Eyes With Secrets

30

                                                                [5 YEARS LATER]

"Miss Park, your meeting with Seattle Publishing Enterprises has been pushed to four. Is that okay?" asked Ana, my personal assistant.

"Oh yes. That's fine. Thanks, Ana." I replied and gave her a warm smile. She always worked so hard. 

My phone rang a few minutes later, and I saw that it was Areum. She was so busy with work these days, that I rarely got to hang out with her.

"Seattle Independent Publishing." I said as I picked up the phone. I liked kidding around with her.

"Hey cut the jokes." she said.

"Yeah yeah how have you been?"

"I've been so busy!! Aaah it's so hard here in Seattle. Why didn't you tell me it'd be this hard?" Areum was doing a medical internship here in Seattle. I moved to Seattle right after I finished my studies, to join a publishing house as an editor. I worked under so many people for three years, and now I finally got to Main Editor. But this wasn't easy either. And I'm sure Areum was having a hard time too. She had moved here just a couple of months ago. She would be able to work after a year of internship, because apparently, Asian education isn't enough to treat patients in The U.S .

"I didn't know how hard medicine would be dear." I replied.

"Yeah...Anyways, I can get off the hospital early. Let's grab some drinks? I invited someone else as well." she said, and I could hear the smirk in her voice.

"Who'd you invite?" 

"Mun." she said giggling.

"YOU INVITED MUN?! OMG I HAVEN'T SEEN HER IN SO LONG!!!" I shouted through the phone. I was so excited. I could hang out with Mun and Areum after years now together.

"And Taehyung." she said, her voice slowly fading.

"What?" I asked, the shock visible in my voice. 

"I'm sorry, I just wanted all of us together."

"All of us? Who else is there?!" 

"Um, Jungkook....?" her voice was nearly a whisper now.

"I'll text you." I said and hung up. 

I didn't know how to process all this.After Jimin had left, I distanced myself from everyone except Mun and Areum. Taehyung and Jungkook dropped out of school because they didn't want to contribute to my hurt. I isolated myself, didn't go out with friends, and stayed in all the time. I left Seoul as soon as I finished my high school and came to Seattle. Mun had settled in Portland, and was continuing her studies in a university there. Taehyung moved in with Mun almost a year back, and they got married right after Areum moved to Seattle. Their wedding was the only time I saw Taehyung and his family after 'the incident'. I couldn't even bring myself to talk to Taehyung, Jungkook or even their mom. Now going out with them? But Mun and Areum would be there too. It's not like I can distance myself from their boyfriends for my whole life. I had to do it one day or the other. 

I decided to go. I texted Areum saying I'd be there and asked her to send me the location. My meeting would get over by five, so I had enough time to get dressed and reach the location. I can't show up in my work clothes, it's embarrassing.

I was nervous the entire day because I was going to see Taehyung and Jungkook. Honestly, we did become friends in high school, but I ended things with them like it didn't mean anything. I was hoping they'd forgive me as well.