CHAPTER XII:

“He doesn’t look like Kim Jongdae,” Rahyun said on the phone. Miji was on the other side, as usual.

She was just back from checking out the Busan branch and was driving home with the conversation on speaker. For once, her friend said that she wasn’t with her boyfriend and Rahyun wasn’t going to miss such a rare opportunity for a much needed girl talk.

“Jongdae?” Miji’s voice was full of wonder, “The one from college?” She laughed, “That one crush you chickened out from?”

“I didn’t chicken out.” Rahyun huffed in displeasure, “But I’m sure it’s him. I even did a background research just in case they shared the same name but no. He went to our university- and he took economics!”

Her friend laughed, “You stalked his profile?”

Opting not to answer the question, Rahyun stayed silent as her eyes focused on the road.

“Hey, people could change over the years. It’s really nothing to worry over.” Miji said soothingly, “And besides, if he had a complete transformation we could draw up the possibilities of him having plastic surgery.”

She gasped, “I can’t believe I haven’t thought of that!” Rahyun felt like face-palming herself, “Plastic surgery is a common trend for both men and women nowadays, so it’s likely if...”

 Miji thought the line had died because of the sudden silence. “Hello? Rahyun?”

“Oh. Miji. I’m still here, don’t worry.” She finally replied, “I just... I just thought he looked good back then too. I don’t understand why he felt the need to change... anything.” Rahyun sighed, “I barely recognized him back then.”

“To each his own.” The other woman answered, “If it makes the man happy then I guess there’s nothing wrong.”

Rahyun nodded along, “Yeah. I guess so.”

Feeling the need to change the topic, she began interrogating her friend.

“So, how did you and Daehyun...?”

Miji chuckled shyly from across the phone and Rahyun thanked God her friend couldn’t see her uncomfortable face. She was happy for her friend, but it’s been a while since the girl had any relationships.

She could smell the cheesiness from across the phone and it was just too much.

“Well, I don’t really know but after your hot mess birthday party, Dae and I exchanged numbers and he just started texting me.” Rahyun could imagine Miji smiling, “One day he decided we should meet up over coffee and it just happened.”

“And why haven’t you been telling me this?” She asked, quite hurt by the fact that she knew nothing.

“I didn’t really want to tell you. I knew that you were rooting for me to be with Kris...” she said hesitantly, “I knew everything.”

Rahyun’s felt her heart drop in shock, “Wait, you knew?! How- and when-“

“I... I found the ring.” Miji confessed, “When we were still in Japan he left his coat lying around the hotel lobby and when I picked it up, the box fell.... and I... I didn’t know what to do...” She took a breath, “So I waited. And guess what happened?”

She listened to her friend’s shaky voice. It sounded guilt-ridden and tired that she suddenly didn’t know how to handle the situation.

“Nothing,” Rahyun repeated Kris’ words from that day, “Nothing happened.”

“Exactly!” Miji’s emotions cracked and her speech came out dry, “I knew how he felt, and I was sure about what I felt. And I waited, but nothing happened!” Rahyun winced at the spiteful tone that came out. Still, she let Miji’s rant continue.

“Everything was building up for nothing!” She shouted, “All my expectations- nothing!”

When it was calmer, Rahyun spoke, “Maybe if you wait it out he’ll-”

“He’ll do nothing, Rahyun.” Miji deadpanned, “I gave him more than 6 years and he’s still not doing any ing thing. I’m so sick and tired of waiting for him. I’ve finally built up the courage to move on and I am not planning to look back at a proposal that never was one. It really disappointed me; he did.”

“I’m not saying that you should,” She spoke, “I’m just making sure that you’re happy with this choice.”

Rahyun heard her sniff, “I’m sure. Dae makes me happy.”

“Then I’m rest assured.”

Daehyun rubbed his sore throat, massaging it in the hopes of healing soon. Yongguk’s butchered his energy in the recording room and it would be a miracle if he could still speak without cracking his voice.

“Here,” Yongguk placed a glass of warm water on the table for him.

He gave the producer a suspicious gaze. “Is this some sort of compensation for the six hours of isolation I spent in that cube?”

The latter gave him a wan smile, “Your voice sounds fine to me.”

“Yeah right,” Daehyun grinned, “I sound like I’m swallowing sandpaper.”

“That is unfortunate.”

Daehyun studied Yongguk’s movements. Something was off. He’d had an inkling ever since he came into the room for the recording that morning but it became clearer that the other man was in a bad mood- which never really happened before.

“Is something bothering you?” he took the warm drink into his hands before sipping it.

Yongguk’s eyes lingered on the table before snapping to attention.

“Does it look like something’s bothering me?” he asked; his voice bland.

“Pretty much,” the other replied bluntly, “Is it for the other night when I asked you for that favour? Look, if it was then I’m sorry. I knew it was late at night, but...”

“No,” Yongguk cut him off. Daehyun thought he saw panic in his eyes, “It’s not because of that. Don’t worry.”

“Well that’s good to know,” Daehyun nodded, “I thought you had trouble bringing around Rahyun that night to search for Han. I heard she could get troublesome.” He laughed good-naturedly.

Yongguk scoffed as he shifted his eyes to the ceiling, resting his head on the seat. “I don’t get her.”

“Who? Rahyun?”

Yongguk’s eyes looked like they were elsewhere, and it felt rather like he was talking to himself and not Daehyun.

“I don’t get it.” He said in a clearer voice, “Everything about her just screams trouble.”

Daehyun stared at him with wide, stunned eyes.

“But she’s also like that one chorus that gets stuck in your head.” Yongguk said, closing his eyes, “The part of a song you’d remember first.”

“...um,” Daehyun looked around awkwardly, not sure if his friend still remembered his existence. “I think you’ve been in the recording room for way too long. You should step out sometimes you know. Photosynthesize.”

Thinking that Daehyun was probably right, he went off to collect his stuff in the studio before leaving.

Yongguk saw Daehyun chatting on his phone cheerfully on the way out and gave a nod in return of his wave.

He di