Chapter 14 The Honeymoon
Lovefool
In three months I feel like my life has been put into numerous organized sections. Forgoing my dream to be a star. Being a filial son. Moving on from her. Leading into more predictable sections: Getting married. Going on my honeymoon. I'm practically Minho, just better looking.
. . . . . .
"This group is debuting in the next few months, I would still like you to be a member. You have until May to give me your answer. After that, Kai. I can't promise you another opportunity like this again."
"I understand. Thank you for allowing my friends to audition too."
"They are very talented, like you, and they will be stars. Please, rethink this through, there's still time...if you decide to turn it down I wish you good luck on your future endeavors."
"Thank you so much."
. . . . .
Three months ago I was determined to fill my life with two things: dance and love. Well, the former I gave up willingly due to circumstances, the latter she gave up on me. What can I do? I moved on, I had to. I was never the type that would wait for a girl. Remember, girls chased me. I should have stuck with that. Instead I got shot in the chest by a woman I thought would be the one. I was blind, foolish, and naive. I've always been attracted to older girls, but never again.
"Kai!" Jongdae. He is one of Baekhyun's and Luhan's bandmates. He's a good guy, and has a great voice too. He and Baekhyun will be the main vocalists of the group. They have another member who was recently added to the group, Sehun, who was our junior at Seoul Arts. Their group will be pretty good, they've got a lot of talent. I can't join them, but I have a duty and I love my parents too much to not obey them. I'm pushing my dreams aside. Maybe one day I can go back to dancing…maybe one day.
"Kai dude! Someone's at the door." I look like a mess. I haven't slept for days. I'm getting married next week too. Fast huh? Looks like I'm going to have a boring life like my cousin Minho, except he's got a fox of a fiancé. I know, 'cause I was infatuated with that fox. It's 2 in the morning, who could be at the door at this time?
I shouldn't have answered. You've got to be kidding me? Her hair is slightly longer, less wavy, and she's wearing pajamas with anchors on it. Did she get lost? I'm not going to be the first one to say anything. She left me. And yeah, I am still bitter. She gave me no warning, left me thinking we had something amazing, and she dropped me for my boring cousin. She wanted a safe and predictable relationship, and has been receiving that for the past 3 months. I can't even stand looking at her. After I spent those 24 hours with her my entire life spiraled downward. I gave up my dream, I gave up my passion, I gave up the one thing that I wanted the most, the one thing that I trained my entire life for… She's a curse, she's a terrible, soul eating curse.
"Who is it, Kai?" Jongdae's noona asks me. The devil looks bummed. Good. Let her think what she wants. I hope she over thinks it to the point it drives her mad. How dare she show up in my front door thinking I'd forgive and forget. "Kai, who's at the door?" A ghost from my past. A vixen who took my heart and stomped on it.
"I think you've got the wrong penthouse." I slam the door on her face. There's no way that I am going to make small talk with that . Her eyes, she was shocked, maybe because I've moved on...have I? Kind of. I mean, yeah, I have moved on. Her eyes. A tear. Stop it Kai. Don't let her make you feel this way. She left you. Don't you dare open that door and chase after her. She left you. She made your world come crashing down. She doesn't deserve any of your feelings. I peek at the peep hole, and she's not there. I open the door quietly and peek to my left. She's gone. I step out into the hallway and walk towards her side of the tower. I cross the elevator. I guess she got back because the long hallway towards her penthouse is quiet. I turn around to return to my side of the tower when I hear a thud. I turn to the direction of the east wing, to her, and I slow down when I see her on the floor with her face to her knees sobbing. Good, she should be crying. I leave her there, and vow to myself to never look back again.
. . . . . . .
"I can't believe you are getting married today? Are you sure you want to do this? It's only been four months since you met her." Baekhyun being the older brother asks me for the fifth time in two days.
"I have to, hyung, you know that."
"You should be with us, Kai. Luhan and I are finally debuting, and you should be with us."
"Ya, leave him alone, stop reminding him. He's doing what's best for his family." Luhan encourages me.
"What's so bad that Minho takes over as President for a bit, while you follow what you've been groomed to be, a star."
"I am the first heir of KJ Fashion Advertisement. Not Minho. You know how hard it will be knowing that he and his soon to be wife will be running my father's company?"
"Is that what this is all about? I know your father wants you to run his company now, but are you even more willing to forgo your dream because you don't want Minho to one up you?" Baekhyun asks bluntly. "But not only that, but you don't want Evey to be by his side while doing so?"
"This has nothing to do with that nine-tailed fox." It kinda is about that kumiho (fox). "She's moved on, far away from me. And I need to as well."
"So this is about her." Baekhyun, stop being a brat and mind your own business. I don't blame him though, he sees right through me. Of course I am marrying Yoona and taking over my father's company because that is all I can do for him as he tries to get better. But it's also about her. I am trying to show her that I've moved on as well. But apart of me is still yearning for her and so with this wedding I hope to prove to myself that I can move past her since she's obviously gotten over me being that she's still with Minho. Once I marry Yoona, my boring life begins, and marriage is permanent so that also means I have permanently removed all the feelings and memories of Evey. I know it's not the most rational reasoning, but it's the only thing I can get myself to do. I don't have dance to expel my emotions and make my unspoken statements made. This wedding will be a symbol to erase all of those lingering emotions for her.
I see Minho's reflection on the mirror. "Hyung." I nod at him.
"Evey wanted me to give this to you."
"I don't want it."
"I'll just leave it here. Congratulations Kai. I know you had to sacrifice a lot." You have no idea how much I've sacrificed. "I'm sorry."
I face him waiting for an explanation.
"I didn't mean to fall in love with her at first sight. I swear."
"I am over her. You don't need to apologize for anything. It's her decision. It is good to know she's protected and loved; at least she's with you." I lie through my teeth and give him my typical lazy smile. I turn to adjust my bow tie.
"She's not with me." He says and leaves the room. Maybe not today, but she'll be by your side for the rest of your life. Here I thought I was completely over her. No matter how much I say I hate her, I still can't shake her off. I'm hoping that my mundane life ahead of me will keep me numb and void of any emotions.
I open the box that Minho gave me from Evey after he leaves. A thick pendent or coin made of platinum. Both sides contain an engraving of an eagle with it's tail emphasized. The raised words on the coin says, 'Reach for the moon, Kai. 'Cause even if you fall, you'll land amongst the stars.' What an odd gift. 'Reach for the stars?' Does she even know that I gave up on that dream? How dare she remind me! I pocket the double tailed coin and walk the straight path towards the rest of my life.
. . . . . . .
The priest asks if there is anyone who feels this marriage should not happen. I see from the corner of my eye Luhan elbowing Baekhyun who was about to speak up. I turn to look at them, and the two of them are in a fake embrace and smile at me. I catch a glimpse of Taeyeon and Tiffany who are forcing a smile towards me. Evey isn't here. Of course she shouldn't. Minho is standing next to Baekhyun. I don't understand why he didn't take her. I would think he'd be rubbing it into my face like he always does. The past couple months he'd say things like, 'Evey and I did this... Evey is so intelligent... The board adores Evey…' I hate him as much as I hate her.
"Kai? You need to say something." Yoona tells me. The priest asked me something but I didn't hear him.
"Could you repeat what you just said?"
"Do you take her as your wife?" Ah, that…
"Sure." I hear the crowd whispering and Baekhyun chuckle.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Is he serious? I lift up Yoona's vail and lean towards her. She shuts her eyes tightly. This is our first kiss, our first ever skinship even. I lay a peck on the lips. She knows this is business.
We get on the plane to New Caledonia. Our honeymoon. I invited her bridesmaids so she wouldn't be lonely. I plan to spend the weekend in my room. I'm already dark-skinned, I don't need anymore sun. I put my beats over my ears and play the music loudly and close my eyes. Here's to my boring life.
. . . . .
The sun is too bright. Yoona's friends are all smiles, but she keeps looking for me waiting for me to invite her to my room. Forget it. This is business and she knows it too. She tries to seduce me the first night. I feel my bed move, her hands are over my chest and she kisses my neck. I keep my eyes closed, "Leave or I will throw you out."
"I am your wife."
"This is business, and you agreed to this."
"You will fall for me Kim Jongin."
"No I won't. I'm broken. And you're not my type."
"Nappeun Namja."
"You knew that before you married me. You can always leave. I won't stop you." She lays her head on the crook between my arm and my neck. I push her off and get out of bed. I take my jacket and walk along the beach. The stars are brighter here in Caledonia. I set myself on the sand looking up at the stars. 'Reach for the moon, Kai. 'Cause even if you fall, you'll land amongst the stars.' Evey. I feel the coin still in my pocket. I still don't get why I carry it around.
"Baekhyunnie!!" Another kid named Baekhyun. I look over to where I hear voices. Then I hear a girl's laughter, it sounds familiar.
"Ya! Taeyeon-ah! I'm going to get you!!" Is that Baekhyun and Taeyeon? They are here in New Caledonia and they didn't tell me!
"Fany! Don't run, you'll hurt yourself! It's dark over there!" Luhan too! Daebak.
I see a picturesque view of my crew laughing and drinking. Baekhyun is chasing his girl and Luhan is giving Jongdae a high-five after he tells him one of his weird facts. "Who allowed you asses out of Seoul?"
"Kai! I thought you'd be in your honeymoon!" He gives me a hug.
"I am, just taking a stroll until I heard Baekhyun's high-pitched scream across the beach."
"Where's your wife?"
"With her bridesmaids." I tell Jongdae.
"You bastard," his turn to give me a high-five. "She's still not worthy of your v-card?" Luhan slaps the back of Jongdae's head.
"I thought you'd be in Jeju. You said Jeju was your honeymoon destination."
"Oh yeah, I thought it was too 'cause Yoona said it was somewhere sunny and tropical. I really wasn't listening." I scratch the back of my head.
"Hahaha! That poor wife. I can't believe she agreed to wed a selfish like you." Jongdae jokingly said.
"She signed the contract, she knew it was business, haha!" We high-fived again.
"Stop acting like frat brothers, cease the high-fiving already. Well, I am glad we are here with you, given the circumstances and all." I could always count on Luhan and Baekhyun when I needed them the most. Speaking of Baekhyun, where the heck is he? I look over by the beach and see four figures. I'm pretty sure one of them is Baeks.
"Sehunnie! You're here too?"
"Yo, Kai hyung! I thought you were in Jeju." So did I. The kid gives me a hug. I call him a kid even though he's only one grade below me and he's caching up to my height. I can't be with these guys when they debut, but maybe the gods are giving me a taste of what could have been as an apology for ing up my last relationship. I'm calling it a relationship despite it lasting only 12 hours, but those 12 hours seemed like years.
Now to find Baekhyun. Speak of the devil. "Kai!!" He hugs me wrapping his legs around me.
The other figures with Baeks emerges, Tiffany and Taeyeon. I thought there were four...
"Kai, annyeong." Fany bows sweetly and so does Taeyeon. I am sure they are picturing scratching my eyes out, they would take Evey's side, they're best friends. Luhan orders a couple nachos and drinks for us while we sit and talk. Taeyeon approaches me and starts our first ever conversation. We get pretty awkward fast.
She tells me how sad she is knowing I couldn't follow my dream like the other guys. And I genuinely thank her for her prayers to keep the dream alive in the future. We continue to talk about other things, she never brings up Evey which I am glad. Then Baekhyun takes her way for a midnight stroll on the sands.
Tiffany's turn to chat. We also start with some small talk. She asks how I am adjusting to the company. How Yoona and I met. Little things. I don't tell her that I married Yoona not for love but for business. She doesn't need to know. The less she knows about my married life the better so they don't run and tell how pathetic I am to Evey. I figure the conversation is soon ending, but then she surprises me.
"You were perfect for her, you know?"
"For who?" I knew she is referring to Evey, but I pretend I don't know so I can show her I don't care even though I know I still do and am just denying it. Ugh, I am such a girl.
She ignores me, guess she saw through my lie. "She is beginning to write again, songs. Her dream was to be a songwriter. We had dreams of becoming a star like you and your friends. But we inherited the company and fate gave us a different hand. We still regret not pursuing our dreams-"
"Why bring this up, regretted dreams? I am sure Luhan told you why I couldn't sign the contract."
"He did. Hmm, I guess you really are over her. You didn't ask me how she's doing, I gave you an opportunity too. Instead you ask about this." She was testing me.
"Your friend left me, remember? I was ready to give her forever and she left me for my cousin."
"She's an idiot, Kai. When it comes to love, Evelyn becomes an over thinker to the point of idiocy. She flips coins, believes in fate, and thinks far ahead into a relationship that she forgets the present moment. She lives in a fantasy and would rather remain in that fantasy because in reality there is the possibility if being hurt over love is greater."
"Well, that's the kind of woman I wouldn't want. That just seems awfully complicated in the end."
"She flipped a coin to decide on you or Minho."
"Stupid."
"I told you, she is an idiot. She flipped heads that she'd go with Minho. If it was tails, she'd stay with you."
"It was heads, huh?" Three months she avoided me.
"Fate is funny at times..." She is lost in her thoughts for a second. "Funny thing is, she had this coin made with tails on each side. She had me choose and it would be either heads I win, tails she wins. It'd always be tails."
"When did she have the coin made?" Thinking it is the one I have in my pocket.
"A couple months ago. Umm, anyways, I am sorry for rambling. She shouldn't have left you like that, without any answers, especially after the night you two spent together. I won't speak of her again."
"She's doing well, with Minho she can have everything."
She laughs, "She doesn't want everything, she only wants one thing." Why is she staring at like that, like she's disappointed. "I've said too much. I am heading back to the floating bungalows."
. . . . . . .
"Have you seen her? She like disappeared after we were dipping our feet in the water." Sehun is talking on the phone with someone.
"Sehunnie, you lost someone?" A girl? Our young one is growing up. "You met a girl?!"
"Not just any girl, a woman!" I guess this 'woman' is really something.
I put my arms around Sehun's shoulders, "You need to tell me the details!" I am genuinely excited for my boy. He is a lot like me in many ways. He looks like he's sleepy when he really isn't, he is just aloof, too laid back and no care in the world. He also loves to dance and girls fall for him easily. And like me, he always gets the crazy girls falling for him, girls with only lust in their eyes. "So this is a good thing! Tell me about her."
"I think we better call it a night." Luhan interrupts.
"No way! I want to spend more time with you guys."
"Kai, you are in your honeymoon."
"It's business, you know that."
"What's a business?" Tiffany surprises us.
"It is none of your concern." I glare at her. It really isn't any of her business. Gods, why is it that everything and everyone reminds me of her. My friends just had to fall in love with her friends.
"Wow. Stop being such a brat." Taeyeon pouts. "Baeks, Tiffany and I are heading back to our bungalows. I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"What!? No, can't I stay with you three!?" Three?
"Baeks, stop being a girl. You and I will be with the crew tonight." I drag Baeks on my side.
"I don't know why she is still in love with you, you are an arrogant jerk!" Still loves me? And she dashes off. I stood there for a bit trying to grasp what I just heard.
"Umm, don't mind Taeyeon, she gets really protective of her friends. She didn't mean any of that."
"We should get going, Kai, you want to just stay with us tonight?" Luhan, you heard it too right? I stand there a bit dazed still until Luhan takes my arm and leads me back to the third tier of floating bungalows which are across from mine and Yoona, hopefully she doesn't see me. First night of marriage and I am already sneaking around. I think I heard wrong, Taeyeon couldn't have said that. Even if I didn't, that fox is no longer my concern.
"Babe, where are you? I've been looking for you....Oh, back at the bungalows?....We are heading back now. Are you with the girls?" Sehun must be talking to his woman. He said they met in Busan when he had a fashion show to do. They hired him to work on some of their print ads and commercials. Business brought them together. He seemed excited talking about her. It's his first relationship that, according to him, he hopes will become serious. I'm proud of my boy, snagging a focused career woman and not some female model who just wants him for his looks. Most gravitate towards him because he can be both cute and y. Cute enough to show off to one's parents, y to show off to one's girlfriends. I always saw him with an older woman because he likes being taken care off. I am the opposite, I like taking the lead regardless of age difference. "You want to go take a walk in the beach? I kinda want it to be just us." He tries to whisper this and his adorable lisp can be heard.
"Take my bungalow, you two can have all the privacy you want." I wink at him.
"Thanks hyung! Babe, get ready I have a surprise!" And he runs towards her bungalow.
"You shouldn't have done that, he shouldn't be alone with her. He will be eaten alive." Luhan laughs.
"He shouldn't be with her in the first place." Baekhyun grumbles and quickens his pace. What's wrong with him? Is he really that much upset that he couldn't be with the girls.
"What's up with Baeks?"
"He probably misses Taeyeon."
"He just saw her like 10 minutes ago and he practically has been living with her for the past 3 months, he can't take a breather?"
"That's Baekhyun..." What the hell does that mean, Luhan? Why do I feel like my friends are hiding something from me?
We make it to the floating bungalows and I can make out the silhouette of Sehun's tall figure and mushroom hair. He had his arms around the girl. I pick up my steps so I can meet the couple. Luhan grabs my arm and distracts me.
"So does Yoona know you are with us, did you tell her where you are?" These guys are hiding something from me.
"What's going on, Hyung? What are you and Baeks not telling me?"
"Umm, well, Evey is-"
"Why can't you guys understand that I am over that girl?" I blow up in his face before he could finish. "She left me! OK, I would be lying to you if I said that seeing you and Baeks with her best friends does not irritate me. They look at me and I feel like I am being judged and blamed for what happened between Evey and I. She's moved on, she chose Minho over me. I am not gonna stand here and pity myself. And it doesn't help the situation when you and Baeks still bring her name up and remind me of her!"
"I thought you were over her? Why should hearing her name make you mad!"
"I'm not mad. I just start to yell when I try to make my point. You know how I am." Don't give me that look. He knows I still have feelings for her regardless of hating her for what she did to me.
"Come on, this is your honeymoon. We shouldn't be like this to each other." Luhan has always been the kind and thoughtful one. Baeks is the hyper one and I am the hot-headed one. It's a good balance. I never would have imagined that my honeymoon would be spent like this: with my boys in floating bungalows looking over the lagoons in the Pacific Ocean. How romantic, huh?
Hi Everybody! Just wanted to let you know that I made a Lovefool trailer. Please check it out and comment. Thanks! Find it on Lovefool's foreword :)
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