Page 27, Story of Us
Enchanted - a story of us -
Iseul, Song
My day is not a great one today but it's not like I can't complaint anyway. I open the door and step inside. That's when I notice a pair of familiar shoes which belongs to only one person who can get inside my apartment without my permission.
Honestly speaking I don't expect him to pay me a visit after what happened three days ago but, then again, he has rights to do it. It's part of our deal.
I take a deep breath before I step inside and find him holding his white guitar, playing random strings. He looks up when he hears my footsteps.
Our eyes meet for seconds but no word leaves our lips. I clear my throat awkwardly and say, "How long have you been here?"
Everything is back to like how it used to be, just like how I always acted in front of him when the deal started. It supposed to be like this from the start.
"A while," he answers shortly, returning his gaze to his guitar.
My heart aches real bad because of his cold attitude. I take off my jacket and walk to the kitchen. I open the refrigerator and stare at the bottle of strawberry milk.
I still don't understand Yonghwa. Not even for the slightest.
Why did he ask me to be his real girlfriend if he never loved me from the start? Why did he must break my heart into pieces when he knew perfectly we still have a deal to work with for a year?
I feel like he is hiding something from me.
Myungsoo has been a really good friend for me and, thankfully, he could understand that I needed time to be alone after what happened.
I must admit that he is a cute boy. He always sends me a 'good morning' greeting text message every morning and he does the same every night, as if he wants to tell me he will be there for me even if he is busy.
Now that I think of it, he never lets me down. Not even for once. He even remembers my birthday. He gave me a bouquet of roses before.
Was I too blind to notice his kindness back then?
"Why don't you call me before you came?" I ask the exactly same question I always gave to Yonghwa.
The difference is he doesn't say anything now. He stops playing his guitar and sighs, "You should be really mad at me, right?"
"Should I?" I retort, tightening my grip of the bottle. "Give me a reason not to be mad at you."
Yonghwa looks at me with sad eyes and I never thought he would give me such kind of look when he is the one who put an end of everything between us.
"What if I say...," he mumbles weakly, "...I just want you to wait just a little bit longer?"
I blink for multiple times, doesn't believe what I just heard, "Why? Why should I wait when there is nothing to wait?"
Yonghwa doesn't answer me so I let the conversation to slide. I put the bottle on the table, "I'll be in my room. Just make yourself at home."
I leave him in the main room and head to my own room. I open my notebook and start browsing whatever I can read to get rid of my random thought.
An article which is just posted ten minutes ago grabs my attention. Not only the title, but the username of the one who posted it surprises me.
jang.dongho
Yonghwa, Jung
"A simple complication. Miscommunications lead to fallout."
I tweet the words and heave a sigh, resting my head against the sofa, "So many things that I wish you knew..."
Iseul has locked herself inside of her room again and I have no idea how to reverse everything again. Well, at least I want to have a good friendship with her again.
No, friendship is not what I want with her. I want to be more than just a friend for her but I can't even be one for her now.
The deal keeps going on and everytime I see now, I must hold the urge to tell her the reason I gave her the cold words.
Now that I think of it, maybe lie is not an option for me yet I don't want to disappoint the President and Iseul's father.
"Aish," I mess my hair with frustration. "What should I do?"
The sound of the opened door stops me from complaining by myself. Iseul has worn her jacket again and she walks pass me, quickly wearing her shoes.
"Where are you going?" I blurt out the question without thinking. Why does she look like she is in a rush?
"Somewhere," she answers without even bothering to look at me. "I'll be right back. Don't forget to lock the door if you want to leave."
After that she leaves her apartment, once again, leaving me alone.
I hold my white guitar again, hoping one day she will hold this and I will teach her again, just like how I used to do.
Will that day come again?
"I used to think one day we'd tell the story of us
How we met and the sparks flew instantly
People would say they're the lucky ones
I used to know my spot was next to you
Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat
'Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on"
I hum one of my favorite songs slowly, letting the strings to produce the harmony. I close my eyes and get myself into the song.
"Oh I'm scared to see the ending
Why are we pretending this is nothing?
I'd tell you I miss you, but I don't know how
I've never heard silence quite this loud"
Music has always been a friend of mine and it does the same during this moment. Even when I'm alone, music just accompanies me through the silence.
"Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room
And we're not speaking
And I'm dying to know, is it killing you
Like it's killing me
I don't know what to say since a twist of fate
When it all broke down
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now"
I stop and stare at the bottle of strawberry milk on the table. Putting the guitar aside, I reach out my hand to take the bottle and smile bitterly, "Does the story of us still go on?"
All of a sudden my phone rings and I see my manager's name on the ID caller. I pick the call quickly, "Yes, Hyung?"
"Are you with Iseul now?" he blurts out the question with panic mode. "Are you two together in her apartment, Yonghwa?"
"Eh? She just left around five or ten minutes ago. What's wrong?" I stand up from the sofa, having a bad feeling.
"There is an article up on the net about her cheating with L from INFINITE," my manager speaks out and my heart twists in disbelief. "I'll talk to you about the detail later but I need you to find her now. I heard some girls are going to look after her. Things like giving her a lesson or else."
Without wasting another second, I storm out from the apartment and take the emergency stairs instead of the elevator. My anxiety grows and I end the call immediately.
It feels like my heart stops beating for a second when I see the mess at the gate of the apartment building. Flour, rotten eggs, water are everywhere on the ground.
Iseul is standing with drenched hair. L stands in front of her and he helps her to get rid of the dirt on her hair.
"Iseul," I approach her and look at her from head to toe. "What... What happened?"
She doesn't answer me. She pushes L away slightly and sighs heavily, "You two have fans who love you a little bit too much."
If there is one thing I must be grateful of, at least my fans are not the only problem here. Looks like L's fans are not happy with whatever the article has said.
"I'll talk with them," L convinces her, still trying to help her with the messy hair. "It's my fault after all."
"No," Iseul states firmly and she lands her gaze on me. "We need to talk."
__________
Author's Note:
The song is titled "The Story of Us", originally by Taylor Swift.
Yes, it's one of the songs which inspired the title of this story. XD
Yes, it's one of the songs which inspired the title of this story. XD
Comments