The Witch

The Flower in the Dark

They are drenched wet. Water kept dripping  from their clothes as it continouosly hit the ground while the two stood under a shed. Unexpectedly, it had started raining. Jinsoo realized that he did not plan their vacation thoroughly. He let out sigh of frustration as he watches the rain fall heavily. 

"Sorry," he apologize to Nari.

After failing in renting a room, Jinsoo and Nari find themself standing infront of a motel building.

"Ya, why didn't you reserve ahead? Because of the rain all the rooms are book," complain Nari. 

"Sorry, I have no idea it would rain today," he apologize again. 

"Do we really have to stay here?" whine Nari.

Jinsoo let out a deep breath in frustration. "No," he says and grab her hand, "Let's look some where else."

Again to no avail they could not find a room. Nari's stomach begin to cry of hunger.

"I'm hungry," she said. 

He takes her back near the shore. He remember a restaurant right off the beach. They order Jjamppong (Korean Spicy Noodle Soup) to eat. 

"Mmmm. It's so good," said Nari devouring the food in a hurry. 

"Don't eat too fast. It won't be good for your stomach," said a worried Jinsoo. 

"You don't even know, I'm so hungry I can eat a cow," said Nari as she continues. 

Jinsoo places his hand on his cheecks while resting his elbows on the table as he watches her eat. He silently gazes at her lovingly. Nari takes notice of him gazing lovely towars her.

"What?" she ask abrutly stopping. 

"I just realize that it's the first time we've actually eaten out together at a restraurant with just the two of us," said Jinsoo. He then notice some broth on the bottom side of her lip. Jinsoo lean in from across the table and wipe the broth off with his finger. Nari is fluster and taken back. She can hear heart beating again. Suddenly she recall the time when Jinsoo wiped the cream off her lip back when Outbreak and RosePetal was rehearsing for the Christmas special. Remembering this, she became curious about something. 

"When did you start liking me?" she ask in curiousity. 

"There's no reason. I just do"

"Was it because I'm pretty?" 

"No, there are prettier girls." 

"Ya!" Nari sigh in disappointment. 

The server comes by suddenly to refill their water. She was an older lady. 

"You guys are all drenched from the rain. Do you have a place to stay?" she gasp.

"No. We're looking," said Jinsoo

"We have an extra room here. You can stay there for the night," offer the older lady. 

"Thank you, " said the two feeling fluster and grateful.

Yoo Chaerim met with Kim Jaewon at MBC's broadcasting station. He had just finished signing a contract for Seoul's Night.

"Manager Lee told me you want to meet me," he said.

"Sorry, I know that you're busy."

Jaewon takes a deep breath before proceeding, "What is that you want to talk about?"

"Well.. you see...." said Chaerim as she nervously ask, "I understand we don't talk much outside of work and this is a little awkward but.... I have a friend who wants to meet Jung Jinsoo."

"Ah..." he said with a nod, "Is it a woman?"

"Yes"

 "Jung Jinsoo isn't interested."

"How would you know? You haven't asked him yet," scoff Chaerim.

"I've been living with him for years. He's not interested in dating," said Jaewon. He put up his wrist to look at the time, "Excuse me. I have to go. We can talk about it some other time." Kim Jaewon turns around and walk away.

Chaerim scoff in disbelief, "What was that?" she ask. "Don't he like me? Why is he such a jerk? Why can't he just get Jung Jinsoo to meet Kang Yebin?"

On her way back to the dorm, Chaerim see's Na Joowon standing outside infront of the apartment buidling. "What is he doing here?" wonder Chaerim. She walks right past him to get to the door when he suddenly grab hold of her arm, "Where's Yoon Sohee? I've been trying to call her but she's been avoiding my calls"

"Are you and unnie dating?" she ask

"Yes"

"Omo," Chaerim cover from shock, "What are you doing here in broad daylight? Aren't you scare of causing a scandal?" she quickly drag him inside the building to avoid any paparrazzi's.

Na Joowon enter the girls dorm with Chaerim. "Don't worry, Yoon Sohee unnie is home." While entering the front door, they takes off their shoes. Chaerim guided him to the livingroom. His eyes wonder around the apartment in curiousity.

"Thank you," he said

"Sunbaenim, you're really dating my unnie?"

"Yes"

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital resting?"

"I was discharged today"

"Oh I see..."

Yoon Sohee comes out of the room to get some water. To her surprise she see's Na Joowon sitting on the livingroom floor.

"What are you doing here?" she gasp in shock from the sight of Joowon.

"We have to talk," he insist

"I'll leave the two of you alone," said Chaerim as she goes into the kitchen and pushes Sohee towards him. "I'll be in the room. My door will be open so don't speak too loudly."  She leave to her bedroom so they can talk in private.

"Why are you avoiding my calls?" he ask.

"I needed time to think," she said.

"Why?"

"Let's talk when I'm ready," she look down with guilt.

"Are you considering breaking up with me?" he scoff

"Sorry," she said while continuing to avoid eye contact with him.

"Why? Am I not good enough?" he ask with tears in his eyes

"You are.. It's me who isn't," she cried.

Angry at her words, Na Joowon storms out the apartment slamming the door. Chaerim comes out to check after hearing the door slam loudly.

"Daebak, what happened?" she see's Sohee in tears. "Unnie, are you okay?" she ask worringly in a soft voice.

"I'm okay," said Sohee who quickly wipe her tears while trying to put on a brave front.

Song Nari and Jung Jinsoo stood by the door as they look at the small room they'll have to share.

"The space is pretty tight," said Nari.

"I guess that mean we'll have to sleep closer together than I thought," gulp Jinsoo nervously.

After settling in the room, Nari is first to shower. Jinsoo who is still cover in water sat uncomfortably while waiting for his turn. He can hear her turn on the water. "What am I thinking?" he ask while slapping himself to control his hormone. "Ya Jung Jinsoo, You're not that kind of guy," he tries to reassure himself. However, reality hit him when she open the bathroom door. Nari still rubbing the towel against her head, bare face, and dressed in pajama's sit down on the bed they made on the floor. The site of her definitely made his hormones worst. Jinsoo knew he was in trouble. "What is wrong with me?" sigh Jinsoo.

"Did you say something?" ask a clueless Nari.

"No," said Jinsoo and quickly rushes into the bathroom.

"What's with him?' wonder Nari.

After he finished showering, they lie on the bed they made. They tried to sleep as far from eachother but because of the  lack of space, they were only a foot away. He had his back turn against hers, and she has hers turn against him. There was an awkward silence in the room.

"Song Nari," he awkwardly call.

"I'm still up," she answer in a low voice.

"You asked earlier when did I start liking you..."

"Yes"

"I'm not sure when it started..." He takes a deep breath and continue, "But for sure that day when you sprain your ankle, I started finding you interesting. As I watch you perform on stage, I thought... Wow.. This woman is amazing... I needed to become someone like her in order to succeed. You were amazingly cool and very inspirational then."

"Really?" she chuckle happily.

"Yes... You were in so much pain yet you didn't even complain once about your ankle. I think your much stronger than any man I know." Jinsoo praise her.

They both turn around coincidentally facing eachother. Jinsoo and Nari are both fluster to see eachother. Their heart pounded against their will as they lock eyes.

"When we were on the show Idol School," he continue, "Others girls pouted when they were left without a partner. But you tried your best in every game. You challenged every couple even if the games didn't fall in your favor. I realized then that I was jealous," said Jinsoo letting out a small laugh as he reminisce about the past.

"Why were you jealous?" ask Nari fill with curiousity.

"Ji Youngbin showed interest in you. I didn't know until then that I like you," said Jinsoo as he yawn tiredly. "However, I have no clue when it started," he said following another yawn. He closes his eyes falling quickly asleep.

Nari giggle as she watches him sleep. She takes a deep breath and share her feelings even though she knew he wouldn't hear it since he was deep asleep, " I'm not sure when it started too. But I found myself drawn to you the moment I saw you perform on stage on the day we first met. She let out a sigh. Nari scoot herself closer to him as she reaches her hand out and touches his face. "What kind of sorcery is this?" she ask. "Maybe you're a witch," she said in regards to finding herself falling deeper for him. It was a bitter sweet moment. A moment she wish can last forever. She closes her eyes and too, quickly fell asleep.

Manager Kim and Yoon Sohee is on the apartment rooftop drinking beer.

"Jang Ara went back home to visit with Kim Nami?" ask Manager Kim

Sohee nodded, "It's just Yoo Chaerim and I home."

"Why isn't Chaerim drinking with us?"

"I just wanted this to be between us," sigh Sohee. She take a sip of the beer, "I did something big today."

"What is it?"

"Na Joowon came to see me. I broke up with him. I may not know why you suddenly insist that I shouldn't see him but I decided to blindly put my trust in you."

"Why?"

"I like you more. I know you longer. It's simple," chuckle Sohee. "I thought I'd be really sad, but I didn't cry much."

"Ya, don't hold it in. You can always cry to me," said Manager Kim.

"No, if I lose you I think I'll definitely cry more," she said while holding back her tears with a smile.

Manager Kim is touched by her words. It's been awhile since he smile and he finally let one out. "Thank you," he said.

"No.. Thank you for being my best friend"

"Cheers," he said as they lightly hit their beers before drinking.

Morning came. Yoo Chaerim wakes up to find Yoon Sohee asleep on the living room floor. "She must have drank a lot," sigh Chaerim. "Oh, the girls should be coming back today," said Chaerim while looking at the time. She starts her morning with the dishes and made some hangover soup for Sohee.

"Unnie," she shook Sohee. "You should eat," said Chaerim.

Sohee sits up rubbing her eyes, Thank you Chaerim."

"Why didn't you tell me that you were dating?"

"It wasn't anything serious," Sohee laugh it off.

"You were crying from heart break. If you told us sooner, the girls and I would have beaten him for making you cry"

"And what about you? Are you still dating that one guy?" Sohee ask.

"You girls know I don't hide anything. Well, we broke up," chuckle Chaerim.

"Ya, what is it this time?"

"He's too clingy," complain Chaerim.

"Again? Everytime you break up with someone, the reasons are ridiculous. First it's because this guy is too tall. The second boyfriend is because he's too short. The one after is because he talk too much. They're good men. They really like you," said Sohee.

"Then what about Manager Kim?"

"huh?"

"He treats you really well, and we all can tell he likes you," giggle Chaerim.

"What?" ask Sohee in surprise.

"Unnie, we all can tell. Nari, Nami, and I always talk about it. The only ones who are clueless is you, and well... Ara."

"Manager Kim and I are friends only," insist Sohee.

"I want to find me a man that look at me the same way Manager Kim look at you," sigh Chaermim

"How.. how does he look at me?" ask a fluster Sohee.

"I'm not sure how to explain it. There's just a feeling there. Like his eyes sparkle when he see's you. Sometimes he get nervous around you and stutter. How can you known him since childhood and not understand his feelings?" gasp Chaerim in shock. 

Nari wakes up cuddle into Jinsoo's arm.

"Ahhh," she scream from shock waking him up. He open his eyes and see's her in his embrace.

"Ya," he jump up in surprise.

"I must have roll in the middle of the night," sigh Nari in disbelief. Just then she remember coming up close to him last night and touching his face with her hand. "Why did I fall asleep there?," she squeal in her thoughts after coming into a realization.

After they finished packing, Nari and Jinsoo is on their way back home. Nari sit in the passenger seat watcing the rain hit the windshield.

"It's still raining," she sigh.

"We didn't really get the chance to enjoy the beach," Jinsoo sigh regretfully while driving.

"I still enjoy it," she said smiling.

Jinsoo let out a smile after hearing that she like the trip. He grab her hand and interlock their fingers together while driving with his left hand still on the steering wheel.

Kang Yebin is shooting the CF she stole from Choi Sonya. While shooting on set, she is surprise to see Sonya standing in the back with the staff. Yebin is taken back and fluster. She isn't sure of what  Sonya is capable of.

"Good job Yebin, let's take a break," said the photographer.

Yebin rushes over to Sonya.

"Ya, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? " laugh Sonya, "How dare you play so dirty? I never thought you'd stoop this low. If you're trying to take my title why can't you play it fair?"

"I think you don't realize this. But I'm not just going to be bigger than you. I plan on taking everything away from you," scoff Yebin and walks off.

 Jinsoo and Nari finally arrive. They pull up to the front of her apartment. Before even getting out of the car Jinsoo see's Kim Nami and Jang Ara approaching the apartment building. He quickly push Nari's head down to hide with Jinsoo doing the same.

"What are you doing?" she ask. 

"I see Kim Nami and Jang Ara"

"They're probably coming back from Ara's house," gasp Nari. 

After the two girls enter the building, Jinsoo takes another peek to make sure the scene was clear. 

"You can go," he said after confirming. 

Nari quickly ran out of the car with the luggage in one hand. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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kimyoonjung #1
Chapter 8: I feel like Sonya is a layer character. I think she's an interesting one. I'm excited to see how things unravel between her and Yebin.
kimyoonjung #2
Chapter 5: The story can get pretty dark at times. I like that you talk about the darker side of kpop entertainment.
kimyoonjung #3
Write more please. So far it's pretty interesting.