"Tiger..." Dahyun tried to call his friend.
Gazing out the window, Chaeyoung didn't seem to hear his friend as he was deeply immersed in his thoughts.
"Yah, Chaeyoung!" Dahyun tried to call him again but still, he got no response. "Aish." He rolled his eyes and immediately hit his friend's head with the test paper he was holding.
"Yah! What's that for?" Chaeyoung scowled as Dahyun finally caught his attention.
"Aish! Just get one of this and pass it at the back." Dahyun stated and gave him the test papers in his hand. "Stop daydreaming about your girlfriend." He said before turning back to his seat. They are having their mock test for their history subject today.
Chaeyoung hissed hearing the latter before carelessly passing the remaining papers to the person at his back.
When their examination started Chaeyoung seriously tried his best to focus and understand all the words he was reading but he just annoyingly find it hard to do so because he hadn't really got the chance to sleep as he waited for Mina until the daylight appear. But unfortunately she didn't show up.
'How could she just leave me just like this?' He sighed in exasperation and just forced his mind and body to continue his task and try to face the day in the best way he can.
-
After Chaeyoung finished taking the examination he immediately went to his mom's office in the university.
He looks around the hallway before peeking inside the office. He sighed and decided to sneak in when he sees that there's no one inside the room.
Quickly, he went to his mom's laptop on her table to search for Mina's profile.
Minutes later, he finally found what he's looking for. He bit his lower lip and immediately pulled his phone from his pocket and took a quick shot on the screen.
He's just so frustrated right now and he totally hates how it feels. 'I need to find her, I need to talk to her.' Chaeyoung needs to see Mina as soon as possible. He needs an explanation to every question running in his mind right now because it feels like it's starting to make him go crazy.
"Why is this door open?"
Chaeyoung startled and immediately moved away from his mom's desk as he heard her voice.
"Chaeyoung baby, what are you doing here?" Nayeon asked as she finally enters her office and noticed her son standing near her desk.
"Well, actually... nothing... I just...." He stopped and stares at his mom for a moment before giving her a big smile. "...I just came here to see you, mom." He stated and stepped forward to reach his mom and give her a warm hug. "I'm just kinda missing you."
Nayeon lifted her brows in surprise. "Didn't we just see each other last weekend?" She asked hugging her son back.
A faint smile formed on his lips as he remembered her mom's party. An image of Mina while happily dancing with him in the balcony flashes to his mind. His jaw involuntarily clenches. He closed his eyes and hugs his mom tightly. "I just... I just missed hugging you like this, mom," he said almost in a whisper.
"Aigoo, my baby." Nayeon smiles and caresses her son's back.
Chaeyoung sighed heavily feeling her motherly touch for a moment. He pressed his lips together. It is just what he needed right now.
"Why do I have this feeling that there's something bothering you right now?"
"What?" Chaeyoung pulled out from his mom's hug and smiled at her curiously. "I'm perfectly fine."
Nayeon beamed at him contemplating to believe her son or not.
"I'm telling the truth!" He stated and let out a short forced chuckle.
Nayeon sighed and suddenly pinches his nose "If you say so." She said and stares at him for a moment before smiling back at him. "By the way, why don't you join me and your father for dinner tonight?"
Chaeyoung wrinkled his nose. "I'm sorry mom but I already got a plan for tonight."
Nayeon pouted. "What, you have a date with Sharon? Why don't you just bring her—"
"—No, mom." Chaeyoung immediately cut her off. "I mean... I'm with my friends."
"Fine then." She shrugged and went to her desk. "But promise me you'll visit home tomorrow. I'll cook you your favorite dish."
"Sure, that sounds nice, mom." He nodded and reaches her mom to give her a kiss on her forehead before finally bidding her goodbye.
Nayeon's eyes followed her son's figure as he walks out of the room. 'He's acting weird...' She sighed and pressed her lips together. 'Definitely there's something bothering him.'
-
"Yah, Chaeyoung! Don't tell me you're already drunk?" Tzuyu asked as he went back to their seat inside the club.
Chaeyoung was slouching on his seat as he was staring blankly on the ceiling. "I'm not drunk." He said and take another shot of his glass of vodka.
"Yah! Is that all you're going to do, stare at the ceiling and ignore all the pretty hot girls here?" Dahyun said shaking his head while checking out the hot girl who just walk by near their table. "Forget about your girl for a while and have fun!"
Chaeyoung hissed and didn't bother to respond from his friend's silly suggestion.
He just busy himself finishing his drink. After a few minutes gawking at his glass Chaeyoung suddenly stood up.
"Going somewhere?"Tzuyu curiously asked as he looks up to his friend.
Looking anxious, Chaeyoung just looks at him for a seconds before he decided to move and walk away from his friends.
"Hey, Tiger! It's still early. Where the hell are you going?"
Rushing his way out of the club he didn't care to look back or respond to his friends. He immediately went to the parking lot and entered his car
He took his phone inside from his jacket and looks at the residence info that he captured from Mina's profile earlier. 'Mina can't just leave me like this.' He thought as he starts the car's engine and drove away from the parking lot in high speed.
Chaeyoung clenches his hand on the steering wheel. No one had ever done this to him, there's no way he can let her get away just like that—not without her talking to him, not without her giving him any damn explanation... specially, not when he's already getting used to being with her all the time...
-
Breathing heavily from the cold air, Chaeyoung stood up in front of the large gate of the Myoui's Mansion.
He sighed deeply before he finally decides to press the intercom button.
A minute has passed but he got no response from the other line. He looks up at the surveillance camera before leaning his other hand on the wall and impatiently presses the intercom button multiple times until someone finally answered from the other line.
"It's already late kid. What are yo—"
"This is Son Chaeyoung and I wish to speak to Mina." Chaeyoung immediately stated.
"Sorry, but milady doesn't take any visitors."
"Tell her, it's me, it's Chaeyoung. I need to talk to her right now, please." He said and gritted his teeth.
"I already told you, she doesn't—"
"—Please! I'm begging you. This is really important..." He said emphasizing the latter as he massages the bridge of his nose.
He heard the guy sighed on the other line. "Fine, let's see Mr.Son. I'll ask her."
He sighed somehow in relief. "Thank you. I'll be waiting here." Chaeyoung closed his eyes hoping that he can finally get an answer from Mina this time.
While patiently waiting Chaeyoung decided to sit on the hood of his car. He deeply sighed and massage his head. He hasn't got sleep and his body seems to start craving for one.
Five minutes passed he finally saw a middle-aged man walking towards the gate. He immediately stood up and approached the guy from the other side of the large gate.
"Where is Mina? What did she say?" He quickly asked as he tried to search for Mina's presence on the other side.
"Mr. Son, I'm sorry but milady said that she no longer wants to talk to you—"
"—What?!" Chaeyoung immediately felt his vein pulse in his temple. He stepped back and brush his hair in annoyance then quickly walks back to the gate and firmly grips the cold picket. "No! She has to talk to me!" he said now bursting out in complete anger and frustration.. "Mina! Mina!" He shouted calling her out. "Mina! Come out there and f*cking talk to me!"
"Mr. Son!—"
"—Damn it! Mina! I didn't know you could be this selfish!"
"Please, you should just go home—"
"—No! I'm not going anywhere until she talks to me! Not until she explain to me why she would f*cking enter my perfectly normal life and just suddenly leave me like this!" He said while shuddering the cold thick iron in his rage.
"Mr. Son, stop it—"
"Mina!" He shouted to call her again and suddenly leaned his forehead on the cold iron as he try to catch up some air from exhaustion. "I don't deserve this bullshit! Mina, Please! I need a goddamn explanation!"
"Mr. Son I already told you that milady doesn't want to talk to you! You should go home now or else I got no other option but to call an officer—"
"There's no need to do that Mr. Jung." Man with a stern and firm voice suddenly interrupted.
Breathing heavily, Chaeyoung curiously turn to see the guy. There, he see a middle age man standing confidently besides a black expensive car.
His eyes squinted as he slowly recognize him. His face and the way his voice sounds with authority... undoubtedly, he's the well known owner of the largest corporation in Asia, the one and only Mokomichi Myoui.
"You're Son Chaeyoung right?" Mr. Myoui asked looking straight at him.
He nodded and quickly bow to him. "Mr. Myoui. Please, let me see your daughter."
Looking at him with an unreadable expression Mr. Myoui approached Chaeyoung and tap his shoulder. "Let's have a talk, kid."
Chaeyoung stand straight and confusingly looks at the guy.
"Come on."Mr. Myoui said and cocked his head to his car.
-
"I think you need that first." Mr. Myoui said as the waiter serve a cup of tea in front of Chaeyoung. They are inside at the nearest restaurant from the Myoui's Mansion.
"Thank you, sir. But I don't think I need this, what I need is to—"
"You're drunk right?" Mr. Myoui implies.
He pressed his lips together before answering. "I... I only got a few shots but I promise, I'm sober."
"Sober enough to lose yourself earlier?"
"I'm sorry about that Mr. Myoui but I was just so desperate to see your daughter. I badly need to talk to her. So please—"
"—Tell me, how much do you know my daughter." Staring blankly at Chaeyoung Mr. Myoui folds his hands together as he rests his arms on the table.
Chaeyoung look at Mr. Myoui confusingly before he sighed deeply and stares at cup of tea in front of him. "Well she's... she's a genius, she can easily memorize things she just heard or see, she love solving math problems, she likes Michael Bubblé..." He smiled faintly as he suddenly remember those time he spent together with Mina. "...she always comes before the call time, she likes experiencing new things, she blushes too fast, she has a rare blood type—"
"—Do you know that she's going to die soon?"
And just like that Chaeyoung world seems to stop at the moment. The little energy he has inside him totally vanished in just a swift of a moment. Eyes flickering, he slowly shifted his eyes at the guy in front of him. "W-What do you mean by that?" His voice trembles asking.
"I presume she didn't told you." Mr. Myoui stated. "She's sick. Just a month ago she was diagnosed with leukemia... and it's terminal." He explained as he deeply sighed shifting his eyes outside the glass wall. "The cancer was unexpectedly spreading fast so for the next coming days she'll be spending her time in the hospital. She's going to undergo a bone marrow transplant."
Chaeyoung just froze on his seat as he looks down. He can't seem to make both of his body and brain to function properly right now. He was frazzled in shock from all the sudden information he just heard.
"I don't know what trouble she cause you. But whatever it is... I'm really sorry about that." Mr. Myoui looks at him. "You see, after she was diagnosed with it, she told me, she wanted to experience life and explore things in the best possible way that she can... so when she told me that she wanted to attend the regular school, I let her. It was the very first time she ask anything from me."
Mr. Myoui sighed deeply as his facial expression suddenly soften looking at Chaeyoung's reaction at this moment.
"She's a good person Chaeyoung. She's everything a father like me could ask for... So, I hope you'll forgive her." He said and got up from his seat. He tapped Chaeyoung's shoulder. "I'm really, really sorry. I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt you." He said and excuses himself out of the restaurant.
Hands trembling, Chaeyoung brushed his hair.
He's totally drain right now.
Five minutes, fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, an hour--he doesn't noticed how long he has been blankly staring in distress sitting alone inside the restaurant.
-
Sitting on her bed, Mina hugs her knees as she starts reading something on her phone.
Everything in the world works in its own good and perfect time, everything comes from a process: morning before night, seed before a tree, Kobe Bryant before Stephen curry, girls generation before twice, sex before babies.
Mina smiled faintly. It was one of Chaeyoung's 'words of wisdom' that she chat down on her phone before.
She sighed as she remember how Chaeyoung confidently walk in and get all the attention from the people inside the restaurant with his hippie bright and colorful funky outfit. That guy really love all the attention that people are always giving to him.
Letting out a soft chuckle, Mina took a glance on her study table—There was the penguin plushie that Chaeyoung gave her on their first official date.
'They look like you, Minari!'
'I'll get one for you..' Another faint smile appear on her lips as she remember how determined Chaeyoung was just to get the plushie.
'Give me your hand... I told you, I'm gonna get this for you...'
Mina shifted back to her phone swiping her thumb up on the screen. She bit her lower lip as the selfies of her and Chaeyoung with his emo get up appear. She was all looking confused and surprised in the shot while Chaeyoung was all smiling widely.
She continued scrolling up to see the other selfie photos of Chaeyoung that he proudly sent on her email. She didn't told him but she actually saved his photos right after they went to eat on the street because back then she knew that he'll surely just going to tease her and brag about it the whole day.
She closes her eyes as she reminisced that scene.
'Keep it. I give it to you as a souvenir.'
'Why would I want to keep your photos?'
'You're going to keep it so you can look at it if ever you miss me after this contract.'
"I will miss you?'
"Well, of course, you will!"
She opened her eyes and see Chaeyoung brightly smiling on her phone screen once again.
Mina sighed trembling as her eyes started moist again. She remembered what happened earlier. Watching from the window in her room she witnessed how this cheerful, charming, bright smile suddenly disappeared from Chaeyoung's lips. He's so different from the Chaeyoung she first met. He looks so furious and mad and it's all because of her, it's all her fault.
She felt a lump in her throat as she tried to stop her tears from falling. "Chaeyoung...I'm so sorry," she muttered wanting to personally tell him but she can only feel sorry and guilty for him from afar.
She was at that state when she hear a sudden knock on her door. She immediately wiped her tears that was trying to run down her cheeks before she see his dad peeking inside her room.
"You're still awake." Her father stated as he walks into her room.
Trying to hide her sadness, Mina tried her best to give her father her best smile.
Mr. Myoui sits on the side of the bed and stares at her for a moment before giving her a kiss on her forehead. "Are you okay, my princess?"
Mina nodded as she hugs back to her father. "...You talked to him?"
"Yeah... He seems to be a really nice guy, just like you said..."
Mina sighed heavily as she closes her eyes and smiled. "He really is.."
"...But quite impulsive as well." He said and softly chuckled.
She nodded and let out a soft chuckle.
Mr. Myoui sighed deeply and took a moment before he speaks again. "...You didn't tell him about your condition..."
There, her tears that have been wanting to free themselves from her eyes finally falls down on her cheeks.
"Mina.."
"C-Chaeyoung was right, dad. I-I am selfish." She said as she pulled away from his father's hug and try wiping away all her tears that's uncontrollably falling on her cheeks. "H-He's so mad at me, h-he hates me..."
"Shh, Mina." Mr. Myoui pulled his daughter back in his hug again. "I'm sure soon he'll understand what you did."
"I-I shouldn't have b-bothered him with my selfishness r-right from the start." Her voice trembles between her sobs as her tear continues to fall down. "Dad, I'm such a bad person..."
"No, no, princess. You're not a bad person." Mr. Myoui closed his eyes and gently caress his daughter's hair.
It's really breaking his heart seeing his daughter like this. If only he can take all her pain away he will do it without a second thought. He already lost his wife and now it's already killing him knowing the fact that sooner or later he's going to lose his precious daughter as well.
Stay home and stay safe everyone 🙏