CHAPTER 8:

Mina drove all the way to Jihye’s house with angry tears running down her face. She really didn’t want to disturb them at this hour, but she had nowhere else to go. Sunmi and Sehun was a no-no. First of all the fact that she was friends with Sunmi didn’t mean she was comfortable with Sehun’s presence. Secondly, this was important and she needed someone she was really comfortable with to help her out.

Previously she brushed out in front of Mark admitting the fact that she wanted to get married to him. The more she thought his expression the more she hated the way he reacted. How could he do this to her? They were dating for so many years why does he hate the idea of marriage so much?

Mina parked in front of Jihye’s and Jackson’s apartment. She stayed for a couple of minutes inside the car trying to collect herself. She took a couple of deep breaths before walking out of the car. She locked the door and in no time she was standing in front of Jihye’s door.

They were living in a small one store house. They had bought it before their marriage. It had a small front yard and its own parking space where Jackson’s car was parked. It had a back yard which was bigger than the front one. Jihye had decorated it herself with a really nice set of chairs and a table and when it was sunny it was perfect to sit there, she had even planted some flowers like Tulips and such. It was really beautiful.

She ringed to door bell and waited.

Don’t you dare cry now Mina! She thought to herself while waiting.

Soon the door opened, revealing a worried Jihye dressed on her pajamas.

Both of them sat looking at each other and in a matter of seconds Mina was pushed into Jihye’s hug.

“Shh don’t cry. Everything is alright.” Jihye whispered.

Mina just then realized that her cheeks were wet. Soon she brushed into sobs that made even Jackson to come out of the living room just to see if everything was alright.

Everyone stood there. Mina inside Jihye’s arms and Jackson two meters away watching the whole scene. Soon he snapped out of it and talked.

“Why don’t you come in and tell us what happened huh?” He said as softly as possible and went to close the door.

Mina tried to calm down. Jackson returned with a glass of water and gave it to her. She drunk all of it and took a couple of deep breaths just to calm herself.

“He doesn’t love me.” Mina said.

They didn’t say anything.

“What?” Jihye said softly.

“He doesn’t want to marry me. He doesn’t love me.” Mina repeated again.

Jackson looked at her and then at Jihye.

“Hey.” He said softly.

Mina snapped her head up toward him.

“If I know something is that Mark does love you. He loves you more than you think.” Jackson said with sincerity.

Mina shook her head in denial.

“No, he doesn’t love me. He is so against on marrying me. It’s like all those years never mattered to him, like I was nothing.” Mina said sounding sad.

Jihye rubbed her arms up and down to ease her pain, not like it worked but it did make Mina feel a little better.

“Don’t be like that. It doesn’t mean anything if he doesn’t marry you. You already live with each other and you’ve been dating for many years so why are you so worried?” Jihye asked.

“Exactly! We’ve been dating for almost a decade. He even gave me a promise ring.” Mina stopped talking looking at them in the face. “What changed his mind?” Mina asked softly.

Jackson sighed.

“I can’t do this anymore. I’ll be right back.” He said standing up and leaving the house.

Jihye sighed it.

“Mina look at me.” She demanded.

Mina refused to look at her. It was not like this whole conversation was going to change or erase the fight she had with Mark.

Jihye stood up sighing. She couldn’t believe their friends stupidness. Why did they do that to themselves? Why did they torture each other?

“You like it or not you have to listen to me ok?” Jihye started talking in a more demanding voice than before. She wanted to make things better. She really cared about them after all. “Mark loves you ok? If he didn’t love you he wouldn’t have asked Jackson where to go for vacation neither would he had ask you to move in with him.” Jihye stopped to see if Mina was listening or not. When she saw her snapping her head toward her direction she continued. “I know he is stupid for not asking you yet. It’s stupid the fact that he is afraid of the idea, but maybe he thinks it’s okay to leave the things as it is. Maybe to Mark it doesn’t matter if you are married or just dating, maybe he thinks that as long as you are together its fine.” Jihye said thinking logical.

Mina shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense to me. If you love someone so much you do something so the other people would know that you are taken or more like not available for ever. When you are dating someone then that means that sometime you are going to be available, but when you are married then I’m sorry but I can’t do anything.” Mina said standing up. “I don’t understand the reason he is holding back so badly.” Mina said while looking outside from the window.

“Look Mina I’ll be honest with you. It’s st