their worlds intersect
rhetorical questions (and how they are answered)"Sooyeon, can you help me with this here?" Soojung grunts, dragging a particularly heavy box across the floor of her new bedroom. "Hand me the scissors."
Her older sister gladly complies, then collapses onto Soojung's full-sized bed in exhaustion. "I feel like I could go hibernate for a thousand years," Sooyeon mutters under her breath, sort of laughing.
"Promise me you won't move again any time soon." There is a playful glint in her eyes, and Soojung merely sticks her tongue out in mock defiance.
"Says the one who will have to move in a couple weeks to San Francisco for your job promotion," Soojung jokes, diving onto the bed next to her, naturally commencing a pillow fight amidst the hodgepodge of boxes and still-wrapped furniture. It is nice, moving into a suburban apartment right out of college, starting her new career with a place of her own, Soojung thinks. The apartment only has one bedroom, but it is more than big enough for Soojung and the occasional guest, like Jinri, her best friend.
That night, she goes to sleep in a blink of an eye, every fiber in her being aching for rest. "Good night, Soojung," Sooyeon whispers, before clicking the front door closed behind her.
Package for Kim Jongin
4595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
As Soojung hurriedly stumbles out of the door for her first day at work for a consulting firm, she almost trips over a package that has appeared at her front door. It is a package about the size of a shoebox. She shrugs, lightly scooting the package inside before leaving.
Texts from Oh Sehun
SH: Dude when are you coming? The food is getting cold
JI: Traffic, please chill omg
JI: Plus, it's not like you cooked the food yourself. I bet it's just take-out or something you bought from the convenience store
SH: No one needs to know that. Also Kyungsoo is over and slaving away in the kitchen. As always, he looks almost comical in that pink flowery apron you gave me, BUAHAHAHHA
SH: NO TEXTING AND DRIVING GET OFF YOUR PHONE
SH: ^that was Kyungsoo oops
JI: I'll text you when I'm in front
A few days later, Soojung receives yet another mysterious package addressed to this Kim Jongin guy, probably the previous tenant. Evidently he had not bothered to change his mailing address. She merely adds it to her stack, which only grows over the next couple of weeks, much to her amusement.
Texts from Jung Sooyeon
SY: HELLO PLEASE LET ME INTO THE APT COMPLEX
SJ: Wait what
SJ: Aren't you supposed to be in downtown LA right now
SY: I HAVE COME TO VISIT MY FAVORITE SISTER IN THE WHOLE WORLD
SJ: ...I am your only sister. But ok :3
SJ: Coming right down!!
After Soojung is practically attacked by Sooyeon's giant bear hugs, they walk up to the apartment chatting about the new job: whether it's stressful, and whether Soojung finds any of the guys cute - all Very Important Questions, according to the big sis.
Sooyeon wiggles her eyebrows deviously as the door swings open. "You can't lie to me, Sooj--" She stops, taking in the mountain of packages by the shoe rack.
"...Yeah, I don't know either," Soojung admits sheepishly, scooting past the pile into the living room. "They're all for this Kim Jongin person who probably lived here before me. You'd think that two weeks and approximately a million packages later, he would discover that he had sent them to the wrong mailing address."
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Sooyeon exclaims, and Soojung stares at her like she's out of her mind.
"Waiting for what?"
"Aren't you curious about what's inside?" Soojung's eyes widen incredulously. "Are you crazy?" The thought of invading a stranger's privacy is irking.
But before Soojung could stop her, Sooyeon (who may or may not be a bit tipsy from drinking with her co-workers earlier - she isn't exactly great with her alcohol to be honest) has already ripped open the first package to reveal a vintage Batman costume in shrink wrap. Nice. "It's not close to Halloween, am I right?" Soojung scratches her head in confusion, checking the calendar on her phone. "It's January. So." Again, nice. She wonders who exactly he is to order a vintage Batman costume in the middle of winter. Maybe this person is just a comic book or movie junkie. Or maybe he's a freak.
She's leaning toward the latter when Sooyeon tears open the other box to reveal a pair of odd white sandals that could even almost pass as heels. "Kim Jongin is a guy name, right?" Sooyeon quirks an eyebrow in amusement. "I mean, can't jump to conclusions about a stranger, but..."
Soojung chuckles, wondering who in their right mind would wear sandals like that. Once two are opened, it proves hard to be curious about the other ones, and before she knows it, Sooyeon has unearthed all the trinkets in the packages - Harry Potter scarves, a body pillow (she shudders at this), an anime cosplay wig (WHAT???), DVDs of obscure movies, more shoes, a pet rock, dog-shaped mugs... and by the end of it, both sisters are doubled over laughing, clutching their stomachs for dear life.
"Kim Jongin, Kim Jongin, Kim Jongin," she repeats under her breath as she washes grapes for them to eat, still unable to get over the fact that there was an anime cosplay wig - not that she has anything against anime. It's just that - for some reason, she had imagined that the previous tenant was someone more...normal? (Not that anyone is completely normal in this world, as she has learned.)
Postcard addressed to Kim Jongin
4595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
Hi Jongin, it's Taemin here, frolicking on the streets of London like the lovesick freak that I am. There, I said it, you happy now? It's been nice, taking this break from work to do some traveling on my own. Honestly, wish you were here though so we could drink tea together and all that fancy stuff that British people do. Wouldn't really suit us though, I guess. I accidentally broke a teacup yesterday, oops. If you were here, I'd probably feel better because you probably would've broken one too. Anyway, the people weren't exactly happy with that, and so I went for a walk out on the streets and then I started thinking of her again. Kill me, will you? By the way, how is your heart these days?
"Pssst." Jongin merely turns over on his other side, wrapping the blanket tightly around him. "Jongin. Psst."
"Shut up, Sehun."
"Let's go to Lucha Libre today! Weren't you craving more Mexican food? We're like, right next to the border, closer than you were in Pasadena."
"Yeah, sure," Jongin mumbles, causing Sehun to yelp with joy, even though he goes to that restaurant approximately twice a week. Perks of living in San Diego right next to the Mexican border.
"Oh yeah, also," Sehun continues to poke him. "How come the pet rock didn't come yet? You did put down my address, right? Since you'd be staying here for the couple months or so."
At that, Jongin sits straight up, eyes widening. "...Oh," he breathes in sudden realization. He turns to Sehun apologetically. "I...I forgot to change the mailing address on my Amazon account and it just sent everything to my old apartment..." he trails off, ending it with awkward laughter.
Sehun smacks his palm to his forehead. "Are you freaking serious."
Kyungsoo peeks his head through the door frame. "Wow, that's stupider than Sehun wanting a pet rock."
Postcard addressed to Kim Jongin
2595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
Hey, I'm in Sweden now, staying in one of those family-run hostels. I've been meeting very interesting people recently. One of them is a dancer just like us. We freestyled together in the hostel living room, and a small crowd gathered cheering us on. It reminded me of when we used to have dance battles, me and you, just for fun. Seems like neither of us really have much time for it anymore, which is sad, don't you think? In my spare time, I've also been reading books. It's funny, now that we're both out of college, only now am I growing to love reading. I know you're more of a book person than I am, but now I finally see the appeal - being immersed in the story, in a different world. Sometimes I wonder now how my story is going to pan out and whether happily ever afters even exist. In some books, they do, and in some, they don't. What do you think? -Taemin
"I'm now receiving postcards on his behalf, too," Soojung crinkles her forehead, pressing her phone against her ear.
"Oh, who are they from?" Sooyeon asks.
"Some friend named Taemin. He's traveling Europe right now. Apparently lovesick and quite dramatic. Both of them are dancers, you know. And he says that Jongin is a book person."
"So you read them, huh," Sooyeon points out, and Soojung knows that the older one has a devious smile on her lips.
"Well, I mean," Soojung stammers. "It's kind of hard not to read them when they're not in envelopes or anything."
"Right." A pause. "Do you know how old Jongin is?" Sooyeon asks out of the blue, and Soojung's eyes almost bulge out of their sockets.
"What are you implying? I'm not interested--"
"I wasn't implying anything," Sooyeon laughs. "But the way you're reacting makes me want to imply something."
Soojung wrinkles her nose and heaves a sigh. "I'm tired. You exhaust me."
"Okay, little one, sweet dreams," Sooyeon gives in, but Soojung can tell that she's not going to be let off so easily, unfortunately.
"But tell me if there are any more developments," she jokes.
Soojung rolls her eyes. "Whatever."
Texts from Choi Jinri
SJ: Hey best friend
JR: Hey
JR: What are you doing still up? Thinking about Prince Charming?
SJ: For the MILLIONTH time, he is not my prince charming like wtf I don't even know him
SJ: I regret telling you anything at all.
JR: Then what are you thinking about
SJ: Well
SJ: Fine. He's my age, I found out. Apparently also just out of college
JR: I KNEW IT
SJ: Knew what
JR: I mean, I knew he wasn't going to be some old guy, judging from the things he likes to buy lol
SJ: Well we have a smartypants here, don't we
JR: Don't sass me I am still older than you, you know
SJ: Okay now I'm ACTUALLY going to go to sleep now good night
Soojung switches off her lights and finds her thoughts floating toward the mysterious stranger. It's interesting, how much you can feel like you know about a person based on their packages and postcards. She finds it weird that Taemin is holding a one-sided conversation and that he will never hear Jongin's answers to those questions. How is his heart? Does he think that there are happily ever afters? To her surprise, she finds herself curious about what his answers would be too, and she doesn't even know who he is.
"Have you ever thought who it is that has been receiving all your packages?" Kyungsoo nonchalantly brings up as they're eating breakfast the next day.
Jongin only glares at him, like there are daggers shooting from his eyes.
Sehun stuffs a waffle in Jongin's mouth. "Take a chill pill. We get it, you're in an angsty mood right now."
"Probably because he's such an impulsive buyer. Who knows what that person thinks of him now. Like, come on, a pet rock?!" Kyungsoo exclaims incredulously, and Sehun pelts him in the face with a crumpled napkin.
"Excuse you, we just wanted to get the most out of our life experience. Everyone always talks about having a pet rock so we just decided to get one to see how it's like," Sehun defends, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Or we could have just gotten a rock from outside and called it our pet rock," Jongin mumbles, picking at his food.
Sehun looks thoroughly betrayed. "Fine, whatever. At least I wasn't the one who ordered a cosplay wig. I wonder what that person thinks of you."
Jongin scoffs. "Like it matters," he huffs. "It was on sale, okay." And with that, he leaves, not forgetting to pick up his phone and earbuds.
The remaining two friends simply shrug. "Don't worry about that scrub," Kyungsoo says.
"Yeah, he'll be okay," Sehun has to hold back an amused smile, stabbing his waffle with his fork. "Hearts heal."
They sit there in silence, cups of tea steaming on the living room table, untouched.
"I don't want you to leave," Soojung finally whispers, and she has to swallow in order to loosen the knot in . Sooyeon sighs, brushing a wisp of hair out of Soojung's eyes.
"Me neither," she admits. "But we both know it's gonna happen anyway." It's the last night before Sooyeon flies up to San Francisco for her new job. All her stuff is already on the way up in the moving trucks, so Sooyeon is staying the night at her little sister's place. "But hey, we have one last night together, right sis?" Sooyeon smiles and takes a sip of her tea.
Soojung lies down on the sofa, bringing the older one down with her too. "Let's just sleep like this tonight," she laughs, although completely serious.
Sooyeon only nods in agreement. "Okay."
After sending off her sister the next afternoon, Soojung checks her mailbox, wondering whether she'll be receiving another postcard from Taemin today. Instead, there's a letter, addressed to "To whomever lives in this apartment."
"That would be me, yes," Soojung whispers to herself, smiling. She opens the letter cautiously.
To whomever lives in this apartment
2595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
Sender address: Kim Jongin 14560 Canyon View Dr San Diego, CA 92128
Hello, whoever it is that lives in my old apartment. Just wanted to start off with saying that yes, this is Kim Jongin, the guy who has been accidentally sending all the packages over to your place. For that, I am extremely sorry. I admit that I'm quite forgetful and also unobservant at times, so it took me a couple weeks to figure out the mishap. But anyway, no excuses. Just wanted to thank you for your patience and also to let you know that this won't happen again. I also apologize for whatever mail you may have gotten on my behalf. If you really want to, you can just keep everything as a memento of my stupidity, as it might be too much effort to send everything back to me. Um, yeah, don't know how to end this exactly without just saying sorry a million times. I hope that you like your apartment a lot! Very spacious and sunny, isn't it?
Jongin
Texts from Choi Jinri
SJ: Jinri
JR: Yes? Anything wrong?
SJ: I'm only telling you this because I trust you
JR: ?????
SJ: And also because Sooyeon is still on the plane and doesn't have service. lol
JR: YESSSS????
SJ: This is about the Jongin guy
JR: OMG. Don't tell me... NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE LOVE STORY?
SJ: Can you not get ahead of yourself pls
SJ: Anyway, I got a letter from him addressed to me, basically apologizing for all the packages
JR: Wow that means now you know where he lives, right?
JR: Sorry, that sounded creepy. Please don't ignore me, Soojung.
JR: SOOJUNG, please. Or did you fall asleep. Please reply
SJ: He lives in San Diego, it seems J
R: Oh. Well. That's like... 2 hours away. Not bad? J
R: Dude I might be driving down there soon
SJ: WAIT WHAT NO
To: soojung1024@ gmail.com
From: jung_sooyeon@ gmail.com
Subject: I AM SAFE
The move to San Francisco went smoothly! I'm going to miss you so much, little sis. I won't be able to tuck you into bed anymore even if I wanted to, but don't be surprised if I knock on your door late at night randomly because I miss you so much <3 I'd make the 8 hour drive just for you. Update me about your life!!!! Anything about the mysterious package sender/bookworm/dancer/probably handsome hottie?
There are moments when she is quite satisfied with her life, the ability to survive on her own and come home to a place where she can have dance parties by herself in the living room with the music blasting and no one to judge her. Then there are moments when she realizes that as much as she loves her new place, it feels empty despite the lights she's strung up on the wall and her efforts to take up all the space. Tonight, she watches yet another episode of some cliché Korean drama (an excuse to practice her Korean too, she tells herself) while lounging on her couch and munching on chips. She doesn't really notice that she's tearing up while watching. She likes her life drama free, but the concept of loving someone and being loved - sometimes she wishes she had something like that too. Sooyeon would say that all they need is each other, and in many ways, Soojung agrees. (But now, now when they are 8 hours apart, the distance grows longer and the space grows lonelier and the emptiness gets heavier.)
Kim Jongin
14560 Canyon View Dr
San Diego, CA 92128
Hello Jongin, Well, to be fair, I have been wondering for a few weeks now who this person is that keeps sending packages this direction. I must say though, that you have very...interesting taste. Let's just say that I got quite a good laugh - my sister opened all the packages one night when she was tipsy (sorry for that invasion of privacy though).
As amusing as everything is, however, I believe they would be in better hands with you. I will be mailing them to you at your sender's address. Enjoy your pet rock! -S
"What are you musing about now? The girl who broke your heart?" Sehun practically glides in, simultaneously demolishing the ice cream cone in his hand.
Kyungsoo hisses at him. "You don't just talk about her like that," he warns the younger one, looking at Jongin warily. They find Jongin at the dinner table with earbuds plugged in, his head resting on his arms, gaze pointed toward the window.
Sehun sits down next to him. "Sorry," he mumbles, then follows Jongin's gaze. "Uh, nice view of...the street traffic, am I right? Really feeling those blue Priuses."
Kyungsoo has to kick Sehun off his chair to get him to shut up. Jongin only smiles a little, the corner of his lip turning up slightly. "I'm good, thanks," he says resignedly, and then gets up to leave. They watch as his back disappears through the doorway.
"Sheesh, what is it with him these days," Kyungsoo wonders.
Entry 1
Hi. I've never done something like this before - a journal, I mean. But I guess any day is a good day to start. I've been feeling a bit weird, but it's nice at least to take a break in between jobs to hang out in San Diego with the college friends. I didn't want to do it before, but I think it's actually working. I'm not really thinking about her anymore. As much, at least. I think it's going to be okay. Also, I am quite an epic fail and accidentally mailed a bunch of packages to my old place. I wrote a letter to apologize. When I was writing that letter though, I couldn't help but think of her and the letters we had exchanged when she studied abroad. I wonder when we grew distant past the point of no return.
S
2595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
I don't know your entire name except your first initial, so I wasn't sure who to address it to. I've gotten the first batch of packages. Thank you so much - I am just now getting major second-hand embarrassment at the contents of those boxes... I admit I'm sort of an impulsive buyer, in case you haven't realized already. Heh. But yeah, I figured that you're spending all this money to ship these things to me so I should at least repay for you for all the inconvenience. So enclosed with this letter is a check to show my thankfulness. No ifs, ands, or buts - I have a feeling you're the type to not accept this kind of payment (just a hunch), but I will not be taking no for an answer. By the way, so sorry about Taemin's postcards. He tends to be overdramatic, especially when he's alone. I've emailed him my new address for now.
Jongin
To: jung_sooyeon@ gmail.com
From: soojung1024@ gmail.com
Subject: SOOYEON PLS
Well, good news. I can finally get the packages off my hands. I no longer have to brave tripping over boxes when I'm putting on my shoes. The guy sent me a letter of apology and even gave me a check for compensation, but I didn't cash it. It's weird, how people these days always feel like they owe people something or that everything can be repaid with money. I don't know, it just strikes me as odd, although understandable.
Also, can you stop calling him a hottie? It makes me feel so uncomfortable. If you like him so much, why don't you go find him or something, sheesh.
They're sitting at a café, Jinri sipping her frappuccino. "It's cold outside, why are you drinking something iced?" Soojung raises an eyebrow.
Jinri rolls her eyes. "It's not even cold. You Californians are so spoiled with your flawless weather," she chuckles. She's from New Jersey, where it snows quite a bit and there are (gasp) actual seasons.
Soojung only wraps her sweater around her more tightly. "Okay, go on with what you were saying," she gestures.
Jinri inhales dramatically. "I don't know, I just - I don't know what's going on these days in here," she points to her chest - er, her heart, that is, and sighs. "I can't stop thinking about him, and it's weird because it's not like we were that close in university or anything. But now thinking back..."
"Wait, who is this? What?" Soojung's eyes practically bore into her friend's skull. "Do I know who this person is?"
Her friend laughs, pulling out a postcard from her purse. Soojung gasps. Wait, this looks familiar. "Taemin." The name escapes before she can filter it, and Jinri turns toward her in surprise.
"You know him?" Jinri asks. Soojung takes a closer look at the card, only to be greeted with familiar handwriting and a picture of the Eiffel Tower. Ah, so he's in France now, she thinks to herself. The edges of Soojung's eyes crinkle a bit as she smiles a bit uneasily. "You'd think our lives belong in a Korean drama," is all she remarks.
Kim Jongin
14560 Canyon View Dr
San Diego, CA 92128
Jongin, Really, I don't need the check - it's just common courtesy. I will not be cashing the check, just as you predicted. I sent the last batch of packages today, and you should be getting them in a day or two. Thank you for your kindness!
-Soojung
Entry 2
Soojung. Her name is Soojung. I don't know why I'm fixated on this.
Jongin is not sure anymore whether he believes in love. His first love had been his only love; they had gone to high school together, then the same university, until she decided to study abroad for her last two years. In the age of technology, they found charm in old-school letter-writing, the distance between their hearts somehow made smaller by touching the paper she had touched, by tracing his fingers over every curve of her handwriting, imagining the pen in her hand and the concentrated pout on her lips. But he thinks now that letters had also drawn them apart, the distance between them elongated by the time it took for each envelope to arrive.
She was the one who stopped writing first.
Sehun crawls up to Kyungsoo as the latter one is napping, poking him awake. "What," Kyungsoo grumbles.
Sehun shushes him, and whispers, "I'm normally not this observant or hypersensitive," he starts, causing Kyungsoo to roll his eyes. "But why does Jongin keep staring at that envelope?"
Entry 3
I received the last batch of packages. I feel like I should reply to her letter, but I can't.
Texts from Choi Jinri
JR: Well, that's weird
SJ: You home safely yet?
JR: Yeah, don't worry. Just marveling at how weird the universe is. Are there such things as coincidences?
SJ: Beats me.
JR: Any other letter from him?
SJ: No, why would there be? I sent all the packages and stuff already. There's no reason to
JR: I can't believe he's best friends with Taemin
SJ: Tell me something I don't already know
JR: Don't be so uptight, I'm just making an observation! Lighten up a bit!
SJ: I am lightened up! Ugh, ok I'm going back to work now
JR: Ok, you go do that. And I just pray that you receive a letter from Jongin when you get home. Maybe that will put you in a better mood
SJ: EXCUSE YOU
JR: Trust me
"You know," Sehun says one day, in one of those rare profound moments of his. "Just because you're the first to stop writing doesn't mean you have the upper hand." Jongin looks at him pointedly, trying to comprehend. "It's not always going to turn out like before, is all I'm saying," Sehun elaborates, going back to scrolling on his phone.
Soojung
2595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
Hi Soojung, I received all the packages. Just wanted to say that I'm immensely thankful. From our brief interaction here, I can tell that you are very kind and that you'll be successful in whatever you do in life. Not sure why I said that, considering that I am no psychic, but I just wanted to encourage you today. It still feels funny to me that we are writing old snail-mail letters. It brings bittersweet memories. Thank you, and have a nice day!
-Jongin
Soojung smiles as she reads the letter in front of the mailbox. Jongin may not be a psychic, but Jinri may sure as well be one, she thinks to herself. She keeps it in a stack in her desk drawer along with the other couple of letters she had received from him. She's typing away on her laptop, working on a monthly report, when her mind keeps going back to the last few sentences of his letter. She is no expert at romance, but she begins to think that there's more to him than she could ever know, and she finds herself wondering what bittersweet memories he harbors and what courage had possessed him to reveal that to a complete stranger.
(But somehow, though, she does not feel like they are complete strangers, anymore.)
Entry 4
So I wrote a letter back. She hasn't replied yet, and she probably never will. You know what? I think I'm okay with it.
"Hey Jongin," Sehun calls out when said person comes in. "While you were out on your run, someone called your phone. Said that you got the internship and that you can call back for more information."
Jongin grabs a towel from his room to wipe the sweat off his temples and neck. "Wow," he smiles. "Two months learning from one of the best architecture firms in Southern California," he continues, unable to wipe the grin off his face.
"Good on you, bro," Sehun pats his shoulder.
"Now you'll have more things to do with your time instead of following me around all day," Kyungsoo sneers, but he's wearing his signature gummy smile.
The next couple weeks consist of Soojung working overtime to get a project done, attempting to socialize with her co-workers but eventually reverting back to watching dramas at home, and impromptu sleepovers with Jinri in which they eat copious amounts of food. She gets into a routine of facetiming her sister every night before they go to sleep.
"Sleeping well lately?" Sooyeon says from the other side of the screen, her bare face glowing in the light of her night lamp.
"More than last week, so yes?" Soojung replies, covering her eyes so that her sister doesn't see the bags underneath them.
"How is your new job? Adjusting well?"
"It's exciting," Sooyeon gushes.
And that's how Soojung falls asleep, listening to her sister talk endlessly about the sights and sounds of the city, and all the interesting characters at her workplace. There is something about her sister's voice that is soothing. Life goes on, and Soojung feels herself being picked up by the waves.
Kim Jongin
2595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
Sender address: Bae Suji
9807 Allston Way #301
New York, NY 10001
One month later, Soojung finds an envelope in her mailbox again, oddly getting a sense of deja vu. What is this? she thinks to herself, fingers tracing the edges of the paper. There are some tear stains on the outside of the envelope, slightly smearing the addresses written in blue pen.
"Hmm," she murmurs to herself, eyebrows crinkling in confusion. "Seems like someone didn't get the address change memo."
Jongin throws himself into his work, grateful for more things to do with his life instead of moping around at Sehun's place all day. He can feel himself coming alive again.
"The brain cells are back up and firing," Jongin jokes one day to Kyungsoo, who only responds by plopping some more food into his plate.
Text from Choi Jinri
JR: So what are you gonna do with the letter?
SJ: I don't know. I might hold onto it in case another comes along. Then I can mail them to him all together
JR: Are you sure those were tear stains? Maybe she just spilled her water bottle on it or something.
SJ: Maybe you're right. I don't know why I'm speculating so much about this. The dramas have taken control of my life lol
JR: But they are probably tear stains
SJ: Wait what
JR: I mean come on, just from the pictures you've sent me, I can see the heartbreak in every of her pen, every line, every dot in her i's and crosses in her t's
SJ: ...omg you are SO dramatic
Sometimes Soojung thinks about it. Thinks about Taemin's questions - how his heart is doing, whether he believes in happy endings. She thinks about Bae Suji, whoever she is, someone close to him perhaps, closer than he'd ever admit. She wonders about the supposed tear stains, remnants of what had been shed transported all the way across the country from New York. She begins to think that it's odd how she doesn't know him and yet she knows so much about him. "I hope you're okay," she whispers.
Texts from Jung Sooyeon
SJ: Hey sis?
SY: Yeah, Soojung?
SJ: How does it feel to have your heart broken?
Entry 5
I like the feeling of sun on my skin. It reminds me that I'm alive and that there is such thing as warmth. I think I had briefly forgotten that. All is well. Scotty, the pet rock, is doing well, too. Heh.
Kim Jongin
2595 Del Mar Blvd #35
Pasadena, CA 91105
Sender address: Bae Suji
9807 Allston Way #301
New York, NY 10001
Soojung receives another letter a few weeks later. This time, there's a note in pencil scribbled onto the back of the envelope: "I miss you. One day I will learn to live without you, but today is not that day. Sorry."
"Bae Suji. A pretty name for a sad girl," Soojung muses.
The atmosphere is solemn as they browse through the clothing rack. "She sounds really dramatic," Jinri comments, and Soojung shoots a glare at her. "I mean, who am I to say anything - I don't know her," Jinri shrugs, trying to placate her friend. Soojung simply purses her lips. Jongin seems to be a magnet for drama queens, she thinks to herself, then shakes herself out of that thought, telling herself that everyone involved must be going through a rough patch.
"How is Taemin?" Soojung asks, changing the subject.
Jinri smiles. "He's coming back from Europe next week," she giggles.
Soojung raises her eyebrows, directing her gaze toward the crimson dress she's holding up. "See this? You would look absolutely splendid in this because your cheeks match this color."
Jinri grimaces. "Hey!"
Entry 6
Last week at the internship. It's been a good run, y'all. I've learned a lot. Not just technique and skill wise. I'm thankful for Sehun and Kyungsoo, those scrubs. Our relationship is not the super mushy kind, but I know they've got me.
"Hey kid!" Jongin looks up after heaving his suitcases out of the car trunk. It's Kyungsoo. "Proud of you, man," is all the older one says.
"Kill it at your job, but most importantly remember to take care of Scotty well," Sehun winks, which makes Jongin want to barf.
Adjusting the strap of his backpack, Jongin nods. "I'll let you know when the plane lands," he says, throwing one glance back before heading into the terminal.
Kim Jongin
14560 Canyon View Dr
San Diego, CA 92128
Hi Jongin, It's me, again. Soojung. I don't know how to broach this topic of conversation, so I'm just going to go right into it. Here are a couple of letters that arrived in my mailbox. They are addressed to you. I obviously didn't read them, in case you're wondering. And I know it's not exactly my place to say this, but I hope you're doing okay. I hope that when you're sad, you have people around you to lift you up. I hope that when you're feeling down, you can watch one of those obscure movies of yours to cheer you up or feed your pet rock (or whatever you do to take care of pet rocks). I also hope that you never wear those white sandals of yours. But in all seriousness, I hope that this letter finds you well, and if it doesn't, that's okay too.
-Jung Soojung
Whenever Jongin flies on planes, he thinks of her. He thinks of crossing oceans and landing on different continents and going to a foreign place where one can get lost and be anonymous. He sort of likes that feeling - being anonymous. He likes being left on his own with no inhibitions, no name to uphold, no image to present. But he also doesn't like being alone. Or, at least that's how he used to be. Now, as he sits on the plane, squashed between two strangers, he is surprisingly fine with it. No more aching in his heart. No more dreams of criss-crossing the world to find her, to ask her to take him back. He's found himself, and that's more than enough.
author's note: one more part to go! enjoy!
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