When Last Night Didn't End

Episode 7:우리가 시도하는 것을 멈춘 시간들입니다

Hye-jin sat in front of her laptop, cursor hovering above the chat box. Her character stood idly on a carpet of pixelated flowers. She glanced at the clock. 9:00. Rin had never been late in his life, except when he had been sick. He seemed fine this morning so it's not that excuse.

He had left this morning looking so excited too. When he told her he wanted to open Solarlume with her, she had hoped that perhaps they were still okay, that she wasn't doing anything wrong given by how quiet and reserved he had become over the past few months.

It had frustrated her to no end—how he would never really look at her in the eyes whenever they talked or how he always had something on his mind that he wouldn't divulge to her even at gunpoint. She had tried multiple times to prod him with a proverbial stick, just to crack his shell and draw him out of it, but she hasn't had any luck.

She didn't really know anyone from his workplace so checking up on him there was impossible. He had a habit of going by unnoticed in any number of large spaces that even she had misplaced him once. He didn't appear bothered by it, but it would have some psychological effects in the long run.

Her phone lit up with the arrival of a notification. She couldn't have snatched it faster. Her fingers tapped on the screen, nails making dull tkk-tkk noises against the glass. She opened the app to see it's from their old college group chat. One full of networking links that wouldn't help anybody.

That's just how life was, right? The moment people's common goal or situation was up, they flit off into the night, never to be seen again unless they need something. Most of Hye-jin's acquaintances from university were that way too. Anette and Seon-yi were the only ones who managed to hang on, but even their relationships were so thin it could snap unprompted.

Hye-jin sighed and closed her phone, placing it face down against the dinner table. The lights in the house were as always toned down, leaving a blinking bulb overhead. She might have to change that soon. Perhaps she'd buy a bulb tomorrow, along with the vegetables and rice.

She ran a finger across the touchpad to prevent her laptop from sleeping. A second glance at the clock. 10:00. Where in the world was he? She checked her screen and chat box once more. Nothing. She was alone.

Annoyance gritted at the base of her gut. She gave up valuable time to work on her proposal for this, and she got stood up? Real mature, Rin. He sure took his time before beginning to act out. Back when they were dating, he would have never let this happen. Had he gotten lax just because they're married?

The nerve.

Running her hands over her face, she edged off the table. Her laptop could shut down in sleep for all she cared. If he's not going to show, she's going to make sure he would never see the light of day. Right. Maybe he's holing up somewhere because he forgot about it? Where would he go?

"Ryon," was the only name filtering out of her lips. Of course. That boy who never quite became a man. He was Rin's friend since highschool, or maybe even further back than that. Rin had never really clarified. All she knew was that whenever Rin felt like he did something horrible to anyone, he would always run and hide himself wherever Ryon was.

She snatched her phone from the table and opened her contacts. Scrolling down to the R, she found a contact called Ryon Friend. As if. Who even put this number on her phone?

Nevertheless, she tapped it and proceeded with the call screen. As her phone rang and rang, she prayed this was still the man's address and that she's not making calls to random creepy men. She started pacing as Ryon took forever to pick-up. Her eyes ultimately landed on the vase in the middle of their niched shelf.

In it sat the most beautiful bunch she had ever seen, with flowers with wide and fiery pink and yellow petals. What were these called? Has Rin outdone himself again? When did he even manage to sneak it past her attention? How come she hadn't noticed it this morning?

Ryon picked up. "Hello? Who's this?"

"Oh, Ryon. Hi!" Hye-jin bit the knuckle of her pointer finger, sweat gathering at her hairline. Shit. What was she even going to say? That she misplaced her husband? "I...um. It's Hye-jin. Joon Hye-jin. Is Rin with you?"

Recognition tinged Ryon's voice. "Ah, Jin!" he said, drawing out the one syllable of the name he had chosen to call her. The first time he saw the hye, he just gave up. She could also vaguely remember him saying that Jin and Rin rhymed so he's sticking with that. "University, right? In terms of Rin, no. Haven't seen him since the sink fiasco."

Ah that. How come Hye-jin had forgotten that even happened? Wasn't that a long time ago? "I see," she said. "I was just worried since he's still not home."

Ryon exhaled, the sound of air blowing through the microphone grating her ears. "Really? What time was it?" he paused. "Wow. Man's a dedicated worker. 10:15 in the evening? Gotta hand it to you, Jin. You've scored a goal on this one."

Hye-jin gave a dry chuckle. "Just...don't tell him I called, okay?" she said. "I'm not supposed to be going around, asking his friends about where he was."

"Yeah, sure," his answer came so quick she didn't even know if he would remember it as soon as she hung up. "See ya around."

Hye-jin nodded even though there was no one around to see her. "Yeah," she said. "I'm hanging up."

She clicked the disconnect button without waiting for Ryon's reply. Without realizing it, she had wandered to the vase. It was already nicked from different places but it still stood. The hand painted designs she and Rin had made themselves were faded but still a vibrant blue against the plain, porcelain surface. She touched the petals just to feel their texture.

Then, she paused.

"Wait..." she squinted and leaned closer. She scratched the petals faster. It sure felt a lot like...

Plastic.

A huff flew from her gaping mouth. Fake. The flowers were fake.

Unbelievable.

She glanced at the clock. 10:30. Well, there's no way he'd show up now. But hey, maybe he had other, more important things to do rather than paying attention to her. It's fine.

She's fine.

With that, she closed the game and shut down her laptop. After dipping her face for a quick wash, she pulled on her customary sleepwear and hopped to bed. Knowing Rin, he'd probably take the couch again since he's scared of waking her at dawn when he got home or when he's getting up after sleeping for an hour or two.

Well, there's nothing she could do if he chose to abuse his body like that. She tried everything she could to get him to listen to her, but he just withdrew farther and farther. Whatever.

She didn't care. Not anymore.

But as her body lulled her to sleep, a nagging feeling at the back of her brain told her that maybe all this time, all she did was that.