Previously;

It's true. Hagi loved taking pictures, especially pictures with her.

 

Myeongdong Residence, Seoul 1.42 PM

 

When Mingyu wasn't looking, Taerin grabbed an old, black, dusty, photo album she found and blew off the dusts all over it quietly. "It's been a long time since I last touched it.." She whispered to herself. "Did you say something?" Mingyu turned to look at her, until he saw the photo album Taerin was holding.

"Give it to me," he said, "What? No.. this is not-" Taerin stuttered as she tried to put the album back to its place before Mingyu took it from her and started flipping through the pages. "Wow, there's a lot of baby pictures in here.." He said. "I-I told you it's not the album you were looking for."

"It is! Maybe I can find something here.. Like, her childhood friend?" 

"Her childhood friend?" Taerin asked confidently but deep down, she was nervous. "Yeah, her childhood friend."

"S-Sure, go ahead.. I'll go sit somewhere.." She said.

"You're not going anywhere. After all, there's a reason as to why I invited you here." Mingyu replied.

"Yeah right." Taerin rolled her eyes. Mingyu continued to turn the pages while she walked back and forth behind him, until she heard her name.

"Taerin, look what I found," his eyes widened. It was a picture of two girls smiling at a camera, arms on each other's shoulders. "Is she her best friend? She looks beautiful.." Mingyu stopped. "But she looks oddly familiar.."

Both of the girls had wavy hair. One was smiling with wide open, while the other was posing a 'V' sign. She knew where the picture was taken. It was her favourite place. She remembered who took the picture. She remembered what they were doing. Why? The girl beside Hagi, is Taerin, and she has always been that beautiful.

Of course she does. So I'm the girl Mingyu's trying to find. I can't let him know.

 "We need to find more pictures," Mingyu continued searching while Taerin thought of a plan to prevent Mingyu from knowing it was her.

"Perhaps.. you could tell me where these pictures were taken?" 

"How should I know?" Taerin asked.

"I don't know.. you're usually full of ideas," Mingyu replied.

"How do you know?"

Silence grew upon them.

"I just.. I know." Mingyu answered.

"It's Dosan Park,"

"You sure?" He asked.

"I am." Taerin nodded.

"Okay then, off we go."

 

---

 

 

During the way there, the atmosphere was awkward, it was too silent. Taerin sat on the back seat, looking to her right, while Mingyu concentrated on driving.

 

flashback 

"*Jagiya,"

"Yeah?" Taerin side-eyed Mingyu.

"Do you have a best friend? I rarely see you go out with your friends." He asked.

"Well, that's because I mostly go out with you, but yes, I do have a best friend." She replied.

"What's her name?"

"Her name? I call her *Imie, but her real name is Ha-"

"What up guys! Seungcheol here!" Their friend Seungcheol suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Ya! Seungcheol ah, you're creating a gap between our relationship!" Joshua Mingyu shouted. lmao see what i did there ha!

"Who cares?"

 

At the end, Mingyu went to Taerin's house accompanied by the third-wheeler, Seungcheol.

 

end of flashback.

 

Mingyu glanced at the rear-view mirror to see a view of Taerin without looking back. She was sleeping peacefully. Mingyu unconsciously smiled. What am I staring at.. He thought and looked back at the road.

---

 

 

 

Dosan Park, 3.14 PM

 

"Here we are.." Mingyu unbuckled his seat belt."What if.. What if we can't find anything here? What if there's nothing?" Taerin worriedly asked.

She's not worried because of not being able to find anything, but she's afraid if Mingyu would really find something at the place where she and Hagi used to play together in the past.

"What if.. there's something?" Mingyu got out of his car. Taerin sighed, I have no choice..

"Taerin?" Somebody called out.

"Who- oh! Kang Manse *harabeoji!" 

"It's been a long time! I'm glad I still remember your name!" He exclaimed.

"I missed you a lot! Ah, harabeoji, this is Mingyu. Mingyu, this is Kang Manse harabeoji."

"Um, hello!" Mingyu offered a handshake and bowed.

"This is the grandpa who used to watch us play." Taerin whispered.

"Us? Who was with you?" Mingyu asked.

"Oh, I mean.. uh.. me.. yeah, me!" 

"Are you her boyfriend?" Manse asked.

"Actually we-"

"Then I should respect your privacy, my bad. See you, Taerin." 

 

Mingyu started to get suspicious. She clearly said 'us', there's no way I could have heard wrongly.

"Are we going inside, or not?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah.. let's um.. find some clues." They proceeded inside.

 

"Excuse me, perhaps, you know a girl named Im Hagi?" Mingyu asked for the nth time. He's been asking people the same question for the past few hours.

"Mingyu, when are you going to stop?" Taerin asked impatiently.

"Until I find her best friend." Mingyu aswered.

She sighed. If only you know I'm her best friend.

"Are you okay?" He noticed her sighing.

"Uh? I'm fine.." Taerin answered despite feeling tired

"Let's head back home, I know you're tired." He said and Taerin followed him.

 

"Ah, Taerin!" Manse approached them.

"Kang Manse harabeoji! You're still here?" She asked.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something.. Where's Imie? The girl you used to hang out with, you know?"

Mingyu responded, "Ha! I know you were with someone else!"

"Uh.. well, Imie is, I guess she's currently studying abroad." Taerin hesitantly answered.

"That's good for her!" Manse replied, "Well, I better get going, til' we meet again!" Like that, he left. Huh? Mingyu thought. I swear I've heard that name before.

 

flashback 

 

"Her name? I call her Imie, but her real name is Ha-"

end of flashback.

 

---

 

 

"Hey, Taerin.."

"Yeah?"

"What's uh.. What's Imie's real name?"

"How-h-how did you know it was her nickname?"

"I had a.. a flashback of our high school days," Mingyu told her.

"Oh," Taerin sighed. "Her name.. Her name's Ha-" They were startled by an old man.

"Sir, ma'am, you're not allowed to park here."

"Yeah, we were just leaving."

 

Mingyu failed to get an answer and for the second time, Taerin was cut when speaking.

 

It was silent, until Mingyu decided to break it.

"Do you want me to drive you home?"

"I.. uh.. do you still remember my house?" 

He stopped for a while. "Yes.. yes I do." He replied.

"Sure, I'll appreciate a ride home." Taerin smiled. Mingyu missed her warm smile. Seeing it again made him loosen on the inside. It was healing, and he has always loved Taerin's magical, tender smile.

It was getting dark, and they finally reached Taerin's place just in time. "Thanks." She swung the car door open. "It was, nice being with you, after a long time." Taerin looked away. Just as she was about to shut the car door, Mingyu called out."Wait!" Taerin looked back. "I.. I missed you." He smiled. Taerin took a deep breath and flashed a smile back at him. "We'll meet agian." She closed the door and went inside her house.

 

---

 

 

Hanamdong Residence, Seoul, 8.03 PM

 

Mingyu was tired. He laid in his bed and rested his head in hands. He looked to his left and saw a picture of him and Hagi. But as much as he wanted to think about her, Taerin kept appearing in his mind.

"I know this feeling, and I don't like it.." He sighed.

 

 

 

He knew he was in love with Taerin all over again.

 

 

 

To be continued

 

 

Chapter 8; The Next Piece

"Hagi's best friend's not here, she's in a different school."

"Really?" Taerin asked, pretending not to know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A/N:

 

*Harabeoji: Grandpa in korean

*Jagiya: Honey (to show affection) in korean

*Imie: From the word 'Im' (Im Hagi)

 

 

(p.s, we did not re-check after writing this, so sorry if there are a few errors)

-sweetseventeen, xmykpopx