24

        Stepping out to the verandah, Minjoo shivered while closing her sweater as the cold wind of the winter blows pass by her. 

She sighed, making a small vapor out of her hot breath as it mixes up with the coldness of the weather. Now looking at the moon on the other side of the beach, the peaceful scenery definitely helps her thoughts to calm, or it at least gives her enough space to think more thoroughly, despite not willing to alter her decisions from a few days ago.

While her friends are there, sitting on the couch inside, watching her space out, waiting for the signal from the other team at the same time. Yet, as they hang around, as they stare at the woman on the terrace, they can't really ignore and feel too, the agony embracing their so-called 'the living proof of perfection'.

And Yuri had to comment, "She hasn't spoken yet since we arrived." Rubbing her palms on her thighs before crossing them to lessen the coldness.

"What do you expect? She doesn't even want to come with us." Hyewon responded, lazily resting her back on the support of the couch.

While Nako sat beside them, heaving a sigh as she places the cup of hot chocolate on the table in front of them and butted in, "With the way she avoids everyone, even us, it feels like she wants to cut ties not only with Yujin but with everyone else. The shame is swallowing her whole."

Minjoo, Kim Minjoo, we will repeat...

Is a woman who they define as the "Embodiment of Perfection" — someone who's very pretty yet always down to earth, smart yet was never selfish, popular but has no drop of arrogance in her blood, and is also always perceived as the person who demonstrates perseverance the best. And what she did, what she and Chaewon did, is probably surprising even for herself. She must feel too guilty, knowing this woman, she might regret consuming oxygen as a sinner—might sound a joke, but it's not.

"I just hope this will work, after all..."

"They've been good people."

"Still better than many."

They fell silent after that, at least physically relaxed until...

"I want to go for a walk."

Little did they know, she already has her own plan to manage.

–

"Faster, faster." Sakura commanded herself, setting up the dining table.

"The beef's almost done!" While there's Eunbi and Chaeyeon, standing beside the grill, grilling huge pieces of beef.

Then there's Yena who had set all the instruments, "The instruments are all ready!"

And Wonyoung... standing beside Yujin who's staning on a small stage, gripping at an innocent, lifeless microphone, feeling nervous. Breathing in and out heavily, body is shaking a bit, with her knees wobbling even more due to the cold weather.

"Hey." The youngest approached her best friend, smiling, trying to make the atmosphere more comforting.

And Yujin, with a quivering tone, "Hey." Responded, making her best friend chuckle upon hearing an unusual tone of uneasiness.

They both faced everyone, looking at each and every thing they've organized and prepared while the others are finishing up.

And after a moment, "I'm really jealous of her." Wonyoung began to voice out.

Yujin tilted her head, examining her best friend's expression with confusion as her brain quickly processed the words that the younger uttered.

"She gets to experience so many things in her life, and she gets the best out of anything even if she commits a mistake. She's still our perfection, everyone's perfection." There was sincerity in Wonyoung's eyes, yet her words sound too rough, or ironic to hear with such honest voice.

"Wonyou-..."

"But it's okay."

Yujin then just put her confusion aside and listened as the youngest continued, "I like her too anyway." Carefully, taking in what she probably has no knowledge of until now. "I like her as a person, I like her for you. I view her the same way everyone does, it's just my insecurities and jealousy poking me a lot when her presence is so close to mine. It feels like I'm being left out, swallowed by nothingness. You know..." Wonyoung wanted to look at Yujin, but as soon as their gazes locked for a couple of seconds, she couldn't hold tightly on her courage and just had to look away.

"I thought I was understanding and supportive enough about you and her until I realized, I'm getting tired of all those helps I've given you just to surprise her on every occasion—her birthdays, your anniversaries, sometimes, even monthsaries. Or just basically every time you want to do something cheesy just because you did something that made her sulky. I became distant after so, but then..."

"You also stopped, and all of a sudden, despite me disliking the idea of helping you already, I questioned in mind... why did you stop, what happened to Yujinie who likes throwing out surprises for her one and only woman?"

And there it goes, the main point followed, "It's just a proof, that when even the person who doesn't like helping you noticed how you changed, that really means... you changed."

"I'm not blaming you, Yujin-ah... or maybe I do?"

"A bit."

"It's not only Minjoo who we all viewed as the best but also you, maybe you didn't know that because we like teasing you, but behind your back, we'll always utter the words, 'Yujin is such a powerful one'. Just like Minjoo, you're pretty but was never too showy, you're smart but still respectful and considerate, you're confident but wasn't haughty.  And you're a person of commitment... yet that last one became a bit too much, don't you think?"

This time, it's Yujin's turn to avert her stare somewhere else as Wonyoung finally had the reason and boldness to look at her.

"Your commitment towards your work, your duty was obviously too much."

The older then felt it once again, the lost of something she had been before with regret and rancor.

"But Yujin," Wonyoung reached for the prior's hand, sketching a tiny smile, "It's not too late yet, and I'm really glad you're coming ba-..." And was about to cheer her up one more time before they all carry on with the plan, but as soon as she squeezes Yujin's hand, even before she could finish her sentence, both of them had their heads immediately snapped to where the loud voice came from...

"Ahn Yujin! Minjoo is coming!" It was Yena panting as she dashes to the stage to inform them with a hysterical voice and a distorted face.

"But w-we haven't sent a signal to them yet, have you?" Wonyoung asked, and Yena's face crumpled even more, "Hyewon said Minjoo wanted to go for a walk, they tried stopping her from doing so but with how Minjoo is acting right now, they all failed."

"Okay, get in our positions then." Yujin politely ordered and everyone else rushed thrice as they already do.

Wonyoung and Sakura immediately placed all the foods on the table and headed to the side of the small field while Yena, Chaeyeon and Eunbi went to the stage to accompany Yujin, took their instruments and positioned themselves, now, just waiting for her arrival.

Meanwhile...

"Kim Minjoo, please." Hyewon tried stopping the younger who had been, "Unnie, please, I really just want to have a walk. Why are you stopping me anyway?" Shooing her friends for a minute or so already.

"Just 'cause." They all halted in their tracks as Minjoo did, looking at them one by one, doing her best to ignore the enigmatic expression on their faces.

And yet after inhaling a good amount of oxygen and letting it out, Minjoo reminded herself, her true purpose as to why she came with them to this 'vacation' they all are calling, the Doctor then took steps forward once more and ignored her friends. The three still followed anyway; Yuri tried to place a reason to bicker with Minjoo using impromptu lines just to give the other team at least, enough time to finish up knowing that there was no signal given yet, but not even with all the three of them blocking the Doctor's way succeeded, and in no time...

They just found themselves standing on the grassy small field, trying not to shudder to the coldness surrounding all of them, or mayhaps, on the thought of what might happen during this surprise, the thought of 'what if while they are all trying, she'll keep on declining', which they surely saw the very moment their eyes landed on Minjoo.

But fortunate and attentive enough...

Eunbi and Yena began to pluck the strings of their guitars just before anyone could move a muscle, making the tension either looser or tighter...

[Justin Timberlake - Mirrors, covered by Boyce Avenue ft. Fifth Harmony]

While Chaeyeon waited for her cue to start drumming on the beatbox drum.

And the intro feels like not ending till eternity as Yujin grips on her mic for the second time tonight, feeling all the pressure in her whole body. It feels like the world just slowed down...

As she realizes her eyes already landed on the same woman she serenaded back in that particular night of the foundation week years ago, the same time she responded to the confession of the Supreme Student Council Secretary; taking all the free time to gaze on those orbs that used to be so sparky and shimmery, those eyes she liked to look at all the time, from morning to night, the same eyes she wants herself to lose at, all the time, yet the same eyes she caused for tears to fall, the eyes she wasn't able to look at for so long even if she misses to see them.

Yet in reality, only a few seconds and she has to bring up the mic closer to , to start singing the song she never knew... would mean differently today compared to before.

"Aren't you something to admire..."

Yujin is shaking, it is evident as the mic in her hand strongly does, and more with how she almost got the key of the song off as she sings.

"'Cause you shine something like a mirror,"

But she has to keep going, "And I can't help but to notice, you reflect on this heart of mine," to convey each and every drop of her emotion to it.

To make sure Minjoo understands what those lyrics mean now, what definitions are there, hidden in those words of the song.

Just know that I'm parallel on the other side

'Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul

I can tell you, there's no place we couldn't go

Just put your hands in the glass

I'll be trying to pull you through, you just gotta be strong

'Cause I don't wanna lose you now

I'm looking right at the other half of me

The vacancy that sat in my heart

Is a space that now you hold

Show me how to fight for now

And I'll tell you baby

It was easy coming back into you once I figured it out

You were right here all along

It's like you're my mirror

My mirror staring back at me

I couldn't get any bigger

With anyone else beside me

And now it's clear as this promise

That we're making two reflections into one

Just like before, they all focused not on the performer, but on the target of the song, but what are the differences? From years ago and this current time while we all list down the similarities of the past and present?

Everything's just like before, everything remained as it is, except the purpose, the feeling, the meaning and their situation where they are incomplete now. When years ago, it's just all about starting their love, feeling all the goodness from it, this time—that love is so near to its ending and the sole purpose of this song is now not about to respond to any of the confessed feeling or to confirm a fresh beginning but to convince her, to keep everything they started and had gathered in the past years together in her hands, and that...

Running away, leaving all of these including her, is going to fix nothing.

That ending what they have is not the answer.

And I can't help but stare

'Cause I see truth somewhere in your eyes

Yujin's toned it lower, the words she's uttering started to fade with her voice, yet her eyes remained still...

And if I could, I...

Would look at us all the time

And there...

Her hands dropped at her sides, mic away from her lips. She can feel her lungs tightening, she can feel herself weakening even more as she sees Minjoo suppressing emotions she shouldn't restrain anymore.