Ahn's Story
Summer Breeze (여름 바람)Ahn inserts the car key again, this time taking a long hopeful breath as she twists it to start the engine of an old Ford F-250 pickup truck that she found in the junkyard last week. She has been spending all of her free times ever since, fixing this glorious baby blue vintage. Ahn never takes more than 3 days to fix a car and she always makes sure to keep that record. However this time, it has been a whole freaking week and the only sound she hears now is a few shrieks from the engine before it stops. She twists the key for the third time now while her right foot stepping onto the accelerator pedal hoping to give it a boost but the outcome is still the same.
She groans and hits the steering wheel furiously, "Stupid old truck!"
Ahn leans back on the driver sit and sighs heavily. She knows from the start that fixing an old engine won't be the same as the new ones but she never thought it would be this difficult and frustrating. She closes her eyes and tries to figure out any other ways to fix this beast before her phone rings, cutting the silence she is looking for. Her right hand reaches inside her jeans pocket and instinctively swipes the screen to answer the caller without even looking.
"Yes?" Ahn answers with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
She hears a deep chuckle from the line and quickly rolls her eyes knowing who the caller is now.
"Still struggling with Highboy?"
"Shut up."
"You know I can fix it in a blink, babe."
Ahn softens at the pet name as she hums in defeat, "I know but I want to try it on my own."
"Even if it means breaking your 3-days record?", the male's voice teases.
Ahn finds herself rolling her eyes again at his reply.
"Even if it means fixing it for a wholeass year."
She hears him laughing over the phone, "Okay babe, goodluck with that. Can we meet up? I missed you."
"At our usual place?"
"Yes."
"I'll be there in ten."
Ahn finds her cheeks blushing lightly after the call ended. Her relationship with Changkyun is considered a long run for many and she believes it too. They are already at a year and a half of being a couple and truth to be told, that is quite hard for a teenage couple to achieve. After her father's death, Ahn grieved day and night, devastated by the fact that she will never have a chance to create better memories with him. Being the best doctor in town, her father was too greedy towards the fame and recognition that he was willing to devote his life in the hospital just to be the words of the town with the number of cured patients in his hands. Ahn never gets to feel his love because he was never home.
Just when she thought things couldn't get any worse, her mother found a new lover in a span of a few weeks and he immediately moved in. Ahn did not agree with the decision but she had no dominance in that argument. She learned that her mother did not genuinely love her father and was only after his wealth. She felt deceived and started becoming rebellious and selfish. She started to ignore her studies and her results were deteriorating day by day until she almost got kicked out of her school. That was when Changkyun came into the picture. He was assigned to be her tutor as the school's last resort to help Ahn and their friendship grew from that day onwards. Exactly a month after, Changkyun asked her to be his girlfriend and she immediately said yes. Despite the growing attraction that they both felt, she was lonely and he was the only one there helping her to cope with the struggles and bringing her back into who she used to be. Maybe that was why Ahn didn't think twice when he popped the question. Changkyun is the best at fixing cars and she learned it from him.
Ahn arrives at their usual dating spot, a deserted uphill with an amazing view of the city and sees him sitting casually on his black motorbike. Her heart skips a beat at his handsome side view while he plays with his phone. They hangout there for an hour or two as usual, asking about each other's day and laughing at each other's stupid jokes. Casually killing time like there's no tomorrow.
"Have you found a place to stay?" he asks.
Ahn sighs, "No. I haven't even started looking for it yet."
"Your first term starts in less than a month, babe."
"I know. Just. I've been busy with Highboy."
"Thought you could fix it within three days?", he teases.
Ahn whines grumpily and slaps his thigh, making sure to glare at her boyfriend. Changkyun chuckles lowly and brings his fingers up to tuck strands of hair that are covering half of her face from his view behind her ear. She blushes and looks away instantly, swatting his hand to show as if she is not affected by it.
"A friend of mine told me that his aunt is renting a house and I heard it's near your college."
"No thanks, I'll find my own place to stay," she answers firmly, eyes still looking away from him.
One thing about Ahn is that she doesn't like to be told what to do. Even if the idea is in her best favor, she will object at first and try to find a thousand excuses or ways to do it otherwise before actually thinking about how good the idea is. It's a habit. One that she knows she must get rid of but it's hard and life is still young so maybe later.
"Just give it a try. Hmm?"
"No."
But she ends up living in that house anyway because by a week before the term starts, Highboy is still far from getting fixed. The house is just nice of a size - a medium spaced living room and kitchen, two bedrooms with attached bathrooms each, a small empty room which her other four housemates decided to make use as something else and a tiny balcony that shows a quiet view of an empty alley. Coming from a wealthy family, this is nothing compared to her house but procrastination pays its fee and Ahn is fine with it as long as she's not living with her mom anymore.
It is already halfway through the first term and it is Tuesday which means Ahn only has one class for the day. Tuesday is always the most boring day of the week because although she is free, the other girls happen to have the fullest class today. So instead of going back home after class, Ahn decides to just take a random stroll on the streets when she finds a new donut parlor at the end of one street. Her eyes twinkles at the shop sign written 'The Donutery' and her lips form a wide, wide smile. Donuts are Ahn's biggest happiness. She can be in a serial killer mood but with just a donut, she will be the brightest girl ever.
"Can I have one glazed donut and one maple donut to takeaway please," Ahn asks politely, almost excitedly.
Everybody knows that it is against all odds to see Ahn being polite especially to a stranger. That is how huge donuts affect her behavior. However, the female worker ignores her presence and continues doing her job with an annoyed face, placing the newly baked double chocolate donuts onto a display tray. It is impossible for the worker to not hear her because she is literally right in front of Ahn but because of her love towards donut, Ahn gathers her patience (which is very uncommon) and clears to gain the worker's attention.
"One glazed donut and -"
"Tch," the worker rolls her eyes and finally looks at Ahn only to feel intimidated by her deathly glare.
Since Ahn is naturally taller than an average Korean girl's height, the female worker whom Ahn finally knows goes by the name of Sera as written on her nametag has to look up to meet her eyes before quickly nodding and stumbling to put the other donuts aside to prepare for Ahn's order. It is a long silence before she hands out a small brown paper bag containing Ahn's donuts and mentions the total price of her order. Ahn pays for her donut and leaves the place only after giving one last warning glare to Sera. It is definitely Sera's lucky day and she has to thank the donuts for it.
Ahn is driving her car with one hand holding the steering wheel while another one holding the glazed donut, feeding herself once in a while. She is heading to Changkyun's house which is a long 30 minutes drive away. Changkyun has been in and out of the radar which she has grown used to ever since she started college. She tries to be understanding, thinking maybe he has got busier with works and studies. She knows Changkyun would still find a way to reply her though it sometimes takes a few days later but for the past two weeks, he has stopped replying her texts nor answering her calls which drives Ahn to pay him a surprise visit.
Changkyun is from a wealthy family just like her so his house is situated in an elite residential area. Ahn finds his house easily since she has been here many times before and rings the doorbell twice. She stands in front of his house, leaning her back against the car while waiting for someone to answer. Ahn presses the bell three times this time after waiting for a good one minute of silence. It is when a neighbor comes out to take something from his car that he greets Ahn.
"Hey, I haven't seen you in a long time!" the man who is probably in his mid thirty chirps.
Ahn laughs and bows politely to him. Of course they know each other, although not often, the older guy sometimes sees Changkyun and her lounging outside of his house. They did talk to each other before for maybe a few times.
"Been busy with college."
"Ahh, I missed being in college. Good old days. Make good memories while you are at it, okay?" the older guy advices and Ahn only nods with a smile before pressing the doorbell again.
"What are you doing here kid?" he continues, blinking his eyes at Ahn in confusion.
She tilts her head slightly at his weird question. Of course she is here to meet Changkyun, what else? He knows that too, he is supposed to know that too. Just when Ahn about to reply his question, the older guy resumes.
"They moved away I think around two weeks ago."
Ahn feels her heart missed a beat. She stares at him trying to find any hints on his face that he is just joking but fails. It can't be. Changkyun can't be leaving her without notice right? If anything, she is his girlfriend. She has to know everything at least about him leaving the town. Was it why he didn't pick up her calls or answer her texts anymore? Was it why he was in and out of the radar like a floating bubble? Thousands of questions flood her mind but she is still able to gather all of her remaining consciences to play it cool to save herself from embarassment.
"Of course. How can I forgot," Ahn fakes a laugh and strides back to her car almost too fast. She sees the older guy laughing and shaking his head before going back into his house.
Ahn gets into the car and holds onto the steering wheel tightly. Her pupils are shaking as she tries to answer all of her endless questions. She takes out her phone and tries to call him. One, two, three. She stops at ten.
"No, he won't be leaving like this right?" she mumbles under her shaky breath.
Ahn drives away and parks somewhere the neighbor can't notice but enough for her to see if Changkyun is coming in and out of his house. She waits there until it gets dark, spending every hour calling him and texting him for an answer. When it is almost 10pm, all of the houses nearby are now bright with lights coming out from the inside except Changkyun's. With a heavy heart, Ahn decides to call it a day and drives back home. Ahn is not sure why but the 30 minutes ride today somehow feels too long.
The next day, she skips her class to go back to Changkyun's house. She has yet to receive any answer from him since yesterday so she will not believe anything unless he confirms that he really left or at least for her to see any signs that the house is being sold or rented away.
It is as if God answers her prayer too soon because just after she has that thought, a few trucks with 'Songpa Movers' written on its body come into the view and park right in front of Changkyun's house. The movers starts to unload boxes by boxes from the trucks into the house. A few minutes later, a black Jaguar parks nearby the truck. No one in Changkyun's family drives Jaguar.
For the first time in five years, tears wet her cheeks again.
It was her dad then it was her mom and now the only person she finds solace in left without a single word. The only person she ever feels needed or cared for left so heartlessly. All those two years of being together is now gone like it is nothing. Like a cold breeze in the winter that brushes your hair and stings your skin and the next time you know you are left frozen with its aftermath.
Maybe no one really cares.
The only persons she has left now are the girls and if they ever leave her too, she swears in the name of her pounding and raging heart, she will witness the world on a blazing fire and she will be the one holding the matchstick.
I.M from Monsta X made a special cameo in this chapter but as an ksjhdkas also, this is quite a long chapter for a backstory ;-; i was so inspired that i finished writing this chapter in less than a day. I think i'll do the same with the other 4 girls to introduce them and their attitudes. look at how broken Ahn is ;; we must protecc. sry for the slight angst chap :3 pls tell me what you think about it. can't wait to see more apps!
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