Alternative 11 : Calming Down

Previously :

“Seohyun sshi. Geez! I’ve been calling you since forever.” Hee Joo held her wrist worryingly. “Calm down. I won’t be that dumb to wait for him that long.. he’s the only dumb one here but I guess there must be a reason behind it and I can’t see any of the reason during our talk that’s why I was livid. Is this the woman he has been so hung up for? You seemed trouble but I don’t think you could live properly without him either. So be selfish Seohyun sshi. Be selfish.” Hee Joo ensured the weak younger girl before helping her getting into her company van. Making sure that the manager knows of her condition.

Hee Joo dialed Yonghwa number right after seeing her off. “Yonghwa.. I’m sorry.”

“Why.. what’s with Joohyun?”

“Is she not well Yonghwa yaa?”

“Tell me.. What’s with Joohyun?”

“You tell me first.”

“She’s well now.”

“She doesn’t look all that stable before.”

Yonghwa cursed to himself as he hung up on the phone almost immediately. That freaking guy effect was still there and he will help her erased the last remaining disgusting memories of his corrupting and possessive ways by himself. It was his promise to her and to himself.

***

Seohyun ran towards the washroom in her house with all her clothes fully intact. She was in hurry as she trembled to turn on the shower in the toilet, desperate of getting rid of the non-evident dirt on her body. She plopped her back on the wall as she brushed her body harshly. Her eyes were disgusted as she looked at every single inch of her body.

The sound of her crying was drowned under the sound of the water drops falling to the floor.

“Seohyun?! Are you there?!” Yoona screamed, entering the apartment before Taeyeon does. Instead, it was the tiny Dubu that was greeting them. Dubu wiggled her tiny tail as she brushed into Taeyeon’s feet.

“Dubu?”

Dubu ran to the washroom, with its tiny feet. Taeyeon followed Dubu together with the other two.

“Seohyun! Open your door! Please Seohyun.. I’m begging you.” Taeyeon knocked on the washroom door impatiently as her heart grew nervous with her deafening silence, leaving them with only the sound of the shower pouring through in the bathroom.

“Oh god.. Yonghwa do something!” Taeyeon were shaking the tense Yonghwa desperately for a solution.

“Seo Joohyun, you open the door now!” Yonghwa tone was demanding as he stood rigidly in front of the door. “Don’t you dare do this to me Seo Joohyun! You said you love me!” Yonghwa kept on knocking the door.

“What if she killed herself?” Taeyeon whispered worryingly to Yoona.

“What are you talking about unnie?! She won’t do that. She’s Seo Joohyun.”

Yonghwa took several steps back before running to the door, hitting it with the side of his body. He tried it again for the second time and finally the door flung open revealing Seo Joohyun’s back. She was unmoving and it struck him how he can’t protect the woman he loves.

He approached her slowly, Taeyeon and Yoona running ahead of him. They wasn’t aware of how his entire being was shaking thinking that he might loss her there.

Yoona turned off the shower.

“Unnie?” Her clothes were drenched but her face stayed oblivious to the current worrying state the three of them are on.

“Oh gosh SEO JOO HYUN!” Taeyeon and Yoona enveloped her for a hug.

“Unnie.. I can’t breathe.” She struggled to let herself out from their embrace.

Yonghwa squatted down, feeling grateful that his Seohyun are not that stupid to do that kind of thing. He carried her up bridal style, as he ran wanting to bring her to the hospital. ICU or whatever he doesn’t even want her to be in this state again. “Bring her necessity.” He instructed the girls to do so.

“Oppa?” Her soft voice called out his name but still he was still running.

“Oppa stop.”

“Oppa!” He finally stopped. “I’m sorry I just felt dirty.” Her eyes were roaming on the floor as her head hung low with the intense gazes the three of them were giving her.

“Why do you lock yourself in the bathroom then?”

 “I don’t know.. but I’m not going to do something stupid just because of that. Not when I finally am able to spend times with you peacefully.”

Yonghwa stopped his step to look at her eyes. She avoided his gaze… she felt shameful over her actions. It’s not that she wants to kill herself or anything as silly as that she just needed to be alone but when she’s alone, worst thoughts came over and just like that she got it. She should never be alone when her nightmares threatened to haunt her again. She curled into a ball… hiding her face from Yonghwa, as her hands formed two balls of fist with her nails digging deep into his shirt.

The dejecting state of her thinking shone through with her sudden change of expression. She was swept over the realization that she needed to stop being stupid. She has problems… problems that disturbed her state of sanity.

Her gripped on Yonghwa’s tightened.

It hurts her self-esteemed… to know that she needs help with her mental state. It hurts her… but still she knew that.

“I need a psychiatrist.”

***

Yonghwa puts her down on the bed in a sitting position. “Where’s the towel?” Yonghwa palm pressed the bed as he leaned to ask her softly.. gently.. afraid of her breaking again. He was about to turn his body to the other side when he felt a slight tuck on his pants. “Don’t be long..”. She sounded so desperate, and the word desperate was not and never was a synonym with anything related to Seo Joohyun. But here she was with her big doe eyes peering into his soul with that request

“Ahrasso.” He leaned to kiss the crown of her head before taking a peek on his text message that they send to him.

From Taeyeon

Don’t do anything funny while we leave you two here. The rest will probably drop by soon.

A messenger for the behalf of SNSD

Yonghwa scoffed at their absurd thought.

 Yonghwa walked in and dried her hair using the towel. She was still shriveling so he enveloped her into a hug and rubbed her hair with the towel instead.

“Cham, you can get a cold.” He must be doing it too gently that the girl started to say something about it.

“You do it like a girl oppa. Let me do it.” She tried to reach for the towel but he managed to dodge it and waved the towel around.

“Jasshik. You’re too precious. Of course I need to be gentle with you. Now, be a good girl and let me pamper you. Okay?” Yonghwa cupped her cheeks and make sure she kept her eyes on him despite her attempt to look at somewhere else instead. “Why aren’t you answering me?”

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” He lifted up her chin.

“I don’t know. Just stop looking at me.” She blushed.

“I need to look at you to memorize every single detail about you that I can get before you went and do something stupid.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Just forget it.” Yonghwa sighed before continuing to wipe her hair until it dries. She observed him thoroughly as he tried to wipe her wet clothes..

“Let me do it, oppa.” Seohyun reached for the towel.

“Ah.. ahh ne.” He said awkwardly. “Do you need any change of clothes?”

“The top drawer, pick whatever you think is comfortable for me.”

Yonghwa closed his eyes while opening the drawer, afraid of discovering her undergarments so he started to touch every single corner of the drawer… before pulling out what he assumed as an oversized sweater and a comfortable pants.

He offered it to her..

“Pink micky mouse sweater with yellow pants oppa? Really?” She laughed.. that’s the first laugh he heard of her that night.

“I didn’t look so I just gather whatever I could find.”

“Why?” She asked, sounding more like a tease to him.

“Well.. uhh.. you know.”

“No.. it’s not on that drawer oppa.” She said, but she was smiling teasingly at him.

“I’m not thinking about that.” He answered defensively.

“Yeah right.”

“Oh really Seo Joohyun? You can even have such conversation now.”

“You would be surprise.” She smirked.

“Yes, you would be surprise with what men can do. I can dig around your drawer and bring some of it home you know.” He smirked back.

“What?!” She asked shocked. “So you have that kind of thoughts?”

“What.. no!” His cheeks are starting to turn into a red, tomato colour. “It’s just a figurative expression.” He was about to argue more when she leaned in to kiss him on his cheek.

“Sorry but you are just too cute when you’re shy.” She giggled.

His jaw was left hanging as he stared at her.. he was hoping that she will stay this way forever. Happy and smiling as blindingly as this.

“Come closer.” Seohyun asked him to lean closer so he did. She took the same towel and tried to dry him off.

“Squat more, oppa.” Seohyun slapped his arm.

“Okay, Joohyunnie. Aren’t you going to wipe here too.” Yonghwa puckered his lips, closing his eyes. He just did that to , not like he was really expecting for her to do so but instead she roamed her thumb on his lips…

He who felt it, opened his eyes to look at her. Her eyes were dark… filled with crystal droplets. She was tearing up.

“You must be worried.” She said, her lips quivering.

“You have no idea.” He emphasized. “I don’t know what you will do next I don’t know whether you will do something stupid or not…. What are you doing? How are you feeling? Are you happy? Just with the thought of it I feel so freaking afraid of losing you.”

“Then stay.. Stay here, tonight.” She said breathlessly.

Seohyun slept under the blanket, while he slept on the blanket instead. He intertwined their fingers together, trying to reassure her he won’t be going anywhere as he brushed her hair lovingly.

“Seohyun?”

“Hmm..” She mumbled, her eyes were still close.

“Still not sleeping?”

“Hmm..”

“What are you thinking about?” Yonghwa asked, looking at the ceiling..

“I’m thinking of the beach. How nice it would be if I can go there and dip my feet in the water.” She said, dreamily… her eyes were still close. “How about you, oppa?”

“I’m thinking of wanting to make you do a promise to me.”

“What promise?”

“I know you are not stupid enough to do so and I know what a strong woman you are… but.. never think of ending your misery with a stupid way because when you do that.. you’re just a person who run away from her problem. God never gave us hardships that we can’t handle. Remember that.”

He doesn’t hear any response from her, so he rose up and looked at the close eyed Seohyun. Does she not hear that?

“I promise.” She smiled, sleepily.. her eyes were barely registering him. “Even without it, I never intend to do so.. but if it makes you feel comfortable. I promise you.”

He leaned in to press a gentle kiss on her eyelids. “Sleep.” He huskily muttered… before planting a last kiss on her nose. Her cute little button nose. He proceeded to brush her hair, lovingly. He stared at the girl that was seemingly floating on the clouds by now. She was fast asleep, judging from how her body moves up and down with a steady breathing rhythm.

He let go of her hand slowly… and as it reached the tips of her finger. He felt his heavy heart prolonging their touch.

‘It would be fine if he leaves her alone right?’ He thought to himself. Well, the couch at the corner of the room seemed like a pleasant enough place to sleep at.

Yonghwa lifted Dubu and let her slept beside Seohyun as he proceeded to the living room for a while to give a call. He slightly peek the world outside as he pushed the curtain to one side while he was enlightening the psychiatrist of Seohyun’s state of mind.

The following morning he was greeted by the feel of Dubu his face. He groaned as he opened his eyes only to see a ray of sunshine hitting his face with its beam of happiness. With that he lets out another groan of pain as his neck was being slightly misplaced when he fell asleep that night. He popped his neck from left to right before stretching his arm to lessen his soreness of sleeping in such an uncomfortable position.

Dubu was long gone by now.

He heard a roaring laughter coming out from the living room. Screaming.. shrieking… you named it. There’s a whole kind of sound coming in. He stood up, groggily as his eyes seek for her presence. Her bed was tidied neatly. She wasn’t there.

He lazily walked outside, knowing fully well who he was going to meet.

The sound of hooting and cheers were heard right the moment he was seen with his messy bed hair.

“Yooo! Nice room.” Hyoyeon shouted.

Yonghwa forced a tight lip smiled… as his eyes roamed the entire place. Jungshin was too busy munching his food, Minhyuk was nowhere to be seen, Jonghyun was in his television watching mode while SNSD… well SNSD, was busy being SNSD. Dorking around the kitchen, shoving the food in their mouth. Some already preparing to leave the place.

He was too immerse in watching the scene in front of him when he fell into a slight daze with the sensation of a short kiss on the mouth from Seohyun.

“Goodmorning oppa.” She grinned, wearing an apron.

“What is this? Is it a party or something?”

“You should be thankful for this.” She chuckled. “Instead of having the whole SM artist coming here.”

“How are you, this morning?” He rubbed his eyes, still not fully awake.

“Better.” Seohyun answered nonchalantly, as she busied herself combing his disheveled hair.

“Uhf.” A sudden appearance of Taeyeon shocked them.

“I’m going to excuse myself. I have a schedule.”

“Okay.” Seohyun answered, she went back to combing Yonghwa’s hair with her fingers.

“Get them a room.” Taeyeon turn her heels around, and made a total cringe expression at her other members.

“They got a room, Seohyun’s room?” Sunny said, giggling.

“Yaa! I’m going to sleep here tonight and erase any trace of that guy presence.” Tiffany pointed out at the two lovers who were too busy in their own world.

“Fany…” Taeyeon shook her head and just like that… Tiffany slumped back on the couch, sitting beside Jonghyun knowing fully well what Taeyeon was trying to imply. After what happened, after all the time they have missed, weren’t it right for them to catch up with themselves, properly.

***

Seohyun adjusted the hat on Yonghwa’s, burying his eyes under the hat.

“There, you go.” She clings her arms on Yonghwa’s arm afterwards.

“We can’t walk like this forever you know.”

“I know… just until we reached that red car there… then let’s separate okay? My van is waiting around there.” Seohyun answered as she grabbed Yonghwa’s hand to taste the lollipop in his hand.

“Where are your van oppa?”

“It will arrive soon. It’s better we reach the filming site separately after all.” He bites large part of the lollipop earning a glare from Seohyun.

“What?”

“You were supposed to it, not bite it!”

“It takes too much of our time to finish it.” He protested, tapping her cute little button nose that was flaring before focusing himself back to his front sight.

Silence… he heard nothing from her as he felt her small hand slipping away from his arm so he stopped.

She was standing there dazed with the sight in front of her.

He followed her gaze and met a man with slightly greyish hair… smirking towards them.

“Seohyun?” He grabbed his pinky hand. “Hey?” He blocked her view.

“It’s Jaejoong father.”

Yonghwa grew tense… He tried to pry into her eyes. She was as stunned as he was. She doesn’t need this. He was sure of that, he pulled her in and grabbed her head to bury it on his chest.

Author's Note

Just so you know, i'm going to be completely busy until the end of November. I have been trying to finish this chapter at the beginning of the week but well it doesn't work out. I read all of your comments from time to time and i really appreciate it even if i'm not replying to it, so please don't shy away on leaving some feedbacks. By the way, i'm loving the poster for this fic. I hope you guys do too... you can check it out on the foreword for the graphic shop. Anyway, enjoy your read. :)