V

 

 

Kai stared at Baekhyun’s sulking face as Baekhyun stood up and point his finger to Kai. “You!” he shouted. “You’re the one who labeled it as Noraebang Friday and now you wanted to move it on Saturday? What the hell is that?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just this Friday. I have something important to do,” Kai replied to him.

“Then, what is it? Tell me! What is more important than our Noraebang Fridays?”

“It’s about the marriage.” Baekhyun suddenly changed from being a hyperactive angry boy into a serious-face, ready-to-listen man.

“What? Have you already made your decision?”

Kai nodded. “I decided to…”

---

 “Hello?”

“Seyoon-ah? It’s me, mom. How are you?”

“I’m fine. How’s America?”

“Well, it’s cold here right now. I am cooking breakfast for your brother. How about you? Did you already have your dinner?”

“Oh…ye---es.”

“Well, that’s great. Just don’t skip meals okay? Eat whatever you wanted to eat. Oh, I have to go now. The toasts are already burnt. See you soon and take care.”

“I will. Oh, and please tell Suho-oppa that I miss him.”

“Ok, I will. Bye!”

“Bye…” Before Seyoon even bid goodbye, her mother already hung up the phone. She must have been very busy there, Seyoon thought.

She told another lie again. After her grandfather’s funeral, her mother went back to America to live with his brother. She was left in Korea with his father. However, her father was always busy with his company that he rarely went home. And there she was now, alone. Each day that her father didn’t go home, she wouldn’t eat dinner anymore. It was hard to have the appetite to eat when there was no one who would enjoy the taste of the food with her, she thought. All she did was to go to the nearest convenience store and would buy snacks that would fill her grumbling stomach. However, today, she didn’t want to move an inch from her bed. She would just let her stomach forget the call of hunger when she slept. Just when she was about to close her eyes, the doorbell rang. She remembered that her father told her that he wouldn’t be home tonight. So she went downstairs and looked at the unexpected visitor. “Kai…”

---

Maybe he should tell her his decision before he would tell it to his father, Kai thought. After all, she was one of the involved people in their arrange marriage. Kai gained all his courage before he pressed the doorbell to Seyoon’s house. He could already see that the lights were off but he tried anyway. Suddenly the door was cracked open as the indoor light slowly lightened up the doorway.

“Come in,” she said in a very mild voice. As Kai entered the house, he felt so familiar, so at-home. He had been there countless of times before and he felt his body moved naturally to where he should sit. But, seeing the same place didn’t also mean that it felt the same with the people living there. Being there felt so alone, so empty, he thought.

Kai looked at Seyoon who was sitting at the opposite side. She was just staring at the floor without looking at him. He could tell that neither of them wanted to speak first but since he was the one who disturbed her at this hour, he decided to talk first. “I have something to tell you,” he said. Seyoon didn’t move her gaze on the floor. “It’s about the marriage. I’ve already made my decision. I decided to…agree on the marriage.” She looked at him suddenly with great shock before looking back on the floor where she was staring every time Kai spoke to her.

She nodded. “I see,” she said. Kai could feel the uneasiness in the air as she spoke. “Have you said this to your father?”

“No, I haven’t. I decided to tell it to you first before I tell it to them. I decided to tell it on Friday after the company meeting. But that’s not all what I wanted to say.”

This time, she looked at him, waiting for him to speak. Kai could see her pale face but her eyes were still as sharp and strong every time he saw it. “What is it?”

“It’s about my relationship with Krystal. I just wanted to say that even if I agree on this marriage that doesn’t mean…”

“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to say it to anybody. Our marriage will be concealed. And I won’t meddle in your relationship.”

“Great. And don’t worry. I won’t meddle in your own business either. It’s just the contract what we’re after. Very well then, that’s all I have to say. I see you when I see you.” From there, Kai stood up as he walked to the door but before he left, “By the way, I won’t be joining their Noraebang Friday this Friday. You can come if you want. I won’t be there anyway.” He closed the door and went off. ‘Why am I like this? I felt like I treated her coldly. I shouldn’t be like this especially now that our future relationship is not in our hands anymore. I should have the courage to talk to her often. I should take Baekhyun’s advice earlier,’ he thought.

 

~*~

“What? Have you already made your decision?”

Kai nodded. “I decided to agree on the marriage.”

“WHAT?! Wait, I don’t understand you. You told me that you would never agree to that marriage thing. And now, you’re telling me that you would actually do it? What the heck is that?”

“Well, it’s for the sake of my future. I won’t lose anything anyway. Besides, Krystal said that…”

“WHAT?!? Krystal knew about this. You said it to her? What’s her reaction? What does she says?”

“Relax dude. I am telling you. Well, she seemed shock at first when I told her but…”

---

Kai looked at Krystal’s shocked face when he told her about the marriage. He knew he shouldn’t have told her about it. But she insisted that he should tell her what was wrong with him lately and here it was, what was wrong with him was the thought of the marriage. He looked at her again but her face seemed mellow down and then she smiled.

“I understand. We can’t help it. Besides, it is a huge company at stake. But did Seyoon-shi agree with the marriage?” Kai just nodded at her. Her face didn’t move an inch and smiled again. “I see.”

“But don’t worry. I won’t agree on the marriage anyway. I couldn’t marry the woman that I didn’t love. All I can think of in the future is you and me. Nothing else.”

“I know. You don’t have to tell me that. I know that you love me and I love you too. We know that so…”

“So?”

“Agree on the marriage, Kai.”

“What?”

“Parents’ decisions are the hardest thing to contend to. Besides, you already said to me that your feelings would remain the same.” She held his waist and drew her face closer to his. “I trust you, Kai.” Their lips touched for a moment. He could feel her calmness as they kissed. Maybe he should agree on the marriage, he thought. After all, he knew that Seyoon wouldn’t interfere in their relationship.

“You’ll always be here for me.”

“Always.”

---

“So you agree on the marriage because Krystal told you so?” asked Baekhyun. Kai just nodded. “Wow, you really love her, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do.”

Baekhyun just let out a deep sigh. “Well, it’s your decision and your problem. Just don’t look for me when you are already torn between the two. I can’t help you with that.”

“Hahaha! What torn? I won’t look for you, I promise. Besides, I think I can handle this. I know that Seyoon would be the first to give up anyway. I know she couldn’t take this relationship longer.”

“Dude, I know you’re my friend. But Seyoon is my friend too. If you did something bad to her, I will look for you and kick your !” Baekhyun gave him another headlock.

“Haha! I understand. I understand. I won’t hurt her, okay.”

“You should start talking to her. Even though, she won’t meddle with your relationship with Krystal, you can’t just leave Seyoon alone. You should talk to her sometimes.”

“I know. I know I should do that…”

~*~

 

“By the way, I won’t be joining their Noraebang Friday this Friday. You can come if you want. I won’t be there anyway.”

Seyoon stared at him as he left. He had been cold to her but she couldn’t blame him. It was her fault for avoiding him, not talking to him, and treating him coldly for the past two years. She felt like their old relationship was impossible to come back. Even though they were getting married, instead of pulling them together, it was pulling them apart.

 

~*~

“Let’s go to our dorm! Please, please Kai. Let Seyoon go to our dorm.” Chanyeol begged.

“No. Even if you kneel or plead or cry, it would never happen.” Kai stated.

“Hey! Who are you to decide for Seyoon?” Baekhyun tried to grab Kai’s head but he swiftly dodged his hands.

“I won’t fall for that. Who am I? Well, I am just the person that Seyoon’s parents trusted her to. Besides, Seyoon and I need to go.”

“Why? You’re just using Seyoon. Do you think we don’t know that you made Seyoon answer all our past assignments, huh?” Chanyeol said.

“Hey what are you doing? Stop that. Can’t you see that Seyoon is here? Let her decide.” Kyungsoo said while trying to stop Kai and Chanyeol crash their heads.

“Kyungsoo is right.” Sehun said in a very low voice.

“Ahh…” The boys were waiting for Seyoon’s answer as all of them stared at her. “Well, I would really love to go to your dorm but I think it’s inappropriate that I am the only girl who would come with an all-boys group like you. So I decided that I won’t come. I am sorry. I am really sorry” She lowered her head, feeling disappointed with her own decision.

“Haha! Did you hear that? So Seyoon will come with me.” Kai boasted.

“It’s okay Seyoon. You don’t have to say sorry. We understand your decision.” Baekhyun said to Seyoon, trying to console her.

“Yes! Even though we really wanted to tour you to our dorm, it’s your decision.” Kyungsoo added.

“Come on. Look at us. Don’t stare on the floor. It’s okay.” Chanyeol poked her cheek as she looked at their smiling faces.

“I am really sorry. But, is there a place where we can get together even if we don’t go to your dorm?”

“Of course! However, we really need the big help of someone here.” Chanyeol placed his arm on Sehun’s shoulder.

“Right! We can go to Sehun’s building in Hongdae.” Baekhyun smiled brightly.

“Sehun’s building in Hongdae?”

“Well, you see Seyoon, this guy’s family right here owns a huge entertainment building in Hongdae. There is a movie theater, a salon, an arcade, a restaurant, a spa, and the best of all, their noraebang!” Baekhyun said.

“Noraebang?”

“Noraebang…in other words, karaoke. Are there no karaoke in America?” asked Kyungsoo.

“Well, I know karaoke. But I’ve never been to one before.”

“Well, now is the time,” said Chanyeol as he wrapped his arm on Seyoon’s shoulder.

“Yah! Yah! Yah! Remove your hands on Seyoon’s shoulder. We can’t do that,” said Kai as he threw Chanyeol’s arm aside.

“Oh not again. Why?!? Why are you like this?” pleaded Baekhyun.

“Going to Hongdae would take time.”

“It’s just 10 minutes from here,” said Kyungsoo.

“Besides, we can’t do it every day. Can’t you see all these assignments given to us? Plus, Sehun and I were part of the dance club. And you, Kyungsoo, you are part of the student council. We can’t leave the school before 5.”

“Aish! You really have a lot of excuses. You just want Seyoon all by yourself!” said Baekhyun.

“What?!? No! It’s just that, we are all busy to go to Hongdae every day. Ok…perhaps, we could go out once a week.” Seyoon smiled at Kai while the boys are waiting for what he was going to say next. “How about we go every Friday? How about Noraebang Fridays? That’s it, Noraebang Fridays! How about that Seyoon?”

“Sounds great!” Seyoon gave her thumbs up as a sign of approval.

“Finally, a great decision from Kai,” said Baekhyun.

“Yay! We can go out with Seyoon every Friday!” shouted Chanyeol.

Sehun, Kyungsoo, and Seyoon just smiled at each other. Seyoon went to Kai and whispered, “Thank you.” She smiled at him as Kai mesmerized her beautiful innocent smile.

“Noraebang Friday, yeah!” Baekhyun and Chanyeol shouted happily.

~*~