OST : Dugeun Dugeun by Lucite Tokki. Please listen while reading. 

 

Every member of CNBLUE was given the right to choose the restaurant they wanted to go with their chosen loyal fan, and Yong Hwa had chosen the Italian restaurant “Tuscany” in the Plaza Hotel Seoul. Elegant yet comfortable, it was Joo Hyeon’s impression with the restaurant. His manager followed them inside, informing the host of Tuscany that they had already booked a private room to dine and chat for four hours and that they were from FNC Company.

The host politely directed them to the private room as his manager left them.

So off they went together, sitting in the private room, Yong Hwa was all smiles while Seo Joo Hyeon was a giddy nervous wreck. The host then explained with flourish the favorite menu and the specials of the day.

They both decided to start with White Bean Cream Soup and Bruschetta.

Seo Joo Hyeon looked around the private room and thought that it must be a very good, expensive restaurant. After there was nothing to look at anymore, she looked at one direction and one direction only.

“Seo Joo Hyeon-ssi……….”

“Ne?”

“You’re staring”

It was like being thrown with a bucket of ice water. She snapped and quickly bowed her head in apology. “Mianheyo, I—“

“It’s okay. I have to admit it’s flattering. But I really prefer if we could talk rather than you just sit in front of me and staring at me.”

“Talk? Ne. Then……….may I ask questions?”

“Go ahead.”

“What’s your next project Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi?”

“Hem…..for CNBLUE, we’re going to record a new Japanese album and soon, we’ll have tours in several cities in Japan.”

“Again?”

There was something in Joo Hyeon’s tone that made Yong Hwa raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean “Again”?”

“Well…………I—honestly, I……think FNC prefers Japanese fans over Koreans.”

“What? Waeyo?”

“They get more concerts and showcases………”

Yong Hwa almost laughed out loud seeing this girl pouting right then and there, close to sulking. He could tell that this girl was a fun person to talk with. Reserved, yes, very, but also endearingly honest.

“It’s not like that. We don’t prefer Japanese fans over Koreans.”

“Then why does it seem so?”

“It’s just……Japanese appreciate music in a whole lot different ways. Personally, I have a feeling that Japanese like our music more than how we look. Koreans are entirely opposite.”

“But—but I like your music too!” Joo Hyeon argued.

“Thank you. Don’t get mad”

“I’m not mad, Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi. I really wouldn’t dare!”

Yong Hwa bit his lip for a second and held his breath, but he finally burst out laughing.

Joo Hyeon wondered whether she had said something wrong.

“Seo Joo Hyeon-ssi. You’re funny”

“Mian—“

“No, no. Don’t apologize again. There really is no need to be angry. After all, like now, we are releasing our Korean album first than the Japanese, right? Just from that, I think we have proved that we always prioritize Korean fans”

Joo Hyeon couldn’t argue that. And their soup and bruschetta came at the very moment.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Ne, gamsahamnida.”

She waited until he tasted his soup before reaching her spoon.

Yong Hwa poured parmesan cheese first and pepper before sipping his soup. Joo Hyeon just directly sampled it.

“What do you think?”

“Just right. Very nice.”

“Great. You have to eat a lot.”

“Ne…….”

The bruschetta tasted great too, and for a while, they said nothing as they swallowed the meal.

“Do you cook, Seo Joo Hyeon-ssi?”

The question surprised her. She looked up immediately, and he seemed like he genuinely wanted to know.

“Not…….really. Maybe that will never be something I’m good at.”

“Ah” Yong Hwa exclaimed, before biting his bruschetta.

Oh dear. Does he hate girls who can’t cook? Wait. It’s nothing to do with me anyway. I’m just his fan.

“I tried…...Omma never stopped trying to teach me. But it always ends up either too salty or bland.”

Yong Hwa grinned.

“Practice makes perfect.”

“I hope so. Yet……I think the best I can be in cooking is making edible food. Not delicious ones.”

After another silence, Joo Hyeon said, “You are good in cooking, right, Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi?”

“I can cook. The boys like it. So either they are always hungry or I am really good at it. I like to think it’s the latter”

“I wish—“ but she stopped herself.

“You could taste my food?” he guessed.

She blushed and nodded.

“Maybe one day in another special fanmeeting I could cook for my fans.”

“I look forward to attend that event too. Hopefully.”

Yong Hwa smiled. As a normal guy, he was appreciating this girl who happened to be his fan. Appearance wise, he had no trouble to admit that she was pretty, in a very natural way. But she was not just the looks, that was evident. She was very, very polite. The funny thing was, instead of it making her awkward, it made her sounded……sweet.

Done with their appetizer, their main course came. She ordered the standard Linguini alla Bolognesse and he had his fettucine alfredo. For a while, she just silently watched him happily attacking his pasta. All slurping sounds and quick successions of the fork entering his mouth.

“Yeah. I really do like pasta. A lot. If that’s what you’re going to comment”.

She smiled shyly and ate hers too, which was utterly delicious. For some time they did nothing but appreciating the food.

Once he was done, she became self-conscious because it was his turn to do nothing but looking at her eating.

“You’re a slow eater” he commented.

She almost choked, but managed to control her breathing and drank some water.

“Will it be impolite if I eat while facing the wall? I almost choked.”

Yong Hwa laughed again. “Ne. I consider people who prefer facing walls than me while eating are impolite.”

“Algessumnida.”

“Do you have anything you want to ask me? I’m all ready for a candid interview.”

“I do! I have several questions” she said, reaching her bag to take her diary where she wrote it down last night, hopeful that she could get the chance.

“You wrote questions in your diary?”

“Ne…….”

“Last night?”

She nodded.

“May I see?” he asked, already reaching out his hand.

She looked doubtful but she gave it to him anyway.

And suddenly, she changed her mind and pulled it back. In turn, he pulled too, and they somehow found themselves tugging at her diary.

“Wae?”

“I can’t.”

“Wae andwae?”

“I—uh—I’m—I’m afraid you’ll look at the other pages”

“Where you write about me?”

“Y—yes”

“Then shouldn’t I be the right person to know?”

“No” she said, tugging with both hands now.

“I promise I won’t turn the other pages.”

She felt torn.

“Ah. So this is it. You like my songs but you don’t trust me?”

She let her diary go immediately. “Of course I trust you.”

“Then I’ll read the questions”

“Ne”

He grinned naughtily and she felt like fanning herself, but decided against it.

“Wah……20 questions!”

“You can only answer one, Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi. Or two”.

“Ahrasseo. What inspires you when you compose songs? Your handwriting is very neat, by the way. It’s easy to read.”

She smiled.

Their dessert came then. Rich zabaglione ice cream. Hers was peach and his was chocolate.

He started eating his zabaglione while considering the answer.

“A lot of things inspire me. Other songs. Movies. People’s conversations. Even the weather. But mostly, I’m inspired by what I feel on everything.”

“Aaaaah” she exclaimed.

“Writing songs is like writing a journal. Except you put a melody in it.”

“So……all of your songs are……honest?”

He was surprised by the question but then nodded eagerly. “Yes. Every one of them.”

She nodded.

“How about you? Have you ever tried writing a song? I mean, you’re studying piano.”

“Hem……I write poems. Sometimes. But no melody plagued me yet.”

“It’s a nice feeling. I hope you’ll be able to do it one day.”

“I’ll try hard.”

He found himself smiling wide again.

“Please tell me something you never told in interviews” he read her diary.

She waited excitedly.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Ne. Jebalyo”

“Do you really, really, really want to knoooooow?”

She joined her hands in a begging pose. “Please tell me.”

“Haha. Okay. Hem……I have my own apartment.”

“Jeongmalyo? So the rumor is true!”

“De? There is a rumor saying I have my own place?”

“Ne.”

“But no fans know where it is, right?”

“As far I know, no.”

“Good”

“Do you……go there often?”

“Only when I’m very tired and want to be alone.”

She absorbed the information, wondering where it was.

“Your turn.”

“Ne?”

“Tell me something about you.”

“I……I have a gift for you.”

“Jeongmal? Oh! Thank you!”

She took a wrapped a gift from her bag and gave it to him.

He carefully opened the bag and retrieved a knitted scarf. There was a card included, so he read,

“To Jung Yong Hwa-ssi,

I knitted this scarf for you. During knitting,

I prayed for your happiness

I prayed for your health

I prayed for your success

But most of all, I prayed that you will always feel satisfied of the life you are leading, despite the difficulties and fatigue you may be having.

Please take care of yourself and keep on shining. I will continue to support you.

With all my heart,

Seo Joo Hyeon”

The card was simple, but the sincerity shot right through his deepest feelings.

This pretty girl in front of him knitted a scarf, sitting nervously facing him. Lucky the man who will have her, one day.

Seo Joo Hyeon started to feel she did something wrong. Was the letter too much? Was the scarf too much?

He unrolled the dark blue scarf, wondering how long she spent her time knitting it.

I’m not sure I deserve this……..

“Thank you so much.”

“I hope you can use it even just once.”

“I will.”

“Because this is February and it’s still chilly. I hope it will keep you warm and you won’t catch a cold if you wear it.”

He bowed, “Jeongmal gamsahamnida.”

She bowed lower. “I am the grateful one”.

They had eaten all of their Zabaglione by then, and she somehow lapsed back into staring at him.

“Seo Joo Hyeon-ssi, if you could go to a place with me, where do you want to go?”

“Ne? Me? Um…..a park. I have always wanted to walk in a park with you. It’s a fan’s wish.”

“…….I can’t freely walk in parks now……mianheyo”

She laughed. “It’s alright, Jeong Yong Hwa-ssi. I understand”.

He was quiet for a while, thinking. Before his face brightened.

“I know! We can go to a rooftop garden!”

“Rooftop garden?”

“It’s the same with a park, right?”

“I……guess so.”

“Somerset Palace has a great rooftop garden. It’s refreshing and looks good. Even more so at night. Do you want to go there?”

“Yes” she answered without considering for even a second.

“We have two hours left” he said, calling his manager to pick them up.

“Is this really alright, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi? You don’t have to trouble yourself too much.”

“No. I’m not troubling myself. And I’m just looking for an excuse to wear this scarf. Walking in a park at night will be windy, right? So much that I will need extra warmth.”

He didn’t have to touch or hug her, Joo Hyeon already felt warmth from his words.

“My manager is waiting at the parking lot. Let’s go?”

“Ne.”

They gathered their things and walked out together. She followed behind him but he tried to even his pace, making them walking side by side. Outside the restaurant, he pushed the button of an elevator and in they went.

To Somerset Palace it is.

*******************************************

Author’s Note :

When I start writing mini-series, I can’t stop until it’s done. So ON16 is put on a week hiatus again. The writing I mean. It’s ok, right? Let me have fun, ne?

I love writing dialogues. You can see it here. I enjoy writing the dialogue and I hope you don’t find it boring.

Unedited again. Now I have the time to only edit the second part. Will find the time to edit this too, eventually.

Thank you so much for those of you who write comments for all my stories. I have less chance to reply now, but please know that I treasure it all very much. It lets me know that I could make people happy and excited (and sometimes frustrated). I like reading all the comments. Sometimes I reread when my class is quiet after the students attack. Haha. No, I’m still enjoying my job, don’t worry. It’s just that I’m getting tired more easily now, since this is Ramadhan. But fighting! Let’s do our best everyday!

I’ll try to update part four as soon as I can.