Chapter Twenty: No Boundaries

Summer dragged on, and within the group of friends there was minimal communication, especially between Ilsoon, Hyunsik, and Eunkwang. They didn’t hear from Madeleine for weeks, and a quiet calm had settled among them. Sungjae, Peniel, and Changsub visited the Jungs often to play or hang out, but Ilsoon still found herself missing the times when they would all be together.

Time does heal some wounds, and throughout the course of the first month of summer, Ilsoon’s heart has begun healing from the cuts and pain Madeleine had unknowingly inflicted upon it. Ilsoon knew deep in herself that she values friendship over boys, but her selfishness had reason, after all.

It was a fine afternoon under the wide oak tree in the park that Ilsoon made up her mind to mend the severed connection between her and her bestfriend.

“You’re writing her a letter?” asked Ilhoon.

Ilsoon nodded. “This has gone on for too long. I have to accept it and move on, or my life will be miserable forever.”

“Why a letter?” asked Changsub. “Email will get there faster.”

“She prefers letters,” explained Ilsoon, smiling at the thought. “I remember her saying that there is a certain level of sincerity embedded in hand-written letters. It shows the effort and time spent just to portray the message in it. You get me?”

Changsub nodded, understanding. “Tell her I said hi.”

Minhyuk stepped up and draped an arm around Ilsoon with a gentle smile. “Tell her we all say hi.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“Madeleine! You’ve got mail!”

“Coming, mum!”

As Madeleine arrived into their living room, her mother was shuffling through a few envelopes in her hands. When she saw her daughter, she held out one of the envelopes.

“Here, this one’s for you. It’s strange; isn’t it faster to write and send letters through the internet?”

Madeleine smiled as she took the envelope. “You know why I like hand-written letters, mum.” With that, she went back to her room to read the letter. When she turned the envelope over, her heart stopped for a second when she saw who sent it.

Ilsoon Jung

With shaky hands, she opened the enveloped and drew out a page of notebook paper, filled with words—English words—back-to-back. She began reading.

Dearest Madeleine,

It’s been a while, huh? I don’t know where to start, really, but I know I have to start somewhere. I really miss the times we had in Jeju… You know, the good times.

Alright, I’m going straight to the point now. I miss you, Madeleine; I really do. Things were a big blur that last few days on the island, but I thought over what happened over a few days and I’ve come to conclusion that I’ve been a jerkette (see, girl version of jerk, haha). We shouldn’t have fought—Well, we didn’t really fight, but we had a sort of falling-apart thing. And because of what? Boys! It’s almost unbelievable, how petty it was.

I want to apologize for not seeing you off the airport. I regretted it a lot.

I want to tell you… I don’t care about this boy business anymore. I just want my best friend back. I’ve told Eunkwang oppa what I felt and to tell you the truth, he didn’t take it very well. He… he really likes you, that guy. I think you should give him a chance, if ever there is opportunity to do so.

About Hyunsik… I want to apologize also. I honestly didn’t know what you felt about him and what he felt about me. I haven’t talked to him yet, but I’ll work on it. Maybe you should message him something too. I don’t know what you have to say to him, but somehow I know there’s something.

I miss you, Madeleine. The boys miss you too. They’re around me as I write this, and they said to tell you ‘hi’. Changsub says he misses you a lot more than I do haha. I said that’ll never happen in a million years.

Anyway… I don’t know if this letter changes anything between us, but I’m glad now to have released all of this from my chest. I wish you the same freedom I feel now.

Have a good summer.

Ilsoon

By the end of the letter, Madeleine had tears welling up in her eyes. The hand holding the letter dropped limply to her side and she let her tears fall. Then, weirdly enough, she face-palmed herself and began laughing quietly.

Ilsoon, you sweetheart, she thought to herself.

She got off her bed and sat down at her desk with a pen and paper ready in front of her, then she began writing.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A week had passed since Ilsoon sent her letter to Madeleine, and by then she was convinced that Madeleine had no intention of replying.

No matter; I have said what I wanted to say, she thought.

She was lying on her stomach on the living floor with her laptop open in front of her. She was idly surfing the net, tweeting this and posting that, when a loud ping erupted from the laptop. A bubble appears on the screen which said: New email! Do you want to open it?

When she clicked the Open button, she was surprised to see an email from Madeleine. It simply said,

Ilsoon,

Download this video and watch it with all the others.

Madeleine

Attached to the mail was indeed a video, and as soon as Ilsoon had finished downloading it, she opened it and saw Madeleine’s face on the screen.

“Ilhoon… Ilhoon! Come here!” she yelled. “Hurry!”

Ilhoon came clambering down from the second floor and burst into the living room with a haggard expression.

“What? What is it?”

“Madeleine sent us something. She said to watch it with the others,” said Ilsoon, not taking her eyes off the laptop. “See, right there.”

Ilhoon shoved his sister and lay down beside her on his stomach. “It really does say that… Wait, lemme call the boys.”

“Ilhoon, call Eunkwang and Hyunsik too.”

Ilhoon paused to look at Ilsoon. “You sure?”

She nodded. “Madeleine said so.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-