Chapter 1

Joohyun has been living overseas for the past three years trying to find inspiration for writing. She has been very convoluted with her thoughts that even graduating magna laude from the best university in the country, she never seemed to complete any work. Her father nagged her so much about majoring in Creative Writing. It is not like she can use that for managing at her father’s media company. She would rather be a writer than a managing director, she always thought. Though she loved drawing and photography, her love for writing always came first. She has two older brothers to manage the company so why should she try being tied to something she doesn’t want to do? Her mother was always so supportive about doing what she wanted to do.

The past three years have been hard for her. She lived alone travelling here and there and finally came up with a book that guaranteed to be a best seller after launching for a month today. She went back four days ago since she promised her father that if she does well in writing something, she would take part working in the family business. Now that she’s proved herself to be worthy of anything and not just a daughter of a company owner, she feels like she can go and fulfill her father’s wish.  

Today, the flight was really tiring but Joohyun’s heart is drumming hard. She didn’t need to remind herself that she’s going back. Everything seems to be rushing down too much. All the memories welcoming her felt time is going backwards.

The house she bought was two blocks away from the apartment she used to live in her college days.  Joohyun insisted to be independent that time though her parents were very concerned and against it, through her stubborn nature, they eventually let her. She found an apartment a good thirty-minute walk away from university. She was living alone until her second year but because she needed more money to produce her film project, she found someone willing to share the apartment. A three-bedroom apartment isn’t really that big for her compared to their ancestral home but she needed to do this to get more money. She realized being independent is hard. But her will to show her parents that she can do it was more than that.

“Miss, just let me know if you need anything else”, her personal assistant motioned for her to come out of the car trying to assist her.

“Did you buy that game I wanted? Wait, did you bring my game console?” She inquired excitedly.

“No, miss. I bought the latest one. Don’t forget to let your parents know you’ve arrived. I had been your personal assistant since you were a baby and I know you’d tend to forget everything I say but can you please do it?” Mister Park told her while tugging the luggage in both of his arms.

“I know, I know!” Joohyun is really a bummer in this kind of conversation and starts taking her luggage from Mister Park. “It’s not like I’m still in high school”, finally getting the luggage. “You can go now, I’d like to have some time for myself, alone”, she said without looking back.

Mister Park chuckles and says, “It’s nice that you’re back, miss.”

Arriving at her new home, there wasn’t anything there yet but simple furniture and a bed. She requested four rooms this time, and her father obliged. This house has been remodeled according to Joohyun’s very descriptive instructions. It’s mostly empty space that looks like an architect’s pad since she hasn’t bought anything yet. The game console is there as Mister Park said it would be. She missed gaming as she promised herself she wouldn’t play any game until she becomes a professional writer. The corners of began to rise, smiling like she’s a kid. She jumps onto the dark colored couch. Lying facing the ceiling, and remembering Mister Park still knows her taste in anything. She closes her eyes, drifting into nothing.

There’s that sound again, coming from her phone. Her ringtone for her parents is that one that was the entrance music for Darth Vader in Star Wars. She reaches for it in the coffee table, half of her eyes opened.

She answers it groggily, “Hello?”

“Have you arrived? Did you eat already? What time did you get home?” Joohyun’s mother asked her, enthused; though it is thirty-nine minutes past midnight.

Joohyun forced herself to sit, wincing her eyes so she can try and act maturely conversing with her mother, “Yes, mom. No, mom. Not sure”, she replies fast in a smoky voice that seems to be screaming that she just woke up. That actually didn’t turn out well for trying to sound maturely.

A loud chuckle was all her mother can do, “Sorry for calling this late, I’m just excited to see you tom—I mean later”, her mother seems to check the time for a moment before replying that.  

“Okay, bye”, she says and then hangs up the phone.

Joohyun stood up and went to her room realizing she has been hungry. She decides to go out and do pick up some grocery. She knows her assistant filled the refrigerator with food but she insists on going out in the middle of the night. She needed some air. She knows this neighborhood too well to be afraid to go out. She wonders if she sees someone she knows. Out of all the permutations of the possibility of meeting someone, she knows she’s only expecting one. She throws all her ‘airport fashion’ clothes in the hamper. She thinks of the moment she bought them because now she’s a little recognized for writing The Momentum, some reporters were waiting for her at the airport. Cameras were flashing like she’s a movie star. She’s thinking maybe her father arranged that welcome event for her. That man seems to like getting himself the recognition that her daughter is some big shot writer now, she thought to herself. She finds herself getting some shirt and jeans from the closet. She kept her glasses on in the process of changing her clothes.

Walking the streets where she used to walk everyday three years ago isn’t that bad. That stationary store she bought and splurge from, is now gone but she would think it’s for the better. At least the grocery store is just a block away, she rejoices in her head. Lights are out, and the sky is darker than she recollects.

Entering the grocery store, the owner seems to remember her, “Joohyun, where were you all these years?”

“Just here and there”, Joohyun replied with a big smile on her face looking at the old man and proceeded check the store. “I’m staying for good this time, ahjussi”, she says in a loud voice while walking away.

It’s way bigger than before, she thought. More aisles are to the left. The arrangement seems the same. She goes straight for the wine section which is in the back of the aisles near the frozen section. She picks up two bottles, one in each hand. One is the most expensive from the shelf, the other is the bottle she bought every time she had something so celebrate. She can’t seem to get choose between them.

“The one you’re holding in the left”, a very familiar voice said.

Joohyun knows to well. That familiar voice isn’t just familiar. It’s very special to her ears. She tucks the other bottle where it was placed before she took it. After contemplating for a moment, she turns, urges herself to look at that person and says, “Hi.”

Seulgi. She looks in Seulgi’s eyes. Not sure if she should be happy to see the person she lived with for three years in her college apartment. That one friend she shouldn’t be in love with but she ended doing. Maybe she still does. That one person she was expecting to run into. That one person she wants to run into. It was a bummer she didn’t tell Seulgi before she left three years ago. Seulgi must have graduated too, she thought to herself.

“Are you celebrating that you’ve become a professional writer now?” Seulgi asks her with an awkward and sad smile.

Joohyun turns around getting the bottle she returned earlier, “Would you like to join me? I live near here too.” Too. She thinks it’s a little too much for her to say that. Seulgi must have just been passing by here in the middle of the night. Does she still live in that apartment? Seulgi graduated two years now.

“Yeah, sure. It’s a Friday night, I should live a little”, Seulgi crosses her arms and touches her own elbows. A gesture Joohyun knows too well. Seulgi is nervous. Joohyun is surprised Seulgi went along with her invitation.

“What were you going to buy?” Joohyun asks.

“You’re holding it.” Seulgi replies nonchalantly while walking towards the exit.

Joohyun pays for the wine and steps out as she sees Seulgi waiting for her. She’s still clutching her elbows.

“I won’t you, you know”, Joohyun chimes in from beside her.

A startled look on Seulgi’s face, she replies, “I know.”

They both walk silently through the night. Both of them do not know how to break the ice. Joohyun wanted to, too badly but her heart skips a beat every time she tries to open . There wasn’t a sound and she looks like an idiot opening for nothing.