Chapter 8

Random..... date?

 

 

Water pouring into cups, backgrounded by a grind voice of working coffee machine. Blending with caffeine powder and being mixed into a brown-coloured, warm and special solution, fingers danced skillfully to manage one-to-two cups of coffee in less than three minutes. Aroma of coffy then spread over the kitchen. Fragrant, casual, and calm. He smiled.

“Someone is looking for you.” A rounded-face boy’s head sneaked in, saying to the coffee maker.

He found a deep wrinkles before him; than man furrowed, “Who?”

“No idea.” And then the boy disappeared.

So the coffe man was finally up to wash his hands and headed to customer room, meeting his guest at the café.

It was one of coziest cafes around Seoul, with a classic decoration of home theme –A fireplace at the corner, white and pastel colours stained on the wall, sinks, sofas, chairs, table, yet soft brown wall shelves, and many kind of pink flowers inside the vases. He looked around to find a young man already sat at the corner, alone.

That young man who wore a dark jeans combine with cream t-shirt then stood up, took a bow, and raised his hand to greet him. The coffee man received his offer.

“Jung Yong Hwa.” That man mentioned his name, smiling politely.

The man replied, “Seo Jong Hyun.”

So they finally sat face-to-face. Yong Hwa’s gaze went around the place; trying to remember the detail and concluded what’s Jong Hyun’s work and how he spent the days here. Looks like you finally find proper job to stay live, Seo Jong Hyun.

His gaze then shifted back at Seo Hyun’s brother, “I’m here for your sister.” Yong Hwa muttered, didn’t manage to halt the time and paid out.

By the sentence Jong Hyun literally flinched. He stared at Yong Hwa with such a surprise gaze.

The he remembered this young man; the one who pinned him once while he was about to steal Seo Hyun’s wallet ages ago. The man who sent him to three-days muscle soreness after he was defeated in fight. Different from what he felt while taking a battle with Yong Hwa in the past, right now this young man looked much more decent.

Jong Hyun asked, “What do you want?”

And Yong Hwa was an absolute to-the-point person, especially in emergency time like this. “She needs you at home.”

Jong Hyun’s margin lips twitched mockingly. “She can do everything on her own. Perfectly.”

“This time is not. She needs you.”

Jong Hyun laughed a bit, then continued bitterly, “You know what? I’m the one who always need her, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. Because for years, I’m just shamelessly depend on her.”

Yong Hwa blinked. This man actually was changing. “Financially, yes, maybe.” Yong Hwa argued, “But mentally, no. Both of you need each other. Because I know, you’re sibling, you’re twins.” Yong Hwa added, getting wide-eyes on Jong Hyun’s glare.

Who the hell are you? Jong Hyun was out of words. He looked quite annoyed by an outsider interuption. “Anyway,” He pointed at Yong Hwa, “Why you’re so concern about my family’s matter?” Jong Hyun’s voice went stern and rough.

“Because right now your sister lives with me.”

“What?”

“She was driven out from her own home, and now lives with me.”

Jong Hyun felt a blank inside his head, moreover every word he tried to mutter then went trapped and unexisted. He was about to faint.

“In this time she’s lying on my bed, defeated by a high fever.” Yong Hwa explained, getting calmer this time, “That’s why I’m looking for you, Jong Hyun-ssi.”

Jong Hyun’s eyes were shaking. He tried hard to compose himself from what-happened. “You said, Hyun-ah is—“

“Jong Hyun-ssi,” Yong Hwa emphasized, lowering his voice down, “Please come back for your sister.”

Yong Hwa’s begging eyes met Jong Hyun’s, which he found it was kind of sad and hurtful.

“I can’t.” Jong Hyun’s tone faded away, it was more like a whisper.

“Ne?”

Yong Hwa found a bitter and deep regret right in front of him before he heard Jong Hyun muttered defenselessly, “This is too late, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. I can’t.”

Yong Hwa just produced a deep wrinkle engraved his furrow, “Why?”

“Tomorrow I’ll leave here. I’m going to Japan.” Jong Hyun closed his eyes, trying to control everything. Another shameful moment for him: he was clueless from what happened after leaving his sister, letting her to suffer alone after years he just brought burden for her. and right now someone else had to come finding him persude his come back, her only family after all.

Yong Hwa was just there, still waiting for his explanation.

“Jung Yong Hwa-ssi, you know why I left my sister?”

“Because you’re just a rotten brat.”

“Yes, because I’m bastard.” He was none against that sarcasm, at all. “Because I thought I’m son of enough to let my sister does everything to bring us up a proper life. Because I’m so literally useless, burdensome, and cursedly bothersome.”

“I know that.”

“That’s why I decided to leave home and start my own life. That’s why I’m here, working as a coffee maker, something I feel this is my best doing. I’m quite good in making such a drink.”

You are, just like Seo Hyun’s saying. That creamy hot chocolate thing.

“And tomorrow I already received an offer to study there as a chef. In the end, I want to build restaurant on my own, then return everything I stole from her. I want to come back after I’ll be the one she can be proud of.”

Yong Hwa finally understood.

“That’s why I can’t go with you. I can’t come back this time. Not yet, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.”

Yong Hwa inhaled. Indeed, hard choice. “Don’t you want to just take a peek?”

It made Jong Hyun to shut for two seconds. “No. I’m not sure I can go through this way after I see her.” He then continued, “I can’t deny that I miss her so much, I miss my home, too. But my guilty for her is larger than everything. I once don’t know how to redeem myself.” Seeing Yong Hwa just stared at him with mixed expression made Jong Hyun to chuckle, “I know you’re thinking me as a coward, or maybe you just blame me right now.”

“No.” Yong Hwa uttered, “You just tried to give her the best.”

Jong Hyun laughed, “Thank you.”

Yong Hwa nodded, joining him with a smile. “And she called your name in her sleep. She must be so missing you.”

That sentence made Jong Hyun’s laughter stopped in one flip.

“Give me a sec.” Jong Hyun stood up then disappeared. Some minutes later he came back with two plastic glasses contained of brown water. “Please, give her this.”

“Creamy hot chocolate?” Yong Hwa just guessed.

“How do you know?”

Yong Hwa put a thiny smile, “She once told me that you’re the best in making this drink.”

It aches. I want to see her. Mianhe, Seo Hyun-ah. I didn’t dare to meet you in this state. Mianhe.

Jong Hyun pushed a smile, “This is the best thing I can make for her.” Then he offered Yong Hwa the glass, “I’ve made two. For her and you.”

“Oh. Thank you. I definitely give this to her.”

Jong Hyun nodded thankfully. “My apologize is in this drink.”

“Apologize, my .” Yong Hwa mumbled jokingly. “You must come personally to her.”

You’re right.

But the best I can do right now is leaving her again. I can’t let this chance to escape, the only chance to be better and helpful for her. Jong Hyun just smiled bitterly.

“Jung Yong Hwa-ssi, can you do me a favor? I’m sorry for being rude and shameless.”

“What’s that?”

“Can you take care of my sister whenever I’m not around?”

Yong Hwa jerked up, considering Jong Hyun’s request as a joke, “Why me?”

Because I see what she meant for you. Your intention to find me, and also her intention to choose you as her shelter. “I just believe in you. You’re incredibly kind, finding away to meet me.”

Yong Hwa laughed, “That’s no matter on me. How if I’m not that trustworthy?”

“I’ll just kill you if she gets hurt.”

Then Yong Hwa laughed even harder. Meanwhile Jong Hyun stayed rigid.

“I will,” Yong Hwa said.

Afterward they shared some story about Seo Hyun’s condition and some men talk. In the end, Jong Hyun gave Yong Hwa his phone number and address at Japan. “In case you need to find me again.”

 

*&^%$#@

 

After meeting Jong Hyun, Yong Hwa swung his red car door being parked outside then slammed it aside. Drinking creamy hot chocolate Jong Hyun just made, his fingers drifted to the dashboard draw and reached over a transparent tube with a pencil inside it. He drew the pencil out and examined its shape. Yellow, with an initial on the tip of it. SH. He smiled in relief. I just helped you today, Seo Joo Hyun.

 

*&^%$#@

 

The sun had been swallowed by the dark while she opened up her eyes.

Trying to adjust with the lamp light, Seo Hyun attempted to brush her hair off and rubbed her eyes, still in sleep-mode. It was just a time for her to finally feel lighter and less vertigo. Even before the world spinned toward her, right now she could feel the fix position everything had to be. She seemed to be healthier.

She was about to get up and washed her face before a glass of familiar brown drink caught her eyes on the small table beside the bed. Waverly, she brought it up to try a smell, and finally gaped in surprise. This is.. Giving it a taste, she couldn’t help but to swallow and swallow until the very last drop. The best, after every food she hated so much due to fever attack that made everything tasted so bitter. She felt a distinct warm b into surface. Another familiar warm she couldn’t explain anymore.

Feeling like both Jong Hyun and her mother were staying by her side at this time.

*&^%$#@

 

Yong Hwa came back and discovered no one in his room. Sweeping around the corner, the only thing caught his eyes a lot was the empty glass of creamy hot chocolate. She must have woken up.

Swinging door of the last place Seo Hyun could attend in his open room, he finally found her in the bathroom. Standing right before the mirror, she tried to put a medicine on her wound while looking up at the deep lacerated line engraved on her skin. She wore just her tanktop in order to expose the woundy forearm.

“Let me.” Yong Hwa got in, grabbing the povidone iodine and the swab from her hand.

Surprise, Seo Hyun awkwardly refused, “No—“

By Yong Hwa’s determined glare, she slowly let him to touch her arm instead. “You just stay.” Yong Hwa gave an order, which Seo Hyun knew best, this one was none to be against of.

So she really stayed silent, looking at him and her wound in exchange.

Yong Hwa then started to put the medicine on her skin slowly.

“Aaaah!” She winced.

“Hurt?” Yong Hwa looked up at her.

She nodded.

What he did afterward jolted her body to stay paralyzed. Yong Hwa suddenly blew her wound to reduce the pain while clutching her arm tenderly, fixing the position.

And she sensed his breath. She sensed his warm breath brushed her skin off.

Amazedly, she couldn’t move even just one inch, and stayed motionlessly instead.

In such a deep attention, in this very short space between them, she could define how bold his eyebrows on his furrow, how it curved in such a concentration. She could examine his circle eyes and brown pupil on the glare to her wound, and also that pursed blewn lips to produce such a warm soft breath..

She tilted her head away. Nervously.

“Is still hurt?” Yong Hwa asked again.

She nodded absentmindedly.

Then he blew her wound again.

She didn’t dare to look at him anymore while she swore her cheeks were blushing crazily right now. But the warmth that swept her skin tempted her to turn back in minute, examining him deeply again.

It just needed a spilt second for Yong Hwa to look up at her and shot her right in the eyes.

She blinked in agape, being caught red-handed.

Their body went glued for some time. Seo Hyun swore her heart just stopped to beat, and also her lungs paused to inhale the oxygen from the air.

Yong Hwa raised her fingers to the direction of her face. Reflexively closing her eyes, she then felt a warm landed on her forehead.

“Your temperature is okay.” Yong Hwa’s comment brought her eyes to open up again. She strangely found such a disappointment inside her chest. Seo Joo Hyun, come on, what do you expect?

She had no word to sentence back. And just kept the mute for long minutes.

“You know, Seo Joo Hyun, recently I’ve been cursing myself unstoppably.” Yong Hwa was the first to start a conversation, unlike him in the past, he’s now so free to express his emotion.

She blinked, “Why?”

“This wound.” Yong Hwa was done putting up povidone iodine and then picked a bandage from the bathroom table near the sink, “This one should be mine.” I failed to protect you at that time. Then he encircled Seo Hyun’s lacerated wound with the elastic bandage.

“It’s okay, it didn’t that hurt anyway.” Seo Hyun tried to reassure him, smiling.

Yong Hwa chuckled.

How his lips curved along with the narrowed eyes of him while putting a smile slipped a inside her chest.

“That’s your bad character, you know, Seo Joo Hyun. Always trying to be strong.”

“I’m real strong.”

He just raised his brow, signaling not to go against her words anymore. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Much better.”

“Great.” Yong Hwa then hooked the bandage and said, “Done.”

Seo Hyun greetfully hang on a wide smile, “Thank you. This is tidily wrapped up.” And gaining a small laughter from him.

“Come on, dinner time.” Yong Hwa spun around then suddenly backed at her again, “Ah, even if your temperature went normal, but still, don’t wear that tanktop often again. You know, cool air attacks.” He said, trying to cover his nervousness by his dictator tone.

“N—ne.” Seo Hyun felt sudden embarrassment and nodded, undared to glance at him. Ottoke?! He put such an attention to this kind of shirt?! Ottokeee?

“J—Jung Yong Hwa-ssi!”

Yong Hwa paused in the doorway. He turned around to face her again.

Seo Hyun seemed to be incredulous at first, “Did you—“ She gulped, “Did you meet my brother?”

What her question made him to shut in a long silence. “Yes.”

He expected her to be angry with him from not letting her know her brother whereabouts. He imagined her to be sad yet judged him as someone who interrupted her own life.

But Seo Hyun blurted out nothing. Except she stood there worrily, “Is he fine?”

“Very well.”

“Healthy?”

“Absolutely he’s able to do everything.”

Seo Hyun’s eyes were shaking, she was about to cry, Yong Hwa caught it. But nothing bad came from her lips, even one harsh word. She just stayed there restraining the warm water b up on her corner eyes. “I miss my brother.”

Yong Hwa’s face went soft, yet his firm tone, “He said he missed you, too.”

And she nodded in fast speed, attempting to halt the tears streaming down her face, but she failed eventually. “Thank you, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.”

Yong Hwa’s eyebrow rose.

“Thank you for finding him and saying good things to me. Thank you for the creamy hot chocolate you gave me. Thank you.”

“That was made by your brother.”

And her tears flew even faster hearing the fact.

How the worst your sibling was, he was still your forever sibling until you die.

Jong Hyun Oppa, thank you.

So Seo Hyun just stayed there, crying.

He tried his best not to pull her into his embrace. He really attempted to swallow his desire. In somewhat far place inside his chest, he wouldn’t want her to be sad like this. Yet to send her away.. back. To her own home. That’s why he didn’t dare to touch her more than putting-medicine boundary.

It got his nerve. Yes. Sending Seo Joo Hyun back home was something just before eyes. He hated to admit it, especially in this time when she was on the verge of loud crying. He knew they should be separated soon.

“Let’s go, I just bought your favorite dinner, Seo Joo Hyun.” Was the best way to shoo the craze.

*&^%$#@

 

She was about to go bed when Yong Hwa halt her on her way.

He grabbed her by wrist and turned it to expose her palm. Then there was it, her apartment room key.

Seo Hyun’s eyes went so much larger, less or more could guess what the truly thing it was. “What’s this?”

“Your key.”

She was not really sure until she caught 391 number engraved on it. Seo Hyun was glued on the spot, speechless. “How can you—“ Then she breathed heavily, “Don’t tell me—“

“I’m not lending you the money. I’m not going to my Hyung, either.”

Yong Hwa could see both relief and confusion plastered on Seo Hyun’s face.

“I went to that opening party you just saved the address inside my draw.”

It needed more than a minute for Seo Hyun to digest everything. “W—what?” Then she could register all the events, everything made sense now. “You—you did the performance?” She was stuttered enough to ask, too astonished, and yet felt too guilty for letting Yong Hwa did everything.

A nod from Yong Hwa induced her to blink rapidly, in amazement.

“Jung Yong Hwa-ssi, I—“

“That was just quite a great performance. I didn’t make any crucial mistakes, though. Well-played, I hope.”

Seo Hyun’s soul was snatched away.

She started to smile, wider, wider, and then finally broke into laughter, still in ultimate amazement. She felt so wonderful by the goal she had reached: Jung Yong Hwa official come back. Even though what she carried now was expanded: Jung Yong Hwa saved her home, Jung Yong Hwa saved her life, Jung Yong Hwa met her brother, Jung Yong Hwa did a lot to her. Jung Yong Hwa, Jung Yong Hwa, Jung Yong Hwa.

“So, Seo Joo Hyun, how will we start?”

“Ne?”

“Don’t you want to come back home?”

Regaining her composure, she felt something big just colided her.

Yes. She should go home. Back. Home. Getting out of here.

“Ah, ne.” Her voice got lower involuntarily. “Umm. Right now?”

“Yes. Or you still want to sleep here tonight?”

She was hit by an imaginary stone, “No. I’ll sleep in my own home.”

Yong Hwa nodded, “That’s why. I’ll help you to package up.”

Seo Hyun forced a thiny smile.

She should be happy, too much happy for welcoming her home back. She should be contended by Yong Hwa’s playing guitar again. She should be.. just cheerful and smile widely. But what she felt now? Indeed. She hated to admit that slight disappointment was now attacking her. Jung Yong Hwa was just living next door, but that precisely the main reason why she had to come back home very soon due to the extra short distance between their doors.

It just needed less than 20 minutes for them to finish up everything.

So they went together to next door.

Seo Hyun was the first to open the room, inhaling the air she yearned a lot. The smell of home.

“It’s getting a bit dusty here.” Yong Hwa commented, rubbing his fingers after brushing her table nearby, checking the clean.

“By calling cleaning service will do. At least for tonight. Tomorrow I’ll re-clean everything.” Seo Hyun muttered, gaining an agreement nod from Yong Hwa.

“So, what are you feeling now, Seo Joo Hyun? Happy?”

“Re-birth.” She answered, “Five times better than being born in this world.”

Yong Hwa let out a guffaw hearing that exaggerating sentence. “You should sleep faster tonight.”

Seo Hyun nodded obediently.

Then she saw Yong Hwa heaved a long sigh, “Well, me too, I should get back home.”

And she felt stupid enough for not able to say a word, and and kept nodding instead.

Yong Hwa hung a last smile. Taking a step, she paced to the doorway.

Then after one step, he spun around to see her behind, discovering Seo Hyun’s smile again.

He curved another smile as a reply, mouthing ‘I’m going’ for the twice, looked like waver enough to leave her. Seo Hyun responded with second nod.

Then slowly, his head turned forward, stepping again.

That was when she clearly saw his back facing him, with sudden smile from her face that vanished gradually. Right now, that man couldn’t wake you up in the morning again. Right now, you’ll start your own life, preparing one set clothes, one set breakfast in the morning, and not yelling at each other during little banter anymore.

He backed to his music life, so there would be no more chasing and persistency. She shouldn’t go to karate practice class because she didn’t need to get a close with him anymore. She didn’t need to bother him with her presence at any moment, because he just came back, he just regained his own passion. That’s why he didn’t need anything from her.

What the best she could do was seeing him as a neighbor from today on. No job connection –she as FNC employe, he as karate teacher.

Nothing forced them to be together.

But he just lives next door, Seo Joo Hyun. What are you thinking? Just run to him if you want to see him.

The quick steps then run behind him, stopped in a time he was being tightened up with something that pausing his pace.

A back hug.

His eyes grew wide. He peeked below, seeing two small hands encircling his stomach.

“Thank you, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. Thank you so much for everything you did to me.” Was a hoarse voice muttered under soft sob.

Silence.

Seo Hyun leaned her head on Yong Hwa’s back. And Yong Hwa’s smell steadily attacked her. His back’s warm.

“Thank you for helping to get my home back. Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for playing guitar again. Thank you for coming back.”

Thank you. Thank you, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

If she was about to restrain her tears, it was just too late.

The water flew down through her cheeks hardly, making two paths of river on each cheek.

Yong Hwa felt a slight drench on his back, he then untightened Seo Hyun’s hooked hand on his stomach, and instead, he faced her.

Curving a twitch on his corner lips, his hands tenderly wiped her tears.

It happened so long for them to glance at each other. Their eyes locked to send whatever they felt at that moment. Both craved to be heard, both wanted silence to send everything.

“Don’t cry.” Yong Hwa muttered. He then managed a relief exhaled after he shoot his soft gaze at her for some time, “Thank you for making me to come back.”

Thank you for lightening up my dark life state.

Then he pulled him into a deep, very deep embrace.

*&^%$#@

 

Two weeks later.

Seo Hyun and Jung Shin walked together to a meeting room. Today was their first day to work on music soundtrack project they once attended the audition before.

Her buddy was ranting from A to Z, nothing could stop this guy from gossiping.

“I heard our boss will be such a gentleman. Master of music.” Jung Shin started.

Seo Hyun just laughed, “Of course. If he/she came to be same level with us, then it’s better for me to be the boss instead, Jung Shinnie.”

Jung Shin rolled his eyeballs. “You just wish.”

They reached the room and managed to take a seat. There were some people gathered to be the soundtrack music creator and staff. Their talk suddenly stopped when the door swung open to let a man got in.

And she swore.

She just saw Jung Yong Hwa to enter and sat on the desk in front all of them, right behind the board written as Music and Composing Department.