3 years later.

“I’ll email you the fabric swatches once I get home.” I quickly put in the code for the door and it buzzed, allowing me inside the building.

 

“Okay and the order line-up for the models?” My professor asked.

 

“Yes, I’ll email the safe copy for you as well.” I greeted the doorman as I stepped onto the elevator pressing the button for the 7^th floor.

 

“Krystal dear, you really have nothing to worry about for tonight. You will do fine!” Without another word, my professor hung up leaving me to let out a sigh of relief. The elevator dinged and the doors opened into the foyer where I was immediately embraced by a pair of arms.

 

“Unnie! Unnie! You’re home!” Haru squealed in delight.

 

“Noona! Noona! I lost a tooth while you were gone!” Hansol smiled showing that he had one missing front tooth. “The tooth fairy even got me five dollars!”

 

“Did you two really miss me THAT much?” I bent down to carry both of them in my arms, but forgetting I was wearing heels, I lost my balance and tumbled forward falling on top of the two. Luckily they took it as a joke and weren’t crying. “Oops…”

 

“Soo Jung, you’re home!” I heard Soo Yeon’s heels tap against the floor. “Oh my god, SOO JUNG!” I felt a pair of arms carry me to a standing position. Unnie helped her children up as well dusting off their school uniforms. “I thought I told you two to change out of these clothes?”

 

“RUN!” The twins exclaimed taking the stairs to run away from their mother. Unnie watched her children run up the stairs, slamming the doors to their bedrooms before turning to look at me again.

 

“You’re home!” She gave me a hug squeezing me from left to right. I stood there awkwardly with my hands to my side.

 

“Why are you acting as if I was gone forever?” I asked. “I was only gone for the week…”

 

“Yes, but knowing you, you probably didn’t eat anything in preparation of that contest you got yourself into.” Soo Yeon tsked as she pulled me through the living room and into the kitchen. On the table was a fresh pot of Ramen noodles. “Tah-dah! I made this for you!”

 

I placed my bags down on the floor with no care and sighed. “Really now, is there anything else you know how to make?”

 

Soo Yeon’s happy go lucky attitude turned sour. “Yah! Be thankful I made you something to eat.”

 

I shrugged and walked toward one of the barstools placed near the island. I took my chopsticks in one hand and dove right into the pot, slurping the first of the goodness into my mouth. Ahhhh, as simple as the dish was, it helped fight away the cold weather brewing outside in New York today.

 

“So, how was the workload?” Soo Yeon asked as she sat beside me watching me dig in. “Seeing you eat like that worries me…”

 

I shrugged. “Well I mean school is work, you know?” I would rather be doing heavy work like this rather than the nonsense I had to learn during first year. Though it took some adjusting, living in New York, I quickly got my American roots back into my system. Though, I did find myself talking in Korean under my breath when I was angry more often then I should…

 

“How’d your designs come out?” Unnie asked.

 

I nodded my head slurping in another batch of noodles into my mouth. “Amazing! Better in person then I could imagine!” I put a thumb up with my spoon  which I was now slurping the soup with. “My professor thinks we’ll be getting first place this year for sure in the contest.”

 

“Aigoo…” My older sisted rubbed the top of my head with her knuckles. “Look at my hard working little sister. Following her dreams and all—“

 

“More like forced into it, if you know what I mean.” I finished the last of the soup in the bowl letting out a refreshing “ah.” When I looked at Unnie again, she was giving me “the look.”

 

“Soo Jung…”

 

“What? It’s true though!” I shrugged my shoulders playing around with the last little piece of noodle in the bowl. “If it wasn’t for Mrs. Oh—“

 

“Stop. Stop right there.” Soo Yeon pulled away my bowl and utensils, bringing it to the sink. “Don’t do that to yourself.”

 

“Don’t do what to myself? Look, all I’m saying is that without her we wouldn’t be living the life we’re living now. Honestly, now that I look back at it, I’m kind of glad I took the opportunity because now we’re living the life we always dreamed of: I’m in the school of my dreams, your kids are getting the prestigious education you’ve always wanted them to, and your music school is gaining praise.”  

 

Soo Yeon shook her head as she started to wash the dishes. “So, what you’re saying is…you have no regrets of leaving Sehun behind?”

 

My heart took a thud. “No, I don’t regret it what so ever.” My heart thudded again, threatening to reveal my real thoughts. I was lying to myself and I knew it…Even Unnie knew it. “Well, I mean, its not like I was expecting him to come after me or anything.

 

One year dedicated to waiting for Sehun and no call, text, or visit to New York what so ever. So after a year, seeing how him and his new “wife” were living up the good life, I thought I should start enjoying my own. In fact, every time I see his wife or him in on the front cover of any magazine...I purposely buy the whole stack just to give to the hobos so they can use it to burn for fire. My good deed of course outweighed the bad one.

 

“True. But, lets say he does come around again…” My sister finished her washing and turned around to look me, leaning on the counter. “What would you tell him? Would you apologize to him for lying?”

 

Apologize? For lying? I shook my head. “Why should I? He got ME into the situation first? If anything, I should thank him for getting my to where I am now. Because without his stupid plan of having that fake relationship…God knows where I would be right now. Probably in Korea, struggling to make a living…”

 

My sister nodded her head. “Okay, if that’s how you want to think of it.” She held her hands up in defense. “How long has it been since you’ve released that energy into that diary of yours?”

 

I paused. “Diary?”

 

“Yeah, you know...the diary where you kept all your precious memories and secrets…” Soo Yeon took off her apron and hung it on the hook inside the pantry. “You do still have one, don’t you?”

 

“No…I lost that a LONG time ago.” Back before Sehun and I were supposed to get married… I was goign to buy a new one for myself but 1) I forgot about it. 2) I just didn’t need it anymore. At this point, I had learned to vent my feelings and frustrations through working out (a new found hobby) and a few friends back home in Korea who were willing to Skype me (Amber and Kai.)

 

“Oh before you go anywhere, I thought I should tell you that I have a date for the gala tonight.” Soo Yeon smiled proudly to herself. I rolled my eyes. Here we go again with her boy talk…

 

“Is it that guy who jogs around shirtless and hands out free ice cream to the little kids?” I guessed. I went over to my bags and started loading them into my arms again.

 

“He is SO nice to the kids. Plus, he also owns his own law firm and--"

 

“Unnie, you’ve told me this a million times before, when you first started to stalk him.” I started to trudge my way out of the kitchen. “At least leave some information I can be find out for myself before tonight.”

 

“Okay!” Soo Yeon sang. I shook my head as I took one step at a time on the stairs. I was happy that my sister was finally getting back into the dating game. In fact, I’ve met the guy in the park on many occasions and always thought he was a good fit for Unnie and the twins. Seeing her so happy, made me feel happy. As I had said before, I was living the life I had always dreamed of… And to be honest: it was all thanks to Sehun.

 

Metropolitan Museum.

From: Mom

To: Soo Jung

You’ve worked WAY too hard on this. Do NOT give up now, all right? No matter what position you win, just remember the experience you gained from this!

Good luck in the contest tonight! Dad and I are rooting for you!

PS We’re coming over for the holidays soon! So excited to see you, your sister, and the twins!

 

From: Amber

To: Soo Jung

Yo yo yo! Good luck on your fashion contest of yours! I know you’re gonna knock them all outta the ball park! Remember to text me later so we can Skype each other about the events of tonight, all right? I’ll be here with the boys waiting!

Missing you squirt!

PS Kai and I are having a race to see whose text you’ll reply to first…You’re picking me right? Hahaha

 

From: Kai

To: Soo Jung

Hey there just wanted to give a quick s/o from the boys and I: GOOD LUCK TONIGHT!!! We know you’ll do fine & kill every competition out there. #FIGHTING

Miss you!!

PS Amber & I are having a race to see who’ll you’ll text back first…You know what’chu gotta do babe. ;) hahaha

 

“Krystal! Krystal! Oh my god KRYSTAL!!” I looked to my right and saw my friend, Olivia, running towards me. “You WON’T believe who I just saw walking the red carpet!!”

 

“Who??” I asked as I placed my phone back into my clutch.

 

“I SAW BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE!!” She squealed with delight jumping in her dress. “THEY EVEN WAVED TO ME.”

 

“And hundreds of other fans out there in just as much excitement as you, honey” Marque pointed out as he pushed up his hipster like glasses. “I mean, seriously though, who isn’t here tonight? It’s like the second biggest event in NYC next to Fashion Week & Clark’s New Year’s Eve bash.”

 

“Really? This event?” Even though I have lived here for three years, this was my first year participating in a contest like this. So, naturally everything in the fashion world was new to me.

 

“Yeah, this is the most buzzed about event among the New York socialites, natives, and anybody who is in the know in fashion!” Olivia pulled my arm towards her. “The best of the best designers get discovered here…”

 

Marque pulled my other arm. “Once you win first place here, you can make it anywhere.”

 

I nodded my head understanding the jist of things. “All right. Sounds fair.” I looked around at the other contestants around us wearing nametags like ours. “Seems pretty fair game today, doesn’t it?”

 

“Girl, your designs are going to KILL the others!” Olivia complimented taking a martini from a waiter’s tray.

 

“Honestly, I’m just glad I made it THIS far into the competition, you know?” There had been five rounds of judging and out of hundreds and thousands of applicants, our group made top 10. “Besides, it’s not even about the competition right now—“

 

“Sweetie, you can’t be anymore right then you are…” Marque made eye contact with a waiter as he also took a martini. “The men here are gorg.”

 

“Krystal, I’m surprised you haven’t snatched any just yet…” Olivia stated as her red curled bob was jumping up and down, trying to get a view of the crowd from her short perspective. “I mean, look at you tonight.”

 

“Yeah, if I wasn’t gay, I’d totally hit you up.” Marque slicked back his black hair with his hands letting out a y growling sound. I laughed along with Olivia.

 

“How many times do I need to tell you two that I don’t need a man?” I repeated myself for the nth time through the course of our friendship. According to them, it’s hard to believe that an Asian girl with “va-va-vooms” (aka curves according to Marque) like mine doesn’t have a “bae.”

 

“Oh, but remember she does have that one guy in Korea…” Olivia chugged down the glass of martini.

 

“Kai is NOT my boyfriend you guys!” How many times I had to tell them THAT too…

 

“All right, what ever you say, love… You know we’re just worried about you, that’s all.” Marque took a social sip from his martini showing Olivia off with his manners. “I mean, we both just want you to be happy that’s all.”

 

“I am happy! Really!” I said looking at neither of them in particular. Olivia and Marque looked at me giving me the ‘uh-huh-sure-you-are” look. Just as quickly as they were giving me the look, their faces contorted into a surprised expression.

 

“Oh my god…” They both said at the same time in astonishment. They began holding each other’s hands in some kind of a fangirl’s unite stance. “HE’S HERE!?”

 

“Who’s here?” I turned around to view the sight they were beholding and sure enough, the flashes off the camera turned more numerous and brighter. The noise level in the hall rose as well. I couldn’t exactly see the face, but the name surely did sound familiar…

 

Oh Sehun was here.

 

“It’s Sehun from Oh! Fashion Industries!! Hold me now!!” Olivia partially fainted, leaning on Marque’s shoulder. “I can’t…The feels…”

 

Damn right the feels…Why the was Oh Sehun here!? “Why is HE here?”

 

“Well, darling, he’s one of the guest judges for this year’s competition of course!” Marque replied as he tried to push Olivia off his shoulder.

 

“Wait, Sehun is a judge?!” I shouted in surprise. A few people gave me a few stares, but I didn’t care…What I cared about is that Sehun was here. In New York. In the Met Museum. Only a few hundred feet away from me.

 

How many nights had I spent dreaming of this moment when I would meet Sehun again…How many days did I spend waiting for a call from him? Looking up gossip about him and his new fiancée? Or the rumors about her pregnancy? Or the fact that Sehun was now the owner of OFI? Now that he was here, my mind was drawing a blank. He was judging THIS competition. Sure my name wasn’t in the ballot, we still had to walk on stage whether we won or not. Surely he would spot me out of the crowd…

 

“Uhm, would you guys excuse me for a second?” I began to move without even hearing what they had to say about my excuse. I opened my clutch and took my phone out, quickly dialing Soo Yeon as I dodged my way through the crowd.

 

“Soo Jung?” She answered.

 

“Unnie, you will NOT believe who is here as a guest judge tonight…”

 

“Sehun?” She replied quickly without hesistation.

 

“YES!” I exclaimed loudly earning me another group of stairs in my direction. “How did you know?” I needed to find a place where I could silently not be judged for the state I was in right now: panic, anxiousness, and fear was more like it. I decided to head outside the Met steps.

 

“Well, apparently, Ahren—“

 

“Oh so ‘shirtless-jogger-ice cream-baby’ has a name?” I laughed making fun of the code name Soo Yeon had been using for him.

 

“Soo Jung!”

 

“Sorry! Sorry! Please, go on with your story.” I finally made it outside in the cold air of the steps. I started bouncing from foot to foot to keep blood running through my veins.

 

“Okay, so apparently Oh! Fashion Industries is a client of Ahren’s law firm. And now, he wants me to meet the famous Oh Sehun…”

 

I shook my head as if she could see the expression and actions I was acting out. “No! Unnie you can’t let him see you! You have to avoid Sehun at all costs!”

 

“I know! That’s why I’m out here on the Met steps freezing my off!”

 

“Wait, you’re where??” I looked around, and not far from where I was at…I spotted my sister in her long, white jacket shivering down to the bone. I immediately hung up on my phone and ran up to her, giving Unnie a surprise.

 

“Soo Jung! Jesus that gave me a scare!” She chattered through her teeth as she was pulling her thick coat closer to herself. “Don’t do that!”

 

“I didn’t know you’d be out here…”

 

“Well, we just arrived not to long ago after Sehun did. I’m stalling time so we wouldn’t have to meet him on the red carpet and all.” Soo Yeon pointed at me. “What are YOU doing out here?”

 

“Trying to prolong the time to seeing Sehun.”

 

“Well, you’re out here in THAT dress?! With NO jacket?!” My sister pointed out my outfit choice. She tucked her arm in mine and we walked up the steps together. “Look, we’re going to have to find another plan to avoid him INSIDE the nicely, heated venue.” She pushed open the doors for me showing the guard her access pass.

 

“Well, to be honest, it’ll be easier for me then for you” I pointed out as I watched my sister reveal her dress underneath her coat. “Cause I can be backstage all I want until the show is over. You on the other hand may have to face him one time or another since he’s practically your date's boss…”

 

Soo Yeon and I took our clutches and partially covered our faces as we walked into the crowd, behind the reporters along the path of the red carpet.

 

“So, let’s say that I do get introduced to Sehun…What do I say?” My sister asked as we made it into the bar area.

 

“Well, you could just politely greet him. I mean, nothing wrong with seeing an old friend again.” I looked around trying to get a feel for where Sehun may be at the moment. Judging from the died down noises and flashes, he must’ve already made his way out of the carpet and—

 

“Jessica?” Though my name was clearly Krystal around this neck of the woods, I turned around with my sister looking at the man standing before us.

 

“Ahren!” My sister exclaimed hooking her arm around his. “Oh my, I thought I lost you back there!”

 

“I was wondering where you were…” Ahren looked at me and smiled. “Oh! Is this your sister? The one participating in the contest?”

 

“Yes sir, that’s me! Krystal! The sister!” I put on a cheerful grin and shook his hand. “You must be the shirtless jogger that hands out ice cream to the kids, huh?”

 

“Krystal!” Soo Yeon gave me the stank eye, but Ahren was laughing. He nodded his head, taking the credit for his actions and attire.

 

“So, that’s what I’m known around Central Park as, huh?” He chuckled. Soo Yeon pulled him closer to her side. Her eyes were widening at an alarming rate, and she was taking tiny steps backwards propelling them towards the crowd.

 

“Hey Ahren, why don’t we go look at the statue over there, huh?” Soo Yeon pointed at some random corner of the museum, pushing her date forward. “Good luck tonight Krystal! We’ll be rooting for you!”

 

“Nice meeting you Krystal! Yes! Good luck!” Ahren waved backwards as my sister and him disappeared in the crowd. I quickly turned around and saw a wave of people gathered around the center of attention that was coming straight towards me:

 

Sehun was heading my direction.

 

“Psst! Psst! Psst! Krystal! Over here!” I looked over at the curtains a few feet away; Marque and Olivia’s faces peeking through it. “Come here right now!”

 

Without looking back to check how close Sehun was to me, I immediately dove through the crowd getting myself inside the curtains where my friends were at. The noise level outside was getting louder, and I could almost hear Sehun’s voice behind the curtain talking to the group outside.

 

“Sehun, darling, it’s been too long since you’ve come to New York…” 

 

“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to come here for a while but you know…Business and all” I heard Sehun’s voice say on the other side.

 

“In other words, his wife probably kept him at home.”

 

His wife…

 

I felt a deep pit of anger form in my stomach and I immediately walked away from the curtains not wanting to here anymore of this “wife.” I had seen her in the magazines, and to be honest I was jelous of her: she was the type of woman that I always imagined Sehun with: curves, assets, and many more physical qualities I didn’t possess. Just seeing her wear the same wedding dress I had in the pictorials of the ceremony in the magazines…She had pulled it off better than I would’ve walking down the aisle.

 

“Whoa there, slow down!” I heard Olivia say from behind me as I flapped open the curtain to our dressing room. I sat down immediately grabbing a water bottle and chugging the whole thing down within ten seconds of opening it.

 

“Thirsty much?” Marque asked as he handed me another bottle of water. I took it from him but didn’t open it.

 

“Are you mad about something, K?” Olivia asked as she sat beside me in the next chair. Marque took the other seat next to me as I tried to release my inner anger, breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth.

 

“It’s nothing. I’m fine. Just…” I let all thoughts of Sehun being here escape my system."I just have mood swings when I’m nervous…That’s all.”

 

“Okay~” Olivia sang as she jumped up from her seat. “Then I’m going to go out and try to get myself a picture with Sehun…”

 

The name boiled under my skin, and I was now clenching the water bottle that was about to burst. Marque was giving me a weird look, immediately making me let go of the water bottle, which dropped to the ground.

 

“TEN MINUTES TILL SHOWTIME PEOPLE!” A director backstage shouted around the area. “ALL GROUPS MUST NOW BE IN THEIR TENTS, AND MUST NOT LEAVE THE PREMISES UNTIL VOTING HAS CEASED. TURN ON YOUR MONTIORS NOW TO VIEW THE SHOW!”

 

“Ohhh showtime!!” Marque the TV screen, and low and behold Sehun was the first shot on the screen. I could hear other tents with squealing girls, including ones in my own tent. 

 

Lord have mercy on my soul, I am about to punch the next person who screams for the bastard on the screen.

 

“His wife is SO lucky to have a man like him” Olivia sighed as she turned her head to the side. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to marry a man like him?”

 

I rolled my eyes; I didn’t marry him.

 

“But, didn’t they just announce that they were getting a divorce this past weekend?” Marque announced out loud.

 

“WHAT!?” Olivia and I exclaimed at the same time. “DIVORCE?!”

 

“Yeah, a divorce… It’s all over the tabloids. Though, I only found out today since we were stuck in hellhole with only swatches of fabrics and stencil sketches crossing my mind for the past week.”

 

Divorce? Sehun was getting a divorce? I began rubbing the temples of my head as a concentration method. No, he couldn’t. He shouldn’t. Why would he do that? It would rip the company’s current earnings in half…The publicity…the money…the responsibilities…

 

What I had done and given up to get him in the position he’s in now.

 

Though my thoughts were fuming with anger, in the back of my mind there was a little spark of hope. The little spark of hope that I thought I got rid of upon the decision of not trying to wait for Sehun anymore. I didn’t want to want him. I didn’t have to have him. So then why…why was that hope still burning in the back of my mind all this time?

 

Through the course of the fashion show, I tried to take notes on the other designs that were walking the runway. Looking at all the models walking down the runway, the camera would pan to the reactions of the audience and the judges from time to time. I felt as if the cameraman had a special crush on Sehun cause he was the one mostly broadcasted on screen, so every now and then the silence would be filled with girly squeaks of excitement. I must’ve been the only one in these tents that didn’t even raise my voice upon the appearance of his face.

 

“OH MY GOD THOSE ARE OUR DESIGNS!” Olivia screamed as she pointed at the screen. We all stood up screaming our head off as we watched the models walk down the clothes that we had spent months and months on preparing. My heart jumped into my throat thinking that this is how it feels to see you’re hard work come to life? I smiled to myself thinking that I could get use to this feeling…

 

“SEHUN IS SMILING! OH MY GOD HE’S SMILING!” Marque stomped his feet in excitement. “I swear to baby jesus he hasn’t smiled for a design until now!”

 

I watched on the screen as I recognized that smirk. That smirk….Did he know that it was my design? No, that’s impossible...the score sheet only scored our group name and school. He couldn’t know that it was me unless…

 

Unless he came here KNOWING.

 

“We’ve got this in the bag…” Olivia clapped after our moment of fame came to an end. “Really. We do.”

 

Before I knew it, the fashion show was coming close to the end now. The contestants were to walk down and file down the runway with their designs. As we were falling in line, I only prayed to god that I wouldn’t come face to face with Sehun whatsoever. Judging by thte set up of the stage though, that was going to be impossible so I felt relieved. The only was I was going to really see him was if we won the contest.

 

And at this point seeing Sehun, I kind of didn’t want to win now…

 

“Let’s give a hand to all our inspiring designers tonight” The announcer said over the music still playing in the background. The groups filed out one by one and we took our spots along the runway. Luckily, we were towards the end of the stage which was FAR away from the judging table. Instead, I was facing my sister and Ahren who was screaming and cheering for me like no other. I smiled waving at them, a signal for Unnie to cut out her embarrassing “Fighting!” shouts and actions. As professional as Ahren was supposed to be, he joined in along with her.

 

“Now a few words from the guest judge announcing the winners tonight…Please welcome Oh Sehun to the stage!” The crowd howled and whistled as Sehun stepped onto the stage. I watched him on the monitor of the stage instead of trying to break my neck to lean forward and get a glimpse of the real him.

 

He made his speech saying the regular, “I’m so honored to be up here being a judge” and blah blah blah. I tuned him out until the announcer finally announced that Sehun was to now say the results of the contest. It was only then when I risked breaking my neck to see the real time view of what was coming.

 

“For 3^rd place, this team’s design showed a character of modern touch and futuristic elements…” Sehun opened the envelope. “Congratulations to 2ne1!”

 

The team stepped forward accepting their award.

 

“For 2^nd place, this team’s design showed that the past can still fit into the present with their unique designs…” Sehun opened yet another envelope. “Congratulations to MAMAMOO!”

 

That team stepped forward accepting their award.

 

“Now, for 1^st place...this team’s design not only showed a promise of functional statement items for an everyday look, but also shows a promising hope in the future for the fashion world…” Sehun opened the envelope ever so slowly. “Congratulations to f(x)!”

 

My heart stopped beating.

 

We had won first place.

 

I would have to come face to face with Sehun. 

---

Author's Note

Almost there~

Hold on just a little bit longer~