The Piano and The Past. /Johnny/

Chapter 7

The ticking sound of the metronome filled the empty room. The piano was not playing any melodies. Nara sighed in front of the piano book. She stopped the metronome.

"Having troubles, Nara ssi?" Mr Jung, her senior teacher, came to visit her piano room. "How many numbers?"

"Just two, sir." She answered. "But that's not the problem."

"What bothers you then?"

She stared outside the window. "A guy. He disappeared completely then showed up out of nowhere."

"So, it's a guy problem. I don't know much about relationships. You need to talk with Ms Kim then." He chuckled in an old man's voice and fixed his glasses position. "Now if this thing is not a problem, shall we hear how far have you developed?"

Mr Jung took the stool and sat next to Nara. She nodded and started to play the piano. "Sure."

--

In a shop, Youngho was taking his motorbike for monthly check. The guys who worked there seemed familiar with him, noting that he was a regular there.

"So? Is the girl in love with you now?" One of them greeted Youngho with playful tone.

"You watch too much drama, hyung." He replied and handed the helmet in his hand. "Here. Your helmet."

The guy took the helmet with disappointment. "You borrowed my helmet and drove her home, right?"

"I just borrowed your helmet and I didn't drive her home."

"And?"

"And what? Nothing more. End of story." Youngho picked a jar of lubricants for his motorbike from the shelf. "I'm going to use this one."

"Come on, don't change the subjects~" The guy, Jinsang, who was three years older than Youngho, whined unlike his age. Youngho threw the mop at his face, making him sulked. "I know you like her. I have a hunch."

"It doesn't matter anyway. She doesn't want to be in a relationship."

"Got you! I didn't say a thing about being in a relationship." Jinsang laughed evilly like he just found something precious. "Take her out. Just for a walk."

"I have."

Jinsang in a flash put his arm around Youngho, with a bit of jump since he was taller. "You did?? When? How? Where to?"

Youngho wiped Jinsang's face with his large hand and ducked away from his arm. "One at a time." He sat on one of the motorbike in the shop. "This Saturday. My friends' band is having a secret gig. Is it quite okay for, let's say, a first date?"

"It should be okay. But not quite impressive for me." Jinsang crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows. "But considering the fact that she doesn't want a relationship right now....it should be fine. Not too mild, not too strong."

"You sound like you have dated before."

"Well, I have. Can't you see my Red Velvet's posters up there?"

"You creepy." Youngho stood up and took his bag, ready to leave the shop.

Then Jinsang remembered something. "Wait. Someone from the music academy came and told me to tell you something."

"Forget it."

"I don't get what they were saying but they wanted you to know that your teacher is okay. And he can play normally like before the accident."

Youngho stopped his feet. A short moment of an accident flashed before his eyes, an image of two person fell from the stairs. He clenched his fist and continued walking. "I said forget it, hyung. Don't let them come anymore."

He left Jinsang confused with wrench in his hand. "He could be a pianist by now if that didn't happen."

--

A text was just sent.

Nara: Are you busy?

She quickly regretted sending the text and cursed herself for being so weak. She tried to contact Youngjin, knowing that he was in town. The fact that she missed him could not be easily put away. Deep down she knew it was wrong, but she didn't even know how to let go a person she cared so much.

Nara stared at Boram, her friend at the music academy. "Boram-ah, I just did something stupid and I want to take it back."

"What now? As long as you didn't text your ex, I'm fine-" She chewed her soft cookie and looked at Nara in the eye. "You did, didn't you??? Here, give me your phone."

The two quarrelled to get the phone but a group of freshmen walked past them and they had to act cool for a moment.

"Just give me that, will you?" Boram insisted.

"Never. Who knows you will do something worse." Nara protected her phone. Then her phone vibrated, noting a text came in.

That guy: Not really. Want to go out to eat?

Boram peeked from behind Nara's back to read the text. She rapidly tapped Nara's back. "No. Say no! Don't meet him."

"But I want to."

"You can't." Boram sighed in desperation. "I know you have a wonderful eight years- well, not all of them. But you have to keep in mind that he dumped you over a text. Over. A. Text. If I were you, I would delete him. And double delete him from the recycle bin."

"But-"

"No more saying. Just say no. And move on."

"He didn't dump me over a text. It was just him saying that he needed time for himself and wanted to be focused to his career. I understand completely."

"Which part of those things he did to you didn't read as 'I want to break up with you, you boring girl'? I know he did mean that."

"I'm not boring..."

"Really? You play piano all day long, helping your sister, and hmm let me think of other great deeds you have done. No. Nothing else. It's just about all that." Boram snapped her finger. "Have you done something on your own beside with that jerk?"

"I have."

"What is it? Do enlighten me. I'm all ears."

"I take the subways alone, well I'm going home by myself even when a guy offers to drive me home, and-"

"A guy what??"

Nara nodded. "He offered me to drive me home. And I said I can go home by myself. It counts, right?"

"Ya!! Did that jerk even make your eyes blind or something? Tell me how that guy looks like." Boram grew impatience as her friend was somewhat thick headed.

"You know Youngjin, he's-"

"No, no. Not the jerk. The other one."

"You mean Youngho?"

"That's his name? You know his name??"

"Well, yeah why not. I had drinks with him. Shouldn't I know his name?"

Boram's face was showing signs that she was about to flip a table.

"I know what you're thinking. But I don't want a new person in my life." Nara replied Youngjin's text. "I'm going to meet him."

Nara: Okay. Where and when?

"Eight years, huh?" Boram leaned on the window. "You and your selfishness. Isn't it about time to realise that it's only you who live in the past?"

Nara contemplating Boram's words. "I'm fine with that."

"I knew you would answer that."