YUJIN couldn’t help but to sigh. She didn’t even know how many times she sighed after they sent Richard off to Korea. She couldn’t believe that Yena would also be going for a vacation and she left on the same flight as Richard right after the final exams were over.

She thought she could hang out with Yena during the break and run to her whenever Minjoo is at home. Guess fate is really putting her up to a test.

Reminding them not to fight when he’s away, Richard left Yujin and Minjoo with the card being left to Minjoo just as planned. He went away looking so excited despite knowing that he would be facing some stressful stuff when he arrives in Korea.

He left with a cheerful face just like Yena but Yujin and Minjoo looked like they were cursed. It was awfully quiet on the way back home. It’s all thanks to the music Yujin played that they could somehow hang on.

Knowing that the silence won’t take them anyway, Yujin decided to break the ice.

“Minjoo.” She called cooly.

“Y-Y-Yes?” Minjoo stammered badly.

‘She already panics when her name is called. I feel like a criminal of some sort.’ There went another sigh.

“Do you know how to drive?” Yujin asked, trying to ignore Minjoo’s reaction.

“D-Drive?” Minjoo repeated.

“Yeah. I am just wondering. I mean, you can use Dad’s car. If you’re shy about using his car then you can use mine.”

“B-But—“

“Don’t you feel like dying in awkwardness while being in the same car with me almost everyday? I felt like I already died a hundred times just by being your chauffeur. You can just use one of the cars.”

Minjoo suddenly couldn’t let out the words she wanted to say. She felt stupidly hurt that Yujin was trying to push her away.

“Minjoo?” Yujin took a peek of the other girl as the lights turned red. “I am asking if you can drive or not.”

“A-Ah—“ Minjoo turned to Yujin, met the other girl’s eyes that were intently looking at her and immediately looked away. She bowed her head as she fidgeted with her fingers.

Yujin sighed and looked back at the road. “Don’t tell me you forgot to speak English now. I thought you were studying to the point that your desk got a hole burnt on it—“

“It is not like that.” Minjoo whispered.

“What is it then?” Yujin asked, annoyance started to be traced in her tone. “I am trying to make a way for us to relieve the tension between us but you don’t even want to speak with me at all?”

Minjoo didn’t manage to answer again. Yujin shook her head and just focused on driving.

Minjoo bit her lower lip, frustrated at how confusing her feelings are. She wanted it this way. She wanted Yujin to stop caring for her more than what’s needed. She wanted her to stop pursuing her but why does it hurt like crazy? Why does it crumple her heart so much as if it is made of paper?

“I’m sorry…” Minjoo finally spoke, her voice cracking. “I’m sorry… I don’t know how to drive…”

Tears started falling out of nowhere, making Yujin worried. She let out an exasperated sigh before pulling her car to the nearest coffee shop that she saw.

“Hey, why are you crying?” Yujin asked, her tone still a bit annoyed.

She watched how Minjoo wiped her tears away yet new ones kept coming. Yujin took some tissue and handed it to Minjoo. The girl took it with a bow and Yujin could only throw herself back to her seat.

Yujin covered her eyes with her arm as guilt started to overcome her.

“Sorry… This is all my fault.” Yujin sighed. “Let’s just forget everything that happened, alright? Let’s just pretend that I don’t have any feelings for you. There’s still a bit more time before you leave. Just act like nothing happened until then.”

“Yujin…” Minjoo turned to Yujin. That suggestion hurt even more.

“Sorry about last time too. I know I crossed the line. I am really sorry. I promise I won’t do that again.”

Minjoo then twitched when Yujin suddenly unbuckled her seatbelt. She could see how misty her eyes were and how she immediately looked away to not show it to Minjoo.

“Do you want anything to drink?” Yujin asked, her head hanging low as she made herself busy rummaging her pocket. “My treat.”

“I-I’m okay—“

“Ah, you like bubble tea, right? I’ll go get one for you so stop crying, okay?”

Yujin hurriedly ran towards the cafe when she could just go to the drive thru. Minjoo watched how she wiped her face with her arm as she ran away.

“Yujin…” Minjoo could only call out to her name as she disappeared from her sight. “Why does it hurt like this, Yujin?”

Tears started falling once more. “If this is really what I wanted… if this is really the best for us then why does it hurt like crazy? I can’t even prevent myself from crying…”

Minjoo bit her lower lip as she clenched her chest. “What should I do, Yujin? What should I do knowing that you’re hurting more than me?”

WHEN they arrived home, Yujin went straight to her room while Minjoo found her way in the kitchen. She went to get some water to wash away the sugar that was still lingering by . She also needs to hydrate herself after all that crying. Thankfully she managed to calm herself before Yujin came back with the drinks.

While drinking, her eyes automatically darted to the bent on the door of the refrigerator. Yujin did hit the hell out of that door when she cornered her there last time.

Frustration.

That’s a perfect example of what frustration could do to someone.

Of course, Richard got angry after seeing it but Yujin just didn’t mind. She just made up a story to cover what really happened and Richard asked her to put anything to cover the bent. Still, Yujin didn’t listen to her father and just left the bent there for all to see.

Minjoo then leaned by the kitchen sink, taking a good look at the said part of the house. She would surely miss that place once she goes back to Korea. She’d miss the excited looks on the Ahns’ faces whenever she cooks for them. She’d surely miss eating with them.

The girl then went to the living room and plopped herself on the couch. She then comfortably rested her back and closed her eyes.

“Do I really have to prevent my feelings from spilling when I will be leaving in two months and not meet her ever again?”

Minjoo’s eyes then shot open after she realised the meaning of what she just said. She slid down a bit and sighed.

“I guess I do really have feelings for her…”

The girl then closed her eyes as her thoughts started travelling.

“I’m sure Yujin will be able to move on right away when I leave. She has a lot of admirers anyway. She’d simply forget about me—“

“That’s absurd.”

Minjoo’s heart did a somersault when she heard Yujin’s voice. She then found the girl standing by the staircase, looking at her with those disappointed eyes.

“I’ll probably get stuck with your thoughts for a while. I don’t believe I’ll be able to move on from you right away.”

“Y-Yujin!” Minjoo stammered, she was at the edge of her seat. “H-How long have you been there!?”

“What are you even monologuing in English for? Do you really want me to hear it?” Yujin shook her head and made her way to the kitchen. “Stop thinking about weird things, Minjoo. I might even cross the oceans if you are willing to give me a chance.”

Minjoo’s face immediately turned red in embarrassment. She hastily ran upstairs to hide herself from even more embarrassment. She didn’t know how she would face Yujin after that.

She slammed her door shut and locked it. She then jumped to her bed and covered her whole body.

“That’s so embarrassing… S-She didn’t hear about me liking her, right?” Minjoo coiled like a fetus. “What if she gets the wrong idea? What if she thinks that I was thinking that she would move on easily because I don’t really care about her? What if she—“

Minjoo suddenly lost her voice in another realisation. Her body calmed down a bit.

“She… already thinks that I don’t care about her, right?” She asked herself in a weak voice. “But how…? Will there be a point if I entertain my feelings for her when we will be apart in the end anyway? When we can’t really be together…?”

Thinking that things would feel better if she talks with her mum, Minjoo searched for her phone but it was nowhere to be found. She was about to turn her bed upside down when she heard knocks on her door that almost made her shriek.

“Minjoo, you left your phone downstairs.” Yujin said in a tone that infers that she doesn’t bother about what she heard Minjoo say earlier. “I think your mother is calling.”

Right, she could hear the KKT ringtone from the outside. Minjoo rushed towards the door but opened it so slowly.

“What are you doing, Min?” Yujin asked, obviously complaining about how she moves like a sloth. “Aren’t you supposed to answer this call quickly or your mother will worry?”

“S-Sorry—“

Yujin then grabbed her hand and placed the phone in her palm. She then walked towards her own room. “Do you still think I am going to attack you or something? Suit yourself then, I don’t really care anymore.”

Minjoo watched Yujin’s door closed with an aching heart. The ringing of her phone stopped which somehow woke her up from zoning out. Taking a deep breath, Minjoo calmed herself down before closing her door.

She sat in front of her study table and called back to her mother.

“Minjoo, dear?” Her mother sounded worried already.

“Omma, sorry I left my phone in the living room. I was about to call you but you beat me to it.” Minjoo forced herself to sound cheery. “How is everything doing there?”

“Everything is fine here, Minjoo. I should be the one asking you that question.” Her mother really sounded worried. “Your finals just finished, am I right? Don’t you think you should get some time to have fun there?”

“Have fun?” Minjoo repeated. “I’m really having fun with my studies now, Omma. There’s no need to worry.”

She heard her mother sigh. “Not that kind of fun, Minjoo-ya. I know you are doing well with your studies and I am really relieved that you are really sincere with your studies but don’t be so hard on yourself, dear.”

“O-Omma?”

“When was the last time that you hung out with your friends on the beach? I think that was the only time you told me that you’d be in some sort of a gathering. You didn’t go out with others after that, did you?”