Remember Me

The Pianist

-for today's happiness becomes tomorrow's memory-

***

Stepping into her apartment and taking off her shoes to place them on the designated spot on the rack, Seri couldn't help but smile at the noticeable size difference between the two pairs of shoes sitting side by side. She became used to being welcomed by the cold and dark since living independently, with the only sounds being her heels clicking against the floor echoing. Her apartment was something she was proud of, the time and effort of curating every piece to furnish it hadn't gone to waste. However, she had always struggled to find the part that turned the apartment into a home. For Seri it finally came in the form of a 6ft North Korean Captain with dimples bracketing his face.

It had been a welcoming change to her lonely routine. On the days he couldn't stay by her side, she would come back home to a warmly lit place with Jeong Hyeok setting the table ready to serve his freshly cooked meal. It was a bittersweet reality; they were able to experience being a domestic couple for the short time they had. Doing what others may consider as mundane, going grocery shopping, and bickering over the pettiest of issues brought them a small sense of joy, allowing them to forget their uncertain future with each other momentarily.

"The beginning of the week starts on a Sunday, Yoon Seri."

"No, it's a Monday, Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi. It's the first day of the week when everyone goes to work."

"Wait. Why are we arguing about this?"

"Oh. I can't remember."

Surprised at the silence she received when announcing she was home, Seri searched for Jeong Hyeok.

She found him sitting on her sofa with his head tilted, eyebrows furrowed, and tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth, furiously tapping away at his phone. She couldn't help but chuckle at her man. He was just too adorable for his own good. No doubt, he had found a new game to obsess with, she mused.

When she had first scolded him for getting carried away with a computer game, Jeong Hyeok trailed behind her like a wounded puppy arguing that she was too much.

"I'm a grown man Yoon Seri, and I'm very much capable of controlling my competitive urges."

As a result, Seri couldn't help but give in to his pout and agreed to a compromise allowing him to download violence-free games on his phone. With a little nod and a dimpled smile in response, he had eagerly fetched his phone out of his pocket.

Seri first met Jeong Hyeok as a soldier, a captain responsible for his subordinates, a member of the elite honouring his father's reputation. He would carry all the burden in the world if it meant the people he loved were safe. It wasn't often when he laid down his armour and just became Ri Jeong Hyeok. A man who loves the piano, a man who loves video games, and a man who is just madly in love with Yoon Seri. It brought a fuzzy feeling to Seri, knowing she was the only one he had opened himself up to, so she reveled in the rare occasions where he could strip back from his worries.

Walking up behind him, she bent down head next to him in an attempt to catch his attention.

"What are you doing, Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi?"

Jumping a little, he looked up at Seri with wide eyes like he was a little boy who had been caught stealing from his mother's purse.

"Oh, um, nothing. When did you get in? I didn't hear you," he mumbled, averting her gaze. Deciding in indulging him, Seri sat next to him, peering at his phone.

"Now, I'm intrigued. What could have possibly distracted Captain Ri with the super hearing that he didn't notice his crazy stunning fated one enter?" She teased and ruffled his silky boyish hair that had fallen over his eyes.

"I stumbled across this game earlier called Piano Tiles." He smiled bashfully, showing the app off to Seri.

"You're on level 20 already?" Seri asked incredulously.

"It's not as easy as it looks, Yoon Seri. You have to hit all the keys really fast without missing a beat, but once I got the hang of it, I couldn't stop. Anyways, it was tiring." Shaking his head, he let out a deep sigh before he continued.

"There is this one level I can't get past, I would've bought my way out of it, but you banned me from spending any more money on games," he complained.

"Let me try. I'm sure I can manage it", taking Jeong Hyeok's phone out of his hand, she missed his eyes widening in disbelief.

Seri's competitive streak was one thing that she credited in being the successful businesswoman she was. It didn't matter who she was up against; Yoon Seri never backed down from a challenge and fought tooth and nail to climb her way to the top. So it was no surprise she used the same approach to defeat what she considered a simple game.

Jeong Hyeok watched as Seri transformed into her CEO demeanour while the opening notes of the song he was starting to loathe began playing. Her thumbs were ferociously tapping the black squares appearing on the screen, and he was almost sure his phone was going to be returned with a newfound dent. Peering over her shoulder, Jeong Hyeok couldn't believe what he was seeing. This can't be right. Had she-

"YES"!

Seri smiled triumphantly with her eyes forming into crescents. Taking the phone out of her hands, Jeong Hyeok's eyebrows rose to the top of his forehead, his jaw-dropping in shock.

"Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi, I'm afraid if you keep your mouth open any longer, it'll be stuck in that position."

Seri placed her finger underneath his chin to gently guide his mouth shut.

"Isn't this a scam? How could you-"

"Who was the person that said 'don't say you can play the piano well just because you know Fur Elise' ?" narrowing her eyes at him.

"But that's not fair! I've been attempting this ALL day, and I'm a pianist too. My fingers have been trained for this".

"Hang on a minute, did you say all day? You said you'd be spending the day tracking down Cho Cheol Gang."

"Yes... well... t-that's beside the point, Yoon Seri." He mumbled, crossing his arms and lips jutting out in a pout.

Failing to hide her snort, Seri squished his face between her hands, his pouty lips sticking out even more.

"Little Hyeoky, are you jealous?" she teased in a singsong manner. Unable to resist his childlike sulkiness, Seri pecked his lips.

"What was that for?" He mumbled shyly, the tip of his ears turning a light shade of red.

"I'm. Cheering. You. Up." she replied, kissing his lips in between her words.

"I can think of something better." He smirked with a dimple threatening to dent his face.

Jeong Hyeok placed his hands on her waist without giving Seri a chance to question him. His fingers began dancing along her rib cage, causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles.

Escaping from his grip, Seri dashed across the living room, exclaiming, "you'll never be able to catch me now!"

Seri's apartment that night was filled with warmth from the sounds of laughter as the man with the dimples chased after his precious woman with the eye smile.