Strawberry Wine

ten

Chae Young noticed that Jennie's guitarist friend was suddenly spending a lot more time in the library. Sometimes, when they passed each other, he would attempt to make small talks in whispered Korean.

She didn't think much of it. Not even when he'd come and sit next to her. But when Jennie began begging her to join them for lunch, she noticed that the rest of her friends except for Chan Yeol were nowhere to be found. Sometimes, Kai would sit with them, but most times, he was also 'busy with something', as Jennie would explain. Chan Yeol was straightforward and made conversations easy. He had a confidence that most people would find attractive. Chae Young was not so naïve as to miss the way he was paying attention to her. She began coming up with excuses to not sit with them. There was nothing in particular that Chae Young disliked about him. In contrary, she could list off a lot of reasons to like him. But, she just wasn't willing.

She had taken to visiting a café right outside the campus. The café served machine coffee and they were always out of one thing or another, but Chae Young liked the place for it. It kept the campus crowd away. Most times, it was people like her who wanted to eat alone that visited the place.

Once after lunch at the café, Chae Young was packing up to return to class when her eyes caught the customer who had just entered. It was not so much the person himself, but the small pot of white daisies he was carrying in his hand.

The corner of her lips twitched into a faint smile. The man must have seen her looking because he smiled back.

"I love daisies," Chae Young found herself blurting as an explanation.

"Me too," he replied. "These are for my girl."

"Are they her favorites?"

"No... but she reminds me of daisies." He chuckled abashedly.

"That's so sweet." Chae Young reached out and touched the white delicate petals. "She must be a beautiful person."

"Yes, she is such a pure soul."

"He is too," she heard herself say and then froze, shocked at her own impulsive words.

"Your boyfriend?" the man asked.

Chae Young had to collect herself before responding. "Um... someone I know."

"I see."

"Well... enjoy your coffee." Hastily, Chae Young rushed out of the café.

She tried not to linger on it, but it crept up on her when she was on bed, trying to fall sleep.

"Tokki-ah," she whispered his name. The name felt as out-of-place as speaking Korean inside the campus. She wondered how he was, where he was, and if he ever thought of her.

In her dream, Jung Kook sat on the edge her bed looking older than she remembered him to be. She wanted to touch his hand, but she couldn't reach him. She tried to move closer but he was still out of reach. Her body wouldn't move. Jung Kook sat there, looking desolate and small and it hurt her. Frustrated, she called his name. He did not respond. Instead, he buried his face in his hand and his shoulders quivered with silent tears.

"Tokki-ah, I'm sorry," she said, as her own tears began to flow. "I'm so sorry." She repeated it and cried with him until she woke up.

"Rosie, I need to talk to you," said Jennie, barging into the room straight after class.

Chae Young had been expecting it. "Alright."

"Well, not me," Jennie rectified, "Chan Yeol wants to talk to you."