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Song of the Chapter: Good Night by Nell

[Present; Soojung’s POV]

We watched a movie. It was a romantic comedy movie. I can’t believe he chose to watch it.

That’s a lie. I was the one who insisted on watching it and made myself clear when we were deciding what to watch at the theatre. I suspected that we do seemed like… probably brother and sister, or worse, boyfriend and girlfriend. I demanded to watch a rom-com as soon as he pointed out at an action movie poster. “We’ll watch this?” Didn’t he know that he’s with a girl? At least it was a question.

Okay, I admit to love rom-com (crazy of it, I suppose) and I love Ryan Reynolds (head-over-heels) and other hot men like him, but when watching a rom-com with Woohyun oppa, everything became absurd.

How dare of him for commenting on Gerard Butler! He leaned to me to whisper: “He looks like a frying pan.” If and only if I had no patience, I would have flipped him upside down.

Woohyun oppa was distracting. I don’t deny that he was attractive even in a black Polo shirt and jean, but his smile could light Seoul for days and his laugh was an enchanting sound. Regrettably, unlike his charming everything, I couldn’t forgive him ever was to say something that rude about Gerard Butler. Men, I scoffed in my mind. Typical.

We were enjoying McDonald’s after the movie. I reckoned we did look like a couple, but I tried to put the thought as far as possible. I only can afford to think of Jongsuk, but this man who was really, really indulging his BigMac in front of me was something else. He didn’t… appear, and then reappear. Prosecutor Nam is always there, never once he was hiding.

Prosecutor Nam, or Woohyun oppa who was sitting across of me ended the silence. “Do you know why I asked you out?”

I was chewing the salty fries, which was, as always, salty. “No.”

“It’s my bored day,” he said simply, the chilli sauce on his long, slim fingers. He looked like he’s even digging the sauces. “I’m always bored, anyway.”

“Ah,” I said. “A prosecutor has loads of cases to unveil, but not you?”

He shrugged. “Your case is my first case. It was said to be a special case, I dunno. You’re not co-operating with me since the first day. How can I finish my work? It would be nice if you do help me by giving answers; not twisting my words or by giving me all those how-should-I-know looks.” His eyes narrowed with doubt. “Was it a glare?”

I sighed. He’s been trying to dig the crap out of my brain, trying to get me slip something from my tongue, bribing me with cheese cakes and cups of caramel macchiato and frappuchino. I feel sorry for him, though. I don’t deny that I do feel sorry for him, but to save my and Jongsuk’s , I need to be in denial. Damn, if it wasn’t for Jongsuk...

If it wasn’t for him, I would have told Prosecutor Nam the truth and wouldn’t be asked out suddenly like this.

“I am trying to help you, Prosecutor.” Hah, lies! “I’ve told you what I know; all my alibis.” Made up information? Yes. “It’s not my intention to make you think that I’m lying, but I have stated the facts and all I know. And I’ve been grounded for one month, Prosecutor. I was locked for one good month at home! Never once my dad let me go out to have fun!”

He laughed at me. It was a fake one; I can tell. “Thanks for helping me out.” He wiped his mouth with a serviette. “Oh, haven’t I told you to call me Woohyun oppa?”

I scowled. I was unable to say anything sarcastic. “Whatever you say, Woohyun oppa; your wish is my command.” It was nice of him to let go of the topic even if I knew he would brought it up later. If I could hug him, thank him, and plant a kiss on his cheek, I would. I know what his job is and his duty. I realize that he won’t let me go that easily.

We head back to my place. He got out and opened the passenger’s door for me. “Thanks for accompanying me to the movies,” he said. “I had a great time.”

I shrugged and gave a thin smile. “Thanks a lot. I had a great time too.”

He grinned naughtily. “I might call you up on weekends in the future and insist you calling me oppa.”

I rolled my eyes. “We’ll see if I’m not busy.”

His eyes abruptly darted to somewhere far away behind me. His eyebrow creased. “Is that your friend?” He was whispering.

Okay, that’s funny. I bet Woobin was in his house, reading manhwas. I turned around, and my heart burst. I recklessly stumbled because I was too surprised to see a tall, lean, yet refined silhouette in front of me. I know who exactly that is, and I wanted to run, but my soles are glued to the ground. I thanked God that Prosecutor Nam was there to catch me or my would be kissing the ground.

My legs were like jellies. I had to hold on to the hood of Prosecutor Nam’s car and my palm gripped tightly on Prosecutor Nam. I can feel blood rushed away from every part of my body to hide, and my heart thumping so hard it was tearing up my chest. This can’t be happening. Not now. Not now.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Prosecutor Nam continued to whisper. “!” I paid no attention to him; I was too flabbergasted neither to react nor to care. “Hey, Soojung,” the prosecutor behind me sounded alarmingly alarmed, shaking me slightly. “Are you okay?”

I tried to recover quickly. “No, I’m not fine.” My voice was not even a whisper. That bloody figure got closer; I think by the time he stood 100cm radius near me, I’d die. Oh God, is this the end of me? Why must I go too easily?

“Are you her boyfriend?” What kind of a question to ask to a stranger, Prosecutor Who. How smart of you.

This moron in front of me smiled a bit. What the actual . “No, I’m just a friend of hers.”

“I see,” Prosecutor Nam said as he let go of me. “Well, I was just sending her off. Anyway, nice to meet you...?” He railed off and offered to shake hands.

“Kim Woobin.” They shook hands.

How dare he lie to a ing prosecutor!

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Woobin. I’d better get going. Bye, Krystal.” Prosecutor Nam went into his car and left me with this person in front of me.

Great! At moment like this, when I need a certain Woohyun oppa, he was about to leave me. Very good. I was helpless. With my gummy legs, I don’t think I can hold on any longer. .

“Hey,” Jongsuk said in that pure, innocent, honey-coated velvet voice that I fell for and was later deceived.

I quickly ran to the gate but he was fast enough to grab my wrist.

“Wait, Soojung. Listen to me,” he pled. He thinks that I’m that stupid. He’s wrong… dead wrong.

I slowly turned to him. I could feel myself shaking like crazy. Stop shaking, damn it, Krystal Jung Soojung!

“Listen to you? You’ve gotta be kidding me. Who the do you think you are, you ?” I shrieked. “Playing with my mind day and night for the past seven months and making me feel stupid just because I thought of you! Even if listening to you is free, I’d rather ing die than listening to you!” I tried to yank his very tight grip and push him away, but failed. He was strong.

“It is free,” he said. I can sense him trying to stop himself from smiling.

I glared at him. “Dry. Now let go of me and before I scream,” I warned him.

“Can we talk?”

“No.”

“Please, Soojung. I’ll explain. And I’m sorry for disappearing after giving you that kind of note,” he begged.

“I’ve suffered one month and today is the day you’ve appear? Are you an illusionist or what?” It really took me efforts to control my rage, but it wasn’t working. “Look, just go to your parents, to Hayi and to Woobin. They need you the most. I don’t even know you!”

“Didn’t I tell you a month ago that I can’t?” He sounded furious as he hissed the words.

“Who am I to you, Lee Jongsuk? Why did you find me first than your family and your best friend? I don’t know you!”

He scowled. “Do you need me to explain to you why I can’t go back to my family or meet my best friend?”

“I don’t wanna know,” I said frigidly, and yanking my wrist to no avail. “Now if you please let go of my wrist –”

“I have done something… bad towards them. I have betrayed them and I have no place to go. I can’t go back or I’ll put everyone in danger. Please tell me how they are,” his voice was gravely, but pleading. “I don’t know who to turn to, but please. Tell me how are they.”

I raised an eyebrow. “And you think you can put me in danger? What kind of bull are you talking about, Lee Jongsuk? Did you ing kill someone?” I tried to wrestle from his grip but failed miserably.

“Just tell me something,” he said. There was a sudden change in his voice – frosty. “Please.”

I heaved a sharp sigh, defeated. I don’t like this, but he had to let me go when I’ve told him what he wanted to know. “They’re all right.” Not so okay, since Mrs. Lee was still in a difficult state, but I guess the rest just got better. “They’ve moved on.”

“Lies,” he suddenly spat.

“Well, not your mom! She’s been hallucinating of seeing you and screaming all of a sudden!” Gosh, can’t he let me go?

“How long had it been?”

“It had been a while.”

“Since I went away?”

“Yes,” I hissed.

He didn’t go of me. He didn’t even look at me. Instead he held my palm and placed a paper in it. “I’m going. Thank you, Jung Soojung.” Finally, he released his grip, and my wrist eased a little. He started to jog down the path.

I recovered from shock. Wait, what the hell just happened? “Jongsuk, wait—”

Too late – he was already gone.

The next day, I woke up as late as noon, and as I sat and stare at the white wall across my bed, the images of the realistic dream came to mind. It was a dream, I repeated in my head unconsciously. But they were pretty convincing.

It was really a dream that I didn’t expect to have dreamt.

I forced myself out of the bed, and when I walked out of the room, I heard the low hum of the TV. My head had a slight throb, but it had me thinking if I had knocked myself. I mean, that was one hell of a dream. It could be a nightmare because I shouldn’t have thought of the-person-who-should-not-be-named. But it was a nightmare, wasn’t it? He was ing creepy.

Jess was in front of the TV, flipping channels and I caught her heaving a sigh. My mother was in kitchen and dad was in the lawn. I cringed at whatever everyone was doing. I headed for the fridge and to my surprise, it was fully stocked since I last opened it.

“Your friend, Woobin came around earlier,” mom said while I scanned the newly restocked fridge. My parents must’ve gone to the supermarket earlier when I was in the nightmare-land.

“What does he want?” I grabbed a carton of chocolate milk and a banana from the counter. I started to gobble on both and I was too hungry to care of mom’s or Jess’ judging gaze.

She took off her apron and grabbed what it looked like a pamphlet and placed it in front of me. “He showed me this.” It was a higher education fair pamphlet. “Have you given any thought about it?”

I scared myself because actually, I realized that I haven’t given much thought of it. Headline: I didn’t think of it since all of these nightmares began. “I uh – was thinking of English or History.”

My mom nodded. “Don’t you want to be a lawyer? You dad has a firm in a few countries and you were in debate back then.”

I groaned. “No.”

“What about music? You haven’t been playing your piano for a while now, and you played in an orchestra back then, so—”

“I’ve given some thought and I think I’m weighing between English and History.” My mom can be indecisive, so I don’t have to wonder any further where Jess has gotten her indecisiveness from. (P/S: It’s an inheritance.) I’m glad I have my father’s cool exterior and interior, but then again, these days I can be uncertain. I’m petrified of it.

“Get back to Woobin, please. It might be more than just wanting you to come along for the fair.

That sounded serious… “Will do.” I stood from the stool and made my way into the room and scanned the leaflet. As soon as I got into my room, I tossed the paper aside and habitually grabbed my phone and skimmed through the notifications. From Woobin all the way.

‘hey soojung! there’s an education fair, &  hayi & i r going!’ That was from 7.38AM.

‘soojung, r u coming or not?’ 8. 25AM.

‘r u still asleep?’ 8.44AM.

‘went to ur house earlier…’ 10.11AM.

‘heck. r u srsly still sleeping? srsly?’ 11.17AM. The latest text.

There were at least four missed calls and I heard nothing. Wow, the dream featuring he-who-mustn’t-be-named really gave me a great, deep sleep. I’d give him credit for that.

Jess stormed into my room, with an envelope in hand. “Looks like someone has an admirer,” she said sarcastically and handed me what is now an opened envelope.

That pesky …

This letter was the first I’ve ever received while being in Korea. I have to say there was an amazing rush that ran through me – a sign that I was excited. But that irritating clearly has read my letter beforehand.

From excitement, it suddenly exchanged with anger. There was no stamp, just my name on it – not even an address.On the formerly folded paper, it was written with a neat handwriting, consisted of a name, a phone number, and six-word note.

Lee Jongsuk. 357-4076. Call me, please. I’ll be waiting.

I can relate this to my dream from last night: After Prosecutor Nam sent me off, without changing my attire, I went straight to bed. I was pretty exhausted. Prosecutor Nam told me that he’ll call me sometime on weekend to ask me out for movies and dinner. But then, there Jongsuk was and Prosecutor Nam left. I was mad, and when I was running towards the gate, he caught my wrist and started pleading. I refused and jerked my hands off but failed. I gave in, I answered a question and he let go of me. But before he left, he gave me a note, which was exactly like what was written here.

I can’t lie, the dream was too realistic. I can remember it clearly. I’m not crazy. Whatever I felt: the weak leg of mine running for the gate, the anger that fumed in me, the pleas of his voice, they were too convincing.

That one difference between me and Krystal Jung Soojung in the dream was I wouldn’t push Jongsuk away, but Krystal Jung Soojung in the dream did. I guess Krystal Jung Soojung from the dream was stupid. Hasn’t she realized that she loved Jongsuk so much? So why was she pushing him away?

Come to think of it, both versions of me were... me. I do push Jongsuk away in my mind. But I’m absolute now. I wouldn’t think of him day and night if I wasn’t. The dominant part of me loved him. My heart that wants him, but my mind didn’t.

But I would still refuse to admit. I would feel foolish if I admit. I would be stupid if I do.

How easy it was to fall in love with someone who had deceased. Well not decease, he’s just gone from the eyes of everyone.

“Stupid Soojung,” I scoffed.

I smiled, excitement washed over me.