I'd Take A Bullet For You

Chocolate and Strawberries

A few months ago

In Seri's opinion, Seo Dan has the face and the body to run for Miss Korea and the potential to be crowned the most beautiful woman in the universe, but she, unfortunately for her, decides not to pursue that and instead settles in being the pretty childhood best friend who has the right to hug Jeong Hyeok the way she does. They greet each other with the warmth of old friends, and Seri tries to tame her mounting jealousy that is increasing with every touch they exchange. They are wearing matching smiles and seem to have their own language when talking to each another, and she cannot help but feel envious about how perfect they look together. Jeong Hyeok gestures towards her by way of introduction, and Dan turns to her with a smile so blinding it has the power to cut through any hardened heart.

"Ah, so you are the famous Yoon Seri Jeong Hyeok has been talking about," Dan says warmly and shakes the hand she offers. Her soft hand is marred with callouses from running over the strings of the cello, and Seri feels silly about being relieved over the fact that she has a flaw. "He has said nothing but great things about you. I have never seen him so taken by someone before."

She feels a warm rush of love and pride course through her system after hearing the other woman's words, and the blush that colors Jeong Hyeok's cheeks is the icing on top that makes her smile finally reach her eyes. "Stop it," he pleads, making Seri take his hand and squeeze it in comfort. He grins at her gesture, the wide one that shows off his dimples, before voicing out his complaints with a pout. "She has been here for two days, and she has done nothing but tease me."

"That is because you make it so easy for me to do so, you big baby," Dan cuts in with a laugh.

Ignoring the other woman's quip, Jeong Hyeok tugs on Seri's hand to pull her closer to his side and starts to explain, "Dan will only be here for a couple of days. She is currently studying music in Russia and is planning to be a cellist for the orchestra once she comes back here. What she did earlier was sort of an interview under the guise of a special performance."

"One of the most nerve-wracking interviews I have ever had, that is for sure," Dan comments with wide eyes, and Seri cannot help but feel awestruck about how gracefully she dealt with the challenge. Her performance earlier was nothing short of surreal, and she played the cello like she can do it in her sleep. After she had finished her piece, the audience was so stunned that they took a second before giving her a thunderous applause and a standing ovation. The orchestra would be crazy not to accept her after she graduates.

"Thank you, that is really sweet of you to say," Dan says after Seri has voiced out her thoughts. "Honestly, I thought Jeong Hyeok here is going to pursue music as a career as well. I remember a well-known university in Switzerland offering him a scholarship when we were in high school. Whatever happened to that?"

Jeong Hyeok flushes and begins to stammer. "Well, that –."

"Oh, and when we were younger, he was given special recognition for being one of the best pianists in the country."

"Really?" Seri gasps in amazement. She squeezes his hand both in pride and to capture his attention. "You never told me that."

Dan rolls her eyes and succeeds in speaking once again before Jeong Hyeok can get a word out, and the exasperation on his face makes Seri bite back a smile. "Of course, he hasn't," the cellist says. "He is too humble for his own good. Instead of placing it on the mantle so everyone can see it, he keeps the plaque the government gave him in the back of his closet where only the spiders can see it."

Jeong Hyeok seems to have sucked in too much air that he chokes out, "I do not have spiders –."

Seri giggles, deciding right there and then that the other woman definitely means no harm and can quite possibly be a friend of hers as well, and Dan leans closer to whisper conspiratorially, "If you want, I can tell you more secrets. I have tons."