It was raining again and instead of Mina, it’s me sitting in the alcove watching the rain. Testing to see if Mina’s grandmother’s advice would help me..and in a way it is.. I can feel myself relax.

 

“It’s cold.” Mina drapes a blanket over my shoulder, “Why are you sitting here? Everything okay?” She says softly and I noticed that she’s already dressed in her sleepwear.

 

“I got in half an hour ago, but you were in such deep thought that I didn’t want to intrude..” She shrugs sitting next to me, “but I wasn’t going to sit here and let you be while you shiver.” She smiles, rubbing my shoulders a bit, trying to warm me up and I don’t know if it’s the gesture or the way Mina smiled at me like she’s looking at a reflection of her own broken self that made me hug her tightly, cuddling into her side.

 

“I don’t know what’s gotten you in this mood,” Mina begins, my hair lightly, “But I’m here..and I’ll always be here.”

 

“Will you really?” My voice came out softer than I’d like.

 

“As long as you’ll let me.” Mina’s tone was soft and for a moment memories of the past came back and I held onto Mina tighter.

 

“Hikari..Kimura Hikari.” I said her name for the first time in years.

 

“Sana you don’t have to if..”

 

“It’s okay..I want you to know.”

 

Minatozaki Sana, the future head of Sora. Those were the words Sana’s heard ever since she was a child and honestly, she hated it. No one ever asked her if she wanted to work for her family’s company…they just expected her to and so Sana just accepted that. Doing what needed to be done of her. A life perfectly planned…except when she came into her life.

 

“Oh my gosh I’m so sorry.” A girl apologised profusely after running into Sana, her coffee spilling all over the girl’s shirt.

 

“It’s fine.” Sana holds the girl’s hands, “I don’t have class anymore.”

 

“I..here.” The girl takes her cardigan off, quickly draping it over Sana’s shoulders, “At least it’ll cover the stain until you get back to the dorms.”

“You really don’t have to.” Sana chuckles, finding the shorter girl quite adorable.

 

“I know, but I want to..so let me?”

 

“I..” Sana was speechless, “I’m Sana.”

 

“I’m Kimura Hikari and I know who you are.” The girl nods, “Who doesn’t know Minatozaki Sana?” She asks in Japanese.

 

“Right.” Sana nods, thinking that this girl approached her because she needed something, “So now I owe you right?” Her tone was cold.

 

“Why? It was my fault? I’m the one who owes you.” Hikari tilts her head, confused by the sudden shift from the girl.

 

“Well this is usually how these things go. People do something to gain my favour and yeah.”

 

“Isn’t that a little big headed of you?”

 

“It is, but it keeps away fake people.” Sana shrugs.

 

“I…right.” Hikari nods, “Look Minatozaki-san, I’m sorry that I bumped into you…I didn’t even know it was you. I have no ulterior motive or anything. Keep the cardigan. Bye.” Hikari walks away leaving Sana feeling like an .

 

~

 

“Oh why the long face, Satang?” Momo, joined by Nayeon and Jihyo, look at the usually bubbly girl confused.

 

“Well..so you see..” Sana says in that high pitched tone.

 

“Oh no…” The trio say collectively, “What happened.” And so Sana tells them about Hikari and how she feels like such a for assuming things.

 

“I told you to stop that!” Momo flicks Sana’s forehead causing the girl to pout, “I’m trying but it’s hard okay..I’ve had so many people approach me with ulterior motives..I mean it took me forever to trust Momo and Jihyo..and Nay, we’ve known each other for a while but were never close..”

 

“Okay true, but Sana…you need to stop being so cautious around people. Not everyone has an ulterior motive.”

 

“I know Nay….but it’s hard..there’s just been so many people that treated me with kindness only to turn their back on me once they got what they needed.”

 

“We can’t say that we know what that’s like cause we don’t come from your world.” Jihyo says, “But seeing that Momo and I turned out to be genuine, maybe others are too. Why don’t you go find this girl and apologise.”

 

“Yeah..I think I’ll do that.”

 

~

 

“Hikari wait!” Sana catches a breath, holding Hikari’s arm, “What is it Minatozaki-san.”

 

“Look, I’m sorry..about that day..I’ve had some bad experiences with new people and..I just..I know it’s not an excuse, but it was wrong of me to assume things. I am deeply sorry.” Sana bows 90 degrees, which surprises Hikari completely.

 

“Minatozaki-san please, it’s fine..you don’t have to..”

 

“Sana.”

 

“Eh?”

 

“Just call me Sana..please stop being so formal.”

 

“Okay..Sana.” Hikari smiles.

 

“Do you want to grab some coffee? My treat?”

 

“Sure, but please let me pay.”

 

“No no please..take it as my apology.”

 

“Hmm how about I pay this time as an apology for last time..and you get the next tab?”

 

“Okay..deal.” Sana smiles.

 

~

 

“We were friends for a bit..Hikari assimilating into the group seamlessly..and soon I asked her out. It was great. Everything was perfect..but then..” My voice cracks, the tightening feeling in my chest coming back.

 

“Sana..it’s..”

 

“No..I need to do this Mina.” I take a breath, preparing myself to finally talk about it.

 

Something was wrong, Sana could feel it..something was off. There was a heavy feeling in her chest.

 

“It’s raining cats and dogs out here.” Momo complains, wiping her coat, settling on the chair next to Sana in the cafe.

 

“Momoring, has Hikari-chan called you today?” Sana asks, staring at her phone.

 

“Hmmm not yet..why?”

 

“I just…there’s something off..but I can’t pinpoint it.” Sana’s tone was soft, but it was laced with worry and having known Sana for as long as she has, Momo knows that whatever it is..they should worry.

 

“Did she not answer your calls?”

 

“Nope..hasn’t texted me back either.”

 

“Do you want to go on a road trip? Harvard’s just 2 hours away from campus.” Momo suggests.

 

“Nah..it’s fine. Like you said she might be busy..with the transfer and everything.”

 

“Maybe you just miss her? I mean suddenly wanting to do her MBA at Harvard was ..unexpected.” Momo chooses her words carefully.

 

“It was…but Harvard business school is ranked better than Yale..and she did say that it was her dream school….” Sana trails off.

 

“But?”

 

“But since she moved..there’s been a distance between us.”

 

“It co..”

 

“Wait wait, it's Hikari-chan.” Sana interrupts Momo, “Moshi moshi? Hikari-chan?” Sana answers her phone.

 

“It’s over Sana-chan…I can’t do this anymore.” Hikari’s voice was hoarse, like she’s been crying.

 

“Nani?”

 

“Let’s break up.” Hikari said with finality.

 

“Kimura Hikari if you’re joking with me it’s not funny” Sana scoffs, feeling the tears b.

 

“I’m sorry, but..”

 

“Hikari what’s going on? Is it the distance? You know I can transfer to Harvard easily right? Tell me what’s wrong, let’s fix it.”

 

“Sana-chan.” Hikari sighs, “I don’t love you..and I never did. I’m sorry..I just..I was desperate and your name…”

 

“That’s enough.” Sana interrupts, her voice devoid of any emotion, “I get it..of course. Did my reputation get you what you needed? If so, you’re welcome. Goodbye Kimura-san.” Sana hangs up the phone, quickly packing her things and dashing out of the cafe before Momo could even get a word out.

 

~

 

“Sana…I’m…sorry.” Mina pulled me in closer, probably because she understood what it’s like to let people in only to be betrayed.

 

“I never heard from her after that…she just cut off all ties with me and I was fine with that..until one year later..”

 

“Of all places to have a seminar it’s here.” Sana grumbles, walking through the Harvard campus clearly annoyed.

 

“That’s why I’m here, remember?” Nayeon smiles, hooking an arm over Sana’s shoulder, “To make sure you don’t commit a crime before I do.”

 

“I just hope I don't run into her.”

 

“She better hope we…” Nayeon’s words die out mid sentence when the two end up face to face with the very girl they were trying to avoid: Hikari.

 

When Sana saw her ex, it was like time stood still..their memories from start to end played out like a movie in front of her…it was sad..it made Sana sad and the girl hated being sad, so instead she got angry..so angry, but not at Hikari..at herself, because even though the girl took her heart, crushed it to pieces, and sprinkled it in Sana’s face like confetti.. Sana would still gladly pick up every piece and hand it right back to Hikari.

 

“Hikari.-chan.” Sana says her name softly.

 

“Excuse me.” Hikari tries to run off, but Nayeon blocks her path.

 

“You have some nerve don’t you.”

 

“Please…I really need to…” Hikari begins to cough violently.

 

“Oh stop faking it. You think I’ll let you off the hook for what you…Hey hey what the..” Nayeon was caught off guard when she sees the blood seeping between Hikari’s fingers, “Sana we have to take her to the hospital.” Nayeon commands the stunned girl.

 

~

 

“You lied to me.” Sana says, sitting next to Hikari’s bed at the hospital.

 

“I didn’t.”

 

“You did. You really want to make life into a movie or what?”

 

“Sana…my family was struggling. Sure I had scholarships and a good job, but things were rough. Meeting you wa