#since1765

*

Kim Taeyeon arrived at Seoul Galleria Foret at almost ten in the evening. Kwon Dami provided her the location and passcode to Kwon Jiyong’s unit. Turned out the Kwons lived just a floor above their son’s place. Dami also confirmed that the young man was alone in his apartment. Nervously, Taeyeon rang Jiyong’s doorbell, but he didn’t answer. Dami warned her that the brokenhearted man was evading anyone, and refused to entertain any visitors. After her fourth failed attempt to be provided entry, she just entered the passcode and invaded Jiyong’s space.

Taeyeon didn’t have the time to marvel at the place’s beauty. She could already hear the sound coming from the television inside the bedroom. She knocked on the bedroom door, and Jiyong answered with a simple, “Who’s there? Mom? Dad? Dami? Just come in.”

After his go-signal, Taeyeon opened the door, and the luxurious master’s bedroom welcomed her eyes. Jiyong’s room was very neat and tidy, and it smelled fresh and clean. Taeyeon was impressed. However, she was devastated at the sight of the man lying down on the beautiful bed. Kwon Jiyong was curled under the comforter the same way he did a few nights ago in Dolce Vita’s Crayon room. In fact, he looked far worse than that night. Taeyeon saw the misery in his face, and even the way his head fell on the pillow echoed a sadness that she understood. Her heart felt heavier.

“Taeyeon…” Jiyong called out, and he immediately stood forward.

“Your tricks didn't work,” Taeyeon responded, walking towards him on the bed. “You're a bad gamer, aren't you?”

“What are you doing here? How'd you find my place?” the man wondered, also looking at the six-pack beer she was carrying.

“I have my ways. I'm your fiancé, remember?” Taeyeon now sat beside him, and put the alcohol cans in front of them. “Partners in crime. Want a drink?”

“But you were on your date night with Baekhyun,” still pondered Jiyong, face filled with disbelief and astonishment that his fiance was actually here in his house, in the flesh. “I was just talking to you a few minutes ago…”

“I was losing the video games badly. Baekhyun's taunts were becoming unbearable,” she lied, opening up a can of beer. She then offered it to Jiyong.

He immediately took it and answered, “You didn't have to come, because there’s nothing to worry about. I'm fine.”

“No, you're not. My fiancé does not sound like a poor and sad little boy. He's always cheerful, always bright. So where is he? What happened to him that he sounds like a crybaby?” Taeyeon insisted. She was surprised when Jiyong forced the beer back on her. She took it, and put them all on the nightstand. Clearly, the man was in no mood to drink.

This worried Taeyeon even more, because this was the first time Kwon Jiyong refused alcohol in front of her. To more of her shock, the man covered himself with the comforter again, and turned his back on her. Soon, Jiyong’s shoulder shook. He was crying once more, and it was such an agonizing sight for Taeyeon. She proved once and again that the young man remained very open and expressive to her. That scene was a huge testament to how deep their friendship had become.

“Damnit. This is why I didn’t want you here,” Jiyong murmured from under the sheets.

“I knew it. I knew something’s wrong,” commented Taeyeon, almost crying because she hated seeing a friend be wretched. “You have to talk to me. I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“Goddamnit. . it all. the world. breakups. , , ,” Jiyong exclaimed, still hiding under the thick sheets.

Strangely, Taeyeon wasn’t surprised anymore to feel the tears come down her own eyes. It was almost unbearable to see a grown man miserable. She wasn’t unfamiliar with how a heartbreak felt. Knowing that Kwon Jiyong was suffering such ugly emotion only made Taeyeon unhappy as well. She put her hand over his body, and stated, “Just cry. I won't judge, and I won't say anything.”

She silently wept as Jiyong cried too. For a few minutes, they were like that, and neither said anything. Finally, when Taeyeon felt Jiyong’s intention to show himself, she began to wipe her tears. There was a certain shame that came with echoing Jiyong’s emotions, and she didn’t want him seeing her cry. Jiyong removed the comforter, and sat up straight to sit beside her. Taeyeon grabbed two cans of beer from the bedside table and handed one to Jiyong.

But Jiyong shook his head. “I can't. I have a flight to China in eight hours.”

Taeyeon has now conceded. It was a bit remarkable to know that Jiyong didn’t drown his heartache in alcohol. She opted out of drinking too. Then, she put both her feet up on the bed so that she could straighten her legs and feet for more comfort. Jiyong even scooted to his left to give more room for her. Now the two of them had their backs on the headboard.

“Should I even ask what happened in that dinner?”

Jiyong was silent for a while. He has stopped crying, but still he couldn’t look Taeyeon in the eye.

“What did she say? Did she hurt you?”

“She kindly requested me to stop pretending like I have a rebound girlfriend,” Jiyong finally shared, playing with his fingers like he always did when he was upset. His voice shook a bit because he got emotional as he recalled Audrie’s exact words. “Then, she very sweetly told me that it's really over, and to hear and believe it this time.”

“What?! That !” the shocked Taeyeon yelled, almost angrily. But she realized that even if she hated the woman, Jiyong may still be hurt if she spoke ill of the love of his life. She calmed herself and mentioned, “Sorry, just got carried away.”

“You’re right though,” replied Jiyong, laughing bitterly. “She’s a . A I'm ing madly in love with.” His tears came again, and this time he found the strength to actually look at Taeyeon. “Why do I love her this much? She just keeps hurting me, yet I keep loving her more and more every day. I'm a real ing pathetic loser.”

Taeyeon was stunned to see such a strong and confident man falter into pieces like this because of a woman. I can't believe someone could be so heartless. Who does Audrie Kiko Daniel think she is to hurt my fiancé? She wanted to curse loudly at her, and if possibly, do everything in her power to possibly take Kwon Jiyong away from such an evil woman.

“Audrie’s the real loser here,” she calmly stated, finding the kindest words to express her condemnation. “I don't know what she's snorting, but you're kinda amazing.”

Then, she elbowed Jiyong. The man knew that this was her way of starting a playful exchange. “Stop teasing Tae.”

“You're kinda worth it,” continued Taeyeon, elbowing Jiyong again.

“Yah, shut up.”

“You're kinda hot,” she insisted, and this time, she even poked his cheek.

“Whatever, Taeyeon.”

Now Taeyeon lifted his chin and forced his face in her direction. When their eyes met, she very sincerely professed, “And best of all, you're kinda perfect.”

But Kwon Jiyong neither smiled nor showed any signs of appreciation. Instead, he kept pouting, and Taeyeon still read the sorrow in his eyes. She just let go of his chin and sighed. Slowly, Jiyong went back into hiding, turning his back on her. She tried to pull him back, to no avail. The man refused to go out of the comforter.

“Honey, come on. Cheer up. Please don't make me work so hard in encouraging you,” Taeyeon desperately begged, still trying to pull the comforter away. “You know I'm a pessimist. This is really hard work for me.”

From under the sheets, Jiyong said, “You said so yourself: some people want to spend their time worrying about the problem.”

“That’s my line, not yours! My partner makes fun of his misery,” she insisted, resting from her pulls. “Please cheer up even just a little bit. For me?”

But Jiyong remained firm and silent. This time, Taeyeon decided to play dirtier. She projected an angry voice, and bellowed, “What's the point of ruining my date night if I won't be able to cheer you up? I skipped hanging out with Baekhyun for this. I could be chilling with my boyfriend right now, but I picked you over him.”

“Then just go back and hang with your bae,” dismissed Jiyong, signaling her to leave with one hand. “I'll be fine on my own.”

“But I want to chill with you! Come on Jiyong, don’t be like this anymore. Come out and play, pwetty pwease?” Even Kim Taeyeon couldn’t believe what she heard herself say. She never pouted, nor played cute, for any man before. Why was she saying such cheesy things all of a sudden? You’re making me work too damn hard, hon. Goodness. But turned out her cheesiness was the magic spell to make Kwon Jiyong come out of his shell.

“Really?” Jiyong asked, standing up and sitting beside her again. A sparkle of mischief was painted on his face when he asked her, “You want to chill and stuff?”

When Taeyeon recognized the malice in his expression and tone, she flicked his forehead and screamed, “ert! I was talking about playing games and having beer and popcorn. Eeeeeeew!”

“I'm disappointed,” Jiyong whined, pretending to pout. “That kind of chilling would really cheer me up.”

“Remember what the elders told us?” Taeyeon reminded in such a matter-of-fact tone. “No such thing shall happen before the wedding ceremony.”

When both of them realized what she just said, they ended up laughing at the same time. This greatly moved Taeyeon. To find that her attempts to change his mood made her heart lighter. On the other hand, Jiyong was amazed to realize that the young woman had enchanted powers in comforting his despair. Without even talking his heart out, he managed to feel happier.

In the next minutes, the two decided to play video games while sharing a tub of popcorn and a huge bottle of soda. As the minutes passed, Jiyong taught Taeyeon the tricks and cheats for Gran Turismo 5, and the popcorn and soda eventually vanished. Without even grasping it, two hours have passed with just their laughters and playful banters. By midnight, Jiyong finally realized that his pain has subsided, and all he felt was happiness that Kim Taeyeon was with him in such time of need.

“How was your fifth date night?” Jiyong asked after drinkin