[Chaeyoung’s POV: Two days ago – Day 8]

“Ajjushi, I have a proposal for you.” I clenched my fist as I looked at the reporter who’s busy wiping his camera lens.

He looked up to me with a puzzled look in his face, “I’m listening.”

Dahyun grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to the side. Tzuyu followed, using her body to block my view of the guy. Folding her arms and looking at me angrily.

“Wae?”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Dahyun glared at me. I’ve never seen her this angry.

Tzuyu furrowed her eyebrows “Chaeyoung-a, just go back inside. We’ll handle this guy by ourselves.”

I sighed, “I appreciate your help, girls. But I have to handle this on my own. I created this mess. I need to fix it by myself.”

“Not true.” Dahyun’s grip on my arm tightened. “We’re a family, remember? We’re here to protect you, no matter what.”

“Even if it means we have to kill someone for you.” Tzuyu’s voice suddenly became louder. I can see the guy flinch behind her.

I chuckled weakly, “that’s not necessary, Tzuyu-ah. Just let me handle this. Jebal.”

“SON CHAEYOUNG! I’M YOUR UNNIE AND I FORBID YOU FROM DOING THIS!!!” Dahyun’s usually pasty white skin suddenly started turning bright red. I can see that she’s fuming from frustration.

I grabbed her hand that is gripping my arm and carefully pushed it down. She slowly let go but her face is still all red.

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “Mianhamnida, unnie. But not this time.” I can feel her tensed shoulders drop.

I looked at Tzuyu who’s staring at me with the saddest eyes I’ve seen. I pursed my lips and tried smiling at her.

I gently pushed Dahyun to the side and faced the reporter again.

“Ten minutes.” I said as I held up all my fingers. “I’ll give you a ten minutes tell-all interview.”

His face lit up.

“In two conditions.” I closed all fingers except two.

He squinted his eyes. I got his full attention. “Carry on…”

“Conceal the other girl’s identity. No questions about who she is or where she’s from. She’ll remain as an unknown girl from Seoul, arraseo?”

He’s intrigued. I gulped, praying he’ll take the bait.

It feels like forever waiting for his response. He smirked, shaking his head. “It’s times like this that I seriously hate my job.”

He looked up to me. “Are you sure about this? This might take a toll in your career. You know… you don’t really have to do that.”

“I know. But that would mean you’ll keep on following us and I don’t like you bothering her at any means. She’s been through a lot and this would be the last thing she’ll want.” Picturing Mina’s smiling face gave me a lot of courage, I don’t want her to lose that smile.

He scratched his head, “You’re really protecting her. That’s really charming. Arraseo.” He stood up, “what’s the second condition?”

“Release the article after three days.” After our 10^th day.

“jeosonghamnida, I don’t think I could do that. They’ll be releasing the first article tomorrow. That’s why I have until your departure to take pictures of you. Usually idols take their SOs on dates before leaving the country.”

“These vultures.” Dahyun snapped at the back. Tzuyu is trying to calm her down.

“I’m really sorry.” He looks sincere. Ottoke?

I used my firmest voice. “Stall them. I think they could wait for two more days if you offer them a big scoop like this.”

He sighed, “I’ll see what I can do. My sunbaes can be really tough but I’ll try my best to delay the publishing.”

I nodded. Arraseo.

I looked at my phone to check the time, “Your 10 minutes starts now.”

He reached for his back pocket and brought out his phone. He the voice recorder and asked his first question.

[Mina’s POV: Day 10]

I stood up too fast that the chair I was sitting on fell down.

“What the hell is this?” I almost threw the phone on the table. My legs are shaking. My fists are clenched. I looked at everyone in the room.

“Can someone please explain me what the is happening?” everyone is avoiding my gaze.

“Yeorobun… (Guys…)” I said weakly, I can feel my eyes starting to well up.

Tzuyu lifted her head slowly and looked at me with the saddest eyes I’ve ever seen. She sighed, “Please sit down, unnie. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

---

Our plane landed a few minutes ago and we’re walking past immigration. I feel lost. Momo is guiding me, clutching my arm, as I walked aimlessly.

Chaeyoung-a, pabo-ya.

I sighed under my face mask. I raised my hand to lower my bucket hat and spread my mask wider. I don’t want anyone seeing my face today. Not even a fraction of my cheek.

“She tried her best to protect you. She thought it’s the only way to do it since she kept on insisting she made this mess herself.” Tzuyu’s words echoed in my head.

I can hear the fansites and reporters screaming our names, but everything feels so distant. Right, our managers requested for additional security on our behalf. They anticipated that the media would feast on us upon our arrival. I guess they’re right.

“—what are your thoughts on Chaeyoung admitting that she’s gay?” I heared the man’s voice loud and clear. I attempted to raise my head to see who said that but I felt a hand at the back of my head. It was Sana’s.

She gripped my other arm with one hand while the other was still holding down my head. “Don’t mind them. Just keep on walking.” She whispered.

“Let’s just go home quickly, arraseo? I’m sure Chaeyoungie is waiting for us at the dorm.” Sana’s hand slid down to mine and sent some of her warmth to my icy fingers.

I nodded. Chaeyoung and I have a lot of things to talk about.

---

After an hour, we finally arrived home. I almost sprinted towards the door. I could already visualize her sitting on the sofa in an almost fetal position with a blanket covering her body while watching tv.

I ran up the stairs and headed to the living room. The couch was empty. I looked around. She’s neither in the kitchen nor the dining room.

“Chaeyoung-a?” I called out to her.

There was no response. I kept on calling her name. Hoping to hear a tiny “Ne?”

But there was nothing. I checked their room and there’s not even a trace of her there.

I can hear the footsteps of the other members as they ascend from the stairs.

Dahyun and Tzuyu were the first to arrive.

I shook my head at them. “She’s not here. I don’t think she was even here.”

Dahyun walked towards me and rubbed my back.

“Let’s call their home. Maybe she stayed there for now.”

Right. She might be home. I stood up. Manager unnie came with Nayeon and Jeongyeon.

“Unnie, do you have Chaeng’s residential number?” I asked her immediately.

“Uh… I don’t think so. But I think I have her mom’s number. Jamkkanman.” She reached for her phone and handed it to me. It’s already ringing.

I put the phone to my ear and waited for the other line to pick up. Pali, pali. Jebal…

“Yeoboseo?”

“Yeoboseo, eommoni. This is Mina…” my voice is shaking.

“Ah. Minari…” I couldn’t sense her emotion in the tone of her voice. It made me more nervous.

“Eommoni, is Chaeyoung there?”

“Mina, Chaeyoung just left.”

“When is she coming back, eommoni?”

“I don’t know yet. She haven’t told me.”

Why? Why can’t she tell?

“Where did she go?” I’m already biting my lip and gripping the phone too tightly.

“She didn’t tell me exactly but she said she’s going somewhere in Europe…”

Europe. Why?

I froze from where I’m standing. Why did she leave so abruptly? Why didn’t she tell me? My heart is full of emotions I could no longer process. Anger, pain, frustration. Why did you do this Son Chaeyoung?

I didn’t realize that the phone has already fallen to the floor. I stared at the screen as it died. I was motionless for almost a minute.

“Minari.” Manager Tendo’s voice woke me up from my dazed state.

I looked up to him with dead eyes.

With both his hands he’s holding an envelope that looked oddly familiar, he reached out to me and handed it. “You got a letter in the mail, I think you should read it.”

I took it and stared at the envelope. It has our dorm’s address and my name as the recipient. I looked at the name of the sender. Son Chaeyoung.

With her signature lip and mole doodle after her name.

It’s the letter we wrote in Antika.

I sat down and opened the mail.

I read each word painfully slow. I don’t want to miss anything.

"

My dearest Mina unnie,

Did you have fun today? I really hope you did.

I have so many things I want to say to you but I don’t think it would fit in this paper. ㅋㅋㅋ

I’ll just make it simple.

First, GOMAWO. Thank you for indulging me in this experiment. I blurted it out without even thinking of what I would do if you turn me down. But thankfully you didn’t. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ my heart fluttered when you said yes. Jinjja.

Second, MIANHE…

Third, neomu ippeuda. I’m looking at you right now and that’s the first thing that comes to my mind. You really look beautiful today. –I mean you look pretty every day. It’s just that today, you look especially beautiful. And I think even in the future, when I get the chance to read your letter, I could just close my eyes and I would remember how beautiful you look right now and I’ll be smiling from ear to ear.

Fourth, I wish that after our 10 days is over, no matter what happens, you could continue to be happy.

Regardless of who you’re with, I promise to be happy for you. Jeongmal.

I hope you could look back to the memories we shared with a smile in your face. Like a beautiful dream you woke up to.

There’s one more thing I want to tell you but I don’t want to write it here. I want to tell it to you in person. I just hope I’d have the courage to do so. But if our ten days is over and I still haven’t said it, I hope you could forgive me and forget about it.

Forever Yours,

Chaeyoung 

"

I stared at the piece of paper staring at her hand writing. As my vision starts to get cloudy and I felt a tear roll down my cheek, I muttered the words repeatedly to myself.

“Pabo. Chaeyoung, jinjja pabo-ya.”