*still flashback*

Minjoo already went to school.

Chaewon grabbed her breakfast of bread with peanut butter spread, the one Minjoo already left for her on the kitchen countertop. A mint sticky note of 'Eat slowly, my radish' was found beside it. As sweet as always. She folded it nicely and put it inside her backpack.

Sorry Minjoo, but I will not take all the time to eat slowly because you know, I can barely survive here.

Chaewon clenched the bread between as she tied her shoelaces. She spared in mind to eat her breakfast while cycling, well she's a pro at that so she doesn't think much about the danger behind it.

Aware that she was very late, she pedalled furiously to get to school. At this rate, she couldn't care less about her safety.

"Wuhooo!" She cheered loudly, basically not bothered of her surroundings as her voice echoed through the gigantic yet calm neighbourhood. Chaewon loved the feeling of the fresh air hitting on her face while the breeze blew her hair magically. Having a good time for once. She doesn't feel the need to use the brake, even though she could have been charged for speeding above limits.

With one hand on the bike handle while the other one used to shove her bread into , she chewed on her breakfast - currently on the last piece - without breaking any sweat.

"Almost there!"

The bike tires wheeled non-stop and of course, she never showed any signs to stop sprinting. Going fast is fun, and it can even get us out of trouble once in a while. Like, in two minutes Chaewon will reach school right on time, away from all the trouble which was the prefect waiting at the school's entrance just to jot down the name of the guilty person. Seriously, a vicious trap indeed.

Out of all the disasters that happened when she rode her bike for all this while, she didn't think anything else could go wrong, but of course it did. She's currently going downhill at thirty miles an hour on two wheels - please take a note that this is not for the faint of heart - losing control over her bike.

"- Help I can't slow down!" Her brakes were not working and she felt like she was the biggest fool of all time, like why didn't she checked on her bike condition first? It's been a while since she last used it.

Panicked, she tried to think of any quick solution to prevent herself from crashing on someone or the bean pole or the lamp post.

This may be the end of Kim Chaewon.

She was too focused on how to slow down her speed, not even once considering her front view. Well, bad luck welcomed her with wide open arms because a girl, with her backpack slung over just one shoulder - walked her track without noticing Chaewon behind her. She was totally immersed on the road to be aware of her back view.

As soon as Chaewon raised her head up, she was five seconds away from her.

"Hey, watch out!"

Chaewon tried her very best to steer the bike handle the opposite way so that they won't collide with each other. Her face scrunched with arched eyebrows in concentration. If only she was this focus on the road before all of this would happen. Her negligence got the best of her. She mentally blamed herself repeatedly in her mind because clearly, the blame is all on her.

The girl, finally aware of her danger state, turned her body around at the right time. Her eyes opened wide, glistened in pure terror. With her jaw dropped, she's frozen from head to toe, panicked upon the sight of Chaewon.

Two seconds after, she shut her eyes down as if it was the only way she can escape from such situation, because God knows how her legs glued to the road without any courage to move in order to save herself.

They both left their fate to God.

It happened too fast for one to capture the accident in mind. Chaewon - sprawled on the other side of the road - had her knees scraped as of the result with the contact of the hard surface as she jumped out of her bicycle to rescue herself.

Chaewon grimaced in pain.

No tears allowed okay!

You!are!one!big!strong!girl!

The surge of pain with fresh blood streamed down her wounds was hardly bearable for her. She gathered all of her courage to get up. The dirt on her skirt was brushed off immediately. Chaewon glanced at her left side. There was her bicycle lying recklessly on the road. She sighed, aware that her bike was dead. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

It was great to have you all along, my lovely bike. Rest in peace.

She dropped her gaze to the floor. Exhaled whatever sadness left in her. As she squinted her eyes to the front, her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn't believe what she saw. Chaewon could feel her forehead formed bead of sweat. Her hands shook nervously, adrenaline rushed way faster than the speed of light.

Before this, she was deep in regret. Upon seeing the sight in front of her, it intensified to infinity. All she wanted to do was to kill herself right on the spot.

Slowly yet simultaneously.

Because the girl she almost collided into was the love of her life.

It's Minjoo.

It's Minjoo who was there, at the crime scene she was guilty for, all because of her stupidity.

Minjoo, with her body curled on the grass (Chaewon was really thankful for it, or it could get much uglier if she was to fell head first on the rock hard surface) was nowhere near conscious.

Still, Chaewon felt her stomach being punched right in the guts. She gulped down in fear. Tears threatened to fall.

"M-Minjoo?"

Her legs wouldn't cooperating with her. She wanted to sprint towards Minjoo, but fear and guilt consumed every corner of her mind. All the what ifs replayed in repeated motion in her brain, be it displayed in images or just with the sound echoed.

She took a painful step by step walk, practically dragging her both legs towards her.

Chaewon squatted herself right in front of Minjoo's unconscious body. She couldn't care less about her small injury even though the wound on her knees spread a little bit more once she got into that position.

She patted Minjoo's cheek softly to wake her up. It was a vain effort as Minjoo didn't budge at all. She checked her pulse to make sure Minjoo was still breathing fine.

Thank God she was.

Chaewon felt her legs wobbled intensely at the new information. She can't afford it anymore, thus she stumbled backwards and took a pratfall on the grass.

The conclusion being drawn in her brain as she connected all the dots together. Minjoo fainted of shock. They didn't collided into each other. Chaewon got some injury, but Minjoo was purely because of terror and fear built in her in so little time. Hence, they got the best of Minjoo and overpowered her. As a result, she passed out in an instant.

"What should I do?" She panicked. Chaewon really didn't know what to do in that kind of situation. She had half a mind to just carry Minjoo in bridal style and walk to school as it was merely only 2 minutes distance. But then, she brought her wrist to her view. The white colored watch simply stated that the school's gate had been closed.

She groaned in full anger. Anger pointed to herself. Tears streamed down her face long time ago already.

"This is all my fault, MinMin. I'm sorry."

She pulled Minjoo's head carefully into her lap, avoided contact of her wounded knees in between. Her hand - although trembled - peacefully swept the hair stuck on Minjoo's face. The other hand pocketed her shirt pocket to retrieve her cell phone. She called for her parent's driver assigned for her. Only ask for them when she needs help though. Especially in this kind of bad event. Not wanting to trouble anyone.

"Hello, Mr Choi? Can you come here as soon as possible? I'll send you the address."

"Thankyou."

She sent the address right after and pocketed her phone back. Her eyes concentrated fully, capturing all the features of Minjoo's face.

I don't wanna lose you. I know I'm being dramatic but please wake up. I need you."

Chaewon brought Minjoo's body in her embrace delicately, as if she would break easily under her touch. Their bodies intertwined, she rocked her back and forth as her lips made contact with the top of her head. She planted a kiss there, tenderly.

Things she couldn't do when Minjoo is wide awake.

"I'm really sorry."

With hoarseness subtly found in her voice, Chaewon half whispered to her ears. She swept her remaining tears in one swift motion, sure she wouldn't want her driver to see her in this state.

She had promised to herself, and Minjoo, to take care of each other and protect her to her last breath. And now she broke their promises. What exactly Chaewon would feel after all than letting all the blame overwhelming her? Serves her right. Well, when the promises were made, Minjoo could've been joking around and didn't actually meant it to the core, but to Chaewon, she is made to stay true to her promises.

Just not to stay true to her feelings.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not long after, her driver arrived. She carried Minjoo's light body in both her arms. Mr Choi opened up the car door to the backseat. Chaewon gently put Minjoo's unconscious body and laid her down carefully. She then withdrew herself to retrieve their backpacks. Almost neglected her precious bike in the process.

Luckily, she's got an idea in mind.

Chaewon took out an A4 paper from her bag. She wrote down a huge 'For Free' with black colored marker. She then rummaged through her pencil case and fished a small tape in hand. She shredded a piece of it using her teeth, stuck it on the back of the paper, then plastered it on the bike saddle.

Her small yet fit body lifted the bike and parked it on the left side of the road. Satisfied with her own work, she then bid goodbye to her lifetime bicycle.

Chaewon quickly got into the passenger seat with two backpacks in arms. She swiftly glanced to the backseat. Her heart twitched in response. Minjoo seemed calm in her current state. Her steady breathing fluttered a strand of hair, strayed across her smooth cheek.

Chaewon puffed out a fire. She slumped her shoulders into the seat, her groggy eyes painfully shut. Her mind was painfully noisy, every thought jumbled and bounced off the walls of her consciousness. It was dreadfully exhausting.

"Let's go home." Her tone laced with venom. Dark thoughts conquered her colorless mind. She's mad. Freaking mad that she would have very much appreciate it if she can punches anything right at the moment.

Anything would do.

The glossy car window tinted with black shade