CHAPTER 7- MEMORY BOX

JIN'S POV

                I drove my car around Gangnam heading towards Starlight Ent., the entertainment agency I will be heading as soon as my Dad steps down from being the President.

                "Yes Dad, I'm on my way there, Hoseok said he is also on his way. Nae, I got the business plan for the year with me and Hoseok said he already worked on the choreography of the new girl group we will be debuting. Bomi will be helping," I said through the cellphone. It was my first day of work for our company. So, this was what I studied in America for years. Handling our business. I also studied Music together with the boys as they were also working for the company. Hoseok, on the other hand, took up Dance with Jimin.

                I dropped the call with my Dad and checked my contacts. I decided calling the closest cousin I have, Caleb. I got used calling him in his English name because we both grew up in the States together.

                "Caleb, hello! Guess who?" I said with a smile on my face.

                "Bro! Whoa! Great to hear from you! How are you?" said the excited Caleb on the other line.

                "I'm back in Korea, bro. Just about three days ago. I went to the Philippines with the other boys. Anyway, you didn't tell me you already got married! I had to learn about it from the news. How could you not tell your favorite cousin about it? I'm so disappointed," I jokingly told him.

                "You didn't need to see that, Alex," he said, his voice turned from bright to gloomy. "That marriage was just for business purposes. She isn't my girlfriend."

                "Oh, I see. Sorry to hear about that one. So you mean, that girl you were dating from before..." I wasn't able to finish my sentence because he cut in.

                "I don't want to talk about it, Alex." Pain was evident in his voice. "Anyway, when do you want to meet? I'm free this evening."

                "Oh, okay. All I'll be doing today is to meet the new girl group we will be debuting and after that, I'll be free at around 5."

                "Okay, just text me where we will meet." We said our goodbyes and I headed towards Starlight Ent.'s building. I stepped out of the car and gave my car keys to Mr. Ha, the company's trusted security guard, he was almost like a father to me.

                "Hello, son. Good to see you back. Let me park your car for you," he said, his hand extended to me.

                "Yes, samchon. I'm glad to be back." I smiled at him and hugged the older man.

I turned with my suitcase and entered the building. Yes, I will start my training as the next President of the company. I was excited and nervous at the same time. As I got in, the staffs greeted me.

                Suddenly a flash of blonde hair passed by, maybe one of the trainees. It just made me remember her. The girl who made my summer a little bit more special.

IRENE'S POV

                I got out of our dorm a little bit later compared to the other girls who already went to our agency. I actually did this to take some time for myself to clean up the things that reminded me of Jinwoo. I opened up the box of the things Jinwoo gave me or things that we both shared. The teddy bear, the necklace, our couple shirt, his letters, everything he gave me was inside that precious box. My mind and heart were in a war on what I should do. The last thing I got from Jin kept playing in my head

FLASHBACK

                We were inside a club in Boracay with the boys partying on our last night. We were drinking and dancing the night away. Jimin, Hoseok and Seulgi showed of some smooth moves in the dancefloor while the others where content swaying and jumping to the music. I rocked my head to the music while Jin took a gulp of beer from his bottle.

                "You know what?! I feel a lot better now, after the reverse bungee!" I said, shouting a bit for Jin to hear me above the loud music. I was having a bit of a slur now with the effect of alcohol kicking in my system. I felt a bit dizzy but sill chugged in more of the alcohol in my system.

                Jin caught my hand and took away the bottle I was holding. "Oh no you don't. You've already had too much. Look at you. You are all red in the face from too much drinking."

                "Aigoo! Stop it eomma! This is the last night in paradise. I just want to enjoy myself." I guess I was swaying a lot now, not that I know if it was because of the music or because of the alcohol I already took in. Okay I guess I really am drunk now. The state of my swaying is already at its worst that I launched forward but just in time for Jin to catch me from falling. I felt his arm around my waist but I didn't really care anymore. His voice rang in my ears calling me out but it was the last memory I have inside the club and my last memory with him, Kim Seokjin.

                The next day, I woke up with a feeling like my head was about to crack open. "Oh! My head hurts," I said as I held up my wrist to my forehead and massaged it.

                "Of course, Eonnie. You drank more beer than you can take. You would naturally pass out. Can you still remember how you got here?" Yeri asked.

                I tried to think. No I can't remember anything that happened after. It's no use. My head felt like exploding. I shook my head.

                "Seokjin oppa piggybacked you from the club to the hotel," Wendy butted in. My eyes grew big in surprise.

                "What?!" I was so surprised. That was a long way to our hotel. Oh! Such a pity. I stood up even when my head felt like bursting and ran to the door.

                "Eonnie, where are you going?" Seulgi asked.

                "To their room." I turned again and grabbed the doorknob.

                "Uhm, about that eonnie, I think you can't anymore," Joy said.

                "Why?" I was suddenly flustered. Why are they saying I can't go to him? I need to tell him something. I still have a lot of things to say to him.

                "They had to leave early for Korea. Something to do about work, Jin-ssi was called by his Dad, but he left you this,” Wendy said in a matter-of-factly manner. She handed me a letter in a pink envelope. Pink. Yeah, I remember somewhere in one of our conversations, where he said he likes pink. Quite rare for a guy to like the color, so I found it fascinating when he says it proudly. I took the letter from Wendy started opening it.

                "Eonnie, what did he say?" our little maknae said, excited in finding out what was written inside but she was pulled back by Joy.

                "What was that for?" said Yeri.

                "Stop being nosy and give her some privacy. And you, you start fixing your things. We will be living in two hours and your things are still all over the place," said the taller girl. Yeri muttered something incomprehensible which I guess was some complaints about the older girl but still followed.

                I took out the letter inside. It was a short one but was enough to make me feel his presence.

                CHEER UP! YOU'LL BE OKAY SOMEDAY. EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY IN TIME. LET EVERYTHING GO AND LESSEN YOUR BURDEN. ARASSO? ONE DAY WE WILL MEET AGAIN. I'LL WAIT FOR IT TO COME.

KIM SEOKJIN

BACK TO PRESENT

                “Let everything go and lessen your burden.” The question is am I even willing to let it all go when I am alone left in the dark? At the back of my head, I wanted to believe him, but somewhere at the back of my head said not to throw the box away. I just kept staring at it and soon enough, ended up closing it and putting it back under my bed.

                I stood up and headed to the door. I went to the bus stop and rode it to our company. We were busy preparing for our debut and I know the other four girls were very worried about me but I know I should act this way, especially when I know they are depending on me as the leader of the team. I breathed deeply and as soon as the bus hit the stop, I got down and immediately headed to our practice room.

                “Eonnie! It’s good that you’re here already,” Yeri said as she jumped off the floor and ran towards me.

                “Uh, nae. Why? What’s up?,” I asked as I put down my things and started stretching. The four seemed excited about something.

                "President came her a while ago. He said he's introducing his son to us together with some of his friends. They will be helping us with our debut,"Wendy started.

                "Didn't the other trainees and our sunbaes say that President's son is really handsome? Handsome enough to become an actor or an idol. Such a pity that he just left when Irene-eonnie and I came just when he left. So we never got the chance to meet him."Seulgi was jumping on her heels, also excited about the news.

                I got got down the floor stretching my legs this time. "How old is the President's son again?"

                "Around 25?" said Yeri.

                As old as Jinwoo, I thought. "Quite young to be the succeeding President." So was Jinwoo. Why do I have to think about him now? Really, just for now, I have to keep him out of my mind. I'm the team's leader. I can't let anything distract me. Irene Bae, focus, I said to myself.

HANI'S POV

                I walked around the house, checking it out if there was anything wrong with it.  I suddenly stopped in my tracks. I stood in front of Jinwoo's room debating on the idea of going in or not. Why does this always happen to me? This is my husband's room but I can't even go anytime I want. I closed my eyes and held out my hand to grab the doorknob. Trying my best to hide all the hesitation I have inside my chest, I turned the doorknob and pushed my way into his room. I was surprised to find out that it was open. The only time I was in his room was that night he was drunk and when I gave him the honey juice for his hang over. Usually he'd keep his room locked, today it was different.

                I took the liberty of coming in and looking around. I opened his cabinet. He was a neat guy with his things properly arranged. I looked at the pictures hung on the wall of his room. His family, his friends, his favorite cousin, Alex. I walked around more and went to his bed. I saw a purple box placed on top of his bed. It was half covered. I thought I shouldn't look into it but of course, curiosity took over me. I took of the cover and I saw items like a bracelet, a shirt, some letters, a photo album and a framed picture of a girl. I looked at her picture and I can't help but be jealous.

“You’re so lucky to have the heart of the man I love. I wish I could be you,” I said to the girl in the picture.

                Suddenly, the door opened up and in came the figure of Jinwoo. I suddenly put back the things in the back in panic and stood up from his bed.

                "Oh, I uh-..." My heart started pounding hard against my chest as I saw him walking in with an angry expression etched on his face.

                "What are you doing in my room?" he said as he walked up to his bed and took the box to keep in his cabinet.

                "Uhm, I was just.." Stupid Heeyeon, think of something.

                "Who told you you can come in to my room? Just because you were able to get in here that night I was drunk doesn't mean you can already come anytime you want," he said, anger obviously pouring out but was trying his best not to shout at me.

                "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude." I headed to the door. Before leaving, I didn't know what came to me but I suddenly turned around and said, "She's beautiful. I guess she's great woman."

                "Yeah, she is. You are nothing like her." There was no remorse in his voice. His words stung me like a bee. I closed the door behind me and walked back to my room. The tears that I held back while on my way to my room welled up and fell through my face. He is cruel but I deserve this. I chose to be with him even when I knew he wasn't mine to begin with. I buried my face on my pillow and let the tears continue falling until I fell asleep.