It was my graduation day.

Everyone was really happy. I could see smiles and laughters everywhere. People were so ecstatic. Today was the day of achievement, the day where the burden of studying and gaining knowledge was lifted off, when the students who had spent years of fighting their intellectualism were avowed passed, ordained as a graduate. This day, parents were happy because their children had accomplished something for their life in the future. Families were brought together in pride and celebrations. Everyone was surrounded by their loved ones.

Except me.

I had no one accompanying me. My parents were in Indonesia, so was my brother. I had friends, but no one was as close as Jaehwan and they were absorbed with their own family now. Jaehwan was no different. He was with family now, celebrating the moment together.

Everyone saluted and gave me the congratulatory remarks, but after that people got back with their own significants. I was left alone.

Some graduates were hugging with their lovers, another thing that stabbed me with an unexplainable pain. It was very heartbreaking to me to know that I should have been having one with me now. We might not be touching each other in front of public like the others but at least I would be hearing his silent remarks for me. I should have been given a congratulation, or even just a smile, by my significant one, like the others. However, it was just me all alone.

I sighed and quickly scurried away to leave the venue. The speech was over and the certificate was already handed to each of us, so there was nothing much to do anymore. The more I stayed here, the more pain I was feeling each second that passed. I was about to jog away when my shoulder was held tightly by someone.

“Ando-yah? Where are you going?”

Jaehwan stood there with his family behind him, looking at me curiously. His brown locks were peeking under his improperly placed graduation cap, making him look half silly.

“Uhm.... Going to my room? Sleeping?”

Jaehwan’s mother dashed to envelope me in a hug, squuezing me really tightly.

“Poor boy. No, you are not going anywhere without us. You are to eat with us in our house. There is a party for Jaehwan and you.”

“It’s okay, Ahjumma. I’m fine. It’s your family’s party anyway. I am not –“

“You are a part of ours,” she pursed her lips. “You stay and celebrate with us. Now wipe that gloomy face and smile. This is a big day for you and for us. We have to be smiley, not frowny.”

I looked at Jaehwan, who was smilling widely. His father patted my shoulder before squeezing it.

“Come one boy. It is empty without you in our house.”

“Couldn’t agree more, Appa.”

He pushed me forward, almost tripping me over. His mother quickly smacked his head, earning her a moan and protest from her own son. His father laughed at him and I couldn’t help but laughing as well. It was the first time I sincerely laughed that day.

It felt very relieving.

“So, what’s your plan after this, Ando-yah?”

I put the chopsticks on the table, wiping my mouth with the napkin. Ahjussi was chewing his kimchi, looking at me intently. I smiled at the old man, feeling sad at the question.

“I am going back to my country, Ahjussi.”

Ahjumma sighed as she took some meat for her bowl.

“It is really hard to know that you’re going away. Are you not intending to just stay here?” she asked.

“I have families there, Ahjumma. They have been waiting for me to continue our family business.”

“Why are they not coming today? Is your mother still sick?” Ahjussi asked.

“Yes, she is. In fact, she has just had a surgery to remove the cancer. Everyone is there to take care of her, I don’t want anyone to leave her when she needs proper rest like this. Besides, no one could really go anyway. My father is with my mother, my brother is having exam this week. Everyone has to stay there.”

“My, my, that’s sad. Have you called your mother anyway?”

“Yes, last night. I told all of them that today was graduation day and they were so happy for me. They apologized for not being able to come, which I said okay. I will be calling her and my family again tonight after I upload the photo of the graduation today.”

“They must be really proud of you, you know,” Ahjumma chimed in. “You are such a brilliant kid. Very brilliant. I still can't believe that you had double major while having one is already like hell.”

That comment produced a pout on Jaehwan's face.

“Hey, why is everyone only congratulating Ando? Today is not just his graduation, I graduate too today. Why doesn’t anyone say something good to me?”

His mother laughed very hard. “Oh, my kid is jealous to his buddy. So sweet.”

Jaehwan rolled his eyes, making us laugh in unison. I was about to snide a joke to him when my phone rang. I quickly got it to silence the ringtone and ignore it, but my eyes widened as I saw who the caller was.

“Ex, excuse me.”

Apologizing, I scurried out of the kitchen and went to the bathroom, leaving the table in regret.

“Annyeong hasseyo, Detective Jung.”

“Annyeong hasseyo, Ando-ssi. I’m sorry for calling you just now. I was very busy doing the tracking and all the things.”

“Ye, yes? And how did it go?”

He cleared his throat.

“I have found where Kim Joonmyeon lives.”

/,"/ /,"/ /,"/ /,"/ /,"/

I was waiting impatiently inside the dim-lighted, almost empty café. Glancing at my watch, probably for a hundredth time, I sighed as I darted my sight to the door. Detective Jung still hadn’t shown himself.

“Would you like to order now, Son-nim?”

The handsome waiter, who had been coming to my table several times before, smiled at me. He was handsome, deeply handsome, but his look that reminded me of Joonmyeon made my heart squirm in hurt. He had the same raven hair, the same eye smile, the same friendliness that was shining through his smile. I blinked several time, loss at words.

“I... um... I’d like to order green tea ice cream, please.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. I’m still... waiting for my friend. I will call you later when he has come.”

“Alright. Please wait for a moment. Your order shall be here in a moment.”

I sighed as he walked back to the kitchen. He was not Joonmyeon, of course. My Joonmyeon was far more enchanting than he was, no one could outshine him, that’s the fact. However, his striking resemblance to my disappearing boyfriend was inevitable. The moment I saw him, I would have jumped and hugged him if i hadn’t examined him more closely. He was not Joonmyeon and his appearance just ached me more with longing.

“Ando-ssi?”

I almost had a heart attack. I looked up and saw Detective Jung stood before me.

“Ah.... Detective Jung,” I bowed. “Please have a seat. I’m sorry I didn’t realize that you had come.”

The tall man bowed and smiled considerately as he was taking his seat before me.

“It’s alright. You seemed to be so lost in thought. I wouldn’t disturb you were I not to tell you important things.”

“I’m okay,” I nodded, reassuring him. Eagerness was full in my voice. “So, what have you found.”

“I found where he lived. I was tracking his address in his college and I found his data in the student center.”

“But... how could you? I went there to and they didn’t tell me that.”

“Our method is different,” he smiled. “It will take a long time if I tell you the complete story. The point is, I have got what you want. I even went to the address I found yesterday, for the sake of checking. I can make you sure that he lives in that house. It is his parents house.”

“Is it in Seoul?”

“It’s in –“

“Excuse me. The order from this table. Green tea ice cream.”

I felt like screaming now, for the important information was halted in delivery by this over-enthusiastic waiter. I chewed my frustration and thanked him instead.

“Thank you," I said a bit sternly. I looked at Detective Jung, trying to sound more normal. "Would you like to order something, Jung-ssi?”

“Just coffee, please. Thank you.”

“Hot or cold?”

“Hot please. Just a plain one,” Detective Jung said before the waiter could open his mouth. He smiled at us before he went back to his station again.

“So, where is his house?” I asked impatiently.

“He lives in Busan. This is his address.”

He handed me his business card, flipping it so I could see his own writing on the back of the card. My heart stopped breathing for a while.

“These are the photos of his house. I took picture of the street surrounding his house too in case you want to give a visit, which I assumed you would.”

“Yeah...,” I sighed, defeated and relieved at the same time. “I will definitely go there.”

My fingers moved the photo and I gasped when I saw that Joonmyeon was there in one of the pictures. Even in the still photo, even only wearing beanie and casual clothes, he was still stunning. I sighed again as longing was exploding more visciously this time.

“He seems to be very important to you.”

“You have no idea, Yunho-ssi. Sorry, I mean, Detective Jung.”

“That’s fine, young man.”

He was looking at me with an indescribable look. He might have his assumption about my relation with Joonmyeon, from how desperate I looked like when I first came to him, from how fond I was using my voice when I talked about Joonmyeon, from my reaction when he brought his findings. I didn’t care, to be honest. All I needed to do was to find Joonmyeon.

“Excuse me. A cup of coffee for the gentleman in this table. Thank you for waiting. Would you like to have something else?”

I looked up at the Joonmyeon look alike. My spirit was boosted after this finding, I would definitely find your better clone, kid.

“We’re good, thank you, ah... Jaehyeon-ssi.”

/,"/ /,"/ /,"/ /,"/ /,"/

March 19, 2015

I have been in love lately with the rookies, especially Taeyong and Jaehyeon. Taeyong is really handsome while Jaehyeon is just very Joonmyeon. Together with Siwon, the two Js could be a family. :D

Drop by your comment, I'd love to see if this story is decently good enough or not. :)

Schandelierre