[kyle's notes]:
i'm seriously in a state of confusion.. i don't know what i'm doing with this wahaha anyway, this is gonna be the second to the last update i'm gonna post before i go on hiatus to focus on an exam that holds my future.. pray for me? hehe i'll post the next one on my birthday (guess when that is).. it's a gift for you; for your patience with me.. it's a gift because uhm-- well, just wait for it and you'll see what i mean haha

 

WARNING: LOTS of ERRORS ahead

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday…

 

 

 

Jung Min and Il Woo knelt on the grass where a cleanly cemented square was lying with large prints on it.

 

 

 

“Hey, daddy,” Jung Min traced the engraved letters with his hand. “Sorry, we weren’t able to visit you since Il Woo’s school started. Your boys have been busy as hell. Thanks for looking over for us.”

 

 

 

“Don’t listen to him, dad. He’s such a sissy.” Il Woo instantly received a whack on that remark.

 

 

 

“I’m telling you, dad. He’s got a big performance tomorrow, that’s why he asked me if we could visit you today.”

 

 

 

“No, dad! He’s been hitting on some chick who’s a regular in the shop and he wants your guidance in pursuing her.”

 

 

 

“Oh, shut up, you—!”

 

 

 

They laughed at their childish antics which never changed through the years. If their father had been alive, he’d possibly be joining them in bickering. How they wish he could be there to witness them strive for success.

 

 

 

“We’ll bring mom along when she’s more stable.”

 

 

 

Jung Min placed an arm around his brother’s shoulder. “Yeah, Dad, You should meet Candice too,” referring to the white bear their mother had grown fond of.

 

 

 

From afar, a pair of eyes intently surveyed them, hauling a self-satisfied smirk on those pale lips. Now, he had confirmed how these people were really the ones he’s been looking for. This was great. The entertainment had just begun.

 

 

 

***************************************

 

 

 

“Okay, lunch break!”

 

 

 

Geun Suk grabbed the chair nearest to his spot and slouched on it, still with his guitar strapped across his body. Boy, was he waiting for that statement to be announced.

 

 

 

“Hey, don’t make me look like a bad person here,” Mr. Hwang told him before standing up to make his way out of the practice room and have his own lunch—the first meal he’d have for the day. It wasn’t like he was forcing them to rehearse endlessly… Or he was… But it wasn’t on purpose, he swore. It’s just that—it was the right thing to do, considering the circumstances they were in. In the music industry, it was the matter of tune—either you play the notes correctly or you’re out of it. And they desperately needed to be in tune for tomorrow’s event.

 

 

 

Hyun Joong observed the scene unfold before him. The other two, Kyu Jong and Il Woo, mimicked Geun Suk’s action of slumping down the chairs they’d grabbed. He could tell these three’s legs must have felt like a jelly for standing up so long. In fact, he and So Min were the only lucky ones to have the privilege to be seated while practicing. Well, it wasn’t their fault she’s on keyboards and he’s on drums, was it?

 

He gave his drumsticks a last twirl between his fingers before tucking them to his back pockets and stood up, heading to his wife. “Anything specific you wanna eat?” he asked as if it was the most casual task to do, emitting a series of reactions from their bandmates.

 

Geun Suk chuckled, expressing his ridicule. During the time when there were still only the four of them, it wasn’t like Hyun Joong to buy lunch for anybody, but now with So Min…

 

Kyu Jong made a face. He’s still in a pseudo-heartbroken state upon knowing that So Min was married and in the worst case scenario, to Hyun Joong—one of the people he looks up to as a big brother. It made him crunch, thinking how he had to view the one person he’d develop a crush on as a sister. Wouldn’t that be considered ?

 

While the other two had these reactions, Il Woo appeared to be the only one happy with the situation. He’s happy— as long as she was.

 

 

 

So Min paused from stretching her abused fingers to look up at her husband. “Anything edible sounds good right now.”

 

 

 

Hyun Joong nodded in response, making his way out the door, not minding if anyone followed him or not. He was too lazy to function, dead tired and just plain hungry. And from So Min’s answer, there was no doubt she felt the same. Maybe even worse than he did—her long exams just couldn’t wait to jive in with her schedule that week. She slept less than a complete cycle to study the whole night since her early evenings were stolen by the band rehearsals. It started to have him worried and annoyed at the same time.

 

 

 

Annoyed that he’s worried.

 

 

 

It wasn’t long ago that he realized he has this certain spot in his heart to care for her. But it was the kind of care he should feel towards a usual acquaintance, or maybe a friend. Your heart doesn’t beat abnormally when caring for a ‘friend,’ right?

 

 

 

So why did his do?

 

 

 

Sigh. These feelings were foreign to him. In our immune system, an entry of any foreign body would be attacked by the fighter cells. But it seemed his body and soul gladly welcomed these foreigners. Another sigh. He couldn’t just face these facts right now. Not at the moment.

 

 

 

“Hey,” followed by a tap on his shoulder. Hyun Joong’s trance instantly disappeared. “Was complaining ‘bout how those two made me buy lunch for them only to find out you ain’t listening.”

 

 

 

He shook his head at Il Woo as they both lined up in the cafeteria. Good thing it was a Saturday—the students weren’t as many as they were during weekdays. He fished out his phone, feeling it vibrate against his leg from where it was placed inside his pocket.

 

 

 

‘Another MMS… From her.’

 

 

 

Hyun Joong indolently opened the multiple photos sent to him and deleted them one by one. He began receiving such since Tuesday afternoon and had been receiving them every day ‘til now. At first, looking at them created a single puncture from somewhere he couldn’t locate. He had asked So Min about it and felt foolish in doing so. He wasn’t numb, alright. He didn’t miss the flash of hurt in Yu Jin’s eyes when he told her this marriage wasn’t a loveless affair. And he’s not insensitive to her advances although he had blatantly pronounced way back in high school that friendship was the only relationship he could offer her. So why was he entertaining such receipt of Multimedia Messaging Services from her? ‘Just a waste of memory space.’

 

 

 

But of course, the phrase he had asked So Min about it was already written. You might want to know how it happened. Well, it didn’t mean he had asked it directly—he didn’t think he have much courage to do that. Instead, he asked what she did during her free time before practice and he was glad she didn’t lie to him—she spent it with a newly found friend. With him.

 

There was something really peculiar about this man even with the photos, but he couldn’t just pinpoint what it was. He just hoped his intentions were genuine.

 

 

 

Il Woo stood up from his crouched position to tie his shoelace. He caught a sight of a familiar face on Hyun Joong’s screen before it was successfully deleted. “Hey, why do you have that man’s photo?”

 

 

 

“Huh?” turning his head to look at his friend.

 

 

 

“Is that Hwang Wang Hee? Someone’s sending you his pictures?” He chuckled at the thought. “You aren’t homoual, are you? Man, So Min should probably file a divorce soon as possible.”

 

 

 

It was meant to be a joke—Hyun Joong was sure of that. But even so, his brain still refused to process the meaning of the word divo