Chap 9: Help me
Memories of LoveTossing and turning in my bed, I closed my eyes shut, trying to fall asleep.
It's not working... Why are you popping up infront of me constantly?! Go away!
I turned to face the window, hoping that a change in posture would help me to fall asleep better. The wind from the air conditioner blew at the white lace curtains hanging on the window frame. Faraway, the stars that lit up the night sky shone like glitter.
Are you also looking up at the night sky? Are you also having a sleepless night like me? Are you also thinking about me like I am thinking about you?
"What do you think of when you see the stars in the sky?" Curious about what is going through her mind, I asked while playing with her fingers.
"Hmm? Why the suddden interest?" She asked, turning to look at me who was lying on her lap. "I think about..." As though something hit her, her eyes widened and she pulled her hand out of mine immediately.
Why are you even think about that?! Stop this! I need to sleep... We have a schedule on tomorrow... I need to get ample rest... Stop...
Moonlight poured in from the windows. It illuminated the small white wooden box lying on top of my desk. In fact, the moonlight shone at the little white box like a spotlight.
"It's not my place to hold on to this box... At least not until I have recalled everything..." Handing me the small box, Wheein's eyes reflected her confusion over the recent events.
And now, that box is comfortably sitting on my desk. I am the only one who is uncomfortable with the presence of that box. That box with the letter 'S' engraved on it. The white little box carved with intricate patterns. The white little box whose existence is equivalent to a pandora box...
Flashback to May 2014...
"Unnie, would you keep this?" After knocking lightly on the door, someone entered the room.
"Oh?" I turned around at the request. Holding the white box that was handed to me, I took notice of the intricately handcarved letter 'S' on the top. "What's this? A gift for me? Wow! This is really carved out nicely... Does 'S' stand for Sun? Solar? Either way thanks for the gift!"
"It stands for... Shine..." Byul muttered to herself softly, I had to make out those words that she said. Suddenly, the mood in the room seemed to have darkened.
"Oh... So you wish that I would 'Shine' by receiving this gift? Thanks Byul~" I tried to liven up the mood but I doubt it had worked.
"It's not a gift... It's just... Just something... Help me keep it." Without even looking up from the floor, Byul paused and shook her head. "No... Help me to throw it away."
"Why would I throw it away?! It's a pretty box! What's inside?" Pulling the red satin ribbon, I opened the box out of curiosity.
I shouldn't have done that. If only I could turn back time... I would not have opened it. I would rather not know anything about you two...
"A phone?" Puzzled, I look toward Byul for answers. "Byul-ah... Why would you give me a phone?"
"It's the phone I used to contact her with... Looking at it would only break my heart further. I couldn't bring myself to throw it away... You promised to help me yesterday..." Looking at me earnestly, I know that she is asking for a favor. Byul hopes that I would agree to her request. "So would you help me to throw those memories away? Would you help me to forget about her?"
"Her..? The girl who was the reason that you cried on the rooftop last night?" I probed further as the events that happened had piqued my interest.
Byul nodded in silence reluctantly. I know that she does not want to talk about it, but this phone that is filled with secrets is constantly feeding the curious cat within me.
"You're trying to forget about her huh?" Grabbing Byul's hand, I pulled her into an embrace. I wanted to comfort this fragile being who must have been going through alot these days. It must have been so tedious for her that she sobbed like a child on the rooftop last night. "I know your heart must be hurting so much, but tell me... Tell me who is it so that I can help you. Tell me about it so that I can protect you. As your leader, I won't let anyone bring pain to you. I'll help you to get through this. Byul-ah, I've never seen you cry that hard before... Even that day when..."
"Don't remind me. That day was the start of all my misery. I do not want to be reminded of it again. Now, I just want to forget about her."
"Then at least tell me who she is... Or I'll just find out through questioning you..." With our slight height difference, I let Byulyi rest her chin on my shoulder. Patting her back, I continued to dig for her deepest secrets. "Someone whom you have to contact using a separate phone to keep in secret... It's one of us isn't it? Hyejin?"
"That can't be... Hyejin was so happy to get together with Wheein... Did Hyejin betray you?" Seeing that she has no intention to reply, I tried again.
No reaction? That girl must not be Hyejin... Who could it be then? Hmm...
"Oh my goodness... No... No..." I shook my head at the suddden realisation. "Don't tell me she's... She's Wheein? Is that person Wheein?"
With both of my hands now on her shoulder, I searched for answers within Byul's eyes. My hands were shaking even as I held on to her. This news is too much of a shock to me.
This can't be true... I would be able to accept that I lost to Hyejin... Well, they have been together since middle school... It's normal that they would have developed feelings and get together...
But Byul? How could Wheein fall in love with her in such a short time? It can't be... What does Byul have that Wheein see? It's impossible... Wheein wouldn't have fallen in love with Byul... I would not accept that... My heart would not be able to believe that...
"Tell me! That person is not Wheein... She's not Wheein... Right?" With trembling hands, I shook Byul, wanting to hear a decisive reply from her.
"Yes." Tears started to well up in her eyes as she spoke. "She's Wheein. I've lost Wheein. I've lost the one I love so much. Jung Wheein... She woke up only to run into Hyejin's arms. She woke up shattering my heart into pieces. She woke up forgetting about us... I'm the only one who remembers everything... Yes, I'm the only one who remembers everything. And it hurts so much unnie... It really hurts... Just to think about her now... It hurts my heart."
Her legs buckled and she slumped onto the floor in tears. On the other hand, I stood rooted to the ground trying to comprehend the truth placed before me.
Jung Wheein and Moon Byulyi were in love in the past...
Jung Wheein and Ahn Hyejin are in love in the present...
And
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