Chapter 6: So Long

I woke up from the sound of my alarm. I place my hands in front of my face blocking the sunlight shining on me. It was a good dream, I thought to myself. Hearing Onew-oppa telling me I’m pretty was one of the best dream I ever had.

Wait. Was it really a dream?

I stood up from my bed and focused my attention on my study table. I saw a crystal plaque, a bouquet of red roses and a picture of me and Onew-oppa. Surprise. Surprise. It was not a dream but a reality. How could I mistaken such a superb and (should) never-to-forget event a dream? Was it because it is too good to be true?

Oh yes! Thank you for reminding me, brain! Our leader was drunk that time. After the awarding of the King and Queen of the Night, she forced me to drink a shot of hard drink as a celebration. And yes, I have a low alcohol tolerance which probably the reason why I forgot about what happened last night (and how did I got home).

But who cares? At least I know it happened for real, right?

Activities for the whole day, CANCELLED.

Our Manager posted this large note on the refrigerator door. Yes! I can rest some more. Or so I thought.

KBS Live Performance and Awards Night Later would push through. Be ready.

~>Manager

This is the reason why I hate fine prints and notes written by our Manager. He likes writing the good news in LARGE fonts and bad (yet important) news in small fine prints.

P.S. JinHee Please bake me some of your famous chunky chocolate chip cookies ^^

Oh yeah! How could I forget his special request corner. He loves writing in this corner. The last time he wrote us a note, he requested our leader to buy him a CK eau de toilette for men that our leader gave him last Christmas. Funny, right?

These types of notes kind of remind me of my grandpa. He likes leaving notes, BUNCH OF IT!

Yes. I’m very close to my grandpa. Ever since I was a child he was my playmate and at the same time, my voice instructor. He was a former Professor and Music Conductor before in Europe (that is what he said). Since he retired, all he did was train me to be a singer (and sometimes a violinist. He would sometimes ask me to play his favorite Caprice no. 24 with him playing the piano and me playing the violin).

He saw my potential as a vocalist (not a violinist. I at it. Trust me on this one) and trained me at the age of 4 or 5 (if my memory serves me right). He would play the piano and he would ask me to sing songs from the Phantom of the Opera to Habanera (which I hate the most).

He was very strict and very meticulous with the notes I sing. I would, most of the time, cry because he would scold me every time I sang a wrong line or note.

When he found out that I wanted to be a singer, he was the first one who gave his encouragement and approval to it. He even persuaded my parents to allow me. He even watched our debut performance live. He was so proud of me.

--

I think our stylist had this hidden grudge on me. He and/or She (Yup our stylist is Gay)had me wear an ASOS Bodycon dress. It is sleeveless bodycon dress which has a high neckline and racer styling with a slashed cut-away design to the reverse and a button closure to the neck, in a stretch form-fitting finish. He and/or She knows I hate this kind of dress. I’m not comfortable at all but for the sake of not offending Him and/or her I wore it without any complain.

There’s one itsy bitsy problem: How am I going to perform wearing this? Apparently, our stylist had recognized the fact that we cannot perform wearing dress since we’ll be playing electric guitars and drums so he-slash-she set another outfit for us just for the performance.

Finally, I get to change into something aside from this dress.

Inside the dressing room, everyone was running around like kids with AD/HD. We were only given a small amount of time to prepare (such as changing clothes, makeup and hair) for our performance. As our stylists prep us up, all we can do is sit and eventually watch everyone in a panic mode. I’m starting to get used to it. Hahaha!

“Jinhe~ Your phone is ringing.” Our leader told me.

I’m so much fascinated and entertained with what I’m seeing that I didn’t hear my phone ring.

“Hello?” I said after pressing the green call button

“Little Jin?” It was my grandpa

“Grandpa! How are you? I miss you. Wait. Have you eaten already? Did you take your medicine already?  Grandpa why…”

And before I could finish my grandpa cut me off with laughter and said “You haven’t change a thing. You’re still Little Jin, my lovely granddaughter.”

“I guess you’re right grandpa” I replied and giggled.

I miss this conversation with my grandpa. He means the world to me. I love him so much.

“I miss you so much my little Jin. I wish I could be there for you. But you know grandpa is already old and weak. The only way I can do is watch you perform on TV.” He excused himself.

“Grandpa, we all know that already.” I tried to joke about it and we both laughed.

We talked for a few more minutes. Yes, we joke around for a little while and then Grandpa asked me something “Little Jin, I want you to do grandpa a favor, ok?”

“Yes. Grandpa.”

“I want you to sing on your performance as if it is your last. Do your best my dear. We’ll be watching you. Me and your parents. Remember we are proud of you.”

I started to snob and then I eventually cried.

“Thank you, Grandpa.”

“Now go given them one hell of a performance.”

“Yes! Anything for you, grandpa.”

“No! Do it for your friends and fans.”

“Yes I will!”

“Very Good! So long my child.”

“Thanks Grandpa. Bye bye!”

I bid him farewell. Why is it that I have a pretty bad feeling about his call? Nah. It’s nothing. My mind is playing tricks with me again. Hahaha!

--

I did what grandpa told me; we gave them ONE HELL OF A PERFORMANCE. I hope everyone love it. I know my family will.

They should be proud of us since we won an award. Hooray! I cannot wait to go home to our dorm and celebrate. YAAAAY!!

Wait. Did I mention SHINee will be celebrating with us also? I guess not.

Our manager and SHINee’s manager are best friends (I wonder if they ever engaged in bromance before). When our band and SHINee won they decide (by themselves) to celebrate at our dorm. I guess our leader will once again get drunk. Hahaha! Oh I cannot wait to see her drunken side! I better ready my camera.

--

My phone rang just a few minutes before we got off the company car. It was my mom calling. I guess she would congratulate me and praise me for a job well done. So I answered the phone “Hello Mom!”

“Jinhee dear~” She replied in a shaky voice.

“Yes Mom!” I replied. I could sense something was wrong.

“Your… Grand… Pa…”

“Huh? What Happened?!!”

“He just… passed away…”

“WHAAAAT?”

I screamed and eventually cried.

“He… he… he died? This isn’t happening right? RIGHT???”

“I’m sorry dear.”

All I could hear was mourning. I could imagine how my mom looks like right now. It’s breaking my heart.

“So Long My Child!”

Was he really bidding farewell? I cried harder.

My Mentor

My Playmate

My Number One Fan

My Grandpa

He passed away. I couldn’t take it. What a way to celebrate a victory.

Author's Note: Forgive for not posting often. For this chapter, it took me almost six months to make. I was trying to write about (in detail) how I found out my grandpa died. Yes! The death of Jinhee's grandpa in this chapter is actually based from my grandpa's death. Everytime I tried to visualized and write it, I always end up crying. As much as I want this chapter to be realistic, I think I end up murdering it. T.T

The Facts regarding Jinhee's grandpa were drawn from my grandpa who passed way (except for the part of being a music conductor and professor. We are not sure if grandpa was telling the truth or not). Ahaha!!

This Chapter is dedicated to my grandpa who died not so long ago.