Strawberry Kisses

PART 23

Mina made her way to the large window bench Sana have on her room, she watch as the the darkness filled the sky highlighting the beauty of the pale crescent moon and the stars around it.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sana asked as she lay herself in her queen-size bed.

"Talk about what?" Mina answered, not leaving the moon on her sight.

"Strawberry yogurt smoothie?" Sana hinted. She doesn't really want to dive right into it but she sure does want to confirm her suspicion. Mina has been quieter than her usual quiet self ever since what happened in the locker area. She also didn't involve herself that much on their friends' chaos and not even once did she looked in Chaeyoung's direction. She also rode a cab instead of waiting for Sana and their friends who decided to eat after class to welcome Yeri.

"What about it?" Mina answered coldy, still looking at the sky. She ended up giving the smoothie she bought for Chaeyoung to Momo. Mina is rich as hell but she can't afford to throw a food to waste. Something her mother taught her and her sister. Lucky for her Momo loves food more than anything and she gladly accepted the smoothie.

"The strawberry smoothie.. Was it for Chaeyoung?" Sana asked. She saw how Mina tensed up even if she can only see her back. Sana knew her question hit something in Mina.

Mina sighed in defeat before turning around to face her cousin who's waiting for her answer with anticipation. "No. I bought it for myself because I'm craving for it but then I don't feel like having a smoothie after I drank my iced coffee empty so I gave it to Momoring."

Sana knew Mina would deny it and gave her an excuse. She doesn't want to push it even if she's dying to know Mina's true answer but she know she won't get it any sooner. 'I guess I should find it out for myself.' She thought.

" And please, whatever theory you have on your mind right now, just leave it." Mina added. She knows Sana well enough to know that her cousin have already got the answer on her head and just waiting for Mina to confirm it.

"Okay." Sana assured. "Are we goods?"

"Only if we'll have a normal meal for dinner and not a 16-course meal." Mina answered. "Can we just have ramen for tonight, Satang?"

"Ramen it is." Sana smiled.

After having ramen for dinner and cleaning up, the two decided to watch a movie none of them is actually paying attention to. They then heard knocking on the door and Sana opened it. She then was greeted by her father.

"Hi, darling." Mr. Minatozaki greeted. "Mina? There's someone downstairs who wants to talk to you."

Mina got up of bed and walked towards the door beside Sana. "To me?"

Mr. Minatozaki scratched the back of his head then looked at Mina with an apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, honey. You're father asked if you're here and.. You know I can't lie to him."

"Oh." Mina exhailed. She somehow knew this would happen. She's aware she needs to talk with her father sooner or later. "It's okay uncle, thank you. It's been long overdue, anyway."

"I'll be in my room if you ever need anything, okay?" Mr. Minatozaki said giving Mina the warmest smile he can muster. She then felt Sana holding her hand and slightly squeezing it to nonverbally tell her that she's there for Mina too.

Mina followed his uncle who told her where her father is. To her surprise his father is just standing at the front door waiting for her.

"Mina." Mr. Myoui greeted. There is something about his voice Mina missed. Sober. "My princess, I miss you."

Mina just ignored her father and walked outside the big house. Her father followed her as they walk on pathway surrounded by grass. "Why are you here?" She asked as she decided to stop walking.

"Mina.." Her dad started as he tried to hold Mina's hand but failed when Mina moved away from him. "I-I'm really sorry for hitting you that night when I lost control of myself.. I have a pile of things I need to apologize to. To you, to your mom, to your sister."

Mina looked at her father but tried to hide her surprised. This is the first time her father mentioned her sister after they left Mina and her dad. Her father then looked Mina in her eyes with his eyes full of sincerity.

"What you told me that night, as a man it hurts my ego, I lost control, I-I hurt you.." tears escaped Mr. Myoui's eyes. "I never wanted to hurt you.. I'm really sorry, darling. Please, give your dad a second chance."

Mina saw it. The sincerity in her dad's eyes. She never in a million years would have thought she'd ever see her dad cry like this. Somehow, they are the same. They both act tough and brave at times when they are actually not. They both hate being vulnerable and not in control.

"Dad.. Stop crying." Mina said holding her dad's shoulder. "I should be the one to apologise. I'm sorry for saying those awful things."

"No." The man shook his head. "If you didn't say those things.. I wouldn't be able to get a hold of myself. Can you believe it? I've been sober since that night." Mr. Myoui wiped his tears with the back of his hands. "I know I let you down, you and your.. Sister. I should've not let our family become this."

Mr. Myoui started walking again through the pathway and it is Mina now who's following her dad. "You know, I'm following Byul-ie in what do you call that? Monogram? Oh- Instagram. I recently watched her video singing, she said she wrote it."

Mina was stopped when she heard her father say that. There's 2 things in that sentence that surprised her. 1) her father have an instagram account?? 2) He called her sister Byul-ie -- the last time she remembers her dad calling her sister that is when they were still young.

"I never should've said those things I've told her. I should've be proud of how brave she is. I should've told her I support her to love whoever she wants to love regardless if it's a male or a female.. I should've been a good father."

Mina found the hint of sadness and regret in her dad's voice. After Mr. Myoui found out that Byul is dating a woman, he said terrible things to her that drove Byul to think of running away from home. It was then followed by their parents' separation after a day. Mrs. Myoui can't accept the way her husband handled Byul's situation plus she was against her husband getting involved with greedy businessmen that would do anything to be on top regardless of the consequences. Mrs. Myoui, like most of the mothers in the world wants to take both of her daughters with her but her husband told her to pick just one or get none. He knows how powerful her husband is and taking a risk could end up not having any of seeing her kids forever. With Byul's fragile state, Mina's mother decided to take her with her. With this walk to memory lane, Mina was steeped in guilt. She knows how hard her mother tried to keep both her and her sister. She knows she caused pain in her everytime she ignores her mother as it tries to reach out to her. And lastly, deep down Mina knows her sister never wanted to break the promise she made to her. Mina was just blinded by the pain inside her.

"That night you let out all of your feelings to me.. You reminded me of your mom." Mr. Myoui said as he stopped when they reach the pond near the Minatozaki's garden. "It's funny how she's never wrong."

"What do you mean, dad?" Mina asked, clueless on what her dad means.

The man let out a long sigh. "Your mom, she warned me about these people, my business partners, they're pinning me on something illegal I never did. They tricked me and your mom, well he saw that even before it even happen." Mr. Myoui looked at his daughter beside him who's staring at the moon light reflecting on the pond. "I became greedy, without realizing I already have everything I needed. Mina, I promise, I'll do everything to fix this. I'll do everything fo bring our family back. I'll fix us. I'll fix the mess in our company. I'll do my best to be better."

Mina knows if her dad wants something to happen, he would really do anything to make it happen. She'd decided to trust him one more time.. Mina looked at the pond one last time, breathe the fresh air, and turned her back from her father. "Let's go home, dad."

If there is something good about guilt, it's the feeling of wanting to do and be better that you feel afterwards. Something Mina and her dad are trying to do and be. Better.