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There were so many thoughts going through Hyun-ju’s mind as she felt the knife going in and out of her back. She couldn’t help the tears that left her eyes as she stumbled forward, looking towards Jun-hee,Geum-Ja, and the newborn baby.
The feeling of failure was quick to wash over her.
The feeling that she should and could have done more to protect them. That this is where they would end too, all because of her.
Her grip on the door frame was slipping quickly, and she fell right onto the floor in front of her team, her friends, her family…
But the pain of her body hitting the floor didn’t even register to her. She could feel her body growing cold, her body going still, unable to move.
She thought about Young-mi’s words, of what she called her that one day in the dormitory.
“Beautiful.”
And at her dying moments, Hyun-ju felt Geum-Ja move her hair behind her ear, and thought, for the first time in her life, “Maybe I am beautiful…”
Hyun-ju reopened her eyes, but what she was greeted with wasn’t the games, wasn’t Geum-Ja, Jun-hee and her baby, but a vast open field, the grass swaying with the wind. The sun was slowly setting, casting a soft orange glow over the never-ending field.
She was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts, startled, as a familiar voice spoke from behind her.
“Unnie…?”
This caused Hyun-ju to turn around quickly, taking in the sight of Young-mi.
“Young-mi…” She muttered quietly, her eyes wide.
She couldn’t believe it. The person she cared for most, standing here, right here . Right in front of her.
No more words were shared as they ran towards each other, pulling each other into a tight embrace, holding onto each other as if they would both disappear if they let go.
Hyun-ju rested her cheek on top of Young-mi’s head, her lip quivering as she let out a sob, her hands gripping onto the back of Young-mi’s tracksuit.
“I’m so sorry…” Hyun-ju choked out through a sob, repeating it over and over as they both sank to the floor while holding each other.
“You have nothing to apologize for, Hyun-ju. You did everything you could and more.” Young-mi whispered back, letting her head rest on the other woman’s chest.
The two sat in the grass for what felt like an eternity, before finally breaking their embrace to look at each other. Young-mi was the first one to move, slowly letting go of Hyun-ju, even if she didn’t want to. She slowly stood, before offering her hand to Hyun-ju.
“Unnie… Let’s go home.” She said with a smile, tears in her eyes that threatened to spill.
Hyun-ju looked at the hand being offered before slowly reaching out for it.
“Yeah… Let’s go home.”