In Love With You | Seulyong

Chapter 20 - Japan (1);

August 13, 2016

Seulgi blankly munched on her toast, her eyes lacking their usual brightness and liveliness. The food felt tasteless, her fuming morning coffee felt like alcohol. She had a hard time swallowing anything, her throat hurting, her stomach having cramps. She was lost in her own little world, ignoring everything that was going on around her. The loud and lively breakfast room sounded quiet in her ears. She heard nothing. She saw nothing. 

"Seulgi? Seulgi!" The voice of her leader snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? What?" She monotonously replied. 

"What were you thinking so hard about? It's been two minutes I'm calling you!" 

"Oh? Sorry. I was lost in my thoughts."

"I can see that." Joohyun paused and observed her younger friend, looking out for any hint of emotion on her face that could make her understand Seulgi's behavior. "I said we have to rehearse for the concert at 11 am."

"Noted." Seulgi shortly answered before taking a sip of her coffee. 

Joohyun noticed there definitely was something wrong with Seulgi ever since she woke up. She was feeling worried whether something had happened to her dear friend, but she also thought nothing possibly could have happened during the night. Seulgi was so enthusiastic and excited the day before, and was the complete opposite of herself today. She decided she would just ask her about it later, when they would be alone. 

Red Velvet as well as all of the artists of SM Entertainment had gathered in Japan for the company's annual concert. They had left Seoul the day before, and now all were having breakfast together in the hotel's restaurant. Everyone enjoyed gathering for the company's concerts. They could meet each other after a long time, could hang out together, and it also was a good opportunity to meet with fans and surprise them with brand new performances. They got to work together on some performances and have fun together. When the concerts were held abroad, they could even visit the cities they were in, and could roam around the streets together. The company concerts were the best excuse to freely see each other without raising any kind of speculation. After all, they were family. 

Seulgi slightly jumped in startlement when Seungwan gently nudged her. She looked at her friend with curious eyes.

"Look at who finally showed up." She quietly said, turning her eyes to a specific direction.

Seulgi looked at where her friend was staring at and suddenly felt as if she could not breathe anymore.

It was him. 

He was there.

He was finally there.

"Oh." It was all Seulgi could say.

She felt her heart drop to her stomach. She bit her lips in hope of being able to hold in the wet liquid that was forming in her eyes. 

"I heard they got here quite late last night." Seungwan told her friend, knowing this information could definitely interest her.

"I see." Seulgi softly answered as she looked down at her food on the table. "He must be tired..." She softly spoke.

While Seungwan turned her attention away from Seulgi, Seulgi quietly sighed. Joohyun who had stayed quiet all along had noticed Seulgi's unusual behavior about the young man. She usually would have cutely smiled at the simple fact of his name being told out loud. She usually would have giggled cutely, and would have kept stealing glances at the young man. 

This time, Seulgi barely had looked at him. She didn't smile when hearing his name. She didn't giggle. She wasn't excited as she always was. She quickly had looked away from him. She avoided the eye contact with everyone and found interest in her empty plate instead. She was quiet, and her voice sounded as if she held in a million of tears. She looked pale, and her eyes looked weirdly empty of her usual happiness. They showed pain. An indescribable pain.