PART 1

Why did it turn out this way?

I believed in you and waited… hoping that you will return but…

~♥~

She bowed down on her knees and waited. Her halmeoni gave her a nod but she didn’t move nor speak. No, this is just too much. Thoughts of her being in a big city filled her head. Those bright night lights blinded her eyes. She looked up to her again.

                Three months already passed since the last letter arrived at her doorstep. She never gave up on waiting…never failed to lose hope of him coming back in her arms.

                She always told herself that maybe he was just too busy with his work. They already started to do their promotions and they are planning on doing another world tour in a couple of months. And because of their accident, the fans were more concerned on what they will do next. She can wait; they still have a lot of time.

                “Your grandfather will be waiting for you.” She waved the ticket she was holding. “Take it…don’t worry too much.”

                She hesitated. What will be waiting for her in Seoul? It is a very big place, and even if they live in the same city, how big is her chances of seeing him at this point in time.

                Her halmeoni placed a hand over her shoulder. “(Name)~yah, everyone will take care of me while you’re not around so be happy. Follow you heart…”

                In the end she was there, walking slowly, with a bag over her shoulders. Her harabeoji ran towards her as soon as their eyes met. He was her halmeoni’s younger brother. She never saw him. Or if she did, she can’t remember. He gave her a warm hug, and for a while she was stunned. Nobody else hugged her. No relative did.

                “You’ve gotten this big? I only knew you through your pictures. Noona told me that you were a smart kid.” He patted her head. “I’m sorry if I wasn’t around to help you, but now, I will be with the two of you.”

                He was years younger than her halmeoni and he was stronger. But what she loves the most about this person was that she can see her halmeoni’s eyes. Those kind eyes were always there from the day that she was born.

                “Cha, kaja? I still have a lot of catching up to do.”

~♥~

“Annyeonghaseyo.”

                She greeted the female customer with a smile as she took her order. In a few minutes, her first day at work will end. It was something that she insisted. Even though her harabeoji wanted her to stay at home, she pleaded to him.

                The café where she was working was a blessing to her. It was found on a tiny corner near a famous station in Korea. Many celebrities entered there since it opened at earlier. She can’t hide her excitement. Though, she hasn’t seen him yet…

                “Kamsahamnida,” she said as she bowed to thank the woman. She can’t help but notice how familiar she was to her.

                “So, I heard that you are preparing for your next Super Show. What countries are you planning to visit this year?”

                The voice from the radio caught her attention but her gaze continued to follow that woman. She remembers her. That beautiful smile…

                “Yah, what are you looking at?”

                She almost jumped out of her skin when Jin, her partner, patted her shoulder.

                “Oppa!” she covered before anyone else noticed how loud she was. “Oppa, you scared me!”

                Even though they only met that day, they instantly got along really well. He was her senior at work and he’s also older by two years.

                “Island girl, see that woman over there?” He pointed at the woman she was looking at. “She’s our boss’s friend, she’s also a celebrity. Her name’s Kang Sora. I bet you don’t know her because you don’t have a television don’t you?”

                She poked his shoulder. “I know her.” She lied.

                So that’s why she looks so familiar. Even though it’s been years since then, she can still remember how she felt when she first knew about Leeteuk joining We Got Married. The jealousy…

                “More than that (name)~ssi, don’t you think we should get going? Our shift just ended. Do you want to have some early dinner before we go to the club?”

                “Are you going to treat me?”

                Jin offered her a part time job in a club. It was only a few minutes ride from there to her home so it’s good. And since she doesn’t really have much to do, she took the offer. It can also help her earn a lot for school. She wanted to study again.

                “I’ll go first,” she heard Sora said as she walked past the people who greeted her.

                She wondered how it was like to be as famous as her.

~♥~

“Ah, jamshimanyo (name)~ssi…you go ahead. I’ll just get my phone. I forgot it in my locker.” Jin said.

                It was a shock that they finished their food really fast. It was as if they didn’t even chew. He said that it would be better if she gets to meet a few people at the club before starting to work so they hurried. And since it’s a club, she needs to have a few advices from her co-workers.  There wasn’t really a single club in that island for her to even know what it was like. She heard about it but never been inside one.

                She walked slowly, feeling the early night’s air. City was bigger than what she thought it would be. The lights that glimmer, the sound of cars running here and there, lots of people who didn’t even bother to know everyone…it was just so foreign to her.

                “Ommo!”

                She turned around and saw her again. She spilled her coffee on her beautiful dress.

                “Jeogiyo, do you need help?” she walked closer to her while taking out a pack of tissue paper. “Here, take this.”

                She looked up and gave her a bright smile. “Kamsahamnida.”

                “Ahm…by any chance, do you remember me? I was the one who served your coffee at the café down the street.” She hoped that she did.

                She was really beautiful…no wonder Leeteuk liked her. The innocent face…yet she has a very strong personality. In a way, she envied this person for being close to the man she loves. She can say that she was much closer to him…they spent a very long time together as a married couple. But here she was, hoping to meet the guy she knew for only a month or so…

                She looked at her again. “Of course! You were?”

                “(Name) imnida…”

                “Jin, usually serves me so—“

                “Sora~yah, who are you talking to?”

                Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice. It has been so long since then…but her heart knows that voice.

                Sora walked past her towards the man behind her. “Oppa, you already finished the radio show? Where are the others?”

                She played with her fingers while her heart hammered against her chest. It was breathtaking….at last…she will finally meet him.

                “Customer~nim! Annyeong haseyo!” Jin suddenly came out of nowhere and greeted them. “Hyung, you don’t visit our shop anymore? Are you busy?”

                “Ah, ne. We’ve been doing our promotions. The others were still upstairs. They might be here soon. Anyway, who is that girl?”

                “This?” Jin placed a hand on her head. She still wasn’t moving. “Yah, island girl, they’re asking you. It’s a hallyu star. Hallyu!”

                Slowly, she turned around.

                What shall I say? What shall I do? she whispered to herself.What will his reaction be?

                She bowed her head. “Annyeonghaseyo…(name) imnida…”

                When she looked up to meet his eyes, he was intently looking at her. Will he ask me why I am here? Will he smile and introduce me to them? Oppa…I am here now.

                But to her disappointment… “She looks familiar to me…have we met before?”

                She was stunned…she felt her feet froze into the ground. Her knees almost wanted to buckle up. What?

                “I don’t think you met her before hyung, she just came to Seoul. Right (Name)~ssi?”

                She opened to speak but she failed miserably. “A—ah ne…I…I came to study here. I…hope we can see you at our shop often. Please visit us some time.”

                She cannot hide her disbelief. He said he wouldn’t forget…but how come…?

                “Oppa, let’s go first. We still have a lot to do.” Sora held his hand firmly. “We will meet again soon.”

                What is this? Why are you holding her hand so tightly? She wanted to say…but her lips wouldn’t move. Instead she painted on a smile and bowed at them. They also returned a bow.

                She placed a hand on her chest and felt her heart beat stop…she cannot help but feel how her heart sank. It was as if it fell right into a whole where no one could take it back. She forgot how to breathe as she watched the two of them enter that white car. They looked so happy. He can even smile at her…

                “(Name)~ssi, let’s go. We still have a work to do.”

                He pulled her arm but she didn’t move. “What, are you struck by lighting? You will see a lot of celebrities soon. Don’t worry. You will meet them again.”

                He pulled her again and she cannot do anything but follow him. Soon, he said. How soon? When she meets him again, will she be as stunned as she was tonight? The realization of it all hit her. And it was true…what they say…that when you are so hurt, you cannot even cry anymore.

                “Jin oppa…”

                “Ne?...”

                “Nothing, just forget it.”

                ~♥~

“Leeteuk hyung,we have a problem.”

                Since those words slipped from Kangin’s mouth he already prepared himself for whatever might come. In the end, he was still mesmerized… He told himself that sooner or later they would meet again. But he didn’t expect that she would come to Seoul this fast.

                His heart almost stopped when he saw her standing next to Sora. Even by just looking at her from behind, he can immediately recognize her. It was painful to realize that never be with her again…

                “Have we met before?” that was probably the most stupid question he could ask; though he was surprised that she didn’t answer back.

                He saw the pain flash through her eyes before she looked down. This was better though…than to let her know that he remembered her. He would be married soon anyway…to this woman beside him. They were walking towards her apartment after her schedule that night. It was already past four in the morning and they just finished their early breakfast. He hasn’t slept yet.

                “Oppa, tomorrow…can you come with me?”

                They will choose her gown tomorrow…he knew that. He nodded before she went inside and gave him a goodnight kiss. Sora was still as beautiful and as smart as she used to be many years ago. It was the same reason why he fell for her again. But why did he start to waver? His feelings for this girl and that girl was almost the same…it was love.

                He turned and entered the elevator; pushing the ground floor button. He closed his eyes. His bed was calling him because he hasn’t slept since yesterday. If it was the only way he could really forget her…then he would bury himself to work again. Even if he starts to get sick, he would do it for the sake of forgetting her…

                He opened his eyes when he felt the elevator stopped. And when the doors opened…he wished that he headed straight back home. Because before him stood the woman he must forget…yet all he can do was to make a smile. 

Originally posted on my blog...

Original date written:  Thursday, March 22, 2012 9:20 PM

PLEASE TAKE AWAY WITH FULL CREDITS AngelELF_jooeun