After that devastating Christmas, I invited them again for New year party, but this time it's not at our house, but at one of our villa on the mountain area near Seoul, and that was another mistake.
My plan was to enjoy the time together but it turns out to be like a triple date, Chaeyeon and her girlfriend, Minjoo and Yujin and Me with my shadow. While waiting for the fireworks, Minjoo and Yujin had their private talk on the balcony, Chaeyeon and her girlfriend playing with their Switch, of course, and I'm trying to catch mosquitoes that trying to bite them. 

Actually, Chaeyeon dancing buddy, Yena, will come here later by herself, but before she arrives let me spent some quality time with my shadow. and when the firework display starts, someone calls my name.

"Chaewon... can you help me... please?" A voice from the balcony calling me and I know what kind of help she needs

"Yeah... I'll take the picture for you,"

"How did you know,"

"I just know,"

I grab Minjoo's phone and starts to take some photos of them, Minjoo seems very happy with Yujin, and so does Yujin. There is this one photo that makes me think they look good together, it was a photo of them side by side, facing outside, looking at each other as firework display provided a stunning backdrop.

I hope I'm the one who stands beside her on that photo.

And I start to feel miserable again, I started to regret coming home, I should stay in Germany.

Two days later

I'm 30 minutes away from landing in Germany, I cut my holiday short. I said to my family I need to return quickly because I have some paperwork to do, but the truth is there isn't any paperwork. I just had no reasons to stay longer, and I need to get busy to keep my mind away from Minjoo. It doesn't mean I want to forget her, but after I know she's already happy with someone else, my coward-self always frown when she crosses my mind.

Anyway, Nako fetches me at the airport, I brought Twice album as I promised to her, she thanks me and said she had something important to tell.

"Chae...Don't be surprised...I'm dating Hitomi,"

"What took both of you so long?"

"Huh? that's your reaction? that's it? no plan to get shocked or surprised?"

"I already knew both of you like each other, especially you Ms.Yabuki, you're too obvious,"

"He...he...he... I guess I am,"

Perfect!!
Not only in Korea but in Germany too, I'm surrounded by couples

That holiday really affected my friendship with Minjoo, at least from my side, I tried to understand the situation, I try to distance myself from her, I never text her first, I just replied when she text, if I think there's nothing to text about I'll stop replying, I was being cautious with my feelings but also I was afraid Yujin will get jealous. I tried to respect their relationships.

-6 months later-

As time goes by, I rarely received any text or phone call from her, maybe she found out I tried to avoid her and she does exactly the same to me. she's maybe clumsy but she's not dull to ignore that. Her last call was almost 4 months ago and it has been exactly a month after her las text.

One midnight at my apartment I play with my phone and open the Texting app I used to text Minjoo. I decide to Re-reading my old text with her, I scrolled my phone and read everything, left a smile on my face, make me realize how much I miss her.

After hard thought, I decided to text her again after a while. 

[Joo...where are you? can we talk? it's been a while]

it'll be about 6 or 7 in the morning in Seoul so I expected her to reply in an hour or two.

I wait...
and wait...
and wait...
but still, no replied

after 3 hours wait, I fell asleep with the phone still on my right hand. I woke up after 5 hours sleep and I check my phone immediately, she should have replied my text by this time, but still... no replied. 

Get tired of waiting I decided to call her... as soon as I called her number,

My call redirected to an auto message that notified me, the number I tried to call has been deactivated.

I hung up the call and throw my phone to the bed

That's why she doesn't reply. My text never reaches her, she changes her number.

And she doesn't tell me.

=========================================

I woke up by the sunlight that came through the window, I forgot to close the curtain last night. I reach my phone and i see 12 missed calls notification. I look at the clock and it's 8.40 AM, I had a meeting at 9 AM, my secretary tried to remind me 12 times. but I overslept. I prepare myself rapidly, skip my breakfast and drive to my office as fast as possible without breaking the rules. Today's meeting we discussed adding new flavour selection to boost our daily sale, I tried to add mint choco flavour for our new selection. I believe it'll be the best selling flavour in no time.

I've graduated from Mannheim 6 months ago, and now I'm the manager of the Ice cream chain under Kim Enterprise. My father said I will be the CEO of Kim Enterprise eventually but he wanted me to learn how to properly manage a store at first, and then will upgrade to one franchise chain and so on until the CEO position. 

So...
Here I am...
Working hard to earn my way to the top.

It's been a little over 2 years since the last time I text Minjoo, I told my self to never search for her new number as I believe she doesn't want to be bothered. The fact that I lost contact with my only best friend, I don't even know if I'm still can call her my best friend after 2 years being stranger.

After that day I focus on my study and graduated with laude, My family came all the way from Seoul to see me wear my graduation gown, and Chaeyeon even asks her girlfriend to come with. They'll get married sooner or later anyway, she's already a family to me.

It was a very happy day for me, but sadly Nako and Hitomi can't join me on the graduation ceremony, they failed one class. That's because Nako got Typhoid fever and got hospitalized for 2 weeks, and Hitomi? she's being sweets to her girlfriend and can't leave Nako alone at the hospital.

At the airport, before I leave to Seoul, this time permanently, They promised they will graduate soon, and a few months later they did. I asked my father to lend me his private jet to me for a flight to Germany, I wanted to see my two precious friends graduated. after I meet them, I congratulated and hug them both. we take some photos, had a quick and small party for celebration. I have to go back to Seoul as soon as possible and they'll also flight back to Japan later that day and report to Vampire Inc Main office in Tokyo, Nako will work at Vampire Inc. Fukuoka office while Hitomi at their Tochigi office. It looks like they'll have to sustain long-distance relationships. I missed them, I look forward to meeting them again.

Back to the present day, I'm having lunch at Deutsche Küche, I'm craving for german cuisine since this morning and I skip my breakfast, I'm starving right now. I order laberkase and wurst as my meal and a glass of pilsner. I seated on the farthest table, I like serenity when I eat. 30 minutes later I've finished my meal, when I was about to ask for my bill to the waitress, I saw two familiar figure exiting the restaurant. One of them was taller, black-haired girl, she tied her hair but I'm sure it was shoulder cut hair. the other girl had long brownish hair wearing a black long-handed shirt, wrap with a blazer and short black skirt, isn't that Yujin and Minjoo?. Unfortunately, I can't confirm who they were because I can only look at their back.

Even it was Yujin and Minjoo, I don't think I'm brave enough to approach them, especially Minjoo. I still believe she doesn't want me to bother her again.

======================================

Walking at the city park to start my weekend was a good decision, it's still about 7 in the morning not many people in this park, and it's in the middle of autumn, those fallen leaves that carried away by the win remind me of a quote,

- Autumns show us how beautiful it is to let things go -

Unknown

Yeah...
That's right...
Sometimes letting something go is the better decision rather than hold on to your ego.

I walk that path full of fallen leaves and take a deep breath, and the natural aroma really heals me from stressed I got after days of busywork. And unforeseen situation waiting for me in the other end of the phone call I was about to answer, it was a number I didn't recognize, but I answered it anyway.

"Hello, This is Chaewon-ie, right?"

"I'm sorry... but who is this? do i know you?"

"This is Minjoo's mom, I'm sorry if I suddenly called you like this, but we need your help, Chaewon,"

"Ah...Yes... Hello Imo, it's been a while, how are you? and what can I do for you?"

"Do you know where is Minjoo? Yujin said she hasn't got home since last night, she has never been like that before and she doesn't pick up our phone call, I'm really worried, what if anything happened to her?"