Chapter 8

 

~~~   Japan - 2026 - Minjeong's business trip   The hotel room hummed with tension as Minjeong and Wonyoung settled into their temporary sanctuary in Japan. The city lights painted a vibrant tapestry beyond the window, but Minjeong's attention was fixed on her phone, her fingers flying across the screen with a growing sense of anger. She was thankful that Wonyoung was in the shower so the girl couldn't witness this awful moment.   @Karina Sson what if imm druink, u seme to be havin fun wonyoung  or whatrrever    @Winter What are you talking about? You are still drinking? This is what your life has become too Jimin? Drinking all day, collecting garbage, and mobbing around? How about getting a real job? How about following your dream?   Jimin didn't reply so Minjeong called her right away. She picked up after the fifth call.   "What?!" Jimin shouted on the phone over the banging music.   "Go home, Jimin. I'm not there to take care of you. So, please. Just go home."   "No! You know how I felt about Wonyoung and yet you still choose to stay in the same room as her."   "You are not making any sense. The company put us together."   "Now that's just convenient, isn't it?! She is perfect for you Minjeong. Pretty, smart, confident. Seem like your type."    Jimin sounded beyond angry and beyond drunk.   "Baby, just go back okay? And I promise you. There is nothing to worry about." Minjeong whispered. She felt hot tears ready to burst out any moment now.   Jimin ended the call and Minjeong was so angry that she could throw her phone across the room.   Minjeong's brow furrowed, and her lips curled in frustration as she read and reread the texts from her girlfriend. Each word seemed to pierce deeper into her heart, fueling her anger.   "What's wrong?" Wonyoung quietly asks. She stepped out of the shower and went over to Minjeong's bed.   "It's just my girlfriend... we were fighting."   "Again?" Wonyoung says with a bored expression.    Wonyoung knew all about Minjeong and Jimin's problem. She has gotten very close with Minjeong and the girl would tell her everything. Even her biggest secret - the accident that destroys Jimin's life. They say that you shouldn't be friends with your coworkers but there is something special about Wonyoung that made Minjeong knew she can trust her. Wholeheartedly.   And somehow Jimin got insanely jealous and insecure around Wonyoung that she kept lashing out at Minjeong every time she knew the two were together.   "I'm tired." Minjeong lay on the bed and buried her face in the pillow.   "All we ever do is fight now and it feels like the breakup is coming sooner or later. This relationship drained me."    Wonyoung released a deep sigh. "I'm sure it is draining her too. Maybe you two aren't meant for each other?"   Minjeong shook her head, tears start to come out. "No. It can't be. I can't leave her. You know how much I love Jimin."   Wonyoung furrowed her brows. She is more annoyed now, knowing about Minjeong's feelings.   "What's love anyway? For me, fame and money are what's more important."   Minjeong sat up on the edge of the bed, her gaze fixed on the distant city lights. Wonyoung joined her, sensing the weight of regret that hung in the air.   "You know, Minjeong, we all make mistakes. Sometimes, they haunt us, making us wish we could turn back time."   Minjeong sighed. " I wish I could go back, Wonyoung. I wish I could rewrite my story, make different choices"   Wonyoung nodded, her expression solemn. "I know that feeling all too well. There's something I've always regretted not doing."   Minjeong asked curiously, "What's that?"   Wonyoung hesitated for a moment before speaking.    "I wanted to be a K-pop idol. It was my dream, but my mom didn't approve. She said it was unrealistic and pushed me to pursue a more practical career. Now, I'm unhappy at my job and can't help but wonder what my life would be like if I had followed my heart."   Minjeong's heart went out to her friend.   "It's never too late to chase your dreams. Maybe there's a way you can still make it happen. I mean... you are technically the prettiest girl in our company."   Wonyoung smiled bitterly. "No. I'm too old now to consider being a K-pop idol.  I'll just have to accept it. The ugly reality."   ~~~   THE NEXT MORNING   The ancient temple stood as a silent witness to the hopes and dreams whispered within its hallowed grounds. Minjeong and Wonyoung found themselves standing together, their hands clasped around small daruma dolls. The air was heavy with the weight of their shared regrets, mingling with the scent of incense that wafted through the temple.   Minjeong's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she stared into the serene, blank eyes of the Daruma doll. She traced her fingertips along its smooth surface, feeling a surge of longing and desperation coursing through her veins. Wonyoung, too, held their daruma doll with a mix of sadness and yearning, their heart heavy with unfulfilled dreams.   Silently, they exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes communicating a depth of shared understanding that no words could express. They both longed for a chance to travel back in time, to rewrite the chapters of their lives that had been marred by regret and missed opportunities.   As the sun's gentle rays streamed through the temple's stained glass windows, casting ethereal hues upon the sacred space, Minjeong and Wonyoung closed their eyes, offering their silent pleas to the universe.    Neither did they know,