Chapter 4-3

Sense

 

Seo Hyun never felt this uneasy, embittered, and so concerned about something. The thought about Yong Hwa doing her music work was impossible and never came a slip  into her mind. At least during these days, regarding his persistence upon the hatred of music stuff.

Does he finally open up his heart back to music? Or he just did the kindness? Or what?

Her body was on the desk, but her brain run to him. So she finally gave up and got off after the everlasting guessing pounding on her mind. Taking up her stuff and bag, she then glanced at Jung Shin while passing his desk, “I’m going.” And off to her home without another explanation.

She rushed after treading on her apartment. Whatever the reason, she just wanted to fix everything first by coming back home before gamblingly reaching Yong Hwa to anywhere, purely pressing her luck to circle in town.

Please, Jung Yong Hwa. Tell me that you’re back to your sense!

She was completely ignored the bustle she just passed by her new neighbour’s moving in, next to her house. No curiosity about the neighbor enveloped her. She just wanted to meet Yong Hwa.

The workers was crowded bringing up some furnitures, electronics, and many stuff of new house that might be completely filled in. She was captured for some seconds. It must be a rich person, as the stuff are quite costly, and many. She marched up to her house, unlocking the doorkeys.

“Go there, on that corner!”

A man’s voice teared her ear, inducing Seo Hyun to turn her head into the source. She was just going to enter the room as the key was opened before she finally realized who the man was. She snapped.

It needed a minute for Seo Hyun to digest and bring her surprise back onto her body.

What.is.he.doing.here?

Then she came closer to him, just one metre away from the place she just stood on.

That man spun around and located her as he felt someone was approaching him.

Seo Hyun’s mouth was hanging open for some seconds in disbelief, no words were muttered.  “So you’re now..” Her finger pointed out his new door.

He looked not that surprise. “As you see.” He answered absentmindly before she could finish the question. “Come. I have something to tell you.”

Seo Hyun gulped. The luck crushed her early, very very early before she took a step to look for his presence. Just by coming home, Yong Hwa’s face emerged by himself. It was hilarious, funny, unbelievable, and shocking. All blent into one. Especially the fact that they were now living as a people next door.

“Fine. I have, too.” She finally blurted her sentence. It will be a great shot if she knew the reason why Yong Hwa did that to her. Now.

 

*&^%$#@

 

They sat down face to face in Yong Hwa’s new house. The size was as big as hers, but the interior was absolutely three times better. She just smirked. Jung Yong Hwa escaped from home but the money was always the money.

Yong Hwa gave her a piece of paper. She read it inwardly then backed to him lazily. Ms. Seo Joo Hyun, room 391, may help you about everything.

“Why me to give living explanation in this apartment to you?” She lifted her head, facing him in irritation.

Yong Hwa shrugged. “The landlady handed me your name while I asked about the rules of living here. No idea why she chose you.”

“Fine.” She sighed. She was one of the oldest occupant in this apartment. No one knew better the rules of living here than her. “On Monday, they will pick your main trash in front of your door. The electricity and water payment will come during 2-3 weeks every month. At the 4 week or the last of the month, new apartement bill will come on your letter box.”

Yong Hwa raised his eyebrows, thinking and digesting. He looked unsatisfied. “She said you’ll help me out.”

“I’m now explaining to you, I’m now helping you out.”

He stayed silent. “Ahrasseo.” Grabbing the paper back, Yong Hwa spreaded his hand onto the direction of the exit door. “Thankyou for your time, Miss.”

He sent her off as patient as she could catch his gesture.

The moment last night, the kindness, and all, finally scattered away. Yong Hwas was just rude as he was.

She hold off, “Wait. Can I ask you something?”

His brows narrowed.

“Why did you do my work by transferring all those scores into my computer?” She bursted, waiting for a confirmation while her eyes was locked on him. “And sent them to my office?”

Yong Hwa’s eyeballs looked at the ceiling, thinking of something. Relaxedly, he answered, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh, please!” She shouted, knowing that he was lying. “There’s no one beside you last night.”

He shrugged, “You could think you have someone who was willing to do that for you, Seo Joo Hyun.” Then saying in stern tone, “Whatever you assume, it’s not me.”

Liar. “You’re funny, Jung Yong Hwa.”

He was not responded for her words anymore, and just stepped out to open the door for her. “Please kindly, go home.”

She took her body off and trampled on the floor. I hate you. I hate you for real. I’ll make you admit it, and come back. I swear for good.

Before she went outside, she turned her head to face him firmly, “I will teach you something by living here.” Then she spun around, looking for something and finally spotting the door in the corner, “I was living here since I was born. I knew better the occupant before you, and this room, your room. And so your bathroom,” She pointed at that door, “My piano is located just behind the wall of your bathroom’s.”

She could witness the surprise and anger by the flash of his eyes, even his face was rigid and his body was stiffened.

“Welcome to my life, my neverending piano playing.” She smiled challengingly. I will haunt you, Jung Yong Hwa.

And so she stepped away, gaining a pause from him by her last sentence before finally closed the door by her leaving. 

Yong Hwa fell his body on the sofa, shutting his eyes for a while before setting up every scramble mind inside his head.

He did it, her works. He did it for her unreasonably, unbasedly. In honest.

He remembered while he caught a stack of music scores and an unfinished music page on her computer, naturally he ran his fingers on her keyboard, finished all the stuff just less than an hour. That was a magic which guided him last night. A mysterious and invinsible strength who could make him to sit down silently, concentrating fully, and burying himself on the bustle of transferring the melody.

It didn’t take so much energy as he always did on pushing and kicking. It didn’t require exhausted mind for always trying to erase the past as he always did.

It just run by itself, the soul of arranging the melody.

And not admitting his deed to her?

He just denied to come back.

Even his soul said the opposite, he had promised to himself, he would never come back. And he built up every single layers, walls, and stacks, to block every energy trying to penetrate every music stuff back onto his soul.  

And moving in here was the worst case after all. Absolutely, for the nightmare of his determained decision.

*&^%$#@

 

If Seo Hyun said she would haunt him, it absolutely came to the truth.

Being her neighbor was a mistake, if Yong Hwa still stayed upon his stubborn mind.

He was just took a shower and suddenly he heard a melody, quite clear and if he took a thought a little, he could definitely guess the song’s title. Especially when he whirl the faucet off while soaping and let the melody to fulfilling the air, he always ended up by gripping the faucet in dejected feeling, and letting it on. The water then streamed hardly, bearing down the melody, competed with it so the piano sound Seo Hyun just played was gradually getting loomed and far.

He would stopped the water after her piano sound also made a stop.

Every night, the melody came from her house was indistinct. Eventough it was faintly heard, but the sound existed. If he threw a protest to her, knowing her personality after all this time, she would be doing more extreme and extreme activities,  more annoyable things to get him back.

So he came to the desperation phase by giving up his hands, loosening up his tight.

And let everything to happen.

He received every melody came to his ears. He didn’t reject it and just let himself catching the notes. If do followed by re, he could say that inwardly. If Blue Danube was being played, he could continue the melody on.

Eventhough a promise was still stucked on his faith, and a guitar yet a melody never came from himself yet, by that time, he felt much easier to face the days.

And also, a bit happier.

*&^%$#@

 

He loved to take a walk. It had been a long time since the last time he could enjoy the peaceful evening by walking around, looking for a bookstore, market, everything nearby.

His pace stopped in front of a building he always wanted to visit since years ago. Melody Orphanage. He hesitated to enter before finally, as a curiosity crawled up, he decided to step in.

Ten steps away could induce him to pause as a group of children was singing from somewhere, blurred and loomed voice. He continued to walk on and finally reach the center of the orphanage, a small park being surrounded by traditional terraces, Korean old building around.

He spotted a little boy around six to seven years old sitting down alone in front of the room, gloomy and a bit sad, yet anger. As he came closer, he could make sure the source of the group singing was exactly inside the room behind this boy. He took a next to this little friend.

“Hi,” Yong Hwa greeted him friendly. “What are you doing here?”

The little boy lifted his head to examine Yong Hwa, before he finally uttered, “I’m escaping from the class, Ahjussi.”

“Class?” Yong Hwa looked around then got the hint. He pointed out the door behind them doubtly but a bit surely, “This class?” Gaining a nod from the little boy, he asked on, “Hmm. Why?”

The boy pouted, “I didn’t like music.”

Whatever the reason why he could meet this kind of boy, that sentence could give a snap inside Yong Hwa’s heart.

He gulped, as he naturally reflected himself onto this boy. “So that’s why you don’t go to class.”

The boy nodded slowly, looking down at the ground.

“Why? Isn’t music cool?” He threw a question, partly and bitterly, it could point at himself, too.

The boy’s face turned gloomier. “Music remembers me of my big brother. He left me due to music. He said he will come back but he never comes back.”

Yong Hwa jerked up before taking over his feeling. He then gradually smiled, and reached the boy, pulling him to a huddle.

For his age, it was just too young for a little boy to hate something. They supposed to play around and laughed, not even thinking hatred and being burden inside his heart. He poked the boy, smoothily asked console, “What’s your name, Man?”

The boy wiped the corner of his eyes, preventing tears to flow down. “Kang Min Hyuk.”

“Well, Min Hyuk-ah.” He finally called the boy with a tender voice, “Listen. A man must not cry and stays sadly like this. A man must be strong and tough.  That’s why God creates us, to be the leader. It’s not cool for being sad, Min Hyuk-ah. And hey, your brother maybe didn’t leave you, but he tried to seek a better life for you, too. By doing music. Somewhere. You just don’t know yet.”

Min Hyuk turned to face Yong Hwa in hopeful eyes. “Is it?”

Yong Hwa nodded.

“Can music give us a better life?”

“Depends.” Yong Hwa answered fastly. Gaining another pout on this boy, he hurriedly corrected it right away, “W-wait. Listen. How is your brother, Min Hyuk-ah?”

In gleamed eyes, Min Hyuk shouted, “He is perfect! He’s so kind and delightful. He is a hard-worker.”

“So the answer is yes.” Yong Hwa threw a smile, caressing that boy’s head, “After he makes a better life by doing music, your brother will be back to you.”

Min Hyuk’s face turned brighter and came to spread his arms, hugging Yong Hwa, “Gomawoyo, Ahjussi.”

“Call me Yong Hwa. And not Ahjussi.”

“Ne, Yong Hwa Hyung.”

“Good dude.” Yong Hwa brushed his hair off, smiling each others.

He forgot when the last time he had such a friendly chatter with someone, with a brother. Since seven years ago, he stood for a cold war against Yunho. Not because he hated Yunho, moreover because he denied to come back home, and chose to escape from everything. It was him who left Yunho.

Moreover, Yunho was just too kind to be a brother and never once hurt him as a younger. Patiently, Yunho seeked for his presence all over Japan, then Korea, Japan again, everytime. He never lost faith to make Yong Hwa coming back home. Although their meeting was always ending up by the younger running away again, Yunho never felt tired to always look for him, making him back to the sense, and showering attention to him.

And this time, he suddenly missed his Hyung so badly.

“Min Hyuk-ah?” A soft voice called Min Hyuk, making the two new friends turned around to the sounds.

And it stood Seo Hyun on the doorway, ending up the music class already since the crowd of children struggled to run from the room to go outside.

“Jung Yong Hwa-ssi?” He witnessed the very deep wrinkle on her brows.

Yong Hwa now remembered that Seo Hyun was a regular music teacher in this orphanage, and just being stiffened due to her presence there. “Hi.” was the weirdest and awkward word he could mutter.

Though the confusion on her face was still hang on there, Seo Hyun crounched in front of Min Hyuk, caressing his head smoothily. “Min Hyuk-ah, do you want me to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for you again? Noona will play piano for you. Come on.”

She grabbed Min Hyuk’s wrist but the boy didn’t follow her.

Seo Hyun was surprised seeing the little boy shaking his head in rejection, “Why, Min Hyuk-ah? Come on. Believe Noona, we will have fun. What song do you want me to sing? We will sing together! Mention them.”

Min Hyuk looked down and again, shaking his head slowly. Seo Hyun glanced at Yong Hwa trying to find the answer, but Yong Hwa also moved his head, having no idea.

“I don’t like piano.” The boy finally muttered, gaining another jerk of Seo Hyun.

Seo Hyun patiently came closer, cherishing his cheek. She knew Min Hyuk better: his mood swings, his fussy actions.. “Okay, so what do you like? Tell Noona.”

“A guitar.” Min Hyuk answered.

Seo Hyun gasped. Gradually taking over the situation, she tried to give an explanation for Min Hyuk, “Noona wants to be honest, Min Hyuk-ah. But Noona can’t play a guitar. How if we go like this, tonight we will play with piano, and then, the next meeting..”

“Nooo! I won’t play anything tonight!” He shouted.

Seo Hyun looked a bit confused. She tried to give a ‘please help signal’ to Yong Hwa but he just sat there mutely. “Fine, fine. We’re not going to do music tonight. How about next week?”

“With a guitar?” His eyes fulfilled with a hopeful sparkle.

She was clueless for a second. “Yes. A guitar.” Seo Hyun hardly and hesitantly muttered, peeking Yong Hwa but the man slided away his gaze from her.

And Min Hyuk nodded happily.

She put a smile, reassuring, “Okay, Honey. So, well, are you ready for supper now?” Gaining another nod from the little boy, she caressed his hair once last time, “Good dude. Go, wash your hands.”

And by that time, Min Hyuk got off and suddenly gave Yong Hwa, who was acting awkwardly hearing the ‘guitar’ words being mentioned as he looked at Seo Hyun’s eyes, a hug. “Bye, Yong Hwa Hyung. Be here often.”

“Bye, Min Hyuk-ah.” Yong Hwa waved him away. And when he backed to her, he could witness Seo Hyun’s stabbing eyes. He felt annoyed. “What’s with that stare, Seo Joo Hyun?”

“Answer me. First, what are you doing here?”

Yong Hwa exhaled. Another battle began. “Just walking around.”

“Fine. And what did you say to Min Hyuk?”

“He was sad and I tried to console him.” Gaining a slanted of disbelief from Seo Hyun’s suspected stare, he continued, “I’m serious, Seo Joo Hyun.”

“Great. Now you should take your responsibility.”

“What? I did nothing!”

“You did something, Jung Yong Hwa. I can’t play guitar, anyways.”

Yong Hwa knew the reason, and the continuation on her sentences. “I’d love to clarify, Seo Joo Hyun, that I won’t play a guitar..”

“No, who said I want you to play a guitar for Min Hyuk?” Seo Hyun cut off sternly, gaining an agape from Yong Hwa who suddenly downplayed the protest, turning to a confusion. “Just do the responsibility.”

“For what?” Yong Hwa was blanked and for the God’s sake, didn’t get her point.

“Staying with Min Hyuk.”

“But, why?” He looked depressed. He just sat down and made a chatter, no more. “Seo Joo Hyun, did I do wrong by having a chatter with a little kid?”

“No, you’re not.” She got off and then said, “I’ve just never seen Min Hyuk this closer to someone he never knew before. And by once look, I know he liked you. You, by any chance, made him brighter, sometime I myself hardly tried to reach up that level but you see, he was more comfortable with you.”

Yong Hwa stayed speechless on his spot.

“So, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. Like I said, take your responsibility.”

 

*&^%$#@

 

Taking responsibility on Seo Hyun’s mean was walking around music store with many instruments stands full of visitors clinging everywhere. The bad feeling Yong Hwa had was not she trying to induce him playing a guitar, but actually dragging him to accompany her to this place. He wanted to protest and ran back, but Seo Hyun’s authority as Min Hyuk’s teacher made him to follow her tonight. Whatever the responsibility she insisted, as she brought Min Hyuk’s name on her words, it was not just being the battle of the two of them. It was something, he believed that this woman would do the best for Min Hyuk. So he stayed silently with her now.

“He never mentioned it before.” She blabbered out of nowhere.

“What?” Yong Hwa was a bit lost.

“A guitar.” Seo Hyun stopped in front of one guitar shop, “Min Hyuk hated music after his brother leaving, and mostly, a guitar.” It was a perfect words to make Yong Hwa paused the pace and completely touched, “Because his brother was playing a guitar and wanted to be a guitarist.”

She entered the shop and Yong Hwa followed her behind in silent.

“It was a big progress while he agreed to sing privately with me after the music class is over, and me playing the piano. Before it, he fully rejected to touch music.”

If Yong Hwa could tell who was the person resembled him the most, he would definitely answer that it was Kang Min Hyuk. Or that little boy resembled him.

“On your opinion, what does Min Hyuk look like?” She asked him while examining the guitars spreaded over in front of her. She touched to pink one, streamed it on, then slided to another guitar.

Yong Hwa inhaled, “Brittle, sad, gloomy..”

She stopped. “That’s what you look like, too, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.” Then she turned to face him, deep on his eyes. Seo Hyun scretched a thin smile as it was something she was hidden and unspoken words to say for long time, before finally stepping into another side of guitar shelves.

Yong Hwa was stiffened and completely startled by her sentence. A big snap flashed inside his head as his heart skipped a bit.

Does he?

“Oh, he must be your boyfriend.” A shop owner spotted Yong Hwa, teasing Seo Hyun while she had chosen one dark brown guitar to be streamed by that middle-aged man. His voice scattered up his mind.

Seo Hyun looked at Yong Hwa who was standing in dislikeness catching up the greasy voice. “No, Ahjussi. He was just.. friend.” She answered, then backed to Yong Hwa. “Jung Yong Hwa-ssi, would you..?”

But Yong Hwa spun around and stepped away to another direction before she could finish the sentence up.

…please to do me a favor by checking this guitar’s strings? Seo Hyun exhaled hardly. He didn’t change, still avoiding music and all. Oh, Gosh!

So she sighed and looked at the shop owner and wanted him to do the check for her, “Ahjussi, can you please check the strings for me?”

“Oh, sure, Young Lady.”

The man began to stream and fixing the key, Seo Hyun looked at him in so much concentration. He suddenly paused, gaining a question from her, “Why? Is it not good?”

“No, it’s just..”

“Try this.”

She could see a pink guitar being handed in front of her eyes, and while she traced to the  holder, she never be this surprise seing Yong Hwa there.

“O-oh, yes.” She received it and gave the guitar to the shop owner.

The man began to stream. It was a bit clumsy move, slow, and not adroit. The man paused to stream after two seconds trying, then started again, then paused again. Seo Hyun who knew nothing didn’t recognize something weird, and just stood there in serious eyes, waiting for the final fixing.

And Yong Hwa, who was watching that man, felt incredibly uncomfortable and it prodded his nerves. So he stepped closer to the owner.

“Let me.”

Yong Hwa unexpectedly gripped the guitar stalk, and the owner reflexively handed the guitar to him.

He was naturally holding it and suddenly being emmersed while concentrationg to play one of melody, and then fixing the key. One another try, and fin. He was done.

Seo Hyun stood there in a burst of amazement. I’m not wrong, right? Jung Yong Hwa was holding a guitar! She wanted to cry for real as she was carried away by his sudden action. But it was not time for it as she was incredibly relieved seeing he was still in music-natural-talent. Moreover, she didn’t expect Yong Hwa to do this far. She just wanted to slightly get a sense to music, at least by looking around the guitar shop.

“Ahjussi, could you hand me that guitar?” The shop owner followed his direction, “Yes, that lighter brown one.” The guitar Yong Hwa chose was a smaller one, having the soft light brown colour and feminine.

He tried the strings after grabbing it up. It needed just ten seconds for him to completely fixing and appraising the guitar’s quality.

“Hold this, Seo Joo Hyun.” He backed to Seo Hyun naturally as if nothing happened between them. Then she took a sit awkwardly, holding the guitar as he commaned. “How do you feel? Comfortable?” He asked her, gaining a fast nod from Seo Hyun as she wasn’t able to mutter a word. Yong Hwa backed to the owner, “Great. We take this, Ahjussi.”

She went to the cashier while Yong Hwa waited for her on the other side. The owner mentioned the guitar price to be paid, gaining a gape on her face.

Is guitar too costly?

Awkwardly she put out all the money she had inside her wallet then going to look for her saving cards. But unluckily, she found none. The cards were at home.

She anxiously took a bow, “I’m sorry, Ahjussi.. I think I should come back later and..”

But a hand of credit car was spreaded in front of the cashier desk.

“Just pay with this, Ahjussi.”

And it was Yong Hwa.

 Seo Hyun completely blanked and gawked. It was another unexpected act of him today.

“Wait, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi, wait!” She hissed, “No, I can’t accept this..”

But he didn’t hear her, or pretended not to hear her. He backed to the owner shop and convinced the man, “It’s okay, Ahjussi.”

So the Ahjussi went based on Yong Hwa’s command.

After the guitar was being paid, they went outside the shop and walked together. She hold his new guitar wrapped by a new guitarcase, silently and a bit awkwardly beside him.

Seo Hyun was blanked as her mind content was snatched away to somewhere. It was too much, Jung Yong Hwa’s kindness. And Jung Yong Hwa’s sudden appearing back of music affection. Or maybe she couldn’t say that yet, but it was happened tonight. He streamed the strings, he chose the guitar by himself, and paid for her. It was truly real.

“Thankyou, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi..” Her words finally glided after all of the amazing moments she just experienced. She peeked up for his reaction, but Yong Hwa only twitched the corner of his lips without saying nothing.

Night was up. They reached the parking lot.

Geez, Seo Joo Hyun. Slow down. Or else, he would be back to the hatred-mood.

“It suits you.”

She blinked, looking at him who was still staring forwards to the tracks and not glancing at her, “Ne?”

“The guitar. It suits you.”

What he said induced her to look down and scretched a wide smile in unbased embarassment. Whatever the motives, it sounded like a compliment. At least, kind words from the usually rude Jung Yong Hwa. And moreover, this night was so meaningful for her.

Yong Hwa threw his gaze away into another side, also hiding a smile on his face. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi, this chapter came a bit late than LJ. Some of you may have read this.

I'm on my half way to the next chapter. Please wait ^___^ I'll definitely continue this story on, don't worry :)