Key had spent all the night at Clara’s bedside. He waited for her to wake up. He talked to her all night long wishing to see her pretty eyes open. She was just a porcelain doll, a cursed princess condemn to sleep forever until a prince come and save her. He tried to be that prince and kissed her forehead once, when he was alone with her shyly, hesitantly, but even this didn’t work. He sang her songs he like, songs he found on her phone but this wasn’t working either. He looked for the most play song in her phone let it play in repeat mode. Maybe this would give the room a safe feeling. Maybe this would encourage her to wake up. He fought sleep but lost against the sandman and fell asleep early in the morning.
“Please wake up, wake up, please you have to come back… Come back.”
Those words were echoing in Clara’s mind. She couldn’t distinguish from who they were but she was hearing them. She was trying to come back, she was doing her best but it was as if a heavy stone was blocking her.
“You have to come back, I am waiting for you, your brother is waiting, your dad, and your friend. You can’t sleep forever”
She knew. She knew that… She wanted to come back. She was scared there alone in the dark where all her nightmares were following her. She was frightened here but she couldn’t find the escape gap. She tried to scream but nothing came from , she tried to run but her feet were stuck on the floor, she was prisoner here.
A kiss, a cute and warm kiss on her face.
She felt it. Darkness faded a bit during that kiss to reappear again when it was finish. Who was it? She wanted to see, she wanted it so badly. She looked around but it was a maze. No entrance, no exit, no wall, no light, only her standing in the middle of nothing.
A song, someone was singing for her. A song, a song she knew, her favorite song was being played.
She could hear it. She tried to follow the sound but it was too far, it was too hard to know from where it was coming. She wanted to resurface. She wanted so badly but she was trapped there.
Hand, she felt a hand in hers. Head, she felt a head leaning on her stomach. Breath, she felt a warm breath on her arm. It was soft, it was lovely, and it was sweet. Tears felt on her cheeks and a real tear was sliding down her real cheek. She felt it. She wanted to wipe it way, she ordered her arm but it wasn’t moving. She needed help, but she was alone. She wanted company but she was alone.
“You aren’t alone”
Who was it? Who was answering to all her worries? Who was trying so hard for her? She wanted to see, she wanted to see, she wanted to… see.
She could see.
A white ceiling, orange walls, big machine measuring vitals, tubes giving medicines, a man sleeping on her lap. The pretty man she dreamed so much that he would be here sleeping next to her. That handsome man that was holding her hand so tight, that man’s breathes she was feeling on her arm, that man who supported her, who wanted her back so much. Did he cry? It looked like by the trace left by some on his light foundation. Was he still crying? It looked like since small drops were finding their way on the corner of his eyes. Her body was sore, the place where the wound was repaired was achy but she still wanted to wipe those drops. She moved really slowly her free arm and whipped away those lonely drops.
She took a long and healing breath like when you slept for so long that you feel suffocating. But instead of feeling better she hurt herself. Her lung was still ripped and her inside was still weak. She didn’t scream, she didn’t say a word. The man on her lap was sleeping and it was surely something he fought until exhaustion. He had fell softly avoid the wounded part carefully. She closed her hand around his and the feeling it gave her was the most awesome she ever had. His hand was so warm, so strong, yet so soft, and safe. She wasn’t scared anymore. She wasn’t alone anymore. She wasn’t trap anymore. She was back. She was alive, and she was free.
A smile drew on her lips under the mask and happy tears fell. She had wake up from a deep and heavy sleep.
“Ring Ring”
Ben went back in his sister’s flat and tidied up the entire kitchen. He washed all the dishes and ate what his sister prepared for him thinking that maybe it was the last dish he would taste made by her.
He then tidied up all the entrance, replacing the furniture and chairs where they were supposed to be. He swept the floor and washed it.
Then he went to the bathroom and washed all the blood Clara had lost inside that bulb. It was gore, it was really terrifying. The amount of blood was scary and that made him wondered if his sister could come back from that attack.
Finally once the entire flat was clean he sat on the sofa and waited for a call. He would jump on his phone each time it would ring, to only end up on call he didn’t want.
“You’re coming tonight, right?
-Sorry Vlad, I can’t tonight. I’m hanging up.
-You said you would! Why you aren’t! Are you going to stand me up? Man you’re not serious!
-I’m sorry, something came up. I’m hanging up. I’m waiting for a call.”
That friend was going to be furious but right now, nothing was more important than his sister.
“Ring Ring”
He stayed focus all day on this phone, going to the toilet with his phone, eating with his phone, watching TV with his phone, everything with his phone but nothing was coming from it. No news from Korea, no news from Clara or her friends. What did it mean? Was it good or was it bad? He was really worried and began to imagine the worst.
“Ring Ring”
Then night came and still no call from his big sister. He wanted to stay up, but he wasn’t really a night owl and fell asleep as midnight showed on the small alarm clock next to Clara’s bed.
“Ring Ring”
His phone was finally ringing but he was far in the dreamland and couldn’t hear the good news.
“Hello, this was Clara’s friend. It was to give you the very great news. Clara woke up and everything is fine. She will be freed in a week. Call back when you’ll have this message. Clara will be happy to talk with you.”
“Uuuuuuhhggg.
-What is it Joo Hee? – Her friend asked.
-Remember that girl from the hospital?
-Yes.
-She woke up, and they are all so happy and celebrating on the group chat. It’s making me sick. – Joo Hee explained.
-Just ignore it. – He tried.
-How? They are spamming the chat with cute emoji and happy message. I hate that girl. I never got that much of attention from them.
-Joo Hee…
-You know what Jin ah? When they'll throw the release party, I’ll go, and I’ll gather all of Kibum’s attention. She will not understand what is happening. – She laughed diabolically.
-Then I’ll come too. Someone needs to keep an eye on the “princess”. – Jin said. He just wanted to be here for his best friend because he knew already that it wouldn't go as planned.
-Good idea! –She grinned at him.”
Clara was slightly sat in her hospital bed and was surrounded by an army of doctors taking her vitals to verify that everything was fine with her. In front of the bed was the shy Kibum that couldn’t believe she saw him holding her hand so firmly and sleeping on her lap. He wasn’t the timid type but right now he was really moved by that and he couldn’t really understand it. It was making Clara smile so brightly and because of that his heart was skipping so many beats. What was she made of for her to have such an impact on him?
The army left and they were alone again. He sat next to the bed the chair and avoided her stare.
“What are you going to do if you don’t go back to London in a week?
-It won’t happen right… I will go back before. I don’t know how because… normally I’m not physically in Korea and I just need to wake up to be back but right now… Maybe I need to do the same and …
-NO! Don’t sleep! I… I mean, not now. You slept a lot already and well it’s better with you awake.”
Clara laughed. That clear laugh Key loved so much and it made him blush.
“Okay, okay, I won’t sleep yet. It’s only morning. I don’t need right. Then maybe I’ll be moving only when my body can handle it, meaning in a week?
-But what if it doesn’t? I mean, you have nowhere stay at here…
-I know right. I can’t ask to stay more at the hospital? It’s not possible right… what do to do…
-Come to my place.
-What?!”
Clara’s eyes widened and she hurt her weak parts by screaming.
“Come to my place. It’ll be your safe place until you can go back. I’m your guardian after all.”
He said while smiling like Clara loved and it made her blush.
She was going to live in Key’s flat?! SHE WAS GOING TO LIVE THERE?!
They say that before your birth, Lailha, the angel of the conception, put a candle on your baby head in your mother's womb. That candle highlights every secret about the universe and about your past and future life.
But when you would go out from this protective womb Lailha would put her finger on your upper lip and say a soft "Ssh". This act would turn off the candle and make you forget everything you learnt. So that you won't reveal the secrets humanity and would forget about your past and future life making you free of will.
This act is responsible for the little crease on your upper lip, the philtrum.
« CAKE!! The mother! Do your job and watch over the mom! I’ll tell you when the baby will be here!
-But I want to see!! I want to see!
-Cake no. The mother.
-Pff, you’re not funny Ring.
-I don’t care. We can’t lose the mother. Or you know what will happen to you…”
A mother was about to give birth and everything was doing great. But suddenly the mother constants fell down. Her breath became heavy and her heart beat got way too fast. She was going to die at that rhythm. They needed to slow down her heart or she would die with the baby inside, and if the mother dies, the baby too. They were no way they would lose both of them.
“Cake! The mom! I told you to look after her! The fuck you were doing! We’re losing her! Do your work! SHIT!
-Damn! I just wanted to see the little face of the baby! What do I do now?!
-Don’t panic! We need her at least until the birthing is done. Calm her down, restrain her in for now. I’ll help after my job is finished.
-Okay, roger!”
Doctors were all around the mother checking her, giving her medicines trying to calm her down. While others would make the father leave the room hardly. They needed space.
“My daughter, my wife…- said the father.
-We’ll do our best, sir, please leave now.”
Once the dad was out the main doctor and the midwife whispered things to one another.
“Ring ….? What are they saying? Is good or... Is it bad..?”
Ring looked at Cake quite long with dark eyes.
“We need to help the baby out Cake. Would you help?
-… I see. Let’s help that innocent newborn then.”
Cake left the mother side to be in front of the round pregnancy belly.
“Please, my baby... my baby, save her. Dear angel, save her... – The mother whispered while trying to grab Cake’s hand.
-She sees us? That’s even worse that I thought – Whined Ring – Let’s save that baby. I’m going to bring it myself. Mom, just a bit more and I promise you that we will stop the pain forever. Just one more effort so that we can save the new soul, fine. At three! One two THREE!!”
The mom pushed with all she had left of energy and life, Ring healed the pain, and Cake used some magic to attract the newborn until a small baby face would show up.
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
-Ssh, baby, ssh, forget every…
-CAKE THE MOTHER!!”
Beep…
“She didn’t even hold her daughter. She didn’t had time to smile at her… -Said Cake sadly looking at the lifeless mother – She fight death until she heard the voice of the baby. There she gave up everything…
-Let’s take her soul up… Do you have it?”
Cake had it. For the transport of the soul, a small bag made of see through shield was necessary. Cake recited a sentence and a small ball of light came up. The angel took it and placed it inside the magical bag.
Ring was looking at Cake with even darker eyes now. They lost the mother and it was Cake’s fault… The price for this was really high…
“The baby? – Asked Ring avoiding Cake’s eyes knowing what he would find inside.
-I did my job. We can go back now…”
XIXth century
A couple is truly in love, swearing fidelity to the other, walking hand in hand, smiling happily.
In a bed, a morning waking up in each other arms .Sweet kisses, sweet cuddles, sweet hugs.
In a bed, an evening, deep love kisses, warm and hungry caresses, no sleep.
In a garden, playing catch me like children, laughs, tickles and kisses as punishment.
A baby, two babies, sweet happiness, soft happiness, peaceful happiness.
Hye Rin opened her eyes to her blurry celling. She had sweat on her forehead, and tears in her eyes.
“Are you alright? – Jonghyun asked his little sister.
-Jonghyun… I am. Don’t worry. I had a nightmare. – Hye Rin answered with her sleepy mouth.
-That nightmare? – He looked at her worried.
-Yes… It’s okay oppa. It’s just a dream after all.”
Oh Hye Rin was living with her step-brother Kim Jonghyun in Seoul. After her mother death, her father couldn’t imagine raising a baby without a mother. He married a single mother thinking that she couldn’t raise a baby without a dad. There weren’t really love in between the two parents but they were really good friends.
Jonghyun’s dream was to become a song writer so soon at the end of school he left home to move in Seoul. Nowadays his talent can’t be hide anymore and he gets a lot of order for well know singers or group.
When Hye Rin got her pass to one of the most famous Seoul University, Jonghyun gave her a room in his big house.
That’s how they end up leaving together. As they have only few age difference, and different last name, many of his neighbors thought at first that Hye Rin was his girlfriend coming to live with him. They quickly cleared all the rumors by saying that they were actually brother and sister.
Hye Rin was in her last year of her veterinary course. She was doing really well and was really excited to start working, even if she was worried because of the rate of employment in her country. She wasn’t tall, but wasn’t petite, and even if she wished she had longer legs, it wasn't a big matter. She had medium long brown hair and big round eyes, and her round face was finishing her cute appearance. Her brother would always joke about it saying that she looked like a bunny.
She was a really joyful girl which lacked of confidence, but always smiling. However she kept having the same nightmare where she was either dying or someone she loved would. Because of those nightmares, even though her heart was made to love, she would not imply herself too much in friendship and never had a long love relationship. She was scared of the loss.
So instead of humans, she had a lot of furry friends. A dog, named Tokki, a bunny named Mimi, a hamster named Jongas (just because he was so similar to her brother), and a cat named Lex. To this already big squad, Jonghyun added a small dog named Roo. All these lovelies had a special room only for them in the house, a place where they could sleep and play. On this room’s door, you could read “Our Dream Team”.
Jonghyun wasn’t tall either and it was his complex. He had a big warm heart with a sweet soft voice. Hye Rin loved to hear him singing his compositions. He didn’t like the color black of his hair, so he was continuously coloring them. Once he even painted them pink, making Hye Rin laugh until tears. He had problem sleeping since he was young due to Hye Rin’s nightmares. He always wanted to be there to protect her from her demons. Therefore now, he was a night wolf, writing all night long and sleeping during day.
“Jonghyun! Breakfast’s ready!!- Hye Rin shouted to the 2nd floor.
-…
-Oppa! You need to eat! – She scolded him like their mother would.
-Coming! Let me just finish this.”
He was working in his studio at the second floor and in the middle of new lyrics and he needed to write them down before they would disappear. This studio was actually a mix between a bedroom, a musical studio and an office. The whole 2nd floor was only for him and his work, while Hye Rin had the ground floor. She was in charge of the breakfast and he was in charge of the dinner.
Hye Rin sat on a chair, back in the kitchen in front of the fresh made breakfast. Soon she was joined by her brother.
“At what time will u be home tonight? –He asked in between two spoons.
-Around 5pm, why? You have a new song? – She questioned back all excited.
-Yes! I’ll need your help again. –Jonghyun winked.
-Roger! –Hye Rin said doing the military sign.”
After they both finished they washed the dishes and tidied the kitchen. Then Hey Rin went to her room and opened her wardrobe while jumping on her bed to sit. She chose a blue T-shirt and a white pair of jeans. She brushed her hair, put a bit of lip-gloss and smiled at her reflection.
She then grabbed a backpack full of bunny key chains and went to her squad room.
“Hello Dream Team! –She greeted them”
She checked for water and food, cuddled a bit and blew them a kiss.
“I’m leaving, oppa!
-Have a great day, Rinah!”
She put on her earphones and played her favorite music. She walked down to the main street and waited at her bus stop. There she took the 502 blue and reached her university’s campus. There she had to walk all through it to go the veterinary building. She was walking in rhythm with the music in her ears, making it movie-like.
Then suddenly an arm surrounded her nape making her dreamy bubble pop out.
“Gooood Morning ~!!”
The most handsome man of the promotion was holding her by the shoulders and smiling like a super model.
“Ya! Choi Minho! You scared the hell of me! When will you stop doing that every morning! – Hye Rin whined.
-No “Good morning”? – He said with sad eyes.
Hye Rin sighed but smiled back at him – Good morning Minho!”
They walked along the red street next to each other Minho saying how he would have win to all the losers playing soccer video game last night. Until a second arm surround Hye Rin waist. This time it belonged to the most stylish boy of university.
“What are you two talking about? Talking about me behind my back?
-Yes yes of course Kibum. We said a lot of awful stuffs! – Hye Rin teased him. You know what boys?
-Yes honey? - Answered Minho
-What is it baby? – Key asked back.
-Let go of me! Everyone is watching us! They will think we have a thing together! –She said blushing a bit.”
The two boys looked at each other and burst of laughing. Great, now they were going to think they are crazy.
“Ok boys, I’m going first!”
Hye Rin escaped the two boys embrace by walking at fast pace. She wasn’t looking in front to be sure she would distance them. The three of them were so childish but it was fun.
She was almost in front of her door when a young man spotted right in front of her. He bended a bit and leaned his face really close to Hye Rin. She widened her eyes and backed away her face a bit.
“Excuse-me, where is the welcome desk? –He asked with a really soft voice.”
He was quite tall with a round face and blond hair. Something was strange about his eyes though. He had one blue and one green. Hye Rin was sure he was Korean because of his global appearance and how he spoke the language but those eyes were really weird. Maybe it was lences but she wasn’t confident at all about it.
Seeing her confused face he blinked his eyes and pouted, making her even more clueless.
“The welcome desk, where is it? I’m new here and this place is so huge!”
He looked all around freeing Hye Rin from his close stare for a minute to lean back again right after.
“So?” He smiled at her and her heart skipped a beat. He was so handsome. The way his cheeks would cover his eyes, how his nose would become all round and draw a smile too. For a second she crossed his eyes and had a déjà vu feeling until he back up and sighed.
“Maybe you don’t know either. Never mind I’ll find it by myself.
-Th…This way.”
Her voice was like stuck deep in herthroat for a strange reason but he seemed nice so she helped him. She remembered that when she first got there she end up lost too and a nice sunbae helped.
“Thank you! See you again, maybe!” He bowed cutely and went the way she showed him.
Hye Rin bowed back and watched him walk away. What a strange man. She shook her head and headed inside the amphitheater sitting next to her fellow comic boys. She took her stuffs out of her backpack and turned to her friends. A cold wind caressed her face and it wasn’t because of an open window. The two boys were looking at her with fire in their eyes and frowned eyebrows.
She swallowed hardly knowing what would soon come out of their mouth. She tried to ignore it and turned back to face the board. She side-eyed her friends who didn’t move an inch and sighed letting her head fall in forward.
“Ok, fine! Ask it! –She gave up.”
Both men changed seat to enclose Hye Rin and grinned at her.
“Who was it who was it? –requested Minho excited as a child.
-Does he have a crush on you? Did he confess? –Continued Key with sparkling eyes.
-No… He was just lost… and asked for his way.
-He has a crush on her. –Concluded Key to Minho
-Totally. – Minho agreed - Did he give you his name?
-Ya! Don’t make quick conclusion! No I don’t he was just asking for his way! –She tried to defend herself.
-Crush. – Said Key as final word.
-Crush. –Echoed Minho before looking front as the professor entered.”
Why were they always like this? Hye Rin was helpless with these two. The first days she arrived at university once she found her way in she sat in this big room and expected nothing. It’s at that moment that the famous Choi Minho sat next to her and introduced himself. “Hello, I’m Choi Minho, we’re supposedly the same age and since I’m sitting next to you, I am now your friend! Nice to meet you.” Like he didn’t even ask for her point of view and followed the shy Hye Rin all the day talking almost always to his self about soccer, and sports in general. The next day he came with a new made friend, surely with the same introduction and acted as if the three of them knew each other for years. The funnier about that day is that Kibum acted the same, he followed up so easily.
So their friendship built up and Hye Rin was always bully cutely by them. She wasn’t a victim, she liked it too. It was the way their friendship was. They were her first real true friends and she cherished them so much.
At the end the day she headed back home. She got off of her bus and walked in the street of her neighborhood. After living there for some years now, she knew the street by heart, knew all the obstacles on her way, knew all the shop owners but for whatever reason she was on the floor right now. She stumbled on something new and her butt hit the floor. That was the second time today that something unusual would happened. She stood back wiping her now ruined white pants and looked for the responsible of her fall.
In front of her she found a carton boxes full of strange stuffs with no one around. What was that box doing in the middle of the street? She walked avoiding the box to cross a black cat. That cat was so cute. It has big eyes, and big ears. On its forehead there was a white drop dot.
“Oh hello you, what are you doing here? Are you hunting? I’m sorry there isn’t much to hunt. Lex is eating them all. She is a forever hungry cat.
-Meow.”
Hye Rin squealed softly. The cat was like answering her, the cute! She moved her hand forward to cuddle its head and the cute cat purred against her legs.
“Taemin, his name is Taemin. –A voice from behind told her.
-Oh it’s cute! Hi Taeminnie. –She greeted.”
At that moment the cat stopped being all cuddly with her and looked straight at her with furious eyes, or so she thought it looked like.
“Ah he doesn’t like this nickname. Just call him Taemin –The voice explained.”
She stood up again to face the stranger and paused for a minute. The person in front of her eyes was the lost man from this morning.
“Oh! - They both said at once – You, from this morning!”
The fact that they said exactly the same word at the same time made them laugh in the middle of the street.
“I am Lee Onew, I just moved to this house.”
The house in question was as huge as Jonghyun’s and would cost a lot. How could a student rent or buy such a house. Hye Rin was shocked. Onew would have seen it because he justified that it was his parents who bought it some years ago.
“I am Oh Hye Rin; I live with my brother, well in this house, just next door.”
She smiled at him shyly an asked if he needed some help to unpacked and he accepted her help.
Once all was inside the house, Onew offered a drink to Hye Rin. But while walking to her to give the glass he fell on the floor saving the glass only by miracle. The position he fell in was hilarious and Hye Rin burst out laughing. This new neighbor was so funny and for a reason she couldn't explain she was comfortable around him.
“I’m a bit lost in this town; I don’t even know which bus I should take. I went by foot this morning. – He explained on the sofa next to Hye Rin.
-By foot? You have courage. If you want we can go together tomorrow. I’ll show you the bus and the stops. I’m leaving at 8am.
-You would? I’m sorry. You help me lot. I’ll repay you one day.”
After some more talk Hye Rin went home and greeted her Dream Time. However they reacted strangely avoiding her a bit as if her smell was different. “Hey, hey, there, it’s me, it’s Rin ah.” Tokki looked at her and made a happy “woof” as if he was relieved that it was really her.
She then climbed up to see her brother. He had fallen asleep on his desk in his so dark room. He even had covered the window with heavy black curtains. He loved darkness way too much for Hey Rin’s taste. She grabbed a cover on his bed and put it on her brother back. She then took off his glasses. That gesture made him open an eye.
“You are back, welcome home lil’sis.
-I am back. Sleep well oppa, I’ll cook dinner tonight.”
She put a kiss on his forehead went out closing the door behind her. She went downstairs and cooked dinner. After dinner she went to give food to her dream team and played with them until bed time showed up.
A man, a beautiful man, a loving man, a wonderful husband. A smile, bright smile.
A woman, a handsome woman, a loving woman, a wonderful wife. A smile, happy smile.
But then PAIN.
Hot, burning, burns, loss, no more landscape, no more hopes.
PAIN
DEPRESSION
DARKNESS
DEATH
XXIst century
This morning again Hye Rin was sweating. Sighs those nightmare were something. She washed her face and walked to the kitchen. There a pretty breakfast was waiting for her with a sticky note.
“I’m sorry I fell asleep yesterday and didn’t cook dinner.”
Jonghyun wa so sweet. She climbed up and knocked.
“Morning oppa!
-Morning cutie doll, how are you? – He smiled to her as if she was the most precious.
She did the same ritual as yesterday and left the house, but this time she waited in front on the house next door. 7.50am., she was in time. She couldn’t believe she was there though. Her who promised herself to never have friends, she had already two, and was making a new one purposly.
She heard some whispers and a door closing so she looked in the house direction and a perfectly dress blond man with weird eyes colors was walking the her smiling like if he waited for her his whole life. This image gave her another feel of déjà vu, and this time the déjà vu made her sad, so sad.
“Good morning!... Are you alright..?”
What was that feeling, gosh it was painful.
“Hye Rin…”
So painful, it was burning her heart.
“Hye Rin ah!!
-Yes … yes sorry – She was getting back her mind, what was that? –I am alright. I had a nghtmare this night might be that . Don’t worry.
-As a friend, don’t hesitate to tell me when you have problem okay?”
Friend? Why does all the people she met proclaim themselves friends without her consent? This idea made her smile.
song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_qDPH-fm10
“Dance with your partners like if he/she was the most precious human on earth”
The choreographer advice was still echoing in the practice room. You were still practicing your duet with the famous singer Jonghyun. It was his new song, the comeback was in 3 days and you still couldn’t get it perfect. So that day, you both decided to stay in longer to practice it. This duet consisted in an improved waltz were he would hold you up in his arms, or you would make him look at you. You would be far from each other at the beginning but would get closer and closer until the final note. The final pose was your faces separated by only inches while he was holding you.
It was very late and you were almost alone in the building. You did the choreography three times alone and it still wasn’t it. Your expression wasn’t good. You both were too shy and it didn’t fit the meaning of the song. You even fell a few times and Jonghyun would always come to help you stand. “Are you alright? We can stop if you want” He would ask you but you wanted to continue. It was a necessity. Only 3 days left and it wasn’t good enough. It needed to be perfect. You couldn’t accept to perform the dance with so many flaws.
3, 2, 1, you did a spin for Jonghyun to grab you by the hips to after waltz again, and then he would make you turn, reverse you and get you straight again. At that moment as planned, your hand reached his cheek and caressed it, and then he took your hand, made you spin so that your back was next to his chest. At that moment his hand intertwined with yours went down your body and before he reached your thighs you made a wave with both of your hand and turned to face him again. The part where you dance alone came and he mimicked singing in the mirror still following you with his eyes, checking if you would do a mistake. This part was where you were the best because you could express the feelings more easily. Jonghyun was making your heart beat too fast so you couldn’t let your emotions rule the dance. But in your solo part there wasn’t this problem. Jonghyun’s eyes saw you coming back to his arms for a new passionate waltz.
He caught you almost flying with his two hands and began the second part of the choreography. There you would get on the floor, lying next to him on his arm, roll on the floor and standing up after a graceful wheel on top of him. Then you would both be sitting back to back, hands in hands. He would sing his part and you’ll stand up again and the dance would go on.
It was the 8th time now and you truly were exhausted, so exhausted that your body was moving without you thinking. 1, step, 3, spin, 5, 6, step, step, waltz, it was as if your body was as light as air. You were floating as if the floor was made of clouds. Your moves were more graceful, and more meaningful. It was it; you were almost getting the feeling of the song. The song was eating your body, freeing your mind. The dance was getting more and more sensual and the looks Jonghyun was giving you were waking up your senses. His touches got softer and his hold lighter, you were sliding under his fingers. You caught Jonghyun’s gaze in the mirror during your solo and it wasn’t innocent. He was examining all your curves, all your poses and expression. When the moment to join came, he hugged you closer than intended and you felt it. You felt that you were giving him more than sensual feels. You felt that his pants weren’t at peace. And instead of continuing the choreography he stopped there with you in his arms the music still playing in the background.
His hands were on your back and his eyes focused on your lips. One step, two steps, three steps, mirror, he had pushed you against the mirror of the practice room. He put his hands on each side of your body, his eyes in yours seeking for information. You wondered what he would find in them because right now you didn’t even know what you wanted.
Your heart was breaking your ribs and you were shacking as if the temperature in the room was in negative degrees. He saw that and walked closer to warm up your body making you feel all his muscular body and his semi erection. He tilted his head slightly and leaned forward. You swallowed hard and he gave you a last look before eating your lips. You widened your eyes because you thought that he was going to let you go, and laugh like the tease he is but he was really kissing you. His tongue tried to find the gap to enter your month but your teeth were well closed. You were still shocked. It wasn’t as if you didn’t find him attractive, on the contraire but, right now?
The music was still playing and finding no acceptance he broke the kiss. “You don’t want me?” He asked you with a smooth voice making you shiver. His eyes were eating your soul and inhaling your thoughts. “Right, so open your mouth.” He continued with the same tone. You tried to break free from his stare but you were trapped in his black pupils getting closer once again. You closed your eyes and his lips met yours a 2nd time. This time he only played with your lips biting them slightly licking your upper lip and kissing again. His lower body was rubbing against you and resisting him was getting harder. His fingers intertwined with yours and he lifted them up while he got even closer to you. He gave up on your mouth and moved to your neck, licking every centimeter of it, he did a hickey and smiled on your skin. “There’s no one left at this hour you know. No one will see, no one will know.” He let go grinning at you.
Your body was burning and your core was craving for him. You wouldn’t resist him any longer now and he knew it. He let go of your hands, caressed your sides and stopped at your thighs. He licked his lips and lifted you up. He walked to one side of the room and sat you on one of the couches, setting himself in between your legs.
He whispered dirty things in your ears and his hands on the top of your thighs climbed to the elastic of your sport legging. He bit your ear caressing your belly, slowly climbing to your breast, lifting up your top on its way. His hands began to massage your boobs while his tongue was now exploring your stomach. You let a moan and his hand found its way under your sport bra and played with your tits. He stopped for a second to take you off that bothering top and bra, and to take off his clothes after. He pushed you backwards so your back leaned against the couch and climbed over you. His hands played with your boobs and nipples again and his lips kissed you hungrily. You moaned against his lips letting a gap for his tongue to now play with yours. His other hand found its way under your legging and met your clitoris. He started to masturbate you over your panties. He stopped the kiss to look at you suffering of pleasure under his hands. He was obviously enjoying it. “I’m so hungry of you.” He said between two of your moans. Soon both your legging and panties were off and so was his. He had a beautiful body that made you want to touch every centimeter of it. You did so without thinking straight and it was amazing. He was rubbing his now fully erect penis on your core and you had to almost beg him to enter you. But he had no condom on so he was hesitating; there was no chance for “mistakes” in his job. He got up and went to look into his bag. From there he took one and opened it.
As he couldn’t do any mistakes he always had one in case of hot parties. He put it on his hard penis and came back over you. He looked at you and fingered you. You needed to be ready again. His small break had slowed down your pleasure scale. His fingers reached your G spot and you let out a scream. He did it again and again until tears came to your eyes. Till you begged him to stop or you would die of pleasure. He stopped and you caught back your breath but he leaned and sucked your tits while he entered you suddenly. He was thrusting inside you slowly at first and his tongue was playing with your hard boobs ends. Your grabbed his hair and let out a small scream. He freed your breasts and raised his body using his arms on each side of you before he thrusted harder, faster liking all your pleasure signals.
He continued until your both cum under his pressure and he finally freed you falling on top of you exhausted. He kissed your belly, breast valley, neck, cheek, nose, lips again and caressed your hair. He smiled at you and stood up.
He took of the used condom, and wrapped it in a tissue from his bag to hide it in the trash. Then he turned back to you, who were siting, naked, on the couch. He smiled to you while walking. “You are so beautiful. I want to draw you to always remember how beautiful you were tonight.” He lifted up your face by your chin and kissed your lips. “Thank you, it was really wonderful.”
You knew what that mean and you were prepared for it. Of course it couldn’t become a real serious relation. He wasn’t looking for that kind of relation. It was only a one night stand and tomorrow when you’ll practice together it will be as if nothing happened. But you were a bit sad though. You were truly in love with him, but this was the maximum you could have from him so you needed to be happy with what he gave to you. He seemed to catch the bit of deception in your eyes and smiled at you. He put back all his clothes giving you yours. So you put them back too still feeling Jonghyun’s body in yours. He faced you again when your two were finally dressed up. He was so close again and was playing with your hair. He gave you a forehead kiss and whispered in your ear before he left first.
“Maybe there’ll be an after. You never know what tomorrow is made of.”
That day you were so bored at work. The shop was desperately empty. You already had tidied up everything, washed the shelfs, washed the floor, the casher, there was nothing left to do. You were only drawing cute animals on a flying paper waiting for someone to brighten up your lonely day, until he entered in.
The shop you were working in was a women clothes store, so seeing a man entered was a surprise. Well since Christmas was coming, maybe it was to make a present to his girlfriend.
“Hello sir! Can I help you? – You asked all happy to finally have a customer.
-I am looking for a cute, fluffy, warm scarf for the cutest girl, please.
-I see, please follow me.”
That man must love his girlfriend very deeply you though while taking him in front of the scarf side. You showed him all the design, size and color. For whatever reason he looked at you letting a long silence settle. Then he broke it.
“Which one do you prefer? I am really bad at choosing for girl.”
This was a usual question but the way he said it was kind of strange. More, tastes are really personal and so what she would like could not be of his girlfriend taste.
“Well I don’t know. What if it doesn’t fit your woman taste? – You tried to make him make a choice.
-It’s ok, choose for me. –He closed the conversation.”
He turned tail and waited for you at the casher. You looked at him clueless, as only answer you got him gesture “go, make a choice”. You shrugged and chose the scarf that had the more success in the shop according to his requests.
While coming back you saw that the man was writing a small note.
“A message for the cutest girl? – You joked with him.
-Exactly – He smiled.”
His smile was the prettiest you ever saw. So pretty that it erased everything you were doing and made you pause to look at him only. That cutest girl was the so lucky to see that smile a lot.
He stopped smiling and looked at you with questions in his eyes. “Sorry” you simply said before going back to your job.
“This is the warmest of all, right?
-Yes sir. She will be all warm inside.
-Ok perfect. How much?”
You told him the price and he gave you the right amount of money. Before leaving he looked at you again and smiled. For a second you really thought that this smile was for you, not for the politeness. Then seeing how he left made you rethink about it.
You said goodbye and wished him a good day before he left. But when he passed the door you realized that he didn't have his bag. You grabbed it and tried to catch him up but too late he was already out of sight.
You bite your lips and went back inside the shop. You were about to save the package somewhere for when that man would comeback for it when your eyes met the small note. You were curious what would this handsome men would say for his cutest girl.
He wouldn't know if you read it anyway. So you took it from inside and started to read it.
"To the cutest girl,
Since last week, I got this job from the other side of the street. My office has a window that have a street view, a street view that makes me able to see the cutest girl on earth all day long. I see her smile, laugh, and work hard, getting scold and being bored. I see her drawing on a paper she will then throw away. Last morning I saw her coming to work with no scarf when it was freezing cold. So here, us this one cutest girl and don't get sick.
Your smiles bright up my days.
Lee Jinki, the man next door."
Was this message for you? No, it couldn’t right? You put back the note in the package and waited all day for this Lee Jinki to come back. However he didn’t that day, and since the scarf was paid already, well, you took it for you.
Some days later, a cute pair of gloves was waiting in from of the shop door in a cute paper bag. On the bag, with the same pretty handwriting, “To the cutest girl” was written. So that scarf was really for you? How could you be the cutest girl? You were just a lonely, strange girl. You took the bag and entered.
While taking of your coat in the back shop you opened the little bag to see better the gloves. They were of a really good quality and the colors matched the scarfs. While trying them on you found a note hidden in one glove.
“Hello cutest girl,
Your throat is now kept warm in your scarf but why don’t you have something for your hands? You know how cold this winter is planned by the meteorologist? I don’t want you to be sick so keep the gloves. I looked for some that match perfectly with your scarf.
I’ll keep look after you.
Your smiles bright up my days.
Lee Jinki, the man next door.”
To be honest in was creepy but so cute. This man was buying you things even without knowing the weird you. You blushed a bit and put the gloves delicately in your case on your scarf.
You tried to see from where he could look at you all day. But the building in front of yours had too many windows, how to guess? It was impossible. So instead of being able to find him you took a blank sheet of white paper and wrote something on it with a red pen. Then you stuck it on the display window of the shop.
The next day, you took work only after noon so you didn’t expect anything from Lee Jinki. But when you reach the front door a cup of coffee was named “the cutest girl” was waiting. You took it up not expecting it to be hot, but it was. You could feel it warmth from behind the gloves. He knew you would only take at 1pm.
On the cup with another handwriting than the barista, there’s was “I should be the one saying thank you ♥” written in red with the same style than your “thank you ♥ - Lili” from yesterday.
It made you smile and look at your window. You bowed and mouth thank you, hoping that Lee Jinki would see it. During the whole rest of the week you would find cute gift from him.
Then two week passed and no more news of your fan boy. You actually were sad a little to see no sweet attention in front of the door anymore. You spent your days looking at building and being scold about it. Each time a man would cross the door, you would ran to him but no it was never lee Jinki.
You were going to give up about it when the third week started. However on Tuesday morning when you came to work a huge package was waiting for “the cutest Lili”. Your heart skipped a beat. The word “girl” changed into your name and it was really amazing. It sounded amazing in your head. You took your package and entered the shop. This box was lighter than you thought and you were happy it was.
You went in the break room and unboxed your present. When you saw what was inside, it surprised you. What was this? You laughed with full lungs and even teared up. Lee Jinki was so cute. It was him the cutest not you. In this huge box there was a huge giraffe soft toy going with a card saying “I fell in love with this giraffe like I fell in love with you ♥”. How weird was that. You grabbed the giraffe and looked at her.
“So you are like me? Loved by someone you barely know.” You told the softy. Then you hugged her, because this was true, this giraffe was so cute. It was all soft, and huggable.
This is when you saw a second letter, a bigger letter in the bottom of the box. You read it while hugging your present. It was an apology. Lee Jinki was saying sorry. He was sorry for being overbooked for the last two weeks. He was sorry for not contacting her. He was sorry for all the sad face you made while waiting for him. Because yes, he didn’t had time for small attentions but he was still looking at you from afar. At the end of the letter he wrote the kindest thing a man ever told you.
“The so small distance from my office from your shop is so big and it’s killing me. I want to see you face to face but I can’t. I want to take care of you by own but I can’t. I want to hug you but I can’t. I want to kiss you but I can’t. I want to be with you, I want to date. I want to love you more and more every day. I want you.
But
Will you accept me?”
You were speechless. You couldn’t move anymore. This was so deep, so honest that it cut your smile and thoughts short. What should you do? You didn’t know. You were happy for all the cute attention. You really missed him when he was gone. No one ever talked about you that way. Yes, yes all was true but… But you saw him only once. You barely could remember his face, or the sound of his voice. You wanted to accept him but you couldn’t. His love was burning too much and you were scared to become ash if you were to be with him.
This day you spent the day avoiding the window. You didn’t want him to see your face. He shouldn’t see your facial expression because even you didn’t like it. When you left work you also hid your face into your scarf scared he could still be in his office looking for you going back home.
You were really lost and not even agreeing with your feels. You were the kind of people listening to their reason before their heart. In fact you really didn’t know him. You didn’t know what his job is. Was he really working there and not a stalker? How old was he? What he likes or hate, etc. You knew nothing about him and it was a problem at that moment.
But on another hand, he always has been a sweetie and took care of you. He looked after you with several cute attentions and it made you smile each time. You heart was warmer when he was there. You felt so alone and lost when he didn’t give sign of life. You even got worried that something happened to him.
You barely slept that night and the next morning was really hard.
You walked to work with the more exhausted face you never had and the worst headache. What will you answer seriously?
You weren’t looking in front of you because you were lost in your thought and you ended up bumping on someone. “I am sorry.” You said with a sleepy voice and bowed before heading to work again but that someone grabbed your arm.
“I said I am sorry. – You repeated yourself.
-Lili, I should be the one to be sorry. – The man voice said.
-Lili?”
You were surprised that someone you don’t know knew your name. You took your head off your scarf and looked up.
“If you don’t want to answer it’s okay. If you don’t want me it’s okay. But please don’t hide from me. Not seeing you at all is worse than not having you. I can understand if you can’t accept me. So please don’t hide.
-Don’t hide – You repeated again. You really weren’t at it today. Can’t accept. EH?”
You suddenly realized that the man in front of you was Lee Jinki and you froze. He was so handsome in front of you and you were miserable. He shined so much and you were so dark. How could he love you that much when you were is complete opposite?
“It’s not that I can’t accept you it’s just that … I know nothing about you. – You tried to find an excuse.
-I am Lee Jinki, 30 years old. I am an architect in the office of the third floor in the building in front of yours. I am new in this neighborhood but I am from this town. And I love animals, anatomy and astrology. I once dreamed of being a cosmonaut. What else…
-It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m sorry.”
He was just so ideal in your eyes. He was a real sun and for you a small flower it was too hot but you still wanted to taste what it’s like to love by the sun.
“I can give you a chance.” You finally said still scared of what could happen.
When was just finished your word his face wore the brightest smile. The same smile you saw weeks ago. That same smile you found the most beautiful on earth. The smile that made your heart beat crazy. You were just there looking at him until he stopped smiling and grabbed you to hug you.
A very tight and warm hug. “I’ll see you tonight after work.” He just said before running inside.
Evening came fast and you reach him outside and he asked you for dinner. You accepted it and ate with him. After that he insisted in driving you back home. You were in front of your door and somehow you didn’t want it end.
You wondered if this was what they call love. Anyway you really were out of idea to have a talk but you both were still looking at each other. You were like waiting for time to go faster or slower. He saw that you didn’t want him to leave so he walked to you.
There were just few centimeters in between you but you weren’t bothered by it. You could see his eyes, nose, lips, cheeks and eyebrows better. He was so handsome. How could a man that handsome could have fell in love with an ordinary girl like you.
You felt his hands taking you by your hips to make you closer to him. You swallowed hardly when your noses touched each other. He leaned in front to let his forehead meet yours. “Can I?” he simply asked. You weren’t in condition to be able to speak so as answer you tip toed and let your lips met his.
One of his hands left your hips to hold your cheek. The kiss got deeper and soon his tongue was playing with yours. He was such a good kisser. He broke it to be able to breath. When his lips met yours a second time you felt a smile. You found that so cute.
Between Yu Jin’s 4th to 7th months nothing out of everyday life happened. They had just a nice and cute family life. Yu Jin was getting nicer and even funny to be with. His bright laugh was making every game interesting and transforming the house into a full of happiness bubble. Then during his 7th month, around Christmas, SM (Taemin’s music entertainment) suddenly decided to use little Taemin to film their Christmas greeting MV. At first Mai and Taemin refused. But after several negotiations and SM certifying that that Yu Jin would stay anonymous, they both accepted.
On D-Day, when Mai arrived at the studio with Yu Jin in a baby carrier all against his mother chest, all the staffs looked at her as if she was there by mistake. She felt a little bit alone and small at that moment. Then suddenly all the women, artists, singers or stylists, screamed and ran to them.
“The cute!!” “Are we going to film with?” “What’s her name?” “How old?” were the questions asked to her. Mai felt overwhelmed and clueless.
“Yes he is” “I don’t know” “It’s A BOY!” “7th months.” She was trying to answer everyone until it wasn’t possible anymore. Then they all wanted to caress Yu Jin, so all their hands ended on the top of his head, messing his thick black hair, trying to reach his cheeks, while giggling at his face. They all stopped when Yu Jin started whining. He had enough of all those strangers around him.
“Pffft… Babies aren’t funny. They always cry or scream. – One of them said walking away.
-Excuse me!? Can you repeat? – She asked out loud furious. – You come, shout at him, and touch him everywhere even if he doesn’t know you and you dare to say that he is NO FUN! Are you kidding me!? So do you enjoy being touch without care and scream at by strangers? Ah! Right you are a famous someone, so it is your job. Ok, great! BUT Yu Jin isn’t. He is just a baby and he has nothing else to communicate than his voice, screams and cries. So yes he cried! But it’s your entire fault, you annoyed him. – Mai conclude proud of her mother spirit.”
The woman was speechless while Mai was so satisfied. She turned tail and headed to the MV director. She greeted him and introduced Yu Jin. The director greeted them back with a huge smile on his face.
“Mothers are amazing. You did great! Yu Jin has a mother he can be proud of.”
Mai blinked at him a bit surprised. “Thank you I guess” She finally answered.
The director showed her how the set will be put together around the place helped by cartoon sketches. He then explained how the scene will be filming.
“So as you see Yu Jin will be sit on this carpet next to the Christmas tree.
-Nice, it will be very cute. Just a small warning. Yu Jin is generally a very easy baby but these days he is grumpy for nothing and brings everything at mouth. He might give all the staffs a hard time. – She apologized.
-It’s okay. Filming with babies is never easy anyway.”
After their discussion some staff member brought the mother and son into their rest room. Inside there were a lot of stuffs especially for Yu Jin.
“Feel yourself at home.” The man said to wish Mai replied by a thank you.
After she had checked all the room to be safe for her little devil, the young mother unattached the baby carrier and freed Yu Jin. She then sat on the sofa in the corner of the room and waited. Yu Jin didn’t sleep well last night and so did Mai obviously. It was hard to stay awake. “You, little monster, why aren’t you sleeping again?” She let out in a whisper. She looked at her son with a smile though. How could you not love this little creature? He was too cute. At that moment, he was imitating a language and was having fun on his own with wood cubes. She stood from the sofa and sat in front of him. She then built castles with the cube Yu Jin was giving to her, to better crash them down seconds later. This game was giving Yu Jin the time of his life. He was laughing and asking for more after each broken one.
This is when Mai realized that Yu Jin’s cheeks were a bit more pink than usual. The little boy looked at his mother surprised that she was touching his cheeks when she was supposed to rebuild the castle. He wanted more castles and he didn’t like her touched there so he frowned and Mai took her hands off rapidly. She didn’t want him to cry, it wasn’t needed right now. “Sorry, sorry Yu Jin ah.”
Something was obviously hurting the boy inside his mouth, she concluded. “Omo! Yu Jin ah! Are you- are you growing teeth?” she exclaimed to no her son. “You’re growing up!”
She suddenly was so excited, even if she couldn’t confirm her theory without making the whole studio a mess.
Mai wondered if SHINee was already on the set. To reinforce Yu Jin and her anonymity, they all agreed to not meet inside the studio and do as if they don’t know them. So that no one would leak picture of her or Yu Jin telling they are Taemin’s family. She still was worried about if they were in or not so she took her phone from inside her bag. Without leaving Yu Jin from sight she wrote a message to her husband.
“Taemin did you arrived already? “
Message to which she got an answer quickly, maybe Taemin was waiting for a sign from her?
“Yes, just now. We passed by your room and heard my son’s laugh. It was so cute and so tempting to come inside. I miss you my loves.”
Mai missed him too, so close yet so far. It was really hard to be honest.
“Miss you too. Love you my man. Yu Jin too loves you. <3”
Suddenly a makeup artist irrupted in the room, making the young mother jump of fear. She hid her phone back in her bag the more discrete possible and grabbed her son. She didn’t trust this woman.
“Hello, I’m here to put some make up on the baby.
-Makeup? You want to put make up on my baby? Why? – She was shocked. – He has a perfect baby skin, he doesn’t need any makeup!”
The artist was a bit butt hurt by her reaction. It wasn’t like if it her fault, she got ordered to.
*~*~*
Taemin and his members were all excited to film with Yu Jin. Taemin reminded them to be discrete about their link with Mai and the baby for Yu Jin’s sake.
“It’s quite sad that we can’t be with your family – concluded Minho. – I love being with Yu Jin. He is so fun to with now.
-I know right! – Agreed Key. – He even starts to share his toy so that we play with him.
-Yes yes! He even tries to talk with you with his own language – Followed Jinki.
-Maybe we could go and spy them? – Suggested Jonghyun too greedy to wait any longer.
-Oh! That’s a good idea! – Said Taemin.”
After looking at each other, they all agreed and walked out. So here they were out of their room silently heading to Taemin’s wife room. They stopped in front of the door and looked around quietly before slightly opening it. The five of them tried to fit their head inside the small opening, like in a cartoon.
“You won’t put foundation on his fragile skin! What is this idea?!”
Mai was fighting against a woman holding Yu Jin very tight.
“You don’t put foundation on a baby! – Screamed Key standing up from behind.”
Oops, they were discovered.
The makeup artist turned around and faced SHINee. She looked surprised for a second then bowed to them.
“They asked me! This baby cheeks are too pink. She justified herself.
-Even! It’s common sense. How can you agree to put makeup on a baby? – Key scolded her.
-And “this baby” has a name! – Taemin almost yelled.”
At that moment Mai eyes widened and send a message of reminding to her husband.
“Uh… Right? Everyone has a name… So, hum, what is your baby name… Ms. Lee? - He asked the most weirdly ever.”
The other four almost laughed at how this replica was awkward.
“Yu Jin, his name is Yu Jin. – Mai answered before a tsunami of laugh arrives.”
Key sent the woman away after they all came in. They found the excuse of “getting to know Yu Jin” to stay in longer. Once the woman closed the door behind her, Taemin hugged his two precious gems without even thinking of the consequences. He then gave a forehead kiss to Mai and cheek kiss to his son. He missed them; the fake distance had been very hard for him. At that moment he remembered that he wasn’t alone and looked back at his members. They were giving him a “huhu” look making Mai cheeks pinky.
“You guys should be more careful. – She sighed.
-Yes, yes madam. Can we play with Yu Jin now? – said Onew.”
She shook her head giving up. This group was really out of control. Thus she put back her little boy on the carpet. The little boy began to play and bit by bit he got surrounded by all his uncles. Before any war happens, Mai warned them about Yu Jin’s bad mood.
“I think he is growing teeth. – She explained.
-Really? – Taemin got excited like a kid receiving a lollipop. – I want to see that!”
Mai didn’t even have time to say something that Taemin grabbed his son and sat him on his lap. “Let daddy see your teeth Jin ah.” He said while trying to open the boy mouth. But Yu Jin cried loudly.
“He is in pain poor baby and you probably can’t see anything. So just let him be. -advised Key”
Yu Jin was inconsolable and Taemin was out of power. Mai came in rescue, hold her son and rocked him. Once he stopped crying, she gave him back to his dad. The members made fun of powerless Taemin. “You know, boys are all about moms.” He proudly said making all the room burst in laugh.
After a while someone came in to tell SHINee that it was time for them to get ready.
“Yu Jin ah, we are going to see how daddy’s working. You’ll see he is amazing. The best daddy ever.” She whispered in the ear of her son while waving “bye” to the 4 men.
They dressed up Yu Jin too and let go the idea of foundation. “The director said that they’ll edit it afterwards.” told the women. To what Mai answered “Way better.”
*~*~*
They placed the little boy under a Christmas tree on a red cover. Then they gave him lots of toys and fake Christmas presents wrapped in red and green. After SHINee came all perfectly styled up and with perfect make up. Taemin was so stunning in Mai’s eyes. They all sat around Yu Jin and as the script said and played with him.
Yu Jin was standing up thanks to someone leg, shared his toys, stared at the members building stuffs before giving him back, was speaking, laughing and smiling so naturally. The director was surprised at how baby and SHINee had a good chemistry together.
“This is the first time that I see complicity between a group and a baby works that well that fast. – He exposed to Mai.
-Oh, really? – She replied trying to play the surprise.
-Yes! This is amazing!
-Well they played together some minutes ago for a time so maybe that’s why. – She said praying for the director to trust this story.
-Your son is a treasure. He is so natural even if a lot of people are around him.”
Mai faked a laugh and hoped that the director would leave her alone with that topic.
After 30min of shooting, Yu Jin got tired and was trying to escape the scene, crawling out every minute, screaming of anger and throwing the games away. Because of that they decided to stop shooting and freed everyone.
“Ok! Let’s take a break! – The director screamed in the studio before giving Yu Jin’s back to his mother. – You can go back home now.
-Do you have enough to build the MV? – She asked politely.
-We have, yes. But…If you are a SHINee fan and want to stay, I allow you to. – He winked. – Only for the next scene, okay? Of course if you have important to do at home.
-Okay. – She winked back. – But…unfortunately, I also have a LIFE. A WORK. I just took half of my day off. I need to go give Yu Jin to my mother in law, and prepare to go to work. I don’t know what you mean by asking me to stay a whole day, but Mr. Kim, you should know that all women, all mother aren’t mean to stay home. – She concluded by a quick smile before leaving his side.”
The director was speechless. What was with her?
As if she had time to spare doing nothing? Her maternity leave was over and work called again. She had a really great time and enjoyed working with her husband and SHINee a lot but she wasn’t a housewife. This idea was a pure cliché. She was full time employee as a graphic designer and was very proud of it. What that man implied hurt her.
Taemin, who saw and heard everything, caught them up in the rest room.
“You should calm down sometimes. The director didn’t intend to be rude. – He tried
-This is why it’s worse. I hate close minded men. – She sulked.
-Mai… - He hugged her and patted her back. – You’re my wonder woman. You are so amazing. It’s just that not everyone can see it. What’s important it’s that I know it, right?
-Yes. – She pouted.”
She was extremely cute and Taemin couldn’t resist. He grabbed her chin and stamped a kiss on her lips. A fast and cute kiss that Mai didn’t even have time to answer but enough to make her smile again. She blushed and slapped softly his shoulder.
“You are a playboy Mr. Lee.” She whispered in his ear after hugging him back. To what he answered proudly “I know” tickling her sides.
She laughed and tried to escape but kept failing. They fought cutely for a while in front of Yu Jin; baby boy who seemed to look at his parents as if they went crazy. He wanted attention too! He was forgotten in this scene! So he did a small scream to catch their attention. He looked at his dad and raised both of his arms asking to be hold.
“Awn, my son, come here. You want a mom and dad hug, right?” He then hugged his wife with their so in his arms. Yu Jin was grabbing his father clothes and laying his head on his shoulder. Taemin loved that feeling so much. After this moment of love, he gave Yu Jin to his mother and flew away quickly to not wake any suspicions up.
Yu Jin did a small good bye wave to his father and then looked at his mother who looked back at him too. She caressed his cheeks and smiled at him. Her mother smile was so bright and he loved it so much. So Yu Jin gave her a big smile back. At that moment Mai saw the little white print on his cute gum, a little top of a front tooth. She smile even bigger happy to be the first to saw it before Taemin. She placed her son in hid baby carrier and after she said goodbye to all the staffs and artists, she climbed inside the car SM lent her. She sat on the back sits and looked at the reddish cheeks of her son and made a promise to give him something cold to calm the pain.
Kibum had left Clara and she hoped that he’ll be really fast. She was scared to die alone. She closed her eyes wondering if it could fasten the time but when she opened them she was in her bathroom again.
The bath bulb was really cold or maybe it was her body. Suddenly someone appeared in the entrance, someone she knew, her brother.
“Clara!
-Ben…
“Oh my … Clara… What happened? There’s mess everywhere. I-I barely could enter your flat… - The little brother was panicking.
-I’m… so sorry Benny.
-I’m calling an ambulance! Keep breathing! You can’t die, please… - His eyes were getting wet.
-Don’t… They did already.
-They? What you are saying? – The little brother was worried his sister was losing her mind.
-Listen… I… Phone… You. Give it to me…
-Your phone? There, but why do you want it? - He asked.
-The fire… Did you stop the fire under the pan? – Her flat couldn’t burn out.
-Shit I forgot! I’m going now, don’t die, okay?
-Yes. – She answered unsure.”
She took a painful breath and was back in this noisy corridor.
“Clara! Oh my god! I thought you were gone for real!”
Key was right in front her and had the fear of his life. When he got back she wasn’t there anymore and the image of her dead somewhere alone was terrifying.
“You really need to be stable. You have to stop disappearing. It’s dangerous.”
Clara wasn’t in any state to refuse anything but she trusted Kibum. The young idol took from his pocket the other jade bracelet that he got from the fortune teller and tried to place it around the wrist of the wounded girl. He tried several times that fail because Clara wasn’t in a solid state. He took the white bracelet inside both his hands and begged to it “Please, please, help Clara, please”. He tried once more time. Surprisingly, this time he could touch her and place the bracelet around her wrist.
The bracelet shined of pure white and Clara stopped being hologram like bits by bits. At that moment his red one shined too as to answered Clara’s.
Kibum smiled seeing that his idea worked. He grabbed her shoulders and hugged her.
“It worked! – He said relieved.”
But his smile disappeared when he saw in what state she really was and how stained of blood his outfit was. Clara saw his reaction and grabbed his sleeve.
“I’m scared… to be... alone… - She barely let out.
-I-I won’t leave you alone, don’t worry we will save you. Now you can be treated, so, everything will go alright. I promise you, hum? – He told her taking her hand in his.”
“We have to.” He whispered to himself before getting some news about the ambulance arriving by his noisy maknae, hearing that good news gave him hopes.
“You hear that Clara, they’ll be here soon! Be Strong, just a little bit longer. I’ll stay with you; I’ll come with you so that you won’t be alone. I won’t leave you, alright? –He tried to smile so that the girl would stop worrying about death.
-Can’t… Perf… – Words were getting really hard, and her brain was lacking of oxygen.
-I’ll come! You don’t speak Korean how will you do with the docs? – He tried to convince her.
-No… Work”
Her pain was getting unbearable, she was losing consciousness slowly, and speaking was like being stabbed with each word.
“Work, important. – She said these two words closed her eyes, her hand falling from Key’s grab, she was so tired.
-Clara? Clara, look at me! – He patted her cheeks and she looked back at him. - I can’t let you go alone! I can’t do that!
-I’ll go with her. – Said a feminine voice toward them.
-Adelina? – asked Key.
-She is right. You can’t leave and skip the performance. How will you justify your absence to the fans? I’ll take good care of her, okay?”
Kibum was very worried to let his girl alone with someone she barely knew, but he trusted Adelina. Adelina was trustworthy and reliable, Clara was in good hands.
The stylist told him to change with the second outfit taken in case the first one fails. The one he was wearing was red of blood. Before leaving Clara’s side he told her he’ll come right after the end of the performance, and took a last looked at her.
“Be safe, be strong and live, and promise me you’ll do that? – He asked
-Don’t get hurt … - She answered him.
-Look who’s talking? – He tried to joke but Clara didn’t answer losing her conscious once again. She was so tired to fight back all her pain. – Take care of her Adelina.
-Yes”
Jinki’s girlfriend looked after Clara until the ambulance arrived and took her to the hospital. They covered her wound and tried to stop the bleeding as much as possible during her transport.
During that time, SHINee was performing their new song trying to be as cheerful as its meaning. All their moods weren’t at it though.
At the hospital some nurses gave Adelina the admission paper. She read it and realized that in fact the only information they all knew about this girl was her name.
“How are we going to fill this?” She said looking worried at the closed operating room.
After the end of their performance SHINee left the stage very fast and change clothes with the same stamina, jumped inside the car and Onew called Adelina.
“Dela? It’s Jinki. How is Clara?
-Hi darling. She’s till in the operating room. The surgeon looked very worried when he got charged with Clara. I hope everything is going fine, because we can’t fill her info. What if she dies here and no one will know?”
Jinki tried to find calming words but saw how Kibum reacted. He never saw him like this. He had hard time, he had a very bad mood period, he even hated him at some stage but he has never seen him that devastated. Whatever the words he knew it wouldn’t be enough.
“Which hospital? – Jinki asked to end this torture.
-Taemin Hospital. Come fast please. –She answered.
-We’re on the way. – Jinki hung up. ”
When the five boys finally arrived they almost run to the entrance.
“Excuse-us, we’re looking for the room of Clara, a white girl.
-Oh the stabbed one? - They all agreed nodding - That poor girl… I’m happy people come to see her. I thought she was a foreigner alone. She is still in operating room though. This way at the end of the corridor.
-Thank you! – said the five men as one voice.”
Her colleague came right behind her and patted her shoulders.
“Wasn’t it SHINee!? Oh dear god!”
But the other nurse claim it couldn’t be.
They walked quickly to the end of the corridor room and met Adelina whose eyes were empty looking at nothing. Key run to her and squat in front of her.
“How is she? How is Clara? –He questioned the stylist.
-I don’t know Kim Kibum – She answered popping out of her bubble. – We need to wait the end of the surgery.”
After 30min Clara got out still unconscious and the surgeon came to meet them. His eyes were tired by the operation and his face was very serious.
“Who is his guardian? – The doctor started.”
They answered that they all were.
“We did our best. All the wounds have been repaired but she lost a lot of blood. We will need to wait. There is a possibility that she will never wake up again. You should contact her family.”
The doctor bowed and went away followed by the nurses after they gave them the number of Clara’s room.
They all looked at Kibum digesting this news. They all knew he had more than friend affection for her even if he would deny it. At that moment Kibum’s mind was empty. It was rare and almost impossible for him to have nothing coming up but at that right moment it was the case. His mind was blank, Clara was alive but at what cost? What if she becomes only a sleeping beauty? What will they say to her family? How will they even contact them? All he knew was her name, that’s not enough to find someone’s relative. He was powerless and that was the worst thing that ever happens in his life after his mother’s illness. He was standing there in the middle of his friends but couldn’t mouth a word, even tears wouldn’t come out. He was frozen, frozen of fear. A fear he would never knew it exist. That fear you have when you lost something very precious before you knew it was precious. He was really hoping that she would wake up, that she would smile to him again. Like when she appears from nowhere, have fun with him and then go back. She had to, she needed to. She couldn’t let life go away so easily.
At that moment his body warmed up and he felt angriness fulling him up. He closed his fits and ran to Clara’s room. Minho ran behind him but Jonghyun grabbed his arm.
“Let him alone for a bit. Let’s go drink something Minho.”
Once inside he walked closer, he wanted to scream at her, to shake her, to beg her… But seeing all the perfusions, the machine singing her heartbeats his anger let place to sadness. What seriously happened to her? Her panic attack in the library came back in his memory and he wondered if it has something to do with her today’s state. Who would want to kill her though? She looked so soft, so nice, how could someone hate her that much?
He sat on a chair next to the bed and looked at her. Her too pale face was almost all covered by the oxygen mask but she still looked so pretty. He brushed away a strand of hair from her eyes and caressed her once pink cheek. She was alive, the monitor was a proof.
“Please, come back to us. Don’t let go. – he mumbled softly.”
Suddenly, some noise came from the corridor and stopped in front of the door. Key stood up to scold those people. Patient needed calm and quiet place to heal. But before he reached it, the door opened to two young people. They entered rashly and totally ignored him while running to the bed.
“KIM KIBUM!! – The young girl screamed restrained by a man to crash on the body in the bed.”
Kibum was annoyed. How could she scream that loud in a hospital!
“Can you not scream please? This is politeness! Plus there is no Kim Kibum in this bed.”
The woman stopped and looked at Key widening her eyes.
“Key! Are you okay?”
This is when Key realized that the young woman was Go Joo Hee.
“I saw in some of my friend’s snapchat story that something happened at the studio. You… You had so much blood everywhere!
-Uh? Is that a reason to run and scream inside a hospital? – He said upset.
-I was worried! – She tried to justify herself.
-Why are you so hard with Joo Hee? – The young man asked Key. – Do you think that because you’re a celeb you can do whatever you want?
-May I know who you are? Why do you allow yourself to judge? – He was not in the mood already and those two were playing with his patience.
-I am Joo Hee best friend! My name is…”
Before he could end his sentence Key looked away because Clara’s monitoring were making some strange noise and Clara was shaking. A doctor army entered and made her calm again. They told Kibum that happen a lot and that there were nothing to worry about. “She maybe had a bad dream” one doctor even joked.
Key sat back next to Clara looking at her sadly. What kind of bad dream? Was she locked in a library? Was she stabbed once again? Maybe his voice could help her dream about better things?
“Clara, Clara do you hear me?”
He started and continued saying the first thing coming up in his mind.
“So it was Clara that explains a lot. – Go Joo Hee said disgusted.”
Key ignored the intern stylist hateful comment. He suddenly needed to go to toilet and so left Clara’s side for a moment looking at Joo Hee on his way with warning in his eyes. The stylist ignored the warning and walked to the bed side.
“What is so special about you? How are you better than me in his eyes? It’s not like if you met a lot. I know him better than you. I won’t ever let him go for a white girl like you. – She said frustrated - Let’s go Jin ah! There’s nothing I want to see here… - She conclude.
-Joo Hee… - The friend tried to comfort her.
-Just let’s go. – Joo Hee told him harshly.”
She turned away from the bed and walked out. Joo Hee was walking fast to escape what she just saw with her best friend behind trying to follow when she crossed the SHINee Squad.
“Go Joo Hee? – Exclaimed Adelina – What are you doing here?”
All the boys stopped and looked at the two young people with the same question in their eyes. Go Joo Hee looked at all of them seeing how some were wearing clothes wrongly revealing how they ran out of the studio to here. Meaning that they were as worried as Key about that unknown girl.
“Yes, I do ask myself the same question. – She simply replied.”
Then Joo Hee walked away leaving all the friends clueless for a moment until they shrugged and headed to Clara’s room. There they found Key speaking to her about nonsense and they found that so cute. They patted his back one by one and smiled to him saying that she will be fine then found a place to sit. SHINee was so noisy as usual and somewhat it was giving Kibum more strength. He even laughed at some Jinki’s bad puns. Then suddenly a phone rang. They all looked at their phone but it was none of theirs.
“Oh! Clara had mobile with her! – Adelina quickly remembered.”
Key looked around and found it on the bed side table.
“Hello? – He greeted nervously.
-Hello… You’re not Clara. Who are you? – A man voice asked.
-I am… Clara’s friend. – He told the boy hesitating. – And who are you?
-I’m Clara’s little brother! Where is my sister? I want to talk with her! – Ben ordered.”
That was it. Her family called. What was he going to tell them?
“She is at Taemin Seoul Hospital, she got stabbed and got treated right now she…
-What hospital? I know she got hurt! I saw it! Why did you say Seoul?!
-Taemin, Taemin Hospital. It’s a big hospital in the center of Seoul. I am sorry about your sister being attack like this. The doctor said… - Once again he got stopped by the brother.
-Center of what? SEOUL? If this is a joke this IS NOT funny! How could she be in Seoul right now? She was right in front of my eyes hours ago! She was in London she couldn’t have made the trip to Seoul that fast! Tell me where she really is! – That man claiming to be his sister friend was not funny.
-London? – London? She was in London? So she wasn’t leaving in South Korea at all? The fact that she couldn’t read nor speak his language became obvious but why would she hide it? – I don’t know how this is possible but I’m sorry she really is in Seoul right now. The doctor treated her and she survived but … she isn’t in capacity to answer you right now. She maybe will not ever be… again. The surgeon did his best but… We’ll need your help to fill the hospital form in case of.”
A blank and some tears could be heard from the phone.
“So you’re telling me that my sister could never wake up and that she is kilometers away? How did all this happen? How will I tell our Dad that past finally caught Clara? I’ll give you what you need, tell me.”
Past? What past? What did Clara lived in her past? This word bothered Key but he didn’t really know if he wanted to know the whole story. He grabbed the paper registration and asked for all the info he needed. The only problem that came up is her passport number. If she travelled the way she did, she didn’t pass by the frontiers controls and so was illegally in South Korea. What were they going to do? They just decided to skip that box and advertise in function.
Once finished Ben excused his self and hung up. Key felt so burden and sorry for this brother who seemed dead by the news about his sisters.
What the hell was this story about Clara in Seoul? Like she was in the bathroom 2hrs ago! Maybe Lila would know. Since Lila was her best friend she surely would know something even if not fully. He quitted Clara’s flat and headed to Lila’s in the neighbour tenant.
Once in front the entrance He realized that he didn’t know what Lila’s flat number was or what was Lila’s last name. How will he enter there? He looked into his phone looking for his sister’s best friend mobile number but of course he didn’t have register it. He cursed his self about not saving this number. He dialed Clara’s number once again but no one answered this time. Was something wrong with her? It wasn’t the moment to think that. Anyway if she was really in Seoul he couldn’t do much. He then sent a text message hoping that someone will answer it. He waited in front of the closed doors 10 more minutes when finally he received a text back from his sister’s phone with Lila’s details.
He copied it, saved it and finally dialed it. Lila’s answered it quite fast and opened the doors to Ben telling the floor and the apartment’s number. Ben reached there quickly and met the author with her friend waiting for him at their door. Ben really hated Gabriel. This man was too obsessed by his sister, always calling to know things about Clara, until he stopped answering. He suddenly wondered if he could be the one responsible for Clara’s state.
Gabriel saw how Ben was staring at him, making him do few steps back. “What was with him?”
“I need to be alone with Lila. – Ben introduced without taking his eyes off Gabriel.”
Lila found his reaction a bit weird. Ben had a strange voice at the phone and his behavior was really suspicious. But if he wanted to talk with her it would surely be about Clara, so she accepted.
She asked the little brother to follow her inside her bedroom and locked them in. She understood that he didn’t want Gab to be able to hear what will be said. She then asked what the matter was inviting Ben to sit either on the bed or the desk chair. Ben sat on the chair and began explaining that Clara disappeared, without mentioning the knife incident.
“WHAT?! – Lila screamed out loud.”
If the window was open all the street would have heard her, so Ben jumped from the chair to the bed and covered her mouth.
“Can’t you be more discrete? – He reminded the red hair girl.
-Sorry, go on. – She apologized.”
So Ben went on to finish his story by exposing the phone call he had with a man and the info he got from him. Surprisingly, the girl had no reaction or more like she looked amazed.
“Why are you so …amorphous. Clara disappeared to be in fact at the other side of the world! – He finally let out.
-Because I seem amorphous? – She started. – Come on Clara is physically in Korea surrounded by SHINee!! THIS IS AWESOME AMAZING TERRIFIC!!! It’s like a dream!! I am not calm at all! I’m frozen by how cool this is! Clara is so freaking lucky! – Her eyes were shining so much and her mouth had the most handsome smile.”
Lila was all excited, telling how she could interview Clara when she’ll be back. How she would make it a book. This impossible happening was the most romantic and beautiful one she ever imagine. Then she stopped abruptly.
“Wait. Physically? This is a first though. Is she alright? I mean before her body wasn’t traveling but today… Wah this is amazing. – She sighed- I can’t believe it. – She was in total admiration.
-I think so, but you said first?”
It was then Lila’s turn to explain things to Ben. She told him how Clara already traveled via her dreams. Seeing Lila’s serious eyes Ben fell back on his chair in front of the writer. So his sister was really in South Korea? She was there and she could possibly never wake up anymore. What will he do? What will he tell his Dad? He begged really strongly to his sister to wake up and come back to them alive.
Clara was cooking in her kitchen when she heard the sound of her door opening.
“Ben, is this you? You’re early for once. I’m not finished yet. I’m in the kitchen.”
The door closed but she got no answer. Surprised a bit, she still continued what she was doing.
“I’m doing your favorite meal! I hope it will be good~.”
She was so into her cooking that she didn’t realized the lack of answer this time. All she could hear was footsteps coming slowly for her.
“What do you want to drink before eating? You can look inside the cupboard in the living room I have some bottles or inside the fridge I have beers.”
The footsteps came closer but stopped in living room behind her.
“I don’t know what’s left though. Say Ben, how many potatoes do I need already… about 4 no? Yes let’s say 4!”
She started to cut her potatoes as the footsteps walked forward to the kitchen.
“Did you find something you like? The glasses are inside this cupboard. Take one you like. She said while fingering the place”
Then she turned around to face a brother.
“If you didn’t, we can only drink b…” She couldn’t finish because the person in front of her was far away from being her little brother.
“How… How can you be … here…? This is not possible… - Clara barely mouthed.
-Aw, look at that you remember me! I’m touch, really! How I came in? You know you can trust electronic locks. – He smiled at her satisfied.”
Clara was frozen; the man that hunted her nightmares for years was back in front of her. She rewound the movie from 15 years ago, his voice wrecking her heart and the moment his shot himself… Everything was vivid, so vivid. Her heart beat faster and her breathe became heavier. It was him. He was back from the dead.
“W… Why are you… here? – She stuttered.
-Because you shouldn’t be here. You shall die for my sake. You can be breathing right now.”
He was here for her. He was here to finish what he started and what she escaped.
“I’m… going to scream… if you attack me. – She was trembling like a leaf falling in autumn.
-Go ahead! Go, scream! I’m dead already anyway. You killed me already.”
His eyes were stuck on Clara and weren’t leaving her for even a second. He was barely blinking too and he was calm, so calm. Frighteningly calm. After a long pause where he looked only at her titling his head from left to right with a smile, Ham Song Jin walked closer to Clara.
“Don’t… Don’t come clo… closer! – She threatened him with her kitchen knife.
-Darling~ I have my own, I don’t need yours. Oh, don’t tell me you’re threatening me with it? I don’t care dying. I told you. I’m already dead. – He said smiling like if Clara told him a joke.
-Don’t… Don’t come… AH!”
Ham song Jin caught her wrist making her lose her knife.
“Stay still darling. It will almost be painless if you don’t move.”
His voice was so creepy and sharp. He was getting pleasure by aiming to kill her.
It was a nightmare. The worst nightmare she ever made. This couldn’t be real. Tears fell down her cheeks. It couldn’t be real, it wasn’t! But what if… What if like her dreams were true her nightmare came real too?
Ham Song Jin raised his hand holding the knife on top of his head ready to stab Clara. But she was fighting back, turning her wrist in all the way possible to be freed from his grip. She was on the verge on dying she couldn’t stay still. She forcingly freed her wrist and moved on the side just in time for dodging the knife that ended inside one of the potato behind her. Seeing that she felt her legs moving by themselves, trying to reach the entrance still followed by her killer.
“Where are you running darling? I don’t really like to play at catch me. It’s always time eating. And anyway you won’t be able to escape so why trying, uh?”
Clara didn’t looked behind her but she was sure he was there waiting for her to come back. Because when she faced her door, it was unreachable. Ham Song Jin had planned it. He had placed so many stuffs in front so that she couldn’t reach the door anymore.
“Great! Now come back to me! It’s better to end fast! Don’t get me angry, darling~”
Clara was trembling so much and her legs were so weak. More tears fell on her cheeks she was trapped. He heart was beating like crazy. The door was out of reach and she lived on the last floor. She couldn’t jump either. She was trapped inside her 60m3. What to do? Was it better to jump? Maybe she had a better chance to live…
“Are you thinking of jumping? Do you want to make it easier for me? This is not fair. I want to be responsible of your death. Give me this favor, please. – He smiled again but this time he looked like the joker in batman.
She calculated everything but no, there were no issue. She was stuck here with her worst nightmare. There was then only one solution.
She ran back and before her killer caught her she aimed for the bathroom. There she locked the door. Hide under her sink and squat there covering her ears. She was terrified. This time she was going to die. This time she had no escape, no one to protect her. She was going to be killed here and her brother will find her dead body when he’ll arrive. Her family will break again and it would be her fault again. But what to do? She was trapped like a mouse inside her hole.
The door shook under Ham Song Jin tries to open it. The lock was going to break soon, she knew it. She knew her time was coming soon. Her phone was still in the kitchen playing her music, SHINee music she liked so much. She was going to die with SHINee as background. Since her phone was so far she couldn’t call anyone for help. Her walls were thick too, so thick that even if she screamed no one would hear her. She was alone and there were no way to escape.
Suddenly the door broke and Song Jin walked in. That was it. Her end was here. It was her “the end”.
“Ok, end of the game darling! – He was angry and even scarier. I hate hide and seek game! Let me just kill you properly, okay?”
Clara stood up and tried to escape but her killer caught her by her arm and rashly brought her back in. Then he pulled her inside her bathtub. There he blocked her by tying a knot around her wrists with the bath curtain.
“Now you can’t escape anymore. I won! Game. Over. – He smirked satisfied. – It was a great idea to come here by the way. Inside the bathtub, blood won’t come in the floor. It’ll be easier to wash!”
He raised his hand again on top of his head but suddenly Clara began to fade away.
“No! Not this time! You’ll not escape like this again!”
“Again”, why “again”? – She thought. But something more important than what this man was saying was that she wasn’t dreaming right now! She wasn’t on the other side of earth! She was in the real part of her life, so why? Why was she fading away? How could she totally travel? Will she get stuck in Korea? She knew that her mind could travel when she was dreaming. This was something strange but still could be comprehended but traveling with her body? How? This was crazy! And maybe it was dangerous!
“Why are playing surprised! Shit! Just die now! I’m tired of looking at you playing with the travel away!”
He raised his hand again and stabbed her stomach splashing blood all over her shirt and legs cutting her breathe for a second. The pain traveled all her body. A pain she never felt before, so intense that she lost consciousness for a minute. This is when she started blinking, being one second on the other side and one second at her place. She wasn’t real anymore she was just molecules and so Ham Song Jin couldn’t touch her anymore. He couldn’t take his knife of her belly.
“SHIT! You are annoying really!! Die in silence at least. I’m leaving.”
So Ra was cursing on her “never happy” idol while going back to their car. Her so famous idol had forgotten a hair pin! This was” SO important right now” and So Ra had to hurry up and go take it! What a spoiled girl. So Ra hated what she had become. Anyway, she was on her way back to take that hair pin like ordered. She crossed several idol room and was imagining what could happen in there. Until she crossed her favorite group, SHINee, she always imagined how dorky they would be inside their closed room. It was easy because SHINee were really noisy and loud. Everyone could hear how fun it was to be in their room. She stopped a second and heard Minho’s loud laugh making her smile. Then she continued her walk inside the corridor of the studio to reach the parking.
This is when she saw a ghost! A long hair woman with blood everywhere and a knife still inside her was blinking times to times in front of her. She was for sure a dead woman seeking for revenge! So Ra screamed all the oxygen she had in her lungs and ran away when the ghost started talking.
“HELP! A ghost! There’s a ghost! Someone help!! Aaaah!!!”
She kept screaming for help but no one was giving her reaction. So she entered the first room she crossed that happened to be SHINee’s.
“Gho… Ghost! There’s a ghost in the corridor! – She screamed to the bunch of people inside the room.”
The five boys, as well as the staffs, looked at her without reaction.
“Why you’re not moving! Do something! – She was really scared.
-Well if it’s a ghost we can’t really do anything right? – answered Onew very logically.
-But… But she will scare everyone! She has blood everywhere this is a horrific image! I’m sure she’s here for revenge! Someone will die!
-Blood? Like real blood? I need to see that!”
Taemin rushed out after hearing that. His curiosity was full awake.
“Taemin ah! – Key screamed – See what you’ve done? – He sighs to the young manager – Guys let’s take back our maknae.
-Go yourself! – Jinki, Jonghyun and Minho said as one voice.”
Key sighed again and ran out after Taemin. Taemin was too spoiled by them seriously.
“Taemin ah! Ya! Lee Taemin! Come back! Ghosts don’t exist!
-You don’t know! - The young boy answered.
-I know, come back! It’s almost our time!”
Taemin ignored completely Key because he had found what he was looking for.
“Wow hyung! It’s amazing! It’s a woman! She’s blinking and full of blood! Wow so cool!
-What are you saying!?”
Taemin squatted in front of her and looked at her pale face.
“Hello you~ How did you die?
-Help… Help… Someone help… Me. – The woman voice was almost inaudible.
-Okay! How can I help you?”
Taemin was enjoying this so much but stopped when the ghost looked straight in his eyes.
“Taemin… Help… Me… Please… - Tears were falling on her cheeks and Taemin had this déjà vu feel.”
He stood up surprised and a bit in panic.
“HYUNG!! HYUNG!! KIBUM AH!
-What it is? – Key answered weary from a bit further – I’m coming wait a bit! I’m not going to run.
-I … I think I know her! I know her!
-How can you?
-Hyung! It’s Kara!
-Kara? They retired no? Plus they’re not dead!
-No not Kara! It’s her! It’s your foreign girl!
-WHAT?”
Suddenly Key ran. Suddenly everything made sense. Someone had really appeared from nowhere but it wasn’t a ghost. It was his miraculous, mysterious encounter. The scary part was that Clara was hurt! Her blood was running out of her body. What the hell happened? He ran again faster and reached them.
“Kibum, I can’t touch her. Times to times she isn’t here anymore and when she is I can’t touch her… I tried to help but she is like a hologram. What are we going to do?
-Ki..bum? – Clara looked up but she was back in her cold bathtub. She was more and more still in Korea but it was like if she wasn’t stable. Like if she couldn’t be fixed somewhere. She closed her eyes again and when she opened them she crossed Key’s worried eyes.”
Will she die in front of his eyes? Will she make another sad person? Why did she have to travel right now? It would have been preferable to die alone without him knowing it.
“What happened? Clara! What the hell happened? – Key asked her while squatting in front of her.
-I’m… sorry… - Talking was so hard and painful.
-What are you sorry about?! Taemin call an ambulance! Taemin now! – Key was panicking. He didn’t know how to take control of this. But he needed to do something. He couldn’t let her die.
-Ah yeah! I’m going back to the room to grab my phone! I’m coming back!
-Clara… Clara, look at me! You’re going to live, alright? Everything will end fine. – He didn’t know if he trying to convince her or him.
Clara smirked knowing exactly the situation. – Not this time… No escape…
-What the hell you’re talking about?
-Anyway… no one can touch… me. – Blood was coming out every time she was talking or breathing, her time was close so close. – This travel is diff… Kibum… This travel is… - She couldn’t finish because of the heavy cough that caught her.”
Blood was getting inside her lung and breathing was getting harder. Key was trying to find a solution. He was refusing to see her die in front of his eyes. She couldn’t! It was not allowed. She said something about her travels. What travels and why was it different? What could he do? He felt so useless when he tried to hug her to give her comfort and hide his miserable scared face but failed. She was like only the projection of herself, she was like a hologram like Taemin said and it was making him sadder. If they couldn’t touch her, how could she be safe? How could they save her?
However when his wrist passed through her body Kibum noticed that the jade bracelet the fortune teller gave him shined. He tried to rethink about what the old woman told him earlier. He couldn’t remember all because he wasn’t really taking attention. Freak! Why didn’t he give her more credits?! The only thing he remembered was this old woman predicted Clara’s danger. He needed to remember more. Why was his mind so blank right now? He normally had a good memory. He felt his eyes getting wet of how powerless he was. He was trying to not show it to Clara. He was trying to stay strong. He had to! Then finally something came up.
“Clara, you stay here, you don’t move, okay?
-I… don’t know…
-I’ll be fast! I promise! You stay alive! You stay here! You are not allowed to stop breathing. You hear me! I’m going to save you! I promise you. – He did the promise sign and stood up.
He looked at her one last time and ran as fast as possible toward SHINee’s room…
For once Taemin had a free day so he said to Mai that she could do thing she likes while he was taking care of Yu Jin. It would be the first time since 4 months. Mai was a bit worried though, letting her son alone with her clumsy husband. But well she couldn’t say no to a day for her only. Before she left the next morning she made sticky notes and stuck them everywhere for helping Taemin, just in case.
When Taemin got up, he first checked on his wife but she was out already, and then went to his son who was sleeping beautifully. He was so peaceful while sleeping. How could he be so hard once awake?
After he walked the corridor heading to the kitchen, a corridor all covered of sticky notes. Once in the kitchen, he found out that his beloved wife cooked him breakfast. He sighed. He asked her to rest and she woke up early doing all the food and wrote so much notes. But somehow he was happy, cooking wasn’t his thing. He ate his breakfast and warmed up Yu Jin’s milk with the help of Mai’s little help because his son was waking up. He walked to his son’s room and took him in his arms and fed him while making cute noises.
After this breakfast, Taemin took him out of the room and sat him next to his desk in a baby bouncer. Even if it was a day off, the singer was still working on his next solo album. He was trying to match lyrics with the melodies he received. According to how Yu Jin would react he was changing them. “You are my new associate Lee Yu Jin.” He told his baby while playing with Mr. Sprout.
Mr. Sprout was Yu Jin’s cuddle toy. Mai bought this mini Taemin doll thinking it could slightly replace this father who was away most of the time. After some days it had become Yu Jin’s favorite toy and couldn’t live without.
The afternoon came and Taemin was tired of working. “Should we go see the uncles Yu Jin-ah?” By seeing how baby’s face illuminated at the word “uncle”, Taemin was sure that he liked the idea. He packed Yu Jin’s stuffs, not forgetting Mr. Sprout, and mailed his members.
“Hyungs, what are you doing? Do you bother if we come to visit Yu Jin and me?
-I’m home composing. You can come! Mom and Noona will be so happy to see you! – answered Jonghyun fast as always”
He looked at his son, knowing that Jonghyun would be the first. “Let’s go son!”
On their way to Jonghyun house a second mail came: “I’m home working for school, you can come but not for too long. - It was a mail from Key
-Okay, hyung ~ Coming after meeting Jonghyun’s family”
Later they finally arrived at Jonghyun’s place. Sodam noona was so happy to see her almost nephew that she jumped on Taemin, grabbed Yu Jin and disappeared inside. All that even before the father had both feet inside.
“Ya Noona! Let me see Yu Jin too! – Whined Jonghyun.
-You can see him more often than me, let me have him a bit.”
The two siblings were fighting over Yu Jin and it made Taemin and the mother laugh.
“You should take back your son, Taeminnie. Or you won’t get him back in one piece. – advised the mother making Taemin giggled.” Listening to these wise words he grabbed back his son from Sodam’s arms.
“As my wifey would say: this is my baby, If you want one to fight over have your own! – He said mischievously.”
The 3 boys then went upstairs and played creating children’s song and laughed at every eyebrow movement Yu Jin would do.
“He has your thing with the eyebrow so much! You can’t deny that he is your son!”
After a while, Taemin left saying goodbye to the cute family. On the way to Key’s house he thought that it would be so wonderful to have that kind of happy house with Mai in the future.
Arrived at the university boy’s flat, a new mail reached his phone: “Hey Taeminnie! I was napping so I’m answering late. Sorry! The dorm is too quiet today, so please come!”
“This old man. - Thought Taemin before answering. - Ok! I’ll come after seeing Key hyung!”
When he knocked at Key’s door he met a young man with glasses and casual clothes. “Wow you dressed up your 1st student costume?” it was Kim Kibum. “You look exhausted though. You should rest.” Teamin said while sitting Yu Jin on the couch in between two pillows. “You look after him? I’m making you some coffee.”
Key sat next to the little boy and played a bit with him. “He doesn’t laugh yet? – He asked.
-No, not yet. We are waiting for it so much! It will be so cute to hear. Don’t you think?
-I agree! I hope it’ll be soon. I want to hear it Mr. Yu Jin. I want to see if you’ll have a shy laugh or an extravagant one.
-Here your coffee, hyung.
Thanks Taemin.”
They talked together about work, about family and about school for an hour, but as Kibum had to go back to his work Taemin left him alone taking back his noisy son with him. Even though, Key thanked for his visit making him having a nice break.
While fastening his son in the car chair, Taemin’s phone rang.
“Taemin? – His wife said.
-Mai. What is it? -He answered all smiley. He missed her to be true.
-How is your day going? Everything’s fine? You two are alright?
-Everything is fine, don’t worry. We are doing some uncles visits. Yu Jin enjoys a lot. – He told his worried wife.
-Eeeh~ So great! I’m jealous. I miss the boys. Let’s do a big meal together some day!
-I’ll try to organize that! I have to go! I love you~
-Okay ~, I love you too my men.”
He went back at fastening this crazy hard fasten belt for car chair and told Yu Jin that the phone call was his mommy worried about them both. Once he succeeded attaching him he climbed in front and looked at him in the rear-view mirror and smiled at his success.
“Let’s go my son!”
He drove for another 30min and finally arrived.
“Here we are my baby. Let’s meet the bored uncles.”
He took the elevator and landed at the dorm floor then walked to the door and opened it.
“Taemin! Yu Jin! Oh Yu Jin, come see Jinki Uncle!
-My son, you are already so popular. What will I do about you in the future? Why are you all taking him from before I ever step in though? – Taemin told his baby pinching his cheek.
-It’s because it’s a mini Taemin. So he is as pretty as doll and cute like his father. Oh and has beautiful eyes like his mother! A perfect boy! – described Onew.
Taemin paused for a second and mouthed back – You’re right!”
They walked the three of them into the living room while Jinki was talking baby with Yu Jin. It was like they had an actual serious conversation.
“Yo Minho! How are you? – questioned Taemin to his hyung.
-Tired! I can’t get a proper sleep these days. Filming at night. – He confessed
-I’m sorry hyung. We’ll not stay long with Yu Jin so that you can have some quiet rest.
-That’s fine. Look at how the old man is happy right now?
-When will he have a baby? He needs one so much.
-I know right…”
They faced each other and laughed.
Mai’s two boys spent all the end of afternoon within the dorm talking, eating, playing …
*~*~*
Mai enjoyed her day so much. Not that she hated her son, all the contrary, but having a bit of time for he own only had really been a healing. Even though that she missed her boys during all the day and restrained her to only one call. When she got back home, the house was empty. Empty of people solely because of mess it wasn’t. The house had become stuffs kingdom! Seeing that, Mai dropped her bag on the floor and stayed opened mouth for a minute.
“YA LEE TAEMIN! How did you manage to dirty and mess up the house THAT MUCH! – She finally let out. – Oh My! This isn’t a kitchen anymore! This not a desk room anymore either! Did war occur while I was away? Did a rubber come in? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! Wait you arrive LEE TAEMIN! I’ve leave notes everywhere saying to be tidy! How could you mess up that much IN HALF A DAY ONLY! – She whined and screamed – Let’s take some pictures as proof and tidy! I can’t bear a house in that state.”
*~*~*
“Ok, Yu Jin-ah, we’re back! Today was fun right? Let’s see mommy, we missed her lots, right?”
He took his son out of the car as well as the necessary bag and entered the house.
“Honey! We’re back! Your men have return.
-Oh you do? I’m in the kitchen~
-What? Are you cooking dinner?”
He put the bag and his son still inside the baby car sit on the floor and headed to the Kitchen.
“What are we going to e… Oh.”
Mai was standing in front of the table covered with pictures and was looking at him angrily.
“Oh?
-I can explain! – He told her fast.
-Listening. - She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms on her chest.
-So, you see, uh, well, was my first time alone, and… Yu Jin kept crying and…
-Buup buup Wrong answer! Sometimes babies need to be let crying so they learn that they can’t have everything every time. I’ve let you notes about this I think. Plus it helps them developing their lungs. If he cries a lot alone he could become a good singer maybe. So? Something else?
-I saw the notes but… I’m sorry! It’s my fault! – He bowed giving up.
-Lee Taemin how can you be so … carefree? – Mai sighed.
-I’m really sorry. I got my mind into work and forgot everything else around. I’m sorry my little wife.
-It’s okay but … please be more careful. A house with children needs to be clean and tidy so it is safe. What if something happens to Yu Jin?
-Yes Madam Lee Mai. I’ll be careful in the future. I’ll do my best! - He smiled to her.
-You better! I’ll keep an eye on you husband! – She joked.”
When bed time came.
“Daddy! Where is Mr. Sprout? – Mai called from Yu Jin’s room.
-Eh? Inside the bad, no? – He said back from the desk room.
-Can’t find. Can you come?
-Coming. – He left his computer and entered the small bedroom, then emptied the bag. – Not here? Maybe in the car, wait.
-Ok! It’s fine Yu Jin. Daddy will find Mr. Sprout. I know you’re tired my baby but just wait, hum? Daddy didn’t lose him. He can’t! No, no don’t cry! DADDY!! Oh look Yu Jin-ah! This is Mr. Potamus and Miss Berry! Look how funny they are~
-Not in the car either! – Said a bit panicking Taemin back from outside.
-WHAT? You f* kidding me? Did you lose it?
-Waaaaaaaaaaah – Started to cry loud Yu Jin.
-No, no, no! Don’t cry my son! – Mai tried to comfort his baby by rocking him – Daddy! Do something! Fast!!
-Hyungs! Maybe I left Mr. Sprout to one of their place!
-Oh, ok go! Call them! – She said still rocking her crying baby.”
Taemin called all his members but the result was that Jonghyun was in a studio mixing his songs, Minho was night filming, Onew was at his mom’s place eating meat, and Key was out drinking with friends: In short, no answers as if Mr. Sprout was left at their place or not.
“Daddy?! – Mai was seriously worried. How will Yu Jin sleep without Mr. Sprout?
-They don’t know… They are all out right now. – He told her disappointed.
-What do we do…? Let’s check again, hum? Maybe we missed him? Stop crying baby-ah… We’re doing our best right now, so please stop crying…
-Calm down Mai. It’s okay, we’ll find him. It’s not lost, I feel it. – He said while hugging her.”
Mai put back Yu Jin in his baby bed, letting him cry out. They spent another 10min searching but still no Mr. Sprout.
“I should have bought two. I knew I should have… - Mai was giving up.
-Don’t give up! Ah… Wait! I know where it is!!
-You know? – Mai was seeing light again.
-Yes!! Wait here.
-O.. okay!”
She ran back to Yu Jin’s room and took him back in her arms and hugged him against her chest. She was rocking him and singing some lullaby trying to calm him down. Too much crying wasn’t good for a baby, he could suffocate. “That’s it Yu Jin-ah, that’s it. Be calm, Daddy said he knows where Mr. Sprout is. So everything’s fine. Everything’s fine.”
A minute later, Taemin got back and found the two loves of his life smiling at each other. It was really a sweet image. He couldn’t get enough of it. The soft voice of Mai while talking to Yu Jin sound nothing like her everyday voice. It was a voice way more mature, way more filled with love and affection. He loved her mother voice. He approached them slowly and when Mai eyes crossed his, she asked about Mr. Sprout. Taemin back hugged his wife and looked at his son.
“He has your eyes you know. – He simply let out.
-Maybe. He has your nose for sure. Did you find our purple friend? – She said with a soft voice.
- I did! – He hugged her tighter.
-For real? Yu Jin-ah! Daddy is a super hero! He super hero! He found Mr. Sprout! He didn’t lose it.
-Here! – He showed up My Sprout to his son from behind his mother – Hello little boy! Mr. Sprout has returned from his walk in the garden. Let’s play together now – He spoke with a cute voice as if it was the doll.”
This is when something magical happened. A cute little sound came from Yu Jin’s throat.
“Do it again! Do it again! – Pressed Mai.
-Hello little boy~ - voiced again Taemin.”
The same sound a bit louder this time came from Yu Jin., a sound making both parents giggling and dying of cuteness. A laugh, it was a baby laughter; it was Yu Jin’s first laugh. They wanted to hear it more and more and again, so that they played with Yu Jin way much longer than scheduled…
The red apple that should have stayed green - Chapter 20 : Hope
"What are you doing here ? - lodge Kim"
Her sister was standing in the middle of the corridor talking with Jun.
"Don't look at me as if I killed the old lady, a letter came for you. It was home since 2 weeks now. Mom and Dad hided it and I just found it. Here take it, it looks like it "is" urgent. On this bye."
She walked away, closing the door behind her. Kim felt bad. She wasn't the one in fault in this story and she was maybe suffering the most about it at home. It might be hell with that suffocating mother and this never satisfied father. Kim ran out to say sorry to Hee Min, but too late she was already back in their parents' house.
She came back in blaming herself. What was that letter by the way ? Why did it arrived to her old house when the address was obviously Jun's ? There was no name on it and just and "urgent" stamp in front next to the address. She walked inside the kitchen and sat on her chair, took off her coat and scarf, and put the letter on the table looking at it wondering what it could be. Looking at it like that made her found something strange. The enveloppe has been opened once already. Was it a letter from Jinki ? Is that why her parents hided it ?! Oh freak it meant she should had have news on of him 2 weeks ago ? Does that meant she shouldn't have face all the pain ? Did her parents were the reason of her sufferance AGAIN ?! If it was it she was going to break into the neighbour house breaking everything and would come back Jun's home after to read that letter.
She opened the enveloppe and took what was in out. What was inside made her stood up, letting fall the chair on her side. Her eyes widen and her mouth couldn't be closed anymore. It wasn't a letter, it didn't need any letter. She ran out of home and rushed at the neighbour house. The door was locked she couldn't enter in. She knocked, knocked and knocked at the door, but no one was answering. She started screaming for someone to opened the door. She was so angry that tears started to come out of her eyes. Soon she was crying. Kim fell on her knees, her hand sliding against the door, still knocking for someone to open. It was so frustrating, why did her parents hide that ? Why did they had to ruin everything ?
"Go back home Kim - said the Auntie voice behind.
-I don't want, I need to know why ... I need to know Jun ! - she said crying of rage
-Do you really think this letter arrived in our home because Hee Min found the letter ? I think, your mom gave the little girl the enveloppe and told her to give it too you, because she felt so bad. If so, do you think your mother wants to see you right now. If so, do you think your mother will have the strength to face you ? If so, do you think this is the best solution to break in and destroy everything ? We always end to know why and sometimes, waiting is the solution."
Kim was looking straight in the Aunt's eyes, while she helped her to stand holding her shoulders. Jun helped her walked back and once in she hugged her. Kim grabbed Jun's shoulders and cried. It was so unfair. What did she do in her previous life to have to suffer that much in this one ? Why was life so hard with her. Once all her anger was out she came back in the kitchen facing the reason of all this. On this table there were a flight ticket. But that wasn't all. There was also this little golden shining object, saying everything without saying anything. That golden round thing being like the first star in the night sky. That so pretty ring, ending everything, starting everything.
There was a flight ticket yes, but, she didn't had her passport. She couldn't be happy, it was her mom last torture. Everything was in front of her eyes, but they were so far, so unreachable. She would never be able to take that flight, she would never be able to wear that ring. Her hand closed in a fits as her heart squeezing inside her chest. It was so frustrating.
"For when is the flight love ?
-Tomorrow, 5 p.m., but I won't go, I can't go. My mom is sending me her last gift. The worst torture. Giving me the image of hope behind the hell curtain.
-Calm down, wait a bit and go ask her your passport. I'm sure she'll give it if you go their calmly.
-You hope for too much Aunt Jun, you dream too much. I have stop dreaming a long ago, I have stop to trust her a long time ago.
-Aren't you trusting in Jinki ? Aren't you dreaming of a life with Jinki ?
-I was, I had. I'm not sure anymore. Nothing well is coming from our relationship. I always end to hurt him. I'm always making him cry. I can't give him peaceful moment. If he is with me he will suffer of other eyes judging him. If he is me he will never be happy. I'm giving up. I want him happy. I want him to smile, with his so pretty eye smile.
-Do you think he would have send you these if he wasn't sure he wanted to be with you ? Do you think he would have send a ring he wasn't sure he'll be happy ? Do you wanna hear a story of an old woman ?
-Go on ...
-Some month ago, he young man rang at my door. He was handsome and grown up. He asked me if my neighbour were still the same. When I said yes, his all face shined a way I've never saw it once. He was looking for you Kim. He got engage in your school because you were there. He waited until you remembered him, because he wanted you to recognize him. He came back to Korea for you silly girl ! Will you ruin all this because of stupid society ?"
Kim looked at Jun and then at the ring.
January 16th
Like they say , night brings counsel, and at the first sun ray Kim ran to the kitchen and stared at the ring remembering Jun's story. She was imagining Jinki smiling at the Aunt when she said she was still living here. She was remembering the way he whispered in her ear the day he replaced the old teacher. She remembered the way he took her away of class when her mask broke. She remembered the way he was so worried when she runway. She remember all the kisses, all the hugs. All the happy moment in this maze of sadness. She remembered how happy she was when in his arms. She remembered how she needed him.
She put on the pretty ring and ran to her parents house and waited in front the door. She knew at what time her mom goes out to go to the fish market, so she was there waiting until she gets out. It was cold and her breath was showing up like a little white cloud of hope going out at each hour passing out. Her mom didn't go to the fish market and lunch time break in. Kim didn't eat anything waiting for her mom.
Jun came and tried to get Kim back in, but nothing worked. Jinki did so much more for her, she needed to be strong one more time, one last time. The Aunt gave her a melon pan at least for her to eat something and left her with a sadness in her eyes.
Plane was at 5 p.m., and when 3 p.m. came her last hope, her last faith in her mother was fading away. When suddenly something hit her head. She looked on the floor where the mysterious object fall and saw something she wasn't expecting. It's was her way out, it was her pass to happiness, it was her passport. She looked up and met Hee Min's face.
"GO ! Please ran away ! Dad saw me steeling your passport. He will enclose me for days, and mom will as usual be the coward she is in front of dad's rage ! But I'll be fine, I'll be strong and when time comes, please, welcome me where you'll be. Please let me set free with you. Please never forget me. Please, send me news of you. GO NOW ! RUN NOW ! They are coming out ! Don't think ! Don't look back ! Don't worry about me ! NOOOOWWW !!! "-The little sister yelled on the verge of tears.
Kim's mind got blank for a second but the sounds inside the house woke up her. She grabbed her passport and hurried up to the next house. There she packed up everything, look at herself in a mirror, she was in such a state but never mind no time to lost on make up and looked at the clock 1:30 left. She got downstairs, took her flight tickets, did a last embrace to the warm Aunt, said how thankful she was about everything, and opened the door for a last time.
"YOU WON'T GO ANYWHERE ! - Screamed her dad."
Her dad was scary but he was slow. While he was coming inside the small front garden she dodge him and ran. She crossed a last time the little bridge down her street, passed by the crepe shop where she had so much memories, fast walked next the river where she walked hand in hand freely with Jinki for the first time and reach the main street where she took a last taxi. She looked at the clock, 1 hour left.
The taxi finally arrived at the airport. She looked at the clock 30 min left. She needed to find Jinki, and fast ! She ran inside that place looking for her checking point. She was sure he would be there waiting for her or maybe he'd have already gave up ? He couldn't ! He needed to wait, he needed to be there ! She ran and ran but this building was too big, there were too much people, to much noise making her head spin. 20 min left.
"JINKI !! LEE JINKI !!"
Where are you ? Where are you ?
She asked an employee if she knew which terminal and which check point she should register. The woman looked at her ticket and told her she was on the wrong terminal, that she needed to reach the number 2 and that she was inside the number 1. Kim forgot to breath a seconde, she needed 5 min to change terminal. She ran as fast as she could and finally catch a bus for T2.
15 min left. She was inside the right place now, she needed to find the check point. She ran with the last strength she got and when she finally found the good casher he wasn't there. Never mind, she needed to run away anyway. She gave her tickets to the man and got the last minute seat, hopefully she didn't have any luggage. The man told her to hurry or she'll miss the plane.
10 min left. She passed the security point and ran to the gate where all the passengers were boarding but one wasn't even moving, looking at the corridors. 5 min left. The flight attendant were telling him to go inside but he wasn't. He was waiting for someone late. He was looking far away on the other side of the big path where so much people where walking to reach their gate. Kim stopped keeping distance worried it could be him suddenly. What will she tell him ?
The man turned to Kim's side and their eyes crossed. It was HIM ! It was Lee Jinki ! He was so beautiful. His was wearing pretty clothes, not really coordinates, but that fitted him so well and his hair was combed so neatly. Compare to Kim who was wearing the short niece clothes, with her hair knot in a bad ponytail that failed her so many time during her course, with a tired face showing every hard moment she faced, and her skin looking like gray because of the numerous time she cried and the lack of care. He was like the sun meeting the moon. He was too shiny yet so beautiful in the moon eyes.
Kim ran without a word too him, but before reaching him she stopped. Why wasn't he reacting ? Maybe he didn't recognized her ? Maybe he wasn't waiting for her after all. She looked behind her for a bit and saw no one stopping at this gate. When she turned back to face Lee Jinki, he wasn't far anymore. He was so close to her. So close that the sun could the all the ravage on the moon face, so close that Kim got no time to thing of a word to say. The only thing she thought of was showing her answer to his question. She rose her hand showing the tiny ring on her finger looking down of shyness.
A silence settled, not an awkward silence, but a happy silence, a silence meaning so much. Until Jinki smiled the brightest smile she ever saw. That smile she missed so much, that smile healing everything. Then he did some back step, leaving Kim clueless, took a deep breathe and ran to the girl. He catch her, lifted her and started doing cercles. He was smiling, he was laughing, and so was Kim. He put her back on the floor and took her left hand in his, interweaving his fingers with hers. This hand that leaved her behind, but that hand that protected her, that hand who send the most precious gifted, was inside her again. With his other hand, still saying no words, he caressed her cheek, then her eyebrow with his thumb, her eye, tracing her nose, drawing her lips. A lonely, but happy tear come out on his eye, and Kim stretch her free hand to wipe this tear away. She had just touch his cheek when he bent forward and kissed her. His hand was still holding her head and his other let go her hand to hold Kim's hips. He tightened the hug to kissed her deeper with more passion. Then he broke it to breath. That kissed was still burning Kim's dry lips when Jinki finally said some words.
"I missed you... I'm sorry... I love you... Thank you"
How she missed his voice, how these words healed every wounds, how precious he was to her. She couldn't help but smile too, she smiled with the most peaceful heart she never had. She was smiling after so much battles, and every wounds, every pain left her body.
2 min left. He hugged her so tight next to his heart. She was feeling his chest moving at each breath in, she was hearing his heart beating, she was smelling his perfume, she was in the arms of the most precious, the most important person of her life and nothing else was necessary anymore. He was rubbing her back and she was grabbing his shirt. She was the happiest.
1 min left. The flight intendant came slowly and ask for forgiveness because she was breaking the moment but they needed to go inside the plane or they would miss it. They both looked at the woman and laughed at her apologizing face. They then felt sorry about that and bowed to her. They rushed to the entrance and gave their tickets and passport one last time.
Time. Kim looked one last time at the taxes free area, it was the last image she'll keep of Korea.
"Honey, let's go.- Jinki said to her when she saw her looking back
-Hum ! Some one told me not to look back ..."
She took Jinki's hand, leaving her country birth with a light heart.
"I'll come back to save you little sister, I promise. Be strong."
To be continued ...
HEY !!
So this was the last chapter !
Are you sad ? Maybe you happy this is finally finish XD
How did youfind this stroy ? ^^ I hope you liked it and that you like the end ^^
he red apple that should have stayed green - Chapter 19 : Wait
song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtO3-_WzLbE
"What are we doing here ?!" whispered Kim for the third time because Kibum wasn't giving her any answers. It was their old house, it was her neighbour house ! If there was a place to hide, this house would be the worst ! Kibum opened the small gate in front of the house pulling Kim in who was giving him some trouble. She didn't want to come here, it was dangerous ! "How can you enter in someone garden without permission" she murmured next to his face. All she got back were furious eyes, telling her to keep quiet and to follow him. They climbed the 3 stairs that were guiding to the entrance. The little brother knocked 3 times and a voice came from the inside. Her neighbour was coming out ! She will recognize me ! What if she takes me to my mom next door ? Kim wanted to run away but Kibum grip was really strong that she was just hurting her wrist trying. What the hell was he doing ? Did he hated her ? That why he took her there to get rid of her ? The door opened and an old woman appeared from behind. She smiled to the both kids and let them in. Kibum tear her in and made her sit on a chair in the kitchen. "Don't move from here ! I need to talk to this woman." Was that an order ? Why shouldn't she move ? Was this really a trap ? Where was Jinki by the way ? Was he fine ? Kim was missing him already. This unknown house was so big and she felt so lonely. She was freezing, her clothes and hair were soaked because of this heavy rain and she had no warm clothes to change the wet ones. She looked at the table and started making circles with her fingers. What will happen now ? Was it the end of everything ? Did society catches them up and will tear them apart ? Brr, Kim didn't want to think about that. She wanted to stay positive for once. Yes Jinki is fine, yes he will comeback for her, and they will be together at the end. First thing she really needed to get out of here ! She slowly got up from her chair and walked out of the kitchen, no one was guarding her. She ran quietly as possible to the door until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Someone caught her.
"Don't run away you stupid ! - That was Kibum.
-I'm not stupid ! And this is the worst place to be for me ! Let me go !
-Ya ! Stupid ! This is strategic ! No one sees what hides in front of their nose ! They will look everywhere but not here ! Now come back in the kitchen, sit on the chair and let me explain everything to you. Auntie gave me her words."
"Auntie ?" He knew that old woman ? Wait what ? She followed the flashy boy back to the kitchen where the woman was waiting for them. She was really small, with white hair, but her clothes were so colorful. Her eyes were still shining and her smile so warming. When Kim sat on her chair she could smell the vanilla perfume of the granny. They talked together for 1 hour. Kibum explained that when they left Korea his father couldn't bare to sell their house, so to keep it inside the family circle he rented it to the woman who raised him like his son. This woman was the second sister of Lee father's mother. When the mother passed away Lee father was placed in his aunt house, and that's how he became beholden to her.
"Auntie promise me to treat you well and to hide you from the police. Wait here until Jinki comes back.
-Mmh. Wait ? Are you leaving too ? Are you leaving me alone here ?
-I have to work. I have a room in a hotel reserved for me since 1 month. I wasn't supposed to sleep over. And it's better this way, I'm Jinki's brother, I will be a target for the police. Just stay here, be nice and quiet. Jinki will be back, and I'll try to come before I leave okay ?"
Kim grabbed Kibum sleeve before he left for real. He looked at her sweetly, saying everything is going to be okay. He pushed away Kim's hand and left in the night.
"Call me Aunt Jun. I know you are a nice girl always helping her mother. What happened for you to become homeless ?"
"Homeless", true she was homeless. Her parents sent her away and Jinki has disappeared too. She was a lost child in her own country. What was the purpose to stay here ? Suddenly her trip to Switzerland was more than needing. She didn't even answered Jun, and just went back to the chair in the kitchen. That chair was her last refuge. The last thing that was linked to Jinki. She was so lonely, so soaked, so lost.
"Go upstairs, there is a bathroom. Go take a warm bath you must be freezing. I put some clothes of my niece on the table inside and a warm towel. Go child, don't catch a cold. "
Jun was nice but Kim didn't said a word, she just walked upstairs and took a long bath. A bath where all her mind was eating darkness. Kim was fighting again that darkness, she needed to be strong. Since she met Jinki she learned to be strong, she even told her mom her thoughts. But what was the purpose to fight is Jinki wasn't here anymore ? She was scared, so scared, so weak. After putting the little bit small niece's clothes, the pain of her chest revealed itself. She couldn't stand anymore. Adrenaline was totally gone and all her wounds were screaming under her skin. She looked for a bedroom to rest when she met the granny.
"Hey, are you okay ? What are you looking for ? Hey are you listening ? "
No Kim wasn't listening her ears weren't open anymore. The only thing she could hear where her pains. Her heart was beating to strongly inside her broken chest. Se was broken, she was literally broken ..
Auntie Jun was really nice to Kim, she took care of her like a daughter. She gave Kim pain killer for days after she arrived. She took Kim to the hospital to take off the plaster of her arm. She gave her 3 meals a day, put her to bed, played with her, let her go out when her family was out. Yes Auntie Jun was nice, but Kim still couldn't say a word. Two weeks had pass and still no news of Jinki. Kibum left Korea a week ago and has promised he came to say goodbye. Kim didn't even tried to hold him back. She didn't even looked at him, all she was looking at was the kitchen table, that table she saw the first day. "Jinki had a mobile phone, why didn't he give her a call once ? Where was he ?" These questions she had on the first days she wasn't even asking herself now. She was giving up the more and more with the day flying away. Was she condamne to stay close in here forever ?
The days were a repetition of the previous one, and Kim soul was getting dryer and dryer until that day. That day the door bell rang, but Kim didn't even care, it was probably only the food delivery of Auntie Jun. It wasn't, the delivery doesn't come this late. It wasn't, the voice of the delivery boy wasn't that hoarsely. Yes the person behind the door wasn't that boy trying to pay his studies, it was Jo In Sung, the inspector. He found her back ! He pushed away the fragile Aunt Jun and ran inside the house. This is where he found Kim on that kitchen chair looking at the table. He grabbed her arm fast and was prepared of some defence technique from Kim but surprisingly she didn't even fight back. He took her with him without a word. He pull her inside a car and drive her to the police quarter in the most heavy silence. Once arrived he sat the girl on a chair, "another chair" thought Kim, and started asking questions.
"I am Jo In Sung, I am the police inspector who is in charge of your case"
Stop talking as if I was a baby, I am a big girl.
"I will ask you several questions."
Wow, you are so original.
Where is Lee Jinki ?
Don't talk about him with your dirty mouth.
"Did Lee Jinki take you away from you parents without you wanting to ?"
Don't talk about Lee Jinki, I said, it hurts ... And NO ! My parents throw me away dude !
"Did he touched you somewhere you didn't want ? "
Stop talking about him !!
"Did Lee Jinki hurt you ?"
STOP STOP STOP !!!
This conversation was hurting Kim deeply, she tried hard the last days to erase HIM for her memory but that idiot was only talking about him. She was holding back her tears because she knew that if she cried they would understand the situation wrong. Jo In Sung obviously gave up when he understood that Kim would stay mute.Then the worst that could happened, happened. Her mom rushed to the police station and ran inside to Kim. She was crying "my baby my baby". "Fake mother" Kim said. That was the first words since so many days so her voice was a bit low.
"Fake Mother ! - She yelled - Don't touch me ! Don't touch me ! I hate you ! You are the reason of this ! You are even worst than Father just go away I don't want to see you anymore ! Don't even come again crying "my baby" when you are the responsible of my nightmare ! You took away from me the person that I loved the most ! Even the man you have married GAVE UP ! Why can't you let me LIVE ! Why can't you just accept that ! I AM NOT A BABY ANYMORE ! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO ? You even lied to the police saying the worst thing ever about the sweetest ! You said he what kidnapped me ? WHO MADE OF ME A HOMELESS ? Who abandoned me on the street ! YOU DID ! I thought I could trust you ! I thought I could hold on you but you betrayed me ! And now I am alone, I am so alone ! I don't even have attached anywhere ! I homeless and you made of me a heartless ! Don't ever come back, don't ever try, or I would kill you. I'm not joking."
Jo In sung just assit at this scene powerless, he tried to stop Kim form screaming but it was pointless, her voice was so strong and powerful.
"Then you mister policeman ! Can't you do your job properly ? How can you believe only one version ?! Isn't you role to protect the innocents ? You aren't supposed to give them hell !! You aren't supposed to throw the pure soul to the devil ! How could have you done everything wrong uh ? Where is Jinki ? I don't know ! Did he kidnap me ? NO ! I gave myself to him ! Did he touch me ? Yes he did and I was happy ! Did he hurt me ? NO ! YOU ALL DID ! Is it enough inspector ? Did I answered all you questions ? Are you satisfied ? Can I go now ? Auntie Jun must be in panic ! On this bye everyone !"
She ran out before anyone could react. She took her phone and called Jun saying she was okay, that she will be back soon. That phone call surprised the granny because it was the first time Kim was talking to her.
Once at Jun's house she hugged her. She really needed a hug and the only person she could trust was the granny. Why was all Jinki's family so sweet, so nice to her when her own was only hurting her ? Why was she only comfortable in this house where she felt the worst ? Why was she finally crying after days and days holding in ? She felt the Auntie's rubbing her back softly to confort her, and they didn't move until Kim stopped crying.
"They know this house now Kim, what will you do ? My poor child, love can be so hard sometimes.
-I don't want to leave. What if Jinki arrived and can't find me?
-I see. I understand, I'll protect you Kim. I will do my best."
Why was she so nice ? It was warming Kim's heart so much.
Another week passed with several visit of Mister big inspector asking question to Kim, doing a real investigation, to find the truth, even if Kim was annoyed by him since she already told everything !
January 15th
That day everything was as usual, Kim went downtown with Eun Bi and Hanna to by cute hair accessories, then they went to the crepe shop. It was so fun to be with them both. It was like coming back in time where Jinki wasn't missing deadly. A day where the empty place of her heart wasn't beating hard because of a forbidden love. She then came back to what she called home now. That house where it had always a warm person waiting for her, that house where the food was so good. But that day when she came back, she saw someone she thought she wouldn't ever saw again ...
The red apple that should have stayed green - Chapter 18 : False Peace
song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3wjwKoTT9w
~26th December~
Someone was holding her hand, someone was running with her. Her chest was burning, her feet were hurt in her shoes, her breathe was heavy and yet she was still running. Her broken ribs weren't helping but she needed to run, they needed to escape this trap. It was night, it was raining and she kept falling on her knees but they didn't have any choices. They had to endure it. Voices could be heard from far behind them, but no time to look back.They were what they were running from anyway. Suddenly her hand ripped out of the person in front and Kim fell, her chest touched down before this time and a painful scream came out of her month. "Shush" said that person you are going to get us caught !" Too late some footsteps could be heard running in their direction ...
~ 1 Day Before - 25th December ~
Kim got finally out of Hospital ! They kept her one more day because of her runaway. But she was finally free ! A cute surprise was waiting for her in front of the hospital. Two girls were holding flowers and smiling at her. Yes, Hanna and Eun Bi came to congratulate her for her release. Kim had mixed feeling why, and how ? This is when Jinki arrived at her encounter and explain her that he told the girls about what happened.
"My poor Kimmie - said Hanna after hugging her - I had no idea ! I would have come earlier ! I would have spent the afternoon with you ! Oh ! I would have done your nails !" Hanna gave Kim her so bright smile that warmed her heart. Hanna is so cute.
"Kim ... I'm sorry. My mom locked me in for weeks when she learned ... I would have come too. - Eun Bi stretched her arm and gave her flowers to our girl - I'm happy you are in so well condition ! Well if you forget your broken arm ..." Bi was so sweet as always.
Kim felt so happy. Her friends were there, they actually, for real, were before her eyes. She was so overflowing with emotions that little happy tears fell on her cheeks, but to hide them she hugged her friends so tight. "Thank you, girls ! I love you"
She looked at Jinki to thank him to but she didn't even have to talk. He read her smile and eyes perfectly as always, so she just gave him the prettiest smile she could. "Waaaaah Kim ! What is that smile !! Oh my god I've never seen it !! Kyaaah you are so cute !" - chuckled Hanna. This remark got Kim shy and she blushed a bit.
The two girls started to walk and when their back were a bit further, Kim gave Jinki a small kiss and took his hand. She was so grateful to him in so many way, she was even wondering if she deserved all this ... They walked in the girls direction hand in hand. She felt Jinki near her ear saying "This was your Christmas present, Merry Christmas love. And ~ You are the prettiest when you smile like this. I love your smile, smile more. I'll protect it." She looked up at his face clueless, then she realized the date. She had no present for him. It was their first Christmas together and she had nothing to give him. She told him she had nothing, that she was feeling awful. How could she have forgot ? "You gave me yours yesterday." he answered and when she looked at him all she could see was his smile, his sunshine smile. Me too, I'll protect yours at all cost. There was an other good news, the Japanese mate was gone ! Yes ! She got so mad at Kim little surprise and packed everything, leaving the house to the couple. Everything seemed to end so well. Like peace after war. Even the sun was up in the sky. What a happy day. Jinki and the trio went to the crepe shop to eat their favorite. Laughs, smiles, sweets, and love. What a perfect picture in time. Hanna and Eun Bi had to go back home otherwise their mom would scold her, they gave a last hug to Kim and left smiling and waving. They were finally having time for them. Kim put her head on Jinki shoulders, she was tired of hospital. Who said hospital gives a break because it's false. She had nurse coming during night after her runaway and that made her woke up each time. She was dreaming of a good sleep in Jinki's arms. "Should we go back home ?" he ask. Home, aah what a nice word, it was their home now. Once home Jinki hold her princess like and climbed the stairs, they were entering the enemy territory. Kim liked that idea, "Let's make dirty thing in the enemy room". The bed of the Japanese girl was huge ! When Jinki had only a child size she had a King size ! He put her on the bed slowly and lied next to her. she got on her side and hugged him, putting her head on his chest so she could hear his heartbeat. His perfume was surrounding her, his soft touch on her back was so peaceful, and his hand in her hair was so nice. They wanted to go further but they stopped when they remembered in what condition was Kim's body. It was absolutely impossible without her being hurt. So they just gave up.
Kim fell asleep without even feeling it, she woke up alone and could smell the good food from downstairs. "It smells so good" she said reaching the kitchen. Jinki was wearing his apron on his jean, tasting every meal he was making. It made our girl laugh, he was so cute. She approached slowly and back hugged him, putting her head on his large back, she felt Jinki caressing her hand.
"I have something to tell you love, by the way. - he started - A good news don't worry.
-What is it ? she answered with a little voice
-My little brother, Kibum, you remember him right ? He will come here for some days.
-... Ah right ! You had... have one, oh my god I'm awful, I forgot you have one - she said while coming next to Jinki to look at him
-You forgot ! Ya you are the worst !"
He was scolding her cutely and soon they started playing catch me. Running around the table, laughing at how stupid they were. Jinki finally caught Kim and began to tickle her on her sides. She was laughing so much even it hurt yet she didn't say anything she won't to ruin everything again. She tried to stand as much as she could but Jinki was so good at this game and she end on the floor hiding under the table. He laughed at her hiding like a scared cat. He promised her not to do it again and she came out helped by Jinki's hand. She stumbled and Jinki caught her before she fall. He didn't want her to be hurt, she was already so fragile right now. She was in his arm, that little woman, that so cute woman. Jinki was looking her with so much passion, and his grip was so tight, there wasn't any space between them. He caressed her cheek and lean his head in her direction. Kim closed her eyes and felt his lips on her. His warm lips, his hand holding her face, his other one hugging her tight, and their heart beating at the same rhythm, she was so happy right now. Their story was finally starting. She opened slightly her mouth and Jinki's tongue came to play with hers. She felt like if she was melting inside Jinki's body. He was a part of her, he was so important in her life. No one could ever end their love. No one.
~ Present ~
"They are coming ! They are getting closer ! Stand up ! Please ...
-I know ! I'm trying but ... It hurts ... It hurts like hell ... -she said on the verge of tears
-OK, try to be quiet, I'm taking you on my back."
Kim whimpered covering her mouth with her hand to smother her voice when Jinki's brother piggyback her. This action took too much time though and the footsteps were coming from the street crossing theirs ...
~ 26th December - D-Day ~
They slept in each other arms this night. Yesterday was the happiest day she had since a long time. She woke up this morning hoping everyday will look like that. If only she knew ... She woke up first and looked at the peaceful and happy face of her lover. He was really so perfect. His nose, touching it slightly, his chin, kissing it, his lips, touching then kissing them. She saw a little smile brighting his face after her shy kisses. This moment broke when the alarm rang and woke up Jinki. "Fuck you alarm !" thought Kim. Jinki had to go get Kibum at the airport, Kim said that during this time she'll cook something for Kibum. She had never cook for Jinki but she was actually a good cooker. Since her mother was really awful and that she spent a year unclosed, she learned to cook. She was doing all the meal of the house during that wasted year. So she knew she could do something really good for them. She even asked what Kibum liked the most so she could do it to make him happy. When Jinki left, she gave him a good luck kiss and wave at him. She felt like a wife, it was strange, unreal yet so amazing at the same time.
She had 1 hour before they'll be home. She dressed up and went out to buy the ingredients she needed to cook Kibum's favorite meal. Going to the grosserie store, buying vegetable, meat and other thing made her feel even more like a grown up woman, like a newly married woman. She was just so happy that she came back home singing one of her favorite song, the weather wasn't really good tho. "It might rain later, why are you hiding Sun ?" pout Kim. Once home she washed the veggies and started the preparation of the food, when rain drops started to fall slowly on the kitchen's window. She was hoping that the brothers where somewhere dry. Suddenly the door bell rang, she didn't know if she should open or not. After all it wasn't really her house. She chose to look by the window, there was a man wearing a formal costume under an umbrella looking at the door which no one was opening, hopefully she locked it when she came back from store. After waiting there he came closer to kitchen, Kim turned everything off, and hide under the table. Why was she hiding, she didn't know but it was like instinct. She needed to hide from that man. she waited there about 5 min, she wanted to be sure he was gone. She looked at the window from under the table and the man was gone. Kim got up and continued her cooking. Should she talk about that man to Jinki ? Maybe not. He'll come back if it is important.
When the two men arrived the house was filled with the smell of the dish and the table was set for the 3 of them. Kibum is younger by 3 years from Jinki, but looked even younger. He was really different from his brother, his clothing style was really unique and flashy. His hair were light brown and middle part and his body was so thin. If he had been introduce as a model she wouldn't have been surprised. He was really cute though, when he saw that Kim cooked his favorite he jump in her arms with happiness. That surprised her and she didn't knew how to react. Jinki in his side was laughing so much. In her fuzzy memory Kibum was more like a shy boy crying for none sense and here he was just the opposite. Kibum was actually a fashion journalist he had to come in Korea for an article about Korean style during Christmas. His work was starting only tomorrow. He just came earlier to see his brother he missed so much.
Kibum wanted to see their old house, but Kim didn't want to go back in front of hers. She didn't want to see her mom or dad. Jinki proposed then to go there only the two of them another day. When the rain stopped , instead of the house they went on a walk near the river. All the girls were looking at the little bro with hungry eyes, it was heavy for Kim but Kibum seemed to just don't care at all. She was walking under the more and more dark sky, hand in hand with Jinki. Without her school uniform she was just a girl going out with a boy and it has a freedom feeling. Soon the rain came back, they walked fast to the house just in time before the rain became heavy again.
They were watching TV in the living room, the three of them laughing at the stupid TV show when the door bell rang.
"Who can it be ? - Jinki walked to the door and opened it - Yes ?
-Hello, are you Lee Jinki ? - a low voice, a bit hoarse asked
-Yes I am, who are you ?
-I am Jo In Sung, I am a policer officer from the station of your district. We got a complain saying that you have kidnap a minor, and that you are doing illegal thing with her. - the policeman answered
-I what ?! - spoke loudly Jinki
-I am sorry, Sir, may I enter, I need to check if this story is true.
-I don't allow you in my house. I have kidnap no one, all the people staying in this house, stays because they want to be here.
-Sir minors should live with their parents, her mom is really scared and claims her daughter. You have to let me in. - Jo In Song said rudely
-You aren't allowed !"
Jinki closed the door and ran in the living room where the young hosts were listening scared. "We have to go Kim - Jinki ordered with a trembling voice - Your mother filed a claim against me, he will come back, and won't be alone this time. I thought it was finally finish, I thought we could finally be happy, but this isn't finished. We need to be courageous one more time Kim." He ended tearing. One more time she saw him crying. One more time someone took off Jinki's beautiful smile away, once again she was the reason. Maybe she should just give up, maybe it was the way to protect her lover. Egoistically, she couldn't. She looked at Kibum, who was running to his older brother to hug him. She had to move too. She hurried in the bed room, filled a backpack of the important things and came back in the living room. The boys weren't hugging anymore and were taking food from the kitchen cupboard. Suddenly Kim saw silhouettes by the window. "They are here ! Ya Lee brothers ! They are here !!"
Jinki took the hand of the fear paralysed girl and took her behind the house. They went out by the garden, and start running but a group of policemen saw them and started running after them. The rain was wetting their body and the moon was Queen already, they could barely see where they were going. The men were closer and closer so Jinki suggested to separate in two groups so they will be harder to follow. Jinki told something in another language to Kibum, that Kim didn't understand. She felt Jinki's hand leaving hers to Kibum and Jinki ran away. No ! He couldn't leave her with Kibum ! He couldn't ran alone ! What if he get caught ? What if he gets jailed ? "Look in front of you ! - grunt the flashy boy - He will be okay, he always win Hide and Seek !"
~ Present ~
"They are so near, we need to hide fast - begged Kim
-I know, but where ? - panicked Kibum"
This street was so big, and all the street light so bright, they would be seen and catch fast. Kibum ran faster making every step hell for Kim who was trying to contain her pain. He was out breath, and his legs were bending because of exhaustion. They were running since one hour already. This is when they suddenly saw a place a to hide, the voices were getting so loud, it was just in time. It was a dark, scary deadlock, just a corner of a building. They hind behind what was once a sofa. He was forget there, waiting for time to took it away. All this alley was full with abandoned object. "Just like like me" thought Kim. "They're gone ! Let's run back track !" Kibum took back Kim's hand and pulled her again. She hadn't had time to recover from her fall and it was worst than anything. "Courage Kim ! We are near the meeting point ! You can do it ! You can do it !" - encourage this little brother. When their course ended Kim couldn't believe her eyes. Why were they here ? They run so far away ? Or they were just running in circle ? Why was she facing her neighbour's house ?
The red apple that should have stayed green - Chapter 17 : Enough is enough
song : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmc8bQoL-J0
She hopefully found a little motel to stay before going back to the hospital the next morning. Her body was a mess because of all the way she walked to find it. Her broken ribs were sending her to hell at every breathe. All she wanted was to lay down on a bed and stop moving. The lady gave her a room and ask to our girl is she was feeling okay, if she needed help or something, which she declined. She wanted just a bed. Once on the bed she closed her eyes and slept almost immediatly, "what a tiring night" she thought smiling.
The sun popsed in and woke up her. Her body was even more painful. She was regretting the painkillers suddenly but she needed to move. She needed to go back to the hospital before anyone knew she runaway last night. she went downstairs painfully and paid the lady for her night. She asked her if she could call a taxi for her and so she did.
The taxi driver was so talkative and it was tiresome. She wasn't even answering only him was talking. He was growling at everything as if Kim cared.
Once they arrived at the hospital she got out as fast as possible. She couldn't bare that driver anymore and she needed to rush before the first nurse get in her room. What was her surprised when she saw her mom crying in the middle of the hall with her sister looking so worried and Jinki being scolded by both. He was bending apologizing to them.
"You told me you'll take care of her ! You said you'll look after her ! Why ? How could you let that misfortune happened ?!"
"She is going to be back, right teacher ? She is going to be okay right ? My sister is not gone ? She didn't ran away forever ?"
What was this theater ? What happened there ?
"Mom ?" She said touching her shoulder. But she didn't even seem to felt it. "Mom ! MOM !!" she yelled in the hall. This is when her mother looked at her. "My baby, my heart, thank you god , thank you ! You alright ? You not hurt right ? What happened ? Who told you to ran away ? Did he ? Did you ran away because of him ? Answer me !?" she yelled while shaking Kim. That shake was making her messy body even worst. How could she think that it was Jinki's fault ? How could she can't even think that it was her decision ? Why were adults all the same, blaming everything on Jinki ?! She screamed to her mom that she was hurting her but she didn't listened to it. She was convince that Jinki was in for something ! Kim had enough, that last drop that makes water overflew. Kim pushed her mother hands off her body and start :
"First of all STOP shaking me that way it hurts as fuck ! Second why are you blaming Jinki ? Does he look like he planned it ? Does he look like he knew ? NO ! You are all the same ! You are all blaming Jinki on what I do ! How can't you not see that he takes so good care of me ? How can't you see that this is all my fault ? Why can't you just assume that I did it by myself ? Aaah ~ because I have a nice girl image ? Well enough is enough ! I am tired to be a good girl ! I am tired to listen and obey to you, who gives orders via father ! I am tired to try to fit the perfect image you want me to be ! I am not perfect ! I do mistakes ! You know why all this happened ?! You why you found me bitten in the dark ? It happened because I stayed here ! Jinki told me to go out the school before something bad happen, but I said no ! I still wanted to prove you that you could be proud of me ! I want to show you, the people that throw me away, my diploma saying "Mom, Dad, I made it" but now I'm tired of this ! Don't look at me like that Mom, yes you send me out of the house ! You did it knowing that I won't be able to come back because of this stubborn man! You knew he wouldn't let you meet me again but still you did it ! But great ! It gave me a lesson ! The teachers, you, father, you are all the same ! Assuming I can't do anything by myself ! But too bad for you all, I can assume myself without all of you covering me with cotton ! How can the only ones who listen to me, to my heart are Jinki and the ocean ? You see I went to meet it last night I needed to think of something and it listened to me without judging ! They both listen to me like you never did ! You never see when something is going wrong, you always wear a voile in front of your eyes hiding reality but I know more than you how world is trashy ! I know better than anyone that is world is hard ! Stop thinking I am made of glass because I would have broke already ! You should free Hee Min too ! Poor Hee Min nose bleeding with all the time she is studying in her room getting almost no sleep before the tests ! Poor Hee Min crying at the results ! Can't you see how stressed she is ? Can you see how much pressure you are putting on her ? I won't be there anymore to put her to bed at incredible hour ! I won't be there protecting her ! So Mom you should do it ! Stop being scared of that man ! Free Hee Min ! She is the scared child ! Take care of her instead of taking care of me because I don't nee it anymore ! She deserve more attention than me, just give up on me and go back home, now."
She ended out of breathe, out of voice. He chest was burning. She asked Jinki to hold her. Her legs was giving her up and she couldn't be weak in front of her Mom after her monologue. "Let's go in my room Jinki" she said and he brought her there. Once inside and the door closed, he told her that she shouldn't have, her Mom was really worried when the hospital called her you had disappeared. Kim couldn't agree. She told him that it was needed, her mother was too protective with her and that she couldn't bare anymore all these adults blaming him for her attitude. The conversation stopped here because a nurse irrupted in the room and started to install her in that bed again and checking her health. Once the nurse gone she sat in her bed and looked straight in the eyes of Jinki and told him the most important sentence of her life : "I will follow you, when I'll be able to fly, I will go with you in Switzerland. Before you asked, yes I am sure of myself."
The red apple that should have stayed green - Chapter 16 : Delivrance
"Kim ?! KIM !"
That's voice ... she knew that voice ...
~____________________________________________~
Mom ? She woke up in that white room alone. She was so tired that her eyes could hardly stayed open. She turned her head to see the door from which someone was coming. When the woman saw Kim awake she smiled "Oh ! Doctor ! Doctor - she yelled in the corridor - she is awake ! She is back to us."
Back ?
"You scared us young girl, but now you are awake, it's a relief"
Is it ?
"Can you look at me ? Do you understand what I say ? Move your finger if you can't talk."
She moved her hand.
"Great ! The doctor will be here soon, ok ?"
Mom ?
"Why do look around ? Family ? ... Ah ... your tutor will be contact soon don't worry."
Tutor ? No Mom ? ...
The woman left the room letting Kim alone who fell asleep. She woke up again because of all the noise in her room. There was a full group of doctor observing her, doing some test to see if everything was alright. One of them smile at her and tried to reassure her. He played with his light in Kim dry eyes which hurt a bit and smiled again. "Everything seems alight girl, we are going to do you a MRI to check if it is really good." When they moved her bed she realise how her body was painful. Her right arm, some ribs and her wrist were broken. Her whole body was hurting as hell. As if some truck drove on her.
How many time ? What day ?
She wanted to know but no words could come out. After all her exams she got back to the white room and fell asleep again. She was so tired.
When she opened her eyes it was all dark outside. And Someone was holding her hand.
Mom ?
She turned to face that person but no it wasn't her mom. It was Jinki. She saw some tears falling on his cheeks. "Thank you god, thank you" he was saying. She tried to say something but nothing came. She could only saw him cry. He was hurt too. His hand had a bandage, and a band-aide was on his forehead. She finally got him really hurt. When he finally looked at her he saw some disappointment in her eyes. He knew why and started "... I'm sorry Kim" it wasn't starting well. "School called your parents, and end on your father. He said... -he stop to hold back some tears- he said that he has nothing to do with someone who ran out of his house. So he said that he wasn't going to come to take care of you. I went to your home to convince him. But ... but he even forbid your mom and sister to come. I am so sorry Kim. It's all my fault, I didn't protect you. I am so ..." He couldn't hold back anymore.
No ... Mom ?
Tears fell from Kim eyes. Her family really abandoned her. She was really left alone and the only person who cared about her was hurt because of her egoist self. She couldn't hold Jinki's hand anymore, she was feeling so guilty. She released his hand but he didn't. He was still holding it crying as apology. She couldn't look anymore and so she turn her head to face the window looking outside. There she met her reflection. That window returning her image made her hate everything. She hated her, why did she doubt at the crucial moment ? Why didn't she make a choice before Jinki got hurt ? Why didn't she tried to escape before everyone get hurts ? Eun Bi, Hanna, her mom, her sister, her love ... everyone. How could she be allow to love Jinki ? She didn't deserve him. She was hateful, she was pitiful ... Look at you Park Kim, you are horrible, pitiful, hateful. What did you do with your life .
One day, two days, three days, a week, hospital was suffocating, she was in a golden cage. The white walls were closing her from outside, the ceiling was compressing her heart, the window was showing her happy child with their family and it was hurting her deeply. She wanted to escape, she was going crazy, she couldn't breath anymore here. She still wasn't able talk but she needed fresh air, she needed to feel something. She wanted to smell something different from the hospital and death perfume, she wanted to feel the wind on her face, she wanted to walk out of her room or corridors even if it hurts. Even if it hurts, this is what would prove her she is still alive. She took a piece of paper and wrote her destination on it. She waited for Jinki's, and doctor's visit and until her service got empty. At that moment she wore her casual clothes, took her money and her paper. She carefully walked in the corridors until she reached the hall of the hospital. There she acted as normal as possible and got out. She waited for a taxi and got inside, she gave her paper and the man looked at her strangely. "There ? Right now ? Ya little girl you know what time is it ? You're going to get a cold !" But seeing that the girl wasn't answering and wasn't even looking at him made him give up and drive. He drove for one hour. One hour where Kim eyes got lost in the horizon, with a blank mind. One hour that seems never-ending but when the car stopped and the door opened the fresh wind welcomed her. The salty wind of the sea touch her lips and caressed her cheeks. She felt like if the wind was hugging her to comfort her torn soul. Every step was painful and when she finally reach the beach she took off her shoes and walked in the sand. That feeling, the cold sand covering her feet, made her close her eyes at each step. She walked until she reached the sea, there she waited for a wave to cover her feet. It was cold outside, and the water was freezing but whatever. She was having emotions again, she could feel once again. It was cold, and ? It was night and ? The wind was strong, and ? Her body was even more painful because of the cold , and ? If these affected her it meant that she was alive. She was still breathing, life hadn't left her. She opened her unbroken arm facing the horizon, her heart was free, she was free of all her burden here. She closed her eyes and some tears fell off them, but a smile came on her face. That smile which was nowhere to be found these past few days. That emotion which had faded away, was back. She took a deep breathe to fulled her lungs of this pur air, and took her decision.
That decision that will make everything change ...
