Baby, Don't Cry

Hello! [Part 1]

I’ve been in many places after leaving everything behind. In those years, the first two months was really depressing. I tried so hard to fight the urge of going back. I was staying at Choi ahjussi’s parents’ province. They were nice and accommodating like ahjussi. But not long after, I decided to leave that place when I met a monk and came with her in a temple.

The monks living in the temple fed me with so much advice and wisdom of life. Some other times, I was tempted to shave my head too and just settled there for good. One day, the monk I met has to visit a relative in Busan. She asked me to accompany her, and I did. We stayed there for three days. My stay there made me remember a long lost friend, Ye Ri. The monk niece was eleven years old. She was always carrying her sketch pad full of drawings of clothes sketches. She said she wanted to be designer someday. It made me reminisced my childhood days with Ye Ri.

Way back then, we did dream to be like fashion designers. We would dress up each other in any combination of clothes in the closet that we thought would compliment together and modelled it up pretending to be in a runaway show. Ye Ri continued on sketching designs of pretty dresses even when we were in high school. I wonder if she did pursue this dream we had. Could she still remember me? To think it thoroughly, I was actually the one who cut off our communication. I never did check my e-mails anymore, I changed my phone number, my home address has changed and I didn’t tell her. I was the one who back out in our friendship. A tear dropped from my eye realizing it.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” the monk said, noticing it. We were on a bus, on our way back to the temple. I wiped it away by my hand.

“Nothing.” I smiled as I shook my head and I looked down to avoid her gaze that was not convinced on what I said.

One night, I was sitting on the ground under a big tree. It was a place in the temple where I hangout when I want to think and be alone. The dark sky was full with stars that night. I took out my wallet on my jacket’s pocket and pulled out a photo --- me and Ye Ri together, first day of our highschool life. A small card fell out along as I pulled it out. I picked it up. It was a business card of Mr. Lee Sooman. There’s only one thing in my mind that night as I stared at the picture and business card.  I want to see Ye Ri… and the fastest way was by this card.

I remember when I used that card and called him, asking if we could meet again. He said he was actually waiting for my call. He already knew what I will do. He knew the moment I walked out that day we first met. I agreed on staying away from EXO and ask for a day to be with them for the last time so I could bid my goodbyes.

“You’ve been through tough situations in a very young age. I know that this is hard for you but it’s for the best. Sometimes we really have to sacrifice a lot to achieve what we really wanted to accomplish in life. You are all still young.” He articulated. “You do understand, right?”

I nodded to agree. “I’m sorry for all the troubles. Please don’t tell them about this and meeting me.” I took out the business card he gave me and returned it to him.

“Keep it.” He said. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need any help… anything at all.”

I accepted the card back. “I’ll come back.” I uttered after awhile. “When the right time comes, I’ll return here. I hope that time, you’ll let me stay.” I stood up, bowed in respect and left.

It took me a week to muster up my courage to make that phone call to Mr. Lee Sooman. My hands where shaking as I speak over the phone. It was so hard to steady my voice. I was so nervous in asking for help on locating my friend. I was just taking my chances. Why would a CEO of a big company listen to a request of someone like me? But true to his words, he did help me on finding Ye Ri. I got a call from him after a month. He told me to come back in Seoul for the information that I’ve asked for.