~Chapter Song1: Yang Yoseop ‘Cries without a Sound’~

~Chapter Song2: Baek Ji Yong ft Verbal Jint ‘Medicine’~

Caution: Sensitive topic ahead so please read as you wish.

“So, where does this foot go?”

“It doesn’t go anywhere, it stays right there.” Jin-Goo responded, slightly bewildered at her question. He glanced at the front mirror to look at Da-Reum who was in the backseat equally surprised. “That’s the clutch. You press the pedal with your left foot when you’re changing gear. Press it down quickly but release it slowly.”

“Right...” So-Hyun gave a small smile to both guys, her eyes fixing on her feet and trying to adjust their positioning. “So I just keep it on there when I’m driving?”

“No, noona.” Da-Reum interrupted from his position in the backseat, sounding a little frustrated. “Don’t drive with your foot resting on it, if you do that you’ll just wear it out and cause the engine to rev more than it actually needs to.”

So-Hyun sighed, wondering how she was going to be able to ever learn to drive with so many rules. Not to mention the theory book with a trillion road signs she would most likely forget. She had the idea of learning how to drive just before Seung-Ho had left, and although she wasn’t planning to purchase a car anytime soon she wanted to accomplish something. She had been doing some reflecting and realised that there once was a time that she used to love spending time alone, but even then, besides reading and watching TV she didn’t do things that would benefit her in the long term.

She wanted to use their time apart to do the things she had once planned to do but had neglected out of fear or lack of time and so she decided to start with driving. This was one challenge she wanted to face, even her younger brother was already learning the basics of driving, yet she wasn’t doing anything about it.

Striking up the courage she booked her lessons in bulk. Her first lesson went better than she expected considering she only sat in the passenger’s seat. When she next had the opportunity to be in the driver’s seat and drive she let her nervousness’s get the best of her and stalled the car.

Five times.

In the space of five minutes.

She had originally wanted to surprise Seung-Ho with her license by the time he got back, but she might have overestimated her skills a little.

Okay, a lot.

This then led her to ask her brother for some help, receiving some basic skills and practical run-throughs with the addition of Jin-Goo much to her surprise. If he wasn’t at work, he would be with her brother playing games or helping him with his University entrance exams.

Despite the setbacks, she had to admit both lessons were helping. She had managed to get the hang of it and started to feel more comfortable on the road and although she did stall a few times here and there, they weren’t as consecutive.

The following morning she had wrapped up another lesson and her driving instructor was kind enough to drop her off at work after their session. The day went by fairly quickly, because they were in the final stages of the team phase.

As of recent So-Hyun was feeling content, her life may not be what others dreamed of, but in this moment, she was truly happy doing what she loved surrounded by the people she loved. Even with Seung-Ho being a thousand miles away, she held a smile on her face knowing that her heart continued to long for him and she was sure his was too. It had taken some time, but she had shed the albatross off her neck.

Suddenly, the reminder she had set on her phone sounded, reminding her that it was time to video call Seung-Ho. She picked up her phone and finding his name didn't take long as he was on her recent calls, so she quickly tapped his name.

As soon as So-Hyun saw his face flash on the screen she could see from the way his eyes barely opened that Seung-Ho was tired and she suddenly felt guilty. The time distance was really a huge dent to their communication, when it was day for him it was night for her and they were both busy with researching or training. The only time they could communicate was after work for So-Hyun, but that meant late hours for Seung-Ho.

“So-Hyun-ah.”

“Oppa, go to sleep… You look exhausted.”

“I look terrible right?” He yawned.

So-Hyun shook her head, “No, you look handsome. Which is quite annoying actually, I usually look like rubbish with no sleep.” She comforted, scrunching up her nose when his eyes struggled to stay open. “Close your eyes some more.”

“It looks like you’re in the office, don’t stay at work too late. You can go back to mine if you need to tonight." He urged, his words coming out in a tired slur and So-Hyun bobbed her head agreeably. She had been visiting Seung-Ho’s apartment whilst he was gone, taking care of his plants and cleaning it with his mother from time to time. She had come to think of it as her unoffical safe place. Her haven whilst he was gone.

"I’ll call you in a few hours okay? Sorry, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Ending the call So-Hyun fell back into her chair with a sigh. She was indeed at the office, working overtime. Her mother was on night shift and her brother was at night school, but because she didn’t want to be alone in the house she decided to get in extra work before the weekend. She mellowed at the thought, there really was once a time she would have done anything to just be alone.

A lot of the workers stayed late to get in extra work and So-Hyun was lucky to have the practice room free tonight. No one that she knew in their department was staying late since they had all decided to go for a work gathering.

Through the door Ha-Na walked in with her phone in hand, “So-Hyun-ssi, aren’t you going to come to the work meal? Counsellor Jung-Ah is treating us all though…” She asked, and So-Hyun noticed that she had freshened up her makeup and let her hair down. She smiled, politely rejecting. She had considered saying yes for a moment, but within that slight second, she imagined all the conversating and fake-smiling she would have to do to reduce the awkwardness and the ‘no’ quickly came out.

“Are you sure? It’s only around the corner?” Ha-Na tried again, fixing her hair in the reflection of her phone, for the tenth time during their short conversation. “Well, I hope it’s not awkward… Sun-Woo-ssi isn’t going either, can you believe he finally admitted to having girlfriend? He used that as an excuse to leave.” She revealed, and So-Hyun couldn’t help but decode the bitterness to Ha-Na's tone.

“Ah I see… And yes, I’m sure. Have fun.” She replied curtly. That was also another reason she didn’t fancy going. They only liked to gossip about people and things that were irrelevant and not of interest to her.

She decided to Skype Seung-Jae for his scheduled talks and she smiled when he answered the call. “Oppa! Will you be okay for me to record the call this time? I’ll use it to reflect on myself.” She convinced cheekily. She sat and listened to him speak about his worries, anxieties and daily stresses. that he wasn't confident enough to tell others. They had come to an implicit agreement that Seung-Jae would speak and she would simply cater to his needs of being heard. 

In the middle of the session the low-battery sign on So-Hyun's laptop appeared. “Oppa, I’ll call you back okay? My battery is about to die.” Searching through her bag she dug for her charger but to no avail, she paused when she saw the door of the practice room open.

Sun-Woo’s breath caught when he saw So-Hyun, he walked inside the room, “Oh? So-Hyun-ssi! What are you doing here?”

“Oh? Sun-Woo-ssi… I’m just trying to pass time. What are you doing here this late?” She was going to mention what she heard about him having a girlfriend but refrained herself because she didn’t actually hear it from him.

“Me too.” He then shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. That was a lie. My girlfriend just broke up with me and I didn’t want to go home yet.” He confessed, and So-Hyun pursed her lips in surprise.

Well then.

“I’m sorry to hear that…”

“You don’t need to be sorry.” He said as he sat in the seat opposite her. “It’s not like you told her to break up with me.”

So-Hyun smiled politely, suddenly thinking this wasn’t the best plan to be at the office tonight. Break-ups weren’t necessarily her forte. Or are they? She bobs her head in thought, only to be reminded that Sun-Woo was still there. Crying.

“Why do women do that? Why do they play with us? Pretend that they like us, take whatever they need and then throw us away.”

“… Sun-Woo-ssi, it’s not everyone that’s like that-.”

“No one will ever love me.” He whimpered, and all So-Hyun could do was just stare at him with sympathy. She’d understood very well where he was coming from and well it seemed like a bad person had taken advantage of his shy personality.