It was one of those lazy summer days where you’d want to lie down on your bed all day, dreaming about a peaceful life. Lee Jung Shin stretched his long, close-to-thin figure on the battered couch, watching his roommate prepared to go for yet another jam session. Jung Yong Hwa was already a permanent member of CNBLUE, this band that they formed with two other friends, but he enjoyed jamming sessions with more friends. The people stretched from lecturers in their university, café owners, and juniors. This Hyung of him just loved music, plain and simple.

He was known as the campus playboy for their first two years in university. In his third year, he got bored, and decided to stop playing around and remained single. Not because he’s heartbroken. Jung Shin wondered if his Hyung ever did. Also not because he’s not sought after by girls anymore. Love letters, anonymous e-mails and silent phone calls with giggles at the other end, and random smiles from girls in the hallways. You name it. Nope. Jung Yong Hwa was just plainly bored and stopped kissing girls all of a sudden.

Now they’re in the final year, and Jung Shin and the other two have steady, cute girlfriends, while their Hyung, arguably the best looking of them all, was single. Each of them was trying to urge him to date someone pretty and nice, and to humor them, he had agreed to meet those lovelies. But when he didn’t go out with them on Friday nights, he just shrugged to the questions directed at him.

“Just not in the mood” he’d say.

Kang Min Hyuk and Lee Jong Hyun had tried and failed. Now it’s his turn. And he might as well just try it.

“Hyung”

“Huh?”

“How about meeting this girl I know?”

Yong Hwa’s face looked blank for a second, before chuckling in glee.

“You too?”

“Why not? This girl is kinda sweet. She’s the friend of my girlfriend’s friend………..”

“That’s a lot of “friends” in one sentence.”

“I have a feeling. I think she’s the kind that you’ll like.”

“I don’t even really know what my type is. How come you know?”

“Because I’m smart?”

Yong Hwa sighed. “I don’t feel like it.”

“I have her number…….”

“Maybe later” he cut it short, before hastily escaping the room.

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

Im Yoona watched as her best friend meticulously prepared to go to the library. Books, her iPad, her phone, her notebook, and pens that worked well. They were both studying History. Yoona had always thought that she had a knack for history. But Seo Hyeon made her looked like a failing kid with a C. Seo Hyeon lived the subject. She could talk for an hour about the Shilla Era. You better not make her start on important historical dates or you’d be knocked flat.

Often times, Yonna perceived it would be more appropriate for Seo Hyeon to live 300 hundred years ago, with flowing hanbok, pretty hair jewels, playing gayageum near a river. She would be so perfect in the ancient times.

They were friends since they were toddlers, and Yoona had high concern of this particular friend's well-being. The problem was, Seo Hyeon had never really have a boyfriend. She’s more than 20 now, for God’s sake! Apart from three dates, she never had any love life.

Yoona was one of the campus's flowers. Everyone said she was pretty. But the thing was, she had always secretly thought her best friend looked better. It seemed unfair that this dear being was so…..so……single!

Yoona herself was currently single, but she had a fair share of love stories. She wanted Seo Hyeon to experience the same thing.

“Hyeonnie?” she asked carefully.

“Hm?” the girl responded absent mindedly, slipping into her flat shoes.

“Fancy meeting this nice guy Sooyoung Unnie knows?”

Dead silence, before Seo Hyeon turned to her best friend in surprise.

“Why?”

Yoona tried to tone down her nervous thoughts, “Why not?”

“I don’t think so. I have no time for guys right now.”

“Hyeonnie?”

“Yes?”

“You got straight A for two whole years. You can relax a bit, you know?”

“The problem is, I want straight A for the full four years” she grinned. “See you later, Yoona!”

Yoona waved in defeat and turned to the fridge, looking for comfort food.

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

The bus was already crowded when she hopped in. She slipped in between people and managed to find one handle to hang on to. She focused on calming herself, trying to breathe normally, and reminded herself that it’s only for one stop before the university. People were trying not to crush each other and avoiding eye contacts.

A few seconds before the stop, she prepared to jostle out. But when the bus screeched for a halt, she felt her skirt being pulled from the front.

Oh God, no! Is there any erts around?

Panicking, she caught the edges of her dress but it kept being pulled until half of her whole thighs were showing. She was torn between furious and wanting to cry and followed the way her skirt was pulled. She came almost crushing to the back of a guy, who—didn’t even realize what was happening.

It was just an accident.

And then he moved forward to the door, making her skirt pulled up higher.

Oh, no!

“Stop!” she yelled, catching the guy’s elbow. “Please don’t move further! You’re pulling at my skirt!”.

The whole bus turned to a hush silence. All the people who were calmly avoiding each other’s eyes stared at her direction.

So did the guy whose elbow she was pulling.

He looked around to realize everyone was looking at him.

“Sorry. Do you mean me?”

“Yes!”

“But I don’t—“ he looked down. And his eyes widened at the display of milky white thighs and a skirt being lifted up.

For two seconds, he just stared with his jaw dropping, eyes widening.

Before he came to his senses and reached down.

“Mianheyo! I didn’t know! It’s—your skirt is stuck onto my chain!!! Wait, I’ll try to take it off!”

He bent down and tried to pull it off, but he couldn’t. It was too crowded with people getting out and he couldn’t properly see what he was doing.

“Let’s get down first. I’ll help you outside”

Seo Hyeon followed him out but stopped hesitantly at the door. The front side of her skirt was almost completely exposed and she didn’t know what to do without making the guy in front of her saw her underwear.

She was near to tears when the guy finally scooped her waist and brought her down with him.

She was too shock to say anything and the bus drove away.

The guy pulled back, shrugged off the guitar case he was carrying, took off his jacket, and quickly tied it around her waist, before bending down and had another try to separate the chain and the skirt.

He regretted wearing the stylish chain now. It was one of those chains that came with that fashionable wallet. He thought he looked cool wearing something silver like that. Not anymore though. Not if it caused this somebody almost crying. He swore he’d never wear it again.

The skirt was of soft material that fit for summer attires. There was no way he could pull his chain off without ruining it.

“Do you bring a scissor?”

The girl shook her head.

“I don’t think I can pull this chain without ruining your skirt.”

“It’s okay.”

“It will have a small tear, at the very least”

“Just do it please, quick!”

Those eyes would be wet with tears, he bet, in less than 10 seconds. He sighed and finally just pulled his chain. A faint fabric tearing sound could be heard. But it was only around 5 cm and barely visible.

“There.”

“Gamsahamnida” she bowed, straightening it to its rightful place and took off his jacket from her waist.

“Gamsahamnida” she said once more as he received the jacket back from her hand.

“Aniya. Jeongmal mianhamnida!”

She shook her head, “It was an accident.”

She bowed and turned away.

“Wait!” he called.

She turned back to look questioningly at him.

“You’re going to the university?”

“Ne”

“I’m going there too. Where are you heading?”

“The main library”

“I can walk you there, if you don’t mind. It’s the least I can do”

She thought for a while before nodding.

And the two strangers walked together side by side.

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

On the way, he found out that she’s just starting her third year in History and loved reading more than watching TV.

She found out that he’s on his fourth year on Creative Music and that he played guitar because he loved it.

He learned more that she thought English was easy and that she played piano since she was five.

She learned more that he wrote music and would enlist in the army as soon as he graduated.

Had the walk been longer, they would learn more about each other.

“I’m Jung Yong Hwa” he said, offering a hand, “and once again, mianhada.”

“I’m Seo Joo Hyeon”, she accepted his hand, “and it’s ok. Thank you for helping me and walking me here.”

Yong Hwa smiled, bowed, and walked away.

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

What a nice girl, he thought.

A truly nice guy, she mused.

And then they forgot all about it for the rest of the day.

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

The next Monday was a hot day, and Yoona decided to eat Patbingsoo with her best friend.

The place near the bus stop was rather crowded and there were lines at the ordering counter. Fixed with the wish of eating it, they waited patiently in line. Finally, their turn came and they exchanged place with the guys who ordered before them.

“Oh!” Seo Hyeon exclaimed.

The guy holding the tray with the patbingsoo bowls smiled in recognition. “You! Annyeong!”

“Annyeonghaseyo, Jung…….”

“—Yong Hwa. Aigoo. Seo Joo Hyeon-ssi, is my name that hard to remember?”

Seo Hyeon blushed.

Yoona asked in unison with the guy beside Yong Hwa, “You two know each other?”

And then they all laughed awkwardly.

“Sorry. Can you guys hurry up? We don’t have all day, you know!” the people behind them started to get mad and they all bowed to apologize.

“We’ll find a table. Care to join us?” Yong Hwa asked.

“Sure” Yoona answered.

Yong Hwa walked away with his friend while Yoona elbowed her friend. “Yah! Who’s that? He’s so handsome!”

“Just…..someone I met on the bus yesterday”

“What happened? Tell me!”

“Ahjumma, two patbingsoos please!” Seo Hyeon ordered, avoiding to answer the question.

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

They enjoyed the sweetened ice beverages together, talking about what they like and dislike, the new movies in cinemas, year-end exams and making thesis while still having fun. It flew quickly to music and it was a topic they followed even more enthusiastically. They showed the most played songs recently in their playlist one after the other.

Kang Min Hyuk, Yong Hwa’s friend with the eye smile, showed that it was “Move Like Jagger” by Maroon 5.

Yoona showed that it was “Like This” by Wonder Girls.

Yong Hwa showed that for him, it was “Burn It Down” by Linkin Park.

And Seo Hyeon showed that it was “Kiss The Rain” by Yiruma.

Her unusual pick was much discussed and she said she just happened to like the song and put it on repeat that month because it was calming, helped her study, and make her easier to sleep.

Jung Yong Hwa might stare at her longer than necessary after that, and she looked away times and times again.

If the other two noticed that, they didn’t show it.

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

It’s not anybody’s business. But he downloaded a bunch of Yiruma's songs after that, listening to it wherever he went, and thought that he could understand why she liked it.

The first chance she was online, she accessed iTunes and downloaded Linkin Park’s songs. Just to broaden her knowledge. She decided that the lyric was poignant and……sincere.

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

Once was definitely a coincidence. Twice was a probability. But what about a thrice?

The next time they met, it was at a flea market shop. Antique but inexpensive, and definitely unique.

She liked to go there for secondhand books. It was one of her favorite shops.

That afternoon, she was there on tiptoes, trying to get a book above her height.

A hand helped her and offered the book.

She looked up to a smiling face.

“Jung Yong Hwa-ssi!”

If he commented that my voice sounded breathless, I’m going to say I’m tired trying to reach that book.

“Hey, you. You’re everywhere lately. Are you stalking me?”

She grinned. “It’s not the other way around?”

They smiled at each other and were trying to find more things to say when a voice called, “Hyung?”

“Ah. This is Lee Jong Hyun. I’m here to accompany him to find a last minute birthday present for his girlfriend”

“Annyonghaseyo. Lee Jong Hyun imnida!”

Done with the introduction, Jong Hyun whispered a desperate, “Crap. I don’t know what to give her!”

It sounded frustrated and Joo Hyeon heard it.

“I can help…….if you’d like.”

“Jeongmalyo? Please! Thank you so much!”

“Um….” she walked around between tables and shelves.

“What would your girlfriend like?”

“Um……something pretty.”

“Favorite color?”

“Pink!” he answered, relieved to say it, as if it would solve everything.

She walked more between trinkets and silvers, before pointing to a pretty music box. She approached the item and opened it. It played a lovely tune with a perfect sound, complete with a ballerina spinning around in a pink dress.

“I think she will like this.”

“Perfect!” Lee Jong Hyun agreed. “Thank you so much! I shall buy this!”

“Wait! Fill it with something! A…..bracelet! Or a necklace!”

She walked to the jewels on display at the left corner of the shop and found an antique little locket. The one where you could put two pictures side by side. The carvings outside the locket was  a fleur de lis.

“How about this?”

“You’re a heaven sent!” Lee Jong Hyun praised excitedly, bowing and taking the two items hurriedly to the cashier and asked for them to be wrapped.

After that he bowed to her and his Hyung, and fled out the shop.

“The birthday is today?”

“Yup”

“Cham. He should've done this earlier!”

“He forgot.”

“What???” Seo Hyeon asked, incredulous.

“Trust me, it happens often to guys. It doesn’t mean we don’t care for the girls though. We just find it hard to remember important dates.”

“Hm. Maybe that’s why there are more girls than guys in History class.”

“I suppose.”

She walked to pay her book, and Yong Hwa offered, “Can I buy you a cup of coffee? To thank you for helping my friend. If you didn’t help him, his girlfriend might throw a fit.”

“………….I don’t like coffee.”

Yong Hwa instantly felt dejected.

“But you can buy me tea.”

And it instantly turned to a lopsided smile.

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

It ended as coffee, tea, and pasta. He said he was also starving.

They talked about things. And people.

She said she studied history because she liked stories. And history was true stories.

He liked writing songs, and hoped to be the one who would rule the K-Pop world with his songs one day.

You might succeed, she said.

I was bad at History, just always managed not to fail it in high school.

I’ve always wanted to play guitar, she confessed. But never got the chance to do that.

After staring at each other for almost one minute without saying anything, full and content, he said,

“I enjoy talking with you. Can I have your number? Let’s text each other everyday.”

She tilted her head to the right, considering thoroughly.

Before taking her phone from her purse.

And so it all began.

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

To be continued.

Author’s Note :

July 1, 2012

Hello, my friends! Something I’ve been wanting to write for a while now. Sorry for the not so original title, but I guess it fits the story completely.

I also have this wish of writing something innocent for a while, after the you know what scenes in ON15. I’m afraid if I don’t do this, I’ll lose my ability in writing innocent stories.

I also watched The Flowers of War yesterday. It was a hearbreaking, painful, yet amazing movie that left me with a sad and heavy feeling. I’m healing myself with writing this.

For those who are concerned, I am recovering well from asthma attacks and is slowly detaching myself from boiled food.

Thank you so very much for all of you who commented on ON15. Please know that I cherish each and everyone of it, reading it with a happy and grateful feeling. Though I can’t reply it one by one anymore, it made me think that writing Yongseo fics is still worth it and still could make people happy.

With that said, please tell me what you think about this one too.

Have a great Sunday.

I think this story will end with one more part. Which I will write tomorrow.

Will come back to edit. Hope you still enjoyed it though.

PS : Are you enjoying the Raining Hints Month from Yongseo as much as I do?

04.07. 2012 : edited.

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

Monday, 24 December 2018

I'm on holiday so I could edit and crosspost this. 

There's a tsunami in the northern West Java area in my country, and 281 people died. Please pray for the victims, and hopefully there won't be more disaster next year T_______T