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Six and a half years later…

Seunghee has been a respected piano teacher/tutor to children from six to twelve years old. She’s also working as a composer, writer and producer at currently one of the top music studios in South Korea, Cube entertainment. She’s been working ever since she graduated, fully concentrating on sharpening and perfecting her talents and skills and ultimately succeeding in her career.

As she prospers in her profession and career, nothing has changed with her matters of the heart. The last guy in her life is Taehyung. And that ended more than eight years ago, shortly after they started dating. She just couldn’t be happy with him. She couldn’t be happy with any other guy. No matter what Taehyung did for her, it wasn’t enough. Cuz the mere sight of him makes her reminisce someone else. Someone far more precious than him. Someone she’s bound to treasure even more. And it constantly puts her to damnation. And this probably is her lifelong punishment.

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She walks down the corridors of the Cube office, yet for another producing day for an upcoming girl group. She enters the recording room and the younger ones politely greet her.

“Anyounghaseyo Oh-nim!” a couple of teenage girls greet.

She smiles back and greets in return, “Anyounghaseyo.”

The vocal trainer and arranger, is already sitting down in front of the booth, readying the technical aspects of the recording.

“Anyounghaseyo, Kim-nim,” she greets her senior.

“Anyounghaseyo, let’s start right away. We’re behind schedule,” Mr. Kim replies.

“Okay,” she says and sits on her designated seat.

The upcoming group is recording for their first mini album to be out a few months later. Seunghee writes all the songs in the album and also produces it all. She has been working on this project for the past year already and it’s about time the group debut.

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After a few hours, the recording has ended. Walking by the corridors of the building, she picks up her phone from her bag with someone calling.

“Hansol? Where are you?” she says. “Alright, I’ll meet you up at the entrance.”

She gracefully walks down the aisles, going out of the building. And there she meets the guy waiting for her. An all grown up Hansol, who looks most gorgeously handsome in his mid-twenties. He coolly stares at her as she approaches and the moment she’s near, offers his arm for her to hold onto. She instantly loops her arm with it as they walk on together.

“You’re really leaving tonight?” Seunghee asks.

“Yah, I can’t postpone this flight the third time noona,” Hansol answers.

They walk past the exit and off to his car, waiting just outside the lobby. They hop in, with Hansol on the driver’s seat. They’ve put the seat belts on and are ready to go for lunch. Hansol faces Seunghee with a serious look on his face.

“But if you tell me to stay, and just accept me, I’ll put everything on hold and-”

But Seunghee cuts him before he can even finish, “Nope. I will never tell you to do that. So go on and leave. Make your dreams come true.”

Hansol pauses for a bit staring back at her. She only grins at him and caresses the side of his face saying, “Go.”

After a moment, they quit the drama and face front, all set for the lunch awaiting them at their reserved restaurant.

“Alright, then let me treat you to lunch before my departure tonight.”

“Yah. Anyways, I can’t cancel on my appointment tonight so I can’t probably send you off.”

“It’s okay. I’ll come back soon anyways.”

This remark makes her head turn.

“What? I thought it’s for good now? What’s the meaning of this Hansol?” she inquires a bit irritably.

Hansol laughs at her, “I’m just taking a break noona.”

“Ah… you liar. You’ve been making fun of me again!”

“It’s always fun teasing you noona.”

Hansol continues to laugh as he drives off to their destination. Seunghee just sighs at him. They are friends. And they keep it that way. And no one can possibly break their 25-year-old relationship. Hansol came back after she graduated and studied music in Korea. He’s staying for good and works as a professor in a performing arts university. But lately, he has an offer for an overseas employment back in New York. And when he said he’s flying back to New York, Seunghee automatically thought that he’s taking the offer. But obviously that’s not the case. So Seunghee nags at him over and again till they arrive at their fave restaurant.

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After Hansol has dropped her off in her office building, she gets a call from Areum who’s now working at SME with Sehun. Luckily, they both caught the big fish on first try and they’re now on their 9th year in the company. She answers it quickly since it’s very seldom that Areum has time to call her.

“Unnie, how are you doing?” she says with her phone on her ear.

– ‘Hey there. I’m dropping by at your place tonight. I have left some free time for you. Update me with the recording process.’ – Areum replies.

“Well, the very busy lady desires to see me now? Sur- But wait! I have an appointment tonight!” she jokes.

– ‘Is that someone more important than me?” –

“Well, it’s a possible client. So-“

– ‘Cancel on that, I have bigger clients to refer you.’ –

“Haha. You never change unnie, alright. She wasn’t really interested though. But Hansol’s flight is tonight too.”

– ‘He’s old enough to handle himself. Don’t tell me you’re still looking after him? In what way huh?’ –

“Stop with the malice. Alright, alright. I won’t see him off just to cut your imagination.”

– ‘You’re still an overprotective older sister. Just drop the act and date him! He waited long enough.’ –

“That’s never gonna happen, you know that.”

– ‘Alright, we’ll add that to the talk later. Just open your door for me okay?’ –

“Yeah, I’ll serve some of your favorites later.”

– ‘That’s what I love most about you Seunghee. And I’ll drag Sehun over if I get to see him.’ –

“Ah, never mind. Oppa’s married to his work. Are you even still his wife? It now seems like you’re the third party.”

– ‘Don’t worry, he always makes it up to me every time. And we’re planning to have the little ones. Oops! I’ll talk about that later.’ –

“Really!? That’s just great news unnie! 8PM sharp okay? I’ll wait for you.”

– ‘Yeah, I’ll be there. See yah. I’ll hang up now.’ –

“Okay, bye.”

Seunghee smiles to herself as she enters the building. It’s almost never that she gets to see Areum and Sehun. The couple has been married for 5 years now and they’re finally considering the bump. It excites her to talk about it with Areum. It’s a new milestone for her beloved unnie and oppa.

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Before going home and meeting Areum and probably Sehun, she drops by at a café/souvenir shop. She barely had any chance to visit there and today, she has something for the little ones. She enters the shop with a couple of toys she bought from the department store before going there.

“Ahjumma!!” two little kids run to her. They’re actually twins, a boy and girl, both six years old.

“I missed you guys! Here, have these,” she hands the toys to the two.

“Thank you! Eomma! She gave me some lego!” the boy exclaims running to the counter.

The girl hugs her before smiling her sweetest and saying a very nice, “Thank you!!” for the teddy bear, before running somewhere inside the kitchen.

At the counter, there is Nayeon, looking good in her late twenties. Seunghee reconciled with her the moment she came up to her saying she’s pregnant six years ago. And she couldn’t really bear not forgiving her then. It was all in the past and she had someone she treasured more by then. And right now, she owns this place and those two little darlings are her son and daughter.

“You finally made it,” she welcomes Seunghee.

Seunghee approaches her and sits in front of the counter. “I’ll have a cup of latte please.”

“A cup of latte, coming up!” Nayeon gladly replies.

“So how’s business going?” she asks.

“Fairly well,” Nayeon answers as she brews the drink. “Just little busier cuz the twins don’t want to stay at home.”

“Serves you right,” Seunghee laughs at her.

“And Seungcheol is always busy in the kitchen. Trying to make something new.” Nayeon adds.

“Experimenting huh?” Seunghee turns at a corner and finds Jisoo and Sojung sitting. Seems like they are in a deep conversation that they didn’t notice her come in. “What’s wrong with those two? Always talking in secrecy.”

“It seems like Jisoo is convincing her to come with him to California. But she can’t leave her grandma,” Nayeon gossips at her.

“Oh… that’s a crisis.”

She looks over at the two and finds it intriguing why they haven’t decided to marry yet. They’ve been going out for eight years, long enough to call a wedding.

Right that moment, Seungcheol goes out of the kitchen carrying his cute daughter. He growls, complaining, “Not another one Seunghee. Her room’s almost crowded with bear stuff. How about some panda next time?”

Seungcheol, father of two and husband to Nayeon whom he married right after graduation, approaches Seunghee with his little girl. All aged, but still a certified visual.

“Okay, I’ll give her a panda or an otter next time…” Seunghee just rolls her eyes at the nagging father. “Why are you always so uptight when it comes to your daughter?”

“You’ll know when you have one. Go get a boyfriend and marry already. So you’ll stop bothering the kids.”

He doesn’t really mean anything but when it comes to this issue, Seunghee is always sensitive. She always remembers only one person. And he’s not oblivious to that fact. That moment, she displays a very down expression, making Nayeon throw a piece of coffee bean at Seungcheol mouthing at him to say sorry to her. Seungcheol refuse to do so anyways.

But in an instant Seunghee picks up the gloomy mood and smiles at them. “I’ll definitely find that someone someday. And you’ll all be invited on our wedding! You just watch out for it Seungcheol.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he replies as he rolls his eyes.

Nayeon sighs relieved. She knows her friend has it tough these past few years.

Not long later, Jisoo and Sojung joins them at the counter and the group have a good chat about work, how they’ve been and just normal stuff they enjoy talking about.

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It’s another day again, she opens up her shop just like any other day. She readies everything. From arranging the seats to dusting off the piano. She looks forward to teaching her students another delightful day of music.

She sits in front of the piano and begins playing something of the past. She has no idea why, but suddenly, she feels like playing this piece from her college years. She smiles to herself. It’s been a while she heard this song and all the sentimental feelings wrap her up once again. And for her not to burst out crying, she pauses and decides to halt playing. She heaves a deep sigh and tries to calm herself. She turns to the glass wall to relax but surprisingly sees someone walking past the street just in front of her private studio. It bewilders her, throws her out of balance after being stable these past eight years. It feels like she’s seeing a ghost from her past. Then she utters the name she’s been missing and longing for all these time, unable to process if it’s true and real.

“Jeonghan?” with wide eyes she makes a run for it, out of the studio.

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To be continued…

(16.11.28)