The Island
[Series] E.L.F. s Dream
PART 2
They went by the shore and walked. They talked and laughed as if they’ve known each other for a long time. She told him whatever she knows about him. Who he was, what he do for a living.
“So my real name is Park Jung Su? So why don’t you call me Jung Su oppa instead of Leeteuk?” He smiled another bright smile at her once again.
“Can I…really do that?”
She was hoping that she can. It’s a privilege calling him by his name.
“Of course you can,” he said before removing the stray hair on her face. “So, am I really a singer?”
She smiled at his obvious curiosity. She nodded, “Jung Su oppa is the leader of the thirteen membered group Super Junior.”
“That many?! How do you know us then?”
She sat on the sand looking to the sea. “I don’t know. I just woke up and realized that I know all of you by heart.” She brushed the sand off her feet.
He sat beside her, “Tell me more…”
She looked towards the sea where the sun is almost setting. “One thing I’m certain about, you have millions of fans around the world cheering for you and waving your blue balloons every time you perform.”
He sighed, making her head turn in his direction. “Then that must be really hard on us…,” he looked at her. “We need to do our best so that no one will be disappointed in us. We can’t make our beloved E.L.F.s sad. Everyone’s working really hard ever since.”
“But still,” she glanced at him. “I have never seen Jung Su oppa without a smile on his face.”
He placed a hand on her head, “Because I want all E.L.F.s to see me happy.”
At that moment, she saw Leeteuk again. The leader who is constantly smiling. Someone who sings and dances even if his back is aching. The Leeteuk who is full of energy even after a long tiring day of back to back performances. His eyes are as bright as the setting sun, maybe he remembers something. But just for a while.
“I think we should go back home, halmeoni might be waiting for us.” He stood up showing a hand to her, “Please don’t pull too hard or it will hurt.”
She reached out a hand, her first time to hold a man’s hand. “You should not force yourself to smile when you’re hurting oppa.”
“I know…”
~♥~
She poured water down on his cup. It was their first dinner together. Though it seems rather awkward, he seemed not to mind. He’s acting comfortable sitting in front of her.
“Jung Su oppa, do you eat these?” she pointed at the food prepared at the table.
The dishes were simple, not like the one’s they eat in the city. Yet, he nodded excitedly. He was like a kid being served for the first time. He tasted everything and ate everything deliciously. It makes her feel good. Just observing him eat makes her full.
“(Your name)~ssi, why don’t you eat with me?”
“Okay, I’ll eat with you. I just happen to enjoy watching Jung Su oppa eat happily. It doesn’t look like you just came from something bad.”
“Maybe it’s better if we don’t talk about it, I don’t know but I think it’s better to be like this for a while.” He stopped eating and looked at her. “You know what? I even think it’s better, though it’s not really good, to not remember my past anymore.”
She almost threw up the food from . “What? That’s…that’s…why?” she looked at him as if he was crazy.
Remembering what happened by the beach, she really thought that he wanted to remember. But the way he talks just now, the glow in his eyes gone, he looks as if he doesn’t really want to go back.
“I don’t know…” he sighed. “My mind tells me to remember, but my heart tells me not to. You know, being an idol like you told me, I think it’s hard.”
He looks sad but he’s determined. Is it really hard to be famous like he was? How can it be hard when there are millions of people supporting you? There are millions of people loving you.
“Jung Su oppa might be right. But please think more of it. You can’t just do it without thinking over it a thousand times.”
“I might as well do that.”
~♥~
“Halmeoni, you want massage?”
Her grandmother looked at Leeteuk with smiling eyes. “Will you do that for me young man?”
“I’d be glad to.”
Looking at them from a distance, they look like real relatives. Leeteuk is happy acting like a grandchild to her grandmother. She remembered that he used to be really close to his own grandmother.
She went upstairs and opened her radio and went to the roof; the only place she can find a signal. It was almost 8 pm. Youngstreet will be on in a few minutes. It will be the first airing since the accident happened. It’s been a week.
The opening song has started as well as the introductions.
“Hello everyone. My name is Kim Heechul. As you all know we met an accident a few days ago, and today I’m back with you. For a while, let’s play this song.”
A soft music played in the background while she lied down looking at the stars. It has been a habit she does everytime she listens to the radio at night.
“What are you doing?”
She looked at the window at her right, Leeteuk was looking at her from the room.
“I’m listening music.”
“Why are you there? It’s cold just come inside.”
She smiled, “I can’t do that. There’s no signal inside the house. Would you like to listen, too?”
He nodded and climbed the window slowly. “Are you sure this is safe?”
“I’ve been doing this every night. I think it’s safe because you can still speak to me.”
He sat beside her. “What are you listening to?”
“It’s Youngstreet.” She said, still lying on the roof.
He lied beside her, “Oh, Heechul’s radio show. You listen to it everyday?”
She looked at him, he didn’t realize it. “Yes, and I do listen to Kiss the Radio, too.”
“What’s that?”, he looked at her.
She sat. This man is really weird. One time he remembers a thing without realizing it then forgets the important things to remember about himself.
He knows that Heechul hosts a radio show but doesn’t remember his own show.
“Jung Su oppa doesn’t remember his own radio show but knows Heechul oppa’s show. You are weird. Why don’t you remember things about you?”
“Who’s Heechul?” he sat up. “Did I say that?”
“If I didn’t know you had an amnesia, I would think you’re just making this up oppa. Yes, you said it. Heechul oppa is also your member. Please remember it quickly. Don’t you want to go back oppa?”
He lied on his back once more, looking at the stars, he thought. “This roof is cold.” He sat again. “I think I should go back inside. It’s bad for my back.”
She stood up before him. “Jung Su oppa should stay here, I’ll get a blanket and a futon for you.”, she headed for her own room. And without looking at him she said, “Please don’t always run away when I’m asking you questions.”
She left him sitting on the roof. Maybe it’s not right to force him too much, but he won’t budge on his own. He isn’t even willing to remember his own past. If she won’t push him, he would rather sit and not think of anything than think about his past.
“(Your name)~ssi,” he called by her window. “I don’t want to go back. I’ve thought about it more than just a thousand times. I think life here is better than my life before.”
He climbed to her window. “You see, sometimes I remember segments of my old memories. When I need to be good for the sake of others, I lose myself. There are times when I need to forget about my own self and act just to be accepted. I don’t want that life anymore.”
She stopped. “Then the more you should go back.” She looked at him and smiled. “You need to say sorry to those people for pretending to be someone you are not. But honestly oppa, when I met you, who you are on stage, is almost the same behind it. You are a good person. ^_^”
~♥~
He woke up early that morning getting used to his life in the island.The place where he can be an ordinary person. The longer he stayed there, the more he doesn’t want to leave and go back to whom he has been.
In the island, he can sing for himself. Cook, go fishing, clean the house for himself. Be silly, be comfortable. He can laugh at his mistakes; he can stay up all night wishing the night will be longer. He can look like a mess. He can sleep all day long. He can dance like a fool. He can live peacefully with this pretty girl named (your name). He can fall in love…
“Don’t you want to go back oppa?”, she said last night when they were at the rooftop looking at the stars at the clear sky. “Heechul oppa mentioned you again on Youngstreet tonight he’s always crying and he wasn’t like that.”
That’s the fifth time she asked him the same question but he keeps rejecting the idea of leaving.
It’s coming nearer to a month, yet he doesn’t feel like going back to Seoul. This place, it’s always like home to him. (your name)~ssi’s grandmother reminds him of his own. The peaceful sound of the waves calms his soul.
“Jung Su~yah seems to be enjoying his life here,” halmeoni said once.
Yes, it’s true. The fishing in the morning, the old clothes he wears (most came from the town’s ahjusshis are in white that makes him calmer), the taste of the food they eat, all of these makes him happy. The simple life contents him.
“Jung Su oppa! Come here quick!”
He went out to where (your name) is calling. The television was working again, it in the mood today.
The news was on, he was there. They were still looking for him. Some members were still in the hospital. Sukira KTR is still on a hiatus. All of their activities were stopped. People were praying and crying.
“I don’t want to watch it,” he said coldly turning to the door where he came from.
She followed him grabbing his arm. “Jung Su oppa…is really stubborn…”
He didn’t dare look at her for she might see what he really feels.
“Oppa, you’ve enjoyed your stay here too much for your own good. Can’t you see? Many people are worried because of you.” she said in a pleading voice. “Why don’t you want to see the people who love you? They need you to be there.”
He removed her hand from his arm, “I don’t need them. I’m happy with who I am now, what’s the sense of going back when I don’t even know them? I like it here, with halmeoni…and you…”
He continued to go; it’s true…who would want to go back when all you need is where you are right now?
~♥~
It was another tiring day…another day when she needed to push her own wants away. No matter how much she wanted him to stay, it wouldn’t be the best. Seeing other’s loss for her own sake wouldn’t make her a happy person.
“What’s the problem?”, halmeoni once again invaded her thoughts.
She looked at her, “Halmeoni, he still doesn’t want to go.”
“Just let him be,” she patted her back.
“I can’t do that,” she said with a sigh. “Halmeoni, you know how much happy I became when I saw Jung Su oppa for the first time, but seeing him like that…I can’t even look at him anymore. He wanted to forget his past. Is that what I made of him?”
For the past weeks they’ve been together, their relationship has been more than just a simple friendship. She can feel how much he has taken care of her. He wouldn’t even make her lift her own feet if he may. He’s been really thoughtful and kind. Though she had never been in love before, this is a fact that she can’t deny. Her feelings for him had grown deeper within the days they’ve spent with each other.
“The Leeteuk in him may have wanted this. You can’t deny him the freedom that he just had right now.”
She remembers how much happy he was when they go fishing together in the morning. He doesn’t even care if his skin goes a tone darker. He won’t mind racing by the shore barefooted. He would cook for her, piggyback her, wash clothes with her. It was a dream for an E.L.F. like her. But …
She looked at the door where he had entered a few minutes ago. What will happen if she just let him be?
“I can’t let him do that. If I need to throw him away of this island I would. He needs to go back to where he belongs. And I know it’s not here.”
Originally posted on my blog...
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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