Yonghwa

“Hyung, cheer up!” Jonghyun patted me on the back.

I found myself spacing out before the band’s practice. The guitar strap was already slung over my shoulder and my fingers were already on the first chord’s position as the strings were waiting to be strummed. Everyone was ready, yet the band hadn’t started playing because of me spacing out for a moment there.

“Hyung, you should cheer up. It’s been almost a week. You should move on. Leave everything in the past, okay hyung? Let’s jam to brighten the mood and help you forget everything.” Jonghyun said.

“You’re right. Mianhae. I was too overthinking. Let’s start for real now,”

“That’s our hyung!” Jonghyun, Minhyuk and Jungshin all shouted in unison.

“Hana, dul, set!” Minhyuk gave the cue by knocking his drumsticks together.

I started to strum the first chords of the song. My fingers began to dance on the neck of the guitar, jumping from chords to chords. I could see everyone also enjoying the jam. The mood brightened up. I could feel my head became lighter.

“Wetoriya, wetoriya. Darabiridaradu~ Wetoriya, wetoriya…”

Everyone was immersed in their instruments. The rhythm merged us into one. Even our breath seemed to be in sync. I quickly forgot about all the hardships I’ve gone through lately. My heart was lifted and confidence took over. Even when it was only practice, I could feel the joy as if it was real.

“Seumyeo nareul dallaego isseo…” We reached the last part of the song.

“Gamsahamnida!” I bowed to the empty audience in the room. I could hear imaginary cheers and screams of the audience as if we were really in a real stage performance.

“Wow, someone’s having fun. Just minutes ago your long face was like it was going to fall off.” Jonghyun laughed.

“You somehow gained so much confidence, even when it’s just practice,” Jungshin chuckled. “Let’s just hope this confidence will also come when it’s needed in the real performance.” He joined Jonghyun’s laugh.

I joined them. “Hahaha, I don’t know. I just felt lighter. Everything feels better once we started.”

We were in the middle of sharing a laugh together when suddenly the corridor outside the practice room got crowded by loud screams, excessive giggles, and high-noted shrieks. We turned to the window by the corridor and saw so many girls screaming hysterically, screaming our names. Out of all the screaming girls, there were three particular girls that were way more hysterical than the others. Of course, they were Sooyoung, Yuri, and Hyoyeon.

We turned to the crowd and bowed together. “Gamsahamnida!” and the crowd grew louder.

I never knew the band was really this popular. I mean, I knew it was popular but not this popular even if it was only in the scale of our school. It really felt like we were already a group of idols. I couldn’t stop smiling like an idiot. It really felt good.

Among all the screaming girls, there was one that caught my attention. Instead of joining the cheering crowd, she only stood there smiling at me. I looked at her eyes and gave her my sweetest smile, a smile that expressed how thankful I was to her. And then I bowed to her.

“Gomawo, Seohyunnie~” I said quietly under my breath.

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“How are you feeling now, oppa?” Seohyun asked.

“I feel better now. Well, some weights in my chest still linger everytime I think of her, but it’s better than yesterday. It’s so hard to forget, you know? Almost everything that I do remind me of her,” I answered while fixing my gaze on the horizon above the school building.

We were sitting on the rooftop of the school building. It was Seoyhun’s favorite spot in the whole school because not many people came here. And we were on our own here, enjoying the peaceful air, talking to each other, enjoying ourselves in the presence of each other.

“Mmhm… It’s okay, oppa. It takes time to really forget about something that has once meant something to you. Don’t force it, oppa. Just live everyday like you usually do. Time will slowly heal your pain.” She said with a sweet smile.

“Wow, Seohyunnie~ I never knew you were a love expert!” I laughed and pinched her chubby cheek.

“Ya, oppa! Not funny!” She slapped my arm. “I…it’s just something I saw in a drama I watched,” her face began to turn red.

“Omo! Seohyunnie, why are you getting red all of a sudden? Do you have a fever?” I placed my palm on her forehead but didn’t feel any abnormal rise of temperature.

“A…aniiii…” She pouted and turned her head away.

“Hahaha, gwiyeowo…”

The peaceful atmosphere and clear air really made my mind and body relax. It really cleared my mind up. The sound of bird chirping and the whistling wind made it an even better atmosphere. It felt like the whole world belonged to us. We were on top of the world.

“Hoaam~” Seohyun yawned, breaking the peaceful silence that was taking over.

“Feeling sleepy, Seohyunnie?” I asked her.

“Um, ne. A little bit tired. It was Ms. Jung’s class, after all. I always get sleepy after her class.”

“Hahaha, nado. Her class is topping the most boring class list.” We laughed.

“Here, Seohyunnie.” I offered her my shoulder. “Just lean here and take a short rest,”

“Ah, shirho, oppa…it’s okay. I’m not really that tired.”

“No, Seohyunnie. You do look tired. Just rest now so that you won’t be tired later on the next class after the break. I’ll wake you up when the break’s over.”

She looked like she wanted to protest, but then she agreed with me. “Um, arasseo, oppa.”

She tilted her head and leaned on my shoulder, using it as a headrest. She went silent the moment her head touched my shoulder, but I knew she hadn’t fallen asleep yet. I saw by the corner of my eye when she put her hand on her chest, then she let out a sigh. I turned my head to her. Her head was already limped over my shoulder. I could hear a faint slow breathing. She fell asleep while her hand was still by her chest. I examined her closely and thoroughly, watching every slight movement her sleeping body made. I stare at her in admiration. I never really put so much thought about how beautiful she was before, but now I felt like I could watch her sleep forever.

Dug. Dug. Dug.

“Hmm, what was that…?” I thought.

Dug. Dug. Dug.

I felt something tingling inside. I put my hand on my chest.

Dugeun dugeun.

My heart beat faster. Somehow being so close to her and watching her sleep made my heart race. I didn’t understand. I have been closer than this and have also watched her sleep before, but it has never been like this.

I enjoyed watching her sleep. In fact, I enjoyed it quite too much. I couldn’t take my eyes off her sleeping face when I realized how long we had been up here. I checked my wristwatch.

“Damn! Break’s already over!”

As much as I didn’t want to stop where I left off, I had to wake her up. I shook her as gently as possible and called to her, trying to bring her back from her short trip to dreamland. Before long, she mumbled and opened her eyes.

“Seohyunnie, c’mon. We should get back to our classes.”

“Ah, you’re right…” Seohyun replied, still with drowsiness all over her face.

We stood up, fixed ourselves up, and rushed downstairs towards our respective classes.

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Author's note:

Annyeong everyone!

Fortunately, I could update another one before it takes too long ;_;

Mianhae, it's a bit short but I hope it's not too disappointing with the sweet moment of YongSeo kkkk

And, omo! Yonghwa felt something xD

Thank you for all of your support! You are all my motivation ^^

Gamsahamnida!