They walked inside the place, eyes glittered with excitement. Minjae is already excited. She came here last year and it's still exciting for her to come here again. Not to mention it's her first time going out with Riki.

It feels like a date.. She took a long time to choose which outfits she's going to wear. She glanced at Riki and quickly looked away when his eyes met her.

"Which ride do you want to go on first?"

"Hm... rollercoaster! We still haven't eaten anything yet so it's a good choice." Minjae pointed at the roller coaster in front of her.

Riki nodded but before they went there, he pulled out something from his bag. Minjae stared at the thing in his hand. "Oh! It's a camcorder!"

"Do you want to use it? If you don't know I can teach you," he gave her the camcorder.

"I know! Jimin taught me before because she has one too. I've always dreamed of having one but I know I won't really use it."

"That's great then."

After they rode the roller coaster, they went for another ride till they got tired of it. Minjae couldn't take her eyes off the camcorder. She enjoyed recording everything around her even when Riki wasn't looking, she secretly recorded him. She's happy to see him looking happy in the video. He's really a cheerful kid!

Riki left Minjae alone to go buy food for them. He knows she can take care of herself without his presence. While waiting in the line, he placed his hand at the side of his body. The pain is still there but he still could endure it. Father hit him at the part where it couldn't be seen. He's kinda grateful for it because he doesn't want Minjae to find out.

Once he got the food, he went back to her. She's still there, waiting for him patiently while hugging the doll he won for her in the game. Riki used his free hand to pull out his phone and captured her in the camera.

"Minjae! I bought milkshakes and fries."

"Wah! I love milkshakes!" She put down the stuff and took the cup.

Riki took a seat beside her, enjoying the food together.

After 5 hours, they decided to go back home. They took a bus since it's quite far from their neighbourhood. There's only two seats left in the bus. Riki told Minjae to sit at the front side while he stood beside her. Minjae looked at him, "There's an empty seat behind me. Why are you standing?"

"I don't feel like sitting," he replied.

At first, Minjae didn't get what he's saying until she saw an old woman taking the empty seat behind her. She noticed Riki smiling at the old woman and it warms her heart. This could be another reason why she fell for him. Why is he so perfect?

The 30 minute ride feels longer. Minjae's eyelids felt heavy as it started closing on its own. She tried to keep her posture straight while closing her eyes. It only takes five minutes before she falls asleep without her realising. Her little snore made Riki turn to look at her. His lips curled into a small smile, staring at her. He moved closer to her, blocking her from falling to the side just in case.

"Are you exhausted from being too excited, Minjae?" He asked, knowing she couldn't hear him. This is nothing much. He planned to bring her to the amusement park to make her forget about her problems. Even just for a day.

"I don't know why but I couldn't bear seeing you hurting. I keep thinking to myself what this feeling is. Is it what I'm thinking or.. is it just sympathy? I want to make sure that I don't end up hurting you."

Riki's pov

Maybe it's not sympathy. There's no way someone like me cares for someone this deeply just because of sympathy. People at school didn't call me cold for no reason. If Minjae finds out how I act at school, will she still be friends with me? Will she.. likes someone like me?

We got off from the bus, walking home together. I looked at her walking silently with the doll in her hand.

"Riki.."

"Yes?" I gave all my attention to her. I waited for her to speak.

"Thank you. I know I already said this before and many times but still.. Thank you. I feel very happy." She smiled.

My hands were itching to hold her hand and hug her. I want to tell her what I feel. I'm scared that if I don't say it now, I won't have another chance in the future. I grabbed her arm, stopping her. Minjae looked up at me as she seemed confused. I rolled up her sleeve, staring at her scarred arm.

"Riki..?"

"I feel very happy too.." I softly kissed her wrist, glancing at her.

"W-What did you just—?" Minjae's cheeks reddened.

"I hope this happiness remains the same forever."

Minjae stared at me before she smiled, "Yeah.. I hope for the same thing too."

We hoped for the happiness to remain forever but I know this won't last long because..

We're destined to have this kind of fate.

—

"I'm tired," she said while washing the dishes. She gulped down her saliva, feeling scared when her mother stared at her with such an expression. Maybe she shouldn't have said it.

"What did you just say? You're tired? From what? What's so tiring about it?" She walked towards Minjae, still with the same eyes of dissatisfaction.

"I'm.." Minjae couldn't utter the words. She thought she could finally say it out loud, the feeling and the pain she had been keeping for a long time to her mother but she's still scared of her. She thought she could finally stand up for herself.

"I asked you what's so tiring about it?! You ungrateful brat! If you're tired then what am I? Hey, you listen to this. Let me ask you, who gave birth to you? Huh?? Who fucking gave birth to you?! Me, right? Are you crying right now? Wah! This is so unbelievable.."

Minjae couldn't hold her tears any longer especially when her mother started using the question of who gave birth to her. She couldn't believe her mother dared to say that when she never thought of her as a daughter till she reached 13 years old. She abandoned her when she was still a baby with her grandmother, disappeared for 13 years just to come back with a new family. She really wanted to fight back but she's too scared.

"I don't know why you always cried when I did nothing to you! Gosh.. if your father sees this of course he's going to blame me for it right? Why? Because he hates me and that's including you too. You think I don't know? But can't you think? I'm the one who gave birth to you. I'm your mother. And who gave money to you as well? Ha Minjae! I asked.. Who gave money to you?"

"Mom.." Her voice was shaking. She didn't dare to move or leave the kitchen. Her mother isn't wrong but most of the time, it's always the father that spent money for the family and for 13 years, she never sent money to grandmother.

"Yes.. that's right. It's me! If it's not because of me, you're going to die of starvation. I did everything for you and this is how you pay me back? By saying you're tired? Yes, you did all the work but for what? Nothing! You're so fucking useless, you couldn't do your work properly. Everything needs to be perfect! If you can't do perfectly, how could you say you really did it? You must become like this because your late grandmother spoiled you when you're a kid, am I right? Ha.. that old woman.. she didn't even want to look at my face but she favoured you so much."

Minjae wished she was deaf that time, if only she could. She was getting tired of listening to her mother but she's still not done.

"Well, of course you could enjoy your life with your grandmother but that's all in the past. She's dead now. She can't scold me for nagging at you. You're the one who ruined my life. If.. if I didn't give birth to you!! Your real father left me. He made me pregnant but he didn't want to be responsible for it. The whole family looked at me as if I was a shameless woman! My study, my dream, all ruined because of you!!" She didn't touch Minjae at all, just her words are enough to make the girl tremble in fear.

"I could become rich.. I could have achieved my dream if I wasn't pregnant with you. Maybe I wouldn't be in this country because I've always dreamed of travelling around the world. My siblings.. all of them are successful because my dad and my mom love them. They didn't love me because I brought nothing but disappointment, that's what they said. No.. it's not my fault. I did nothing so why did they hate me so much?" She cried, making Minjae feel guilty.

"What happened here? What's all of this? Rohee! Answer me, what have you done to Minjae?" Father suddenly came into the kitchen. He must have just arrived from work. He looked at Minjae crying silently in the corner and glared at his wife.

"See? I told you he's going to blame me! I can't believe you, Jae-woong! I'm just trying to discipline my daughter so why are you doing this to me?!"

"Discipline your daughter? I thought of ignoring you guys but you nagged and shouted at her for two hours now! You kept spitting nonsense! Are you trying to ruin her mental health? If this is how you're going to teach your daughter, just leave this house this instance!"

"Jae-woong.. did you just kick me out? Ha.. okay, fine! You really think I want to live with you guys? Don't stop me but I will bring Jaehee with me too because he's my son and the only child I gave birth to." She said before walking back to her room, slamming the door.

"What did you just say?! Don't you dare bring Jaehee with you— do you want to get beaten up?"

"Dad! Please stop.. I'm really okay. It's nothing. It's all my fault." Minjae took her phone and walked towards the door, not her room. She left the house.

Minjae's pov

"Minjae.. you can always tell me if you're stressed. Look at the beach. Whenever I was stressed, I went to the beach and shouted as loud as I could. Just ignore people and say everything that's on your mind. If you're stressed, tell me and I will bring you to the beach. Alright?"

"Just tell me if you're tired. Just tell me if you don't like something. Tell me if there's something you're not dissatisfied with. I will listen to you because I'm your mother."

You lied. You said I can tell you if something's bothering me. You said I can tell you anything but whenever I tried to do that, you didn't let me finish it and you blamed me. Why did you do this to me, Mom?

I couldn't care less about people looking at me while I walked down the street, sobbing. I dialled the number, waiting for him to pick up the phone. I need him. I need to talk to him. This time, I can't handle it by myself.

"Why aren't you picking up.. Riki?" I kept calling him but he didn't answer me. I left a message but he didn't take a look at it. Why? He said he will come to me if I need him.

Why must now? If you can't come to me, why does it need to be now?!

I cried so hard that I could feel my head getting dizzy and my breaths getting heavier. I need to sit down. I reached the playground, sitting on the empty bench while trying to calm myself down. I scratched my arm, peeling the scabs till it bled.

I waited until the night came and he hasn't replied to me nor called me back. I sat on the bench, almost getting sleepy when I saw a tall figure wearing a hoodie walking.

"Riki?" I called his name out loud and the person stopped before he continued to walk. I know it's him! "Riki, did you see the notifications? I called you many times!"

"You got the wrong person." He said but he can't lie to me, I know his voice very well.

"No, I'm not! You're Riki, I know you! Did you ignore my calls? Riki!" I chased him, grabbing his arm and he pushed me harshly, making me fall. "Ack!"

"Minjae— uh.. just stop it!"

"What?"

"Stop calling me, stop texting me. Let's not talk to each other from now on."

What nonsense is he talking about?

I looked at him and he didn't even bother to look at me back. "What's wrong, Riki? This is too sudden.. we went to the amusement park a few days ago! You said you're happy.."

"That's all in the past. You're right. I would end up getting tired of you. I'm so tired of listening to your problems. It's draining me out. I'm sorry but let's end everything here." He was about to walk away but I grabbed his hoodie, begging for him to not go.

"Riki, please! Please don't do this to me! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for making you feel that way. I won't tell you anything from now on so please.. Please don't end our friendship. I beg you.. please don't leave me too." I cried, begging on my knees. I never expected to do this, to cry and to beg for him to stay.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that. Go home, Minjae. It's cold out here..." He turned around before walking away.

He left. He really left. Why is this happening to me? Why was the happiness I received only temporary?