FIRST

The evening breeze once again dancing, braiding Minju's hair in the cold mid air. She locked her gaze at the semi-finished canvas painting that was hers. Dry lips perfectly trapping a roll of tobacco in between. Inhaled, exhaled. A few neighbors who passed by the sidewalks for the umpteenth times had been looking at her with cynical stares, whispering to each other. Minju could only tug a slight smile at one end of her chapped lips.

"Human. Can't they give a sec for one to be happy?" spoke one voice she often heard.

Oh Sehun. The first friend she had ever earned in this country of Sonata. Ten years had passed since the last time she stepped foot on Japan's land and now, Korea wasn't that strange to her anymore.

Sehun pulled an empty plastic chair, sitting beside the girl and before she could inhale the smoke again, quickly he grabbed the girl's wrist pulling it away from her lips.

"But enough for today Ju," he persuaded in a subtle voice, calling the girl by her nickname.

With a grunt, Ju pulled back her hand vehemently, shooting him an incinerating glare before once again sipping in the deadly smokes into her lung.

"If you're here to give me a lecture on life and death again, go to hell," said Minju as grey smokes rhythmically puffing out of .

Sehun wasn't even flinching at the words that just came out from the girl's lips. He had make himself very used to it. Minju definitely was different than other girls and never once did she ever wanted to try be them. Minju was Minju. It amazed Sehun that he had chose to be her best friend.

Sehun let out a heavy sigh but still pulling the chair closer to her, watching the stubborn girl's masterpiece in awe.

"Heart," uttered her calmly before he could even ask.

Sehun silently nodded at the answer of what he was about to question while observing Minju's hand gently pressing the tip of the cigarette on the canvas, creating a rough texture of  smokes for the background. Really, Sehun was always impressed by Minju's work of arts.

Creating something alive from something that kills.

"Is it wrong for me to keep this heart for him whom God had already make mine long before?" asked Minju as her delicate fingers traced over a vein that crept inside the painted heart.

Sehun bit his lower lips. The hell. Since when did she became a Shakespeare? Almost. Almost he broke into laughter until he saw how serious Minju's face was. For a moment, he stayed silence. Knowing Minju for years, he knew she would be the one to laugh first if she was making a joke but this time, she wasn't. She was as serious as what written on that face of hers.

"You take care of yourself. God will take care of him for you. That, I'm sure," replied Sehun while looking at how smooth Minju's fingers were hovering over the canvas

"But what if I couldn't take care of it?"

And with her index finger, Minju pressed the canvas hard until the middle of the heart was left holed. Dusts of tobacco scattered out from the canvas, contaminating the air, leaving only a grim gloomy painting.

No longer living.

===

A majestic morning. Just like the days before where sun would climb himself to the peak and wind would blow herself to the infinity. The only difference of today was a slightly chiller weather. The melodious chirping of birds too had been vague. Maybe because winter was approaching? Whatever the answer would be, Minju was still sitting there, on the bench of a park with a cigarette in between her fingers. It had been a habit for her to choose smoking over food and this very place was forever her usual spot.

Life was short. Even shorter with some clouds of killing smokes. Somehow, Minju was more comfortable at the thought of dying within the roll of tobacco.

"Ju, can I hang out with you?" grinned Sehun as he settled himself beside her.

The girl just nodded her head before silently she breathed out the smoke over his face. A naughty smile spread widely on her lips.

"What the hell! I want to eat ramen not smoke!" screamed Sehun while his hand flapping away the dirty air.

And they both laughed.

Only with Sehun, Minju would laugh. Even just for a moment, for a second, for less than a blink of eyes, Sehun would feel glee. It wasn't an easy task to make this girl laugh nor smile. Straight face had been stuck with her for so long as if she didn't care about the surrounding anymore.

As if she didn't care to be living anymore.

Minju switched her gaze towards one end of the park. A guy with skin color toned twice or thrice darker than Sehun was leaning against a bark of tree. Earphones were in his ears as he bobbed his head up and down probably following the rhythm of music he was listening.

Minju smiled while sighing in content. Sehun's eyes were sharp looking at the girl's every movements and reactions before he let his gaze met the side she was looking at.

"Kim Jongin," said him casually.

"Handsome," replied Minju.

The smile never left her lips.

"Taken," he continued.

Minju was fast to become silent. No more smile lingering over her lips yet her eyes were still fixed on the guy over there. He smiled as a girl approaching him. Probably a tad bit taller than Minju, one tone brighter, skinny and slender.

Perfect.

Unlike me.

"Nothing is perfect in this world Ju," subtle was his voice as if hearing the girl's thought.

Then she smirked, "You know nothing."

A breath later, Minju's feet had already making ways from Sehun, leaving him alone on the bench. Hands were fisted tight and white were all her knuckles. Tears had started stagnating in the shimmering chocolate brown with tones of amber mosaics that were her eyes. Dry lower lips were bit hard as if it could bleed a second more. Her steps fastened and before she even knew they had already started running.

Before she even knew too, a pair of arms had already wrapped itself around her weak self. Too tight that she couldn't move no more. At this moment, tears were already wetting her pale cheeks. She kicked the empty thin air trying to get away, scratched the arms of the hugger until it turned red, screamed her lung out until hurt. She tried everything and everything failed.

"Sehun... help me," whispered Minju, feeble.