8 Years After

“Joong-ah wake up you’re going to be late for your audition” Dara was already jumping up and down on the guy’s bed just to get him to wake up but still it wasn’t working. She looked back at the clock and he had 2 hours exactly to get ready and the company was a bit far too especially when there’s traffic. “Wake up or I swear I’ll get the twins here to pour ICE COLD WATER on you” she threatened using his twin brothers against him and that did it, the lazy head sat up and rubbed his eyes open.

Dara went with him to the audition with their friends, the girl had another thing planned for the day but since it was important to him and it’s not like she can do anything about it she agreed to go with. They all waited nervously for him, hoping he’ll get accepted by the company since he always wanted to be an actor ever since they were little and at the same time sing too when he had the time. Hyunjoong ran out of the huge door towards all of them with a big smile that only meant he was accepted, he hugged everybody and left the best for last. Since it was a happy day he treated them all dinner.

It wasn’t long after he got offers for his drama debut, he was a huge hit, the media loved a new face and even with that he still received many criticisms about his acting, many said he was just a face and wouldn’t last long in the industry but they were all wrong, he went straight to the top like a firework and made it further when he started to sing.

“Wow” was the only thing Dara could say after watching 5 straight CFs of the guy, it has been almost a year since he started and also a year since she got to talk to him.

She couldn’t say anything to him, couldn’t ask to give her a piece of his time when he’s tired and all on his schedule, it didn’t help with her school too, she was on her second last year of college since she started early coz of a full scholarship, she was taking design as her major and modeling as her minor. Her classes took much of her time and energy, she didn’t have time for her other friends too who were sulking about it so what more for Hyunjoong.

Then without even noticing the time passing by it was already her graduation and because of her passion for her studies she was at the top, graduating as the valedictorian. Her friends couldn’t explain too much how proud they are of her and everything but she was hoping she could hear the same from her childhood best friend but even with all the phone calls and text messages he failed to show up and that just broke her heart.

“Unnie, I’m sure oppa wanted to be here for you too” Chaerin comforted her but it wasn’t reaching at all, she just smiled to show she was okay but deep inside she was hurting a lot.

Weeks after she hoped he’d call or something and congratulate her but still, nothing came and day after day she gave up waiting for her best friend to come back, even for a bit. Then one day, she got a letter and decided to accept the offer it held and before she could tell her friends of course she told her parents first.

She sat them down calmly by the living room, it was a good offer and they’ll absolutely let her but it was the separation part that made her uneasy of telling them but even with that she still decided to do so.

“Dara, is there a problem honey?” her mom asked, getting uneasy from the silence and smile on her daughter’s face. She just smiled wider and stood up to sit between her mom and dad, hugging them before talking. “There’s no problem mom, it’s more of a good news I think” she joked and her dad whined cutely.

“Last night I got a letter from a modeling company in the U.S, actually it’s one of the biggest and the most famous. I know that it’s far away and that I’ll be all alone but I accepted the offer already and I wanted to tell you this, I really want this and I hope you can let me” she said, chocking a little and getting teary.

“Aigoo …” her dad sighed with a smiled and they hugged their daughter. “We’re not going to stop you princess if it’s what you want, we’re going to support you no matter what but I just want you to promise us that you’ll keep yourself safe all the time and call often” her mom said crying already, it was a nice moment for the family that even her dad was tearing up. “I promise” she said and that was it for her parents.

Of course she wouldn’t leave her friends out of it and also Hyunjoong, she was thinking how and when she’ll tell them. She decided to tell them about it first when they went out but he still wasn’t there, for some reason she felt nervous and teary eyed even without starting yet.

“Nuna, is something wrong?” The twins asked at the same time, Youngmin and Kwangmin who were Hyunjoong’s brothers.

“It’s nothing, come on let’s go sit down and nuna has something to tell everybody” she smiled, pushing the two in front of her with a happy expression.

She sat in the middle and looked at all her friends with a happy face, Chaerin, Minji, Jessica, Yubin and Nicole all sat to her left while all her male friends: Hyunseung, Sungjong, Heechul, Taecyeon, Onew and along with the twins.

“Dara, you’re scaring us with that smile” Jessica teased and she smiled.

“I have something to tell you guys …” she started and they fell silent with only the voice of the other costumers ringing in their ears. “I was offered a job in the states and I accepted it already, I’ll be leaving in a couple of weeks” she finally said, they didn’t know what to say.

They were still hung up with Hyunjoong not around and now another one was leaving too and most importantly it was the one who had kept the group together even after all the drama.

“How long are you going to be away?” Hyunseung asked, choking up and tears already falling.

“I don’t know Seung-ah, maybe a year, 3 years. It was a good offer for me and I accepted it, I hope you guys support me on this” she said her voice calmer and softer as ever.

“Just promise you won’t forget us” Yubin said as she stood up to hug her and everybody followed.

Another letter came in and they had put her flight earlier than expected, it was the day after tomorrow. She didn’t know how to react, she was happy of course but didn’t know how to say sorry for real now but before that she packed all her things and got ready.

She decided to give them each a video message since with all the rush around the time she couldn’t meet with all of them and they had other things too, the day before she was leaving she called Hyunjoong and told him to meet with her at the usual place, he answered miraculously and agreed to it but when the time came he didn’t show up, making her wait 5 hours for nothing. She was totally devastated over it, she cried it all out before going home so her parents wouldn’t worry about her.

The morning came and her flight was in 30 minutes, she decided to make the video, she looked a little weird but she couldn’t care less, she was pouring all her emotions on it. After all the videos she has sent she was already inside the plane waiting to take off and she decided to leave a message for Hyunjoong. Then she was out of South Korea.

2 days after Hyunjoong actually called all of them for a get together, she called Dara too but she wasn’t answering and thought she was just busy so he left a message. They met in the same restaurant they went with Dara for the last time, all of them didn’t have the bright expression and that bothered him a little coz up till now he didn’t know about Dara.

“What’s up, aren’t you guys the least bit happy to see me?” He said in a bit of a snobbish way and they got all irritated by it even with his twin brothers.

“Hyung, Dara nuna’s gone and yet you even feel happy about it” Youngmin said and then turning away to hug Sungjong. He was lost undeniably.

“What do you mean?” he asked, at the time all of them just wanted to hurt him since they know too that their friend have been sad because of him.

“2 days ago she left to the States for a job offer, with all that happened between the two of you no wonder she didn’t tell you anything” Jessica said acting like how she was when they first met her, y.

Hyunjoong suddenly remembered about what his manager said before he left and even before that, it was about a message in his phone and he should check immediately he took out his phone and looked for it, with all the speed in the world he found it and played it.

“Hey, it’s Dara …” she started, and they could hear the pain and sadness she had in her voice. “For sure you’ll be hearing this day after I left already considering how you made me wait for 5 hours and couldn’t even call to say you can’t come. I wanted to at least tell you up front and say good bye too but I guess that’s impossible in all way. There are things I wanted to tell you but those can’t be said no matter what I do and I should stop hoping for that time to come since I’m just a friend …” they heard the captain telling them to turn off the devices coz they’re about to take off “I just want to thank you for everything and I guess this is goodbye, I’m glad I got to meet Kim Hyunjoong before he became a superstar. Bye …” then the message ended leaving all of them speechless.

Hyunjoong spaced out the whole time and when he got home he let it all out. He kept himself in his room, not letting anyone in since he needed the time alone to think about what happened. He fell asleep without even knowing it and when he woke up he thought everything was just a dream but with how his brothers were still acting he knows it was all true.

Oh my ... I didn't expect for this story to get 20 subsrcibers <3 *Tears of Joy* You guys really are the best