Chapter 4

Sunday came through the joy of holiday, the end of holy well-worked week. It was a time to grab special chat and meet up the entire day with bestfriends. So, Seo Hyun and Hye Yeon enjoyed their spare time in their regular coffee shop, spilling up everything they had in mind. 

“No, Seo Joo Hyun! Never. Are you insane or what? Are you no brain?” Hye Yeon stared to Seo Hyun in a widened eyes, straight and stabbed. “He left you. LEFT YOU.”

Seo Hyun snorted heavily, “I know,” then she continued in defensive tone, “But, it’s a miracle that I can see him again. Honestly, I want to meet him.”

Hye Yeon threw out a hollow laugh. “Two years, without any notification. Two years, he suddenly lost like no existence. Open your mind! He’s jerk, absolutely!”

The words hooked Seo Hyun up for several seconds.

She realized it, with her entire heart, soul, and mind, by full of consciousness and awareness. Kyu Hyun tore her own and scattered all their memories into pieces, after completely bombing her with his leaving. But, she tought, there was always Kyu Hyun’s existence among the very broken pieces, though it was small and unseen like a dust. Because the memories theirself were already Kyu Hyun, so it would be remained as Kyu Hyun.

“Listen to me, Hyunnie.” Hye Yeon sat straightly, stared seriously towards her, “You must move on. Whatever it will take, you must go on. Keep your head up over him! Show him that you’re too strong, too precious, to be left out.”

“But, Hyeon-ah, we’ve never heard the reason why he left, at all.”

“We don’t need to.” Hye Yeon cut off sternly in higher tone, “Two years are enough. No more time to hear whatever his reason anymore.”

Silent grabbed the time. Seo Hyun stayed with no words. Hye Yeon has a point.

“Ah jinjja, I’m so reluctant, unwilling to see his face anymore. That jerk.” Hye Yeon grumbled to herself. As a time flew away in minutes, seeing her pink watch circled through her right wrist, she got off in sudden, “Omo, let’s go, Hyunnie. My mom told me to come back at eleven. She must be worried as I went with you. She concerned about you a lot.”

Seo Hyun followed, “Ahrasseo, Yeon-ah.”

After paying the bill, they turned back to go out. It was a moment, until their eyes caught up a figure walking through the glass door. He looked so bright and casual as his charisma radiating from his way on walking. Kyu Hyun reached the coffee shop, and paused his steps seeing two girls that stood up like a statue, staring at him.

Seo Hyun felt blankly.

“Hyunnie?” Kyu Hyun’s reaction was full of surprise. Then he turned his glance to Hye Yeon, “Hyeon-ah? Omo, glad to see you here!” He smiled honestly. His face was completely turned in happiness.

No one gave a response until Hye Yeon pulled Seo Hyun’s hands, “Let’s go.”

“Wait up, wait up, please.” Kyu Hyun blocked their way. “Why you feel llike rejecting me? Come on, let’s have a talk, as an old friend.”

Hye Yeon tilted her head up, jaw tightened. “Old friend? Ha! You wish! Hurriedly go back off of us.”

Kyu Hyun’s eyes then went straight to Seo Hyun’s, wanted to hear some explanation from her, but she avoided it out.

“It has been a long time, jinjja…” He sighed, suddenly murmured, “You both still come in this coffee shop? I remembered the time when we’re together and spending a lot of time in this place…”

“Go back off, Choi Kyu Hyun. We don’t want to hear anything.” Hye Yeon cut his mumble off, gritted his teeth, unwilling to stay anymore.  She gripped Seo Hyun’s hands that now started in pain.

“Kyu Oppa!”

A cute-cheerful voice fulfilled the heavy air, cracked it up into another awkward moment. Park Shin Ye reached Kyu Hyun, and automatically clinged to his arms. A smile wrapped up through her face, unbelievably honest and pleasant. She didn’t even read the uneasy-strained atmosphere around.

In a slit seconds, she realized that there were two girls in front of Kyu Hyun, then she lifted her head up to ask him, “Your friend, Oppa?”

                Kyu Hyun nodded, seemed anxious with no reason, “Ne.”

                Shin Ye took a bow hurriedly, “Oh, anneyong haseyo. Park Shin Ye imnida.”

                Both Hye Yeon and Seo Hyun replied the bow in reflex motion, uneasy feeling.

                “Old friend?” Shin Ye was back to Kyu Hyun, still felt curious. Seeing Kyu Hyun gave another nod, she turned to the girls in excited expression, “Ah! We must get along together. There are so many things I want to know more about Kyu Oppa.”

                Hye Yeon felt like couldn’t stand for this anymore. Seeing the way Shin Ye talked, and how they behaved, she had something in mind to be spilled out. “Are you two dating?”

                “Ne!” Shin Ye answered in clearly, confidently voice.

                “Aaaahh.. so that…” Hye Yeon quickly read the situation, she turned the gaze to Shin Ye then Kyu Hyun. This would be worse if she couldn’t handle Seo Hyun in hurry. Her bestfriend seemed like in deeply shock, completely frozen.

                First thing that went in Seo Hyun’s mind was, she knew this girl. Certainly. She exactly was a girl Yong Hwa loved, the girl he ever hugged some days ago. And the fact that her and Kyu Hyun were dating, jolted her in shock, entirely through her body. She felt like her soul was going somewhere.

“Want to take a seat?” Shin Ye offered.

Hye Yeon stepped a bit, still grabbing Seo Hyun’s hand, “Sorry, Shin Ye-ssi. We must go now. Chukae See you, then.” She took a glimpse to Kyu Hyun that turned his head in another direction, then she went away.

After walking several meters over the coffee shop, Hye Yeon stopped. She turned to Seo Hyun whose eyes watering and seemed blurred. She felt worried, quickly erased the tears trace that flew away in her cheeks. “Hyunnie… are you okay?”

Seo Hyun nodded in the middle of sobbing.

“Seo Hyun-ah…” She gave Seo Hyun a hug, tightly hug. She felt sorry for her bestfriend. Brushing off the back of Seo Hyun, she wanted to calm Seo Hyun down, “It will be okay, Hyunnie… It will be okay…”

Seo Hyun muttered no words instead of sobs and tears.

                “Come on, let’s catch up the home. Let’s go.” She grabbed Seo Hyun’s hand, quickly catched the taxi, and then headed to her home.

*&^%$#@

                Seo Hyun’s head lean on her table, felt heavy and unwillingly to be straighted up. She kept staring at the window for fiteen minutes during the school break. Her hollow gaze looked lifeless. She was not in the mood of doing something, even had duet stage in music class this evening. The fact that Kyu Hyun was going back to her life, interfering her new path life, bringing up a girl that now seemed love him, made her in uncertain condition.

                “Seo Joo Hyun,” Yong Hwa tried to call her name but she didn’t move even a bit. Then he builded up his tone higher, “Seo Joo Hyun! Yah!”

                Seo Hyun suddenly sat up, slowly turned back, “Don’t yell me out!”

                “Share some lunch with me, come on.”

                “Aish... You’re rich, aren’t you?”

                “Give me. Palli!” Yong Hwa hang his hands on, want to catch the lunch.

                Unwillingly, she took out the lunch box, and gave it over Yong Hwa. Exactly on his table. Then she turned back to her desk, going back to do the same thing before.

                “What are you doing? Let’s have a lunch together.”

                “Eat it up. All for you.”

                “Yah! I don’t want my partner to collapse during performance!”

                Seo Hyun moved her head back over Yong Hwa, opened the lunch box up abruptly, then took a bit of sandwich. Her attitude looked like getting so much bothered. She stared at Yong Hwa straightly in killer eyes.

Yong Hwa smirked, then grabbed another sandwich. She took a glimpse at Seo Hyun. You looked worrisome, Seo Joo Hyun. I don’t know, maybe you’ve figured out about your Kyu oppa. You must be care of yourself.

                In the middle of eating, Yong Hwa randomly took out a comic, then opened up a certain page, felt like continuing unfinished one. He read Detective Conan while eating, and gradually the silence contol the time again, without no one’s uttering any single word.

                “Do you read comic? Since when?” Seo Hyun muttered in curiosity, cracked up the silence.

                “Forgot. Why?”

                “I can’t read comic.” She blurted out.

                Yong Hwa turned his gaze towards her, “What a pity.”

                Seo Hyun’s mouth widened, wanted to threw out something in protest, but she gulped it down. “Comic is confusing, tough. I better finished up ten novels than had a comic to be read out.”

                “Then have it,” Yong Hwa offered a comic on his hand, “I’ve already read twice.”

                Seo Hyun was completely surprised. She thought Yong Hwa didn’t clearly listen and considered her as a comic reader. “No, thankyou.”

                “You must learn to read comic. It has a lot of fun here.” He dangled the comic and raised his eyebrows, wanted her to take it.

                Finally Seo Hyun grabbed the comic. She sniffed, “Gomawo.” Her thought said that it would be impossible for her to read it out. She had tried for several times, and ending up without knowing the meaning of the plot inside even a little.

                The time went slowly as they ate the lunch up, then Yong Hwa stopped, “I finish. Thankyou.”

                “Yah! There are two gogumas inside, eat these up!”

                “Anniyo. It’s you to eat these up. Actually this is your lunch. Go grab!”

                Seo Hyun couldn’t reject it anymore. “Aish…” Then she quickly took another goguma.

Acutally, she felt Yong Hwa do all of these on purpose. The sudden chat, the attractive comic, all of them. But she couldn’t find out the reasons behind. She ended up having all of the rest gogumas eaten up.

                Yong Hwa got off of his seat, and poked Seo Hyun lightly, “Eat well. Let’s enjoy our duet performance.” Then he left away, going towards the boys on the across side of class.

                Seo Hyun felt a little bit dumbfounded. Is that encouragement? Why is Jung Yong Hwa being nice again?

After having all the gogumas eaten, she gathered up the lunch box, and took the comic back to her desk. During the rest of the school break time, she back stared at the window, seeing the view outside. Gradually, she felt better. She didn’t know exactly because of the lunch, the view, or Jung Yong Hwa.

Smile though your heart is aching. Smile even though it's breaking.

Seo Hyun turned the head to the voice that was sung completely melodious. Smoothly tone fulfilling the class, together with the plucked guitar accompanied in. Seo Hyun saw Yong Hwa was singing along in front of their boy classmates, holding on his guitar.

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by. If you smile through your fear and sorrow. Smile and maybe tomorrow. You'll see the sun come shining through for you.

Light up your face with gladness. Hide every trace of sadness. Although a tear may be ever so near. That's the time you must keep on trying. Smile, what's the use of crying? You'll find that life is still worthwhile, If you just smile

She suddenly felt her eyes watered. She brushed it off before the tears went down. She watched Yong Hwa in her position, enjoying all of the lyrics that now come through her heart and went in her thoughts. Yong Hwa took a glance of her, then she threw a smile for him.

 “Gomawo…” She whispered for herself.

 Yong Hwa kept singing along. It’s not just for you, because we’re the same, Seo Joo Hyun.

*&^%$#@

“So, let’s give applause to Yonghwa-Seohyun, Yongseo!” Kang Songsaengnim announced brightly in front of the students who clapped around, fulfilling energy to the entire room. Yong Hwa came up, bringing her guitar, whereas Seo Hyun walked slowly to the spotted pretty grand piano.

They shared a glance for slit seconds, then Yong Hwa’s voice come through away. Flailing Slowly.

I don’t know you, but I want you, all the more for that.

Yong Hwa began to sing the beginning part, then Seo Hyun followed behind.

Words fall through me, and always fool me, and I can’t react. And games that never amount to more than the’re meant, will play themselves out. Take this sinking boat and point it home, we’ve still got time. Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice, you’ll make it now.

Her piano and his guitar got along together, mingling melodiously in beautiful way. Both of them enjoyed their playing, telling to the heart through the song.

Fallling slowly, eyes that know me, and I can’t go back. Moods that take me and erase me, and I’m painted black. You have suffered enough and warred with yourself. It’s time that you won.

As expected, the class atmosphere was builded up in clamorous.

“Gomawo,” Seo Hyun whispered to Yong Hwa after they took a bow to the class as saying thankyou.

Yong Hwa’s eyebrows raised, “For what?”

Seo Hyun thought in seconds, “I… Just, thankyou.”

“You’re playing great, anyway. It was awesome.”

Seo Hyun grinned. She felt much better then ever during this day.

*&^%$#@

                It was already eight o’clock on evening when she reached the café, dressing up with a simple soft blue one, combined with the equal colour high heels. She came up with his hair laid down mixed with simple well-curled the most, even put a small blue ribbon on it. This was not her style, tough, because she liked dressing in casual and simple ways.

                All of this because of Jung Yong Hwa, exactly.

                Three days before, she had a little chat with him during the school break. He just said in quickly sentences, but the things he said took her a little longer to think of.

                “Come to Jonghyun’s birthday party. This is the official invitation card.” He put a small-glamorous card on her table. “Jonghyun said that every member must invite at least one of their friends.”

                Seo Hyun lifted up her head, “Why me?”

                Yong Hwa shrugged, “I think you’ll like it. I don’t feel like anyone else.”

                “I’ll think about it.”

                So she ended up going here. Hye Yeon said, this would be the right time to sniff and inhale other fresh air outside. She had to try something new, and had a little fun with this chance. She watched Yong Hwa over the door, and went away towards him.

                “Shin Ye-ssi is coming?” Min Hyuk glared Jong Hyun in widened eyes, then he lowered his voice almost in whisper, “Hyung! How if Yong Hwa Hyung know about this?”

                “It’s okay.” Yong Hwa came from behind, patted Min Hyuk’s back. He heard anything.

                Jong Hyun clarified quickly, “Hyung, it was Manager Hyung, not me.”

                Yong Hwa smiled, “Gwaenchana.”

                “Anneyong,” Seo Hyun reached them and took a bow. The guys quickly replied. “Ah, Jong Hyun-ssi. Chukae. I’m Seo Hyun, Yong Hwa’s friend. Thankyou for the invitation.”

                Jong Hyun put a smile on his face, “Ne, gamsahamnida, Seo Hyun-ssi. I see, you’re my Hyung’s duet partner, aren’t you?”

                “Ne.”  She answered calmly, “Ah, this is a little present.. tough it was not precious, I hope you will like it.” Seo Hyun offered a well-wrapped present in blue box covered with blue sparkling paper.

                “Omo, gamsahamnida. It’s blue, seems like I’m not going to open the wrapper.” Jong Hyun talked in funny way, both laughed.

                There was a comfortable moment among them until a couple came towards. Seo Hyun lost her smile in sudden, and kept looking into another direction, instead. Then Yong Hwa tried to stay commonly. He stared at them and  unconsciously threw out an awkward expression.

                “Jong Hyun-ssi, chukae!” Shin Ye glared in very bright sight towards Jong Hyun, then hang on a present on her hand, “This is a little present, from me and Kyu Oppa.”

                “Chukae,” Kyu Hyun shaked Jong Hyun hands.

                “Thankyou,” Jong Hyun received the present, then let them grab a seat. “Please enjoy.”

                They just took a step until Kyu Hyun noticed Seo Hyun’s existence, “Hyunnie? You’re here, too?”

                Shin Ye looked as excited as him, “Ah, you’re Kyu Oppa’s old friend. Glad to see you here. Are you a friend…”

                “I bring her here.” Yong Hwa cut off.

                Shin Ye gave a response in fast, understanding. “Ah, so that..”

                “Hyunnie, let’s have a seat together.” Kyu Hyun invited Seo Hyun in politely voice, really amiably. Seohyun was standing in surprise, blinked.

                “She will get the seat together with us.” Yong Hwa began to cut off, for the second time. Jong Hyun and Min Hyuk shared a glance, both of them ended up with a shrug. He turned to his dongsaengs, “Jong Hyun-ah, Min Hyuk-ah, let’s grab your seat after you finished.” Then she caught Seo Hyun’s eyes, “Let’s have a seat.”

                Seo Hyun franctically followed him behind. Awkward moment quickly cracked up after their leaving, because of the couple too want to sit down.

                “Is Yong Hwa Hyung okay?” Min Hyuk stared at Yong Hwa by distant. “I can’t read his mind.”

                “He’s okay. Look like he’s tough enough to bear this.” Jong Hyun sighed. He too was worried about his Hyung, that seemed sad and fragile, through he was the type to hide his feeling inside for himself.

                Min Hyuk nodded, “I see.”

*&^%$#@

                “Do you have fun tonight everyyyboodyy?” Lee Hong Ki screamed in high spirit to the audience, that loudly said “YES” throughout the room. “As a MC tonight, in the very perfect time like this, let’s have Jung Yong Hwa going up to the stage!”

                The claps surrounded Yong Hwa, who threw out a meaning smile towards Hong Ki that made fun of him. He knew Hong Ki’s trick, so he ended up going up to the stage instead of being teasing along the night by him.

                “Yeaaah, Jung Yong Hwa is here! Let’s have a talk.” He gave Yong Hwa a microphone after getting to the stage. “So, do you want to sing something special tonight?”

                Yong Hwa’s eyes suddenly caught Shin Ye’s, while she was clinging to Kyu Hyun’s arms, sticking her head in his body. “Ne, of course.” His voice almost scattered to answer.

                “For special people here? It was Jong Hyun-ssi… or a girl?” Lee Hong Ki kept teasing around, he knew Yong Hwa was not easily fed up of this.

                “Girl.” Yong Hwa muttered sternly, without realizing. Eyes still straightly stared at Shin Ye’s.

                The audience suddenly clapped in enthusiasm. The atmosphere became noisy afterwards, burning in the way Yong Hwa answered the question. CN Blue members shared glance each other, they thought about unreadable Yong Hwa tonight. Whereas Seo Hyun followed around the the situation, she suddenly became as excited as others.

                “OMO!” Lee Hong Ki laughed widely, “Who is she, Yong Hwa-ssi?”

                Yong Hwa blinked, realizing the real again. He came back for his little daydreaming. She caught Seo Hyun’s beside his dongsaengs, then uttered in sudden, “Seo Joo Hyun.”

                The audience was becoming more curious now, who was the lucky girl mentioned by her. The spotlight spotted Seo Hyun, that now stared at him with exactly widened eyes and mouth, couldn’t believe what she heard. What the hell are you going, Jung Yong Hwa? Are you lost your mind?

                “Seo Joo Hyun, please go up to the stage.” Yong Hwa quickly clarified.

                There are no other things to be done but followed him though. Seo Hyun slowly went up to the stage in huff, together with her very confusing mind. She couldn’t even think anything.

Everyone’s eyes were running all over her moves.

                “We will go duet and Seo Hyun will be the one who play the piano.” Yong Hwa explained carefully, then let Seo Hyun to sit down, precisely in front of the piano aside.

                It was a moment when Seo Hyun was not be able to think a song even a bit, until the second she suddenly remembered something. She pressed the tuts, then went on to the next. Feeling like know the song, Yong Hwa followed along with his guitar.

                This is for you, Kyu Hyun-ssi. Listen carefully, what I have in mind, every night, during this two years. Then she began to sing.

                Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor.

                Yong Hwa blinked in sudden, Seo Hyun exactly has a good voice. He continued to come singing along, mingling to the song. He caught up Shin Ye’s eyes, pushing her to see him, hearing his voice and his words. Actually, they both had the same to be told to.

                And I wonder if I ever cross your mind. For me it happens all the time. It’s a quarter after one I’m all alone and I need you now. Said I wouldn’t call, but I’ve lost all control, and I need you now. And I don’t know how, I can do without. I just need you now.

                I just need you now, I just need you now.

                Seo Hyun felt like her voice was going to crack up. She hated the fact that she cried too much recently, but this was happened. She hold the tears watering in her eyes. She couldn’t even sing the ending part. Yong Hwa covered it alone.

                After the song was over, and the claps was booming throughout the night, the entire room, she was about to run down the stage. It was a second before Yong Hwa caught her hands, then reached out her face with his hands, and landed a kiss to her cheeks. Exactly on the tears trace.

                It was a second, when the audience gasped, but the reporter busily took a picture. No one even made a move. All of the sight went straightly to a guy and a girl on the stage.

                Lee Hong Ki was standing straightly in speechless, when suddenly muttered unconsciously that he was still helding the microphone, “Are you two dating?”

                Yong Hwa turned his face towards the audience in front of him, then said blankly, “Yes.”