2012 

California

Mimi kicked the tire in annoyance. Of course her car decided to get a flat tire on her way to the campus, specifically on her first day on her college life. In addition to her bad luck, no one’s around to help her. Guess she has to fix it by herself.

She opened the trunk and get the equipment box. Just when she was about to lift the spare tire, a hand held hers and took the tire away from her.

“A young lady aren’t supposed to change a flat tire by themselves. You should call for help, Mimi-ya,” said the person beside her and started changing the tire.

Surprised with the sudden appearance, especially he is the person she knows so well, Mimi frowned at Hongbin who crouched down beside her.

“A young lady? Really?”

She heard the man scoffed. “Yes, Miss The-Future-CEO-of-The-Arrows-Company, surprise I know about it?”

“My sister is still the CEO of our company, don’t talk as if I will hold the position in the near future.”

“I said the future, not in the near future,” Hongbin replied dryly. “Anyway, I’m aware that you are capable of changing your own tire, Hana told me that, but I don’t think looking messy at your first day is a good idea,” he said, standing up after finished changing the tire. He looked at Mimi. “Next time, call for help, okay? You’re the Korean’s pride, aren’t you?”

Ignoring everything else Hongbin said, Mimi brightly grinned, “Hana told you I can change a car tire? What else she told you about me, huh?”

“Ask her yourself,” Hongbin rolled eyes. He put the equipment back to its place on the box. “Done.”

“Thank you,” Mimi took the box from Hongbin and put it back in the back of her car, along with the old tire. “I didn’t know you were so nice.”

“Did Hana ever told you about me?”

It took Mimi for a while to answer it. “Maybe, maybe not, I don’t remember.”

Or you just purposely closed your ears from anything Hana said about me, Hongbin thought, but even he doubt that Hana would talked about himself to Mimi. “She never stops talking about you, actually.”

“Really?” Mimi looked surprised. “Why is it?”

“As if I knew why,” the man shrugged. Of course you are so oblivious. Well, you are even oblivious about your own feeling, Jung Mimi. “Now, your car is fixed. You owe me a lunch.”

“Okay, okay, just tell me what you want for lunch,” Mimi said and about to get in to her car when Hongbin extended his hand. She looked at him, confused. “What?”

“Give me your phone.”

“What? What for?”

Hongbin’s eye-roll answered her. “Just give me. I swear I’m not gonna destroy it or anything.”

Still eyeing him suspiciously, Mimi took her phone and give it to Hongbin. She watched as the man input some unknown numbers on the screen and soon they heard a ringtone from Hongbin’s pocket jacket.

Hongbin returned the phone back to Mimi. “Save my number.”

Mimi looked at him with wide eyes. “What– Is that how men asking for exchange numbers now?”

She earned a hit on her arm.

“Why you keeps asking stupid question to me?” Hongbin said flatly. “How are you gonna treat me lunch if we didn’t know each other’s number?”

“You don’t have to hit me, I thought you were the Mr. Gentleman earlier.” Mimi rubbed the side where Hongbin hit her arm.

“Get used to it because we are going to be friends after this, Jung.”

Mimi remembered that they agreed to be friend on their graduation day. Well, it will take some times to get used. “Give me time, okay?”

“And I gave you my number so you can contact me if something like this happens again,” Hongbin continued, ignoring what Mimi said. “Friends supposed to help and support each other, you know that, right? You are my only friend in this country.”

Mimi laughed at that.

“I guess I need to get used with seeing your face as soon as possible.”

Hongbin gave her another scoff but he smiled nonetheless. He walked to his car not too far from Mimi’s. “Yeah, and we need to go to the campus as soon as possible if we don’t want to get late. See you later, Jung.”

And that successfully reminded Mimi that she needs to go too. She hurriedly hopped in the car and drove, her smile never leave her face.

**

Tokyo

< Jung Mimi > I’m bored

< Shin Bora > It took you more than 12 hours to reply my text and you did it when you’re bored. Okay…

< Jung Mimi > I told you yesterday I had deadline for my assignment, didn’t I?

< Shin Bora > But you promised me…

< Jung Mimi > Okay, I’m sorry… Everything was really hectic yesterday

< Jung Mimi > Don’t pout

< Shin Bora > I didn’t!

< Shin Bora > And why are you saying I’m pouting? You can’t see me, can you?

< Jung Mimi > I just feel like you are pouting and I don’t want that

< Shin Bora > What, you don’t like it?

< Jung Mimi > I don’t like it when I can’t see it in person… I wanna pinch your cheeks

Hana didn’t resist the urge to smile as she read the text. Mimi keep acting like this ever since they went to study in different countries. It’s a nice surprise to see Mimi being more expressive in text, sometimes she thought that Mimi probably missed her, just like how Hana misses her too.

Maybe, just maybe.

< Shin Bora > My cheeks isn’t for you to play with

< Shin Bora > And I’m not pouting!

< Jung Mimi > Okay okay I trust you

< Jung Mimi > Just so you know you are too cute when you are pouting

< Jung Mimi > Are you blushing right now?

< Jung Mimi > I know you like my compliment

< Jung Mimi > Bora?

< Jung Mimi > Heyyyy

< Jung Mimi > Don’t ignore my chaaaat

< Shin Bora > Don’t you have class now?

< Jung Mimi > I do

< Jung Mimi > And it’s boring

< Shin Bora > Jung Mimi…

< Jung Mimi > I tried to stay awake by chatting you

< Jung Mimi > So, entertain me please

< Shin Bora > it’s past midnight in my place!

**

California

“Can you change it to be more minimalist and modern huh? This is too old fashion, Mimi-ya.”

Mimi glared at Hongbin’s comments. How dare Hongbin said that after she stayed up last night to make the mock-up building for their assignment?

“Are you saying your minimalist concept is better than mine? Yah! My concept has more detail and complexity that you don’t have and I don’t need your opinion,” Mimi argued coldly.

Bomi and Eunji looked up at from the mock-up building they were trying to fix to see Mimi and Hongbin. It’s still early on the morning and Mimi and Hongbin already on their usual fight.

“It’s minimalist! It means simple but classy!” explained Hongbin, not affected with the death glare.

“Classy? Do you think you can get Pritzker if you always use the same concept over and over again?!”

“And do you think you get it with your favorite concept?! Look at how messy it is! Too many unnecessary details on it!”

Bomi quickly stood up between them before Mimi threw another reply, or a punch. “Mimi’s mock-up isn’t finished yet, Hongbin-ah, we still need to fix some parts. But you have to see the details Mimi put on it, it is amazing.”

“But Hongbin’s suggestion isn’t bad too,” Eunji followed. “Maybe we should erase some parts? I promise we’re not gonna ruin the building, Mimi-ya,” she lifted her hands when Mimi’s glare shifted at her. “We all here have different taste, Hongbin with modern and minimalist glass, Bomi likes Mediterranean style, Mimi likes Classic and Victorian style, while I prefer the Country and American Craftsman style. Imagine how awesome it is if we work as one team in the future, we gonna invent an awesome concept.” She grinned as she looked at her friends.

“Or the team not gonna even last a day, because we probably would fight each other while deciding the concept,” Bomi laughed when Eunji pouted. “Kidding, I agree with you. I think we will make a wonderful team,” she said as she hugged her friend, shaking her body and making Eunji whined at her. Hongbin and Mimi chuckled at their act, momentarily forgetting their bicker.

Mimi smiled at Bomi and Eunji who still hugging and laughing. She met them on her first day and getting close with them as days passing. They told her that they has been friends since middle school and continue to stay together till now, as they pursue the same dream. One thing that makes Mimi jealous at them because she can’t do the same with her own best friend.

Sometimes she wishes Hana was here and not some country with different time zone with her. It’s nice meeting with Bomi and Eunji (sometimes she purposely forgets that Hongbin exists) here, and after one semester, all of them becomes good friends now and she’s not lonely anymore, but her heart still longing for her best friend.

**

< Shin Bora > So how’s your day?

< Jung Mimi > Do you think I can survive till graduation with Hongbin is everywhere with me

< Shin Bora > Well he said he wants to be friends with you…

< Shin Bora > Is everything okay?

< Jung Mimi > Life is so hard

< Jung Mimi > Harder with having Hongbin around me

< Jung Mimi > He is annoying

< Shin Bora > ???

< Jung Mimi > I repeat, he is annoying

< Jung Mimi > I didn’t know what you see on him back then

< Shin Bora > Hey he’s nice

< Shin Bora > What happened?

< Jung Mimi > He acts all cool and knows all the stuff. He always scold me like a grandma.

< Jung Mimi > Annoying

< Shin Bora > Well I can’t help you with that

< Shin Bora > gtg I have class

< Shin Bora > I’ll chat you later

< Jung Mimi > Yeah yeah I’m going to sleep tho

< Jung Mimi > Anyway Hongbin is annoying

“I miss you, Stupid,” Mimi said to her phone, watching as Hana went offline. The longing feeling back whenever they had to stop chatting.

She hugged her pillow and pulled the blanket, trying to close her eyes. It’s always like this, the different time zone and the busy schedule makes them unable to chat for too long and it irritates Mimi. She didn’t want to appear too clingy to Hana, knowing how busy her best friend is, but most of the times she can’t help it.

Sometimes, only sometimes, she would imagined that Hana would missed her too.

**

Tokyo

“Ow! Gentle, please! That’s sting!”

Hana rolled eyes, but she ignored the whine and keep dabbing the cotton onto the face in front of her.

“Ouch! Yah! Shin Bora!”

“Can’t you shut up and stop moving?” She finally lost her patience after a while. “Kim Wonsik, I tried to clean up your wound here, but I can’t do it if you keep moving.”

The guy in front of her, Wonsik, glared back at her. “Can you be any gentle? I told you it hurts.”

“You are fine with getting punches so you should be fine too with a bit of alcohol. Stay still, you grown up man.”

Wonsik didn’t say anything, he bit his lips as Hana continued cleaning the wound on his face.

“Stop scolding him, he got into a fight for defending me and Jiyeon, Hana-ya,” said their other friend who sat next to them, Jieun.

“That’s true!” Wonsik beamed and high-fived with Jieun. “See, I’m the good person here so you should be more gent– OW!”

“I’m against any violence stuff, Mr. Kim, so shut up and stay still,” said Hana, still dabbing the cotton bud on Wonsik’s face before wiped it carefully. “Kyungsoo can do it better than you, you know.”

Wonsik scoffed. “Kyungsoo won’t lift a hand in this kind of matter. He would paid someone else to beat them up instead of doing it by himself, although he has a level 3 black belt. He is a boring person, in case you didn’t know.”

“Well, Kyungsoo probably would killed them if he was there, so it is better to hire someone else,” Hana shook her head. “Meanwhile, if you involved with such a fight, it could affect your reputation. You can’t be a doctor like that.”

“Who I said I want to be doctor, huh?” Wonsik smirked while shaking his glass. “I will obey my parent but it doesn’t mean I will do everything they want.”

“What do you mean?” Hana raised an eyebrow.

“He doesn’t intend to be a surgeon and will throw away all his responsibilities to his cousin,” said Kyungsoo suddenly appeared beside them and ordered his drink from the bartender. “Poor girl, had to deal with Wonsik’s crazy idea while she’s still in school.”

“Hey, don’t say it like that, our deal is sharing the responsibilities, I didn’t throw all of it away to her,” Wonsik argued. “I will take care the hospital in Tokyo, but becoming the surgeon is a no for me… Sejeong can do it on my behalf. After all, this hospital belongs to our family, I can’t be the only one who take care of it, right?”

Kyungsoo stared at him for a few second before turning away. “Can’t help but pitying Sejeong’s fate to be your cousin,” he sipped his drink, sighing helplessly about his friend.

“You are the one who said that I had to make that deal with Sejeong!”

“I was just suggesting, I didn’t expect you to uh, force her... Lucky you Sejeong is a nice girl.”

“At least I have one person who is nice to me, while you guys are so boring,” Wonsik threw one of the cotton to Kyungsoo. “I miss Yoongi at times like this.”

Kyungsoo dodged the cotton without looking. “Yoongi would do the same with me, he would never defend you if you make trouble again.”

“I need a break from those piles of medical journal I had to read, okay? Give me a break.”

“And this is why I said you are wasting your time here, studying something you don’t want to,” Kyungsoo gestured the bartender to refill his drink. “Before it’s too late, tell your parent what you really want to do.”

“And they are gonna disown me in instant.”

“And you perfectly know that I will pick you up on the street if your parent kick you out. Stop being dramatic,” Kyungsoo replied flatly. “And there’s Sejeong too, she will helps you too, although you don’t deserve her kindness.”

“Aren’t they funny?” Jieun’s chuckles making Hana shifted her focus from the two men. “Kyungsoo knew Wonsik wanted to be a composer and DJ but his parent against it because they want him to take care of their hospital business. Since middle school, Kyungsoo and Yoongi always supported Wonsik that they were even willing to cover for him whenever Wonsik joined any DJ competition or performance contest.”

“Where is Yoongi now?” Hana asked.

“He is currently continue his study in California, leaving these two here like this,” Jieun pointed at Kyungsoo and Wonsik who still argued. “Yoongi used to be the mediator between them, you know, he knows how to deal with these two stubborn head.”

Hana stared at the two guys beside her. “But all of us know that Kyungsoo actually cares about Wonsik, although his face won’t ever show it. Guys are like this, huh?”

Jieun laughed again, agreeing with Hana. “I know, they look cute.”

“Anyway, who is Sejeong? I never heard about her,” Hana asked as she sipped her own drink. Through Wonsik who she met as they study in the same major, Hana got to know Kyungsoo, Jieun, and Jiyeon. Unlike Hana who had just returned to Tokyo, all of them were born and raised in the city.

“Wonsik’s cousin,” Jieun answered. “She’s still at school so there’s no way I can bring her to bar like this. Maybe next time? She’s really nice, I’m sure you’ll like her.”

“I would be happy to know her,” Hana nodded and took a sip of beer in her hand. She looked at Kyungsoo and Wonsik, and seeing them makes her missing her best friend.

She glanced at her phone and just in time to see a new message coming. Hana smiled, it’s like she shared a telepathy with the person.

< Jung Mimi > Can we do a video call?

< Shin Bora > Is everything okay?

< Jung Mimi > Yeah, I just had a bad day…

< Shin Bora > Okay, give me a minute

***

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter