Apr 21, 2017

Spring season has come; the once monochrome city of Seoul had gone colourful once again, its brilliance fluttering down along the street of Seoul. Soojung found herself standing along the pavement in front of the office where she worked at; foot tapping the asphalt impatiently because the guy was already running late, nineteen minutes late that she was seconds away to take her phone out of her bag and make a call but a motorbike stopped before her then. The person took off their helmet and Soojung balked in response. “Don’t tell me we’re riding this?” she asked incredulously. “And you’re late!”

“Something came up at the office,” Jongin informed her. “And, yeah…” Jongin continued with a scratch on his head, sheepish smile playing around his lips as he looked at the lady.

The expression on Soojung’s face changed to that of concern upon hearing his words. “Is everything okay at the office, Mr. CEO?” the lady asked in a teasing voice, but there was a little bit of concern evident in her eyes.

“Yeah yeah. Everything has been taken care of. No worries,” Jongin quickly dismissed with a smile. He then leaned forward and propped up his elbow on his helmet where his chin rested upon, looking at Soojung with dazzling eyes that had the lady’s lips glued in a thin line for a brief moment. “And I want to drive you around town. The cherry blossoms had already bloomed you know,” the guy told her, voice laced with enthusiasm and eyes twinkling with excitement.

“No way will I ride this thing!” Soojung instantaneously rejected, looking at the motorbike with incredulity written all over her face, disbelieving that Jongin actually asked her to ride it. “Why can’t we just use car?” she asked then, eyes gazing straight to that of Jongin’s sharply, silently reprimanding him for offering her such ride.

“Come on! It’s more fun to ride this,” Jongin attempted to convince, giving the lady a smile that had Soojung contemplating, mulling over his offer, his words swirling around her head and his smile that was glued on his face.

But then she shook her head furiously. “No!” she declined in a firm tone of voice.

“Please,” Jongin pleaded in a childlike voice, word stretching out into a long mixture of whine and plea. Just then Jongin went silent and straightened up his back, ped his leather jacket halfway through out of nowhere and took out an object that frighteningly resembled a flower, holding the single white daisy out to her with one hand.

Soojung could feel blood rushing up her veins and she could already tell that her cheeks were slowly turning red at the amount of warm air surrounding her. She turned to look somewhere else, refusing to have eye-contact with the guy in front of her who already had a victorious smile painted on his face. “No. Not the flower.”

“What?” Jongin questioned, blinking his eyes innocently.

“You!” Soojung exclaimed embarrassedly, all of her defences crumpled down in an instant, silently admitting defeat to the guy.

Jongin’s lips stretched out into a wide triumphant grin as he motion for Soojung to get on his bike, “Get on!”

With a face pulled into a frown, lips twisted in an unsatisfied manner, Soojung took the single flower and hopped on the motorbike, putting her helmet and the motorcycle sped away.

***

“I still keep the flower you gave me,” Soojung told the guy, taking a book out of her bag then flipped it open to a particular page where there laid a white daisy, a little withered from having been kept inside the book for too long.

Jongin, sitting on the little sofa just by the window, hummed in some sort of acknowledgement, she assumed, but no word followed after though and that made Soojung slightly frustrated. She didn’t know if he actually remembers the event that took place after seeing the flower, or he was just humming for the sake of being responsive.

Soojung let out a quiet sigh before her lips curled up into a smile, sloppy and tired from having to work all day long. She then took out a red colored scarf from her bag, handing it to Jongin as she said, “You also gave me this.”

Jongin took the knitted scarf, fingers brushed slightly but the guy looked nonchalant for Soojung’s liking, eyes fixed on it for a moment before he asked, “When?”

That single word question took Soojung by surprise. She didn’t expect him to actually respond to her, let alone asking question. A big step, she declared in her head happily. With a smile that had grown a little wider, all the energy that was drained out of her body came back to her in an instant, she answered, “It was almost Winter I think, and I remember you told me that red suits me so you bought this.”

“Did I?” he questioned, looking up to meet Soojung’s eyes, expression still unreadable.

“Yeap,” she confirmed with a nod. “Do you want know what I like about you the most?” Soojung suddenly asked. Raised eyebrows prompted her to continue. “Well, there is a lot if I’m being honest, but your persuasion skill is probably the top one,” she continued then. “Or maybe not persuasion skill, but more like the way you encourage people, or maybe it’s just me.”

“And why is that?” the guy asked, seemingly curious to know her answer.

“I’m amazed, still is, at the way you encourage me to try new things. I clearly remember that one time when you brought me to the mall for the first time; it was after graduation I think. We went to the clothing store and out of nowhere you took random dresses then asked me to try everything.”

Soojung looked at Jongin just to make sure that he was following every word that she said before she continued, “You told me this.” The lady then hunched her back, one palm placed under her chin while her forefinger tapped her chin; imitating exactly the way Jongin did back then. “I don’t know why you always wear only jackets and jeans. Don’t they feel stuffy? You should wear these dresses more often,” she mimicked his words, pulling off the exact same expression that he made when he said those words. “I don’t know how your words magic works but those words are the reason why I started wearing dresses. You know well how I hated wearing dresses, except for that one dress that you bought for me when you wanted to bring me to a party.”

“I bought you a dress?” the guy asked.

Soojung’s eyes grew in size then, as she remembered what had happened after that. She cleared before she replied, lips trying its best to form a smile, “Yeah, you did. I, uh, I’ll probably wear it some other time?” the words came out more like a question and Soojung felt stupid for even bringing it up. What if he remembers what happen? Will he hate her more than how he is now? “On second thought,” she quickly added. “I don’t think it’ll fit me anymore since it’s been years since you bought it for me.”

Jongin just shrugged in response and Soojung let out a sigh of relief then.

***

Five days went by in a blink of an eye and Sehun finally decided to visit Jongin at the hospital. Truth be told, he was ashamed of himself, for even having the idea of pursuing Soojung, snatching her away from his best friend, if they could still be called as that. All the more, actually doing it even if he knew Jongin loves Soojung so much that he was willing to do anything to keep her safe, being there for her through thick and thin, making her happy like what Sehun should’ve done years ago. While Sehun, he was just a coward, a coward who ran away from his own problem, who was scared to overcome his own mistake, who he knew for sure had lost his chance a long time ago.

It was Soojung’s persuasion that made him step foot on the hospital ground. He was not near ready, never ready to meet Jongin again, guilt eating him from the inside. He felt as if everything that happened was his fault even if it wasn’t. The lady had told him that Jongin didn’t remember her, not exactly knowing the reason why. He had a little idea of why it was her of all people, but Soojung shouldn’t be the one to blame, it was him. Sehun was the one who started everything. Why did they have to fall for the same girl?

Sehun had just entered the hospital, albeit with so much hesitancy, when he saw Soojung walking out of one of the elevators, stopping when Sehun approached her, “Hey, where are you going?”

“Oh hey, Sehun,” greeted Soojung with a smile. “I was just about to grab some food,” she told him. When Sehun hummed in response, Soojung continued on, “Finally decide to visit him huh?” she stated that had Sehun scratching the back of his neck as he sheepishly smiled at her. “Go on then. Jongin’s in his room.”

“Can we go together?” Sehun asked, tone hopeful and eyes pleading. He wasn’t sure if Jongin would want to meet him, or even seeing his face. Maybe if Soojung was there, beside him, she could give him moral support or some sort at the very least.

Soojung seemed to take the hint as she let out a chuckle before she replied, “Yeah, sure.”

They were at the cafeteria with Soojung waiting on the line for her turn and Sehun standing on her side as he finally asked, “How’s Jongin?”

At that Soojung let out a sigh, tired and frustrated. Looking closely, Sehun finally noticed the dark circles around her eyes, an indication that she hadn’t had enough sleep and that gave away the idea of Soojung spending all her free time here and that was more than enough to prove just how deep her love was for Jongin. “He still doesn’t remember me,” she said, looking dejected that had Sehun just a second away to embrace her in his arms but he refrained himself.

 “Do you like him?” Sehun asked, already knowing the answer to his own question but he wanted to hear it from the lady herself.

Soojung snapped her head to Sehun upon hearing his words; mind suddenly went blank when the question had finally sunk in to her head. “What?” she managed to blurt out.

“You love him,” Sehun then stated rather bluntly, the expression on his face showing confidence and Soojung hated how the guy could be so straightforward over such thing.

There was a moment of silence as Soojung racked her brain for an answer and when she finally decided to speak, instead of admitting her feeling, Soojung chose to reply him with something else, “Well, he doesn’t remember me now.”

Sehun’s lips curved up then, finally getting at least the closest answer to what he wanted. “He will get his memories back. It’ll take time but he will,” he assured the lady with a pat on the shoulder, offering Soojung a smile for reassurance who returned it back just the same.

***

Sehun took a deep breath before he slid open the door, slowly and quietly closing it back but hearing the lady’s name being uttered, the sound of sobs could be heard, Sehun couldn't believe at the sight of Jongin crying, hands clutching on a red knitted scarf as he uttered, “Soojung, I’m sorry for doing this—“

“Kim Jongin,” Sehun interrupted, eyes turning hard in a matter of seconds as he gazed at that of Jongin’s.

The guy’s eyes widened upon hearing Sehun’s voice and he looked up just to be greeted by a glare. Jongin cleared his throat and when he could finally find his voice, the guy spoke up; voice came out in a squawk, “Sehun.”

Just as Jongin was about to say more, the door was opened, revealing Soojung. But before she could witness the unfolding scene and the secret that was slowly being unravelled, Sehun had dragged her out of the room by her shoulders, closing the door behind him before he spoke up, “Can you, uh, get me something to drink?” he asked in his haste state.

“I bought you orange juice,” she told him, not having a clue as she held up a plastic bag that had his drink in it.

“Uh, something else?” Sehun tried, but then he let out a sigh of defeat. He glanced at the small transparent glass of the door to Jongin’s room before he turned to look at Soojung again. “No, never mind. I just need to talk to Jongin, alone,” he said meaningfully.

Soojung smiled in understanding then. “Oh, okay then. Good luck, Oh Sehun,” Soojung bade.

“Yeah, sure,” Sehun replied distractedly before he entered the room again, after making sure that Soojung really left.

“So all this time you were just acting?” he voiced out, face contorted in anger.

Author's Corner:

Hohoho I'm back! Sorry for the short hiatus! There was zero inspiration and I had no motivation to write too >_< Anyway! The previous chapter... wow only one person commented? I wondered if it was because you'd gone tired of reading this fic because of how cliche it has become or maybe because you simply dont have anything to say. Either way, I was a little bit sad about that. Comments motivate me to write and thats probably partly the reason why I hadn't update for almost two weeks.