Joon and Jiah walk side by side along the Won Pyong Ri lake. Jiah held the gift tightly. It’s been ten minutes since they walked together but neither has spoken a word yet.

Jiah still clearly remembers the contents of Joon’s card. That quick and clear question filled Jiah’s mind. Her step suddenly stops, making Joon stop also.

“Wae? Are you tired?”

Jiah shakes her head.

“Emh…that… aniyo. This.”

Jiah was confused and didn't know what to say, so all she could do was show the gold gift in front of him.

“Oh, that bracelet. Wae? Shiro?”

Jiah shakes her head again.

“I like it. But, that’s not what I meant.”

Jiah took a deep breath.

“But the content of your card.” Jiah continued her sentence.

“Oh. Do you hate it?”

“Aniyo. That’s not what I mean. But… can’t you just say it? All you did was just write it like that.”

Jiah walks away and stopped around five steps from Joon. Joon followed her, held her hand, and made her turn around.

“Ara.”

Jiah lifts her head, looks at Joon’s eyes.

“Song Jiah, do you want to be my girlfriend?”

 

 

Jiah stayed quiet for a long time. She was still speechless.

“How can you stay calm like that?”

“Calm?”

Joon takes her hand and places it on his chest.

“Can you feel how fast my heart is beating?”

Jiah quickly pulls her hand away. It felt like something was flowing inside her after touching Joon.

“Why now? After a very long time?”

“Maybe because you will meet tons of new people in your career after you debut.”

“Oh, are you jealous?”

Joon nods.

“Of course, I’m jealous. I am a man who likes you. Isn't it normal to be jealous? But, it’s not just about that, Jiah-ah. You will meet new people and I'm afraid that they will change you. I want you to have at least one person who knows your journey, supports you and helps you stay true to yourself. I hope that one person is me.”

Jiah was shocked after hearing Joon’s answer.

“So, what is your answer?”

Jiah suddenly cries.

“Babo-ah. Why are you crying like this?”

“Why did you have to wait all this time to ask me to be your girlfriend? Babo-ah…”

Joon hugs Jiah.

“Mianhaeyo…”

Jiah hugs Joon back tightly.

“Babo-ah… even if you didn’t ask me, isn't it clear you already know my answer?”

Joon smiles.

“Aigoo. Stop crying. I will be beat up by your manager if you go back to your dorm with a face like this.”

Jiah pulls her body from Joon, and looks at him with a sullen face.

“Okay then, you must makes me happy until we go home.”

Joon nods.

“Arasseo.”

Jiah grabs Joon’s hand and they walked together, in sync, again.

“But… is it really okay if there are a lot of guys around me? What if my feelings change?”

Joon confidently smiles.

“In Song Jiah’s eyes, Sung Joon is the only one she loves. I heard that she fell in love with him crazily. So...I’m not afraid.”

Jiah laughs.

“Ah sinca. Oppa…”

 

 

“Ne, ahjussi. I will take care of her.”

Junsu hung up his phone and checked his hair.

“Oppa.”

Sung Bin knocks on his car. Junsu puts the window down.

“Come in.”

Sung Bin shakes her head.

“I have an appointment with Minguk Oppa. I will take a taxi.”

“Where are you gonna meet? I will take you there.”

“Aniyo. I'll go there on my own, Oppa.”

“Don’t act like that. Don't you already know that I will take you there anyways? Come in.”

Junsu closed the window and turned the car on. But Bin walks away from him. He quickly turns off his car and ran towards Bin.

“Sung Bin.”

“Mmh?”

“Come in. I will take you there.”

Bin shakes her head.

“I told you I will go there on my own. Oh, and this is not just an act.”

Bin looks at Junsu deeply, making Junsu feel guilty. He joked at the wrong time. Do you think she will meet with Minguk hyung only to have fun?

“Mianhae. Come on, I will drive you there.”

Bin avoids Junsu’s hand that tried to grab her.

“Okay, fine. I will wait with you until a taxi comes.”

“I’m fine, Oppa. Look, the taxi is here.”

Bin points at a taxi in front of them.

“Be careful.”

Sung Bin doesn’t respond to Junsu’s waving hand until her taxi took her away from Junsu. Her mood is not in a good state. She felt guilty of her attitude toward Junsu, but on the other hand, she was nervous and scared about her meeting with Minguk.

Junsu looked at the two tickets that he bought this morning.

I guess I will ask her to watch next time.

 

 

“Why did you ask to meet me, Bin-ah? Ah, it’s only been one day since the last time we met and you miss me already?”

Minguk smiles at Bin who sat in front of him. The steam from hot coffees flies between them.

“Oppa… I have something to say.”

Minguk felt the atmosphere turn cold.

“What do you want to say?”

“About….us.”

Bin doubtfully looked at Minguk. When their eyes met, Bin quickly turn her head down.

“What is wrong with us?”

“You know what I mean, Oppa. I… I just can’t…”

“Stop. Don’t finish it.”

Bin shook her head.

“I know it’s my fault because I was the one who was touchy with you since we were kids.. But, Oppa. I… I… I just see you as my brother, Oppa. Can you do the same like me? Can you see me like you see Minjoo?”

Minguk didn't say anything.

“I… I just want our friendship back like before, Oppa. I…”

“Enough.”

Bin shakes her head again.

“I want our friendship back. Jaebal…”

“Enough, Sung Bin.”

Bin sees Minguk’s hands clenching on the table, it looked like he was holding his true feelings really hard.

“Mianhaeyo, Oppa. I just…”

“I said enough, Sung Bin. Didn’t you hear me?”

Minguk’s tone increased a little bit while he looked at Bin deeply.

“Don’t finish your sentence. Don’t say everything you're thinking right now. If you do that, it will feel like you pushed me further away from you.”

“I didn’t asked you to avoid me…”

“Ara. But don’t you want our friendship back? This is my mistake, not yours. I am the one who misunderstood your intentions. Now, do you really want our friendship back like before… like before I loved you?”

Bin nods.

“Then, forgive me for what I'm about to say.”

Minguk still tried to hold all the pain and sadness inside his heart.

“Don’t contact me. Don’t call me. Don’t text me. Don’t chat with me. Even if we meet one moment, act like you don’t know me at all.”

“Oppa…”

“I will be back after I get rid of my feelings. I promise.”

 

 

Junsu was waiting for Bin in front of her apartment. A taxi arrived and Bin goes out of the taxi. Junsu runs to her.

“Sung Bin!”

Bin turns her head and stopped walking. Junsu saw something different with her face.

“Did you cry?”

Bin turned her head away from Junsu while wiping her tears.

“What’s wrong?”

Bin shakes her head.

“Aniyo. Gwaenchanha.”

Junsu touched her face and helped her wipe her tears.

“Don’t cry again, ara? You can tell me tomorrow because it’s already late and you have to be home soon. You don’t want your mom asking why your eyes became swollen, arasseo?”

Bin smiles.

“Gomawo.”

 

 

Junsu says goodbye to Sung Dongil and his wife after Bin goes to her bedroom.

“Where’s Junsu oppa?”

Bin asked her parents after changing her clothes. Thank to Junsu, her parents didn’t realize that her eyes were a bit swollen.

“Oh, he left already. How was your movie?”

Bin was confused.

“Movie?”

Her mother nods.

“Didn’t you go to the movie theater together with Junsu? He already asked your appa's permission this morning. That’s why your appa didn’t get mad even though you came home this late.”

Bin was dazed. She quickly took her phone and called Junsu.

“Oppa? Odiya? Mmh… could you come back to my house? I think I left my stuff with you.”

Bin hung up her phone and ran to her lobby’s apartment. Junsu’s car arrived after a few minutes.

“Sung Bin! What stuff? I didn’t find your stuff in my bag or my car.”

Bin nods.

“I found it already in my room. Mian.”

“Aigoooo.”

Junsu messes with Bin’s hair.

“Come inside. It’s too cold outside.”

“Oppa… I know about the movie tickets. I guess…those tickets are inside you shirt’s pocket.”

Bin took the two tickets sticking out from Junsu’s pocket and stares at it.

“Is it the sequel?”

Junsu nods. Bin takes a deep breath.

“Oppa, you should've told me that you wanted to go to the movie theater.”

Junsu shakes his head.

“There was something more important than this, right?”

Bin nods and remembers her meeting with Minguk. It ended bitterly. Bin tried to forget that memory.

“So, what are you gonna do with this ticket? Why didn’t you ask me before like you always do?”

“Mmh… I felt guilty because I forgot to bring tickets yesterday. And as the replacement, I got you this surprise, but it kinda failed. Kekeke, I hope you're feeling better the next time we watch a movie.

Bin looks surprised. A question comes up inside her head.

“Why are you so caring towards me, Oppa?”

“It’s obvious, right? You are like my sister. You are my best friend.”

Junsu hesitated to continue his words.

“And?”

Bin asked Junsu to continue his words.

“You’re too busy thinking about somebody else’s feelings, whether they’re happy or not. And it makes you forget your own feelings.”

Junsu took off his cardigan and made Bin wear it.

“Like this. You’re thinking of how I'm feeling since I failed at giving you my surprise and made you forget to wear a jacket or cardigan in this cold night. You deserve to be happy, Bin-ah. You should prioritize yourself before others. Remember that.”

Bin started to cry without her realizing it.

“Aigoo aigoo. Why are you crying?”

Junsu quickly wiped Bin’s face.

“Come inside. I guess you’re satisfied with my explanation, right? I’m fine. I don’t care abot those two tickets, I can buy it again tomorrow. And also… I don’t know what happened to you during your meeting this afternoon, but… please, sleep well tonight, with the usual Sung Bin smile on your face. Arasseo?”

Bin nods.

Junsu accompanys Bin to her apartment. Bin goes inside the elevator and Junsu waved his hand until the door closed.

She deserves to be happy. What about you?

     A voice came up inside his head.

She’s my happiness. So, if she’s happy, I am happy.

   Junsu plunged in his thought.

And she’s also my sadness. If she’s sad, I am sad.

 Junsu paused before continue his thought.

She’s my everything.

 

 

“Where’s unni?”

“Oh, she went outside to meet Junsu. Yool-ah, you should go to bed. Don’t you have to visit the museum tomorrow? You have to wake up early tomorrow.”

Yool finishes her drink and nods.

“Ne~, eomma.”

Yool went to bed and hid under her blanket. She looked at her phone and noticed that her boyfriend was calling her.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Still awake? Don’t you have to wake up early tomorrow?”

  Yool laughs.

“You’re the same as my mom. Ne, I am ready to sleep now. You have to sleep soon too. Arasseo?”

“Ne. See you tomorrow.”

“Ne. Beogoshipo.”

“Me too. Kkeunta.”

Yool hung up her phone and smiled while closing her eyes.

 

 

In another place, a man turned off his phone and smiled happily because he just heard his girlfriend’s voice.

Apartment’s door is opened and Minguk comes inside.

“Hyung, are you okay? You look so miserable.”

Minguk put his bag down, wipes his face and opens the refrigerator.

“Do you want to accompany me with drinking soju tonight? Eomma and oppa are still outside for filming, right?”

Minyul nods.

To: Sung Yool

                Message: Looks like my brother needs a friend to talk to. I will sleep later. Sleep tight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

✎ _KYLA'S RANDOM-NESS!