Part 30

                                    

                                          
(One week later that day)


                          
"Here you are, I've been searching for you everywhere" 

                          
Minho sat below the big tree,  beside Aiana.



                          
"It's crazy how you always find me (she quickly turns her face towards Minho) especially when I'm at my worst" and smiled.


                          
Minho: (looks at her) "did I disturb you?"

                          
"Not at all" -Aiana tittered.
                          
Minho: " seemed like you're having a good time alone"
                          
Aiana: " hm...you can say that"

                          
Minho: "I- I brought you some muffins and brownies"

                          
Aiana: " again?" She kept looking at him intensely
                          
"Oh- you wanted something else? You should have told me that, I thought you wanted to eat some brownies again, what do you want to eat then?" - Minho rubbed his forehead, he almost stood up to go to the store actually

                          
"Calm down… I really don't need anything right now!" - she inclined her head.
                          
Minho lowered his head : " then it's ok"

                          
Aiana: "No, I said I'll eat it when we get back to the cottage!"

                          
Minho: " Good"

                          
Aiana looked away with a smile on her face.

                          
Minho: "Okay then! Enjoy your pleasure time.. I'm gonna go b-" - Before Minho could get up properly Aiana caught his hand.
                          
He got staggered
                          
"You can't go"
                          
"You're my prisoner today" - she slowly raised her chin up.

                          
Minho: " Haha what?"

                          
"Can you stay here for a minute?"
                          
......
                          
Minho gave a half shrug "okay"
                          
Aiana slowly removed her hand.
                          
(Silence)
                          
Minho: " You seem different all of a sudden"

                          
Aiana: " Good kind of difference or bad kind of difference?"

                          
Minho: "Good kind of" 

                          
She grabbed her legs resting her face on it..

                          
Aiana: "hmmm, as I expected"

                          
Minho: ".......what do you mean?" 
                          
Aiana: " You know, now I can understand everything. Like me and Taehyung. I really had no idea about falling in love. I never thought about someone falling in love with me. When I saw his eyes for the first time, I was astonished. Like there's so much love in it.
                          
Then I eventually caught feelings. But I clearly had no idea what things would get- (sighs) I know we loved each other. He's like a baby then, maybe even now… he's selfish like a baby.. When I saw love in actions and gestures he saw love in effort and material. We both loved each other equally but we didn't see love the same way. His possessiveness and selfishness was kind of cute, I could adjust but-

                          
Minho: "but?"
                          
Aiana: ".....here I am.. he must have realized his mistakes by now too…we both did... but we can't go back to each other anymore.. there's no point in loving someone else's life partner.. but he will always be special to me"
                          
"Taehyung's dad! He's absolutely right! Taehyung deserves a better girl anyway"
                          
"Sometimes love isn't enough, love can do nothing. I thought about that, and my illness. I really imagined myself dying within two months.
I didn't want to hurt him. At certain times my mind literally echoed 'not him, not him' like a million times when he's the only one who lives in my heart"
                          
Minho put his right hand over his knee. 
                          
"Aiana…
People fall in love without reason, without even wanting to. You can't predict it. That's love"
                          
She went speechless for a while.

                          
Aiana: " There's a part in me where I feel like his absence doesn't affect my existence anymore.. I still feel loved like the love I need is always here with me.. what does that mean? When did I go wrong? "

                          
Minho: "... Maybe you're doing the right thing"
                          
Aiana: " how can you say that?"

                          
Minho: " because you're not that weak"

                          
Aiana sighed.. "Probably"
                          
"I think... I really moved on, like no commitments, no disappointments.. no guilty.. no regrets.... I don't know what to do anymore.. still I kinda feel good"
                          
Minho: " You sure?"
                          
Aiana: "umm… yeah! 

                          
Aiana: "Let's forget about the past, let's live in the present! I'm not gonna look back anymore! -She got up and started walking, Minho stood up and walked after her.. 


                          
Aiana slowed down her pace to walk with Minho.
                          
Aiana: "let's change the topic ok?"
                          
Minho: "ok?"
                          
" K, then let's talk about us!"
                          
Minho: " us? "
                          
Aiana: "Yeah… You know what?" 
                          
Minho tilted his face towards her.

                          
Aiana: "Those peeping nurses"
                          
Minho: "mhmm"
                          
Aiana: "they're stalking us"
                          
Minho: (chuckles) "I know I know"
                          
Aiana: "you know why?"
                          
Minho: "No I don't know. . why?"
                          
Aiana: "because they're taking notes"
                          
Minho: "Eh?"
                          
Aiana: "couple research! They legit thought we're a couple and we're going out"
                          
Minho: "Eh- hahaha really?"
                          
Aiana: "Yup, I said there's nothing between us.. and they're like 'oh you're lying, we won't believe this' and all ..."


                          
Minho: "Oh haha"

                          
Aiana: "hmm... Can't blame Taehyung though" (laughs)
                          
Minho: "Seriously people nowadays..."
                          
Aiana: " haha"
                          
(Cricket noises and birds chirping)
(Walking)
                          
Aiana looked at Minho


                          
Aiana: "And you remember the dream I told you about? A guy kissing me?"




                          
Minho: " hmmm.."
                          
"I saw him again in my dream that day before my check up when the doctor found out that I had completely recovered from my illness.. I forgot to tell you"
                          
"I thought it's Taehyung, but I think it's not him. There's a third person. What if that third person is Taehyung and the other one is someone else?"
                          
" Who do you think he is?"


                          
Minho: " maybe someone you know"
                          
Aiana: " I don't think I've seen him before, literally I couldn't see his face, but everytime I see him something good happens to me.."
                          
Minho: "Oh I see…"
                          
Aiana: " hmm.."

                          
Minho:( looks at her) "why do you take dreams so seriously"


                          
Aiana: "it's obvious that they're better than reality.. I like to live in my good dreams"

                          
Minho: " That's true! I like to stay inside certain dreams too!"
                          
Aiana smiled.

                          
(Continues walking)