Chapter 21

“It's been awhile; I didn't know you'd be reaching out before I would – I Smile”

He looked the same.

And his hair has grown.

But, wild silver now, instead of straight blond.

Partly hidden by a wide pandora hat.

Beautiful, regardless. Like Adonis.

Gosh, I miss him so much.

Baka baka baka.

What am I even doing here?

I really should have taken a sick leave.

I’m just not ready for this.

Will never be ready for this.

Then, what are you doing thousand of miles away from home in a foreign land, then huh?

If not to find him.

Just go home already, girl.

Forget all this.

Forget you knew him.

Forget about asking him why he left his chain behind.

Why he left without a good bye.

Why he left at all.

And forget about showing him that you’re ok even after all that.

Forget about showing him that you’re not hurt in the slightest.

Oh, that’s right.

You don’t have the money to leave.

What you make now was hardly enough for your accommodation and food.

Let alone to save for a one-way ticket home.

Baka baka baka.

Momo’s internal tirade went on.

She did not envision meeting him like that.

Of course, she heard they were coming.

Even knew they would end up at the book store.

She actually asked for a day leave but it was not approved.

And playing truant would cost her this job.

And she could not afford that.

So she come in for work; but chose to stay hidden behind the shelves.

Did not even sneak out to catch them perform like her other colleagues did.

Yet, she could not really resist stealing a peak when he was finally in the store.

However mentally and emotionally unprepared she was.

***

Young K simply observed her from behind the shelves, contented at just looking at her.

Her walk, her moves, the way she tucked her hair behind her ears were all too painfully familiar to him.

She looked slightly different, with the longer hair. A little more matured than before.

And if possible, more beautiful.

I miss you so much, Young K whined.

The boys did not know of her existence; he did not share anything with them.

Where they were concerned, his manager included, was that Young K was simply hiding away at the Aihara Youth Hostel, working on their songs.

She was his own little secret.

His memories of the times spent with her were his own private Idaho, especially when things got rough.

He did not tell his team about the email either.

As the main reason he asked to be fetched home on the spot.

He did not want to worry them.

He would get to the bottom of that problem himself.

He knew he was cranky and moody since he got back.

His work barely kept him from being a full fledged zombie.

But he could not help himself.

He just missed Momo so much.

Even he was surprised at how much.

He only lasted five months before he started to call her.

But she was not contactable. Her line was completely dead.

Was she in Seoul all these while? And in his own backyard, no less.

Young K was suddenly awoken by a drop of books.

A bookstore employee just came by with a stack of books, and dropped them rudely by Momo’s feet.

“Stack these, will ya,” the Momo’s Korean colleague instructed her, and started to walk off, in his direction, two shelves away.

Like a ninja, he suddenly came out of the shadows to confront the girl.

“Why did you do that?”

“Young K?” the girl gasped, “I thought you guys left.”

“No, we haven’t. We’re still in the back room. But you didn’t answer my question, why were rude to the girl?”

“She’s my subordinate.”

“All the more you should be a role model to her.”

“She’s also a Japanese.”

“Does that make it right?”

She kept quiet. Stunned by being caught by the handsome musician as well as in total awe of his aura.

“Ka,” he shooed her off with a tilt of his head.

Silver haired Young K was really not someone anyone would want to mess with.

The girl’s actions shamed him in a way. He wanted his fellow countrymen to show the same respect and hospitality as what he received from the Japanese.

So, against his better judgement, he walked towards her.

Towards his Mochi.

He stopped only inches away from her.

Yet, she was to engrossed with work to notice.

Young K glared down and willed her to look up to him.

Mochi, look up. Look up, damn it! It’s me, he called out with his eyes.

But Momo went about her work in daze. Moving down the aisle until she literally bumped into him.

“Aah, sumi…,” she hesitated and corrected herself. “Choesum hamnida.”

She absently spoke to his chest.

Before finally looked up at the wall of a body in front of her.

Her eyes slowly widening as she recognised the person in front of her.

Foxi's Notes - My dear readers, thank you so much for making it this far with me. Its now 4am where I come from. But I can't sleep. I'm too excited. I'll be heading to the airport in 2 hours time, taking a flight to Jakarta to see DAY6!!!!!! I hope everything will go as planned, so please wish us safe journey. My kids have been roped in to watch their middle aged mum fangirling tonight (cries). And hubby has been designated to take care of the baby. So, here I am posting another chappie for you in a bid to control my excitement. Till next time, take care my dears :)