Yours For The Weekend

9

Jisoo's POV

As I caught a glimpse of Chaeyoung's beaming face, I couldn't help but feel overjoyed for her. Despite not having seen her in years, I kept up with her life on social media. I know it may sound strange, but seeing her flourish as a well-known artist brought me immense happiness. In fact, I even purchased a few of her breathtaking paintings at an auction and managed to persuade restaurant, café, and diner owners to display them. It may have been more challenging to convince them had it not been for Chaeyoung's reputation, but the fact that they recognized her work made it easier for me to persuade them. In the end, they were grateful to have her pieces on display.

But why go through all that trouble instead of keeping the paintings at home? To me, Chaeyoung's creations were meant to be seen by the public, not just by me. I firmly believe that her works of art deserve to be admired by many.

As we walked through the school's hallways, Chaeyoung nodded towards a door and remarked, "Oh, this is the laboratory." It had been years since I set foot in the school, but I occasionally dropped off books at the library upon the librarian's request. When she pointed to the rooftop and asked if it was still accessible, I had to break the news that they had just installed massive windows.

"The rooftop used to be so pretty," she reminisced as she gazed outside the window. The peaceful and windy atmosphere of the rooftop used to be our go-to spot with our friends, as it was always vacant, unlike the bustling classrooms and cafeteria.

My eyes wandered to the music room door as we walked past it, and memories flooded my mind. In high school, Chaeyoung was the teacher's favorite due to her remarkable musical talent. While I spent most of my time on the rooftop, in empty classrooms, or the library, Chaeyoung could always be found in the music room or the cafeteria.

"Is it locked?" she inquired, catching me off guard as I stared longingly at the music room door.

"I don't believe so," I replied, with a hint of uncertainty in my voice.

Chaeyoung had a passion for music that she loved to showcase to her friends. Whenever someone asked her to play something, her typical response would be, "bring your friends so I don't play the same thing twice." In the past, I would eagerly bring along our friends or classmates to watch her perform. But one time, she surprised me by offering to play something just for me. We weren't dating yet, but it made me feel special.

Now, Chaeyoung was seated at the piano, patting the space next to her. As I took a seat beside her, she began to play the beautiful melody of "River Flows in You". I watched in awe as her fingers danced effortlessly over the keys, the music filling the room with a sense of serenity. Chaeyoung was focused, playing at her own pace, as if the world had stopped just for us. When the piece ended, I looked up at her and smiled. She returned the smile but quickly averted her gaze.

As we stood up to leave, I suggested that we visit the school fountain, which had undergone a beautiful transformation a few years ago. It was now surrounded by a stunning garden that made it a perfect spot for peaceful contemplation. Chaeyoung was initially skeptical, thinking that the fountain was still broken. But as we walked through the empty corridors, she was taken aback by the scenery when we arrived. The fountain was now a picturesque masterpiece, well-maintained and thriving.

"The school has a budget now, huh?" Chaeyoung quipped, making me laugh. It was true that the school had not always been so beautiful. They had invested in a renovation project, and the results were breathtaking. Chaeyoung took out her phone and began to capture the moment. I offered to take a picture of her, and she handed me the phone as she sat by the fountain. I took several pictures before handing her the phone back. We sat by the fountain, the sound of the water providing a peaceful background for our conversation.

"Do you still have the ring?" Chaeyoung asked after a long silence. My heart sank as I looked around, trying not to fix my gaze on her. I took a deep breath and replied truthfully, "Yeah."

"Are you not going to do anything with it?" Chaeyoung inquires, referring to the ring.

"It's just sitting in the same spot," I replied, nonchalantly.

"The drawer? You've never moved it?" Her voice carried an air of surprise.

I shook my head, "No, I haven't. Why should I?"

Chaeyoung's expression shifted to one of confusion, "Have you never met anyone after all these years?"

"I feel like time flies by... I never get a chance to grasp it," I confessed, struggling to articulate the sense of monotony that had overtaken my life. Each day felt like a rehash of the one before it. There was no one waiting for me at work, nor was there anyone to come home to. It all felt tedious, and for the few years that Chaeyoung had been absent, my existence had become unremarkable. "Have you?" I asked her, curious.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "People are different. Either they aren't as good as I hope they will be, or they are so good that they appear to be out of my league."

I knew the feeling all too well. It was difficult not to compare new people to the ones that had come before them. I had been ready to commit to Chaeyoung, but things had gone awry, and life had thrown us down separate paths.

"Are you going back to LA tomorrow?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, about 5 a.m.," Chaeyoung replied.

"That's early," I commented, trying to make small talk.

"It's not too late," she said, her words carrying a hint of something else. It took me a moment to realize what she was referring to - us.

As I sat there, listening to the hum of the city outside, I couldn't help but feel a sense of longing. Chaeyoung was leaving soon, and there was no telling when we would see each other again. Perhaps it was time to finally move the ring out from the drawer, or maybe it was time to take a chance on something new. Either way, I knew that I couldn't let time slip away from me any longer.