Chapter 12

Shining Star

            Shin Hye adjusted her winter coat as the cold breeze of December picked up again. A soft and contented smile curved her lips as her gaze shut right through the pile of stars that lighting up the heaven sky. They are so bright tonight, as if bringing a different radiance of light to every one of them who are gathered now for a simple celebration, especially him.

            She’s sitting at the veranda of the Bae’s big mansion which is utterly beautiful and extravagant. And in a peaceful winter night, joyous laughter and tears, various chatting and storytelling complemented it thoroughly as if they added solemnity to the night. It wasn’t exactly quiet. The sound of their heartily laughter is actually noisy. But to her dictionary, peacefulness doesn’t necessarily mean silence, but happiness. And from the squeals, murmurs and singing she can hear in the background, she can tell they are all genuinely happy. Peacefully happy.

            Before she exited the living room where they are all gathered, she saw Hong Ki talking dearly to his mother, Suzy laughing along with them as she hugs her father, Mr. Bae, who’s listening earnestly to Hong Ki as he tells them some stories. It was a thing she wished and prayed to witness. And she was glad it happened. But more to that, she was glad because she can see true happiness lingering in their eyes and smiles. She can feel love radiating from their hearts. And when she looked at Hong Ki’s transparent eyes, it was no longer somber. And that had made her more than happy.

            On the other side, the FT Island boys were having so much fun playing around, sometimes singing, then eating, and then teasing each other. It was definitely a scene to watch, especially when the boys teased Jae Jin and Hong Ki when the latter said sorry for punching Jae Jin the other night. Hong Ki had finally got the courage to admit that he was just so worried about his sister that he had done that to Jae Jin without thinking. And Jae Jin, being the understanding guy that he is, gladly accepted Hong Ki’s apology. And she could only laugh hardly at how funny these guys were.

            On the back of her mind, she remembered how everything was like chaos before. She remembered the gloomy and frigid guy he met, the cheerful girl she shared the room with, who happened to be his sister; she remembered the face of their troubled, concerned yet helpless mother. She can count the times Suzy cried with such terrible pain and sadness because of her brother. She can count the years of Hong Ki’s somber phase and the pains he had to endure all those long-long time alone. She can recall how worried Jong Hoon’s face was for Hong Ki, and how affected Jae Jin was with Suzy’s breakdown. She saw the concern in Min Hwan and Seung Hyun’s eyes when they learned about the situation. And now, seeing how genuinely happy everyone is, she can say, everything is worth the pain.

            Christmas is a celebration of birth; of outflowing love and affection; of giving and receiving; of forgiving and starting anew. And that’s what this Christmas Eve celebration is making her feel. It’s a start of new beginnings, of new horizon. And she was thankful she had witnessed and felt all this. And she was also thankful that she had met this incomparable people with her now and had shared beautiful memories with them. They didn’t know how they made her differently adventurous winter season extra special, meaningful and colorful. It was incomparable to what she had expected before she set her foot in Seoul.

            “Shin Hye,” a gentle voice suddenly interrupted her reminiscing. And when she turned to take a look, she saw Hong Ki’s mom smiling dearly at her. She’s holding a cup of coffee as she’s standing right behind her. And in her motherly figure, she can't help but to wish she had spent even just a little time with her mom so she could always remember those memories she made with her. She missed her so much even though she doesn’t know what kind of mother she would become to her.

            She gave the aged yet beautiful woman a meek smile.

            “What are you doing here?” she asked her in her soft-soothing voice.

            “I’m just watching the sky,” she answered. “The stars are shining brightly tonight than the other night.”

            “I see,” Mrs. Bae responded, occupying the seat next to her. She handed her the cup of coffee she has on her hands. “That’s for you, to ease the coldness of the air.”

            “Thank you,” she mumbled softly, sipping the coffee. “This tastes good, auntie.”

            She smiled at her. “Hong Ki told me you like coffee.”

            “Oh?” she gasped, quite shock at what she told her. “I didn’t know he remembers.”

            There was a silent pause that lingered between them, until she felt Mrs. Bae held her hand tightly. Surprised, she turned to look at the woman beside her with wondering eyes.

            “Thank you, Shin Hye,” she told her sincerely. “You don’t know how grateful I am to you.”

            “For what?”  she asked, puzzled.

            “Suzy told me how you played a big part of what miraculously happened to Hong Ki now. Thank you for constantly talking to him, and understanding him; for penetrating to his walls so he could finally let go.”

            She gently shook her head. “It’s not me, auntie. It’s Hong Ki. It’s because he listened, because he opened his eyes and because he finally chose to be braver,” she said, holding firmly also to Mrs. Bae’s hand. “It’s also because of you and your unfailing love to him. It’s because of Suzy’s efforts. And in God’s perfect timing, everything fitted perfectly.”

            Mrs. Bae gathered her tenderly in her arms, with tears escaping the side of her eyes. And she could feel her sincere gratitude now that Hong Ki had welcomed her again in his life. But Shin Hye must also admit that she felt glad with Mrs. Bae’s gratitude to her because it made her feel that a part of her mission is fulfilled. It made her living worthwhile.

            “Mom.”

           Mrs. Bae broke from their tight embrace when they heard Hong Ki called out to her. They both turned to him. And she knew a small smile curved her lips when she heard how he addressed his mother.

            “What are you two doing here?” he asked.

            “I just joined Shin Hye watch those bright stars above,” his mom responded, smiling. “Now you’re here, go and join her, okay?”

            And with that, Mrs. Bae walked passed to Hong Ki and left them alone in the veranda where thousands of stars above are shining. Slowly, Hong Ki walked towards her and occupied the vacant seat his mom once occupied. And when she looked at him, she knew he was no longer the coward man who masks himself with such coldness and aloofness.

            “The stars seem to be brighter tonight than the other nights,” he commented, his head tilted so he could have a clearer view of the wide and endless heaven above them.

            “You know what; you are the same as those stars,” she smiled cheekily.

            Hong Ki stared at her with eyes filled with amazement.

            “What?” he wondered with a knotted forehead. “Why is that so?”

            “Because you also shine brighter now.”

            Hong Ki seemed more puzzled as he stared into her face. She just smiled at his cute reaction.

            “I’m so glad you’re not wearing that gloomy face anymore,” she said. She felt the cold breeze pressed on her skin again that sent chills down her spine. “That brighter face suits you more.”

            With the illuminating light from the moon and the stars above, she saw how a small smile curved Hong Ki’s lips. And in her eyes, he seemed like a dazzling star with that smile. And she could feel her heart pound her chest in a melodious manner as she was fascinated by his kind of smile. It was genuinely beautiful.

            “Finally!” she said, clasping her hands happily as she felt the rush of different emotions in her. “Hold it. Hold that face, Hong Ki!”

            “What?” Hong Ki asked in a ridiculed tone. He was looking at her with his forehead knotted as if telling her that she was so absurd that time. But she care no more if she was really absurd or not. The moment he smiled is something that’s so precious she wanted to prolong it.

            Hong Ki continued searching her face, until he just blurted into a heartily laughter. And as the musical melody of his laughter played through her ears, she felt like the world spin in a slower manner. Even his laughter is mesmerizing.

            “You’re funny, Shin Hye,” he said, his eyes still twinkling from his previous laughter.

            She smiled at him, contented to see his happy face. “I can't believe this,” she said. “Now, you’re already making fun of me,” she pouted her lips.

            “No, I’m not. You’re just absurdly cute,” he grinned at her. Then, he placed his hand above hers and held it gently. She could feel the warmth coming from his calloused hand but surprisingly, she felt more chills sent down unto her spine that it made her heart thump faster. Feeling those foreign feelings invading her system, she fascinatedly stared at their locked hands. Then, she took a glance at Hong Ki. And she saw how serious he looked as he stared at her also. She’s used to looking at his face and searching the truth hidden in his eyes. But now, as she stares back at him, she could feel herself holding her breath as his face is filled with so much emotions now. His eyes are not dark and bleak, but calling and expressive. It was no longer that masked and emotionless face she used to look unto before. But his serene face now makes her feel differently uneasy.

            “Thank you, Shin Hye,” he said in his husky yet soothing voice. It was so sincere. “I’m not used to saying these words, nor smiling and laughing normally. But it makes me feel more carefree and true when I’m not stopping myself from feeling what I have to feel. It’s a less burden if I’m not covering myself with a mask. Thanks to you.”

            She shook her head. “Why do you have to thank me for the things I didn’t do? It’s you who chose to free himself from all the agony and pain. And it’s God who cleared your heart, mind and soul from all the anger and hatred you have.”

            “Ah by the way,” she gently removed her hand from his grasp as she breathed secretly. From her pocket, she slowly pulled up a small box covered in the usual Christmas wrapper. “I have a gift for you.”

            Hong Ki seemed surprise when she handed him the small box. For a second, he just stared at it with his wondering eyes.

            “Go, open it,” she encouraged him with a smile.

            For the first time when she had encountered this stubborn guy, Hong Ki just obeyed her as he gently pulled up the wrapper in the box. And when he opened the box, a golden necklace with a star pendant emerged from it, shining as the light of the stars above reflected on it.

            “I saw that when Suzy, Jae Jin and I went to find some nice gifts. And when I saw that, it was you who first came into my mind. That star really resembles you, Hongstar.”

            “Hongstar?” he asked, amused.

            “Yes,” she nodded at him, giving him a cheeky smile. “You are my Hongstar.”

            Hong Ki smiled at her, too, as if he really liked her new nickname for him. Well, that name just suits him. For he is her star that shines for her even in the darkest night.

            “Thanks, Shin Hye,” Hong Ki told her. Then, he moved as if he would want to pat her head adoringly, but before he could even lay his fingers on her head, she had already held his hand to stop him. He stared at her with surprised eyes though he didn’t utter a question.

            “Uhm… My hair. It will be ruined.”

            “Ah,” he nodded at her. “By the way, I also have a gift for you.”

            “Really?” her eyes encircled with surprise.

            “Yup. I’ll just go get it inside, okay?”

            Silence filled the air once again when Hong Ki evacuated. And with that silence and the brushing of the cold winter breeze on her skin, she felt a small pain knocking on her skull. She felt nervousness invaded her heart, afraid that that small starting pain will conquer her totality once more. She didn’t want that to happen. Not now.

            She held her mug of coffee closer to her lips so she could take a sip on it to somehow calm herself and ease the pain. But before she could even lay her lips on the mug, she felt a hard blow of pain punching in her skull. And the pain felt as if her neurons are scraping one by one. It felt so terribly ill she can't help to let go of her whimper. And when her vision blurry, she knows she can no longer control the pain.

            She felt a tear escaped from her eyes as the pain gets worse. And though she’s struggling, she tried to stand up and walk away from this place. They shouldn’t see her pain. They shouldn’t hear her whimpers and silent cries. No one should see her struggle. But before she could literally walk away, someone caught a glimpse of her.

            “Unnie!”

________

Hey’yo dearies! I truly hope you liked this chapter. :)

Thank you for your continuous support to this story. You know your support and encouraging words really means something for me. Thanks for the upvotes, the subscription and the comments. Keep them coming, please? keke^___^

Also, I hope the season doesn’t bother you. It’s winter, and it’s December in this story so I hope that’s just fine.

Anyways, please do comment, subscribe and upvote the story if you think it’s deserving. I hope you like what happened. Hehe^^ coz I personally enjoyed writing this chapter. Well, I love writing every chapter of this story. It’s just that this chapter focused more on those cute feelings. It was not intense just like the previous ones. But you know, when happiness comes, sadness will always be right at the corner. ^___^

Until the next update, my lovely readers… :)

Spread the *shining star* love<3