Hyori

“You said that there is a colleague who’s supposed to take this flight with us. Where is she?”

“Oh…she called just a moment ago that she has unfinished business and will take the next flight back on her own.” I casually responded.

“Was she here with us on this trip? Why hadn’t we met so far?”

With hidden guilt, I bit my lip while thinking up of a lie. It was not the first lie that I had told since he woke up and I was already tired of cooking up more. I had weaved up a nice story that I was here with him for an assignment when he met with a terrible accident. I was cautious that no doctors or nurses could get close to him that day till his discharge so that no one could reveal the truth to him.

I had trouble with how to deal with So Min. Fortunately, she had been missing since Hyun Joong awoke with amnesia. I was worried for her and at the same time remorseful for what I had done to her.  Heaven must be on my side, for So Min even called to apologise that she would not return to Seoul with us today.  

“Uhm…. She was busy wrapping up the project while you were hospitalised. She was so occupied that she had no time to even visit you at the hospital.” I rattled quickly, uncomfortably avoiding Hyun Joong’s curious gaze.

“I’m glad that she is here to take care of the loose ends I left behind. I really hope to meet her soon.” He smiled, trustingly taking in every word in my lie. “We must have been good working partners, aren’t we?”

“Erm..no…just hi and bye colleagues,” The approaching stewardess caught my attention and I immediately requested her help to get me a glass of water for Hyun Joong’s medication. I made Hyun Joong took his pills that made him drowsy and sleepy. After he dozed off, I heaved a sigh of relief that finally, I could let my guards down a bit.

It had been not easy being someone I was not and telling stories as if they were facts. The worst guilt was betraying my best friend: stealing the man she loved directly under her nose.

I did not know how to face her when I see her again. Sooner or later, she would know what had happened.  I did not expect her to forgive me but even without her forgiveness, I would do my best to make up to her in other ways.

I looked down at Hyun Joong, sleeping peacefully in his seat beside me. The plan to marry him that would then close my chapter with Kim Dong Jae did not stop playing in my head.

I found myself shamelessly admiring him as he adorably twitched his mouth. Watching his angelic face, I could not believe that I would bear to sacrifice this beautiful creature in exchange for Kim Dong Jae’s downfall.

My dear Hyun Joong, how did you get involved in this vendetta?

Suddenly, he muttered something that instilled deep fear in me.

‘So Min’ he mumbled.

Did he remember her? Or was So Min his subconscious? I seriously wondered what had happened in the few weeks they were together in Shenzhen that he could still remember her even as he had lost others. Would he recognise So Min if he sees her again?

I knew it would not be as it easy as it looked. I needed to work harder to ensure that the untruth would be convincing.

So Min and Hyun Joong must not see each other. And I must ensure no slip through in that.

I clenched my fingers so tight that my nails dug into my skin. I feared for the worst time of my life the moment I stepped into Seoul tomorrow; a life built on lies and betrayal.  

So Min

The line went dead. I threw my Iphone onto the bed and allowed my body to rest on the bed that I had not touched for the past weeks. I had not returned to the hotel room to rest after Hyun Joong’s accident. I was only at different short intervals to pack my clothes and documents.

I must had been exhausted from all those running around. It did not feel this awful while he was around. Perhaps seeing him every day had made me forgotten how tired I had been. As my back leaned against the soft mattress below me, my mind collapsed into emptiness. I wished this lethargy would continue to drown my sorrows away, just like how alcohol would intoxicate the clearest mind

Rest, So Min. Rest, I told myself. You need all the energy when you wake up tomorrow. For when you stepped on Seoul’s soil again, you’ll need all the courage to face the man that you love, but whose heart now belonged to another.

Hyun Joong

I jerked up from my sleep, cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. The throbbing in my chest reminded me that I had been running, chasing after someone in my nightmare. But I could not catch hold of this person, no matter how fast I ran. Fear had enshrouded my whole body, gripping my heart as if an invisible hand was suffocating it.

Fear of losing this person…

I awoke to a strange, yet familiar room. This was the place that Hyori had brought me back to after we landed, saying that this was my home. After helping me to unpack, she left me with some food in the fridge and I retreated to my bedroom for more sleep.

And it was then it haunted my sleep again. Though the dream left a deep impact on me, I could not recall a single detail, except that I was running after someone. It was the same dream I had when I was on the plane.

I grappled in the dark for my clock. It was only 4am. I lay back on my bed, staring at the darkness around me. I tried to cajole myself to sleep but the mystery in my dream had made it impossible for me to even close my eyes.

5am. And I had not been able to sleep a wink.

Who was I running after? Why was I going after this person?

Awww…my head hurt again! I got up, finally deciding that sleep would be the last thing that I wanted to do now. I should run on the treadmill instead to rid myself of these thoughts.

After forty minutes on the mill, I stopped to take a sniff of my own body. I stink.

I could not remember when was the last time I had my bath. At least, I did not have one from the moment I woke up till I slept last night.

Taking off my shirt, it was then that I realised a green pendant hanging around my neck. Weird, I did not notice that I was wearing this all along.

I took a closer look at the pendant. It was a tear-drop jade, its greenness glistening under the warm bathroom light as its elegance manifested through like a priceless treasure. I was mesmerised by its aura, not that its beauty was overwhelming.

It seemed that this pendant had a story to tell. Intuitively, something immediately linked this jade to the person in my dream. It was an eerie thought but yet curiousity was eating me up from inside.

How are the jade and the person in my dream related?

There seemed to be a lot of missing puzzles in my memory. And I would piece them back one by one together. This jade in my hands now, would be my first clue.

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Bowwow

Dear friends. So sorry that i updated so late. This period is the busiest period of my annual work cycle and I have to work on weekends and weekday nights as well. But did find time to squeeze in writing a paragraph as and when I could. Wow...and i managed to update something after two weeks (or has it been three weeks?) Many thanks to all for still staying with me and i really really hope that every chapter is a pleasure read for everyone.

Good night and love to all!