A month has passed…

The weather is really cold that she could feel it tingling on her skin eventhough she is wearing thick clothes and scarf. She walk passing the café that she used to went there after class. As soon as she saw the café, the familiar memories struck in her head…

“Minyoung-ah…”

“Oppa!”

Taekwoon reach at the table and sit in front of her. “I’m sorry I’m late. The class of mine finished much late than I expected.”

“It’s okay, at least you made it.”Minyoung give him an ensuring smile to him.

Taekwoon give a signal to the waiter to get some order for both of them.

“It’s quite cold now. Should we get some hot drink?”

“Sure.”

Then, Taekwoon facing the waiter and ordering a hot latte and hot chocolate. After the waiter gets the order, she went to the counter.

“So, how’s it going for you?”

“Things are getting better right now. My teacher said that I got good result for my evaluation and expecting that I could get score for this semester.”

“Really? That’s good news for you.”

Minyoung smile widely, satisfied with her effort to pass the evaluation test. “What about you, oppa? How’s your study?”

“Well, I’m also got the good result but maybe not as good as you are…”

“It’s okay, oppa. I’m sure you will make it.”

Taekwoon felt a little comfort hearing her words. To be truth studying makes him feels bored and suffocating. But he had to, for him to get a good job in the future according to his mother. Soccer is the only way for him to relieve all the stress before he met Minyoung. Sitting here and share his problem with her makes his burden of studying disappear. He look at Minyoung who still smile at him, “I really like your smile, Minyoung-ah…”

“Ne?”

“Do you know that the thing that makes me fall for you is your smile?”

“Oppa, are you tried to tease me or what?”

“No, I’m serious. I really love your smile. Your smile is so radiant and beautiful.”

 “Oppa, you make me blush right now…”

“What can I do? That’s the truth…”

Minyoung look at Taekwoon with her shy look. She is completely embarrassed by Taekwoon’s confession. Taekwoon’s hand slowly reaches her hand and grabs it. Much to his surprise, her hand is very cold, like she was just stepping out from fridge.

“Your hand is so cold.”

Minyoung look at her hand, completely pale because of the cold weather.

“Here, let me warm it for you.”

Taekwoon take out his both hands and grabs completely her both hands. He doesn’t realize that Minyoung is feeling completely embarrassed right now. She could feel her face getting hotter the moment when Taekwoon rubbing her hands to warm them. He also let out warm breath a few times on them. ‘Oh My God!! Please!! Don’t let him see my red cheeks!’

Minyoung look at Taekwoon and see how caring he is toward her. She feels like a dream right now. For a moment, she suddenly remembers how her father also did the same thing to her when she was little. She and her parents went out to see their grandparents that day. The weather of that day is also cold, just like now. They stopped at the station to fill in their car’s fuel. After finished fill in, her father take a look at her to check on her. The moment when her father touches her cold hand, he rubbed both of her hands to warm them. Her father smile at her, ensuring that she is going to be alright.

Minyoung smile a little bit when she remembers those times with her father. Then, hshe could feel a single tear flow from her eye. Taekwoon who busy warming her hands noticed that she is crying. “Minyoung-ah, are you crying?”

“Ne? What?”

“Are you alright? Why are you crying?”

Minyoung quickly wipe her tear, “Nothing, I’m just remembered about my father… He also did this when I was little…”

Taekwoon reach his hand and grab her hand. “Minyoung-ah, it’s okay for you to cry right now. Because if you endure all of your feeling inside of you, it will be hard for you to live on. Arasso?”

Minyoung nod her head. Then, Taekwoon reach his right hand to her face and wipe her tears.

Minyoung close her eyes and her tears flow out from both of her eyes. She looks at the café for a moment and she could feel the emptiness inside of her. She cries as much as she wants and no one was there to wipe her tears. He is not here anymore. He’s gone now. He’s…gone…

Then, she continues to walk on.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Minyoung reach at her house. She opens the door and went inside. The house is so cold and she needs to rise up the house’s temperature immediately. When the house is warm enough, she went into her room and cleans up herself.

 After she finish, she went to the living room and playing her guitar. But, for a moment she doesn’t feel wants to play anything not even any random sound. Then, she put the guitar at her side and watches some late evening program. She feels completely bored right now. After Taekwoon gone, she doesn’t feel want to go anywhere except went home and do some random stuff to fill in her time. She is completely missing her time with Taekwoon. If he is still here, both of them will have a cup of coffee or they will went to each other house, having some a good time together. She is feeling lonely right now, and she doesn’t know what to do. She close her eyes and hoping time running a little bit fast so her mother will be at home.

Suddenly, the sound of doorbell echoing the house and Minyoung wake from her slumber. That must be her!

She run to the door and answering through the doorbell phone. The moment when she looks the screen, it’s not her mother, but Hongbin!

“Oppa?”

“Minyoung-ah, it’s me.”

“Oppa, what are you doing here?”

“I went here to check on you. Can I come in? It’s really cold here.”

“Okay. I open the door for you.”

Minyoung went to the door and open it. She invites Hongbin inside and let him rest at the living room. “Do you want to drink something?”

“Anything but cold drink.”

She went to the kitchen and makes some hot drink for Hongbin. Then, she went to the living room and gave him the drink. “Kamsahabnida.” Hongbin took the drink and took a sip a bit. “It’s really cold outside but you still here to visit me. Doesn’t it bother you?”

Hongbin put the cup on the table and look at Minyoung. “It doesn’t bother me at all. Beside, recently you were little bit down and I’m little bit worried about you.”

“I’m alright, oppa. It just…    It took a long time for me to accept of what happen a month ago.”

Hongbin look at her worriedly. “I know. It’s hard to believe that this will be happen.”

Both of them know what they mentioned in their conversation. They find that it’s a difficult to accept that Taekwoon was no longer at their side anymore. They both really missed him a lot.

For a moment, Hongbin look at Minyoung’s seat and saw a guitar at her side.

“Is that yours?”

Minyoung look at what Hongbin points at. “Yes, it’s mine.”

“Can I take a look at it?”

Minyoung take the guitar and give it to Hongbin. Hongbin take a look at it. He can tell that the guitar has been used a lot of times judging by the strings and the frets but the body looks shiny as it’s been taken care really well. “You must be taking a good care of this guitar.”

“My late father gave it to me when I was 5. It really means a lot to me.”

“I see…” Hongbin look at the guitar and he found someone’s name on the back of the guitar, Shin Minyoung.

“Taekwoon oppa use to told me that both of you used to perform during your school event once.”

“Yeah, we did. We both use to participate in the school talent.”

“He said that you are good playing guitar. Can you play some song that you know?”

Hongbin hesitated at first because he hasn’t playing it for years and doesn’t know if he still has it or not. “Well, let me try.”

At first, he plays a few notes to make him remember back the sound that he used to it. Then, once he feels a bit secure, he starts to plays the song. The melody start softly and Minyoung focus on Hongbin play it. After a few second of intro, Hongbin start to sing.

I don't know you

But I want you

All the more for that

Words fall through me

And always fool me

And I can't react

And games that never amount

To more than they're meant

Will play themselves out

[Chorus]

Take this sinking boat and point it home

We've still got time

Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice

You'll make it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me

And I can't go back

Moods that take me and erase me

And I'm painted black

You have suffered enough

And warred with yourself

It's time that you won

[Chorus]

Falling slowly sing your melody

I'll sing along

Minyoung completely stunned by Hongbin’s voice. She knew that Taekwoon told her that Hongbin is a good singer, but what she hears right now is beyond of what he told her. Hongbin’s voice is completely make her mesmerizes and she close her eyes and let the melody enter her tender ears. As a music student, she could figure out that his voice is the type of baritone. Quite deep and pleasent to hear. 

After he finishes the song, he look at her, “So, how is it?”

Minyoung look at him and reply, “It’s nice. Your voice is so silvery. You and Taekwoon oppa should debut as singers if you were casted.”

“Not really. We both were singing to just have some fun during high school. It is one of our way to get out from school stress." Then, Hongbin's eyes facing her eyes. "Taekwoon hyung used to say to me that your singing is more appealing than us. He said that your voice should be in the talent show than us.”

“Taekwoon oppa said like that?”

Hongbin nod his head. “I’m sorry but can you sing a little bit? I really want to hear it.”

Minyoung thought about it for a moment. When think about it, its true that Hongbin never heard her singing despite that they always met. “Well, okay. But, can you play the same song just now?”

“Arasso.”

Hongbin start to play the same melody that he played just now and let Minyoung sing it. The moment when her voice sing the song, he also stunned by her. Her soft, husky voice is completely matching with the song. He looks at Minyoung and he can see that she is totally absorbed with the song. In his heart, he thought… No wonder Taekwoon hyung completely fall in love with her. Her voice is so beautiful. He didn’t dare to compare his performance with Minyoung’s. She is beyond of what he did. Besides, she is a music student. She has the basic of music sensitivity and learning the music through distinctive approaches. That’s what makes her look like a pro in front of him.

“So, oppa, how’s mine?”

Hongbin wake from his amusing thought and reply it, “It’s great. Your singing is great. Music student is really different.”

“What do you mean?”

“My singing and yours, there is no way I can compare myself with you.”

“But I think your singing is also great.” For a second, Minyoung thought of something. “I got a better idea. You can do some duet with me.”

“Duet? With you?” Hongbin completely surprise with her. Having duet with the music student?

“It’s okay. You can sing the way you want and I will follow you.”

“Is it okay for you?”

Minyoung nod at him, ensuring that she is completely fine with it. She let him starts the melody again. This time, with Minyoung. They both just sit there, singing together as the sun start to set.

Taku Iwasaki – Reminiscence

Glen Hansard - Falling Slowly

You guys can see Hongbin sing the song from this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH0mRdBXSso