Episode 19: Calm before the storm -2-

 

Why’s he so enthusiastic? Did he eat some rotten fish before he came over or what?

 

“You know, about the song we’re supposed to write together” he reached his hand at the low table and pulled a sheet of paper. “I could come up with the melody… even though it still needs some work…”

 

He was passionately explaining and I leaned down a bit to look at the musical notes spread on the white sheet but he suddenly stopped speaking.

 

“Hm?” I saw him narrowing his eyes at me. “W-What? I’m really paying attention if that’s what you’re-“

 

But he pulled my arm and made me sit by his side on the sofa:

 

“It’s not like I’m going to bite you or anything, you should come closer so I won’t have to raise my voice unnecessarily” he then carried on explaining and I found myself looking at his face as he went on.

 

Oh my god, he looks so different than usual…

 

*I just recalled Jin’s kiss.*

 

“N-No! No!” I slapped my cheeks lightly. I can’t be cheating on Jin.

 

“Huh? You’re not ok with it?” Minho looked shocked.

 

“Um? What’s it?” I felt guilty; he really was explaining things to me.

 

He sighed heavily:

 

“Calm down Minho, you can’t scold a pretty lady” he was closing his eyes and talking to himself.

 

“P-Pretty lady?” my heart fluttered.

 

“Of course, since you finally started to act like one” he glanced at me shortly and smiled then went back to focus on the paper “So please listen carefully this time ok?”

 

Oh… he’s so cute when he's blunt!

 

I hugged myself, feeling so overwhelmed with warmth.

 

“Oh god… on this rate, we won’t finish any time soon” he hit my forehead lightly with his pencil. “Just repeat everything I said now”

 

“Everything?” I questioned

 

“Yes, or I’ll really leave” he started to get up but I pulled the paper from his hand and cleared my throat.

 

“I’ll do it, please don’t get angry now!” I reassured him.

 

“Oh really?” he folded his arms and sat down. “I can’t believe it unless I see it with my own eyes” he shrugged.

 

“Haha, all I’m seeing is…” I brought the pencil to my jaw as I stared at the notes “This part…” I put the paper down and started to erase it.

 

“What are you doing?!” he snatched the pencil.

 

“Did you possibly think that I know nothing about music and composing?” I spoke in a haughty tone “Just so you know, my mother insisted to force me to attend piano and violin lessons when I was younger… so don’t even reckon looking down at me”

 

I snatched back the pencil and started to change the notes.

 

“Woah… this just can’t be accurate… how can you…” he had his mouth slightly open.

 

“I’ll play the piano, so don’t worry about the complicated symbols… I’ll play it for you”

 

Despite the fact that I never enjoyed the lessons I attended for 10 years of my precious childhood, still, I was happy because it wasn’t a waste of time in the end so... thank you mother!

 

I suddenly heard the sound of a camera's shutter, I looked back to see Minho taking a picture of me with his phone.

 

“W-What are you doing!?” I quickly hid my face with my arms. “You’re very despicable!”    

 

“I wanted to eternize the moment” he kept taking pictures

 

“H-h-hey! It’s embarrassing so stop it!” I was becoming red slowly. And I tried to snatch the phone away.

 

“I won’t be making the same mistake as the prince of Cinderella at least”

 

I jerked.

 

“If the magic comes off by midnight, and I’ll never be able to see the beautiful princess again, at least I’m lucky enough to have a camera and take a picture before all of this disappears,” he protested.

 

I can’t believe… he’s saying this…

 

I got paralyzed for a moment, hearing what he was saying and taking the pictures, I didn’t even stop him anymore, just saw his bright smile as he stared at the screen of the phone:

 

“Yes, good girl,” he was repeating.

 

I suddenly started to have tears in my eyes.

 

“Em?” he raised his gaze at me “Hey, pretty miss…”

 

I realized it and started to wipe my eyes:

 

“Oh, I’m a real crybaby… just” I sniffled with a smile “When did I become this sensitive?”

 

“Is it because I’m taking pictures of you?” he looked sad

 

“N-No, it’s not like that!” I kept wiping away my tears and laughing “I’m just so touched…”

 

“Touched?”

 

I nodded:

 

“You’re a very sweet guy Minho” I reached my hand at his hair and messed it “It makes me so happy that I can’t stop myself from grinning”

 

He stared at me but then reached his hand at my head and started doing the same thing I’m doing to him:

 

“Yes, Jin, you too are a very sweet girl”

 

We certainly did look like two insane persons but I was happy that Minho and I were becoming friends.

 

“But maybe you should delete some of the pics you know?” I tried to sound nice.

 

“Hehe, that won’t happen” he replied with the same tone of mine.

 

“What? Y-You…” I pulled him by the collar

 

But he wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

 

“H-H-Hey! Why is it turning this way?!” I bumped with my hands on his chest

 

“Didn’t I say that I won’t be making the same mistake as the Cinderella’s prince?”

 

“…” when he says it that way, I feel suddenly unwilling to argue with him.

 

“I like you this way” he said in a low voice. "No, in fact, I like you, all of you, even when you're looking down at yourself"

 

“But what if…”

 

I bit my lip,

 

“What if I don’t feel the same way you do?”

 

“It’s ok” he put his hand on the back of my head “I’ll make you fall for me slowly”

 

I’m sorry Minho…

 

I patted his back lightly.

 

But the person I really have feelings for…

 

I closed my eyes, remembered what it felt like to be hugged by the person you love.

 

The feeling of safety, of warmth and affection… I just realized that I felt it all when I was with him.

 

“I’m sorry Minho.” I hope you come to respect my decision.

 

“Don’t apologize, and don’t ruin the moment”

 

I smiled, wishing that he’ll be able to understand that what I’m feeling toward him is just…

 

Click

 

 The door of the room opened with a clicking sound, and the person to appear behind it was:

 

“Ah, the boyfriend is here” Minho let go of me and smiled in a meaningful way at Jin, and I covered my mouth seeing that he was still wearing the same wet clothes, now that he was glaring at us in a way full of resentment.

 

I got up to my feet:

 

“W-W-What’s wrong?” I was so afraid, seeing him like that.

 

Could it be because he found me with Minho?

 

But he made his way in, I hurried at him but he just walked past me and pushed me aside roughly, Minho stood and supported me quickly before I could fall back.

 

“Hey! You rascal!” Minho shouted “How can you push Jin like that? Hey!”

 

But Jin just walked to the bedroom and pushed the door open that it banged against the wall.

 

“Did he finally lose his mind?” Minho let go of me and went after Jin.

 

I started to shake slightly.

 

What could’ve happened to him? Why’s he acting this strangely?

 

Why am I having an uneasy feeling?

 

“Hey! What are you doing?” Minho hurried inside the bedroom after looking surprised.

 

I didn’t have the courage to go and see for myself, because if Jin was this angry, talking to him would make him only angrier, so I had to wait for him to calm down.

 

I stumbled toward the sofa and sat there, still trembling, as I recalled the cold glare of him earlier, I hugged my arms. And after a few minutes;

 

“Ya! Wait! Where are you?!”

 

I raised my head to see Jin striding to the door with a bag on his shoulder, and Minho was chasing after him, leaping forward and blocking his way:

 

“Where are you going now? And how dare you ignore me like this?!” He scowled at Jin as he panted.

 

“Move out of the way” his voice was as cold and emotionless as ice.

 

“J-Jin” I went to stand beside Minho “C-Calm down ok? I promise it’s not what you-“ but as soon as my gaze met his, I saw no trace of the warmhearted guy I knew.

 

There was nothing left but bloodshot eyes that were slightly moist and his lips were trembling as he gritted his teeth, I staggered and clutched my chest as I felt the energy draining from my legs.

 

“Move out of my way I said” he yelled.

 

I moved aside and so did Minho, and Jin hurried toward the door, we both looked at his back:

 

“Oh and by the way” he uttered, “You can take her if you want, I no longer have anything to do with that girl”

 

Then he left at once.

 

I fell to my knees, hearing his heartless words, I closed my ears.

 

No, it can’t be… this isn’t fair… how did it end up this way?

 

“And just when I realized that the person I truly like was…” I started to sob.

 

I couldn’t stop myself from shaking and tears spilled involuntarily.

 

“J-Jin?”

 

I could feel Minho’s hand on my shoulder:

 

“What should I do? Even though he asked me to stay away from you…” I sobbed.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous!” he squeezed his hand that was on my shoulder “I know well what kind of person Jin is… and I can’t imagine him getting this upset over something like this”

 

“It still is my fault! Whatever happened to him!” I shook Minho’s hand away “I was the one responsible for it”

 

“Y..you” His voice slowly straggled.

 

“I’m sorry for the trouble I’m causing you, but please leave” I clenched my fist “Leave me alone”

 

“I…”

 

“I said please!”

 

I covered my face with my palms. I couldn’t bring myself to look at Minho.

 

“Ok, I’ll go… but you should know this” he paused “Even though you love Hyun Jin and not me, I still can’t forgive him for making you cry like this”

 

“N-No…” I looked back, but Minho was already opening the door “D-Don’t give him a hard time… I beg you”

 

But he just exited without saying anything.

 

Why did things get complicated like this?

 

 I leaned against the wall,

 

“Is it a sin to have a good time with a friend?”

 

I banged with my fist on the wall.

 

“Why are you so blind?” I cried “Why can’t you see that the only one I have eyes for is you?”

 

I looked down at the floor.

 

“No, I mustn’t allow things to continue this way” I wiped my face with the back of my hand “He’ll have to listen to what I have to say!”

 

I hurried to the bedroom, and went to look on my nightstand.

 

“I’ll call him! And even if he doesn’t pick up… I’ll leave him a message”

 

I don’t care, he has to know what my feelings are, even if he doesn’t believe it, at least I have nothing to lose.

 

I glanced at the nightstand,

 

“Eh?”

 

I looked on my bed, on the desk,

 

“Where did I put my phone?”

 

I searched in the drawers, in my sheets, and then looked in the closet but found no trace of it.

 

“How weird… where could I have left it?”

__________________________________

 

(Jin’s POV)

 

“I’m sorry”

 

I turned off the phone and removed its sim card and battery.

 

Even if it’s cruel of me to do… there’s no way I would allow her to hear about it.

 

The only thing I know for sure is… that I ought to protect her no matter what.

 

***To be continued