Chapter 5

Music, Indeed

Her head shifted behind the doorleaf to find a figure who called her privately, taking a bow after she fully stood on Yunho’s room. The director was still busily signaturing documents and while meeting her gaze, he slipped a smile at her.

“Please sit down.” Yunho echoed, gesturing his right hand toward a small seat from his opposite. Seo Hyun nodded and swayed her body to sit on there. He scribbled so quickly, closed the last document map, then went up to face her, “So, how is everything, Seo Hyun-ssi?” 

 “It’s progressing.” She answered confidently, “It’s hard but he shows good response.”

She noticed an unsatisfied expression from him as he just stayed there in a short silence, thinking of something. Yunho then asked, “How many percent will he be willing to work here?”

His question gained a slow loading inside her mind.

She didn’t know. Absolutely, no one knows. The progress run in gradual way, leisurely but she hoped, certainly. Yong Hwa showed a little positive way upon music by touching guitar and not throwing a protest while looking for music stuff, then doing her job, all was amazing enough for her.

“It’s..” She gulped as her confidence jumped to the lowest level due to this question, half-scared she would disappoint Yunho. “I’m not sure..”

“Is it under 30%?” Staying upon a name of FNC director, he clearly needed a certainity. Seo Hyun swore Yunho’s seriousness somehow fluttered her as an employer who took a job in privacy for him.

“Sort.. Of.” Her sound faded away as it came to the ‘of’ word. Yunho’s silence right after slapped her to quickly explain everything, “But it did make a progress, Yunho-ssi. He opens his heart back. I can tell you everything you want to know. Really. Believe me.”

 “To be honest, we already reach the line.” He mumbled, forcing a bitter smile, gaining a short eye-flickers from her as her heart skipped a beat. “It’s enough.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re no longer chasing after him. We stop here.” Yunho informed, “But, I will still give you an additional fee, for your trials after all this time..”

“What? Why?” Her voice went higher in disbelief, almost like a sream schreeching inside his room, “Why are you doing this? Isn’t he your brother?”

He shook his head, then leaning against his chair, looked extremely tired. “I am. But I’m also this company leader. We don’t have much time to wait for his comeback. The soundtrack project will start on two weeks, we should find another musician to take the position. Time is running, Seo Hyun-ssi.” Yunho witnessed a deep wrinkles on her forehead as she listened to his explanation, and he knew someone like Seo Joo Hyun would understand him, “I hate doing this, too. But I have no choice.”

She stayed there, mute.

“It’s hard for me. Believe me.”

She inhaled after letting the seconds flowing over her mind, then said, “Fine. Then I will still continue my attempt to get him back, by myself.” She uttered in a stern tone, staring at Yunho, “Even this is out of your order.”

He needed a time to digest her sentence before breaking, unbelievably, into a small laughter, loosening the tense just now. Yunho was in a full jiffy looking so amazed by her bravery, “Wait, Seo Hyun-ssi.” Yunho glanced at her intently after controlling his surprise, searching for something in a while. “Why? Is Yong Hwa special for you?” was a brief question she heard as his weird response. Then he sat up straightly, waiting for her answer in a sudden enthusiasm.

She never told him about their past,the history of her and Jung Yong Hwa, and whatever, honesty should do its magic to melt him back to the sense of his brother. What ‘special’ inside Yunho’s dictionary, she gave up not to seek his definition, but the truth was, she couldn’t loose Yong Hwa. And he was special of course. Without him she wouldn’t be here. “Yes. A lot.”

Yunho broke into short guffaw. “You’re interesting.” He uttered out of nowhere after controlling the laughter, gaining a snap on her head.

“Ne?”

“Ahrasseo.” He was now turning to speak calmly, “Honestly, I always have the feeling you’re the one who can grab Yong Hwa to his sense. And this feeling grows stronger even now.” He still hang on a small laughter on his lips,  “Have your time for him. But for these two weeks, I will still look for some potiential musicians to fulfil this position. If Yong Hwa gets your point, we will come to him. If not, you just follow my decision.”

She nodded in relief hearing his information. “It’s the best.”

Yunho smiled. He then looked at his wristwatch after receiveing her deal, “You have a class with Hara, don’t you?” Gaining a nod from her again, he got off, “Come with me. I will drive you my home. You must tell every progress you make, and why Yong Hwa becomes so special for you,” He spreaded a smile while saying ‘special’ part, far from scary-mode like before, “And I will show you something.”

She followed his lead, nothing but being obedient. “Ah, ne.”

Yunho turned to her suddenly, “Gomawo, Seo Hyun-ssi. You really give me a good relax.”

*&^%$#

“He’s uri Appa.” Yunho explained, letting Seo Hyun to stand closer beside the bed while they reached the room. “And Yong Hwa’s everything.”

When she caught Mr. Jung, the feeling was exactly the same with the time she lastly hold his mother’s hand, carrying her pain everytime their fingers intertwined, and giving her strength to live on. Mr. Jung being surrounded by tubes, cathethers, monitor, infusion, injections, ached her heart to the point of afraid, the verge of crying. She absolutely understood what Yong Hwa and Yunho felt right now.

Her eyes glimmered, restraining the tears. Her mother’s memories popped out little by little, rained her to the painful time she had endured all this time.

“I will leave you here.” Yunho patted her shoulder, convincing her that it’s okay to stay here as long as she wanted. Then he disappeared behind the door.

Seo Hyun took a step, shifting the seat nearby to the exact place next to Mr. Jung’s bed, being able to reach his hand. She hold his fingers, letting out some words that slipped inside her head, “Ahjussi, don’t you feel so lonely there? You can hear me, right? I will come here often to accompany you. What do you like?”

She forced a smile to the unresponsive Mr. Jung, then searched something in her pocket, finding out an iPod. “You love music, I guess. Your family has a great music ability. Yong Hwa, specifically.” She talked to herself, then she scanned the screen, smiling again after discovering what she looked for, “Here. Your son composed this, Mr. Jung. I transferred this into digital sound and put it here, too, so I can listen to it everytime.”

She plugged a headset on the iPod and sticked the left piece to Mr. Jung’s left ear, while she took the right one. The play button she pressed let out a melodious voice of piano sound. She absorbed the melody once again, never get enough to play this everytime, remembering Yong Hwa and the first time she attempted to compose a song. “This is good, isn’t it? Your son is great composer, great guitarist and great musician you must be proud of.”

The sound brought her to a smile, to a new hope of seeing this man opened up his eyes again. She didn’t know anything, Yunho just said there will be a big progress on Yong Hwa’s music life if this man could regain a counsciousness. The way his father ended up here and Yong Hwa’s connection beside their relationship as father and son, she just didn’t have the rights to ask further. All she wanted was helping Yong Hwa, by many ways she could reach his music sense.

So Seo Hyun sat there until she fell asleep, and her head gradually stayed down on the bedside.

Yunho came back two hours later, catching her in a peaceful deep sleep beside his father’s arms. What she told about how her and Yong Hwa met at school seven years ago, gaining a whole interesting part upon her. How she can be that faith, that patient over someone who didn’t realized her presence in personal. Moving on to the next stories about her attempts to catch his brother, and how they ended up being a neighbour and student-teacher karate lesson, he was nothing but amazed.

Seo Joo Hyun is absolutely something.

Something hit him, he was attracted.

Then Yunho looked for a blanket, then spreded it over her back, hoping she would be warmed.

By then, he let Seo Hyun to make routine visits, while Seo Hyun, of course, sincerely did the favour. On the other side, Yong Hwa was none of noticing.

*&^%$#@

Day passed rhytmically, night shifted even slowly.

Yong Hwa always heard a sound catching his ears in the middle of the night, sometimes waking him up in the very early morning. The source was quite near, clear, and he was sure it was located exactly outside his window platform, not behind the wall like usual –Seo Hyun always did.

But it wasn’t piano playing like he gradually got used to.

It was strings being played, somehow mussily.

For him, living near Seo Joo Hyun made his way more easier to accept melody, to receive any songs. So after more than five nights coincidentally listening to a bit disarrayed guitar playing, he stepped out in curiousity, walking to the balcony to find what currently happened after all this mysterious strings sound.

Then so she was.

Sitting on a small chair there, across his balcony just next to his, under the night sky trying to deal with the guitar he just brought to her. She diligently plugged it, strummed it, then began to repeat the melody she just sounded it in wrong tone, then back to the top, repeat it again.

It was her, willing to spare the time in the middle night or early morning just for learning a guitar.

All was in patient to finish up the entire song, trying the best to fulfil her promise for a little boy, Kang Min Hyuk.

Yong Hwa unconsciously scretching a smile.

Then the next day, he found himself searching for ‘a guitar for beginner book’ in his warehouse at home, and sending it later to her by stealth. Misteriously, in front of her main door, and Seo Hyun never knew who the kind-hearted man giving her that book was.

*&^%$#@

It was evening pouring up with sudden raining.

She dropped back his shoulder bag on the floor, halting the steps while staring outside the window , acknowledging the impossibility to go outside due to the strong wind and heavy rain. Her sweat drenched over her karate suit, surfacing upon a reddish tired skin after other practice hours in Yong Hwa’s room.

While the man glided behind her, examining the weather.

“It will take all night long.” He commented on the splashing rain.

“Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.” She spun around, “May I--”

“Fine.” Yong Hwa prefaced, noticing her purpose to look for his permission to stay here for a while. She smiled in relief then backed to sit on the carpet, turning on her laptop. Beyond their practice hours, she always used the time to do her works. He glided while staring her up, “Don’t forget to plug your earphone.”

A glimpse of opening windows music was played. She murmured, “I won’t disturb you.”

By then Yong Hwa took his comfortable position on the seat, reading a book, facing his own world.

“Um, by the way, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.” Seo Hyun looked at him, gaining a small glance from his corner eyes, “Can you help me?”

The silent Yong Hwa throwing meant he was listening.

So she explained carefully, “I will have a music arrangement audition for film soundtrack project next week. I’ve already composed a song to be played. The theme is first love. But I find myself so much disconfidence..”

“No.” Strong rejection. It slapped her, as always.

“But,”

“You said you won’t disturb me, but you just just did that.” He insisted, going downback into the pages.

The grumble escaped from her lips before shutting it up resentfully, “Fine.” Then going back to her work.

While she was busy dealing up with her crazy bustle, changing the melody and pressing the keyboards on her laptop, Yong Hwa digested the moment for awhile behind her back, repeating the words she just said. It took some minutes before he broke his attention into his book back.

“Seo Joo Hyun.” He called.

Seo Hyun turned around, “Ne?”

“Don’t catch the bust. I’ll drive you home after this.” Yong Hwa said under his reading, not even glancing at her.

She startled to receive his sudden offer. So rare kind of him, so extreme surprised on her. She blinked, “Ah? thankyou..”

And it creeped, something under her chest. Strange, but it did make her heart skipped a bit.

No, Seo Joo Hyun. He’s so caring because of the rain, he doesn’t want you to catch a cold.

Yes. Sure. It’s like that.

Then she attempted, a bit hard, to concentrate on her work again.

*&^%$#@

It’s not the first time for her to be carried by Yunho to Jung’s house before having a private class with Jung Hara. But being invited formally for the small coffee time during this evening, in his small terrace beside the house green yard, she was nothing but surprised. Yunho, on her sight, was incredibly so kind and attentive. After the moment they shared through chatters, chasing after Yong Hwa, and Mr. Jung’s matter, their space narrowed. Being friend, it could be called.

“Take this.” He took out a brown amplop, putting on the table then slid it to her. “It’s nothing compared to your hard effort, though.”

“What’s this?” And after some seconds, she gaped and strongly shook her head after discovering the content, “God, no, no, Yunho-ssi! No. I’m doing nothing, really. I have no rights to receive this.” She returned it to him.

“Of course this is yours.” He knew Seo Hyun firstly needed some money, that’s why she received being Hara’s piano teacher. And doing such a little thing for her like this after what she did to his brother, it was his absolute job.

“This is too much. I can’t accept this.”

“But this is based on our agreement before.” Yunho forced.

“No. I’m sincere. Take it with you.”

“Seo Hyun-ssi.”

“Please.”

Their eyes locked for a final silent agreement before Yunho eventually took back seeing her pure motives, exhaling, “Fine.” Catching a smile flashed on her lips, he couldn’t resist the urge to do another bargain, “But this is unfair. How about we’re going like this: you can order anything to me right now. I’ll do it for you.”

She blinked, then throwing a small laugther. “What?”

“Seriously, tell me now.”

Seo Hyun needed some moments to think about his offer. She laughed, a lot. Her boss was playing with her in informal way, being so friendly yet funny. She then uttered after rolling up her mind to find what she actually managed, “There are two.” While Yunho hang an attention to her, she continued, “First, just give that money to a place where the people need that more than me.”

“Where?”

“Melody Orphanage. I’ll give you the address later.”

Yunho was out of words hearing her request, before breaking into laughter. It was amazingly unpredictable, but it’s absolutely her kind of style. “And next?”

She smiled, “You’ll be one of the judge for the next week music soundtrack audition, right?”

“I’ll be one.”

“Please drop your position while I’m auditioning.”

This time, he was in total glimmering, “Ne? Why?”

“Please do that.” She echoed, “I’m nothing but I just want everything to be objective, Yunho-ssi.”

Yunho was fascinated, then began to in a bit serious tone, “Wait. What make you think, I’ll let you pass the audition easily?”

“I just know.” She grinned.

“You’re too confident.”

“My feeling is always exact, Yunho-ssi. Admit it.”

Yunho then blurted out, “Aigoo. Fine.” Controlling his laughter, he asked again, “What else, Ms. Angel-hearted? Ah, seriously. You’re so awesome, I went to shock by every word you just said.”

“You’re exaggerating.” Seo Hyun commented, strangely felt so hillarious catching up his reaction just by her acts.

Yunho shook his head in amazement, “I’m honest.”

“No you’re liar.”

“I’m honest.”

“Liar.”

“Handsome.”

“What?” Her giggle erupted, while Yunho joined her to the exclamation. They had nice talk at that time.

Evening glided beautifully bright, and Yong Hwa caught their joy behind the wall. Accidentally. He knew he was nothing to interrupt, and then just stepped away. Ignoring.

*&^%$#@

One week later.

He was in a rush after he received a sudden call from home, running through corridors and banging the door behind before finding Jung Lyn and his family doctor in his father’s room. Every call related to his father’s condition was emergency for him, so he stood by there still in breathless, driving like mad on the way before.

“What’s happened?” He threw his stare to them impatiently.

“Oh, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.” The doctor greeted him, smiling, “Glad you’re here.” Then he turned to face Jung Lyn, searching for permission, “Madam, should I start?”

“Yunho can’t come right now. He’s in audition event at office. Go on, Doctor, please.” Jung Lyn answered.

The Doctor nodded, preparing to give an explanation. “Fine, Madam, Yong-Hwa-ssi. I’m happy for you. Mr. Jung now is still in comatose state. But, he shows very good and rapid progress.”

Two pairs of eyes beamed attentively.

“He absolutely has a disorder in his consciousness center, some areas in the brain to regulate sleep and awakening cycle. It did break, of course, and make him into this level, but the truth, his cortical part, the main area which is responsible for language and thinking ability, is still good and intact. In this condition, he can process the impulses entering through his senses. He can hear you, hear us, and realize that,” The Doctor told them the truth, “This is good prognosis.”

Yong Hwa blinked, almost didn’t believe what he heard, “Doctor, you mean, he knows everything?”

“By hearing, maybe.”

Yong Hwa and Jung Lyn couldn’t hide the joy expression.

He felt like almost crying in happiness. His life was his faith on his father, nothing else.

The Doctor curved a smile, “Well, actually I personally want to thank to Jung Yunho-ssi for this condition.”

Jung Lyn frowned, “Did he do something?”

“Yes. Well, the girl who often visit Mr. Jung does this job.”

Both Yong Hwa and Jung Lyn snapped.

“A girl? Yunho? You mean, Hara?”

“No.” The Doctor shook hear head, then gave a brisk description, “She was mature and bubbly girl, I guess she makes some routine visits here since I always bumped into her whenever I checked for Mr. Jung. She’s great in communicating with him, specially, with music.”

“Music?” Yong Hwa hissed, being completely lost.

“She said Mr. Jung loves music so much. And seeing his condition now, with the more steady blood pressure, better physic examination results, even more stabile electroencephalogram result, she’s likely right.”

“Who’s her?” Jung Lyn’s voice faded away into Yong Hwa’s ear, as he turned around and walked away. “Wait, Yong Hwa, where are you going?”

He run to catch his car, knowing quite well by the doctor’s meaning.

He knew best where to go, and who to find.