“Junhong-ah! Wait up! Where’re you off to?”

                By now this should be quite obvious. Yet, the lot of you insist on asking the same question every day. I don’t have time for a game of kick the can, I’ve grown up and so should you. Without a word I walk out of school grounds through the forest out back and head for the Nam estate. I hope she’s awake. On the way up to the gates a few of the help I had seen within their halls walk towards me with wretched eyes. I run up to them and grab one by the shoulders.

Junhong: “What’s with your expressions? Did something happen to her?!”

Maid: “Oh no young sir, we had just gotten fired-“*slaps maid*

Junhong: “Others have bigger problems than you. If you want something to be sad about then put yourself in Ms. ChungAe’s shoes. Hm, if only she could get up to use them herself…”

                I push through them and storm forward till I get to their front doors. Before buzzing in I straighten my school uniform. The sweet voice of Mrs. Nam welcomes me in as always. I head up stairs for her room where she’s sleeping soundly.

Junhong: “Hmph, and I rushed all the way here.” *smirks*

                I sit next to her with my arm stretched over her belly. With each passing day my agony as I stare at her face carves into my heart as if it were chocolate. Smoothly, slowly, but lo and behold there's a mess. Some pieces have already melted away, others landed on the floor... Everything is scattered and can't be put back together.

ChungAe: "Junhong-ah..?" She questions as she trembles to sit up.

Junhong: "Ah- don't get up, you'll only stress your body out..."

ChungAe: "What's stressing me out is you skipping school just to come see me!"

Junhong: "Eh, I'm already inheriting my family's business. What's school gonna do for me?"

ChungAe: /grabs Zelo's hand/ "Don't cause trouble when I'm gone."

Junhong: "You're not going anywhere, so you can make sure I'm a good boy."

She tightens the grip on my hand and lowers her head. She begins to cough as of her lungs were going to come out. I jump over the bed and grab the trash can holding it out in front of her face. With a hand on , she pushes it away. Swallowing down whatever caught ; she turns up to look up at me with tears welling up in her eyes. I jump up to alert the nurse but she snatches my arm and pulls me back.

ChungAe: "Junhong... I know you suffer alongside me. A-and I can't bare to see you like this anymore."

Junhong: "Stop acting as if you're going to die! I won't allow it! I'm going to help you!!"

ChungAe: "Stop acting like a child!" My eyes widen at her response. "Junhong, I'm going to America. If they can't 'heal' me then... Khmm. I can't look after you like this anyway, this is how I'll be by your side again."

You want me to let go... I can't just; you were supposed to be my wife. Isn't "death till us part" supposed to come long after our vows? It's too soon. 18 years with you and you're expecting me accept this crap?! If anything I'd go with you... She wipes the tears that slip off my face. I hold her hand on pressed against me; don’t just let go of me like this.

1 year later~

"Junhong-ah! You gotta stop leaving like this-"

Hyung grabs onto my shoulder and I simply knock him back down with the back of my arm. Not to be rude hyung, but eff off.

Jongup: "Junhong-ah. You need to go home, look at yourself."

Junhong: "Why don't you mind your own business?"

For the next few hours I spend my time at the bar. With how grungy I look they don't even check me for ID. To 365 days of drinking my sorrows away. *cheers with self and chugs it down* ahh, never as bitter as I’ve become disappointingly. I sit back in the booth stretching my legs to the other side. In front of me I see a couple taking shots together. Chi- why are the two of you so happy. Sorry babe but guys probably cheating. Ya know how I know? Cause’ one of you isn’t wearing a riiiing~ *burp* I close my eyes and all I saw was her face. Hmm, you, whyyy do you keeps coming back? Do you want to see me as much as I do you? One of these days I might… *couple’s laughter*

Junhong: “Aiiii show some common courtesy and get a room! Just don’t go to his house. *whispers putting the back of his hand by his mouth* he’s got a wiiiiiife!” I say gesturing on my hand were his ring is. She immediately gets up and pours what’s left in the beer bottle on his head.

Ahjussi: “You punk! Do we need to take his outside?!”

Junhong “We could, but then I could sue you for assaulting a minor.”

Worker: “‘Minor’??” I nod “GET OUT YOU’LL GET ME FIRED!” he drags me by the collar and throws me out on the street where it’s hailing heavily.

Junhong: “AIIISH, you’ve been selling to me for weeks! If you’d get fired the wild damn place would’ve been shut down by now!”

Kicking a minor on the streets too, and you call yourselves adults. I wander the streets till even my clothes are drenched through to even my underwear. I continue to stagger through till my knees start to buckle. I fall onto my knees and then just lay there with the rain bouncing off my face. Freezing to death huh? I close my eyes waiting for the inevitable. A few minutes pass and my body goes numb. Looking at my body lifeless… I’m so full of bliss. Someone grabs my shoulder thinking it’d be ChungAe tears begin to appear within seconds. Though it’s not her, just some Ahjumma.

Ahjumma: “Junhong, you went down a path you were never meant to take. Look at yourself, beaten up, intoxicated, and you’ve become so cold hearted.”

Junhong: “What do you know, how could you ever understand!?”

Ahjumma: “I know of it well! But mourning for years over-... this a chance for you to start again. Take it. Don’t ask questions. You need to look after yourself, you have a chance to be incredibly beatific in life and you shouldn’t give up like this.” She places a bronze bracelet on my lifeless arm on the ground. “Cold hearted and isolated… Unless you get better, you’ll become just like your heart. A frozen piece of ice; unbreakable, but you will slowly melt away. Don’t let it come to that.”

Junhong: “Just take me now, why have me go through-“

And she vanishes away from my site. Unless I get better? Please… Obviously there’s a time limit for this right? I’ll wait it out. I’ll be there soon, just you wait.

~

Opening my eyes again expecting to still be in the street I instead find myself in a cramp home with a damp towel resting upon my forehead. I take it off and as I do I notice a girl in the corner ironing her school uniform… Is that?

Junhong: “YuHwa-ssi?”

                She turns towards me hastily and burns her arm on the iron. This kind of girl took me in?

 

 

Woo! The most I’ve written for a first chapter! Sorry if you found it boring or lengthy, I needed to get the details clear and out there before moving on ^^ well have a lovely day everyone :)