“Jeongyeon, I’ve been keeping this feeling since forever. I love you.”

“You’re what?”

Few hours ago

That night Mina woke up suddenly, uncertain why.

She reached out and felt around for her watch on the bedside table. Finding it, she turned the illuminated dial towards her face. It was a few minutes past six in the morning.

Yesterday, Jeongyeon planned for another round of date at night, however, the rain dropped from the sky the moment she exclaimed for a campfire. She cancelled the plan and rushed them back home since they went outside with the bike.

In the end, they had dinner at home after took shower together and watched a reality show before Jeongyeon called off for the day.

Mina turned her head and faced the window. The rain must have stopped, she realized. She had drifted off to sleep an hour earlier to a steady plop of raindrops. She got out of bed and walked across the room to open the window, letting in the merest hint of a breeze. It did not even begin to cool the thick, sultry air in the room.

Jeongyeon.

Mina wondered how her sweetheart was sleeping on bed right next to her, motionless, although not soundly, it seemed from the way her head turned from one side to the other confirmed that Jeongyeon was in deep sleep.

Mina closed the window again. Back to her bed, she started to climb back into bed. But it’s so hot, she thought, brushing sweat-dampened hair back from her forehead.

She stepped out from the room and walked onto the balcony.

It was a little better out here. The rain had cooled the temperature slightly, yet the air was still heavy with humidity and eerily shrouded by drifting bands of mist. Guess it’s raining until now, she thought. She could sell the sweet fragrance of Mediterranean flowers mixed with the smell of burning woods.

Flower? Isn’t it lavender?

A slight breeze made the hair pickled on the back of her neck. Mina gathered her courage and quickly turned her head.

A face I know, she thought. She let out a breath of relief. Thank goodness. “What are you doing here?” she asked him.

“To meet you,” the man answered.

“I thought you only appear in the dream.”

“You and Jeongyeon haven’t met me for a very long time,” the man replied. “I don’t know what makes Jeongyeon didn’t bring you to the meadow but for sure I could see that she’s in love already. Is she with you?”

Mina nodded her head, smiling.

“However dear,” the man walked to his feet and smiled, getting closer. “I can only count on you this time. Even though Jeongyeon is much older than you but if I compared based on the good judgement, you’re wiser than her. That’s why I meet you like this.”

“What do you mean?” Mina asked with curiosity.

He placed his hands on Mina’s shoulders, leaning closer to the girl. “The plan of the evil is getting closer to your way. You need to trust Jeongyeon no matter what happen. I could feel that our foe’s main strategy is to falling both you apart.”

The scent of lavender was getting stronger as the man finished his words. He turned his back, realizing the scenery of meadow showed behind him.

“My time is up,” he turned his head and faced Mina once again. “Remember Mina. Keep your faith on Jeongyeon and only Jeongyeon,” he continued before disappeared into the glisters of stars and faded along with the sparkle.

Mina heaved lightly as the appearance of the man disappeared in front of her. Rewinding the warning from the man wondered Mina. What was he trying to say, she thought. She went to the kitchen, drinking a glass of water with the hope that the liquid could help her to engulf everything happened but she kept on thinking of it.

Maybe I should go to sleep, she suggested herself. She went to the bedroom and lie beside Jeongyeon. Mina took a look of the blonde girl and smiled. Jeongyeon definitely did not alert with her presence or absence in the room. Her slow rate of breathing showed how enjoyable her body with the rest.

She must be very tired, Mina smiled, caressing Jeongyeon’s hair, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. Mina shifted her body in bed, her head facing the ceiling, placed her hand on her forehead, trying to sleep but she can’t.

It felt strange to meet the man in the house and not in the meadow. She knew that something was about to happen after this, something very important. But she did not want to talk to Jeongyeon about it. She couldn’t. Jeongyeon never took it seriously these past few days.

Mina closed her eyes and tried to drift off to sleep. It had been a long day, and she’d just spent hours on the bike across the places. She should be exhausted, yet she couldn’t stop thinking of it.

She knew that she should be frightened, remembering the warning from the man but she could not think of any possible reason why Jeongyeon could takes advantage of her. She meant they loved each other.

Or is there any chance that Jeongyeon will cheat on me?

Mina shook her head, misbelief with her own thoughts. Stop being a paranoid. You should go to sleep, Mina told herself.

After turning her body seeking for the comfortable position in bed, Mina closed her eyes and slowly drifted into the dreamland.

The lazy wind moved the curtain of the window. Somehow uneven illumination of the sun rays penetrated into the room as the curtain waved along with the wind. It could be the reason why Jeongyeon woke up from her dream. Underneath her eyelids, the eyes alerted with the brightness of the light, waking up all the senses that were still asleep. Jeongyeon opened her eyes slowly as the sunlight hissed on her face. She moved closer towards her sweetheart and hugged her from behind.

Smile plastered on her face as Mina wrapped her arms closer. It does not matter whether she was half asleep or it just a part of her involuntary action. Mina looked like she was in deep sleep right now. She did not turn her head nor wished her good morning. It seemed like she already set herself to response for any gentle touch from Jeongyeon.

How she wished that she could stay like this for the whole day with Mina. No. A day is never enough. How she wished that she could stay like that for the rest of her life but Mina’s lifespan was shorter than her.

How she wished that she could stay with Mina forever.

Life is so threatening when we know what will go on ahead us especially when we had to face it with our loved one. The future is so uncertain but one thing for sure – it is dangerous for Mina to get involved.

Why must Mina? Jeongyeon thought. Of all sorts of people, why Mina? Jeongyeon heaved a deep sigh and sniffed Mina’s hair, smiling with the fragrance from the part. If it is not because of this mission, I’ll never have a chance to get closer to Mina.

Jeongyeon kissed Mina’s hair once again. She lifted the blanket on her body slowly as she rose up from the bed. She planned to make another round of breakfast, a special breakfast for Mina. She blamed Jihyo and Sana for disturbing her cooking time yesterday but on the other side she glad the disaster happened. It was the chance for her to have a walk with Mina.

Jeongyeon walked through the hallway, scrubbing her hair, thinking of the meal for the day. She walked to the refrigerator and observed every single corner and column in the cooler. She flipped the book of recipe mentally inside her head to find any possible guidelines or instructions for at least making one meal but found none.

Okay this is serious, Jeongyeon sighed. Maybe if I just blindly take out any of the food here, I’ll get idea once I grab the knife in the kitchen.

She grabbed any reachable ingredients in the fridge and brought it to the kitchen. Sighing with proud for her first step, she took the apron hanged on the wall and wore it, wrapping two long ribbons around her waist twice before tie it in ribbon formed at her back.

Jeongyeon was about to unwrap the package of cherry tomatoes when Nayeon jolted her from behind. Jeongyeon’s eyes were wide, she just stared at Nayeon open mouthed. Her brain formulated no thoughts other than to register that she was shocked.

Nayeon laughed for the reaction. It was worth waiting for.

Nayeon’s response snapped Jeongyeon back to the reality.

“Are you crazy?” Jeongyeon raised her hand, targeting Nayeon’s arm. Nayeon swung her body to avoid the hit, laughing.

“It’s a surprise to see you wake up this early and here you are right in the kitchen,” Nayeon said. “By the way what are you doing here?”

“Can’t you see?” Jeongyeon chopped the tomatoes without turning her head. “I’m cooking.”

“You. You’re cooking. You’re cooking?” Nayeon emphasised every single word as if she was trying to hiss Jeongyeon. Jeongyeon placed her knife on the cutting board and looked at Nayeon. “Why? Do you have any problem?

Nayeon smiled. “No. No problem at all. I’m not the problem. You are.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Do you know how to cook?”

Jeongyeon nodded her head without hesitation. Nayeon smirked with the confidence.

“What?” Jeongyeon asked.

“Since when do you know how to cook?”

“I know everything ever since I met Mina,” smile plastered on Jeongyeon’s face as she continued chopping the onion.

Nayeon leaned her back against the cabinet right beside Jeongyeon, examining her expression. It clearly showed that Jeongyeon was happy with her partner now. She smiled once Mina’s name was mentioned