"What are you doing here?"

"Get out of here!"

"We don't welcome you here!"

"Go back to Japan!"

Those are the words Mina heard everyday, not to mention the bullying, from shoving, to purposefully ruining her food, and worse.

One day, they went as far as trashing her bed at night that she had no choice but to sleep on the cold floor. 5-year-old Chaeyoung, who saw what happened, crawled out of her bed and approached Mina, who was laying on the floor, shivering from head to toe.

"Unnie, come sleep with me on my bed!" Chaeyoung said, offering her small hand.

"Chaeyoung, what are you doing? She's japanese!" 9-year-old girl named Nayeon exclaimed.

"Aish, you're too young to understand Japanese people's cruelty." Nayeon added.

Mina, who was about to take Chaeyoung's hand, retracted it back after hearing Nayeon's comment. She felt guilty, even though she didn't do anything wrong. So, Chaeyoung laid down next to Mina.

"I'll sleep here too, with you, if you won't sleep next to me on my bed" Chaeyoung cutely said, pouting and shivering.

Mina was touched by the small girl's kind gesture.

"Then let's sleep on your bed, but I don't think it fits for two people" Mina softly said.

Chaeyoung sprung up in excitement. Mina got up too.

"Don't worry I'm small, it'll fit the both of us" Chaeyoung said, while dragging Mina to her bed.

Every korean kid, who was still awake, was watching them with judging eyes. They couldn't believe Chaeyoung was being kind toward a Japanese. Moreover, they knew that Chaeyoung knew that her parents were killed by the Japanese.

And from then on, the two sticked with each other like bread and jam. Whereever Mina was, Chaeyoung would be there too. When the other kids were being mean toward Mina, Chaeyoung, though small she was, she would defend Mina in every way she could.

The other korean kids constantly reminded Chaeyoung of her parents.

"Chaeyoung, why do you defend a Japanese? You do know that your parents were killed by the Japanese, right? Maybe, Mina's father was the one who killed your parents"

Chaeyoung would only calmly answer, "Every person should be responsible for their own actions. Mina Unnie has never done anything wrong, so I won't hold a grudge against her, for a crime she never even comitted."

It amazed Mina how a 5-year-old kid like Chaeyoung could be so mature. 




 

Mina liked how Chaeyoung would draw and then proudly showed her the drawings and Mina would compliment Chaeyoung. Mina thought that Chaeyoung had potentials in art.

Mina liked how Chaeyoung played tags and hide and seek with her, even though it's boring since it was just the two of them. Still, Chaeyoung always giggled so excitingly, as if she had the most fun.

Mina loved when Chaeyoung told her stories and she would just quietly hum and watch the small girl making gestures with her cute hands.

Mina liked how even though Chaeyoung thought the library was boring, still Chaeyoung accompanied her, since Chaeyoung knew she really liked reading.

Library was the only place where the korean kids couldn't bully her since they had a strict librarian, who wouldn't hesitate to kick you out, if you made just a slightest bit of noise.

Despite the bullying, Mina liked her life right now, all because of Chaeyoung. She couldn't express how thankful she was to God for sending her a kind, cute and thoughful kid, like Chaeyoung. She wished that she and Chaeyoung could be together forever. 




 

One day, a young couple came to visit the orphanage and Mina grew anxious. She knew that no sane Korean couple would ever adopt her because she was Japanese, but it wasn't the case for Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung was a pure Korean and she was a cute and mature child too. She was afraid that they would adopt Chaeyoung and took Chaeyoung away from her. Mina held on Chaeyoung's hand tightly.

"What is it, Unnie? You look worried." Chaeyoung pointed out.

"Chaengie, please don't leave me!" Mina pleaded, almost tearing up.

Chaeyoung smiled, showing her dimples.

"Don't worry, unnie. I won't leave you and if they adopt me, I'll ask them to adopt you too" Chaeyoung said.

"Promise me, you have to promise me that! I don't want to be apart from you!" Mina frantically exclaimed.

Chaeyoung lifted her pinky up in the air, smiling warmly to her and Mina lifted her pinky too. They entangled them together.

"I promise" Chaeyoung breathed.

The moment the young couple landed their eyes on Chaeyoung, they smiled in satisfaction and Mina's fear was confirmed. The couple indeed chose to adopt Chaeyoung.

She quickly ran to a nearby park and cried her eyes out there. The only friend she had, the only one who was kind to her, was going to be taken away from her very soon.

Chaeyoung calmly approached her and hugged her.

"Don't worry, I'll come back! We've pinky promised, remember?" She murmured.

Mina cried even harder. Chaeyoung, who saw how deeply in anguish her friend was, shed tears too. Even though, Mina was quiet, she enjoyed Mina's company a lot. She had never imagined living a life without Mina.





 

A day came for Chaeyoung to leave the orphanage behind and lived with her new parents. Everyone was approaching Chaeyoung, bidding her farewell and wishing her a great life with her new parents. Meanwhile, Mina just ran off to the nearby park and cried her eyes there.

Chaeyoung, who was crying too, approached Mina. She wiped Mina's tears and hugged her.

"Wait for me, I will be back very soon!" Chaeyoung softly said.

Mina could only nod, crying her eyes out, making Chaeyoung's clothes wet. However, Chaeyoung didn't mind it. Chaeyoung also silently cried.

They heard footsteps approaching them. Chaeyoung turned her head and saw her new parents, beaming at her. She bowed her head. She was about to go to her parents, but Mina held on to her hand tightly, not willing to let go.

"I'll be back" Chaeyoung murmured.

Still, Mina refused to let go. So, Chaeyoung softly grabbed Mina's hand and freed herself.

"I promise, I'll be back very soon" she breathed.

Then, she went to her new parents. Mina could only watch the scene in despair and continued to cry her eyes out.




 

Ever since then, Mina would go to the same park everyday, waiting for Chaeyoung to pick her up. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into years. Still, Chaeyoung never showed up.

Still, Mina waited for Chaeyoung patiently, hoping that Chaeyoung would show up, but Chaeyoung never showed up.

Time went by so fast, she was 17 now. Next year, she would be kicked out of the orphanage, because she was practically an adult. Mina thought of how unwanted she was. Nobody liked her, not the kids at the orphanage, not her teachers and friends at school, even the caretakers were only taking care of her, because that was their job.

Everyone in Korea had great hatred towards Japanese people. She doubted that she would get a job with her identity. She also couldn't go to university, because she had no money.

Mina could only think of one solution to escape everything, which was suicide.

'If Chaeyoung doesn't come next year, just before I have to leave orphanage, I'll kill myself. Noone would miss me anyway' She told herself




 

A year passed, she waited at the park with her luggage, as she was legally an adult now and couldn't live in the orphanage anymore.

She waited and waited, still no sign of Chaeyoung. She bit her lips then laughed maniacally.

'This is it. This is the end. Goodbye world, Goodbye Chaeyoung! Hope we meet again in another life!' She thought to herself.

She then took out some rope from her bag to hang herself. She started tying it on the tree, until she heard someone running toward her and engulfed her in a tight hug.

Mina tried to squirm from the hug that she received from this unknown person, but the person was strong.

"I'm sorry I'm late" the person said.

Mina gently pushed the person and scanned the person from head to toe. It was Chayoung, it was indeed Chaeyoung, her Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung had grown into a beautiful teenage girl. Still, she recognized Chaeyoung very well from the deep dimples she had. Diamond-like tears fell from Mina's eyes. Chaeyoung cried too. They hugged each other again.

"Why are you so late? I was waiting all those years" Mina complained, while crying.

"I'm sorry, we emigrated to the U.S.. We're just here for holiday and I quickly got here to see you, as soon as I arrived." Chaeyoung explained.

They broke off the hug. Chaeyoung started to notice the rope Mina tied to the tree. She frowned.

"Were you going to commit suicide?" Chaeyoung angrily asked.

"Noone would miss me anyway." Mina nonchalantly answered, shrugging.

Chaeyoung softly slapped her arm.

"Don't say that! I would miss you!" Chaeyoung seriously said.

"Come with me to the U.S., Mina. My parents agree to take you in." Chaeyoung offered.

Mina could only smile and nodded. They hugged some more, before leaving the park and went to Chaeyoung's place.