Jinsook doesn’t want to face reality, but she has to. According to her grandfather. He asks her to take a walk with him, and suddenly she realizes that she’s been suffering alone when he does too. Maybe even worse than her. So she says yes, of course.

It looks peaceful, now that the time of rain has passed.

They stop at her grandmother’s grave. “Do you want to talk to her, honey?”, her grandfather asks.

“Do you think I can?”

“Of course you can. Go ahead.”

Jinsook sits down. “Hi, grandma. This is Jinsook, but you probably know that.”

She looks into the sky, unsure, and waves.

“I don’t know”, she swallows, “where you are right now, or-”, tears are running down her cheeks, “how grandpa and I will survive this, but I miss you. I miss you lot.”

She looks for something to lay on the grave, but doesn’t find anything. “We can come another time”, her grandfather says, and for the first time since their loss he’s smiling.

“Let’s come back tomorrow as well”, Jinsook says. She’s also smiling. It’s a cracked one, but a smile.

The next day there is a rainbow shining in the sky when they arrive at her grave.

Juyeon almost rips Cheng Xiao’s hands off, she’s clinging too hard onto it. “Cheng Xiao”, her mother eventually speaks up, her face unchanged. “Is that what you truly want?”

Xiao gulps, and then strengthens her back. She’s raising her chin.

“Yes.”

"Then what are we doing here?”, she frowns. "I thought I had taught you not to waste other people’s time.” Her parents start walking in the direction Juyeon came from.

Juyeon and Cheng Xiao lock eyes.

“Mum?”, she starts, unsure, “Dad…?”

They both turn around. "Are you coming? We’re going home. You need to learn advanced Korean if you want to stay here.”

Juyeon waits until Xiao’s parents are almost out of their range - and then she bursts into tears. “Eunseo!”, Xiao shrieks when Juyeon suddenly hugs her.

“I’m just so… so happy”, Juyeon whines, and Cheng Xiao laughs her beautiful laugh and smiles her beautiful smile and everything is alright. "I’m happy, too.”

Hyunjung waits for a full five hours until she hears the door getting unlocked. She immediately gets up, her hands tensed when she adjusts her pink bathrobe.

"Oh”, Exy says. “You’re still here.”

Hyunjung bites on her lip. Exy looks like she doesn’t even know her, her cold gaze piercing right through Hyunjung.

“I’m not going to leave.”

“Why? Wasn’t that the plan?” Exy spits the words, and Hyunjung can’t help but flinch.

“No. I mean, yes, but-”

Exy grunts and pushes her away to get to the kitchen. She isn’t looking for anything, just avoiding glaring at her.

“Sojung…” Hyunjung can see her knuckles turning white. “I know it was my intention to- to scam you, but I really began to like you and wanted to cancel, but I couldn’t”, she takes her time to breathe, “loose my job. I’m broke.”

“You could have asked me for money.” Exy still hasn’t turned around. Her voice sounds pressed. Hyunjung takes a step forward.

“But friends don’t ask each other for money-”

“Friends?” Now Exy turns around. Hyunjung takes a step back. Exy’s face is distorted with rage.

“That’s what we are? Friends? Because last time I checked, friends don’t use each other. Last time I checked the person I fell in love with-” Exy stops. The sudden change from yelling to silence is disturbing in Hyunjung’s ears.

“Whatever”, she mutters, hurrying into her room before Hyunjung can react.

Hyunjung waits for a second and then knocks at Exy’s door. “Sojung? Can I come in?” She leans against the door.

“Do what you want. That’s what you’re doing always anyway.” It’s probably supposed to be snappy, but it only comes out as a tired sigh.

Hyunjung sneaks in, closing the door quietly behind her, and sits down on the bed Exy is laying onto.

“Sojung?”

Her face is buried in her blanket. She doesn’t react. Hyunjung stands up. “I’m really sorry”, she says, “and to show you how sorry I am, I’m going to give it all up.”

She drops her bathrobe. (Hyunjung could swear she sees Exy’s feet twichting.)

“This is me”, she says, voice shaking, “Kim Hyunjung. Seola. Journalist, but most importantly, your friend.”

She shivers.

“One time I was in a haunted house and so scared I accidentally peed myself. I was 10.” (The blanket is snorting.) “I’ve got my first kiss with 19. My parents kicked me out when I wanted to pursue my career. I don’t trust people easily and sometimes I feel the urge to control things I can’t control.”

She bites on her lips.

“This is me. Can you forgive me, Sojung?”

It’s silent for a moment, and Hyunjung is afraid she has gone too far.

“Exy.”

“Huh?”

“It’s Exy. Get dressed, you’ll catch a cold.”

Hyunjung can’t see her face, but she knows she’s smiling.

They’re going to be okay. She’s sure.

Luda sits in front of an open suitcase. She’s eyeing her old camera. She used to love it so much. At some point it was all she needed.

Jiyeon is weirdly similar to that camera, Luda realizes.

She throws in her complete wardrobe and then closes the bag. She kicks the camera under her bed.

She’s heading towards the plane. When she’s entering, she actually manages to crack a smile.

Goodbye to Korea, college. Jiyeon.

Hello to China, a chance to lead the Xiao company. An opportunity to set herself free.

She’s going to be happy. Without Jiyeon.

Epilogue

"Are you ready for your first day of school?”

“I was born ready!”, Jinsook beams, showing a thumbs-up to her grandfather.

“Then go. Ace it!”

She gives him a goodbye kiss on the cheek before she bounces out off the car.

She has to work a lot - studying medicine is already exhausting, but she has to make an even bigger effort since she has earned an internship.

Jinsook is happy, though. She’s learning how to cure, to save people.

She hopes her grandmother is proud.

She even sees Juyeon once - she’s clinging to a girl with doll-like features. She’s flexing in front of her, and the girl laughs. Jinsook is genuinely glad seeing her like this - apparently all healthy.

She’s glad she has found her way.

Her roommate is nice, too. She’s called Hyunjung, and her girlfriend’s name is Sojung. (“Right, the Chu Sojung!”, Hyunjung bragged, chest blown up from pride, and Jinsook doesn’t have the heart to tell her she has no idea who that is.)

She’s studying Psychology, but was a journalist before. It’s admirable, Jinsook thinks. Hyunjung must be a very honest person. At least now.

Xuan Yi is studying history, but in Busan. They still keep contact, though - she doesn’t talk much about her, but she seems to have found someone special. Dawon.

Xuan Yi sounds a lot happier. Time does heal all wounds.

Bona wants to believe that, too, but she can’t.

A new beginning, with a new name, new friends.

New lovers.

You’re supposed to erase everything else before, right?

That’s the problem. Bona can’t.

It starts with her name. Jiyeon.

Luda used to say that name all the time, in irritation, awe or pure love. Bona knew she did. She loved it, the way Luda loved her.

Too bad she couldn’t see that she loves Luda before she left the country.

Bona sees a girl with blonde hair and her taller friend with black hair. They don’t seem close, but undoubtedly happy. In their own ways.

Bona turns her head around.

She’s going to be happy, too.

With or without Luda.