Chapter 1: Him

BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cLRd2PJhuM

“You are pretty..”

“Why you so pretty today
Sooyoung ah?”

“Pretty… pretty… pretty she is just pretty. What do you want me to say?”

“Your crying face is pretty..”

“I can be a manly guy too Sooyoung ah. I want to try to become a romantic guy.”

“By this time, I know what she wants for me. I’m telling you that girl is sly.”

“I know what she is up to, so I just go along with it.”

He is not a particularly expressive and romantic guy but in his own way… he said things from his heart and seeing her smile. Her smile and her expressive eyes make him feel all sorts of things.  

***

“Do I look pretty?”

“You look okay.” He said nonchalantly. “What kind of flavor you want?”

“The usual.”

Sungjae paused. He honestly does not know what her usual is.

“Ice coffee.”

“oh okay.”

He was having his normal day, buying his coffee and ordering one for his girlfriend too. He was moving away from the counter when he heard a laughter that mirrors her. He ignored it. He walked to his table but then he saw her.

It was really her.

Park Sooyoung aka Joy of Red Velvet.

It seems like everything around him slow down as he walked passed by her, like the way they walked passed by their memories together. The memories he had forgotten one by one.

He held the cup of coffee in his hand tightly as his eyes linger at the sight of her examining the look on her face. Her face that he had dearly missed to see in reality, not just in pictures. But, a real one. It is now in front of him.

They are now finally at the stage of their life on which they have unrivaled fame..  but he is with someone else now.

Apparently so was she..

She was blowing her cup of coffee in which a guy just brought to her. He muffled her hair as she laughs happily to him. Her eyes were just like the way it was when she first met him.

All crinkles and half-moon… beaming with pure joy.

The smile he had claimed that she did to attract him.. and a smile he clearly asked for her not to do at some other guys.

He stared at her longer than he should. He knows he should just act cool and walk away. Stop hurting himself and tear his eyes away from them.

Out of all the sights, why must he see
this.

Park Sooyoung then took a few steps front before her expressions totally turn like she had seen a horror movie. Her jaw almost dropped as she halted her steps.

But it was just a short while. She then smiles at him. The usual ‘joyful smile’

“Oppa.”

Not that word again… he felt his heart being crunched over the word mercilessly.

Joy asked the guy that was accompanying her to go ahead as she gave her coffee to him.

“What are you doing here?” Sungjae who managed to gather his composure finally asked.

“Getting some rest, you?”

“Trying not to sleep, so I’m drinking coffee.”

Joy amusingly took a peek on the girl who was waiting for Sungjae. “Why? Are you afraid you will snore during your date?”

He was smiling at her tease. It was a forced smile. Because that tease hurt him so much, words cannot describe it. She was crunching his heart mercilessly with her words… Not knowing that it hurts him.

“You can say that. What about you, is it that Canadian guy?” His eyes signaled to the guy that was waiting for her.

She just laughed at the mention. “You still remember?” She asked him casually. Like whatever happened to them in the past has not scar her.

“Take care
Sooyoung ah.” He slipped by mentioning her name casually. But, it was his well wish towards the young girl. He wishes nothing but happiness for her although it hurts him and it seems that she also reciprocates it when she smiles at him. “You too, oppa.” She bites her lips, when her eyes seemingly was glinting at him.. “I mean it.” She nodded before curving a small smile.   

He knows at the moment that It was a genuine one..

He wanted to say that he misses her…. But it would be inappropriate because they are there with their respective partner.

It was not right for his girlfriend, for Joy or for the guy accompanying her.

He swallowed the word in, braving himself to say the next word while clenching his fist muttering the word “goodbye” before moving to their own’ respective table.

His girlfriend came in from behind and clings to his arm. He curves a smile. A smile that he programmed as part of his idol life. Not saying that it wasn’t genuine. It was in a way. But he does not feel like he wanted to smile now… especially when he just saw her.

The biggest heartbreak of his life.

It is funny how time has brought them to this stage of life.

She was smiling at some other guy that was not him.

He was holding hand with some other girl that was not her.

She reminded him of what he was capable off before… she reminded him
on how happy and carefree he was with her.

Sungjae slightly smirked. It was a bitter one before he t