Chapter 14. Fortuitous Events

“But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.”

― Kahlil Gibran, Le Prophète

“Hey, I was expecting you,” he said as he adjusted the phone on his hand and wandered off to the hallway leading to the restrooms where the sound from the restaurant won’t be too loud. He stopped a few feet away from the first landing of the stairs leading up to the second floor of the restaurant.

“Sorry… I’m driving to Incheon to pick up grandma.”

“Why you? Where’s Mr. Joo?”

“Grandma brought him with her this time. She said something about doing business with dangerous men.”

Shinwoo laughed imagining this playful thought in his head. The two of them are really alike especially this useless humor. “Our badass grandmother, don’t tell me she’s dealing with those Yakuza again.”

“Can’t help it. Business, as usual.”

His brother snickered but didn’t take what he said seriously. “You bet. Anyway, the plan was a success… thanks for the suggestion.”

“I suppose she said yes...”

“She should,” he chuckled but cleared his throat, “I wish you’re here though.”

“I can’t…take care of her or I’ll hurt you.”

“Aren’t you scary, bro? You should really stop hanging around grandma for a bit…” he heard the other guy laugh, “I won’t make her cry.”

“Make her cry but give her happy tears…”

“You are being mushy, but don’t worry… I won’t hurt her.”

“I know you won’t, you love her.”

“I do… very… I hope, you too will finally meet that girl you—“

“By the way, halmeoni said bring her to dinner this Saturday.”

“I see you don’t want to talk about her.” He snorted in a way that the guy on the other line would know.

“Saturday. Dinner.”

“Arasso… arasso…” Shinwoo chuckled; he could just imagine his brother’s expression. “Will you be there?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief. Finally, you’ll meet her for real.”

“I have to hang up now.”

“Okay, see you this Saturday and take care of grandma for me.” Shinwoo fumbled on his phone for a minute to check the unread messages. When he finally looked up, he found Joohyun leaning on the brass railings of the stairs.

“Who was that?” she inquired despite knowing the answer to that. For the past minutes she was there listening in, she realized how much she wanted to know about him— to ask Shinwoo this crazy question she has been keeping to herself that she didn’t even want to voice out even to her thoughts. It was only a crazy, crazy lingering idea.

“Oh, how long have you been there?”

“Since you answered that call,” she crossed her arms on her chest.

“My brother.” He said walking towards her and lazily dropping his hands on her shoulders, “Grandmother invited us for dinner this Saturday.”

Joohyun stared at him for a moment and blinked twice, “Oh…” The suddenness left her speechless. Other thoughts vanished in her mind as she tried to process what he just said in her brain. Everything seemed to happen all at the same time that she couldn’t keep up, from the proposal this the idea of meeting this figure she has grown weary of just because of the things he revealed to her.

“Don’t worry, you’ll like her.” Shinwoo grinned knowing exactly that look on her face. “You’ll like them.”

Joohyun rolled her eyes noticing the amusement he was wearing, “Your grandmother is dealing with the Yakuza, thank you very much…”

“Sunshine, it’s an age-old joke between us,” he laughed then raised a brow, “And did you know that it’s rude to listen to other people’s conversations?”

“Arasso…” she grunted walking away from him heading back to the dining hall. As it turned out, that part of the restaurant was rented by Shinwoo for the occasion. The party ended a few hours after the evening broke. Her mother and her husband drove back to the city; his parents and sisters to their home; their friends parted with them after a few rounds of drinks; and, Yuri after convincing Joohyun that she was sober enough to drive back home. So, they were left to walk lazily back to her apartment some blocks away. After the event, they really didn’t want to separate yet or even let that day end. The looming thought of him leaving for the military, a subject they still weren’t talking about, left them both wanting to hang out with each other as much as they can.

“Are we really walking extra slow?” She tugged on his fingers interlaced with hers and smiled as he looked back at her.

“Ahh, so finally you noticed.”

She laughed then fixed him a fake glare, “What’s running in that head of yours again?”

“Hmmm… let’s see,” he playfully rubbed his barely-there stubbles as if in deep thought, “I’m just wondering… even though we’re walking slowly, why it feels like time is still moving too fast?”

Joohyun turned to him pursing her lips then casting a downward glance but replied playfully, “Well, if you allow me to philosophize then maybe you’d understand?”

“Forget it…”

“Why?” she laughed as he waved her off and walked ahead with hands in his pockets, “Promise, I’ll use simple words as much as possible…”

He stopped to let her keep up and walk beside him, “Joohyuna, next to your kisses you talking smart makes my head incredibly spin.”

“Arasso… oh well, but really it’s quite easy to understand— the relationship between time, movement and space…”

“Sunshine, are you hinting that you want a kiss right now?”

Joohyun laughed but said pointedly, “I do not!”

“You do…” chuckling loudly, he gently flicked her forehead, “If you keep on going on and on with those theories in your little head.”

“I’m just trying to make you understand, alright?” She rolled her eyes and waked ahead but faced him with smile, “And I do not have a little head.”

Shinwoo laughed out loud catching her arm to pull her close for a hug, “I love you, smarthead.”

“I love you, sillyhead,” Joohyun smiled as she accepted a soft peck on her forehead.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For wanting to marry me.”

“Thank you for saying yes.”

“Despite you going behind my back and talking to my parents and sister,” she frowned.

“They love you so I had to ask permission to your life, Sunshine.”

I’m so lucky… you chose me then.”

“I did not choose you; you are a gift for me.”

“And you to me.”

“And I can’t believe you can be this mushy, Sunshine.”

“Your fault.”

“As much as I love mushy Joohyun, I can’t help but miss feisty Joohyun.”

“Heol, you want feisty me?”

“Yes, tiger, rawr…”

 “You keep on calling me every name possible.”

“Because you are that to me, my everything… but most of all, you are my sunshine…. my unbelievably bright burst of sunshine, you blind me yet you give me light.”

“Funny how love makes you a poet…”

“But yeah… this is like the happiest day of my life yet.” Shinwoo turned to her, “You know, before the show started and I saw you walking in the restaurant… I cried. It was like all these emotions surging in on me and I couldn’t seem to breathe. I was scared you would say no.”
 

Her heart felt swelling. Shinwoo, the most alpha of the entire alpha male she has known in her life was falling like a soft tendril in front of her and brave enough to admit that. On top of it, she noticed that tiny sparkle on his right eye. Joohyun grinned playfully, “Aww, silly, don’t start crying!”

Then he laughed— laughed so loud as he brushed the dew forming on his eye, “Oh good god, I’m being a girl right now.”

Joohyun laughed grabbed a fabric on his jacket and pulled him close, “Oh, come here, you silly person…”

And she kissed him despite his tears that finally fell. She kissed him despite him being a girl that moment. She kissed him despite her own reservations because she knew that it was all she ever wanted to do that moment as the world passed by around them. She kissed him as the night grew deeper and so did her feelings for him.

~~~

A few days passed and Saturday came, and so did the final schedule for his enlistment. They were given a total of five days and none of those days were wasted away from each other. Shinwoo was almost living in her apartment, as she was a constant fixture in his parent’s home.

That day, they were at Joohyun’s wasting time before they both do their separate schedules. Both of them were on the floor lying flat on their stomachs, elbows plopped on the cushions and totally engrossed at the drama they were watching until—

“Stop looking at me like that,” Joohyun retorted lips twitching with a glare when she noticed that Shinwoo was staring wide-eyed at her again, which he would normally do to annoy her and amuse himself.

“Like what?” he snickered despite himself, steadfastly wearing the same expression that she gets easily annoyed with.

Joohyun rolled her eyes and deadpanned, “Like that.”

“Like this?” He asked playfully cocking his head just to irritate her some more.

“Aish!” She glared at him long and hard just to emphasize that she wasn’t going to take another teasing but then again Shinwoo covered his face with both hands, “What is it this time?”

“Stop hypnotizing me!”

“Yah,” Joohyun muttered with all the emotionless expression she could manage, “Watching this drama is your idea. So, can you not do those things?”

“Okay…” Shinwoo laughed and offered her a peace sign with his fingers. In the middle of the drama though, he paused on one scene and looked at her yet again, “Do you really hate me that much?”

Joohyun rolled her eyes, sat up and decided to just go with his kind of crazy, “No, I don’t hate you…” she shook her head with a smile, “Not all…”

“Those words are so encouraging. How about letting your emotions take over? Or letting the alcohol take over?” It was his cue to sit up closer to her and as after he did; he cupped her cheeks, “Or just let me take over?”

“ISSSSSHHHHHH!” Joohyun finally pushed him away and sat on the sofa behind them.

“Ya! Don’t you think it’s cool?!”

“Yeah, it’s cool, of course it’s cool Especially when said by Donggun Oppa. Aish! You don’t have any originality at all!”

“Ya! Ya! That’s the best I can come up to! Don’t you just love that part? When Dojin looked helplessly at Yisoo. And what Donggun Oppa?”

She rolled her eyes suppressing a laugh while he tugged on her foot, “You’re the helpless one, do you know?”

“Yep, I know, I’m helplessly in love with you~” Shinwoo winked but laughed when she pretended to gag.

“Aigoo, until what time are you planning to Richard Simmons me off today?”

He said as he stood and straightened his shirt, “It’s actually the end of it… I need to go but I’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?”

“I need to accompany mom for her check up.”

“Check up?” she inquired hugging her folded legs, “Is Umma sick?”

“No, just the yearly check up thing.”

“Okay, you take my car,” Joohyun bended over to get the key on the side table and threw it at him.

“Didn’t you say you’re going with the girls later?”

“Yep, we will buy dress for Yoona Unnie’s birthday. But Sooyoung Unnie will pick me up.”

“Okay, don’t forget dinner tonight at halmeoni’s”

“Yeah, I’m buying a gift for her and your brother too. What do you suggest I should get them?”

“Whatever you like, or flowers for halmeoni. I don’t really have any idea.”

“Okay, I’ll figure that out later,” she smiled when Shinwoo bended down resting his hands on both sides of her head and pecked on kiss on her lips.

“Okay, where should I pick you up?” Shinwoo sat beside her as she stood and walked to her room.

“I’ll just call you.”

Shinwoo gathered his books that were sprawled on the floor and dumped them carelessly in his backpack. A few hours ago, before they decided to re-watch one episode of A Gentleman’s Dignity, Joohyun was trying to make him study the remaining chapters of his books before he leaves for the military. He sighed thinking how he can never get enough of her dedication for education, only that he meant it as sarcasm. He was never big on that study thing till she came to his life. After zipping his bag, he reached for his phone and remembered the message he forgot to read moments ago.

It came from his bandmate. “The producer wants to meet up with us tonight. You free?”

“Aw hell…” muttered to himself then turned towards the open door of Joohyun’s bedroom.

“Something’s wrong?”

She called back and he hissed quietly then rested his back by the doorjamb, “Ah nothing… I’ll go first…”

“Okay, see you later…” She smiled looking at his reflection on the mirror as she brushed her hair.

“Yep…” Shinwoo nodded but remained standing there. Looking at her that moment and thinking— counting of the days. He was feeling melancholic again but he knew he couldn’t just go on thinking that way because Joohyun could easily see him through and he knew she was just trying to fight back those feelings herself.

“What?”

Joohyun finally dropped the brush and walked over to him. That was exactly what he was telling himself so he shook his head at her and smiled, “Nothing… I love you…”

“I love you too, silly,” she dropped her hands on his shoulders and gave him a soft pat— understanding that nothing waseverything she wasn’t saying herself.

Shinwoo gazed at her silently lingering for a moment before he smiled then kissed her. That feeling of want again, of the need that was just bursting to get satisfied. He knew that she was feeling it herself and they were both standing on that dangerous ground— literally and figuratively. He felt her quiver in his mouth as her hands looped on his neck pulling her close, as his own arms s on her waist pulling and tugging her towards him. Shinwoo wanted her too much but he knew better than that. Better than letting his raging hormones get the best of him and her. It was him who ended the kiss with all the remaining strength in him, but he dropped several light kisses on her lips and cheeks to her amusement, stopping only the moment she groaned in slight protest. He laughed as he took a step back or else he would be dragging them both on her invitingly cozy baby pink bed just a few feet away. “I better go.”

“Yeah, you better,” Joohyun, who was still catching her breath, nodded in agreement.

Before he moved away, though, he pecked one more kiss and walked backwards as Joohyun hugged herself rubbing her arms when the room suddenly felt colder. Her back unconsciously falling on the doorjamb, she watched him until he reached the door. “Drive carefully,” She mumbled almost to herself.

Shinwoo just waved and out he was. When the door finally closed with a thud, he leaned on it, took his phone and pressed 2 on speed dial, “Hey bro, something came up. Can you cover for me again tonight?”

~~~

Time.

It moves ever so slow that you just want to hit the fast-forward button.

Yet, sometimes, it is ever so fast that you can’t even imagine what just happened.

She was nervous as she sat on the passenger seat almost five hours after they parted that morning. Joohyun was exhaling from and she didn’t even notice it until Shinwoo pointed that out. “I don’t know… the thought of your grandma freaks me out a little bit.” He laughed heartily at that, maybe just to make her feel better.

“Come on… lighten up, sunshine,” he looked at her with a tiny wink then back on the road.

Her gaze absentmindedly shifted from the speedometer to the fuel gauge. It was like looking at a clock— almost stationary clock, the needle pointing to this number and to that number repeatedly over a hundred times. She blinked away from the instruments then darted her gaze towards the dimming night sky. His grandmother’s house was located by the outskirts of town, in one of the gated communities with the magnificent views of their whole little town.

Because it was on a hilly spot, the road curved and zigzagged like a maze but the landscape around them was breathtaking that she couldn’t figure out where to focus, momentarily making her forget the weariness she had been feeling. Finally, they took another route, this time the tall thick trees on each side of the road were blocking the remaining sunlight that the headlight just illumined their path.

She remembered to list the things they needed to buy for Yoona’s surprise birthday party. Shinwoo and the band were scheduled to play on a nearby town so she would just drive herself around for that day. She sighed again when she realized she didn’t have her diary with her but she put away a notepad somewhere so she decided to fumble through the glove compartment.

Shinwoo snickered beside her, “Yah, will you please just sit still?”

Joohyun laughed and nodded with her exaggerated aegyo, “Eung, eung…”

He clicked his tongue but laughed as he reached out to push a button on the stereo and Snowpatrol’s Chasing Car blasted on the audio. He sang along as he shifted gear when the road turned uphill again. Joohyun lazily drummed her fingers on her lap.

“We’re getting closer.”

For a split second, Shinwoo turned to her with an assuring smile and she smiled back. What could go wrong with him beside her? They both looked ahead again, too late to realize the roadblock. The sign before that left unnoticed the moment they were looking at each other. It was too fast that it was hard to remember how it all happened as the car flew and flipped over. Then something hurt. Then something felt terribly painful.

He turned to her. She was beautiful, like the first time he saw her. An angel, he thought he was seeing an angel that day. There was this burst of sunshine draping behind her. That was how she looked like.

That was what he would remember the most— the sunshine.

Her eyes have always had that sparkle in them whenever she smiles, laughs or even when she gets mad. Her spirited yet graceful movement always caught him by surprise. The way her presence always vibrates in a room. Her soft little expressions and those other things surprisingly animated and alive.

Alive, she has always been so alive to him.

So real… so alive…

He tried to open his mouth. His lips only trembled.

Shinwoo whispered. Joohyun smiled. He watched her smile and he smiled back at her.

He was glad he loved her.

Shinwoo lingered on her face until she closed her eyes ever so slowly. Then it all came down to the rest of the things around them.

Fluid, there were lots of fluid— the color, stained, dark and frightening.

The smell of pungent gas, of something else, and of other things. They were all ugly smell.

The sound—the noise, too loud seconds ago. Breaking pieces. Screaming metals.

Then finally, it was all silent and still.

Then something hurt. Then something felt terribly painful.

Then it was dark.

Then the world stopped.

Then the clock stopped.

“If I lay here

If I just lay here

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?”

~Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)

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this is the end of Book 1 and will 2 will start after a few weeks... now you know where this story is heading to but there are still so much surprises ahead... hang on tight! this is my last yongseo chaptered fic so I'm trying to make it the best that I can with Ysa and Ate Raine's help~ thank you all so much for the comments!! 

~Lyra