*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

"이제, 우리는 헤어집니다"

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

Monday.

 

As usual, Dahyun is excited to meet her dear lover, Mina.

 

Mina's kind, polite and well-mannered. Her beauty's unexplainable...ethereal, surreal. She's talented.

 

Of course, Dahyun was the opposite. You see, Dahyun wasn't all that kind nor was she that polite too. She's well-mannered, I give you that, and pretty too. But people saw her as someone who wasn't all that special, unlike Mina. Nevertheless, Mina loved her for who she is.

 

They met when they were 13. They had this cliché moment slash encounter where everything suddenly slows down and blurred and could see no one else but each other. Love at first sight, rather.

 

Cliché but you have to admit, that's how everybody else wants to meet their soulmates. If not everybody then most.

 

They were happy and their relationship was not like any other.

 

Their eyes were only for each other, and one another only.

 

They barely had downs, mostly had ups, and did not care about what anybody else thought.

 

Happy but will always be happier when in each other's arms.

 

So, yeah! Where was I?

 

Oh, right.

 

Monday. Today was Monday.

 

The moment Dahyun woke up, she had this huge, unexplainable smile plastered on her face - unremovable.

 

She left her bed to take a shower, getting ready to pick Mina up later on her way to school.

 

After she finished, she walked downstairs where she saw her parents doing the usual thing they do every day.

 

Her dad was reading the newspaper while her mom was looking for a recipe online.

 

"Good morning, Mom and Dad!" She exclaimed and grabbed an apple from the kitchen.

 

"Morning too, sweetie" Her parents greeted her back.

 

Dahyun walked towards the door and was about to leave when her mom said, "Y/n-ah! Don't forget to say hi to Mina for us!".

 

Dahyun giggled. "Hm! Sure will do, Mom!" 

 

She walked out of the house after that.

 

"You always treat Mina better than you treat your daughter" She heard her dad talking from inside.

 

"Well, it's the least I can do to thank her for putting up with our daughter's shenanigans" Her mom joked.

 

Dahyun laughed quietly after that.

 

Dahyun began her journey to school.

 

As she walked through the streets of Japan, she couldn't help but still be mesmerized by what the city of Kobe had to offer after 5 years of living here.

 

Yes, that's true. 

 

Dahyun's a Korean with Korean parents so why is she here?

 

Well, they moved here 7 years ago due to her father's promotion.

 

She was ten back then with zero knowledge of Japan's culture and language. She managed to adjust quickly, thankfully.

 

4 years after constantly moving from one city to another, the family was able to settle down here, in Kobe.

 

And here, she met Mina, a beautiful person with who she's been in a relationship for 4 years, and a young ballerina who wass well-known in their school.

 

Anyway, moving on! 

 

Soon after, Dahyun finally arrived at Mina's house.

 

She rang the doorbell and not too long after Mina appeared in front of her.

 

"Dahyun-chan!" Kai, Mina's older brother, called out from the living room.

 

"'Sup, Senpai!" Dahyun greeted.

 

Mina hugged Dahyun's arms.

 

"Hold on for me, you two!" Kai exclaimed.

 

He hurried up getting everything else he needed while Dahyun and Mina was too busy flirting with each other outside.

 

"Have you eaten yet?" Dahyun asked Mina.

 

Mina nodded her head.

 

"How about you?" She asked her back.

 

"Well, I did eat an apple on my way here" Dahyun shrugged.

 

Mina slapped her shoulders.

 

"Ouch!" Dahyun winced.

 

"You fool. You should eat properly!" Mina scolded her and removed her hands from Dahyun's arms.

 

The latter ended up frowning.

 

"I'm sorry, okay? I'll make sure to eat more often!" Dahyun said.

 

Mina only huffed and ignored her.

 

"Onii-san! Hurry up! We're late!" Mina called her brother.

 

"In a minute!" 

 

A few minutes later, Kai finally showed up with a smile.

 

But his smile soon disappeared when he saw Dahyun's gloomy state and Mina's angry face.

 

"L-Let's go" He urged and dragged the two of them away from the house.

 

As they were walking, Kai tried looking for a topic that could take this tense atmosphere away.

 

"Dahyun! I heard that...uhh...you were going to join the basketball team! Is that true?" He asked her.

 

"Hmm, I still haven't thought about that, senpai...I mean, they're offering me a scholarship but as much as possible, I don't want to join the basketball team at all" She answered.

 

"Why? They're offering you a scholarship which means that they're eager to recruit you!" He exclaimed.

 

"Well, that gives me more reason not to join. If they're eager to recruit me, that only means that I won't be able to break away from the team easily...Besides, accepting their offer will only hinder me from doing or exploring new things" Dahyun concluded.

 

"Gosh, you sure are complicated..." He sighed and faced Mina this time.

 

"How about you, my dear sister? Do you want to become a successful ballerina? Or do you have something else in mind?" He asked her this time.

 

"I don't know...I'm actually considering becoming an idol..." She trailed off.

 

"Oh! Oh my gosh! I can't believe I'm dating a future celebrity!" Dahyun joked.

 

Mina blushed and looked away from them.

 

Kai and Dahyun both laughed.

 

After the laughter has died down, Kai only got more curious.

 

"What made you consider though? Just last week, you were convinced in becoming a ballerina." He pondered.

 

"Remember that last Saturday, Mom and I went to Osaka to buy stuff?"

 

"Yes," Kai responded while Dahyun only remained quiet.

 

She doesn't really know what they were talking about but she's making sure to keep her ears wide open while listening to their conversation.

 

"Someone approached us and asked me if I wanted to audition for them..."

 

"Eh? Which company?" He asked.

 

"JYP was it? I think it was JYP Entertainment" She said.

 

"JYP? Isn't that located in Korea?" Dahyun asked.

 

"Yeah...I'm still thinking about it though because if I accept the offer, I will have to move there and leave Japan for a while. That's why I'm hesitant to decide. I asked Mom and Dad about it and they said that it's up to if whether I will or will not accept the offer" Mina said.

 

This made Dahyun stop herself from walking.

 

'Leave Japan for a while? But...what about me?' She thought as she watched them walk away from her.

 

Dahyun started spacing out. 

 

Just the thought of Mina leaving already breaks her heart...what more if Mina does leave? What will happen to her? What will happen to them?

 

"Dahyun-chan! Come on! We're going to be late!" Dahyun woke up from her thoughts.

 

"A-Ah! Sorry!" She apologized and ran up to them.

 

"Why did you stop anyway?" Kai asked her.

 

"Oh, that? I thought I saw a butterfly but I guess I was mistaken. Sorry" 

 

"Really? You seemed to be thinking about a lot of things earlier...Anyway, aren't you guys going to ask me what I want to do when I grow up?" 

 

The topic changed and Dahyun thanked them.

 

"But you're already 21 senpai, aren't you old already?" 

 

Both Mina and Dahyun laughed as they teased Kai.

 

But even though the mood and topic have changed, Dahyun still couldn't help but think about what the future has in store for her and Mina.

 

Will they...will they still be the same as they are now?

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

"現在、解散しています"

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

Tuesday. Today's Tuesday.

 

Mina doesn't know why. She still doesn't know, up until now, why she still feels butterflies whenever she sees Dahyun.

 

She still falls in love with her every single time they talk or touch her.

 

Nothing still has changed after almost 4 years of being together.

 

Oh gosh, love and what it does to people. Strange, right?

 

"Dahyun!" She ran to her from across the hallway.

 

Classes have just ended and they'll be having a 30-minute break. During this short period, they try their best to spend and maximize their time together before they go back to their next subjects.

 

Oh gosh, school and what it does to students. Torturing, right?

 

This time, they decided to go to the back of the school where they were met by a beautiful, calming, and peaceful garden.

 

Just the perfect place to get all cheesy.

 

"Have I told you yet?" Dahyun started.

 

"Hm? What?" Mina asked.

 

"That...That I'm in love with this girl. She looks like a penguin and has this pretty gummy smile that just makes my day brighter and better." She said.

 

Mina giggled.

 

"Who is this girl? Do I know her?" She played along with Dahyun's antics.

 

"Maybe?" 

 

"Hmm, is she pretty?" Mina asked playfully.

 

"No, she isn't," Dahyun said.

 

The latter ended up frowning.

 

Oh no, Mina's sad.

 

"She's not pretty because she's beyond that" Dahyun added.

 

And just like that, her smile is back once again.

 

Along with her smile, appeared a light tint of blush.

 

"Really?" She asked Dahyun.

 

"Mhm. She's so pretty that I want to kiss her every single time I see her" Dahyun said.

 

They stared at each other's eyes oh-so romantically.

 

A feeling. A sign. A moment written in destiny's notebook, and they already knew it...they knew that they were meant for each other...forever.

 

After that, both of them started leaning in, feeling passionate all of a sudden.

 

But of course, just a few inches away from each other's lips, someone had to interrupt them.

 

"Hey! You two! You left me again!" Kai came and just had to ruin their moment.

 

This made them jump away from each other.

 

Mina turned the other way while Dahyun gave Kai a glare.

 

"What? Why? Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked, confused.

 

He looked at Dahyun, then at Mina, and then back to Dahyun again.

 

And that's where he only realized it.

 

"OH! OHH, RIGHT! I HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO, YEAH. HA. HAHA. HAHAHA." And just like that, he was gone.

 

Dahyun sighed.

 

Mina looked at her again.

 

"I'll make sure to scold him later, don't worry" She growled.

 

Dahyun laughed. "No need for that, babe. Come on, let's just go back and continue with our classes."

 

Mina blushed at the sudden nickname.

 

"W-What did you just call me?" She asked her.

 

Dahyun raised her eyebrows, pretending to be clueless.

 

"Heyyyy!" She gave the latter a pout.

 

Dahyun giggled and pinched her cheeks.

 

"I was just messing with you, so cheer up already...babe" Dahyun teased further.

 

This made Mina blush even more.

 

"Oh, just shut up already!" She complained and stood up from the bench they were sitting on.

 

Mina hurriedly walked away from her.

 

Dahyun followed suit with a huge smile.

 

Soon enough, they separated from each other and went on with their classes.

 

==============

 

After school, Mina, Dahyun, and Kai (as usual) walked together back home.

 

The moment they arrived at the Myoui's residence, Dahyun bid them both goodbye.

 

"Take the bus, don't walk. If a stranger walks up to you, ignore them. If something happens, speed dial me" Mina reminded Dahyun.

 

"Aye aye, captain!" She joked.

 

"I'm serious, Dahyun" Mina said before kissing her on the cheek.

 

Dahyun's smile grew bigger.

 

"I sure will my future missus!" 

 

Mina giggled.

 

After that, Dahyun started walking back home.

 

"So, are you finally done flirting with your girlfriend?" Kai as soon as she closed the front door.

 

Somehow, she's gotten used to her brother teasing her like this.

 

"Yes, onii-san" 

 

"Kids, come on! Let's eat!" Their mother called.

 

Both of them ran toward the kitchen and sat down.

 

"Thank you for the food!" Kai exclaimed.

 

"Thanks, Mom" Mina smiled at her mother.

 

The family started eating and were silent as they ate.

 

Not until their father started a conversation.

 

"So, Mina, my dear. What have you thought about the offer?" He asked her.

 

"Ah!" And of course, Mina almost forgot about it.

 

"About that, I still don't know oto-san..." She trailed off.

 

"I heard that the audition will start soon, so you're gonna have to decide about it already, or else you might not make it if you wanted to," Her father said.

 

"Hmm..." Mina pondered about it.

 

She was too busy thinking about Dahyun.

 

What's going to happen if she does leave for Korea? Will they still stay the same? What will happen then?

 

Her father noticed her hesitance.

 

"Mina, I just want to let you know that if you want to go, you're going to have to let go of Dahyun. It's not that easy to maintain a long-distance relationship; if you do maintain it, there's no telling if you will still feel the same about each other" He explained, and Mina understood it bitterly.

 

Her shoulders dropped and she stopped eating.

 

If that's so, then she should give up going to Korea to become an idol right? She should just give up her dream and be with the person she loves, right?

 

Should she? 

 

Must she?

 

After eating, Mina helped clean the table and with washing the dishes.

 

But her brother convinced her to go up and rest after witnessing her sister's state.

 

Mina thanked him and did what her brother told her to do.

 

She walked upstairs to her room. She opened the door, got in, closed it, and towards the bed she went.

 

She plopped herself down and sighed.

 

Mina started thinking deeply about what her father said earlier.

 

It's true that she wanted to be an idol. She wanted to sing, dance, and show people her talent. She wanted to be loved by everyone.

 

But she knows she can't. She can't leave Dahyun. In fact, she doesn't want to leave her.

 

She can't leave her, she doesn't want to leave her.

 

She loves her too much that the thought of leaving Dahyun behind breaks her heart.

 

All she wants is to be with her.

 

But Mina also wants to chase her dream. She wants to chase who she wants to be

 

There's no determining what she truly wants but whatever her decision will be, she knows that it will not be easy because she knows that either way, she'll have to sacrifice one thing.

 

And it'll be either her dream...or Dahyun.

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

"ตอนนี้เรากําลังเลิกกัน"

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

Wednesday. Today's Wednesday.

 

And Mina needs to talk to Dahyunn about something regarding her "Decision", and she hopes that Dahyun will be happy about what she's decided.

 

Her decision might seem rushed but she's got no choice since her father told her just last night that the auditions will start soon. 

 

"Mina-channnn!" Dahyun arrived to pick her and her brother up, at last.

 

Mina's palms started sweating all of a sudden.

 

"Dahyun, can we talk?" Mina asked her.

 

Dahyun raised an eyebrow and anxiously looked at Kai since Mina seemed serious today. He shrugged his shoulders, unaware of what was also going on.

 

"Sure, about what?" Dahyun asked her.

 

"About me auditioning or not" 

 

Dahyun's shoulders dropped at the sudden bringing up of the topic.

 

"Onii-san, can you leave us for a moment?" Mina asked.

 

Kai nodded his head and left them alone.

 

After that, Mina gently dragged Dahyun behind the house where they started their conversation.

 

"So...remember the topic I mentioned to you and onii-san 2 days ago?" Mina started.

 

"Yes, I still remember"

 

"Well, I..." Mina trailed off.

 

Dahyun got nervous all of a sudden.

 

"...I decided not to go" 

 

A moment of silence.

 

Mina was eager to know how Dahyun reacts.

 

Dahyun, on the other hand, didn't know what to say.

 

So instead of speaking, she hugged Mina tightly out of overwhelming joy.

 

Mina hugged her back.

 

"Are you sure about that, Mina?" Dahyun asked.

 

The young ballerina didn't know how to answer her question so she buried her face deep into Dahyun's neck instead.

 

"Hmm," She hummed.

 

Though she was unsure, she didn't want Dahyun to know...she didn't want to know that she wanted to go and audition so badly.

 

Now, she has to give her dream up to be with Dahyun.

 

But she's not sure if she did do it for her own happiness...or for Dahyun's.

 

==============

 

Dahyun hopped happily across the hallway. Today's club day and classes have just finished.

 

She was currently on her way to her club when she thought of dropping Mina a drink at her club.

 

So here she is, 5 steps away from the door to Mina's club when she heard something.

 

"So, Mina-chan, have you decided about auditioning yet?" A fellow clubmate of Mina asked her.

 

"I actually have already, just today" She sighed.

 

"Eh? You don't seem too happy about your decision senpai" Kazuha, a junior of Mina's, concluded.

 

They were doing stretches and what the latter had said made Mina stop doing what she was doing.

 

"It's not that," Mina said.

 

"What was your decision anyway?" Sakura, a classmate of hers, asked.

 

"I decided to stay here"

 

Sakura and Kazuha both nodded.

 

"Let me guess, you're not so sure about your decision. Right?" Sakura asked.

 

Mina's eyes widened a bit before nodding.

 

"That's true but where Dahyun is, is where I think I should be" 

 

"No, that's not like that Mina-chan. You're simply trapping yourself if you stick with her all your life. You'd be hindered to do the things you want to do" Sakura said.

 

"I second her senpai" Kazuha agreed.

 

"But, Dahyun wouldn't be happy if I did leave. We've been together for almost more than 4 years already and besides, it's not like I can let her go so easily. I love her just as much as she loves me" Mina frowned.

 

"Look, Mina-chan, this is only an opinion, okay?" The latter nodded and signaled Sakura to continue.

 

"I think that your dream is more important because a person eventually leaves, if not today, then maybe soon. I know that Dahyun's not like that because I know her too but we can never be sure. And come on, I'm sure she'll understand if you wanted to leave and become an idol...this is Dahyun that we're talking about anyway" She said.

 

Again, Mina understood what she said.

 

So after a few minutes of waiting, she said, "I'll think about it".

 

Dahyun, who's been there ever since their conversation about the topic, was heartbroken.

 

She's heartbroken not because Mina wanted to chase her dream more than she wants to be with her but because of Mina lying.

 

She was heartbroken because Mina couldn't say what she truly wanted.

 

Dahyun gave it a little thought and looked at the drink she held in her hands.

 

"If this drink can wait..." She trailed off.

 

"...and so our love for each other can too"

 

==============

 

Mina, can we talk?
Sent: 4:45 pm

 

Dahyun sent her a message after her club, hoping that Mina was also done with her club and will reply quickly.

 

Sure...
Sent: 4:45 pm

 

Good thing, Mina replied immediately.

 

Let's meet at the school garden later <3
Sent: 4:46 pm

 

Okay <33
Sent: 4:46 pm

 

Dahyun smiled at her lover's reply.

 

She put her phone back inside her pocket and started walking toward the school garden.

 

Today, she'll try her best.

 

She will try her best to convince Mina to do what she wishes to do.

 

Soon enough, she arrived at the school garden where she saw Mina waiting.

 

"Mina" She called out with a light smile.

 

Mina turned around and smiled back at her.

 

But the latter's smile soon faded when she saw the way how Dahyun looked.

 

"What happened? Did something wrong happen?" She asked her worriedly.

 

Dahyun smiled and shook her head.

 

She took Mina's hands and guided her to the bench where they both sat down.

 

"Mina-chan, I'll ask you one last time. I want you to be honest with me, okay?" Dahyun said and took both of Mina's hands then held them tightly.

 

"You're worrying me, Dahyun. What happened?" 

 

"Look, just promise me you'll be honest with me, okay?"

 

Mina sighed and nodded her head. "Okay," she said.

 

"Do you really want to stay here with me? Or do you want to chase your dreams?" Dahyun asked and just as she expected, Mina seemed to be caught off-guard by her question.

 

"Of course, I want to stay here with you" Mina smiled to make it seem true.

 

But Dahyun can see through her.

 

"You promised to say the truth...why are you lying to me, Mina-chan?" Dahyun asked.

 

The latter then stopped smiling. Her lips fell to a frown and pulled her hands away from Dahyun's.

 

"What Sakura-chan said was right. You should chase your dreams, Mina. Staying with me will only stop your wings from spreading" 

 

Just then, tears began falling from the young ballerina's eyes.

 

"But how can I? How can I chase my dreams without you? You're all my life is about and without you, I feel like it's meaningless" She sobbed.

 

"When you go there, I'm sure that you'll have people to lean on. You'll meet people who will be there for you...You'll meet thousands of people other than me. I can feel it" Dahyun reassured her and kissed her crown.

 

"So go. I'll be fine. I won't leave you...I'll always be with you here" She said and pointed at Mina's heart.

 

"Besides, I don't think that both of us could ever find someone else who's as pretty as me or you to love" Dahyun joked.

 

Mina laughed and playfully slapped her shoulders.

 

"If you ever dare cheat on me, I'll be sure to kill you" She mumbled and leaned her forehead against Dahyun's.

 

"Aye aye, captain," Dahyun said and closed her eyes.

 

"Dahyun, I love you"

 

"Me too, Mina. I love you more than everybody else"

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

"Ngayon, kami ay maghihiwalay"

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

Thursday. Today's Thursday.

 

Auditions will start on Saturday and Mina is set to leave tomorrow with her Mother.

 

Today, Dahyun planned something.

 

It may sound cliché, but she planned to take Mina to the amusement park.

 

"So! I plan to ride all the deadly rides because today will be the last day I will be seeing you" Dahyun said.

 

"Eh? You won't see me off tomorrow?"

 

"Nope. I can't, might cry, or beg you not to leave. So yeah, no." She joked.

 

Mina huffed and punched her shoulders this time instead of slapping them.

 

"Ouch!" Dahyun complained.

 

"I was just kidding..." She added and sighed.

 

Mina giggled at her.

 

"Gomen~ Anyway, what rides are we going to try?" She asked Dahyun.

 

"Well...the scary ones?" Dahyun shrugged.

 

Mina raised her eyebrows and started laughing hysterically.

 

"Yeah...No. I'm not riding those. You can't ride those either!" She exclaimed, shook her head, and took one step away from the latter.

 

"Eh??? Come on~ I'm sure it's gonna be fun! It's our last day, remember? We should at least try this and cry together!" Dahyun exclaimed and tugged the hem of Mina's shirt.

 

"Oh, you know that I'm too scared to ride those!" Mina glared.

 

"You never know Miss Myoui Mina. Who knows? Maybe if you become an idol, you might not have any choice but to ride roller coasters! This will help you out big time!" Dahyun pointed out.

 

"I'll have no problem riding those when the time comes, but convince me to do it now? Nuh-uh. There's no way I'll agree to that" Mina pulled away from the other and turned around.

 

"Well, alright then. I guess I'll just have to ride it with another girl instead of my girlfriend..." Dahyun teased and started walking toward the ticket booth to get a ticket.

 

Mina's ears perked at this.

 

So she hastily looked at Dahyun's back before walking after her.

 

"No! You are certainly not doing that!" She said and dragged Dahyun away from the booth.

 

Dahyun ended up laughing and let Mina drag her anywhere she wants to.

 

"Let's just do these minigames" Mina mumbled.

 

Dahyun nodded and asked, "What stuffed toy do you want?".

 

"Do I need to answer that?" Mina raised her eyebrows which made the latter laugh wholeheartedly.

 

"Right, the penguin stuffed toy." 

 

They spent a lot of time at the park. Doing different kinds of things to satisfy them.

 

They both made sure to have fun with each other since this will be the last time they'll see each other in so long.

 

"You know, I heard from a friend that life as an idol's very hard..." Dahyun trailed off and her ice cream.

 

"I know" Mina mumbled.

 

"...but they sure make a hefty sum of money" She added.

 

"I also know that" Mina giggled.

 

"So..." 

 

Dahyun doesn't know what to do now. With all the scary rides (they were both scared to try) out of the options she made to make this day unforgettable, it just confirms that she's run out of ideas.

 

Right now, they're just sitting on a bench, eating ice cream, and are just watching people pass by them as they remain quietly seated in their spots.

 

"What are we going to do now?" She asked Mina.

 

The mood suddenly became all gloomy.

 

"What do you mean by that?" She asked Dahyun back.

 

"After this day and tomorrow, we...we won't be seeing each other again," Dahyun said with a frown.

 

Mina raised her eyebrows and looked at the other.

 

"Why are you asking that now?" She uttered.

 

"Well, I've realized just now that we are only moments away from literally losing each other. It almost feels as if we're breaking up or something!" Dahyun complained and sighed.

 

Mina sighed too knowing that she also feels the same.

 

This moment sure feels like they're breaking up.

 

"Nevertheless, let's just enjoy this moment. Regardless if tomorrow's our last date or something, we should just forget about everything else and continue to love each other just like how we do." Mina said.

 

Dahyun smiled weakly and nodded.

 

"Alright, but after tomorrow, how can we make sure that we won't be strangers? LDR is hard. Eventually, we might lose us" 

 

"I know we'll get through it, somehow"

 

They called it a day after that.

 

Just like usual, Dahyun brought Mina home. They did the things they used to do. Both of them did their best to pretend like Mina won't be leaving tomorrow.

 

It's hard, sad to say.

 

But this is what life is all about.

 

Life is all about watching people come and go.

 

And it is also about finding the right people who won't just simply come and go.

 

Though it may not make sense to some, this is how life works.

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

Friday. Today is Friday.

 

D-Day, to say the least.

 

Today, Mina and her mother will leave.

 

Sobs can be heard from inside her room as she packed her clothes.

 

"Mina? Sweetie? Are you okay?" She heard her mother's voice outside the door.

 

Mina wiped her tears and answered, "Yes, Mom!" while trying her best to hide her sobs in between.

 

Her mother frowned.

 

She can hear that Mina's sad, but she knows that she can't do anything about it.

 

Oh, she just hopes that Dahyun can do something about it.

 

After Mina had finished, the family left for the airport.

 

The ride there was silent. Nobody dared to talk. Just pure silence, the sad type of silence.

 

When they arrived at the airport, they met Dahyun's family there...without Dahyun.

 

It only made Mina sadder.

 

"Looks like she really wasn't planning to show up" She mumbled as tears began building up.

 

Their flight will leave in an hour so the 2 families still have time to talk.

 

And each time that passes by, Mina wished for Dahyun to just barge inside the airport's large doors, and hug her tighter than ever.

 

But hopeless is the young ballerina since the more she hoped, the more Dahyun didn't show up.

 

48 minutes passed with Mina feeling uneasy.

 

"Mina, let's go. We're leaving soon" Her mother ushered her.

 

She took one last look at the entrance.

 

Still no Dahyun.

 

She sighed heavily.

 

So, she turned around and followed her mother.

 

Until finally, "Minari!" a familiar voice shouted.

 

A wide smile came across Mina's face.

 

Overwhelming joy swallowed her whole the moment she turned around to see her lover, the person she's been waiting for, running up to her.

 

"Dahyun!" She exclaimed and hugged the latter tight.

 

Dahyun giggled and hugged her back.

 

"Before you leave, I want to give you something," She said and broke off the hug.

 

Dahyun dug deep inside her pocket and took out a small box.

 

Mina held in shock.

 

"B-But Dahyun, we're too young for this," She said.

 

"Don't worry, I am not proposing to you. I'm just giving you something to remember me by" Dahyun said and took out the ring resting inside the box.

 

She held out her hand, waiting for Mina to give hers.

 

Mina gladly gave her hand with a smile.

 

Dahyun slipped the ring onto Mina's ring finger.

 

"And of course, I also have mine" 

 

Dahyun lifted her right hand to show Mina the same ring.

 

"See? Twinnings!" She joked.

 

Mina giggled and hit her shoulders.

 

"Ouch!" 

 

Oh, not a day goes by without Dahyun getting hit by Mina.

 

"Look, Minari, be careful okay? If you want to talk, you can call me anytime" Dahyun reminded her.

 

The latter nodded and hugged her one last time.

 

"I love you, Dahyun" 

 

"I love you more, Mina" 

 

They both let go of each other.

 

Mina walked away hesitantly while Dahyun tried her best to hide her tears.

 

Both of them are devastated.

 

But Dahyun's glad that Mina will chase her dreams, and Mina's glad that Dahyun let her do so.

 

Right now, what's best for the both of them to do is to hang in there, and wait for the time when they'll see each other again.

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

The first few weeks of a long-distance relationship weren't all that bad for Dahyun and Mina.

 

They managed to make time for each other, thankfully.

 

And since the timezone in Korea and Japan are the same, they were able to talk whenever they wanted to.

 

They'd call now and then, making sure to update each other about what was currently happening.

 

Even from the moment when Mina finally became a trainee under JYP Entertainment, to the moment she debuted, Dahyun made sure to keep track of Mina's achievements and congratulate her extravagantly.

 

Dahyun sent her flowers and countless gifts just to show Mina her overwhelming love and support for her.

 

Right now, anybody can definitely tell that Dahyun's not just her lover, but her hardcore and die-hard fan as well.

 

But just as things seemed to be going well for the 2 of them, things suddenly started going downhill.

 

2 years in, and things started seeming like they were not the same as before.

 

April 25, 2016. The day Twice's "Cheer Up" was released.

 

Unexpected events happened as Twice's "Cheer Up" topped several charts, earning them 11 total wins.

 

This simply means that the girls were busy, Mina specifically.

 

Dahyun couldn't find the right time to call Mina and congratulate her.

 

And she also couldn't send her gifts since Mina told her not to.

 

So at this point, all she can ever do is sit down and congratulate Mina inside her mind.

 

"Damn, I miss her so much" Dahyun mumbled and sighed.

 

"When are you coming back, Mina? I miss you..." She trailed off and closed her eyes.

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

Time passed by fast. 

 

Ever since the release of Twice's "Cheer Up", the time has been crucial.

 

The girls had lesser time to take a break, and every single minute, they had to be in front of cameras.

 

Hit after hit, Twice became the Nation's Girl Group and has taken the world by storm.

 

They became famous...very very famous.

 

Mina tried her best to make time for her family and Dahyun.

 

Sadly, she wasn't able to.

 

It didn't take long for her and Dahyun to stop talking.

 

At this point, there's no determining if they're still lovers.

 

Safe to say that Mina and Dahyun, who can't handle losing each other, back then were no longer present to this day.

 

Right now, they're just 2 people torn by the dreams and hopes they chose to chase - love long forgotten, trapped deep inside their hearts. They seem more like strangers now, and only one question remains...

 

...Will they ever see each other again?

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

"Now, we are breaking up"

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

Saturday. Today's Saturday.

 

"Wake up, stupid!" Samuel, Dahyun's roommate, kicked her .

 

"Ouch!" Dahyun grumbled from her deep sleep.

 

"What the hell did you do that for!" Dahyun shouted and glared at him.

 

"Oh, come on! Just get up already! The fan sign will start soon!" Samuel exclaimed and ushered Dahyun to stand up.

 

The latter took a look at the clock.

 

"Goddamnit it, Samuel! It's just 6 in the freaking morning! The fan sign will start at 1 pm!" Dahyun pushed Samuel out of her room and went back to sleep.

 

"We've still got 7 freaking hours and yet he's waking me up this early. That guy, really" She shook her head and closed her eyes.

 

"Get up, Dahyun! Come on~! We're going shopping before the fan meeting starts!" He said from the other side of the door.

 

Dahyun ignored him.

 

"Get the up, Kim Dahyun! Or else I'm gonna knock nonstop on this freaking door!" He threatened and Dahyun still ignored him.

 

Just then, countless loud knocks can be heard, completely annoying her.

 

"Damn it" Dahyun cursed under her breath.

 

She had no choice but to stand up from her bed and open the door.

 

Dahyun glared intensely at Samuel.

 

She raised her fists in anger and was trying to stop herself from fighting the latter then and there.

 

"Will you stop if I go shopping with you?" Dahyun asked tight-lipped.

 

Samuel nodded, scared for his life.

 

Dahyun slammed the door on her and started getting ready.

 

He flinched the moment the door closed and mumbled, "God, I should stop doing this. I might die because of her!".

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

"You done?" Samuel asked as soon as Dahyun stepped out of her room.

 

She nodded.

 

Both of them wore thick clothes to keep themselves warm from the winter's wrath.

 

"Alright, let's go!" Samuel exclaimed and walked outside of the dorm with Dahyun following closely behind.

 

Both of them didn't have a car so they either had to walk or commute.

 

This time, since it was still early, they agreed on walking instead of riding the bus.

 

Besides, Korea is a wonderful place and it would be such a shame not to witness the country's grace if they took the bus instead.

 

Yes, that's right.

 

Dahyun's back in Korea.

 

She went back here just a year ago, in 2021, after the pandemic's protocols became less strict.

 

Being a professional photographer was really hard, must she say.

 

She moved back here because of a high-paying job that was offered to her.

 

Along with the job she accepted, came Samuel, a very annoying roommate who's a fan of Twice and is also a pro photographer.

 

Yes, Twice.

 

Just a week ago, JYP Entertainment announced that the group will be holding its first-ever fan sign event after 3 years of the pandemic.

 

And Samuel just happened to be chosen as one of the many people who are given the chance to meet the group first-hand.

 

Gladly, he can bring another person to the fan sign and since he didn't really have any other close friends except for Dahyun, he chose her.

 

So today, September 3, 2022, on the 6th day of the week, Saturday, Dahyun was obligated to wake up early and spend her weekend at some fan-sign event where she's sure to meet Mina, again.

 

Meeting Mina will surely bring up memories from her past.

 

But it's not like she's not happy to meet her again, it's just that...she's not ready to.

 

"What are we going to buy anyway?" She asked him.

 

"Well, we're running out of groceries so why not buy 'em now when the fan sign's still hours away from starting? Besides, I feel like I'm too lazy to go out tomorrow" Samuel said and stretched his arms.

 

Dahyun nodded.

 

They were only 2 blocks away from the supermarket when they noticed 2 shady-looking vans on the road.

 

"Now, that's the type of van to have idols inside" Samuel concluded.

 

Dahyun shook her head and said, "I swear that every single thing your mouth lets out is all about idols. Take a break dude, you might need it".

 

"Eh? Look who's talking, you workaholic" He shot back.

 

"Why? What's wrong with being a workaholic person? More work only means more money to me. How about you? You focus too much on your idols to the point that you still haven't started with the work our boss has assigned to you that's due tomorrow" Dahyun shrugged and blew raspberries at him.

 

Samuel scoffed and feigned hurt.

 

"Fine then, you checkmate me again" He sighed and looked away.

 

Not soon after did they arrive in front of the supermarket.

 

They went inside, took a cart, and started roaming the store.

 

"Okay, we need eggs, bacon..." Samuel started talking about the things they need to buy when suddenly, screams and squeals galore from the other end of the store.

 

"NAYEON, STEP ON ME!"

 

"MOMO MY BIAS!" 

 

"AHHH, SANA MARRY ME!" 

 

And it sure did catch their attention.

 

"Holy crap, did I just hear 3 names of the 9 members of Twice?" Samuel's jaw dropped.

 

"Stay here, I'll go and check on them" He hastily left the aisle and followed the other people's screams.

 

Dahyun sighed and started pushing the cart again.

 

She paid no attention to the overwhelming cries of joy from the other side.

 

She had her mind focused on getting this grocery stuff done and ready to go the moment Samuel finished with his fanboying era.

 

"So, honey" She mumbled and looked around for the honey.

 

Just then, the minute she turned around the aisle, she saw someone struggling with reaching the cereal.

 

"Do you need help?" She asked.

 

The other girl nodded and mumbled, "Thanks".

 

Dahyun smiled and reached out for the cereal and handed it over to the girl.

 

"Thank you, really" The latter smiled and raised her head to look at Dahyun.

 

Both of them stood still in their place, frozen, unable to move.

 

"Dahyun..." She trailed off.

 

Dahyun only stared at Mina.

 

Samuel arrived not a minute later.

 

His eyes widened when he saw Mina.

 

He looked back and forth between the two of them.

 

He saw the way they looked at each other and he smiled.

 

Samuel's aware of Dahyun's past and he never really wanted to bring up the topic of her past relationship since he's afraid that he might unintentionally hurt her feelings.

 

But as he watched Mina and Dahyun stare at each other from the other end of the aisle makes him happy somehow.

 

He's glad that Dahyun saw Mina again after 6 years.

 

"I...I have to go" Dahyun mumbled and ran away from the aisle.

 

Samuel hesitated at first but chose to run after Dahyun.

 

"Hey, wait up!" He exclaimed.

 

Mina, who was left there, watched as Dahyun and her friend disappeared from her line of sight.

 

"Dahyun...Dahyun's here," She said as she felt her heartbeat run faster.

 

Butterflies suddenly started showing up again.

 

Mina can't believe it.

 

She saw Dahyun again after 6 years.

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

11:33 pm. 

 

After what happened earlier, Dahyun suddenly felt like not showing up at the fan sign event anymore.

 

And Samuel thinks that it's ridiculous.

 

"Oh, come on! You're backing out now when we're literally just less than 2 hours away from meeting my favorite group???" He frowned.

 

"You can go alone, Sam" Dahyun said coldly.

 

"No! I refuse to! Just come with me!"

 

"Why?"

 

"Just come, will you?!" 

 

"I said, I don't want to!"

 

"Why don't you want to?!"

 

"Because I'm afraid!"

 

Samuel and Dahyun stopped when she said that.

 

He sighed and sat down on the couch.

 

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Dahyun." He assured her.

 

"Of course, there is a lot to be afraid of. We might not have broken up yet, but who knows what will happen after we meet in that fan meeting? She might really break things off now! I don't want to lose her for real this time, Sam. I just can't" She sobbed and sat down beside him.

 

His eyes softened and caressed her shoulders.

 

"I saw the way she looked at you earlier, Dahyun. I'm sure that she misses you just as much as you miss her. That's why there's nothing to be afraid of. When you meet her later, just start over again and I'm sure that you'll enjoy the rest of your lives in each other's arms" Samuel said and hugged Dahyun.

 

"Thanks, you gay "

 

"Not a problem you gay too" 

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

12:27 pm.

 

They're currently on their way to the fan-sign event.

 

Dahyun's hands were sweating, and she felt restless as each minute passed by.

 

"Calm down," Samuel held her still.

 

"Alright" Dahyun mumbled and breathed in and out.

 

A few moments later, they were finally in front of the venue.

 

Dahyun heavily sighed.

 

They both went inside and gave their pass to the guard.

 

The personnel let them in and told them their seat.

 

30 minutes before the event and it seems like they were the last to arrive.

 

They sat in the middle by the 3rd row, giving them a clear view of the room.

 

"Everyone please sit down, the event will start soon, thank you," The coordinator said through the mic.

 

Dahyun sat down, feeling uneasy, while Samuel felt uncontrollable happiness.

 

"I can't believe I'm meeting Twice" He squealed.

 

"I can't believe I'm meeting her again" She mumbled.

 

Not too long after did the members arrive one by one.

 

Mina came out and the first person she saw in the crowd was Dahyun.

 

Mina unknowingly smiled subtly.

 

"She's here too" She mumbled as she kept eye contact with Dahyun.

 

The fan sign started right after every single member arrived.

 

One by one, each person in every row stepped on stage to meet and get their idols' signatures - autographs rather.

 

And when it was their turn to do so, Dahyun's legs were wobbling like crazy.

 

"Too nervous?" Nayeon, the first member she met, asked her.

 

Dahyun nodded.

 

Nayeon giggled.

 

"I understand why. It happens every time to every fan, it happens to me sometimes too" Nayeon said and reached out for the album Dahyun held.

 

Good thing Samuel bought 2 albums for no reason. 

 

"Here you go, I hope you enjoy the rest of the event," Nayeon said and pinched Dahyun's cheeks.

 

"Bet that grandma made you cringe, yeah?" Jeongyeon was up next and after what she said, she earned a glare from Nayeon.

 

"Anyway, what's your name?" She asked.

 

"Ah, my name's Kim Dahyun" Jeongyeon's ears perked.

 

"You're Mina's secret lover, right?" Jeongyeon leaned in and whispered in Dahyun's ear.

 

Dahyun's eyes widened.

 

"U-Uhm, uh..." 

 

"No need to deny it, you're all she ever talks about except for her family" Jeongyeon winked and signed the album.

 

Dahyun moved on to the next member and met Momo.

 

"From what I heard, you must be Mina's-"

 

"Please, don't" Dahyun shyly cut her off.

 

Momo bit her lips and wiggled her eyebrows at her.

 

"Noted on that, future best friend in law" She joked, making Dahyun blush.

 

Momo also signed the album.

 

Next was Sana.

 

And just by the way how Sana looked at her, she felt as if Sana knew everything between her and Mina.

 

"Uhm" Dahyun mumbled.

 

"Don't worry, I won't tease ya or something" Sana giggled.

 

"Now, hurry up and give me the album so that you can talk to her right away" 

 

Dahyun did as she was told and gave Sana the album.

 

Jihyo was next.

 

To be honest, Dahyun felt intimidated when she looked at Jihyo.

 

Well, she's the leader, after all.

 

"Good luck," Jihyo said nothing else but that and winked.

 

She signed the album Dahyun held and before she even knew it, she was sitting right in front of Mina.

 

The one and only.

 

"Who's your bias?" Mina started a conversation.

 

Dahyun gulped, nervous.

 

"You?" She answered.

 

"Is that a question, or~?"

 

"I'm not so sure either"

 

Mina smiled.

 

"Can we talk later? I mean- After the event" Dahyun asked.

 

"I don't see why not" 

 

Dahyun gave her the album and Mina willingly signed it.

 

Before standing up, Dahyun said one thing that made Mina's heart flutter all over again.

 

"I don't know if there's someone else you love in your life but...I just want you to know that I still love you, Mina. I always have" 

 

Dahyun smiled sweetly and walked away.

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

 

After the event, Mina requested for Dahyun to be pulled aside.

 

And after doing so, they faced each other with sweet smiles.

 

They shared a short moment of silence before Dahyun broke it off.

 

"Let's start over again" She mumbled, loud enough for the 2 of them to hear.

 

Mina raised her eyebrows.

 

"Huh?" She asked.

 

"Let's start over again."

 

"I love you Mina and just so you know, I never loved anybody else except for you."

 

"So let's start over again. Let's...Let us be us again" Dahyun said and held Mina's hands.

 

She smiled wider when she saw the ring she gave her was still there.

 

But was slowly frowning when she didn't hear Mina say anything.

 

Until suddenly;

 

"I'd love to" 

 

At this point, they're not lovers. 

 

They're not friends. 

 

They're not enemies. 

 

They're not acquaintances. 

 

Right now, they're just strangers...strangers with memories of each other.

 

Strangers...who are willing to start over again.

 

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*

The End

*..._..._..._..._..._..._...*