CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

Planning Trip

[ Jimin’s. ]

[ 3 Months, 2 Weeks. ]

It took a week more before Ate Joohyun and Kuya Jaehyun could free up a schedule and meet us properly, but we couldn’t do that here in San Juan—not when there is a lot of people that could be watching our every move. 

This time, we used the planned trip for all of us to go to San Lorenzo for a second time and continue where we left off, as well as talk about the things that we should do with the information given to us. 

The ones we invited are the following: 

Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Chaewon, Minju, Yunjin, Kazuha, Ate Joohyun, Ate Seulgi, Kuya Jaehyun, Aeri, Ningning, Ryujin and Lia.

And of course, Jeno.

I didn't really want to invite him since I still can't really forget what he did, but for Minjeong's sake I did—as long as he's going to be good and don't do anything stupid.

I still can't believe that guy is Minjeong's half brother. 

The DNA test seems legit, and I even had Ate Joohyun do another one again just to be safe but it's still the same result; I think it's already fine, and I'm actually a little relieved that my Minjeong isn't related to that man at all.

I already made Jeno promise that he's going to put Minjeong's happiness and safety first, and if he doesn't…

"Baby?"

I turned to see Minjeong beside me, already awakened from where she slept leaning into my shoulder while we sat at the back seat of the van Ate Joohyun rented, just to change things up for a bit. 

Minjeong’s already comfortable to travel around, and I don’t really mind if I have to be there every step of the way for her to completely be comfortable against the traumas she experienced when she was really young. 

“You can sleep a little bit more, love,” I said with a smile, and she leaned her head into my shoulder again but I noticed that she didn't close her eyes this time. “Medyo malayo pa tayo. I know you didn’t sleep well in anticipation and nervousness last time, right?” 

“I can’t help it,” I could feel Minjeong laughing nervously by my side. “The last time we went to San Lorenzo, things went wrong. May sumpa ata ang lugar na iyon, baby.” 

“Curses are what you make it out to be, my sweet,” I said as I placed a peck on her lips and she whined when I pulled away too soon. “All I want to do right now is enjoy while we make the next step of our plans.” 

We still didn’t have anything we wanted to do next, especially since we were still a little bit confused and overwhelmed with what we had learned the past week. 

“Pero siyempre medyo natatakot pa rin ako,” buntong hininga ni Minjeong as she cuddled even closer to me. “I don’t want anything to change with you, baby. Maybe we shouldn’t do something in revenge? Ayokong magulo pa ‘to lahat, baby…” 

“I understand,” I said, though there is nothing I want more but to put the two of them behind bars so we could live happily and free from any threat in the future. “But you must understand na if they were able to do it back then, then they will be able to do it now.” 

I sighed as I hugged her tight, and I know na she must be hesitating with what she wants to do since technically Kihoon Kim is still someone she considered to be her father even if he hurt her over and over again the past few years. 

And knowing that the same man you wanted to consider you to be his daughter was the one who instigated the kidnapping that drastically changed your life when you were a child? That is something that could break a person—I’m a little worried with how Minjeong is acting, since she still hasn’t had a full blown breakdown simula nung sinabi niya sa akin na kinulong siya ng tatay niya. 

“You’re going to be here, right?” biglang tanong niya as she held my hand tight, and we both feel like if we let go now we’d lose each other for good. “Jimin, natatakot ako.” 

“I’m scared too, my love,” I said, letting out a sigh as Ate Seulgi drove the car into a rest stop, since a lot of our friends were complaining of being hungry and needing to go to the CR. “But it’s a little less scary since you’re with me.” 

“Napakabolera mo talaga.” 

Hihirit pa sana ako but Ate Seulgi turned off the engine, and I saw her turn around from where she sat to talk to us. 

“Siguro mga 1 hour, max? Yun yung time na iaallot ko para makapaglibot tayo dito sa rest stop, tapos kumain na kayo and mag CR and bili na din kayo ng mga gusto niyo bilhin.” 

“Where do you want to go, baby?” I asked as we went out of the car to stretch our legs since we’ve been travelling for at least two hours now because of the weekday traffic. “Are you hungry? We can eat somewhere…”

“Parang nagcrave ako ng burger, baby,” she says, sighing as she clung onto me while I quickly did a search on my phone to get an idea of where to eat in this rest stop para hindi na kami maglakad masyado. “Tsaka fries. Tapos spaghetti din, tsaka ice cream.” 

I raised my brow at that. 

My baby is that hungry, huh?

“We can go to this burger joint near the parking lot for the burger, spaghetti and fries, then we can go to an ice cream shoppe for the ice cream, it’s nearer here. Maybe we can do a little shopping afterward?” 

Minjeong nods at that, and soon enough we’re walking towards the burger shop, and I had Minjeong choose a seat for us while I ordered the set meal that she wanted plus what I wanted to eat for the hour that we had. 

When I got back, however, there is a girl that kind of looks like her, and they’re quarrelling for the same seat out of other free ones in the restaurant. 

“Ako nauna dito!” 

“Excuse me, Miss. I’ve been standing here for who knows how long, nauna ka lang umupo!” 

Wala naman masyadong tao sa restaurant na napili namin, but they were already causing a fight here. I didn’t want this fight to go worse, so I was about to intervene but surprise was written on my face when I noticed the new girl who came and tried to stop the girl that was fighting my Minjeong. 

She… 

Wait, she looks just like me? 

“...can I ask for your name?”

I could practically feel Minjeong’s glare at me as I unconsciously gave her my name and even my number, and it isn’t until we’re seated at a place far from where she picked first does she ask me endless questions about that weird and sudden encounter. 

“Bakit binigay mo number mo?” 

Gosh, I could feel her annoyance pointed at me. 

“Baby, nacurious lang ako. It’s not everyday that you get to meet someone who looks exactly like you, right?” 

“The one who looks exactly like me? Napakasungit kaya.” 

“Baby, I don’t know the full facts so I don’t exactly know who to side with.” 

“Kinakampihan mo pa sila?!” 

Safe to say, this was going to be such a long ride. 

I didn’t really expect such a chaotic ride to San Lorenzo with those two doppelgangers of ours hitching a ride, but luckily it was over after two hours. We already booked rooms in advance, so this time medyo mabilis na yung pagprocess ng rooms. 

The rooms were assigned like last time, but now the difference is the biggest room was used by the four boys and a lot has changed since we all had different relationships with each other, and this time we’re not here just for fun. 

Well, since this was supposed to be a two days and two nights plan, the first thing I did when we got to our room was to lie down, and Minjeong soon joined me after she ensured that the luggage we brought with us was safe and sound inside the room we shared. 

“Grabe,” I hear Minjeong say as she stared at the room that had almost the same design as the one we had before. 

“Parang ang tagal na simula nung huli tayong pumunta dito.” 

“To be fair, a lot has happened, baby.” 

My inheritance felt like the first reason why every lie and every secret that had been built up through the years came crashing down—if I didn’t decide to go to this farm to find the answers I was curious about, would I even discover everything that Minjeong and I had learned?

“Pero masaya ako na nandito na tayo ulit,” Minjeong says, and there is a grin on her lips. “As girlfriends, this time.” 

Right, I grinned. 

The last time I was here, Minjeong still wasn’t fully mine. 

“Can I get a kiss?” 

“Jimin, ang random naman.” 

Even if she scowls with the sudden request, she still kisses me as sweetly as she could, and there is a moment of silence as we put our foreheads close, and I could give everything I have just to live this moment over and over again. 

“Have I told you that I love you so much, my darling?” 

“You have,” natatawang sabi ni Minjeong as she hugged me tight, and she buries her face into my neck. “But I want to hear it from you over and over again.” 

“I’ll do just that,” I said with a grin as I locked her into my embrace, and I kissed the top of her head. “I’ll say I love you over and over again, even if I lose my voice.”

“Grabe naman. Huwag ka naman mapaos, paano mo na ako sasabihan niyan?” 

“I’m just going to learn sign language or even write it on paper, baby.” 

“Corny mo!” 

I sat up, then pulled her from the bed and dragged her to the balcony, where the horizon was being painted by the setting sun. It frames her in the sunset’s golden rays, and I hurriedly grab my phone to take a picture of her as she poses for me, and I couldn’t hold back as I kiss her while the warm sunlight hits us both. 

“Baby, baka mapicturan nanaman tayo…” she says between hurried kisses, and I hum as I pull her close over and over again. 

“I don’t care,” I said with a grin, cupping her cheeks and kissing her over and over again. “I can just pay someone to delete the pictures—or I can keep them for myself.” 

“Hmm… Ganyan ba talaga kapag mayaman?” 

“Ganyan kapag mahal kita, baby.” 

“Napakacheesy mo!” 

I snapped a few more pics before kissing her again, and I then pulled her into where our suitcases were. I pulled the suitcase open, grabbing the swimsuit that we would wear when we would swim. 

“Shall we have a swim, baby? I think nandun na din ata sila Ryujin for night swimming.” 

“Okay,” nakangiti niyang sabi at kinuha na yung swimwear na pinili niya habang nagpack kami sa bahay kahapon. I laughed as she excitedly disappeared in the CR, and I decided to change inside the room nalang para kahit papaano mabilis kami makababa. 

“Jimin, nakalimutan ko ata magpack ng twalya—GAGO!” 

I raised a brow as I turned to see her covering her eyes as her hand grabbed the knob tightly, and I laughed as I realized na my back was exposed to her since I haven’t put on the top of my swimsuit yet. Kinabit ko muna yung top nung swimsuit then moved closer towards her, pulling the hand that’s covering her eyes downward. 

“Baby, you’ve seen me before. Why are you so shy?” 

“E-Eh kasi…” 

I laugh as I pinch her cheeks that have a red blush on it, probably due to seeing me half just a few minutes ago. 

“What, did that turn you on? We can stay here—”

“NO!” malakas niyang sigaw, and it makes me laugh as she tries to escape my grasp, but I pull her in for a kiss as I feel her hand lingering over the tied straps of the bikini I wore. 

“B-Baby, dinidistract mo nanaman ako.” 

“You’re the one whose hand is already near the straps of my bikini, baby. Sa tingin mo ba, hindi ko napapansin?” 

She tried to hide her blushing face from me, but I laugh at her as I grab the two towels that I packed first hand since I knew na she might forget something because of her excitement with the second try of our trip. 

“S-Sabi ko nga. Tara na?”

I notice her getting the robe from the bathroom