Seohyun

“Eonni…”

I picked up one of the photo from the table beside my bed.  The photo was taken when I was 9. It was a picture of me and my family and my best friend. Well, more like the only friend I had at that time.

“Eonni…” I ran my fingers on her picture. I’ve missed her every single day since the last time we met and it has been 8 years since.

I put it back on the table and opened the drawer. I picked up a piece of paper with something drawn on it. It was a drawing of a pink flower. Eonni claimed that it was a hydrangea flower.

<9 years ago>

“Eonni~ look what I draw!” I showed her the picture I just drew with my brand new marker set.

“Omo! Hyunnie~ it’s so pretty! The butterfly is so pretty!” She burst into laughter.

“What? No! Yoong eonni, it’s not a butterfly! It’s a car! It’s my dream car,” I pointed to the drawing and pouted.

“Hahaha, I know, silly Hyunnie~ I know it’s a car. I’m just teasing with you since you are very funny and easily teased,” she still couldn’t stop laughing. “Still Hyunnie, it is very nice. You are a talented artist!” she poked a black marker on my cheek and ran, still laughing.

“Eonni!! It’s not funny!” I picked up a red marker before chasing her.

After minutes of running around the house, we lay down on the carpet next to each other, panting. Eonni then took a piece of paper and started doodling. I turned to see what she was up to.

“What is it, Yoong eonni?”

“I’m going to give you something,” she said to me while her eyes were still fixed on her work.

“What is it? You’re drawing something for me?”

“Yes, Hyunnie~ just wait for a minute, okay. I’m coloring it.”

“Ne,”

She continued to draw on the small piece of paper. At first it only looked like a number of random shapes put together, but after she put the colors on, it looked like a flower. A pink flower.

“Eonni, daebak! The flower is beautiful,”

“Do you know what this is?”

“I know, it’s a flower.”

“No, Hyunnie~ it’s not just a flower. It’s a hydrangea flower.”

“What’s a hydrangea flower?”

“You know the herbal tea eomma likes to drink? The sugukcha is a hydrangea herbal tea,”

“Ooo, I once tried it but it tasted very bitter, egh…” I stuck out my tongue.

“Hahaha silly Hyunnie~ herbal tea is supposed to be bitter, but healthy. The reason why I color it pink is that appa often say that a pink hydrangea resembles a beating heart, that when someone give it to the person they love, it means that the person is like their heartbeat, which they cannot live without. I give this to you because you are the person I can’t live without. Hyunnie~” She smiled as she handed me the drawing.

“I don’t think I understand it entirely but I think that’s very nice. Gomawoyo, eonni” I gave her a hug.

“Aw, Hyunnie~”

“How I wish you were here. I need you to help me understand things that I could never understand. I met a boy, eonni. Can you believe it? I actually met a boy,” My smile turned into laughter.

“Eotteokhae? I’ve known him for almost 2 years now. I first met him on the first day I transferred to S.M. High and became close with him ever since. But recently, I’ve been feeling strange whenever I’m with him. I’ve never felt something like this before. There are times when he’s being nice to me makes my heart beats really fast. And then there’s his smile…”

I kept talking to the picture like a lunatic. I spilled everything that was in my mind. Times like this, I needed someone to share my problems with, and Yonghwa oppa was the only close friend I could trust with it. But then again, I couldn’t possibly talk about him with him.

Yoona eonni was the same. She was the only friend I had. I used to be very quiet and people my age always think I was weird. One day, when I was in kindergarten, someone approached me for the first time ever, asking me to read a book with her. It was the first time I ever feel wanted and needed. The feeling I felt while spending that day with Yoona eonni could never be forgotten.

But then she disappeared. She disappeared without a trace. Not even the police could find her. Her aunt, whom she lived with, assumed that she was kidnapped, but the police found no clues about her whereabouts. But I knew that she wasn’t kidnapped. She ran from home. I wanted to hate her ever since. I wanted to hate her for leaving me all alone. But for some reason I couldn’t. The thoughts and memories about her were the only things that kept me going. They kept me company for the rest of the years spent without being with Yoona eonni. And then I met Yonghwa oppa.

Thinking about Yonghwa oppa, I decided to call him. Checking on him every day was enough for me to feel relaxed.

 Tut. Tut. Tut.

There was no answer. I tried again.

Tut. Tut. Tut.

There was no answer.

At first I thought maybe he’s still on his way home. I remembered him saying that his mom needed some things from the grocery store. But somehow I felt worried. The anxiety was unusual. I had a hunch that something happened to him.

And then my chest started to feel heavy. It was suffocating. I tried to call him once more but there was still no answer. There was definitely something going on.

Still, I threw away the suggestion.

I decided to go to the grocery store nearby. I thought maybe some refreshing drinks could make me feel better. I changed my clothes before going out of the apartment and taking my bicycle out from the parking area. The store wasn’t so far so I pedaled down my bike slowly. When I was about to park the bike near the grocery store, I noticed something. There were some familiar figures near the entrance of the store. When I noticed who they were, I immediately hid behind a tree.

One of them was Yonghwa oppa. Another one was Kim Taeyeon.

My chest felt heavy, even heavier than what I felt earlier. I braced myself up and took a peek from my cover. I witnessed something which I regretted immediately.

Kim Taeyeon was inside Yonghwa’s arms. It looked like something almost happened to Taeyeon and Yonghwa was there preventing it from happening to her. Seeing enough, I took my eyes away from them.

“Oppa. She really means so much to you, isn’t she?”

My chest didn’t feel any better so I decided to head back. I quickly took my bike and rushed through the empty street. Without realizing, a drop of tears escaped my eye. When I was about to wipe it off, I bumped into someone at the intersection.

“aargh!!” we both screamed as we both fell off of our bicycles.

“Hey, watch where---Joohyun?”

“Ouww-----Jungshin? I----I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!”

“Joohyun-ah, gwaenchanhayo? Are you hurt?”

“Jungshin, jwesonghamnida! I’m sorry I shouldn’t have let my mind wander off while speeding.”

“Hey, it’s okay. But are you okay? Is something bothering you?”

Without answering, more drops of tears suddenly escaped my eyes. Jungshin looked puzzled, but his face showed more than that. He looked very worried.

“Joohyun-ah, let’s go somewhere. I’ll treat you a cup of coffee. Let me make you feel better,” he said as he helped me up.

Before I could get back on my feet properly, I stumbled. Jungshin acted fast and caught me before I hit the ground. Then I found myself locking eyes with him.

“G----gamsahamnida Jungshin…” I broke off the eye contact and immediately stand up.

“Anieyo. Come on, Joohyun-ah. Let’s go to that café. I’ll make you feel better,”

I could only nod as I wiped the tears off my eyes.

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Author's note:

It's been a while since the last update. Been quite busy with activities. Here it is another update, though I think it's not much, eh? I apologize for mistakes >< do tell me what you think

So...Jungshin, huh? There's something about that chingoo :p