Our first morning in Japan began. The weather was so nice, not sunny and I could feel the breeze. I brushed my teeth and went to the balcony area. The foggy view from the Kawaguchi lake and Mount Fuji were really beautiful.

“It is so pretty, Eonnie,” Mina joined me at the balcony. She spread out her arms to inhale all the fresh air.

“Yeah, pretty.. like you, Minariii,” I smiled at her and like usual she turned red.

Already make me flutter in the morning.

“What are we going to do today, Eonnie?” she asked to change the topic.

“Hmm… I will tell you soon… now, let’s change our clothes first,” I replied.

We did not have breakfast that day because we decided to have a little tour around the prefecture. Mina wore white sweater, shorts, and she tied her hair into pony style. So simple yet breath taking. While me just wore a simple T-shirt, shorts, and a cap.

“Let’s go,” I said and she followed me from behind.

The inn that we stayed had this bicycle rent service, so I rented 2 bikes for us to have the tour.

But then Mina said, “Hmm.. Eonnie, but I could not ride a bike,” she rubbed the back of her head.

“Oh, okay, I will just rent one bike then,” I told the innkeeper.

“Sorry, Eonnie, you will be tired later….” She pouted.

“Hey, don’t worry,,, I kind of like it though,, so we will be attached to each other right,,,” I smirked.

“Eonnniieee,,,,, but I worry about your wounds’ condition,,, will that be okay?” she worried.

“As long as I have you, everything will be okay, Minayaaah,” I patted her head gently and gave my wide smile at her.

“Just tell me if you feel tired or hurt, okay,,,,promise, eonnie,,,” she said and I nodded.

There we went around the city using a classic Japanese bike. Her hands were on my waist and we enjoyed the morning breeze. Mina did not know that my heart raced as I pedalled the bike with a smile on my face.

Hmm.. what a nice morning I spend with Nayeonnie. Riding a bike with her, holding on to her waist and looking at the beautiful around. Perfect morning.

We passed many wineries around the area and we stopped at a small hut to have our breakfast. We chose the outdoor area, a small table for two persons and we can see the wineries. We ordered savoury pancake and 2 glasses of orange juice. Everything in Japan is delicious. Then we continued our tour to Kawaguchi Lake area.

We parked out bike and decided to ride a small boat and enjoyed the calmness of the lake. Mina and I rowed the boat until the middle park of the lake and we just absorbed all the positive ambience surround us.

“Mina…” I called her.

“Yes, what is up, eonnie?” she said.

“Have you ever fallen in love with someone?” I gave her a sudden hard question.

Why does she ask this kind of question when we are in the middle of the lake? But I guess it can be a good moment as I can give her a clue that I have a crazy crush on her.

“Why did you ask this question, eonnie? Something bothers you? She asked me back.

“Aniyo, Mina… I just want to know since I never ask you this kind of question,” I replied.

“Hmm… I never fall in love before, eonnie,,, but right now I am having this huge crush on someone,” she said.

“Wooooaaa,,, who is that lucky guy, Minarii? He must be one of your friends at school,” I acted cool, afraid to accept the reality if Mina was a straight one.

She shook her head, “No, no, eonnie, that person is a she, and yes she is my friend at school,,, but she does not know that I like her,,” she sound so lost.

“Omooo… so,,,, you like girls?” I was shocked and happy at the same time. “Tell me who is that lucky girl, then,,,, I will check her background first,” I proudly said but also felt a sting on my chest.

“I don’t want to tell you, eonnie, it will be so embarrassing if she does not reciprocate my feeling,,, and you don’t have to worry about her background,,, she is crazily rich, educated, kind, and have a cute smile,” she added.

“Yaaaa,,,, you keep a secret from me,,,” I pouted.

“Aniii, eonnie,, I just don’t want to make it a big deal, because it is only a crush,,, and I can wait for that,” she assured me.

Then we stayed silent again and rowed our boat back to the dock. We did not forget to capture the moment in our phone.

After that, we went to one of the famous temples in the area, Kuonji Temple. There was an exquisite cherry blossom tree that live around 400 years. We took some picture at the temple and walked around to see the culture in Japan.

Then, Mina went to the public restroom and I visited a small booth selling traditional merchandise. My attention fell to the bracelet with a stone pendant with the kanji letter that meant ‘happiness’. I bought 2 bracelets without telling Mina. I planned to give this simple gift when I confess to her.

 After walking around the temple, it was lunch time already. We tried a nice restaurant there that served steak and special soup dish.

We ended our short tour by visiting the fruit farm. Yamanashi prefecture is famous of its fresh fruits and water spring. So, we spend our afternoon picking up some cherries, blueberries, and peaches.

“Minaaa, say aaaa,,” I fed her with a cherry, she ate it and blushed. “Mina, not only the cherry is red, but also your face,” I giggled.

“Yaaaaa,,,” she slapped my arms.

“I wonder why you can blush easily, Mina.. we have been living together for around 6 months, right,,,” I said.

“Because you are cute,” she blurted out and directly covered .

“Wh – what Mina? You say that I am cute? Aaww, my cute Minariiii,,,” I pinched her cheek. I was happy but acted normally like sisters.

I really mean it, you know. You are so cute and you make me blush with every small thing that you do.

We went back to our inn before sunset. We felt so tired but satisfied with all the things that we saw and experienced. I laid myself down on the tatami while Mina took a bath. She dried her hair at the balcony and it was my turn to take a bath. Then I joined her sitting at the pool bed.

“Mina,, we have to sleep early today,” I told her.

“Why, eonnie?” she asked.

“Because later at dawn we have to wake up, we will climb the Mount Fuji and see the magnificent sunrise from the to,” I smiled.

“Wooowww, that must be so good, eonnie,,, you really planned all this, huh?” she smirked.

“Of course,,, while it is summer and we can go hiking there,, why not?” I laughed.

“You are the best, eonnie,” she laughed too.

We curled inside our futons after eating our dinner from the inn. Like usual we say good night to each other, and I kissed her forehead. I set my alarm to 00.30 a.m. to catch the sunrise moment later, then drifted to sleep.

In the middle of our sleep, I was awakened by Mina’s voice. She mumbled something in her sleep. She must be dreaming at that time. I paid close attention to her face, but suddenly her hands captured me, made my head landed on her chest. I tried not to move, but I saw that her eyes were closed. Totally in a deep dream.

“Nayeonnie,,,saranghae,,,” she mumbled those words in her dreams. I opened my eyes wide upon hearing them. “Why don’t you realize it, eonnie??” Mina continued to sleep talk.

I felt a sudden warmth after hearing Mina’s words. ‘Crazily rich, educated, kind, cute smile,,,, so that girl is me?’ I could think that the Heaven was kind to me that Mina reciprocated my feeling.

I tried to get out from Mina’s hands slowly and returned to my futon, pretend that I did not hear anything.

[Ring..Ring..] My alarm blared.

We woke up and prepared everything that we need.  We are ready with our jackets, scarves, and beanies. Mina looked really cute, like a real penguin in that beanie.

We joined the hiking group that dawn and started to climb the mountain. It was a tiring journey as we spent around 4 hours to reach the place to see the sunrise. Although tiring, but I was not bothered by it, because I kept on holding Mina’s hands along the track. There were already lots of people there, and I looked for an empty place to sit at the edge of the mountain.

“Let’s sit there, Mina…” I pointed some point and we sat side by side.

We arrived at the spot on time and slowly the sun came up and coloured the sky orange. Then we were amazed by the view as the clouds were below us.

Mina and I stood up to really capture the view with our eyes.

“Kawaaaaiiiii,,” Mina exclaimed cutely and I smiled looking at her.

I back hugged her and place my head on her broad shoulder. “Indeed, Mina,,, it is so beautiful, right?” I whispered and she giggled.

Because Mina was so happy that time, she did not get bothered by my hug, until I continue my next sentence, “Ai shi te ru, Minaaa,,”

She was frozen for some moment, could not believe what I said.

Aieru??? She likes me??? Did she just confess to me out of the blue?

“Minaaa… did you hear what I said?” I asked worriedly. Since I had to collect all my bravery to confess to her with the beautiful sunrise background. I planned it before so it would be a romantic scene.

I pouted, “Yeah, I know you don’t like me back since you already a girl that you crush on, right,,, I understand Mina,,, I just want to tell you me feeling so I will not regret.”

Mina broke the hug and faced me, “Eonnie, are you sure with your words? Do you like – like me? It is not the sisterly love?”

“Yes, Mina, I did not know when I started to fall for you,,, but I just feel that I want to protect you forever, I want to be by your side, accompanying you until we are old,” I explained.

Mina sobbed and hugged me tightly. I embrace her bag, “Don’t cry, Mina.. it is okay if you don’t have the same feeling like mine,,, be your sister is pretty cool, though.”

She shook her head, “Being your sister is not enough, eonnie.” I smiled, her dream last night was true then.

I asked her, “What do you mean, Mina?”

She broke the hug and hold my hands, “The girl that I have a crush with is you, Nayeonnie,” she lowered her head, feeling shy.

I knelt down and she looked so surprised, “Eonnie, what are you doing?”

I have been living in the darkness

I felt so lost and hopeless

No more love for me

But then you came into my life

You brought sunshine to my life

You warm my heart and melt the icy wall

Now I can feel the love again

Your smile, your care, your touch

I like everything about you

Would you be my girlfriend, Mina?

Tears dropped from her pretty eyes and she nodded, “Yes, yes, eonnie,” then I took out the bracelets that I bought from the temple.

I put in on her wrist, “It is a just a simple gift, Mina,,, look at the letter, it means happiness,,, and I want to make you happy,”

“I also want to make you happy, Nayeonnie,” she pulled me up so we stood face to face. She took the other bracelet and put it on my wrist, “For our happiness, eonnie.”

“Thank you for accepting me as your girl, Mina,” I kissed her forehead gently.

This forehead kiss feels different now. It is not a sisterly kiss anymore, it is a lover one. Her lips were so soft and I can feel her love. It is so deep and full of care. Love you, Nayeon.

“I love you, baby,” I told her once again and I smiled widely.

Baby? She called me baby.

I hugged her again, with the new status as her girlfriend. The orange sky, the clouds and this Mount Fuji became the witness of our confession.