AN: Yoholaaaa, chapter 3!

 

The NOW

 

Junho wakes up feeling a little groggy from the dreams he had. It has been a long time since he dreamt that episode of his life.

 

Well, he actually tries really hard to move on from the disappointment he felt whenever he thinks of an enthusiastic boy with bright smiles and how he just passed the opportunity to befriend him. His regret of not siding with Chansung has actually last for several years after Chansung’s move from Ilsan. Junho used to think that he feels really guilty for not doing what he’s supposed to do.

 

However, years after and with the help of several girls he dated casually, he finally can identify (and admit to himself) that yes – Hwang Chansung was probably his first love. If not, then why would he feels so attached to the memory of a boy he met only for seven months all those years ago. Chansung has actually touched his heart in the way no one has ever done – not even until now. Chansung has made such deep impression in Junho’s memory that after The Chansung Period, Junho tries really hard to be a more courageous person. He tries to speak his mind and objects something whenever he thinks those things are unfair.

 

Even his memory of Chansung somehow makes Junho search and prefer girls with specific eyes – doe eyed girls with bright smiles. He tries to deny those similarities between all his ex-girlfriends however when Minjun-hyung specifically points out his type is those doe-eyed girls couple of years ago, he froze when his mind automatically took him back to the first person he ever knew carrying those characteristics.

 

Junho always amazed on how life always takes him back to the memory of Hwang Chansung. It must be bad karma, he tells himself. As if not satisfied with Junho’s realization that Chansung might be his first love and how the series of girlfriend he has might be people who somehow remind him of Chansung.

 

Lee Junho also ends up being a teacher. The profession he specifically mentions in his essay all those years ago. The second best profession he thought to be presented to the class since he decided to play safe and won’t mention how being actors is actually a big dream of his.

 

He ends up being a history teacher for senior high school student who also fills as drama teacher for the extra curricular activity. (His school is actually a low budget public school located on border area of Seoul). What a joke.

 

Well, if you can’t be an actor be a teacher they said. You will act every day they said. It will be fun they said.

 

The acting fun has been correct but without receiving the same payment and exposure as real actor, he sometimes wonders why he agrees to this.

 

You need the money to pay the rent and send some to your parents back home – his mind supplies. 

 

 

Junho sighs heavily as he toast the wheat bread and flicked on the television.

 

 

The melody of Let it Rain greets him. He watched the commercial for 4PM’s new album. It seems that today the universe decides it will be the best day to remind him of his past.

 

Go grab 4PM’s latest album – Grown now!

 

4PM is the famous boy group who has topped the chart ever since their debut 5 years ago now. They are 4 wonderfully handsome men with Adonis like body and great talent covering singing, dancing, and acting.

 

 

Oh, before Junho forgot – Hwang Chansung is ¼ of 4PM.

 

In other word, yes – Hwang Chansung has also fulfilled his essay.

 

***

 

“Sir, the bell has rang like 15 minutes ago, you should let us go home!” one student who sits at the back yells.

 

Junho raise one of his brows at this, “Thank you for reminding me, Chanhee – Class is dismissed,” his statement is met with cheers across the room, “But… all of you has to hand me the analysis paper on Comparison between Islam and Korean Buddhism during the Kingdom era,”

 

He smiles innocently when the class collectively groan at his announcement.

 

“Submit to me by next week – now all of you are free to go before I decided to add some more homework,”

 

The students are practically racing to leave his class.

 

“You really are one cruel teacher,” Junho looks at the door and saw Minjun’s hyung leaning on the door casually.

 

“Oh so I have been demoted from Mr Demon to just a cruel teacher?”

 

“Tch – I bet they still call you that, but seriously didn’t you just gave them like a group assignment last week and another essay before that? You are cruel but this is like setting a new standard of cruelty,”

 

Junho tilts his head and consider this for a moment, “Nah, not really. They need the extra work to fill their free time especially if they have a lazy music teacher like you,”

 

“Yah – I’m not lazy. I just knew what it feels like to be a student and would like them to appreciate their youth and high school time you know,”

 

Junho has collected all his books and sling his bag. He stare at Minjun’s face directly, “I also knew what it feels like to be a student and it’s not nice to waste time,”

 

“You used to be a student?” Minjun asked incredulously, “I thought you were born directly to be this cynical adult,”

 

Junho rolls his eyes at this, “Stop judging me, we still have a drama group to arrange, let’s go.”

 

 

***

 

 

It’s around 9 PM, usually Junho is already at the comfort of his small apartment, either grading the papers, going through his teaching module or writing a stage play for his drama group.

 

But now…

 

“Yah, spill,” Minjun said as he put his glass of soju.

 

“Spill what,” Junho pretends. Sometimes he hates how Junho can guess his feelings easily like today. One of the perks of having a friend for more than 3 years, he thought.

 

“You look gloomy today during drama practice I fear that heavy cloud on top of your head will strike lightning on me or something. Not to mention you being a special cruel teacher today, there’s got to be an award for that somewhere,”

 

Junho gulps down his soju. He needs more alcohol in his system to talk about his emotional state.

 

“I’m just keep… I just remembered something,”

 

Minjun eyes him again, and then carefully picks his own words.

 

“Is this related to that Singer Boy?”

 

Junho dreaded that particular incident in which he drank so much in one night. He’s so drunk he can’t even stand and go home. Being a responsible friend, Minjun decided to take him home and that night feeling oh so melancholy Junho finally blabbering about this one boy he used to like and admire from a far. How he can’t directly tells him about it and decided to cheer him using anonymous notes and how currently that boy is a walking success story while Junho on another hand is a second-class citizen hiding behind the teacher status who pretends to like his job.

 

Amazingly, he never mentions any name or group name that night. But the damage is already done. Minjun-hyung address the fact that Junho actually plays for both team calmly the next day and cheers him to move on with his life and that he is actually not such a bad teacher.

 

“So, is it?”

 

“Not really hyung,” Junho scratch his nose absentmindedly, “I’m just having dreams about my school years, that’s all,”

 

“My thoughts that you perfectly fits to be a teacher still stands, you know.”

 

“Thanks, Hyung,” Junho smiles at his hyung’s concern.

 

***

 

 

On the next meeting with his class, Junho decided to lessen his cruel side and gave the class a free period on the library to improve their research for the paper.

 

It was so not to be used for browsing youtube.

 

So much for being a considerate teacher, once in a while.

 

He stood behind a group of three girls who excitedly chatted over a youtube video of an idol group.

 

“But who is he addressing this speech to?”

 

“Is this actually scripted? So the fans will be excited and curious about it?”

 

“But, he looks so nervous and lik…”

 

“YAH!” Junho said.

 

“Mr. Lee,” they gasped collectively at them.

 

“This is free time to improve your paper’s data! Not for browsing video or discussing it,”

 

“Yes, sir, sorry,” Yunji answered.

 

“It’s just that – the video is actually creating a huge stir and the netizens…”

 

Junho raised one of his eyebrows at the other girl.

 

“Yes, sir. More data for the paper is coming,”

 

Satisfied with himself, Junho decided to check on the other group across the library. After ten minutes, Junho came back to this group and listen to them actively discussing on…

 

“JYP has not released any official statement on the matter,”

 

“Yah, what about the twitter account activity?”

 

“Gosh, he said he wanted to meet her… I can’t take this anymore…”

 

“Girls!” Junho yelled, “It’s enough, I’m taking this,” he decided to confiscate all of their smartphone for the period.

 

 

As he make his way to his designated table in the library. His eyes caught one familiar face on the screen.

 

Hwang Chansung – and the other members of 4PM. Seems like he’s delivering a thank you speech seeing how he’s holding an award.

 

Curiosity definitely kills the cat; Junho decided to take his earphone, plugged it, rewind the video and pressed play.

 

It turns out 4PM has won another award and not just an award. It’s actually a Daesang for Best Artist of the Year!

 

Wow, that’s huge!

 

He watched how they are smiling and grinning when 4PM’s called as the winner. He watched how Taecyon and Nichkhun thank the fans and company and so on. His eyes are actually set on Chansung the whole time, looking really handsome and mature with the all black suits and stylish hair.

 

My God, he really IS handsome.

 

When suddenly, Chansung moves forward and Nichkhun looks surprised thinking they already finished their thank you speech.

 

“I also wants to thanks the fans and JYP for your endless support. Massive thank you for all of you like hyungs said… Without you guys we will not be here… And, I want to add a personal thanks to another person out there… Without this person, I personally, will not be standing here and receive the award umm hyungs might still be here but I don’t think I.. Yeah, um… For Nuneo, yes you, I uh… I hope you’re watching this right now. I still remember the notes you sent me back then. Those notes save me and encourage me when other things in life don’t. So, yeah, ehm” Chansung gulps down now, “Where ever you are now, I just want to say thank you for the notes and for believing in me, I really hope I can thank you and meet you in person but…” He looks around and caught his hyungs gaping at him.

 

“But, yeah… That’s all from me, thanks,”

 

They did this awkward look between them and finally give their last bow and leave the stage.

 

 

Junho sits there in the library trying to remember how to breathe.

 

 

***

 

He stares at the news at his laptop. He didn’t heard wrong and he obviously didn’t imagine things. Junho decided to watch the video again and even search some news portal for 4PM winning speech after school in the safety of teacher’s room.

 

It doesn’t change.

 

Hwang Chansung remembers him. Chansung mentions him on his Daesang speech!!

 

Well, not directly him but… Nuneo, that’s him!

 

He can feel his brain short-circuited again for the nth time that day. He buries his face in his hands and screech like a fan-girl that he is.

 

“I thought a squirrel is being choked to death, while it was just you making this weird noise,” Minjun said from behind him.

 

“What!? Don’t surprise me like that,”

 

Junho looks around and satisfied to find it empty aside from both of them.

 

Minjun look at his laptop and Junho is not quick enough to close it. Minjun snatched it and snicker when he saw the news.

 

“I knew it!!” he exclaims, “Nuneo is you right?”

 

Junho tries to compose himself and deny it right away.

 

“Yah, don’t try to lie to me on this one. It just so fitting to your story,”

 

“Yes, it was me,” Junho answer shyly.

 

“Oh my God, this is amazing,” Minjun scrolls the news, “Hwang Chansung?? I’m impressed Lee Junho,”

 

“Yah, shut up, it doesn’t mean anything,” Junho frowns.

 

“What do you mean it doesn’t mean anything?” Minjun put his laptop again, “Don’t tell me you just gonna leave this be?”

 

“Well, what else can I do?”

 

“You tell him, who you are,”

 

“How exactly? I cannot just stroll to JYP building or to their fan sign event and claims as Nuneo, can I?”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because there are probably hundreds of people asking him about it and I don’t know, this has caused a stir already, won’t he be in trouble for this and people might claim as Nuneo or something.” He simply just speaks nonsense now.

 

Minjun shook his head, “You one pessimistic puppy,”

 

He totally don’t expect Minjung-hyung to smack his head after saying that.

 

“Yah, there may be trouble like that but you should also think about the implications of this. If he decided to talk to you, well to Nuneo, whomever that might be, he actually wants to reach you, right? If not, then why would he said it during Daesang speech? He wants it to the extra exposure or something right?”

 

“But, what if he thought it was a girl and…”

 

Minjun flicks his forehead at his.

 

“Yah, puppy! Girl boy alien, whatever. Don’t you at least owes an proper conversation to this Chansung?”

 

Junho stopped, “But how should I reach him?”

 

“My God!” Minjun exclaimed, “You probably don’t know that humanity actually has this super advanced thing called social media or specifically twitter now. Go make an account and contact him using some information just you and him know, or anything! You are the creative screenplay writer between us, you should go figure something!”

 

Minjung walks toward his own desk after that. Seeing this, Junho typed and search for Chansung’s twitter account.

 

Hm, well, he really owns one.

 

“Should I…”

 

“The next conversation we had on this is when I demand to know the progress of you contacting him, Lee Junho. Now go make a twitter account because I know you don’t have one,”

 

***

 

 

Junho thinks about it for a whole day. What his twitter account’s name should be, should it indicates his ? What should be his tweet? Come to think of it, how can he make Chansung realize his tweet? During his one-day research of the mechanism of using twitter, he just realized that Chansung has more than 1 million followers. Just when he wants to abort the idea, Minjun-hyung glowers at him and demands the progress. He almost had a near-death-experience when he said he hasn’t made an account (yet).

 

He thinks back to the school days and realize it has actually been four days since the Daesang award. Chansung and JYP Entertainment have not made any statement on the matter despite fans and news curiosity on the matter.

 

He thinks about the boy with the bright smile who might actually want to reach to him. He thinks back to the possibility of conversing with him and the possibility of missing it.

 

To hell with it, he should not be afraid of Chansung ignoring his tweet between the seas of tweets he received daily.

 

At the very least, like Minjun-hyung said he owes an explanation and proper conversation to him.

 

He grabbed his phone feeling determined.

 

***