NINE.

Ed Sheeran - Lego House 

“Bye, Hyoyeon!”

“Bye, Jessica!”

Hyoyeon waves to her co-worker, Jessica, who exits the restaurant, her strawberry blonde curls swishing past the door. Hyoyeon watches her figure recede in the distance, before turning her attention back to the cluttered kitchen. She stretches, and then starts stacking dishes and arranging cutlery. Being an assistant chef doesn’t mean you get to escape kitchen chores, but unlike her other co-workers who frequently mumble and complain about them, Hyoyeon doesn’t mind them much, for the little work she has to do is nothing compared to what she used to do as a waitress. Her shops still exists, the shop she had been so elated about just four years ago, but when he had left she felt like she could not complete the shop, it felt wrong, there was something missing. And perhaps, deep down in her heart, it was also a silent, desperate hope that he would return, so that she could finally one day open the doors of the shop and welcome patrons into it with him by her side.

It is at odd hours like this that she starts to miss Victoria and Suzy – the restaurant had closed down a year ago, and they had all split to find new work. Every now and then, they will meet over coffee or tea, and there will be wet eyes and lots of hugs, but those are rare times for their schedules never fail to clash. Hyoyeon does like her new co-workers, and is thankful to be finally setting on the path she has always dream of, but there is only one Victoria, and only one Suzy. She sighs, missing Suzy’s laughter ringing by her ear, and Victoria’s warm, soft hug.

The last dish is placed into its proper place, and Hyoyeon gives the kitchen a last glance before snatching up her bag from the counter and flicking off the lights. Her bag is still the same one from four years ago, and is even more tattered now, but for some reason, Hyoyeon has never had the heart to change anything much from four years ago. She goes out to the dining area, and just as she is about to lock up she notices, with a start, a figure sitting near the window, scanning the menu. In the dim lighting, Hyoyeon cannot quite make him out, but she knows immediately it is one of their usual troublemakers, people who will come in late at night and refuse to leave till she has agreed to give them a drink or two. She is only an assistant chef, after all. She has dealt with these kinds of people all her life, so it is with a tired familiarity she goes towards this patron.

He becomes clearer as she goes nearer; a denim jacket clothes his noticeable hardened body, and he wears sensible denim jeans and rubber shoes. She goes closer still, and as she notes the shiny shade of blonde atop his head, she stills. Her heart skips a beat, the same beat that has occurred so many times over the years whenever she catches sight of a blonde head among the crowds. Her steps slow, and her breath seems stuck in , literally glued there so she can barely taste oxygen. She tells herself that it cannot be, that he surely isn’t, for what are the chances? There are only a few more steps to him now, but suddenly, Hyoyeon feels like she cannot move forward; there is an invisible force holding her to the ground, preventing her from advancing. The patron turns the menu, and Hyoyeon closes her eyes, willing herself to calm down, but the emotions are whirring inside her now, a mix of bittersweet and sour.

One step, two, three step, four.

Hyoyeon is standing beside the patron now, and as he raises his head to gaze at her Hyoyeon melts away, for all of a sudden she is four years younger and gazing into the familiar eyes, eyes that bore deep into her hers and fill her with so much warmth she is sure she will burst. The memories flood into her, into every vein and artery, and she can feel herself trembling. But she is relieved, as well, so, so relieved, for he is in one piece, one, healthy, perfect being. He is here, he is in front of her.

The smile lights her face up.

“Lee Hyukjae, I would know you anywhere.”
 

. . .

And that, my dears, marks the end of Knowing Hyukjae. It has been a lovely journey for me throughout this span of time, and I definitely hope that it has been so for you, too. Thank you so much to each and every one of you; readers and friends who have shared their thoughts with me, and silent readers alike. It means a lot to me to have your support, and I sincerely hope that from this story you have taken something away from it. Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart, I love all of you!