Hayi

This morning I woke up with a severe ache attached to my head. It became painful the more I try to remember what had happened before, but nothing got through an idea. What surprised me the most was that I found myself lying on a double sized bed with light yellow sheets surrounded by dolls inside a bedroom which I recognized belong to Lalisa .

            My little discovery at eight in the morning caused me a short period of panic, not being aware on how I ended up inside Lalisa’s bedroom. Lalisa herself was absent. She must be outside having breakfast with her family because that’s what she always told me whenever I texted Lalisa in the morning on weekends asking what she was up to—at least I succeed to realize it was Saturday. My mind was unable to stop itself from trying to rewind its memory. The only thing that stuck in my head was Taehyun’s party and the painful heartbroken part when I found how I disgusting my boyfriend was.

            I came to a sudden realization that maybe I needed to stop calling him mine, I became filthy whenever I imagined his face and the wasted times we cherished together, I was a fool and my mind had to stop reminding me that. What really mattered then was how the hell did I end up here? I avoided walking outside because I couldn’t handle the awkwardness if I do. Lalisa’s family was slightly different from mine—or maybe it was because I have always been lacking in manners when it came to facing someone’s family, what could be worse so? I quietly wished she would come inside before I decide to come out by myself, and apparently, my wish was granted.

            Not long after I continuously rubbed my head with my elbows rested on my knees, my best friend Lalisa sneaked inside with a glass of water inside her fingers’ embrace. She quietly closed the door, trying her best not to wake me up with the sound of the creaking door. I spontaneously shut my eyes as I left a short gap for myself to peak and pretended to sleep while she dragged her chair softly to the side of the bed and sat next to me. I heard the sound of the glass was put on the coffee table beside the bed and none from her next movements. Seemed like she was just sitting there watching me asleep silently.

            I patiently waited for the right time to pretend waking up but the thought of her eyes watching me making me feel increasingly uncomfortable in every second. Always coming up with the delusion whispers inside my mind telling me it’s time and I would not want to think more, I opened my eyes as fake as possible and groaned myself out as I stretched all parts of my body.

“Did you sleep well?” she asked as she rested her elbow on the coffee table.

“Nope” I lifted my body and seated myself with my back against the wall behind me. “Headache, it’s killing me”

“Yeah, sure. I could smell the alcohol from your body last night even when you’re four feet away from me” she said something that made me wonders. “Here, drink the water. It will make you feel better”

I stretched my arm to grab the glass and slowly took a sip of the water as I started to wonder about what she just said. Last night? I did not meet Lalisa last night. I couldn’t even find her in the party or anywhere, I was shocked to find I ended up being with her when we did not even greet each other since the time I stepped into Taehyun’s place. Something obviously happened last night and she was conventionally responsible for telling me everything. I put the glass back to the coffee table.

“What are you talking about? How did I even end up being here?” I sighed. “Did you even come to the party?”

“Yeah I did” she leaned towards me. “UnfortunatelyI didn’t see any of you guys. Not even Jennie the party lover, or you. What happened to you?”

“Wait, what about Jisoo? Or she wasn’t interested to come, was she?” I asked.

Lalisa shook her head. “No, she was uninvited. Taehyun didn’t want her to come because he knew what Jisoo would do if she meets face to face with the alcohol he served last night. I wasn’t even surprised, but strange that near the end of the party he still complained to the waitresses that one of his favorite wine was gone—and it was not Jisoo.”

            It was me.

“So what’s up with you? Why did you start drinking during Taehyun’s party when we all know you always refuse to try Soju when we hang out?” she continued.

I didn’t have anything better to say rather than “Nothing, I just wanted to try. That’s all”

Again, she disagreeably shook her head as she kept her gaze down on her feet. “No, Hayi” she faced me. “No, something definitely happened. And you need to explain to me because this is getting nonsense”

The tense became intimate, her glare started to choked me out like she was extorting me with all truth that lied inside my throat, because she knew exactly I would never let it out unless she presses it hard. She leaned on and rested both of her elbows on the edge of the bed next to me. Her ponytail was on point at the moment but clearly I had no time to compliment her. It was to lie or to be honest. But nothing came out, not a single breathe, only the stare full of a thousand words unready to be defined.

“I was in the car last night, on my way home safe and sound. Right when I just entered the high way, I happened to receive a phone call from you—at least that’s what the caller ID said. So I picked it up and I truly didn’t expect to hear a man’s voice speaking in the other line. It was your number certainly but it was shocking to me that a man was talking to me instead of you. At first I thought it was Mino, so I calmed myself down. But then he said…

            ‘Can you please come over? This is urgent!’

So I came to the place he described and I knew exactly he was not your boyfriend—he wouldn’t call you Lee Hayi if he was the Mino I am familiar with. Hayi, I was extremely even more shocked to saw what I got when I finally met him. He was sitting in the sidewalk—with you lying next to him, passed out I suppose. And I swear I could smell your alcohol by the distance. As soon as I arrived, he lifted you to the backseat of my car and left soon after, I didn’t even manage to say anything or to even recognize who he was, but I remember exactly how he looked like. Tall, hooded, impolite and very far of what Mino is. His face though was something I am familiar with, like, I’ve seen him before somewhere, but I just don’t know who he is. But my question Hayi is how did you end up with him last night? In the sidewalk, drunk and unconscious”

I purposely turned my head away to avoid her eyes. Honestly, I was also surprised to know about what she told me. What happened in the party I could tell but I chose not to, but about what happened after I left the party, that I did not know. She mentioned a guy but I failed to recall if I did spend my time with another guy aside of Mino or anyone after I left the party. If she was talking about Song Yunhyeong then it couldn’t be. She would recognize him by a second she met him. Or could it be him that she talked about?

“I have nothing to say” I said.

She groaned. “Hayi, you were lying unconscious in at 3 in the morning with a guy you don’t know, how come you have nothing to say?!”

“Can we please just let it pass by? Maybe he was someone I knew and he was just trying to help. It was good he called you to pick me up instead of kidnapping me or does many unpleasant things a guy can do” I paused. “Stop with the prejudice, Lalisa, and thank him for his kindness that’s what we should do”

Lalisa fell into silence. I believed she too had nothing left to say as she was unable to hide her disappointed face from me. Her sigh explained all of the disenchantment that she buried inside of her. But I knew exactly once we get out of this room, she would never stop asking me more about the truth.

“Get up, I made you breakfast” she said as she got up and brought the chair to its previous place.

She walked towards the door and went out of the room. I followed behind her steps and seated myself on the dining chair in her minimalistic dining room. Right beside me was the glass wall that viewed directly to the swimming pool in the backyard. The sunshine blinded me for a moment until Lalisa dragged one of the curtains down to cover it for me. Her understanding always gave me different kinds of amazement and I was once again glad to have her as my best friend—her kindness was unstoppable even when things were tensed up between us.

            A plate of bacon and two eggs were put in front of me. She seated herself across the table and stared at me, acting as if she was waiting for me to eat the breakfast she made. But I knew she was actually waiting for something else—the truth. I took the fork and eat the breakfast with pleasure, I was hungry at that time and I had no reason to lie about it.

“Hayi?” she called me. I lifted my head and stared at her as I hummed. Something would come soon and I had to be prepared for whatever she’d ask me. And I was not even surprised on what she questioned at me. “Where is Mino?” she asked.

For a second my teeth stopped chewing the bacon and egg inside my mouth, i could not escape from the sudden shock and the nescience. It brought me straight to what I felt last night and how I wished everybody would stop asking me and mention anything about him. But I realized, I had to pretend we were fine, until I am ready to tell Lalisa everything about the truth the lies behind our sweet perfect relationship.

“Does he even text or call you this morning?” she asked another before I was able to answer the previous one.

“I don’t know, I haven’t checked my phone yet” I said the truth.

“Hayi” she sighed as she rested her elbows on the table and leaned towards me. “Hayi I want you to tell me everything honestly about you and Mino. I am saying this as a best friend who will always support you no matter what happen. You don’t have to be afraid, Hayi-ah.” She paused. “What happened?”

I stared deeply into her eyes, not sure whether I should tell her the truth or not. I was in a crisis of trust, after one of the persons I trusted the most betrayed me, it was hard for me to trust the rest of them. I felt bad and guilty though for putting Lalisa, the best friend that I cared the most in such a place because of one bastard that hurt me painfully. I did not want to take a risk.

“Nothing” I said as I casually ate my breakfast. “We…W-we just had a fight a few days ago” I told the truth once again. The dissatisfaction in her face was once again shown, this was definitely not what she wanted to hear, she wanted more.

“Really? Is that it?” she was uncertain.

I raised my shoulders. “Yes, what do you expect me to say? That’s what happened”

“Why?” she asked. Someone please take me out of this situation.

“It-it was just a misunderstanding, that’s all” I put the fork back on the plate and rested my back against the chair. “We will get back to normal eventually, there’s nothing to be worried about” I said.

“You know I will be very angry at you if you lie to me” she said. Her glare was deathly.

I shook my head slowly disagreeing to what she suspected in me. “I’m not lying” I paused. “Where are your parents anyway? I should greet them” I said, obviously tried to change the subject.

Lalisa got up and took away my plate. “They’re out already. They’re spending the weekend in Jeju and I am left here to study for chems test on Monday” she said while washing the dishes.

This was why I liked her very much. Even though she was ultimately rich and had like hundreds of maids in her back but she was willing to do the chores if she could do it by herself. She was indeed a very humble and down to earth person, and also logical, too logical that she knew everything about what’s going on in my head.

“Are you ready for it?” she asked even when she knew the answer.

“You know I’m never ready” I chuckled. “Mind to teach me some?”

She chuckled too. “Only if you buy me the limited edition of this season’s Gucci handbag” she joked as she seated herself back on the dining chair across the table.

Hanbin

It had been quite some times since Lee Hayi came into my world and turned it upside down. I adored more every time I see her but still I was helpless in what I actually felt towards the Princess that made my heart tumbled. I was thankful for what happened earlier this day, everything happens for a reason, I somehow could not interpret what reason that caused Hayi to appeared in front of me in the most unexpected time, and mostly, what happened to her?

            She was drunk and tired—tired of whatever happened to her before she appeared in the sidewalk. Luckily I was the one she met, imagine if it was someone full of bad intentions, and I once again failed to be her hero. It bothered my mind to think of her in a deep sorrow like what she yelled at me when we met in the sidewalk.

“Your world maybe harsh—but mine is cruel”

I was not certain about what I feel but it got me right on point, when she said that, it was almost like she was trying to tell me that I was wrong about her all along, about her disposition and how she lived her life. Nothing as it seemed, I judged her way too easily by what I saw from her and her friends and that was all I knew about her. We might not be friends but I had been watching her for the past years, she caught my eyes more than anyone, she made me curios, but then I always make her go further from me—that was what I’m good at.

            Junhoe texted me earlier this morning, he asked me to come over. They must have been gathering up there, ready to scold me for missing our appointment last night, and I was prepared for everything because I did feel guilty for them. My priority over friendship seemed to be secondary since Hayi took place in my mind, but I tried hard to keep it the same as before, for present and future.

            My motorcycle had been repaired so I could finally ride it today. The engine felt smoother than before and the brake functioned perfectly. I rode myself to Junhoe’s house which was located not far from my house’s area. After what happened to Hayi last night, I came home straight and did not sleep for at least two to three hours, it could be said that I only had one hour of sleep until I received a text message from Junhoe. Though it was not safe for a sleepy person to ride in the day, I forced myself up for a few more blocks until Junhoe’s place. I was surprised to see nothing but his own car parked in his front lawn. Bobby was not presence, I wondered what happened.

            Junhoe’s house was a normal kind of house compared to the houses that belonged to the families on his level. His parents owned a fancy European restaurant that had been expanded to all over Korea and Japan, but they still managed to be as down to earth as possible and often directly held charity projects to help unprivileged people in Korea. Junhoe was just as humble as his parents, as in other word, he was one of a kind. I parked my motorcycle next to his black mustang and went into his house through a door inside the garage that led to his kitchen.

            As I got inside, his house was empty; no sounds were made when I stepped inside. His parents must have been out of town for once more, and I succeed to figure out why he asked me to come over in the first place. I made my way to his bedroom upstairs without hesitating. His door was closed but I could hear the music blasted on behind those walls, I did not bother to knock as I had stopped doing it since three years ago when we became habitual to each other and made myself inside his bedroom in a second as I casually closed the door. I found him brushing his teeth inside the bathroom, not wanting to disturb his private time; I threw myself on to his bed and waited for him to come out.

“Kim Hanbin! Is that you?!” he shouted through the walls of his bathroom.

“No, it’s Kim Tae Hee!” I jokingly said. Couldn’t it be more obvious though?

Soon after, he walked out of his bathroom fully clothed with his wet hair and his towel coiled around his neck. “Ya, where were you last night? I called you for like ten times and you did not even call or text back! Just tell us if you’re unable to come!” he shouted again, even when he was already in front of me—very typical Koo Junhoe. “Do you know how worried I was?!”

I got up and seated myself. He then seated himself too on a sofa in the corner of the room with his back rested against it. “Five times, Junhoe-ya, it was only five times” I said showing my phone to him.

“Well, I have a confession actually” he lowered his voice.

“And what is it?” I asked.

Junhoe groaned. “I failed to made myself out of the party last night so I called you to say I couldn’t come”

“Ya!” I targeted one of his pillows on his face and threw it right away. “There’s no in difference! We both failed to come so there’s no need for you to yell at me in the first place! Seriously you need to stop that habit before somebody other than me and Bobby complains to you about it” I shouted.

“But I have some great news! It’s a good one! You’d love to hear it especially from me!” he said as he indelicately brought back the pillow to me and sat on the edge of his bed beside me.

I stared at him in wonder. “Why would I love to hear it from you?” I sighed. “And make it fast! It’s annoying to see your face so enthusiastic like that”

“But you’d better be prepared” he said, leaning his face on me. “Because it won’t be just one. I have two important news for you”

I made myself quiet as I too began to feel curios about what he was about to tell me. It sounded serious by the way he made me wonder about it, but it was Koo Junhoe after all, the kind of person that would likely bring your high expectations down. I did not even look at him. I was lying on his bed again with my face buried under his broken white blanket.

“I saw Lee Hayi last night.” My heart stopped beating.  “Lee Hayi the Princess, she attended the party I was in!” he said.

I turned my head to face him. “You’re lying” I said.

“I am telling you the truth! She was there!” he shouted, again. “But Hanbin-ah, you might not want to hear this but…it’s shocking to see as for me too who knew absolutely nothing about her” he paused. “Everyone has been talking about it since last night!” he said.

Could he just tell me directly without making me feel more curious about it? “Just tell me!” I shouted back at him.

“She was with someone—and it was not her boyfriend” he said.

One sentence had succeeded to make myself up in no time. I got up and glared at Junhoe who was still sitting on the edge of his bed. A part of me refused to believe in what he said but it made sense to be true, she was drunk because of the party and maybe, just maybe, she was also devastated like that because of that someone she was with—or maybe because of her boyfriend who seemed to be absent.

“Who was it then?” I asked.

“The guy she was with seemed to be famous, like a celebrity or something, but I’ve never seen him before, but Hanbin-ah that’s not the point! You got to hear the main news I have for you!” he seemed to be in a rush.

“What? Just say it to the point!”

“I saw him” he said.

His words cut into me. I didn’t know what to say, so I stayed silent for a minute or two. Him, he was mentioned once again. His arrival couldn’t be more shocking than his appearance in a public occasion like that, especially when he knew exactly one of us would be there, he knew everything, and he planned those entire very well. And here we were, know nothing about what he did, we were one step behind him like always—what was his real intention actually?

            I stood up and walked around Junhoe’s bedroom as I drowned myself inside my own thought. I rubbed my head endlessly and the desperate look on my face couldn’t lie that I was in despair.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “A-are you sure it was him?” I stopped my feet in front of him to make sure. Make sure he was not mistaken.

Unfortunately, he nodded, certainly. “Yes I’m sure, a hundred percent sure, you know how he looks like, we all know it’s him by the first glance—and of course no doubt on the second. While me? I took thousands of glances to be sure; to make myself sure it was the him that we know, to prevent myself from any mistakes like we made in the past. And for the last time, I tell you, I am sure it was him.” He said.

I took a deep sighed. “What’s his plan for God’s sake?” I mumbled.

“W-w-well, you know, h-he’s the best at making surprises like that. We’d better be more prepared and ready for whatever he had planned for us” Junhoe said.

It was not just us; it was our whole family, friends, and life. It was never just us in the first place. I didn’t know what decision to make—I was never ready for surprises, especially from someone who’s much stronger and powerful than me. I took my phone and dialed Bobby’s number immediately. It was indeed the perfect time to reunite with what left us in the past. He picked up not long after.

“What up man? You didn’t show up last night?”

“Bobby you need to listen to me.”

“What? What is it?”

“Something happened last night”

“What happened? Why are you talking like this?”

“I think….” I paused for a moment, not sure if it was the right time to suggest this, but considering there was no other way, I braved myself to speak. “I-I think it’s finally our time to see Jinhwan”