"Hey Mim! Just give that to me if you won't eat it."

 

Mihyun can't eat. Or that she doesn't have the appetite to do so. They're watching a movie series on Yubin's living room and she hasn't touched her lunch. What could Shiah be doing right now?

 

Their arrangement about this final project made a whole new circle. They aren't even doing anything academic now. Shiah's friends didn't say another word about anything related to Shiah's absence. It wasn't unsual at all, it's pretty clear that Shiah's home life is private. Just ironic that the two of them spent too much time together in the past week, Shiah may have known Mihyun's whole life right now but she, in return, knows absolutely nothing. 

 

At that time, Mihyun thought she's just the same level as any other person who weren't Shiah's close friends, but Shiah told her many years after that she was just very special to her that she kept it private. That was Mihyun's mistake. She didn't see how special she was in Shiah's eyes.

 

"Mihyun? What are you still doing here? I thought you left." Yubin and Mihyun may have good laughs during their weekly meetings, but because Hyojung is busy with her bestfriend and only Mihyun was there for Seunghee to bother -- of course, when she's out of Shiah's grasp -- Yubin has not talked to her alone. Well, aside from when the smart girl comes to her to report all the mistakes she observed from Mihyun's calculations.

 

"Seunghee brought them home." She responded. Yubin just nodded and continued cleaning the living room. Mihyun was standing by the doorway awkwardly, she knew Yubin knows she's here to ask for something. It's just that she can't get herself to talk.

 

"I.. uh, want to ask if Shiah told you anything about me?" 

 

"Since when are you interested with her thoughts about you?" Yubin didn't even flinch, she gave the questioning response almost immediately as if it's very impossible for Mihyun to ask about this.

 

"I want to see her now but I don't know if she'll like it." She replied, removing her coat and hanging it on her arm. It could be because Yubin's responses are dry, she felt hot. 

 

"She won't like it." Says Yubin. "But I think it would be the best if you go to her right now instead of standing there unproductively." 

 

Just like how unaware Mihyun was that day she first laid eyes on Shiah at the bus, that's how clueless she is when she drove to the residence she could remember where she used to drop Shiah. She was very clueless that in the next 10 minutes, the way she viewed Shiah as a person would change, forever. 

 

"..Mihyun? P-please help me." 

 

It should be simple. What Mihyun had in mind was that she'll march through the doorstep of Shiah's house; a family member would come to open the door and call Shiah fromm upstairs where her room was supposed to be. She will apologize for being rude to Shiah and she'll finally get a break from being worried about her relationship with the girl.

 

But as soon as the door flew open after a few knocks, it was Shiah who opened it, Shiah-- whose hair is tied in a bun, wearing her home clothes but she looked very tired, very exhausted, and very much asking-- begging for Mihyun to help her. 

 

"Where are we going?" 

 

"The hospital, idiot." 

 

At first, when Mihyun followed Shiah in the private house she was told not to step foot into, she was very confused about what she could do to help. They went upstairs, Shiah opened the door and revealed a very sick and familiar kid, the kid from the bus, Shiah's niece.

 

"What happened to her?" Mihyun asks as she continued driving. The ride to the hospital is just a few minutes away... Mihyun used to go there a lot, but Shiah has never looked this impatient before so she decided to entertain her... with questions. Will benefit them both because she's still confused.

 

"Weak heart since she's a baby." Shiah answered, and nothing came after that. Mihyun figured it's enough.

 

Now this may apply to some students, but for Mihyun, she's feels her stomach aching whenever she's waiting for her grades to be uploaded on their college portal. Major courses are hard enough but the hardest part is when you have to receive your grade. 

 

Surprisingly, Mihyun felt the same as she waits for the doctor to came back to the lobby where she and Shiah are waiting.

 

"Mihyun? What are you doing here?" The doctor came and Shiah stood up quickly from her seat, expecting a good news from the old man in doctor robe. Mihyun stood behind Shiah and nodded at the man. Shiah on the other hand was only interested about her niece's condition until Mihyun spoke.

 

"Hey, dad." Mihyun's father? Shiah didn't know what to do with that information, but she chose to shake it off her head for now. She thought she knew everything about Mihyun already but as it turned out, there's still a person in Mihyun's life who's left to be involved with hers.

 

But then again, she doesn't want to think about Mihyun right now. "How is she?"

 

"She's fine, but I'm afraid she has to stay admitted for the time being until we're sure her condition is not getting any worse." Shiah listened carefully. It's her first time talking to a doctor without her brother next to her. She was used to having her brother with her for a long time. At least, Mihyun was there. But by then, she wasn't sure if Mihyun was meant to stay with her for a long time.

 

"Mihyun, come by to my office later before you go." 

 

"I'm not going yet."

 

Shiah went back to her seat while Mihyun to her father. There's too many things to think about. For most, she regrets using her money two months ago. 

 

"Thanks for driving us here." She tells Mihyun once they're both seated.

 

"You really don't wanna tell me anything?" Mihyun asked. Shiah understood she may have many questions but she's tired.. "I don't."

 

"But I told you about my whole life."

 

Damn you, Kim Mihyun.

 

But she did tell Mihyun. Her brother told her two months ago to use the emergency money saved for her niece's surgery to pay for her tuition and other university needs. It's not being used (yet) by then and they thought Miyu was getting better. But she wasn't. Just yesterday, the poor kid started feeling all drowsy. Shiah can't contact her brother and she doesn't know what to do.

 

"Why didn't you tell me about your niece?"

 

"I just figured you wouldn't want to know anyway." If it was the old Mihyun, she would agree. Why would she care about other people's personal matters? But that may be it. When you fall for someone, no matter how much you try to not care about her, you just can't stop getting worried, you can't help wanting to be involved and help her get through her problems... because you don't want to see her in pain.

 

It's that moment when she noticed how much of a person Shiah is that she starts falling for her. How can a person.. so random, so unpredictable, be someone who made her feel this way? 

 

Kim Mihyun fell in love that night.

 

Yubin was right, it's the best decision to come to Shiah's house. After 6 months of their fake dating, she just realized how much Shiah had spent time for her instead of taking care of her niece. 

 

"Are you okay, Mims?" Hyojung asked her one time. After that day, Shiah hasn't joined them for lunch. It's fine because she knows the girl is busy taking care of Miyu at the hospital.. but she can't stop thinking of her.

 

There were many things Mihyun didn't know and never noticed when she was all occupied about being better than her step sister. She was unbalanced, she only saw what she wanted to look at. But then, realizing her feelings for Shiah opened her eyes. She learned things.

 

1. Jiho is not her competitor.

 

2. Love is not the same for everyone.

 

3. Shiah would look so good as her wife.

 

Mihyun needed someone to look after her. 

 

Shiah was very good at that.

 

"I'm okay. Can I skip today's meeting? I want to check on Shiah." 

 

"Of course. Send our regards to her." 

 

That's pretty much of it, the adventure of Mihyun's heart and mind featuring Shiah who made her fall for someone for the first time. 

 

When Mihyun picked the professional course she's taking now, she only thought about being the boss in the future. She was very goal-oriented, kept her priorities straight, striving hard for her parents to acknowledge her and her petty mission to reveal that Jiho was not the perfect child they all thought. Turns out she isn't perfect.. but that doesn't mean she's the worst as Mihyun thought. 

 

"The whole week must be hard for you." Mihyun entered the hospital room and placed the fruits she brought to the table next to where Shiah is sitting. Her niece is asleep, and Shiah looks like she hasn't slept at all. 

 

"Sorry.. I couldn't buy food so the fridge is empty, I have nothing to give you, even snacks. I was rushing earlier." Shiah tells her while unwrapping the basket of fruit. Mihyun immediately shook her head.

 

"No, no. It's alright. I'm full. You don't have to worry about me." 

 

Shiah's brother hasn't called for over a month. She lives with her niece only. Their parents are gone. Her brother is working somewhere else she doesnt know. Who knows, maybe her brother is a mafia etc. etc. But Shiah knows she could trust him, she knows at least that he is a good dad and brother. 

 

"It's the least I can do. You paid for the hospital bills, Mihyun." Shiah closed the fridge and sat at the edge of the bed, taking the sleeping kid's hand in hers.

 

"It's okay. You're my girlfriend." 

 

"We both know it's not true." Nights ago when they rushed to the hospital, she learned about Mihyun's father and Mihyun told him that she's her girlfriend. Because of that, she got a free pass on hospital finances. 

 

Mihyun was persistent. She continued to help Shiah and out of options, Shiah mindlessly takes what she was given. She had no choice and Mihyun is the only one who can help her. 

 

Being with Mihyun gives her the glimpse of minimum chance to be happy without thinking about her brother and her niece. But that's it. The thing with Mihyun surely ended when she involved herself too much with her. The time for having fun and playing games has ended for Shiah and she should stay here and take care of her niece because it's her responsibility. 

 

"Let me help you study." Mihyun says as she takes the seat next to Shiah. They're at Hyojung's house and Shiah finally got to join them but only for two hours. Mihyun brought some books she borrowed from her cousin and Shiah's aware of it, she told her it would be a great help.

 

"Mihyun.. I'm fine studying by myself." She tells her, eyes on her laptop as she continued to write her report for a major subject while their friends work on their parts for the project. 

 

Shiah picks up a book and skimmed its pages, taking her bookmark into one of the chapters she has to read later. using a bookmark helps her remember what are the things she has to put in mind later. Apparently, she also put one on the chapter named "Mihyun", because that chapter was on pause for her and she still wants to go through it later.. just not now. 

 

"What is Mimi doing?" Hyojung asks as they watched the couple talk by themselves. 

 

"Being a girlfriend?" Hyojung snorted at Hyejin's answer, the word girlfriend triggered her especially that she's talking about it with Hyejin.

 

"No. She's been all over Yooa these past few days." Seunghee said, taking a bite from her bread. Yubin just sighed while silently working on the papers.

 

"And Yooa's been out of herself these past few days." Seunghee added. Yubin seemed to lose her focus on counting the pages of the printed copies on her hand so she placed it on Seunghee's lap.

 

"I don't know what's with Mihyun but I know Shiah's like that because of her niece." Yubin said, ending the conversation.

 

In no more than two weeks, Miyu finally got discharged and Shiah didn't stop thanking Mihyun and her biological father for all the things they've done for them. She doesn't know how exactly to repay them, especially Mihyun who has been going back and forth to the hospital with her. 

 

There's been a new routine since then. It's almost the same but for Shiah, it isn't. 

 

Mihyun had been fetching her from home every morning, spends her free time after dismissal to wait for Shiah's class to finish. She's unstoppable, but Shiah is not having it. 

 

"What is this, Mihyun?" Shiah asked her once they reached the front of her lonely house. Even with the amount of houses surrounding them in the neighborhood, knowing what's behind the wooden door makes Shiah feel lonely. 

 

"What?" Mihyun asked back, clueless. She looked at Shiah's hand, if she was holding something that she's asking what was that but there's nothing on her palms. She looked at her Shiah was gazing -- which was the road, and there's nothing interesting there. What?

 

"Why are you driving for me?" 

 

"I want to." Mihyun mumbled, gripping hands on the steering wheel slowly loosening. Shiah felt bad. She knew the girl just wants to help but this is just making things harder for her knowing that Mihyun is not interested in her, she knew it very well but she tried to fit herself in the girl's locked heart before.

 

"Mihyun, if this is out of sympathy, please just stop. I know you're trying to make up to me but it's okay. I don't care about what happened before anymore.. and you already helped me a lot." She tried. Shiah isn't numb, what Mihyun's doing to her could result to something traumatic if she doesn't stop right now.

 

Then again, Mihyun is persistent.. and kind of a fool and oblivious sometimes.

 

"But you're my girlfriend."

 

"I'm pretty sure you made it clear that we're not, back then." Shiah gets ready, hung her sling bag back to her shoulder and hugged the books she borrowed from Mihyun close to her chest. 

 

Mihyun switched the door lock on and still, managed to give her a smile.

 

"I know you're tired studying and working at home, I'll let you rest." Mihyun responded, as if all here painful words just moved past her ears like nothing.

 

Shiah walked in and entered her house without looking back.

 

As much as aesthetic and meaning has played a big part in an architecture student's life, Mihyun did as well, for Shiah. She thought Mihyun would never want to talk to her again after their talk but the next day, she's the first person she sees when she entered the bus. 

 

It would be rude if Shiah acted like she didn't see Mihyun, she wanted to -- because of how she doesn't want to think about the girl and whatever she felt for her, and that Mihyun has been giving her unnecessary attention these days. She still sat next to the awaiting cheekily smiling girl. 

 

"Did Jiho damage your car again?" Shiah asks, at least to lessen the awkwardness forming up between their bus seats. Unlike the first time they rode a bus together, Mihyun gave her the seat next to the window, it was kind of her.

 

"No." Mihyun answered simply.

 

Shiah thought that'll be the end of the conversation so she leaned her head on the window, but as she said, Mihyun had been behaving pretty unusual these days.

 

"Tell me more about your niece. I like her name- Miyu, sounds cute." 

 

Needless to say, Shiah was forced to go back and unpause her reading of the chapter named "Mihyun", as a new episode of their bus story emerged. This time, Mihyun was leading for the both of them.

 

"What do you want for lunch?" Mihyun was standing behind her on the long line of the cafeteria, but still asking her what she'd order. 

 

"Um.. I'll pick when I get to the front." She says, undecided. However, when they got there, there's no more rice for their batch. 

 

"Sorry, we're still cooking rice. You can wait for 30 minutes." They were told. Shiah and Mihyun remained on their posts but Hyojung and Seunghee went back to their table. 

 

Shiah's thinking, in 30 minutes, her next class will start and thus, she'll have no time to eat. Should I just skip lunch? 

 

"We'll have two burgers, please." She heard Mihyun talking at the counter and before she could say a word, Mihyun already paid for the burgers on her tray. Shiah raised an eyebrow and hits her shoulder. "Hey! I didn't say you can buy burger for me!"

 

"What- But-" Mihyun was going to explain herself but stopped and grinned when Shiah took one burger from her tray.

 

"I'll pay for this later." The smaller girl said before going back to her seat.

 

Mihyun was considerate.

 

By the time Mihyun was ready to open the ride to the so-called exciting journey to gatekept land of romance, Shiah was just starting to take a rest. 

 

Mihyun respects it. 

 

"Can we talk?" Jiho head popped out from the slightly opened door to Mihyun's room. She was getting ready for bed after showering, her phone on her hand while she was talking to Hyojung and Seunghee on their group chat. 

 

Jiho only ever walked into Mihyun's room twice ever since they became siblings. The first time was on their first week of living together when she told Mihyun that she broke their washing machine by washing a large stuff toy in it.

 

The second one was that day, when she talked to Mihyun about Yewon.

 

"What's going on?" Mihyun pushed her roller chair towards Jiho for her to take a seat. Jiho shyly took it.

 

"Yewon and I had been dating for two months now, and on weekend, we'll celebrate our 3rd month together." Wow. After the last time Mihyun talked to Yewon, she never thought of Jiho and her girlfriend anymore. Obviously because she's drawn to the beautiful, heart-skipping Shiah instead.

 

Also, they never talked like this. 

 

Mihyun silently listened to her former competitor opening up to her like they've been bestfriends for ever.

 

"I want to give her a gift but I have no idea what should I buy for her." Jiho tells her, cheeks flushed just showing how new this conversation is for the both of them, and how embarrassing it is to be talking about lovelife.

 

Fortunately, Mihyun had an undoubtful answer in mind. It was pretty easy. "Buy flowers for her, write a letter. That's what your dad did when he's courting mom."

 

Seems like Jiho realized it just now. The answer to her problem was obvious. Could it be?

 

Could it be that Jiho just wants to talk to her?

 

"He's your dad too, you know." Jiho mumbled on her seat, fidgeting the hem of her thick red hoodie. Mihyun smiled and continued to watch her younger sister whose eyes fixated on the floor or her hands. 

 

"I know. I didn't say he wasn't." She replied, clearing right after. 

 

They say there's no impossible in life, you can do whatever you want, according to your will, however you're capable to do so. It could be true. Somehow, Mihyun ends up spending another hour talking to Jiho. If she was to look back from the first time they met, she'd say this.. what's happening at the moment, is very impossible, unrealistic, never existing interaction. 

 

"I like her." Jiho muttered, after a long talk, they've gone to many topics they could've mentioned to each other if they weren't avoiding each other for so long.

 

"I do, too." Mihyun confessed.

 

Here's the impossible, the very first time Mihyun admitted verbally that she has feelings for Shiah was with Jiho. 

 

"Then why don't you look happy?"

 

"Not all people who fall in love is happy, Jiho." Mihyun heard Jiho scoffing at her answer, but still, she continued talking. "Not because you fell in love means you're happy."

 

Jiho shakes her head, not accepting whatever lie she tells her. They can be good siblings, seems like Jiho knows her more than she thought so.

 

"You just want to say that because you're bitter. You know in your heart if a person makes you happy or not."

 

Shiah does make her happy.

 

Starting the next day, Mihyun has become confident.. and Shiah became more beautiful in her eyes. 

 

"Marry me." She told Shiah while resting her chin on her arm sitting on the table where the girl is writing a report for their project.

 

"W-what's with you? Idiot, go work! You haven't done your part for today." The girl she's staring at sent her a glare, putting the book on stand to cover her face so that Mihyun would stop looking at her. 

 

And that was only the first time. 

 

Shiah was holding her phone in her hand, sitting on the bench of the bus stop while waiting for her bus to come when she left a pair of soft lips brushing against her ear, whispering,

 

"You're gonna be a pretty wife."

 

Startled, Shiah hits Mihyun's mouth with her small fingers, smacking them unintentionally. "Mihyun-! What the hell? Where did you come from?"

 

"Wow, you're even cuter when startled." Mihyun laughed at her. It was the most annoying laugh Mihyun ever did and Shiah ever heard from her.

 

"Shut. Up!" 

 

But it made Shiah smile. 

 

She couldn't deny she was enjoying Mihyun's unexpected company that had been bugging her since the day they fought, but these days have been pretty different. Is it possible that Kim Mihyun has feelings for her? For real?

 

"Still no word from your brother?" Mihyun asked her one time as they rode the bus again.. another one of their bus episodes, both of their bags are on Mihyun's lap, she was hugging them tightly.

 

Shiah sighed and casually leaned her head on Mihyun's shoulder, she felt her stiffening and it made her smile. Again. 

 

"It'll be okay. I'm sure he's fine and safely working." Mihyun assured her, although it's impossible for her to actually know about Shiah's brother's status, it still felt great to have someone to lean on right now.

 

"Is your niece feeling better?"

 

"Hmm.. She's fine. No attacks since she got discharged. Thank you again, Mihyun." 

 

Mihyun was still Mihyun, except the fact that she's taking care of Shiah now.

 

Twinned with the fact that college has reached the range of higher difficulty, is that it meant they will be very busy, especially when your priorities are all over the place. The same goes with Shiah for that semester. Sometimes, she thinks it's a mistake getting herself involved with Mihyun but after years, she realized it's not bad at all.

 

One day after their final examinations, Shiah didn't see even a glimpse of Mihyun for the whole day. 

 

So, there she was, walking alone towards the bus stop. Honestly, she was very worried. The last exam week, for midterms, had been pretty tough for Mihyun. What if it's the same this time?

 

But it wasn't. 

 

Standing before her was Mihyun with her goofy smile, holding up pieces of papers on her hand. 

 

"What.. Y-you passed?" Shiah stepped slowly, she didn't have 20/20 eyesight but she can tell with the green markers that Mihyun had pretty high scores. 

 

She has never felt so relieved for someone else, especially for someone who was hopeless in bonding, like Mihyun in her life until now. 

 

Smiling with full bliss, even with her smile at that moment, she hugged Mihyun tightly,hoping she'd feel how much her chest had been thumping for her. 

 

The next few weeks has been busier for her. She received an amount of money from her brother's account but there was no message from him, even on his sns. At least the fact that she was sent some money to pay for their everyday needs gave her a relief. So, when Mijoo-- Hyojung's friend from their class threw a party after their final examinations, and when they all finally finished their final requirements, Shiah didn't think twice and attended.

 

Time to freshen herself up.

 

"Why does it say Mihyun's birthday? Isn't her birthday on May first?" Shiah asks Yubin when they stepped into the loud household. Striking lights and boostful music hovered all around the room while they look for their friends in the crowd.

 

"Seunghee said it's just for formality. Mijoo needed a reason to tell her parents." Yubin spoke right against her ear before taking a glass for herself. They soon found their friends at the bench upstairs.

 

Out of curiosity, Shiah wondered if Mihyun will come. She heard from Hyojung and Seunghee that she doesn't usually come on parties like this, that's also one of the reasons why their classmates name their party as Mihyun's. Because she will never come.

 

Shiah remained sitting on the corner while her friends danced on the living room. Holding her phone out on the table, she scrolled through her contact as stared at Mihyun and her brother's contact. Chuckling at herself, she knew how pathetic it is to stare at her phonescreen like that, waiting for one of them to call or text her.

 

Life could be pretty funny. Just when Shiah thought things are just senselessly pathetic around her, something happened.

 

Junsun, 10:43 p.m.: Shiah, I'm sorry for not being able to contact you in the past weeks. There's been a problem at work. I'm going home soon. Take care of Miyu and yourself, wait for me.

 

It was unfortunate. The moment Shiah's phone buzzed, she finally, finally received a text from her brother while sipping a boost from her cup. She got too excited and rose up from her seat but when she looked around, there was no one to hug,

 

no Mihyun to be with her.

 

Still with the excellent heart-pounding moment, Shiah continued to enjoy her night. 

 

"Yooa, you're sure you can go home alone? We can call Mihyun to drive you home." Hyojung asks worriedly. Hanging on her shoulder was Hyejin's arm as she assists her drunk bestfriend carefully, unlike Yubin who might just kick the wasted Seunghee down to the ground.

 

Shiah nodded, smiled a little as she waved at them. She wouldn't lie, her head is aching painsully slow and she's getting a little sleepy but she can handle herself. The bus stop is just a few minutes away from Mijoo's home.

 

Fate could be ridiculous sometimes. For some people, it gives off beauty in romance. Couples say they're fated to meet each other and that they'll love each other forever. They'll say they found true love with their partners at the right place, and the right time. 

 

But in Mihyun and Shiah's case, they don't need fate to intervene. Mihyun just knows when to be with Shiah. None of them had to doubt that their feelings could be fading. Both of them knew it's just starting, nurturing.

 

"Took you long to come here." Mihyun was standing by the pole where a sign board that says bus stop was written. She had her straight black hair dropped smoothly on her dope sport demin jacket over her black shirt and jeans. 

 

Shiah may be drunk, literally and figuratively. She literally had a few drinks earlier and that may be the cause of why she can't stop thinking of how charming and pretty Mihyun looked that night. 

 

Indeed, she's drunk in love with this oblivious and frustrating person.

 

"Mihyun! My brother's finally going home!" Shiah exclaimed when she remembered, the hug she's been aching to give to her has finally came to action.

 

She ran towards the taller girl and hugged her tightly, and she was hugged closely, dearly by Mihyun.

 

When they slowly pulled away, Mihyun could see how flushed Shiah's face was, and she stinks. She smells like alcohol. 

 

Mihyun chuckled and wrapped her warm palms on Shiah's small face, caressing her cheeks gently as they stared at each other.

 

"You, are so pretty.." Shiah whispers, leaning so close, and even closer to Mihyun's face. 

 

But as much as fate was ridiculous, Kim Mihyun, the competitor of fate, manged to ruin the moment when she pushed Shiah's face away, muttering.

 

"The alcohol smells bad, Shiah. Let's take you home."

 

As easy as it may seem, their friends thought they're just a happy fake couple with Yooa asking Mimi to do errands for her, look after her, always, always, stay by her side. But it wasn't the real case. 

 

The real deal was that Mihyun is striving hard to spend countless moments with Shiah, as she continued to crave for the new.. and amazing feelings clutching on her chest everytime she follows Shiah around. 

 

"Plans for summer?" Mihyun asked while they walk towards the bus stop. Shiah snorted, grinning at Mihyun after glancing at her.

 

"I'm gonna study, of course. My brother's coming home tomorrow, I think I can start looking for kids to tutor, that'll give me more allowance for the upcoming semester." Shiah answered her question truthfully. 

 

Ever since the night she asked for Mihyun's help, the girl also became her bestfriend. 

 

There were times that Hyejin and Yubin whines about Shiah hanging out too much with Mihyun, but they supported her.

 

Whatever Shiah was facing... with Mihyun, she's just waiting for the right moment to acknowledge it. 

 

"You're working so hard." Mihyun gave her a small smile, the bus came just in time and they both hopped in. 

 

For the first time ever, every seat was taken except one. Mihyun, being the generous.. and gentlewoman she is, has offered to stay standing so Shiah could take the seat.

 

"Hey, why aren't you sitting there?" Mihyun asks when she felt the nudging on her waist and when she turned to her right, there was Shiah holding on the bus pole with her, chuckling softly. 

 

"I think it's better if we both remain standing." 

 

If it was the old random and indecisive Shiah, she'd push Mihyun away from the seat and take it confidently. Mihyun found it funny. 

 

That's the last day they'll ride the bus together for that semester. They won't have to meet up every Saturdays anymore, or take the bus every morning, and after class dismissals. 

 

One of these years, Shiah wished she stayed longer with Mihyun there, holding her hand as they both grab on the pole for support while the bus continued moving. 

 

As the bus approaches Shiah's stop, they pulled away from each other. Mihyun felt the cold air brushing on her knuckles froom the emptiness when Shiah pulled her hand away. It was suffocating.

 

The reason why Shiah wished she didn't pull away was because of what happens next.

 

"Mihyun- why..?" She asked when Mihyun grabbed her arm lightly, stopping her from stepping out. 

 

"Meet me again tomorrow? At the bus stop..?" 

 

"Uh.. I have to go now."

 

That was a mistake. A terrible mistake to turn Mihyun down in front of those strangers at the bus at full capacity. But Shiah didn't mean to, she was taken aback.

 

Of course, she wasn't numb. She knew what it meant. Asking to meet like that when you have absolutely no reason to do so if you're not in love with each other.. it's just that she didn't expect Mihyun to step forward like that. She hated the fact that she might lose Mihyun because of what she did. 

 

The next day came and Shiah and Miyu welcomed Junsun with excitement in their home.

 

"Shiah? Are you okay? You haven't touched your food."

 

Mihyun hasn't texted her since last night. Mihyun.. was the kind of person who was so vulnerable to heartbreaks. Knowing her past, and how she sees romance.. Shiah felt anxious. It's something predictable, she just thought there's still hope. 

 

But what if there was? How would she know if there's hope that Mihyun's still holding onto her even after she rejected her yesterday? 

 

Mihyun's friends seemingly answered her questions.

 

Hyojung: Hi Yooa! We met with Mimi earlier and she didn't want to talk about you. Is everything okay? She's at Yubin's house right now.

 

Seunghee: Shashaaa, are you okay? Mim's waiting for you at Hyojung's house. 

 

..What? Or more so, they confused her but gave her the right sign at the right moment.

 

"I.. have to go. I'll be back later, promise!"

 

Unable to decipher Hyojung and Seunghee's texts, she still took her coat and ran out of their house.

 

Could it be?

 

The special day someone would be asking for, where all the romantic dreams come into life and she'll realize she has woken up from daydreaming?

 

Shiah didn't know where to go, but she ran towards the bus stop, planning to decide where to go after she's taken a bus. She must be crazy.. because from that moment, all she thought of was where is Kim Mihyun? 

 

That she didn't realize that the girl she's thinking about was standing across her. Like most times they meet each other expectedly, as they planned. This was the first time Shiah did not expect to see Mihyun.

 

I thought she was at Yubin's.. or Hyojung's..

 

But she's right here, smiling at Shiah, holding a burger in her hand. Unlike how she pictured Mihyun-- that in her head, she's crying in one corner where Hyojung and Seunghee are comforting her with supplies of tissue rolls--, this Mihyun was a completely.. total opposite. 

 

She's stepping closer to Shiah, in a very gentle and attractive manner. How is someone holding a burger in her hand so attractive?

 

"I knew you would come." Mihyun says as she brought the wrapped burger onto Shiah's hands. "I know you might be full because you celebrated at home but I think burgers from me are still better than anything else."

 

It's supposedly sweet, but Mihyun was full of herself that Shiah couldn't help laughing, punching her arm playfully.

 

"There are thousands of food better than your burger." She tells her, but taking it in her hand anyway while they walk to the waiting area, occupying the empty seats on the waiting bench.

 

► AJ Rafael - Like Me

 

"I want to tell you some.. things." Mihyun started, Shiah hummed to let her know she's willing to listen. 

 

There were a number of stuff in Mihyun's head that time. 

 

I want to be honest with Shiah and reveal that I didn't stoop low like she said before.

 

I should tell her I was sorry for being a jerk.

 

I must tell her how I feel.

 

"I want to say that.. I did not pay Yewon to distract Jiho-- a-although the distraction was in the process. That Jiho and I are in good terms now, because of you." Mihyun admitted, a long sigh of relief left her chest. Shiah was listening intently, looking at her with so much interest that her ears are starting to turn reddish.

 

"I regret telling you that you weren't my girlfriend.. I really wish I could go back and change it." Mihyun saw a few people passing by, and remembered how embarrassed she was when Shiah left her on the bus. 

 

One thing she learned though, is that they're only strangers she met for just a short period of time and Shiah-- Shiah could be her forever. Coming here even after getting turned down is a risk she's willing to take if it's for Shiah.

 

"Sorry for dodging you yesterday." Shiah mumbled after. Mihyun nodded silently, as if she was waiting for her to say more. Shiah knew what she's waiting for.

 

"What do you feel for me, Mihyun?" 

 

Shiah was straightforward, and she still is. She may be distracted in the past weeks but she knew herself, she's familiar to her personality, she admits to what she feels. 

 

Mihyun was in denial. That was the problem and that's what Shiah's curious about. 

 

How does Mihyun feel?

 

Mihyun was nervous, aside from her talk with Jiho.. which was weeks ago, she has never said a word about her feelings for Shiah to anyone else. Three words stuck on like a lump she's unable to get through if she won't confess right now. After all, she asked for her friends' help to bring Shiah here.

 

"I want you to be my wife." Mihyun says, at least these words are fine to be spoken. Easy and chill.

 

"Then you should ask me to marry you." Shiah joked, amused at how obvious of a beginner Mihyun is right now. Mihyun never read or watched anything close to romance, or confessions. She hated every bit of it. Knowing that Shiah was waiting for her to say something else, her chest heaved a series of deep-to-light breathing.

 

"I like you." She muttered, took her minutes to say those words. 

 

"I like you too." Shiah replied, took her a few seconds to blurt out those words.

 

"J-just like that?" Mihyun's ears and cheeks were blushing, she knew Shiah could be very confident but it's just too much to be too.. straightforward.

 

Shiah shakes her head with a soft chuckle. "I'm kidding." 

 

Mihyun sighed, not in relief, but with distress. How could she joke like that? Is it really that easy to break the bond you shared with someone so closely?

 

"I'm in love with you, Mihyun." Shiah stated, honestly. If someone was to review a lecture that wasn't studied well enough before, it would take time and effort before they master it. 

 

Shiah understood that it's the same for Mihyun. So... Mihyun being unable to react well to her confession isn't news to her. Instead, she placed the burger down to the other side of the bench and she moved closer to Mihyun.

 

"Did you ever felt like you want to kiss me?" Shiah whispers once her face was so close to Mihyun, her hand sneaking on the taller girl's thigh like she used to do. Mihyun nodded, intoxicated at the close proximity of their faces. 

 

Well, Shiah and Mihyun had their first kiss.. at the car, when they first had the deal for their fake dating. It's not that memorable even for Mihyun because it was so quick and Shiah was only very impulsive that time. They also almost kissed that night when Shiah was a little drunk and Mihyun came to walk her home but that was a bit of a crack episode, Mihyun still chuckles to herself whenever she thinks about it, and Shiah is embarrassed whenever they talk about it. This time, it's different. 

 

"N-now.." Mihyun muttered, the slow movement of her lips made their noses touch that it shocked her through the spine, she wanted to pull away-- but Shiah raised a hand and caressed her cheek.

 

Shiah is being impulsive, confident, and most of all.. drunk in Mihyun's attraction. Her fingertips slowly dug on her thigh as she pulled Mihyun's face closer, their lips finally touched and Shiah finally claimed her. 

 

Kissing Mihyun like that.. she's sure the girl would never, ever doubt about romance, ever again. If it takes time and effort for Shiah to get Mihyun to say I love you, she'll do it.. she knew Mihyun was worth it.

 

And after years, she managed to make her say it.

 

It's been sometime and hey, we’ve really grown
It's easy to say you’re the best I’ve known
So please, could I call you mine?
'Cause I don’t know how to handle
These three words and they go
I love you, do you love me?

 

"Do you take Shiah as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in heath, in good times and woe, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself solely unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

 

"I do..."

 

"I love you, Yoo Shiah."

 

Shiah placed a bookmark on chapter Mihyun, and she's willing to go back and reread every part of it.. with Mihyun as her wife now.