GOTTA BE YOU- MINZY PART 4

 

The following morning, CL was at the front door of Minzy's house, knocking hard enough as if she was trying to destroy the door.

 

"Minkki-ah… open up!" CL shouted as she kept banging the door

 

"I'm coming! Hold your horses, will you?!" Minzy stated as she opened the door while scratching her right eye, "What's the matter unnie?"

 

"I want to hear the full details of what happened last night! And I am sorry for leaving you alone last night, I didn't realize that there were a lot of things needed to be done that night. Mian, Minkki-ah!" CL pouted as she tried to do her aegyo on Minzy.

 

"Yeah! So much for comforting a broken heart unnie! Coffee?" Minzy offered as she walked lazily towards the kitchen to heat some water.

 

"I'd love one! Thanks! I am really sorry… but I heard you had a very gentleman last night… is he that high school sweetheart of yours?" CL asked wiggling her eyebrows as she slumped herself on the counter looking at Minzy working her way around the kitchen looking for coffee mugs.

 

"Look nothing happened okay? He didn't even ask me out, so that is that!" Minzy stated as she tried to brush the issue aside,

 

"So that means, you were expecting him to ask you out then?" CL was fishing for information on how her friend feels towards the highschool sweetheart

 

"Ani! When it comes to him… I have learned not to expect anything." Minzy released a sigh as she poured the coffee into the mugs.

 

"Hey, I heard you got a role in the play!" CL uttered while sipping her hot coffee, Minzy nodded as that earned her a wide grin from her friend.

 

"What play is it?" CL asked as she saw Minzy sitting beside her by the counter

 

"It is entitled THE CRY OF A BROKEN HEART, by its title, you can already determine that it is a tragic love story." Minzy replied

 

"Oh! I can't wait to see it! When is it planned to be shown?"

 

"The first week of December, I think… rehearsals start next week!" Minzy replied as they finished their cup of coffee.

 

----o---

In the coffee shop,

 

"Luhan-oppa! How are your reviews coming up?" Minzy greeted as she laid his cup of iced coffee on the table, seeing Luhan burying himself with books.

 

"Ah! Minji! You are a sight for sore eyes… I am down in the dumps… the board exams are a month away and I feel like I haven't done enough studying!" Luhan laid his head on the head rest of the couch as Minzy looked at him in amusement

 

"Luhan-oppa! Fighting!" Minzy cheered as she then loosened her apron and hung it after finishing her shift.

 

She decided looking for a quiet corner, so that she could study her lines and be prepared for rehearsals next week.

 

Tao then dropped by and saw Minzy by the corner of the coffee shop as he was greeted by Xiumin.

 

"The usual hyung!" Tao smiled as Xiumin nodded pointing towards Minzy who was seriously sitting in the corner.

 

"So… I am witnessing a great theater actress in the making!" Tao stated as he stood behind Minzy who was seriously memorizing her lines.

 

 

"Omo! Tao! Yah! Don't do that! I thought I dropped my heart!" Minzy uttered as she clutched her chest from shock

 

"Oh really? I'd gladly pick it up and give it to you with my heart!" Tao uttered cheekily making Minzy cringe.

 

Everyday, Tao would drop by the coffeeshop to help Minzy with her lines and just visit her and talk to her about everything and anything. He was always giving her a ride to and fro the rehearsal. So one night, Tao invited Minzy for dinner.

 

Later that night, after dinner… they stopped by at the park of the village, they headed for the swings and they saw a small puppy in the sand box, and abandoned puppy.

 

"Awww… such a cutie… whoever left you here, is such a meanie!" Minzy uttered in a cute voice as she tried to pet the puppy who just cooed at her touch.

 

"She's so white!" Tao uttered as he, too, patted its head.

 

"It's a she?! Whoa! Yes you are a she…" Minzy smiled as she rubbed nose with the puppy

 

"Candy! Let's call her Candy!" Tao exclaimed getting excited over naming a puppy.

 

Minzy just looked at Tao with a shocked expression and just smiled and nodded her head in agreement. Then they went silent for a moment.

 

"Thank you for dinner." Minzy stated as she sat on one of the swings with Candy lying comfortably on her lap.

 

"It was nothing! We really did have a lot to catch up!" Tao stated staring up at the night sky and then shifted his attention towards Candy who was comfortably positioned at Minzy's laugh, he then frowned, feeling abit envious of the puppy.

 

"Minji… what happened?" Tao asked suddenly out of the blue, wondering what had happened between the two of them, how did they drift apart from one another,

 

"What happened with what?" Minzy asked looking confused as she let Candy run around the sand box.

 

"With us… I mean last thing I remember was the debut of Jen, then communication between us began to falter…" Tao's voice hung in mid sentence, waiting for Minzy's reaction.

 

"I don't know… I had things to keep me busy and you had things that kept you busy, we both just got busy… well, one thing was for sure… you were really busy with your girlfriend back then, Kimmy." Minzy answered plainly.

 

"But a friendship like ours cannot be broken just because we were both busy," Tao wondered as he started to feel confused as to why he was having this kind of conversation with her, why was he so worried of what had happened in the past might affect their relationship now at present.

 

"You know what? To tell you honestly, I really don't know why it ended like it ended up okay? Why are you asking me these kinds of questions?" Minzy asked in confusion.

 

"I just got curious that's all!" Tao shrugged his shoulders as he picked Candy up and laid her on his lap.

 

"I was curious as to why I had let someone as wonderful as you get away from my grasp?" Tao thought to himself as he Candy's back in silence.

 

"It's getting late… I have early rehearsals tomorrow… we should get on going now." Minzy uttered trying to ease her way out of an uncomfortable situation,

 

"Right!" that was all that Tao could say as he followed Minzy who was already walking towards the exit of the park.

 

"I think I have grown quite fond of Candy, I think I should keep her…what do you say Candy?" Tao uttered as he slowly lifted the pup and kissed its nose.

 

Arf!

 

Candy barked as if answering Tao as he cuddled it and kissed it once again.

 

"Just make sure, I get to have visiting hours with him okay?" Minzy smiled as she looked at how Tao looked so cute cuddling the puppy.

 

The two then walked back to Minzy's house where Tao's car was parked, it was shared in comfortable silence.

 

"Well, this is me!" Minzy stated looking back at the gate of the house.

 

"W-ell… I better go too… and let you rest… c'mon Candy… let the lady rest!" Tao stated as he let Candy kiss Minzy's right cheek as he did on the left cheek, kissing Minzy

 

"Good night and thank you." Minzy smiled as she waved looking at Tao drive off together with Candy in his car.

 

"What had just happened? Why did he act like that? Nothing came between us back then, right? He had a girlfriend then… as far as I know… I should be the one asking him that question!" Minzy thought to herself as she lay on her bed staring at her ceiling, reminiscing that heartbreaking night…

 

FLASHBACK

It was a very exciting night for Minzy, because she was to meet Tao at their friend's debutante party. The last time she saw him was at the School Fair and that was about a year and a half ago.

 

"So did you contact him yet?" Kitty asked eagerly, as she was one of the original Taomin shipper during highschool

 

"W-ell, he texted me and said he was on his way." Minzy replied happily as they were also on their way to the party.

 

"Are you going to meet him there?"  Kem asked as they shared one taxi cab for a ride towards the restaurant.

 

"I hope so… he told me he would wait for me at the lobby of the restaurant." Minzy shrugged her shoulders, as they neared the resto, her friends saw Tao standing in front of the restaurant, seemingly waiting for someone.

 

"Oh my G! Look! It's Tao! He really is waiting for you!!!" Jas pointed out as she clapped her hands while lightly hitting Minzy's right arm

 

"Ow! Careful there! You are making my arm red!" Minzy rubbed her arm as she too felt her stomach turn in anticipation.

 

Tao saw the cab and immediately his face lit up and with a wide smile he waited for the cab to come to a full stop before opening the door for them.

 

"Good evening ladies!" Tao greeted as the girls swooned and screamed while Minzy just hit Tao's arm in jest.

 

"Such a ladies' man!" Minzy uttered as Tao just smiled,

 

"Minzy, we will go on up… and Tao… we leave Minzy to your care… take care of her arasso?!" Kitty teased as the rest of the girls went up to the function room, leaving the two alone.

 

"Tell me when you are going home, I will give you a lift, okay?" Tao stated as he gestured for Minzy to go up the stairs

 

"No it's okay… I am sharing a fare with the girls… so no worries there!" Minzy gave Tao her eye smile

 

"Ani… it's not safe Minzy… I'd rather give you a ride home than you share a cab with them!" Tao exclaimed with a protective tone in his voice

 

"But then… if you worry for my safety, I will also worry for the safety of my friends then!" Minzy tried to reason out

 

"No! It's okay with us! After the party we are heading by the billiards hall, TJ is challenging me to a rematch! Kekekekeke!" Kitty interrupted the two as if waiting for the right time to barge in on them

 

"And besides, you were supposed to help your mom with something at home, that is why you are not allowed to stay up late!" Kem added not giving Minzy another chance to reason out

 

"Okay… so accept Tao's free and safe ride later on!" Jas stated as she lightly pushed Minzy towards Tao

 

"Guys!" Minzy uttered with gritted teeth as if silently trying to grind each and everyone of them to pieces.

 

"So… it's settled then… I will send you home later!" Tao smiled as they made their way towards the function room.

 

When they entered the function hall, one of their friends, Jen came running towards Minzy with a face almost in a crying state.

 

"What happened?" Minzy asked worriedly

 

"Minkki-ah… I need someone to be the Emcee of the program… my cousin is really not feeling well, and you are my last hope!" Jen was pleading as she was seen wearing her gown with full make up and hair do… Minzy smiled and agreed as Tao gave her a fighting cheer.

 

Minzy was counting on spending this time with Tao and catching up with  him, but instead she was busy with being the host of the event.

 

The only time they got to chat with each other was during dinner time, as everyone was eating, Minzy joined their designated table together with Tao. They enjoyed sitting side by side and just smiling at each other listening to their friend's stories of college life.

 

"So how are you?" Tao asked looking at Minzy's direction which caught her off guard.

 

"College life is different from high school life, that is all that I can say about that!" Minzy exclaimed

 

"So what course are you taking up?" Tao wondered as he gave her his portion of bell peppers and corn, which he was not fond of eating, and he knew that  Minzy loved to eat them so much.

 

"I am taking up Performing Arts and soon enough I want to major in Dance." Minzy replied as she gladly accepted whatever Tao was offering her plate, much to the amusement of everyone in the table they share.

 

"Oh really?! Kimmy is also taking up Performing Arts, but she is majoring in Voice!" Tao exclaimed in excitement.

 

After dinner, the program resumed and Minzy was busy doing her job as the emcee. In the middle of the program Tao and the other boys went out and never did came back, only to find out that he left the debut together with TJ to play billiards with them, Tao left the debut without even saying anything to Minzy. She felt he owe her some courtesy of at least saying goodbye to her or even inform her if he is still coming back or not.

 

The debut was already finished and Jen was so grateful for Minzy for being the emcee of her debut. Minzy was feeling down when it was already time to go home.

 

"Minzy aren't you going to call Tao to tell him you are going home?" Kitty asked as she saw Minzy hailing for a cab.

 

"Forget about it. He seems to be having fun… let him have his way… I need to go home anyways… I cannot wait for him forever!" Minzy exclaimed as she released a frustrated sigh

 

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Kem asked as the other girls were still planning on extending the party elsewhere,

 

"Nah! I am tired and I have an early day tomorrow! See you guys!" Minzy stated as she went inside the cab.

 

Just when the cab went off, Tao arrived together with TJ and the other boys.

 

"Oh hey Kitty! Where is Minzy?" Tao searched as he couldn't see her among her friends

 

"Tao?!" Kem exclaimed, "she went off on the cab already… she thought you wouldn't come back!"

 

"What?! I told her to call me when she wanted to go home already, I have to go and follow her!" Tao stated as he ran off towards his car hoping to catch up to the cab.

 

Little did Minzy know Tao was tailing the cab and making sure that Minzy got home safe.

 

END OF FLASHBACK