•• Next Morning ••
"Alright, fresh start! Let's go sleepies!" Daejung cheered, pulling the curtains on the windows open. Jinyong and I groaned and rolled over to shield our eyes from the burning sunlight. Kwangsu dragged me out of bed and I thudded onto the ground, my eyes still stubbornly shut.
"We should go to church today..." Kwangsu murmured, watching Jinyong as he stretched and sat up. My eyes had opened and I stared up at the three of them curiously.
"Why are we going to church?" I inquired curiously, rubbing my head and blinking my drooping eyes lids. "Is it Sunday?"
He shook his head and told me, "I figure that we should go to church now considering the fact that we're leaving on a Friday..."
"But.... It's only Saturday right now... We're going to pass a Sunday before you leave... Tomorrow is Sunday..." I mumbled.
"Just get up!" Daejung snapped a little harsher than he had intended.
"Yes Kim Jong Il," I grumbled sarcastically, pulling myself out of bed and trudging to the bathroom before showering unhappily.
Jinyong threw my church clothes at me and I glared at him, perfectly satisfied in my jeans and shirt before changing with a sigh. I walked out of our apartment in a white lace blouse and a black above-the-knee skirt. Daejung tossed a pair of black wedges with laces on them. Kwangsu had to carry me down the stairs because I couldn't walk well in them.
"Alright, so church. Then what?" I asked as Jinyong pulled our long unused Hyundai Elantra out of the apartment lot and turned out onto the road.
Daejung was quick to reply with, "We go home, change, eat, and go back out. Today's special event: go-cart racing!"
"If you get injured its not going to be pretty..." I murmured as we stopped in the church parking lot and walked inside. A service was just about to begin and we quickly settled in the pews. Jinyong, Daejung, and Kwangsu prayed for safety during their military service and I prayed for them to come back to me safe and sound. We left the church and I sighed as I breathed in the cold November air.
Daejung drove home and we changed into regular clothes, happy to be rid of the stuffy church clothing. "Let's go racing!" Kwangsu cheered, rushing for the door.
"Kwangsu, we have to eat lunch!" I protested. He whined and groaned before agreeing and helping us to set the table for lunch. "Sorry eager beaver, but you still have to help even if you don't want to eat and just want to go go-cart racing.
"Yes Ma'am," he mumbled dejectedly.
Jinyong looked up and inquired, "Why don't we go clubbing today and racing tomorrow?"
"Why today? We went to church today," Daejung stated.
"Exactly!" Jin exclaimed. "Our protection is strongest today!"
"He's got a point," I mumbled through my Galbi. "Let's do that instead."
"But go-carts..." Kwangsu murmured. "Alright... I guess you guys are right..."
"Yeah!" Jinyong and I cheered, giving each other a high five. "Let's go at... Nine-ish?"
"Ten," I stated firmly. "No complaints, no questions, okay? You all are leaving me!"
"Deal," Daejung confirmed, shaking my outstretched hand. "But, you better stick close."
"Can do," I replied with a nod.
•• Later ••
I yawned as I pulled on a ruffled top and a playful skirt. "I'm so sleepy..." I mumbled through a second yawn.
"We don't have to go," Jinyong laughed, ruffling my hair.
I yawned again and then protested, "I have to go because you three need to have a good time before you leave!"
"Or, you could stop having a panic attack and live in the now instead of the later," he stated with an authoritative tone. "If you're tired, stay. I don't think Kwangsu is very keen on going so its not like you'd be home alone if you decided to stay."
"I guess..." I agreed in a mumble.
With that, Jinyong and Daejung left. Kwangsu, deciding last second to leave, grabbed his jacket and thundered after them. So I was left alone in our brand new apartment. I changed into a pair of crimped grey leggings and a big, loose black sweater with the name Block B written on the back. Yes, Block B, a Korean pop group.
I wasn't obsessed with them or anything. I just liked the hoodie. It was warm and looked nice. I plopped down on the couch made of rich cream colored Corinthian leather and sighed as I stared up at the ceiling.
"Hi!" I jumped away from the voice and turned to my left. Seeing nothing, I passed the voice off as a hallucination and settled into the couch again, feeling wary. "Yo, open your eyes!"
"What?" I asked the air around me. I adjusted my gaze and stared hard at the air right in front of my face. A face slowly materialized and I jumped back with a scream. "Wh- Who are you? What are you doing in here?" I demanded, feeling extremely creeped out.
The... Person...? He looked about my age and looked extremely familiar. I just couldn't put my finger on where I'd seen him before. "I'm your Angel! Don't you recognize an angel when you see one?"
He had dark brown hair that was spiked up in the front and he was wearing a white tank top that showed off his toned arms and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. His brown eyes twinkled with amusement as he scanned my face. "You're Kim Yu Kwon!" I exclaimed, pointing at him and retracting back further into the couch. "No way you're an Angel. You're a living... You're a pop star!"
He laughed and nodded. "That's right! Listen, I'm just visiting right now. I'll explain everything later. Bye bye!" He disappeared and I raised an eyebrow.
I sat up on the couch, awake, and sighed with relief. "Oh thank God. It was just a dream."
Was it really just a dream?
"I think I'm going to lose it," I muttered to myself, standing up. "I think I'll go out with some girls..." I dialed my best girl friend Siyoung and sighed as I listened to the dial tones.
"Hey~~" Siyoung slurred through the phone. "What's up Hyorin~?"
"Siyoung! Are you drunk?" I accused, startled by her tone.
"Of course not!" she protested. "I'm just sleepy! Anyway, what did you need?"
I sighed and then told her, "The boys are out. Want to go somewhere? I had this weird dream and I really need to talk."
Siyoung was silent and I feared that she had fallen asleep. "I'll meet you at the Starbucks. You know the one. See you there at one thirty. Don't be late!"
"Yes Siyoung!" I laughed, checking the clock and seeing that it was about twelve fifty. I had just enough time to run over to the Starbucks if I changed in about ten minutes. Not wasting a second, I rushed into my room and switched my crimped leggings for a pair of black tights with flowers running up the sides and a pair of tight shorts. I pulled black woolen leg warmers on and bunched them around my ankles.. My Block B hoodie would remain and I shoved my feet into my Ash 'Gin' wedges before shooting Daejung a quick text in case they got back before me.
Speaking of getting back before me, they should have been back by midnight...
I grabbed my brown and polka-dotted pink fur Brahmin bag and slung it across my chest before locking the apartment and rushing down the stairs. I must have been quite a sight running down the sidewalk and stumbling awkwardly in my wedges.
I passed several unfamiliar buildings before arriving at the Starbucks. Siyoung was getting out of a cab and I smiled and ran up beside her. "Hi Siyoung!" I greeted. She squealed and hugged me happily before leading me into the Starbucks.
"Spill," she commanded me after ordering a Latte. I ordered a Cappuccino and joined her in a booth. Taking a sip of her drink, she stared at me expectantly.
I rolled my eyes with a smile and searched my thoughts. "Okay, so, I had a dream." Siyoung nodded, understanding so far. "I was just sitting on the couch and then I heard a voice. It just greeted me but I was still freaked out nonetheless."
"Obviously," Siyoung giggled, nodding for me to continue.
I slowly continued, "Then I calmed down and it told me to open my eyes and I heard it from right in front of me so I squinted at the area in front of me and this person materialized out of thin air!"
"Person...? Or guy~?" Siyoung teased, waggling her eyebrows. I pushed her teasing off with a laugh and nodded.
"It was Kim Yu Kwon! He told me he was my Angel and I was really confused because Angels have wings! Then... He said he would explain later... He just sort of vaporized or something after that..."
"He... Vaporized?" Siyoung had a look of disbelief on her face mixed with confusion.
Oh dear... I had lost her...
"Siyoung, focus. What does it mean?" I asked her, sincerely confused about the whole thing.
She shook her head slowly with an uncertain expression and I sighed. "Maybe it means that it's time for you to get a boyfriend?"
I shook my head and stated, "No. He was not romantically interested in me... It was more like he wanted to..." I stopped speaking, not sure whether to finish or not.
"Wanted to...?" Siyoung prompted expectantly.
I raised a confused eyebrow. "But... That can't be... Can it?" I mumbled to myself. Siyoung snapped her fingers in front of my face and I blinked rapidly and whispered, "It was like he was there to protect me..."
"Guardian Angel!" she exclaimed in surprise. I furrowed my brows and remained silent, now all the more curious about my dream. "I knew it! You have to get, or will get, a person that will protect you and love you!"
"Siyoung~" I protested loosely, not believing her theory at all.
She crossed her arms and shot me one of her 'Don't deny it' expressions. "You know it could happen."
"I could but it won't." She rolled her eyes and nodded slowly in semi-agreement. "Anyway, I should get home. You should come by some time Si~ You'd be more than welcome!"
"You couldn't keep me away if you tried!" she joked, standing and walking out into the cold with me. "I'll see you Rin! Keep in touch!" I waved and walked in the opposite direction towards my apartment.
The streets were emptying and I felt exposed as I walked quickly down the sidewalk, my arms crossed defensively across my chest. Where was my Tae Kwon Do training when I needed it? I has forgotten most of it and longed for at least that to provide some console as I broke into a jog.
Soon, I was sprinting at the speed of light and was hyperventilating as I slammed the door of my apartment behind me. My chest swelled and deflated as I grasped the safety of my home and relaxed gradually. God, I was a freaking wimp.
"Good job running, but I was there... Sorta..."
"Who are you?" I yelled into my living room. "I'm sick of this! Are you a ghost? Are- Are you the Devil? Are you God? Who are you?"
The voice sighed and asked, "Haven't we already covered this? I'm an Angel. I will explain everything later!"
"Why are you haunting my dreams?" I pleaded, feeling weak.
The voice questioned, "You think this is a dream? Well, believe what you will..." With that, I awoke on my couch again.
"Wh- What?" I murmured to myself with confusion. "Oh, it was a dream. Why do they feel so realistic? I must be really sleepy..." I pushed myself up onto my feet as the door opened. "Jiyong?"
"Hey," he greeted, entering with Daejung and Kwangsu behind him. The three of them had most definitely been out clubbing. Their clothes were all wrinkled and they smelled of smoke, liquor, and sweat. Kwangsu had lipstick smeared across his mouth and I didn't comment. Jinyong's black hair was knotted and hung limped about his head. I rolled my eyes and trudged into my room before pulling on a pair of exercise shorts and a light long sleeved shirt.
"Goodnight," I grumbled, shooting my bedtime message down the hallway at the three of them.
"Goodnight," they replied in unison. We exchanged bows and I retreated into my bed before falling stone dead asleep.