The majority of this chapter is heartwarming kinda pinch your heart thing I guess - not sure how to describe that. This warning is for a small part in the later half - for depiction of controlling authority.

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16

For You, With You, Since We Were Young

 

12:01

It’s officially the 21^st of August, a day that yesteryears they use to celebrate extravagantly. Being heirs of notable families both of them have been showered with excess to their amusement. Something a lot of people will envy but with all honesty it all started to feel empty. As she grows old she sees the flaws of her upbringing. The perfect world that was built around her was nothing but a mask used to hide their desire. For a time being she exists as the mascot meant to induce envy from others. She is there solely to be what they want her to be, no room for agency nothing of that at all.

 

She ain’t malleable though and she is one hell of a stubborn child. After they tried every trick they can think of to make her the perfect heir to be, it did not work. First what they want is unattainable, being born a girl she need to be twice as perfect as the male who is next to her in the line. Second she never really intended to be. It did not work as they planned, so she got discarded and look up as a disappointment despite being just 20 or 19 depending in what part of the world you are at.

 

To them she is too soft, too naïve and too dumb to run a business let alone a big conglomerate like the Kang Enterprise. Dumb in a way she did not get to any of SKY universities and instead settled into a university bellow them. Soft in away the she is too kind and naïve in a way that she see the world in an angle different to them.  

 

Things have not changed much, it has not and she does not plan it to be. It’s better this way, being underestimated, being the least suspected person in the line-up.  Arrogant people after all, rarely want to admit they are wrong about their initial impression of a person. Dumb she is not, she just work differently – unconstrained. Soft not really she is fierce in the right moment and for the right reason. Naïve… never, she is perceptive and have grasp of her situation better than anyone knows.

 

Nothing really changes, nothing. She wants to convince herself of that. She sighed, leaned back and look up to the ceiling. She pinches the bridge of her nose and tries her best to stay awake. She should have been use to this, how many times has she stayed pass midnight and well into early morning watching anime or gaming. How many times she pulled an all-nighter for school papers and projects yet here she is, for some reason she does not know, exhausted.

 

She open one of the file folder and reviewed its content, scanning the document inside it. She closed it as she can’t understand anything at the moment. She turn her head to her laptop and browse the list of anime’s airing for this season, she mulled if she should watch one but even then she is not really in the mood to do so. She instead opens a new tab and loaded youtube and search for anime compilation to rest her mind.  After watching two videos she buried her head on her palms and mentally cursed, telling herself not to procrastinate. She looks back to the pile of files she is yet to finish and review. She sighed, she brought this to herself.

 

Thinking back now, why the hell did she, the moment she turned 18 – internationally speaking, decided beyond reason to try her hand on business despite inexperience and seek to live by her own means. Yeah maybe the dumb thing is true after all, dumb, stupid and stubborn. She groans and softly hits her head with her palm.

 

Dumb, stupid, stubborn and one hell of a lucky human, is what she is according to herself. The keyword is try and she tried and for some reason succeeded. She has very low expectation of her endeavor, started the plan at 17 and executed it one by one as she approach 18. She does it with reckless abandon, full steam ahead despite her doubts. It was and is like every single time she does something out of her comfort zone, for a reason, and just like every single of those instances she somewhat succeeded. Not the succeed like being on top, succeed as in she manage to do it properly –better than everyone thought including herself. She does it, always, in her own way.  

 

Lack of sleep does once mind wonders, she drift from reason to reason why she is here and doing this today. Why is she reviewing company files, her company files, product proposal after product proposal, contracts after contracts? Why did she even start this at all? I mean what is her reason.

 

She put both her hands a top her head, and spin around her chair. She landed her sight to the queen size bed. She is at a hotel right now, not one owned by her family but some decent one nearby the office building.  She tilted her head as she admires the person sleeping on it. She smiled, everything she is doing is worth this and it is worth it after all. 

 

Hyewon is lost in the moment as she watches her. She is curled to her side under a blanket, wearing some t-shirt they hastily bought on their way here. She has a soft smile on her face, her red hair tangled and the slow rhythm of her breathing somehow put her at ease. This is all she wanted and she could live her whole life with just this.

 

She breathes deeply. They been in a fight this past week, probably the worst fight they had in their life. She almost lost her. She could not fathom that reality. It is a possibility she need to face, but she does not want to. Hyewon bit her thumb and took a peak at her files and back to Chaewon who is sleeping peacefully. She chuckled when the younger tossed up and uncurled herself. How in the world could she see her life without her? She can’t and she has to admit that.

 

Everything, this pile of documents, her trying to build a company, her slowly rising profile within her family – everything, every single thing is for this, it is for her, for them and most importantly for herself too, for her freedom.

 

Unbound, unrestrained, unrestricted just like how she used to be back in 8^th grade. Before she knew the rule of the game she now plays. Back when things are still truly innocent and untainted, back before she knew of and connected those secrets – the thing that change their life. 

 

She stretches her arm and turns her attention back to her documents. She have her motivation gauge filled but her fuel is running low. Her stomach started protesting – she remember she still have a box of chicken. She quickly stands up and picks it up from the other table, the one they used earlier to eat. She would have eaten it earlier but Chaewon did not let her as she already ate so much. Moderation she said, but that come in as blessing because she need food right now. Lucky there is still some macaroon that they bought on impulse earlier and yeah the box of chicken too. Yep eat first, stomach needs to be satisfied.

 

She munches on it, ate it with her hands who need chopsticks when you are this hungry. She just filled herself with chicken, the delicious chicken, the ducking delicious chicken. Yes its heaven. She loves food and how lucky she been given the rare genes called not getting fat even with how much you eat, bless the world. Bless it and she chokes, she chuckled but really she needs water or something. 

 

 Bless the angel that slide the glass on her table, she look up to her, she has a faint worried smile. Hyewon is quite thankful of it. She drinks the water happily as she gestured to the other thumbs up. She coughs a little and she hears the other girl chuckled. Smiled creep back to her face – really she could live with this for the rest of her life.

 

“Unnie, are you not going to sleep yet?” The yawning red haired girl asks.

 

“Not yet… I want too. I’m tired.” She answered with a pout, almost whining.

 

“Then sleep.” The red haired said with her usual just do it tone.  

 

Hyewon chuckled pointing to stacks of documents “hahaha, I can’t. They need it early.”

 

“…I see.” Chaewon really wanted to ask why but hold of. The older promise she will get her chance.

 

“I think you are the one who should be back sleeping, you still have class.”

 

“uhmm yeah, but … I’ll wait for you.”

 

Chaewon does not want to go back, she needs to make sure the older will get her sleep, it does not matter if she waits to confirm that.  

 

“You sure? Then give me a hug.” Hyewon tilts her head and open her arms wide.

 

 “No. Your hands are greasy.” Chaewon groans.  In which the older became a sad puppy enough to disarm her and have her relent. She walks toward her and let her hug her, greasy hand and all.

 

Hyewon buried her head in her stomach, put her arms around her waist, fist clench making sure not to touch the younger’s new t-shirt with her greasy hands. Hyewon felt the younger gently caressing her head, this is her everything, she almost wanted to cry.

 

Hyewon finish her chickens and wash up before going back to her documents. She feels greatly refreshed, her cute smile is an evidence of that. She now has energy to do the rest of her work. She threw a glance on that large bed where she found Chaewon looking down on her phone probably browsing the internet, scrolling through Instagram or Twitter to pass time. The younger noticed her and gestured a small fist pump with her cute feisty expression to cheer her up. This resulted to quite suppress chuckle from her.

 

She reviewed and signed the documents, most of them are deals and proposals pass to her for review by the actual person running the day to day of her business. She will be meeting her briefly along with Mr. Han for breakfast before she goes on for the rest of her day.

 

Reading all this things, she knows she is pretty lucky. One part of why her venture succeeded is because she has money and born with it a privilege she does acknowledge herself. The other part she found people she can trust. Well there is also the part of knowing so much and from time to time using it for her advantage. Hyewon would rather not talk about those, she like to believe that few instances she did, it was justified.  

 

She closed the last file and yawn – she can finally greet sleep. She looks at her phone clock and it’s about 2:30 already. She peaked to Chaewon who is almost dozing off but tries not to, sitting on her side of the bed. She smiles but she also hope that younger would just let sleep engulf her.

 

With her work finish she quickly prepares to finally sleep. She crawled and lie beside Chaewon, who is fighting hard not to sleep. She boop her nose and chuckled at her startled reaction.

 

“You can sleep now.” She told her gently touching her face.  

 

“Unnie, why do you need to…?” Asks Chaewon referring to the work Hyewon just finished.

 

Hyewon look up to Chaewon with unreadable expression, she breathe deeply – hoping she could find the right word and express her reason but even she knows what it is exactly she can’t find the courage to say it yet.

 

“I don’t know, really. I started and I just don’t know how to stop. -- I can’t explain…”

 

She knows everything she does is for Chaewon, as for why she still can’t understand. The word is honestly there at the tip of her tongue but she is trying to ignore that obvious reason.

 

After seeing her reaction, Chaewon wants to re-assure her, a sad Hyewon is the last thing she wants to see. She gently caresses her face and looks her deep in the eyes asking the older to lean on her more. 

 

 “It’s ok I won’t force you but you need to tell me soon. Please trust me more.”  

 

Chaewon’s gentle touch put back the smile on Hyewon’s face.

 

“I’m sorry if there is only one bed.” She has this place book for a week now for work reason.

 

“It’s ok.” Chaewon chuckled.

 

There is a heartwarming silence after that. Chaewon gently traces the outline of Hyewon’s face with her fingertips. It’s like she is assuring herself that the older will not disappear. She continues to do so, tracing tiny circles on her cheeks down to her jaw as they look to each other’s eyes.

 

“I miss you.” She muttered.  

 

“Me too.” Hyewon replied as she touches the younger face.

 

“Brings back memories.” Chaewon whispered.

 

She stop tracing and held the hand that touches her face.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Hyewon smiled back brightly to her remembering those days they use to sleep at each other’s house, sharing the same bed back when they are still kids. There is something different now, it’s different. There’s longing and as much as they want to deny their touches are needy. There is this I don’t want you gone that they are both quite aware of but do not want to admit.   

 

“Sorry – I could not greet you then, personally.” Hyewon sighed softly, remembering one of her biggest gaffe in their friendship. She had her reason and if she actually could choose she would rather be with Chaewon than where she is that time. Chaewon have already forgiven her for that, she has since yesterday at the hotel.

 

On a different note, Chaewon found it amusing and depressing at the same time that the older keep apologizing.

 

“Why are you always saying sorry?” She chuckled “I’m really happy with the gift, but, uhm I’m really hoping we spent time together.”  

 

She truly loves the bracelet and more because it is a symbol of promise between them.    

 

 “Sorry…” Her eyes started to water.

 

 “Shh…Then why don’t you just greet me now?”

 

Hyewon oblige, she caressed her face and whispered “Happy Birthday, Chaewon-ssi.”

 

Chaewon melted in her touch – sleep slowly overcoming her. There is a smile of contentment on her face, the same smile that Hyewon has. Hyewon gently trace her face, to her eyes, nose, cheeks and lips. Her eyes lingered, she puffed her cheeks – suppressing her desire and instead she cradled her and kisses her forehead gently wishing her a goodnight.

 

She was not alone in this, Chaewon felt the same and even with sleep taking over she let her hand wander to the older girl’s face. Letting her fingertips lingered on her lips as she fall asleep on her embrace.

 

They both are lying, things have change, both are aware of that, tried their best to deny they are slowly accepting that reality. Who knows maybe that fight is necessary, someone unknowingly playing devil’s advocate so that progress can be made. They know, both of them see each other not as bestfriends anymore, they are something more than that but what they are now is too comfortable while what they can be is full of uncertainty.

 

 It is the same as how it is too comfortable too continue sleeping and laying in your bed rather than rising up and greeting the morning sun. Heck sun has not risen up yet, but morning is here, her alarms tell her that.  It’s the third one going off now and the noise filled the room. She tossed up and groaned, reminding herself that she needs to rise up soon. She begrudgingly stand up, careful enough though to make sure that the red haired girl beside her will not be woken up by her movement. She yawned and try to make out where she is, she have not gotten used to this place despite coming back and forth here for about a week now.

 

She carefully gets out of bed and fixes the blanket over the younger girl. She is caught by her beauty, she glazed her hand on her face and sweep over the stray hairs. She then carefully pecked her forehead. She pursed her lips and smiled, she gently caresses her hair. She really would not mind to waking up to this everyday. She quickly slap her face when she caught what she was thinking, it’s a light slap but enough for her to stop her thoughts, no Kang Hyewon not now. She groans and drags herself to the shower.

 

She is about to go in when Chaewon woke up. She looks like a cute but grumpy cat that was forced to wake up. Hyewon smiled seeing her up and told her she will take the shower first. Chaewon just groggily nods and walk to the couch in which she dozed off some more.

 

It took them just enough to get ready, Hyewon for her early breakfast meeting and Chaewon for her school. Hyewon wore a newly bought, white polo with very thin vertical stripes, top two buttons ed and jeans.

 

Five minutes short of 6:30, they arrived in a breakfast café, an arguably more western one. They ordered pancakes, waffles, toast with egg and sausage and salad. There they met Hyewon’s business partners and trusted persons. Mr. Han, her all around lawyer and assistant, it is the first time Chaewon met him and even though she heard about him a lot. Chaewon observe him and somehow feels his face is familiar. The other one is the vice-president and pretty much person-in-charge of the company in which the documents belong. The vice-president is quite intimidating, she has short bob, her makeup is rather strong and she has a very self assured smile. Chaewon took special note of the mole just below her left eyebrows.  Her name is Kim Yongsun, who recognizes her immediately as Mint’s Group Kim Chaewon. If she gonna help her Hyewon unnie, she better remember these two.

 

She quickly learned though that despite the intimidating appearance, that vice-president Kim is a rather goofy person. They talked over the documents occasionally consulting Mr. Han about the contracts. She has not really seen Hyewon this way, she is quite professional and there is a sparkle in her eye. It’s really hard to imagine at first and hard to believe second that this is Hyewon, the one who refuse to inherit Kang Enterprise. It’s undeniable though, Hyewon enjoys what she is doing but that does not make it any less puzzling.

 

Chaewon learned a lot about the company, it’s an online cloth accessories shop, offering their own designs, still a start-up. It’s something that interests her though. Chaewon don’t want to admit it but she is rather interested in design.

 

They wrap up their meeting with enough minutes left to get Chaewon to school, traffic permitting and all. They got there before the gates close, just at the time students are coming in and yes Hyewon’s shiny Mercedes Benz are making students turn their heads, gawk and gossip. Chaewon kinda want to sink in her seat and have doubts in getting out. People know she is rich but she hates to add another topic for her schoolmate to gossip about her further.

 

Hyewon gently nudge and reminded her that they are at school. The older leans close to her to hug her like she usually do but she prevented her for some reason, her cheeks heating up instead she cups her cheeks.

 

“…Bye Hyewon Unnie.” She said quickly exiting the car and turning on her Ice Princess mode.

 

If she going to walk down a luxury car she better own up to it and have her rich mask on. She only needs some wind and shades and the entire scene could pass as a scene for some High Society Style Drama. Except that’s kinda get ruined by her, sometime you ask if she really is that rich unnie, calling to her loudly.

 

“Chaee!!! Chaewonnie!!!” She hollered “I’ll pick you up at four.”

 

Chaewon want to facepalm at her unnie’s embarrassing action. She pretended not to hear it but Hyewon once again shouted “Chaewonnie, it’s four – I’ll be here at four!” while waving four fingers out of the window of her car. 

 

“I heard it, Unnie!” She shouted back, cheeks flustered. Her unnie really is something, but she loves her just the same.  

 

Hyewon smiled when she heard her confirm – she is very happy that she will get to spend this special day with her. She start her car again and leave with rather wide grin on her face, this is happiness if she can define one.

 

Chaewon walk immediately towards the gate, in where she was met by Minjoo who saw Hyewon’s car and stopped her track to wait for her before the school gate. Hitomi, Nako and Yuri came rushing to her aswell, it looks like she really worried everyone when she ditched class and suddenly disappeared yesterday.

 

“Unnie are you ok, now.” Minjoo asks.

 

“mmm yeah.” She gently nods with a sheepish grin on her face. She bowed to her to apologize about the events of yesterday “Minjoo-yah, I’m sorry about yesterday. I should not have acted that way.”

 

“No..no..It’s fine.” Minjoo said awkwardly not knowing what to do. “Please… stand up.”

 

“Really I’m sorry. ” Chaewon again repeats this time looking at Minjoo directly.

 

 “Ah.. this … your bag. You left it yesterday.“

 

“Thank you. Minjoo. Really we don’t deserve you Minjoo. You are so pretty and kind.“ Chaewon pats Minjoo’s head.

 

That gesture gave Minjoo enough courage, “I want to give this to you. Ha..happy Birthday ....”

 

Chaewon hugs her, “For me! Thank you Minjoo-yah”

 

“Unnie, I have something for you too.” Hitomi, not the one to back down also handed Chaewon her gift while briefly glancing to Minjoo with a smirk.

 

“It’s small but I hope you like it, it contains my hope and dreams, Happy Birthday Unnie.” She said with her dimples showing off, her mochi cheeks being irresistible and her Korean getting better.

 

“Hitomi-chan kawaii!!!” Chaewon could not hold it and pinches Hitomi’s cheeks.

 

 All knows that Hitomi is a ball of fluff, sunshine and something else as she once again competitively glared to Minjoo and Minjoo playfully returned it. They don’t know why both of them are still competing when someone else already won but it is a sort of bonding for them.

 

Lest we forget the other two girls with them.

 

“Yo Unnie-I have not prepared a gift. I’m sorry.” Yuri said teasingly.

 

 Nako seconded her “Ah Unnie me too.”

 

Both of them then suggested to sing her a birthday song, Chaewon’s guts is telling her no but the other two insisted and so they sang, right there. At this point those two are just teasing her as they proceed to sing Happy Birthday in pop, soul and rock version differing in each iteration. It’s good if we are talking about just the vocal quality but the way they sang it – their action, the dance - is adding to the list of Chaewon’s embarrassing moment of the day.

 

They then got reminded that the school gates will close real soon and so the three UNBPAA student run to theirs. She and Minjoo entered the school together but quickly separated on their way to their classrooms.

 

Chaewon is really happy today and so is the other person she will be sharing this day with. Hyewon happily drive on her way to her next destination, stopping at a brunch place to grab some food. While there she receives a rather quirky message on her webtoon group chat asking her if she was the one at the school gate earlier. Well she forgot that two people she knows and adore also go to that school. One of them is asking her how she knows Chaewon while the other one explained it.

 

Both are just teasing her, she already told them about Chaewon but they or more like the younger, Chowon, did not connect that Chaewon she is talking about goes to their school while the older one, Naamin, did.  Naamin got annoyed at Chowon’s what about me jokes and sent one of her sad saxophone recording.

 

Their interaction mostly goes like this and she can’t wait to get back and work with them, her serving as a writer, Chowon as the illustrator and Nanami, who they affectionately called Naamin, as a music provider. There are also some other with them, much younger than Chowon who help out. There is Erii helping in illustration and coloring, Minami – her child, she likes to call her that, helps in design and Yuka helping them be organize. She has come to know them by Mr. Han her lawyer and assistant who happen to also be Chowon’s father.

 

Chatting with them is rather fun, they are a fun family. She feels home with them more than she ever have in her own family. It’s also funny that their group name is now back to Team Snack from BBY2, it is a throwback when Naamin was forced to arrange Boombayah on her saxophone and they all are force to listen non-stop while trying to finish a chapter. She chuckles remembering that hell.

 

She needs that chuckle; she needs the memory of Chaewon smile, of Team Snack having fun. She needs to remind herself that today is special and she will spend it with her special person. She need all of that as she stand nervously at the door of her father’s office in this big building in the middle of Seoul. It’s been awhile since they talk, they don’t even message each other and she does not even have his number.

 

She entered the room after the new secretary confirms who she is. The poor soul apologizes almost immediately after learning about her. She sat at the large couch inside that faces the large table bearing his father’s name, the office is rather empty – it’s not barren but it elicits emptiness. And just like any drama that involve chaebols the backdrop of this office is Seoul, seen clearly from the glass windows. 

 

The figures she dreads entered the room and proceed to sit in his chair behind the table. The sweet father figure she remembers as a child was no more. Ever since he took over as the head of Kang Enterprise he changed.  

 

“So you finally decided to show up? I am quite disappointed with you to be honest, I’m surprise you are changing. ”

 

Hyewon faked a smile.

 

“Acquiring Greenscape right under our nose, starting a new concept company, getting shares to some and investing on other promising projects. I’m impressed”

 

She clinched her fist and summoning her courage to retort when she was interrupted by her father’s monologue.

 

“Would have been nice to have all those done under the Kang-name.”

 

She sighed, there he is again wanting to use her to elevate himself over his brothers – that is all she is to him a pawn, a once discarded pawn.

 

“Did not you like it when I stop presenting myself as a Kang.” She huffs and said in calm matter-of-factly manner the truth of the last three years or so of her being in the shadow. 

 

“That was then, because your stupid could not even properly do your duty as an heir! You are an embarrassment to us, to me! Well that changes now you are doing better than Daniel, if I say so.” Her father shouted flaunting how much power he has over her. 

 

Hyewon have enough, the one thing she does not wanted to be, is to be like him “I still don’t have intention to follow you or inherit this…”

 

He did not let her finish her words as he sent a flying plaque her way, almost hitting her face as it shattered on the wall behind her.

 

“Look I was fine with accepting that we will just get you married off to scion of whoever family that will accept you to save some face!!!”

 

Hyewon shakes in both anger and fear, she pursed her lips and brave her way not letting tears fall off as she listen to his words.

 

“Don’t ever try to speak my child. Whoever thought that vanishing you from sight will have this effect, should have trusted your Mom a little, you actually have talent. Now get Greenscape and all your other ventures under the Kang-name, under my name. We will show them who we are. Who would have thought you actually have potential. Admit it you want to have Kang Enterprise under your hands too.”

 

She had enough.

 

“No. It has nothing to with that! I won’t and I will not put them under your name, they are mine! I am doing this for some -- ”

 

Hyewon’s eyes widened as she brace for the hand that is swinging her way.

 

“Are you down hurting your own child now!”  

 

A homely familiar voice shouted. She immediately tended to her.

 

“Baby are you allright?”

 

“Ye..yes Mom.” Hyewon started to tear up but she tries her best to hold it off.

 

“We are going, get yourself sorted out!” Her mom said to her father. As much of a demon he is he do listen from time to time to her Mom.

 

Her mom then drags her out of the office and to the elevator.  

 

Hyewon tried to calm down, she speak her mind to her.

 

“He change a lot.”

 

“He did.”

 

“Does power really corrupt?”

 

“I think your Dad is still there somewhere.”

 

“Mom you are just too kind, all I see there is a demon.”

 

Hyewon contemplated a bit more before continuing tears starting to fall off as she try to wipe them, “Will I be like him too.”

 

That’s her greatest fear, to be corrupted in that way.

 

“No I don’t think so. You are not doing this for the money or prestige right? You are doing this for love. As long as you don’t get blinded and lost sight of why you are doing this you will be fine. You are doing really well, I am proud of you.”

 

 Hyewon smiled hearing her words. She inherited a lot from her. Her beauty and her kindness those definitely came from her mom. Also her ability to eat as much as she wants came from her too, she was reminded of that when her stomach once again grumbled. She invited her Mom to eat and talk some more. She loves her Mom, a lot.

 

She cheered up considerably after that. Especially after reminding herself of what she has up later. She browses over her phone to a lot of her selcas and smiled each time her friends pop up on screen, most especially when she pops up screen.

 

Just as her promise she gets back to pick her up at four. She parked her car and waited at the gate for her to come out. She changes to a pastel pink top. Student’s flooded out of the gate and her presence causes some commotion. Her expressionless face help a bit as some got intimidated, thankfully it did not take long for her to sense Chaewon.

 

She looks over the group of students flooding out of the gate and found her with her group of friends. It seems they are trying to convince her to come with them but she refused. Hyewon fiddled with her handbag and feels guilty that she is not allowing Chaewon spend today with some other friend. She wanted to be with her but what if Chaewon have other plans.

 

“Unnie.” Chaewon called to her interrupting her thoughts.

 

She runs to her with a bright smile followed by her friends. She smiled to them awkwardly. She has met them before but she has quite a conflicting feeling now.

 

“Sorry, I’ll be taking Chaewon away from you today.”

 

“There you are again, Unnie. Stop apologizing.”

 

“but…”

 

“No but, I want to spend today with you.”

 

Chaewon’s friend understood what she wanted, they just ask Chaewon to promise to spend her weekend and hangout with them for a late celebration. Minyoung and Yiren went their way after failing to convince Ko Yujin to come with them as she does not want to be their thirdwheel. 

 

Chaewon has no idea where Hyewon is going to bring her, they did some detour here and there. The journey feels familiar, somewhere when they are near the place she ask her to wear a blindfold. She does not really understand her, it is easy to read her but also it’s not. You know somehow you get what she is thinking but where it is coming from, well that is a different league. Hyewon is an open book to her it is just that it is in a different language. 

 

Hyewon guide her to an elevator, it is quite high up. She can’t see but she feels eerily familiar to the place, like she has been there before. She is not wrong about that, figured that out when Hyewon finally took of her blind fold. They are at the rooftop, it’s different than what she remembers but still it is very familiar. It is the roof top of Greenscape building.

 

It is more aesthetic and elegant than what she remembers. The layout changed in the middle is a gazebo and there are food pre-arrange on it, there are candles, flowers, rose petals scattered around. It looks beautiful as the sun slowly set. One would think someone is about to propose. Chaewon is in awe of everything.

 

Chaewon walks to the fenced edge of the rooftop and watch as the sun slowly set and the sky turns orange. Hyewon quietly followed behind, they have not said anything since they arrive here both just taking things in.

 

Chaewon watches the sky change while Hyewon watches her. She swept aside the stray hairs floating over the side of the younger girl’s face. She leaned on the fence just admiring Chaewon.

 

“Belated Happy Birthday, Chaewon …. also uhmm happy – knowing you day.”

 

Chaewon chuckled at her attempt to find a word to label today. To everyone today is her birthday, screw it fate said. Chaewon knew that the person she know as Mom is not her Mom, the person confirmed that herself, she knew of it far earlier. It took a bit before she… they … with Hyewon untangled that mess.

 

Last year they went to Jeju on this day to try and find some piece of herself, something she wished and Hyewon fulfilled. There they found who her real mother is but she is no longer here. She found details of her past, from her grandmother living there. Journal’s and records to be exact. She found that her mother is afraid of what her father’s family can do, she can understand why. She was born in Jeju, conceived out of an affair.

 

It’s a curse to her mother but a blessing to her father. His father’s wife the person she thought of as her Mom can’t conceive and Chaewon’s arrival mask that fact. They hunt her mother and took her away and were raised as she knows it until the Mom she used to know had enough of her father’s bull that they divorced. She actually treated her well that she refuses to believe it is real but reality is cruel. She heard about it when they fought, she and Hyewon found out about it – funnily enough at her birthday celebration.

 

So much have come from their Jeju trip, a lot of puzzle pieces flooding in, she is overwhelmed. On the other hand she is grateful. That day Hyewon gifted her not really with a Jeju trip like other people thought. Hyewon gifted her parts of herself she thought she will not be able to find. That is why she clings on the day that she was actually born; it was 20 days earlier, on August 1^st.

 

Hyewon promised they will start celebrating on that day, which is why she receive a gift that day but Hyewon could not spend it with her. All Chaewon wanted is to celebrate that day with her, the person who helps her build herself again. It’s in the pass now because today she can celebrate it with her, it is her birthday on paper. It’s the best gift she could ask for.

 

They stared at each other’s eyes, held hands and smiled at each other as the setting sun illuminates their face.

 

“I have something to give you.” Hyewon whispered.

 

She pulled out a black box with golden ribbon, it looks a bit tattered.

 

“I’m too busy to even change the box.” Hyewon added apologetically as she looks down to box she is holding.

 

She opened it and gave it to Chaewon, attach on the reverse side of the cover is a letter and inside the box are beautiful clip on earrings with fairy wing design. A design Chaewon knows, it is the design her Mom drew on her journal. Hyewon carefully put them on Chaewon’s ears.

 

“You have not pierced your ears yet so I thought this is a good compromise. I screwed up… the customized design did not made it on the day I want it and I did not even give it to you personally... I… I hope you can forgive my missteps. I have made a lot these past weeks… I almost forgot why I’m doing this.”

 

Hyewon rested her head on Chaewon’s shoulder. She sighed. She gently put her arms around Chaewon’s waist and pulled her closer to her. Chaewon is a crying mess as she reads Hyewon’s message and listened to her at the same time.

 

“Everything, I did it for you. I don’t know when I decided to do so. All I know is it is for you. They have hurt you so much… I can’t stand it anymore. ” Hyewon cried burying her head further on Chaewon’s shoulder.

 

“You don’t need to… Unnie…”    

 

“You are wrong, I need to… because I’m doing this for myself too. I’m saying it is for you but maybe I am doing everything for myself … because I don’t want you to be away from me. I can’t see myself without you. Don’t leave me, stay with me– promise me you will be with me. ”  

 

Chaewon turn around and hug her. She look at the box back cover, she tried to read it again with her eyes blurred by tears.

 

Belated Happy Birthday Chaewonnie, our beautiful Chaewon. I’m sorry I could not give this to you on your birthday. I really would like to give you something that can remind you of your Mom, I think hard about it but I only came up with this. I hope you would like it. I promise to be with you, it does not matter how long it takes for you to find yourself. I’ll be here, I’ll help you, I’ll do everything for you so don’t be hard on yourself. Let’s stay together for a long time. Chaewonnie – I like you more than you think I do.

Chaewon chuckled reading that last line. The message is hand written in different colors that is so very Hyewon. Yes, she loves this girl.

 

“Unnie I won’t leave you. ” She said cupping the older girl's face and wiping her tears.

 

Just like Hyewon she too can’t see her life without her. The message she read is almost the same message under her bracelet. No matter how long it takes, I’ll be with you. She was a fool she said, why did she seeks herself in far places when she found it here. Here with Hyewon.

 

 “Happy knowing you day, Unnie.” She smiled holding her hands.

 

Today might not be her birthday anymore but today is the anniversary of when they met each other. She was four, it was her birthday celebration, she was lonely everything was big and she was scared. Then suddenly a five year old girl approaches her and befriended her, and they became inseparable. Up to this day, here at the rooftop garden of the company her family used to own.  

 

They look at each other’s hand, then to each other’s face and then to each other’s eyes.

 

They know what they want to say but for some reason can’t. Something change, they accepted that but they still can’t move forward. They built their life around each other and the fear of change scares them both.    

 

Maybe it is not yet the time to say it, but they know what they feel and they know the other probably feel the same. But not yet, the time is not right, both still have baggage they need to fix before they can move forward. They both are doing things for each other’s sake but it’s hard to be blinded by that, they first need to learn how to do things for their own sake too.

 

And for Hyewon that means to get her freedom away from the burden of her surname and for Chaewon to face the fall of her family’s business. To face those things for their own sake and not for the sake of the other, love is stronger when it’s balance.

 

For now they will continue to support each other. They had been there with each other, did things for each other, since they were young and promise to continue to do so from today onwards. It’s their promise as the sun sets and the sky darkens, on the day that marks the anniversary of when they first met each other.  

 

The words left unsaid can wait, I love you can wait for now.  

 

 

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Notes:

I hope you enjoyed the Wons saga - it will take a while before I go back again to them as main topic - but their journey will continue on the background like how others continue on the background of theirs.  Next one is YenYul and after that probably Hitomi at amusement park not really sure lol. Next ones gonna be more funnier i guess.

I kinda played with the childhood friend troupe. :< I thought would be nice to have both people be into each other and aware of it for a change. I did not thought I'll get invested to them when I started this whole thing lol. About family drama I'll touch it a little but not delve on it because I am not confident yet.

This I admit I have mistake with the date earlier from the story so - i devise something. The details of Jeju trip is planned but the birthday bit... yeah... I added that.

The theme of the chapter is change. Two song help me here - For You by Rie Fu and Landslide that I accidentally unearthed on my playlist after changing phone.

I want to ask if you enjoy this a day in the life setting? I know I am heavy on narrative and it really is slow pace lol. How people went on their day fascinates me.

Team Snack Made a Cameo as a webtoon team lol. Im still not really use to dialogs.

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Sketches: Sorry it's not good I'll try better next time.