November 10
Yura woke up and made herself a coffee. It was 10 now. Her cell rang. It was Hongbin.
"So the task we've given you ..... is it alright? will you be able to complete it?"
"I will, in 3 days" She took another sip.
"Well thats great. Yura will you do a favour for your oppa?"
"Sure. Just ask."
"Visit him. Its his birthday."
Yura remained silent. "Will it be ok for me? and for him? I dont want another rumor, or not even in reality. It was really bitter back then. "
"Yura.... just meet him today. Its his special day.... as a friend. Make him socialize a bit again. I miss calling him Leo and make him stop smoking. Jebal.... i am counting on you." He hung up without listening to Yura's reply.
"I wont be able to go back...." She put down the cup. "But he said he is counting on me....Well its a party... Hongbin oppa will be there too. I'll take his help as well." Yura started preparing for the party. She went out for a little shopping, bought a gift for him, bought a dress for the party, waited for the day to pass away and the night to prevail.
7:30 pm
Taekwoon took slow steps towards the door. He yawned and scratched is head. "I told that beanie not to disturb me on my birthday..." He moaned a little. "That damn Hongbin..."
He opened the door and raised his hand towards his mouth to cover it while yawning. What he saw was Yura standing in a black dress covering her thighs. His hand remained in that position.
"Why are you so shocked? Can't I visit you on a birthday?" She said.
Taewkoon's eyes bulged out glaring just at her. He lowered his hand and closed his mouth.
"I think oppa hasn't told him about the party.... he doesnt look prepared." Yura thought. "Were you sleeping?"
He nodded and closed the door.
She took out her cell phone to text Hongbin to come early. “Here I bought cake for your birthday party.” Yura handed over the packed cake to Taekwoon. “Should we prepare some other dish? Hongbin oppa and Jieun songsaengnim will also be here so…” Yura stopped and read the reply from Hongbin.
“Yura we can’t come today, something came up. Please apologize to Taekwoon on our behalf.” That was the reply Hongbin sent. Yura’s face tensed up.
Taekwoon was standing there looking at her with astonished expression. He wasn’t sure what to do.
“I don’t want to disappoint you but they aren’t coming. I am really sorry. We have to celebrate it together. Lets make it a memorable day. JJANG.” She smiled at him. “You haven’t spoken a single word. Have you forgotten how to speak?” Yura asked. “OK… I won’t force you to speak. Let’s make some side dishes and eat the cake first.”
Yura went to the kitchen and Taekwoon followed her.
“Hmmmm… let’s take a look what we have here.”
“There’s no use… You won’t find anything healthy or edible. I’ll go and buy.” He went outside and Yura stopped searching for anything. Taekwoon’s words pierced her heart like a sharp knife.
She sat on the chair in the kitchen and placed her elbows on the table. Her hands stroked through her hair. She felt like she would never be able to stand up.
“How was he living up till now? This question haunts me. He looks so unhealthy and sad.” She thought and couldn’t stop herself from weeping. She constantly wiped away her tears. Her heart was in intense pain.
Taekwoon came back with some packed food. He saw her weeping. He placed the food on the table and took out the cake from fridge. He set the table and unpacked the food. He took out the candles he bought for the cake. Yura’s tears weren’t taking a break. She was trying hard not to cry out loud. He lighted the candles through his lighter.
“Yura… can I cut the cake?” He asked in a very low tone.
“Huh?”
“I said stop crying.”
“I am really so-rry.” She wiped her tears and wore a fake smile on her face.
“I didn’t tell you to smile.”
“I am sorry …. Gyoso……” She terminated the word Gyosonim.
Taekwoon blew the candles and cut the cake.
“I wish time would stop here…” He stared into her eyes and she stared back with swollen red eyes.
They ate the meal together but most of it remained as it is.
“Shall I show you my gift?”
He nodded.
She handed him the gift. He took it to his room and then came back.
“Have you seen it?” She asked.
“I thought you were the gift.”
She remained quiet. “Should we watch a movie?”
He again nodded. “
“Good… I bought a CD as well.” She smiled excitingly. “Its horror genre.”
“UM…..why didn’t you put on makeup?”
“I did but it isn’t too evident.”
“Can I put it on?” He said shyly.
“Ahh… do you know how to do it?”
“A bit…. Since you taught me how to stroke a brush. I want to paint you.”
She looked at him and he stared back. “OK…”
They both went to the bedroom and she sat on the chair in front of the mirror. She took out lipbrush and eye liner.
“Here…”
Taekwoon took both. He sat on his knees and looked at her face. She avoided his stare.
“Close your eyes Yura.”
She obeyed. He took the eye liner and drew a slightly fine line on both eyes.
“Can I open eyes now?”
“Ani…” He checked all the colors for the lip shades. He chose the hot pink color and took some portion of it on the brush. He came closer to her face and placed the brush on her upperlip. He was so close to her face that she could feel is breath on her face. She opened her eyes and found his face really close to her face, his lips near her lips, his nose near her nose.
“Close your eyes Yura.”
She again fulfilled his order.
He filled her lower lip with the lip color. “Open your eyes now.”
She opened her eyes and saw herself in front of the mirror. She turned her face to Taekwoon. “Your strokes have improved.” She smiled. He didn’t respond.
“Your silence kills me.” She said while looking at herself in the mirror.
He kept on staring at her but didn’t utter a single word.
She smiled. “So you don’t care if I die.”
“You liar….. You won’t die.” He said with a poker face.
“You are right. I won’t die. I died a long time ago.” She again slowly turned her face towards Taekwoon. “Won’t you change your clothes too? It seems you got off the bed just now. Go and wear what I bought you.”
He stared at her for some moment and took her present to open it. It was a black hoodie. He smiled at it and looked at her.
“I couldn’t think of something else. If you don’t like it, don’t wear it then.”
He came closer to her chair and placed his hand on her mouth. “I’ll wear it. So stop complaining.” He removed his hand. He took off his shirt and wore the hoodie. “Is it alright?” He asked.
She nodded.
“I don’t want to watch a movie.” He said.
“Really then let’s do something else. What you wanna do? Tell me.”
“Dance with me.”
“Uh… that…… Well I don’t remember that well.”
“Its alright.”
She looked at him. He came forward towards her chair and bowed.
“Shall we?”
“Without music?”
“Hm…” He nodded.
“Ye…”
He held her hand and she stood up. He placed his hand on her waist and with other hand, he held her hand. She placed the other hand on his shoulder and they danced slowly.
“How is it? Without music?” He asked.
“Umm its nothing change.” She chuckled and he smiled. She glanced at him.
“Why did you come to Yongin?” He asked while dancing.
“Hongbin oppa asked me to do some art work and help him. So I am living in an apartment.”
“Since when?”
“It’s been 1 week.”
He stopped dancing and released her. “So you came here for Hongbin.”
“Ye…” She hesitated to look at him.
“Did Hongbin ask you to come and visit me?”
“Ye… Are you mad now? But I wanted to come and meet you.”
“Yura… you won’t ever realize. Never.”
“What?”
“Uh…” He felt annoyed.
“Gyosonim…” She suddenly hugged him. “I am sorry. Please don’t be mad.” She closed her eyes while placing her head on his chest. “It’s your day… so please.”
“How can I be mad at you…” He hugged her back. He separated a little and looked into her eyes while grabbing her arms. “Can I erase the 3 years distance?”
“Hm…” She nodded.
He leaned in closer again and cupped her jaws with one hand while grabbing her hand with the other hand tightly.
She hesitated and tried to mover her head away but his grip over her jaws was strong.
“Didn’t you say yes? Then don’t hesitate. Close your eyes.”
She did as he said. She felt warmth of his slightly wet lips over her lips. It was soft like flower petals.
“How did you manage to live without me?” He asked.
She exhaled with closed eyes. “I… I told you … I died a long time ago.”
“Open your eyes.”
She opened her eyes and his lips were the first thing her eyes saw. He bit his lower lip. “Do you love me that much?” He smirked.
Her other hand was still in his grip. She moved her face away and squinted her eyes. “I….I don’t know…..”
“Then should I help you to find out the answer?”
He again leaned and kissed her more passionately. He placed his hand on her neck to draw her closer.
“I can kiss you all night, if you want to…”
She was breathing heavily. “I’ll die of heart attack.”
He giggled “I thought you were dead.”
“I don’t know…” She tried to loosen his grip over hand.
“I want to do things against your will tonight. Stay with me.”
She looked at his eyes.
“Don’t give me that look. You made me suffer a lot. You should suffer a bit too.”
“You look funny saying that with lip color stain on your lips” She said with a serious tensed look.
He licked is lips and removed the stains through his hand. “Well I don’t care as long as it’s yours.”
He stared into her eyes with intensity. “Sleep with me… just sleep. It’s my birthday and I didn’t like your gift. So, do it for me.”
She felt helpless and she couldn’t refuse. He seemed more healthy and satisfied.
Both went to the bed and she laid down. He grabbed her hand tightly and kissed it.
“Please keep your promise of just sleeping.” Her body was trembling.
He gave her a cold stare with his warm eyes. “Neither will I sleep nor will I let you sleep tonight. I am afraid if I sleep, I’ll lose you when I wake up.”
“Don’t worry, that won’t happen.”
“Liar.” He kissed her lips.
“Please I’ll die…”
“You never ask me to stop.”
“Lets just sleep quietly. Or let me sleep…”
“Then don’t blame me afterwards.”
“This is torture.”
“You tortured me for 3 years although you knew how I felt about you.”
“I won’t leave you this time, so please let me go.”
He exhaled. “I’ll sleep with you. Just sleep. Now close your eyes.”
She shut her eyes the next second. After a few seconds she opened her left eye to take a glance at him. He was awake staring at him. She closed it.
He weakly smiled at her. “If this is a dream… I want to dream it for eternity.”

Notes