Wrong Side

Part 1

New Year ’s Eve is so overrated. I wonder why people spent billion dollars on that night just to announce the beginning of another year of mental tortures and physical torments. I’m not breaking any ground with this statement. In fact, a few of my friends agreed with me.

By ‘a few’, I meant five people - including me.

It was a small number but it is sufficient enough. During our presidential election, the ad mentioned that the nation count every single person as a valuable voter in which every single person has a right to have a say on something. In that case, we are significantly valid to say that New Year’s Eve and we suggest the parliament to not waste our money on fireworks or concerts or stupid decorations. Yes, that is what we’re going to do next year (since the idea arrived quite late and the New Year’s Eve is tonight. Plus, I don’t think the parliament is open until the end of next year).

Tonight, at our gathering, I’m going to tell the girls (and a half guy) about my idea and we are going to stop next year’s New Year’s Eve. Yeah, we!

Me and my spouseless friend.

*****

People said if you are not in a relationship, any celebration will sound ridiculous, unnecessary and time-wasting. I agree with that. Take me for example. Kwon Yuri, just turned twenty three last fifth December, a successful marketing executive, single but not available because, unlike most girls, I hate to be in relationship. I don’t have any commitment-phobia; I’m just not interested to have a man to hold my shopping bags or share my small single size bed or hurl myself under a smelly armpit for warmth. (Or maybe I'm just denying the fact that no men wants me - not when you're dark-skinned girl living in a country who really valued snow white's corpse skin.)

And so, my world only revolves around me, my work and of course, Yoona - my sister. She's lovely and luckily she did not receive the same fate as me. She's fair, doe-eyed and kind-hearted girl...and of course, she's the apple in everyone's eye. But here's the trick, she's not interested in boys. Have I mentioned that she was one of my anti-New Year’s Eve league too?

Hence everyone, there’s no need for festive seasons for me because in the end it’s going to be another long noisy night at my comfortable bed. It sounds so boring but yeah, it so happens.

“Thanks Yuri!”

My officemate Jessica yells out loud as she got out of her office and walks through the panelled glass door. She grins as soon she find her boyfriend, Jonghyun, just outside the door. They embrace each other before he plants a passionate kiss to .

“Errgh.”

It is absolutely disgusting.

The kiss, the embrace and the giggly laugh afterward, it all goes down and churns badly in my stomach, forcing me to fake a vomit to make my mind at ease. It is bad enough that she left a pile of documents for me to finish, just because she wants to spent time with Jonghyun’s family in Busan, now she left a nauseating memory for me on the night that was going to be a nightmare for me - the New Year's eve.

Tonight might just going to be the most catastrophic night ever.

Suddenly my phone buzzes. I drop the documents on my hand and quickly scrambles for it, thinking of how frantic my friends would be right now because of my absence.

“Hello?”

“Hey…Yuri.”

I smile happily. It was Key, the small feminine guy I met in a bar a few years ago (on New Year’s Eve…yeah, ironic) crying over a breakup with his hunky boyfriend, Jinwoon (FYI, he’s gay). Of course I could immediately identify his voice without even looking at the phone screen. Key has his way of doing things, even when he speaks it is different than a normal person does.

“Hi Key, so watcha doing?” I asked, “Has the gathering started without me?”

I hear a beat of drum rolls and loud music at the background. It must have been Amber and Sooyoung’s work of art. They love to make a huge party in their house and despite the small number of guests they are going to attend; they still need those gigantic speakers to amuse us.

“Hmm…well, it should have started by now.”

I frown. “What do you mean? You are not at the party yet?”

“Well… I kinda... sorta… not really...” he hesitated, and it is... rare.

“... going to the party, Yuri.”

My eyes widened like they wanted to pop out from its socket.

What the heck? I look at my phone. Who’s this man? Where is the guy who vowed to be at the anti-New Year’s Eve every year with us?

“Why?” my voice sounds choked.

Well, of course. Without him, the party will sort of losing its fun. He was the one who used to come out with ideas of how to make us blind of what’s happening outside. Key always had stories or games that made us forgot about the celebration. And now he wanted to back away?

He clears his throat, “I found someone, Yuri. And I’m going to spent New Year’s Eve with her.”

Nooooo…Wait - with her?

“Her?”

“Yup.” He sounded as if he was grinning from ear to ear and so does the girl who was giggling at his side. “It is new for me but I think I can catch up.”

Even thinking about a manly Key makes me shudder but he sounds so happy that I didn’t really want to ruin anything for him. He must've been so happy.

“Alright.” I said dejectedly, “If you said so.”

“Oh thanks, Yuri.” He says, filled with happiness that somehow made me sad, like I just lost a friend.

“Oh by the way - ”

What now?

“By the way, Amber is not going too.”

“Huh? Why? What –”

It was rather a swift sentence and he was off.

Fuc –

I was about to curse when a message comes through my phone. I open it and regret it soon after.

Unnie, I’m going to the New Year’s Eve celebration with Changmin. Please do not hate me. Buing buing. (^,^)

Talking about betrayal. My own sister. My sweet loving sister…has finally sailed away from our league. I knew it from the first time she introduced the tanned guy to me, that he’s going to snatch her heart away. I’m totally right and now, I’m all by myself.

A few seconds of mourning, my phone is suddenly drumming the desk again.

I lazily pick up my phone and place it near to my ear.

“Hello?” I greeted wanly.

There’s a huge silence before somebody answer back.

“Yuri?”

Her heart sank.

“Oh no, not you too Sooyoung.” I wailed.

Choi Sooyoung is an avid member of the ANYEL (short term for Anti-New Year’s Eve League. Key invented it saying it is close to 'angels', just like us. What a traitor!). We met in the university when the students of business management are preparing a performance for New Year’s Eve celebration. Sooyoung and I had spent the whole night painting a background for a play called ‘Cinderella’s Stiletto’ while chatting about how we hate the nasty celebration. By the time we finish the background, we are so tired and perhaps slightly drunk (resulted from the beer that Seulong bought). And that’s the sole reason why Jo Kwon who played the Cinderella’s sister had a bluish purple wig instead of graceful blonde and the expensive red stiletto for the main character is entirely wrecked, causing Hyomin, the Cinderella, to cry over an old plastic flippers. That’s how we ruin the New Year’s Eve in our university. Small but effective.

But now, I’m afraid that ANYEL is going to a different thi year.

“What?” she asked blankly.

I sigh, “You are not going too, Sooyoung?”

“Going where?”

“To the ANYEL’s gathering. Gosh, Sooyoung. Where did you put your head? Tonight is the New Year’s Eve and we supposed to meet at your house and have some fun.”

The latter giggles. “Of course I remember, you silly. I’m just confused that you ask where I am going when I’m here waiting patiently for you people to come. See, I’m not going anywhere. I don’t have a boyfriend for goodness sake.”

I comfortably exhale in relief.

“Oh, you scare me there.” I rest my head on the lavish chair, “It just me and you against the world now. Yoona is going out with Changmin. And Key –”

“Is with Amber. Errgh!” she remarked.

“I know right. It’s hard for me to picture them together too.”

Sooyoung snorts loudly. "I thought they both are homos."

“How can they be such an idiot? Above all, why does it have to be the New Year’s Eve? They can pick any day to date. Why does it have to this night?!”

Oh I forgot to tell you. Sooyoung simply hate New Year’s Eve because she just loathe it. It always reminds her of how she’s still not accomplishing her only every year's New Year’s resolution which was to be in a romantic relationship and married by the end of the year.

This year was another failure.

“It was like rubbing salts into my wound!” she angered.

I muffle a chuckle, “Oh relax, Sooyoung. You’re going to be fine. You don’t need a man. You have a stable life with a job that handsomely pays the rent and the bills.”

“You and your hate towards man. Men are not entirely . They can come in handy at times, you know.”

“Like what? Holding my handbag while I’m peeing?”

I could sense that Sooyoung is rolling her eyes right now.

“I can never win a fight with you, Yuri. So, I just have to stop now.”

“Good.” I beam a winning smile, “See you later. I’ll come as soon as I finish my work which is going to take a few hours more.”

“Alright. I’ll wait for you. Bye.”

“Bye.”

I put my phone down at the edge of the table. Beside me, there is a mountain of documents that need to be sorted out tonight just because my workaholic boss, Choi Siwon (Sooyoung’s brother who help her get into the company), is expecting it tomorrow.

I massage my temple and sigh earnestly. I glance at the time in my computer screen. It shows 10.15 pm.

This is going to be a long long night. Perhaps a brief nap could ease it.

*****

I switch off the light on my desk hurriedly and stand in front of the elevator with my old knapsack and a pink handbag that Yoona gave to me on my birthday. Finally, it’s time to go home. As I wait, I took a minute to study my own reflection on the elevator door.

I look... disgusting.

My hair is all over the places. My glasses are crooked. My makeup is messy. The red lipstick that I wear smudged my cheek till the brink of ear. I must have been sleeping like a Godzilla to look like this. And my dress! There’s a coffee stain that Jessica dropped on top of her silky beige blouse this morning and on top of that, the size of the gaping holes on the side of her skirt is enormous (thanks for Jessica again who put her plant on the way to the printer causing her to trip on it and slash her skirt), a polar bear could fit into it.

I look like I was produced straight from garbage. And oh my God, is that a pimple on my chin?

It is an unfortunate fate that the elevator door is open the exact moment I was trying to pinch the pimple. I froze out of embarrassing shock.

Inside, standing in front of her, is one of the most handsome man she had ever seen. A tall smart looking man clad in a grey suit. His haggard jaw is taut and his eyes are already watching her with mixed with anger yet soft expression just like those vogue supermodels used to look like in magazine. His eyebrows though are raised in a quizzical manner as if he was looking at a strange looking manatee.

I froze.

And he replied with a frown.

Afew seconds later then I realize that I was a little too late to get into the lift. I swiftly drop my hand from my face and step inside. Luckily the elevator doors closes at the same instant.

Inside, I suppress an odd feminine impulse to reach up and pat my hair into place or perhaps adding some luxurious red lipstick on the lips to look more presentable. Then I realize, for a sensible young woman, I’m reacting very foolishly to what is, after all, nothing more than an attractive male.

Had he really been that handsome?

Discreetly, I began to raise my eyes to the glowing panel and cautiously (very cautiously), I let my eyeball slide sideways.

Oh my.

This guy was awfully tall (six feet five inches at least), broad shouldered and athletically muscular. Although it is hidden, I’m hundred per cent sure that there’s a six pack beneath the plain white shirt he’s wearing. Satisfied, I remove my hawk vision to his face.

Sweet God, Sooyoung is going to love him.

He has huge doll eyes that were very unlike his dark virile tousled hair. There is masculine pride in his straight brows and the arrogant chin and jaw. His mouth is firm but sensually moulded.

I’m still studying those lips when they quirked suddenly, as if something have amused him. I jerk and shot a quizzical look at him.

His brown eyes were already on me.

“I – I’m afraid of elevators.” I said the first thing I had on my mind. “I try to concentrate on something else to, er, keep my mind off the height.”

He raises his eyebrows in amusement, “That’s very clever.” He remarked teasingly.

My cheeks blush as I drew my gaze from him. Silence is what kept me sane after I was caught in the act of staring at him and practically drooling over him. A few seconds later the elevator doors open and I jerk my gaze towards him. I watch in muse as he walks out and left me alone, seemingly oblivious to me as a female.

After years of enduring men’s gaping admiration, their stares and silly grins, I had finally met a man whom I desperately want to impress (just impress), and nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. A little disappointed, I head towards my car in the parking lot. As I settle in my car, I look at the mirror and improvise my dreadful face. I take some wet tissues out of my dashboard and wipe out the muddled makeup, leaving only my bare face. I tidy up my hair with my bare hands, letting it flow naturally down to my shoulder. Then I look ruefully at my attire.

“Damn it.” I whispered furiously.

With anger, I take off my blouse and reveal my white sweatshirt, slightly exposing my full s. Then, I tore the skirt and shorten it up and lob away the hole. I take a moment to study myself again.

Great. I look like a now.

I quickly turn on the ignition, the coldness outside the car is already creeping inside my spine.

The first time I turn the key, I failed.

I tried the second time - it fails again. And so does the third and fourth time.

“Oh . No no no no.” I blabber worriedly. Not only that I’m late for my ANYEL’s gathering, I’m also wearing a sleeveless top and a really short skirt in the middle of winter.

Damn it! I dont want to die in this cold weather.

Out of the blue, somebody knock my window.

I turn to my side and surprisingly, I see the handsome guy I wanted to impress just now. He looks like he just saw a ghost, desperately in need of my help.

“Yes?” I said as I slide down the window.

He was about to explain his condition but stop cold.

His eyes were glaring gaily at my exposure. His expression stunned, showing that he noted that the fact that I had a tiny waist, long pair of legs and adequate size of (and natural beauty too…if only he looks at my bare face). Uncomfortable, I swiftly clear my throat. He jerks up.

“I – I’m sorry. I shouldn’t do that. I’m really sorry.” His eyes now were appropriately engaged with her car. “I mean no disrespect.”

I chuckle. “Don’t worry. I will not sue you.” I comforted him as I took an old jumper I kept next to my seat, “It’s my fault. I looked like Tarzan before this, so I revamped myself, and now I looked like an orang utan.”

He laughs a rich baritone sound that somehow flatters me. Their gaze fixed, a brief flame of ual attraction flickered there. But I withdraw my affection before it started.

“How can I help you?”

He smiles. And I swear to God, it could melt my car even.

“I need some help with my car. I cannot get it started, probably because the battery is short. I just need your car to restart it. I have the equipment in the back of my car.”

“I would,” I said with irrepressible smile. “If my car is working.”

His brows draw together.

“You can’t start yours too?”

“Yep. See?”

I demonstrate it to him with pleasure.

He sighs in defeat.

“What should we do now?” I asks. Not knowing what to do next.

I’m exhausted and he looked haggard too, handsomely tired I mean.

“I’m not sure. Supposedly the guard is on leave tonight. It’s New Year’s Eve.”

That is why I hate that night. Everything doesn’t goes in place every time it reaches that moment. I hate it. I hate it. I really hate it.

“Do you want to walk with me to the bus stop?”

Perhaps I might like this night a little.

“There’s no one here except us and there’s nothing we can do anymore to the engine.” He explained.

“Hmm…” I pretend to think, making sure that I didn’t sound so desperate. “Okay.”

I gather my belongings while he went back to his car to grab his. And when I’m ready, he was already waiting at the elevator. We keep our mouth shut until we reach the lobby. Once in a while I can see his eyes staring at me and my shredded skirt. Not in a ert way but in a concerned brotherly look. Yes, I’m cold. I wore nothing thick other than a bra, sweatshirt with jumper and my short (shortened) skirt with cartoon underwear. When the automatic front door opens for us, a gush of cold wind pierces through my skin. I hurl into my jumper, the only thing that can keep me warm.

“Are you cold?” he finally voices out his concern.

She nods, “A little bit.”

He willingly takes off his muffler and black jacket and gives it to her.

“Thanks.”

He studies me as I place his jacket on my body. It looked perfect on him but when I wear, it looks gigantic and it covered her thighs, fortunately.

“It is going to be a little big on you but this will do the heating for now.”

“That’s fine, as long as I don’t die in this freezing weather.” I told him, “Are you going to be alright? You look freezing as well.”

“I am. But I think I can handle it for just a few steps to the bus stop. So, no worries.”

He is a gentleman, I realize.

His politeness succeeded in breaking my vow to remain indifferent with him. I mean, men like him are one in a million. If it was another man, I’m pretty sure that he had asked me to make out at the back seat just to provide 'warmth'. It had been that way for so long now, ever since I was in high school. Men only looked at me as a ual tool since I’m naturally tanned and tall. It is sickening, really. Of course I like the sweet attention but when they thought I was a cheap woman that is when it gets ugly. Some of them even plainly grab her for fun, or kiss my cheek out of bet and even try to doze me out with sleeping pills to make with them.

“It’s surprisingly quiet tonight.”

He says as we walk along the road. “I haven’t seen a single car or person since I left my office.”

“Well, it’s usually happen, especially during the New Year’s Eve...or any celebration. They supposed to gather at the middle of city by now or maybe the river to watch the fireworks. Such a waste of time.”

He gives out a surprised look.

“You don’t celebrate any festive occasion I guess?”

She smirks, “Yes.”

He beams his lazy smile again.

“You’re not in a relationship?”

“I am,” he looked a tiny bit frustrated when I said that and I wonder why, “with my work.”

One of his brow lifts in disbelief but his lips twists into a smile.

“I find it hard to believe. You look quite the opposite.”

“Well, I promise you, it’s true.”

“You sound boring.” He commented boldly. I was about to retaliate when he chortles and continues, “In that case, you have an excellent company. I don’t celebrate them either.”

“Why?” I asked blankly.

He shrugs, “Don’t know. I think I love sleeping better. It keeps my head on my work the next day.”

“Wow, you sound more uninteresting.”

“Perhaps I am.”

But he’s not boring at all.

He’s funny and knows to tease. Along the way, he keep me entertain with his story about what he’d done in this past few years during a celebration. Not much different with me actually. Other girl may find him dull and tedious but because of the resemblance, she found him remarkably amusing. We spent our ample time talking and gleaming with one another. He’s a nice guy. Probably the nicest I’d ever found.

But there's one problem.

He had a ring in his left finger (I’ve told you I had a hawk vision).

So, I concluded that he is engaged or probably married, whichever it is. It does make things easier, because for me, if someone happens to be single and eligible bachelor, my feminine impulse will prompt me to act more cute or sensual to impress and attract them. Sorry that it’s getting a little confuse now. I do hate men but I love the attention from other male counterparts too. It makes me feel like I’m the queen of the world who can control every single man living in this ground. I got a lot of contract solely based on my sensual skill too and somehow that’s why I’m the marketing executive now, not Jessica (my friendly competitor) who had been in long term relationship with Jonghyun for five years now. For someone who didn’t get the idea about me yet, to put it simple –

I am a manipulative .

Alright back to the story, ah, so he’s a married man (let’s just overestimate him) and hence he is out of my list. Therefore, I don’t have to amaze him or make him sway with my affection. I friend-zoned him (of course it is in my mind), which by all means, I can do or tell whatever I want to him. I showed him how to get rid of the cold by doing jumping jack in front of him (very unlady-like), I joined him doing some exercise on our face to keep them mobile (it was silly, his face is really funny) and I told him that I used to wear my father’s underwear just to know how it feels like.

“Hmm…there’s no sign of living creature here too.” He said as soon as we saw the bus stop.

The bus stop is a really quiet and serene place when we arrive there. Only the sound of our voices and laughs were chiming around it. We decided to wait in the steel bench and hell, it is cold too.

“Do you know that you’re very relaxing company?” he asked softly.

I’m very pleased to hear that. “I better be because it seems that only both of us in the earth now. Everyone seems to be disappeared and the bus driver seems to forget about his job apparently.”

“Oh never mind. We’ll just have to wait for taxi then.”

“If you realize, the road is functionless now. I can sleep there for hours without getting hit by a car because there’s no car.”

He giggles.

“You seem anxious. Are you in a hurry?”

“Yes. We do actually. We had to get you somewhere that has a heater. It’s a snow storm out here and you only wear a shirt.” I explain.

“I’m fine. I can –”

Then he sneezes.

I chuckle at his ego. “Come on. Let’s go to that café. I don’t think the bus is going to come any soon. I don’t think it’s going to come anyway.”

“Okay.” He answered, probably embarrassed by the revelation.

We entered a small cosy café near the bus stop. The warmth inside makes my face and the handsome stranger’s blush again, finally! After about thirty minutes (I guess) walking in the coldness. We choose a table beside the glass window and when we finally settle down we look around to order some hot drinks. To our astonishment, there’s no one there. What the heck?

“Strange,” he mumbled, “The shop is open but there’s no attendants.”

“Yeah, it is weird. This shop doesn’t usually close. Even if it is close the light was switched off and the door wouldn’t open.”

Now, it gets more odd and spooky in a way. What if there’s an alien invasion and they everyone and just left them both alone on earth?

“Probably they went to the rooftop to watch the fireworks.” He suggested.

I sigh in relief. At least there’s a reasonable reason from him.

“It’s alright. At least it is warm in here.” He said positively.

“Yeah.” I said.

Lucky that I didn’t voice my thought out loud. He would probably think I’m a psychopath.

“I think we forgot something.” He said gently.

“What is it?”

“We talked almost half an hour but we haven’t shared our names yet.”

I raise my eyebrows in amusement. About time really. “Oh we haven’t? We keep chatting about the eve until we totally forgot about our manners.”

“Well in that case, let’s start it again.” He adjust his posture before he continues, “Hello, my name is Choi Minho.”

I titter at his act but nevertheless I playfully follow his act.

“Hi, my name is Kwon Yuri. Nice to meet you, Minho.”

“Nice to meet you too, Yuri.”

I stumble upon the clock above him as I was giggling and nearly fall off my chair to discover the time.

10.15 pm.

Panic, I swiftly look at my watch – still the same.

“Hey Minho, do you have any watch?”

He nods and coolly looks his shining classic watch on his wrist.

“It’s fifteen past ten.”

I choke a lump in my throat.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, alarmed by my pale face.

“It’s 10.15 pm.” I repeated in horror-struck.

“Yeah, we already established that.”

“No, Minho, you don’t understand. I took a nap at 10.15 pm. I woke up and do my work for about one hour and it takes about half an hour to reach here. There’s no way it is still 10.15.”

He frowns. “Now I realize it when you put it like that. I left my office at nine o’clock too…if I’m not mistaken.”

“Oh goodness. What is happening to us? Are we trapped in a time freeze or something?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Maybe there’s some electromagnet disturbance that cause any metal on earth dysfunctional. That’s why the clocks are not working.”

Another logic reason. Gosh, I’m so superstitious.

“But Minho, there’s no one here except us.”

“That’s true but like you said, they must have been gathering at the city to watch the fireworks and concerts. I heard girl’s generation is having a New Year’s Eve’s event and interview fifteen minutes away from here tonight. I bet people are crowding there to see them.”

I squint my eyes hard to think. After a thoughtful consideration (which does not take minutes at all), I decided to bring him out again.

“Let’s go there. Let’s see if there’s really someone there.”

He grimaces, “Into that snowy night again?” he whimpered.

“Oh come on. I’m really horrified now and we need to make sure that we are able to reach our home to sleep. We can’t be separated from our bed, remember?”

He gives out defeated look, “Fine, let’s go.”

We stand up and walk to the front.

“Here.” He mentioned grabbing along with a long white trench coat, “I found this on a table behind us. Thought this would fit you more than mine.”

“But isn’t it someone else’s?”

“Maybe. But if we were to follow your theory, this coat belongs to no one else because there’s nobody else.”

I halt to muse, “That’s a fair reason.” And quickly change my coat. “Alright let’s go and see some stupid girl group flaunt their skin in winter.”

He laughs, “After you.” He said whilst opening the door for her.

Fifteen minutes walking and we finally reach at the place he mentioned, the Seoul Park. There’s a huge bright lit stage with gigantic poster of nine girls smiling their best shot in the middle of it. Surrounded it were small merchandise shops with colourful (although most of it is pink) glowing sticks and mini-posters. It was indeed a sight of signing event. Fair enough. Though the problem is there’s absolutely no creature in that place. Not even dogs.

“Oh man.” Minho ruffled out his hair, “This is…nightmare.”

*****

Enjoy