When Mina came back home that night, she was exhausted.

She loved her job, she really did, even if sometimes it left her body strengthless and her mind blurred by tiredness.

Being a professional dancer was what she had always wanted, what she dreamed of when she was only an innocent child unaware of the hardships that life often gives you. 

She was young and naive, yet she had already made up her mind about what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

Dancing was fascinating, it was freeing and that was exactly what she needed. 

When she danced, she held the world in her hands, she had the power and she was able to control it as she desired.

She had promised herself that she would make it even if it meant giving up everything she had ever known. In a way, that's what she did.

She took off her coat, hanged it up and she went straight to the kitchen to look for something to eat. 

The fridge was almost empty so she prepared herself a sandwich just to fill her empty stomach and decided to listen to her voice mail.

It was the first time she came back to her house in Japan since she had left to go live in America to pursue her dreams five months ago. She had no idea of what was expecting her.

She listened to the first message, it was an old friend of hers from Seoul telling her she was travelling to Japan and that they should meet to reminisce about the old times together and all the crazy things they had done.

Mina smiled sadly, she would have loved to meet Nayeon after years of not seeing each other.

The second message wasn't as exciting as the first one. It was just her old boss from the cafeteria she used to work at begging her to come back to work. 

This time she smirked, there was no way she was going back to that hellhole. Not when she had achieved everything she had always wanted in life. 

But when it came to the third message, that's when Mina found herself trying to hold back tears she had kept in for all those months. 

-

"Hi love,

I know you probably didn't expect me to call and that you won't even be able to answer me or hear this, but it's me, your ex-girlfriend Momo.

It sounds weird to say it after four years of being together, but I guess I can't run from reality forever.

But let me ask you, how is America? Have you made any friends? Are you enjoying yourself there? 

I hope you are because that's what you deserve.

You know, since you've left two months ago there hasn't been a day when I didn’t think of you. 

We're not together anymore, but you know better than me that feelings can't be erased so easily.

I'm not calling to tell you to take me back. That's not what I want. You made a choice and I will respect that. I'll always respect your will and you know that.

Because your happiness always came first to me and I know that dancing is what makes you really happy so if leaving me behind is what you need to do in order to realise your dreams, then I'll leave without thinking about it twice.

I'm just calling because there are some things I need to tell you before actually letting you go once and for all. 

You were my best friend Mina. Actually, scratch that, you were much more than that.

You were the one person in the whole world that knew me better than anyone else ever did.

You never listened to the rumours about me instead, you took it upon yourself to get to know me for who I really was, and not for what people used to tell about me.

You never cared about my reputation, about all the bad things I used to do, you just wanted to know me.

You were the first person that actually cared about me, about my feelings.

You're the reason why I decided to change. 

When everyone gave up on me, you still stood by my side. That made me realise that perhaps I wasn't as lost as I had thought. That maybe there was still a chance for me. To be better, to do good, to be like you.

You inspired me Mina and I swear I will never forget it.

I will always treasure our memories together, keep them inside my heart where they belong and carry them with me wherever I go. Forever.

I was a mess back then, but you still believed in me. You supported me when I thought I had no one. 

You helped me get back to my feet when I was down and couldn’t find the strength to stand up, to fight for my own happiness.

You were with me when I gave up on myself. When I thought that fighting wasn't worth it anymore, you made me realise that I was wrong. That I was worth it.

You accepted me when everyone hated me. When I, myself, did. You accepted me and loved me for who I was when I was still trying to figure out my place in the world.

And when I did find it, you held my hand and told me that we were going to make it together. That no matter what, you were going to be by my side.

And you kept your word. You helped me get where I am today. If I can say that I'm happy with who I am, with what I do now, it's all thanks to you.

You helped me and now it's only fair that I help you too.

And if being away from you for the rest of my life is what it takes so that you can be as happy as I now am, then I will do it with pleasure.

But please, before I tell you goodbye one last time, remember one thing.

No matter what will happen, I'll always love you, Mina.

You're my soulmate and nothing will ever change that”.

-

Clearing , puffy red eyes, tears still wetting her cheeks, Mina found herself smiling listening to Momo's words.

She missed her. She missed hearing her voice, waking up in Momo's warm embrace every morning and coming back to her every night. 

But Mina had to make a choice: follow her dreams and go to America or keep living in Japan, not knowing if she would ever make it as a dancer.

And Mina really meant it when she said she would give up everything to be able to be a dancer. Even if it meant giving up her relationship with Momo. No matter how much she would suffer, Mina wanted to dance and she wouldn't have given away the chance to realise her biggest dream.

It was a hard choice, but looking at where she was now, Mina did not regret it.

In the silence of her small flat, knowing that there was no way to go back now, she whispered with a broken voice: "I'll always love you too, Momo".