Coffee and Letters Ep. 31 - (A MiChaeng FF Story)

**Tzuyu finally arrived at Mina’s place. Not feeling the exhaustion of her four-hour drive. Everything inside her is fully awake, and it’s because she’s so determined to find answers to her best friend’s disappearance.**

**She pressed the doorbell twice before someone opened it. She was greeted by a slender young lady, who’s a bit shorter than her. She’s beautiful, like an angel. She thought. But then realized that it isn’t the right time for her to comment on how beautiful she is. It’s better to reserve that commentary when she sees Chaeyoung again... to tease her**

Tzuyu: Hi. It’s ah… me, Tzuyu.

**She pushed herself to smile, though the lady in front of her has no intention of giving her a cheerful greeting.**

Mina: Hi. Mina. Uhm… come in.

**She looked straight into her eyes and tried her best to smile, and doing so is the hardest thing she’d ever done the entire day.**

**Mina didn’t expect to open the door with a gorgeous tall lady. She looks like a model from a magazine. She thought as Tzuyu walked past her. Very unlikely of Chaeyoung since she’s shorter than her.**

**This Tzuyu looks so elegant with her coffee-colored suit, while Chaeyoung is more comfortable with her jeans and tees. She further thought, but then shook her head to stop thinking about comparing Chaeng to her best friend.**

**Mina led her to the dining area, where everyone is holding their cup of coffee while waiting for some updates from the detectives working on the case.**

Mina: Have a seat, and feel comfortable. Well, I know we won’t find any comfort with our current situation.

**Tzuyu circled at the table and pulled the chair beside Sana and opposite Ryujin. Both of them looked exhausted and dull, and she understands why. Even she will end up the same if she’s with Chaeng the day she disappeared.**

Mina: This is my sister, Ryujin, and my best friend, Sana. Guys… this is Tzuyu, Chaeyoung’s best friend.

Tzuyu: I know it isn’t the right time for me to say, nice to meet you, since this isn’t the nicest time for us to meet. But yeah, I’m glad that Chaeng found some company while staying here.

Ryujin: Are you… are you a model from a magazine?

**Mina didn’t know that Ryujin was thinking the same. And even couldn’t believe that she’ll ask that strange question to their visitor as soon as she sits down.**

**Tzuyu giggled, flattered with the young lady’s question. She gets that a lot, but it still makes her feel giddy whenever she hears that thing.**

Tzuyu: Hmm… no. I’m working on a publication. Well, we’re the ones managing Chaeng’s books to be exact.

Ryujin: Oh… sorry. I mean, sorry for my odd question.

Tzuyu: It’s fine. I know people always think I’m a model because of my height. Sometimes I also feel like… changing my career. Maybe I’m more effective in the modeling industry than in our Publishing Company, you know.

**She pulled another smile, but this time it’s warmer, and both Mina and Ryujin were drawn to it. They both smiled involuntarily.**

**Sana is also mesmerized by this gorgeous lady beside her. She’s a bit lost for words and even just saying a hi seemed to be so impossible to say. Am I intimidated by her beauty? She thought. Nah! That’s impossible. No one has ever intimidated me. No one. Her grip on her cup tightened while saying those words to herself.**

Ryujin: Uhm… why not? You’re so pretty and tall, people will surely love you.

**Tzuyu giggled again but didn’t have any intention of saying another word. She likes the compliment though, and she likes the vibes of everyone. This might be the reason Chaeyoung opened up to them. It’s because they’re so nice and welcoming.**

Ryujin: Anyway, uhm… let me get you something.

**Ryujin stood up, thinking of getting Tzuyu a cup of coffee. Mina did the same. She knows that their newly arrived guest traveled for long hours and might be starving already. So, she headed to the kitchen and pulled something from the fridge.**

**Well, she’s not only doing it for the sake of preparing something for Tzuyu, but also for her to divert her attention into something else. Thinking about Chaeng every single minute makes her more anxious, and she knows it’s not the right thing to do at this moment. She needs to be strong and brave until she meets Chaeng again. Besides, she doesn’t want to give the people around her the reasons to worry about her. They already had enough.**

Sana: So… you… traveled four hours?

**Shit! What a very unorthodox question, Sana? She pressed her lips and closed her eyes for a second before leaning her back to her seat again. She suddenly felt embarrassed with her odd question, and wished that she didn’t say anything, instead.**

Tzuyu: Yeah… I didn’t even notice that I’m already on my eighty earlier. All I think of is to come here as soon as I can. Chaeng doesn’t have anyone with her anymore. Her parents… her parents are no longer around, and I guess I’m the only one now who takes care of her. Though I know she doesn’t want me to do so.

**Ryujin came back with a coffee after just several minutes of being away, while Mina continues to work on the kitchen. Trying to focus on slicing her ingredients.**

Ryujin: Here. It’s our best seller.

Tzuyu: Oh… thanks. It smells great.

**Ryujin smiled again before taking her seat. And even though she knows how rude it was to stare at someone that long, she still couldn’t take her eyes off of her.**

Tzuyu: Hmm… this is something. I mean, it’s better than those coffees I’ve tasted in the city.

Ryujin: Thanks. My sister made it. It’s her recipe.

Tzuyu: Really? Hmm…

**She grinned before she continued with what she wants to say.**

Tzuyu: I guess I know now why Chaeyoung is so drawn by your sister. She loves coffee so much.

**But then Tzuyu’s reaction abruptly changed into a serious one. She could no longer deny to herself that Chaeng is in danger. That the thought of her missing is now crawling in her veins no matter how much she convinces herself that they will find Chaeng again… alive.**

Tzuyu: So… you haven’t heard anything good yet? From the police?

**Ryujin shook her head and stared at her hands again on the table.**

**And the table is yet again filled with silence. It seems like everyone is in their deep thought. Either recalling the moment of their last encounter with Chaeng or blaming themselves with the fate that she is having right now.**

Mina: Why don’t we… why don’t we have our dinner first? I know we all don’t have the appetite to ingest something, but it’s fair enough that we stay strong for her, both physical and emotional, right?

**She then laid a mouth-watering sautéed vegetables on the table, which made Tzuyu lick her lips instantly.**

*****

**Chaeng felt safer now, though she’s still sitting and tied up in this lightless room. Without Bam’s presence makes it easier for her to breathe in, and it gives her more room to relax her mind. Wherever she is, she hopes someone finds her. That’s what she keeps on repeating in her head.**

**The thing is, she’s in the middle of losing hope and holding on to hope. But whatever her destiny tonight is, she’s still glad that with her one-week stay in this place, she met Mina, and that she felt important and loved.**

**She smiled just by recollecting her memory about their first dinner. It was indeed one of the most beautiful scenes in her head. She was wearing a red dress, exposing her shoulders, and wearing a smile that instantly warmed her heart. The steak on their plate also stole their attention since it’s one of the best steaks she’d ever tasted.**

**I will never forget your hotel, Mina. It took care of me for the last week of my life. You and Ryujin will be forever in my heart. You guys made me realize that life never ends just because you lost the people who taught you how to love. Being with you helped me find a new meaning in my life. That it’s okay to open up again**

**Her eyes were closed, yet her tears were slowly brushing down on her cheeks. It saddens her that her encounter with Mina and Ryujin is only a week. Yet still, she’s thankful that for that short time, she saved great memories with them.**

**Then she remembered her best friend. Thank you, Tzuyu for pushing me so hard. If you didn’t push me to get out of my apartment’s door, I won’t be able to meet them here. You’ll always be my best friend. And you’ll always be one of the best people in my life. I love you, my friend. I just hope one day, we’ll meet again, and you’ll still choose me to be your closest friend, though we’re the complete opposite.**

**She smiled and even heard herself giggle at the thought of her and Tzuyu being opposite. Indeed, they are. Tzuyu has a strong personality while she’s shy and just prefers to be forgotten than given attention.**

**Her chest becomes heavy. Not because she’s losing air to breathe in or something. It’s because it pains her to think that it will be the end of everything for her. Then she opened her eyes again to scan everything around her. It looks blurry though. Must be the tears welling in her eyes. You are indeed a beautiful room. Dark, but well arranged. I bet you’ll shine more if paired with a bright light. I wish I could see your beauty more. She thought.**

 **Mom, dad… we’ll see each other again. I know it’s soon, but it’s fine. It’s better to be this way, isn’t it? We’ll be a happy family again. I just hope my end won’t be that painful.**

*****

**Everyone stopped chewing their food and stared at each other when they heard the doorbell rang again. It must be the officers. Mina thought since she received a call from them several minutes ago. So she stood up immediately and opened the door for them.**

Mina: Hello, detectives. Come in.

**Detective Park and Detective Manoban entered Mina’s house immediately. They stopped at the dining where they see a new face, Tzuyu. But didn’t ask further. Their concern now is to find where this cabin is.**

Detective Manoban: We just need to ask if you know something about a cabin.

**Mina’s forehead creased, a cabin? She thought.**

Detective Manoban: We checked your friend in his grandma’s house and she said that Bam isn’t there. She didn’t even know that he’s in town. But she suspects that maybe he’s spending his nights in a cabin. Did he mention to you that he has a cabin or that his father has a cabin?

Mina: I… I don’t remember anything about a cabin, detective. Nor heard him talk about it.

Detective Park: But you know how he likes camping and fishing?

Sana: Yeah. I… I think I remember now. I mean, when we were still in grade school, he always says that he and his dad will be out on weekends. That they will spend the night in a house that his dad and his grandpa built a long time ago. I’m not sure if that’s the place you’re talking about.

**He didn’t call it a cabin. Maybe that’s the reason Mina couldn’t remember something about it. But yes, indeed, he always talks about it when they were young. Boasting to them how he and his father caught a huge fish or hunt a bird that they ate for the night.**

Mina: Oh… is that it?

**Mina turned to Sana, confirming if that’s what these detectives were talking about.**

Sana: I guess so. Remember when we came back to school one Monday morning and he’s so ecstatic about his trip in the forest with his dad, and even told us that we can go with them on their next camping? But since we’re not as adventurous as he is, we declined it?

Mina: Yeah, I remember now.

**Mina returned to the officers with sad eyes.**

Mina: I’m sorry, detectives. We… we’ve never been in that cabin. If he’s hiding in that place, it must be somewhere an hour or so away from here. That’s what I remember.

Sana: Yes, sir. He said it’s a long drive from here. But I couldn’t remember him mentioning the exact place.

**Another dead end for the detectives. Well, not really a dead end since they finally got the clue now that this guy is hiding in a cabin or somewhere in the forest. All they need to do is to find his exact coordinates as soon as they can, and the deeper the night goes, the lesser the possibility that they’ll see what they’re looking for.**

Tzuyu: Wait! Who are we talking about? I thought we’re searching for Chaeyoung?

**Tzuyu is clueless as to what these people were talking about. No one ever mentioned to her that there’s another person involved with her best friend’s disappearance.**

**The two detectives have no intention of explaining everything to everyone, but because of the concern they’ve seen from this stranger, they answered her question immediately.**

Detective Park: We’re thinking about the possibility that someone kidnapped her.

**Tzuyu instantly stood up, still confused with the term this detective used, “kidnapped”.**

Tzuyu: Who could it be? I mean, it sounds like you knew who this person is. Then who could it be?

**Mina stared down at the floor, but she courageously answered Tzuyu’s question.**

Mina: My childhood friend, Bam.

***TO BE CONTINUED***

Episode 30       Episode 32