Pace My Heart (A sequel to *Happy To Meet You*)

Chapter - 72

Pace My Heart

Chapter – 72

Min Ho

   She was walking right beside me, the pace of our steps hesitant and measured. I find myself halting and coming to a stop because it seems we've reached a point.

A sad smile had dawn on her face, on seeing me walked away from where she stood still, moving along with the flow of people around me. Suddenly as if a realization occurred to me of what I had done, that I had left her behind, I quickly turned around only to find that she was nowhere to be seen, now lost in the sea of unfamiliar faces.

The sleep broke but it was a struggle opening my eyes, the heaviness felt real. I pulled myself up to sit but my head reeled from coming out what felt like was a dream.

Or was it a memory? Remembering what I saw the New York airport terminal, how it was reminiscent of the moment when I had parted with her and both of us going on our separate ways. But there was something different even if it had only been a memory.

Maybe it was the medicines I'd been taking, making the memory slipped into a dream. Although the pills were making me sleep, I couldn't tell whether it was really helping because my mind seems to be clouded and unclear.

Tae

   I slowed down my car on reaching the intersection seeing the visible street boards. Making a right turn, I took the smaller side street. The main road on the left was full of late afternoon traffic and on the right, the high rise buildings stood in a line. At first, I remember being in awe and wonder how it must be like living in this part of the Seoul. But as time goes, I realized these lavish buildings here lacked something.

It reminded me of the day when *Hyung insisted on accompanying me to visit my neighborhood. Instead of being tired from walking through the narrow alleyways and climbing the steps to reach my place, I remember him being upbeat and telling me how it was more comforting and friendly than his. At that time, I thought he was joking. I understand now he could have been telling me truthfully.

It just seemed like yesterday when we had returned from Chicago and *Hyung left for the concert tour. During the time he was away, I got assigned to another artist in the agency. It was a much awaited promotion; a chance I didn't wanted to let go.

But it also meant my priority changed. I couldn't be around him anymore.

Today I came after I found out about the statement released by the agency confirming his relationship with another actress. I had to hear it from him and not from others if what I heard was real. I was taken aback because it was unexpected. Nothing about it made sense.

*

   Standing outside the door, I rang the doorbell several times. I had been unsuccessfully trying to reach *Hyung for the past 15 minutes on his new number I got from the agency and the only way left was to persuade the new assistant in sharing the code over the phone. Joon disclosed he was instructed from the office not to disturb him as he wanted to be left alone. He wasn't even allowing the housekeeper to come and had been keeping to himself.

Entering the passcode on the touchscreen electronic keypad, the door opened with a chime. The bedroom was the first place I checked thinking I'll find him but he wasn't in sight. Nor was he in the other rooms which made me keep looking.