Chapter 31

Goodbye Autumn

Chapter 31: Author’s POV

 

“This is goodbye, huh?” Ji Min scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

An hour after sending Ga Eul off, everyone went their own separate ways. Ji Min and Jae Kyung had gone together back to her house to gather her belongings – she, too, was leaving that day. It was another two hours before her flight as well, so they had headed back to the airport waiting for the intercom to notify them. Ji Min felt sad knowing that she was leaving too, but he was happy that she was happy about this – it wasn’t awkward for them even if they weren’t dating anymore.

“I feel like goodbyes shouldn’t even be called ‘good’.” Jae Kyung said shaking her head with a small, forced smile. “What’s so good about saying bye to someone?”

“The positive thought.” Ji Min answered. “Would you want it to be a bad bye then?”

“Well, that is how it feels.” She shrugged. “Besides, it’s not like anyone ever wants it.”

“What are you going to do when you get there?”

“Find a boyfriend.”

“Yah.” Ji Min glared at her.

“I’m kidding.” She laughed. “I’m going to miss you, Park Ji Min.”

“I know you are.” He smirked.

She hit his arm. “Yah.”

“I’m going to miss you too.” Ji Min reached over and hugged her. “So much.”

“I think I’m out of tears.” She laughed.

“Me too. I blame this on Ga Eul.” Ji Min laughed with her.

The intercom started speaking, making Ji Min and Jae Kyung pull away from each other. Ji Min had to bid his goodbye to her even though he didn’t want to. Jae Kyung still felt some type of way towards Ji Min while she stared at him, but she knew it was best that the two of them would separate. She waved at him as she started to walk backwards to board the plane.

“I still love you.” Ji Min shouted.

“I do too, Park Ji Min.” She smiled. “I’m rooting for you.”

“You’ll be my biggest fan, right?”

She gave him two thumbs up. “The best!”

“Have a safe flight!”

“Thank you!”

With that, she disappeared as she boarded the plane. For the first time, Ji Min has never felt so alone. He took a deep breath as he calmed his heart from falling.

 

 

A few days have passed since Ga Eul had left for America. Jae Kyung had settled in her new home in Japan with her mother. She was still feeling a little down now that she wasn’t with anyone she was familiar with and her heart was still a little heavy knowing that her best friend was going to go into surgery soon, but she wasn’t there to support her. She prayed and prayed, hoping that Ga Eul would go through a successful surgery.

Ji Min had gone to the dance practice building where he watched Chen sing his heart out alone in the practice room. He knew how motivated Chen was about being an idol even though he hasn’t been doing this for a long time. He was envious because Chen touched hearts by just singing and even though he could barely dance like how Ji Min did, he still envied him. After a few minutes of listening to him sing, Ji Min knocked on the door before walking into the room. Chen stopped singing and turned around to look at Ji Min.

“Doesn’t it seem like it’s been awhile since we’ve last seen each other?” Ji Min chuckled as he made his way to the couch.

Chen nodded as he walked over to sit next to Ji Min. “It seems lonely lately, doesn’t it?”

“I guess it’s because we are kind of alone.”

“We have each other.” Chen chuckled. “Unless… Unless you don’t want me.”

Ji Min laughed. “Yah.”

“I wanted to enlighten up our mood.” Chen sighed as he leaned back. “We’ve been so down lately – it’s kind of wearing us done, don’t you think?”

“It’s wearing us down a lot, Chen.” Ji Min clasped his hands together. “Do you know when you’ll debut?”

Chen shook his head. “No, do you?”

Ji Min shook his head as well. “I wish.”

“I’ll always support you though.”

“Same here, man.” Ji Min patted Chen’s back. “You do realize that we’ll be competing against each other in the future, right?”

“Why do you say compete?”

“Because, I know we won’t be on the same team.” Ji Min said.

“That doesn’t bother me. It’ll be a friendly competition.” Chen smiled. “Where are you auditioning?”

“Big Hit Entertainment.” Ji Min sighed.

“You’ll get in.” Chen assured him. “You’re talented.”

“Thanks.” Ji Min lowered his head. “Where are you auditioning?”

“SM Entertainment…”

“That means you’ll get to meet BoA!” Ji Min’s face lit up. “You have to say hi to her for me.”

“That’s if I get to see her.” Chen laughed at Ji Min.

“I can’t believe we’re getting closer and closer to our dreams.” Ji Min really couldn’t believe it.

They’ve been training by their selves for over a year or so and they were getting ready to make their dreams bigger; they were nervous and yet, they were more than excited.

“Today’s her surgery…” Ji Min whispered this, afraid that if he were to say it any louder, it would have made the atmosphere a little too tense.

“I know.” Chen slowly nodded his head.

“She’s probably scared right now.”

The thought of it scared Chen.

“I wonder how she’s coping with it.” Ji Min sighed. “She’s probably thinking of you.”

Just then, Chen’s phone started to ring. He looked at the caller ID and raised an eyebrow since it was an unknown number.

“Pick it up.” Ji Min said.

“Hello?” Chen spoke.

“Hi.”

Chen felt his heart drop. “G-Ga Eul?”

“Hi Chen.” She breathed.

“GA EUL?!” Ji Min raised his voice a little too excitedly.

“Hi to you too, Ji Min.” She chuckled through the phone.

Ga Eul was lying on a hospital bed, waiting to go into surgery. She had begged the doctors to let her use the phone before going in because she was nervous. Even though they refused at first, they decided that if this would calm her down, they would let her do it. Hearing Chen’s voice after a few days made her cry tears of joy. It was like a remedy to her even though she’s heard it often.

“Are you going into surgery right now?” Ji Min asked as he pressed his ear against Chen’s since the phone was there.

Ga Eul nodded her head even though they didn’t see her. “In five minutes.”

“Five minutes?” Chen whispered.

“Mmm…” Ga Eul replied. “What are you two doing?”

“We’re practicing.” Ji Min answered. “Well, technically, Chen was the one practicing.”

“Singing?” She questioned.

Chen nodded his head. “Yeah.”

“You’re going to become an amazing singer, Jong Dae.”Ga Eul said as she smiled through the phone.

“Stop praising me.”

“You’re wonderful and everyone’s going to love you.” She added.

“Quit it.” He felt hurt hearing her speak to him.

“You’re going to move people’s hearts through your voice, you know that?” She chuckled. “I just want to let you know that I’ll be your biggest fan and I’ll be supporting you.”

He chuckled. “My biggest fan, eh?”

“The best fan you’ll ever have, that’s for sure.”

“I’m glad to know that someone will be my fan at least.”

“You’ll have a lot of them.” She assured him. “Because you’re kind.”

He sighed.

“I wish we didn’t have to do this through the phone.” She bit her lip as her heart started squeezing inside of her chest.

“Neither do I…” Chen responded as Ji Min tried his hardest not to cry. “I’m sorry I’m not there.”

“But you are.” She replied. “Chen, you know how thankful I am to have met you?”

Chen covered his mouth with his free hand as he felt a cry crawling out from him.

“Even though it was hard to get through to you at first, because you were so stubborn,” she laughed at this. “…I was still glad that I gave it a try. You made me happy even when we didn’t do much… I wish we’ve met earlier…”

Chen nodded his head, agreeing with her. He had wished they had met earlier because now, he felt like things would have changed and he would have had more time with her.

“You were the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I love you, Choi Ga Eul.” Chen sobbed.

“I’m so lucky to have met you.”

Chen lowered his head.

“Chen?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something?”

Chen huffed a sigh, knowing that he was going to cry. Hearing those words made his heart thump inside of his chest because those few words were something she said often to him.

“Chen?” She was worried since he wasn’t saying anything.

“Y-yeah?” He was crying.

Ji Min tilted his head back as he cried. Seeing how Chen was, he had somehow felt what he was feeling. He thought that they had cried enough, that there was enough to let out anymore, but a call from Ga Eul proved them all wrong. The two of them were crying while trying their best not to let Ga Eul know of it.

“They’re going to put me to sleep soon.” She sighed. “Will you stay on the phone with me until then?”

“Can I do that?” He asked.

“Yeah…” Her hand around the phone tightened as if she didn’t want to let go.

“Then I will.”

“C-can you sing to me until I fall asleep?”

Chen felt his heart squeezing inside of his chest as he cried.

“Chen?”

“Yeah?” He tried his best to not let her know he was crying.

“Will you?”

“Of course I will.” He pulled the phone away from him as he cried a little harder.

Ji Min watched and listened as he cried along with Chen.

“If you feel it’s a burden
That all my senses are focused only on you
I will leave now
If I made you suffer
Because I couldn’t control my feelings
I will go now

I was afraid that like “hooc”
You might fly away from my side
Not a day could I rest saying “hugh”
I didn’t know then that I was hurting you
With my foolish obsession

Just know this before you go
That I was the only man who loved you only
So stupid was I
An idiot a scumbag who couldn’t even protect you
If you stay beside me ’till the end
You’ll be more heartbroken, you might fall
Made a very good choice
A person who will set you free
Will come to you
Will come to you

I won’t make any more of small excuses
So make that kind of look on your face no more (so sad)
With my mouth shut I only wanted to wish your happiness
It wasn’t that, no no no no

In the cold wind with “hoo”
I warmed up your cold hands
“Pooc” (deep) in my arms
After a year we had our first kiss
I gave myself to you, I always do

Just know this before you go
That I was the only man who loved you only
So stupid was I
An idiot a scumbag who couldn’t even protect you
If you stay beside me ’till the end
You’ll be more heartbroken, you might fall
Made a very good choice
A person who will set you free
Will come to you
Will come to you

Thank you for giving me happy memories
You go on and don’t remember, forget anything
Don’t look at me with worried eyes, I’m okay

Someday all my heart’s wounds will be cured
Someday I will meet a nice person
Forget, yeah, forget everything and hurry up and go
Before I change my mind and hold onto you

Out of habit, I might call you without knowing
Hello hello hello hello
Missing you like crazy, if I’m at your door, be cold

Just know this before you go
That I was the only man who loved you only
So stupid was I
An idiot a scumbag who couldn’t even protect you
If you stay beside me ’till the end
You’ll be more heartbroken, you might fall
Made a very good choice
A person who will set you free
Will come to you
Will come to you”

As Chen sung his heart out to her, he cried and cried, breaking through the lines a few times, but Ga Eul didn’t seem to notice because she too was crying because within those few lines, she was falling deeper into sleep. His voice was fading and all she could hear was the countless breath that she heard around her and the machines that were beeping, letting her know her heartbeat was constant.

There was nothing but sounds of materials being moved around. Chen felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach as he knew that she wasn’t awake anymore. He dropped down to his knees as he cried and cried. Ji Min bent over and patted down Chen’s back as he cried along with him. Ji Min wanted to comfort him through words and not only actions, but he knew that words weren’t the right thing to say right now because they will never comfort ones heart when they’re feeling down.

“Goodbye… Ga Eul…” Chen whispered before he put the phone down and cried some more.

 

 


 

*A/N: Do you guys hate me because of how I ended it? Lol. This is not the end of it. A special (actual last) chapter should be posted up by tomorrow! Thank you for staying by my side, all you subbies/readers! I really appreciate it. Seriously. I'm thankful!! Please read and comment. I'd love to hear about your opinions, so please don't be a silent readerThank you and read with lots of love! Keke~! Muah

 

Go read my next story which features EXO's Kai <3 
You're Beautiful

 

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1/1: Thank you all so much for getting me featured on the first day of the year. I love you all! I don't know how to express it well at all, so thank you!!!

Comments

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Michiko37 #1
Chapter 32: I just finished your story <3
And now I'm crying TT_TT
noonimm
#2
Chapter 32: Thank you to make it a happy ending ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
noonimm
#3
Chapter 23: oh my god oh my god oh my godddddddddd
I need a pillow, i need to scream
noonimm
#4
Chapter 17: I don't know how to explain my feeling in english .. but I could die from reading this and was biting my lip so hard to stop myself from smiling.
noonimm
#5
Chapter 15: I understand you Ga Eul T-T;;
noonimm
#6
Chapter 12: I was stupidly smiling when chen's teasing personality came out .. god that was so cute
imnotintokorean
#7
Chapter 32: Omg hi! It is by far is the most cute ans sweet story of Chen. Thank you for making this story! You made my day?
ettoiscy
#8
Chapter 32: OMG NOOO AAAAA I love imagine chen with his whining voice at the last chapter hahah well done.
I love this fic, super duper.
Thankyou authornim for the fic. Great.
Hashtagkpop #9
Chapter 32: I don’t understand why they haven’t kept in contact for 2.5 years
teaeri
#10
This was the first ff which made me cry :”)