[Sunday]

                Today is the happiest day for the Nam Family. They are always excited and glad when they go to church. However, for Chorong Sunday is her rest day, a time when she can enjoy listening to music while staying in her bed, resting with no worries about her studies but since she’s now staying with Pastor Nam she also has to go with them. As she entered, she looks around curious of what a church like, she has never been in it and also never dreamed of going to. But Chorong is now inside, because without her knowing her heart is slowly changing.

                The service started with a song and Chorong goes along awkwardly clapping with the tune. She glances at Woohyun who is enjoying it. The service continues and she started being comfortable until the sermon of Pastor Nam. It is about God’s love and grace for everyone. He said that God is very close to the weak and poor. Our Heavenly Father even gave His own Son for us, which is in the verse of John 3:16. Those are the things that she remembered and got stuck in her head. So after the service Chorong ask Woohyun the question that keeps on bothering her for a long time now. “I need to ask something. Mr. Nam said that God loves us, right?”

                Woohyun nods.

                “Then why am I suffering like this?” Chorong takes a step forward while touching her chest with eagerness to know the real answer why of all people she has heart disease.  

                “Suffering?” Woohyun thought to his self a bit clueless.

                Her eyes are anticipating as she waited for an answer.  

                He scratches the back of his head and guessed. “So you’re still suffering being here?”

                That’s only when, Chorong remembers that Woohyun still has no clue about her condition and that he will not understand what she’s feeling. But unexpectedly he gave her a real answer.

                “Well, I don’t know the answers for the question why. I used to ask the same questions before.”

                “Questions?”

                “The question of why my parents died… But I’m not angry with God, because His love never fails and He remains faithful to me despite of me being unfaithful to him.”

                Again, she felt uncomfortable with this kind of conversation so she brushes it off. “I don’t understand anything.”

                “It’s really hard to understand it if you’ll not open your heart and fully surrender yourself to Him.”

                “You really sound like a pastor now.” Chorong said jokingly showing that she’s not that serious about it but the truth is she already opened up a small window of her bruised heart.

[School]

                It is a typical day in school but the weather is good so Chorong find it nice to stay under the big green tree at the back of their school to just relax and unwind a bit but it is quickly interrupted when Eunji came. Annoyed, Chorong tried to inform her that she needs a time alone but Eunji is so persisted and said that it’ll not take it a minute.

                She sits up properly and faced her uninterested. “Okay, what is it?”

                But Eunji is very excited and pulled out something from her bag. “I have something for you.” She shows a bracelet and put it on Chorong. “Look around you, almost all has it.” She boasted.  

                The same color and style, like what she said almost all have it. Chorong was quite disappointed as she thought that hers is something special.  “I see that you’re friends with everyone.” She muttered.

                “Deh, but I’m not all close with them. Anyway, do you know that many guys are getting attracted to you? Can you tell me your secret?”

                “Why?” Finally she felt proud and raised her head.  

                “Because of Hoya…I like him very much but it seems like he doesn’t really notice me.”

                “Because he’s surrounded with girls like you and he’s full of himself. But, when he stumbles and falls down let’s see on how many girls will be staying on his side.”

                Truly, there is power in spoken words. Hoya is having a practice game when suddenly after making a good shot; he landed on the wrong side. He has a dislocated arm and is rushed to the small hospital. Just like what Chorong expected, only few of his loyal fan girls went there and one of them is Eunji. She even excused herself in class just to stay with him. She also picked up flowers and bought some fruits for him. Eunji enters the room expecting that Hoya will be sulky but he beams her a big smile making her cheeks turns into a cherry.

                “Oh, what brought you here?” A bit surprised, Hoya asked.

                “You are injured. That’s why.” She replied uneasy.

                “Yah! What’s with that face? I’m not dead yet.”

                “He’s right!” A voice behind her agreed. Woohyun enters the room together with Chorong--who looks displeased to go to the hospital.

                Woohyun walks forward and did a fist pump with him. “Yo! How are you? Does it hurt?”

                “Not anymore. What did you bring for me? Eunji here brought flowers and fruits.”

                “Does myself not enough?” Woohyun joked but  Chorong quickly cuts in as she cannot take how cheesy the atmosphere is.

                “Yah, yah! Stop that kind of conversation. It ticks me.”

                “Fine, here, we bought your favorite food.” Woohyun handed it to him and Hoya just quickly takes a bite of it while gesturing an okay sign.

                “Anyway, I still need to go with Hyomin to buy some things for the festival so I’ll leave first.”

                “With Hyomin? Why?” The name caught her attention right away and it made her curious.

                So Eunji explained to her. “The president and vice president of each class need to buy the props.”

                “She’s right.” Woohyun added then he also bid farewell. “ I have to go now but I’ll pray for you, bro!” They did another fist pump and before he exit the room Chorong also said her goodbye.

                “I almost forgot! I also need… to go to our practice.”

                Chorong goes back to school to have the practice with her pair, Niel. But she cannot keep her thoughts straight as the name Hyomin from the voice of Woohyun goes on her head repeatedly.

                “What are you saying?” She asked after only hearing mumbles from Niel.

                “W-what s-song are we…going to sing?” He repeated with his head lowered down.

                “Whatever you like. I’ll just play the piano.” She shrugs coolly without any pressure or concern for their number. But then their conversation gets cut off when she notices some students sneaking and exchanging whispers. Curious, she turns to the nervous Niel to ask if he knows anything. “I’ve been noticing students staring at us. Did you do anything?”

                Niel looked around and she was right. Chorong did not wait for his answer as it is obvious that he is really naïve about it. “Nevermind. You know, let’s just continue this tomorrow.” She stands up and left but as she makes her way out of the school she felt that everyone’s eyes were like following her. So she fastens her pace until she reached outside. “Aigoo, they really cannot get over of my beauty.” She continues walking until the thought of Hyomin and Woohyun together bothered her again. Curious about what they are doing she changes her direction and went to look for Woohyun. Since the village is small and has only one mart Chorong did not get lost and found them easily. She followed them carefully like a spy. She’s still not certain why is she doing it, but all she knows is that she’s inquisitive about them. Minutes have passed and she still does not get tired in tailing them. They stop to a kiosk to eat dukkbokki. She seats at their back to listen with their conversation then a topic about her came in and it gives a spark on her eyes. 

                “What can you say about Chorong?”

                “She’s… a good friend.” Woohyun replied without hesitating so Hyomin asks another question to know more about their relationship.

                “Is it…is it true that you’re living with her?”

                He nods and again gave the true answers. “Deh. But in different house. She took my house while I move to my grandparents.”

                Since she cannot find any spot, Hyomin just shared a thing to him. “Woohyun-ah…this is just a warning. Didn’t you hear the rumors going around in school? I-I heard things about her back in Seoul that...” She pauses for a while thinking if she is going to say it or not. Chorong moves a bit closer and is also curious about the information. “That…she sleeps with different guys and was really... a troublemaker. Being with her is not a good thing. She’s a bad influence.”

                Now everything is clear on her. The reason why they gave her stares was because of this, but Chorong doesn’t really bother or hurt because she knows none of them were true.  However, she waited for Woohyun to defend and believe in her. She stayed there waiting yet, all she heard is silence. The man that she thought would stand up for her is just like anyone else that would bite her back. Her feet voluntarily stand up; it walked then ran until she is out of breath. Her heart is beating fast like it never did before. She clenches her hand and hit her chest as she falls down on her knees. The pain is unusual to her that it is much worse than her attacks. It is tearing her heart in the inside that even medicine cannot mend. It’s been a long time since someone made her felt this way and only Woohyun moves her in every way, in happiness and even in pain.

                So the only thing that she could think of is to disappear and forget about it. She stands up, wipe her tears and fix herself. Then she goes to change her clothes and rides on the bus away from Sangok-ri.

****

                The moment that Woohyun heard of what she said he suddenly felt his blood boiling because of madness. But he takes a deep breath and paused for a moment to say a prayer in his mind to calm his nerves down. He doesn’t want to say things out of anger but he wants to be wise in correcting Hyomin. When he’s finally ready, Woohyun honestly speaks up on what his mind telling him.

                “I don’t know where and why did you say that. Spreading such thing will not make good to anyone but will only hurt the feeling and destroy a person. She might have an attitude and lives differently than ours but at least I can see her changing for a better and not the other way around. We should not build walls but instead a bridge. Remember Romans 15:7 “’Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.”’

                As he quoted the verse his voice is very firm and he said it straight to her eyes without even blinking like he’s talking deep into her soul. So Hyomin stammer and doesn’t know how to respond. “Wait…I…I didn’t mean to… are y-you angry to me?”

                “No but I didn’t like what you said. I hope you will not say such things like this again.”

                Feeling so ashamed and guilty, Hyomin quickly apologizes. “I-I’m sorry.”

                With a faint smile, Woohyun stands up. “Just be careful next time and think twice before you say something. Anyway, I think we already bought everything. Let’s just start decorating tomorrow.” He bowed lightly and left.   

✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸✸

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!! 

credit:bibleverse|tumblr