Unexpected Guest
Handcuffed Love
Park Hyun-hee’s POV
He was back. Finally. After so many years, he was back. I could not even recall the last time I saw this face. That time he left, he was just a scrawny boy. The scrawny boy I used to love and protect.
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*FLASHBACK*
Two pairs of sandals lie at the edge of the beach. The soft yellow sand added to the tranquil picturesque sunset scene. The glowing sun glistened in the water. The ripples were as if in motion to this peaceful setting where nothing could be disturbed and the trees swayed in rhythm. They were there at the beach, as usual. It was a typical sight to spot the two together, either building sandcastles, goofing around in the water or maybe just laying on their backs and staring at the clouds which set the limit for their dreams. No matter what, they were always inseparable – like a man and his shadow. “What do you want to be when you grow up, noona?” The younger of the two, the boy, asked. “I want to be an astronaut and touch the sky! No wait… I want to be a multimillionaire so I can bathe in money all day! No, no, I think I should just stay like this so I can laze around and be with you all day!” He stared up at her with his puppy dog eyes, with pure innocence in his voice. He was a naïve lad and constantly needed protection from his older female cousin. “I’ll do the same too.” She replied with a smile, which was just a way of masking the words her dongsaeng said that touched her from inside out.
However, this innocence did not last long. It was but an act on impulse that led to rebellion. Everything turned downhill from there. The once cool and calm ripples seemingly exploded into a huge tidal wave that was unstoppable by none. The pain of losing both his parents in a car crash led to his misbehaving and truancy. He was led astray by no one, but himself.
Yet instead of being corrected, he was spurred on. Spurred on by his uncle. That was beside the point though. He was motivated. Motivated when he saw what she had become as well. The older sister he always looked up to, the closest next-to kin he had was this cousin he respected. He had seen her grow up in his uncle’s shoes, he had seen her become a defiant teenager, he had seen her become this familiar face no more. Without any question, he followed suit. Even if she had turned into a stranger, she was still a figure he regarded with reverence.
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Back to the present,
Park Hyun-hee was ashamed. She had been a letdown and total disappointment not only to herself, but to him as well. She had no guts to face him, after witnessing him become the monster he was because of her.
“Jin-ae, don’t just stand there! Bring your cousin into your room so you two can have a nice long chat and catch up on things! He hasn’t been back in Korea since he left to study in the States when he was 12!” Seriously, Hwang Chul-moo sounded way too excited for an old man.
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Park Hyun-hee’s POV
How do I start a conversation and break the ice? This was really awkward. Well, I guess it would not hurt to say a polite greeting? He was a GUEST, after all. “Annye…”
Before I could finish my sentence, he had already interrupted me and spoken. “We have not met for so long, so how has your life been? Doing well?” That did not really seem to help lift us both out of the tension any bit.
“Erm yeah I’ve been well. How about you, Taemin-dongsaeng?”
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Lee Taemin’s POV
Yeah, it had been a while. 6 years since I last saw that face I would surely recognize anywhere. I hoped she had changed. I have always wondered why she did not send me off that day I left to study in America. I mean, she was my best friend and sister. Sending her younger brother off without a proper farewell just would not cut it.
Well, I guess I do not blame her though. Sure, it has been a lonely and scary 6 years left stranded in a foreign world without anyone for guidance or support. That was all in the past, though. Now I just want to show Jinae-noona I have changed. I am no longer that pathetic loser I used to be, constantly getting into fights without a single decent muscle in my body. I hate to admit it but I was such a mess in the past. Now that I have grown up, I have become somewhat more masculine I suppose. This strength is not put to violence though, all thanks to my special someone.
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Awkward silence crept right back after the simple greeting between the two, as realization that they had nothing else in common to talk about settles in. Park Hyun-hee and Lee Taemin carried on with their own activities while trying hard to avoid eye contact with each other. What was left of the initial carefree moments the two deeply remembered were the unpassed conversations between them. The mixed feelings of regret and anxiety were fully expressed in their eyes that would glance towards the other every so often while trying not to be spotted by the other party.
Lee Taemin, no matter how mature he had become from the previous gullible child he used to be, was still an 18 years old young adult. He still pursued freedom and all things ‘cool’. Just as he was about to reach into his bag to fish for his handheld, something fell out from the side pocket of his trousers. It was a keychain in the shape of a mushroom, neatly adorned with a tiny white bell, his favourite colour if Hyun-hee remembered correctly. The metal keychain glistened under the sunlight that filtered in through Hyun-hee’s bedroom window. Taemin bent down to pick up the keychain that had fallen off the side of her bed. Park Hyun-hee was too quick for him and managed to get hold of the keychain before he did.
“Nice keychain. Gift from someone?” She asked casually while flipping to the back of the mushroom keychain. On the back side were the words “To my dearest mushroom head. Love, Kellen.” engraved, which Hyun-hee read aloud. She had the sudden urge to find out just who this mysterious ‘Kellen’ was but he had already started tearing. It was not long until he broke down and cried, leaving Hyun-hee in a state of loss.
Whoever this ‘Kellen’ person was, she sure was important if she made the tough Lee Taemin cry.
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Hey(: I decided to add a new character for the sake of a best friend. This chapter is really sudden and different from the rest of the other chapters so hope you guys don't mind(: I'll be adding more characters from now on because it's just weird to have the whole story revolve around TOP,GD and PHH without any clear background. Comments are deeply appreciated(: Thanks(:
P.S I know this is confusing to switch between Park Hyun-hee and Hwang Jin-ae even though it's the same person so in future I'll try to add (HJA) if I mention PHH :D Thanks(:
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