MICHAENG : FAKE AND TRUE

40 - BEAST

It was already 10 in the night. Flakes of snow falling from the night sky. The stars coming out to play hide and seek. Despite of the severe cold, Chaeyoung was pacing around the same spot for half an hour at the park near Han river. He badly wanted to leave, go back to his cozy bed and wrapped himsef in layers of warm blanket, rather than exposing himself to the harsh winter of Korea. For God's sake, the weather forecast marked negative degrees but this was something more important than his general well being. Luckily, he had gone restful months.

Glancing at the empty park, his heart skipped a beat as he caught a glimpse of a slender figure walking towards him. The night was dark enough to play games with his eyes, all Chaeyoung could see was a shadow of a a girl. Is she the one he's been waiting for? Without hesitation, Chaeyoung call out to that shadow with his husky voice and pierced the silent night, "Jihyo-yaa!!! is that you?"

It was all he needed to know it was the right person. The person who lurked into him comfortable state when others are not there for him all this while, the person who was most precious to talk to.

Grinning, she yelled back, "Chaeyoung-aaa!!!!it's me!" She took her time to mesmerize over the man's figure under the street light. He was still the same as Jihyo remembered, but not quite because of his new short brown hair above his collar bones. Jihyo mentally shook her head, disapproving the fact that the Chaeyoung had gotten thinner. She thought, "Did he not eat well? I must feed this cub, I guess"

As much as Chaeyoung also wanted to admit that he was checking Jihyo out too, He only frowned and teased Jihyo "I'm deeply hurt. It has been months, but you don't seem excited meeting me? Goodbye, Jihyo yaa ," he turned around his boots, and pretended to walk away.

Laughing, Jihyo slapped his wide shoulder from the back, "You're so childish, Chaengi." She tried to persuade him, which made him turn around and confront Jihyo.

"Why are you smiling at me like that? It's creepy,' said Chaeyoung with a grimace.

"Nothing, I'm just glad that you are back here again," replied Jihyo, with her hand softly patting on Chaeyoung's shoulder. She would not admit that it was endearing when her best friend looking for her first after returning.  Jihyo unconsciously punched Chaeyoung's belly, "I need to fatten you up. You're thin now it's hurting my pride as your friend. You know I called you every day and remind you to not skip your meal, so don't make me feel bad," scowled Jihyo.

For past months, Jihyo was secretly able to reach out for Chaeyoung and they had been secretly in touch with each other. Chaeyoung once felt hesitant, but Jihyo boost a full support for him almost everyday through chats, phone call and sometimes pay him a secret visit to his beach house in Jeju Island. Chaeyoung that felt out of support during his lonely times suddenly found the courage to face each day with renewed determination, knowing that he wasn't entirely alone in his struggles because of Jihyo.

Throughout this friendship, he knew Jihyo was very kind. She takes it as a responsibility to take care of him from far away and always believes that there's a reason behind the betrayal they threw him. She was there for him when he was on hiatus. Jihyo never considered him a liar even once.

...........

"Mina-yaa !! Hurry up.... I'm tired already" It was 2 minutes before 5pm and that impatient female voice belonged to Momo calling for her to get in into the building of their dorm after the whole day being at the company.

As Mina enter the dorm, she straightly went into her bedroom. She grabbed her towel, take off her black blazer and throw it into the laundry basket. She tried to removed her make up and luckily she just did a simple light make up for today unlike yesterday which somehow would take forever to be removed. She was anxious the entire day, Her mind just seemed unable to think straight.