January 23, 2010

"Yong Hwa," A lady's voice could be heard calling Yong Hwa's name from afar. Yong Hwa stood on the tip of his toes, trying to find where exactly the voice came from. He caught a glimpse of a girl in red tartan coat, waving from afar while making her way through the crowd coming out of the tube station opposite the mall. 

"Noona!" Yong Hwa waved back to her from his spot for short while and went back to his previous position of keeping his hands in his pocket due to the cold weather.

Eun Jung finally made her way through the crowd reaching Yong Hwa but as she walked closer to Yong Hwa, she could see his eyes grew wider. Probably because he had just noticed the makeover that she did to herself.

"Mianhae, Yong Hwa-ah. It was really crowded just now and I only had the chance to get on the third tube." Eun Jung said with a pleading apologetic look clearly drawn on her face. The effort that she took to get through the crowd made her still gasping for breath, and the cold weather wasn't helping the condition at all, as she breathed vapour from for every word that she muttered.

"You think I'll be fine with that? Do you know how long have I been waiting here for you to come?" Yong Hwa said wearing a deadpan look over his face.

"Omo! Look at this guy! Who do you think you're picking a fight with?" Indeed, the mischievous Yong Hwa still coudn't beat the mischievous Eun Jung.

"Who says I am picking a fight with you? I  just want a compensation for having to wait for you in this cold weather."

"Geureom, what is it?" 

"If there is ever a day that you have to wait for me to come, be whatever day it is, you can't get mad at me." And he put on his wry smile with his slanted eyes.

"Aish, this kid, jeongmal!" Her attempt to hit him in his arm failed as he grabbed her arm and urged her to go inside the mall. They would better be hurry with their shopping since the day wasn't that long during winter. Plus, it did no good for them to quarrel in a cold weather like that, other than the slow rate of getting your blood boiled.

It was Saturday and that day Eun Jung promised to accompany him for shopping even though she was still clueless of what he was going to buy. Nevertheless, she still spare her leisure time accompanying him.

"What is it that you want to buy?" She asked while looking around the place as Yong Hwa led the way.

"Ladies caps or hats." He made a short reply.

"Why?"

"Shin Hye...she said she would be cutting off her hair soon. Don't you know?"

"About her cutting off her hair, I knew that already. That's why I cut my hair short as well." 

"Ah, that does explain your new hairstyle. But you do look good with short hair."

"Do I? Hehe." Eun Jung acknowledged Yong Hwa's ability of making her flattered for the whole day. Indeed, he does know how to praise a woman.

After few minutes of going around the shopping mall, they finally found the shop that was selling hats and caps. They were greeted with "Welcome" by the shop sales assistant and right after they said what they wanted to buy, the sales assistant led them to the ladies side. Both of them went awe at the sight of the colorful and various style of hats as if a child being brought into a candy shop. Yong Hwa was really clueless at which one to pick and try first, so instead, he stood there looking at the hats from the left most of the racks to the right most of the racks. Eun Jung on the other hand, had already picked one as soon as she found a hat that seemed to have stood out the most to her. It was a burgundy Parkhurst Roslyn Wool Cloche and she tried it on herself while looking at the mirror. 

"Yong Hwa, do you think this is nice?" Eun Jung asked, while her hand adjusting the hat on her head and fixing her fringes under the hat. 

"Hm, well...I'm not really sure. But it does look nice on you." Yong Hwa walked towards her to have a closer look. But as he was contemplating, the sales assistant once again approach them.

"Are you looking for a hat for your girlfriend here?" She asked for confirmation. Even though she saw the two customers in front of her became shocked and shook their head in denial, she still continued with a friendly smile, "Your girlfriend here has a rather long and elongated heart shape face, so I would suggest to go for a hat with a wide and floppy brim, like this one." She took the bright red Brixton Avalon Floppy Hat. "You have to go bold with a style like this if you want your long face looks better wearing a hat." 

Eun Jung took the hat from the sales assistant just to avoid the awkward situation that they had already been in. "But I don't have confidence to wear something so floppy like this. Plus, it will hide my short hair away." She said, making up excuse to refuse that choice.

The sales girl upon seeing her customer's hesitation on the choice she picked for them, made another pick. This time it was a dark black Sur La Tete Molly Cloche "Then, you could have tried a bowler hat with a short brim or a cloche hat, but it would go better if you curl your hair because short and sassy hair always match well with any kind of hats."

She could tell she picked the right one when Yong Hwa seemed to have fancied that as well. Eun Jung took it from the sales girl and tried on herself. "Yong Hwa, I think Shin Hye would definitely look awesome in this." At the mention of Shin Hye's name, the sales girl realised that her assumption earlier was wrong. 

"Ah, forgive me for making a wrong assumption earlier." The sales girl bowed to apologise. 

"It's fine." Eun Jung answered before Yong Hwa could even open his mouth, rather monotonous just to hush the sales girl away. And it did work. Then, she continued talking to Yong Hwa. "How many would you want to get?"

"2 or 3. Just so that she could have spare of it to change."

"Good idea. But I would suggest you give to her one by one. To make it special every time she receives each of those." She browsed around for another pairs to suggest to Yong Hwa. "And let's go for different styles for all of them."

"I like the idea." He then continued, "But Noona, you really look pretty in the red hat that you tried earlier I wonder why someone as pretty as you still don't have a boyfriend."

"Yah, are you really looking at girl and judging them from their look? Aish, I need to report this to Shin Hye." Eun Jung threatened him jokingly.

"Aniya, that's not what I meant. Your look is like a plus point other than your personality and ability." Yong Hwa, on the other hand, trying to back up his statement. 

"Well, who knows. probably it's because this cold glare of mine that I give off casually makes people scared of coming closer to me." She might tried quite hard on making that sounded like a joke, but her tone clearly told that it wasn't to her.

"But I don't think so. Remember the first time I met you in the practice studio, I don't think I did feel that kind of vibe at that time."

"Maybe because you're not listed in the people-who-are-scared-of-me list." She glanced at him for a short while before turning around to look at the different rack.

"Well..." Yong Hwa ended the awkward conversation there. And they both continued looking around until they found the choices that really attracted their attention.

.............................

January 24, 2010.

It was Sunday. People would have preferred to stay at home and have the usual lie in on Sundays but it wasn't the case for Eun Jung. As early as 9am, she had knocked on Shin Hye's house door and was welcomed by Mrs Park who was still making breakfast in the kitchen. After making sure that Mrs Park didn't need her help in the kitchen, she went upstairs to get Shin Hye, who was sitting comfortably on the bed reading ya novel. It was something that they had agreed upon last night through text messages that they sent to each other's phones and Eun Jung went there as promised. 

"Eonni, you're early. Have you had breakfast?" Shin Hye put down the book she was reading and moved aside to make space for Eun Jugn to sit next to her on the bed.

"Yeah, I have. Hehe, just feel like spending the day with you because I have nothing to do at home. With you here, at least I have someone I can talk to. Well, you know how my parents are often busy running their business. I was thinking of helping mum but that I can do any other days. What book were you reading?"

"Oh, this? A Vintage Affair. A story about a woman running a vintage clothes shop and the turn of events that happened since the first day she opened the shop which led to her finding her true love."

"Sounds interesting."

"It is, in my opinion. Did you do any reading recently?"

"Erm, not really, since I can't really stand the emotions even though melodrama is my favourite genre. I couldn't really pick up any novel ever since I don't know when." The thin smile that she cracked made Shin Hye felt the urge to pry into her life.

"Eonni, I feel like I have known you forever yet I know nothing about you except your name, your birthday, your parents and what you enjoy doing. Other than that, I'm clueless. I have always want to brag to people that I'm close to the legendary college drama director but when I think about what people would be interested to know if I said that, I have to cancel my intention."

"Wae geurae? You don't have to brag about that. I'm just another ordinary girl who attends the same college as you. Nothing legendary." Eun Jung grabbed the book from Shin Hye's lap and tried to flipping through it, pretending that she's interested to know the content.

"Eonni, I'm serious. Forget about the brag part. Can't you at least tell me something about yourself? I feel like I am the only who is doing the sharing part. I think you know every single details of my life but I know none of yours. Don't you wanna share, probably a secret or two, with me?"

Eun Jung who still kept shut, just stared at the book she's holding. Seeing Eun Jung was still hesitating, Shin Hye grabbed the book to force Eun Jung to look at her adn she said, "You might regret it one day, that when I'm gone and you realise you just have a lot of stories to share with me."

And her effort succeed in making Eun Jung open to say, "Shin Hye-ah. Don't say such thing. You don't know how much my heart i sbroken to see you are ill like this. Don't make it worst by saying such thing." Eun Jung grasped Shin Hye's hands firmly. The warmth of her own hands exchanged with the coldness of Shin Hye's hands. "Now that you mention it, there is something that i wish I could tell someone who understands so that I could lift up the pain of bearing it with me a bit from my shoulder."

"But can I tell it to you when I am helping you cutting your hair?"

"Then, let's do it now. Because I can't wait."

Eun Jung got down from the bed and prepared the dressing table for that. She went down to get few old newspapers and the scissors from Mrs Park and returned back to the room. Seconds later, she was helong Shin Hye to sit on the chair in front of the dressing table and then she wrapped a small towel around her neck. She continued with combing Shin Hye's hair which made her see how hairs have been fallen from Shin Hye's head. At that very moment, tears started slowly welling up in her eyes and it was not just because of that. She was having a mixed feeling of being nervous to have to tell the story about her life and at the same time was feeling sad seeing that Shin Hye had no choice but to cut off her hair. 

"Please don't cry, Eonni." Shin Hye reached for Eun Jung's hand with her right hand and it softly. "The hair will grow again, don't worry." She smiled assuredly as she looked into Eun Jung's eyes' reflection in the mirror. And so Eun Jung started to open up about herself after staying with a rather reserved personality until that day. 

"When I was in my first year of college, just like you, I fell in love with a guy that I got to know from Drama Club." Eun Jung took the scissors and started to cut Shin Hye's hair bit by bit. "That guy was my admiration in the club, he's always so good at expressing emotions but what attracted me the most was when he gives off his serious look. He taught me a lot about acting so we were really close to each other. Well, that's what I thought. Even though he has never really said that he loved me, but having him really cared for me was enough for me. We took bus back and forth together, studied together, spent recess time together and many more. But one day, he had to leave me as he wanted to continue his studies abroad. That wasn't much a deal for me as I knew back then, we could have just contact each other with letters and emails. But I don't know what went wrong when one day, he stopped replying to my emails and letters. And so I stopped sending him one, too. I thought probably he has never loved me but all I want is a confirmation from himself. I know I might sound stupid, but I have decided to wait until he return with an answer. I am willing to accept whatever the answer will be. If not, I have no idea how I can learn to love someone else if I have never let him go in the first place." Eun Jung then put down the scissors and took the shaver in exchange but before she switched on the shaver, Shin Hye once again reached for her hand.

"Eonni, I believe in what you believe is good for yourself. And I also will put my trust in him returning to you with an answer that will make you happy." She said affirmedly. "But if ever you feel like forgetting him,  I will be next to you and witness your self that is learning to forget the old love and learn to accept new love."

"Thank you, Shin Hye-ah." After letting go of Shin Hye's hand, Eun Jung switched on the shaver and the rest of the hair on Shin Hye's head started to fall like a defeated army onto the ground.

It was Sunday afternoon, and it was so peaceful that the only sound you could hear was the sound of the shaver apart from the sound of the sweet melody and harmonious piano as a song played on the radio that Shin Hye switched on since morning.

Walking on this road over the meadow I’m going to you
Going over the steep hill I’m going to you

Even when my thin legs start to shake
I can’t stop, I’m going to you

Call me with your unchanging voice
Take me, into your dreamy embrace

lalalala singing, I’m going to you
lalalala shining ocean of my dreams

The soft touches and the warm bodyheat (in unforgettable memories)
I’m going to you, you who always smiled with me

Will you still be waiting, waiting at that place
Wait for me, wait for me for a little longer

Wait for me

[Casker - Going To You]

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A/N: Dear readers, presenting to you the seventeenth instalment to the story. I know I promised you guys that this story is heading towards the now, but I would like to apologise if the update is going to be delayed again. My winter break has just started and I'm going to my sister's place which apparently has not installed the internet yet. And on top of that, I have exams coming soon as well as a project report due after Uni reopens so I'm afraid I have to drop the story for a while (the longest could be two months). I am truly sorry for causing the readers to wait again but as what the title says here "waiting is all we do". I will be waiting for the day I can continue writing this story again. Please continue to support me if you are not bored of this story yet. ^_^ And I would like to wish an early "Happy New Year". Afraid that I won't be in time to wish it later.