Stardom - In Urgent Need of Editors

Chapter 7

My lingering feelings are trying to withstand the end

So please tell me something

Park Jimin - Let me know



January 24 2013

The boisterous booming of the small alarm clock jarred me out of my peaceful sleep and I jolted up, smashing the snooze button hard, yet the alarm still continued to irritate me in clamours of fluctuating pitch and volume.

It was my choice to disable the snooze button, preventing me from hitting it a million times. Why am I so annoyingly sensible sometimes?

I stood up cursing myself and slumped towards the bedside table to fully cease the whining of the clock.

Looking out the window, the events of yesterday came rushing back, replacing my scowl with a grin. After Haneul and Iseul's date, we all went our separate ways - but not before planning to all meet again in less than a week.

Yujung's shopping request also flogged my mind, it had been years since my day had been filled with a social agenda, rather than work or practise.

Still smiling, I headed towards my bathroom; the depressing state of it managed to wipe the smile completely off my face.

The tiles were so broken in places that I needed to point the shower head the other way and hope water wouldn't get in them, leading to a leak through the ceiling downstairs.

A renovation was well needed, and  in various spots of the apartment too, but I could barely afford the rent, let alone fix the actual apartment.

My tenant refused to contribute any payment to improving the flat, though since I was always late for rent anyway, I didn't hold it against him as much. Thoughts like these made me wonder if Kyungsoo had to worry about these things nowadays...

I shook the thought away, silently hopping into the shower to rid myself of these notions.

-

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, deeming my outfit decent enough to go out with Yujung. It had also been a while since I cared about my clothes.

My eyes glinted, full of excitement; starting from today, I was going to get the old Jinju back.

My thoughts were interrupted by the familiar ping of my phone. I expected it to be Yujung, confirming a time and place, but I was surprised when I saw it was a message from an unknown number.

Hey, Jinju... It's me from the cafe earlier. I just wanted to make sure you got home safe. I know you didn't have an umbrella and it was pretty nasty out there when I left the cafe. Sorry to bug you if you are already in bed. Just checking on you is all. Goodnight.

The message stated that it was sent last night though since my phone was ancient, it must've received it late. I was skeptical, and admittedly more than a little freaked out. How did the guy even get my number?

Then it hit me. I ran back towards my room to pick my purse up. Opening the clasp, I saw the label laughing at me like a culprit.

This purse belongs to Choi Jinju. If found, please contact  +82-8-195-0236 or post to 500 Yonggang-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

I groaned, slouching against by bed. I ascribed the label onto the purse right after purchasing it due to its ridiculously high price. It was a Michael Kors Card Holder that cost me too much and of course, I wasn't taking any chances. I forgot to take creepy stalkers into account, however. I sighed, debating whether to reply or not, but apparently, I took too long deciding as I saw the name number calling my phone. Cradling the mobile, I convinced myself that I was going to answer the call so that I could just tell him off.

"Unless you have anything important to say, I'm hanging up"

And I did. I felt a gnawing of guilt in my stomach, but I know I did the right thing.

My phone rang once again, vibrating in my hands. I answered the call, prepared to scream at the relentless boy.

"Didn't I tell you to delete my number?!"

"Oh"

I froze, shocked to hear a feminine voice. I looked down at the screen.

Yujung's caller ID.

I quickly backtracked, panicked at the thought that I already scared her away.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else," I apologised meekly, then I heard a nervous chuckle at the other end of the line.

"Oh that's fine then, I was just calling to ask if COEX mall was good for you and that I'd be leaving in around 30 mins?"

"COEX would be great. See you soon!" I quickly hung up before my mouth decided to frighten her even more.

I sighed, grabbing my damn purse of the floor and heading out of my apartment. Yonggang-dong was a comparatively small apartment complex of only about 25,000 residents. My life in my neighborhood is fairly quiet since I don't generally know my neighbours, nor do I plan on doing so in the near future. As long as I don't receive any complaints from neighbours, I'm happy. Lots of couple have young children so I occasionally babysit some of them- that was pretty much the extent of my daily human interaction. It was the same for everyone living in the building

So I was surprised when I stepped outside and saw the old lady from a couple of doors down having a conversation with a young boy. I have never seen the boy from around here so I deduced that he was either a visitor or a mover. Probably the latter, judging from the massive suitcase he was currently holding. Both people spoke their farewells and the boy started heading in my direction. I quickly ducked back into my room, not wanting to start a forceful conversation with him not giving him assumptions that we were going to be talkative neighbours.

Once he reached the door right next to my apartment, I was shocked to see him pull his keys out yet freeze, as if waiting for something to happen.

"Aren't you going to greet your new neighbour."

I recognised that voice.

"YOU!"