“Get out, Kim Minjoo!” a short-bobbed hair female yelled, her voice coming from her chest and her voice echoed throughout the room. 
“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that? I’m not the one that cheated!” the long brown-haired female, Minjoo, retorted as she stared at the other. “Why would you do this, Won? After six years of dating, you really think I wouldn’t be broken by this?”
“It’s like six years have gone down the drain being with you! You always have big dreams, but you never go after them! You don’t even know what you want! I can’t be with someone who doesn’t even know what they want in the future if they can’t take the first step!” Chaewon responded, her voice raised and her cheeks turning red.
 

The female, Kim Minjoo, could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Her vision became blurred by the water in her eyes. Her lips pursed in as she stared at the female across her, her now ex-girlfriend, Kim Chaewon.
 

“I wanted you, Kim Chaewon!” the words that the other had told her seemed to cut through her heart like a knife. Her heart seemed to shatter within seconds as she continued on with her words. “I didn’t care what I would have in the future, because the only thing I want in my future is you! But it seems like your wants and my wants have changed.” 

 

Minjoo had looked over at the older female. Her hand coming up and roughly rubbing away the tears that had welled up in her eyes with her sleeves. Her own lips quivered as she could see the unending determination in the female’s eyes. In her eyes, that had once given her love, she could see that she was no longer there. 

 

“I’ll leave, Chae. Just know that I’m not coming back to you.” the sentence that escaped her own lips, Minjoo knew it was a lie. 

 

She knew that if Chaewon would ask for her back, she would come back in an instant. It had always been like that, the two would fight, argue, or get upset with each other. Their breakup would only last for a few hours or even a few days, but at the end of the day, Chaewon would always ask for Minjoo back, and like the love-stricken girl she was, she would always come back, but would she even get the chance to come back now, given the current circumstances? She was unsure of that herself. 

 

“Get out, Kim Minjoo. I’ll send your belongings over to Yuri’s place. It’s over, I’m going to go after what I want now.” 

 

And like that, their relationship had ended. Six years, three months, twenty-five days, fifteen-hours, and thirty-seven minutes, had concluded their love story. 

 

Eight Months Later… 

 

“Kim Minjoo! Get up! You have class!” a loud voice with a distinct Busan echoed throughout the minimal bedroom. There was simply a bed, a desk for studying, and a single nightstand. The clock on the nightstand showing the time 8:45 AM. 

 

It had been eight months since the fallout with Minjoo and Chaewon. Minjoo was staying at the apartment of her friend, Yuri. Every day, she had waited for a single phone call from the female, every day, she would check their social media and see that Chaewon was happily together with the girl that she had cheated and left Minjoo for. Every day, Minjoo had wallowed in her own self-pity and tortured herself with the possibilities of what-ifs? What if she had stayed a bit longer and fought for the other? What if she was not as boring, would Chaewon have stayed? What if she found the courage to go after her dreams and change her life as Chaewon wanted her too? In the end, every day, she was still hurt.  

 

The brown-haired beauty was wrapped in her sheets. Her face buried deep into her pillow as she tried to block out the light that was seeping through the windows. She already knew that the girl from Busan was making their way towards her bed. Minjoo’s lips pursed in as she made a few mental notes to herself, trying to prepare herself for the new daily pep talk that her friend was going to give her. It had been like this every day for the last eight months, where she was stuck in bed, struggling to find the motivation to get up. Trying to discover for herself a reason why she should get up, why she was the only one that was hurting and lingering in the past. Yuri, the long-blonde-haired beauty would come over to her bed every morning to try and give the female a pep talk, a reason to get up. However, even when her best friend was trying to tell her and give her the motivation to get up, all she could think about was the loss of love in Chaewon’s eyes on the day that the two had finally separated. 

 

“What time does your class end today?” Yuri questioned as she sat down at the edge of the female’s bed. 
“What day is it today?” 
“Tuesday.” 
“Then… my classes for the day ends at noon.” Minjoo responded she waited for a bit for the younger girl to respond. However, after moments of silence, Minjoo looked up, her gaze meeting her best friend’s and seeing the wide smile on their lips and their phone in their hands. 

 

“That’s great. Don’t make any plans this afternoon. You’re going on a date today.” 

 

As if it was an almost immediate reaction, Minjoo sat up. Her eyes seeming to bulge out as her bed hair stuck up in a messy way. The female stared at her friend with a face of disbelief. Her jaw-dropping just slightly as she stared at her best friend in disbelief. 

 

“Why would I do that?!” 
“Minjoo, it’s been eight months. Chaewon isn’t going to ask for you back,” Yuri looked at her friend with a soft gaze, their hand reached over and taking the female’s hand into her own. The blonde staring at the female with eyes full of concern and care, “She’s not coming back for you. It’s going to be a double-date, Yena and I will be there. And Yena said she’s going to bring one of her friends as well.” 

 

Minjoo knew that her friend meant well. Her lips only pursed in as she could feel an ache in her heart when just the idea of replacing Chaewon had come up once more. However, she knew, from the look on her best friend’s face, that they were concerned for them. That they wanted her to get better. Minjoo let out a soft sigh, her slender digits ran combed her own hair as she straightened her hair and her lips pursed in as she stared at the other. 

 

“Fine… But only because you and Yena set it up!” Minjoo looked over at her friend, she could only manage to have a small smile form on her face as she could see the excitement in her best friend’s eyes light up again. 
“That’s great, Min! I’ll let Yena know!” 

 

Then seconds later, Minjoo could see that Yuri was texting their girlfriend. The fingertips of the other pressing onto the screen in excitement. 

 

“Only for today… because you tried so hard, I’ll try my best to want to live again.” Minjoo thought to herself as she saw the other typing excitedly into their phone. Her lips curled into a soft smile as she leaned against the wall as she waited for her friend to stop texting. “Yuri, who is this person that you two set me up with?” 

 

Within seconds of hearing Minjoo’s words, Yuri peeked up. Their lips formed into a wider smile and Minjoo could see the excitement on their face as if it was what they were waiting for Minjoo to ask the question. 

 

“She’s a good girl, she’s our junior and she’s a really smart girl. Yena knows her from her part-time job. She actually went to the same high school as you.” 

 

Minjoo would be lying if she did not say that she was not the slightest bit interested when the other mentioned that they came from the same school. She leaned forward and stared at the other female, giving them the signal to tell her more information. 

 

“Really? What’s her name?” 
“Yujin. Ahn Yujin.” 

 

************ 

A Few Hours Later… 

 

Minjoo let out a loud yawn, her arms stretched as her last class finally finished. She could not help but feel just a little bit curious about who her best friend had set her up with. She reached over for her textbook, putting and sliding them into her backpack. She had to keep up with her appearance. For the date, she wore a black long-sleeved shirt, jeans, and white shoes. Of course, she had a purse in her bag. She planned on leaving her backpack in her locker for the weekend, especially since she was already weeks ahead in all of her classes. 

 

Suddenly, not having someone to fight with, reconcile with, and date, had opened up her schedule significantly. Whether it was a good or bad thing, It would depend on her mood. When she finally finished putting all of her things into her backpack, she made her way into the hallway and headed towards her locker. She could feel a small vibration in her pocket, it was probably from her phone. 

 

When she arrived at her locker, she grabbed her cell phone from her pocket and unlocked the phone, and she placed her backpack into the locker then proceeded with pulling out the purse that she had and put it on. Her eyes were glued on her phone when she saw that there were two notifications. 

 

Notifications: 

[INSTAGRAM] ssammu has posted. (just now)
[SMS] Yuri - 1 New Message (27 minutes ago)

 

In the back of her head, Minjoo knew that she shouldn’t have clicked the first notification. However, as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. Her pointer finger, almost absent-mindedly, pressed on the screen and tapped on the first notification and within seconds again, she could feel her heart fall for the umpteenth time in a period of eight months. On Chaewon’s newest post, it was a picture of their new girlfriend, Hitomi. The girl who resembled a peach was indeed cute with their round and big cheeks. However, what broke Minjoo once again was the caption on the post:
 

My bbangtomi, thank you for coming into my life. Ever since I’ve met you, it felt as if my eyes had opened up to the world around me. Thank you, and happy eight months my love. 

 

Minjoo leaned against her locker once more and closed the door. She could only feel her eyes that began to well up in tears once more. The feeling of the tears fighting to come out and her sobs scratching, clawing at to be let out once more.

She was still broken. 

However, she didn’t want to end up crying in the hallway or somewhere near the college campus, she had to keep up the image that she was doing okay. She promised Yuri that she was fine, she had to be fine for the date today, which meant that these tears had to be shed soon. Minjoo had made her way out of the building, her feet leading her to a secluded part of the campus, it was a little bit away from the main courtyard and the buildings. She sat on the wooden bench just beneath the old big tree. Right now, most of the students were either in class or eating their lunch in the cafeteria and courtyard, they would be nowhere near the school garden. 

 

As if it was on cue as soon as she sat down on the bench she could feel the tears and the sobs that she thought were dried out and had gone away, poured out. Her arms propped up on her lap and her face leaned into the palms of her hands to bury her face and muffle the sounds of her cries. If love was this painful, she did not want to love again. 

 

“Are you crying?” a voice called out. It was unfamiliar to the female, but for some reason, it was soothing, calm, and for the first time in a long time for Minjoo, it was comforting. Minjoo lifted her head from the palm of her hands, her eyes moving up as she stared at the owner of the voice. The female had long black hair, tall, their lips were plumped and soft. Although, what drew Minjoo in more was their dark brown eyes that had always seemed to comfort her. She stifled her sobs and raised up one of her arms to rub away the tears as she stared at the unknown female. She was beautiful. 

 

“I didn’t know there was anyone here,” Minjoo managed to mutter past her lips. She could feel the tears welling up again, but instead, she took a deep breath to calm herself down. “I’m sorry.” 
“Do you need a shoulder to cry on?” the female questioned as they made themselves comfortable and leaned into the bench. She lifted her hand up then proceeded to pat on her shoulder. “Here, its the best shoulder pillow that you can lean on within a 15-meter radius.” 

Minjoo’s eyes moved up as she watched the female’s movements carefully. Moments ago, she could not help but feel like crying, but now here she was letting out the first laugh in eight months from a stranger. It was strange to her about how much comfort she could receive from them. Her eyes were puffy and red from the tears she had just shed, but her lips were slowly forming into a small smile. 

 

“I’m good, thank you for the offer, but… what were you doing here? I didn’t expect to see anyone in this area at this time.” 
“Ah, I don’t go to school here, but one of my friends does. I was going to go and meet up with them, However, one of my senses was tingling and it led me here to you.” 
“Your sense?” 
“Finding pretty girls who are crying by themselves. That’s my talent, or so I’ve heard.” the female let out a soft laugh, she stared at the female. She propped her arm on the armrest of the bench, leaning slightly away from Minjoo. “Why were you crying, if it’s okay for me to ask?” 

 

Minjoo’s lips pursed in and she let out a soft sigh, should she be telling a stranger her whole life story? How she and her on and off girlfriend of six years had ended eight months ago, but she was still deeply in love with them? Would it be okay to be telling a complete stranger that she had only met moments ago a whole TEDtalk? 

 

“It’s love, isn’t it?” the female questioned as she looked at Minjoo, which caused Minjoo to freeze, it was like the female had read her mind. The dark-haired female stretched a bit, a soft sigh escaped their lips and they hummed to themselves. “From the sound of your tears, it sounded like the cries of help were from the pains of love.”  
“Yeah… I guess it was the pains of love.” 
“That’s impossible though. Call me a romanticist, but love isn’t painful.” the female responded almost immediately. “Probably before I came here, you were thinking to yourself, ‘Ah, I should never fall in love again. It hurts too much.’ But there’s just one aspect of love that I find to be the most romantic.” 

 

Minjoo had stared at the female, her brow raised in curiosity. Love isn’t painful? How would this stranger understand how she felt? 

 

“Love isn’t painful. Jealousy, betrayal, doubt, uncertainty… the byproducts of love, are what hurts. Love is not meant to have to be painful. It’s a beautiful thing, so beautiful that everyone craves it and runs after it.” the female stared at Minjoo, her dark-eyes capturing Minjoo’s heart once more as she listened to their comforting words. “What people believe is love, is actually hope. They hope that the person they are with is the second half that they’ve been searching for that will lead them into that love that they search so desperately for. The hope that this person is the right one.” the female stared at Minjoo with eyes of compassion, sadness, and love. “When that person is not the one, that’s when they feel that pain. What hurts the most, isn’t love, but hope. And it hurts more when we blindly follow that hope instead of looking for the one that was meant for us in this lifetime.” 

 

Minjoo stared at the female, almost baffled as it seemed to make sense, that the answer that she was looking for could have come from a complete stranger that seemed to have read her mind. “What’s your name?” were the only words that Minjoo could push past her lips. 

“Yujin. Ahn Yujin, I’m turning 18 this year. And you?” 

 

Yujin? Why did that sound familiar? 

 

“Kim Minjoo. I just turned 20 this year. Why do you know so much about love, Yujin?” 
“Because my first love is still going on, and there’s something in my heart and soul, telling me that they’re who I’m supposed to share my love with.” 
“That girl is very lucky then.” Minjoo let out a soft laugh, she looked at her watch, seeing the time and her eyes had grown wide as the sudden realization had hit her. “I have to get going! I have a blind date with my friends!” Minjoo exclaimed as she wiped the dust off of her pants. “It’s nice meeting you, Yujin!” 
“See you later,” the female, Yujin, whispered softly as she waved the female off. 

 

************

 

Minjoo really should have checked the message that Yuri had sent her before she had her own meltdown. Her lips pursed in as she let out a deep sigh and sat in the coffee shop that she was supposed to meet her two other friends at, well, that was the original plan. But that one message changed everything. 

 

From: Yuri
To: Minjoo
Timestamp: 12:27 PM
Min! Sorry! Something came up, Yena got called in for work today apparently? So you and Yujin can go and meet at the cafe and watch the movie! Yena and I should still be able to make it to dinner! 

 

A deep sigh escaped Minjoo’s lips as she raised her hand and massaged her temples. No, she was not upset with the whole fact that it was her friends that set her up on a date with a stranger and decided to skip till the end. Rather, she felt more upset about the sudden realization that Yujin, the stranger in the garden was actually her blind date, who saw her in her most vulnerable state. Yes, she should have remembered, logically, but at the time, she was stricken with heartbreak. Although she was known to be one of the biggest criers between her small friend group, it was still unexpected. 

 

Minjoo’s pointer finger tapped against the table, she was unsure of what she was feeling. Was it may be, she was dreading the feeling that she was going to see the stranger that saw her cry? Or was it the excitement that she was going to be seeing the stranger that saw her cry and made her smile? A loud ding rang through the small cafe and her head peered up, seeing the familiar face once more within only thirty minutes of just meeting. Minjoo was unsure of how she should react, should she stand up? Greet them? Hug them? No, she shouldn’t hug them, it would be a bit weird considering that they had only met thirty minutes ago. 

 

However, there was one thing that Minjoo could not deny when she saw Yujin walk through that door once more. She could feel her heart pounding, which seemed to be broken the last eight months, had finally started to work once more. She watched as the dark-haired female approached her. Minjoo’s eyes fell on the sweet smile that was formed on the younger female’s lips which revealed the deep dimples on both sides of the younger’s lips. She did not have enough time to notice what the female was wearing earlier, but it was a dark red cardigan and a white shirt and blue jeans. Even though it was so casual, the female looked pretty in it. 

 

“Nice to see you again, Minjoo,” Yujin started with a soft smile. She made herself situated as she let out a soft laugh and rubbed the nape of her neck before her gaze met the older female’s. 
“If I knew that you were my blind date then…” 
“It’s more natural if we met before the blind date, so you would not feel so awkward,” Yujin responded, she leaned into the table and her lips curled into a soft smile. “Since I caught you in one of your most vulnerable states, I think it’s only fair that I tell you a secret. You know, most blind dates don’t really focus on the past and it feels awkward when I know why you are on the blind date but you don’t know a single thing about me.” 
“But I do know a few things about you,” Minjoo responded almost immediately. 
“Oh? And what is that Kim Minjoo?” Yujin stared at the female with a soft gaze and her lips curled into a soft smile.
“You’re Ahn Yujin, you said you were turning eighteen this year, but it’s already the end of August? So that means your birthday is at the end of the year. You have two deep dimples, and that’s cute. And you know Yena from work.” 
“You’re right about that. You know the superficial details.” Yujin nodded as she shook her head but only let out a soft laugh. “But that’s not what I meant--”
“And you said that your first love started three years ago and it’s still going on.” Minjoo interrupted the younger. “So why are you on this date with me?” 

 

Yujin stared at the older female, a dumbstruck look on her face as she let out another laugh. Her dimples formed once more before nodding her head in agreement. “That’s right. Why am I on a date with you… is that the question you want to be answered?” 

 

Minjoo looked at the younger, their expression seeming to be serious contrary to their earlier playful demeanor. She let out a soft laugh and shook her head slowly. “No, no. It’s fine. If you don’t want to share that answer. How about you keep my question as an IOU, and I’ll redeem it later?” 

 

Yujin smiled softly and nodded in agreement. She leaned back into her chair as she stretched for a bit before her eyes met Minjoo’s once more. “I’ll keep that in mind, and let you redeem that Yujin Knowledge Coupon later. I know they said that we have to go and watch a movie, but… I think that’s just a way for people to avoid talking on blind dates. I want to get to know you.” 

 

“I’m not all that interesting though?” 
“It’s okay, I’m good at finding the interesting in un-interesting people.”  

 

************

 

Yujin and Minjoo had opted out of the movie option because as Yujin stated, movies were just a way to avoid conversation with someone. The two walked side by side, their feet eventually leading them to a nearby arcade. Yujin was interesting for Minjoo at the very least. For one, their face resembled a puppy, and it was shown through their personality. Yujin at the very least was easy-going and it seemed as if it was easy for them to make friends. For one, the younger was indeed more likable than Minjoo had expected. 

 

As soon as they stepped past the sliding doors of the arcade, their eardrums were riddled with the beeping, ringing, and playing of the arcade. The loud shouts in the building for those who had a loss or won a game. The regular lights were turned off, but they were replaced with dim blue lights. Indeed, Minjoo was out of her element but soon she felt a tug on her arm, accompanied by a pull and a drag. Yujin had guided Minjoo over to the coin machine and pulled out her blue wallet which was followed by her grabbing a few bills out. 

“Do you want to do the honors?” Yujin questioned as she handed the bills over to the older female. Her eyes motioned Minjoo’s hand to the coin machine. 

 

Minjoo grabbed the few bills and looked over at the younger than at the bills that were placed in front of her. She slid the bills into the coin machine, and as if it was like black magic, she saw the bills be in, and soon it was accompanied by the loud clanging of coins as it poured into the coin slot below. Yujin grabbed the coins and placed them in her pocket and she grabbed the older’s hand. Her lips curled into a soft smile as she tugged them over to an available game. 

 

Minjoo was never good at games, in fact, Yena constantly reminded her about how horrible she was at games. It didn’t help when her other friends in almost unison would agree. That’s why Minjoo had become so nervous when she was faced with the contraption in front of her. It seemed simple enough, a seat with a wheel in front of it and pedals. It was just a racing game, but it was nerve-wracking. She felt compelled to make an impression, not to disappoint. 

 

Yujin was already situated in one of the empty seats and she looked over at Minjoo with the playful smile and her dimples showing once more. “What is it? Are you bad at games?” With an immediate reaction, Minjoo nodded firmly before she felt a tug on her once more, forcing her down on the empty seat beside Yujin. “That’s fine, I’ll never judge you. Besides, it’s just for fun.” 

 

30 Minutes Later… 

 

Yujin stared at the older female, almost dumb-founded. “Kim Minjoo, when you said you were bad at games… I didn’t think you meant you were that bad.” 

 

Minjoo was sitting down at a nearby bench a little bit away from the main arcade. Yujin was standing up and her eyes were focused on the brown-haired girl. “Well, to be fair I did warn you,” Minjoo responded softly, almost under her breath. 

 

“It just makes no sense! Did we play for twenty minutes? You should have gotten at least one win! You even lost to that grade-schoolers grandma! How can you get the last place out of ten rounds?” 
“I know! I’m a disappointing and uninteresting person!” 
“More than disappointing and uninteresting. You’re talented.” 
“What?” 
“Maybe when I feel like winning at a game I should go to you.” 
“Wait, pause, Ahn Yuji--” 
“Should we go and play another game?” 

 

Their date in the arcade continued as such, although Minjoo was more talented at some of the other games that they played. Minjoo was good at the games that did not require much control, like whack-a-mole, the jump-rope game, and the one where you had to hit the glowing buttons. Yujin though was talented in all the arcade games. Ranging from the ones that required physical activity, ranging from basketball, hitting down targets by throwing a ball to the extreme ones like Dance Dance Revolution, racing games, and more. The two reached the end of their coin pile, surprisingly they played a good amount of games and they had collected a decent amount of tickets as well. 

 

“So what should we use our last coin for?” Minjoo questioned as she looked over at the taller female. 
“How good are you at the piano?” Yujin questioned as she stared at the female with a soft smile plastered on her face. 
“The piano? I’m pretty good at it… I used to play the piano and guitar, even had a few lessons for them.”
“Do you still play?”
“No, it’s been difficult, I stopped playing about two years ago.” 
“That’s a shame.” 
“What?” 
“Nothing, don’t worry about it!” Yujin responded with a bright smile on her face, pulling the older with her towards a rhythm game. The game was shaped like a grand piano, and even the buttons were like piano keys. “It’s really easy, so you just have to hit the notes shown on the screen. And when they come to this line right here, you hit the keys.” 

 

Minjoo nodded, it seemed simple enough, it was basically like the dancing game that Yujin played earlier, but instead of using her legs, she had to use her hands. “It makes sense!” 

 

Yujin let out a soft laugh and nodded to herself. “Then, I’ll choose the song and you play it for me!” Yujin stated as she pushed the last remaining coin into the game. She sat down on the game bench with the older female. Her fingers gently tapping down and scrolling through the option until she finally found one. “I like this one,” Yujin said as she clicked on the song. 

 

Emerald Eyes by Anson Seabra 

 

“A foreign song, really?” Minjoo questioned as she looked over at the younger. “Does the girl that you have a crush on have emerald eyes?” 
“Not really, but, I could get lost in her eyes. I wouldn’t mind it, especially if it meant that I would be the only one that she was searching for.” Yujin glanced over at Minjoo and there it was again, a smile that seemed to comfort Minjoo once more. However, it was soon accompanied by a playful nudge. “The song is starting, you should focus on it.” 

 

And as if it was instinct, Minjoo began to hit the keys, hitting a few goods and greats here and there, but for the most part, when she hit the keys, it resulted in a “Perfect” note. Her fingers naturally flowed with the notes to hit the key, her lips curled into a soft smile. For once, in the last eight months, she was impressed with herself. She had forgotten, what the feeling was, of being proud of herself. Especially when she was wallowing in self-hate for almost two-thirds out of the year. When the last note came to her fingers hit the last key. Her lips curled into a bright smile, a genuine smile. 

 

“WOW! I never expected you to actually be good at this game!” Yujin seemed startled as she stared at the screen. She gave them a bright smile as she nudged them happily. “Are you feeling proud of yourself?” 

 

Minjoo stared at the younger, giving them a short nod in response. She didn’t want to admit it, but it felt nice to play the piano once again. “Just a little bit.” 

 

“You did well, Minjoo,” Yujin stated as she reached over and placed her hand on top of Minjoo’s head. Her hand their hair gently as she gave them another warm smile, revealing her dimples once more. 

 

Then within seconds, there was a loud vibration. Minjoo reached over for her phone in her pocket and pulled it out. 

 

From: Yuri
To: Minjoo
Timestamp: 4:30 PM
Min! Yena just finished her shift, are you with Yujin?  Do you still want to meet up for dinner? 

 

“Who is it?” Yujin questioned as she looked at the older with curious eyes. 
“Ah… It’s Yuri, she wants to know if we want to meet up for dinner.” 
“Let’s ditch them.” 
“What?” 
“They left us alone! The least we should do is ditch them!” 

 

Minjoo stared at the younger baffled, but she could feel her lips curl into another big smile as she let out a loud laugh before responding. “Sure, sure. I don’t mind ditching them. If anything, we should make them pay for our date!” 

 

“Ah. I like the way you’re thinking Kim Minjoo!” Yujin replied enthusiastically as she nudged the other female playfully. “Good thing Yena gave me money for the movie and the tickets. I think we still have enough money for a decent meal.” 
“Decent meal?” 
“How does the night food market sound?” 
“It sounds like a great way to end our date,” Minjoo responded with the bright smile still plastered on her face. 

 

************

 

The date continued as such. The two-headed down to the local food market, using the money Yujin got from Yena and had a practical buffet of food. They started with cheeseballs, tteokbokki, a few skewers of fish cakes, followed by some hot dogs, and they ended their food tour with sweets. Ranging from egg waffles with ice cream to ice cream mochi and ending with a few macaroons. After their food tour, the two ended up going to watch a movie, the reason? Yujin stated that she needed a place to take a nap in order to recover from the food coma. 

 

Yujin was walking Minjoo back to Yuri’s apartment. Throughout the whole day, the two seemed to have talked naturally with each other. For Minjoo, she felt comfortable and felt like she could trust the younger girl. She looked over at the time on her phone and realized what time it was, it was nearing midnight. “I didn’t realize what time it was! How could a whole twelve hours just pass like that?” 

 

“Time goes by too fast when you’re having fun.” the younger responded. The two were momentarily stopped on the sidewalk. “Do you have class tomorrow?”
“Of course! I have an exam early in the morning tomorrow…” 
“That’s good.”
“How is that good, Ahn Yujin? I’m going to be tire--” 
“Because, it means that starting today, you want to start living again.” 

 

Minjoo paused. What the younger had just stated was right. In the last eight months, rather than living and waiting for the day to end, today was the first time she thought about the next day. She looked up at the younger in a dumbfounded manner as she let out a soft laugh. 

 

“I guess you have a new superpower, Ahn Yujin.” 
“Oh? And what’s that?” 
“You know how to make broken girls smile. I’ll see you tomorrow. Yuri’s building is just across the street.” 

 

And like that Minjoo had taken a step forward, unaware of her surroundings, she just wanted to avoid the younger seeing her face turning red. However as she took her first step out to the street, she heard a yell, saw bright light heading towards her, and felt herself become frozen. Then for that brief moment, everything was black. 

 

“Minjoo! Kim Minjoo! Are you okay?” a loud voice called out. It sounded familiar, a voice that was comforting her and calling out to her. 

 

Soon, Minjoo’s eyes slowly opened as she felt an unfamiliar feeling. She was still standing and most of all, she was safe. She felt comforted by the arms around her, red sleeves. She looked up and her gaze met the worried eyes of the younger girl. She could see the tears form in the younger’s eyes. 

 

“Are you crying?” Minjoo questioned as she stared at the taller girl. 

“Of course, I am!” the tears that had welled up in the younger girl’s eyes had begun to fall. “Why didn’t you look both ways before crossing?”

“What happened?” 

“You tried crossing and a car almost hit you, you idiot. A grade-schooler knows to look both ways before crossing!” 

 

Minjoo let out a soft laugh as she nudged the other girl playfully, her lips curled into a soft smile as her hands came up, gently cupping the younger’s cheeks and rubbing away the tears that were falling with her thumbs. 

 

“Don’t cry, I’m still okay, aren’t I?” Minjoo questioned as she stared at their teary eyes. She looked over at the younger girl. 

“But still…” 

“I’m okay, and you saved me.” Minjoo let out a soft laugh as she pulled herself out of the younger’s arms. “I guess this means I owe you another date.” 

“No, not another date… give me… another five dates.” 

“Why five?” 

“Because it felt like my life flashed before me five times when you almost got hurt.” 

 

Minjoo stared at the younger girl dumbfounded, letting out a soft laugh and nodded in agreement. “Okay, five dates it is, but that means I need your number so I can claim it.” 

 

A bright smile had formed on Yujin’s lips, she grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket and unlocked it. Minjoo doing the same as they exchanged numbers with one another. 

 

“Although, you can’t claim your dates just yet,” Minjoo stated as she put her cellphone away in her pocket. 

“And why is that?” Yujin questioned as she stared at the older female with a quirked brow. 

“I can’t date a minor,” Minjoo responded almost immediately, letting out a soft laugh. “So come and claim your date when you’re 18.” 

Yujin looked at the female, a bit dumbfounded and in disbelief. “Great, then I’ll come and claim my first date in twelve hours.” 

 

“What? Didn’t you just hear what I sa--” 

“It’s September 1st, I’m 18 right now,” Yujin responded with a sly smile on her face. 

 

She grabbed her wallet out of her pocket, and pulled out an ID card, handing it out to the older female. Minjoo reached out and took the card out of their hand. She stared at it dumbfoundedly. Indeed, on Yujin’s card, it said the date of birth was September 1st, 2003. 

 

“Did you plan this?” Minjoo queried to the female. 

“Not at all,” Yujin stated, her lips curled into a bright smile again revealing the deep dimples on her cheeks. 

 

And like that, the prequel to their love story had started. 

 

************

 

Three Months Later… 

In the following weeks, Minjoo and Yujin had been texting almost constantly. As the days went by with Yujin, she had found that the habit of constantly checking Chaewon’s Instagram slowly disappeared. She no longer was hurting herself, the pain that she felt every day, the unwillingness to get out of the bed it had vanished after she met the younger female, Yujin. They had gone on four out of the five dates that Yujin had redeemed. The first date, the two went to a PC cafe with Yena and Yuri, mainly because the couple was upset that the two decided to ditch them on their first date. 

 

On their second date, the two went to a go-kart track, which Minjoo, of course, lost. Then they went to dinner and sat by the Han River, mostly talking about secrets, reliving embarrassing memories. On their third date, their most recent one that was just a few days ago, they went out on a picnic together. 

 

On the fourth date, Yujin wanted to have what she called, an “in-home date”. Minjoo went to Yujin’s place, and the two made ramen and proceeded to watch what Yujin had dubbed the worst clips of mankind. Although, many of the videos were unwatchable because of either the awkward editing or awkward acting. Not to mention the cheesy lines that were on the film. Later into the night, Yujin let her borrow her Nintendo Switch and start playing a game called, what was it, Animal Crossing? Either way, Minjoo was confused with the concept of starting out in debt before she even started living. 

 

It was late at night, around 1 AM in the morning the two were texting back and forth, and because of this Minjoo’s sleep schedule had been put out of order, but she did not mind it, the younger was entertaining to her at the very least. 

 

From: Yujin
To: Minjoo 
Timestamp: 1:05 AM
Minjoo, what should I do? 

 

From: Minjoo
To: Yujin
Timestamp: 1:07 AM
What’s wrong, Yujin? 

 

From: Yujin
To: Minjoo
Timestamp: 1:08 AM

My date coupons are almost gone! Does this mean you won’t talk to me anymore? 

 

Minjoo let out a soft laugh at the message. Her lips curled into a smile as she saw the message. She shook her head, seeing that the younger, although they had claimed to be a mature 18-year-old, was still a giant child. 

 

From: Minjoo
To: Yujin
Timestamp: 1:09 AM
I’m not worried about it. Are you crying thinking about it? 

 

From: Yujin
To: Minjoo
Timestamp: 1:10 AM
And why is that? It’s because you’ll be free from me right? That’s not allowed. You thought, but this Yujin is already attached, you can’t get rid of her that easily! Hurry, get in trouble and I’ll come and rescue you! I’ll get more coupons then, right? 

 

From: Minjoo
To: Yujin
Timestamp: 1:12 AM
Really? Just when I thought I was free. And shouldn’t you be more concerned about my well-being instead of wishing that I could be getting in trouble? 

 

From: Yujin
To: Minjoo
Timestamp: 1:14 AM  
I mean, of course, your well-being is in my best interest. But I need a reason to stay by your side to make sure that you’re safe!
 

Minjoo looked at her cell phone screen. What was she supposed to say? The younger was right, what would happen if the date coupons had run out. Would they have no more reason to talk to one another? Would she be left alone all by herself again? Just the thought of being alone hurt her. Her lips pursed in, so much so that she forgot to message the younger female back.

 

She was brought back to reality when she heard her phone go off once more. She paused once more and sat up once she saw the notification on her screen: 

 

Incoming Video Call
Yujin

 

As if it was an automatic reaction, Minjoo sat up. She reached over for the night lamp and turned it on. Her eyes automatically moving towards the mirror that was by her door, did she look okay? Was she presentable? Those were the first thoughts that came to her mind. As she fixed the slight bed hair. She took a few deep breaths, eventually swiping to accept the call. She took a deep breath before she looked at the camera on her phone. And moments after taking her first glance at the screen, she let out a loud laugh.

 

“What’s so funny?” the younger female asked, letting out a soft laugh. Yujin had her down, wearing casual pajamas, but that’s not what made Minjoo laugh, it was the round glasses frames that the younger one was wearing. They were so big that it made Yujin’s big eyes seem small. “Wait, pause, Kim Minjoo, are you laughing at my glasses?” 

 

Minjoo only responded with a firm nod as she let out another loud laugh. “I’m sorry, it’s just, I never knew that someone’s pupils could be that small when they put on glasses!”

“I’m hanging up,” Yujin teased as she covered the phone with the palm of her hand, causing the older to cease all of her laughter. 

“No! Don’t! You already called might as well just stay on the phone, no?” Minjoo made herself comfortable in her bed. Leaning into the pillows and resting her head. Her lips curled into a soft smile. “Why did you call?” 

“Ah… you didn’t respond, so I figured you were in trouble. I have to collect on those date tickets you know.” a soft chuckle escaped Yujin’s lips as she stared at the other girl on the other end of the line. Her right arm was propped up on what looked to be a desk and she rested her head on her hand, staring at the younger female. “Are you okay? Did I call at the right time?” 

“No way, I was just lost in my thoughts.” 

“You were probably thinking about how much you’ll miss me when your date coupons run out.” 

“Impossible, I was thinking about what I was going to do with my freedom after you use your last coupon!” Minjoo retorted with a soft chuckle escaping her lips. 

“I’m hurt, has these three months mean nothing to you?” Yujin questioned as her face was plastered with an overdramatic hurt expression. 

 

Minjoo shook her head. She could feel the smile on her face reaching from cheek-to-cheek. Her lips curled into a bright smile. She loved seeing the younger’s face, she enjoyed how much they made her smile. 

 

“I’m grateful for you, Yujin.” 

“Why is that?” 

“Because… I never thought I could smile again, genuinely, until I met you.” Minjoo stated absentmindedly. She remained silent when the sudden realization of what she had just said hit her. She could feel her cheeks heat up as she stared at the other end of the phone, waiting to see the younger’s reaction. However, the younger remained stoic and silent, and there was an awkward silence between the two. Minjoo had to fix it. “If that was awkward, you can just ignore it!” 

“No that’s not it Minjoo…” another chuckle escaped her lips, she rubbed the nape of her neck as she shook her head. “To be honest, the day that we met… Around a week ago, I broke up with my first girlfriend?” 

 

Minjoo paused as she tried to recall the moment. How could she forget? She was crying in the garden, letting out what seemed like years worth of tears. However, there was something that bothered Minjoo. “Didn’t you say that your first love was three years ago though?” Minjoo questioned.

 

“Mhm. Three years ago. Actually… It’ll be four years ago soon.” Yujin stated as she let out a soft sigh. “I’ve been in love with the same girl for four years.” 

 

Minjoo could feel her heartbreak, she wasn’t sure why. Was it because she felt like maybe, she had hoped that Yujin was in love with her? 

 

“Ah… is that so? Who is this lucky girl then?” Minjoo questioned as she stared at the younger. 

“Do you want to use your Yujin Question coupon on that?” Yujin questioned as she stared at the older female. 

“I guess not…” Minjoo let out a soft laugh as she rubbed the nape of her neck. 

“Hey wait, I’ll call you back in like… fifteen minutes, can you wait?” Yujin questioned as she stared at the female. 

“What?” 

“Just wait, fifteen minutes, no, ten minutes. I’ll call you back.” 

 

And just before Minjoo could respond, Yujin had hung up. 

 

Minjoo sat down in disbelief. She tried to call the younger back almost immediately, but her phone had gone straight to voicemail. Was it really wrong for her to mention Yujin’s, first love? Was it still Yujin’s girlfriend? Was that why the younger had ended the call? Although, it scared Minjoo when she thought about the fact that although she knew Yujin, at the same time she felt confused, unsure because the younger rarely revealed details about their private life. They never mentioned their past love experiences, when they talked about friends, Yujin would only talk about Yena, which Minjoo was already acquainted with. When it came to school life, Minjoo only knew that they did Track and Field and they did poorly on math. However, the younger would rarely talk about how their day went. Did she say something wrong? 

 

Then Minjoo suddenly heard the doorbell ring. Her eyes moved towards the digital clock on her nightstand, it was already 2 AM. She kept hearing the doorbell ringing constantly, and Minjoo made her way out of bed and to the intercom. When she saw the person at the front of the door, her eyes grew wide. 

 

She rushed over to the entrance, swinging it open, revealing the girl who she was just talking too moments ago. The eighteen-year-old Ahn Yujin, huffing and puffing, trying to catch her breath. Minjoo stared at the breathless female. 

 

“Why did you come here so late? Are you okay, did something happen?” Minjoo questioned in a concerned tone. “You said that you were going to call back and you suddenly hung up and now you’re here are you--” 

“It’s you.” 

 

Minjoo paused. Did she hear that right? She stared at the younger with disbelief plastered on her face. “W-What do you mean that it’s me?” 

 

“You’re my first love. The one where I think that the world is a better place with you in it. I can always count on you to make me smile. I felt the familiar the moment I met you, you leave me breathless. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone but you. I know I’ll be fine when you’re near me.” Yujin responded with a straightforward expression. The female was now standing up straight and she finally caught her breath. 

 

Minjoo let out a soft and awkward laugh, rubbing the nape of her neck. She felt her heart flutter from the female’s words. What did they mean? The two had only met three months ago, so four years, when was that? Did they meet before that then? 

 

Minjoo pulled the younger girl in, closing the door behind them. She motioned for the female to come in and lead them to the small living room, where the younger took a seat on the couch and Minjoo proceeded to head to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water and handing it over to the female. She sat down beside the female and stared at them, waiting for an explanation. 

 

“Truthfully…” Yujin continued, “The first time I saw you, I was a freshman. I was spending time with a few of my friends, and I saw you, playing the piano at a recital. One of them was part of a classical music competition. Then, I saw you playing. I brought a bouquet for my friend, but instead of giving it to her… I got in trouble, to be honest, those flowers were expensive, and all of my friends that were with me pitched in and we bought the most expensive bouquet of roses. But I ended up giving it to you. That’s when I realized, meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You are my first love, Minjoo.” 

 

Minjoo remained silent. She was unsure of how to respond. She could feel her heart racing as she stared at the younger who seemed to recount everything. Although, she couldn’t remember the moment that the younger was recalling. However, Minjoo found herself meeting Yujin’s gaze. The gaze that never lied to her, the gaze that caught her attention. 

 

In her eyes, Minjoo could tell and see all the truths that were possible in the world. Her lips formed into a soft smile. The eyes that had comforted her during the days where breathing had become impossible, signaled to Minjoo that what the younger girl was saying was indeed the truth. The dark and deep brown eyes, telling Minjoo, that everything was going to be okay, and that she could trust her. 

 

“Why are you telling me this now, Yujin? And didn’t you have a girlfriend before me?” 

“I did have a girlfriend before you. She was my best friend, but we only dated for a few weeks, and I dated her because I was trying to forget about you.” the younger responded. Her lips had curled in as her brows furrowed. “Because I love you more and more every day. I don’t know why, but my heart, every time I would see her, I would just think of you, playing the piano.” 

 

Minjoo felt a pain in her heart, her lips curled into a soft smile as she stared at the younger girl. “What does that mean for us?” She looked at the younger girl, and her lips curled into a bright smile once more. 

 

“What does it mean?” Yujin rubbed the nape of her neck as she tried to think of a response. “What I think it means… Is that… I want to start a new chapter in the book of life. And that from this chapter and the chapters following it, I don’t want to write a single one without you in it.” 

 

Minjoo looked at the younger, her lips curled into a smile as she gave them a short nod. “Are you asking me out, Ahn Yujin?” 

“Of course I am, Kim Minjoo.” 

 

And with a soft smile, Minjoo stared at the younger girl, softly replying, “Let’s begin our new chapter today.” 

 

Three months, seventeen days, eighteen hours, and thirty-seven minutes signaled the start of their love story. 

 

Part 1 ~ Fin. 

 

************