Predetermined
Predetermined
If I'm not the one, then no one else should be.
. . . . . . . . . .
Lee Junho was three when he had his brain programmed. Three was the age to be, they said. Not that he would know much about it, or care. All he knew within that minute he emerged from the installer was that he would grow up to be a famous sports newscaster, with a brightly smiling woman by his side.
For that short moment, even as he was only three, he experienced an overwhelming flush of adult emotions and could only think of what an amazing life he would have.
“The installation will be complete in ten seconds,” he heard a monotonous lady say.
Ten seconds.
Yeeun. He did not know anything about her yet, but he felt an oddly strong connection towards her.
Seven seconds.
Something inside him told him that his existence was for her.
Four seconds.
He wondered whether hers was for him too.
One second.
That instinct said yes.
*Zztt.*
“All done, madam,” the monotonous lady spoke again.
“Thank you, I-cer. Junho-yah, let’s go get that ice-cream I promised,” Mrs. Lee said as she softly his hair.
“Oh yay finally!” He clapped.
Lee Junho was thinking like a three year old again.
* * * * *
Park Yeeun didn’t understand why she was not worrying about the teddy bear she left in the car anymore, why the teddy bear seemed so redundant suddenly.
What was this feeling?
“My daughter, is she alright? It doesn’t look like she’s taking the installing well,” her father’s concerned voice could be heard from the side of her bed. Or what they called a bed but felt very much like a slab of ice-cold rock.
The other man in the room, the Installing Officer or ‘I-cer’ of some sort responded with something but she was no longer paying attention.
Why was she having all these visions of her older self? Why was there something in her head telling her that this was the path of her life? How would it know? She did not like it one bit.
With the matured mind she obtained temporarily, she immediately decided that all these life plans weren’t hers.
Ten seconds.
This machine did not know her.
Seven seconds.
Lee Junho was meant to be her husband? She had never even met him!
Four seconds.
She hated all of this. Wasn’t her life hers to live?
One second.
Yes. Only her own.
*Zdsss…*
“Yeeunnie, are you okay?” her father called with a hopeful smile.
“Hm, what?” She replied, feeling like she’d just woken from a deep sleep.
“She does look a little off. Perhaps we should run the scanner,” the doctor-ly man said.
“Appa, my teddy bear!” She started wailing just as she remembered what had been occupying her mind. “You forgot my teddy bear!”
Her father smiled knowingly, “I don’t think the scanner is necessary I-cer. The teddy bear is like her actual little sister, she’d frown like this whenever she’s away from it, even if it’s next door.”
“Ah, in that case, here are two lollipops, one for you and one to give to your teddy bear,” the I-cer said kindly, offering Yeeun two sugar sticks of one flavour, strawberry.
“No chocolate?” Yeeun sulked.
The doctor raised his eyebrow curiously. “Your profile suggested you’d like this better.”
“Must be for the teddy bear,” her father explained.
“Must be for the teddy bear,” her father explained.
“Oh of course. Here you go then, chocolate and strawberry.”
“Thank you!”
“Thank you!”
As Yeeun followed her father into the car, she pondered on the I-cer’s words. ‘What profile? Why would that doctor-man think I like strawberry?’ she thought.
Not wanting to bother too much with it, she just decided that he was a weird man and unwrapped her chocolate candy.
“Appa, no more hospital visits?”
“No more,” her father assured.
“No more,” her father assured.
Because it won’t be necessary, was what he thought at the end of the sentence.
But oh, seeing his daughter so evidently showing a contrast to her profile should have been enough of a fair warning then.
* * * * *
“Yah Junho. I’m older than you, you know!” Yeeun yelled as Junho waved her song book around.
“By less than a year! And considering that I got my installation earlier than you, that makes me older,” Junho replied, giving his best friend a ‘merong’.
“Whatever, just give me back my book!” She screamed while running hard after him.
“Come on, let me read it!” He hollered back.
“NO!” She persisted, even as she wasn’t getting any closer to the light-footed Junho.
“Why not?”
“Because they’re personal!” Yeeun slowed down and took a breather. “Please Junho, give it back.”
Seeing the tired and insistent look on her face, he walked towards her and returned her the object in hand.
“Because they’re personal!” Yeeun slowed down and took a breather. “Please Junho, give it back.”
Seeing the tired and insistent look on her face, he walked towards her and returned her the object in hand.
“I won’t laugh at you, if that’s what you’re worried about, you know.”
“I know. It’s just…” she paused, contemplating her words. “Nothing.”
“Oh no, Yeeun. You’re not going to leave this discussion hanging like that.”
“You won’t understand.”
“I’m your best friend! I don’t think there could be anything about you that I won’t understand.”
“Fine. Tell me that you’re not bothered about me writing songs. That you’re not concerned about me drifting too far from just studying law. Tell me that you understand me not following the System.”
“What are you talking about?”
“See, I told you—”
“Oh no, Yeeun. You’re not going to leave this discussion hanging like that.”
“You won’t understand.”
“I’m your best friend! I don’t think there could be anything about you that I won’t understand.”
“Fine. Tell me that you’re not bothered about me writing songs. That you’re not concerned about me drifting too far from just studying law. Tell me that you understand me not following the System.”
“What are you talking about?”
“See, I told you—”
“No, no, okay wait. Alright, so I think it’s a little strange, so what? Writing songs doesn’t turn you into a rebel. I mean, I like to run at dusk, who’s to say it’s not part of the System?”
“That’s just it,” Yeeun breathed dejectedly.
“What’s just it?” Junho replied, beginnning to feel frustrated by Yeeun’s complicated stream of thoughts.
Yeeun wanted to just tell him everything, that she knew her love for song-writing was not influenced by the program, that she didn’t want to become a lawyer, that all this became clear to her not too long ago, specifically on her 21st birthday, but she knew she couldn’t. He was too tied to the System.
“You admitting to thinking it’s strange,” she lied.
“But I justified it, yeesh! Weren’t you listening?”
“Yeah yeah. It’s like you’re the law student now.”
“Hah. That’s so not me. Totally unthinkable.”
Yeeun stared at Junho as he slung his arm over her shoulders and walked her to her class.
Unthinkable indeed.
* * * * *
“Oh my Goodness is that the hottest guy ever or what?” Yubin whispered while the friend she was whispering to continued picking up food from the counter.
“Mhm yeah,” Yeeun replied. “Ooh! Black pepper mushroom sauce!”
“Yah! Will you for once stop thinking about food?”
“During lunch? I think you're the one not thinking properly here." Yeeun's retort was answered with a threatening glare.
"Fine, fine." Giving in to Yubin, she put down the ladle she was holding. "Who are we looking at now?”
“See that tall guy? I heard that he’s joining our course. He’s a year younger but somehow got into the advanced class. Our class!”
“Advanced, huh. That’s new,” Yeeun was really paying attention then.
“I know right? The prodigies usually go to the special school of something I can’t bother to remember the name. Kinda weird when you think about it. You think he’s here for convenience of some sort?”
“For a student here you sure look down on our university. The teachers here are great! Why wouldn’t he come here?”
“Okay, wait, you’re saying he might’ve come here purely because he wanted to? Call me not loyal to our university all you want but you seriously think that your little theory doesn’t seem off?”
Yeeun knew what she was talking about. This was not normal. Not normal meant possible trouble.
“For a student here you sure look down on our university. The teachers here are great! Why wouldn’t he come here?”
“Okay, wait, you’re saying he might’ve come here purely because he wanted to? Call me not loyal to our university all you want but you seriously think that your little theory doesn’t seem off?”
Yeeun knew what she was talking about. This was not normal. Not normal meant possible trouble.
“Oh man, you think maybe he’s a… he’s a… ” Yubin stammered as the realization hit her. She barely whispered the next word, “…defect?”
A defect was the most taboo word in their dictionary, a word so carefully used when one suspected another of becoming one.
A defect was a citizen that did not have his or her brain programmed properly.
A defect was also known as someone capable of willing themselves out of the System.
Yeeun had never met a defect before, only because in the capital where she lived, there had never been such a case. Defects were usually found in the less busy parts of the world, the rural, 'yet to be civilised' areas as far as she knew. Never cities. But even if such a thing did happen, the public would never find out. The government would never allow for such disastrous news to come out. Defects in the city meant that defects could be everywhere. So these cases would always be covered up.
The government was very good at covering things up.
“He couldn’t be. If he’d shown any signs, our dean would’ve never taken him in. You must be right, about the convenience thing,” Yeeun assured her friend.
“Yeah, what was I thinking, they wouldn’t just simply transfer him here for no reason. Gosh, wouldn’t you hate for this place to close down just because of one defect?” Yubin spat the word out like it was dirt.
It was funny how people by the System could be scared of the defects at one time, then feel so superior to them at another.
“Yeeun, not taking your food?” Yubin asked as Yeeun started to walk with her, away from her tray of food on the counter.
“Oh, right. Yeah. How can I forget? I blame this on you.”
“I should feel proud.”
Yeeun laughed with Yubin, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of the newcomer.
“I should feel proud.”
Yeeun laughed with Yubin, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of the newcomer.
If he really secretly was a defect…
Yeeun decided she had to find a way to talk to him. Soon.
* * * * *
“So, smarter than your age huh?” Yeeun started to say to the tall man sitting in front of her.
Yeeun had never sat behind someone so tall. Well, Yeeun barely ever sat behind anyone at all.
“Excuse me?” He turned.
“Sorry. I was trying to start a conversation,” she smiled awkwardly.
“I’m pretty sure the custom is, ‘Hi, my name is dotdotdot, nice to meet you,’” he replied, smiling back.
“Oh hi, I would’ve thought you had a more distinct name. Dotdotdot sounds like something that would be mumbled at the end of a sentence,” she teased.
He laughed, and from the genuine, friendly sound of it, Yeeun just knew that this was going to go smoothly.
“Hi, I’m Yeeun,” she offered her hand.
“Chansung.” He nodded and shook it. “Nice to meet you.”
Throughout the class, Yeeun was unable to speak to him much due to her professor’s keen hearing and tendency towards kicking his students out for talking. But luckily, Chansung was still around after class ended.
He even asked if he could walk with her. And Yeeun thought she may have seemed too excited when she said yes.
“You seem very keen to ask me something,” Chansung smiled as she kept silent from the exit of their class to the end of the corridor.
She was actually waiting for them to be out of the crowd, but was surprised to see that he seemed to know that.
“Why did you come here? Like, actually, why? As good of a place this is, this isn’t one of the top five universities that one who surpassed his own class would go to. This isn’t the norm, I’m sure you know that, and I’m sure you understand my curiosity?”
“I do. And your frankness, I must salute. Most people just stare,” he laughed. She didn’t.
She really needed to know.
Was he a defect?
“I just didn’t like those so-called top universities. That’s all.”
Yeeun looked at him long without blinking.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.” He affirmed. “So hey, I’ve got another class now, talk to you soon?”
“Yeah, of course! Definitely!” She quickly responded.
“That’s it.” He affirmed. “So hey, I’ve got another class now, talk to you soon?”
“Yeah, of course! Definitely!” She quickly responded.
If he was really who she thought he was, then maybe he could answer her other questions.
Maybe he would understand.
* * * * *
“Interesting day?” Junho asked as he opened the door to his car for her.
“Who knows?” She answered simply, not bothering to complain anymore about how he didn’t have to constantly wait to send her home for the fact that she had her own car.
She didn’t say another word even as Junho entered and started driving.
“Knock knock,” he chirped.
“Sorry,” she replied, having been snapped out of her own thoughts. “I just got a lot of work and it’s stressing me out,” she lied. Second time that day already.
“Well that won’t do! I’m taking a detour!” He exclaimed, swiftly turning the car around.
“Yah Junho!!” Yeeun shrieked, shocked by the sudden turn. “Just because you know stuff about cars doesn’t mean you’re immune to accidents!”
“Come on Yeeun. We’re not given these skill sets just so we can keep them to ourselves. Lighten up!”
“Not when my heart just jumped out of my chest.”
“Not when my heart just jumped out of my chest.”
“Awh I’m sorry…” Junho started to give her his killer eye smile and Yeeun began to smile.
“Apology accepted. Gah. Why can’t I ever get mad at you?” Yeeun mockingly sighed as she shook her head.
“Duh. Because you love me.”
Yeeun almost choked, and then felt very grateful that he didn’t see her reaction.
Yeeun almost choked, and then felt very grateful that he didn’t see her reaction.
Knowing her favourite places better than anyone, Junho took her to the closest lake, a private lake where few could go to. And thanks to his parents, he was one of the few.
“Aww, you didn’t have to,” Yeeun cheeped behind her wide grin.
“Silly. You were stressed and being here clears your mind. So of course I did.”
“Thank you Junho, you’re the awesomest!”
She ran to the spot she liked best, under a tree just by the lake, and Junho followed suit.
“Hey Yeeun?” He called her just as she started to sit down.
“Yeah?” She turned back, still smiling wide, and Junho suddenly received a flash of that picture he’d seen a long time ago, back during installation. The picture of her smiling brightly, by his side.
“Yeah?” She turned back, still smiling wide, and Junho suddenly received a flash of that picture he’d seen a long time ago, back during installation. The picture of her smiling brightly, by his side.
“Nothing.”
“Wh-hey! You just answered me with 'nothing'! How come I can’t do it but you can?”
He laughed while he sat on the ground next to her. She laughed along, not questioning the matter further because with Junho, ‘nothing’ really usually meant nothing.
“Wh-hey! You just answered me with 'nothing'! How come I can’t do it but you can?”
He laughed while he sat on the ground next to her. She laughed along, not questioning the matter further because with Junho, ‘nothing’ really usually meant nothing.
She returned to fix her gaze on the lake, and as she did so, his eyes became fixed on her.
How funny was it that the most prominent image from those visions of his future, was Yeeun’s smile?
He found himself then staring at her lips and wondered what kissing her would feel like.
Junho had never kissed anyone in his life, and only in that moment did he realise how strange that felt. Why had he never made a move? He’d known her since high school, best friends since senior year, and yet, they’ve done nothing more intimate than hand-holding. And she only ever allowed that when she was anxious about something. Never just because.
Yeeun just never seemed… ready. But what if he was just thinking too much?
‘Yeah,’ he thought. ‘Why the heck was I so worried anyway? We were destined to be, so what’s the harm in starting now?’
Not caring to control his impulses, Junho leaned over, gently cupped her face and moulded his lips against hers. It was such a perfect fit. Well, why wouldn’t it be? They were made for each other.
Yeeun, ultimately shocked by his sudden move, immediately stiffened but instead of pulling back or pushing him away, she slowly began to kiss him back. Though she did not share his desires, she still wanted to make sure of her feelings. She knew Junho was meant to be her partner, so maybe if love was to blossom, it would mean that she was one of the people by the System after all.
But just as he started to push his tongue into , she decided it couldn't go on. She immediately pushed him back, leaving Junho baffled by the sudden loss of contact.
“Junho, I can’t,” she muttered apologetically.
“But that was…”
“To never happen again.”
He didn’t understand.
“To never happen again.”
He didn’t understand.
“What are you saying?”
“You and I… I just don’t think…”
“You and I… I just don’t think…”
She didn’t know what to say.
“No, it’s okay. I get it. I know about late-bloomers. People who don’t fall in love until they’ve found success if not reach the height of it…” he sighed.
Yeeun breathed deep. It wasn’t like that. She didn’t think that this kind of love for Junho would ever bloom at all. But there was no amount of words she could use to make that sentence sound right.
“Never mind. I can wait,” he smiled brightly, and though it was obviously a forced smile, she thanked him.
Although in all honesty, she really hoped he wouldn’t wait.
Junho talked continuously on their trip back to avoid awkward silences while Yeeun merely offered heavy- hearted smiles.
She imagined how in a better reality, Junho could be in love with someone else, someone who could reciprocate his feelings, someone who could really make him happy, and she grew sullen to think that he was stuck with her instead.
This was just another example for why the government should never be allowed to invade their minds. Never.
* * * * *
“Is that a… list?” Chansung raised his eyebrow as Yeeun took out the paper that contained all her questions for him.
“Look, when I get overexcited, my thoughts get messy and I really don’t want to miss anything.”
He laughed and reached out his hand to hold hers. “Sit down and relax. Then, ask away.”
It shocked her through her veins when he touched her. Nothing short of electric.
What was that?
“Yeeun-ssi, aren’t you going to sit down?”
“Oh right, yes. I’m sitting. So um, do you do things that are out of character?” She asked carefully.
“Yeeun-ssi, aren’t you going to sit down?”
“Oh right, yes. I’m sitting. So um, do you do things that are out of character?” She asked carefully.
“Like coming to a university that’s not part of my life plan? Yes.”
Check.
Check.
“Do you not feel inclined towards your supposed profile?”
“I’ve no qualms with being a lawyer. But my real aspiration is to be a journalist."
“I’ve no qualms with being a lawyer. But my real aspiration is to be a journalist."
Check.
Few questions later, “Do you ever feel spiteful towards the government?”
“Many times.”
“This is going to be a little personal, are you in love with your partner?”
He choked on his own saliva. “A little personal?”
“Yeah, sorry, let me scratch that out.”
“This is going to be a little personal, are you in love with your partner?”
He choked on his own saliva. “A little personal?”
“Yeah, sorry, let me scratch that out.”
“I’ve never met my partner,” he answered anyway. “I believe we’re not supposed to meet until we’re thirty, then blablabla then have only one child…?”
“Umm… I didn’t ask…”
“I’ve always wanted a big family…”
“I’ve always wanted a big family…”
Yeeun quickly interrupted him to get to her point. “But do you look forward to meeting her, know you’re meant for her?”
“I’m not meant for anything the computer tells me I am.” He finally said.
“I’m not meant for anything the computer tells me I am.” He finally said.
And that was the answer she needed.
“You’re a…”
“I’m a defect, yes. And judging from your look, so are you.”
“I’m a defect, yes. And judging from your look, so are you.”
This time, Yeeun was the one to choke.
“So what happens now?”
“Let’s find out.”
Now the System didn’t want to make everyone the same, so of course there was a variety in the world's population. Some may have been alike, while some had vastly contrasting personalities. There were people who were just hopelessly ignorant, then there were people who read too much. Chansung was one of the latter.
“It was one of my installation perks. Skillset: eidetic memory,” he told her as he pulled out one of the books from the P&C section
“So not fair,” she sulked. “All those years of cramming and then suddenly some guy waltzes in with ‘eidetic memory’. Pft.”
He laughed heartily. “I like you, you’re funny.”
Yeeun pinched herself when she saw herself blushing through one of the mirrors. Focus, she said to herself.
Yeeun pinched herself when she saw herself blushing through one of the mirrors. Focus, she said to herself.
“Yeah, well um, can you explain to me again how we’re authorized to be here?”
“Top student, unlimited access.”
“Top student, unlimited access.”
Yeeun ‘pft’ed at him again. “Discrimination.”
He laughed at her remark again.
“You’re easy to entertain,” she noted.
“I don’t hang out with a lot of people so I guess I'm more fallible to lame jokes and silly antics.”
“Lame? Silly? How dare you?” Yeeun tried to look angry but her grin betrayed her. “Seriously though, how many people do you hang out with? I don’t usually believe in rumours but I’ve heard that the ‘specially smart’ kids don’t hang out with other people at all.”
“That rumour is true. It’s all about working towards achieving your full potential, social life always comes second. Side fact, even before I was three my father already pushed me to work faster, smarter and certainly harder than everyone else. Though he won’t admit to it, my father always looked up to the academicians and wanted to be in that tier. And since he couldn’t fulfill those dreams, he projects them on me.”
“That rumour is true. It’s all about working towards achieving your full potential, social life always comes second. Side fact, even before I was three my father already pushed me to work faster, smarter and certainly harder than everyone else. Though he won’t admit to it, my father always looked up to the academicians and wanted to be in that tier. And since he couldn’t fulfill those dreams, he projects them on me.”
“Wait, your father is a defect too?”
“No, but I wish he was. Then maybe he wouldn’t live with so much hidden regret. These feelings come and go, and it scares him when they do. It makes him feel like a traitor to the government.”
“No, but I wish he was. Then maybe he wouldn’t live with so much hidden regret. These feelings come and go, and it scares him when they do. It makes him feel like a traitor to the government.”
“Wow” was all Yeeun could respond with. She wondered what it must be like to be part of such a household. Her own parents were teachers and they’ve never showed once that they didn’t like what they do.
“Here!”
“Hm, what?”
“Punishment for the defects. Look: A defect is to be sent for another installation. He or she will be put under probation for a year and if he or she no longer projects any wild thoughts or actions at the end of that probation period, he or she is to be allowed free. On the other hand, if he or she continues to show erratic behaviours, then he or she is to be put down to rest.”
Yeeun couldn’t hide her gasp at his last line.
“Punishment for the defects. Look: A defect is to be sent for another installation. He or she will be put under probation for a year and if he or she no longer projects any wild thoughts or actions at the end of that probation period, he or she is to be allowed free. On the other hand, if he or she continues to show erratic behaviours, then he or she is to be put down to rest.”
Yeeun couldn’t hide her gasp at his last line.
“We're not animals! Would they really kill us just because we won’t accept the stupid program?”
Chansung did not respond to her outburst.
“They really would…” she muttered to herself, hanging her head low.
“It’s not that stupid,” he suddenly said. “It’s literally what’s keeping the government standing. If the System fails, so does the government, and if the government fails, there will be an uprising. And this could make us return to the dark ages.”
“What are you saying?” Yeeun asked, bewildered with his opinion. “That people should continue to live in the mindset of a computer?”
“I’m saying, as much of a defect that I am, I won’t risk us going back to turmoil just because this world isn’t my ideal world.”
“Wow. Spoken like a true citizen of the System. You know what? You might not even be a defect after all.”
“It’s not that stupid,” he suddenly said. “It’s literally what’s keeping the government standing. If the System fails, so does the government, and if the government fails, there will be an uprising. And this could make us return to the dark ages.”
“What are you saying?” Yeeun asked, bewildered with his opinion. “That people should continue to live in the mindset of a computer?”
“I’m saying, as much of a defect that I am, I won’t risk us going back to turmoil just because this world isn’t my ideal world.”
“Wow. Spoken like a true citizen of the System. You know what? You might not even be a defect after all.”
Yeeun stomped out of the library without giving him a chance to retort. She didn’t care to hear anymore. For a moment she thought she had found someone who could understand her. She thought she'd found someone who shared her freedom of mind, but it turned out his own ideologies were just as oppressive as the forced ones.
How horrible would it be to live in a world where she was the only one to have power over her actions? How frustrating would it be to watch everyone else just living by the laws installed into them?
Weren’t they already living in the dark ages?
Chansung ran out to her before she could go far.
“I’m sorry with how that came out. I know it sounds bad, but at least for now we know there could be more of us out there. And soon, maybe, when we’re ready, we’ll be able to show everyone that we can function well without a stupid program.”
She smiled lightly at his choice of words. Maybe she was right to think she had found someone who understood.
“So um… friends?” He asked cheekily.
“Friends.” She nodded, leveling his cheerfulness.
They then ended their discussion about the System and simply had conversations about the normal things that the normal people would talk about.
For their own safety, they acted that way.
Within a few days, they became great friends.
Weeks later, they turned into something more.
Harmless studying sessions turned into sneaking around late at night and kissing in the dark.
It was rash and thoughtless, nothing that the System would allow, which was why they felt great to be able to do it.
And before they could stop themselves, they fell in love.
Things had never been more off the plan.
One morning, as she awoke in his arms, she asked him how long he thought it would last.
“I hope forever,” he said in return.
She nodded and smiled, just before burying her face into the crook of his neck.
They both had something inside them saying that forever was impossible.
But they didn’t listen.
* * * * *
Junho was the first to notice.
Even from a distance, he could see the blush that smeared Yeeun’s cheeks the moment Chansung waved her goodbye. The younger man was blushing too, and they looked nothing short of a new couple of lovebirds. And just then, Junho felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.
“So who was that?” He asked her right after she got into the car.
“Who?”
“That guy you were talking to.”
“Oh, Chansung? He came here a few months back. You didn’t know?” Yeeun quickly answered as she heard the dangerously placed curiosity in his tone.
“Why should I?”
“Because he’s in the advanced class and everybody was talking about it,” she told him, trying to make it sound like Chansung was simply everyone’s friend.
“My classes are in the other building remember? News travel slower there. But from the sound of it, he must be quite the guy.”
“He is,” Yeeun smiled, unable to help herself. “Well let’s talk about something else, how was your day?”
“That guy you were talking to.”
“Oh, Chansung? He came here a few months back. You didn’t know?” Yeeun quickly answered as she heard the dangerously placed curiosity in his tone.
“Why should I?”
“Because he’s in the advanced class and everybody was talking about it,” she told him, trying to make it sound like Chansung was simply everyone’s friend.
“My classes are in the other building remember? News travel slower there. But from the sound of it, he must be quite the guy.”
“He is,” Yeeun smiled, unable to help herself. “Well let’s talk about something else, how was your day?”
Her response somehow made him simmer with rage. From the way she said it, she seemed to know this person more than she let on. And that tone, was that not the tone of someone smitten?
He growled at the thought. She really shouldn’t be complimenting other men like that.
“Junho, is everything okay?”
She placed a hand on his shoulder, and he realised then that this sisterly concern was all she’d ever given him. Nothing near to the attraction that she just showed for this man named Chansung.
Jealousy surged his body and he grabbed her hand. “Will I ever be more than a friend to you?”
“What, where did that come from?” She tried to pull her hand back but it was to no avail.
“That guy, you like him, don’t you?” His glare towards her turned darker.
“Junho, I…” Yeeun started to say, trying to steady her face for a lie.
Junho wouldn’t allow it. “Tell me the truth for once, Yeeun!” He yelled.
“I’m sorry…” was all she managed to let out.
His grip on her grew tighter.
“Junho-yah, you’re hurting me. Junho!”
He immediately let go at the sound of her raised voice and turned his head away from her.
He was supposed to be the one for her. He should be the person that made her happy.
Yet it was clear that she liked someone else. How was that possible?
At that moment, he thought he might go insane.
“Junho, are you…”
“I’m fine,” he interjected. “Let’s just get you home.”
“This doesn’t mean I don’t care about you,” she tried to say.
“Just stop. Don’t even bother.”
After he sent her home, she didn’t hear from him for days.
She could only hope that he would easily overcome the pain. After all, wasn’t it purely superficial?
In actuality, Junho, though he kept his silence, didn’t keep his distance. He watched her and Chansung every chance he got, to make sure it was just a little fling. ‘A glitch,’ like his friend suggested. At seeing their formal encounters in campus, he thought he might just believe his friend and let it go.
‘Glitches don’t last long, the programme never takes more than days to fix such things.’
But he just had to see them kissing.
This was no glitch, and Chansung had no right. She was Junho’s Yeeun. His only.
He had never needed to suppress this urge before.
At that moment, he just wanted to kill the bloody bastard.
But his programme interfered and Junho was thinking rationally again.
He couldn’t do it in public, of course.
* * * * *
Once he made up his mind, everything came easily.
He was doing this to uphold the law.
He was doing this for Yeeun.
Maybe even for Chansung.
Without much effort at all, he found out where Chansung lived and broke in with little difficulty.
Indeed, in their world, security systems were never needed. Only locked doors. Which, could be picked in a matter of seconds, clearly.
He found a hammer on the table out front, seemingly the uncollected tool from some redecorating, and held it tight.
“Excuse me, who are you and what are you doing here?” He heard a voice say from behind him just as he begun to climb up the stairs.
“Someone you should have considered about before touching her,” he replied coldly while he turned to face the man who called him.
Just seeing Chansung's face was enough to make Junho lose utter control and with one swing, he bashed Chansung’s skull with the hammer.
That one swing had been hard enough for Chansung to lose consciousness. Undoubtedly strong enough to break his skull.
Junho simply watched with empty eyes as the man in front of him slowly bled to death.
As night came, Junho got pulled out of his trance when he heard the sound of a car pulling over at the front yard. Yeeun’s car.
He stayed where he was, sitting on the stairs in the darkness while he watched her open the unlocked door with surprise.
“Chansung?”
Junho hated that even when he was in a more obvious position, she didn’t notice him first.
“Chan…sung?” The name escapes her lips again, like a tear drop in itself. She collapsed to the floor as she registered the sight before her, completely ignoring the still wet and thick blood she was stooping to. When she finally reached out with her trembling hands towards the cold, dead body of her lover, she started to cry. “Ch..Chan…sung…”
Junho, for a moment, felt a tinge of sadness at the sight of her broken self, and reached out to touch her. She was still in a trance when he moved to the floor and reached out to gently hold her face in his hands. He leaned over and pecked her forehead softly.
It was this small gesture that snapped her out of her stupor.
She turned to him with horror and her eyes glazed completely with something indescribable. She said nothing, because there really was nothing she could say.
“Don’t look at me like that. You pushed me to this.”
Yeeun’s mouth was dry and she was too overwhelmed to make out her own feeling. “Junho…”
She couldn’t even ask him the question why.
She couldn’t even ask him the question why.
“Don’t speak, you’re in shock. Let’s get you to the hospital.”
Though she knew exactly what he meant by that, she didn’t resist. She was too numb to even think to resist.
Junho pulled her up and carried her to her own car then drove her to the Installation Centre.
He told them that they would find a dead body at Chansung’s address.
“There was a man, who tried to turn her into a defect. I was just trying to protect her.”
Yeeun stayed silent through it all, because really, nobody was actually going to protect her now.
“Come, let’s give you some calming medicine.”
Yeeun thought it was the stupidest name for a tranquilizer. But she let them stick the needle into her arm.
As her eye lids began to fall, she watched them do the same to Junho.
* * * * *
“You’re all ready to go, miss.” The I-cer told her cheerfully.
Yeeun didn’t know what she was doing in the Installation Centre, but she guessed that there must’ve been some sort of program issue.
She only managed a step before being pulled into a hug by Junho.
“They told me our programs were damaged from an accident. I’m so sorry Yeeun, I’ll never drive recklessly again!” He uttered regretfully while still hugging her tight.
“It’s okay. We’re fine, aren’t we?” She smiled.
“Always so forgiving," he pulled back, also smiling.
"With you, yes, for some reason unknown," she rolled her eyes.
"It's because you love me."
“Yes," she replied, though the answer didn't roll off her tongue as naturally as she thought they would. "It's because I love you."
“Yes," she replied, though the answer didn't roll off her tongue as naturally as she thought they would. "It's because I love you."
Too happy to hear those three words, it didn't strike Junho as strange that they sounded so unfamilliar coming from her.
"I love you too," And with that he cupped her chin, pulled her face close and gently kissed her.
She responded in kind.
A few I-cers who saw them, unaware of their story, thought them a perfect fit.
Well, why wouldn't they be?
The System had long decided that they were meant for each other after all.
- - - - -
btw, merong = the act of sticking out one's tongue
Just had to put something Korean in there :P
Comments