Minju inhaled the cold morning air as she keeps both her hands on her jacket, she made her way to her usual spot with a guitar hanging low on her shoulder, she brought it today for a change. She’ll sing today, at least with her guitar waiting won’t be that cruel.

She wandered her eyes around, she went too early this time. Everything is still blue-the shade that reminds her of that day, the shade that reminds her to live another day. The morning breeze blew her away, she sighed as she lowering her head it’s another cold morning she has to endure alone.

It’s sad and hard but slowly she has been getting by. She’s been adjusting and adjusting, with little steps she tries to live a better if not better then a decent life she must say for example the boxes on her apartment has been unpacked and organized, she’s been writing in her journal religiously keeping records of her progress even though her sessions were all done, she also stopped smoking took her quite some time to get it out her system but fortunately she did. She smiled as she recalled all the times she pushed herself-well she’s still pushing but now it’s more natural. Now, her only problem is how to get off eating instant ramen almost every day- being her staple food since she can’t cook, well she’s thinking about learning it but she’s got a long way to go and lastly, she’s back being a student again.

It makes her proud doing those things, it’s not much if you’ll look at it but it’s everything for her.

She’s slowly adjusting and she thinks she’s just doing good at it. She can’t make everything go back to the way they used to, she also can’t give up now it’ll be a betrayal to them and to her. She’s trying to be happy with her second life and she’s thankful for the third chance she’s given.

She smiled, the third chance given by a friend. She stared at the sea, for some reason she keeps on coming back here just in time before the sun rise. There’s something that’s pulling her towards it, calling her then and then. Of course, she knows it’s because of her after all this is where it all started.

There’s no guarantee about her, almost as if it was just a nice dream but waiting at this, at their hour won’t hurt her. She’s still hoping that their paths will cross again.

“Will I see you today or not?” she said hopeful, looking at the sky.  The sky didn’t even move it’s still in the shade she loves. She took off her shoes before burying her feet on the soft pale sand. She’s an idiot she knows, it’s cold of course but it’s been her habit to let her feet feel the sand, it wakes her up and calms her down.

Day 30, she noted. It’s been thirty days since. She woke up again in an unfamiliar hospital, someone had rescued her from the shore and took her there, she was asleep for hours with no bruises or anything. It’s a miracle and mystery they say, Minju can’t trust anyone to tell her tale but she tried to look and ask if they found another girl, she tried to search for Chaewon even if at times she looks desperate and hysterical. One day she just had to stop searching because of doubt, doubt that everything was just a mere memory that everything she’s doing is just useless. Nonetheless, she still believes. She believes that Chaewon is still here in this world, that they’re under the same sky and she’s just peacefully continuing to live her life far away from her.

She believes in Chaewon… or at least that’s what she wants to think. She can’t blame Chaewon it’s her choice after all. She let the beauty of the sea cloud her mind, listening to the waves- its sound coming back and forth, rolling, and sliding against the soft sand is just something she took pleasure in. She took her guitar out of the bag and when she’s done she plucked the strings one by one, testing it if it’s still in tune, she bit her lower lip. It’ll be nice if Chaewon will sing while she plays.

“Chaewon, you’re here in this world with me, right? When we see each other again promise me, you’ll sing for me again okay?”

Minju smiled bitterly, at times she really can’t help but wonder if everything was just a dream if everything that’s happened only existed in her mind. Did she become so desperate that she made up some story to comfort herself?

Thinking about those things makes her feel pathetic but happy that she knew Chaewon nonetheless. Did she really reach that point? She’s unbelievable. She shook her head, erasing her thoughts Chaewon won’t like this if she knew she’s acting this way. She can’t let herself crumble back to pieces again, no way.

She hummed, focusing on her guitar she starts to play, it’s the song that’s been giving her strength lately. It reminds her of everything, her family and Chaewon most of all. She’s unluckily lucky, she lost everything but still, she’s here.

     the face that i miss, it disappears as if it’s drawn with water

     i miss it, again today

     i take a walk trying to remember that person

     i take a walk again today

     i take a walk again today

She still misses her family, it’s been tough without them but with the help of Chaewon, when she’s reminded of Chaewon everything seems less hard. She chuckled at herself, now Chaewon just adds to her list of people she misses.

Plucking the last strings of her guitar Minju finished her song. She felt the coldness of the wind brushing on her cheeks, she still can’t control her tears. She chuckled, her tears are still endless.

“보고싶어라 오늘도” (I miss you every day) She smiled bitterly as she whispered to the sea “Will I ever get to see you again?”

It’s a shame that both of them had to meet in such a way but she never did regret meeting her or doing that. That incident made her stronger, it knocked her into her senses, and ever since she met her everything changed, it was a blessing, a short-lived meeting but it had such an impact. She’ll forever be grateful even if she’s just a fragment of her imagination. She closed her eyes and breathed in the warmth “Oh! Hi there!” she nodded, she smiled in defeat “Good morning Mr. Sun” Looking at the bright streaks of yellow on the horizon makes her sad because that means she not coming.

“Day 30 and more to go I guess?” she stated. The sun is rising for the thirtieth time, it’s the thirty days of waiting and still no trace of Chaewon but that’s fine.

“Will you ever come?” She whispered as she packs her guitar preparing to leave, waiting is a very easy task but waiting knowing there’s no guarantee whether what you’re waiting for is actually coming or not is another thing what more if you actually doubt her existence? Minju chuckled, at this point, she’s not sure if she’s just fooling herself. It almost felt like waiting for something that isn’t going to happen.

No matter how many times she feels all of this, still she waits for her, still, she hopes that she will come and see her again. She still believes that one day their paths will cross again. Looking at the sky that’s bright as it can be and the pack of people slowly coming in, she took that as a sign to leave. She has to come back tomorrow again.

“Minju! Where have you been?!” Minju squinted and turned her back, a loud voice with a familiar local accent bombarded her ears before she could even open the door. She teasingly grimaced at the girl crossing the street to get to her location in retu