With the cold weather, there occurred a warm wedding of a PD inside a church surrounded by family, friends and of course the actors and idols who he met through dramas.

The golden lights glimmered on Sohyun’s tear drop earrings as she bowed greeting everyone who passed by her aisle seat. While her seat gave the obligation to greet everyone who pass by, a familiar voice greeted her back, “Sohyun-sshi… how have you been?” It turned her head to look up at the person’s face.

“Park Bogum-sshi! It’s been a long time!”, she greeted in reminiscence, but the person behind him who bowed caught her attention.

“Sohyun-sshi, it’s been a week, since we spoke and been some long hours since we texted!”, Taehyung who shocked her with his sudden appearance told gleefully.

“Ye… yea (Yes)”, Sohyun words got struck.

“Ya! Mind your words in public!”, Bogum warned him and dragged him away to their seats leaving Sohyun speechless.

Though she complied her insecurities inside a cage called ‘friends’, whenever someone came across them, she felt being exposed like they were in a relationship.

She saw them taking their seats in the row which was diagonally opposite to her. Since she was a row behind him, he turned his head and mouthed, “Hi again!”

After checking around, with just the breath escaping her lips, she mouthed, “What are you doing here?”

His body unconsciously and completely aligned towards her while trying to focus on reading her lips. Deciphering her lip movements, he shaped his lips, innocently answering. “PD’s wedding…” Bogum who was beside him, tapped his thigh to remind him about the camera eyes around them. Ignoring him, Taehyung directed his attention back to Sohyun, but found her ignoring his gaze. He sighed disappointed.

But in the four minutes of ‘ignoring’ him, she found her eyes visiting him at every pass of a minute.

When he suddenly turned his head to look at her again, he caught her eyes and smiled victoriously while waving his hand at her.

Flustered and embarrassed, she immediately looked away to avoid his smiles and waves, and just kept him in the hindsight.

But, when he caught her looking at him, his playful nature peeked through his composure. He took out his phone from his pocket and called her.

When Sohyun’s phone lit up with a call, her eyes widened on seeing his name on the caller id. She silenced the call and looked at him bewildered.

He shifted the phone to the other ear, assuring her that it was really him on the other end of her call, he mouthed, “Pick up!”

Yielding in, she picked it up greeting him while whispering, “Oye!”

Oye! (he replied carefully to not mention her name)

Who is this? (She teased his carefulness)

YOUR EX-BOYFRIEND! (His voice which got amplified due to frustration, got the attention of a man in front of him who gave him a glare)

His loud voice through the phone also got the attention of a grandma who was seated beside her. Perplexed by the loudness of his voice, she turned the volume down and pressed the phone against her ears tightly to not let any decibel escape.

The number you’ve dialled is not reachable… please never call again (Sohyun whispered imitating the automatic voice message)

Ok, I won’t call. But shall we meet?  (The man who glared, sighed at Taehyung’s words which seemed like a clingy ex-boyfriend. But not minding the stares, they continued their conversation with their gaze on each other)

Isn’t it a mistake, befriending an ex-boyfriend? (Her words shocked the grandma seated beside her. And she was more astounded upon finding that the guy who was talking to her is just a row apart)

Sure, it is. But can we make the mistake over a cup of coffee?

(Sohyun’s eyes widened at his invitation for a coffee)

It’s Saturday tomorrow, you don’t have any schedule, right?

(Her silence left his invite hanging in the air)

Yes? Or… Yes!

NO!

(His cheeky smile vanished at her no)

May be…

(He regained his smile)

May be not!

(He lost it again)

Bye!

DON’T HANG UP! (his whisper gained decibel and attention)

I have… Good bye!

She hung up on him and tried her best to spare her attention to the wedding ceremony. While Taehyung sheepishly smiled at his success, people around him reminded him to stay composed.

While everyone gathered for the photo session, Sohyun and Taehyung shared a photo with the newly wed couples, among the many actors who came for the wedding. The photo that clicked showed the wide distance between them, obviously failed to capture how close they are. Pictures are witnesses that speak for themselves, and it never tells the story beyond it, which, of course, went convenient for them.

As the buffet drew the attention in the afternoon, Taehyung, Bogum, Sohyun and few others shared the same table with the newly wed couple. The couple talked on how they became each other’s ideal type, and suddenly they turned their question at Sohyun.

“My ideal type?”, Sohyun asked, flustered at the sudden interrogation especially with Taehyung by her side.

Seeing her perplexed the bride said, “No need to name anyone, just name the qualities you expect!”

After taking a sip from the glass of water, she spoke, “A well-mannered person who keeps anger at the bay…” and as she continued pinning down the points on anger management, composure etc., Taehyung clenched his teeth murmuring, “Don’t let me find that person first…” and balled his fist.

Hearing his murmurs, Bogum teased, “Did you say something Taehyung-shi?”

“Huh?!”, Taehyung exclaimed. Since Bogum’s words turned everyone’s attention on him, forcing a smile, he said, “I said ‘All the best’ to Sohyun… to find that ideal person…”

While Bogum covered his mouth to curtail his laughter, Taehyung cleared his throat reminding him of the public space. Even before Taehyung could finish his meal, he received the call demanding his return. The moment he ended the call, his eyes fell on Sohyun who pretended to be not bothered by the call. He sighed and apologised to the newlyweds for taking off abruptly. Leaving the meal half done, he excused himself and left in a hurry.

Sohyun’s eyes followed him to the entrance and sent him off while expecting, “Why won’t you take a second look at me?” With her eyes fixated at his empty seat, she mumbled, “A lot can happen before a coffee”, and before anyone could notice her disappointment, she regained her composure.

Taehyung who arrived at his agency saw the entire artists and trainees gathered at the conference hall. Making his way down the stairs of the hall, his eyes wandered the rows looking for s. Thankfully, Jimin noticed Taehyung and waved his hands in the air, thus helping Taehyung to locate them. As he took his seat beside Jimin, Taehyung asked, “What’s with the ruckus?”

“It’s just a meeting! Why are you so annoyed?”

Taehyung just sighed in response.

His reaction made Jimin utter in recollection, “Ahh… You were with-”

Taehyung immediately covered his mouth to stop him from uttering her name, but Jungkook who is oblivious of their act, asked casually, “Did you meet Sohyun-sshi?”

Hearing him other members exclaimed together, “Sohyun-sshi?”

Taehyung facepalmed at their chorus which gained the suspicious stares from the fellow artists under the radius of two entire rows. But he was saved by the commotion on arrival of Director with an acquaintance.

As everyone stood to show their respect, Taehyung unconsciously rose on his feet on seeing the person. The person who showed him the way to the city of breakup was standing on the podium with the director. As if everything came to still, he stood staring at him in silence. At the ruffle of everyone trying to sit back, he got his senses back and sat silently with his crossed arms.

He didn’t come as a professor or as director’s friend or as Sohyun’s family friend whom she calls as her uncle but as a brother of a former idol. With the microphone attached to his shirt, he stood scanning the entire hall with a proud but a sad smile and spoke, “Annyeonghaseyo (Hello), I’m Han Il Sung-nimida. I’m…”, he paused and hesitated, “I’m elder brother of a former idol, Han JiAh… who is no more… I’ve been called here on her birthday to refresh our memories of her”. With lots of hesitation he continued, “Our family is very small, it had her, me and my wife. I don’t know what she meant for the world… For us, Han Jiah always meant singing. But for her, singing meant everything. She used to either sing or talk about song… like pitch, rhythm, tempo…”, as he talked, Taehyung’s crossed arms soon released. With a smile, he continued, “My wife never understood anything she said…  But we always listened to whatever she said. Even she used to ask only us, if she wanted anything… One day she came up to us and said she wanted to be an idol, we listened smiling. Then, she came back with a guy and introduced him as her boyfriend, we listened smiling.  And soon, she came back in a coffin and never said anything anymore…”, his breath continued to speak as his voice choked, “We put her awards and boxed it with her… The last time we spoke with her… we told her to take enough rest and she said, ‘Don’t worry…I will take a long sleep after the sunset’ and I ridiculously replied, ‘Good girl!’. I’m not gonna hung my head because she committed suicide… I’m gonna keep my head held high coz, my sister did her best as an idol!”

Among the loud claps at his speech that filled the entire hall, his ‘Thank you’, silenced.

By the time he finished his speech, Taehyung’s blazing vigour and anger dissolved like a dust. All these years of anger and blame stood up for nothing.

As he left the hall, Taehyung rushed out to meet him. Running through the stairs before the crowd gathers, he stood in front, blocking him in the middle of hallway while panting. With his hand tied behind, his chest rose and subsided at the breathlessness. While the director looked at Taehyung cluelessly, Prof. Han explained, “He is my student… I guess he came to meet me…”

Taehyung’s felt lost and confessed, “I came running with the sole purpose of meeting you… but I don’t know what to talk or speak about after meeting you!”

While the director bewildered at his words, Prof. Han calmly said, “Will you spare us some time?”

“Sure!”, the director said gladly and left after saying, “I’ll wait for you in the meeting room Mr. Han!”

Prof. Han nodded with a thanking smile and faced Taehyung who stood with pursed lips. “So?”

“I never knew you had a sister…”, Taehyung started.

“Even Sohyun learned about it only after your breakup…”

“So that’s why… she is keeping her distance now”, Taehyung murmured but loud enough to reach Prof. Han’s ears.

“Do you think her relationship is what cost her life?”

“It’s not easy to pinpoint… it was one of the reasons… Her hard work was never enough, because people (agency) always put a ‘but’ in her performance coz she is in a relationship…” Taehyung continued to lend his ears quietly while he continued, “We wished for flowers, instead people threw pebbles… All her wishes are torn into shreds and thrown into thorn by that ‘love’. Relationship gave love to their dreams and warmth, and only after they woke up from the dream, they did realize their body was full of bruises…”

“I don’t know when it became ok to show hate openly… But were all people like that? Some might be standing up for her right?”

“They say, world suffers most from the silence of good people than from the violence of bad ones…” Prof. Han smirked and continued, “I always wondered, if I had not just listened and spoke against their relationship or even expressed an ounce of displeasure at their relationship, she would’ve had second thoughts about revealing her relationship… and she could’ve been alive!”

“She might’ve been alive but not happy… If she had loved that person and will be living her life without him, she must’ve been pretending to be happy…”

“No one can draw conclusions from a hypothetical situation…”

“Life cannot be complete without failures… Even the gold turns into a stunning ornament only after it has gone through the cycle of being in fire and subsequently cooled in water…”

“Easier said than done…”

“True… it’s not easier…  But it is just difficult and reasonably possible… Do you think I haven’t been through trials? If you need more, I’ll prove it through my life!”, he bowed thanking him for his time and took his leave.

As Taehyung walked away, Prof. Han smiled wondering if that person was the same one, he met years ago.

That night, the net buzzled with the wedding photos of the PD, the people were more fascinated about the celebrities who were at the wedding than the wedding itself. Seeing Taehyung as the only idol among the actors, people started to speculate his future projects in acting industry and his acquaintance with fellow actors in the photo. Noticing a photo of the newlyweds with just Taehyung, Bogum and Sohyun, people added her to the Taehyung’s acquaintance list.

The next day’s afternoon seemed brighter than the usual. The yellow rays of the sun fell on the trees that had lost its leaves to the winter casting the shadow of the branches over her window on the second level. Her room felt brighter waking her up from the power nap. Dragging herself from the bed, she headed to restroom to wash her face. With the towel covering her eyes, she stepped out of the restroom while wiping her face. As her sight and mind recovered from the blurriness of sleep, she saw the orange tinge that filled her white room and a suspicious shadow that fell through the window. Before she could fully explore the naturally lit room, doorbell demanded her attention. Since everyone who was sharing the house was away for the weekend, she ran downstairs to attend the door.  

Wearing a jumpsuit which looked like a uniform of a delivery man, Taehyung stood holding two americanos in his hand while wearing a cap and a mask to hide his face. She flustered at the abruptness and his unexpected arrival. Though he was wearing a mask, she could see his wide smile behind it.

Crossing her arms, with narrowed eyes she walked down the stairs in the porch, asking, “What are you doing here?”

He tilted his head at the unexpected question and answered, “Didn’t we agree to have a coffee date?”

Her eyes looked around to check the presence of people and never paid attention to him.

Seeing her anxious, he said, “Oh about that... fear not. I have a confidant on the lookout!” Seeing her eyes darting between the coffee holder and him, he responded, “In case if you had forgotten about our date or wondered about the reason for meeting you, I bought these on the way… to make you remember at once! Am I overacting?”

She smiled and said, “Had anyone else opened the door? Mom was here with me in the morning… what if she had opened the door? Mom doesn’t like this at all!”

“I agree… It’s reasonable to get angry. I completely understand them”, he said agreeing to her which made Sohyun speechless. He continued, “But I know that she isn’t here… I saw your mom leaving this building an hour ago… Yeri isn’t home too, Jungkook said”

“Wha-”, Sohyun’s mouth was agape at his words.

“Is there anybody at home now?”, he asked anxiously, “Prof Han, isn’t here right?”

She chuckled.

“Gosh!”, he mumbled placing his hand over his chest as if he was calming his racing heart, “Don’t laugh like that Sohyun-ah!”

She rolled her eyes. “With your busy schedules… I thought you’d have forgotten…”

He raised his brow at her confession.

“Really… I never thought you will come again…”

He smiled at her seemingly praise words.

“What do you want?”, she asked softly considering the efforts he had taken to meet her, especially renting a shop owned van, to fit in his role.

“We’ve to talk, get familiar… catch up on the years we missed…”, when he felt her dubious stare, he completed his sentences with, “I thought of trying it out… as friends! So, can I take you out? For a dinner or coffee?”

“I don’t think it’s possible…”

His face shrunk at her rejection

“It’s not that easy to meet outside, right?”

His face beamed on hearing her reason, “So meeting me is possible… just meeting outside is difficult, right?”

She nodded reluctantly.

“Then we won’t have any problem with that!”

Seated inside the van beside each other, with the americano in hand, and somewhere between ‘her outing’ and ‘his date’, the evening kicked off. Parking the van beside the sunset in the Han River, they stayed inside savouring the talk.

They spoke… oblivious to the dark night, the building lights, the stars and the obviously the time. By the time they looked through the window, Han River had turned into a romantic destination. Their conversation had her talk and his reaction. He never said anything but just listened and responded.

As the moments passed, he found himself staring at her and drowning in the sight. Seeing her holding on to the empty coffee cup, he stretched out his hand to get it. While he received the cup, the hands that never held each other for years, felt the spark at the light brush of the fingers. Sohyun diverted herself from it while he got struck in it.

Getting comfortable, Sohyun removed her neck scarf and rubbed her nape which had gone sore because of keeping her head turned to one side while talking with him.

“Feeling uncomfortable? Should I-”, before Taehyung could suggest changing seats, she removed her footwear, placed her bare feet over the seat while hugging her knees and aligned herself to face him straight.

“Were you saying anything?”, she asked him casually.

Seeing her comfortably seated beside him with all her eyes and ears lend to his words and him… His eyes quivered at the memories of her forehead being kissed, cheeks being caressed, lips being nibbled, neck-

Before the flashes of memories could fade, he cupped her cheek in his palm ad caressed it gently with his thumb.

Lost in his eyes that engulfed her vision, she stayed still.

He slowly leaned in and pressed his lips against her forehead. As he withdrew, he scanned for any hints of rejection. Not finding any, he closed in, sitting on the edge of the seat he cupped her cheeks with one hand and slid the other hand behind her neck and covered with his lips.

Author’s thoughts:

Hello! Thank you for reading this chapter :)

I couldn’t give it my best in this chapter… coz of some other things… I’m sorry. I hope you forgive all kinds of mistakes.

And I decided to give Kwak a rest… I’m really sorry, if you’ve been expecting from him (I didn’t want to drag the love triangle… He really deserves a main role… in both fanfiction and drama)

Few more chapters to go… Thanks for holding on :) See you next weekend :)