It was raining all day. Winter was about to go home after her class, disappointed because their school cafeteria had run out of her favorite noodles.
"Ugh! I hate this! My shoes and socks are already soaked!"
Unfortunately, her black umbrella wasn't big enough to shield her shoes from the rain. What's making it worse is her heavy backpack. She hated the fact that being a college freshman means bringing more and bigger books.
"I really need to convince dad to buy me a car soon."
She walked pass the school gate and smiled at the friendly female guard.
Instead of going directly to the bus station, she went the opposite path. She still has the urge to eat a hot noodle soup because of the cold weather.
"To hell with wet socks and shoes! I'm gonna have my favorite hot noodles!"
The fifteen minute walk was worth it when she smelled the aroma of the bowl served on her table. It took her just ten minutes to finish it. She left that noodle house with a big satisfied smile on her face.
On her way to the bus station, she noticed a girl, maybe about her age, shedding under a pharmacy store. She looked like she's worried or lost. What had gotten Winter's attention is the uniform the girl is wearing.
"We're from the same school."
She met eyes with the girl for a fraction of second. Although the girl took her eyes away immediately, Winter had a gut feeling that this girl needs help. The girl is shedding in that store with no umbrella in her hand, not even one in the area. Winter decided to approach her.
"Hi there schoolmate," said Winter, showing her bright smile.
The girl look hesitant but Winter's charm seems to have won over her. "Hi."
Winter closed her umbrella to shed too. "I just noticed that you look like you're stuck in here."
"Kinda."
"You forgot to bring your umbrella?"
The girl shook her head as she ran her fingers through her hair. "No, somebody stole it."
"What? Seriously?" Winter tried her best not to laugh at the idea of umbrellas being stolen. "Where did you leave it?"
"There," said the girl, pointing at the wall. "I left my umbrella there while buying medicine. It was already gone when I turned around."
"Oh, that's too bad."
"Who would steal an old ugly umbrella anyway? Ugh!" the girl yowled in frustration, raising her hands mid-air.
Winter rested both her hands on the top of the umbrella handle and said, "The thing is umbrella's value increases significantly during rainy days."
Although it wasn't her intention to make it sound like a joke, the girl chuckled after hearing that statement. "Are you saying that my ugly umbrella turned into a pretty dazzling one because it rained?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"Eeeeee!" the girl yowled again, "I need to go home by 4:30 because Chi-Chi needs to take her medicine on time."
"Chi-chi?" Winter thought of it as a weird name for a person. "Your sister?"
The girl chuckled in response. "No, she's my dog. She's sick."
"Oh, well, in that case," Winter paused to lift her umbrella, " can offer you a ride to the bus station if you'd like too."
"Really?" The girl looked like she found light in the middle of the darkness.
"Yeah, what are schoolmates for, right?"
"Oh, thank goodness! You're a lifesaver!" The girl hugged Winter without any warning.
"O-kay..." Winter opened her umbrella when the girl pulled herself away. "Let's g0?"
"Uhm, could you tell me your name first my dearest schoolmate?"
"Of course." Winter offered her right hand. "I'm Winter. It's nice meeting you...."
"Minju," said the girl, shaking Winter's hand back. "My name is Minju, and it's nice to meet you too, Winter."
----
Few minutes after the tattooed woman left, the wind picked up and felt heavy. Not to long, people started running for shelters as the dark gray clouds spat out their bids of water. Karina was staring up the sky, feeling the first few splatters of the rain on her face. Then the rainfall became more intense which made her seek for cover too.
She found herself in the hotel's main lobby. She was busy drying her arms with her handkerchief when she felt a weird feeling that someone is staring at her. And she was right, someone from the reception area is already walking towards her.
"Karina? What are you doing here alone?" asked Ning, disregarding the receptionist and laughed at it secretly. "I went outside for a walk. How are you?"
"I'm good. I'm about to checkout now," said Ning, pointing at the reception area. "Why are you alone? Where's Winter?"
"Uhm, she's.... in our... room.."
"In your room? What the hell is she doing in your room leaving you alone here?"
"She's... alone... with Minju"
"Are you serious? Wait, did those two asked you to leave them alone?"
Karina shook her head immediately, "No, it was me who volunteered to stay out for them to talk."
Ning brought a hand to cover her mouth and chin, eyes staring away. She mumbled something under her breath that Karina didn't hear clearly. She turned her eyes back to Karina and said, "Hmm, and are you okay with that?"
Karina mentally asked herself the same thing but ended up not knowing the answer. "Of course, why won't I be?"
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Karina bit her lip as she bows her head to let her hair screen her face.
Ningning glanced at her watch. "Come on, let's have something to eat before I go."
--
The rain started pouring outside. Winter's mind was distracted a bit when she heard the hard pitter-patter of the rain on the balcony door. The idea of Karina being outside alone started to bother her.
But this isn't the right time to think about Karina. Minju just told her the missing link that could be the root why all these things are happening now.
It's not that she doesn't have an idea about it; it's just that she's not expecting to hear such confession. If this confession happened a year ago they'll surely end up together. But things are too complicated for the both of them now.
"And even after all that had happened to us," Minju continued, her head still down, "I'm still not sure what you've really felt for me."
"But Minju I .."
"What, you're going to tell me you love me? I knew there is something between us before, Winter, but I don't have the courage to make it official because I don't see it in you."
Winter let out a deep sigh. She knew what Minju is pointing out.
"It's not just about your studies. Like I told you the last time, I don't think you're even serious about me," Minju added.
Winter grasped Minju's arms with both her hands. "What are you saying? You were everything to me before. What we had before, that was real."
"It may be," said Minju, shrugging, "but it isn't the same thing you have with Karina now, right?"
Winter unconsciously bit her lip when she heard that name. She surely knows the answer herself. Minju is right.
"I have all the reason to be jealous of her," minju, pouring everything down now. "You were my first love, Win. I just don't understand how you we're able to stay in an unofficial relationship with me for four years and be with her for real in just few months."
"Min"
"Tell me, Winter, am I that easy to forget?"
"Of course not. Why are you asking me that?"
"Because honestly, I'm still not completely over you yet."
Smirking with a sigh, Winter shook her head. "Why.. why are you telling all of these to me now?"
"I just need to let it all out now," said Minju. "I want you to know that I felt like I didn't mean anything to you at all when I found out that you and Karina are dating. The idea of you getting over me that fast is killing me."
"But you have Minho, right?"
"I know. That's why I'm mad at myself. I don't know how you could easily forget about me while here I am still thinking of you even I'm with somebody else now." said Minju, covering her face with her palms.
"You think this is easy for me? You have no idea what I went through when you left, Minju. You don't have the slightest idea how messy my life was during the first few weeks of being alone again. Asked Ning if you like," said Winter, frustrated.
That made Minju look back to her.
"And you might not believe this but you still have something left in me here,"
Winter continued, pointing her chest. "It might sound crazy to admit this, but yes, I'm still having a hard time dealing with it especially now that I'm seeing you."
"But you love Karina , right?"
"I do. But it's confusing. I guess you've occupied something in me that I can't offer to her yet."
Minju touched Winter's cheek with her hand. "Don't worry. I'm experiencing the same exact thing."
Winter closed her eyes at the touch. They stay quiet for a while.
"Do you really love Minho?"
"I do. I do love him," said Minju sincerely. "I may not be as sweet as your girlfriend but he's everything to me now. I might even go crazy if he'll leave me."
Winter chuckled. "He doesn't know about us, right?"
Minju shook her head. "I don't have the courage to tell him about it because we were never official."
"It's kinda confusing. We love our partners but we're both not completely over each other yet." said Winter, looking out the balcony door.
"What I've felt for Minho is different from what I've felt for you. Both love, yes, but still different. Even so, I won't deny the fact that you still have this effect on me."
"Arg! This is really confusing." said Winter, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Minju took Winter's hand and squeezed it. You don't have to be confused, it is my fault. The problem is I promised you something before, a promise to settle this relationship of ours when I come back. And I think that promise left us both hanging until now, making it a little bit complicated for us."
"I've waited for you because you said you'd come back," said Winter, dejected.
"I've counted each day until I admitted to myself that maybe you're not coming back to me anymore."
Minju held Winter's face again. "Oh, Winter. You have no idea how I felt so guilty when I realized that I'm starting to fall for Minho. I felt like I was cheating on you. And when I first got back here all I could think of is you, us before, and I felt guilty too because I was like cheating on Minho."
Winter squeezed Minju's hand. "You don't have to feel that way. Remember, you're not the only one here who fell for another person. I'm glad to see you with Minho, Min. He's a real nice guy."
"You and Karina are perfect for each other too. She's so beautiful."
Winter found herself speechless once again. If only everything between Karina and her is real she'd be happy too.
"I was totally distracted the first time I saw you again," Minju continued. "It made me realize that I can't give my whole heart to Minho because a part of me is still with you. Do you remember when I went to your apartment and saw Karina wearing your shirt? My gosh! I was so jealous that time. Minho and I even had a fight that day because I was totally out myself."
Winter laughed. "Really?"
Minju chuckled. "Yeah, what do you expect me to feel? I never wore any of your shirts before. I thought she's just a party girl you brought in your apartment. But when I later found out that you're together, and each time I see you with her, I can't help but ask myself all the possible 'what if's": what if I didn't leave, what if I came back on time, what if I confessed to you before: those thoughts keep on haunting me, Winter."
Winter heaved another sigh as she stares at Minju. "I wish we could just go back to our college days. Things are so complicated between us now."
"I wish that too, but we can't. What I want to do now is to focus my attention to Minho so you could focus yours on Karina. We can't be good lovers to our partners if we're still feeling this way for each other."
"What should I do then?"
"Set me free, Winter."
"Huh?"
"We should set each other free," said Minju, squeezing Winter's hand again, "and the only way to do that is for us to officially break up."
---
"So, you're saying that you and Minju talked last night and agreed to this?" asked Ning, stirring her coffee.
Karina nodded. "She said they need to settle something for themselves. I don't have the right to say no to that. I'm only a fake girlfriend. Besides, I believe I've made the right decision for letting them talk."
Ning carefully lay the spoon on her saucer. "I have to agree with you on that. I really think that those two really need to talk. But I'm kinda worried about Minho..." she paused before eyeing Karina, "and you..."
Karina grabbed her cup of coffee to break from Ning's stare. "Why, do you think they'd get back together?"
"Well, part of me wants them to reconcile and just be like the old days. Another part wants them to just move on from each other. What about you?"
"I... I really don't know what to expect, Ningning."
"What if they'd get back together?"
Karina felt something pinched her. It may sound selfish but what she's expecting to happen is for Winter to move on from Minju and not to get back with her. "If that happens then I guess our play is over."
Ning observed her for a moment. "Are you gonna be okay if that happens?"
"Why won't I be okay with it?"
"Yeah, why won't you be?" Ning asked her back with a smirk.
"Ningning, if you're thinking that--"
"I know, Rin, I know. Giselle told me about it, that you're not into this," said Ning, tapping her own knee with her clenched hand. "I just want to make sure you're not, in anyway, affected by what's happening with those two."
"Don't worry. I'm not. Thanks by the way."
Ning sipped on her mug and set it back on the saucer. She took a deep breath like she needs lots of air to settle something in her mind.
"You seem to be the one who's worried." said Karina.
"Actually, yes..."
"Why?"
"I just.. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about this talk."
"What do you mean?"
"I have a feeling that this talk isn't about settling something between them, but it could be the opposite."
"I'm not sure I'm following you."
Ning looked at the flowing rainwater on the window and sighed again before saying, "You know, the only way we could say hello to the new people in our lives is to say goodbye to the old ones first."
--
Minju and Winter were still sitting on the bed, both looking out the balcony door.
Winter had totally forgotten all about her headache. What's been keeping her mind busy at the moment is what Minju just said.
Breakup.
"Do you remember," said Minju, still looking out the balcony, "it was raining too when we first met."
Winter gazed at Minju for a second as the rush of melancholy had flown in her chest. "Yeah. You haven't changed a bit since then, still skinny as ever."
Minju chuckled at that. "Well, you've gotten fat yourself."
"I still eat a lot, you know."
"Yeah, you better. Who would look after you when I'm not around anymore?"
Winter felt uneasy with that. "Minju.."
Minju let out a loud sigh. "We need to do this, believe me."
"What 'this'? What do you mean when you said breakup?"
"It means we should say goodbye for now and stay away from each other."
"But Minju-ah--"
"You can do it, Winter. You've made it through a year without me, right?" asked Minju. "And you have Karina to focus all your attention to. We should do this so we could put an ending to our unfinished book."
Winter scratched her head. "But why are you talking like we're never gonna see each other again?"
"Because that's what we're going to do." said Minju. "We're staying away from each other for now, until both our wounds would heal and until both of us can accept that what we had before is really over."
Winter felt her breathing started to get irregular. "Do we really need to do that?"
"Believe me, we have to, or else we will get confused with our feelings every time."
"But Winter, it's like you're asking me to completely forget you.."
"I'm not asking you to forget me. I won't be able to completely forget you either," said Minju, looking away. "I just want to put a closure to this unofficial relationship of ours. It should be clear for the both of us that what we had is over. Let's just set each other free so we won't expect from each other anymore."
There was an awkward silence between them. It's like they knew what they should do but they are both afraid to do it.
Winter felt Minju's struggle. Based on what's happening now, she knew that Minju is having a hard time handling the situation compared to her. Maybe this is Minju's way of settling things right, of being fair to Minho.
Winter exhaled heavily. "Okay. I completely understand you. And yes, you're right. We need to end this officially now so we could both move on."
Minju simply nodded. It looked like there's a lot going on her mind but she can't say it.
"Thanks for everything you've done for me, Min, everything." said Winter sincerely. " love to have you back again like the way it was before, but I guess we'll have to end our journey for now."
It was pretty hard for Minju to take it first, her face showed it. She slowly touched Winter's face and caressed it. "It was a nice journey I had with you. I will never forget that."
The room started to be filled with heavy ambiance as the sky continuously cried out. Both of them were silent. They both felt like they were together again and at the same time savoring the last minutes of it.
"Once I step out of this room you won't be able to see me anymore," said Minju. "Let's leave it like that for now. I know we'll meet again someday. We could be friends, or maybe, who knows, if we're both single that time then we know that it's the right time for us. But for now, I think it's better if we stay away from each other's path."
Winter nodded slowly. She's starting to feel that this goodbye is for real this time. "I... I'm gonna miss you, Minju-ah."
Minju's eyes widen when she heard that. She looked away. "Winter?"
"Mmm?"
"Can I... can I have one last request before we part ways today?"
"Anything. Tell me."
Minju reached for Winter's hand and intertwined it with hers. "Can we just pretend for a while that this is not the ending? Can we go back to a moment when we were still Min and Win and nothing else matters? Can we forget about them for now and just talk like the way we did before?"
Winter surely felt it. The person in front of her is the old Min she knew, the Min that was the center of her life before.
"I'd love that Min."
Minju had a faint smile on her face. "Now, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"
Winter stared at Minju's eyes. Then she felt that it's all coming back to her. She recalled old feelings like it's the first time, like it's never ending. She remembered the precious memories they've shared before. Everything is all gathering up in her chest. She couldn't fight it anymore. Her arms automatically reached around to hold onto Minju tightly.
"I missed you, Min... I... I've missed you so much," said Winter, voice breaking over Minju's shoulders.
Minju melted inside Winter's embrace. She closed her eyes and hugged Winter back. "I've missed you too, Win. And I'm sorry for letting you down."
"Please take care of yourself. Don't skip your meals like what you're doing before, okay?"
"I won't, I promise I won't." Minju rubbed her hand on the back of Winter's neck.
You take care of yourself too. I won't be around anymore to take care of you if you get into accidents."
Winter chuckled while still hugging Minju tight. She doesn't want to let go yet because it felt like she traveled back in time where everything between them is cool.
The two of them stayed in that way for a little while longer, feeling each other's presence while they still can.
Winter closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She cupped Minju's head with her palm.
"Min?"
"Mmm?"
" I love you."
Winter felt Minju held her breath after hearing that. Minju couldn't help it anymore. Her shoulders moved in rhythm to her sobs as she clutched a hand on Winter's back.
"Thank you... Thank you... I love you too, you know that right?" asked Minju, her voice cracked.
Winter can't control her tears to fall too after she felt that Irene broke down, sobbing against her chest. "I'm sorry if I was dumb, I'm sorry..."
After few more seconds of hugging the two slowly pulled away from each other and wiped their own tears with their hands.
"So, I guess this is it," said Minju, still wiping her tears. "Let's not make it harder for ourselves. I should go now before I ask you to break up with your girlfriend."
Winter chuckled a bit although her tears won't stop falling. She watched Minju rose up from the bed. "I hope you'll always be happy, Min. Until we meet again."
Minju didn't say anything and walked towards the door. She stopped before getting out of the room and spoke with her back on Winter. "Till we meet again, Win." She went straight to her room after.
After hearing Minju's door shut Winter felt that a part in her was gone. This time it's for real, they've said goodbye for good. She didn't move for few seconds trying to check if she's okay. She wiped some more of her tears with the blanket.
---
After 15 minutes of walking, they finally reached the bus station. Since the rain is pouring hard and non-stop, and Winter's umbrella is too small for two people to share it, both of them had one their arms drenched in water.
"Jeez, we're almost soaked," said Winter, closing the umbrella.
"It's okay, it won't kill us." Minju walked towards the bench to sit. "At least our whole body was spared."
Winter remembered her soaked feet to but didn't think of mentioning it. She sat beside Minju. "Yeah."
"Which building are you from?" Minju asked while fixing her hair. "I usually see you in the cafeteria."
"Really? I'm from building C, and you?"
"Yeah, you usually order noodles, right? I'm from building A."
"Those are my favorites," said Winter, embarrassed.
"It's okay. I always see that excited face of yours each time you get your favorite noodles. It's cute, you know."
Winter felt more embarrassed hearing such compliment from a pretty girl like Minju.
"Oh, my bus is here." Minju stood up. The bus stopped in front of them and opened its door.
"Okay, I guess see you around school?" asked Winter.
"Yeah. Thank you, Winter. This is so kind of you."
"You're welcome."
Minju smiled and waved a hand. "Bye for now."
Winter waved a hand too as she watched Minju enter the bus. Minju took a seat near the window and waved again. Winter smiled back at her. The bus started to move away from the station. Winter followed the bus with her eyes until the image totally disappeared from her sight.
Her bad day had felt lighter now. Her soaked shoes and socks, plus her heavy backpack isn't bothering her anymore. She doesn't know why but she felt happy. For some reasons she knew that this isn't the last time they are gonna talk to each other.
Winter tapped the tip of her umbrella on the floor as she chuckles and shakes her head. She looked back up to the horizon and whispered to herself.
"Bye for now, Minju."
---------
How was this chapter guys? I feel bad for Minju. No more MinjuWinter.
I'm so sorry, Minju. It's not my intention to hurt you. Please don't forget to vote. Thank you.(and follow🖤)