TWO YEARS LATER

Jieun fidgeted in the couch she was sitting in. The lights made her uncomfortable. The lumpy couch did not help either. She was starting to sweat, but it was barely noticeable from all the makeup she wore. Jieun never got used to the spotlights. Not seeing the audience because of the blinding lights made her even more anxious.

IU, as how she is called by many, is promoting her third album which she finally had the chance to include her self-composed songs.

“What’s your favorite song from your new album?”

“I worked hard on all of them but I have to say I love ‘Peach’ the most. This song means a lot to me. This is probably the song I made the longest. It took a lot of time.” Jieun giggled.

“Oh, I smell something fishy. Does this song signify anyone?”  The emcee started to annoy Jieun.  She shuffled in her seat for a couple of times until she finally answered.

“No, it just took a long time to get the melody right,” she lied as she smiled. The emcee nodded in agreement.

“So that wraps up today’s show! Everyone, please give IU here a round of applause! Thank you for coming today miss IU,” he shook her hand. The emcee’s hand was cold and clammy, probably because of the air conditioning.

“Thanks for having me, and I hope you love my new album as well, hwaiting!” she made a hwaiting gesture which she quite got used to. She has been doing it for 2 years and well, it never got old.

Both of them stood up and bowed at the audience. When the entire act was done, Jieun’s face returned to normal and by normal, it meant an expressionless face. She straightened up her vintage red dress Suzy picked for her for the interview and walked towards her dressing room. Jieun was tired. This was something she wanted ever since she could remember but recently, she has been really tired but she liked it that way. Being really busy keeps you from thinking of unnecessary stuff.

The dressing room was small and stuffy. She felt a little bit dizzy, trying to hold herself straight as she took a hold of the door knob. She has not eaten the whole day and it was already nine in the evening. Not showing any sign of distress, Jieun entered the room with a smile.

“Thank you everyone for your hard work,” she bowed. Everyone bowed back and slowly left, except for her best friend who was sitting in front of the mirror.

“You did great back there!” Suzy mused. The chair she was sitting on twirled around to face Jieun.

“Thanks,” she replied “especially that part about Peach being about someone. Nice save.”

“What about it? It’s true, what I just said, I mean,” she lied again.

“Uhuh, okay,” Suzy dismissed the topic and handed Jieun her schedule for the next day.

“Here, your manager said I should hand this to you. She left early. I really don’t know why but she should get fired,” Suzy did not like Jieun’s manager, for some reason Jieun never knew.

“I can’t believe we are finally coming back to Korea, honey. I am so happy. Do you smell that, Myungsoo? That sweetie, is the smell of home!” Jiyoung sang.

“We haven’t even landed yet, how can you smell Korea when we are still a thousand feet above the ground?” Myungsoo had a bad feeling about this. Part of him wanted to go back to Korea but part of him wanted to stay in Venice and just continue their lives as is.

“Don’t be such a prick, son. This is a new beginning for us, for you!”

Myungsoo smirked. He knew it was the opposite of a fresh start. Him coming back meant reopening the past.  

“I hope,” was the only words he managed to say.