“Jungkook… do you think I’m the first to get to know the rules before going out of the bottle?” Minah asks, looking far into distance with creased eyebrows.

Jungkook his head to the side to think about it.

“What is your point, then?”

“I mean… maybe people kept the pattern of hiding the new-comers until the very last minute. They only followed the formers and desperately wanted to escape, to the point that they forgot the last line in the scroll? It is stated in the scroll that it’s just like a game, right?”

“Minah, speak slowly. I can’t picture what you are trying to point out.”

She opens to say something, but Jungkook’s phone starts ringing, cutting her off.

“Sorry.” Jungkook shifts his attention quickly to his phone. He then stands up and walks out to a far enough distance to pick up.

Minah waits for Jungkook with her foot tapping, looking to his direction constantly.

When Jungkook gets back, which is less than a minute later, Minah stands up and makes a step toward him with anticipating eyes, but they quickly turn confused when she sees Jungkook’s watering eyes.

“What happened?” Minah asks quietly, gulping down a sudden lump in .

“My mom… she’s having surgery right now. She… she didn’t tell us!” Jungkook utters the words with much efforts; he clumsily wipes his fallen tears and sniffs once before looking straight into Minah’s eyes. “I’m sorry. I have to go to her now.”

With that, Jungkook bows to Minah and swirls around, looking for a taxi. He doesn’t even bother Minah’s appearance anymore.

Minah bites her lip as she stands there and looks at Jungkook.

A taxi finally stops near him. Jungkook hurriedly walks toward the auto in front of him. When he reaches the door to open it, Minah follows suit.

“Can I come with you?” Minah asks, but it sounds more like a statement. She has already settled herself next to Jungkook. The latter glances at her, slightly caught off guard, but he quickly brushes it off with a curt nod and turned back to look at the front to inform the destination to the driver.

“Is she having a serious illness?” Minah asks after a few minutes of heavy silence. Jungkook has been burying his face under his palms all the time; now he looks up to Minah with red eyes.

“I had no idea! She told us she was fine and… and… and she was getting out of the hospital in a short time!” Jungkook says, his voice shaking immensely as he is on the brink of tears again.

“I’m so sorry. I should have let you go in the first place... you would have visited your mom this whole day…” Minah mutters timidly, looking down in shame.

“It’s not your fault. Yesterday mom did call me to meet me, but I said I might be busy for the next several days. That’s probably why she…” Jungkook hiccups. “She told me to take care.”

Minah feels her eyes watering up as she watches Jungkook cry silently beside her. Her hand finds itself reaching for Jungkook’s shoulder, squeezing it gently.

After about twenty minutes arriving, they quickly get to the operation waiting area. Jungkook doesn’t sit still as Minah does. He keeps walking around, forth and back, occasionally stares at the closed room in front of him with hopeful and solemn eyes.

She reaches for his wrist after a long time observing him.

“Jungkook, please, have a seat.” She pleads, looking at Jungkook with sympathetic eyes.

Jungkook reluctantly takes a seat next to her. He bends his head down and raises his hands to support his head in the forehead.

Right then, two women entered the area, and one of them calls Jungkook by his name.

“Jungkook, any news?” One of them asks, strolling towards Jungkook with incredible speed; her voice sounds shaky and monotonous.

Jungkook raises his head up and looks at the two women that look just as teary as him. He shakes his head and looks down again. They only spare Minah one quick glance, but Minah hurriedly stands up and politely bows at them. She awkwardly touches her head while the two women just settle themselves down the long row of seat. She then sits back down and leans near Jungkook.

“I’ll just leave for a minute.” She awkwardly whispers to Jungkook.

Before she can go anywhere, Jungkook quickly finds her hand and holds it firmly. Giving it a light squeeze, Minah is startled when she tries to retreat her hand, but Jungkook already intertwines their hands together.

Despite taken aback, Minah holds his hand back, tightly.

Later on, there are a few more people who also come to the waiting area. However, Minah can’t greet any of them because she can’t fight back her sleepiness. Everyone except her is still awake through midnight and early morning, but she starts to falling asleep quickly.

Jungkook gently moves her head down to end up on his shoulder.

When she wakes up, she hears Jungkook calling her gently. Just a couple of in the shoulder make Minah shiver and completely opens her eyes.

“Jungkook, what happened? Is the surgery over?” Minah quickly asks, unconsciously holding his hand a bit tighter.

Jungkook answers her with a bright smile and delightful, but tired eyes. She then sighs in relief.

She grins back at him.

“I’m glad your mom made it. Hurry, go meet your mom now.”

“Thank you, Minah,” Jungkook says and squeezes her hand for the last time.

Minah looks down at her held hand and startles. She slowly retreats her hand from his. A sudden gush of heat hits her face.

“I’ll be right back,” Jungkook says softly, giving her an unreadable smile and then leaves.

A tickling sensation runs through her whole body as she makes a brief eye contact with Jungkook.

After a short moment sitting still on the seat, Minah decides to go out to the hospital’s grand yard. She keeps strolling around until a hurtful sight caught her attention. A hospitalized mother and her daughter are crying together.

“Mommy, you need an operation, right? I heard it… you aren’t getting one if dad doesn’t manage enough money, right? Is it that expensive?” The little girl who looks around twelve says in tears while hugging her mother tightly.

Minah keeps looking at the scene and walks toward them after a few more seconds.

“Excuse me,” Minah says to the woman and bows at her.

“Are you talking to me?” The mother looks at Minah, sniffing. Her eyes look curious. Minah beams at the mother and nods politely.

“You have such a beautiful daughter.” Minah sits down so her height can match with the child, grinning friendly. “Hello! My name is Bang Minah. What’s your name?”

“I’m Park Minha.” The baffled little child answers, looking at Minah just as curiously as her mother.

“I see.” Minah rubs the girl’s head slightly. “Can unnie ask you this one question? If there’s one wish now you’d like to become true; it’d be getting more money so that your mom will be cured fast, right?”

The mother looks dumbfounded that Minah has heard her conversation with her child. She then puts her guard down at Minah, and her wary eyes turn soft.

“Yes!” The girl nods continuously and tries to wipe her unstoppable tears.

“I know there’s a source of free money, do you want to know?” Minah comes closer and says to the child’s ear so only her can hear what she says.

Minha nods again.

“How about… all the Korean Won bills that have gone lost for instance?” Minah says.

“What do you mean?” Little Minha asks back, looking innocently at the other.

Time passes by as Minah waits outside of Jungkook’s mother’s room. There are six people inside, probably family members, talking actively to his mother. Minah unconsciously smiles as she occasionally watches Jungkook spreading his grin that shows his bunny teeth.

Finally, after like half an hour, Jungkook leaves the room. Minah nods at him when he recognizes her existence. Both nod at each other and go down to the yard.

“If I remember correctly, you don’t have much time left, am I right?” Jungkook asks, breaking the peaceful silence between them.

Minah glances at her counter to check.

00:12:15, 07, 01

“I have twelve minutes left.” Minah deadpans, shrugging dismissively at Jungkook when he looks sorry. “How is your mom?”

“The surgery was a huge success. It was truly a miracle!”

“Miracle?”

“A miracle. The doctor said there was a slim chance that my mother could survive the surgery.”

“That’s awesome.”

“My mom is slowly recovering. And if positive, she can discharge from the hospital in less than a month.”

“That’s good to hear.” Minah finds herself smiling at Jungkook’s bright eyes.

“Minah… I’m sorry. I feel even guiltier when I can’t go back to the bottle to get you out later on.” Jungkook says bitterly, biting his lip.

“It’s alright.” Minah sighs, elbowing his arm playfully. “I think I have figured out the way that both individuals truly get rid of this genie game.”

“Say what?” Jungkook stops at his track, looking at Minah with full interest.

“By granting twenty-four wishes to three people, as it had already been stated in the scroll.”

“Uh… I don’t get it.” Jungkook says after thinking hard. Minah chuckles at him.

“Since I’m not so sure and I might end up risking your college study, I will wait for another chance,” Minah says, shrugging easily. She continues walking while Jungkook stands still for a few seconds.

“Well… it’s time to say goodbye, I guess.” Minah turns around and smiles at Jungkook. Her smile seems genuine, but there’s a slight lingering feel to them. Like she regrets something. And that same feeling reflects in Jungkook’s eyes.

“Um… Just in case you need a boyfriend to delay that thing your mom has been pursuing…” Jungkook timidly starts as he gazes down at the ground.

Minah chuckles.

“Oh, that! Sorry cause I lied to you again! Mom just wants to pair me up with that person; she doesn’t force me to it.” She waves her hands to deny, while Jungkook listens with a dumbfounded look.

Jungkook doesn’t answer, and an awkward silence enters.

Minah chuckles dryly to ease the tension between them. After a couple of seconds, she bends her head down to bid him goodbye. Jungkook’s mouth slightly opens, but no words come out.

She turns around again and walks away slowly, smirking to herself.

Jungkook races towards Minah and stops her in her track as he ends up right in front of her, blocking her way.

“I know this sounds crazy, but I think I want to be your real boyfriend,” Jungkook exclaims while trying to hold his heavy breaths down.

Minah is completely startled, but she keeps her cool and shrugs it off. She can completely feel her heart racing, though.

“Funny.”

Right after the word slips out her tongue, Jungkook takes one big step forward, making their distance even closer.

Before she can do anything, he bends his head lower to her height, his hands cupping her cheeks gently.

“Woah-,“ Minah panics under his intense gaze. “What, what are, you, trying to, do?”

Minah’s eyes waver nervously as Jungkook’s face moves closer to her. Her hands curl up to form tight fists. Jungkook is just centimeters away.

Closing his eyes slowly, he kisses her lips briefly. With just a slight moment of lingering there, he pulls off.

Minah only sends Jungkook a blank, dumbfounded gaze. Her cheeks go all red all of a sudden.

“This is, the craziest, thing, that I have ever encountered, these past two days, I, swear.” She deadpans while Jungkook beams sheepishly at her, his hands leaving her cheeks slowly.

“I know right?” He says back, evident amusement displayed in his eyes.

When Minah doesn’t say anything and keeps looking serious, Jungkook’s smile fades into an embarrassed frown.

“I’m sorry.” He says, wholly shameful and his cheeks start burning with heat as he blushes immediately.

“Is that what you call a kiss?” Minah says, taking Jungkook entirely by surprise. She doesn’t let him think more as she tip-toes to get to his height. Her hands grab his collar to pull him lower. Closing her eyes this time, she kisses Jungkook.

The younger opens his eyes widely, but after some seconds blinking his eyes unbelievingly, he breaks into laughter. That cuts their kiss and has Minah step back.

Minah lets go of his wrinkled collar and groans.

“What was that?” She gives Jungkook an accusing glance.

“I’m sorry. I’m just so happy you feel the same.” Jungkook says, trying to cover his full grin with his palm.

Minah keeps her angry gaze, but then she bursts out laughing with him. But when she looks at the counter, which is now 00:00:04, 07, 01, she frantically touches Jungkook’s arm to get his attention.

“Your number, Jungkook! Your number!” Just when Jungkook opens his mouth to read aloud his number, darkness already comes to surround her.

“Minah!” Jungkook calls out loud, but Minah has already vanished. She was just right in front of him seconds ago, but now there is nothing but an empty space.

Jungkook ribs his hair in frustration after checking in all direction; but as expected, she has already gone.

A/N: just in case you are a k-drama addict, you might have noticed the familiar name Park Minha. She’s such a cute, pretty child actress <3.