CHAPTER 20

It is April 9^th. It has been two days since the arrest. Kahi invited everybody to dinner at her house.

“Please make yourself comfortable. I don’t bite.” Kahi said to Yong Hwa and Ailee. Shin Hye was helping in the kitchen. Yong Hwa and Ailee awkwardly sat on the sofa.

“Is my mom coming?” Yong Hwa rubbed his hands on his black pants.

“Oh, she’s in the bathroom. She came before you. That’s how close we are.” Kahi said proudly. Yong Hwa only nodded his head.

“Thank you for inviting me.” Ailee spoke.

“Oh no problem!” Kahi responded with a smile.

“Alright, help me put out the utensils!” Kahi demanded. Ailee and Yong Hwa rose immediately.  

Shin Hye was bringing the pot of food to the table. Yong Hwa quickly went to her and suggested, “Let me do that for you.” He grabbed the pot from her. Shin Hye shyly smiled. Ailee only watched and tried to tell herself to accept it.

“Oh look at my son, he’s not being lazy.” Hye Young was poking fun at her son.

Ignoring his mother, Yong Hwa said to Shin Hye, “Sit down, I’ll bring the rest.”

“Huh? Oh, okay…” Her heart was fluttering of how a gentleman he is.

Kahi, Hye Young, Shin Hye, and Ailee were sitting around the table with Yong Hwa bringing out the food.

Once he was done, he sat down. Shin Hye was across from him. He quickly gave a flirtatious smile. Shin Hye bit her lip and looked down.

They served their food.

“Wow that was a crazy day.” Hye Young started the conversation.

“I know.  If she didn’t drop the poison, I don’t know what would have happened.” Kahi responded.

“Also, if it wasn’t for Ailee following her mom and bringing the cops with her, we wouldn’t have found The Snake.” Hye Young said while putting the piece of pasta in .

“How did you find us?” Kahi asked Ailee.

“Well, my dad gave me Shin Hye’s phone number. I don’t know what came over me, so I decided to see her location. The place sounded weird. I went on Google maps and it was a weird dark alley with a door on the side which looked similar to Tae Hoon’s style. It scared me, so I decided to get the cops to come with me.”

“Thank you.” Shin Hye smiled at her.

 Ailee nodded her head.

“Wow, good thinking.” Kahi complimented her.

“How about you, Yong Hwa? You were there first, how?” Hye Young asked. 

“Oh, I was passing by her house and saw some strange guys carrying something down her steps of the house. With my lip reading skills-“

“Thanks to me.” Hye Young proudly interrupted.

“Ok. Of course. I found out they were carrying a person. So I followed them.”

“Weren’t you going to call the police?” Kahi asked.

“I thought I would call when I got there. Well that’s if I heard or saw something weird.”

“But you never did.” Kahi stated.

“I know. I got caught up with the situation.”

“Do you feel better, though?”

“Yeah, thanks. But what surprised me, was my mom.”

“Hahahaha. I know. I looked so cool right?” Hye Young was so proud of herself.

“I feel betrayed.”

“Ah, come on. I was protecting you.” Hye Young pointed her fork at him. “Anyways, we found out why she killed your mother Shin Hye.”

“Oh really?” Shin Hye looked up.

“Yeah. I felt bad for her but still. Murder is a murder.” Kahi declares.

Ailee was feeling a bit uncomfortable but she was still mad at her.

“Yeah. We started to question her…

                  “Sit down.” Hye Young demanded. “Now.” Yoon Ah obediently sat down. “What do you want? You already know that I did it. So what.”

“Did I ask for attitude?” Hye Young pounded her fist on the table. Yoon Ah was kind of repulsed. “Okay, thanks for clearing that up. But, I just want to know why you did it.”  Hye Young’s voice started to soften up and sat across the table from her. “I just needed her out of my way.” Yoon ah mutters. “What way?” Hye Young’s voice was soothing. “Why? Yoon ah. You can tell me.”

“Stop it.” Yoon Ah tried to avoid eye contact.

“From what I know, you had everything. You got the man to marry you and you have a beautiful daughter.”

“Shut up. You don’t know anything.”

“That’s why I am asking you. Dear lord.” Hye Young sighs.

“Well will Tae Hoon rot in jail?”

“Yep.”

“I just don’t understand why my daughter.”  Yoon Ah started to open up.

“That Tae Hoon dated your daughter and used her for pleasure?”

Yoon Ah nodded. “Also, Pil Mo never loved my daughter. He gave her everything but he was just too focused on Shin Hye and Jin Kyung.”

“Oh, so this is it all about?”

“Shin Hye’s mom and I went to the same high school. We had some of the same classes. We were…friends. But she was always the popular one. Every guy liked her and she was just the perfect one. She was nice to everyone which bothered me. Too nice.. The guy I liked liked her. It was so devastating. We graduated and we just drifted. So one day I started to work as a secretary. I met Pil Mo on my first day and I fell in love with him. He was so nice to me and he was so handsome. He had to be mine. I didn’t know he was married. Until one day I came into his office and saw the picture of him and his wife. I couldn’t believe it was her. I couldn’t take it. So I knocked it down and began to seduce him. Then we got together. I was happy.  But then I found out that both of us were pregnant. She caught us together and demanded a divorce…”

“Wow. This is interesting tell me more.”

“Pil Mo, never trusted that guy.” Kahi chimes in.

Yoon Ah gulped. “I got married with him after the divorce. I was happy. But he didn’t pay attention to me. I followed him and and…” Her eyes got watery. “He was pleading forgiveness to Jin Kyung.  He got on his knees and asked her to take him back. He’s such a jerk. Playing with my feelings… He always gave more money to them. He would secretly watch Shin Hye play in the park and go to her recitals. He would always bring flowers to Kyung. I didn’t understand. He told me loved me. I hated her. I still do.”

“Wow great stalker skills.” Kahi said.

“Well, you ruined a family. So now you’re paying the price. “ Ironically, Hye Young’s voice was still soothing .

So yeah, that’s what happened. What a story she told me.” Hye Young placed the lettuce in .

“Awe. My mom is a horrible person.” To think I was going to be like her. Oh god.  

“Our dad is a weirdo.” Shin Hye stated.

Kahi nodded her head in agreement. “I’m sorry, Shin Hye but yeah he is weird. Ailee, how did he take it?”

“About my mom going to jail…um.. all he said was “I’m not paying to bail her out.””

“He seems done with everything.” Kahi responded.

“Pretty much.” Ailee replied.

“I’m happy, it’s all over.” Shin Hye said.

They finished the dinner. Kahi and Hye Young were busy making tea in the kitchen.  Ailee, Yong Hwa, and Shin Hye were by the instrument section of the living room.

“Oh, look a guitar. Yong Hwa play something!” Ailee exclaimed.

“Not if Shin Hye plays something on the piano.”

Shin Hye turns to him. “Duet.”   

“What?”

“Let’s play at the same time.” She shyly suggested. A warm smile appeared on Yong Hwa’s face.

“Okay then.” He grabbed the acoustic guitar. Ailee grabbed a chair to sit on.

“What song?” Yong Hwa asked.

“Hmmmm…want to do a modern song?” 

“I don’t mind. It can be in the baroque era for all I care.”

“Ha. River Flows in You by Yiruma?”

“Yeah I know it.”

“Okay good. Let’s do this.”

They began to play the song. But something about it was different. One can feel the sparks between them.

Shin Hye felt safe, protected, and warmth. She felt that grabbing stars isn’t impossible when she’s with Yong Hwa. The whole world is theirs and that their music will always be there. It will always be there to be their comfort and their connection.

Shin Hye touched the keys with such delicacy. It soothed Yong Hwa. His heart was thumping with the rhythm of his fingers touching the strings. The concentration on the song made the song even more powerful. The river is flowing. Yong Hwa wanted the river to flow into her. He wanted his feelings to be shown and to be accepted.

Ailee was in awe. The perfect performance between them made her forget about everything. They were perfect for each other. 

“That was great guys. I even recorded it!” Ailee said happily.

“Thanks..” Yong Hwa replied. Shin Hye nodded. Yong Hwa and Shin Hye looked at each other with satisfaction.

What a beautiful sight for Yong Hwa. He was contented to see Shin Hye again and that she was safe.

Shin Hye was glad to have Yong Hwa by her side. She didn’t know what her life would be right now without him. These types of moments make her appreciate her life and motivate her to keep on going.

Yong Hwa’s phone rings. “Excuse me..” he placed the guitar and rose from his chair. He went outside on the patio.

“Hello?”

“Hi, this is Mr. Ahn. I’m from FNC entertainment. I gave you the business card before.”

“Oh right! Hello! How’d you get my number?”

“Well, I’ve been at the restaurant you perform at a couple of times. Last time, you sang solo. Everybody loved the song. I just want to know if you still want to get into the company with your friends. Believe me you guys will be big. “

“Oh, thank you so much. I’m going to ask them since now I see you are serious. But I’m still thinking about it. ”

“Ok. I’ll be waiting.”

“Ok, good bye.”  He hung up.

 That’s right. Would it be a good idea to sign in with the company? What would he gain? What would he lose?

He stood on the patio looking up at the dark sky which was lit by tiny stars.

“Hey..” Shin Hye stepped outside to the patio.

“Oh hey..” He was a bit startled from her entrance.

“You seem a little alarmed…”

“Ah yeah..”

“You did nice..on the guitar..”

“Oh thanks..” The awkwardness prevailed.

She looked up at him with endearing eyes. He felt the stare and looked right back down at her. “What?” he sheepishly smiled.

“When it’s dark, look for stars.” She confidently smiled at him and then turned her attention to the sky.  He knew what she was referring to.

“It’s hard to believe that the sky is unlimited.” She continued. Yong Hwa got used to Shin Hye’s weirdness. She would start out talking but at the end she ends up being quiet, distant and awkward.

“Also, there are unlimited stars to fill up the unlimited space. Some nights they show and some they don’t. But you know that they didn’t disappear or ‘die’.” Yong Hwa responded while looking up at the sky.

“There is also a star that appears during the day even if it’s gloomy out, it’s still there.” Shin Hye smiles.

“The sun?”

“Yup, the biggest star.”

Yong Hwa nodded his head.

“You remind me of one…”

“Of a sun?”

“A star in general.”

“Are you calling me gassy?” He joked with her. Shin Hye giggled. After that, there was a comfortable silence. A breeze pushed against them.

Snap.

Yong Hwa quickly turned around.

“Oops..” his mother took a picture of them and gave a sneaky smile to her son. “Shin Hye, come lets take selfies! Ailee has that snap..chitters?”

Shin Hye  turned around and covered . Oh my.

“Snap chitters?” Yong Hwa was done with his mother.

“Yeah, you don’t know? You need to catch up!” Hye Young went back inside.

“Are you going to tell her?” Shin Hye asked him.

“Hm..nah. I’m just going to leave it like that.”

A/N:  HEY, I didn't notice that I didn't update for like 2 weeks? I dont know. But here you go! :) I hope everyone is doing fine and thank you for all your support! I assure you the next chapters will be YongSHin filled. yay! Upvote and comment! Thanks for reading! until the next update <3