Piano Keys | Kim Taehyung | ✓

‖ Cadence ‖

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Cadence : Two chords at the end of a piece which provide a type of 'punctuation' at the end of a musical phrase. It can either suggest the sentence isn't over, or provide a type of musical 'full-stop'. 

This is the epilogue of the short story of Kim Taehyung and Park Iseul in which both reunite after years as they prepare to step into a new phase of their lives-This is the 'cadence' of their story where Taehyung learns about letting go.

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PRESENT DAY, SEOUL

Closure.

What is closure? An end? conclusion? Maybe it is closure which I seek, or maybe I am just simply a masochistic fool who is still too hung up on his first childhood love, because I decided to attend Park Iseul's wedding after all.

I know that there is this unsaid rule that you don't go to your ex's wedding but she isn't simply an ex you see, she was my best friend, my soulmate-she still is, in my heart that is.

Bracing myself, I decide to knock on the brown doors which will lead me to where the bride is getting ready, or so I was told from some girl when I asked her about Iseul's whereabouts. 

I arrived a bit early to see the bride as I am still not sure or confident that I can survive the whole wedding ceremony- so I will leave in the middle if I can't handle it, but I still want to see her before she gets married off.

I hear a loud 'Come in!' from the other side, and the voice is so familiar that it hits me straight in my heart. It has been years since we parted but I am transported back in time when I hear her say those two words, and it feels as if I just saw her yesterday. 

I inhale sharply before opening the door slowly, taking my time. As I step inside the dressing room where the bride to be is currently seated on a brown couch looking down at the small phone screen in her hands, her head whips up at my approaching footsteps.

A jumble of emotions churn in my heart and head as our gazes lock for the first time in a long time. A small surprised gasp escapes her lips (So I guess she thought I wouldn't show up), she quickly bounds to her feet and before I know it, before I can even properly look at her, she closes the distance between us.

Her unexpected hug would've made me fall down, but my old habits kicked in suddenly and I caught her by her forearms. I thought it would be awkward and sad; our reunion but I find myself settle into the warm and friendly embrace like always, like old times.

"Yah stop creasing my shirt, it's from Gucci."

I chuckle as she hugs me hard like old times. I feel her laughter tickle my shoulder.

"Taehyungie! You came!"

She leans and steps back, a huge smile on her face; the same smile I've seen countless of times before. I find my own lips pulling up in a small grin, and I take in her appearance.

She has changed a little in terms of her looks- her long hair which used to trickle down her back in waves are now chopped off and only reaches an inch or so below her chin in a bob cut, she has lost some of her old baby fat around her cheeks.

But she still looks as beautiful as ever if not more in her angelic white gown, her smile as radiant as ever. 

"Of course I did."

I reply and shrug as I walk towards the sofa and flop down. She does the same and turns towards me a little.

"Ji Eun-ah, could you leave us for a bit?"

Iseul asks a raven haired girl who I didn't notice before, who was sitting on a nearby chair. So typical of me to only  be fixated on Iseul in the room.

The girl quietly nods and exits as Iseul says,

"I really didn't know whether you would come or not. I'm so happy you did."

"Well, you did send me an invite and we both know that Iseul always gets whatever she wants in the end. Congratulations by the way."

I reply wryly, but I guess my tone got bitter in the end. She doesn't comment on it, simply shakes her head and then sighs.

"Sorry Tae, if I was only thinking about myself. I just wanted to see you because I've missed you so much."

I don't know what to say to that, so the only thing I do say is,

"I've missed you too."

Something unspoken passes between us as we look into each others eyes then. A minute or two passes by in silence as we stare at each other; conveying all that was unsaid between us over the years for we can still read each others eyes- we are soulmates after all. We share a bond deeper than mere labels like 'best friend' or 'lover' and nothing will ever change that; I realize that moment.

As time and distance made us grow apart physically, truth is that we never left each other in our hearts. And that is enough for this lifetime, as Iseul said in her letter. So I don't desire anything else, and I will just cherish our memories together.

Iseul breaks the silence finally,

"So, you became an idol huh? I'm a big fan by the way. Thanks for coming here when I know you are really busy and all."

"Yeah I did. Do you still play? You graduated from Julliard right?"

"Yes, I am studying for my PhD right now and I teach as a teaching assistant in Julliard."

"Wow that's good."

"Oh right! Will you stay for the ceremony and after?"

"I don't know. If they call me, I will have to leave but I'll try to stay. Why?"

Her face drops a bit a that and she pouts a little sulkily and I chuckle at the onslaught of memories it brings up. 

"No, nothing really. I just wanted you to play the piano at my wedding."

I widen my eyes at her request. 

"No. Never. I am not that good, as you used to love to remind me every second of every minute when I played with you."

I say it as firmly as I can, but in the end I end up yielding to her request as always-the years didn't change her persuasion skills at all. 

So I end up playing songs which she taught me when we were kids, songs which we used to play on the black and white piano keys together as I see her get married to a tall and handsome guy at the altar. She occasionally throws me warm smiles and my heart lurches every time; the bittersweet ache more potent than ever. 

But I do believe that that ache will fade away with time. With time I will get over her, my first love, my other half. 

Because I know that this the 'cadence' in our story as she walks out of the wedding hall hand in hand with her new husband. It's a musical full stop but as it also suggests that a sentence isn't over yet, maybe I still have hope to get over Park Iseul.

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THE END