“I give up… Goodbye Jiyeon ah.”

“No. Wait! Don’t leave… Please...”

“Wake up. Wake up Jiyeon ah.” Jiyeon woke up from the sweet voice that was calling her out. She opened her eyes and saw Hyomin.

“Hyomin?”

“You must be having a bad dream again.”

“You’re here. Am I dreaming?”

“No, silly.” Hyomin giggled. Suddenly Jiyeon’s phone was ringing. And ringing. And ringing.

She woke up. This time, there’s no Hyomin. She’s alone. Still her phone is ringing.

“Yoboseyo..”

“Jiyeon ah, meet me in the office today.”

Jiyeon looked at her phone to see who had just called and it was her CEO. She wonders why her CEO wanted to meet her. She got up and prepare for the meeting.

“Okite… Okite…” She went to her room and switched the alarm off. She set Hyomin’s voice as her alarm. It's no wonder she always dream of her. She remembered they recorded it when she was preparing for her Japanese debut.

Flashback

“What is wake up in Japanese?” Hyomin asked. She was helping Jiyeon study some Japanese words.

“Okite… okite.” Jiyeon answered. They both giggled. Jiyeon then took her phone. “Pretend you are waking me up.” Hyomin played along while Jiyeon recorded the whole thing. They watched it and laughed so hard. “Cute!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aao6UNPcN_g

Hyomin took out her phone and said, “Your turn.” Jiyeon did the same and Hyomin recorded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzQhOOiaFno

End of flashback

Sigh. Again, she has to live in reality. She tried to look for Hyomin but she was gone. Jiyeon tried to call Hyomin but she cannot contact her. She left messages but Hyomin never replied. She asked Qri and Eunjung but even they do not know where she is or what happened to her. Jiyeon and Eunjung had patch things up between them. Jiyeon tried to go to Hyomin’s house but found out that the Parks had sold their house and even their company.

--

Jiyeon is sitting in the passenger seat and looking outside while her manager drives her to her special training. In her last meeting, her CEO told her that she was chosen to star in a drama. She has no experience in drama but the director loved her performance in her MVs. Her CEO said that she still needs to train for acting.

“Jiyeon ah, we have arrived. And here is your ticket.” Jiyeon took the ticket and saw a single trip train ticket. She looked at her manager asking if this was for real. “You will go there on your own. We will come pick you up after you completed your training”

“Are you kidding me?” She was not happy with this arrangement.

“Don’t be mad Jiyeon ah. It’s the CEO’s orders.”

Jiyeon can just sigh. Right, all these can only be done by her crazy CEO who happens to be calling her right now.

“Jiyeon ah, have you received the instructions.”

“Is this a prank or something?”

“No.”

“Then what is this?”

“Don’t think of this as a punishment or something bad. This is training… A different kind… it’s more like an immersion. I don’t want you to have the normal acting training where you are locked in a studio. I want you to immerse yourself with your surroundings.”

 Jiyeon is still not buying it. It sounds weird but her CEO can be weird sometimes. He has a different style or should we say an unorthodox way with his artists. She should have been suspicious when her CEO said that she will go for ‘special training’.

“How about my comeback?”

“Well for your comeback, you will have a special training under a friend of mine who owns a studio in the place you are going. She will decide whether your dance training is complete or not. Once she is satisfied with your training then we will pick you up.”

“If she is not satisfied?”

“I’m afraid that you have to stay and train harder. Jiyeon ah, if you don’t take this seriously, you will need to stay longer which may cause a delay in your comeback. Worse, you might lose your projects and future projects even the drama. So I advise you to take this seriously.”

“Lose my projects and future projects?”

“I said might. You see Jiyeon ah, this is not just for the drama or your next comeback. This is for your long term career. The past 3 years you have been doing great…”

“But?”

“But you are getting lost in the process. I do not know what had happened in your personal life as you will not open up to me but you are not fully here. It’s like you are somewhere else. Having this experience will make you grow as an artist and I hope it will help you find yourself again. Trust me, Jiyeon ah.”

Her CEO was right. She can’t believe that her CEO has seen through her despite her efforts to hide her feelings. “Okay, I will work hard.”

“And Jiyeon ah, I know you are a talented dancer but my friend is very tough teacher. So goodluck!” Then he hung up.

“Jiyeon ah.” Her manager called. “I have heard some stories that this dance teacher of yours is really tough. The CEO will not put too much effort on you if he didn’t trust you.” He gave her the ticket. “Fighting!”

Jiyeon still cannot believe what her company has put her through. She walked inside the train and saw her seat assignment. “I can’t believe they only booked one seat! It’s not even the seat beside the window!!” She sat at her seat assignment, put on her headset and closed her eyes. It’s a sign that she does not want to be disturbed.

Find myself huh? Stupid CEO making me feel like this… Jiyeon pushed the play button and the music starts. She then went back to memory lane. This has been Jiyeon’s new hobby.  And in each and every time, she will think about the past, about her. It’s the only way she can be with her...

… before it is too late, let me love you. Don’t give up on me yet… I’ve hurt you so much. Let me make it up to you. Let me love you, unnie.”

--

“You are so lucky.”

“Don’t ever let her go…”

“I won’t…ever.”

--

“I wish I can take you out on a real date. Not like this. Wait til I became an artist, we will go out on dates.”

“Jiyeon ah, as long as we get to spend time together, it’s precious to me.”

--

“Jiyeon ah, sometimes people don’t tell them the whole truth because they wanted to protect the person they love…”

“We’re over.”

“Goodbye, Jiyeon ah”

--

I am a fool. I just stood there when you left.

“…. Forget about me, about us. And this time, move on.”

I am sorry unnie. I have never been good at letting go. I will never move on, not when it comes to you.

--

“Wake up…you need to wake up..” Jiyeon felt someone shaking her gently while asking her to wake up. Jiyeon felt that her head was leaning on the person’s shoulder. She opened her eyes and there she saw Hyomin looking back at her smiling. Hyomin. I must be dreaming. She was going to close her eyes and continue her dream when..

Giggle. That giggle.

“Ani. You are not dreaming. Mianhe for waking you up but this is my stop.” She said smiling.

“Pali!!” Someone called her.

“Coming! Unnie” She said as looked at the person who called her then looked back at the sleepy Jiyeon. “Bye”

She watch as Hyomin retreated. Jiyeon was still in daze.

“Last Call! Last Call before the train moves!”

Jiyeon looked outside and this is her stop. She hurriedly went out. “It’s not a dream. It’s real! It’s real! She is here.” She looked around trying to find Hyomin.

“Park Jiyeon!”