"Unnie..." Chaewon's eyes flattered open. The room is embraced with darkness with the curtains preventing the sunlight from coming in. Her eyes was staring blankly at the ceiling, processing the dream she had. She felt her eyes are swollen, she must be crying on her sleep while she dreamed of that. She remembered that Minju fell asleep last night after saying her favorite line, "I love you."

Chaewon smiled, excited to start the day. She sat down rubbing her eyes but the second she gained her vision back, she froze. She could see the scattered things on the ground, her room is a mess as if a kid throws a tantrum a few minutes ago. She immediately reached for her phone. She saw her messages that was sent to Minju's number until last night. She spammed the number but it was left unseen.

I acted like it's just a bad dream. Why did I have to wake up if everything that had happened is part of the reality?

Tears starts running down her cheeks, as if she wasn't crying the past few days, especially yesterday. Minju's burial occurred yesterday, it was in the late afternoon. The whole evening before she fell asleep, she was only crying, refusing to accept the reality. There seem to be no end on the tears, as if she wasn't getting tired of it.

She heard a knock on the door which is replied by silence, Chaewon wiped her tears hurriedly as if her red eyes wouldn't give way. "Chaewon-ah. I know that it's still hard for you. Minju's parents are coming in an hour because they want to hand something to you. I hope you'll be ready by then." Chaewon kept her mouth shut, her eyes staring blankly at the door where the voice was heard from.

"Just know that your mother and I are always here for you, okay? Minju wouldn't want you not taking care of yourself. Take your time until you feel a little better." After hearing her father's last sentence, she heard footsteps walking away from her room.

'Will there be a moment better than when I'm with her?'

She once again looked around the messy room, she must've been so mad that she made such mess last night. Even she doesn't feel like getting up from her bed, she started picking up the things on the floor. There are clothes, some are the stuffs that are placed on her study table. She just placed them where they should be not having the feel to organize it. She chose whatever clothes her hands pick walking with heavy footsteps on her way to the bathroom.

______________________________

Chaewon took a deep breathe forcing a smile on her face as she made her way to their dining area. She was greeted by her parents and Minju's parents. She bowed and greeted them as they invited her to sit with them to eat.

The sadness is visible on their tired restless eyes, the smiles they show as they converse with her parents are obviously a forced one as well, seeing no visible smile line on their face. Chaewon knew better that even how heartbroken she is, them, as Minju's parents, are feeling more terrible than her. So the whole lunch, she did her best to display a smile on her face.

After lunch, to have some dessert, they sat at the living room. The sound from the turned on television serves as a background music to their conversation. Chaewon opens her mouth to politely reply once in a while when her name is being called. Finally, as her parents have this conversation with Minju's father, Minju's mother who's seated beside her faced her. She reached and pulled the box and paper bags closer to her to hand it to Chaewon who's now confused.

"We believe Minju left these for you." Chaewon saw the resemblance of the gentle smile from Minju's mother. She missed her more because of this, with the box on her lap, she hugged her from the side which Minju's mother patted her head.

"Thank you, aunt. We will all go through this sooner and I know Minju will watch over us all the time."

Did you hear me, Min? You should always stay by our side.

"It's just as hard for you as well, Chae. We know how you love our daughter. Thank you for always making every moment in her life a happy one. However, please be well once we came back from the vacation, okay?"

Did I really? I didn't even know that you're going through something. All these time that we were spending time together, I didn't know that you could be saying goodbye.

"Of course, aunt. When we meet again, this will not be a sad memory. We will smile together with Minju watching us."

Can I ever smile just like how I used to when the main reason of every smile I had is you?

"Yes, Chaewon-ah. That way we will make Minju smile with us." Minju's father patted her head and Chaewon swore that she had deja vu on how Minju pats her head gently when she's cheering her up. She smiled at them suppressing the tears from forming in her eyes and letting the lump on her throat just be stuck there.

More than half an hour have passed when they guided the couple on their doorway to say goodbye. They were planning to have a month vacation to cope up with their loss. They bid their last goodbye to the old couple that they will next meet again in a month. As they left for real they went back in.

Everything is gloomy, the weather outside that was good just a while ago and the whole atmosphere. Their sad hearts that still couldn't accept that they had faced a loss. Her parents helped her to bring the paper bags on her room with the box on her grip.

"If you need anything, just come to our room or maybe downstairs if we're not there, okay?"

"Yes, eomma."

After giving their daughter a comforting smile, they proceeded to leave the room. Chaewon looked at all the things in front of her. The paper bags are on the floor while the box that she was holding until a while ago was place on top of her bed. She reached for the first paper bag and she read the note sticked on it.

Unnie! I don't know if I'll be there on your birthday this year or I'm still on the hospital getting treated but I assume I won't be there if you're reading this note. Don't open this unless its finally your birthday! Don't cheat, I will know!

-Your Minguri♡

Chaewon chuckled on the note, almost hearing Minju's voice desperately telling her to not open or peak right through the gift. If she was just there with her, she would've teased the younger on opening even though she knows that she won't. She would love to hear Minju's whining voice by then but she won't. Her smile dropped after reading the note once again.

'Not even Minju thought that she will face death so early. She desperately want to get well. How can the world be so cruel to a sweet girl?'

She realized how happy must be that they're together. She knows that she's the happiest too when she's with Minju and she's sure that she'll be just as desperate as Minju if she was on her place.

'I would love to spend my whole life with you.'

She put the paper bag aside, reaching for another one. Like the previous one, there's a note sticked on it.

A book of memories and encouragement if your feeling lonely. You know that you always have me even the whole world is cold to you, right?

-Your Minguri♡

She opened the bag and a big thick is filling the space of the bag. She pulled it out carefully out from the bag. It's a brown book, it must be a scrapbook.

She undone the ribbon holding the book from opening. On the first page, she's greeted by Minju's calligraphy that she sure exerted a lot of effort to. She flipped the page and a picture of her and Minju when they were little is pasted on the page. It was designed with different material. This was a lot of effort knowing that there are more pages to be seen. One thing that caught her eyes other than her image and Minju's is the encouraging message on the side.

'Is Chaewonie not feeling well that she opened this book? You did a good choice!'

'To Minju, Chaewon unnie is always amazing!'

She smiled reading those words from Minju's cute handwriting. She keep on flipping the pages for more than an hour. It was full of their images that are either printed or those that are taken from Minju's polaroid. Every page was full of effort and encouraging messages that are meant for her. As if Minju knew that she's down at the moment. As she turn on the last page, there's a short message for her.

'You just went through Minju and Chaewon's lane of memories. I hope it cheers you up because these memories makes me happy too. I'm always by your side, unnie. I love you!

p.s. you have my number, don't hesitate to call me if you're sad. I'll wake up even I was sleeping, don't be sad.

Chaewon have smile on her face the whole hour she's seeing every images and Minju's handwritten messages. 'No one can make me feel better like how Minju does.'

She placed the scrapbook aside after closing it with the ribbon, placed it on her bedside table. She will surely go see that everyday. She then got the bigger paper bag that has a large teddy bear in it. She checked but there's no note sticked on the paper bag for this one so she proceed on pulling out the stuff toy but as she did, a paper that came out as a letter fell on the floor. She placed the stuff toy on her lap she wrapped her arms on it. It was so soft and she knew better that someone's scent is sticking on the bear. It's definitely Minju's scent, I hope it never wears off. After placing her chin on the bear as she hug it, she opened the folded paper to read the content.

Dear Chaewon unnie,

Are you reading this now? I have this bear as a gift for you. If ever you're feeling lonely, just hug this. I don't know how long will it take for me to be treated but I'm sure that it will take months. Please, wait for me. I'll come back stronger stronger by then. However, this is kind of dangerous as well. If ever I won't make it after the surgery, I'm sorry. I know that sorry won't ever be enough for the misery that I'll leave. Please take this bear as a remembrance that even everyone turns their backs at you, there's still someone here who believes you. There's someone you can cry with if you're having an upsetting day. There's someone who would listen to all your rants if someone made you feel terrible. I hope this friend's warmth is enough to replace mine in case I won't be coming home. Let's be positive though. I still want to see you, so please wait for me?

If I'm taking so long, please be happy no matter what. I'll be happy seeing you happy.

Sincerely,
Your Minju

Tears are streaming down her face once again. She buried her face to the bear, muffled sobs can be heard in the room. I was willing to wait Min but why you didn't wait for me to wait for you?

She stayed on that position, her arms wrapped on the bear that's on her lap with her face buried on it. With the scent of Minju feeling her nose, it feels like Minju was there hugging her but she won't say a word. As if she's comforting her with her warm hugs. Sure she would love that but she know she wouldn't experience that.