Chapter Six: Crazy

          As soon as we entered one musical instruments store, I decided to go directly to the guitar display.

          “If I ruined an acoustic, I should give him another acoustic,” I thought. I started checking out the displays, and thought which could be the best quality, but then I remembered, I know nothing about guitars.

          “Yes missy? Do you need some help?” A sales man approached me from my busy search.

          “Yes sir,” I said, “I’m looking for your high quality guitars.”

          “Oh, we have a wide range of products to choose from,” he said, “Is it for you miss?”

          “Ah, no, actually it’s for someone else,” I thought of talking to Jun-hyung, but when I turned around, he wasn’t there. “I’ll just get him here,” I said.

          I looked around the shop, but an unexpected sight made me adjust my glasses. It was just that I found him busily admiring things in the electronic keyboard displays.

          “Do you have one of these?” Jun-hyung asked as I approached him while seriously checking out one model.

          “No,” I said, moving closer to join him in what he was doing. “I have a standard upright piano at home.”

          “Would you like to have one?” Jun-hyung suddenly asked which actually surprised me.

          “Well, yeah,” I said, “there are a lot of things you can do with an electronic keyboard, especially the one with a variety of functions.” Jun-hyung nodded in reply, but his eyes were still focused on the keyboard.

          “Yah, aren’t we going to buy guitar for the two of us?” I said, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Come on, you’re expert in guitars. You should be the one picking up something for us.” I took him by the sleeve and pulled him towards the guitars. As expected, as soon as he laid his eyes on them, a glint showed itself on them. Suddenly he looked like a child. Sweet and innocent.

          “This one,” Jun-hyung came back after short moment with an acoustic on his hand. “Good quality wood, sure to withstand more than two decades with proper care,” he said. “You should buy the smaller one for you.”

          “Sure,” I said. I took off my bag and searched for my wallet. I found it, but then as soon as I opened it, I realized something. “Ah, Jun-hyung, can we just return tomorrow?”

          “But we can’t skip classes again,” Jun-hyung said, which is right.

          “But,” I couldn’t bring myself to say it. Not when he already looked like a child who already decided which toy he wanted for Christmas.

          “But?” Jun-hyung said, “But what Mae-sshi?”

          “I,” I slightly raised my wallet and Jun-hyung noticed it. “Wasn’t able to bring enough money with me.” Jun-hyung slowly nodded and I didn’t know why my heart suddenly felt pained when I saw the brightness in his eyes slowly die out.

          “I’m sorry,” I said.

          “It’s okay. It’s my fault. This is very much unplanned,” Jun-hyung said. “Shall I take you back to school?” I hadn’t even answered him, but he already turned around and started walking towards the direction of the subway.

          “Wait!” I quickly stopped him. He did stop and look at me. “But I have money to buy you a new guitar. I’ll just buy mine some other time.” He didn’t say anything. He looked back at me, then slowly he looked down. I followed him and looked down, and what surprised me was what my hand was doing. I was holding his hand.

          As soon as I realized what I was doing, I decided to withdraw my hand, but unexpectedly, Jun-hyung held it tighter. “Come with me,” he said while pulling me to the opposite direction.

          “This place is new,” Jun-hyung said as he stopped walking in front of a huge store. It was larger than the first one, but customers were noticeably fewer. Almost close to none. “Let’s go in,” Jun-hyung said.

          We went in and looked at the products that the store was offering. At first, I thought he was going to let go of my hand, but then he didn’t.

          “Ah, Jun-hyung sshi,” I started awkwardly, “You can let me go now. I won’t run away, I promise.”

          “I won’t,” he said.

          “But… people might think that we’re… together,” I muttered, head slightly bowed down.

          “That’s the idea,” Jun-hyung said which left me puzzled. What are you planning to do? Jun-hyung pulled me to talk to a guy, which was apparently a manager because of the huge nametag on his shirt saying “Manager.”

          “Manager, what can you offer to a musical couple like us?” Jun-hyung said with an unusual gleam on his smile. Was he acting? I tried to pry off his hand, but he held me tighter.

          “Ah! At last, our very first couple customers,” the manager said, “May I ask what instrument interests both of you?”

          “Guitars,” Jun-hyung said, “Acoustic guitars.”

          “Ah, follow me sir,” the manager said. He took us to a display of various, colored guitars, which ranges from acoustic, lead to bass. “Here sir. Buy the first one and get the second one half the price!” the manager said.

          “But wait, there’s more!” that was the line I was expecting to hear. He really sounded like a guy from the shopping channel. “Allow us to take a video of you giving your testimony about our store and well dash another 25% on the price of the second guitar!”

          “You knew about this?” I told Jun-hyung, as I was not believing what I was hearing. Jun-hyung chuckled and pointed something behind me, and there I found the announcement. It read as follows:

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Crazy Musical Instruments Opening Promo

Come with a girlfriend or a boyfriend and

Get huge discounts on the musical instruments you’ll buy.

What are you waiting for? Come in and talk to the manager about this!

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          I was taken aback of Jun-hyung’s fast thinking. Right. How would this guy know if we really are a couple? I also chuckled because of that.

          Jun-hyung and I did the testimonial. It wasn’t that hard to do. It was just plain acting. No, we didn’t proclaim our love on the rolling camera, but told that people should come to the store.

          “Thank you sir, ma’am,” the manager said. “This video will be posted on our website. Thank you very much!” We thanked the manger and started walking towards the entrance when I read another flier beside the first one that we read:

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Crazy Musical Instruments Opening Promo

For couples who are not afraid to show their love:

Here’s something for you!

Come to our store and allow us to take a picture of you while kissing

And we will give away an instrument of your choice!

What are you waiting for? Come in and talk to the manager about this!

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          That was when I realized why the place was named “crazy”. I looked at Jun-hyung and he seemed like he was already delighted with the first promo. But for me? Of course not. I quickly turned around and said, “Manager, do you have the camera with you?”