Autumn, 2007

Luscious lips, twinkling eyes and long silky black hair. Skin is as white as the cloud. Long y legs that people could not resist. Cleavage is tempted every guy to bite and nibble on it. She smells sweet like cocoa. Honey abs laid perfectly on her stomach and less people knew it. He was the only person who ever saw it. Krystal Jung is not a human. She is a living Goddess.

The living Goddess snapped her fingers in front of his face, waking him up from his day dreaming. “Yah Kim Myungsoo, you didn’t hear me, did you?”

“Ah yes?” Myungsoo re-positioned himself on his chair. He took his caramel macchiato and slurped it to calm his pounding heart. He fell too hard for his best friend, Krystal Jung. She was perfect. His feeling was about to outburst in the thought of having Krystal Jung as his girlfriend. Too bad, it would be impossible to happen. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship. Krystal didn’t seem to share common interest with him. She always introduced him to girls so he would date them, and recently she just introduced a beautiful girl named Bae Suzy. She was pretty and sweet, but he didn’t like her. He only liked her as a friend.

Myungsoo only wanted Krystal and Krystal never noticed it. He often sent her those signals but she never got it. He decided not to come clean. He was afraid if he was confessed his true feeling towards her, she would back off and stopped being his friend. He would rather choose to be her best friend instead of being apart from her. As long as he could stay close to her, he was happy.

But there were times he hated Krystal for dating a lot of hot guys. It wasn’t like he was not hot. He is hot. He was like one of the most wanted guys and a lot of girls chased him. He would date some girls, but he had no feeling for them. He did that to kill his feeling towards Krystal Jung but she was too mean. She was too attractive to be ignored. Damn you, Krystal.

“I said I have important news for you,” Krystal repeated her words while glaring at him.

“If you wanted to tell me that you’re finally going to have a date with that guy you’re chasing lately… what’s his name? Kim Jongin? Nah, I’m not interesting.” Myungsoo looked to the other side with uninteresting face. He held his face with his left hand while staring at the Coffee Shop’s entrance.

Krystal groaned. She was a little bit pissed off. Every time she wanted to tell him about her dating story, he always showed that face. It was unfair! She always listened to his dating story with thousand girls he dated! “It’s not that!” She yelled.

Myungsoo looked at the girl and raised one of his eyebrows, not believing what she said.

“Well… yes I was going to tell you that he asked me on a date,” She added. Krystal bit her lower lips. Myungsoo, of course, was being Kim Myungsoo the Ice Prince. He was only scoffed. “But apart from that, I want to tell you something. This is so important for me.” She grinned. She looked happier because of the news she was going to tell him.

“Then what is it, Princess?” He finally showed a little bit interest. He often called her ‘Princess’ since they were children because she acted like one towards him. He leaned forward, getting closer to her.

She gave him a meaningful smile and looked at his adorable eyes. “Remember when I said I want to be a figure skater as soon as we graduated from high school?”

Myungsoo nodded his head.

“My wish is going to come true!” She almost screamed in happiness. She giggled.

“Really?”

Krystal nodded her head excitedly. “Yesterday when I practiced in ice rink, a famous figure skater coach from America approached me and said that she was interested with me. She wanted to coach me and make me a Figure Skater Grand Prix Winner. Awesome, isn’t it?” She slurped her Green Tea Latte and the whipped cream.

Seeing some whipped cream left near her lips, Myungsoo wiped it with his thumb gently. Krystal didn’t know why every time Myungsoo did that, her heart always pounded twice, no, a hundred times faster!

Myungsoo laughed. “You, Jung Soojung, a figure skater? The funniest thing I’ve ever heard for the entire month!” He continued to laugh. “I know you well, Jung Soojung. You get tired of things easily. I’m afraid that you’re only going to work hard only for one week. I pity your coach.”

Krystal gave him another death glare. She hated him for always teasing her! “Yah Kim Myungsoo, just wait and see! By the time I came back from New York, I would already be the most talented and famous figure skater in the world!”

His laugh was getting louder after hearing her sentence. He held his tummy because it was too funny for him. But wait… he sensed something else. “New York?”

“YES! I’m going to New York next month, after the graduation. Finally, I will be able to break free from you, annoying Kim Myungsoo!” She sarcastically said that. She leaned on her chair and folded her arms in front of chest.

His smile disappeared from his face instantly. “I thought you and I will go to Sungkyunkwan together. You have enrolled, right?” He asked. He still wasn’t believed what she just said.

“My mom already took care of it. I will study in NYU and practice in reputable figure skating club in New York.” Just thinking about that, she was already happy. She smiled while looking at the floor. He was right, she was the type of girl who easily got bored by things. But if it was for her dream to be a figure skater, she wasn’t. She was 1000% serious about it and Kim Myungsoo was supposed to know about her passion. In fact, he knew it.

He knew how much she loved skating. They went to ice rink frequently. Myungsoo was always amazed with her skill. She looked the most beautiful when she was skating. It was like her true charm sparked whenever she skated. He adored her that much. But for the moment, he hated the fact that she really loved skating. He hated the fact that she chose skating over him, her best friend! The one who was always been there for her no matter what! His face was strained and he stared at her eyes intensely. “Soojung-ah, you are not going to go there. You will never make it to be a figure skater. It would be hard living in New York by yourself. Besides, you have promised me to go to university together!”

She didn’t believe what he said. She thought he would be supportive as ever. “How could you underestimate me? Are you trying to say that I can’t live alone or I can’t live without you?”

I am the one who cannot live without you, Krystal… Myungsoo clenched a tight fist under the table. Holding his feeling towards Krystal was a major torture for him.

“You… watch and learn, Kim Myungsoo. I will definitely go to New York and be successful. I will show you so just watch me!” She grabbed her sling bag and hung it on her shoulder, ready to leave Myungsoo.

Myungsoo immediately grabbed her wrist and made her sit again. She was sitting and glaring at him. She folded her arms in front of her chest again. It was the first time he felt his legs were shaky as if there was an earthquake. He sighed. “I’m… I’m sorry. I just… I don’t want you to go. I cannot live without you. You are the only… friend… I trust.”

Krystal scoffed at the word ‘friend’. She was upset with the fact that she was only his friend. He didn’t know that she wanted to be more. She always gave him the baits or girls for him to date, but that didn’t mean that she wanted to see him dating. She wanted to test him, whether he liked her back or not. Reality seemed to be ugly. He always dated the girls she introduced to him. He kept changing from one woman to another. Being a playboy he was and now he wanted her to stay and ditch her ultimate dream? Hell no, Kim Myungsoo.

“Why can’t you live without me? You have thousand girls chasing you. I’m just your best friend.” She rolled her eyes. “You have everything, Myungsoo-ya. You are not just rich but you are smart. You’re good at subjects at school, sports and even playing the music instruments. You passed the university entrance exam easily while I had my parents bribed the dean in order to pass it! I almost failed to graduate because of my marks. I have nothing else I can do well except skating. Skating is the only thing I have.” Her eyes were teary. She wanted to cry yet she played tough. She held back her tears.

His hands moved unintentionally, cupping both of her cheeks. “I don’t want you to go because I… I love…”

Krystal was silence, waiting for the next thing he would say. Say it Myungsoo, say it!

“I love you…” He finally said that.

Krystal was so nervous. Never before she felt this feeling. She felt nervous yet excited at the same time. Her heart was beating fast unconditionally.

“…as a friend.” But then he continued his sentence. He was stuttered because he didn’t know his action was right or wrong. The brave, confident and cool Myungsoo was never be there every time he was around Jung Soojung. Krystal Jung had her own magic, he guessed. He saw her disappointing face though. Was it wrong to say that?

She was disappointed of what he said and she couldn’t hide it. She was hurt inside. She tossed his hands off of her face. Krystal smirked. “Just save it, Kim Myungsoo. The day you underestimate me would be the last day we’ve ever met. I don’t wish to see you around in the future.” She stood up and went out of the Coffee Shop. At the end of the road, she looked back, hoping that Myungsoo would chase her. But he didn’t do that.

She went inside a cab and finally she could let out her tears.

Winter 2007

Krystal pulled her luggage with heavy steps. She kept looking back and expected him to come. They never talked anymore since that day. However, she wanted to see his face at least for once, before she really left the country. She felt her mother patting her shoulder. Krystal smiled at her and hugged her. She was the only child so she was really closed with her parents.

“I can’t believe I’m letting you go. I’m worried about you. Should we cancel it? South Korea also has good figure skater coaches, Honey,” her dad said that while patting his only daughter’s head.

“Dad, I’m a grown up woman. I can live by myself. I really want it, Dad. I don’t hesitate.” She hugged her dad too. “I’m going to miss you two a lot.”

Krystal saw her mother’s crying face as soon as they broke the hug. Krystal wiped those tears. She didn’t cry although she wanted to cry… so badly. “Don’t cry, Mom. You can visit me anytime you want and I will call you everyday.”

Her mother nodded her head. “Be careful and do well, Soojung.”

Krystal nodded her head back. “Don’t worry, I will do my best. Even though I am not that smart, but I am still a ‘Jung’. Jung Family are tough and hard workers. We don’t give up easily. Am I right, Daddy?”

Her Dad chuckled and he was so proud. He always told her that since she was still a little kid. He didn’t believe that his little girl had finally grown up.

Krystal checked her phone again. Still, she didn’t receive any calls or text messages from him. She took a deep breath and put her phone back to her fur coats’ pocket.

“Krystal!!!”

Someone called her. She turned back to look at the owner of the voice, hoping that it was someone she was expected. But it wasn’t. Instead, a girl with a long hair and tall figure approached her. “Suzy…” She smiled back at the girl.

“Thanks God I made it! I couldn’t catch the earliest train to Incheon…” she said while still panting.

Krystal hugged her tightly. “I’m going to miss you, Sweetpie.”

“Me too…” She hugged her back even tighter. She almost forgot that Krystal was smaller than her.

Krystal broke the hug and cleared . Finally she heard the announcement about her flight was going to depart soon. She didn’t have more time left and there was no sign from him. He wouldn’t make it…. He really thought to end their friendship while actually Krystal never meant anything she had said at the Coffee Shop. She was expecting too much from Kim Myungsoo. Maybe he was really getting tired of her.

“Krystal, come on,” Her father told her to go inside.

“Wait a second!” Krystal motioned her father. “Suzy-ah, can you help me with something?”

Suzy nodded her head. “Sure, what is it?”

Krystal took something from her backpack. There took the small letter in pink envelope. “Can you do me a favor to give this to Myungsoo?”

“Sure,” Suzy took the letter and smiled at her.

Krystal hugged for one last time. “Thank you, Suzy. I’m really going to miss you.”

I’m really going to miss Kim Myungsoo too… I’ll miss him the most.

Krystal broke the hug and took her luggage. She dragged her luggage into the waiting room. She turned back one last time to see her parents and Suzy. She gave them a cheerful smile and waved at them. Just like that, she left the town and never went back.

***

Dear Myungsoo,

You’re the most stupid person I’ve ever met. It doesn’t mean that you really have to date those girls even if I was the one who introduced them!!!! Hing~ ㅠㅠ
Remember when we were 7 years old and I told everyone that I’m the only person who can be your bride? I mean it! I am the only person who can be your bride. Don’t you dare to cheat on me and marry someone else or I’ll kick you hard in the !

Wait for me until I prove to you that I can be something, just like you.

I love you, Kim Myungsoo. Always have and always will…

Your Only One Princess, Soojung