OO1: FIRE & ICE

He pulled his pillow covering it over his head. His alarm clock was beeping all over his place seemingly mocking him that he had to get up once more for another damn day when all he had wanted every time he laid himself to sleep was to never wake up from his slumber. He let out a hiss tossing and turning his body left and right. He threw his pillow as it collided to his wall. He sat up with his gray blanket falling on his lap. He ruffled his hair in great irritation.

He heaved a sigh as he stared at the sun rising in the vast horizon of the city of Seoul that was captured perfectly in his room’s huge window. He stared at the sky that was painted with different colors battling out for dominance. He tightly shut his eyes with his fist gripping tightly on his gray blanket. He let out a sigh letting go of the innocent blanket. He raked his hair, running his fingers on his black hair. So I woke up. Great. I’m still alive and ing breathing.

He let out a bitter chuckle out of his lips as he lifted his head staring at his room’s ceiling. It was funny how he always starts his day with an exhausted sigh and a damn complain that he had been saying his entire life. He pushed his covers away as he brought himself to the edge of his bed. He sat down staring at the carpeted floor of his room feeling its texture in his feet. He leaned both arms on both thighs giving himself a moment to stare blankly at the air and probably rethink about his life.

It was also hell funny that he was just 21 and he found life exhausting already, like he was aching for retirement. He was aching for an eternal rest in which his body will grow molds and weeds from lying so long and sleeping all he wanted.

He pushed himself to stand up as he went to his bathroom holding up its knob. He was about to turn it open when his eyes drifted back on his huge window that took his entire wall, in his house that was sitting in a high area above the city of Seoul.  Without any word he walked his way to his table grabbing his newly bought Nikon D31oo. He wrapped its lace on his hands as he brought the camera in front of him, looking straight from its lens as he started snapping pictures of the beauty of the sunrise right in front of him.

Satisfied with what he got, he stood up walking back to his table placing back his camera on it. He stretched his arms upward as he moved his way to his bathroom opening it and closing it gently. He walked his way in front of his sink still doing some little stretching. He leaned his both arms on the sink staring at his own reflection on the mirror screwed above the sink. He stared at every inch of his face. He stared at his black eyes, his perfect jaw line and all the fascinating contour of his face.

Right in front him stood the famous photographer Choi Seunghyun, a man of few words and thousand mysteries. Born in a prominent family known and feared for their skills and aptitude in the business and finance world, a family who was not only hell rich but has a ing strong political connection. His every action and word mirrors the high education he had attained at such young age and how well mannered he was raised. He graduated abroad with the highest honors which also deemed him to top the board exam, even if the course he had studied was not a bit of his own interest.

Choi Seunghyun was a man not only of great minds but also of perfect look evident on every perfect curve and features of his face paired with a well built body and a height of a model. Not only famous for being, young, handsome, intelligent and rich but also famed in the field of sports specifically in tennis in which he championed four tournaments which rose his name to fame on the said field.

He had always been the envy and admiration of many. Every eye was on him and his so called perfect life. But not what you see is everything. For the perfect life everyone was deeming him with was nothing close to perfect and not inch close to the life he had been dreaming.

His perfect life…

It was a living hell he wanted to escape, it was a prison he was aching to break and be free.

He ran his fingers over his hair once more as he preceded doing his business brushing every single thought in his head. Wishing that it will all go down the drain together with the cold water running in his body. He wished he could spit it all out together with the water he used to gargle with.

After getting ready he walked out of his room with his black bag pack on his shoulders and camera hanging around his neck. He walked his way to his huge empty house where he lived on his own. He walked to his kitchen grabbing the cereal box and box of milk out of the fridge. He walked to get his utensils and bowl after doing so he settled himself on one of the chairs of his wooden dining table, placing his things above the chair next to him. He poured the cereal on the bowl then followed by the fresh milk.

Like every morning for almost a year now he started eating in silence, all by himself in that huge house of him after he decided to stop working for his father, for their company and decided to pursue whatever he really wanted to do since he was just young: Photography.

A dream that everyone of his ing high profile family deemed as worthless. Of course compare to being CEO and running one of their companies and making not just millions but sometimes billions of money at such young age, photography indeed was worthless. He endured them for as long as he could remember, he tried liking what they liked, he did his very best to be someone they hope and wanted him to be even if it will cost him his own freedom and even his own dreams.

Why?

Simple. Because he wanted them to appreciate him, he wanted them to find his importance. He wanted their appreciation, their acceptance. He wanted to be one of them. And he got that, he was appreciated, he was praised and he was one of them only to finally realize that he was not a bit happy of it. That it was like living with someone permanently holding your neck and every damn day that ing hold was getting tighter and tighter until you can feel air was painfully leaving your body. Until one day you’ll find yourself desperate for some breathe of air, for freedom that every inch of you were screaming for you to run after your dream that you chose to forget, to seek for your own happiness that you deprived yourself off.

He didn’t do anything wrong. He just wanted to have the life he had been dreaming for his self. Because the last time he checked he wasn’t born to please anybody. His life was not about them. It was about himself, it was his own to spend, his own to waste and his own to end the way he wanted it.

After finishing the bowl of cereal he pushed himself to stand up grabbing the bowl and placing it in the sink. He went back to the table grabbing the box of cereal and milk returning it all to the refrigerator. He grabbed his things walking his way out of his house after placing a black cap on his head. He fetched out for his car keys on the key holder plastered on the wall steps away from his wooden door. He pushed his door open only to be welcome by Im Seulong, his father’s ever loyal secretary.

The lad bowed down to him as he just walked passed him. ‘Good Morning young master Seunghyun,’ he greeted only to be drown by the cold silence and treatment that Seunghyun kept on giving him since the first day that his father sent him. He opened the door of his car placing his things on the back seat. ‘Make it quick, Seulong,’ he said coldly arranging his things. ‘I still have classes,’

‘Young master your father wanted you to return to the main house and to work on the company again,’ he said, his usual dialogue for who knows how long since he left that huge house of theirs and resigned in their company, since he decided to kick himself out of his own family. Seunghyun closed the door of his car as he walked around his car and opened the door of it. He landed a bored look on Seulong who was standing there in his coat and waiting patiently for his answer as if he didn’t knew his answer. He let out a deep breath.

How long has he been answering that line of his? Why can’t he just get it or why can’t his old man just accept it? And he was saying he’s smart when a simple ‘No, I will not return anymore’ he can’t understand. Why can’t they just let him be, he was not asking them anything not a single cent. Heck they could shove in their asses all those companies of them.  

‘Seulong,’ he called to him as he drifted his eyes landing on the view in front of him, the city of Seoul. ‘Yes, young master,’ the latter answered in respect. ‘I will not say this again and if I see you here again I will really file a restraining order,’ he breathed out. ‘Tell them I will not return there anymore,’ he said irritation, determination and finality were mixing in his low voice. He stepped inside his car slamming it close and in seconds he sped off leaving Seulong letting go a deep sigh preparing himself from the long speech of his boss.

Seunghyun finally realized how tight his grip of the stirring wheel was as he slowly loosened it. He heaved another sigh as he tried to bring all his attention to the road as he was driving his way to his university in which he was studying more about photography. He felt anger running in his every veins and he hated it.

He told himself that he will not bother thinking of them, never would he bother himself to feel unnecessary thing about it may it be longing or anger. It’s not that he was not grateful to them nor that he didn’t care nor love them. They were his family for crying out loud! He just wanted to build a huge wall between them; he just wanted to free himself from everything. And maybe he was being selfish but he wanted to live his life for himself, for the things he really wanted to do.

For as strange as it may sound he found his peace in being alone, in living alone upon realizing that being on his own was not something really sad, it was satisfying.

It was peaceful.

He turned his car slowly as he entered the main road. He was tapping his fingers on the stirring wheel as he was still trying to calm himself, trying to get rid of his thoughts. He was about to increase his speed when someone suddenly crossed the street making him stepped hard on his breaks, the tires screeched as his car arrived full stop. He quickly opened the door of his car.

He stood there frozen as he saw someone lying on the road curling. He stared at her small body, her thin arms and her pale white skin that radiate with the sun’s ray. She was wearing a baby blue dress with flower pattern which was long enough to cover her knees, she has a denim vest on and was wearing a brown leather boots, beside her lie her guitar inside a black bag. Her hair was cut short in a hazel color and it was curled. He even wondered if it was naturally curly or it was another work of electric curler but the he quickly brush that thought away.

He felt his breath slowly being released by his lips. He blinked as he saw the body moved and it felt like his heart was slammed hard with great relief. ‘Oh my God!!’ the girl exclaimed as she pushed herself to sat in the middle of the road. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked completely unaware of his presence and probably the almost accident she had.

He stared at her in disbelief as the girl still sat in the middle of the road holding a small white cat in her hands looking at it as she lifted it in air. She then pulled the cat into a hug pressing it into her chest. ‘God! You made me worry!’ she breathed out in great relief as Seunghyun snapped out of his reverie. He felt anger quickly climbed in his chest as his brows furrowed.

‘What the hell are you thinking huh?!’ he burst as the girl jumped on her place standing up and looking at him, blinking in great surprise. She quickly grabbed her guitar and slid it into her arms as she kept looking at him with the kitten in her arm. He saw her swallowed hard.

Seunghyun tightly shut his eyes feeling great irritation and to think his day was barely beginning. ‘What the hell is wrong with you!? Why did you cross the street! What if I wasn’t able to stop my car?! You could have died you know!’ he shouted letting out all his anger and stress in his booming voice with the girl flinching in his every words as she tightened her hold to the kitten. He gritted his teeth. ‘Breaking news! I can’t replace your life!!’

‘I-I was just saving Liloree,’ she answered in a low voice stuttering. Seunghyun let out a breath of disbelief. He then glared at her. ‘So you’re willing to trade your life for a ing cat!?’ he burst once more as the girl’s expression changed quickly, her brows meeting in the center as her face completely fell into a grimace. ‘Yah!’ she burst. ‘Don’t you dare curse on my Liloree!!’

‘!’ Seunghyun breathed out in gritted teeth. The girl was about to open to counter him when her eyes drifted on the bus stop behind them. ‘Omo!’ she exclaimed as she quickly ran passing him leaving him dumbfounded while following her with his gaze. ‘Wait for me!!’ she shouted waving her hands to stop the bus from leaving. Seunghyun let out another breath of disbelief exasperatedly running his palm over his face before letting out string of curses.

‘Yah!’ he heard her voice as he glared at her while she was just looking at him. ‘Don’t worry! I forgive you!’ she shouted. ‘Be thankful you’re quite handsome!’ she said sticking her tongue out at him as he just stared at her in great disbelief torn between exasperation and amusement. After saying that she quickly turned around shouting and waving to the bus until she reached it and quickly climbed on it.

‘Great,’ he muttered shaking his head, eyes tightly shut. ‘Just great,’ he added as he let go another audible sigh. He was about to get inside his car when he saw something on the road. He stared at it for a moment contemplating whether he will pick it up or not. He shook his head in disbelief as he found himself walking to it and picking it up. He stared at it. It was a pet tag with red lace and silver metal plate. He stared at it flipping it. ‘Liloree,’ he read at the plate.

Oh, the cat, he thought to himself as he raised his hand about to throw the tag away. He rolled his eyes as he changed his mind placing it inside his pocket. ‘Stupid,’ he muttered grumpily as he walked to his car slamming the door and quickly drove to his university to attend his class that he was hell sure he was already late thanks to her heroic and stupid act of willingness of trading her life for a kitten.

She settled herself next to the window carefully leaning her guitar at the back of the seat in front of her as she gently placed her cat on her lap. She smiled staring at the view outside the window like it was her first time riding a bus, like a child on her very first field trip. She chuckled softly as she can feel the excitement in her chest which was replaced as she remembered what happened a while ago.

She really thought she will lose Liloree and it scared her so much. She then gently hold him in her hands lifting him in the air, staring at him as he was pulling a yawn and looking all adorable. ‘Liloree! You made me worried a while ago!’ she exclaimed at the cat who was just yawning at her. ‘Aigoo!’ she giggled pulling him to her as she started caressing him. ‘Aren’t you the cutest thing!’ she laughed softly. ‘But don’t you ever worry omma like that again okay?’ she asked lifting him in the air once more looking at him seriously as if it could understand everything that she was saying to him.

‘Your appa will flip once he heard about what happened a while ago,’ she giggled giddily. ‘Let’s keep it a secret okay?’ she asked as she stared at her cat once more only to notice something. ‘Omo!’ she exclaimed as she stared at Liloree turning him, looking for it. ‘Aishh!’ she breathed out in mixed disappointed and defeated tone. She bit her lips letting out another sigh before searching for it on the cat’s small body. ‘Aigoo! Your tag is missing,’ she said in a low voice.

Her lips slowly curved into a smile as she looked at him once more, she then gently caressed his back making him yawn once more. ‘Don’t worry let’s just get you a new one,’ she said as she drifted her eyes on the window savoring every place they passed by, every building she saw and all the busy people of their city.

The speaker soon announced the stop as she quickly stood up grabbing her guitar with her as she happily pushed her way out of the bus. She smiled at the driver who just smiled back at her before she climbed out of the bus. She smiled as she found herself in the center of the city of Seoul. She then started walking looking at everything with a big smile plastered on her face. She then pulled out something from the small pocket on her guitar bag. She unfolded the white paper and started reading it, searching for the place written on it.

Seunghyun grabbed his things as he walked his way to the table of his professor who was handing them flyers. He bowed down thanking him for the flyer as he quickly scanned it reading only the important parts. Youngbae was waiting for him to get out of the classroom. Upon getting out they then started walking their way to the school parking lot where the bus that will take them to their destination was waiting.

Dong Youngbae was the only one who got enough guts in the entire student body to talk and even walk near the perimeter of their so cold ‘Ice prince’. In other terms he was the lucky one who was chosen to be his only friend despite the clear difference between them.

‘What do you think about this project?’ Youngbae asked as Seunghyun kept reading the flyer he was holding. ‘Good,’ he answered timidly which made the other roll his eyes, good thing he was already used to his coldness and silence. ‘Well I actually love this kind of project,’ Youngbae smirked placing both hands behind his head.  

This year, their university had entered a partnership with a huge printing company which sponsored a photo exhibit that will be held by the end of the month. The theme of the exhibit was ‘Children of Hope’ which will required them to go to a huge hospital for children who were diagnosed with incurable diseases such as cancer and worst case of cardiovascular diseases. Which is why they will be going to ‘Kim Children Hospital’ to be familiarized with the place and to be able to have inspiration for the upcoming exhibit that will served as a photo contest, charity event and promotion for both the printing company and their university.

‘I hope to win this year,’ Youngbae smiled climbing up in the bus with Seunghyun nodding to him as he trailed behind him. Youngbae settled himself three seats from the back with Seunghyun occupying the space next to him. ‘How about you? Don’t you want to win?’ he asked. ‘I don’t need to win,’ he answered timidly as he pulled his phone from his pocket. Youngbae grimaced. ‘Yeah, I remember even if you don’t win there are tons of projects lined up for you since you’re already famous,’ he said rolling his eyes.

‘Hey what’s that?’ Youngbae asked staring at the thing dangling on his phone connected with a red lace. Seunghyun stared at the thing dangling on his phone for about three days now. It was there for almost three days and that was the only time Youngbae noticed it. He doesn’t know if he just failed noticing it of he was just not that observant.

He tried throwing that thing away but then every time he does he would just find himself looking for it. He doesn’t even have the slightest idea why he can’t seem to throw it away when it meant nothing, when he could not care about it at all. He remembered when he once forgot where he placed it; he almost flipped his whole house just to find it, so in order to not lose it again he placed it on his phone.

 Seunghyun stared at him as Youngbae gently held the metal plate. He stared at it rubbing his fingers on the metal plate. His brow curved up. ‘Liloree,’ he read. ‘Who’s that?’ he said lifting his gaze with him. Seunghyun shrugged at his question making him roll his eyes.

‘Your girlfriend?’ he asked as Seunghyun just nodded not really in the mood to explain or say anything about the tag. ‘Wooh!’ Youngbae exclaimed in great shock. ‘You have a girlfriend!?’ he asked making Seunghyun glared at him. ‘Shut up,’ he said in a cold warning voice which made Youngbae pressed his lips on a thin line. ‘She must be beautiful,’ Youngbae smiled teasingly. Seunghyun stared at him with obvious disinterest in his face.

‘Yeah, she’s fluffy too,’ he answered as Youngbae’s eyes widened in disbelief in the thing he heard from him. ‘She’s white and hairy,’ he added drifting her attention back on his phone as he heard Youngbae coughed hard while pounding his chest. ‘And she has a very stupid owner,’ Seunghyun mumbled. Youngbae shook his head still daze in disbelief that he failed to caught Seunghyun’s last words.

After travelling for an hour they finally reached the hospital. They board off the bus in excitement and great expectation expect for Seunghyun who still has his straight face on not really feeling any thrill even a pinch of it. Sometimes it makes him actually wonder how he had became a photographer when there were times that he doesn’t feel anything at all.

 Seunghyun roamed his eyes all over the place. The hospital was huge, with huge garden filled with different plants covered in thick Bermuda grass. There were also huge playground, the hospital building was huge itself and has huge rooms colored with bright colors and murals. A place of death, hopelessness and sickness made children friendly, he thought as he started roaming all over the place walking aimlessly letting his feet drag him wherever.

‘Dara unnie!!’ he heard someone called at the cancer ward that he was about to enter. It was then followed by more noises calling the same name. He was about to turn around and walked away from the ward since he hated crowds yet he doesn’t really know but it was as if some force was pushing him to walk inside the ward and he did with slow and patient steps he walked his way to the ward until he reached its door. He then turned and entered the ward only to be stopped on his track as he saw someone familiar.

It was her, the girl he almost hit for saving her cat. She was smiling brightly with the children swarming happily around her. And she was holding her cat on her arms as she gently gave it to one of the children. ‘So tell me how are you all?’ she asked the children answered happily sitting down on the floor with her removing her guitar from its bag as she sat down on a wooden stool. He stared at her. She has a thin white headband on her head; she was wearing a long sleeves loose dress in a pale yellow colored with small flower patterns. It was paired with brown leather booths and she was wearing bracelets on her arms which looked like bunch of strings and yarns for him.

‘Unnie we missed you!’ one child wearing a bonnet said as Dara giggled. ‘I missed you too! I missed each and every one of you!’ she smiled sweetly at them. Seunghyun stood there leaning on the wall arms crossing on his chest eyes watching her every move and observing the whole scenario in front of him. ‘Then why are you gone for a long time?’ one asked her with a sad expression.

Dara smiled sweetly to him. ‘Aigoo, I was just gone for two weeks and you all missed me that much,’ she giggled as she placed the strap on her and strummed her guitar. ‘Neh! We missed you so much unnie!’ they shouted in unison making the lady chuckle once more. ‘Fine,’ she smiled. ‘Since you all missed me I will sing you all a song!’ she cheerfully said as everyone started to clap even the parents who were watching them. ‘To those who knew the song you can sing with me,’ she smiled as she was tuning her guitar.

He didn’t know when it started but then he just found himself staring at her like he was scanning her, every inch of her. She was beautiful, no, she was breath taking. Her face it was like carved carefully, gently. Her skin it was white and it was as if it was glowing in the kiss of the rays of the sun. Her nose… is it even possible for someone to find nose beautiful? But then her nose was beautiful. Her short curly hazel brown hair, it was beautiful. And her smile, it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen in his life.

Her smile was so beautiful.

And her eyes, they were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen. They were sincere, they were honest and they were alive. They were wonderful.

She was wonderful. She was every little thing fascinating.