Moon Sunhee, an economics and social science major returns back to her hometown after failing miserably to find a decent job in Seoul.
The thing that she regrets the most is wasting all of her teenage years chasing her crush, Kim Sunoo but unfortun...
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Halmeoni's words kept repeating in my head, causing a pang of worry to tug at the pit of my stomach every other moment. I sighed heavily and closed my Social Science book, which I had been reading, when I found my thoughts drifting back to Sunoo.
I had been reading from the last 1 hour but despite my efforts, I could barely recall anything that I had read.
My gaze fell down on the closed book and suddenly the study lamp's harsh light began to irritate me, prompting me to let out a frustrated sigh again. I pushed back my chair and stood up, defeated.
There's one thing I despise about myself: I can't even bear the thought of Kim Sunoo, my long-time crush being hurt with something I don't know. The uncertainty gnaws at me, and I get the urge to check on him every second.
It looks like I really can't catch a breath of relief until I know what's actually wrong. And that's how, driven by the anxiety, I was slipping alone in the drawing room. The quiet ambience trembled with the faint echo of my footsteps as I disappeared into the darkness enveloping the house.
I could see a slight shimmer of yellow light casting a faint glow on the the stairs, and it lead to the piano room.
Sunoo's the only one who's supposed to be inside but what is he doing there at this hour? Midnight had long passed. My heart racing, I hastened my pace and drew closer. When I reached the room, I carefully pushed the door open.
"Sunoo?..." My voice came out as a soft whisper, as I gazed upon him sleeping with his head resting on the piano keys. I hesitated for a moment before reluctantly stepping closer to him. But as I stood next to him, a jolt of concern seized me. I noticed his breathing was shallow and quick instead of the steady rhythm I expected. He looked like he was gasping for air.
Without wasting any other second, I reached my hand to him and began to gently shake him, my voice urgent yet hushed. "Sunoo? Sunoo? Yah Kim Sunoo?" I whispered repeatedly until he came out of his daze.
His head rose from the piano as his eyes fluttered open whilst his chest heaved up and down unstoppably. But as soon his eyes met mine, his breathing started to quiet down slowly.
"Sunhee..." He mumbled to himself, shaking his head slightly. I drew my hand back from him, allowing him to stand upright.
"Were you having a nightmare?" I asked softly, his head was hung low and eyes closed.
He seemed to draw a long breath before looking up in my eyes, "I don't know..."
As he stood straight, the dim yellow glow illuminated his face perfectly, revealing his dried tears that glistened to his cheeks. I felt my heart sank. My gaze roamed around his face, halting abruptly at his bruised forehead.
I glanced back at the shattered piano keys he had been leaning against and realized that the sharp edges hurt him, leaving behind scars.
"Aigo, Kim Sunoo..." My voice broke into a whisper as I couldn't help but wince in empathy at how fragile he looked. I inched closer to him, and gently brushed his hair away from his forehead as I blew a cold steam of air across his bruise to ease the pain he hadn't even himself realized yet.
"Come with me," my words hinted a gentle command as I wrapped my fingers around his sleeve and began to draw him downstairs with me. He also let himself be led by me, not even uttering a single sigh of resistance, but his gaze was definitely fixed on me.
As we finally entered the drawing area, I guided him to the him couch and instructed him to sit down. "Wait here," I said before turning to switch on the lights and fetch the first aid kit, my movements were swift, but purposeful and calm.
I knelt before him, and picked out a bandage from the kit. "What's wrong, Sunoo?" I asked in a soft whisper after I had finally mustered up the courage, as I carefully smoothed the bandage over his forehead, trying my best to not hurt him more.
"Everything..." He murmured in a grave tone after a long pause, making me quickly lift up my gaze in awe as I hadn't expected him to open up so easily. "All of it just seems wrong. nothing's right, not a single thing." He admitted, his vulnerability and pain reflecting in his eyes that began to fill with tears.
I bit my lower lip and quickly looked down, as I couldn't contain my emotions. If I looked at him for one more second, I'd sob soon. "You... can talk to... me," I breathed out in an unknown uncertainty, as if I was trying to convince both him and myself that he could trust me enough for it.
The couch creaked softly as he stood and turned away from me. "I know... and I want to," he muttered, his back facing me. "I will talk to you about it soon." Those words hung in the air like a fragile promise.
His footsteps faded into the distance, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sank deeper, weighed by the memories and realizations.
Back in our school days, Sunoo was called commonly by his nickname gaven to him by the school, than his own name. Years have passed but still that name remains etched in my memory so vividly as if it was yesterday. That name was- 'Piano Prince' which was affectionately shortened and called as 'PP'. He earned that title for being one of the best piano players in the school, making him the most beloved music club's member.
The moment I fell deeply in love with him was when I first saw him playing the piano with a bright smile gracing his lips. He was in the room and I was outside; despite the distance, the light and warmth he carried still swept over me.
While reminiscing about the past, the cheerful snapshots him began to play in my head like an old film reel, flickering to life. His laughter seemed long lost in the crowd- everything I had been comforted with in the past was a stark to the vulnerability I was met by today.
But one thing was clear, it was time to heal the soul that once healed my heart and taught me to live. The love I had received needed to be returned, not as a payback, but as a pure expression of gratitude for every smile I own today.
