The Storm and the Sea (A MiChaeng Fanfic)

Chapter 34: Chaeyoung

No matter what the storm did to get attention, the sea never budged. Not its wind, nor its thunder, could make the waves rise again.

***

Auto-pilot. That's the best way to describe my state right now. Wake up. Go to work. Work. Go home. Sleep. Rinse and repeat. I'm not really the type to tell the world that I'm going through something, unless they're directly involved in that problem.

It's been two weeks since Mina left. Sending her a birthday greeting had been a topic of mental debate.

Fortunately, I just visit Umma when she's at the apartment on weekends. She doesn't have to see me sulking like the piece of shit that I am. Most nights, I'd shout into my pillow and cry myself to sleep. Who'd want to be around someone like that?

Mina was quick to sever ties, blocking me on every social media platform we were connected in. She really made sure I wouldn't be able to contact her in any way possible.

"Chae, you okay?" Carl asks, standing beside me as I stare into the horizon filled with varying sizes of buildings. "You've been awfully quiet since...Minari left."

"Yeah, I'm good," I murmur, still staring into space. "Aren't you going home yet?"

"You know me, I always smoke one or two before going home," he shares with a cigarette already in his mouth.

We both stay silent. I don't even swat away the smoke blowing in my direction. I deserve it, I keep telling myself.

"No, really...what's going on? And don't tell me it's nothing. You barely talk at work. You look listless during brainstorming. So tell me—what's wrong?"

Is it really okay to tell him? I've been bottling it all for quite some time that I fear I might just break down in public. "Mina," I start with a sigh. "I just miss her."

"Don't we all? But you don't see me, Dahyun, or Jihyo—"

I stare at him, too tired to verbally explain what I mean. God, men are so dense when it comes to emotions. He furrows his eyebrows for a seconds before his eyes widen. Carl's hold on the concrete barrier shakes while his jaw clenches. Is this how men squeal?

Once he recomposes himself, he clears his throat. "Holy shit...since when?"

Then, I tell him everything—from the time leading to his wedding, up until the break-up. I spare no expense, completely engrossing him in my whole story with five sticks, while neglecting texts from his wife.

Finally being able to share it with someone lifts a huge burden from my chest, but it doesn't make it any less painful. Finally someone else knows; I just might come out of this sinkhole with my sanity intact.

"God, I dunno what to say. Does anyone else know?" he asks.

I shake my head. "Only you. Even Umma thinks we're still together."

Carl palms his forehead, his mouth still agape. He forces a huge amount of air out of his system. "What're you going to do about it?"

"I don't know," I sigh into the humid evening air. "I've tried every method I could think of."

He purses his lips and raises his eyebrows repeatedly, as if clearing something in his eyes. "Fortunately for you, Minari's not here anymore, so you don't have to worry about being awkward in the office."

"I don't really get how I could consider that as fortunate."

"Wait, hear me out," Carl interjects. "The way I see it, you have two choices: You can go to Japan, seek her, and go all out. Whatever happens from there, at least you can say you really tried everything."