Chapter Eight

Stepping outside Mina could feel a slight breeze in the air, what to do now? It's not like she can drive back to work, she hasn't even gotten the chance to get a license yet. Everywhere that she needed to go only required the mere bus station or she could go on foot to the destination.

Taking out her phone she saw that she had three missed calls, opening up her phone she saw they were all from U-Kwon. He must be really worried considering the scene and being gone for a while without a call back. She opened the voicemail and listened to his panic tone, he sounded so worried and it warmed up her heart. At least there was still someone who cared for her.

Dialing back she waited as a soft melody played on the other line, the song soothed her mind a bit before U-Kwon answered.

"Mina! Jesus, do you know how long I've been waiting for your call?" U-Kwon asked an urgent tone in his voice.

"Sorry! I was held up with other things..." Mina trailed twirling a finger around her hair.

"Are you okay?" U-Kwon asked his tone softening, she could just see that worried look on his face.

"I guess... Can you pick me up?" Mina asked wanting to get out of there and she needed to explain to U-Kwon what was going on too.

"Yeah, sure. I'm getting off work now, where are you?"

"I'm at Jiho's house ... do you know where that is? Cause' I have no idea." Mina said hoping that he does since she knew who Jiho was without even mentioning his name. She wondered what kind of relationship U-Kwon had with Jiho.

"Yeah. I'll be there in a bit, I'll call you when I'm there." U-Kwon said before hanging up the phone.

Mina walked to the other side of the garden and sat down on the swinging bench, why was she feeling so bitter? Looking up at the sky she wondered how her brother was doing with school and noted that she should pay her mother and her brother a visit soon. She missed them dearly and felt a little homesick.

U-Kwon arrived ten minutes later and she greeted him with a smile, he was the only one that felt familiar and secure to her at this point and she needed him to lean on.

"Where do you want to go?" U-Kwon asked as he backed out of the driveway, he wasn't going to probe. Mina will tell him what is going on when she feels like she's already, she looked like she needed to recollect her thoughts.

"Anywhere but here." Mina said flatly as she the stereo, the same song that was on U-Kwon's phone started to play.

U-Kwon nodded at her and started to drive towards his house, it seemed the most comfortable place for now. A place for a little privacy in case they needed to talk about anything that is currently clouding her thoughts.

Soon they were in his house as he set down his car keys and the lights as Mina made her way to the couch.

"Do you want anything to drink?" U-Kwon asked as he walked into his kitchen and opened his fridge to see if there was anything for them to eat.

"Do you have any sort of alcoholic beverage?" Mina asked as she started to go through U-Kwon's CD collection, there was various genres to chose from.

"Yeah I'll get us some light wine it should be somewhere in the cabinet ... found it!" U-Kwon exclaimed as Mina heard the clinking of glasses.

"You still have this?" Mina asked holding up a CD from their high school days, it was one of the first gifts she gave him on White Day since she didn't have anyone else to give it to.

"Yes of course why would I want to throw that away plus the tracks on it were pretty good." U-Kwon said setting the glasses down on the table and filling them both up. It was one of the first gifts she gave him so there was no way he was going to throw away something so precious, he liked to play the CD whenever he felt like he missed her. He sometimes thought what it would've been like if she was actually giving him that CD because she was confessing but then the bond of their friendship wouldn't be as large as it was now.

"Oh this tastes delightful." Mina said grinning as she took a sip.

"It's your favorite, of course it's delightful." U-Kwon chuckled as he took a sip of his own glass.

"Well you met Jiho today." Mina started as she tried to think of how she would tell this story to her best friend.

"Yeah and he's your husband? Big news that I didn’t get a chance to heart from you."

"Yeah well there was a marriage contract, my mother gave it to me in exchange for paying off my father's debt. And you know that I couldn't say no because that debt was what was weighing our entire family down. So I thought if that debt was gone everything will just be pure bliss. Jun-min would be able to get the toys he wanted, my mother would be able to not have to work so much and be home more for Jun-min. And I wouldn't have to worry about so much about our family meals every day, so I thought if I just sacrifice this one little thing... everything will turn out fine." Mina said as her voice began to crack a little, her emotions taking the best of her.

"It's okay Mina, you did what you thought was best for your family. Even though I'll say it's unfair for you to be doing this but I can see that it's for the best for family and that's what you've always wanted right?" U-Kwon asked as he wrapped an arm around her and pulling her in as her tears started to fall.

"I don't even know what I'm supposed to do at this guy's house, he's a complete and he's hasn't really been welcoming to my arrive. I just feel so lonely and homesick and I just-" Mina's sobbing got louder as she nestled into U-Kwon's arms. He felt so warm and he felt so familiar, Mina was so glad that she could have such a wonderful friend by her side.

"It's okay Mina, there, there. I'll always be here if you need to talk and you can crash at my place if you ever feel like you want to get away. This can be like a second home to you." U-Kwon said smiling weakly at her, his heart constrained a little just seeing her tears and hurt. She deserved so much better considering she's been through a lot since he's known her since her high