+++

 

Ever since Minjeong could remember, her family had always been running away from something. Back then she didn't ask her parent why, afraid to deal with her hot-headed dad. It started when she was around 4 to 5 years old that her mom suddenly pulled her, telling her to go grab Mr. Bear, saying that they are going for a short vacation.

 

 

Little Minjeong doesn't think much and just cheered softly upon hearing the word 'vacation'. Inside her head, maybe this time she can actually spend more time with her dad and make him like her. Her mom said that dad just tired from work and didn’t mean any of those words.

 

 

Little Minjeong believed that.

 

 

A supposed short vacation turned into a whole year of living in Busan. By then, Minjeong is approaching her 9th birthday soon and like any other kids, she has been so excited after hearing her mom talking to dad about doing a small celebration. But maybe that time, dad still tired from work cause the second she knew, the man already charging on her.

 

 

"Why are you little dip? You give me nothing but a hindrance!!"

 

 

No physical attacks were exchanged but that doesn’t mean it hurt less than usual. Although she didn't understand those words yet, she could at least get an idea what is it about.

 

 

That day, no celebration was made.

 

 

The next day, now 9 years old Minjeong was making her way to nearby park that she always visit whenever things at home got heated. By that, she meant whenever her parent are on each other's throat.

 

 

Her tiny legs walked to the same swing that she chose since the first day she went here. Pulling her body and sat on the swing, Minjeong rocked her body back and forth with her legs to create a motion. Once in awhile she would sighed and looked up to the sky as if she was talking with God.

 

 

Like every other days, her question will always be the same.

 

 

"Why me? Did I do wrong? Was it my fault?"

 

 

Except that specific day was also the day she met Yu Jimin.

 

 

Yu Jimin.

 

 

Her Yuji.

 

 

The raven was playing inside the sandbox when she saw Minjeong talking to herself. She was intrigued at first which lead to her approaching the latter. It started with "Hello." and "Hi.", adding a bit talking about why Minjeong was alone when Jimin has her parent waiting for her not far from where they are now.

 

 

Minjeong replied in sad tone about her situation. It felt nice to actually having someone who is willing to hear you. The way Jimin looked so focus with her story was the only reason Minjeong need to decide that she is going to keep the latter in her life for a long run.

 

 

And that was it.

 

 

That is how they met.

 

 

Everytime the clock strucked at 4:00pm, little Minjeong will ready with her random cartoons shirt, pairing up with her favourite flannel (Jimin loves seeing her in those) and dark blue converse. She told her mom about her new friend which got a small victory smile from the latter.

 

 

"Go, make the most out of it." Was what her mom said when she was asked about her sudden outfit change.

 

 

That time, Minjeong would beam excitedly and grabbed a small tupperware that was packed with sandwhich, prepared by her mom so she won't get too hungry. Her dad usually comes home at 7:00pm and he is going to get mad if he doesn’t see her by then.

 

 

"Don't stray too long okay?" She remembered her mom's words. The little girl beamed excitedly before bidding a goodbye to her mom and went to the park.

 

 

Things are going great with the fact that jimin also went to the same middle school with her. This extended their meeting and after 3 months together, Minjeong can proudly say that that girl is her bestfriend. She also doesn’t know if her mom realised that she knew about her dad not being home for more than two weeks.

 

 

"Probably some work." Minjeong thought and shrugged the curiosity away. As in the moment she and jimin were having their hangout in her room, when suddenly the latter stopped reading the book that she picked from minjeong's shelves and turned to her.

 

 

"What?" Minjeong asked in confused.

 

 

"I-I… uhmm.."

 

 

"What is it, you know I can't understand you if you didn’t talk in human language." Minjeong cracked a joke, smiling widely when she saw her bestfriend nervously pacing around.

 

 

"I have something to tell you." Jimin stated and stood straight, looking at Minjeong with warmth filled all over her eyes. The latter nodded her head and set aside her book, focusing on her bestfriend.

 

 

"Oh me too." After a bit of thinking about how her life has turned out, Minjeong felt like it is the best to do it. Looking at her broken family, with abusive father whom she doesn’t know where he is even now, she doesn't want her bestfriend to get any little bit bad luck from her life.

 

 

She loves jimin.

 

 

She doesn’t want any of this to smear into jimin's perfect life.

 

 

Didn't people says if you love someone, you have to let them go?

 

 

Letting go is what she intends to do now.

 

 

"Oh, you can go fir-"

 

 

"Please don't fall in love with me."

 

 

Silenced.

 

 

Jimin tried to look at Minjeong, wanting to confirm if what she just heard is true. Seeing how the latter avoiding her eyes, Jimin felt her heart breaks in the most painful way.

 

 

Trying to brush off those words, she chose to laugh awkwardly. "Haha, me? No I won't chill."

 

 

It hurts.

 

 

Hurts even more when she saw the way Minjeong's shoulder dropped in relief, like what she just said is what Minjeong has been wanted to hear.

 

 

"Oh just got reminded, my mom told me to go home early today. I'll see you soon okay?" Standing up, Jimin grabbed her things with her shaky hands and waved to Minjeong who just smiled like she didn't broke her heart earlier.

 

 

And the rest of it, you have already knew about it.

 

 

What Jimin doesn't realized was that Minjeong did noticed her nervousness, her shaky hands and her eagerness to leave as soon as possible. She noticed all of that, but she ignored it.

 

 

It is better to not make it more complicated than it is.

 

 

Minjeong is hundred percent sure she will get past these petty feelings soon. She can't have those for Jimin, it's not okay. Jimin deserves someone who is not broken like her. The latter deserves more than the best.

 

 

And based