albeit everything is back to normal, i feel like it isn't without you
🏙🌉
"News Headline: Most Wanted Mafia Group caught!"
The lady reporter on Korea's morning news states causing Koeun to drop her sandwich. Last night was hectic so his father had only managed to give them a sandwich for breakfast, but clearly that is not the point right now.
Koeun felt something, something that was so indescribable. In a millisecond it was fear and on the other it was nervousness, sometimes it's hope, there's nothing in between. Mark's gang was the first thing that came to her when the phrase 'most wanted mafia group' was mentioned. Her eyes were fixated on the television screen in front of them. Apparently, Donghyuck was watching too. Static lines were shown on the television but nothing can stop the two from hearing news about her 'hostage taker' and his hyung.
A video footage is being shown on the screen. They were locked up behind bars and everyone was showing a facial expression that says 'we're sorry', except for Mark's dad which showed only hatred and anger in his old and wrinkled face.
Mark face then comes to view, Koeun melts as he sees him. "I am deeply sorry to everyone we have caused pain to, and I pay apologies to the damage we have done to you and to this country" he says with his head down. If you look closely, you could see tears escaping his eyes. But unfortunately for Koeun, she can't clearly see his still pretty face because of those stupid static lines.
"Noona.." She hears a faint voice from beside her, Koeun turns her head to Donghyuck. "I should go.." he says, with a voice so low it could be mistaken as a whisper. "What? No, Donghyuck are you nuts?!" Koeun stares at him in shock, losing Mark was already unbearable and losing Donghyuck would give her a heart attack.
"I won't lose you Hyuck, you're not going there!" Koeun shouts, her motherly attitude taking over her brain again. Donghyuck flinches in fear, her noona is scary if she's mad or stressed; he pitied Koeun. Out of everyone in this world right now, Koeun is the one who's the most worried, what would happen to her if something bad would happen to them? But Donghyuck's decision is final, he decides to do the right.
So he could change, so he could freely explore the world and not hide in those dark shadows. Donghyuck dreams of becoming a star, not a huge ball of burning gas star but an idol star. It was his passion to sing and perform, but he stopped ever since he got in that gang. And now that there's a chance to escape, he's taking it. Cause you shouldn't wait for a chance, you should take it.
Donghyuck sighs, his noona sighs as well. "Noona, I want to change" he says, that makes Koeun stop on her tracks (even though she's not walking but you get the point). "I want to become a singer, noona" He continues, his eyes pleading Koeun to let him go.
The soft girl's heart melts, it makes her so emotional. Reluctantly, she nods her head as response to Donghyuck. At first, the boy didn't get what she was nodding to but the moment she said, "I'm sure you'd be a great singer, Hyuck" Donghyuck's smile was from ear to ear.
"Thanks, noona!" Out of joy, he hugs his favorite noona.
Later that day, Donghyuck made his way to the police station and surrendered himself to the authorities, Koeun is now left alone in the inn they stayed in. It felt a little empty, since Donghyuck was so noisy Koeun didn't feel uncomfortable but now that he's gone too, what was she supposed to do?
Koeun did all sort of things that she thinks would keep her busy, but it doesn't so she stops. Feeling helpless she looks at her wrist and sees the fashionably designed tracker. She smiles at the object, a sudden scene with Mark inside an ice cream parlor pops in her head. Those were good times.
Suddenly her smiles turns into a frown, what was she supposed to do now? She feels like a whole new person, she isn't used to her old life. Even though she only stayed there for half a week, she changed so much.
How am I going to cope up with life now?
💟
two weeks later
It was Koeun's first day of school, the girl groggily made her way to school. She spent her whole night watching reruns of Kdramas she wasn't able to watch.
As she made her way through the school gates, eyes follow her. People were whispering about Koeun's issue, the girl cared less, she wasn't interested in people's stupid and pointless opinions.
A slender and feminine hand hits the back of Koeun's head, Nakamura Hina giggles as Koeun looks at her with eyes that are imaginarily shooting lasers.
"Where have you been, really?" Hina says as she walks by Koeun's side to their class. Koeun answers her friend with a shrug, the younger one furrows her brows at her friend. What a weird girl, hina says mentally.
Koeun slumps in her seat as she stares out the class room's window.
It isn't so normal without you here, mark lee.
