2025 ; jungwon

CHAPTER 2

Something in the province calms Minjoo. Even when she was still a kid, having a vacation with her parents. Maybe it's because of the view of nature, maybe it's the clean and refreshing air, or it's less populated than the city she grew up in.

It's been a while since Minjoo's last visit in Busan. And seeing it right before her eyes again, breathing the cold and refreshing air once again, she couldn't help but to sigh in relief.

She pays the driver of the cab with a genuine smile on her lips before facing the house in front of her.

The ride from Seoul to Busan took approximately three hours and a half but despite that short ride, she can feel herself dozing off. Though it didn't became a hindrance for her to appreciate the nature that is visible right before her.

After the orientation earlier which ended later than she thought and expected, Minjoo didn't waste any time as she immediately travelled to Busan. And it is a good thing as she would have enough time to rest before dinner.

"Auntie!! Auntie! "

Minjoo's attention fell to the familiar little girl adorably running towards her direction while chanting 'auntie' with her cute high pitched voice.

"Haechi! " she crouched down, spreading her arms mid air and hugged the little girl tightly. "Auntie missed Haechi so much. " she spoke with a child voice, mimicking her niece's voice.

The little girl, Haechi, giggled in her arms then replied. "Haechi missed auntie pretty too. "

Minjoo cooed at Haechi's cuteness. She pinched the little girl's cheeks that resembles a cute fluffy mochi.

"Minjoo? "

Minjoo avert her gaze from the child in her arms to the old woman approaching them.

"Grandma! " she spoke with gusto, her smile getting wider and bigger.

Seeing them again made her forget the ugly heavy feeling she felt back in the city. Seeing her favorite grandmother clears her mind from those torturous moments of the past.

"I didn't know you'll visit. " the old woman stated and Minjoo couldn't help but to chuckle and gave her grandmother a side hug and kissed her cheek just like what she always does before.

"Aunt Rian didn't tell you? " she asked, pulling her baggage with her right hand while the other is holding Haechi.

The old woman shook her head, smiling. "She did not mention anything, my dear. "

"Welp, I'm here now. " she replied. After that, they all went inside while having a conversation with her grandmother asking how's life in the city.

Maybe the main reason why Minjoo decided to spend her two months in Busan is to forget and relax, to take a break from the city and breathe freely.

That's why she set a goal to herself. That after these two months, she would finally move forward and not let those memories, the past, cage her. She would finally move on and be herself again.

To feel genuine happiness once again.

Moving on doesn't mean you would forget about the past. It's accepting what happened without regrets and could've beens. Without feeling the pain that burns your chest while remembering. It's about accepting and moving forward.

And Minjoo will do anything to move on.

She won't let those feelings, carry those heavy feelings that Jiyeon had felt way back 19th century to the present. It's in the past and Minjoo must accept that fate wasn't with their side before.

That not every love story has a happy ending. Not every love story ends with happiness because it can also end with pure sadness.

Besides, there is no love if there is no pain. Loves in fairytales doesn't exist. And Minjoo needs to accept it.

After having a conversation with her grandmother and aunt who arrived half an hour after her, she decided to finally take a rest.

-

The days have passed and Minjoo spent it by helping in the cafe her aunt and grandmother owns. She also takes Haechi to her school and picks her up in the afternoon.

It's really been a while since she lived in a province, where nature is close to her. And just like what she expected, she's slowly becoming alright.

The void in her chest is finally and is slowly fading. And it's a good thing, right? It's her goal after all.

Though there are still nights where she would wake up from her dreams consisting of the past in the middle of the night. But unlike before, she wouldn't break down nor having an episode.

It's like... Minjoo feels like it is just a reminder for her to not forget those moments. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt because it still does. The regrets are still there, the ugly feelings are still there but it's tolerable this time. It's not as intense as before.

And that's an improvement for her.

"I heard to Haechi you'll take her somewhere, she has been bragging that to us since last night. "

Minjoo smiled from what her aunt said. She can definitely imagine Haechi doing that to her parents.

"Ah, yes aunt. I thought of taking her with me to visit some tourist spots here in Busan. " she replied, taking a sip of the coffee she had made herself a while ago. She looked at the woman behind the island. "Only if you allow me to though. " she added.

The woman smiled. "Of course, Min. Haechi would love that. "

Min.

Minjoo's nickname to her relatives is Min, a shortcut for her name. And she didn't know what to react and what to feel exactly the first time her aunt used that nickname to her that day she arrived in Busan.

But one thing for sure, she didn't like that nickname anymore. Because it reminded her of that sick cruel family who does nothing but to hurt Jiyeon and Jungwon from the past. She didn't had the heart to tell them to stop calling her that though that's why she let them address her with that nickname.

How ironic. When she found about the legendary heartwarming perfect story of Jiyeon and Jungwon, she loved being called Min. But look at her now.

"Thank you. "

The woman nodded. "Oh don't thank me, Haechi loves you and she will probably hates me if I say no. "

They both laughed and as if on cue, a high pitched voice was heard in the kitchen.

"I'm hungry momma! " Haechi screamed.

"Oh here comes the little devil. "

Minjoo laughed, shaking her head finding the situation funny but adorable at the same time.