Today was exhausting for Kim Minji due to a huge project from the well-known company in the town. She works at the interior office she had founded with close friends since high school, Bora and Siyeon. Now she just wants to lean her head and closed her eyes, resting herself.

To make her resting time better, Minji played a song from her phone and let it blasts loud enough through the speakers. As her favorite song plays, Minji walks towards the balcony. Her flat has a small balcony and she turns that into her chilling space. It's some kind of obligation for interior designers to use even the smallest corner in the room. Minji did her magic by buying a cheap but comfy sofa, combine with a rusty coffee table. It becomes one of her favorite spots in her house. The first one is her bedroom.

She sits down gulping her beer, enjoying the night air of the city she lived in since 7 years ago. It is a million miles away from Korea but she can call it home.

Bang! Thump thump thump!

Minji frowned while trying to listen to the source of that sounds. She heard an audible yelling.

Thud!

Seems like her solitude got interrupted, again, she could only sigh. Turns out her music isn’t loud enough to make her deaf to the issue.

There's another shout, but she still cannot understand the words.

Bang!

That caused her to sit up straight. It's quiet now.

Is she okay? She bit her lip. That’s the first question in her mind after Minji heard someone is sobbing. She sounds close. 

Every time it happened, Minji just sat there. Silently be there for the girl until it stops. It might be the bizarre thing Minji ever does, but she just couldn’t leave.

The girl upstairs, Minji usually meets her in the elevator or in front of this apartment. She moved to this apartment 3 months ago. The girl is Korean too but she never had a chance to talk to her. Minji knows nothing besides her name.

If Minji could name the right term, that will be ‘they always meet at the bad time’. When Minji went to work, the girl just came back from somewhere. When Minji just got home, that woman was just about to leave.

And sometimes, Minji met her when she’s with the girlfriend.

The designer clenched her jaw. What are they fighting about? Minji desperately wants to know. Tonight isn’t the first time she heard that and Minji couldn’t help but judge. How can the pretty girl like her end up with that kind of girlfriend?

Minji wouldn’t lie if she’s attracted to the girl. She's so attractive and Minji always had a hard time to control her stare. But after Minji learns the girl has a girlfriend, she thought it will be better if she doesn’t make any moves. No matter how tempting she is to initiate a conversation, in the end, it was only heys and byes.

Minji swallows her beer pretending all of those voice doesn’t make her worried. Lately, it happened more often than before. Usually starts with shouting—yelling then ends with slamming doors. A minute later all the things she could hear is the girl crying.

Crash! It sounds like something has been thrown.

Minji stands from her chair. She gripped her can, pacing back and forth, totally ignoring whatever song playing in the background. What if something awful happened and she needs help? Something involving assaulting or self-harm? Then her cries fill her ears, it's louder than before.

! I’m going up!

***

Knock knock!

Minji constantly tapping her feet while waiting in front of a big white door. There’s rustling sounds from inside and someone clearing twice thrice before the door finally opens.

There she is. A beautiful stranger who makes Minji uneasy these days.

Minji peered at the balcony of the apartment that looked the same as hers, the door was open. That explains how those unpleasant sounds could reach her ears, loud and clear.

“Lily?” Her voice is shaking.

Minji somehow manages to smile as she lifts her hand awkwardly, greeting her neighbor.

“Can I help you?”

As far as she remembers the taller girl originally has a clear voice so Minji hates that she sounds hoarse now. Her raven black hair is messy and Minji clenched her hand to suppress an urge to fix it up. Her grey sweater zipped up till it covers her sharp chin.

“Oh. Right.” She said reminding herself what she was here for and begin to regret this decision. “I- I heard something from this floor..”

Minji asks cautiously while the girl just stares at her with her red and puffy eyes. She can't help but wonder how those eyes would look like when the girl isn't in this state.

“Rachel, if there’s something happened, and— if maybe you need something.” Minji continues, trying so hard to not sound creepy and desperate at the same time.

The girl looks down for a second before a corner of lifted. Her movement is weak.

“I think your ears are playing tricks on you.”

What? It caught Minji off guard. The blonde girl unconsciously taking a very small step backward, she cannot believe her ears.

Rachel seems to notice the unpleasant silence let out a smile, a sad one. “Thanks for checking up on me, but I heard nothing.”

Minji lost her words. Poor decision indeed. She could've told her that she heard her cries but she can't. Her mind goes blank. Minji doesn't know what to do.

With a voice lack of energy and eyes full of sadness, Rachel forced her smile once more.

“It must have been the wind.”

***

Minji back to her balcony with her second can of beer. The images of Rachel flashing in her mind makes her groan. She should mind her own business. The designer stands from her sofa proceeds to close the glass door. Standing there she feels the wind blowing her face, then she could hear the words she said.

It must have been the wind.

Minji lets out a pathetic chuckle. It’s so damn obvious that the girl lied. Of course, Rachel won’t tell, they’re practically stranger. She shouldn’t expect anything in the first place.

Minji walks to her bedroom after closing her balcony door. She lays down on her bed, closing her eyes hoping sleepiness will come.

It must have been the wind.

“No, it’s not.” She whispers to herself. It never will.

No wind sounds that miserable.

So lonely,

and heartbreaking.

***

Bora snaps her finger, waking up Minji from her thoughts. The blonde must be zoning out and being deaf with everything her colleague said to her.

“Penny for your thoughts?” the redhead asked but Minji unsure how to tell her the truth. Knowing Bora for years, she might think Minji is being ridiculous.

“Just sleepy."

Bora scoffs and pointing something between them with her jaw. “You’re not eating your macaroon and it’s vanilla. So you better tell me whatever bothering you.”

Minji puts down her cup, feel no point in denying it anymore. Bora is her best friend, she could easily read Minji. The next thing Minji does is telling her a tale about the girl and the wind.

“Wow.” She exclaimed then sipped her tea. “If I'm not mistaken, the last time you did something like that is when you mad at a man who pushed the old lady to the ground.”

“And your point?”

“Duh! You’re the most careful one between us, Ji.”

Minji recalled what she had done to that man, what Bora said was true. She rarely acted that fast, unless it bothers her very much. Minji didn’t regret how she cursed that man, he deserved it for being an . She was called Daejeon hurricane for a reason.

"The fact that you act like that means you care more than you think."

Minji falls silent, digesting everything her best friend said. She dislikes it when Bora the wise shows up. Everything suddenly makes sense and the last reason is her cocky smirk that follows.

“If it bothers your mind, then do something," Bora says as she brings Minji neglected macaroon to . “I still need your mind for our job.”

***

Minji sits on her balcony again tonight. With speaker blasting, she tries to hear something from upstairs. The blonde stops playing sad songs. She even makes a new playlist, named it the third floor and only has cheerful songs. Minji doesn’t know Rachel could hear it or not, still, Minji thinks it’s the least she can do.

It must have been the wind.

Minji ruffling her hair with both hands, it annoyed her but she couldn’t do anything. She doesn’t know the girl that much.

This time Bora’s voice echoing in her head. The fact that you act like that means you care more than you think.

Minji now craving for beers and curse when she found nothing in her refrigerator. She quickly grabs her wallet then put on her brown jacket.

Minji takes six-packs beers and 3 boxes of choco pies from the cashier, ready to go back. She once again mad at herself for not bringing a shopping bag. Not in any way Minji blamed her love for choco pies. The discount only for today and today will end soon, so yeah, she is blaming herself.

Her groceries make Minji struggling in front of the store for a few minutes. She doesn’t realize who giggled at her till she looks up.

Rachel?

The taller girl only wears her plain outfit with no makeup but still looks fine. Or maybe — maybe it’s the way she giggles that makes her look so much better, prettier.

Rachel steps forward and hands her a white shopping bag with a cute puppy printed on it. “Looks like you need this.”

Minji heart beating fast, her hand sweating. She’s afraid her beers and her boxes of choco pies will slip from her hands.

“Put that here. You can return it later.” The third-floor tenant opens the shopping bag, “I’m just gonna buy cup noodles anyway.”

Rachel chuckles again as she walks inside the store and there’s a strange tingling feeling in her heart when she heard Rachel little laugh. Minji shakes her head to bring her soul back. She’s about to thank her when the other girl also stopped at the door.

“Umm, Lily? I think you forgot to turn off your speaker.” Her finger pointed up.

Rachel stares at Minji for a few seconds before her gaze wandering around the floor. There was some kind of relief when the woman stopped staring because she was so sure she could drown in it. Not like she’s mind tho, but now isn’t the appropriate time.

“But that’s a nice playlist,” She says softly while scratching her neck. “It’s— it’s kinda cheering me up.”

Wait. That’s it. She listens!

After thanked the girl and promise her to return the bag, Minji rushed to her apartment. Her heart beating like crazy until she no longer knows which one she should hold tight. Her beers and choco pies, or her heart.

Bora is right and Minji finally figures out how. After all of these few months felt helpless listening to the miserable wind, now she found an opportunity. She found the way.

All the things inside the shopping scattered on the marble counter as a result of her abrupt move, but Minji doesn’t care. Her thirst for beer is long gone.

With a rush she grabs her phone, typing something then hit play.

Lean On Me by Bill Withers

Minji wouldn't know whether Rachel had returned to her apartment or not. Even if the woman already back, there’s a probability she would go straight into her room. This song won’t be heard and Minji will lose her courage to do anything for the girl at all.

Still, nothing would ever beat the memory of Rachel’s smile. The girl is prettier with a smile on her face, she should know that. That’s enough for Minji to decide that she will take this chance. No matter how long the taller girl will get the idea, Minji is willing to wait.

So Minji turns up the volume, then put the song on repeat. The blonde humming along to the song when she already lay down on her sofa. There’s warm feeling spreading in her chest as she closes her eyes. A wide smile appears on her face at the thought of one simple hope.

If there is a load

You have to bear

That you can’t carry

I’m right up the road

I’ll share your load

If you just call me

Minji wants her to know that it's okay to feel pain. One day it will go away and everything will be fine. Minji wants the other girl to know that if she needs someone, she just has to knock.

One hour later, Minji wakes up to the door sound. She glanced at the clock with one eye closed, 8.54 PM. With weak steps, she walks to open the door.

“Rachel?”

The beauty in front of her makes her eyes wider, now she’s a hundred percent awake.

“Hey, Lily! Oh?” opens then her eyebrows furrowed, notice about Minji wake up phase. “Am I bothering you?”

“No, no, you’re not.” Minji quickly tidying her hair and her clothes as she recalls what happened. It's quiet in her apartment, her phone must be dead in the middle of her sleep. Then, what is she standing here for?

“I just—” Rachel clears before her lips curved into a smile. And Minji unconsciously smiling too. “I heard your song.”

Minji lifts her eyebrows. Oh, is this happening?

Rachel’s eyes sparkling and her smile slipped from her lips. Minji discovering Rachel has dimples in both of her cheeks. It looks adorable and Minji wishes to see it again and again. "Thank you."

All the butterflies in Minji stomach flutters. Celebrating something that starts to bloom inside her. Suddenly everything feels lighter.

“Minji.” The blonde stated, “My Korean name.”

Rachel looks at Minji with gaped, processing the information. Minji patiently waits until the girl returns the smile along with tiny sparks in her eyes. So that's how those eyes look like when a smile reaches her eyes, bewitching. Minji would foolishly believe Rachel smile could melt an iceberg.

“Minji... I’m Yoohyeon. Kim Yoohyeon.”

From the way Yoohyeon says her name with her angelic voice, she knows her secret messages could wait. Yoohyeon is here, standing two steps away and that’s enough.

As her heart pounding wildly, Minji flashing her infamous eye smile. She's ready to fall.

“Wanna come in for a beer?”

There’s a glimpse of hesitation from the other girl but Minji is unwavering. Yoohyeon is her gravity and Minji won’t hesitate to jump.

“That— that sounds great,” Yoohyeon speaks softly. The answer makes the blonde girl couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear as she opens the door wider to let Yoohyeon in.

Minji set aside her thought about the wind when she lay her eyes on Yoohyeon who takes a seat in her living room. That doesn’t matter anymore. She can ask about it someday, or maybe never.

Right now Minji has her chance and she better make it count.

End.