93 DAYS LATER

“How was your training? Was it fun?”

“Uhm yeah it was quite fun.”

Mina nodded at my answer, but I remained silent and stared out the window. Currently we are sitting in a bus. Just now, when the exercise finished, Mina asked to take me somewhere and I agreed.

My seat was in the last row and close the window. A few months ago, I also sat in this place. But at that time, the person who sat right next to me is someone who has just heartbroken, someone who threw an emotionless gaze at me when I forced her to listen some songs together. Then I explored the walls of this bus, the handwriting 'Jungyeon & Nayeon, Winter in Korea' that I've ever made here already disappeared. Perhaps the officer has been cleaned it, or this bus is a different bus from before.

I laughed recalling that silly incident I’ve experienced, it would be fun if the world can stop at that time.

“We have arrived...” Mina woke me up from my daydream and she helped me to get off of the bus.

We entered a very beautiful park, there were plenty of trees here. But there was something different from other parks, on every tree we can found a variety of letters hanging on the branches. Yup. This is the park which known for its Hanging Love Letter. Instantly, my past memories with someone spinning in my mind.

“You're really weird, Nayeon-ah. I think you will screaming hysterically at the beautiful sight of this place.”

“Ah~” I quickly smiled and looked around, “How nice is this place~”

I ran between the trees and saw the letters that scattered everywhere, tried to look happy though my heart felt sad. After the school's events finished a few months ago, Nayeon changed, like being a new person. No longer seemed very cheerful, couldn’t laugh easily. Even now I couldn’t enjoy my walking with Mina. Jungyeon really took away my happiness.

Without me knowing, Mina was staring at my back. She knew exactly that I had changed since that incident in school's events. She realized that I've rarely reply to her message quickly, I always escaped when Mina want to call me at night, even I almost never visited her again at her dance training.

Mina understand what, or who, is changing Nayeon. Jungyeon. Surely that person who had made Nayeon like this.

However, Mina was determined to bring back Nayeon’s happiness. Mina will bring smiles to the Nayeon’s face, Mina knew only she who can do it. Then Mina approached me, she patted me on the shoulder making me turned to face her and forced a smile. Certainly, it wasn’t a smile Mina expected.

Mina gulped. Now is the time.

Slowly, Mina knelt down oh her knees and reached something from her bag. I could only staring her down there while everybody has started looking towards us, wanted to know what we're doing.

“Minari... Wae irae?” As I looked around with confused eyes.

But Mina ignored my question and pulled out a small red box, and then she opened the box. I could clearly see a white-gold ring sparkling there, suddenly my heart stopped beating. Didn’t believe this will happen. It's too much to be real. Even in a fairy tales, this scene seems too incredible.

“Im Nayeon, will you be mine?”

Finally, Mina saying that words. I bit my lip, not knowing what to do. That question is indeed something that I want to hear after a very long time, all this time I only wished of when will Mina ask me to be hers. But when Mina was really saying it, I didn’t know what to say. Because my heart wasn’t too happy like it used to be, but it wouldn’t be fair to Mina if I didn’t accept it. Previously, I was the one who chased Mina. Now, how could I refuse her?

“Waeyo, Nayeonnie? Nae ga andwae? /Can’t you with me/?”

“M-Mina... It’s not like that...”

“I want to take care of you. I want protect you. I want to make you happy.”

Honestly I didn’t know if I would be really happy if being together with Mina. Maybe this is just me being screwed. Suddenly my heart felt the pain.

I glanced toward the thousands letter that hanging on the tree branch. A second later, I was surprised. Outside my control, I started to walk toward the two letters that somehow look more dominant in my eyes than other letters. My chest was pounding fast as I took both pinkish heart-shaped letters. Letter with the word 'Nayeon' and 'Jungyeon' written on the front. Yes. It was a letter that I wrote with Jungyeon a few months ago.

Nayeon opened a letter with 'Nayeon' and read the message inside:

Jungyeonnie, fighting! There are still many other girls! ^o^

I smiled stiffly. Indeed there are many other girls for you, but unfortunately, ‘she’ is not me.

Nayeon then glanced at the next letter with the word saying 'Jungyeon'. My heart beat faster as my hand reached that letter and slowly opened it. With trembling hands, I began to read the neatly-written by Jungyeon:

I am way better than her!!

I stunned and froze for a moment, tried to phrase those words.

“Nayeon-ah?”

I could hear Mina’s voice, but my brain kept thinking about Jungyeon and her written on the letter. Out of the thousands letters that exist in this park, I could find the letter that me and Jungyeon have ever made for each other. The message from Jungyeon was like an enlightenment for me. Now, I already decided.

“M-Mianhae...” My voice was very small, but I'm sure Mina could hear it.

“Mwo?”

Slowly, I looked at Mina regretfully. “Mianhaeyo, Minari. I can’t.”

“W-Wae.....”

“I think Mina already knows the answer. During all this time I only consider Mina as my idol, just as I idolized another kpop artists. So far I think of myself as a fan of Mina, nothing more. How do I feel in Mina is......not love.”

Mina’s hand crashed down after I finished the sentence. She stared at the ring box in her hand. I couldn’t resist my heart and went to Mina, then knelt on my knees in front of her.

“Mina~ jeongmal mianhae. I know I’m really stupid. I just.....I.......”

“Dwaesseo. /You don’t need to./”

I looked back at Mina, my feelings were a mess.

“I knew this would happen. I know, but I keep trying. I want to make you happy because Jungyeon can’t do it.” Mina looked at me earnestly, her face began to show her sweet and elegant smile. “Then what will you do after this, Nayeon-ah? Are you going to pursue Jungyeon?”

“M-Mollayo... I don’t think that far. I just didn’t want to accept Mina’s love and make Mina disappointed later. I just.....trying to be honest with my own feeling.”

Mina nodded and looked down at a ring box on her hand, “The 3 Won ring could beat this 300 Won ring.”

I stared at her, confused, didn’t understand what she was saying.

“You still keep that ring, right? Your couple ring with Jungyeon.” As a reflex, I touched the necklace which I'm wearing behind my uniform, the necklace with my couple ring as a pendant. Mina chuckled seeing me and started to sit cross-legged on the ground. “I know.”

“Minari... I’m really, really sorry. I don’t know this is going to be like this.”

“Mian /Sorry *informal*/, I can’t say 'gwaenchanha' because I'm not really fine.”

Nayeon bowed her head, guilt feelings filled my heart. I knew that I already did something stupid, anyone should be happy when their idol confessing and saying that they love us back. Instead, I reject my idol’s confess. For me, the feeling isn’t that real for Mina. Unlike what I feel for Jungyeon.

Yoo Jungyeon.

Whenever my mind thought of that name, my heart always feels longing her more.

“Minari~ jeongmal mianhae. Keurigo......gomawo. /And then......thank you./”

Mina stared at the girl in front of her and ruffled her hair. Mina has been fully accepted Nayeon’s decision. She doesn’t like to feel lost but Nayeon already changed her perception. As well as Jungyeon. Jungyeon was someone who’s very mature and kept her promise to not approach Nayeon again.

“It’s OK, Nayeon-ah. If you need me, I'll always be here for you.”

I shook my head, “Andwae. Mina don’t have to wait for me. Mina also had to find your own happiness. Mina deserve to be happy with someone whom you have chosen and who chose you.”

“Will you not be jealous if I'm going out with other girl?”

“Of course I'd be happy if Mina also happy. Because I’m your number one fans~”

Mina giggled seing me bunny-smiling while lifting two finger formed the letter of V. Of course Mina always miss that smile, but her heart feeling relieved. As finally she knew what it feels like to release someone for the happiness of others.

After coming back from the park, I didn't go straight to my apartement but somehow my feet led me to the school.

Nayeon stared at the couple ring which I had bought with Jungyeon. Over the past few months, I always wore this ring even if only as a pendant on my necklace. And for those several months, I’ve also wondered whether Jungyeon still had this couple ring or not.

Then I sighed and looked at the trees around me. This school garden was always quiet and peaceful even in the night, a bench under a tree where I sit on now is always felt comfortable as a resting-place. The whole enjoyable incident that happened here was spinning in my mind. Starting from an incident whe