Hard Love: Homophobic - Michaeng || Book I [✔️]

-21-

[15 years ago - Summer 2003]

A photo frame with four people can be spotted inside, all their mouths opened wide, showing their teeth, and smiling to their fullest. Everyone could tell they are a happy family with just one look at the photo. Moving upstairs from the living room, follow the sounds of chatter and laughter through the hallway. You'd find yourself standing below a ladder that leads you to an attic. Where four little girls that are about the same age are having their own tea party inside. The owner's daughter of this house's attic calls here, their secret base, as they could always hide up in the attic if anything happens, having girl talks or parties like this between them.

"Sana-chan, why don't you try this green tea?" One of the little girls offered the young Sana a cup of green tea she prepared. Sana accepted happily and grinned, gulping down the tea as soon as she took it, but she spits it out and gasps once her tongue contacted the boiling liquid.

"Ow! Hot, hot, hot!" Sana throws away the plastic little cup as a reflex action and fans herself as she sticks her tongue out, trying to cool it down. Her clumsy actions caused laughter to boom out again. Mina being a meanie since she's a child upon her friends, imitates her reactions with her serious face causing the little friends to laugh even more at her as the child Sana puckering up her lips like a duck, causing them to laugh more. She's about to tear up at her mean friends who are always teasing her when a hand pats on her tiny back, rubbing it to soothe her.

Sana's eyes diverted to the owner of the hand, smiling a bit as that little girl muttered a small sorry to her before stopping the others from laughing so Sana wouldn't feel any worse.

"Thank you Mira-chan! You are the best!" Sana beamed with her chubby cheeks raised as she showed her gummy smile, going back to her bubbly self, not looking like a kid who's about to tear up minutes ago. The kid named Mira who's the oldest among all of the friends smiled at the young Sana and patted her head, chuckling at the cute squirrel-like child. Little Momo who heard that pouted at the two, her arms crossed on her waist.

"How about me!" Sana giggled at the sulking Momo, the kid is always sulking over tiny matters, she's the second eldest yet she's acting like the youngest, which is supposed to be Mina, while Mina is acting as an elder. Everything was just turning upside down, however, it brings the four closer to each other, like a real family.

"You too Momoring! The best!" Momo clapped her hands happily as the girls giggles, but she soon started pouting again and look towards Mira.

"I want to be patted too please?" She showed her puppy eyes while pursing her lips, staring cutely at the elder. Mira can't help but feel the adorableness of her friend, gladly accept the request, and gently patted Momo's head. The little girl smiled widely showing her teeth that's having few holes since they are still in the stage of growth. The same goes for the other girls, what do you expect? They are all just around 5 to 6 years old. Barely knows any adult pieces of stuff except holding a playful tea party in their attic, having fun during a chillax summer afternoon.

-

"You're right, I love her."

Those words ring in Chaeyoung's mind again and again as she can't stop thinking about the scene yesterday with Sana.

"But I have Dahyun now, and I love this girl more."

The confession Sana made only makes Chaeyoung's head throbbed more as the information is too much. Now she regrets knowing these secrets she shouldn't have stepped a foot in, it only added up to her own problems as she already needs to deal with her assignments and professors, and now she needs to keep this from her best friend too. It's just more problems. Sana's mind is like an enigma, likewise Mina, you'll never know what those two are thinking.

Are all Japanese like this?  Chaeyoung can't help but question herself.

"And I want you to know, I'm not just staying beside her because of love."

Again, the image of Sana talking with the traces of tears slowly drying on her cheeks came back. Chaeyoung wanted the flashbacks to stop as she can't handle the pain that's passing through her head any longer. However, the curiosity in her made her keep thinking about the conversations.

"But because Mina needs to be accompanied, she's may look tough but she's not. She's fragile like anyone else, with one-touch she could shatter like a vase falling off to ground. Mina has gone through too much Chaeyoung, too much that even I couldn't handle sometimes."

Her curiosity had risen more after remembering Sana's words clearly without a miss, again and again, repeating in her head. Chaeyoung holds her head as a low groan came out of her now trembling, turning pale lips. The throb has gotten worse, to the point which her vision starts to blur, and she could hear the loud thud of her heart. Putting her hand on the wall as a support, dragging and holding her body to walk through the empty hallway. Sweats forming on the tip of her head, Chaeyoung's steps start to stumble more as she finally collapsed onto the floor.

Before darkness welcomes her fully, Chaeyoung heard a voice echoed in the hallway, a person running over and kneeled down beside, shaking her body in a motion, trying to wake the cub up. But Chaeyoung's too tired to have the strength of reopening her half-closed eyelids. For a moment of silence, she could felt herself being picked up by a force and her body landed on a warm smooth surface with her last conscious, and after that, her eyes shut, completely passed out.

:: "When your best friend becomes a stranger." ::

< ---------- >

Bad chapter, sorry. Here's the MV teaser! Enjoy and stay safe! Ciao~

-G.T.