THIRD POV 

It's raining outside, and this weather suits Mina's mood, but she doesn't notice that it's raining because she is too engrossed in her food. Chaeyoung talked for 5 minutes, but she was not listening to the girl in front of her. Her thought is wandering and thinking about something.

"Mina, are you listening? You are spacing out." Chaeyoung said.

"h-huh? What is it again?" She looks at her girlfriend.

"are you okay? is something bothering you?" Chaeyoung asked.

"Mina, this is the time. Stop hurting her," she said to herself. She takes a deep breath and gulps.

"Chaeng.." she looks straight at Chaeyoung.

"hmm?" Chaeyoung doesn't bother to look at her and dig her food again.

"I-I'm confused."

"What do you mean, confused?" Chaeyoung suddenly stops eating and looks at her fiancé.

"About us. I'm not so sure anymore if I still want to continue this." Mina looks away to hide her tears. She can't look at Chaeyoung's eyes either.

"What makes you say that? Did I do anything wrong? Tell me." Chaeyoung drops the utensil and looks straight to Mina.

"It's not you, Chaeyoung. Some thoughts were bothering me over the past few days." She pauses. "It's like I can't imagine my life with you anymore. I wondered what would happen if I ended up with a guy. I thought if maybe I ended up with a guy, would my family accept me again? Just... I'm tired of all of these. You know that my family is against us and I'm so tired of it. Hiding," she paused and hid her face. "my parents are resenting me because of this. Us. I miss them. I miss the old me, Chaeyoung." She wipes her tears and looks away. 

"Hmmm, I understand, Mina. I do." Mina was surprised at Chaeyoung's words, and she looked at her girlfriend, who was just smiling at her.

"I love you, Mina. I love you this much to the point that I'm willing to let you go because I want you to be happy. I want you to be happy even I'm not in that happiness anymore. When we started dating back then, I knew that this time would come because you just love the idea of me being with you all the time."

Chaeyoung stands up and goes to Mina's side. She kneels and holds both Mina's hands. 

"Mina, if you want me to still fight for our relationship, then tell me. If you don't, I'll respect you and let you be. I'll give you the space and time that you need, and I'll wait."

Mina can't stop crying because she can't let herself hurt Chaeyoung. She loves her so much that her family resented her because she chose Chaeyoung. However, one day, Mina woke up questioning her life decision and thinking about what-ifs. She still loves Chaeyoung, but the problem is her. Mina became cold to Chaeyoung. She saw Chaeyoung every night crying before going to sleep and smiling at her like nothing. She thought that Chaeyoung deserved more, and a person who could fight for her was not her.

"No, Chaeyoung." She cupped Chaeyoung's cheeks and closed the gap between them.

"I can't hurt you anymore. I know you noticed my changes, and it's killing you. I love you, I do, but I don't know if loving you is enough to hold on to this relationship. I fought hard too, Chaeng, and you know that but I'm in a mess, and you suffered enough because I'm confused about myself. We should end this Chaeyoung."

Chaeyoung stands up and also guides Mina to stand up. She cupped Mina's face and kissed her. A sweet long goodbye kiss. She hugged Mina so tight.

"It's okay, Mina. If someday you find yourself, don't look back. Don't look at me and continue finding your happiness." She tucked Mina's hair. "Maybe we just met together but not destined for each other. Don't you think?" She chuckled. "But if one day, you changed your mind and you decided to spend the rest of your life with me, I'm always here."

Chaeyoung pulls the hug and lets go of Mina's hand. She looks at Mina's face for the last time before Mina leaves her.

"Please do me a favor. I know you are leaving here in our apartment, I will go outside, and please, when I go back, I don't like to see you packing your stuff because if that happens, I won't let you go, Mina." She kissed Mina's cheeks and left.

Chaeyoung goes to the parking lot and hops into her car. She held her tears because she did not want Mina to pity her. She had never cried this hard for a long time. She cried so hard until she could not cry anymore.

Chaeyoung fell asleep in her car, and when she woke up, she couldn't breathe. She opened the door and gasped for some air. She fetches her phone and checks the time.

"11 pm"

She scratches her eyes, and she feels hurt because her eyes are swollen from crying. She goes to her apartment, and she enters her passcode. She goes inside, and it's dark.

"She left me" suddenly, her eyes become blurry again.

She closed the door and started to open the switch to open the lights. She walks to their room and flops her body. She hugged Mina's pillow and started to cry again.

"I'm going to miss you. Please, if someday, you want to come back to me, I'm still here." 

She closed her eyes and cried herself to sleep.

We know that feeling of losing someone you love is the worst. It's the most painful thing in the world feeling this way. You want to call your friends but you can't. You feel so alone yet feel like you have so much to give. Yet, when it comes down to it, you won't let anyone help you. You try to do it all yourself. So it's just you and the four walls, the darkness, and the tears.

Chaeyoung and Mina's friends always see each other every Saturday, which is their bonding, and they get used to it for ten years of friendship. But Chaeyoung decided not to go there anymore since she didn't want to see Mina because she wanted to move on. It's been four months since Chaeyoung is not joining them at any gathering. They didn't even have any news about Chaeyoung, but Jeongyeon told them about what happened to Mina and Chaeyoung, so they respected Chaeyoung's decision and waited for Chaeyoung.

They are all gathering at the usual place where they always hold their gathering every Saturday. While eating their dinner, Jeongyeon breaks the silence.

"Guys, Chaeyoung is coming. Don't you dare guys to ask her a question about what happened to Mina and her? And Mina, are you okay with this? I know it's awkward, but Chaeyoung is also our friend." Jeongyeon asked Mina.

"of course, Jeong. It's been months already. I'm okay with it." She nervously said, then Jeongyeon nodded.

They are happy that Chaeyoung is finally showing to them after many months, but they are also worried about her. Especially Mina is here too. They know Chaeyoung is the one who mostly suffers when they break up because Mina is all she left when her mom died. Her dad got a new family a year ago when her mom died, and her Grandma is the only person who is always there, but her Grandma's daughter chooses to take care of her. Mina is the home to Chaeyoung. She became her rock to Chaeyoung, and for Chaeyoung, Mina is the only one who can calm her every time she is attacking her depression or having an episode. They all witness how Chaeyoung became a lively person when she met Mina. They expected that when they broke up, Chaeyoung would be the one who could not handle it.

And like every night so far, she turns on the same sad music, curls up in the darkness of her room, and cry. she waits for sleep to creep over her body. As the tears flow down her face, she begins to wonder if it's worth these nights. Suppose someone will come along and save her if she saves herself. How much longer she can do that. How much longer she'll have that willpower.

Chaeyoung eyes fluttered open as she heard the water pouring into the sink in the bathroom. She looks down at the clothes she is wearing and is still in pajamas. Suddenly, she listened to her phone is ringing.

"Chaeyoung, where are you? We are going to start dinner. It's late." Jeongyeon asked.

"Go eat without me. I'll just take a bath and go there." She said and hung up the phone.

"This is going to be a long night." She sighs. "I have something to tell them anyway. You can do this, Chaeyoung." She said and straight to the bathroom.

After an hour of travel, Chaeyoung arrives, where she and her friends are always gathering. She breathed deeply and prepared herself before she opened the door. She slowly opens the door and peaks at her friends, who are already eating and talking about stuff. She does not want to interrupt them, but Jeongyeon sees her. The blonde girl called her name that made her friends look in her direction. Jeongyeon quickly stands up to her seat and goes to her.

"Chaeyoung, my baby cub, I miss you," Jeongyeon said while caressing her hair.

"Unnie, we see each other almost every day. What are you talking about?" she rolled her eyes.

"Ah yes, I forgot," then Jeongyeon chuckled.

Jeongyeon holds Chaeyoung's hands and drags her to their friends.

Nayeon walked closer to Chaeyoung and cupped her face.

"Why do you look so pale? Are you eating on time? Why are you not answering my calls? I even go to your apartment, and it bothers me when you do not open the door. You stubborn kid." Chaeyoung just smiles at her.

"I'm okay, Unnie, don't worry."

They hugged Chaeyoung one by one, and when it was Mina's turn, she smiled at Chaeyoung, and Chaeyoung did the same. Chaeyoung has longed for that hug for so long, but she needs to pull herself because she doesn't want Mina to think that she's still not over with Mina.

"You are so skinny, Chaeyoungah! Yah! I will not let this pass! If I ring the doorbell, you better open it our I will kick it until it breaks your door!" Jihyo said while holding her waist like a mother.

"Unnies, stop scolding her. Let her eat." Dahyun said and signaling Chaeyoung to sit down beside her.

"Bro, I know Jeongyeon Unnie is always visiting you, and I am not questioning that part because maybe she's the only one you want to open up and be comfortable with." She caresses Chaeyoung back. "But please, if you want someone to talk to, I'm one call away, okay? I love you, bro." Dahyun hugged Chaeyoung and wiped her tears. Dahyun is Chaeyoung second close to her friend. She is constantly bugging Jeongyeon to update her about Chaeyoung because when Mina and Chaeyoung broke up, she cut ties even to them.

"Chaeyoung do want this salad?" Sana asked while showing the food in her hand.

"How about this?" Momo asked. "nevermind. I am not going to ask you anymore. Just eat all these, okay?"

"Thank you, Unnie." Chaeyoung grabs the plate and starts to dig her food.

On the other hand, Mina is secretly glancing at Chaeyoung. She almost cried when she saw Chaeyoung because her skinny body and her lips were so pale. Her guilt eats her mind when she sees Chaeyoung, but it does not mean she wants to return to Chaeyoung.

"How are you, Chaeyoung?" Jihyo asked, looking at her.

"I'm fine, Unnie. Sorry if I suddenly disappear without saying anything." She scratches her nape.

"that's fine as long as you are taking care of your health, okay?" Jihyo smiles at her, and she nods.

"Unnie, why are you crying?" Tzuyu said, laughing at Nayeon.

"I miss Chaeyoung so much." They all laugh at Nayeon's last words.

"Why are you guys laughing? You know that Chaeyoung is like my child."

"Stop with the drama, Unnie," Jeongyeon said that made Nayeon pout her lips.

They have begun to talk about how they have been doing in the past few days. They are always like this for the past ten years, and their friendship never fades. When Chaeyoung didn't join them for four months, Jihyo and her other friend, Mina, talked to Jeongyeon about Chaeyoung. They are always making sure that Chaeyoung is okay. They let Chaeyoung be. They are always visiting Chaeyoung when Mina and Chaeyoung break up, but Chaeyoung pushes them. Only Jeongyeon is the only one who can talk to Chaeyoung.

"Mina Unnie, Auntie Sachiko told me that you are dating someone now-"Tzuyu didn't finish her words when Dahyun slapped .

"OUCH UNNIE WHAT THE !" she said while rubbing .

"Language Tzuyu." She slowly turns her head to the tall girl. "There is a mosquito in the corner of your lips. I just killed it. now go back to your food AND SHUT YOUR MOUTH." Dahyun said, widening her eyes to her, and Tzuyu nodded, and she already got what her Unnie was trying to say.

"Yes. I started dating two months ago. He is my father's best friend's son." Mina gulp. She looks at her friends, and no one is interested in her answer.

They have been silent for a half-hour because of that scene. 

"I have something to tell you guys." Chaeyoung breaks the silence.

"What is it, Chaeyoung?" Jihyo asked, and her friends looked at her waiting for her words.

"I'm leaving Korea for good." She drinks all the wine and pours another wine into her glass.

"What? When? Why?" Nayeon gets up and rests her hands on the table.

"My father asked me to go there, and I accepted it. I thought that it was time for me to spend some time with my father."

"But he treats you like ! What are you talking about? Did you forget that he never cared for you!" Nayeon yells at her.

"Nayeon Unnie, calm down." Sana rubs her back and tries to calm her Unnie.

"I didn't forget all of that, Unnie. But he is still my father after all." Chaeyoung didn't drink the wine, so she grabbed the beer and opened it.

"Are you going there because you want to spend some time with your dad or because you want to forget Mina?" 

Chaeyoung sips her beer again.

"Nayeon Unnie, stop," Jeongyeon whispers to her ear and pulls her to sit down.

Nayeon scoffs. "See, it's true? You didn't even deny it."

Nayeon walks closer to Chaeyoung and grabs Chaeyoung's beer in her hand. "Why? You will leave us like that? 4 months of you not being with us was torture, Chaeyoung, and now you are leaving because you want to run away with Mina! Tell me why!"

"Unnie, stop!" Chaeyoung angrily stands up and yells at her Unnie.

"You don't know how I suffered from those months! I've done everything I can to forget her, but I can't!" she closed her eyes and calmed herself. "I think I need to go."

"Fine, from now on, don't call me Unnie. I'm not your friend anymore." Nayeon faces Chaeyoung's back.

"Unnie!" They said in unison.

Before Chaeyoung faces Nayeon, they hear a snot.

"Mina left me. You left me. Am I not that good enough for you guys?" by that, Chaeyoung ran to her car and left.

Nayeon is about to follow Chaeyoung but Jeongyeon stops her.

"Don't Unnie. Let her be."

It has been days since that incident, they couldn't contact Chaeyoung, so they decided to go to her apartment, but even they are ringing the doorbell non-stop, she is not opening the door. 

"Okay, Son Chaeyoung, where are you?" Jihyo is scrolling to her phonebook to call Chaeyoung's dad.

"I'm going to call uncle to ask Chaeyoung." She said to her friends, who were still ringing the doorbell.

"Hello, uncle?" 

"Yes, Jihyoyah? Why did you call? Is something happen?"

"No, uncle, I just want to ask Chaeyoung if you can still contact her? She's not answering our one week now, and she's not opening her door. We are here at her apartment." 

"huh? I thought Chaeyoung already told you guys that she would stay here. She is already in Australia. She arrived yesterday."

Jihyo can't say anything. She feels like Chaeyoung has wanted to cut ties with them since that day because of what Nayeon said.

"O-oh, okay, Uncle. Can you tell her to contact us? Thank you, uncle."

"will do Jihyoyah. Take care there and tell your dad that I'll visit Korea soon."

"Okay, uncle." Then she hangs up.

Jihyo looked at her friends and sat on the floor.

"Chaeyoung is in Australia already without telling us. Maybe she wants to cut ties with us because she thought we would resent her, as Nayeon Unnie said." She gets up and looks at Nayeon. "You are selfish, Unnie." Then she left her friends.

"Jihyo, wait!"

Time has passed, and they are still waiting for Chaeyoung to contact them, but nothing. They heard nothing to Chaeyoung. 

Two years have passed, and they are still waiting for Chaeyoung to contact them, but again, they heard nothing from Chaeyoung. Even Chaeyoung's dad is not answering their call. They tried to go to Australia, but they did not have the address. Until one day, they decided to stop looking for Chaeyoung and wait for her instead.

It was a calm night. Mina stood up in front of Chaeyoung's apartment, and tears ran down her cheeks. It's been two years since the last time she came here, and she felt hurt that she could not explain. Mina enters the apartment and looks for every corner of the room filled with dust. She walked into Chaeyoung's room and sat in the chair in front of the mirror. Mina had to admit that she missed Chaeyoung. She had been dreaming about Chaeyoung for two years, and sometimes, she regretted that she had left Chaeyoung. She is always thinking about her, and the fact that Chaeyoung is gone makes her cry. 

Mina is looking at the mirror and picking up the polaroid of her and Chaeyoung. She started crying and rested her head on the table. Mina stopped crying when she saw a lot of folded paper in the trashcan. She took all the paper and opened them one by one. She sat down on the corner of the bed and cried because it was Chaeyoung's writing.

"Mina, I need you. I miss you so much, and it hurts. I used to go home, and you are already there waiting for me. I miss your hug."

"Mina, my Grandma died. I want to call you but I can't. I need you. Please check on me just once."

"Mina, I miss my mom. I'm having an episode. What should I do? It hurts that I started to feel nothing. I want to be gone."

"Mina, I still love you. Please come back."

"Come back. I'm begging you."

"Mina, it's our anniversary. It's our eighth anniversary. Hope you are happy now."

"Mina, I saw you in the bookstore. You still look so beautiful. Your face is the same as when we first met. I didn't approach you because I don't have any rights anymore. I just watched you choosing your favorite book, and it hurts because we used to go here together."

"Mina, I am leaving. I feel relieved because you have someone who can take care of you. Maybe you have already decided that you don't want to spend the rest of your life with me, so it's useless to wait. I was waiting for you the whole time, but I think you have already decided. I still love you so much, Mina, but I can't handle the pain. I'll try to forget you for the last time. I love you, babe. Please always be happy."

Mina burst into a cry with the last Paper she read. She is crying so much because it's hurt her. The memories of her and Chaeyoung suddenly played in her mind. 

"I'm sorry, Chaeyoung. I'm sorry!" 

Five years later

On the day of her wedding, Mina never felt so nervous in her entire life. It was nerve-racking to think that she was getting married. At that moment, Mina was in her dressing room, taking a moment to herself before the ceremony began. She gazed into the mirror and smiled. Suddenly the door opened behind her, and her mom walked in.

"Mina, are you ready?" her mom walks closer to her. "You look so beautiful." 

Her mother suddenly cries because she feels so proud of her daughter.

"Mom, why are you crying? It's my wedding are you not happy? I can run away if you want me to." Mina jokes and wipes her mom's tears.

"I'm just happy, you know because finally, my daughter is getting married." She smiles at her daughter and kisses her cheeks. "I'll go now."

Mina's dad took her daughter's arm, wrapped it around her arm, and smiled as they reached the podium. Mina's father gives her daughter to the person in front of them. The person bowed to him and took Mina's hand. The ceremony continues with a prayer from the pastor. After that, they exchanged rings and smiles as they shared a kiss. Their friends, family, and everyone in the room cheers and applause them.

After the ceremony, it's time for their friends and family to share a message with them.

After a couple of their relatives are done with the speech, it's their friend's turn.

"Wah, this is the scene I can't imagine. I thought you two would not end up in the end because that person beside you is such a jerk. "Jeongyeon is pointing at the person beside Mina, and they all chuckled. "I'm just m kidding." She wipes her tear and looks at Mina and the person beside her. "Congrats, guys. I love you both."

She raises her wine of glass. "to the newlywed."

"To the newlywed!" 

After their friends, Chaeyoung stands up and goes to the front view. She looks at everyone and smiles at them, lastly, to the love of her life. 

"Mic test. Hem" Chaeyoung tests the mic, and they are laughing.

"Chaeyoug, stop it," Mina said, shaking her head and laughing at her.

"Ah, sorry." Chaeyong chuckled. 

Suddenly, her face becomes serious, looking at Mina's eyes.

"Okay, so before I start, I wrote this two years ago. It's just a poem, but this poem meant a lot to me, and I poured all of my emotion here." 

She signaled Dahyun to play 'Run with me by Sunwoojunga'

She deeply breathed and gulped. She closed her eyes and started to read her poem.

"An Open Letter To Her Lover

Waking up to her beautiful smile

Feeling her body against mine

Kissing her soft and tender lips

Looking at her big brown eyes

Knowing she is all mine

Is where all I want to be."

Her tears suddenly rolled down to her cheeks, and her eyes became blurry, but she still managed to read her poem.

"Tell her how beautiful she is in the morning.

Tell her that she looks more beautiful with make-up on

Even when, in fact, you love her more without one

Tell her she is y when she thinks she's gaining weight

Tell her that her flaws make her perfect in your eyes

Tell her you to love her as much as you can

Show her off because it will make her feel special

Kiss her on the forehead to let her know how important she is

Make her blush every once in a while

Immediately hug her when she walks up to you crying

Do not stop talking to her even when it's going nowhere."

She looked again at Mina, seeing Mina was wiping her tears.

"Because these were the things I never got to do

Everything that I had hope for

Vanish right before my eyes

I thought she was the one

Then, she said the words I never wanted to hear

"I can't imagine my life with you anymore" who knew words could hurt?

And why did no one ever warn me?

You have the most beautiful gem in your hands.

Take care of her because she is a fragile treasure

Care for her like a Princess

Treat her like a Queen

Most significantly, love her with all your will

Because that is what she deserves."

Chaeyoung could not hold it anymore. She cried in front of everyone and couldn't stop crying. The pain is still here despite all these years. She folded the paper in her hands and threw it. 

"That was the poem I was ready to read on her wedding day because I thought she would marry someone else at that time. Moreover, those message turns out that I would be the one who can marry her." she wipes her tears and walks to Mina. She kneels0 and kisses Mina's hands.

"Mina, we suffered enough back then. Let's make a new story of our life and grow old together."

Mina got up and hugged Chaeyoung.

"Paboyah!" 

Her friends are crying because they all witnessed when Chaeyoung and Mina broke up. Chaeyoung did not return to Korea for three years because she wanted to move on with Mina, but destiny is always on their side. When Mina had a vacation in Japan, She met Chaeyoung there, and that's it. After a year, they got back together, and Chaeyoung proposed to Mina.

_________________________

THE END