“So you own this café?”

Hyomin asked as she was amazed while shifting her eyes inside the interior of the shop. I asked her to have some coffee with me together since she mentioned she doesn’t have any appointment today at her studio. What happened yesterday wasn’t really awkward the way I thought it would be – instead, we chatted a little like we’re best friends that haven’t seen each other for a while before we parted our ways since she has to go.

“Yup, my mom helped me out about this idea” I replied with a soft smile painted on my face.

“Wow!”

The brunette also mentioned that she wanted to have some coffee beans and make her own drink, since the topic we had through messaging is somewhat the hobby we each have these days. Yeah, we exchanged contact numbers at the convenient store before she left, giving me hopes that we can become close friends again.

Or more than that.

“Here’s your drink, ma’am” the young gal placed the drinks on the table while her eyes settled at the beautiful woman in front.

“I really can’t believe you two know each other”, she added, as if there’s a teasing tone in her sentence.

The part timer stayed still – still her eyes darted at Hyomin’s who’s seem to be uncomfortable by her looks.

“Is there something on my face?” Hyomin asked, letting out a small giggles so it won’t be awkward.

“A- no no..” the young girl shook her head lightly, “I just can’t believe that you’re my boss’ friend. We even have the same name too.”

“Me either” I chimed in, “I can’t believe your parents named you Hyomin”

I burst to laughter seeing the part timer’s reaction. I don’t know if she caught off guard from my pestering laughter or was it because she was stunned by Hyomin’s beauty. Last time I recall, she mentioned that she thought Hyomin might be a model or something. Since her beauty isn’t really a joke, after all.

The young Hyomin once again shakes her head but this time, very rapidly. She was blushing at the woman’s giggles as it brought her back to reality with her gaze at her. When she finally shifted her eyes at me, I signal her to get back to her work since there are customers who were waiting for their orders to be noted.

“I should get back to work now. Enjoy your drink!”

I chuckled at the girl’s action. Sometimes she can be funny and clumsy but I can’t deny that she’s somewhat a mood maker at the café because of her attitude. I’m just thankful I got her not just a part timer but also my companion.

“She really has the same name as me”

I glanced at the woman in front only to find out that she’s smiling still. Sipping on my drink, I act like I didn’t glance at her all the time so she won’t notice. I just couldn’t help but stare at this beautiful being that seem do not have any plan to stop beaming. Felt proud and contented seeing what she is now, a sudden question popped up from my mind that made me wonder.

Was everything happened for a reason?

When I finally came back to my senses from my trance, I remembered a thing that would possible make her even happier. I snapped my fingers made the other flinched and set her attention to me as to anticipate to what I was going to say.

Slowly placing the brown paper bag on the table, I curved my lips upwards seeing her bewildered reaction.

“You mentioned you like to have coffee beans,” I cleared my throat for a while, there’s a sudden lump in my throat that pulls me back to say a thing, “so I- I bought you one.”

I smiled sheepishly while my right hand placed on my nape – I never thought that awkwardness would hit me giving her this out of the blue.

The brunette took a peek inside the bag. Now a wide and more lovable smile plastered on her face.

“Thank you” a soft yet lovely voice escapes from , giving me her trademark that I don’t bother stare at it all day.

We exchanged words as to complement each other for what we achieved. It was just a natural conversation though; it was as if the very first comfortable talk we had when we first get closer. I let all the situation or whatever would happen be – since all I could think and want to do right now is to talk to her about what she’s up to lately and what I’m too as well. That would lead to a longer conversation and that’s what I wanted.

Though I wanted it to happen and want to ask her the questions I kept for long, things are not just going well that I expected to be.

Hyomin glanced at the vibrating and ringing phone on the table. Her eyes furrowed at the caller’s name on the screen and press the answer button before she smiled to me.

“Oh, okay. Be right there.”

The latter smiled apologetically to me after she ended the call. Seems like she’s going to be busy or have something to do with her expression she showed to me.

“There’s something coming up at my office. I had to go..”

Her voice was so small and there’s a sad tone behind it. I guess we both wanted to have some time together but the heavens won’t.

“It’s okay. You better sort out things there first.” I replied while trying to hide the disappointment I felt.

She took the paper bag and stood up dashingly, ready to go and bid some goodbyes to me again. I stood up and lead her to the glass door, opening it for her to go out.

“I’ll make it up next time,” Hyomin stated after she took two steps away from the glass door, giving me hopes and that beautiful trademark she always has. “I promise.”

I nodded and waived my hands to say goodbye. Felt really happy to hear those words from her with that expression and smile I longed to see. I reciprocate the act, since we didn’t have a lot of time talking together this time but I left a note inside the bag I gifted to her.

Unknown to her, I also did placed the little notebook which contains all the promises we wrote together years ago and the note I wanted her to read.

A note or a question rather, asking if we could have the things we had back then today.

~~

I was looking at the glass window observing people passing by. There were few customers whose voices were audible since they were chattering about something they enjoy or whatnot. Few minutes later the young gal approached me with a curious look and a smirk form on her face. I wonder what she’s up to this time.

“Was she the reason why you were so curious about my name?”

And I knew this would happen.

“What made you ask that?”

“Nothing, just curious. Curious on why you are so bothered knowing my name and even not calling me with it.” She raised her brows, giving me teasing look.

I laughed at her sentence. It’s true that it was Hyomin who made me bothered about her name but I couldn’t just tell the truth to this innocent young being.

“You’re thinking too much. Why not clean the tables so you won’t have any work to do later?”

I changed the topic and was happy as she obeyed what I told her to. I switch back my attention in front of my laptop’s screen when the latter left me to do her work. I scroll down on the emails that I had received and read each again carefully to understand the words and analyze it well so it would sink in inside my brain. I heave a sigh and closed my eyes a bit before I continue to read the information. Right after, hasty steps could be heard coming towards me and a deep sigh can be heard from the midget in front who just came to show up with that worried and a very unpleasant look.

Boram was sweating despite the cold weather – and now that she’s giving me these concern or worried looks, it made me bewildered and furrowed my brows at her expression.

“W-what happened?” I asked, my heart starts to beat so fast that made me nervous. I hope it is something not bad.

The petite woman gulped before she calmly sat in front of me. She placed the papers before she took it out inside a white folder. Numbers of screenshots from CCTV were printed on the papers. I look at it carefully – I’ve already seen these pictures before.

“I figured out why Hyomin left 10 years ago.”

~~

To Hyomin:

Do you have a minute for us to talk?

I was in my car thinking things carefully after I sent that message an hour ago. Gladly, she responded with a yes and I told her I was waiting at the Han River without her knowing what I was going to say. Just like what Boram’s expression earlier and the way she spit the words that seem so vivid to my hearing, I manage to show a calm and reassuring smile to her after what I heard.

There’s a slight tug I could feel in my heart about the midget’s revelation – every details and every words she says made my heart clench its own that made me suffocate. Why I didn’t notice it before? Why I didn’t confront her about this before? Why I did not do anything about it before?

A lot of questions were hanging on my head leaving me so desperate but after knowing the truth, I could only say that I was being so selfish to what I desire to happen. I was only looking at how things would happen if she was with me that time – about the things we promised to do and to happen.

But why I haven’t noticed at least the slightest information about it?

I got out from my car as to maybe calm myself a bit. Though the weather’s pretty cold, it could not defeat against the cold heart I have currently. I don’t know which more to do. To get angry or to just understand everything that happened.

“I’m sorry I took too long” a familiar soft voice perk up my ears, made me stop my pace as I slowly turn around to face the woman.

Hyomin as usual would show me that apologetic yet lovable smile. Seeing such expression made me wonder if this time, is it really genuine or not. I have seen her fake smiles before when we were highschoolers – and now that I finally understand why she left me years ago, made me also ask questions if she was doing really well between those years or was it all just a lie again?

Am I selfish enough to desperately wanting the answers for all this time?

“Hyomin,” I started, feeling really worried and empty at the same time, “tell me.”

The brunette’s expression were furrowed lips and brows – marking she was confused and worried as well with my sudden act.

“Tell me when you say you didn’t feel the same way anymore, was just a lie.”

Hearing such words, her confused look turned to a sorrowful one. I knew she lied that night when she said those things to me but I wanted it to confirm from her.

“Honestly just tell me if it was really the reason why you left.”

Hyomin looked me in the eye – with the same gaze she gave me that night that says otherwise.

“Yes..” her voice were firm. Having the courage to set her eyes on me that made me scoff a little.

Curving my lips downwards before biting it to regain the courage I had to say the things I wanted to towards her. I maintained my composure despite the feeling of how my heart rips its own again reacting to her answer. Because, why did she have to lie again?

“You don’t really have to lie.” I utter with my trembling voice but still manage to continue, “because if you do, I feel like the foolish person to ever believe in that.”

Hyomin was having this rigid posture in front of me. Giving me no words at all. She was just standing there – silently with that poker face I once witness. As if she’s trying to hide something she wants to show or say.

“What do you want to hear from me then?”

“You could have just told me about your situation years ago and not lie to me.” Finally, the words came out in a flash, making Hyomin flinch a bit while her eyes widen in shock.

“Hyomin,” now that I started it, there’s no way to shut my mouth now and wait for things to happen,

“Why haven’t you told me that you were receiving death threats before? Why haven’t you told me that those guys from that accident were looking for you and your mom?”

As if I’m a damage car that the brakes won’t even function since all the words that came out from my mouth won’t even stop.

“Why haven’t you told me that you were struggling? Why did you have to leave without saying anything about it and..”

“and why did you have to lie?”

I ended my questions with a tear starts to form in my eyes. Waiting for her response desperately. I’m just hoping and praying to heavens that she won’t lie and make up answers to that to me again because it would hurt me more than receiving a hundred stabs.

Silence was there for a minute and I expected it to happen. While here I am, trying so hard to not escape the tears to fall to not look pathetic in front of her.

“You don’t really have to know,”

Her answer made me look at her in the eye – with the confusion inside my head since I’m still in a mess.

“I decided to leave because that’s the only choice I had.”

I scoff again. Placing my right hand on my head since I’m still trying to be calm in front of Hyomin, my love.

“Do you really have to lie? Do you really have t-”

“I decided to not tell anything to you because I don’t want you to get involve.” the latter cut off my words and this time with her sincere and serious gaze.

“I was their target when that car accident happened. You have no idea how worried I was looking at you unconscious.”

“But look at me now. I was fine. I was doing well after that. Hyomin you didn’t really have to go..”

With such intense and exchanging words, I stop talking things to her when a firm and crack voice came in to my hearing.

“That’s it. That accident still haunts me every night Jiyeon. I don’t want it to remember since I was supposed to be in that state and not you”

I made a fist remembering the faces of those guys I manage to give a glanced that night. The feeling I had back then was true that there was something behind on it and it made me want to scream to just put out some weight that heave my heart.

“If I told you about it, will everything will be okay?”

“No, it won’t.” she added, looking down so I won’t witness her expression.

“Then why do you have to promise me to do things together?”

“Those are just little things, Jiyeon.” Her reply was so soft but that not made me back out for the things I wanted to say afterwards.

“Those are not little, Hyomin. If they are then those stupid little things mean so much to me!”

I could no longer control it. Now the tears I tried so hard to hold escaped from my eyes.  I’m going to utter hurtful words towards her again that I promised not to but her answers made me. Her excuses and her lies, does she really have to do that to the person that only knows to love and care for her?

“Alright, let’s just say leaving was the only choice you had.”

I quickly wiped the tears away as I try to be strong and not the usual innocent Jiyeon she pictured me out to be. I want her to look me in the eye while I ask the question I am going to say but the latter would only look down feeling guilty for the things she promised but failed to fulfill.

“Why did you came back? What for?”

Expecting some answers as she finally shifted her gaze at me, but to my disappointment she only showed me that expressionless facial as if she hasn’t heard a single word I say.

“Why?!”

With that, the woman in front flinches a little but what made me break down and bawled my eyes was Hyomin leaving me without an answer.

She left me again without an answer.

~~

Author’s note: Anndd there you go~ I’m sorry if this chapter is somewhat so dramatic TT. Since the next chapter will be the last, I’ll do my best to have a nice ending for this fic. Everything will be revealed detail by detail in the next chapter as to what Boram figured out but I guess you already have an idea because of the content of this chapter. Anyways, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy this update! I hope you all a good day!