, but I gave up on it. I’m sorry, Bora. I’m sorry…… sorry……” Minji covers her face and cries that hard. She doesn’t remember the last time she was crying like that. 

 

It all was the emotion and situation makes her crying that hard. 

 

Bora doesn’t know what to do, the worst thing that she never sees Minji cried. She doesn’t know how to handle that. It is her first time. 

 

At first, she just offers her hand wraps her shoulder, make her body slightly turn and hugs her. 

 

But the frequency on the cries that fill in the room makes Bora felt her eyes wet again. Her chest hurts to listened to Minji’s cry and said sorry at her repeatedly. The headache she had gone, Bora just dived her face down on Minji’s shoulder and cry with her. 

 

It was heavy. 

 

It was intense. 

 

It was painful. 

...

 

After the whole crying session they had, Minji suggested Bora eat something. So they are on the dining table, eat whatever Minji had on the kitchen. Glad she still has rice left on the cooker. 

 

Minji looks at Bora who eat so intense. 

 

“You are still big eater as I know,” said Minji and smiled at Bora. Glad the sadness they made minutes ago slowly gone on them. 

 

“No-no, perhaps it’s because it’s been a while I eat freely. Diet is a real deal thing happened in that industry.” 

 

“I aware of that. You look smaller and tinier than before.” 

 

Bora lifted her head and looks at Minji intently.

 

“You are serious when you said you always check on me.” 

 

“It’s the only thing I can do, from far away I still saw you on television, social media, internet news, on your albums.”

 

It’s true. Minji always waited for everything Bora related news. She followed up everything from the very beginning debut until recently news about her. Watched every music shows performance at Naver, left comments on them, bought the albums, streaming from the music sites, attended to the concerts and the festivals. Everything that could support her and the group. 

 

The only thing she couldn’t do was meeting Bora. There are some occasions that she could go to their fan sign. She didn’t go, the last time she tried to reach her it didn’t well and it was a long time ago before the debut. Bora mad at her or even hate her. That was hurt Minji, but she tried to understand her. 

 

So that’s the only ways she could do.

 

“Minji, are you happy?” 

 

Minji moves her eyebrows close together, intently looks at Bora expression, thinking confusedly about the question. More importantly, Bora called her name. 

 

“Are you happy that your dream is not coming true?” 

 

Minji still looks at Bora. 

 

“Hmm… I’m not sure at all if the context is about my dream.” Minji tried to look back at her high school years. The experience to practice every day with Bora kinda wasted now. “How about you? Are you happy to perform on stage?” 

 

Bora puts down the chopsticks and spoon, preparing if she has another breakdown again. 

 

“At first, yeah. Latest stages, no.” 

 

Minji nods at that reply, she doesn’t want to press another question after that. It must be hard for Bora at her latest stages, latest albums, her latest stage.

 

“If you still need the answer you seek, well I’m happy with my life now.” Bora looks at Minji now. “Somehow life is complicated, but sometimes is quite simple.” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

“Take a breath, take your time, think with your clear minds. You will get the answer to what you seek it.” 

 

Bora doesn’t know how to respond that but somehow that statement soothes her minds. She looks at her rice bowl on the table, thinking about everything. Her career is practically done. Her dream… she’s not sure about it with what happened, her life… she’s confused by herself. 

 

“Bora!” 

 

Bora looks at the person who called it. 

 

“Don’t overthink about it. Talk it with your family, your friends.” 

 

“I don’t think so with my family,” said Bora quietly but still reach Minji’s hearing. 

 

“Then with your friends.” 

 

“After what happened, seems like I don’t have a friend, I don’t trust them.”

 

Minji’s hand try to reach Bora’s, touch gently. “You know what, you have one in front of you, in front of your eyes.” 

 

Every time Minji said something with that soothe tone, it makes Bora bad of her. She doesn’t deserve Minji at all. She’s unbelievable. Now she’s just silent with that stare of her at Minji. Her vision is blurry again before it falls, she covers her eyes quickly and Minji’s touch gone on her hand. 

 

“You’re unbelievable, Minji. Unbelievable,” said Bora in between her sniffles. 

 

Minji just let her, she is hurt to see her friend in this kind of state. She promises by herself, she will do everything for her, everything. To make her better, to make her smile again. After she’s awake to this situation, Bora never smiles. 

 

One thing for sure after it was a long time ago, it’s still the same. 

 

The promises. 

 

It’s still around Bora. 

...

 

Bora is not really remembered how she ends up at the bakery’s kitchen who run by Minji’s family. It started with a phone call that Minji picked up, something happened at the kitchen. She offered Bora if she wanted to stay or came along with her. 

 

So that’s it. 

 

But Bora doesn’t know what to do in this kitchen that have several people with white clothing. 

 

She just looks at Minji who checked about the big oven that seems like can’t operate like usual. Several seconds later there is repairman comes, talking at Minji and inspect the oven. 

 

“Hey, You are SuA, right? Kim Bora?” 

 

Someone diverts her concentrate at Minji, Bora finds someone beside her already. 

 

“I am.” 

 

“I thought that Minji Unnie was lying about she knows you personally and came from same alma mater.”

 

“She talked about me?” 

 

“She’s the biggest fangirl of you that I know so far and I’m the only one who deals with it cause I’m a fan of you too.” 

 

Fangirl. Fans. Now it sounds so foreign for Bora. It’s been two or three months now, she avoided with her best, generally people. Beside her now it’s one of her fans, she doesn’t know what to do. 

 

“I’m aware that perhaps you are afraid of me but let me tell you, I don’t care what people talk about you and she doesn’t too.” 

 

Bora looks at Minji. 

 

“How do you know that?” 

 

“For the start, she never touches her social media again after you know what it is. Barely touch the Internet in general. She’s genuine worrying you in such her delicate ways.”

 

“It’s more like torture, who in this era barely survive without the internet?” 

 

That was such a contradictory statement from Bora. She did the same and she’s fine with it, more likely she breathed. Those comments on the internet about her made her suffocating. The stories and rumors they made up, the damn netizens said, the whole news about her for their traffics. 

 

Glad she did it. 

 

Even though still can’t avoid those eyes on her, the murmurs at her, the shouts on her whenever she went. That explained why she barely went when the sun shines and tried to went on night till dawn. But still not in regularly thing, she just locked herself on whatever the place called. 

 

 That is another problem. The place. 

 

She barely got a place, Bora always lived at the dorm that the agency provided with some members. And at some point it just she with her bank account that she relies on. The more problem when it talked about money. Apparently, she never got the money that she should get. 

 

Bora is careless that not think clearly when renting a place she got now in the damn Seoul city which should be expensive. When her situation at the moment, she didn’t think about the money thing. She just wanted a place. It took half of her account for these two months. She even doesn’t remember why she agreed to pay monthly. Yesterday she tried to look for a place but end up bad and got drunk. 

 

“By the way, my name is Gahyeon, Lee Gahyeon.”

 

“Hmm, seems like I heard it before. Are you perhaps went to one of the fan signs? Wait…..” Bora somehow remembered her. “You’re the one who gives the custom sneakers at fan sign, right?” 

 

“Ooh, you remembered it. You can say that.” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

"Well, it wasn't from me. How do you expect a student to buy sneakers for her idol? I barely bought the albums for fansign even though I got some from Minji Unnie….." Gahyeon stops her rambling and realized that she put too many information. She barely looks at Bora’s eyes and. "So yeah, fortunately, I could go to fansign." Randomly end the explanation. 

 

By that Bora has another throwback again, this time is around they were practice dance together. Minji was a fast learner, she could do what Bora instructed. The practice turned out to be her favorite time because she spent so much with Bora. 

 

One time they were taking a break in the corner of the room. Minji saw Bora’s sneakers that quite awful not so good to wear it. 

 

“Don’t you think you need to change your sneakers?” asked Minji still looked at on it. 

 

“Should I?” Bora was waving her feet. “What should I get?” 

 

“Hmm. I don’t know, I don’t understand with sneakers.”

 

“Yours is cool though it is just plain white. Should I get the same as yours?” Bora lifted her body to lean more to the sneakers. 

 

“I got an idea. You should get the same as mine and we custom them.”