Chapter 16: Insomnia.

Jiyong was four the first time he saw a sewing machine in his grandmother’s room. He climbed on the table and played with the machine without knowing its purpose. By accident, he prickled his finger on a sewing needle and he bled and cried the whole day.   

He never tried approximating to the sewing machine again, to him that device was devil like a dragon with dangerous fangs (sewing needles) that hurt him, but one day his grandmother gave a gorgeous t-shirt to him, she said she made it with the sewing machine, then the way he felt for the device changed, he thought something that could make a t-shirt so gorgeous couldn’t be bad and he begged his grandmother to teach him how to sew.

Jiyong was nine when he made his first clothing: one shirt for his dad on father’s day (he sewed wrong the buttons, but his dad loved the gift anyway)

People called it hobby; Jiyong called it passion. He took a job as waiter and earned money to improve the sewing machine his grandmother left after passing away and he used the extra money to buy fabrics, he couldn’t buy the best though. He spent math class drawing dresses, pants, jackets… and he spent hours after school making his creations come alive instead of making the homework, at one point his mother got so furious by the bad notes she locked the sewing machine in the attic.

Jiyong didn’t have a lot of friends, just his homie Youngbae, but Dami, his sister, was very popular and she always wore the dresses he did. Every girl was jealous and stalked Dami for the designer’s name and when she revealed nerdy Jiyong as her designer, the girls surrounded Kwon’s house after classes and begged for Jiyong to make dresses and jeans for them. Jiyong was so happy for having the chance to share his creations he gave away everything; he made clothes and even accessories like bags and necklaces for free.

Everybody praised him for how talented and gifted he was. He was very proud of himself, he really loved the attention and when he ended school, he bought a bus ticket for Seoul. He acquired a scholarship for the best art academy in the city and rented a very small loft (kitchen, bathroom, bed, desk was in the same room), but luckily he wasn’t alone, Youngbae was in the capital too and studied administration and business at one university near to Jiyong’s.

They worked together at night in a nightclub, Jiyong was underage, so he hid in the kitchen and washed the plates and cups while Youngbae was one year older and legal, so he could attend customers and sell beers.

The first day of class at the academy was like going to another planet, a very different world. Jiyong’s classmates wore the best designers from Korea like BSX, Crux, Tate, Mixxo, Roem and foreign brands like Fendi, Guess, Valentino, Dior, Jiyong felt ashamed and panicky, because he wore clothes he did by himself with beautiful but not exclusive fabrics.

The teacher was a man in his thirties named Eun Sanghoon, his style was very neat and minimalist, he looked serious and scary even when he smiled. Everybody arrived to the classroom and reached the desk with his/her name on.

“This is the first day and there are twenty of you. I’m sure you won’t last and by the end of the semester, there’ll be only five or less left” Eun Sanghoon said “Every desk is yours from now and you have to take care of the sewing machine, materials, fabrics, books, pencils… Even the smallest button, because if you lose some, the academy won’t provide anything for you to replace it. If I ask you to make a red dress and you screw the red fabric given to you, you’ll have to but it by yourself”

The teacher kept talking about rules during two hours, afterward the students left for lunch. There was a boy younger than Jiyong by the name of Eom Jinho, he was popular and easygoing; he gathered everybody in the cafeteria, so everybody could know each other. The first one to talk was a girl with petite contexture named Maeng Seoyeon; she dressed a dark blue Prada dress with white straps.

“I’ve spent the most part of my life traveling with my family to Paris, Milan, New York, Tokyo, Dubai; you know, the most fashionable cities in world, so I’ve fallen in love with fashion since I was a little girl, that’s why I chose to study fashion design”

Not just her, but everybody was rich kids that spent their life traveling and shopping while Jiyong grew up in his town and he didn’t know Seoul yet, as a result he was uncomfortable when it was his turn to talk.

“I… uh… Kwon Jiyong… I come from a small town outside Seoul… I…” Jiyong bit his lower lip and started shaking.

“I love your jeans, where did you get it?” a boy asked truly curious.

“Uh… I made it… aaah…” Jiyong said and they stared at him without blinking.

“Really?!” a girl asked.

“Yes… yes…” Jiyong said nervously and waited for them to laugh at his face; because he was so poor he made his own clothes instead wearing 5.000 dollars jeans, 2.000 dollars shirt, 4.000 shoes.

“That’s amazing! Teach me how you did it!” they said and Jiyong shocked unable to believe they talked for real.

But they did, they became Jiyong’s new friends and took him to VIP parties and famous boutiques, Jiyong was so astonished by the new world he spent his money in foreign clothes instead of fabrics and materials for his creations. He started dieting even if he wasn’t fat and he started going to spas to have perfect skin and hair instead of hanging out with Youngbae, in the end he didn’t even go to work or make homework.

The teachers denounced him to the principal and she called Jiyong for a reunion. Dan Kyunghee, the principal, was a woman, but scared Jiyong anyway. She and her white grey hair and Hermès black dress reminded him of Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada.

“Mr. Kwon” Kyunghee said and gave a glare to the rainbow haired boy “You’re here thanks to a scholarship, but you can’t keep it if you don’t make homework, don’t go to class…”

“It’s because…”

“I haven’t asked you for excuses. I don’t care if you’re sick, you’re sad or tired, you have to take what you do seriously. You’re here, because you made an exhibition at your town that impressed everybody, but real life isn’t about making scribbles and calling them clothes, real life isn’t about talent either”

“But I got talent”

“Perhaps it’s true, but your talent is worthless if you don’t use it” she sentenced “The final exam is designing the piece of clothing of your choice and exhibit it the last day of the semester. You have 30 days to show how much you want to stay here or you can just go away now and stop making the teachers waste time on you, there are more talented people that deserve your place”

Jiyong left the principal office, the only thing he could think he wanted to dye his hair red or blue. He didn’t care about his dream anymore, because it was just a dream, he didn’t know what the hell he was thinking from the beginning.

Everybody went home and Jiyong stayed alone in the classroom and cried in silence, he wanted things to be easy and perfect, he didn’t want to go to a y work and wash dishes and pay rent for a miserable apartment, he wanted to be the best and be on the top of the world, he deserved it, because he was so talented.

He dried his tears and went home. He had a thousand of fashion magazines, in particular VOGUE, and he had a lot of drawings on papers stuck on the walls. He pulled out every drawing and put it into the basket, he thought giving up and returning to the town.

He found a notebook under his bed, he smiled after identifying it. He used to carry that notebook everywhere and draw dresses, pants, shirts, everything... He decided to take a look before throwing it away, but as he passed the pages, he felt something in his chest, his heart pounded quickly and he smiled bigger.

“I forgot I designed this” Jiyong studied one ball gown he drew when he was fifteen (the same day Seungri made fun of him at prom night, Jiyong was so sad he escaped into his notebook and drew the dress) “If I make this for the exhibition I could keep the scholarship… The materials are expensive… I need silk, feathers, sequins, rhinestones, simulated pearls… I better give up…” Jiyong tossed the book and went to sleep.

The following days Jiyong decided to make the dress, but he didn’t have money, so he asked his friends to lend some.

“Hi, Seoyeon” Jiyong met her at Starbucks where she took breakfast.

“Hi, Jiyong-ah!!!” she replied “Do you want to see my new bag? It’s Louis Vuitton; my aunt brought it to me in her travel to the States”

“It’s nice” he said “You told me you were going to make a greek style dress for the final exam… How is that going?”

“I don’t know, my father is in Greece now and I told him to buy fabrics, but he hasn’t replied to me”

“Why do you buy fabrics from Greece?”

“Because I’ll make a dress inspired by greek mythology and fabrics from Greece will make it more credible”

Hell, it’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Jiyong thought. I’m picturing a greek costume for Halloween right now.

“How about you?”

“I’ll make a dress; it’s called INSOMNIA, but… I don’t have money enough to buy the materials”

“No problem” she said “I’ll lend you some”

“Really?” Jiyong said in surprise, he didn’t start begging yet.

“Of course, let’s meet at lunch, now I have philosophy class” she said and left.

Jiyong waited for Seoyeon during lunch at the cafeteria as she said, but she never showed up and next day, he waited for her too, he even called her, but she never answered. He started getting impatient; there were only three weeks left. He went to the nightclub she liked and looked for her in the VIP’s room.

Seoyeon was drinking and chilling out with other students from the academy, when she met him, she ignored him, but he followed her everywhere until she couldn’t avoid him anymore and stayed in the darkest corridor.

“I’ve been waiting for you” Jiyong said, annoyed.

“Uh?”

“I’ve called you too”

“I’ve been busy; my dad came back and brought the fabrics to me”

“I get it” Jiyong turned his eyes.

“Sorry… Ji… I really wanted to lend you the money, but… Jinho threatened everybody; he said if someone dared helping you he was going to make his life awful”

“Why did he say that?”

“Because you’re the most talented and innovative, you always have ideas and he doesn’t have any, he wants you to lose the scholarship…”

“I don’t know if smile or cry” Jiyong said and hit the wall.

“Sorry” she said and walked away.

The next thing Jiyong did was going to the bar he used to work at, the owner wasn’t present, but Youngbae was wiping cups in the reception.

“Hi” the rainbow haired boy said.

“Do I know you?” Youngbae said.

“I understand if you’re mad… I’ve been ignoring you during months and when you had that car’s accident, I didn’t even go to see you at the hospital… I’ve been a lousy friend, you have right to give me cold shoulder and hate me forever…”

Youngbae grabbed an apron and threw it to the younger.

“There’s nobody washing dishes, so I think the owner will take you again”

Jiyong held the apron tightly and hugged Youngbae.

“I’m still mad at you” the black haired boy said.

“I’m mad at me too”

Jiyong became Jiyong again, the real, not the presumptuous wannabe rich kid. He earned money again and used it to buy the materials for the dress. Once he had everything, he stayed at night in the classroom to work. It was haute couture; he had to make it by hand. The first night he made bodice and skirt.

As he worked on the dress, he could listen to a melody played by piano from somewhere, he hated it at first, the noise distracted him, but he started liking it and learning the melody by heart.

Next night, Jiyong stayed in the classroom and worked the skirt and brought it form of shells and when he left, he listened to the melody again.

He was curious and headed to the music classroom, he thought the pianist was an old man, but when he leaned against the window to see him, he saw a young man in his twenties.

“Omo, he’s good-looking”

Every night Jiyong worked on his dress and once he finished, he passed by the music classroom and watched the good-looking man to play piano behind the clear window. One day, he was going late to his work, he was stuck in the academy, because the heavy rain. He perceived steps towards him but he didn’t care, then one hand rested on his shoulder.

“Take this”

Jiyong faced the stranger and startled when he realized he was the good-looking guy who always played piano.

“If I take your umbrella, you’ll be soaked”

“My car is near” he offered the umbrella to Jiyong and went away.

Jiyong arrived to the bar and his boss scolded him, but he was happy and smiled even if his boss threatened to fire him.

“What happened to you?” Youngbae was very curious when he met happy and smiling Jiyong.

“I’m in love”

“Are you what?”

“I’m in love with the guy that plays piano at night; he talked to me today and gave me his umbrella”

“What’s his name?”

“I don’t know”

“How can you say you’re in love?”

“Because he’s good-looking and charming like a prince and he gave me his umbrella”

“At least you aren’t talking about Seungri anymore” Youngbae shrugged his shoulders.

“Seungri is in London now”

“How do you know?”

“I made a fake profile on Facebook and sent him a friendship request”

“I forgot the fake profile with Dami’s photos” the older laughed loudly.

“I’m faraway from Seungri now, so I’ll just think about the good-looking pianist”

Next day Jiyong went to the academy with the umbrella, he thought giving it back to his owner, but he was frightened to approach to him and backed off. The coming days he tried giving back the umbrella and he failed again and again, because he was too afraid of talking to the pianist, however, one day he forgot the umbrella in the bus and bumped into the good-looking pianist in the corridor.

“Sorry, I lost the umbrella!!!” Jiyong said with his head down.

“What are you talking about?” the black haired man asked in confusion.

“The umbrella you lent me”

“It’s just an umbrella” the pianist said smiling.

Jiyong felt like crying, he was so mortified he ran away.

That same day at night, Jiyong was in the classroom, his hands had scratches and blisters, the most because he washed dishes. It was one week left for the final exam; he had to decorate the dress with sequins and pearls on the shell shaped dress.

Unexpectedly someone knocked on the door.

“Who is?” Jiyong asked and went to open; he dropped his jaw tensely as he met the pianist.

“It’s late, I thought you would be hungry, I brought sandwiches” he showed a bag to him and Jiyong blushed.

“Why do you do these things? The umbrella and sandwiches now”

“If you don’t want the sandwiches, I’ll eat them by myself” he said and moved away.

“Wait” Jiyong grabbed him by shirtsleeve “Stay”

“I’m Choi Dongwook” he smiled and offered the bag of sandwiches to the rainbow haired freshman.

“I’m… I can’t remember my name!” Jiyong thought freaking out.  

“Kwon Jiyong”

“How do you know my name?”

“I asked around, I was curious about the boy that always spies on me when I’m playing”

“I don’t… spy… on you… He may think I’m a stalker”

“It’s nice to have audience while I’m playing”

“Ah…”

“You’re staying here late too” he admired the mannequin with a gray silk dress.

“Ah… I… I”

“It seems you’re working on something important” Dongwook said “See you later”

Tomorrow, Jiyong made lunch and waited for the break to look for Dongwook. The older was reading music sheets in the cafeteria.

“Hi… I… made… yaksik… and green tea cake... for you…”

Dongwook raised his head and stared at Jiyong blankly, then he took the lunchbox the younger offered to him.

“Thanks”

“Don’t… laugh at… me” Jiyong covered his face with both hands.

“I think you’re cute”

“Dongwook oppa!” a black haired girl shouted out from the entrance and ran towards them.

“Hana” the music student said.

“I’ve missed you” she kissed him on the lips as Jiyong watched in shock.

 “Hana, he’s Jiyong, my friend” Dongwook said as soon as she broke the kiss.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Dongwook’s girlfriend” she said vigorously.

“Nice to meet you too” Jiyong replied lethargically. Of course Dongwook has girlfriend, he’s good-looking and gentlemanlike.

jiyong's "insomnia" dress was inspired by Dior's venus dress. fashion world and pursuing dreams are complicated (づ￣ ³￣)づ 

young jiyong is easy to get embarrassed, insecure and naive and not so crazy and volatile mood like grown up jiyong

choi dongwook + lee seunghyun = choi seunghyun-third is the charm ♬♪♫ ヾ(*・。・)ﾉ ♬♪♫