The Letters In His Lunchbox

Note XIII

"Yah, get in, I'm crashing at your place tonight. "
Irene smiled as she unlocked the front passenger seat for her friend to get in.

"You get in, I'll pick this up and come "
Irene walked into her friend's apartment as she heard her friend.

It was just as she had expected, well kept and beautifully organised. And lot more neat now that a certain toxicity was absent, both from her friend's home and life.

She had just put down her bag when Seungwan entered with a lunchbox in her hand.
For some reason, Irene found it familiar as she followed the other to the kitchen.

"You know today I had lunch with Kim Taehyung. "
Irene popped a slice the cucumber in her mouth that her friend had been cutting.

"Kim Taehyung as in
The. Kim. Tae-hyung? "
Seungwan looked up, her mouth wide opened and eyes big as she looked at Irene.

"Yah, chill, you know with my work it's common to know celebrities. "
Irene chuckled at her friends reaction.

Irene had been in the entertainment field for already over five years and Seungwan still had the same reaction whenever she spoke about a celebrity.

"I know... But this guy is like one of the biggest actors out there right now....... hasn't he acted with Jennie in a few dramas? "
Seungwan asked as she placed the plate of salad on the table.

"Yep, that's right. That's him. He is quite good, I don't get Jennie though.."
The way Jennie had spoken about him, Irene had thought he might be someone arrogant and crude, since Irene had never got a chance to personally work with him till now, but however, the man she met today was very much not like her imagination. He was indeed quite considerate and humble like media showed him to be .

Irene was confused at Jennie's behavior now.

"Wait... this is the same guy who is pursuing Jennie? "
Seungwan asked as she realised why the name sounded more familiar than just the actor's public image.

"Yeah, that's him, he sure is determined "
Irene chuckled as she took a bite of the chicken they had ordered.

"Oh wow, he's reached till you.... Is Jennie still playing hard to get? "
Seungwan bit into her piece, savoring it's perfect spiciness and delicious aroma.

The taste left a tingle in her senses as she took a sip of her sprite.

"I don't really understand, he is great, I didn't really find anything bad even the media and fans call them the 'it couple'... and to think he's been pursuing her since their highschool days is just.."
Irene could only shrug at her friend.

"Yeah, I did hear a rumour that he actually followed her to the audition and ended up doing it because he didn't want any one else to be her first pair. "
Seungwan knew it wasn't a rumour, but she still mentioned it as one.

That day, on Jennie's first audition, she too had been there, helping Junhoe, she had accidentally heard Taehyung's conversation with someone else.

She had heard him say that he did not want anyone else to share her screen for the first time. It wasn't even the audition he had planned to go to...

But he had still followed her.

That conversation had been one reason Seungwan could never bring herself to dislike Taehyung even when Jennie used to bicker about him.

"Cheers! "
Seungwan was brought back to the present by Irene as they toasted to another can of beer.

"I don't really have any work tomorrow other than a shop visit and a stylist meeting in the early morning, got the whole day free. Shall we go for some shopping once I come back? You have time till one right? "
Irene was cleaning up the table as she enquired, looking at Seungwan who was washing the dishes.

"Hmm, yeah no problem I have time once I send the lunchbox off. "
She smiled as she looked up from the dishes, removing the note from the lid of the lunchbox, careful not to let her friend see it, putting it in her dress's pocket.

"Why don't you change? I'll just finish the chores and come "
She smiled at her friend who seemed a bit confused.

"You sure you don't want any help? "
Irene was still doubtful even as she left for the bedroom on the second level, taking her bag from the living room sofa.

"Yea, no probs "
Seungwan looked up once again to check on her friend, before she wiped and kept the last dish on the rack.

Now only the platform had to be wiped and she had time then.

Quickly taking up the sponge, she cleaned quick, wiping the kitchen platform clean, then taking a pen she seated herself on one of the chairs as she took out today's note from her pocket.

She delicately opened it, not even disturbing the folds, and there it was, written in his simple, neat handwriting, his thoughts...

"Normality is a paved road. Comfortable but no flowers grow on it......

You were right about the piece I sent you....

It was too mainstream, it really did hide the group's uniquness ....

I did change the tempo up a bit to match their new conceot a bit more so that it highlights their own color and talent in the best way possible.

Your insight on music and life is sometimes surprising... is it experience or learned from people around you ? Or were you born with this gift ? I would love to know :)

Y

A smile appeared on her face as she folded the letter back, placing it with all the other letters she had got in the mini box she had brought just to keep them.

From the last letters, she had got to know the recipient of her letters and lunchboxes a lot more.

It was a he,

He loved music, and worked in the music industry,

He had a great taste,

That he loved small things,

The he was once an underground rapper,

That he was from Daegu,

And so much more,

It felt like she had found a new friend, someone who needed no filter when speaking to,

someone who never asked her for any validation in any matter, someone she didn't have to please visually, someone she could open herself, her deepest thoughts to and still wouldn't judge..

Closing the letter, she took the page, penning down her reply, folding it and then carefully placing it in the lid then itself.

Usually she'd pack it with the food but this time, she couldn't let Irene know about this man or his letters.

Irene was too protective and possessive of her even more after Junhoe and if she knew there was this stranger with whom she was talking through letters, her dear friend would probably freak out, interrogating the man as well. It was better to keep it from her, atleast for now...

Thinking of all that, she kept the box back into the drawer and then went to her room.

Any longer absence would probably make Irene come down herself....

She had indeed guessed right as when she opened the door, there Irene was, standing,

"Ah, good you came, I was gonna come help you since it was taking so much time "

"Nah, it's done, c'mon which show were you putting on? "
Seungwan smiled as she joined Irene on the bed, switching on the TV...

-to be continued-