Minji and Yoohyeon.

 

Yoohyeon and Minji.

 

Those two names were almost always stuck together. They were your typical childhood friends. Lived next to one another, their mothers were great friends, and they played together under the sun.

 

Minji was a kind-hearted child. She wore cute little dresses and spoke nicely to adults and children alike. When she played on the playground, she would always allow the younger kids the chance to play on the swings. It was easy to like her. Yoohyeon on the other hand, couldn't be more different from her. The younger girl preferred pants to dresses. She wasn’t as articulate as Minji, but she tried her best to learn from her best friend. When she played at the playground, she enjoyed the swings without care for who’s turn it was. Adults liked her anyways for her easygoing and bright nature.

 

Minji took care of Yoohyeon like she was her younger sister. Of course, Gahyeon, Minji’s actual younger sister, was jealous at the attention Yoohyeon received. But when she got to know the clumsy girl, it wasn’t hard for them to become friends. Besides, if Yoohyeon could make Minji smile like that, then Gahyeon was all for having Yoohyeon around.

 

Life at home was difficult for the siblings for different reasons. When they weren’t going to school, their parents took them to academies and lessons. Such was the life of heiresses. Kim Corporation was taking off in recent years in the new age of technology. Minji loved her parents and all that they do for her and Gahyeon, but she couldn’t help but be unsatisfied. She just wanted to spend time with her parents instead of them sending gifts to make up for their absence.

 

Minji and Gahyeon probably spent more time with their babysitter than with their mother and father. They understood the need for their parents to be working. They were happy even for the success that their family has found.

 

But they couldn't help but be happily unhappy.

 

--

 

Middle school was a boring affair. Study, eat, play with Yoohyeon, go to business lessons, sleep, rinse and repeat. It was the same thing everyday. The same pressures placed on her tiny shoulders by her parents. Her younger sister’s worried gaze on the back of her head.

 

(But she would do it all over again if it meant that Gahyeon, her baby sister, would continue to have the freedom she deserves.) Gahyeon ended up loving singing so Minji did what any good sister would do: Become the sole heir to the family company. Instead of going to singing lessons with Gahyeon like when they were children, Minji sat inside her father’s office to read words in a contract she hardly understood. While other friends from school would get ice cream after school, Minji was stuck learning the proper etiquette for fine dining. Gahyeon once voiced her concern with her older sister as well.

 

“Unnie, if it’s too hard, you can always tell mom and dad that you don’t want to do this anymore… or I can help you...” Gahyeon had said with a sad face. Minji hasn’t gone out in a week to play with her or Yoohyeon, citing her reason as needing to study for school and the company. The bunny-like girl was exhausted after a long day and just wanted to rest.

 

“I’m alright whiny puppy. Besides, you love singing and I love to hear you sing. So please, keep singing.” Minji gives Gahyeon a pat on the head and makes her way to her bedroom. Gahyeon’s worried gaze followed her all the way.

 

Sometimes, it was all too much for Minji. She would hold her head high throughout the day but break down in the darkness of her childhood bedroom. But there was a saving grace in all of this: Yoohyeon.

 

Yoohyeon always knew when Minji was feeling down. And in a true Yoohyeon-like fashion, she would drag Minji out of those lessons and bring her somewhere fun to play. Sometimes they would have spontaneous adventures at the park, like they used to when they were six. Other times, Yoohyeon would ask Minji’s parents for permission to bring her to the amusement park. Normally, Mr. Kim was very strict with his child’s lessons but, when he saw how tired she seemed to be nowadays, he finds his heart hurting for his child. So he easily says yes. It certainly helps that it’s Yoohyeon, whom he and his wife adore. Perhaps Yoohyeon will be his daughter-in-law one day...he wouldn’t be opposed to that.

 

However, their lovely childhood of fun and games came to an abrupt end when the Kim corporation started going downhill. One bad business transaction caused the company to nearly file for bankruptcy. As a result, the Kim family decided to move from Seoul to Japan, where there were more opportunities to recover from their losses.

 

Yoohyeon cried more than she ever had in her 13 years of living that fall. The air was beginning to become crisp, transitioning between hot and cold weather. The younger girl loved autumn, it was neither too hot nor too cold. Just perfect, in her eyes. But the fact that her best friend and her sister were going to move away forever made autumn seem colder than usual. She cried as Minji held her hand for the last time. They promised to write to each other often but Yoohyeon knew it wasn’t going to be the same. She was going to have to go through the awkward teenage years without her best friend by her side.

 

But more than anything, Yoohyeon was worried that Minji was going to overwork herself without her there to keep the older in check. She worried that Gahyeon would be lonely without her older sibling to play with her. She worried that Minji would be forced to dedicate everything into helping the company get back on its feet.

 

(Most importantly, she worried that her Minji, kind-hearted and loving Minji, would forget all about her.)

 

As it came to be, Yoohyeon was right to worry about all of these things. Long distance strained their friendship and by the time high school was over, they had not spoken to each other for 5 years.

 

--

 

Yoohyeon was in for a surprise when she finds out that Gahyeon has moved back into the house next door with her mom. She was on her way to her university when she runs into the smaller girl on the driveway.

 

“Yooh unnie!” Gahyeon tackles her into a hug, squishing her face as much as she could into the taller’s neck.

 

Yoohyeon recoils from the impact but manages to balance them both. Gahyeon was not the little kid she remembered. But then again, it’s been 7 years and she herself has gotten quite tall. “Little Hyeon! When did you get back? Are you moving back in here?”

 

“Yep! I actually moved back to Korea a few years back with my mom but we only just managed to purchase this house again. It’s really nice to be back!” Yoohyeon had a ton of questions like why did Gahyeon come back and why was she just with her mom. But she held her tongue seeing how happy Gahyeon was to see her. She was about to suggest grabbing some coffee to catch up but her phone rings with notifications that her class was about to start.

 

“Shoot, I’m sorry Gahyeon. My class is going to start so I have to get going. I’ll see you around?” Yoohyeon begins to walk backwards as she speaks in rapid fire. Gahyeon just nods and shoos the older girl away with a broad smile.

 

--

 

As it turns out, Gahyeon returned to Korea years ago because she missed home and wanted to finish high school and start college here. As for why her mom is with her… the family had a fallout… to put it nicely. Their parents fought over a lot of things regarding the company and as a result, Gahyeon and Minji were forced to choose between them. Mr. and Mrs. Kim never officially divorced but they did mutually separate. Gahyeon and her mom came back to Korea with a little money so they stayed in the countryside with the grandparents from her mom’s side until they could get back on their feet.

 

“Wait so, you’re saying that you haven’t seen Minji or your dad in...6 years?”

 

Gahyeon deflated a bit and stirred her milkshake. “7, actually. The company having troubles really tore the family apart. I haven’t seen or heard any news of Minji unnie or dad.”

 

It was odd. To Yoohyeon, Minji was communicating just fine with her up until 5 years ago. But according to Gahyeon, this whole situation started close to when they moved to Japan. And yet, Minji never made any mention Gahyeon coming back to Korea. So, Yoohyeon tells Gahyeon just that.

 

“...I don’t know what to make of that,” Gahyeon says, “But what I do know is that Minji unnie cut off all contact with us. Mom also doesn’t know how to contact her and the one time she went to Japan to find her, dad prevented her from doing so.”

 

“...I see.” Yoohyeon did not see anything. It felt all wrong. But she guesses after trying for so long and not being able to find Minji, Gahyeon and her mom gave up. Minji did make her choice to stay with her dad so there was that.

 

“Well enough of that! Now that you’re back, we can hang out with a couple of my friends and show you around the city. There’s plenty of fun things to do now.” Yoohyeon said enthusiastically. She just knows that Gahyeon would have tons of fun with her group of friends.

 

--

 

It isn’t until another 4 years until Yoohyeon gets another surprise in her life.

 

She’s on her way to a conference room in some fancy hotel for her presentation. She’s now a PhD candidate in nanotechnology. Her research partner and long time friend, Yoobin, was beside her, preparing their technology for display. Lots of big companies are going to show up to possibly invest in the most innovative project. Yoohyeon knows that she and Yoobin are going to kill the competition with what they’ve been researching. It would be a huge breakthrough for many fields if they manage to complete it.

 

Yoobin’s phone chimes with messages from their friends, supporting them. Yoohyeon looks at her phone to read a few:

 

You’re going to do great, girls! - Handong

 

Destroy everyone and wipe the floors with their tears mwahahaha >:) -Bora

 

...what the crazy lady above said but with more fire involved - Siyeon

 

Unnies ignore Bora unnie and Siyeon unnie. Dongie unnie is the only sane one here. But you guys will do great and hopefully next year, i’ll be able to join you nerds :D - Gahyeon

 

Yoohyeon hears Yoobin’s deep chuckle next to her and locks her phone. “Showtime Yoob. We’ve got this.”

 

“Yeah, as always, dork. Person who stutters the most pays for dinner?”

 

The taller girl takes a deep breath and nods. She reaches over to bump fists with Yoobin and walks up the main stage.

 

She doesn’t notice at first. There were too many lights, too many cameras, too many people to have noticed. But when she exits the stage after her show stopping presentation, she thinks she sees a familiar face. But there were too many people moving past her view for her to get a closer look. By the time the path had cleared, the face was gone.

 

Yoohyeon chalked it up to her imagination. It couldn’t have been her right? It’s been years since she last spared a thought about her childhood friend. News about the Kim Corporation only revolved around stocks and company buyouts. The only time it wasn’t was when it was announced that Minji was the new CEO at the tender age of 20. Even then, there was practically no news about her at all. Not even a single picture. It was all very secretive.

 

Unfortunately for Yoohyeon, she will be the one to stay for the demonstration station in the hall. Yoobin had another presentation to catch after this one so Yoohyeon was left alone. While she did want to market her research and develop it even further, she was not very keen on speaking to people. Well, that was a very nice way of putting it. Yoohyeon was downright socially awkward. And nerdy. And maybe a loser.

 

(Yoohyeon would like to contest that last one.)

 

“Would you mind explaining more about your research?” a soft voice catches her attention. Looking up from her display, Yoohyeon’s breath is caught in .

 

There, in all her black-haired glory, is her childhood best friend, Kim Minji. She was even more beautiful than Yoohyeon had imagined her to be. She was also pretty tall but Yoohyeon towered over her by a few centimeters. And don’t get Yoohyeon started on her face. She was always a er for pretty girls but Minji really takes the cake.

 

“Minji...” Yoohyeon still couldn’t believe it. She probably stood there gaping like a fish but she couldn’t help it. Minji tilted her head to the side at Yoohyeon’s odd behavior.

 

After a long staring contest between the two of them, Minji breaks out into a small smile. “Hi Yoohyeon. It’s been a long time.” Yoohyeon perks up and runs to hug the older girl tight. She’d missed her, even if she denied it all these years. Arms come up to pat her on the back.

 

Pulling away, Minji lifts her head to get a better look at Yoohyeon. “You’ve gotten taller than me, Yoohyeon.” The older girl pulls away completely and beckons Yoohyeon to her display. That soft look in Minji’s eyes dissipate so quickly that Yoohyeon got whiplash from the change. Gone was the warmth and replaced by a matured, cold look that only a CEO of her caliber could express. Other professionals were interested in what CEO Kim Minji was looking at, attracting a larger crowd. It made Yoohyeon nervous but she did her best to present her research.

 

By the end of it, Minji was gone. Yoohyeon hadn’t even noticed that she disappeared, too engaged with her work. Several investors and researchers were praising her work and wanted to fund it so it all worked out in the end.

 

A moderator approached her at the end of the event, handing her an envelope. The contents were quite simple: Kim corporation would like to fully invest in her nanotechnology. Yoohyeon knew that it had to be Minji’s doing.

 

Yoohyeon’s eyes bulged at the hefty amount offered to them as a preliminary amount. With funding like this, Yoohyeon and Yoobin would be able to provide a greater product and more. It was a researcher’s dream come true. They would finally be able to put time into medical research and potentially save lives.

 

To say that Yoohyeon was excited would be an understatement. And she had Minji to thank for this opportunity.

 

--

 

Yoobin opened the door to the new lab they were going to be working in. A woman from Kim Corporation led them on a tour of all the facilities that will be offered to them for their time with the company. There was even a personal gym that they could use on their free time.

 

But even better were the state of the art lab equipment provided to them. Minji had sent her an email asking what types of machines she would like to work with. Yoohyeon had named a few that she thought would advance the research but she never imagined that Minji would go and buy all of them. She really had to see the older girl and thank her one of these days.

 

“Excuse me, but, I was wondering if you know how I can get into contact with Minji.” Yoohyeon asks the woman after the tour was over. The woman seemed shocked that Yoohyeon was referring to the CEO by her first name.

 

Flustered, the woman stammers out a reply, “A-ah, yes. I can give you Miss Kim’s office number or you can visit her office at this address. If there is anything else you need, you may call me at the front desk and I will handle everything.”

 

After the woman left, Yoobin lets out a low whistle. “When you told me that we got the offer of a lifetime, you really meant it.”

 

“Yup.” Yoohyeon says, popping the ‘p’, “Definitely didn’t expect to see Minji here.”

 

“She was your childhood friend right? The one you had a crush on?” Yoobin teases. Yoohyeon whines and tries to flick Yoobin on the forehead, only to miss miserably.

 

“I was 13 okay?! Minji was the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. What was I supposed to do, say she’s ugly?” The taller girl sulks in her office chair. The chair was extra comfy and had wheels on them so she started to spin around in it. Yoobin sighed at her same-aged friend.

 

“Well, since she’s back, you have the chance to reconnect with her. Aren’t you happy?” Yoobin tilts her head to the side. Yoohyeon looks up at her friend with an apprehensive look in her eyes.

 

“....It would be nice to do that. But Minji has changed and I’m not sure if it’s for the best...” Yoobin sighs again and as she is about to open to reply, her phone goes off. She checks her messages and turns off her phone again.

 

“...Come on. The others are waiting for their free lunch.” Yoobin motions Yoohyeon to get up from her chair. “And Yooh, since when were you the type to give up? Just be your annoying self and I’m sure Kim Minji will open up to you again.”

 

A last indignant hey! echoed through the halls of the laboratory.

 

--

 

Yoobin and Yoohyeon enter the apartment where their friends are waiting. The taller girl tries her best to stifle her giggles when she sees Yoobin’s eyes light up at a certain chinese girl. Handong was sitting at the edge of the table in her wheelchair, smiling at them both.

 

“Hey, love.” Yoobin leans down and gives her a kiss on the lips as greeting, ignoring her loud friends (Siyeon and Bora). Handong caresses her cheek for a few seconds before letting go. Yoobin sits adjacent from her and holds her hand as they place an order for takeout food.

 

“Had a good first day of work?” Handong asks quietly, with her head on Yoobin’s shoulder.

 

“Not bad. I think we’re really going to be able to make a difference, Dongie.” Yoobin spoke quietly but Handong could hear the excitement in her tone. It made her smile. The younger girl often hid what she felt, an instinct she developed when she was younger. But nowadays, with Handong and their friends, Yoobin was opening up more easily.

 

“I’m happy for you, Yoobinie.” The chinese takes the hand in hers and gives it a kiss. Yoobin simply leans her head on Handong’s, content. “Yeah, one day, I’ll be able to get you out of this wheelchair. I promise.”

 

Handong wanted to tell Yoobin that she didn’t need to promise her that since having the younger girl was enough to make her happy. But she knew that her disability served as motivation for Yoobin to always do better in her research. So she kept quiet, planting a soft kiss to a fluffy cheek and hugging the short-haired girl closer.

 

Their hug was interrupted by their ranconcous friends wanting to play monopoly while they waited for food to come. Yoobin heaved a heavy sigh while Handong smiled in amusement. Whenever they played this game, it always ended in disaster.

 

(Yoohyeon would know. She’d lost last time and had to run around the neighborhood in her bikini while promoting Loona at 3am. The poor girl caught a cold and had a hangover the next day.)

 

Siyeon and Bora were already plotting the punishment for the loser, if their mischievous expressions were anything to go by. But this time, it was going to be their best one yet…

 

--

 

“You guys are such cheaters...” Yoohyeon grumbled when she walked into the lab the next morning. She went in for a bear hug but was stopped by Yoobin’s outstretched arms. The big puppy pouted and sat down in her chair.

 

The short-haired girl handed her friend a cup of water and hangover medicine. “Not my fault you at monopoly.” she said simply. Yoohyeon groaned and kicked out her legs in frustration.

 

She should have known something was up yesterday. The game of monopoly started out like it always did, with her in the lead and swimming in her fake money. But then things started turning weird when only she was taking losses in rent and mortgage. Then it dawned on the blonde that Siyeon, Bora, Gahyeon, and even Yoobin were teaming up against her to make her lose. Yoohyeon didn't even know it was possible to team up like that in monopoly.

 

So Yoohyeon did what anyone in that situation would do: Flip the monopoly board over and call shenanigans.

 

( “You guys cheated!” Yoohyeon stood up and pointed her finger at the plotting friends. All of them, even the kind soul that was Handong was laughing.

 

“Sorry Yooh, but none of us cheated. We did everything by the book, it just so happens that you landed in every trap we set.” Siyeon explained while leaning on Bora. What the black-haired girl failed to mention was that she placed a magnet inside the dice and controlled the value when it was Yoohyeon’s turn. Not that she was ever going to tell her, of course.

 

Yoohyeon whined as she leaned her head on Handong’s legs. The Chinese girl patted the whiny girl on the head as she tried to stifle her giggles. The other half of DaDong was too busy laughing her off at the sorry state Yoohyeon was in. Usually, the quiet scientist wouldn’t behave like this but a few drinks and goading from her friends loosened up her mind.

 

The origin of all evil AKA Bora, stood up and announced in a very loud volume, “Yoohyeon! Your punishment for losing at monopoly and being a loser in general is to get into contact with Minji and get laid!” Yoohyeon’s face exploded in red as she tried to get Bora to shut . The two fell over in their mock fight, with the smaller but older girl laughing like there was no tomorrow.

 

Gahyeon grimaced, “EW that’s my sister you’re talking about! I wanted Yoohyeon to woman up and talk to her, not make babies with her!”

 

“Eh, the conclusion is the same anyways. No problem, no problem.” Siyeon said sagely as she watched her tallest friend put her hypewoman into a choke-hold.

 

“How is that the same thing?!” )

 

“Ugh I literally hate you guysssss…..” The tall blonde face-planted against her table, not caring that a red mark was forming on her forehead.

 

“Instead of sulking, you should figure out how to get into contact with Kim Minji.”

 

“But how?!” her head shot up from the desk, “She’s probably super busy and doesn’t have time to catch up with me.”

 

Yoobin was unimpressed. “You’ll figure it out. Now quit whining and help me run the data. There’s something I want to test.”

 

Yoohyeon grumbled out a you’re no help before straightening out and getting her thinking cap on. It was time to make a difference.

 

--

 

The door jingles, signaling a customer at this late time. Yoohyeon was yawning and about to fall asleep from this boring shift at the cafe. The customer approaches the cash register as Yoohyeon tries to get her bearings together.

 

“How can I help you - Minji?!” The black-haired girl smiled softly. She was wearing round specs and a dark trench coat.

 

“Hi Yoohyeon. I’d like an espresso please.” Yoohyeon rang her up and told her to sit down while her order was being prepared. The older woman took a seat right at the counter where Yoohyeon was operating the coffee machine. To say she was nervous was an understatement.

 

This was her chance to talk to Minji. It was nearly 11pm and no one was in the vicinity.

 

Her thoughts were broken by a voice, “Yoohyeon? Why are you working here? Is the lab not paying well?” The taller girl quickly finished the latte art and placed in front of Minji. She shook her head so fast that Minji worried that her head might come off.

 

“N-no! Everything’s alright, financially. I’m covering for a friend, that’s all.” Came Yoohyeon’s panicked reply. The last thing she needed was for Minji to think she was ungrateful for her (Kim Corporation’s) funding.

 

“I see.” Minji hummed while sipping her coffee. “I have to say, you make pretty good coffee though.”

 

Yoohyeon could feel a blush rising at the thought of Minji liking her coffee. Rubbing the back of her neck shyly, “I used to work here with my friend, she owns this cafe. College wasn’t cheap. Still isn’t but things are better now that I can finally continue with my research.”

 

Feeling a little brave, Yoohyeon goes on to tell Minji that it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that Minji literally turned her life around.

 

“Your research is very interesting. Nanotechnology is not something to be taken lightly. The applications are endless.”

 

“Yeah but many people either wanted us to research applications such as weaponry or they were too afraid of how radical the technology is. The risk was too high so Yoobin, my partner in crime, and I, were hesitant on how to pick a sponsor.”

 

Minji was intrigued. Yoohyeon was a stuttering mess and overall very clumsy (just as she remembered her to be) but when she was talking about her passion, she seemed like a completely different person. In a good way.

 

“Why didn't you take their suggestions or drop the project altogether?”

 

Yoohyeon’s eyes took a sharp quality about them at that question. “No way. I don’t want my research to go into hurting people. Yoobin was the one to narrow down our application to prosthetics because her girlfriend, who is also the owner of this cafe, was paralyzed a few years ago. I also want to help my friend but more importantly, I want to make this technology widely available.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I want to be able to help people who can’t afford prosthetics. It may be a pipe dream but it’s my hope for the future.” Minji felt something beating in her chest as she watched Yoohyeon speak. There was a faraway look in the younger girl’s eyes. “But I still have to make the tech a reality. Easier said than done though.” Yoohyeon sheepishly scratches the back of her neck.

 

The atmosphere went back to casual as the two chatted the night away. It ended with Yoohyeon receiving Minji’s personal number and a promise of hanging out on a day off. Yoohyeon was so going to rub this in her friends’ faces.

 

--

 

Before anyone knew it, 2 years had already passed. Yoohyeon and Yoobin made a serious breakthrough and now they were prepared to present their first prototype. Ever since that night in the cafe, Yoohyeon and Minji have been texting and hanging out, reconnecting with each other. Of course, Minji was a busy CEO so that only allowed them to meet late at night or whenever time was afforded to them. Their friends definitely teased Yoohyeon about Minji several times when she was caught smiling at her phone while texting the said girl.

 

(“Guys, Yoohyeon is smiling like a creep again!” Gahyeon tattled to everyone else. Yoohyeon shot up from the couch to shut Gahyeon up but it was too late. The damage had been done. Bora, the origin of all evil and her evil assistant, Siyeon, came rushing over to tease the hell out of her.

 

She was only saved by the ringing of the doorbell. Her savior was none other than Minji herself, carrying bags of food for their party. It was to celebrate Handong’s birthday and for the breakthrough of the project.

 

That night, amidst the chaos of the party, Yoohyeon was happy to see Minji smiling and laughing with her friends. They all got along well and Gahyeon definitely cried at being able to hug her older sister, no matter how much she’d deny it.)

 

Yoohyeon was glad though. Because for all the hardness that Minji displays while at work, there were definitely glimpses of the Minji she remembered. It was in the way she would laugh softly at one of Yoohyeon’s lame jokes or the way she listened attentively when Yoohyeon was at an impasse in her research. So it was inevitable that she would fall for Minji again. That she looked forward to seeing the older girl no matter how late it was. That she loved hearing her soothing voice.

 

(That her universe was once again revolving around Minji. Like it just resumed from a long pause from when she was 13.)

 

And she felt that Minji felt the same way about her. Minji would often hold her hand or kiss the back of it, much to Yoohyeon’s embarrassment. Lately, she would drop Yoohyeon off at her house with a kiss on the cheek.

 

But Yoohyeon also knew that Minji was holding herself back for some reason. Now, Yoobin would say that Yoohyeon was a total brick when it came to relationships. Like that one time when a girl was genuinely interested in Yoohyeon.

 

( “I thought she was just being friendly!”

 

“Friendly girls don’t go out of their way to give you some cheesecake and kiss you on the cheek with a cheesy one-liner, Yooh.”

 

“B-but!”

 

Yoobin would not let her live that one down.)

 

But this time, Yoohyeon thought that she was being pretty obvious - that they were progressing at a natural pace. But when Minji still hadn’t made a move and Yoohyeon would attempt to confess, the black-haired girl would interrupt.

 

With a finger to her lips, Minji silenced Yoohyeon with a sad smile. “I’m sorry, Yooh...” Yoohyeon was thoroughly confused. Was she being led on? The doubt springing in her mind said yes but the pain in Minji’s eyes when she prevented her from confessing said no.

 

The stars continued to twinkle despite Yoohyeon’s apparent confusion. Minji tore her eyes away, afraid that the blonde girl would see something that she wanted to keep hidden. Yoohyeon didn’t receive her usual goodnight kiss and a feeling of unease grew in her stomach.

 

--

 

Minji took a deep breath when she sat back inside her luxury SUV. When she thought about how happy Yoohyeon looked to be able to do what she wanted, it made her chest ache. She didn't even think it was possible for another person to make her feel this way.

 

And Yoohyeon’s dream...it was beautiful. Too beautiful, in fact, for someone like Minji to be gazing upon…

 

She slams her hand against the steering wheel to knock herself out of her reverie. Someone as wretched as her should not even gaze upon someone as beautiful as Yoohyeon.

 

After all, Kim Minji represented everything that Kim Yoohyeon stood against.

 

“I’m sorry Yoohyeon...you put your trust in the wrong person.”

 

--

 

Everything came crashing down at some point. Maybe Minji had been trying to tell her something by indirectly rejecting her but Yoohyeon was too blind to see it. Worst of all, Minji didn't even have the guts to tell her herself. Yoohyeon and Yoobin had to find out through the news outlets. That their prosthetic nanotechnology was going to be completely privatized. Only the rich would be able to afford such technology that could change lives. Even worse, the medical companies that were associated with Kim Corporation followed in their lead, making it even harder to afford medical equipment.

 

Yoohyeon felt the betrayal in her blood as she watched the news headline flash by on the tv screen. CEO Kim Minji was as cool as a cucumber as she walked away from the shouts of the reporters below. The project had gained traction among the public over the past two years and many were hoping that Kim Minji would run the company differently than her tyrant father.

 

Yoobin was clenching her fists so hard that they turned white. Handong did her best to calm her but even she was shocked. The short-haired girl turned to her best friend, ready to blame her for this situation but her words died on her tongue when she saw how devastated Yoohyeon was. The blonde had her body curled in like someone was scolding her and her hands were trembling too. If Yoobin felt like getting stabbed in the back, then Yoohyeon must’ve felt like being stabbed in the heart multiple times.

 

It was one thing to be deceived by a friend but it was another by the person she was in love with. The only saving grace in all of this was that Yoohyeon’s and Yoobin’s names were kept private, as per their contract, so they wouldn’t feel any of the public backlash. But on the other hand, it meant that unless Yoobin coughed up at least 500 million dollars, she would not be able to acquire the technology for Handong’s legs.

 

“I’m-I’m s-so sorry...” Yoobin was quick to pull her friend into her lap and hugged her as tightly as possible. Their other friends hugged the heartbroken girl as well, feeling the pain of hearing her cries. They reassured her that it wasn’t her fault. But they knew that she blamed herself.

 

After all, how was this any different from the way Kim Minji’s father took advantage of researchers for the benefit of his wealth?

 

--

 

It was pathetic really, the way she came to reunite with her mother. Minji was strolling aimlessly through some neighborhood park after drinking her soul out. Maybe walking alone while drunk at night wasn’t the best idea but Minji was having the worst time of her life. Her hoodie obscured her face from prying eyes but that didn't stop her from flinching at sounds in the park. After all, she wasn’t exactly the most beloved person right now.

 

The drunk CEO finally came crashing down in front of the swings she remembered as a child. Things were so much simpler back then. Minji’s family was together and she didn't have to worry about being Kim Corp’s heiress. As she stared up at the night sky, she wondered when did everything start to go wrong.

 

Was it starting from her father?

 

From herself for choosing to stay with her father?

 

From breaking Yoohyeon’s heart, making her no different from her father?

 

The only silver lining in all this chaos was that Yoohyeon and Yoobin were guaranteed to be unaffected on a public level. Her father would never set his eyes on them ever again. To him, they were just used up business assets. To him, Minji was just an extension of his wealth, his will. She stopped being his daughter when she ascended an unwanted throne. Her personal universe had no place in his plans. And so it was into a black hole, never to be seen again. Instead, Minji was into his orbit, unable to escape his gravitational pull.

 

Minji looked up at the swings again, remembering the time Gahyeon had fallen off and her mother rushed to care for her scrapes. At least Gahyeon and her mother were far away from that man. She was glad that her younger sister was able to grow up in a loving environment, if her affectionate nature with her friends were anything to go by.

 

She was sure her mother was happier too. Speaking of her mother, when was the last time she ever saw her face? Tasted her cooking? Hugged her when she needed comfort? Minji wonders if her mother even thinks about her anymore. Or if she hates her now after seeing what Minji did to Yoohyeon.

 

For some reason, the memory of her mom making her favorite beef and kimchi stew came to mind. The sights and smells of that memory often stuck in her mind when she was having a hard time. Right now was definitely one of those times. She hadn’t even noticed a tear slipping through until it was dripping down her ear. Placing a hand over her eyes to stop the tears from coming did nothing. If anything, it only made her want to cry more.

 

( “How’s my little rose doing today?”

 

“Great mom! Are you making my favorite stew?!”

 

Her mother’s laughter rang in her ears like a familiar melody. “Yup so go get yourself and your sister cleaned up. Dinner will be ready shortly.” )

 

Tears were flowing with the occasional hiccup, breaking the silence. Her drunken state and covered eyes prevented her from hearing someone approach. But then that person gently pulled away her hand covering her eyes.

 

The matured face of her baby sister entered her blurred vision. As soon as Gahyeon tried to assist Minji in sitting up, Minji latched onto her like a leech. Gahyeon’s natural scent calmed Minji for a bit but at the same time, it made her even sadder. Gahyeon was rubbing her older sister’s back as she cried into her hoodie. She was clearly drunk but that didn't stop the worry at seeing her strong older sister crying in the park in the middle of the night.

 

As she clenched the back of her hoodie like a lifeline, Gahyeon heard the most heartbreaking words from Minji: “Please, Gahyeon… I….I want to g-go h-home….please. Help me go home...” So she gathered her older sister in her arms, the same way Minji used to do for her when they were younger, and headed home.

 

Her mom was definitely shocked to see Minji in Gahyeon’s arms. But her heart ached to see the tear tracks on Minji’s face and the overall miserable state her firstborn was in. Both mother and daughter lay her down in the guest bedroom and cleaned up her face as she slept.

 

“Go to sleep Gahyeonie. You have an early class tomorrow. I’ll take care of Minji.”

 

Minji was restless as she slept, kicking and tossing around. Her mom placed a gentle hand on her head, caressing her hair. Immediately, Minji stopped thrashing about but instead, she began to cry softly. Her hand twitched every so often and the tears continued to flow. Her mumblings were mostly intelligible but her mom knew that she was in deep pain. For now, all she could do for the child she hadn’t seen in many years is hold her hand at her bedside.

 

--

 

When Minji awoke hours later in her old bedroom, her first thought was to run away. But when her mom held her face and called her little rose, all Minji could do was cry like she was 6 years old again. When everything was happier and her biggest worries were about getting scrapes on the playground.

The tears wouldn’t stop no matter how much Minji willed it. Being close to her mom again and hearing her voice was enough to break past the emotional barrier Minji built over the last few years. Her mom pulled her into a tight embrace but the black-haired girl pulled herself out of it before she lost her composure completely.

 

Wiping at her face and erasing all traces of emotion, Minji speaks, “I apologize for the trouble I caused while inebriated. I will compensate you and Gahyeon if necessary.” She stood up, emotionless and made for the door.

 

“Minji” Her mother’s soft voice made her stop in her tracks. “Minji, you’re safe here. You don’t need to act the way you do around your father.” Minji’s shoulders slumped as if the air was out of her. But she straightened up again and walked away without a word. This place, this home, was not hers to intrude on. She had no place, no right to be here.

 

--

 

Minji spent the next few days wandering aimlessly. She took a long vacation from working to avoid questions about her decision and to get away from that environment altogether. Of course, her father wasn’t happy but he wasn’t physically here to do something about it.

 

With glasses, casual clothes, and a mask, Minji was basically unbothered wherever she went. Cat cafes were her favorite pastime since these cats never judged her. They only cared about food, water, and comfort.

 

Today, she sat in the far corner of the cafe with her drink high up on a table and an orange tabby on her lap. This tabby named Cheese, always seemed to like her when she visited. He’d wait for a snack from her and when he ate it, he was content to rest in her lap for the duration of her stay. Her hand absently his soft fur as her mind wandered off.

 

As her mind wandered, she didn't realize that she pulled on Cheese’s tail a bit too hard. Scowling in a way only cats could, he jumped off her lap and went to another patron that had snacks. This time, he settled in another girl’s lap even though she didn't feed him anything.

 

“Traitor.” Minji said aloud. Cheese glanced over to her as if to say so what. The CEO scoffed behind her mask and crossed her arms. The other girl suddenly looked up from Cheese and made eye contact with Minji.

 

Minji’s eyes widened in surprise. Yoohyeon. She prayed that her disguise would work but when the recognition passed through Yoohyeon’s bright eyes, she knew that she was found out. So she ran. She ran away from the person she cared for and hurt the most. It wasn’t fair to Yoohyeon, Minji thought to herself. The younger girl deserved an explanation but Minji couldn’t do that. Not yet. Not until the dust settles.

 

Had Minji looked back, she would have seen Yoohyeon’s worried gaze following her.

 

--

 

Yoohyeon was normally a kind girl. She forgave Yoobin for burning her hair once in chemistry class. She forgave Handong for running over her foot with her wheelchair (though that really was an accident. Handong would never hurt a fly). She forgave Siyeon for telling Bora about her crushes on girls and the ensuing chaos. She forgave Gahyeon for being cuter than her.

 

So yes, Yoohyeon was normally a kind girl that doesn’t hold grudges. But for Minji, she could not let this go.

 

“You’re probably disappointed that she isn’t what you remember her to be.” Siyeon stated. The blue-haired girl took a sip of her beer and stretched out on the vendera. “Maybe you’ve only been in love with the girl she used to be. But now that she isn’t, you’re disappointed.”

 

“What?”

 

“You know,” Siyeon waves her hands around in a vague motion. “You were in love with the idea of her. Probably even more so because you’re a romantic at heart. Kim Minji was your childhood friend that you haven’t seen in years. Cliche but yeah.”

 

Yoohyeon looked down and contemplated what her friend told her. Maybe Siyeon was right (for once), maybe she was just in love with the romanticism of falling in love with her childhood best friend again. Still, that didn't mean that she didn't find the current Minji attractive in their time spent together. Then she thought back to this afternoon where she saw Minji in the cat cafe. The older girl looked like absolute . On top of that, Gahyeon told the group what happened last weekend with her sister.

 

Was Minji just...pretending to be okay? Has she been doing that from the start? Yoohyeon voiced these questions out loud.

 

“Well, if I were in her shoes, I would probably have to do a lot of pretending too. Her company and her father probably put a lot of pressure on her. I hear it’s pretty common for people in power to have a change in personality due to the stress of working.”

 

“Do...do you think I-that I was one of those people pressuring her?” Yoohyeon hoped not. It was never her intention to hurt Minji but maybe she was doing it unconsciously. Like how she would like it more when she saw glimpses of young Minji more than when she saw current Minji.

 

“Maybe. But don’t think to hard on that. Eyes have probably always been on her since she is the heir to a huge company. Chances are, she’s become so used to all these gazes that she just pretends even when she doesn’t need to.”

 

“Or maybe, she just doesn’t know how to stop pretending anymore.”

 

Silence took over the conversation. For a while, the two friends just enjoyed the night breeze. “Hey Singnie?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“That was pretty wise of you. Didn’t know you had it in you.”

 

“Thanks. I saw it on a TV show.”

 

--

 

Yoohyeon’s phone chimed at the end of her class session. Her students were asking her last minute questions before the exam so she neglected to check for a while. But when the last student filed out, she picked up her phone. It was something she had never expected to see.

 

Minji messaged her to meet in front of her apartment later tonight.

 

went dry and her hands were slightly trembling. What was she supposed to do? Several weeks had passed since that incident and only now was the older girl making direct contact with her? Was this some sort of sick joke that rich people enjoy? Yoohyeon’s mind and heart were a mess. Just when she decided to forget about Minji, the girl decides to come tumbling back into her life as she pleased.

 

But Yoohyeon was tired of all of this. At first, she followed the news about Kim Corporation and about Minji, hoping to find answers, closure for herself. But the more she did, the more confusing everything became. Maybe this time will be different, Yoohyeon thought.

 

The message itself was simple and to the point. But Yoohyeon couldn't shake the feeling of dread. Something big was about to happen or was already happening, and she could do nothing but be into the orbit.

 

--

 

Her friends were all standing in front of her apartment when she got home. They were blocking her view of someone standing there.

 

“Yoohyeon!” Handong exclaimed and grabbed her arm. “Please tell the others to calm down.” Yoohyeon was confused by Handong’s urgent tone until she heard Yoobin aggressively slam a person on the opposite wall.

 

“Yoob!” The tallest girl runs to hold her friend back but when she makes eye contact with Kim Minji, she pauses in her movements. “You...you came.”

 

“Yeah. I said I would.”

 

Bora, Siyeon, Handong, and Gahyeon look back and forth between the two, trying to connect the dots. Yoobin’s grip on Minji’s collar loosened a fraction as well. The blonde grips Yoobin’s hands and gently eases them off of Minji. “Guys, there’s something I need to talk to Minji about.”

 

“Were you the one that called her here?” Yoobin asks accusingly.

 

“No. I came here on my own. Yoohyeon and I need to talk. Privately. Then I will leave right after.” Minji straightens out her wrinkled clothes and stands straight. She watches as Yoohyeon gives the puppy eyes to her friends to let them talk alone. They seem reluctant but relent to her request.

 

After watching them file into her apartment, Yoohyeon turns around to get a look at the older girl. She didn't think it was possible, but the CEO looks even more haggard than before. “So? What are you here for?”

 

Minji winced internally at Yoohyeon’s cold tone. But she knew that she deserved it. Yoohyeon may be kind but Minji was the one to betray her trust. Steeling herself, she pulls out a letter from her coat pocket.

 

“I just wanted to give this to you. What you do with it is up to you.” Minji extends the letter to Yoohyeon. The blonde glances at it suspiciously.

 

“Why didn't you just mail it to me or put it in my mailbox?” Yoohyeon observes Minji’s crestfallen expression. Her eyes were mostly empty but there were signs of another emotion that Yoohyeon couldn't put her finger on. Whatever it was, it made her worried for Minji’s mental state.

 

“I just...wanted to be selfish. Just for a little while.” Minji’s lips raise a bit in a half-crooked smile. It was meant to be reassuring in Minji’s mind but to Yoohyeon, it just broke her heart to see Minji look so...defeated.

 

She extends the letter once again, urging Yoohyeon to take it. This time, Yoohyeon does take it albeit hesitatingly. Minji stares at Yoohyeon for a few more seconds, trying to engrave the other girl’s face in her memory. Without another word, the black-haired girl dips her head in apology and walks away. Yoohyeon could neither say nor do anything in response. Her feet were rooted in place. Belatedly, she realizes that Minji didn't explain a single thing. She only left her with more questions than answers.