Jihyo runs towards Yejin and pulls him from the bicycle he rides. She hugs Yejin tightly and runs away. Naeun, Daegu and Gary stuns at Jihyo sudden act. Gary keeps on calling for her and runs after her. She doesn’t even turns to Gary, instead, she faster her pace. Yejin whines wants to be let go. He stretches out his hand to Gary.

                “Appa…appa..” he whines. That makes Gary runs faster and catches up after Jihyo. He stops Jihyo from runs away. He can see a sad and angry look on Jihyo face. “Yah, what’re you doing? Out of sudden?” He questions Jihyo.

                “Mian, I don’t want Yejin to be so comfortable with you. Mianhe..” Jihyo bows slightly and walks away. Gary grabs on her arm and makes she turns. “What’s wrong with you? Everything was ok isn’t it?” Gary tries to take Yejin from Jihyo arms but she back off.

                “ani, nothing is ok. Everything is not ok. Everything is wrong. Yejin, stay still!” Jihyo raises her voice to Yejin when he keeps on moving and pleads to be let go. “I’m sorry Gary-ssi.. but it seems like I can be in your game anymore. The more I join in your crazy game, more people will get hurt.”

                Gary rests his hands on his waist. “Wait.. do you worried about Naeun and Daegu? I told you right? they’re fine, totally fine.. ok? Come, let’s go back..” Gary takes Jihyo hands before she pulls back, rough.

                “Do you ever think about what Yejin might feel? Do you ever think about him?” Jihyo asks with full of hate feeling. Yejin rests his head on Jihyo shoulder, he always does so when Jihyo raises her voice at him. He wants to turn to Gary, but, he hold himself that makes him tears up.. As if it is on cue, a taxi come and Jihyo puts him inside.

                “Of course I think about him. After all I’m his ap..” “Who says? What make you have the  right to call yourself as Yejin appa? What make you become his appa when you didn’t ever turn up when he sick? When he need you the most? When he calls your name for days, where were you? Why do you didn’t come on the day you promise to bring him for picnic?”

                Gary was taken aback at Jihyo question that makes him shut his mouth completely. “Can you answer me? You can’t right? so, now, tell me what make you become Yejin appa? You’re nothing for us and I want to remind you that we’re happy before we met you. We’re fine so, I hope it stay that way. Just please, keep yourself away from us. You have your own place and just go back to where you belong.”

                “That is what I will do. You should be where you should be. Don’t make it hard for us. If you can’t do it, just think about Yejin. Don’t give him a false hope. He just a kid, don’t make him confuse with your kindness.”

                Gary grabs on her wrist again when Jihyo was about to get into the taxi. “Are you angry because I bring Naeun and Daegu along? Mianhe, I promise that I’ll..” Jihyo pulls her hand from Gary grips and pushes him a bit.

                “Yahh! Kang Gary, are we clowns to you? Are we only needed to entertain you? Are we your laughing stock? Just go back to where you’re from. Stop from confusing Yejin with all your kindness. I’m begging you, as Yejin omma. Don’t make it hard for him. He’ll hurt if you walk away when he has gets use with your presence.” Jihyo says, looking directly into Gary eyes. Her voice has change, as if she is pleading.

                Jihyo gets in the taxi. Gary holds on the taxi door and smiles at Yejin. Tears are strolling down Yejin face, but he’s not whining. He holds on Gary hand, Jihyo is in between their linking hands, “Yejin-ahh, we’ll picnic another day, ok? Your omma has something to do. Ok? Appa will go meet you. See you ne…” “Gary-ssi..” Jihyo warnings Gary that makes him steps back and closes the door.

He just look blankly at the taxi as it droves away. He waves back to Yejin as Yejin waves at him. Gary feels hurt to see Yejin cries just now. but, Jihyo has her point. What makes him has the right be Yejin’s appa?

***

“Oppa?” Naeun calls Gary as she approaches him. “Oppa, is everything alright?” Naeun asks him. Gary is sitting at the veranda, staring blankly at the stars. He receives the mug that Naeun handed. “Nae, everything is alright.” He answers weakly.

“Eyyy, Kang Gary is lying. Just tell me what is it?” Naeun glances at Gary. He sighs, “Where’s Daegu?” Gary tries to change the topic. Naeuns smirks at him, “Look who’s changing the topic here?” Naeun takes a sip from her drink, “are you thinking about Jihyo unni?”

Gary looks at Naeun immediately, “How do you know?” Naeun puts away her mug, “maybe because it is clearly written on your face. Jihyo..Jihyo..Jihyo..Jihyo..” Naeun points all over Gary face. “don’t you feel jealous?” Gary teases her. “of course I do, it seems like I have no space in your heart anymore.” Naeun says that make they laugh a bit.

“Are you curious, oppa? About who are you 5 years ago? About Jihyo unni, who knows you might know her before?” Naeun asks Gary. Gary looks at Naeun, how come she knows what he’s thinking. “I can’t tell you oppa, I’m not here at that time.” Naeun says that makes Gary sighs.

“But, maybe Gil oppa or Jongkook oppa or maybe Haha oppa can tell you..” Naeun continues. Gary looks so excited but suddenly his smiles disappear, “But, don’t you mind?” Naeun shakes her head as no, “You have the right to know oppa..”

Gary gets excited and grabs all his things to meet Gil, Haha and Jongkook. Or anyone of them. He needs to know.

***

Jihyo walks weakly into the house. she’s holding Yejin hand tight. No words spoken between them. A very strange vibe that makes Yejin trembles a bit. “Kwenchana Yejin-ah?” Jihyo asks when she feels Yejin hand cold.

“Omma, why do you hate appa?” Yejin asks with tears coming out. “He’s not your appa Yejin-ahh.. he just a stranger. Ok? Omma hates when you call him ‘appa’.” Jihyo kneels on the floor so she’s at Yejin height.

“He brings me to picnic and bring me to the hospital too. Omma said that only appa will does so to his son. It means he’s my appa..” Yejin tears up silently, only nonstop tears keep strolls. “He’s not your appa.. omma said no, it means NO. NEVER!” Jihyo raises her voices to Yejin and hits him on his thighs.

“He has his own son. Don’t you see? That kid is his son, not you. He’s happy with his son, and don’t be the third wheel Yejin-ah. He’s that kid appa not your appa.. Do you understand?” Jihyo looks at Yejin. “Omma lie..” Yejin says with his low voice.

Yejin begins to whine a bit. “Omma said NO. NO! do you get me?” Jihyo keeps on hits Yejin but he’s not back off. It makes her mother instinct weaken and she stops. She ends up crying and hugs herself. She whines and begging herself not to be so weak in front of Yejin, but, she just can’t.

“Omma.. Yejin is sorry…” Yejin hugs Jihyo around his small arms. He barely reaches his other hand on the other side. “Omma don’t cry. Yejin is so sorry.” He rests his head on Jihyo chest and gets on her lap. He clings on Jihyo like a koala.

“Then promise me not to meet that person anymore.” Jihyo pats Yejin head softly. He nods at Jihyo, “Promise me.” Jihyo says and pushes Yejin to look him in eyes. He bends his head down, “Yejin promises not to meet up with app.. that ahjussi anymore.” Yejin wipes Jihyo tears before Jihyo pulls him in her embrace.

‘Omma mianhe Yejin-ahh.. it’s omma fault.. but I don’t want you to feel the pain that omma had been through.’ Jihyo says by herself and tighten her hugs.

***

“Why do you suddenly call us out?” Jongkook asks Gary who’s pouring soju to their glass. Gary suddenly stops and holds his head, he hears some random people conversation. But, the person he sees is not some random person.

There’re Gil, Jongkook, Haha and a tall man, Kwangsoo? were they that close to have drink together? Black and white picture coming to Gary sight that makes him narrow his eyes, trying to see the clear picture. They’re talking about someone marriage. Who’s marriage?

“Don’t you think it’s too early?” He asks Haha. “It was never too early or too late for us to fall in love so, why bother about being too early and too late when it comes to marriage issue?” Haha says in replies. Haha suddenly says, “Why don’t we get married together hyung?”

Then a picture of Jongkook hits his head coming. Then Kwangsoo cheers for them to drink. A blur picture of him piggy backs someone. He’s about to see the person face when Haha taps his shoulder make he comes back to reality.

“Hyung, kwenchana?” Haha asks Gary. Gary gives him a weak smile. “I’m ok, just a little bit dizzy.” Gary says before pours the soju for Haha. “So? Why did you call us out?” Haha asks the same question that makes a little voice coming to Gary that he has to ignore.

“It’s about my past. Who am I, what I do, where was I before I lost all my memories and, how can I lost my memories? I need to know.” Gary says as he looks at Haha and Jongkook repeatedly. Haha and Jongkook look at one another.

“Aunt has told you right, you had an accident that makes you comatose for years, you brought to Boston in your comatose state and when you wake up, you had forget all that memories.” Jongkook says as he takes a sip from his soju. Haha just nods to Jongkook that makes Gary frowns.

“But, it seems it is not right.” “What is not right hyung? You want to tell that we’re lying to you?” Haha says. “Everything is not right Haha-ah. Everything… I don’t mean to make you offended, but it feels like something is missing, the story that omma tell me is incomplete. I need all that pieces. If I comatose before our college year, then how can Kwangsoo knows me? He says, Gaeko was my classmate.”

“Why don’t you just go back to Boston Gary-ahh? It seems you keep on bluffing. Maybe you need more time to reco..” “Hyung, who is Song Jihyo to me?” Gary cuts Jongkook from continues on his lecturer. Gary notices that Haha and Jongkook are taken aback at his question.

“Have you remember anything hyung?” Haha pats Gary shoulder and gives him massage. Gary sighs, “I don’t know, but there are pictures keep coming in my mind. there is a girl in it. the way she laughs and talks looks alike Jihyo. who’s her? do I know any girl before? Do I know who’s Jihyo before? She hugged me when we first met before.”

“You know who her, I mean Jihyo. you knew her before.” Haha says and he can see Gary shocks at his statement. Jongkook nudges his arm, gives him signals not to tell Gary anything. “What do you mean I know her?”

                “We were at the same college before. We just know each other and Haha falls in love with Byul. After he married, you never contact with her after that.” Jongkook says. “But hyung…” “Let’s just drink Gary-ahh. It’s not like we can always hang out together like this.” Jongkook cuts Gary from asks more.

                Gary nods, obeys to Jongkook. He can feel that Jongkook and Haha are hiding something from him. Something is not right about what Jongkook and Haha just said.

                ***

                “What is it the matter you want to talk about?” Haha asks as Jihyo serves the drink to him and Jongkook. This morning, Jihyo texts them and asks them to come to her apartment. Jihyo sits facing Jongkook and Haha.

                “Why is Yejin not going to school?” Jongkook asks as he looks at Yejin who’s playing with his robots and all. “I don’t want him to meet Gary.” Jihyo says when she glances at Yejin. Jongkook and Haha shake their head, feels frustrated for not telling either Jihyo or Gary the truth.

                “So? What is it? Make it hurry, we have other thing to attend. You and Gary love to give us headache. Last night he called us to meet up and now you. So, tell us what the thing you want to talk about?” Jongkook asks Jihyo. he notices Jihyo becomes curious when he mentions about Gary just now.

                “Why he wants to meet you?” Jihyo can’t hold her curiosity. “You hate him, but you still curious about him? Jihyo-ah, action speaks louder than words.” Haha teases her. he smiles when Jihyo tries to keep playing it cool.

                “I don’t want to work together with him for the project. I’m quit.” Jihyo says. “Yahh, Song Jihyo, you better take back what you just say.” Haha says, a little bit angry. “I won’t.” Jihyo says, with her stubborn tone. “Don’t you know what you’re doing will affect many people?” Haha adds.

                “We had book the place, we had find the models, we..” “I’ll pay back for all the losses. Is that ok?” Jihyo says and stands up to walk to the kitchen. Her steps stop to what Jongkook says, “He’ll leave Jihyo-ahh.. Kang Gary will leave after this project end. On that day, he’ll leave and never come back.”

                “Just work with him for this project, it’s not like it take years, it just a couple of week. Please, as his brother, I’m begging you.” Jongkook says. “Please make memories with him while he’s here, Jihyo-ahh.. don’t make yourself to regret on your decision.” It’s Haha turns to talk.

*Rather than feels offended, I feel more grateful and thankful for all the comments and feedbacks. All of the comments give me strength and some idea on how should I continue the story. Thank you for so much supports. :)