Starring: Dara Park, Kwon Jiyong, Choi Seunghyun

So...this is not really an update. But I dedicate this chapter to everyone who was so nice to keep up with my trolling with my Symphony series. To those of you who has no idea what those series are, those are the continuation (and so help me god, the last installment) of Wedding Bells.

Yeah, yeah, I know. I promised to update those by July 1...and two months has already passed. Kill me now. Or maybe by September 1--after I ask my roommate to get GD's single for me and after I finally update that darned fic.

I'm freaking underage. Stupid age restriction.

This day, I finally learned how the past could hurt someone you love. For you who have that past, you may shrug it off, but the people you love may not. It could be hurting them and you have no idea.

I was practicing all by myself in 2NE1’s exclusive rehearsal room, dancing to our latest single. Seunghyun promised that he will meet up with me after BIGBANG’s meeting with the executives and producers. I was already on my fifth round when the door opened and Seunghyun came in. I smiled, but that smile faded the instant I saw him with a fat lip and a black eye. I immediately rushed to him, cupping his face so I could have a better look, and worriedly asked, “What happened to you?!”

He sadly smiled at me, refusing to answer my question. My fingers gingerly caressed his bruises and he flinched at my touch.

“You’re hurt. Stay here. Let me get you some ice.” I stepped back to get some from the refrigerator on the corner of the room but Seunghyun pulled my hand to stop me. “Oppa, let me go. We’ve got to…” I faced him and I saw him crying.

Seunghyun was crying.

He was actually crying. He was still smiling but tears were already streaming down his cheeks, wetting his beautiful face.

It was my first time seeing him like that, so vulnerable and insecure, so unsure of himself, so melancholic. So different from his strong, confident, happy, animated self. Seeing him like that scared me.

It scared me because I could tell that the hurt was not from his bruises, not from physical pain. It was much deeper.

“Why are you crying, Mr. Choi?” My free hand reached for his cheeks and wiped the tears that were generously flowing from his eyes. I glanced at his injuries which looked worse up close. His shiner was starting to look alarmingly blue.

Instead of getting a first aid kit for him, I pulled him into a tight hug. I wrapped my frail arms around his torso, until our bodies touched, until our hearts started to beat as one. I hugged him like he did to me before, when I was in that position, when I was the one crying. Hugging him felt weak as comfort but it was all I could do at that time.

I felt his arms cover me moments later and I asked, “What happened, Seunghyun?” He buried his face in my hair and didn’t reply. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” I slightly let go of him so I could see his face. His tears were less than before and I smiled at him, saying, “Don’t cry. I don’t like it when you tear up.”

“Okay,” he whispered and stopped crying at once.

I let go and this time he allowed me to go get an icepack for him. After giving it, I gathered my things and we left YGE Building together in his car. I volunteered to drive because he looked tired, and yes, I’m still a better driver than him…but he’s trying. He’s definitely trying.

We have reached Han River when he told me to stop the car. I did because I thought he wanted to tell me what happened to him earlier but he threw me a question he never asked before.

“If you were asked to choose between me and your first love, who will you pick?”

I have never been slow on the uptake; I already knew why he was asking me that question. It was Jiyong he had the fight with, and it has definitely affected his self-esteem. I have never told anyone that his best friend was my first love, but I guess he knew all this time.

All this time he kept the fact that he knew.

That’s Choi Seunghyun. That’s TOP.

He’s a guy brave enough to keep something to himself even though it was already eating him up.

I looked at him and hurt was palpable in his eyes. I knew that it wasn’t just because of the first love thing. It was also because of the fight between them—him and his bestfriend. He must have told Jiyong the relationship he and I were secretly having. Otherwise, why would he get those bruises? But I still couldn’t believe Jiyong would actually hit Seunghyun. Best friends weren’t supposed to hurt each other and he was his hyung, someone who’s older than him.

I inched closer and gently made him face me. Without hesitation, I told him what I was really feeling.

“I’d choose you over my first love or even against a hundred men. You were never a choice in the first place. You’re the only one I love. The only one. No one else. But if time would come I’d be asked the same question again, I’d choose you over and over. Have faith in yourself. Have faith in me.”

“I do. I always did. But thank you.” His lips curved into a smile, and I beamed back at him. I leaned in for a kiss which he gladly accepted. “I love you too,” he whispered when our lips parted.

I went back to my driving and the next time I glanced at Seunghyun, he was already asleep. The smile remained on his face and I felt grateful because I actually found a guy as understanding, as loving as him.

That’s why I made a promise to myself to give all the love he needs, he deserves, and make it up to him for the rest of our lives together.

And to never make him doubt again of my love for him, ever again.

Dominoes.

“We were like dominoes.”

These were Jiyong’s parting words, words he breathed in my ear when he pulled me into a tight hug, words he whispered before he left.

For the first time, I spent the night with Seunghyun, at his house. He won’t let me leave after I drove him home so I slept over. I left his house early in the morning to meet up with Jiyong. Last night, after I made sure that Seunghyun was already asleep, I tried to call Jiyong. He didn’t answer. I called the other members and they said that they haven’t seen him since their meeting ended. So I left a message in his answering machine, asking for him to meet me in a place we both knew so well.

I arrived real early on the place we were supposed to meet. I could still see the moon up in the sky when I gazed above. There were only a few people in the area—most of them were joggers who were taking advantage of the crisp cold air.

I was too early.

I went on a faint chance that Jiyong would actually show up, that he would actually talk to me. If it weren’t for Seunghyun’s arms, I would lay awake all night, filled with dread. But his arms were like magic. They gave me a happy feeling and I had a slightly good sleep.

I took a seat on one of the empty benches when I felt my phone vibrate against my pocket. I pulled it out, only to see Seunghyun’s name and number flashing on the screen. He must have panicked when he found the other side of the bed empty.

Instead of answering, I just let the phone ring until the missed call prompt showed up on the screen. My guilt of not taking the call must have put me on a trance until I heard a distinct voice on my back.

“Hey.”

I turned around and saw Jiyong standing a few feet away from me. He was wearing a scarf to cover his face and I wondered how terrible their fight was last night.

“Hey,” I greeted back.

He slowly made his way next to me and sat on the bench when I told him to. There were dirt at the end of his clothes and I dust it away for him. He looked at me sadly and looked like he wanted to say something but strangely, only silence followed. “You’re early,” I said, trying to break the awkwardness between us.

His lips formed a small smirk as he retorted, “You are, too.”

I exhaled and because of the cold temperature, my breath came out visible. It didn’t go unnoticed by him and he removed his scarf, only to wrap it around my neck. I looked at him and saw that his face was unscathed. No bruises, no bumps.

Was I wrong? Wasn’t Jiyong the guy Seunghyun had the fight with?

Without looking at me, Jiyong said, “It was me who hit Hyung.”

His confession left me confused. “Why?” I asked.

His jaw tensed. I waited for him to answer but he chose to avoid the question by saying, “He won’t hit me back…so I punched him again.”

That explained it. Why Seunghyun has bruises while Jiyong remained unharmed. I should have known. Seunghyun would never hurt any one of them. He’d rather hurt himself than hurt others.

“I’m sorry if we didn’t tell you earlier. I…didn’t want others to know,” I clarified. I can’t let Seunghyun take the blame for me. But he already did. “He never meant to hurt you.”

Jiyong stood up and croaked, “He already did.” I got to my feet and held his hand. He turned to me and said, “You did too.”

And as tears flowed from his eyes, he started to have that monologue which somehow broke my heart.

“I know it’s unintentional. That both of you were just following what your heart was telling you. But he was being selfish. He asked me last night if he could have my support. I said no. He begged. He never begged before. I wished that instead of begging, he should have gotten angry at me when I said no. If he got angry at me, I would have felt better. But he didn’t so I just have to punch him. I thought he would go ballistic if that happens and would finally hit me but like a stubborn old fool that he is, he didn’t. So I had to punch him again.”

“Right now, you’re being selfish too. You’re going to ask for my blessing, aren’t you? I can’t. I just can’t. I don’t think there’ll be a time I could give it. I have my reasons but you don’t seem to comprehend. When you called last night, I wanted to answer that phone call because I wanted to hear that voice of yours. But I didn’t. And then when you left a message telling that you’ll wait here, I knew I just have to go. You’re just like him. Stubborn. I know you’ll wait for me here, even if you weren’t sure I would actually appear.”

The hand I was holding shifted and then, he was holding mine. Since my left hand was locked with his right, I used my right hand to wipe away his tears. He flinched at my touch, like it burned, and he only sniffed as he continued.

“And then when I come here, you act like I just didn’t hurt the one you love. You act like nothing happened last night. You unconsciously remind me of my guilt with Hyung. That’s unfair.”

He pulled me into a hug and whispered into my ear.

“Don’t keep being nice to me. Don’t be nice to me no more. Being indifferent and cold to me…I think that way would be better.”

“I can’t,” I whispered back. “We’re friends.” I felt his body stiffen. “Why are you asking me to do that?”

“Because we were like dominoes…” he replied. His hand let go of mine and as silent as he came, he left.

He left…crying.

He left…not giving me or Seunghyun his blessing.

He left…leaving his scarf wrapped around my neck.

And left…bringing with him the ring he once gave me.

A/N:

This is a teaser...hence the title. But since there are three parts to the main fic Symphony, I'll leave it to you to guess which part these chaps are in.

--queen of trolls

AND SHAMELESS PROMOTION FOR THE SEQUELS/PREQUELS OF SYMPHONY

Wedding Bells                        Impossible to Forget                        The Eighth Note