41 | The Ribbon
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
I tap my fingers on my phone screen nervously, looking at the picture of Rima I put as the wallpaper. Why can't this smile return to me again?
"I will marry Eric."
Her words pierced me really deep. I loosened my hug of her and looked at her with disbelief, "What?"
She pushed me away slightly, dropping her gaze reluctantly. She took a deep breath before looking straight at me, "I will marry Eric so let's... Let's just be strangers from now on. The deal has been called off."
This was not I expected. Rima was not someone who would be willing to give up on her own freedom. Was there something up that I didn't know?
"Rima, I-" I tried to tell her about the pictures so she could know that someone was trying to blackmail us; someone who was definitely targetting her for an unknown reason.
However she didn't let me to finish my words. She bowed in ninety degrees and muttered, "Thank you for everything. Thank you for being my perfect stranger."
Stranger.
It's ironic how the word could make my heart ached. Was that who I was for her?
She straightened her body and walked away, leaving me dumbfounded alone. I couldn't even run after her, to tell her everything.
To tell her about the pictures.
To tell her not to marry Eric.
To tell her that I loved her.
"Am I nothing than a perfect stranger for you?" I clench my fists and close my eyes. "Should we end up as strangers, Rima?"
"Gikwang, where have you been?!" Doojoon scolded me as soon as I entered the recording room. The recording was postponed since I had not returned yet in time.
"I'm sorry," I bowed to him and the others. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Doojoon sighed with frustration and bowed along with me as a good leader. The recording then started while I tried to keep working as a professional.
"Gikwang," Junhyung tapped my shoulder lightly with concerned look after the recording had finished. "How..."
He stopped and I knew that's because everybody could listen to our conversation. I forced a fake smile, "She left before I could talk to her. Sorry."
Sorry, Junhyung, that I had to lie to you...
...but I didn't think you would be happy to hear that Rima would marry someone else.
Her words were 'thank you', but for me they sounded like 'goodbye'.
"Huff," I heave a sigh and stare at the ceiling, feeling that my tears are threatening to fall. Since when did I become this weak?
"Gikwang, it's been a while."
I quickly stand up and bow to Mr Kim, "I'm sorry to disturb your time."
"Don't worry. I'm free tonight," he laughs freely and gives me a sign to sit again. He takes a seat next to me, "If you come all the way here even at night, I believe it's something important you want to talk with me."
After we returned to our apartment, I managed to go out and meet Rima's father. The only thing I hope for now is Rima will not find out about our meeting.
As if Mr Kim can read my mind, he smiles to me, "Rima is not at home. She has a dinner with Eric outside."
Eric?
"Mr Kim, is it true that Rima will marry Eric?" I ask him politely, feeling unsure about whether the words came out right or not.
He intertwines his fingers together and studies my expression, "Lee Gikwang, do you love my daughter?"
His blunt question catches me off guard. I can feel my face is burning just by his single question.
Mr Kim laughs and then pats my shoulder, "It's alright, young man, it's alright. You're young and free to love."
"I-I...," I clear my throat nervously and try to keep calm. "Rima told me that she will marry Eric... That's why... Is it true?"
"She told me the same statement," he replies me. "Learning from the past, I don't think it's good for me to make decisions for her life. If that's what makes her happy, then I will not oppose it."
I stay silence for seconds before an idea crosses my mind, "Mr Kim, can I ask you a favor?"
"Anything," Mr Kim looks interested with my question. "I do owe you since you have taken care of Rima before, Gikwang."
"The thing here is...," I hesitate for a while before continue again, "...Rima is loved. I want her to be happy by her own choice."
Mr Kim nods randomly, a sign that he is still listening to me.
"I will give something to her which represents me and I will ask Junhyung to give her something as well," I explain my request. "If she chooses one of the presents, then the person will meet her personally. If she chooses neither, none of us will meet her."
"I see...," Mr Kim responds. "I can see that the fake relationship is not all fake then. No worry, I can see it already that Yong Junhyung doesn't take the fake relationship as a small deal."
"So...," I look at him slowly, "...can I ask for that favor, Mr Kim?"
✗ Kim Rima ✗
"Do you want me to pick a date for our wedding day or you will pick one?" Eric asks me another question while the waiter pours the wine. "I think December is a good month."
"Eric," I interrupt his endless question. "I never said that I would agree right away. I said I would consider about it."
He looks at me and then takes a sip of the wine, "I see..."
After receiving the letter from Eric, I said to myself that I needed to consider about his offer. However I never agreed with the engagement between us; at least not until now.
I decided to break up with Junhyung right in front of Hara in purpose. Maybe Hara will console his heart and they will be together again.
When Gikwang hugged me, my brain freezed yet I didn't want to be hurt again. He only thinks of me as a best friend, doesn't he?
What's the point of being warm in his hug? What's the point of letting me close to him when I put a high hope to be loved by him when I know it will never come true?
The lie I told to him about my future marriage with Eric works well, I guess.
Then why do I feel like I want to cry whenever I remember his sad eyes?
"I take my leave," I stand up from my seat and leave some money on the table. "I need my time alone. If you do consider about my feeling, let me be."
I don't wait for Eric to respond. I walk out from the luxurious restaurant and head to the car which is waiting for me already.
My fingers trail to the necklace I wear around my neck. Though I know that this is from my father, I can't help to remember my birthday, the day Gikwang gave me a surprise.
Is this really the best way for all of us?
Right when the car stops in front of my house, my phone vibrates as a notification of a new message appears on the screen.
"You're my only star
You're my only light
Stay with me forever
How can I smile when you're not here with me
Love, the word I want to tell you
Angel"
I know those words. Those are the lyrics of the song we created together back then. Those are the part where I wanted him to sing instead of rap.
I receive another text message from him.
"I'll sing the song as many times as you want. As long as you stay."
My heart beats faster just by his message. I hold the urge to reply him and go inside my house while I start to blush slightly just by the image of him singing the song.
"Rima?" Yujin calls me when I'm going upstairs. "Your father calls you. Can you meet him at his room?"
Hoping that we're not going to talk about Eric or whatever that can make me shove away the random thought of boys, I turn around, heading to my father's room.
"How's the dinner?" he greets me with a simple smile, gesturing me to sit right in front of him. "Do you enjoy it?"
I ignore his question, knowing that it's just an intermezzo before our conversation and sit quietly, "Is there anything you need?"
My father opens his drawer and shows me two small boxes: one with pink ribbon and one with white ribbon.
"Do you believe in coincidence, Rima?" my father asks me while my eyes are fixed on the two boxes.
"No...," I answer him in murmur. "Why?"
"Good," he pushes the two boxes closer to me. "It will be more amusing then. Don't open them but choose one."
"What for?" I ask him with curiosity. Why does my father suddenly give me two presents and ask me to choose one of them?
"Just choose it," he repeats again with a smile. "Pink or white."
I sigh and glance at both of the boxes. Whichever I pick is not a problem, right?
"This one," I reach out my hand to take the one with white ribbon. My father takes it from me even before I can grab it.
"Congratulations, you just won a trip to an amusement park tomorrow," my father puts the box with pink ribbon back to the drawer. "Don't open this box until tomorrow."
Now I'm even more curious.
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