Chapter 17

Yonghwa was driving on his way to the weekend house. He listens to Jonghyun who is on the passenger seat, whining about a project building in Busan. He continues to say "Ah" and "Really" repeatedly, obviously spacing out.

“I know you’re not listening to me, Hyung.” Jonghyun chuckled.

“What?” 

“See?” He laughed. “You’re not listening. What’s up? What’s bothering you?” 

Yonghwa sighed. “Aniya. It’s nothing.”

Jonghyun turned off the music and turned to Yonghwa, “This is about the dinner, isn’t it?”

Yonghwa just bit his lip and continued driving, ignoring Jonghyun’s question. They both know that’s what it is.

“Hyung...” Jonghyun continued, “Are you afraid?”

“Afraid of making her afraid, yes... I don’t want to insist her to remember me.”

“Do you regret it?” Jonghyun asked intently.

Yonghwa slowly maneuvered the car to the right when they reach the villa and parked it. Both of them didn’t get out of the car as silence envelopes between them.

“Regret what? Regret that I helped her? Of course not.” Yonghwa answered. 

“No..” Jonghyun said, “Do you regret that you fall in love with her even though now, she can’t remember you?” 

Yonghwa rested his hands on the steering wheel and looked from afar for a moment. Then he turned to Jonghyun, “It’s weird and you can even say that it's pathetic that I was seeing her spirit... much more pathetic that I know in my heart that I fell in love with a ghost.. but I never intended for it to happen. Sometimes I wonder why I was the only one who can see her that time... what could be the reason." Yonghwa sighed. "But then... it just happened."

“Is that why you were so eager to help her before and even continue to care for her even if she doesn’t remember you anymore?” 

“Jonghyun-ah...” Yonghwa said softly, “I wasn’t the one who helped her...she was the one who helped me. She saved me..she saved me from misery, from wasting my life over Shinhye... she saved me from being alone Jonghyun-ah"

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“What? Me too. I’ve seen him too.” Yoona’s eyes grew bigger while she chops the carrots. “I went with Sooyoung here one time, I saw his car when I peeked at the porch. He stayed there for an hour until we turned off the lights." Yoona said enthusiastically.

“Really? He was in the hospital last night too. I went with Seohyun to get her check-up results. I saw Yonghwa-ssi in his car too, contently staring at Seohyun from afar." Jessica shared.

“I think he likes her.” Yuri blurted out. 

Staring at the boiling water in the kitchen, Hyoyeon butted in, “That’s the first thing I thought too when he went to our house and told us that he sees Seohyun's spirit... I mean, that's absurd, right? But when you look at him, my... he's so dead serious about it."

“And remember the time when we all panicked when the cardiogram beeps thinking Seohyun died, Yonghwa-ssi was really afraid. He was trembling..." Tiffany said.

“Oh I remember that! The doctors even said they thought she’s dead already. They all keep saying that it was a miracle that she suddenly moves... did you notice that he was holding her hand that time... he was so desperate for Seohyun to live." Sunny muttered.

“That made me believe that he really was seeing Seohyun’s spirit.” Sooyoung then said. “He’s so into her... Too bad, Seohyun can’t remember him."

Taeyeon suddenly held up the knife she’s holding, like making everybody stop, “Don’t worry. Remember I told Dr. Kang to invite Yonghwa-ssi and their friends tonight for the dinner." Taeyeon said, "I'm sure they will--"

“Unnie-deul!” Seohyun suddenly stepped in the apartment. “You’re all here already? I thought the dinner is still at 7pm? You're all preparing very early."

Seohyun went out to visit the theater school and meet her trainees. She was surprised but happy seeing her Unnies complete inside her apartment. Although the place was a mess already.

“You’re clothes are dripping wet Maknae!” Yuri exclaimed.

Seohyun just smiled like a child, “It was raining outside. I didn’t bring an umbrella. So I got wet when I ran to go home.” 

“Go change your clothes now before you get sick! Aish!” Taeyeon nagged.

“Ahrasseo...I’ll change quickly and help you prepare food.” Seohyun said as she ran to her room to change.

The girls continue to cook different dishes.

“Come on. Help us... You know how to cook this. I’m terrible with cooking doenjang jjigae.” Jessica said when Seohyun went out of the room.

Seohyun chuckled. “Aigoo Unnie. You should start watching cooking show.” She turned on the TV. “I learned how to cook by just watching." She said as she presses the remote control to find the cooking channel. Then she stopped into a channel. "Oh! Venetian Macau!" She exclaimed suddenly.

The other girls turn their heads on the TV. 

“Oh, the Grand Canal. It’s so nice in there. The gondolier will sing Italian songs. And the ceiling in that hotel is painted with sky. It will even just take you few minutes to go to the Fisherman's Wharf from there and even to Senado Square where you can buy lots of items. The egg tarts there look really delicious! And the Ruins..my.. you're really like in Europe if you see them!" Seohyun continued her monologue excitedly as her eyes were fixed on the TV.

The girls exchanged glances. 

“Have you been to Macau?” Yoona asked innocently. “You seem like you know the place so well.”

They all frowned with confusion. “As far as I remember, you’ve never been to Macau. You only go to other places where you hold musicals. You've never been there." Sooyoung said.

Seohyun started to furrow her eyebrows too, after hearing her Unnies. She wondered too. Then her eyes gaze at each of the girls who are staring at her intently, then turns to the TV again showing sites in Macau.

“I don’t...I don’t know...” Seohyun said almost in a whisper. She massaged her temples again that made her immediately close her eyes as images rapidly fill her mind.

Limousine... Crowded place... Gondola... Grand Canal...

Then a back of a person... A hand... A man’s hands rested on a balcony... 

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“Omo.. Come in.” Taeyeon happily said as she opened the door, welcoming the guests. 

Yonghwa and the three boys entered the apartment. Jonghyun and Yoona immediately chatted like the old times, Jungshin and Sooyoung too. Minhyuk was welcomed by most of the girls as they thank him for taking care of Seohyun in the hospital.

However, Yonghwa slowly take few steps around the apartment. Like a shy little boy, distancing himself from the crowd. 

“Missing the apartment?” Tiffany approached Yonghwa and gave him a glass of soda. 

Yonghwa smiled and nodded. “It only feels like yesterday when I stayed here.” Then he wanders his eyes around.

“Seohyun is inside the room. She had a little headache again and got wet from the rain when we were preparing the food. She’s just resting a bit." Tiffany said, she knows Yonghwa is looking for Seohyun. Then she gave him an eye smile and said, "Don't worry..you'll see her."

They all started to eat and talk to one another. They gather around the table like a big happy family.

“Oh...Seohyunnie... You’re up. Come, sit here...” Hyoyeon offered a seat and prepares a