The train station was bustling with activity as Yujin stood on the platform, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. She glanced around, feeling the weight of the past few days bearing down on her, each step towards the train feeling like a struggle against the tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

Minju stood quietly next to her, her presence a comforting anchor amidst the chaos. She reached out, gently squeezing Yujin's hand.

The younger girl managed a weak smile in response, her heart heavy. As the train pulled into the station, her heart clenched with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension of the days to come. She hugged Minju tightly, pressing a kiss on top of her head as she lingered in the embrace for a moment longer than necessary as if she were trying to imprint the memory of her girlfriend's warmth into her soul.

"I'll see you soon," Minju whispered, her voice tinged with sadness yet filled with hope.

Yujin pulled away, nodding as she felt the older girl tucking her hair behind her ear, saying, "You're going to be okay." The younger looked at her with hope, giving her a gentle kiss.

With one final glance back at Minju, Yujin boarded the train.

The older girl watched as the train pulled away from the station, her thoughts consumed by worry for Yujin's well-being. She knew that the days ahead would be difficult for the both of them, each grappling with their own demons in their own way.

—

As Minju stepped through her home door, she expected a wave of relief and comfort to wash over her. After two long months away, she had been looking forward to the familiar sights and sounds of home, and the reassuring presence of Yujin by her side.

However, what greeted her was a heavy silence that hung in the air like a thick fog, suffocating her with its weight.

Instead of the joyful reunion she had envisioned, she found herself enveloped in a blanket of guilt and regret that seemed to smother her at every turn. Being worried about Yujin's well-being led to her ignoring her own. The memories of Taesung's passing haunted her every waking moment, casting a shadow over her homecoming and tainting the joy she had hoped to feel.

Minju was tired. Beyond exhausted.

But she wasn't too drained to ensure that Yujin was doing fine wherever she was. At school or back at the dorm.

Long before she knew, for the whole week, Minju had been staying at home, cocooned in the safety of her own four walls as her messages to Yujin met with a stony silence.

Each unanswered text only served to deepen her sense of unease, adding to the burden of guilt that weighed heavily on her heart. Yet, despite the nagging feeling that something was wrong, Minju couldn't bring herself to confront the issue.

With an important presentation looming on the horizon, she had thrown herself into preparing for it, burying herself in work as a distraction from the turmoil brewing within her.

What did she do wrong? Was she not doing enough? Or was she doing too much by constantly checking on Yujin? Could she have done something, done better when Taesung was around? How did she not manage to connect the dots?

All those thoughts lingered with her as days passed. The silence between her and Yujin grew deafening, punctuated only by the relentless ticking of the clock and the steady beat of Minju's racing heart. With each passing hour, the weight of her guilt and regret only seemed to grow heavier as Yujin's answers went cold.

The world seemed to be fading away from her fingertips.

—

Not being able to shake the feeling of uneasiness, with her heart heavy with worry, Minju reached for her phone and dialled Yujin's number.

But as the phone rang on and on, with no answer forthcoming, Minju's anxiety only intensified. It was as if Yujin had vanished into thin air, leaving nothing but an echoing silence that reverberated through the space between them.

It was nothing like the Yujin she knew. Ignorance was something Minju didn't know she would experience from the younger girl.

Desperate for answers, she turned to Yena, hoping that she might shed some light on the situation. But to her dismay, even Yena was at a loss, her confusion mirroring Minju's own because Yujin seemed fine despite being quiet the past few days.

With no other recourse left to her, Minju could only think of one way—going to the latter's school.

As she arrived at the school gates, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Yujin standing there, a solitary figure amidst the bustling crowd as the day came to an end. For a moment, their eyes met.

Minju saw the flicker of surprise in Yujin's gaze before it was quickly replaced by a mask of indifference.

Without a word, the younger girl turned and walked away, leaving Minju to follow her. The air between them crackled with tension, each step forward feeling like a monumental effort.

Finally, unable to bear the distance any longer, the older girl reached out, her hand trembling slightly as she held onto Yujin's arm. To her relief, Yujin didn't pull away, allowing Minju to draw her closer until they stood face to face, the space between them narrowing with each passing moment.

The older girl brought them aside, away from the crowd. And for a long time, they simply stood there.

With a soft sigh, Minju finally spoke, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Yujin uttered in a whisper, words feeling so distant.

"Okay," the older girl continued. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What's there to talk about?"

"Anything," Minju said. "Whatever that has been bothering you because you haven't been answering me, Yujin. But whatever it is, you're going to be fine—"

"What if I'm not going to be fine?" The younger interrupted her. "I just don't understand why you keep saying that I'll be fine," she said. "I'm not fine, Minju. I'm far from it and it feels like you don't get that at all."

The older girl was taken aback by the call of her name. It felt as if the girl standing in front of her wasn't the Yujin she knew.

"My father's gone," the younger's voice wavered as her clear eyes watered. "He's gone before I could try finding him. And now, I'll never see him again."

Minju's expression softened as she realised the depth of Yujin's pain.

"Whenever I tell you how I feel, you brush it off as if it's some phase that I'll get over in no time. As if the pain I'm feeling is something that I should just snap out of because you're too busy with your work," Yujin said. "That's not all." She looked at the girl.

"I never thought you would keep things from me."

Minju's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

The younger girl's breath stuttered, the spark in her eyes fading. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Lost, the brunette asked, "Tell you what—"

"You knew him," Yujin said. "You knew him for the past two months and you never thought of telling me."

Minju didn't know how she found out when she herself had never spoken of it, not having the right time to. "Yujin, I—" the older girl started but Yujin cut her off before she could explain.

"I can't believe you kept something like this from me," the younger continued, her voice trembling with emotion. "I could've at least seen him for the last time."

Minju's eyes shook slightly as she struggled to find the right words to say. "I didn't know—" she began, but the girl interrupted, her anger overriding any attempt at understanding.

"You didn't know?" The younger snickered.

"I didn't tell you I knew because I was trying to help you. I didn't have time—"

"How's that helping me? By keeping me in the dark? By letting me believe that my father was out there somewhere when he was dying in front of you?"

Minju's heart ached at the pain and betrayal in Yujin's words. She couldn't lie that her mind had been telling her who Taesung was. Even the smallest possibilities had crossed her mind but she buried it, thinking it was impossible.

If she hadn't doubted that gut feeling of hers, she would've asked for a name. She would've asked Taesung even though it might have been a sensitive topic. She would've asked Yujin too if she recognised him.

Would things turn out differently if she did?

The weight of her silence hung in the air. She wanted to explain, to tell Yujin everything that had happened but knew the girl was too hazed by her own emotions to understand anything at the moment.

She knew with the way Yujin walked off without turning back.

—

Minju adjusted the angle of her laptop screen, ensuring that her father would have a clear view of her face. With a deep breath, she clicked on the video call button, her heart fluttering with anticipation and nerves. Why did the slight feeling of nervousness greet her?

When her father's familiar face appeared on the screen, a wave of warmth washed over Minju.

"Hi Dad," Minju signed, a smile lighting up her face.

Her father signed back, his hands moving fluidly as he greeted her.

Before they could have a chance to talk, Minso darted into the frame, her thrilled voice echoing throughout the apartment.

"Is that unnie? Unnie! Can you see me?" Minso's bright eyes widened with excitement as she waved enthusiastically at the screen, her little hands pressing against the keyboard as she attempted to get closer to the camera, her face practically occupying the whole screen.

Minju couldn't help but laugh at her sister's antics, her heart melting at the sight of the adorable little mess. "Kim Minso. I can see you clearly. Get off the table."

Minso's face lit up with joy at the sight of her big sister, her smile stretching from ear to ear. "I miss you!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with longing. "When are you coming back with Yujin? I want to tell her I've started colouring the new book she sent me. But Halmi said I talk too much on the phone so I couldn't tell her." She pouted cutely.

Minju, though filled with worries at the mention of Yujin, the news of the girl keeping in contact with her sister sent her heart into a jittery mess. "She sent you a new colouring book?"

"I got it last week! And she drew all of my favourite characters this time!"

For a while, the two exchanged playful banter, their bond shining brightly through the screen, reflecting the same bright smile their father had on his face. But all too soon, the younger one's attention was captured by something else as she scampered off-screen with a giggle, leaving Minju smiling fondly after her.

When Minju was left alone with her father, Mr Kim signed, "You have no idea how much she had been bugging me to drive her over to you just so she could see Yujin." He chuckled.

But soon, there was a hint of concern in his expression when he picked up the subtle changes in his daughter's demeanour. She didn't seem too excited talking about Yujin and all he saw was the worry that etched across her eyes.

"Is everything okay?" her father signed, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Yeah," Minju nodded. "Everything's fine." But she knew that she couldn't hide the truth from her father, not when he could read her like an open book.

"You can tell me," he signed.

Minju hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to broach the topic. "It's just," her fingers trembled slightly. "Yujin and I have been going through a rough patch lately."

Her father's expression softened with understanding. Then, he began to ask questions, his hands moving with practised ease as he sought to understand the situation better.

As Minju explained everything, from witnessing Taesung's death to trying her best to comfort Yujin, Mr Kim listened attentively, his eyes filled with empathy and compassion. He delivered his condolences, leaving Minju to huff out a sigh.

"How did you do it?" Minju asked, seeking his advice. "You've dealt with more than anyone has. Mom, your hearing..."

Mr Kim pressed his lips into a gentle smile. "I'm probably going to give you the most cheesy answer you'll ever hear, do you still want to hear it?" His answer made Minju chuckle.

When the girl nodded, he signed, "Because I remembered I still had you." His eyes were genuine. "I may have lost your mom, my hearing and it may have been tough but I came to accept everything as it is because I still had you. Your happiness was my goal. Then came Sohyun (Minju's stepmother), and Minso. I figured, there were many things to live for. All it took was a little time for me to realise that. And when I eventually did, even though things didn't go back to normal, your mom wouldn't come back, my hearing wouldn't come back, everything was still