Waves

Chapter 19

- I'm at war with myself, bounding to clash, I make a decision that will determine the future of my whole life -

Chaeyoung POV

I woke up feeling excitement since it's the weekend and Mina and I decided to not go to work, which might've been the best decision ever. "Are you awake?" A voice whispers, "Yes, good morning." I whisper back.

We spent most of the morning in bed, cuddling in each other's warm embrace. "What would you like for breakfast m'lady?" I ask, "Isn't it almost lunchtime?" She asks and I check the clock, "You're right, what would you like for brunch then?" I ask since breakfast has passed. "You pick, you always choose the yummiest foods." She giggles and I smile, she sure does know how to charm a gal.

"Come on Minari! It seems like it'll be dinner by the time you're done!" I taunt. "Ha ha, very funny, I'm just putting on some makeup, I'll be down in a minute!" She says and I sigh, "You don't need makeup, you're already pretty, like an angel!" I say, but I could sense her rolling her eyes. "An angel." I whisper, thinking of where that word came up before but my thoughts were interrupted, "Done! Let's go Chaeng." She says, linking her arm with mine. I nod and head off to a puppy cafe.

"Puppyyyy!" Mina squeals, she's just so cute. We sat down and ordered something simple, Mina was petting the puppy having the time of her life, talking to them in her baby voice. I snapped a picture, "Ah." I let out a deep breath. "What is it?" She asks, looking up, "It's just...It's just too cute." I fake cry and show her the picture.

"Aww, look Ray! You look so adorable!" Mina smiles, patting the pup on his head. We eat in silence, the dog resting on Mina's lap, "Aww this doggie is so cute, should we get a doggo?" I suggest, it isn't a bad idea. "I would love to Chaeng but we're so busy, I don't think we'll have time to care for one if we do get one." She frowns, "Maybe sometime in the future then." I say, hopeful that we will stay together. "The future? We have two months left." She says and I sigh once again, I guess this is just one-sided love, "Yeah, I mean you could get a dog with your future uh person." I awkwardly say. "What if that future someone is you?" I heard her mumble something but couldn't make the words out.

"Huh?" I ask, and she puts down her fork. "Wh-what if we did fall in love like you said when we first met?" She asks, oh baby I did fall, face planted to be exact. "Well, then we would stay together if that's what we both wanted, why?" I ask, suspicious, is she playing with me or something? "Are you falling for me?" I tease a bit to loosen the tension.

"I...I will get back to you in two months." She says and I and silence fills the area before, "What if I have fallen already." I say, I want to see where this goes. "A-are you saying you have?" She stutters, her pink cheeks make me chuckle, am I making her blush? "I'm just saying, hypothetically, what if I am attracted to you?" I say and she places her hands in her lap, trying to avoid my gaze. "I...I guess I wouldn't know what to do." She seemed confused.

"Wow, for the first time in her life, the great Myoui Mina doesn't know what to do." I lightly mock her, and she looks up, "Ya!" She pouts, "Chaeyoung, over these past few months I've changed greatly and I'm not sure how my new self would handle it, but I do know what my past self would've done, she would've turned you down immediately and left you standing alone, she would've shattered your heart into millions of pieces and then make you crawl on your hands and knees to sweep them up, but, but I would never do that to you now...because...well, because..." She pauses, I sit there, my fingers tapping against my thigh, in awe of her very detailed explanation, "I guess I have grown fond of you." She confesses. "So you like me?" I wiggle my eyebrows and she smiles, shaking her head, on the brink of rolling her eyes, "Yes but not in that way...yet?" She says, but the "yet" was quiet, "What was that?" I say trying to get her to finish her sentence in a louder tone."Nothing, nothing, just eat your food small bean." She says and I gasp, putting my hand on my chest for a dramatic effect, "How dare you, it's not my fault that I am short for my age, and for the record, I despise beans." I cross my arms again. "Okay okay, just eat your food." She says, anything for you my princess.

Mina POV

Oh god, I hope I wasn't that obvious. Of course I like her, who wouldn't?! If my old self could see me now, I shake my head.

The weekend flew by quickly as time does when you're having fun. Whenever she laughs or smiles, it's too cliche but everything feels so blurry and all I can see clearly, is her. My fireplace once filled with charred ashes and worned out wood ignites whenever she enters the room. Falling in love? That's just an underrate way to explain it.

Should I just tell her? Should I just risk it all and confess my feelings? But I'm scared, I'm scared that history may repeat itself and I'll be the one heart broken again.

The phone rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Hello?" I answered, it was my assistant from Japan. "We've got a major problem. The company we partnered with turned out to be a scam and because of this we are losing millions of dollars." She says, this is all my fault. A few millions isn't that much money since we make about a billion dollars each year, but if this got out to the public, we would lose much more than that. "It didn't get out yet right?" I ask, my stern voice has returned. "Not yet but we barely have the situation under control right now, I'm sorry Ms. Myoui, but we need you to come back."

I nod, running the situation through my head, "Okay, I'll be there, thank you." I shut the phone off, putting my head in the palms of my hand. How could I be so irresponsible? How could I be so selfish? How could I be so foolish as to fall in love? My purpose is to work, to be the best, to lead the best, and I can't do that if my focus is elsewhere. I guess this is a good wake up call, a chance for me to wake up from my fake reality, to stop me from reaching something that I don't deserve.

I have to fix this problem with no distractions...I know what I need to do, I shouldn't have let my guard down and it has once again hurt me deeply, it's all my fault this is the last time it will happen. I stand up, fix my posture, straighten my jacket and...release that smile.

- - -

It's been a week since the phone call, I've been staying late nights, overworking, surrounded by calls and papers trying to keep my company alive and running. Chaeyoung seems to be worried, saying that I need a break, but I can't when everything is at stake, all the work I've done might crumble if I don't fix this. So, I'm staying away as much as possible because like I said...no distractions.

"Are you okay Minari? You've been kind of distant. " She asks as I enter our house, but it doesn't feel like home anymore. "I have work to do Chaeyoung." I say, trying not to look into those eyes. "Don't be like this Mina, don't push me away once everything has begun to sail smoothly." She says and I swear ice crept through my veins, "Ms. Son, I am a busy woman and if you can't stand me then we could end it here." I say gathering everything I have to keep my broken bones from falling into her. I look into her eyes and they're as warm as the evening sun, graceful as ever, but no, I can't. I shield myself, building up my walls again, "You don't mean that, are you okay?" She says, even when we're arguing she still cares, "I'm fine, now if you excuse me, I have much work to do." I break away.

I'm sorry Chaeyoung, it will all be over soon...

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Hey, it's pengu...I have no words, just 😢...anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter, get ready for the next... - Pengu <3