Four years later

“Thank you for today, teacher!” A small boy, around the age of five, bounces off, and into the arms of his mother. Jiyoon waves him off with a smile plastered on her face. She wipes the sweat off her forehead and checks her watch. It’s time to go home now, after a day of work. She goes back into the kindergarten, packs up her things and leaves for her home. She doesn’t feel like cooking today, so she stops by a restaurant to fill up her stomach.

After ordering, she looks around, but nothing interests her. She looks down at her phone, which she bought two years ago when she started working as a teacher. She scrolls through her contacts and sub-conciously, she stops under the letter ‘J’. Jung Daehyun. Four years may have passed, but she still hasn’t forgotten him. Same goes for Yongguk.

“Can I see the menu, please?” A deep voice fills her ears. She knows that voice anywhere, even though it’s been four years since she last heard it. She looks up but only a few customers are there, and none of them strike a memory. She snatches her bag, leaves without eating and runs around, trying to find the owner of the voice.

She’s pretty sure she heard his voice clearly. She’s not mistaken.

It was Yongguk’s voice.

There he is, the figure she’s hoping to find for the past years is a few metres from her. She quickens her pace and when she’s near, she extends out her arm. She taps on the man’s shoulder. The man turns around, but it isn’t the face she’s hoping for. It’s not Yongguk.

“I’m sorry, I must’ve gotten the wrong person.” They nod to each other slightly and the man sets off.

“I’m pretty sure I heard his voice, though. He was at the restaurant. Ah, Park Jiyoon, when will you forget about him?”

…

“Managing director, you were so cool during the meeting!”

“Ah, hyung, you’re praising me too much. I was only being Daehyun.”

“Look at my little brother, being humble and all. You know, you’re the craze in this company. All the female staffs are all over you ever since you started working here.”

“Stop exaggerating, hyung. It’s nothing, really.”

“Why, are you still waiting for that special someone? Or do you already have that special someone?”

Daehyun smiles at Jiwook, a smile full of secrets. “Maybe.”

Daehyun makes his way towards his office, smiling at the staffs he passes by. A few female staffs smile widely when he walks in front of them. Some of them even check their own reflection on whatever reflective surfaces there are. Jiwook, who’s trailing behind, only manages to shake his head at the sight.

Daehyun leans back on his chair in his office, taking a gulp of water from the tumbler he brought from home. As he’s putting down his tumbler, he sees the necklace with the star-shaped locket hung on the wall beside his desk. He always keeps it hung there, as if it’s a good luck charm for him. He still hasn’t figured out what Yongguk had meant in his letter, and he wonders if it has anything to do with the necklace.

He reaches for the necklace, and examines it. If Yongguk’s talking about the moon, and the locket is in his hand, does that mean there’s another one, only in the shape of the moon? Is Yongguk hinting at him, asking him to find the other? Or is he talking about the moon up in the sky? He ruffles his hair in frustration, hoping to find some answers.

He stuffs the necklace into his pocket, and opens the door. He knocks on his brother’s office’s door, and peaks when he allows him to enter. “Hyung, can I get off work early today?”

“Why, are you feeling sick?”

“I have something to do.”

“Are you seeing someone?”

“What? No! Something urgent just came up.”

Jiwook raises his eyebrows, debating on whether he should ask further. “Fine, but only this time. I’m only letting you go because you participated fully during the meeting just now. This is the only time, got it?”

Daehyun nods his head vigorously, happy that his brother doesn’t ask many questions. “Got it!” He slams the door and Jiwook shakes his head.

“That kid never changes, even though it’s been four years.”

…

He peeks through the spaces between the metallic flowers, seeing if someone is there. He doesn’t see anyone, and he’s not sure on whether he should ring the doorbell.

“Uncle, what are you doing? Are you trying to rob our house?”

Daehyun turns around and is shocked at the sight of two same faces. One girl has short hair, and another has a ponytail.

“Listen here, kids. I’m not an uncle; I’m still young. I’m only 25 years old! I’m guessing that both of you are twins, what’s your name, Soojin and Soomin right?”

Both of them blink innocently at him, while the melted ice cream in their hands. “We’re not kids, we’re already thirteen. Uncle, are you perhaps a stalker?”

“Stalker? What a ridiculous offence! I’m Jiyoon’s… friend. I want to meet her.”

“Jiyoon eonni? She doesn’t live with us anymore. She moved out two years ago.”

“Really? Can I get her new address?”

Soojin is about to open but Soomin stops her. “Wait! How do we know you’re really her friend? What if you’re a bad person? What kind of friend doesn’t know where she lives?”

“That’s why; I haven’t kept in touch with her for the past four years so I don’t know.”

The huge gate behind him opens, and Mrs. Bang approaches them. “Daehyun… I can’t believe my eyes. You’re here…”

“Mrs. Bang, I’m sorry…”

The old woman hugs him, with tears streaming down her face. “At first it was Yongguk, and then you left. I was waiting for the day I could finally see your face again. I thought this day would never come…”

“Mom, why are you crying? Do you know this uncle?”

Mrs. Bang lets go of Daehyun, and wipes her tears. “Soomin, Soojin, he’s not an uncle. This handsome young man is Daehyun, Jung Daehyun.”

Soojin’s eyes go wide, “Daehyun? THE Jung Daehyun?”

“The Jung Daehyun? What are you talking about?” Daehyun scratches his head.

Mrs. Bang laughs. Soomin helps by answering, “Jiyoon eonni talked about you a lot. We’ve never seen your picture, but from her stories, you’re a cool guy. Like those dreamy guys in dramas, you fit her description exactly!” Soomin shows a thumbs-up.

“But you said I’m an uncle…”

“Because we didn’t know who you are. Now that I see you, you’re actually really handsome. Do you know that once, Soojin said that she wanted to marry you once she meets you.”

“Soomin! I never said that!”

Daehyun smiles, clearly amused by their antics. “That’s really… interesting.”

“Ah, oppa, just ignore what Soomin said. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.” She finishes off her ice cream.

“Oppa? Oh so now you’re calling me oppa?”

Both of the twins smile brightly at him. Mrs. Bang shakes her head and ushers them inside. “Both of you need to go change.”

“But we want to spend more time with Daehyun oppa,” they whine.

“I’ll come visit another time, okay?” Daehyun gives off his precious smile, and that makes the twins run off while giggling.

“I apologize on behalf of them. They can be really straight-forward when they want to.”

“I don’t mind, it must be really amusing having the both of them around.”

She shakes her head, “It is amusing, but it still feels empty without Yongguk and Jiyoon.”

“Jiyoon… where is she now?”

“She’s teaching at a kindergarten, and she’s living at her own apartment. She comes here often too.”

Daehyun takes out his phone. “Does she… by any chance, have a phone now?”

…

“To knock, or not to knock? Aish, she didn’t even answer my call, she probably won’t let me in either.”

“May I help you?”

Daehyun turns around and sure enough, Jiyoon’s there, staring at him. She still looks the same, only more mature. She has let her hair grow, and she lets it loose. She doesn’t wear any visible makeup, but still her face glows. Her phone is in one hand, while the other is holding her bag.

“Dae… Daehyun... what are you doing here? How did you know I live here?”

“I paid a visit to Yongguk’s house and I found out you don’t live there anymore.”

“And you think it’s fine to turn up uninvited, when four years ago you asked us to stop seeing each other?”

“I’m sorry, I mean…”

“I told you, saying sorry doesn’t fix anything. Please understand, Daehyun. I’ve been living my life for the past four years in difficulty trying to forget everything. And now you’re showing up in front of my apartment, pretending as if everything is okay? What about those words you said back then, were they nothing? You asked me to avoid you, but you’re looking for me now. Why are you doing this to me, Daehyun?”

“Hear me out first, Jiyoon.”

“Don’t say my name! I don’t want to hear my name coming out of your mouth ever again. Please move, I need to get inside my house.”

“I need to ask you something first. If you don’t want to see me after that, it’s fine. But it’s been bothering me ever since Yongguk… left.”

Jiyoon sighs. “What? And make it quick, I’m tired.”

Daehyun fishes out the necklace in his pocket and lets it hang in the air in front of her face. “By any chance, the moon I have been looking for the past years, is it with you?”