NO STRING ATTACHED

1998.

Seoul.

• Baby, hurry up, your mom is waiting for us at the airport… - The father called from the opened - door car that parked in front of the rose garden. He smiled watching the two kids at the gate.

• I’m coming, Dad… - The little girl answered cheerfully, but she suddenly turned around again just a step away from the garden gate and hugged the tall boy behind. The Teddy Bear in her arms fell on the ground leaving room for her two tiny free hands wrapped around the boy’s neck… - I promise, I will be back, I need to go to my mom, but I will be back… - She whispered, smiling…

• …

• Good bye, Min Ho…

• …

• We’re leaving, good bye Min Ho, thank you for taking care and being friend with my daughter for the past 10 months.

• Good bye, Uncle Jin Hyuk… - The boy looked up

• Good bye, Jin Ri… - The boy whispered, watching the car leaving.

Summer 2008.

May.

Incheon.

• Kids, attention! We have a new member in our summer camp this year, she’s coming back from US and will stay with us for 3 months. Sulli Choi, can you introduce yourself? – The teacher happily clapped her hands, distracting her students in the team from their works

• Hi! – The girl smiled, her radiant smile shined upon the orphanage’s garden… - I’m Sulli Choi, I’m from US and nice to meet you!

• Our captain, please help her out with the new mission, Sulli, just FYI, we’ll finish our mission here and move to the new station tomorrow.

• Thank you, teacher! Hi… - The girl pulled her hand out from the pocket cheerfully and blinked at the view when the captain of the team put off his cap.

• Hi, I’m Choi Min Ho, the team’s captain. I’ll walk you to your prepared room now. – The boy said politely, but didn’t smile, his eyes were cold, or at least, Sulli Choi could felt the coldness in his voice.

“I’ve finally found you…”

Summer 2008.

August.

Incheon.

• You said you didn’t know me! – Sulli shouted, shrugging his arms off her

• I know! – Min Ho shouted back, gripping harder on her arms

• No, you don’t know who I am, in the past 3 months also, you don’t know me!

• Don’t leave!

The girl stunned at Min Ho’s words.

• What did you say? – Sulli asked, blinking her eyes

• Don’t leave, like you did before, don’t! – Min Ho whispered, hiding his face in her shoulder

It was raining heavily outside the cottage, and as Min Ho told her after she found him drunk badly at the balcony of the orphanage where their team were helping the kids in their summer camp, she did stay. She didn’t leave. She stayed and experienced her first time with him, for the first time in forever she knew what was making love.  

He told her he knew who she was.

She believed him.

She believed finally she found him, finally she found the string that attached them from the very beginning.

Until, the young 18 year – old girl hugged the man lying beside her and heard him murmured…

• Soo Jung... Don’t leave me!

Summer 2008.

August.

Seoul.

In a rainy night.

• Jin Ri? Why are you go back from Incheon at this hours? Jin Ri, sweetheart, what happened? You’re all soaking wet… Oh my God, Jin Hyuk, come down stairs right now! Jin Ri, tell grandpa, why are you coming back to Seoul at this late, what happened at the camp?

• …

• Jin Ri, answer me?

• Grandpa… - She finally spoke out, her voice’s shaking

• Yes, sweetheart, grandpa is here…

• You said you wanted to enroll me to Firenze University, didn’t you? Can we leave for Italy tomorrow?

2014.

Seoul.

She kissed his cheek and make sure it lingered for a while.

• We’re all grown up, Min Ho! – She smiled, the softness of her hair touched his skin, her perfume scent made him close his eyes.

He took a deep breath to ignore her mischievous smile.

• Its’ been 6 years, you disappeared like a spirit. Where have you been?

• But we’re still best friend, rite?

• You disappeared like we have nothing but a thin string.

• Can I correct it, my friend? In this apartment, there’s no string attached – She smirked

…

She looked at his sleeping face, didn’t dare to touch him, she was scared that she would wake him up.

“I’m gonna get married in the next 3 months. I will meet my fiancé in the next 3 months, Min Ho, actually, I go back here to meet him. But in these 3 months, I’m with you. I know I’m silly, but this is all I want. No string attached to our past and future, just present…”

It was also a rainy night.

She preferred no string attached to their relationship. She preferred to live with him like a sharing – house friend, like his little best friend 6 years ago, though that was only 3 short months.

Now she had 3 more months.

No string attached, like strangers on bed with passionate, but like a best friend, with a warm milk coffee in the shared – apartment.

No string attached.

She didn’t see it as she never knew that fate was fabricated by invisible strings.