» » » 2 0 1 2

Lee Residences

Seoul, South Korea

          It had been a few weeks left until the wedding. Invitations had been sent to many people, including the staffs of the General’s camp. Park Jung Su greeted the woman in their living room that had just received the invitation card personally. As they conversed, he found out their meeting that afternoon had been intended as a spontaneous date by his Godbrother.

“Why not me?” the young girl placed her hand over his.

He gave a smile despite his paining heart, “You know, Sora-shi.”

“Because your heart is taken by that blind woman,” she said recalling their tête-à-tête years ago. Kang Sora was the youngest nurse of their camp sent in from Busan and was personally assigned by the General. It was during those moments when she caught sight of a man, noticing his pleasing manners and good looks. It became a chaste crush until she caught on how his heart had belonged to someone else.

“You remember,” Jung Su gave a warm smile and bowed apologetically. He didn’t mention more regarding it.

It was later in the evening as Dong Wook and his father came into his room.

“You rejected her. She is my childhood friend, how could you?” the former scolded, feeling frustrated and for a moment, embarrassed for Sora’s part.

“I don’t know why, but you disappoint me, Jung Su,” his Godfather added.

“Sir, please don’t make me love her because I cannot,” he pleaded, his words came out as an excuse.

“I’m not asking you to love her now. Just spend time with her first. Why can’t you be seen with another woman?” they pressed on, making Jung Su’s heart pulsate.

“Please. I can’t, I can’t give myself like that,” he bit his lip.

“The woman you told us these few years, she is gone! You have to move on!!”

“NO!” Unknowingly he gripped Dong Wook’s collar out of anger remembering how Taeyeon had been in his arms. There was an unquestionable hurt in his voice recalling his Godbrother will rightfully take his woman as his wife.

“Jung Su-ah…”

His eyes grew watery and his shaking hands released their grip.

“I’m sorry, I have to go.” Dong Wook was immediately cut off. He was taken aback by his reaction. Did he go too far? Jung Su clutched his chest, containing his tears.

           He sat on the bench alone shutting his eyes and feeling the breeze. It was until he heard the sound of footsteps from behind, had he turned.

“What are you doing here?” Jung Su said, looking at Taeyeon.

“I have been looking all over for you, I wanted to see you.”

He didn’t reply and left her gaze as usual. He stood up but she held him back, "Why do you always run away from me?" Because I find no point in staying.

She tried to make out any reaction but his face was expressionless. Peculiarly was the way his fingers were crossed.

“Jung Su, may I ask something?” He stayed silent and took a deep breath.

“What... am I to you- No, have we...Have we ever met?”

“Why do you ask?” He mustered a soft smile.

“Because I lost my memories later on, but I think I may know you more than I ever knew.”

She notices that the revelation of her disability was not surprising towards him and leaned closer to see his face. She sees him hesistate.

His eyes were fogged but he retrained himself saying, “I can’t imagine what an ordeal, I can’t help you with that,” he crossed his fingers.

She leaned in to his chest and shushed him. “Tell me,” she whispered. Then she heard his heartbeat and as beautifully and slowed, Taeyeon looked up to see his face. When her eyes met his, she sees the person that had hid all these while. Behind those gentle eyes was a man who is in pain and how vulnerable he was.

Her eyes cringed recalling feeling the same heartbeat and the same eyes. She remembers that she has once felt the touch of a lover.  

Jung Su gasped and pulled away, accidently bringing Taeyeon forward with him. She fell on top of him and he was shocked of the way he had held her so tightly against his body, as if it had been on impulse. To protect and hold on to her.

The dirt reached her eyes and she screamed at the sting.

“Taeyeon!” His eyes widened and held her shoulders, her head was down and he heard her sniff. Slowly he tried lifting her chin and saw dirt covering her eyes, how they had cringed. She had bit her lip to not let out a scream but she couldn’t hold it in.

“Ah!” She released herself from him and ran back into the mansion.

♦♦♦

“What did you do to Taeyeon?!”

Dong Wook punched Jung Su again and again until he fell, blood oozing from his nose and mouth. Taeyeon held Dong Wook back, crying.

“I would never hurt her…” he muttered tears pouring out from his eyes. Dong Wook pulled his collar, “That was why you rejected Kang Sora isn’t it!! To fool around with my fiancé! You ing bastard!”

“Hyung, please… forgive me… Dong Wook hyung…” he groaned, tears slipping away from his eyes. Jung Su stood on his knees holding onto his hands and shaking his head fiercely, coughing out blood. “My father should never picked up some trash like you from the streets! Leave!!” Dong Wook punched him on the chest and Jung Su was thrown across her floor, gasping. Taeyeon’s heart winced and she came over to soothe a hand on his chest, gaping at the fragility of his heartbeat. She tried to mutter something but only teared seeing his ever so gentle eyes looking away from her once again. He refused Taeyeon’s hands and limped away from the both of them.

Jung Su pushed himself on the fountain area of their foyer and sobbed uncontrollably. His hands clutched onto his chest and finally walked away from their mansion. Taeyeon faced Dong Wook, who was now left in frustration over his reckless actions.

“How could you do that?” she screamed at him.

“I... I don’t know. Oh God, Jung Su...” his cupped his face, running his hands over his hair. “My brother… What did I do to my brother?”

For some reason, Taeyeon’s heart throbbed against her chest feeling a great amount of sympathy, what she had presumed.

Church, Seoul

          A man groaning and coughing echoed the walls of the church. Over to his side was a tattered cloth he had used to wipe his blood. His hands shaking fiercely, his fingers crossed and he had his swollen eyes closed. The door was opened by Dong Wook whose heart fell seeing the condition of his brother. A great sigh of relief fell from his mouth after hours of endless searching for the man. He squatted over to his side and placed his coat over him. Jung Su led out a smile in return as he call for his brother.

Dong Wook teared, “Come home, Jung Su I-I’m so sorry.”

Instead Jung Su led out a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Its okay, I’m okay-“

“I hit you! You let me hit you!” Dong Wook ruffled his hair in anger and look at his Godbrother. His eyes were so gentle and he didn’t know how he could hold so much patience and forgive so easily.

“You are my brother. I respect you.”

Lee Residences, Seoul

         Taeyeon stood at the doorway glancing at Jung Su who was sitting on his bed, messily treating his own cuts. As she thought back to the look on his face when she tried to help him up in the living room just now- the way he wrinkled his nose and bit his lips to keep his hurt from showing- it killed her. Then here she was now standing before him, wanting to make amends, wanting to make it so that he never looked that way again.

“Here let me take care of you,” she uttered slowly, seeing the way he cringed. His chest stirred immediately rejecting and facing the other way from her. There was silence and he could hear her tears coming back. His fist tightened and he felt a wave of regret. She was confused. He had an urge to refrain himself from revealing the truth, but no- it will hurt her more. He clenched his jaw holding back his true intention, hoping she could just take in his words.

“Don’t.” She led out a sigh and sat there facing his back, waiting. She had to fight every instinct not to reach out, not to touch the bruise that formed on his right cheekbone. She swayed back, and he thought she was sure to leave, but Taeyeon couldn't seem to let his words go without a response. Seeing her persistence, he faced his head down hesistating before breaking a conversation.

“How are you?” he asked. Taeyeon felt confused with his question.

“M-me?”

“Your… eyes.”

She felt a tingle at her heart that even in this circumstance he asked for her well-being. It makes her ache with tenderness. She wanted to touch his beautiful face. She wanted to brush the dirt from his face. She looked at his hands and they are shaking. Before she could reply, he stood up and left the room. I'm sorry, was all he had said. Jung Su felt like he can’t forgive himself if anything were to happen to Taeyeon’s eyes.

That night, she couldn’t sleep and her heart wouldn’t settle. 

Church, Seoul

“How do you feel?”

“Alright” But he wasn’t. He felt terrible. There is no greater agony than bearing the untold feelings inside of him.

“In Young will always be here. Here”

He placed his head on Father Shim’s lap, burying his head and cried. Father Shim didn’t know what it was, but he had cried for a long time, crossing and clutching his fingers and heart in attempt to reduce the pain.

“The promises you make on your brother's accord were promises that were absolute. I gave my word to him, that I would not pursue her.”

“Shhh, don’t cry, son.”

“How could I not-,” his shoulders shook. “What should I do?”

Father Shim has never seen him so helpless and hurt.

“I need to leave, I can’t bear it any longer.”