CHAPTER 10

 

“Will you please stop that?”

“How dare you?” Hyewon looked at her with an unreadable expression“How could you ask me to stop eating? You’re my friend but there’s no way I’d stop eating even if you beg me to.”

“I’m serious.”

“Do I look like I’m joking to you?”

Yujin sighed “You know that I’m not talking about your food, you could have mine if you want.”

Hyewon’s eyes lighten “Really?”

Yujin’s grits her teeth in disbelief.

“Okay…” Hyewon put down her chopsticks “So, how’s dinner?”

“The worst dinner ever.”

“I take it went well.”

“It would’ve been great if it didn’t.” Yujin said “I can’t imagine the look on my parents’ face, especially mom if they find out the truth.”

“If they find out.” Hyewon emphasizing the word “You just have to not let it happen.”

“Lies like this is bound to come out, one way or another,”

 

 

 

“Someone’s in a good a mood.” Hyewon said, seeing Yujin humming while writing on her notebook.

“Take a guess.” Yujin said smiling “I’ll treat you lunch if you guess it correctly.”

“Did you get a high score on your Math exam?”

 

Yujin frown.

 

Hyewon laughs, she knew she guesses it correctly when Yujin frowns “Let’s go, I’m starving…”

“You’re no fun…” Yujin said as she follows Hyewon

“So, how high did you score?”

“85.”

“85?”

“Yah, that’s a high score for me.”

 “I just got tears in my eyes, at least my time teaching you didn’t go to waste.”

“I changed my mind. I won’t treat you.”

“Yah, yah, yah,” Hyewon said following Yujin who already retracted away from her “You don’t get to say that after you get my hopes up.”

“Is that a wind?” Yujin said as she continues from walking

“Don’t make me say it.” Hyewon said as she stood in front of Yujin “You think I don’t know?”

 

Yujin crossed her arms “And what exactly it is that you know that can force me to open my wallet?”

Hyewon grinned “I know what day it is. And for all I know you’re only using your Math score to celebrate today. And I swear to the God of food that I will not stop teasing you until you give me my rightful price for guessing your question correctly.”

Yujin’s brows raised “And what kind of occasion that can possibly top me getting an 85 on my Math exam?”

“Your monthsary.”

Yujin frowned “M-my what?”

Hyewon grins again “Today is your monthsary, right? How lucky, I’m jealous. I wonder when will I get to celebrate a monthsary too~”

“I won’t treat you anything ever.” Yujin said as she starts walking again

 

Hyewon laughs as she followed Yujin “So, how was it dating one of the most beautiful people that ever existed for a month?”

Yujin didn’t say anything and just continue on walking.

“I can’t believe you’re using a petty excuse, using your math score to actually celebrate this day.” Hyewon said walking on Yujin’s side “How sweet~”

“Stop it.”

Hyewon shook her head “I made a promise to the God of food that I—“

“If you continue acting like that, you’ll never find someone who’ll celebrate a monthsary or even a daysary with you.”

“Are you bragging about your relationship status right now~” Hyewon teased

Yujin sighed in defeat. “Are you really 21 years old?”

“Yes and I am starving.”

“I am buying this so you could shut up. So don’t say anything useless or say anything at all.” Yujin said “Or I swear to the God of food that I’ll throw everything in the ground.”

“I swear.”

 “And it’s 47 days already. The scariest, nerve wrecking and guiltiest 47 days of my life.”

 

 

“Today is Friday and I got 85 on my Math and I’m eating the best ramen out there, this day could never go wrong.” Yujin said cheerfully as they start eating, she wasn’t even on her second bite when her phone beep.

Yujin looked at her phone and her face immediately dropped down “I think I just jinx it.”

“What?”

Yujin showed her phone to Hyewon.

 

“Can we talk?”  A message from someone registered as ‘Don’t Answer’

 

“Is that…”

Yujin answered by a deep sighed as she put her phone inside her pocket “What does she want this time?”

“It’s probably important.”

Yujin scoff “Like hell it is. Remember the last time I answered to her? Look where I ended up.”

“I mean, you said it yourself, she had never bothered you again after that dinner and it’s not like she’ll message to ask about your day.”

 

Yujin considered what Hyewon said, she had a point and Yujin already knew that and that’s what she hates about that fact, because Minjoo sending her text like this could only mean one thing and that she have to lie in front of everyone’s faces again

 

Yujin heard a car engine in front of their house means her parents are home. She looked at the time, it’s 15 minutes before 9. She hurriedly went out of her room to greet them. Her mother says that she doesn’t need to wait for them but she could see how happy they were every time she does, so she waits for them whenever she can.

 

“Hi mom.” Yujin greeted “Hi Dad.”

Smiles crept up on her mother’s face “We’re home. Why are you still awake? Have you eaten?”

“Yeah, I already did but I am always up for a dessert.” Yujin answered smiling

“It’s your lucky day then, I bought an ice cream.” She said smiling, as she put down the grocery she’s holding on the table.

Yujin sit and open a chocolate ice cream.

“Ah, right before I forgot, about Grandma Kim’s birthday next week.”

 

Probably the reason why Minjoo wants to talk to her. Yujin thought. “Yeah, I was about to tell you about it.” She lied

Mrs. Ahn chuckles “Grandma Kim is so excited so she calls me this morning inviting us on her birthday and I’m excited too. This could be the first time that we’re going to see a beach after we came back here.”

Yujin almost choked on her ice cream. ‘Beach?!’

 

 

 

“I left the drinks in the car.” Mr. Ahn said

“I’ll go get it.” Yujin immediately said

“I’ll go with you.” Mr. Kim said, seeing how busy Yujin’s father assisting her mother

“It’s fin—“

“I’ll go with her.” Minjoo cut him off, walking towards Yujin

Mr. Kim gave Minjoo a look “I’m not going to bite her.”

Minjoo gave her father a teasing look “Just to be sure.”

 

“Let’s go…” Minjoo said when she reached Yujin. Yujin nodded and starts her tracks.

 

 

“Can we talk?” Minjoo asked when Yujin closed the back of the car. But the latter pick up the drinks and starts walking as if Minjoo weren’t there.

Minjoo sighed “Yujin please, let’s talk.” But no sign that Yujin wants to have that talk.

“Can we please talk?” Minjoo pleads as she stopped in front of Yujin, blocking her way.

Yujin sighed “I’m not really in the mood to talk.” She answered, she doesn’t feel good since morning and whatever it is that Minjoo wants to talk about is going to make her feel worse.

“We almost got caught. Do you know that?” Minjoo asked in frustration.

 

Grandma Kim asked on how they celebrated their monthsary and both of them answered differently. Thank God Minjoo was quick to explained or more like lie.

 

 “I’ve already sent you everything, you just need to follow everything written on there and we’ll be fine, so why didn’t you?”

Yujin shut her eyes, her head throbbing painfully “I’m sorry.” She said just to stop the conversation and went past Minjoo.

Minjoo immediately followed her and grabbed her by the wrist “This is serious.”

“And you think I don’t know that?” Yujin’s voice went a little higher, as she pulled her wrist. “And honestly, I’m not sure if you even know how serious this is.”

Minjoo frown “Do you think this is easy for me?”

Yujin scoffed “It certainly looks so.”

“It wasn’t you who had stand in front of Grandma every day and lie to her face.” Minjoo said, her voice cracking, body trembling “You have no idea what I am feeling right now.”

“Then let’s end this!” Yujin said “Let’s end this right here, right now. Let’s come clean to everyone.”

Frustration and the thought that coming clean to everyone after making a big lie is enough for tears appears on the corner of Minjoo’s eyes. 

“They’ll be disappointed but at least we are not lying anymore.” Yujin said softly “They’ll be sad but I’m sure they’ll understand why we did what we did.”

 

 

 

 

“Yujin and I have something to tell you…” Minjoo starts, standing in front of their parents and Grandma Kim, they are having a bonfire. Yujin could see the trembling of her hands, she could feel her nervousness because she’s feeling the same, they were both scared, but this is the right thing to do.

“Yujin and I are—“

“Minjoo-ah” Grandma Kim called softly “Can the birthday celebrant speak first? I’ll have something to say too.”

“Y-yeah, sure...”

 

“First of all, I would like to thank all of you for being here tonight, I know how busy you all are and yet you’re here celebrating this special day to me.” She starts “I am well aware that this could be the last birthday that I can celebrate with you all. At least physically.”

“Mom…”

“Grandma, don’t say that.” Minjoo said who’s already tearing up. “Why would you say that?”

“I didn’t mean to make anyone cry or feel bad about this whole situation. What I’m trying to say is, I am so glad that I’m able to spend this special day with all of you, there’s nothing I could wish for.”

“I already accepted it. So, instead of waking up every morning with worries, let’s be grateful that, I’m still given a chance to spend a day with you so let’s not waste that by getting worried about something that we all know is coming. I hope that we all spend our times with each other with a smile, because those smiles are what I will take with me when that day comes. So let’s all be happy.”

 

“Minjoo-ah, smile…” Grandma Kim said smiling to Minjoo, even though her grandma always tell her to just be happy, she couldn’t help it. Just thinking about Grandma celebrating her last birthday with them is sending her pain more than she can handle. “You and Yujin have something to say?”

 

Minjoo gulped, “Y-yeah.” As she stand in front of them.

 

She glanced at Yujin, she’s wearing a look that Minjoo could not read. Is it encouragement to admit the truth or is something else, she could not tell.

 

“Y-Yujin and I… we…” Minjoo spoke, she’s trailing off, as if the words had been stuck on “We… Me and Yujin…” Minjoo closed her eyes as she took a deep breath to say everything in one go. “Yujin and I we are—“

 

“Thankful…” Yujin cut her off.

 

Minjoo opened her eyes; Yujin stood up and stand beside her.

 

“Yujin…” Minjoo mumble

 

Yujin gave her a smile, as she intertwined her hands with her.

 

She looked forward, then spoke “Minjoo and I are thankful that even though some may see our relationship as abomination, you have supported and accepted us, for that we are grateful.”

 

Minjoo could not take her eyes off to Yujin, Questions starts running through her head.

 

‘What is she doing?’

‘Yujin always told her that to tell the truth and now that she’s about to, why would she do this?’

 

She came back from her senses when Yujin press their intertwined hands softly.

“Thank you for loving both of us unconditionally.”

 

 

 

Minjoo cannot get her head straight after what Yujin did. Even though they both seated beside each other after the speech, they had not speak to each other. Yujin haven’t even looked at her. She knows because she’s been looking at her the whole time.

 

It’s been three hours since they went back to their room to sleep but she hasn’t heard a word from Yujin.

She had been walking back and forth inside the bathroom, biting her nails, still thinking what just happen and yet she could not think of possible answer.

 

A sound from her phone stops her from her pace.

“Can we meet outside?”

 

 

Minjoo looked around, since Yujin didn’t say anything particular on where they are going to meet, she replied her to meet at the seashore, it has been 10 minutes since she received that message from Yujin yet there was no sign of her.

 

Minjoo pocketed her phone; she wrapped her arms on her body as soon as the cold breeze hit on her. She almost runs out of her room when she received that text that she forgot to wear a jacket.

 

She crouched down on the ground, still wrapping her arms around her body, after a minute or two she felt a clothes on her shoulder.

 

She immediately looked up and saw Yujin fixing her jacket on her.

 

“Why didn’t you wear a jacket?”

 

Minjoo stood up. she was about to take the jacket off of her “You don’t hav—“

“You need it more than me” Yujin said, she’s wearing a pajama and a oversized t-shirt while Minjoo wears a short and a t-shirt. “Why would you even go out like that?”

 

“I didn’t know, it’ll be this cold.” She answered lying as she pulled the jacket closer to her body.

 

“I’m sorry for asking you to meet this late.” Yujin spoke. “And I’m really, really sorry for what I did earlier.”

“Why did you do that?”

“Honestly, I didn’t know what came up to me” Yujin said looking at the sea “It’s funny how I always tell you to just tell the truth to everyone and when you’re about to… I blew it, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay…”

“No, it’s not.” Yujin looked at her “It’s not okay, I just made it worse.”

“You don’t know that.” Minjoo said meeting her gaze “I may or may not say the truth earlier. After what Grandma said, I didn’t really know how to break the news. I could have said something similar to what you said.”

“You could have. But I saw the looked on your face and I’m sure, you’re going to tell the truth and I just…” Yujin blew out a breath

 

“Thank you.” Minjoo said,

Yujin looked at her confused “I’m sure you did that because you care about Grandma. That you just wanted to grant her wish and us telling everyone that we’re lying isn’t going make anyone happier, especially not her, so thank you for caring about her. So if you feel like that we should tell her the truth, then we tells her right now and I promise that I will not take it against you.”

 

Yujin paused for a moment, she’s considering what Minjoo had said. Telling the truth is the right thing to do but is the right choice?

 

“Alright.” Yujin muttered.

Minjoo smile “She’s still awake, you don’t have to say anything. I’ll do the talking.” she said and about to walk when Yujin grabbed her hand.

 

“Let’s do it.” Yujin said, holding her hand

“I’ll explain eve—“

“What I meant was…” Yujin gulped as she looked in Minjoo’s eyes “Let’s date.”

 

 

 

 

It rains a lot today. Don't get sick and be careful everyone.