Behind the Mask

Enchanted

"Minari..."

"Chaeyoung-ah"

They both uttered simultaneously.

"Go ahead." Mina said.

"Do you have plans after this, Minari? I mean paperwork or something?"

"Actually... I have." Mina said casually.

"Oh, right. Let's head home." Chaeyoung was disappointed.

"But my plan needs your presence." Mina said shyly while leaning towards Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung was taken aback by Mina's sudden movement.

"You promised me a trip together... Can we do it now?" Chaeyoung smiled and scrunched her nose.

"Of course! Do you have a place you want to go to?" Chaeyoung asked, full of energy. Mina just nodded.

• • • • •

"

"Oh! Minari, it's this place!" Chaeyoung said in excitement. Mina just smiled at her.

Chaeyoung walked happily like a child having a trip for the first time and Mina was following her from behind.

"Minari! It's that spot!" Chaeyoung hurriedly went and sat on a bench near a Riverside. Mina followed her and sat beside her.

"Are you happy?" Mina asked while fixing Chaeyoung's hair. Chaeyoung nodded happily.

"Hayy... It's been 3? Or 2 years since we've been here."

"Right! We used to go here after my class or if we have the same free time."

"Do you still remember my promise, Chaeyoung-ssi?"

"Promise?" Chaeyoung asked. She tried to remember it as hard as she could but there are so many possible answers. "Which one of them?"

"It's in this spot that I promised to get my self better." Mina slightly twisted her body towards Chaeyoung and looked at her eyes.

"Dr. Han said that I'm getting better that's why I thought of going here, to share it with you in our safe place."

"Really?!" Chaeyoung excitedly said.

"She said it's still a long way run but I had drastically improved. And that's thanks to you."

"I'm so proud of you, Minari."

"If it wasn't for you, Chaeyoungie I won't come this far. When I saw you that day, for the first time I felt the need to care for someone, to protect someone at all cost. I went to Japan to meet Dr. Han and get treated but it didn't work out so I thought maybe that's just it. After a year of counselling and medications, I stopped seeing her and focused on finishing my master's degree so I could go back here."

"I applied to the university hoping to see you."

"Yah! I knew it, you missed me!"

"Yup, you were right. You were the reason why I came here. I don't really know what to feel when I saw you in my class. Knowing that you've become a bit arrogant, I was kinda annoyed."

"That's because I want your attention."

"But at the same time, I was glad to see you. When you wanted my attention, it might be weird but I enjoyed it. Those feelings... I only felt those when you're with me." Mina paused for a while.

"It's like a... Mystery allure and I want more and more of this. I feel like we have a real connection... How do I put it in words? Hm, it feels like I have a supernatural attraction towards you and I can't stop me from wanting you."