IU was called to the musical practice and she had to drag Suzy with her since that girl still in her own world.

“Annyeong,” IU greeted the participants as she entered the theatre hall stage together with Suzy.

“Hello there,” Byung Soon, the director replied. “You may sit there,” he continued, pointing at the crowds who were sitting on the wooden floor of the stage.

IU nodded and pulled Suzy with her, sitting at very back of the stage since she didn’t feel like mingling around others.

“Today, we will have a new actress. Jieun-ssi, can you stand up please?” Byung soon announced, pointing to IU.

IU felt awkward when every eye was looking at her. Then, she noticed Yoseob and Kikwang at the middle row, smiling to her. Thanks to them, she was able to smile.

“You can sit now,” Byung Soon announced again. “Today, I’ll give out your given characters. This is decided by your lecturers who are also the committee of the musical. So, I hope you satisfy with what you get,” he continued.

“I’ll start with the main character,” Byung Soon focused on the papers in his hand. “Kikwang is Choi Seung Hyun while Yoseob is the understudies.”

Kikwang and Yoseob looked at each other and smiled.

“Suzy is Jang Hae Byeol while Jieun is the understudies,”

IU looked at Suzy who was staring blankly at her scripts. She sighed. I’m so sorry Suzy but please, be yourself.

“Jieun. Kikwang. Here, your script,” Byung Soon called after he finished announcing the list of characters, passing the papers.

The front row students took the papers and passed them to the back, and it reached Kikwang and IU.

“I hope the others have studied their script. I’ll explain the plot of the story now.” Byung Soon strictly stated out.

“It is about a young woman and a young man involve in a love triangle. The heroin bestfriend also falls for the young man but she retreats, knowing that she won’t succeed. So, their love blooms. The young man gets an offer to the US to continue his study. However, the young woman is pregnant at that time. The young man continues his study in US despite the fact, leaving the young woman alone. In US, he starts to realize how much he needs the girl and vows to himself that he will fix everything when he returns to Korea. Three years later, he meets the girl together with his daughter but she rejects him,” Byung Soon explained.

“Well that is the basic plot. I hope you understand,” he voiced out.

The participants nodded, sign that they understood. Then, the practice began.

*******

IU was walking home with Yoseob, who was following her slow and steady pace. He kept looking at her gloomy expression, wondering what he could do to make her smiled.

As they walked close to each other, their hands brushed softly.

Yoseob noticed it and quickly turned to IU, but IU was still in her own thought, continuing her sad expression. Her dull eyes kept looking down as she bit her lower lips and released it slowly and repeatedly.

Yoseob sighed. He took another glance to IU and a thought suddenly came out on his mind. IU was single now. She was not Kikwang’s anymore. She may not like it but he couldn’t control the content of his heart anymore. It didn’t matter if she didn’t like it. It didn’t matter that she was somebody and he was nothing. It didn’t matter that he will face her parents every day.

Nothing mattered now. What mattered she was here, beside him.

Slowly, Yoseob made his hand held IU’s. Gently, he intertwined their fingers. He could feel the coldness through her fingers as his hand was warmer.

IU instantly turned to Yoseob and got a warm gentle smile from him.

IU turned away from Yoseob and looked on the ground. Her cheek flushed into pinkish fade, a beautiful scene for Yoseob.

There was no sign that she disliked what he did. Yoseob smiled happily. They continued holding each other hands. The awkward situation slowly became comfortable.

The cold autumn wind slowly blew as if a sign of bless.

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

“Byung Soon?” Eun Hee asked, surprised of what she heard through her phone.

“Yup. You know him?” The woman voice asked through the other line.

“I-I have heard of that name before,” Eun Hee tried to control her stuttered voice.

“Are you okay? You’re voice is trembling,” The woman asked, worriedly.

“I’m outside and it’s quite cold. Anyway, that director…” Eun Hee words were stopped by the woman and continued explaining.

“I forget about him,” she laughed lightly. “I heard he is so popular in London. The students are so lucky,”

The woman continued her long explanation but Eun Hee mind had gone somewhere far, around 16 years ago.

“Please, accept me back, Eun Hee-ah,” the young looking man begged, holding her empty hand.

“Omma,” Jieun was crying, scared, hiding behind her.

“No,” Eun Hee strictly stated and took back her hand from his hold.

“Don’t you love me anymore?” the man didn’t give up, looking at her with his tearful eyes. They seemed sincere but her broken heart didn’t have the gut to trust him again.

“No,” she replied confidently although she knew that she still did love him.

The man looked surprised. He was so shocked and he fell on his both knees. He was too confident that she loved him. She always loved him. But, why she didn’t currently? Why?

Eun Hee instantly turned away, pulling Jieun with her.

“Eun Hee-ah,”

The smooth gentle called stopped her step but she didn’t turn to that man. She knew her heart could become softer looking at his tear, his sad expression, his clear naïve eyes.  

His red eyes looked up at the back of the woman that he loved the most. The tears kept falling. He parted his lips slowly just to say.

“Love me,” he paused, gulping. “Please,”

Yoseob - Caffeine
Can't wait.
Tomorrow.
Although it 12.55 am in Korea.
It's still tomorrow for me.
I'll be dead for the third time of this week.