Melody of Love
Not-so-secret SPOOK
Pairing : Heejin x Minseok (Exo)
Genre : Slight Fantasy, Angst, Romance
Words : 5,075
Written By : UyuJoah
The leaves had turned brown, fallen on the grown. Seasons has changed. The bright and sunny Summer had long gone, it was a beautiful and chill autumn that had come and ready to be welcomed. An everyday life that had been a repetitive routine for a person like him, Kim Minseok went through it the way he did every other days and today, on a friday, marked the first anniversary of his marriage. He still could not believed the fact that he was married to the woman of his life. Two years of following after the girl. A girl with such a cute and nice personality, a girl who brightened up his boring world, a girl with a wonderful and lovely voice that would call out his name so softly, a girl with a name Heejin, Song Heejin.
“Baby~ I’m home~” Minseok called out as soon as the front door closed and he was welcomed with their not so big but comforting living room. It was such a tiring day for him. The day was even much exhausting than any other day that he wished for it to simply disappear entirely or be skipped to another day. But at the same time, he could never wish for that to never happen considering the very exact same was the day when they finally said “I do” with their vows. The fact that he knew someone will always be there waiting for him everyday at home, got him through the day.
“Oh my Prince! You’re home!” Heejin welcomed him with a big hug, with the small figure before taking his jacket off his exhausted looking shoulder. “So how was your day?” she asked, with a very sweet smile pasted on her face as they sat down on the couch in the living room. He sighed at the question. It was such a hell of a day for him that he did not even want to think, let alone talk about it. The sigh coming from him was enough to answer her question, she would have known how it hard it must have been as she too had worked as a part-time worker there before she got accepted as a full-timer into a different company as an interpreter.
It was their anniversary and Minseok really didn’t want to turn the day into a bad memory for either of them. Despite his tired body wishing to only just lay down on bed and go straight away to dreamland, he gave her an assuring smile before standing, making his way to their room. “You know what? I’m going to take a shower and then, I will cook us some dinner, what do you think?” he asked.
“A dinner? But you must be tired!” Heejin whined, following right after him. Although she felt sorry for him, she still couldn’t content her excitement for his cooking. Most of the time, Heejin would be the one cooking for them but at special occasions, Minseok would always volunteer to cook. It was part of the special things that could only happens once in a while for them. It was not that he could not cook or anything, he’d prefer not to. As a married couple, they’ve decided to divide their houseworks, Heejin at cooking and taking care of him while Minseok is in charge cleaning.
To speak the truth, Minseok was not exactly a really great cook but it was the thoughts behind it that always counts. By cooking, she knew exactly what he was planning to make because it would be the one and only menu option that he would give and in fact, it would probably be the only that he could make really well. The same thing, over and over again, every single time, spaghetti.
Dinner was served well, it was more than just delightful for either of them. It was funny, as much as he made them, Heejin could never get sick of it. As a matter of fact, the taste got better everytime. It was a lovely dinner for both. A deep talk of love and life under the dim candle light, spending time with one another, sipping in the white wine calmly after the meal as they hold one another’s hands.
Monday had come, and it was finally ‘back to work’ day again.
“Hey~ It was your anniversary with your husband last friday, wasn’t it?” asked Wonho, her co-worker. They’ve been coworkers for a little more than seven months now and they have become quite close that he was able to ask something that was considered as private.
She answered him with a nod and a smile that she’d always given to everyone. It was that smile that melted him. It was hard to admit, and it was entirely wrong for him but Wonho couldn’t help but to grew likings toward her, a married woman. The innocent and kind girl as she is, he was sure no one would’ve not fallen for such a person.
“Oh anyways, I got you a gift for your anniversary with him.” he said, taking out a small yet pretty, brown coloured paper bag, with beautiful purple flowers as its design.
She was all smile as she received it. “Oh thank you. What is it?”
“Check it”
Heejin took out a small box. Opening the box to see an elegant and lovely looking bottle of perfume. “Aww, It’s pretty” she claimed.
“You should wear it, for whenever you’re with him.” His suggested made her furrowed her eyebrows. It’s a funny thing to do, to wear a perfume for someone, bought by a different person. She knew he meant good and it was a blossom smell and it smells similar to her own.
“But you know, I’m curious about something. How did you guys actually met?” he asked, out of curiousity, “or it’d be more interesting to tell me how did you end up liking him?” He would definitely want to know, just what kind of person did she fall for. There was a hint of pink on her face, she was blushing, thinking about those embarrassing memories, at least that was how she remembered them.
“Actually, it was when I was still working at the same company as his. He was a manager, and I was just there as a temporary worker.” She began her story, eyes sparkling with the edge of her almost touching her ears, “You know how clumsy I can get right?” she confirmed, receiving a nod from him. “That day was a really great day for me so I couldn’t help but you know, sing my happiness out”
“Why were you happy?”
“Honestly, I don’t even remember. It could be because my new books arrived, or maybe because I finished my work early or something like that. I can’t recall”
“So what happened? I’m sure that’s not exactly the point of your story”
“Well, at the time, I was making tea to reward myself, I think, and like, you know, a happy person might dance to a silent music too right? And Minseok oppa was at the copy machine at the time which were located like right outside the pantry. So, as I was going out, with a cup of tea in hand, I bumped into him, who coincidentally have just finished copying documents that was needed for their meeting at the time.”
A smile was still pasted so clearly on her face, it was embarrassing to recall over such incident but it was also the one time that she would never ever forget because it was in that instance that her heart stopped beating the moment she looked at him. It was not the first time they’ve ever met, but surely that was the first she felt starstrucked looking at the man who interestingly didn’t get angry at her foolish mistake but instead, actually have the heart to asked her if she was okay, when he was the one who got hot tea spilled all over him.
She was so absorbed reminiscing about the wonderful yet awkward memories that she did not realise the disappearance of Wonho’s smile. He had made a mistake of asking her about her love story but he couldn’t help it. It might have been his fault as well for falling for a married woman. He was the kindest friend she’s ever had in the office. The one and only friend that would kindly talk to her and lead out a conversation with her. He was probably the only who would calm her down when she was too stressed out with work. If he did that to other girls, they would've been head over heels for him but Heejin was different. She was married and her mind is always occupied with Minseok every single second. Every time they talk, she wouldn’t forget to mention her husband as if it was mandatory to bring him into the topic.
~~~
“she was so nervous at the time, must’ve been feeling really guilty because the meeting would start in less than half an hour and the documents that I needed to re-copied at the time were all wet, including the original copy. She kept apologising and even offered to reprint for me. It was cute, honestly speaking. I mean, she must’ve been shocked herself but she kept asking me if I was okay and kept saying that she’ll fix them. I should've been angry, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so, with the look on her face. It wasn’t even her fault in the first place. I was the wrong too but bumping into her without looking when she was coming out of the pantry. Maybe it was that look in her eyes that attracts me so much into her. Those eyes were full of guilt, she didn’t even care at the fact that the papers that we were gathering were hot. She just started gathering them as soon as they flew off my hands and onto the ground. It wasn’t even our first meeting but I was starstruck" Minseok told his best friend, Jongdae, for the nth time.
Jongdae sighed, it’s not that he was not interested in his friend’s private life but he talked about the same exact thing way too much, it was so obvious that even after a year of marriage, his friend still was in love and kept falling for Heejin over and over again. To think that someone like Minseok could actually talk a lot, and about the same thing repeatedly, Jongdae couldn’t help but to admire the girl who could make him this way.
“Hyung~ are you happy?”
“I am, I honestly am. I can’t believe me saying this but I really am happy.” He claimed, he really seemed like he was, and that was a very nice thing to see, as a friend.
Heejin woke up so early in the morning, getting ready with her make up and everything. They were finally going on a date after a long, long weekdays. Humming as she got herself ready, she did not forget spray on some perfume, it was the one Wonho gifted her. She totally love the smell of it and it did not disappoint her when Minseok complimented on how nice she smelled.
It wasn’t a fancy date, in fact it was just a romantic walk by the Han River. After that, they went for a picnic around the area. It was a beautiful day, the weather was just right. It was definitely one of the best day of her life. On that very day, Minseok was so romantic, he even bought her a bouquet of her favourite flowers which truly made her day.
Sitting on bed, laptop on their lap, it was so obvious to see that both of them were so busy with their own work. It was almost 12 in the midnight but neither of them were able to get their sleep with their works piling up for no absolute reason that they ended up having to do them even at home. They were accompanied by only silence and the sound of calm night.
Minseok was startled when Heejin suddenly winced in pain, holding onto the stomach. She’s been having stomachache alot these days, and tonight, the pain doubled. It was as though someone was pricking a thousand of needles into it. It was so painful, she shed tears.
“Baby, are you okay?” he asked, concerned, every part of him was worried at the sudden behaviour. He knew she was definitely not okay. It was a stupid question to asked when he could see the frown on her face so clearly. She was sweating, her face pale as death. It was so worrying. It wasn’t long after that she started to calm down as the pain slowly left. It was as though she was attacked by some random thugs and they left as soon as they get what they wanted. In this case, the pain left as she cried her heart out.
A trace of worry kan still be seen in Minseok’s face as he concernly looked at her, putting his hand to where her hands were. Trying to ease them as if it would make any better.
“Are you okay?” he asked again, this time, waiting for an answer as he saw her face getting back its natural colour. He received a small nod from her, assuring that she’s okay now. “I’ll get you a glass of water” he offered, quickly closing his laptop, leaving it at the night stand by the bed as he took his steps out before returning with a glass of water in his hand in a split second.
“What happened actually?” he asked, he knew but he just needed to confirm what he saw was exactly what he thought.
“Just stomachache” Heejin claimed, hoping he would buy it though she knew for sure that he didn’t believe the single bit of it.
“That wasn’t just a simple stomachache, baby” he said.
“It’s probably I didn’t much today.”
“It could be because of stress too. From what I see, you’ve been working too hard these days, have you been given too much works you can’t handle?”
“I’m fine already. Let’s go to sleep now.” she said, getting a nod from the ever still worried Minseok.
“Should I sing you a lullaby?” He asked, usually, they take turn in singing each others lullaby every night. One for a night, the other for the next. It was like a routine for them.
Heejin simply nodded. It was in fact her turn on that night, but she could use his sweet voice for a night to forget about all those works.
Minseok watched in misery as Heejin tried to walk her way holding on to the wall with her not so strong grip. It has been a month since she’s been having a hard time to control herself. Her hands sometimes went weak, she couldn’t even lift up her own spoon, let alone use a chopstick properly. Things happened so fast, they didn’t know what exactly went wrong but Heejin’s health seemed to have deteriorated so fast it didn’t seem real.
It wasn’t so long ago when they get to go on a date together, holding hands, walking side by side, all smiles on their faces. Now it seemed like a hard thing to do as Heejin’s legs got weak, she needed him all the time to lean on or to hold her in case she fell.
Three months went by, nothing got any better and Heejin could only in her bed. Her body, so thin, it was as though she didn’t eat for long. She could do absolutely nothing on her own. Her hands couldn’t even grip, her legs no longer had its strength to stay on it’s own. It was as though something grown in her brain, blocking all her abilities to do things on her own. It was a pain for him to see her that way, it was too painful for him to see her in such a pain. He couldn’t help but to offer himself to be her everything, her legs to walk, her hands to reach out things she needed.
“www...a...rrr” she said, slurred in her speech. “Th..thhh… ty” she continued. As though it has already been programmed in his mind, Minseok went and got her a glass of water with a straw. She could no longer talk properly.
Sometimes, Minseok would cry himself to sleep thinking about just how much his wife is going through. Her beautiful voice, the way she used to sing him to sleep. This time, she could no longer do it. The fact that her voice didn’t even have the strength to talk, he could no longer listen to her singing. She could hum but it was too soft, too soft one can only hear it if they keep their ears so close to her lips. This, however, one thing he could not do as doing so made her feel suffocated.
Tears fell like a heavypour down his now already skinny cheeks, panic went all over him as he shook the girl lying next to him. Softly at first.
“Baby, wake up” he shooked. One time, no response. He panicked, his mind went completely blank. “Babe! Baby!” he shook the second time, it hit him like a fullblown punch, she wasn’t responding to him. Not even a single sound. This wasn’t happening, this was not something he was expecting, why was she not responding.
“Baby! Please, this isn’t funny. Please don’t do this.” he shook another time, with force. “Please wake up” he called out, face wet from all the tears, he was shaking, trembling hard. He didn’t want to face this reality.
Despite the tears, the fear, he reached out his hand to her chest, trying to feel her heartbeat, nothing, it wasn’t beating, to her nose, nothing, she wasn’t breathing.
“No! No! No! Baby wake up please! Don’t leave me! Come on!” Reality hit him hard, she was his everything, his only reason to smile, to live. He cried hard, he wailed like there’s no tomorrow. He knew this day would come, seeing how she suffered so much, it would’ve been better for her to go but he wasn’t ready, he will never be. For all the time he see through all the pain that she went through, deep inside of him, he has even the slightest hope that she would get better, be well again, can walk on her own. But all of those dreams, crushed just like that, as he looked at the girl lying on the stuffy bed in their now so gloomy room, lifeless, not breathing, not moving.
Late at night, sitting by her grave, he cried, he was feeling so alone. In fact, Minseok really was alone. He no longer had anyone at the time, it was killing him inside and out to think about it. He had no strength to do anything, how he wish he could go with her, together. As the saying, till death do we part. The crazy thought had always crossed his mind sometimes, maybe he could follow her steps and be with her on the other side of the world.
“Hyung, you need to stop being this way. It’s been a year since Noona left.” said Yunhyeong, the younger brother of his wife. The one person who would be there to stop him whenever he tried to do something stupid. He knew he could always find him there and although he has a work on his own, he always ended up worrying about his brother-in-law every time, especially when they say he went missing. “everyone is sad about it, but we can’t be like this forever. I’m sure Noona does not want us to be this way either.” he told him for nth time after she left.
-
helped Minseok up as he lead him back to his car. He couldn’t trust him enough to let him drive, so he ended up driving him home.
He was back, she stood in front of the door, getting ready to welcome him back home. She would love to surprise him. This is a present for him, a special one. She had a big smile pasted on my face as she watches him get out of the car with Yunhyeong’s help. From the window, she could see him rejecting his offer for help so I'm very sure he will be the only to come in here. Yunhyeong would not dare to go against him, as far as she know.
She got ready as she heard small steps and the sound of the door opening. “WELCOME HOME, MY PRINCE!!” she said out loud, seeing how pale he looks, he must’ve thought he’s seeing a ghost right now. “Welcome home, prince, here, let me help you with that.” she offered, taking his coat off him, like usual, leading him to the living room.
He was still out of his mind, how in the world did she came back, all well, without him knowing. He must’ve gone really crazy as he decided that, everything that he’d been through was just a mere nightmare as he let her hug him, accepting her in his embrace, it felt so real.
It night was almost over, he hold her in his arm, lying side by side on the king bed that used to feel so much wider than it was, now it felt more like normal. He held her so tight as she sings him a sweet lullaby that he’s been longing for a whole year. He slowly drift off to sleep, with a big hope that everything is real and her death was just another long nightmare that he had.
“You’re looking a lot better now” his co-worker claimed which was true. He was a lot brighter now than he was before. He smiles a lot too these, it felt weird for everyone in that office, it seemed as though nothing bad had ever happened to him, at all.
“So, what’s new?” Jongdae, being the most nosy one among all, he hadn’t seen him that way for a long time and it felt so weird, in a good way.
Minseok shook his head, assuring them nothing really happened, though no one actually buy it. They knew it was not worth to argue him, he would either just shut his mouth or shut them off. They let him be the way he wanted to be.
It was suspicious for Jongdae to see him that way, he made up his mind to figure out what really happened. Things does not look as it seems. He didn’t believe that his friend is finally moving on, getting over it all. The happy look on Minseok’s face, it was as if he was in love, but with who? He didn’t to want to believe it. To think that he looked extremely depressed, it was hard for him take this in.
The time seemed to go by so slow as Minseok impatiently waited for the time to get off work. The eagerness in his face was so clearly seen as the clock strikes 9pm. The amount of piled up works that he needed to do from all those bad days, he was finally getting himself together to do every single one of them, which made him work overtime. Although he did not need to, Jongdae ended up working as late just to figure out what really made his friend that way.
It was a stupid decision for him to creep up and follow after his friend, Jongdae got nothing in return. He’s been going after him from the moment Minseok’s car left the parking lot of their office, expecting him to stop by at some places, maybe bars, club, or even motels. To his disappointment, well, at the same time, relieve, Minseok did not stop by anywhere, at all. He went straight home, directly, straight away.
He was disappointed because he thought that his friend must’ve moved on, considering it’s been quite a long time since his wife left him, but he felt relieve that his friends didn’t end up going wild or actually did anything stupid at this point. To be very honest, he was not very sure how to feel at the time. But he was glad that at least his friend was finally being himself again, or even better that how he was before.
Yet another day, Minseok was welcomed with a warm embrace of his loved ones. He smiled at her cute pout of disappointment when he said he wanted to stay up for a bit to watch movies while having some late-night snacks.
“But, it’s late already… You have work tomorrow and you need a lot of rest.” If people see her pouting at him wanting to stay up late instead of going straight to bed, they might’ve thought that she was just trying to get all love passionate with him. However, that was not the case at all. In fact, ever since she came back, they never really ever did the deed anymore.
“Hmm, okay, let’s sleep then” he gave in, so easily, looking at her cute act that he could never resist or win over. It was one of the scariest thing for him because every time she put on such an act, he would always end up losing to her.
A smile broke as she heard him said so. Like a routine, she cuddled into his arms as he softly played with her hair and her with his, looking at each other’s eyes. It’s been such a long day for both, it felt like they hadn’t met for years because she would always go out early in the morning to either work or just a morning walk that, or so he thought. Looking straight his eyes, she started again, like every other day, singing her usual lullaby song for him, the same exact melody that she always sing for him. They no longer took turn for this, it was always her now. He would prefer it that way as her sweet voice echoing into his ears made him felt like he was in paradise. Another day passed, with her beautiful voice ending it wonderfully.
“Hyung, can I sleep over at your place tonight? I had some things to settle and it’s near to your place. I thought maybe I could sleepover for one night considering my house is quite far from there” Yunhyeong asked on the phone.
“Yeah sure” Minseok answered, without thinking twice. He’d always adore his brother-in-law, treating him like his own brother. He would always welcome him, even though he’s the person who’d prefer to be alone, but he is not just any other person, he is Yunhyeong.
That night, he welcomed Yunhyeong with open arms, allowing him to use the guest room in his house. The room that he always used every time he came over to stay overnight.
“I’ll ask your sister to cook for you tonight” Minseok said, without realising that whatever he just said sounded unreal to the boy.
“My what?” He asked, his face shows obvious question. He thought he heard him wrong.
“Your sister. She’s in the room right now.”
A horror in his face, Yunhyeong was feeling rather strange, he didn’t understand what Minseok was saying and even if he does, he would rather not.
“Hyung, what are you talking about? She’s gone” Yunhyeong confirmed, he was afraid, afraid that Minseok was still not over it.
“Stop talking nonsense!” he voiced, “there she is!” he pointed to the door to their room that has always been opened since earlier “Don’t you dare joke around that way!” He was mad, at the fact that Yunhyeong could just joke around with death as though it did not bother him at all.
Yunhyeong looked to wherever he was pointing at, to see nothing, nothing at all. No one standing there, nothing moving, Nothing. At that moment on, he was feeling terrified and worried at the same time. “Hyung, please don’t do this. You’re scaring me” he said, body already trembling. He wished that it was true, whatever Minseok was saying, but it could never be because she’s dead, she’s no longer in this world. It broke his heart to see his one and only brother acting that way, as much as it hurt him, he’s accepted the fact that Heejin was no longer there, but it seemed Minseok couldn’t deal with it as well as he did. He was in the phase of denial. Now it crossed his mind, no wonder he no longer saw Minseok being so depressed, he no longer saw him go to her grave every single day, he was denying it, denying the truth that happened right in front of him.
It was saddening to see from behind the window of the padded room, a person who used to be the one who had always took care of you, being taken care of. Minseok had since lost his mind, completely. Simply said, he went insane. He couldn’t accept the truth neither did he ever want to.
A shed of tears dropped on Yunhyeong’s cheeks as he looked at his current condition. It was heartbreaking. With Minseok kept on calling Heejin’s name, complimenting her in every single way possible. It was so hard to see but there was nothing else to be done. It was probably the only choice he had and he took it even if it was hard.
“If I can’t have her, no one else can even if they already have”
That was exactly what crossed Wonho’s mind as he ordered the methylmercury filled perfume that he planned to gift her for her anniversary with her husband. It’s been known that mercury filled chemicals are very fetal. He made such a big research just to find a place to order such thing. He knew this chemical wouldn’t give any quick reaction, instead it would slowly get to her. He didn’t care if she had to go through something so painful as long as he get what he wanted.
However, to his disappointment, despite having worked so hard to get her to be in his arms, even when she was in her deathbed, she did not look for anyone but Minseok.
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