Chapter 4.2

Karate Class

 

 

Seo Hyun sterted him out on the light brown sofa in her small livingroom, after slowly dragging his body from the doorway, as smooth as she could. It was extremely strange, the drunken Yong Hwa in the late of the night coming into her home from nowhere she wanted to search the answer. Did he himself run here on purpose? She didn’t find a hint.

After perfectly positioning Yong Hwa’s hands and legs on the right place, she looked for a blanket to cover him up, then the soft pink keroro one was spreaded over his body. Yong Hwa wriggled a bit, comforting himself unconsciously. His eyes were still shut on such a peaceful sleep expression, inducing Seo Hyun to halt her sight there. Onto his calm and quiet face. While her hands were still sticking on the blanket, her move was paused.

Such a long eyeleshes, a bit lowered-down eyebrows, a bit opened mouth, a  firm shape of jaw, a strand hair fell onto the part of his brow..

Her mind stopped running for a second, then she jerked in sudden. Eyes blinking was delivering her to the reality. Fudge, what’s that?

She was about to leave before he felt someone hold on her. When she turned around, she saw Yong Hwa’s hand gripping hers, eyes still closing. Whatever the thought inside her head was snatched away. She was nothing but blanked.

It needed some seconds for Seo Hyun to deal with his sudden act. So, she reached his hands, and tried to loosen the locked-hands up. But she was failed. Yong Hwa’s clutch was strong and firm. It’s serious. He does this on purpose. She was quite surprised.

But something deep down inside received it, and did not throw a protest.

So she sat down on the floor right in front of the sofa, taking care of the clutch, making her face in the same level as Yong Hwa’s lying head. She could witness everything, his still-calm-sleep-expression, and all his sleepful condition. With his powerful grip on hers, she couldn’t go to anywhere and just sat down there. Examining his feature of face was strange reflex, but Seo Hyun couldn’t deny the urge crawling inside his heart.

Until she fell sleepy. And finally drown.

 

*&^%$#@

 

A morning turned its day shift from the night. Sun light polished his sleep face, shaping a flush of wrinke on his brow little by litte. Yong Hwa’s slanted eyes opened up a bit, adjusting to the light which just went into his eyes. He adopted to the foreign view around, gaining a snap from him after realizing the place he stayed right now.

It’s definitely not his room.

Then the next second, his mind rolled down to a flashback moment occurred last night. Apartment. And Seo Joo Hyun. He remembered everything now, so he got up, and took around for her presence but he found no one.

Her glance shifted to a piece of paper on the table next to the sofa. Yong Hwa took it up, and read.

I’m up for work, and already prepared your breakfast. –SH

Then he caught a bowl of porridge on the small dining table a metre away from his standing. A thin smile escaped from his lips. A warmth crawled inside, enlightening his heart by her action. It had been a long time since someone personally made him a breakfast, and he felt so touching and strangely contended upon Seo Hyun’s deed this morning.

He put the paper back on the table, then he found a stack of envelopes and other papers being piled on the other side of the table. He stole a glance to read the top of it. A warn letter of three months unpayed apartment taxes.

Yong Hwa inhaled deeply. Seo Hyun was definitely circling in hard time. And suddenly, the movie played inside his head about how strong she insisted him to come back to music beside her own history as his music-mate, Yunho involving, FNC, and all, made a brighter sense.

 

*&^%$#@

 

“Here.” Jung Shin put some books on Seo Hyun’s work table making loud voice, gaining a small snap from her under the concentration on transferring some notes from manual sheets onto note-made computer programme. “Some music scores to be transferred.”

“Oh, no, Jung Shin-ah.” Seo Hyun spun around and was freaked out, “I’ve not done yet with mine. I’ll transfer those later, okay?” Then he backed to her screen.

“These notes absolutely can’t wait.” Jung Shin uttered sternly, “Tomorrow is the deadline.”

“What?” She turned around again, surprised.

“This is not the first time you’ve done such a job, Seo Hyunnie.”

“Yes, I know, I mean.. I’ve just got many things to do. This evening I should go to karate place for my first class, and..” She exhaled, “Everything is just not under my control. I’m afraid I’ll mess up.”

Jung Shin scretched a smile, “No, you won’t. Because you’re Seo Joo Hyun.”

Seo Hyun paused for a short silence before replying ironically, “Thanks.” And she took the books Jung Shin just brought, “I’ll give you the files of those notes tomorrow. Fine then.”

“Great.” Jung Shin nodded, always amazed by her spirit even sometimes she threw a whiny voice upon her busy works. “By the way, not done yet with Jung Yong Hwa matter? Still chasing him?”

“I’ll do everything to make him come back.”

She could witness a disagree expression beside. Jung Shin halted some seconds to arrange the words before muttering in lowered tone, “You’ve done much, Hyun. You’ve struggled, you’ve tried best. And on my opinion, it’s enough. That’s your duty to try, and still, Jung Yong Hwa himself chose his pathway. So I think, you shall quit.”

“No. I won’t.”

Jung Shin heaved a sigh, “Me as your friend felt this was too much. Yunho-ssi should pay you on your trials.”

“What pay? I’ve produced nothing.” Seo Hyun tailed. If it was for Yong Hwa’s music matter, she would stand for it until the boundless time. Even if Jung Shin, her work-mate, went against her. “I have so many things to do, Jung Shinnie. Please, I’d love to finish these up now.”

It was a very polite rejection, he knew it well. “Okay, I’m going.” Then Jung Shin stepped away. Something suddenly came to his mind as he turned around back after remembering it, “Ah, yes. The open recruitment for another film soundtrack team is out. Our new project with a foreign agency from US. I’ve bet you’ll like it.”

Seo Hyun stopped working for a while, stare landing on Jung Shin’s.

“The theme is, a kiss song. Teenage, fresh, and pure, a song you’ll like to compose, Hyun. I will join the audition, by the way, I hope we’ll be a team as usual.”

Seo Hyun never skipped a chance even it was small like dust from her life. She was not only workaholic and well-organized employer, she loved challenge and studying. She was certainly believing, gaining more experiences are the same with gaining tons of lessons which are not coming twice. So she would absolutely register for the team.

“Let’s make up, Jung Shinnie.” She murmured for herself, then backed to finish up whatever the work she could handle.

Her eyes glided to the computer and suddenly went through a presence of her cellphone. She hesitated for a second, and finally took it up. She scanned the screen to look for a contact number, and ended up on Y letter: Yong Hwa. She came to a worriness since they hadn’t talk about everything yet. She personally felt so anxious on his looked-so-depressed situation.

Are you okay, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi? Do you eat my breakfast?

She was about to press the call button, but it was absolutely not her field to intrude, she realized. So, she threw her cellphone back onto the table.

 

*&^%$#@

 

Five minutes late could produce a killer stare from him.

Seo Hyun stood in front of the main practice door after changing her dress to a karate suit, looked extremely surprise by Yong Hwa’s presence. Not a good mood of him, yet a bit dejected.

She stood there, face to face to him. “Sorry,” was the best word she could mutter.

“A delay should be punished.” He said with a thin snierk scretched on his lips.

Seo Hyun threw a train of protest, “I can explain.” And Yong Hwa just raised his eyebrow, “I’ve just done from work, and honestly, there are still many things to do so please, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi, make this day easier for me. Just this day, please.”

Yong Hwa curled his lips as his mind run, thinking about her request. He produced a fake smile then uttered, “No.”

Seo Hyun got a huge disspointment hearing his answer. It was her prediction, Yong Hwa wouldn’t agree to grant her wish, but five minutes late was something everyone could tolerate. Eventhough, she was a punctual girl and never be late of something. Today was just a bad luck. “Please, please, no punishment, please. I promise you not to be late again.”

Yong Hwa stared at her straightly. “Follow me.” And without words, they were gliding together to a place Yong Hwa guided her. They reached a small like house solitude building at the corner of karate area, and Seo Hyun was quite familiar with.

“Isn’t it..?” She looked at him, trying to find an answer from unfinished question Yong Hwa could understand. Definitely, and it’s not funny. Having a practice in your room, Jung Yong Hwa?

Yong Hwa nodded absentmindedly, “It is.”

“Wait.” Seo Hyun paused for a while, “I know you don’t like me. But I already paid for my lesson and so a place to practice.”

“Do you think how many practice halls we have during these working hours to be empty for your private lesson?” He threw a mock tone on her.

Seo Hyun snorted.

“Just receive it. Or you can go run to other students and I won’t teach you.”

It was quite hard to convince Jaejoong for her request upon a routine private lesson with Yong Hwa. And it was not easy to finally get an approval from the stern karate teacher. She pressed her bad luck to add the time on approaching him, so she wouldn’t break it away.

“Fine, let’s go.” She took a step before Yong Hwa cut her pace.

“Late punishment.” He reminded. Seo Hyun reluctantly spun around and faced him, rolling her eyes lazily. “Here you go.” Yong Hwa took out his phone and showed her a video. She came closer and took a look. Two minutes of karate movements video, advance enough for her.

hung open in amazement of the man who was friskly sliding, punching, kicking, and jumping, beside her bad feeling of Yong Hwa’s plan.

“Try this. I’ll give you fifteen minutes to practice.” He gave her the video.

Crap, I’m right. He plays with me.

Seo Hyun sniffed in disbelief. “Hello, do you think what I am? You’re torturing me now, aren’t you?”

Yong Hwa threw a hollow laugh. “Nope. Do it and I’ll watch you from here.” He took a seat on a bench in front of the room, raising his wristwatch to begin the timer, “Fifteen minutes.. start.”

Seo Hyun mouthed a ‘what?’ word in frustration. It was clear that Yong Hwa  made her fun. Taking the revenge was the best reason she could think. So she followed him patiently, trying to deal with whatever the crazy mind that man could break her.

She started to do the instruction of the video. It was abstract for a newbie like her, she swear. So she kicked first, screaming as the angle between her legs was too big. She raised her right leg the way too high.

“Warming up first. It will prevent you from muscle cramp.” Yong Hwa interrupted her.

She snorted again and start cantering. Spinning her neck around, up and down, getting her legs and arms folded and stretched, until the sweat started to drench on her face.

“Twelve minutes left.” Yong Hwa intruded, gaining a rolling eyes from her.

She spent five minutes to warm up, and still felt a stiffness of her body. But she kept continuing, punching, kicking, beating, kicking again, spinning, twisting, crunching, and start counting the every movements she did.

“Go down again!”

“Higher!”

“Faster!”

“Imagine your enemy is right in front of you and want to kill you. Punch him with all of you energy! Repeat!”

Yong Hwa ordered and shouted unstoppably, teaching her while he calmly sat down on the bench. Seo Hyun felt a bit fed up by his harsh tone, so she stopped then turned to him, “I’m doing the best, you know?” She yelled out.

But Yong Hwa ignored it. He glanced at his watch once again relaxedly, “Two minutes left.”

Seo Hyun growled in depression. You’re surely insane, Jung Yong Hwa.

But the thought of her mission never killed the urge to get him back. So she just inhaled then exhaled slowly, trying to control her emotion before going back to practice. She felt defenceless yet attempted best to stay.

Two minutes were more like two seconds. It passed extremely quick. Yong Hwa got off and pointed to the house, “Let’s go in. You can show me your movement there.”

Because she had enough a bunch of fury inside, she muttered nothing and just follow him.

Yong Hwa’s room was an open bedroom with a small bed at the corner, being merged with the medium space to have a karate practice, some bookshelves stucked beside the wall, and a work table. She felt strangely intimate, and before she could guess more, she just threw away everything boomed her head.

What do you think, Seo Joo Hyun?

“Start. And be careful of the bookshelves, they’ve been made from aluminium and just a bit light. Especially that one.” Yong Hwa gave an instruction and pointed a shelf near them, “It stood on imbalance so I crammed a coin under its feet. I’ve made it fall more than twice.”

Seo Hyun threw a fake amused giggle, “It’s a wow-ness, Teacher.”

Yong Hwa sneered, “Okay. Go on.” He commanded.

Seo Hyun began with an absolute stiff move she could create the best, followed by the next move, and kick again, punch again. All the instant move she just learnt made her to ramble, randomly did whatever the motion she could remember. Eventhough she just replayed and replayed, yet made her own movement, she just want to finish these hell two minutes. Whatever, Jung Yong Hwa. But still, Seo Joo Hyun was Seo Joo Hyun. So she always tried harder.

This time Yong Hwa stayed mutely and just paid an attention to her.

She walked forward, and finally reach the risky spot: in front of the imbalance shelf. She got a wrong prediction because her kick slammed the shelf, and Yong Hwa was right, it was easy to be broken. The shelf went down as she tried to escape and slipped, falling, lacing face downward, while the rainy books attacked her. Meantime, Yong Hwa was faster enough to get onto her, so she fell above him who caught her body first.

They laid one below another: Seo Hyun on the top, and Yong Hwa under her. Above Seo Hyun, there was a shelf itself being restrained by Yong Hwa’s hands in order not to tug down and suppress them. Their lips coincidentally encountered, as their head bumped into another. Eventhough it produced a pain from both of them due to crash falling, the tender lips never lost its taste. It was tender, smooth, and wet. A sensation which forever slipped inside their mind eventhough it was just a second long.

Their eyes grew wider while realizing the position, then Seo Hyun abruptly detached hers from Yong Hwa’s. She looked onto another direction in embarrassment while Yong Hwa tried hard to slide his gaze away from her. What is that? And tried to erase the moment.

Her ignorance made it moved onto another pain from her back.

Many quiet and thick books from the shelf rained over her while she was falling. And it was heavy enough to leave some bruise on her back. She cringed, naturally gaining his attention, “I think I’ve got back pain and muscle sore..”

“Slide away.” Yong Hwa commanded, “My hands are still holding the shelf.”

Seo Hyun digested his instruction, “And let you being crashed by the shelf on your own?”

“I’m strong, Seo Joo Hyun. Just move, and I guarantee you, I can get up and fix this up.”

Seo Hyun went silent. “No.”

“So what do you want? Stay above me and let my hands to forever hold this shelf from us?” Yong Hwa rolled his eyes in irritation.

“Just get a loose of your hands.”

“So the shelf will crash onto you?” Gaining no answer and no gesture from her, Yong Hwa conclude that his words were exactly right, “Don’t try to protect me. Move.”

Their position was locked against each other. Seo Hyun didn’t hear him, and still stayed there.

“Seo Joo Hyun, move. Slide away.” His firm tone never vibrated on her ears as Seo Hyun just ignored his words. “This shelf will flung down and bump onto you! Are you crazy?”

What Seo Hyun did the next second induced Yong Hwa’s eyes to dilate in disbelief. He was on the verge of surprise and angry. Seo Hyun bit his hands, making his hold from the shelf grew weaker so he would lost the strong attachment he just bore.

“Seo Joo Hyun, stop!” He yelled out, preventing her not to continue biting. But Seo Hyun went harder.

He was startled and got pain enough to finally lost his strength. So the shelf went down and crush above her, making her to wince in pain. Silent wince.

Yong Hwa shaked his head after the bump, staring at her who tried hard to bore the pain, uttering some words.

“I’m strong, too, Jung Yong Hwa.”

*&^%$#@

 

The first karate practice hours turned into random spare time. Seo Hyun lying flat on a stomach on the soft carpet being stretched on Yong Hwa’s floor, typing and doing her works Jung Shin gave this afternoon. She buried herself onto the sparkling computer and stack of music sheets. With the pain on her back, and muscle sore, Yong Hwa let her do whatever she wanted at that time to spend the rest of practice hours.

She used the earphone because he clearly rejected her request to play any music in his room. And since she was not in the mood of battle this time, she just followed him, again.

Yong Hwa stepped inside, walking closer to her whom seemed didn’t recognize his presence. A small bowl was on his grip. He was stiff and expressionless, even sat down next to her in hesitance. But the sudden urge from nowhere told him to go straight.

While Seo Hyun was enveloped on her work, until she felt something pressed her back in light motion. Someone got her a massage. She turned her head around and gaped, Yong Hwa was there massaging her!

She blinked in disbelief, their eyes encountered. Seo Hyun roughly slided the earphone down and stared at him, “What are you doing?” She tried to avoid her body from his hands.

“Don’t move.”

Seo Hyun tried to sat up but her back shattered in pain. So she just kept lying there, “Are trying to get a benefit from me?”

“What do you mean?” Then after some seconds he could digest her sentence, Yong Hwa threw a hollow laugh, “Don’t be kidding me, Seo Joo Hyun. I’m just trying to help you.”

“But, why suddenly?”

“Because your stupidity of protecting me makes me go crazy, okay?” He cut off, getting a bit dejected but on the other side, sincerely wanted to reply her kindness. Seo Hyun didn’t give any answer so Yong Hwa tried to convince her, “Listen. I’ve bore a lot of scratch and bruise, twisted muscle, sprain, strain, all. I’m good at managing them and also, this massage stuff. So, I’d like you to relax and turn around again.”

She blinked, then waverly backed to her position, spinning around and face her laptop again. She finally got his point and magically, she believed his sentences though it was extremely strange.

“Don’t press too hard.” She muttered, making a request in a low tone since Yong Hwa started to give her a tender massage on her back.

“I won’t.”

He moved from the upper side onto the down part, pressing it smoothly, making a move slowly, and whatever it was, Seo Hyun enjoyed the motion Yong Hwa did upon her back. It was kind of refreshing, and gradually made her muscle to smother and loosened up. She admitted his awesome massage skill of being karate athlete these periods. She cringed a little while it got pained, but then she felt better afterwards.

The breath of hers suddenly being suppressed by his action. She couldn’t able to inhale, even a bit. And her heart was just stop skipping as the next move on her back was turned. She halted her breath rate. And felt nervous in sudden. The next moment was a race inside her heartbeats. What’s this?

Silence fulfilled the air around them. She couldn’t see Yong Hwa’s expression, but she could guess the same of him. Did she?

Whatever the strange reactions run from her heart, her breath, and her blood stream, it could induce a thin smile hidden on her downward face.

“I’ve bring massage oil. If you mind, you can slide your cloth on your back off, a bit. You’ll feel the warmth on your muscle and spine right then.”

She was about to protest but oddly and hesitantly, she couldn’t resist his command. She brought her cloth off, awkwardly untightening the tight of her underwear, and finally exposing her to him. It was strange and she tried harder to lying downward deeper, preventing him to see the front side of her body. And also her embarrassed face.

Yong Hwa got off some seconds, and turning back with a blanket to cover her body from exposing. He slide it off while he was about to put a massage on it.

Silence was dripping again.

They talked to the unspoken words of their own minds.

She halted her breath harder, didn’t want Yong Hwa to catch the rhytme. The silence was intense, until she broke it up.

“Why did you come to my home last night?”

She could feel a pause motion on her back, before finally hearing his answer, “I don’t know.”

“You were drunken.”

“Yeah.” And he started to press lightly on the verge of her hips, “My steps lead me on yours. I have no idea why.”

“You don’t remember anything?”

Yong Hwa heaved a breath, “A little.”

“About what you did to me?”

 And now Yong Hwa stopped, glaring at her back head, “What did I do to you?”

Gripping my hands not to let me go.

“Nothing.” was her answer.

“Seo Joo Hyun.” Yong Hwa starved for more information.

“You’re just murmured in ramble words.” Seo Hyun blurted, escaping through the mind about his urge to clutch her hands even in still closed eyes. “It’s nothing, really.” It’s something, Jung Yong Hwa.

Because Seo Hyun convince him to ignore, so he started to massage again, on her top of shoulder. Weirdly, Seo Hyun wanted to know about his thought of her shoulder. Is it too white? Am I too thin? Oh, shoot. What I am thinking!

Some minutes ran quite long between the drops of silence.

“Here you go.” Yong Hwa finally pushed a light and last maneuvers on her back, a finish signal. But Seo Hyun responded nothing. She laid on her position mutely, without a movement and reaction. “Seo Joo Hyun.” He called her but still met no answer.

Finding her fell to sleep, Yong Hwa couldn’t resist a small smile stretching on his lips.

He got off and brought his body to his sink. From the window he could see the sun was sliding to hide, changing with an evening. A night would appear in some hours. He was about to wash his hands before he paused, looking at his palms, the witness of Seo Hyun massaging. He erased the random flash inside his head quickly and took a hand soap.

Yong Hwa backed to Seo Hyun, lifting her up to finally lying her properly on his bed, not on downwards position again, and covered her body up.

*&^%$#@

 

Seo Hyun rushed this morning.

She felt complete stupid in sudden. Having a good sleep all over the night while her works had not done yet was a huge mistake ever. She never did such a stupidity. And waking up at Yong Hwa’s place while the owner already left her out? It was absolutely insane. Eventhough he did the kindness on placing her up to a bed and loosening her sore muscle by doing massage stuff, and finally she came to very much better condition, her presence on his place made induced everything extremely messed up.

She couldn’t blame the massage, she strangely still liked it.

She just hated herself. Pabo!

So he run to Jung Shin desk after stepping inside the FNC building, hair still mussy and didn’t have a time to put a thin make up and powder on her face.

“Jung Shin-ah, I’m sorry. Seriously I’m sorry.” She abruptly managed to blurt the words while Jung Shin was still checking something on his computer.

Jung Shin frowned, looking at her in confusion. Due to her untidy appearance, yet her odd act in this morning. “Hey, slow down. What’s happened?”

“You could report me to the boss or whatever. It’s all my mistake. I’ll take the responsibility.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” His wrinkle on his brow went deeper.

Seo Hyun took a breath, getting ready for an explanation, “I haven’t done the music note files yet. I’ve just..”

“You’re kidding me.” Jung Shin threw a laughter.

“No. I’m serious.” Seo Hyun cut him off, “I had karate class on yesterday evening, and then I kicked the wrong place, and fell, and got a little sprain, and..” She couldn’t say the massage part, “Slept earlier. Until this morning.”

Jung Shin glanced at her, expression still the same. He shaked his head, “Ey, don’t play with me.”

“Jung Shinnie..” Seo Hyun came to the verge of depression.

“How came you say that?” Then he showed her an amplop with several CDs inside, “You’ve just sent me these music files I’ve told to you yesterday. This CDs have your works in it. And you’ve done a good job as usual.”

Seo Hyun gawked. She stood up straightly, getting blanked.

Jung Shin pressed the enter button, and a music played from his speaker, gaining a hanging mouth on hers.

“See. You transferred the melody perfectly.” He added. But Seo Hyun still stood there like a statue. “Back to your desk, Hyun. Thankyou for these files.” Jung Shin hung a bright smile.

What? What’s this? Who did that?

So she blankly went to her desk.

And snapped. Jung Yong Hwa?