Back to present

2014

Krystal’s eyes wide open. Her body trembles. Cold sweats covering her skin. Her head throbbing. Her heart pulsate in irregular rate. Uurggh…..Krystal groaned. She rubbed her temples, a single drop of tears rolled down on her cheek but she quickly wiped it. Another sleep, another day but the same dream. Krystal let out a heavy sigh. She looked at the clock, 8.00 am in the morning. Maybe a shower could help freshened her body and cleaned this alcohol odour, also her dry tears. She tried to get up but make a sudden stop when her headache strike her. This headache might kill her, no matter how many times  she got drunk the hangover always come back. Krystal make another attempt, she finally make it to the bathroom.

She opened the hot shower and let the water running down on her body, washed over every single dirt on her skin. How she wish that it could also wash away her pain but she knew, it never going to happened. The pain always will be there no matter what, the scar was permanent. After showered, Krystal wore a pair of comfortable clothes, something that she always wore when she was at home. She walked downstairs and there she saw them. Kangin was sitting at the counter near the kitchen while checking his hand phone and a cup of coffee was placed in front of him. Tiffany was in the kitchen preparing some breakfast for them. Kangin was the first one noticed Krystal and greeted her.

“Good morning, Krys,” Kangin greeted Krystal likes usual, like nothing happened.

“Morning, oppa,” Krystal greeted him back and Kangin back to his hand phone. She took another seat at the counter, a little far from Kangin. Tiffany turned behind her and then, she saw Krystal. She’s smiling at her.

“Oh, morning Krys. Do you want anything? I make some soup, it’s good for your hangover,”

“Thanks, unni,” Tiffany only smiled at her. A sudden guilt filling up every corner in Krystal’s chest. They’ve been so nice to her, they always be no matter how many times she act like a and throwing tantrum. How can they be so good in pretend? Make as if nothing happened. She thought maybe she save a country in her previous life for having such a great and thoughtful person like them in her life now.

“I….I’m sorry,” Krystal stuttered but she really meant her apology. The other two stopped in whatever their doing right now and turned to her. Krystal only looked down, she didn’t dare to looked at them now till Tiffany broke the silence.

“It’s ok, Krys. We’re understand,” Tiffany said to her while smiling and Krystal smiled back a little at her.

“Yeah, you know you always can talk to us, right,” Kangin said with a grin on his face.

“Thanks. Erm…unni, can you please don’t tell Jess unni about last night?” Tiffany sighed when she heard what she said. It’s not like she like to report everything that happened to Jessica even that’s what Jessica asked her to do but somehow Jessica always have a good sense if something was happened mostly if it had something to do with Krystal.

“Please unni, I don’t want to make her feel more worried about me. She already had enough with her life. Last night….it just another stupid act,” After Krystal said that, Tiffany thought maybe Jessica wouldn’t sense this so she nodded and smiled at her. Krystal gave her a grateful smile.

“Tiff, when can we eat? I’m starving,” Kangin grumbled.

“Aissh..oppa, you’re always hungry,” Tiffany said to him while she served breakfast to them on the table.

“Yah! I didn’t eat dinner last night,” Kangin replied back to her.

“I think no one did,” Tiffany said sarcastically while narrowed her eyes at Kangin. Krystal only smiling listening to their bickering.

“You’re different. You’re a girl, I’m a man. I need more energy,” Kangin said while proudly showed  his muscular biceps. Tiffany chuckles at him.

“Yeah..yeah..oppa, you’re always right. Now, let’s stop talking and start eating. We got a photo shoot today,” Tiffany said to the others to start eating after she finish prepared the breakfast. A sudden gloom appeared on Krystal face but no one seems like to notice it.

“Oh, yeah about that, when is the photo shoot?” Kangin asked Tiffany while she opened up her ipad 5 checking the schedule. She always kept her job in there basically it’s all about Krystal since she’s Krystal’s manager like her schedule, appointment, talk show and others. It just likes her moving laptop that she’ll bring it everywhere.

“At 10 am. Don’t worry, we still have time,” Tiffany told them. The silence accompanied them while they’re eating but only halfway, Krystal already get up from her seat. The other two only look at each other and shrugged their shoulders till Tiffany spoke up.

“Krys, you only eat little,” Tiffany said to Krystal when she saw her food only half of it were been touched. While Krystal brought her dish to the sink and washed it.

“I’m full. I’m going upstairs and get change,” Krystal told them but her face showing that something was bothering her and they noticed it.

“Krys, don’t you want to share it with us?” Kangin’s sudden question. Tiffany nudges him showing a protest while he only making an innocent face and mouthed ‘what’ at her. Krystal stopped her track.     

“It doesn’t matter. You’ll know about it soon,” Krystal turned to them and gave them a bitter smile before she continued walking to her room.

“Way to go, oppa,” Tiffany scoffed at Kangin.

“What? I’m just asking,” Kangin said it with an innocent face.

“Her mood just getting better oppa. Can’t you just spare her a little,”

“Oh, come on Tiff, I know you want to know about that too,” Kangin replied her back.

“I do but at least give her some time, oppa,” Tiffany tried to reasoning with Kangin.

“And when is that, when we already reached the D’va or when it’s already end. Both of us knew that something was happened at the D’va and I just want to know what’s it. So in case, if anything happened we can do something about it. Just that, Tiff,”

“I know you mean good oppa but I don’t want to push her too much. If Krystal doesn’t want to talk about it yet, I think it’s better if we wait until she willing to share it with us,” Tiffany sighed.

“Well, I hope it isn’t going to be too late then. I’m going to get the van ready,” Kangin said that to her after he finished his breakfast and leave Tiffany in the kitchen alone. When she’s alone, she sighed again. It’s quite tiring when something like this happened, when something was bothering one of them but she doesn’t know what is it. Tiffany hoped she knew it and she can do something to make it better, if not for all of them at least for Krystal.

Amber POV

We got back to the studio after the D’va assistant editor, Sunny told us that the photo shoot will be postponed to tomorrow because the model wasn’t well. It’s quite tiring for us since we already got everything done for the photo shoot, not to mention that we already waited for the model for half an hour. So, we got the right to feel a little irritated, right? Well, maybe a little for me since I heard from the staff that the model just get back to Korea after went to other country, I guess I could understand that the model got the jet lagged. But it’s different for Taeng, he quite annoyed with everything that happened and wouldn’t stopped complained it even we already reached the studio.

“Can you believe that? They just told us to go back home and come again tomorrow after making us waiting for the model for half an hour,” It’s quite amused me to seeing Taeng’s irritated face.

“Oh, please tolerate hyung. The model wasn’t well,”

“Yeah, right,” Taeng scoffed. I’m only take a glance at Taeng while I took all our things and put it back to their place.

“But at least they should tell us about it earlier so we don’t have to wait at there for half an hour like we don’t have anything better to do,” Taeng added.

“We do?”  I asked him back while making a very confused face.

“Amber,” Taeng said it in irritating tone while narrowed his eyes at me.

“Ok, we do,” I put my hands up as in defeat, doesn’t want to irritating him more.

“By the way hyung, do you know who the model is?” I asked him since from the first time Taeng told me about the offer that we got from The D’va, I have no idea about who the model is except the gender, maybe.

“Erm…about that…I don’t know, Am,” Taeng said it while rubbed behind his neck, a little guilt on his face.

“What? For seriously hyung, you didn’t ask them about that when they called you before?” I’m shocked. How can he didn’t asked them, if it was me I would asked them about that. I do have a good reason for that.

“Well, I’m sorry. I forgot ok. I’m too excited that we got an offer from The D’va, the biggest magazine company in Korea, not to mention that they already make another copy in other language. Besides, whoever the model is, we still going to take the picture, right,” Taeng told me. I only looked at Taeng for a while before taking my eyes away from Taeng and staring outside the glass window in the studio. I leaned my body at the wall.

“Don’t tell me that you’re afraid that ‘she’ is going to be the model for the photo shoot?” Taeng asked me. And that’s the reason why is my first question to them ‘who’s the model?’ every time we got an offer. I let out a heavy sigh but still staring outside the window and leave the question unanswered. Oh, Taeng knew this. He really knew it, this kind of face, this kind of expression. It’s over and over again every single night and it’s only have one reason, it’s her.   

“You still can forget her, Am? It’s already 4 years now,” Taeng told me. I looked down to the floor and sighed again before I turned my face to him.

“How can I, hyung? Even the whole world didn’t permit me to forget her,” I took a second glance outside the window.

“I’m gonna take a walk,” I took my jacket and leave Taeng inside the studio before he could say anything more. Taeng walked near to the glass window and take a look outside. He shook his head, he knew it. Another night but it’s still the same routine for his best friend. If it were 4 years ago, he would ask him why he mentioned about the whole world but now, Taeng fully understand it.

For someone else, it could be a happy thing or a fun moment to be able to watch the top hallyu idol on the big screen or on the big advertisement board or on the building wall even on the moving bus, advertising the branded things or the highest technology devices or even how good is the menu in the 5 star hotel but for his best friend, it could be a tortured for him, to be able only watching his beloved from far. He felt sympathy for his best friend but also mad for his stupid act though he doesn’t understand why. Taeng only can wish him for the best.

I keep walking, just following my feet wherever it’ll takes me but it suddenly stopped in front of the big screen and there’s where I saw her. Her beautiful brightest smile, her blinking like star eyes,  her pointy nose, her reddened cheek, her cherry plump lips, everything were on the screen that I never can forget. She’s walking elegantly, showing her professionalism while advertising the products something that he always feel proud of her. You finally did it, princess. You become the top idol that you always want to be. I’m happy for you even now, I can only watching you from afar.

I missed you, princess. How I wish we can back together how we used to be though deep down, I knew we’ll never be like that anymore. Even the world didn’t allowed me to forget you but neither I want it too because this is only I have now. Heck I even still kept everything when we’re still together, the gazilions of your picture, our amusement park ticket, our movies ticket, every single things that related to you, I kept all of it. This longing feeling for you and the memento of ours, that’s all I have now though sometime it’s torturous to only be able watching you from far but it’s fine. At least, I could remember you like this and it’s lessened a bit of my longing for you. I keep watching her from the sidewalk till I felt I could call it a day or till my legs weakling from walking too much.

And that’s how I end my night and the night before or the other, other night.

End of Amber POV

The next morning, Taeng back to the studio and opened the door only to be greeted by his best friend that still sleeping on the long couch, wearing the same shirt that he wore yesterday. Taeng shake Amber’s shoulder to wake him up. He stirred a little and finally opened his eyes, seeing Taeng already fully dressed to work.

“Do you even go home last night?” Taeng asked him while narrowed his eyes at Amber. He only grinned a little and shrugged his shoulder. He still not fully awake yet.

“Wake up you lazy ,” Taeng said to him, a little high in his tone. Not mad but more too concern since he knew it going to happened like this, it wasn’t the first time Amber stay in the studio. Taeng knew usually after his long walk, he’ll spent the night here and only going home if he was not too lazy to pull his car. Taeng even knew that Amber brought the spare clothes and toiletries, just in case he’ll crash the night here which is obviously.

“Five more minute, hyung,” Amber said to Taeng and wanted to back lying down on the couch only to been stopped by Taeng's morning lecture.

“Aissh….Am! We got the photo shoot to errand today and don’t make me remind you that Victoria hates someone who late for his job,” Taeng high pitched voice clearly can be heard but Amber ignored it.

“Haissh…this little punk. Yah! Amber, wake up! I’m going to put the blame on you if that perfectionist, strictly, and sharp in time editor mad at us,” Taeng told him.

“Fine! Fine! I’m wake up now. Aissh…hyung, why you must be nagging at me early in the morning,” Amber complaint.

“So you can work your lazy . Now, get up and get ready,” Taeng told him. Amber stretched his arms and walked to the bathroom lazily, no matter how much he want to go back to sleep now but he doesn’t want to risk his ears listening to another of Taeng’s morning lecturer that even could beat his mother nags.

At the same time, the staff in the D’va already gathered up and get ready for the photo shoot. The model also just got here. Kangin stopped the van at the back door just like the day before. Krystal stepped out from the van, Tiffany also wanted to get off from the van but been stopped by her ringing hand phone. She looked at the ID caller and looked back to Krystal.

“Krys, you go inside first, ok. I’m gonna pick up this call and I’ll be back to you with Kangin oppa,” Krystal only nodded and walked inside the building. Tiffany pick up the call while she still in the van.

“Hello, yes Tiffany speaking,” Tiffany started talking with the other line while Kangin drive the van to the parking area and parked the van. As soon, as Tiffany finished speaking with the other line, Kangin also already parked the van. Both of them stepped out from the van.

“Who’s that?” Kangin asked Tiffany since he heard that she used formality when she spoke with the other line.

“Oh, just another project for Krystal but I need to do some research and asked her first whether she want this or not,” That’s Tiffany, she always put a lot of effort when she doing her job and very thoroughly. She’ll consider it whether is worth or not for Krystal career and not to forget, asking Krystal’s opinion. Tiffany believe that if the artist and the manager have a good communication, everything will be just fine or more, perfect.

“Oh, Tiff, you knew that Krystal always listening to you when it comes to her job,”

“I know oppa but still, I need to ask her since she’s the one who going to do the job,” Tiffany reasoning with Kangin.

“Aissh….we really raise her well. Our ice princess is really famous,” Kangin said it with full of admiring face.

“Ooh…oppa. Stop being such a drama queen. It’s totally doesn’t suit you,” Tiffany said it with chuckles. Kangin only shrugged his shoulders.

“Looks like I need to fix another schedule for Krystal. Her schedule already tight,” Tiffany added while checking something in her ipad 5.

“Tell me when it’s Krystal schedule isn’t tight and hectic,” Kangin told Tiffany while she only looked at him and grinned a little. They went into the building and get inside the lift with a couple of the D’va staff but then, they heard them talked about a certain person, a name that quite familiar to them. Both of the staff were standing in front of them while they busy chatting, Kangin and Tiffany opened their ears listening to what they were talked about.

“Hey, did you heard about the new photographer?” The blond hair asked the black hair.

“Oh, the one that Victoria choose for this photo shoot?” The black hair asked the blond hair back.

“Yeah, I don’t know how can she choose him. I mean I heard that he’s quite young,”

“Well, age it just a number. Besides I heard that he was been recommended by Jean Sung to Victoria,”

“Jean Sung? You mean the famous and well-known photographer?” The blond hair asked the black hair with a quite shock face. The black hair only nodded.

“Wow, it means that he’s not just an ordinary guy,” The blond hair said to the black hair.

“Yep, I also heard that he just come back from China a couple years ago and opened a studio here in Korea with his best friend,”

“Really? By the way, what’s his name again?” The blond hair asked the black hair.

“Amber Liu,” And that’s when the lift stopped. Both of the D’va staff stepped out from the lift, leaving behind Tiffany and Kangin dumbfounded. After a while, they stepped out from the lift and looked at each other.

“Do you heard what I heard, Tiff?” Kangin asked Tiffany.

“Do you thinking what I’m thinking now, oppa?” Tiffany asked him back.

“Oh, crap!” Both of them said it at the same time.

“How can I didn’t noticed about this earlier,” Tiffany blaming herself.

“That’s not important now, Tiff. We need to find Krystal first. Who knows what might happen later,” Kangin told Tiffany.

“Oh, poor Krystal,” Tiffany said it. Both of them were quickened their pace, looking for Krystal.

In the meantime, the two photographers were also reached at the photo shoot scene. They were arranging their things for the photo shoot.

“Am, I’ll go ask Sunny whether the model is here or not,” Taeng told Amber and he only nodded. Taeng walked inside the office and meet Sunny.

“Taeng-shi. Is there something wrong?” Sunny asked him since she saw him in the office likes looking for something.

“Oh, I was looking for you. I just wanna ask whether the model is here or not since we’re already finish setting up the place,” Taeng told her.

“Ok, I’ll tell her. Krystal-shi is getting ready in the make-up room,” Sunny told him but that wasn’t the point. A certain name slipped out from that making Taeng’s eyes wide open.

“Wait, what did you said? Who’s the model again?” Taeng asked her, a little demand.

“Erm…Krystal,” Sunny answered him, a little confused.

“You mean like Krystal, really, really KRYSTAL?” Taeng emphasized his tone when he said the name.

“Yeah, it’s Krystal. The real Krystal Jung, the top hallyu idol,” Sunny told him, still confused. Don’t tell me that this guy, doesn’t know who’s Krystal Jung? She thought.

“Oh, ! !” Taeng cursed while started running leaving Sunny behind dumbfounded.

While Amber still making the last preparation, to make sure that everything are going to run smoothly. His heart suddenly skipped a beat when he saw a very familiar figure right in front of him, only a couple steps from him. She didn’t notice him or she just ignored him, he doesn’t know. The very familiar blinking like start eyes, pointy nose, reddened cheek, cherry plump lips the only different thing from what he saw last night was that face is as cold as ice, no beautiful brightest smile on her face. He back to earth after keep staring at her when someone tap on his shoulder.

“Am…I just knew that the model is…..” Taeng pants after running back to the photo shoot scene from the office but his word been cut off by Amber.

“Thanks, hyung but I think it’s too late,” Amber told him but his eyes back to the familiar figure in front of him. Taeng’s eyes following him and he sighed. Sigh because there’s nothing he can do now, sigh because the reality was right in front of his friend’s eyes.

At the same time, both Kangin and Tiffany were just arrived at the photo shoot scene and only three words that coming out from their mouths when they saw the scene that happened in front of their eyes.

“We’re too late,” Both of them were only standing at there, doesn’t know what to do.

Now, his pair of eyes were caught with her blinking like start eyes. How he wish that he can run to her and hugging her like there’s no tomorrow. How he really missed her like a maniac, how he missed touching her flawless skin, how he missed kissing her cherry plump lips but no, none of that he can do. He only stands there, unmoved.