She let her dongsaeng rest on her lap.

 

"You're burning up again... I knew they should've let you stay in the hospital.

Leaving just us in the dorms was a bad idea..."

 

"I'm okay unnie, my head just hurts a little..."

 

"Why did you suddenly lose balance like that?.. You're lucky I caught you.

I already called an ambulance and manager-nim. You sure you're okay?"

 

She said with tears building up in her eyes like the snow on their window.

 

"I'll be okay, unnie. I'll just take a nap like this... on your lap.."

 

The dongsaeng snuggled her head on her unnie's lap, and let out a sigh of comfort.

 

"Hey... you'll be okay, right? We'll go onstage together again, right?"

 

"Yes, unnie. Let's make our fans happy again...."

 

She wiped the tears already rolling down her cheeks and gave a reply.

 

"Yeah. Let's continue singing with the unnies okay?"

 

"Yeah.. don't cry, unnie. I'll be okay."

 

"Of course you will. I'm here with you...."

 

"Unnie, I'm cold..."

 

"Oh, in that case..."

They held hands firmly, as if to never let go.

 

"Don't eat all the food in the fridge while I'm asleep okay? You'll get fat again."

 

"Oh please, I'm more worried about you..."

 

They both chuckled.

 

"Unnie...."

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Thank you for taking care of me. For keeping us all happy."

 

"Wha-what are you saying? Cut that out!"

 

Her lips were quivering and the tears just kept rolling.

 

"I told you not to cry unnie..."

 

The dongsaeng then closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

 

"I'm just worried about you..."

 

"You're always so sweet, unnie... But don't worry about me."

 

"Just... stay with me okay? The ambulance will be here any minute now.."

 

She knew deep down that the ambulance would have a hard time travelling through the harsh weather. But she had to keep hoping.

 

"I love you, unnie."

 

"Yah... I told you not to talk like that..."

 

"Hihi... Unnie, can you do me a favor?"

 

"Anything."

 

"You always make the people around you happy…. Keep doing that okay?...

The unnies and fans... They’re going to need your eyesmiles...  to cheer them up..."

 

Her dongsaeng’s voice grew weaker and weaker. She couldn't take it anymore.
The sobs she'd been holding back grew louder.

 

"Yah! What are you saying?"

 

“...”

 

No answer. No reply. Not even a smile.

 

"Hey, wait.. wake up... please wake up!"

 

She was shaking her dongsaeng while still holding her hand.

 

"Yaah! Don't do this... Hey, please stay with me!"

 

She tried many times, but still nothing. She was growing desperate and her heart was slowly but surely breaking. Her tears were making a storm on their own like the snowstorm outside.

 

"Yaaah... Please don't leave me..."

 

"Unnie..."

 

Her eyes lit up, but she was being crushed inside by the truth that there was still no

stopping the inevitable. After all, the doctor did say it was only a matter of time.

 

"Hey... You scared me... Don't fall back asleep, okay?"

 

"Sorry, unnie.."

 

"No it's okay, just... stay with me a while longer okay? I'm sure help is on the way!

Maybe they just got caught in the snowstorm, that's all!"

 

Her dongsaeng weakly shook her head and put up a faint smile.

 

"Unnie..."

 

"Yes?..."

 

At that moment, she saw her dongsaeng smile the brightest smile she's seen in a long time. Then she spoke.

 

"....every…day?..."

 

She felt her heart drop and break into a million pieces. Her dongsaeng spoke weakly, but with so much love.

 

She knew what this meant, of course. It was their group's tagline after all.

 

But they've ever only used it as a greeting... Not like this.

 

She didn't want to answer. How could she answer? She knew exactly what her dongsaeng was trying to say and what would happen next.

Deep down however, she couldn't deny this final happiness to the one she treated like her own little sister through all the hardships, through all the success, and through all those years.

 

She looked straight into her dongsaeng's eyes which were looking back at her with so much pain, yet still had brightness and contentment in them.

 

She was still crying so much and could barely speak, but between her sobs she managed to let out the reply her dongsaeng was yearning for.

 

"...girl's...day..."

 

A few tears rolled down her dongsaeng's eyes as they closed. She was still smiling faintly and not a single expression of sadness could be seen on her face. Her head turned to the side as if it lost all strength while still on her unnie's lap.

 

Her dongsaeng let out a weak sigh, and she felt the grip on her hand weaken and lose warmth. She then realized, the time she dreaded so much has finally come.

She hunched down and hugged her dongsaeng. Her sobs and cries were twisted with so much pain.

 

Pain of hopelessness, loss, and grief.

 

Pain, as if losing a part of you.

 

On that cold snowy night, the only warmth that would never fade was the love they had for each other.

 

Apart from her endless sobs and cries, the only thing Minah could utter was the only feeling left in her heart.

 

"I love you, Hyeri."

La fin.