"You really don't have to do this, you know."

 

Two women were standing at a port in Incheon. The smell of saltwater permeated the air, and along with the sound of waves slapping against concrete were a collection of voices from the various people going about the pier. It was the period when spring was slowly transitioning into summer, the sun's rays apparent yet the breeze still cool to the touch. Most people were still covered in layers of clothes, save for the brave ones who challenged the weather with just thin shirts and no coats. A small ship was loading passengers in front of them, the crowd a mix of Korean and foreign people. A man's voice speaking through speakers across the port was announcing the ferry was now available for boarding.

 

With her luggage at her feet, the woman turned to face her friend, glaring at the older girl.

 

"Yena-unnie, not you too," she said in disdain. "You're the last person I want to tell me what to do."

 

The other woman held her hands up. "I'm just saying, Minju. You don't know anything about wherever you're going, and you even left your card with me just so your parents won't be able to find you."

 

The younger girl raised an eyebrow at her and crossed her arms. She clearly didn't get what the older girl was fussing about.

 

"And?"

 

Yena almost slapped a palm to her face. "You're going to a place you've never been to before! Without money! Without anyone you know! How are you so sure nothing bad will happen to you there?!"

 

Minju just laughs at this.

 

"I'll be fine, unnie! You of all people should know that."

 

Yena looked at the younger girl with an exasperated face. She knew how Minju was; she had worked with the younger girl ever since she landed a job in their news agency as soon as she graduated. Minju was the most hard-headed person Yena knew; her beautiful innocent face be damned. If Minju wanted something to happen, she would stubbornly push through everything to realize it, even if she had to risk all she had and make a trip to hell for it.

 

That's what got them into this situation in the first place.

 

Yena heaved a sigh in defeat.

 

"Fine, fine. But if anything happens, I want you to call me straight away. You got my number on that new phone, right?" Yena nodded her head in the direction of the phone in Minju's hand.

 

"Of course, unnie," Minju smiled and waved the phone. "Your number's the only contact here."

 

Yena doesn't know if she should be happy about that. This girl's determination to just disappear from everyone, including her parents, would have scared her if she wasn't worried first.

 

"Good, good. Once I get that call from you, I'm taking the first boat to the island."

 

Minju gave her a chuckle. It was nice to know that there was still at least one person in the world that's got her back, even when she's leaving her behind. She knew she was being selfish for this, but heaven knows she needed this. She will probably lose her sanity if she can't get away from the city.

 

The man in the port's public announcement system spoke again, alerting passengers that their ferry was about to leave. A slight breeze blew through the port, making Minju shiver and snuggle more into her coat. She thought her get-up of a cardigan, a shirt, and some jeans, all topped by a coat, would be enough to shield the weird weather and keep her warm.

 

Minju retracted her suitcase's handle and adjusted her bag on her shoulder. She gave Yena one last look.

 

"Guess I'll be going, unnie."

 

Yena looked at her with a scrunched-up face, and her lips pouted to their utmost extent. It reminded Minju of a whining child, and if she didn't know Yena, she would think her co-worker was younger than her. She was pretty childish for her age, but she definitely shows her maturity in times like this.

 

(Yena looks like a duck when she pouts. She was rather famous for this trait of hers among their colleagues.)

 

Yena walked up to Minju and gave her a tight hug that lasted for a few seconds. She patted her unnie's back a few times to help alleviate some of her worries. Yena pulled back and looked at Minju hard.

 

"You be safe out there, okay? Again, call me when you need anything. If I ever hear something bad, I swear I'm gonna—"

 

"Yes, mother," Minju replied with a roll of her eyes.

 

She smiled inwardly at the thought that Yena acted more like a mom to her when they were together than her real mother.

 

She shook away the thought. This wasn't the time to think about her parents.

 

The boat behind her blew its horn, signaling that it was about to depart.

 

"I'll see you whenever, unnie."

 

"Have a safe trip, Minju."

 

She gave Yena one last wave of her hand to bid her farewell. She turned around and took her first steps toward the ferry, pulling her suitcase behind her.

 

Her first steps away from all the tiring things.

 

Her first steps to picking herself back up.

 

 

---

 

 

Deokjeokdo.

 

It's an island quite the distance off the mainland's west coast and is known as one of South Korea's most tranquil places. Getting to the island takes a little bit over an hour from Incheon's port by ferry service.

 

As soon as Minju saw "peaceful, quiet island away from the bustling city" from the travel blog she was reading after looking up places to get away, she was sold. She immediately planned her trip and booked a ticket to the island as soon as she phoned Yena about her plan (who was shocked beyond her wits and scolded her in that childish manner of hers through her phone's speaker). Yena tried to reason with her, but when she made up her mind, there wasn't anyone who could stop her.

 

She didn't bother telling her parents about her decision to have a trip away from Seoul suddenly. She didn't even want to do anything with them.

 

Not after everything she's been through.

 

And so she packed as much as she could, buying a new phone with Yena's number as the only contact registered. She asked the older girl if it was okay to leave her credit card with her so she wouldn't be able to leave a trace, and to this, Yena gave her another earful.

 

It wasn't like Yena to scold her anyway; she was a pretty docile person. But she guessed everything she was doing was enough to make her serious and get angry. It was completely understandable because if Minju were still thinking straight, she would probably call herself insane.

 

(And maybe she did deserve the wild "you !" Yena flung at her in one of their phone calls.)

 

But Yena, kind Yena, agreed to her whims nonetheless. She even offered to drive Minju all the way to Incheon. Minju profusely declined at first, saying that her unnie was doing so much already. Still, Yena was equally as stubborn as her and insisted. Minju was able to do nothing but accept.

 

("Besides," Yena had said. "It's the last thing I can do before you disappear to god knows where.”)

 

The drive to Incheon was relatively quiet. She could tell Yena was still mad at her because it was the first time the older girl didn't speak for a lengthy amount of time. Choi Yena was never quiet. She would talk every chance she got, sometimes making trips to their boss's office as a result. But this Yena was quiet, too quiet.

 

They didn't speak to each other until they left the car and stood by the dock.

 

When Yena opened , Minju was expecting another scolding. Still, instead, she heard a question, her voice laced with worry. At that moment, she knew Yena wasn't mad anymore; she was just concerned. She reassured her companion that she would be fine and not worry anymore. After one last goodbye, she went and boarded her ship.

 

And off Kim Minju went, to a place unknown.

 

Unfortunately, the tides were stronger than they expected, much to the dismay of some passengers, including her. Minju had never been as seasick as this before, and what was supposed to be just an hour trip became much longer. She was staggering when the ship finally reached Deokjeokdo's terminal dock. It took her great willpower not to throw up on the port.

 

She wouldn't want to get detained by authorities for polluting the place, as she didn't have enough money to bail herself out.

 

She spotted a convenience store nearby and decided to rest there for a while and grab some food to eat before she proceeded to her lodging. She pulled her luggage behind her and started walking towards it. As soon as she reached one of the tables outside, she slumped on a chair and leaned back. The fatigue from her trip suddenly came crashing down on her, which made her head throb even more than it was supposed to. She closed her eyes and relaxed into the chair, steadying her breathing.

 

Grumble.

 

Minju heard her stomach emit a low growl. She needed food.

 

She reluctantly leaned away from her chair and slowly stood up again. She went inside the convenience store to grab a lunchbox and some kimbap, opting for a light meal. When she was by the counter about to pay, she noticed the alcohol section of the store, particularly the fridge where several beer bottles were lined up. She eyed them for a while, pushing down her urge to grab a few of them.

 

The better part of her rationalized that she couldn't get herself drunk barely five minutes after getting on the island. She didn't have enough money to spend on alcohol anyway.

 

"Ma'am?" the cashier called out to her.

 

it.

 

Minju stepped away from the counter, grabbed six cans of beer, returned, and placed them for scanning. The cashier gave her a look of confusion but began to scan the beer and went to heat her food anyway. Minju paid for her items and went back to her table outside the store, immediately opening the pack of kimbap and popping a piece into . She opened a can and was about to chug when she noticed the sky. It was a mesh of blue, orange, and white hues, signaling dusk. She looked at the setting sun in the distance, casting a warm glow throughout the beach.

 

Has the sunset always looked like this? It was beautiful, with a special kind of appeal to her. When was the last time she enjoyed something as simple as a sunset? It's been so long already; she realized maybe because sunsets over gray structures towering over everything else wasn't quite the sight to see.

 

But she remembers there were days that the sun setting on a horizon of concrete wasn't that bad, especially with the right company.

 

It felt like such a long time ago, though.

 

She raised the beer in her hand towards it as if offering a toast to the distant star. Then, she proceeded to gulp the beer down as if there was no tomorrow. As she continued to drink, her fatigue was replaced by a great sense of comfort, a feeling that she hadn't gotten in a long time.

 

It was Minju's first evening on the island, and she spent it drinking her sorrows away.

 

 

---

 

 

A few high school boys walked along the beach near the ferry terminal, looking at the new tourists coming onto the island. It was after school hours, and they were searching for something fun to do since they didn't want to go home yet. Being in this backwater town always gave them a monotonous way of life. They were always finding new ways to provide it with some excitement. Maybe messing with a few tourists would be fun, but they wouldn't want to risk getting caught by the cops nearby the terminal.

 

One of them suggested grabbing some refreshments at the nearby convenience store, and they all agreed. They then proceeded towards it, but a few feet away from the store, they saw a woman slumped on one of the outdoor tables, cans of beer all around her. The boys looked at each other and decided to check the woman out. Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the woman, a tourist, was passed out drunk. Her face was still flush red, her hand loosely holding onto an empty can. Then, they eyed her bag and suitcase.

 

One of them snickered mischievously and started glancing at another with a glint in his eyes. His friend gave him a smirk and crouched down to where the woman's bag was dangling. The others proceeded to hide him by standing against him, blocking him from any onlookers. He raised his hands and took off the flap that was guarding the bag's zipper. He held the metal zipper and was about to pull it down when—

 

"Hey!"

 

All boys suddenly froze in place. They looked at the source of the voice, which sounded like it came from the store's entrance, and saw a woman with dark hair.

 

They recognized who the woman was, and immediately worried for their lives.

 

"D-D-Doctor!" they said in unison.

 

The woman gave the boys a look that was neutral but menacing at the same time. She spoke to them again.

 

"I'm giving you ten seconds to step away from that lady, or else…"

 

She nodded towards the police's small post by the ferry terminal. A collective gulp was heard coming from the group.

 

"Ten…"

 

The boys immediately ran away, tripping over each other in the process. She stared at their retreating backs for a while and turned her head towards the drunk lady still passed out on the table. She approached her and took a look at her face which was half-hidden by an arm.

 

She widened her eyes in recognition.

 

"Doctor, should I call the police for that lady?" the cashier stepped out from the counter to ask her.

 

"...No need," the woman replied.

 

She stared at the sleeping woman's face for another second too long.

 

"Let me take care of her myself."

 

 

---

 

 

Minju had a dream.

 

Her dream was weird; it kept jumping from one scene to another. One moment she was floating while looking at the sinking sun, its orange and blue hues more intense than usual. Then suddenly the scene changed and she was lying down, looking at green blobs that seemed to speed by while she was stationary.

 

She tried not to think much of it and just observe; dreams didn't make much sense in the first place, anyway. Though she wondered why there was something constant in a universe so surreal and was the only prominent thing even when she was taken from one place to another.

 

Baby powder.

 

The scent of baby powder in the form of cologne filled her nose the whole time she was dreaming.

 

But again, she didn't take it too seriously.

 

She was so, so comfortable anyway. Might as well just enjoy however her dream plays out.

 

She closed her eyes again and enjoyed this peaceful feeling.

 

 

---

 

 

She opened her eyes.

 

Minju looked up at a pale gray ceiling with a square light panel in the middle of it. It wasn't familiar to her—no, she thinks she has never seen it before. She spends a few more seconds reorienting herself and decided to sit up.

 

That was the best sleep she had in a while. Her body feels completely well-rested.

 

Except for the impending doom she was about to face.

 

"Ugh…"

 

A huge pain suddenly attacked her head which made her bring a palm to it, closing her eyes in an attempt to weaken the pain. She wondered what could possibly cause her such misery, and began to backtrack on what happened to her.

 

She remembers getting off of the boat, completely tired and sick. She remembers going to a nearby convenience store and buying food and beer (against her better judgment). She remembers downing several cans, even occasionally going back inside the store to buy herself a fresh batch of the bitter alcohol. She remembers drinking non-stop until finally, she passed out.

 

What she doesn't remember was how she ended up here in this unfamiliar place.

 

Wait, don't tell me…

 

She gulped.

 

...Kidnapped?!

 

Despite her throbbing head, she started to think about who could possibly have ill intentions against her for kidnapping.

 

Maybe one of her parents hired someone to take her somewhere? No no, nobody knew she was here besides Yena. Maybe some psychopath abducted her and is planning to sell her chopped-up body parts to the black market? She's been hearing stories from her colleagues at the news agency about how they were following serial killings where identified body parts from missing people were found in remote areas. The island is known to be pretty remote, so is she going to be a victim of this?

 

This was when she noticed she was on a soft bed, instead of a cold slaughter table.

 

...Yena has been making her watch too many horror movies recently.

 

Whatever the reason is, she still believes that she was kidnapped. For what reason, however, she doesn't know.

 

She looked around the room and noticed that her luggage was on the floor beside the bed. On the nightstand beside her was a small white dish with a pill on it, which she recognized as a painkiller and a glass of water beside it.

 

Whoever was her kidnapper, they treated her quite nicely.

 

Minju popped the pill inside and drank the water. She waited for a few minutes until she finally felt the drug kicking in. She began to climb down the bed and slipped her feet on the slippers that were set beside her luggage. She then began walking towards the door and out of the room.

 

She saw a staircase ahead and walked to it, slowly descending it. She stopped when she saw a woman's figure standing in the kitchen, her back turned towards Minju. She had hair dyed of a dark brown hue that fell halfway to her back, wearing a blue hoodie that looked like it was twice her size. Just looking at the stranger's back, a sense of familiarity overcame Minju. It felt like she knew this person, but she couldn't quite place it.

 

The stranger in the kitchen turned her head slightly sideways as she was busy preparing something in the kitchen. This gave Minju a view of her side profile, and her eyes immediately widened as she recognized who the woman was.

 

She called out to the woman, her voice small, her body shaking.

 

"C-Chaewon-unnie…?"

 

The woman's hands suddenly stopped moving and completely turned her head toward the one who called her. Her brown eyes then connected with that of Minju's.

 

Minju couldn't believe what she was seeing. All this time she thought her kidnapper was some big burly hairy man who whisked her away to an unknown place ready to do horrible things to her, but what she didn't expect was that it was…

 

Her ex-girlfriend.

 

Her ex-girlfriend who she has not seen nor heard of for five years.

 

And now she was suddenly in front of her.

 

"Yo," the other woman replied.

 

Minju didn't know whether to laugh or cry right now.

 

For some reason, an ugly man seemed more preferable as her kidnapper than her ex.

 

She continued her way down the stairs, on unsure steps. The sight of her ex in a kitchen of an unknown house (or rather, a huge mansion, now that she noticed) was enough to keep her guard up. Chaewon now turned her attention back to what she was doing in the kitchen as if ignoring the fact that Minju was there.

 

There was an awkward silence that enveloped the whole place, and Minju couldn't stand it. The only sounds filling up the space were from whatever Chaewon was doing in the kitchen.

 

She walked up to the kitchen island and stood by it, directly facing Chaewon's back. She was eyeing the other woman on the other side of the island warily. Chaewon then turned around and placed a mug on the island, and then faced the kitchen counter again after. Minju noticed the mug was filled with steaming coffee. Regarding Chaewon for a second and thought the coffee was for her, she brought the mug to her lips. She was about to take a sip when Chaewon's hand, half-covered by her hoodie's sleeves, held hers in place, preventing her from doing so. She looked at the other girl questioningly, but Chaewon's face was unreadable.

 

Without saying anything, Chaewon raised her other hand and slowly took the mug of coffee from Minju.

 

"This..." Chaewon raised the mug to her face and waved it a little. "...is mine."

 

"And this…" she started again, turning around towards the kitchen counter. She took a second mug from it and turned towards Minju again. She handed the mug in her hands towards the younger girl. "...is yours."

 

Minju looked down at the mug the older girl was giving her. She saw small marshmallows floating on top of brown, thick liquid. Her eyes widened when she recognized what it was.

 

It was a cup of hot chocolate, with marshmallows.

 

The older girl still remembered that she preferred hot chocolate over coffee. Five years was a long time, after all.

 

But she hid her surprise.

 

"T-Thanks…" she said as she took the cup from Chaewon.

 

Chaewon nodded silently and turned her back again, cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. Minju took a sip from her mug, successfully this time.

 

The drink was just right. Not too sweet, not too bitter. Just the way she likes it.

 

A flash of memory suddenly passed; of lazy mornings, of soft blankets hiding even softer smiles, of a messy kitchen that resulted in two cups of hot drinks.

 

She chased the thought away. That was a memory she would rather forget.

 

She turned her attention to the girl in front of her. First things first, she needs to interrogate her kidnapper. And kill this suffocating atmosphere.

 

She cleared .

 

"Chaewon-unnie…"

 

Chaewon stopped what she was doing and turned to Minju for the third time that day. She was done with her chore, and now she walked closer to the counter to pick up her coffee.

 

Chaewon glanced at Minju, an eyebrow raised. Minju decided to continue.

 

"What is this place, where is it? We're still in Deokjeokdo, right?" she asked in rapid-fire succession. "And why are you here?" she asked her final question, although more tentatively.

 

Chaewon shifted her line of view from Minju towards her front. She took a sip of her coffee before answering Minju's queries.

 

"A friend owns this villa, it's located further inland. Yes, we're still in Deokjeokdo. I'm here because I'm on vacation," she answered promptly.

 

Minju wasn't quite satisfied with the older girl's short answers, but she didn't want to push it. They haven't seen each other for five years, so asking her a bunch of questions wouldn't help the situation at all. Besides, she's not here to conduct an interrogation. That part of her life ended when she got fired from the news agency.

 

But one last question.

 

"Why am I here?"

 

Chaewon took another sip from her coffee. "I saw you passed out at the convenience store near the docks. The cashier didn't want to hand you over to the police since it looked like you were alone, so she asked me to take you here."

 

That was slightly a better answer than the short ones she gave earlier.

 

She noticed Chaewon downing her coffee and putting it in the sink. The older girl faced Minju and this time, she was the one who asked a question.

 

"Do you have somewhere to be?"

 

Minju stopped drinking (enjoying) her hot chocolate suddenly.

 

Come to think of it, she did have somewhere to be. She was supposed to go to the inn where her accommodations would be, and judging from the light outside the villa (is that a swimming pool outside the living room?), it was a new day; meaning she was passed out the whole night.

 

She knew it was a bad idea to drink her heart out yesterday.

 

She slapped a palm on her forehead. "I was supposed to go to the inn yesterday… Damn," she muttered.

 

Chaewon made a sound of affirmation, but to Minju it sounded like she was making fun of her predicament.

 

At least, if the older girl was still how she was all those years ago.

 

She let it slide.

 

"Let me drive you to the inn then," she heard the older girl say.

 

What?

 

She almost spat her drink.

 

Minju looked at Chaewon incredulously.

 

"Excuse me?"

 

Chaewon didn't answer her, opting to look at Minju from head to toe. "Go wash up. Let's meet back here in half an hour."

 

It's when Minju saw that she was still in yesterday's clothes. There was a stain on her shirt that looked like it came from the beer she was drinking yesterday.

 

She suddenly grew very conscious of Chaewon's presence.

 

"O-Okay," Minju meekly said to Chaewon with a nod and almost ran back up the stairs.

 

She missed the small smile on the supposed kidnapper's lips as she went back to her room.

 

 

---

 

 

Minju found the situation she was currently in as strange.

 

She couldn't stop the (tidal) wave of memories that came with seeing the older girl again, so instead of trying to stop it, she indulged in them in her secret way, despite the bittersweet feeling she gets. Just like now.

 

As a teenager, Minju had always daydreamed of going on rides with her lover. They would have intertwined fingers above the gear stick, with her on the passenger seat and her lover driving. When Chaewon became her girlfriend, she started daydreaming of Chaewon driving with her riding shotgun. She remembers getting their licenses together and going on a little picnic date to celebrate.

 

But they broke up before they even got into a single drive.

 

She never thought her teenage fantasies would come true, however. Not in the way she planned, at least.

 

Minju looked at Chaewon from the passenger seat. The brunette changed into a dress shirt and ripped jeans, and is now focused on driving. Seeing her face better now, it's almost as if the older girl didn't age at all. She looked exactly the same as she did when they dated, save for the change of hair color.

 

(Minju remembers that people around Chaewon used to call her "angel", and supposedly angels don't age. Maybe Chaewon really was one.)

 

When they met up in the kitchen after Minju had a much-needed shower and a refreshing change of clothes, Chaewon led her to a car parked in the villa's driveway. It was an impressive red pickup truck, one she didn't take for Chaewon to own. She was right.

 

("Is this yours?" she had asked. "No," came the short reply.)

 

The drive had been tranquil ever since it started. Minju wasn't used to silence when in the company of other people. She got used to the hectic atmosphere in her previous workplace, as well as Yena's talkative mouth. Now, being with someone who was both familiar and unfamiliar to her, she couldn't find the courage to speak up.

 

She remembers Chaewon as a naturally quiet person, opting to watch a conversation instead of participating in it. But when she gets comfortable with the people around her, she could be loud as much as she wanted to.

 

Minju experienced that first-hand, a long time ago.

 

Mustering up her courage, she decided to start the inevitable conversation she was supposed to have with the older girl.

 

"So…" she prompted.

 

Chaewon kept silent, her eyes on the road.

 

"How long have you been staying here?" Minju asked.

 

A second of silence went by.

 

"About two months now," Chaewon answered.

 

Minju raised an eyebrow at this. "Aren't you a doctor? Is it okay for you to leave work for such a long time?"

 

Chaewon kept quiet for a while.

 

"The hospital doesn't mind," came her reply.

 

Minju didn't want to prod, since she just met the older girl again after years.

 

The drive was silent again, only the sound of the engine was heard around them. Not even the radio was .

 

Chaewon suddenly spoke.

 

"I'm surprised you know I pulled through with medicine."

 

Minju turned to look at the older girl.

 

How could she not know?

 

When news of how a Seoul National University student topped the country's physician licensure examination reached her, it was all she wanted to read about for days. When press photos for the oathtaking of new doctors were released, there she saw Chaewon for the first time after breaking up. Minju saw the photo of Chaewon in a black and green toga, her right palm raised and her eyes downward as she was reading the oath with a microphone in front of her, and she had never been prouder.

 

They may not have ended things in a good way but she really, truly wished the best for her.

 

Minju's eyes softened at the memory. She turned away from Chaewon and chose to look out the window from her side of the car instead.

 

"I work for the news, after all," she answered. At least, used to.

 

"Hm," Chaewon said as a reply. "I guess you do."

 

What the older girl said caused Minju to whip her head towards her again, her eyes widened at what she just heard.

 

Wait, what? Did she keep tabs on me too?

 

Before Minju could ask, Chaewon pulled up in front of a traditional house. She unlocked the door and got out, Minju following her.

 

The inn was one of the more famous accommodations on the island, with a prime location of a view of the beach and short distances between it and places of interest. Minju managed to book a room despite it being always busy for tourists, and she particularly chose this instead of the hotel because it was cheap and it had a homey ambiance.

 

They stepped inside the inn and got to the receiving area. Chaewon motioned for Minju to go to the front desk to ask for her room, and she followed behind.

 

Minju cleared .

 

"Excuse me…"

 

The lady at the front desk (who also looked like the inn's owner) looked up at her from what she typing on the computer.

 

"Yes, may I help you?" the lady asked with a smile.

 

"Uh, is the room reserved for Kim Minju available? I'm here to check-in."

 

The lady typed in her computer the information she was given. Suddenly her eyebrows creased and she slowly looked up at Minju in confusion.

 

"Are you Miss Kim Minju who was supposed to check in yesterday?" the lady questioned.

 

"Yes?"

 

"Ma’am, I’m sorry to say but your room isn't available anymore.”

 

Minju widened her eyes at what she said.

 

“I’m sorry?”

 

The lady gave her a worried look before proceeding with what she was about to say.

 

“You weren’t able to arrive for the allotted time for checking in yesterday, and it’s our policy to give up reservations if occupants don’t arrive. I’m truly sorry, ma’am.”

 

It felt like Minju’s world stopped. She began to regret all her choices that led up to this point in time. More specifically, why did she even think of drinking yesterday? If she didn’t get herself drunk right off the bat then none of this would have happened.

 

She put her elbows on top of the desk and covered her face with both hands. She let out a deep sigh and let her shoulders slump, an indication that she was sulking.

 

“Oh no…” Minju groaned out.

 

Chaewon watched all of this happen and frowned. She stepped up from behind Minju and spoke.

 

“So you’re saying she can’t have her room back?” she asked.

 

The lady looked up and Chaewon, her eyebrows raising at the sight of her.

 

“Doctor Kim! I didn’t expect you to be here!” she exclaimed.

 

Minju brought her face up and turned to look at the exchange between the two women, a questioning look on her face.

 

Chaewon flashed a courteous smile at the front desk lady and nodded her head towards Minju, who was still slumped against the desk.

 

“She’s a friend, I’m just here to help her out. Is there nothing we can do about it?”

 

Friend?

 

As far as Minju was concerned, she just met the older girl again this morning, and they were definitely not friends.

 

Well, whatever. Seeing as Chaewon is known in the inn, if she could help to get her room back, she’d gladly be her friend.

 

The lady bit her lip as she looked at the doctor as if in thought. “I’m sorry to say this doctor, and to your friend as well,” she said as she pointedly looked at Minju. “But I’m afraid that’s how it is here. It’s a policy, you see. It’d be unfair to guests who would want to stay here as well.”

 

Chaewon nodded. “Ah, well that’s a shame.”

 

Minju looked at Chaewon dejectedly.

 

“Is there really nothing we can do?”

 

The lady contemplated for a bit until she spoke further. “I may be able to arrange something, though. But that would cause moving some guests to other rooms…”

 

Minju was surprised to hear this and was filled with hope for finally having a place to stay. She was about to reply to the owner of the inn until Chaewon went to shoot the idea down.

 

“No, no, please. That would be too much trouble. And you said so yourself, you wouldn’t want to inconvenience your guests. Thank you anyway.”

 

The lady frowned at what Chaewon said, while Minju was downright scowling at the other girl. Why would Chaewon reject a place to stay that was supposed to be hers anyway? More importantly, was it even her business to reject it?

 

“Where would your friend stay then?” came the woman’s question.

 

Chaewon looked at Minju and spoke.

 

“She’ll stay with me.”

 

Minju’s jaw dropped as her eyebrows raised themselves.

 

“What?”

 

Chaewon ignored Minju and turned her attention back to Madame Go.

 

“I already asked permission from the Kwons. The villa has too many rooms for just one person, anyway.”

 

The lady at the desk nodded at what Chaewon said.

 

“Well, if the Kwons said so, then I guess it’s fine.”

 

Chaewon smiled at the lady again and gave her another bow.

 

“It’s settled, then. Thank you again.”

 

Chaewon was about to go outside the inn, leaving a jaw-slacked Minju, when she heard the madame call out to her.

 

“Wait, Doctor, before I forget! We have something for you.”

 

The lady grabbed a bottle from a nearby fridge and handed it over to Chaewon, who took it with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Please take it, Doctor. A token of appreciation for everything you’ve done for us so far,” the madame said as she gave it to the younger woman.

 

“Please, I keep telling you that it’s no trouble at all,” Chaewon said but did not refuse the bottle of the white drink. “But thank you for this. We’ll drink it well.”

 

The innkeeper grinned at her. “Well, we’ll not keep you any longer. Take care, doctor!”

 

Chaewon gave her another bow and walked away to exit, a fumbling Minju quickly following after. Chaewon entered the car and started the engine as Minju climbed onto the passenger seat beside her.

 

The younger girl turned toward Chaewon, face full of irritation.

 

“What was that?” she asked with a scowl.

 

“What was what?” the doctor asked as she put on her seatbelt and put the car in reverse.

 

“You took away the place I’m supposed to stay in! I was supposed to get my room back!” Minju was borderline screaming at Chaewon, who still donned a straight face as she drove the car into the road beside the inn.

 

“And risk getting angry people up in your face every morning? You should save yourself from all that trouble,” Chaewon replied as she focused on the road.

 

The amount of apathy shown by the older girl irked Minju more. She couldn’t believe Chaewon did that to her, just because she wasn’t the one who has problems with where to stay tonight.

 

She took a deep breath and did her best to keep herself calm.

 

Inhale, exhale.

 

“Then where do you think am I supposed to stay now?” she asked again, the glare in her eyes not dissipating.

 

Chaewon just kept on driving, completely unbothered. “I told you already, didn’t I? You’re staying at the villa.”

 

Minju scoffed. “Yeah, because some Kwons allowed you to let random people stay at their property. Who exactly are they, anyway?”

 

Chaewon kept silent as she took a left turn. She spoke up again.

 

“You remember Eunbi-unnie?”

 

Minju was taken aback by the name she immediately recognized.

 

Kwon Eunbi. Charismatic woman, daughter of a chaebol family that runs pharmaceuticals. Chaewon explained back then that she was friends with the older girl ever since they were children. The people around them described their friendship as “sisters from different mothers.” Minju’s memories of the older girl mostly consisted of Eunbi putting Chaewon in a headlock every time they meet. When Chaewon first introduced them to each other, Eunbi was already a freshman in medical school.

 

The realization came to Minju instantly.

 

“Eunbi-unnie owns the villa you’re staying at?” she asked, eyes threatening to come out of their sockets.

 

Chaewon gave a small smile. “No, it belongs to her cousin, Jiyong. But he stays in France now, so he gave the house to unnie as a gift. The woman doesn’t know what to do with it since she’s in Seoul, so she just lets me use it and told me not to worry about the bill.”

 

Minju couldn’t help but be amazed at how people born in the higher echelons of society lived their lives. What kind of normal human doesn’t worry about bills?

 

“She even told me that if I had friends over, they could stay in the villa for as long as they want to,” Chaewon continued. “Apparently the house hasn’t been used for years ever since she got it.”

 

Chaewon glanced at Minju, eyes still wide.

 

“Is that enough explanation for you?”

 

Minju tore her gaze away from the older girl and looked ahead, still feeling disgruntled.

 

“...Fine.”

 

She saw Chaewon widen her smile a bit from the corner of her eye.

 

“Let’s go grab something to eat.”

 

 

 

---

 

 

After a lunch that was more than satisfying, the two of them returned to the villa. Minju was on the verge of a food coma; she never thought she was that hungry until she was devouring a huge bowl of bibimbap and seolleongtang like there was no tomorrow. She didn’t even mind if Chaewon saw her eating like a savage; her stomach must be satiated.

 

(Though Minju couldn’t help but think if her eyes were playing tricks on her when she caught a glimpse of Chaewon’s soft eyes laid on her, from behind her bowl of soup as she was drinking from it. Nope, must be just her.)

 

She did remember the older doctor telling her to slow down when eating, though.

 

Minju was about to reach for her wallet to pay for her share of the meal when she saw the receipt already in Chaewon’s hands. She just then handed an amount of money to Chaewon, who just regarded her hand with a stoic face before speaking.

 

“No need.”

 

“But—!”

 

Chaewon just turned her back and started walking back to the car.

 

Minju heaved a sigh and put back the money in her wallet.

 

Rich doctors and their need to flex their money.

 

The drive back was even more silent, her eyes were heavy and she barely made it back to the house without sleeping in the car. She didn’t bother talking to Chaewon, she just didn’t have that much energy anymore. Chaewon didn’t seem to mind anyway.

 

“Minju.”

 

Minju heard Chaewon call out to her as she was halfway up the stairs to go back to her room to pass out, probably until evening. She turned toward the older girl with a questioning look on her face.

 

“Do you have any plans for dinner?” Chaewon asked.

 

Minju pondered for a while. Did she have plans for dinner? To be honest, she was completely winging everything she was doing up until this point, and she figured the same when it came to how she would get her meals for the whole duration of her stay.

 

But if she relied on food from outside too much, she knows she’ll be wringing her expenses dry immediately.

 

So no, Kim Minju did not have plans for dinner.

 

“There’s a bistro I frequent and they’re having a promo on their ramen tonight, so I was wondering if you wanted to eat there for dinner,” she heard Chaewon explain. Minju frowned at the doctor.

 

Minju needed to think about this thoroughly.

 

“Free extra noodles,” Chaewon added.

 

Minju did not need to think this thoroughly.

 

“Okay,” she answered almost immediately. “But please let me pay for myself this time.”

 

Chaewon kept her stoic face, but Minju didn’t miss the glint in her eyes when she gave her answer.

 

She might as well have just laughed, she thought.

 

“Let’s meet here in the kitchen again before seven, then.”

 

 

---

 

 

On an ideal spot along the island’s busiest street that offered a magnificent view of the beach, a bistro with a lit cyan neon sign that read “Feathers” was located.

 

When Chaewon and Minju arrived at the bistro for their scheduled ramen night, it looked like the whole island was there; the bistro’s staff had to set up additional tables and chairs outside the main place and set it on the sand just to accommodate the number of people that turned up for the ramen promo. It was seven in the evening, just the start of the dinner rush, but Minju couldn’t believe how there were just so many people seen in what was supposed to be otherwise a quiet island.

 

She guessed ramen night in Deokjeokdo’s most famous place to eat was something. Plus it was a Friday. It was just too much of a coincidence.

 

Minju looked back at the conversation she had with Chaewon a while prior.

 

“Happy hour and ramen night? Whoever is in charge of Feathers’ marketing needs a raise,” Minju had told Chaewon as they were on their way to the bistro, back in the red Ford truck.

 

“What do you mean?” Chaewon asked as she drove, her signature poker face still on.

 

“People are gonna get dead drunk, and they’ll be needing hangover soup right after. Why not get it at the same place, right? And it’s ramen, too, not the usual bland soup. With free extra noodles,” Minju didn’t forget to emphasize the extra noodles part.

 

Chaewon just gave her a small smile in amusement.

 

(That was enough for her.)

 

Minju had to ask about the ramen, though.

 

“Is the ramen really that amazing?”

 

Chaewon pulled the car over at her designated parking spot over at Feathers’ lot and turned to Minju.

 

“You’ll see soon enough.”

 

Chaewon explained to her that one of her close friends that helped run the place already reserved a table for them, just in front of the stage where mini-concerts inside the bistro were held. Minju noticed that there were colored lights around it and saw a band tuning their instruments. A staff member was checking the microphone and speakers if they were working right, all the while asking the band if they needed anything else. A waiter guided Chaewon and Minju through the packed interior to their table, and as soon as they sat down the waiter pulled up a pen and notepad.

 

“Orders?” he asked.

 

“Chef’s specialty for tonight, please. For the both of us,” Chaewon answered him with ease.

 

The waiter nodded as he scribbled what the doctor said and scurried away to the kitchen.

 

Minju took a sip of the water available to her and turned her head towards the stage.

 

“There’s a live tonight?”

 

Chaewon turned her head to the stage.

 

“Yeah, the bistro’s main singer is on,” the orange-head replied.

 

Minju remembered the chalkboard sign beside the bistro’s entrance. It read, in streaks of pink, orange, and white,  Live Tonight! Jo Yuri.

 

She turned to Chaewon. “Is she any good?”

 

Chaewon was about to reply when everybody around them suddenly burst into applause for the woman who walked onto the stage.

 

“Hello, good evening everyone!” the lady on stage greeted, and Minju couldn’t help but notice the accent in her speech. Probably someone from Busan? All the way out here?

 

“I’m Jo Yuri, and I’m here to entertain everyone’s dinner for tonight. As much as I like the ramen being served here,” chuckles were heard throughout the place. “I like singing even more. More like, I love it.”

 

A collective “aww” was heard from every patron, even the ones that were already tipsy.

 

“So, let me sing to my heart’s content while you eat to ‘till your stomachs are full!”

 

Cheers filled the whole establishment, and if Minju heard right, she could hear the patrons outside cheering as well.

 

“Here’s the first song for tonight!” Yuri then announced.

 

The singer glanced at the drummer from behind her, and he tapped the hi-hat three times before the music began.

 

As soon as Yuri started singing, Minju couldn’t help but be mesmerized by how beautiful the girl’s voice was. It felt like honey on her ears, and she almost couldn’t believe that she was hearing someone sing this good, live. She thought it was a blessing.

 

“She’s good,” Minju told Chaewon without leaving her eyes away from Yuri’s performance. “Really good.”

 

A few seconds passed and Minju’s watching was cut off by their food arriving. It was two bowls of steaming ramen, seemingly freshly-prepared. She had never seen a bowl of ramen looking this good.

 

“Let’s eat then,” she heard Chaewon say.

 

They both said thanks for their food and began to dig in. As soon as a spoonful of broth reached Minju’s mouth, her eyes widened in utter surprise. It was the best bowl of ramen that she had ever tasted. Not even the things she used to eat back in Seoul could hold a candle to what she was having now. She had always thought that to eat the most amazing ramen, she would have to travel all the way to Japan to taste the real thing. What she never expected, however, was that she didn’t have to go to Japan, but a nearby island only.

 

“What is this ramen? It tastes so amazing,” Minju asked as she rolled her noodles into her spoon with her chopsticks, and inhaled said noodle-full spoon into .

 

“Hakata ramen,” Chaewon answered as she slurped noodles from her bowl as well. She swallowed her food and took a drink from her water. “People like it better than the other variants because it’s more based on the taste pork gives.”

 

Ah, so that’s why the taste appealed to her more. Minju likes pork.

 

Minju learned a whole new side of ramen that she had never encountered before.

 

And she’s also glad Chaewon is talking to her.

 

Thank goodness for ramen.

 

Just then, an important-looking lady dropped by their table and pulled a chair to sit by Chaewon specifically.

 

“Evening, Chaewon-unnie,” she greeted, her cheeks puffing as she offered them a warm smile. “I take it you’re enjoying the ramen tonight as usual?”

 

Chaewon made a satisfied face while chewing on a piece of her pork slice, raising a thumb to the lady. The cute girl laughed. The doctor immediately swallowed her food and began introducing the girl to Minju.

 

“Minju, this is Honda Hitomi. She more or less runs the place as its manager while the actual owner has yet to show themselves. She said her nickname back in Japan was ‘Hiichan’ but since this is Korea we decided to call her ‘Tomi’,” Chaewon explained. “Hitomi, this is Kim Minju. She’s a friend from way back.”

 

“How do you do, Minju?” the girl named Hitomi smiled. She extended a hand to the still-eating Minju for a shake. “Is the ramen to your liking as well?”

 

Minju hastily slurped all of her noodles into and nodded her head hard, making sounds of affirmation as she did. Hitomi grinned at the response.

 

Chaewon cleared . “My compliments to the chef, as always.”

 

Minju then followed Hitomi’s gaze to Yuri, who was now on a break enjoying her bowl of ramen.

 

“She’s amazing, isn’t she?” she heard the girl say.

 

Chaewon then turned to look at Yuri too.

 

Minju answered. “Yes, she is.”

 

“Did you know she’s from Busan?” Hitomi asked.

 

“Yeah, I figured as much, when she spoke earlier. How in the world did she end up all the way here?”

 

“I’ve been thinking the same thing for quite some time now, too. Also, don’t you think she’s way too good to just sing here?”

 

Minju could see that. Yuri was clearly a professional, from the way she controls her voice to her overall showmanship. If she was a pro, then why was she in Deokjeokdo when she could have her own career back in Seoul?

 

“Why is she here?” she heard Chaewon ask.

 

“I don’t know, honestly,” Hitomi said, her eyebrows furrowing. “She just showed up one day and asked if we were looking for session singers. We did, and she’s been here ever since.”

 

“Hm,” Chaewon grunted out as a reply. She spared Yuri another glance before digging into her bowl again.

 

“Anyway, I should get back to work,” Hitomi said as she stood up and put the chair back from wherever it came from.

 

“I’ll make sure to send your regards to the chef, Chaewon-unnie.”

 

“Thanks, Tomi!” Chaewon said as a reply.

 

The two watched as Hitomi walked away and back into the kitchen. The band was still playing music, just without Yuri, so the lively atmosphere that surrounded the whole area occupied by Feathers did not dissipate.

 

Minju could not help but think how the people she has met so far here on this island were shrouded in mystery, however. Starting from the woman in front of her. Who was now tilting her bowl of ramen in front of her face to fully finish it.

 

Chaewon placed the bowl down and glanced up at Minju, who laughed at the sight of her face. She raised an eyebrow at her as she gulped her food down.

 

“What?”

 

Minju grinned at the older girl. “Your face is a mess.”

 

That was when Chaewon realized there was probably some soup on her cheek and random bits of spring onions and other toppings. She quickly moved a hand towards the tissue holder, but the younger girl beat her to it.

 

“Here, let me do it,” Minju said as she grabbed a few pieces of tissue and leaned on the table to reach over to Chaewon.

 

The older girl noticeably stiffened as Minju started dabbing the tissue on the parts of where ramen debris hit, but the younger girl pretended not to know. She didn’t know what came to her for her to do it anyway, she acted purely on impulse.

 

(Minju also pretended not to realize that she could feel Chaewon’s soft lips through the layers of tissues.)

 

She tried hard to concentrate on the task at hand, but she couldn’t help but feel the searing stare from brown eyes on her face, courtesy of the girl whose mouth she was wiping. After what felt like excruciating long hours but was just a few seconds, Minju finally retracted her hand and put the tissue away. She refused to look at Chaewon right now, so she just continued eating her ramen until she finished it. Even then, she still felt the eyes that were heavily on her.

 

The younger girl almost didn’t catch the small mutter that came from the one opposite her.

 

“Thank you.”

 

She felt her face burning up even more. Maybe the bistro was getting a bit stuffy with all the people inside it. She turned her face towards the stage to watch Yuri (and to avoid Chaewon seeing her blushing).

 

“N-No problem,” she stuttered back.

 

She continued to look away until finally the stare was lifted from her. She let out a breath that she didn’t know she was holding.

 

“Looks like the chef is coming out to meet us soon,” she heard Chaewon mutter to her out of the blue.

 

Minju tore her view away from the performers and turned around to see past the bar where the kitchen was. She saw Hitomi talking to a male in a typical white chef uniform and saw him nodding. He then exited the kitchen and went outside to the dining area, approaching their table.

 

Minju was about to stand up to greet the chef when he went past their table and went outside the bistro.

 

She was taken aback. That wasn’t the chef?

 

“Chaewon-unnie, you wanted to see the chef?”

 

Minju turned back around again and saw Hitomi by their table a second time, smiling as usual.

 

Hitomi stepped aside to see a smaller woman beside her, who seemed to be not even five feet tall yet. The short lady had her straight hair in a low ponytail and was donning the chef uniform, her sleeves folded up to her elbows. The lady-chef crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head up in confidence, a smile on her lips.

 

“Good evening, dear customers. How did you find my ramen?”

 

Minju saw Chaewon grin at the chef. “At this rate, I don’t think I’m ever gonna tire of your delicious ramen, Nako.”

 

“Oh, well, you’re welcome to eat it anytime, Chaewon-unnie,” the chef replied, returning the doctor’s grin.

 

This time, Hitomi turned to Minju to introduce her to the chef.

 

“Minju, this is Yabuki Nako. She’s the head chef here at Feathers. She can make almost everything on the menu, but her specialty is the ramen you just ate.”

 

Minju stood up abruptly, completely flabbergasted. She did not expect the shorter lady to be the one who made the godsent ramen.

 

She took Nako’s hands in hers and shook them fervently.

 

“Hi, I’m Kim Minju! Your ramen is the most delicious thing I have ever eaten,” she told Nako enthusiastically.

 

The petite girl smiled at Minju as she looked up at the taller girl. “I’m glad to hear that! I’ll be looking forward to seeing you here often, then.”

 

“Well, then,” all three turned to Chaewon who was now standing up. “It’s getting late now, and I have something for tomorrow. We should probably head home.”

 

Minju looked at Chaewon with furrowed brows.

 

“Volunteering tomorrow, unnie?” Hitomi asked.

 

Minju then turned to Hitomi, her face sporting the same confused look.

 

Chaewon smiled at Hitomi and nodded.

 

Nako then spoke up. “Okay, then! We won’t keep you any longer. Besides, I need to get back to the kitchen, too. Good night, you two! And nice to meet you again, Minju.”

 

“Be careful on the road, Chaewon-unnie,” Hitomi followed.

 

Chaewon gave Hitomi a small thumbs-up as Minju went to pick up her things and got ready to leave. The two then gave the Japanese girls a slight bow.

 

“Thank you again. Good night!”

 

Nako and Hitomi waved goodbye as they paid for their meal and exited Feathers. They got into the car and drove home to retire for the night.

 

 

---

 

 

“Um…”

 

Just as Chaewon dropped the car keys in a small bowl on top of the glass table in the middle of the living room, Minju mustered up the courage to call out to the older girl.

 

Chaewon looked at Minju with questioning eyes, though her face still kept up the blank face.

 

A blank face, huh.

 

Chaewon’s face used to be so animated when they were together, but she figures that all these years of separation caused the older girl to be guarded around her. She was the same, after all. She still didn’t know how to act around Chaewon. Strangers? Acquaintances that used to be so much more?

 

But even when she didn’t see her old flame for years, she was somehow glad that she didn’t lose her ability to read Chaewon, even by just a little.

 

She used to stare at those expressive brown eyes as if time wasn’t running after all.

 

“What is it?” Minju heard Chaewon say.

 

Minju started wringing her hands together nervously, her eyebrows stitched together. She didn’t know why she was so scared of talking to Chaewon when she was in a deep, enlightening conversation with her about ramen not even an hour ago.

 

She took a deep breath and tried to relax. Her kidnapper shouldn’t scare her.

 

“I, um… I just wanted to thank you for tonight— ah, today. You’ve done so much already,” Minju was able to stutter out.

 

The older girl’s eyes softened at her.

 

Ah, it’s those eyes again.

 

“You’re welcome,” she heard Chaewon say.

 

“Um, well, that’s all, I guess… I should better, uh… head upstairs and get some rest.”

 

“Oh, uh, sure,” Chaewon started, a hand on her nape as she looked away from Minju.

 

Looks like Minju wasn’t the only one nervous.

 

“Good night, then,” Chaewon greeted the younger girl.

 

“Yeah… Good night, Chaewon-unnie,” Minju greeted back.

 

Minju turned her back towards Chaewon, starting her hike back to her room.

 

“Wait, Minju-yah.”

 

Minju stopped in her tracks, her heart suddenly beating erratically.

 

She didn’t mean to read too much into how Chaewon called her name just now, but it just sounded so, so much like how her name used to sound on the older girl’s lips all those years ago.

 

Full of familiarity. Full of fondness.

 

Another deep exhale escaped from Minju as she breathed through her nose, and she mustered up the courage to finally face her companion.

 

“Yeah?” she prompted.

 

The calmness of the night suddenly enveloped them, a silence all over. She could hear cricket sounds from the trees that surrounded the villa, the leaves ruffling in the night breeze. It was all Minju could hear, besides the lump of muscle in her chest that felt like it was about to jump out of her ribcage, as she looked at Chaewon and Chaewon looked at her, bright brown eyes meeting each other.

 

“I…”

 

Chaewon’s voice got lost as she pondered on what to say next. Minju just stood there expectantly, waiting patiently for the doctor who was seemingly nervous about what she was going to say. She exhaled deeply, her eyes closed as she calmed herself.

 

“I, uh, I’m gonna do some volunteering at the local daycare tomorrow, so I’ll be out during the morning,” she heard Chaewon say, the older girl’s eyes downcast.

 

“And...?” Minju gently urged Chaewon to continue.

 

“I was wondering if… if you wanted to see the island tomorrow after I’m done. I’ll drive you around. Unless, uh...”

 

Chaewon cleared and put her hands in her pockets. She looked up at the girl she was talking to, who was standing by the stairs with eyes widening by the second.

 

“Unless you want to come with me tomorrow? To the daycare? So you could just wait for me there?”

 

Minju just looked at Chaewon completely astonished. She never thought such an offer would come from the older girl. She was caught off-guard by the sudden invitation from her, especially when Chaewon has been directing only poker faces at her, with the occasional slightly-raised eyebrows and small quirks of lips. Even when they were still dating, Chaewon was so sure of herself, always having an air of confidence around her. So to see the older girl as a stuttering mess even as a renowned doctor who topped the board exams was quite endearing.

 

“B-But you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she heard Chaewon stutter out loud. “I mean, I don’t want to force you to anything…”

 

Still, she didn’t have the heart to reject Chaewon’s offer. Especially with what she has been feeling deep inside ever since she laid eyes on her ex-lover again this morning.

 

“Sure.”

 

Chaewon looked up at Minju in a heartbeat, her doe eyes shining in surprise.

 

“Huh?”

 

“I’ll come with you, unnie,” Minju replied with a shy smile.

 

Her face burned hot as she realized what she said, and the more she looked at the brunette in front of her, the more her heart beats wildly. She was tempted to turn her head, but she didn’t want to look away from Chaewon. Not when the look that appeared on the older’s face completely took her breath away.

 

Chaewon was smiling.

 

Chaewon was smiling at Minju, her eyes lighting up as little crescents as her lips curved upward to a form that Minju didn’t know she missed.

 

And the fact that she was the one who made it happen, everything suddenly felt surreal to her.

 

“Thank you, Minju,” she heard the older girl say.

 

“No, it’s fine,” she managed to reply, still a blushing mess. “I’ll look forward to tomorrow, then.”

 

Chaewon’s smile grew a little bit more.

 

“Me too.”

 

Minju smiled back at the older girl.

 

“So, uh, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Chaewon asked.

 

“Yeah, you too, unnie.”

 

“Good night, Minju.”

 

“Good night, Chaewon-unnie.”

 

Minju turned her back and ran up the stairs so fast, racing back to her room in haste.

 

The image of Chaewon’s smiling face was etched onto her mind like carvings on stone, a reel of memories suddenly playing in her head that made her remember similar images from five years back. She felt her heart beat in record time, faster than her speed back to her room, probably even faster than the world’s fastest man.

 

As she laid down on her bed with a hand on her chest trying to calm her heart, she can’t help but indulge in another surge of memories that filled her mind.

 

She closed her eyes as she let the memories in; the scent of baby powder always on her sheets, on the hoodies that she used to steal from a closet that wasn’t hers. Brown strands of hair hiding brown eyes. Soft hands holding her own. The taste of mint chocolate ice cream that she was supposed to detest after being force-fed by it. A bright smile from the brightest person that used to light up her world.

 

The so-called butterflies were rampant in her stomach now, but along with that fluttering feeling was a pain that was almost too overwhelming to bear.

 

She let out a deep breath as a single tear escaped from her eyes, a hand shooting up in haste to wipe it off.

 

As exciting as it was to finally be friends with Chaewon again, she couldn’t help but feel pain from everything that happened before.

 

Because she can’t deny to herself that the feelings that she used to have for Chaewon completely disappeared. Even then, if Chaewon wished to start their relationship from scratch, she’ll gladly do it, even if they will be just friends in the end.

 

That will be enough for her.

 

That night, Minju dreams of memories of a young love that did not grow old with her.