♫“Reminiscing the memories that we have written down on this brick road together. Every time I pass by, I get drawn back to our past, when you were still here…”

♫“…How I wish I have the power to turn back time, longing for that sweet embrace I missed so much. I’m sure you miss me too, yet it seems I’m the one having it the hardest. Trying, just trying to forget about you. Gone were those days you held my hand and wiped my tears. Now I’m all alone…still hoping to see you again~”

“Yah~! Minah! Stop banging the piano like that. It is really annoying and people are staring at us.” My best friend brought me to a halt as her voice sounded off across the whole music shop.

I sighed and gracefully faced her, “Hyekyo, for your information, I am not banging the piano, I’m playing it like Mozart does.”

“Mozart? Don’t even go there, you play like a dog and that is final.” She insulted.

“Uh~ have you ever heard a dog do it?” I made a rebuttal.

“Okay, okay… could we just stop or else we’ll be late for work.” She reminded as she gradually calmed down.

I stood up and fixed my clothes, “Alright.”

We exited the shop side by side. Our cold bodies met with the warm air as we strode along the busy streets of Seoul.

Today is such a wonderful summer day unlike any other. It seems to be different from those that went by. Destiny might offer me something good, hmm I hope so…

~•~•~•~•~

“So how is your new apartment Minah?” Heykyo questioned while re-arranging the pile of 2PM albums.

I smiled at her, “It’s going well, but we haven’t unpacked everything yet.”

“Want me to come over and help you and your mom out?” she suggested. I bobbed my head from left to right, “Its okay, we can handle it.”  

“Excuse me, do you still have Taeyang’s SOLAR album?” A customer came up to me. “Yes.” I nodded.

Hyekyo handed the man the wrapped up CD album, “Here you go.”

The man bowed his head, “thank you,” and placed the CD on the counter top. I scanned the barcode encoding the price of the YG artist’s album. He instantly handed me the exact amount of cash as Hyekyo placed it in a plastic bag with the music store’s logo imprinted on it. She handed it over to him and we simultaneously thanked the customer again before he left.

After him leaving I began helping my best friend in re-arranging the other albums. Suddenly she nudged my arm to call my attention, “Oh, look.” She referred to the television set near the counter which was .

“Showbiz news flash.” The woman reporter stated with a nonchalant tone. “Park Yoochun, quits. According to his manager, Park Yoochun forcefully quits as a singer and a songwriter. The reason behind this tragic action was because of his long-time girlfriend who recently broke-up with him. Yoochun was really attached to his ex and this results to him making non-sense songs which dismayed the entertainment agencies like SM, JYP, YG, J.Tune, Pledis, Avex Network to mention a few. No one knows however where this damned star is staying. Even his manager does not know his whereabouts. And in other showbiz news…”    

“Chincha (Really)?” Hyekyo was shocked. “Just because of a girl he quits?” I wondered.

“Maybe it was a really bad break-up which led him into immense depression.” My friend protected the star. “Well, yes but he’s putting away so much.” I replied. “That is life for you.” Hyekyo ended our conversation as she had to entertain a new customer and I went back behind the counter.

~•~•~•~•~

“Whew, that was a long day.” My best friend voiced as she drank from her water bottle. “I know.” I agreed as I glanced at the dark sky. “So are you sure you don’t want me to come by your place?” Hyekyo asked me again. I gave her the ‘no’ look. “Okay fine.” She said.

After a few more steps we reached her house, “So I’ll see you tomorrow?” she smiled afterwards giving me a gentle hug. I chuckled, “Goodnight Hyekyo.” I released her hug and waited for her to get inside before I began striding my way to our apartment house.

I dropped by a small restaurant and bought two bowls of jjajangmyun (blackbean noodles) minutes away from my home.

I soon arrived at the apartment house and went straight up to our unit. The jjajangmyun’s aromatic smell filled my lungs as I went up the stairs, oh how I wish I could eat it right at this instant. As soon as I arrived in front of our unit I took a deep breath, “That was very tiring.” I whispered to myself. Well, we were located at the top floor where you have easy access to the roof top. I would always get tired of coming up here.

I twisted the door knob and found piles of empty boxes at the doorstep. I quickly searched the whereabouts of my mom. “Umma?” I called out.

“I’m over here dear!” My mom shouted sounding pre-occupied. I gently placed the moist jjajangmyun noodles on the dinner table and found my mom in her room playing some fighting game.

“Mom, what are you doing?” I was surprised to see her playing.

“Can’t you see I’m playing?” she stated as she pushed the control buttons as fast as she could. I have never seen her play video games my whole life. It was a first.

“Since when did you start liking video games?” I wondered. “I got tired from re-arranging our things and the cable is not yet set up so I thought I could try playing your old video games.” I laughed at the scene, I wasn’t really expecting this.

“If y-you get hungry I bought us some jjajangmyun. I left it at the dinner table.” I stuttered. I saw my mom nod; I stared at her for the last time and left.

Our apartment was not as good as the old one. It had small cracks on its walls. It had unwelcomed rodents lurking around.

The wooden floor had a very rough surface. The furniture was in no good condition either. One more thing was that the bathroom tiles were full of mold. I started cleaning it yesterday but I was only half way done. As I pranced in the living room I spotted my family picture. Oh, how I miss my dad. I hope he is resting in peace.

“I love you dad.” I muttered to myself. I was lost in my thoughts when my tummy grumbled. I immediately gaped at the steaming noodles. I hopped my way to the kitchen and got myself a bottle of water in the fridge and wooden chopsticks on the counter top. I grabbed the styro bowl and went straight to my room. I dropped it all on my desk as I dressed up in my pajamas. I removed my angel necklace my dad gave me and placed it on the desk as I took my grub. I sat on my bed and ate my way to happiness.

When I was busy filling myself with blackbean noodles I heard a disturbing sound. I scanned the whole room keenly however I did not find anything that could have been making that noise, so I went back to eating. I heard a small scratch this time. I put down the bowl on my bed and hopped off. I turned to every corner of the room looking for the source of the clamor.

I distinguished a black object moving about my desk. I instinctively took my flashlight from my clothes’ drawer and shined it on my desk. “Ah!!!” I screamed my heart out as soon as I saw its creepy little eyes and its black dirty fur. “There’s a rat in my room!”

My mother rushed in my room, “Where, where?!” she asked frantically. “Over there on my desk!” I screamed while panicking on my bed. “I’ll get the mouse trap.” My mom went back out my room again to fetch the mouse trap hidden somewhere along the boxes.

The rat was disturbed from all my yelling and leaped off my desk carrying something on its mouth. I tiptoed towards my ‘infected’ desk. I tried to make out what that rodent took. “Omo!” I continued, “That rat took my necklace!”

I shivered at the thought. Now I have to look for that small beast so I could get my necklace back. What if it’s drooling all over it? I shivered again. I gulped and took in a heap of air before tiptoeing out my room. I took my flashlight along with me and an elastic band to tie my hair. I gathered every strand and tied a messy bun. I saw my mom searching for the mouse trap in the sea of boxes. I focused my mind back to finding the animal. “Yah!” I yelled as I saw it running out the front door. I tried to catch up to the vermin but it was too fast. I wore my sneakers and ran out the hallway. “Yah! Bring back my necklace!”

The pest ran up the roof top staircase and I followed. I crept up the stairs slowly as not to startle the rat. It stopped on the roof top door and began chewing on my jewelry. I took a piece of wood I saw along the flight and was ready to make a sneak attack however the vermin ran away fortunately leaving my necklace behind. I did not want to touch it though, I might get its germs.

I was going back down the stairs to get a tissue, when I heard a man’s scream coming from the rooftop. I turned around and noticed the roof top door slightly open. I took a peek outside and saw a faint silhouette of a man. I squinted to get a better look. I quietly opened the door, “Excuse me?” I stated but the guy didn’t hear me. I walked towards him and realized he was standing on the edge of the building.

For a few seconds I froze in place and did not know what to do. The cold wind brushed my hair and caressed my face. I had to blink a lot of times to assure myself I wasn’t hallucinating. I really was seeing a man on the edge of the building. What to do, what to do?

I took a few steps towards him and stopped again, “Is this guy attempting to kill himself?” I whispered as I scratched my head. My heart was racing, I just couldn’t act.

The wind grew stronger and swept gently the man’s hair and loose cardigan. I observed him and he placed his feet apart. Omo. I think he’s about to jump off the apartment house. He was moving his hands back and forth, is he gonna do it?

My heart was pounding harder. I can’t read his actions. Besides I was at a lost. I did not really know what to do.

Is he gonna jump?

Is he?

How about now?

“Yah!!!” I screamed and I ran towards him and hugged his back, as my instincts came in late.

“Don’t kill yourself please.” I requested my eyes closed. “Killing yourself is not the solution.” I continued and began talking randomly.      

“Let me go.” The man stated with an irritated voice.

I peeked and hugged him tighter, “Don’t jump please!”

“Let go.” He persisted.

I had no choice; with all my strength I carried him away from the edge and on to the safe pavement of the roof top. “Yah!” he shouted. We both stumbled on the hard cement. I landed on my bottom and he landed on his back. I observed the guy and realized he is, “Park Yoochun?!”        

~•~•~•~•~