~JaeJoong~
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As I was walking home Min Jung seemed to be more happy than ever for some reason. Well I could understand her, If I had candy in my hand and a lollipop in my mouth I would also be happy if I was 8

"She's so nice.. I miss her already!" Min Jung said suddenly, interrupting my thoughts

"Mwoh?"

I looked down on her as she smiled sweetly

"Yumi Unni! She's so kind.. I like her a lot Oppa.. Can we go back tomorrow?" She asked

I sighed

I really didn't want to go back since I wanted to spend my time in my room, by the tree and just reading her letters.. Not taking Min Jung down to the shop girl..
But who could honestly resist her cute eyes?

"Tomorrow?" I asked

She nodded

"Yumi Unni.. is always busy.. and I don't see her so often since I'm in school. Yumi Unni.. is very busy all the time.." She said sadly

"You hang out with her?" I asked a bit surprised

The age difference is huge.. I mean, why would a girl in my age.. hang out with my cousin who's 8?

"I used to go to shop with Omma and Yumi Unni was always playing with me while Mom were buying groceries.."

"Ah~~.. She just kept you company?" I asked

She nodded

"She plaited my hair once. She was also babysitting me one time.. I can't go to the store by myself.. so I have to go with someone.. Oppa.. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~~" Min Jung said

I rolled my eyes

"Araso~~ But only one condition" I said and bended down to her height

She looked at me

"What condition?"

I smiled at her

"Give me a kiss" I smiled

Min Jung laughed and leaned forward and kissed my cheek and hugged me tightly
Sometimes, having younger cousins was really good. Their lives seemed so much.. easier while I was struggling like a maniac.. with my own..

As soon as I had handed mom and Aunt the veggies, I went straight to my bedroom to finish the letters and write some for her.

Even though I was disappointed with her encouraging me to date Tiffany.. I decided to let it pass. I didn't want to talk to her about it.. since it didn't feel right..

I placed the blue letter inside the tree and once again I saw a pink letter. I grabbed the letter and started to walk home as I felt something weird going down my spine..

It just felt.. a bit weird.. for some reason.. all of sudden and I didn't feel good about it..
I got inside my bedroom, changed into PJs.

Since mom had called out for dinner I couldn't really read the letter yet so I decided to eat my food fast so that I could read it.
Mom did notice my weird behavior but I just lied and told her that I was tired and wanted to go to bed

As soon as I got inside my bedroom I sat down on the bed and unfolded the letter.
I read the letter, slowly, taking in every word of hers until the last sentence.. made me drop the letter onto my bed..

".. Today.. I met someone.."

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~Yumi~
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I was walking slowly home, having a hard grip around the letter in my hand.
It was getting late already and as soon as I had closed the shop, I hurried into the forest and down to the tree in order to get the letter..

Although, even if I was excited and wanted to read his letter, the picture of Min Jung's cousin Jaejoong refuse to disappear from my head and his smile as well as his deep eyes were replaying inside my head..

I sighed heavily and entered the house. Seems like no one was home so I went to the kitchen and made myself some food and continued to the livingroom and sat down.

I unfolded the letter and read it but even though I was trying to concentrate on what he had written, it was kind of impossible cause none of his words would get stuck inside my head..

Instead, my mind kept coming back to JaeJoong..

"Honey.. We're home!"

I heard the front door open and both mom and dad entered

"Oh.. I'm in here!" I shouted

I put the letter down on the table and took the bowl with ramen into the kitchen

"DId you have a good day at the shop?" Mom asked

I nodded

"Nae~~ It went smoothly.. How was the meeting?" I asked

Mom nodded slowly

Dad went straight into their bedroom and soon mom followed him. I did notice that something was wrong.. and that they were hiding something from me. Although I couldn't really ask them since I knew that they were really honest with me about everything so I knew that when they found the right the time.. They would probably say it.

I started to clean the dishes that mom and dad had left this morning and afterwards I went to the livingroom, grabbed the letter of mine and went straight into my bedroom.

I changed into PJs and sat down by the desk and this time I managed to read his letter without thinking about something else.

"Dear ...

How has your day been? The weather's been great.. I really don't want to talk about it anymore cause for some reason, it gives me so many.. burdens.. and my shoulders just feels.. heavier..

Vacation is almost over. My heart feels empty.. as I think about it. I really.. don't want to go back to school. I want to stay here cause when I'm here I'm able to talk to you and also.. find peace. The surroundings, the view, the nature.. Everything. All the stress just.. disappears.. and I don't have to keep up and struggle with hardships. Why does it feel like everything feels so much easier out here?

It's late.. I hope you'll sleep soon..

From ... With Love"

Seems like he was thinking a lot.. Because of his words. I knew him very well to know that something was bothering him. That made him think a lot..

Seems like he was having a rough time..

I pulled out the drawer and saw the small pink box and the blue box.
I took them out carefully and placed them in front of me and opened them..

I had been wanting to give him this for years.. but never had gotten the courage to do so and suddenly it felt like it was time to do it.. To cheer him up..

Inside the blue box there was a ring and inside the pink one was a necklace.
I had these done when I earned my first salary and I've kept them safe ever since.

I was shy though since I couldn't really.. tell him or give it to him.. and I was also afraid that he might.. think too much if I gave him the gift..

But all of sudden I started to think about that I should give him it..
I wanted us to engrave our initials as well but since I didn't know his name or he knew mine, I wasn't able to give him it..

Although, there was a date engraved and that was the day when we started to write. I remember the day so clearly because I had written it down in my pink diary a long time ago..

So at least there was a date.. The necklace, on the other side of the silver heart, I had engraved the date and I had engraved the date inside of the ring..

"Yumi ah~~!!"

"Nae?!" I shouted

"Can you come out to the kitchen please? We need to talk to you" Mom called

I sighed and put the boxes back into the drawer and headed out to the kitchen. But as soon as I entered I stopped a few feet away. They had .. papers in front of them and dad looked so.. miserable while mom were.. wiping away her tears..

"Omma.. Appa.. wae?" I asked slowly

"Sit down Sweetie.." Mom said and pulled out the chair

I sat down slowly, as I felt my pulse getting higher and my heart beats going faster

"This is your.. testresults.. from the latest Eye examination.."

Mom put the papers down in front of me.. Is this..why they were crying?

"But.. it's just some papers. Omma.. Uljima" I comforted

Mom sighed and pointed at the papers

I followed her finger and looked down on the papers and the sentence that caught my eyes made me gasp for air as I stared at it

"Sweetheart.. You know.. that there's no.. cure for the eye disease you have.. As time will pass, you will only see black spots in your eyes, and not see people in front of you clearly but if you look from afar.. it's.. easier for you to see but not the details.. "

I didn't answer

"We went to see the doctor today in Seoul.." Dad started

I threw all the papers down on the floor and looked at them

"Just tell me. Why are you crying?" I whispered

No one said anything and all i could hear was my breathing and theirs. I folded my fists tightly, trying to stay calm

"The black spots in your eyes will get bigger.. and .."

Dad's voice was hoarse and he wasn't even able to finish the sentence

He didn't have to.. I knew what he wanted to say

I got up from my chair and went inside my room, locked the door and sat down on the bed, with the lights off..

The results were clear.. No cure for my eye disease..

which means..

"I'm going to.. be blind.."