CHAPTER 23. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

After walking out she headed to the department store and bought load full of junk foods, in other words comfort food.  I settled myself in the living room eating the nutrition less crap that I bought while watching comedic variety shows, not a single smile breaking out of my face. There just wasn’t anything that can lighten up my damp mood right now.

What’s frigging worse is that Chaerin called that she wouldn’t be coming home to the apartment tonight because her father called.

She decided to call Hanbyul.

“How did you do it?” she asked as Byul answered on the other line.

“Hello to you too Dara. What happened?” she asked.

“Hmm…I was just wondering. How do you manage while Dongwook oppa is away in the military?”

She heard Hanbyul sigh over on the other line. “The thing is…I try not to think about it.  You know…like I pretend that this wasn’t happening…and that two years isn’t even that long…it would bee like I just slept and the moment I wake up he’s here…” Hanbyul answered.

“It was kinda weird you didn’t come to his farewell party…and went he entered base camp too…” Dara mentioned.

“You know what’ll happen to me friend…I might just…I don’t know…break down…and tell him to run away with me to a foreign country…but then I again why would I stop him from having the honor of serving his country…but then again...two years..is a long time.” Hanbyul answered.

Before Dara knew it tears were streaming down her face…she grabbed a box of tissues and started patting her face.

“Oh dear…Dara are you crying?” Hanbyul asked worriedly over the line.

Dara didn’t answer and just sobbed.

“But Cheundoong has a long way to go before he…” then her voice trails away as she realizes. “Oh Dara…it’s not Cheundoong your crying for is it? Is this about Seunghyun?”

Dara froze. Hanbyul wasn’t there at the party. And she didn’t tell her about it. How did she know?

“Did you know about this?” she asked.

“I wasn’t really sure…I mean…Dongwook mentioned it when he enlisted before…he said that Seunghyun was planning to enter after him…but I didn’t really know when. Dara are you okay?”

Dara nodded her head as if Hanbyul could see her.

“That idiot had it all planned out and he didn’t tell me!” she wailed as she grabbed more tissues and dabbed her face.  She has now used up half of the tissue box in a span of a minute.

“Dara you don’t sound too good? Should I come over?”

Once again Dara  shook her head as a response as if Hanbyul could see her.

“If it makes you feel any better…tell me more about it. I don’t think you’re sad just because he’s going to the military. Is there something else?”

Dara took a deep breathe before answering. “It’s just that…I’m scared…”

“Scare of what?”

“That he might change.”

“Oh dear…” Hanbyul exclaimed weakly over the other line and she could just imagine her friend biting her nails.

“You know that I want someone who is unchanging right…and he knows it…even for my friends…I want them to be unchanging…and I’m scared…that if he goes away…and he comes back he wouldn’t be the same. I mean…we wouldn’t be the same anymore.” Dara cried over the line.

“You know me…if I don’t see a person or talk to a person for a long time…I start to act aloof and everything…and I don’t want that to happen between us. And I’ll really miss him.” She cried even harder.

And her friend just stayed silent listening to the other line.

“Have you told him that?” Hanbyul asked a few moments later.

“No.” she answered.

“Then tell him how you feel. That’s the only way you’ll feel a bit better as he goes away.” Her friend advised.

She thanked her friend and told her she’ll treat her to eat out sometime. She continued eating her food and watching the TV.

 - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - 

She was woken up by the sound of the doorbell.  She rose from the couch and glanced at her phone. It was already eleven in the evening; she couldn’t believe she fell asleep. She got up and wondered if Chaerin changed her mind and decided to come home after all.  But then again if it was her she could just open the door.  As she made her way towards the door she wondered who it could have been. 

  She went to the intercom of my doorbell not bothering to look at the security camera.

She pressed the button and spoke over the speaker, “Who’s this?” She asked tying the robe tighter around her waist.

“Dara…it’s me.” a very very familiar deep baritone voice spoke over the line.

The moment she heard his voice her heart double up it’s pace. I mean…the feeling was very weird. Like something punched me in the gut and it lodged in my throat. Like…like it almost felt painful in some way but exciting at the same time.  My cheeks felt like they were flaming up that I had to press them with my palms to cool them down.

With trembling fingers I pressed to turn on the security camera and the moment I took a peek my mouth rounded in surprise.

Why is he here?!

It hasn’t been two years yet has it?!

Maybe I just slept through the two years he was away?

Why is he at my doorstep?!

I cleared my throat and straightened myself.

I leaned into the intercom “What are you doing at my doorstep at eleven in the evening Seunghyun?”

I watched him in the screen, as he switched his weight from one foot to the other. He was wearing jeans and a gray shirt, and a green anorak jacket over it. He was also wearing his black prescription glasses. He fixed the glass that was perched on his nose then he looked up at the camera.

I stepped back a bit, cause I felt like he was looking directly at me, as in straight at me! Then I heard him clear his throat.

“Dara, I’m here to exercise my fundamental right to the pursuit of happiness.”

One problem i always struggle wth in writing...cause you know...i'm not really a writer..is that ....the ...'she'...and 'i'...pov keeps switching...it's so awkard and wrong to me but i can't choose which ones to stick to...or is it okay to change them up...i don't know..just..huh...

...let me know your thoughts...