Better Than Yesterday [Michaeng]

32. I Found you

"Can you tell me how long you and Eunwoo have been friends?" Mina inquired. They decided to talk while out for a walk. "If I'm not mistaken, almost seven years," Chaeyoung replied.

"That's quite long."

"Yeah, but you've known Eunwoo for a longer time," she added. "How about you, do you have any friends other than Eunwoo here?"

"You," she stated.

Chaeyoung just smiled. She was flustered. "I mean, Except for Eunwoo and me."

Mina raised her head. Thinking. "Mn, I don't have any, I rarely make friends that's why." She shrugged.

"I remember Director Myoi saying that once, is...there a reason why you rarely make friends?" She stopped for a moment before asking. "Oh, Y-you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

".....No particular reason; I simply keep my circle small to give myself more privacy and peace."

"That mean, Do you enjoy being by yourself?"

"Mm. A lot," she continued.

"Not until I met you," she said, her face down with shyness.

"Oh, I didn't mean to disrupt your comfort."

"You're wrong. What I mean is...I enjoy being alone, but it's no longer the same," she continued. Hesitated. "Lately, uhm, W-when you're not around...I get bored easily," she admitted.

For a split second, Chaeyoung was stunned and shocked. She realizes what the girl is saying. She inhales and chooses to act unsurprised. Asking her in normal act. "Is that because I messed you over?"

"N-no." She came to a halt. "I....i-" she can't continue, biting her lower lip as if someone were preventing her from saying the word. Chaeyoung approached her. "Are you all right?"

She didn't say anything.

Chaeyoung has no idea why the girl abruptly stopped. Her gaze was drawn down to its foot all of a sudden. Her ankle was a little red, she noticed. "It looks like your ankle is getting cold. I'll warm it up a little," she said as she sat down and removed her gloves. Then she wrapped her palm around the ankle gently. "This may help a little."

But Mina removes her foot from her palm. Taking a step back. Chaeyoung was perplexed as she looked up at the girl.

"I'm fine. Let's go...back," she said as she walked away.

Chaeyoung rose to her feet, grabbing the gloves and put them on. She walked behind the girl as she followed her. Wondering if she said or did something inappropriate earlier. She felt worried. She grabbed her wrist gently. Tightened her grip on her, fearful on her face that she had done something Mina didn't like. "What's the matter? Tell me if I did something wrong, why you're acting this way."

Without turning back, Mina held her hand, removing it away from her wrist. Saying only one word as she continued to walked, "Nothing." With a cold tone made Chaeyoung's bothered, remembering just like the first time she asked where her room was. (Referring to Chapter 2)

She wanted to re-grab her hand, but she restrained herself and let the girl walk away. But she couldn't stand the girl, so she walked quietly behind her. But just a second,