By: 2pmvietguh

For: secondstringer

Love has four stages. The chase. When the guy or girl confesses. Whether it's a success or fail depends on the other person. The dates. When the two get a better chance to show their affection for one another. When they get to know each other on a more personal base. The occasional quarrels and misunderstandings. He or she starts acting strange. You have a gut feeling that they're hiding something from you. Confronting turns into quarrels. Doubts turn into misunderstandings. You break up with them. Moving on. You either start a new love or find another effective way to get over that person.

But what if you can't move on?


The Chase

Jiyong ruffled his own hair in frustration, "Why can't I think of anything?" he crumpled the piece of paper and threw it in the trashbin.

It has been exactly a week now since Jiyong composed a song. For some odd reason, he couldn't find the motivation to compose. He has been pulling all nighters for two days straight, yet he couldn't compose anything.

"Oppa, I think we shouldn't go in. He doesn't look so happy." Sara hid behind Seunghyun's back.

"Don't worry." Seunghyun opened the door.

"Hyung, you're here?" Jiyong looked up.

"Uh."

"Who's this?" Jiyong looked at the young woman.

"This is Sara, the little sister that I've never had." he placed both of his hands on Sara's shoulders.

"Starting from today, Sara will be working with you on composing."

"But hyung. I'm used to composing by myself."

"Well, you're going to have to get used to it, Kwon Jiyong. Plus, you've been having a writer's block anyway. So having someone to help you will benefit you." Seunghyun said matter-of-factly.

"Hyung-" Jiyong whined.

"I don't want to hear any of it. You guys are both talented okay? I'll be back in a week. I will pick up the song next Thursday."

"What is this? Weren't you in London a week ago? Where are you going? Hyung!" Jiyong chased after Seunghyun.

 

After a month of working together, Jiyong starts to develop feelings for Sara.

While they were in the midst of creating a new set of lyrics,

"There's just something about you. I..I don't know how to describe it. But I think I like you. No, I like you." Jiyong looked right at her.

She gave him a quizzical look.

"I have already fallen for you from day one. The day Seunghyun oppa brought me along to the studio, a year ago. But you, who were always immersed with your music making..you've never noticed me."

"What, is this a part of your song?" Sara asked him.

"No" he shook his head. "I was talking to you."

"Will you be my girlfriend?"


The Dates

"Welcome to Lovely Lovely Coffee Shop." the cashier greeted the two.

"What do you want? It's my treat."

"No, I should pay-"

"Are you not listening to oppa?" he tried to sound strict.

"Fine, I'll have a vanilla cappuccino."

"Thank you." Jiyong grabbed the two cups of vanilla cappuccino. He handed one to Sara.

"Thanks oppa." she blew on the drink and took a sip of it.

"You have some cream-" he pointed at his own upper lip.

"Where?"

He unconsciously wiped it away for her.

"Should we head back to the studio?" he asked her.

Jiyong opened the door for her.

"It's cold out." Jiyong took ahold of her hand with his free hand and placed it in his coat pocket.

That was our first date.


On our seventh date...

"I can't skate that well. You and the other oppas go and have fun. I'll catch up with you guys." she lied. The truth is, she didn't know how to skate.

"You guys go play first." Jiyong told his friends. They didn't have to be told twice. Seunghyun, Seungri, Taeyang, and Daesung were already rushing out towards the ice skating area. Maknae suggested a game of tag while Taeyang suggested playing something else.

Sara was still fumbling with her ice skates.

Jiyong knelt down on one knee, "Here, let me help you."

After he was done tying her skates, he got up. "You don't know how to skate."

"It's not that."

"Eh, don't lie to me. Here, I'll teach you." he grabbed her hand and led her to the rink.

After thirty minutes of teaching her, Jiyong slowly let go of her hand.

"Now try skating by yourself."

"Wait, I'm not ready. No, don't let go yet."

"Honey, you have to skate by yourself. Don't worry, I'll be right in front of you. If anything happens, I'll catch you." he promised.

"You better." she pouted.

She sort of got the hang of it, "Hey, I'm skating pretty wel-" she couldnt' even finish her sentence. She fell on her bottom.

Jiyong bursted out laughing.

"Hey, it's not funny!" she couldn't get up from her fall. "Aren't you going to help me?" she stretched out her arms.

"Fine. Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. But it was just so funny." he chuckled as he approached her. He stretched his hand out for her to hold onto.

Sara smirked, "Jiyong babo~" she pulled him down hoping that he would tumble down.

Instead of what Sara was hoping for, Jiyong fell on top of her. Jiyong took this as an advantage. He slowly leaned in closer and kissed her.

That was our first kiss as a couple.

"You fail, Sara." he smirked. "Now do you want me to help you up or not?" he smiled.

She tried to get up by herself but failed. Her cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink than before.

"I take that as a yes." he pulled her up.

"Let's go find the others." he grabbed her hand and off the couple went.


Occasional quarrels and misunderstandings

With a smile on his face, Jiyong the studio room's lights. He placed the hot drinks on the table along with the pastries that he bought for him and Sara.

He looked at his watch, his girlfriend wasn't going to arrive until later. He decided to clean up the studio a bit.

While he was cleaning, his phone started to vibrate.

"Hello?" his face fell as soon as he could recognize the voice.

"Hwa Neul?" Jiyong asked. It has been three years since he and Hwa Neul talked to each other. The last time was when she decided to break up with him.

After a few minutes of listening to Hwa Neul, Jiyong left the studio.

Within thirty minutes, Jiyong arrived at a run down motel. Hwa Neul was waiting outside.

"I didn't know who else to call and I thought of you."

Without saying a word, Jiyong helped her pay the expenses.

As soon as they got to the parking lot, Jiyong turned around to face her, "I haven't seen you for three years, Kim Hwa Neul. What happened? Why were you staying at a place like this?"

Hwa Neul is Jiyong's ex-girlfriend. The two broke up three years ago. She left him for someone else. She got married at a young age. She is pregnant. To make things even better, her husband is having an affair with his secretary. Her parents wouldn't accept her since she ran away with her now ex-husband. Hwa Neul has recently gotten divorce. Basically, she is going through a lot.

"If you can keep this a secret then I will forever appreciate it, Kwon Jiyong." she wiped away her tears.

Jiyong couldn't just sit there. He had to help Hwa Neul, someway, somehow. He couldn't let her stay at a place like that. He couldn't let her live a life that she's living now, since she was after all, pregnant.


Sara happily carried the breakfast that she bought at starbucks and the drink that Jiyong loved the most.

Jiyong was usually the first one at the studio. It was strange because the drinks and food were there, but he was nowhere to be found.

"He's not answering." she placed her phone back into her pocket. She decided to continue working on the lyrics.

"You haven't gone home yet?"

"I was waiting for you."

"Babo, you stayed here all day waiting for me?" he ruffled her hair.

She sleepily nodded, "Uh. You wouldn't answer my calls, so I decided to work on some other stuff. Where have you been?"

He ignored her question.

"Have you finished your part yet?" he asked her as he looked through the stacks of papers on the table.

"It's over there." she pointed at the paper by the couch.



For the past few weeks Jiyong has been horrible at answering his phone. Sara decided to make a surprise visit to Jiyong's apartment.

To her surprise, it was a young woman who opened the door. She was wearing a comfy floral dress and an apron, with a skillet in one hand.

"Hello." the young woman bowed, "Are you looking for Jiyongie?"

"I'm sorry. I..I've got the wrong apartment." she slightly bowed and hurried down the hall.

The next day at the studio. A tired Jiyong walked in.

"I dropped by your place yesterday." she started to say.

"Uh, why?" he rubbed his eyes.

"A young woman answered the door."

He looked up.

"What business do you have with her? Even more, why was she in your apartment?"

"Since when have you been acting this obsessive over me?" he asked, annoyed.

She tried to ignore his hurtful comment, "I'm asking you, why was she in your apartment?"

"At times, there are things that's inconvenient for me to tell you." he sighed.

"Do you not trust me enough to tell me?" So it all comes down to this.

"I guess you can say that." he shrugged.

"If you can't trust me, no, if you can't learn how to trust me, then should we break up?"

Jiyong's voice lowered, "I..I think that's a good idea. Let's break up then."

"Fine, Kwon Jiyong. We're done." she grabbed her bag and left. Tears uncontrollably strolled down her cheeks.

"What is it that you're hiding from me? What kind of relationshop do you have with that girl that you can easily end our relationship?"


"I can't work with Jiyong anymore." Sara dropped by the studio a few days later.

"But you guys were doing so well." Seunghyun frowned. "But if this is your final decision, then I won't force you."

"Thank you oppa." she bowed. She grabbed her backpack and left the studio.

She took a last look at the studio that she has been working in for the past three months.

"I'm not going to lie. I love this job, our collaboration. But the biggest problem here is that I unintentionally let my feelings get in the way. And now for things to end this way.." she sighed as she got inside the bus.


Moving On

The phrase "move on" is not as easy as it sounds.


"How can I move on when the only person on my mind is you? Get out of my head, Kwon Jiyong." She tried to compose, hoping that that could drown out her thoughts of him. That made things even worse.

"I need snacks. Snacks." she got up from her desk and headed to the kitchen.

Sara checked her cupboards, "Ugh, ran out of snacks."

She pulled on a hoodie and hurried downstairs to the nearest convenience store.

"That's the girl that Jiyong was seeing when we were together."

Sara noticed how painful she looked. She's not going to lie, she didn't like Hwa Neul. She was the reason why Sara decided to break up with Jiyong. Yet, she wasn't a heartless person. She approached Hwa Neul.

"Are you okay?"

The girl's beads of sweat were visible, "My water broke."

"Eh?!" Sara was surprised. "When did they.." she didn't allow herself to finish her thought. "I'll call an ambulance for you!" she fumbled with her phone. Within five minutes, the ambulance arrived.

Sara anxiously waited outside, waiting for Hwa Neul's operation to be completed.

"Your daughter is really pretty." Sara awkwardly commented. "Well, since both you and the baby are doing fine, I guess I'll be leaving."

"Wait" Hwa Neul held her wrist back.

"I'm sorry."

Sara was confused, "For what?"

Hwa Neul explained to Sara about the whole situation.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that I was the cause of you and Jiyong's break up. I'm really sorry. Jiyong. . .I asked him to keep all of this a secret. That was the cause of it. I'm sorry." Hwa Neul apologized for the nth time.

"Thank you Hwa Neul for telling me all of this. I really appreciate it." Sara blinked back the tears that were going to fall any minute now. "I should really go now." she bowed as she left.

"I can't believe I doubted him. I can't believe I didn't trust him. I barely even tried asking him as to what was going on."


Jiyong was running like a mad man. He hurried towards the room that the nurse guided him to Hwa Neul's room.

"Yah, Kim Hwa Neul, why didn't you call me earlier? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

"As you can see, Kwon Jiyong, I'm okay. My baby's doing fine." she assured him.

Jiyong breathed a sigh of relief, "Good."

"Sara was just here."

"Sara? Why was she here?" Jiyong asked her.

Hwa Neul nodded. "There's no time for questions. Long story short, she still likes you and you babo still like her. She just left not that long ago. So hurry Kwon Jiyong. Go get her back."

He anxiously pressed the elevator button hoping that he could catch up to Sara.

After what seems to be forever, Jiyong rushed out of the elevator. He could see Sara walking out of the hospital's exits.

"Sara!" he screamed on the top of his lungs.

Sara stopped in her steps, "How can I face him now? He has never done me wrong in the first place." she continued to go on her way.

"No, don't go. I know you heard me. Don't ignore me, Sara." Jiyong started sprinting out of the hospital.

He held her back. "Sara-"

She couldn't hold in her tears any longer.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth? Why did you have to hide things from me? Do you know how foolish I feel for doubting you?" she sobbed.

"I'm sorry."

After a minute of her constant crying, she finally calmed down.

"I missed you like crazy, Sara." he tightly hugged her.

"I missed you too, Kwon Jiyong." she buried her head into his chest.

"I promise you that no matter what happens, I will never hide things from you. I will tell you every single thing." he patted her back.

"None of this would have happened if you've done that in the beginning. We wouldn't have to suffer so much during the past months, would we?"

END
 

I would like to apologize to you for the major delay. But I hope that you like the poster and oneshot that I've created for you. Again, I am really sorry!