Lalisa pursed up her lips and raised her head to look at the high-spirited Jimin on the electronic screen.
Jimin rarely talked about his past to her. Probably because she was only 23 years old at that time so she seemed like still a little sister to Jimin who had such vast life experiences.
Only once, Jimin by chance talked about it: “I used to have a girlfriend at C University. She is very intelligent, very beautiful……” He stopped, his voice overwhelmed with feelings.
At that time, Lalisa who did not understand the reason, immediately replied: “My ex-boyfriend is also very outstanding.”
“Oh?” Jimin smiled, “In that case, your ex-boyfriend isn’t as lucky as me.”
Lalisa could still remember the expressions in his eyes to this day, full of contradictions. Loneliness and arrogance appeared at the same time in his usually calm eyes.
In all these years, she did not see any woman in Jimin’s life. Lalisa dazedly thought, perhaps, he was like her, all along unable to let go of that person from the past.
As the speech was coming to an end, the host came out: “If we finish now, will all of you feel kind of unsatisfied? Will you have any regrets?”
Many voices shouted: “Yes!”
“Thus next, it is question and answer session. The time is half an hour, so seize the moment.”
The atmosphere started to bust with noise and excitement. One after another, the students stood up to ask all kinds of tricky and strange questions. Allowing the audience to freely ask questions best reflects a person’s creativity and agility. Obviously, Jimin excelled at this. His answers full of wit and humor elicited a burst of applause from the audience.
Today’s speech, regardless from which aspect, Jimin was truly “the pride of C University.”
“Ugh, these guys ask really boring questions.”
Continuous technical questions about IT bored the girls in the audience, as they were not interested in computer technology.
At this point, the microphone was passed to a girl.
The female student stood up and cleared her throat: “Mr. Park, I want to clarify that this question isn’t from me but from a classmate who sent message to me from outside the auditorium. She said if I can help her to ask this question, she’ll treat me to dinner so for my free dinner, please answer my question.”
“Of course.” Jimin said pleasantly. He elegantly lifted his hand and made a “go ahead” gesture.
“Oh, great.” The girl tactfully paused and waited until the audience calmed down, then she asked loudly, “Are you married? Do we still have a chance?”
Because of this question, the audience grew noisy. The male students whistled, cheering for the girl’s courage.
However, in such a lively atmosphere, the man on stage who has been at ease all along, has clearly lost his concentration.
He still appeared like before, but his train of thoughts seemed to have disengaged. This person apparently was brought to another world by this unexpected question, forgetting he still have audience. The students who saw the close-up on the big electronic screen outside the auditorium could even see the sadness that could not be hidden away in his eyes.
Gradually, the auditorium quieted down. The students looked at each other in complete silence.
The girl who asked the question started to appear uneasy.
The host thought this question intruded on Jimin’s privacy and quickly came out to save the day: “The question asked by the female student is about his private life ah. You are not a paparazzi who disguised herself and sneaked in here.”
There was faint laughter from the audience.
The assistant standing next to Jimin said something to him and he recovered himself immediately. He made a gesture to stop the host: “It is all right. I just suddenly thought of my wife who I haven’t seen for some time.”
The audience failed to understand clearly so Jimin answered with certainty: “Of course, I’ve married.”
There were so many people inside and outside the auditorium, but probably only Lalisa understood the true meaning of the speaker’s words.
Have married!
Lalisa also told Jungkook that before.
Have married, but only in name, and it was no longer true now.
The speech was drawing to a close. The last image on the electronic screen showed students rushing towards the stage surrounding Jimin, who stood in the middle. Then, the broadcast stopped and began a video about the centennial celebration of C University.
People gathering outside the auditorium gradually dispersed. Lalisa also followed the crowd to leave. Suddenly, she remembered when she flew back to Korea, Jimin saw her off at the airport and the last remarks he made before she boarded the plane.
“If you are not returning to the U.S., then we don’t keep in touch for the time being.”
Actually, it was not without regrets. They could have been very good friends.
If……
So many things did not happen.
Lalisa ‘s chest felt tight and her head dizzy.
In this defenseless and sunny afternoon, those emotions buried for a long time were reawakened by Jimin’s appearance. Each scene like a nightmare reappearing. Newly arriving in the U.S., she felt terrified because everything was unfamiliar and she also felt ashamed due to discrimination for her poor command of English. Because her accent was ridiculed, she gradually grew accustomed to remaining silent. After more than two months in the U.S., Lalisa fell apart when she learned about her father’s suicide due to guilt from the newspaper……
At that time, everything felt like a demon weaving a net. No matter how she struggled, infinite despair as escape was not possible.
“Two tigers, two tigers, running fast……”
Suddenly, the ringtone “Two Tigers” pulled Lalisa from the past back to the present.
Lalisa chose this childish song for Jungkook’s phone when he was busy with work and she played computer games with his phone. Although Jungkook frowned for a while after he heard the song, he did not change it.
The phone rang twice before she answered.
“Lalisa.”
Jungkook’s voice sounded deep and low like always. Lalisa did not know why she suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotions. It seemed as if a warm wind blew through her heart, the whole world became tranquil and kind.
Her eyes welled up.
“Jungkook, I miss you very much……”
Lalisa heard herself saying that, or rather, it was another Lalisa who was in a foreign country telling Jungkook that.
I miss you very much.
Jungkook, did you know that?
I once stood on a street in a foreign country, full of people with different skin colors, even someone looking a bit like you also could not be seen. Finally, I can tell you now, I miss you very much……
The tears that could not be held back rolled down her cheeks.
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
Only their quiet breathing was heard, mixed in with car horns from a distance.
After a moment, Namjoon’s loud voice could be heard from the phone: “Jungkook, why did you stop walking? Moreover standing in the middle of the road!”
Jungkook snapped out of it and coughed: “Oh, I see……”
The great lawyer paused and stammered.
“……Where are you?”
Lalisa looked around: “I don’t know.” After the speech finished, she just followed the crowd, not paying attention to where she was going.
“Are you lost? No wonder……” Jungkook’s voice was hoarse, “Forget about it, just go directly to Bin Jiang Hotel across the university’s north gate. I’ll wait for you in front of the hotel.”
Bin Jiang Hotel.
For some reason, someone took the table Namjoon’s reserved. The manager apologized profusely and said he would make another arrangement as soon as possible. The group did not really mind, as everyone sat and chatted in the lobby while waiting.
Besides Jihyo, Namjoon also invited several close friends. After graduation, everyone dispersed in different directions, so they only managed to meet up a few times. Finally there was a chance to catch up with each other now.
Jihyo took the opportunity to introduce the female lecturer who she had invited to Jungkook. The leading man appeared a bit distracted, but judging from the female lecturer looking shyly at Jungkook from time to time, Jihyo was secretly proud of herself because she was probably at least half successful this time.
While chatting, Yoongi, who sat opposite the windows, suddenly stood up and looked outside the window. Jungkook, who sat across from him, subconsciously turned around to see a big truck narrowly missing Lalisa. She tried to stabilize herself and stand firmly, her face paled with shock.
That was a close call, Yoongi was still stunned: “Jungkook, your wife is terrifying. She can cross the street without paying attention, when the light was still red……”
Before he finished talking, Jungkook already stood up and walked out with a cold face.
Jihyo could clearly see the woman’s face across the street and widened her eyes. She also heard clearly what Yoongi said so she turned to Namjoon and asked: “Wife? What does that mean?”
Namjoon laughed sneakily: “A wife is a wife, not a girlfriend.”
The young female lecturer looked puzzled at Jihyo, probably wanting to ask “Why you introduced a married man to me?”
Jihyo suffered in silent then glared ferociously at Namjoon.
Jungkook took hold of Lalisa’s hand and walked in front of her. He immediately let go of her hand as soon as they have crossed the road. They stood next to the flower terrace but could not hear what they were talking. Looking at Jungkook’s imposing manner, as well as Lalisa stooping her head low and lower, he probably was lecturing her.
“I really missed this!” Yoongi started to smile. He had not seen such a scene in a long time. At university, Jungkook acted older than his age. He usually handled things maturely and rarely got angry with anyone. Except with Lalisa, he would always lecture her for a long time if she did something wrong.
“It is still her.” Jihyo shook her head, not knowing if she should feel happy for her junior or feel not worth it, “Back then, there were so many talented and beautiful girls in our Faculty of Law who liked him, but he liked a girl from another faculty. I told him, it is fine if he likes someone from a different faculty, but at least choose the most beautiful girl. Only then would that be fitting with his status as the “Number 1 Gifted Scholar” of the Faculty of Law, but he chose an ordinary girl.”
Back then, when Lalisa relentlessly pestered Jungkook, most people in the Faculty of Law watched the chase with the mentality of following the crowd. No one thought Jungkook would accept her because he already rejected many girls better than her. Hence, when Jungkook brought Lalisa to attend lecture and self-study class, many people were taken by surprised. Perhaps many girls secretly regretted that they were not a bit more persistent. Later, when Lalisa went to the U.S. and Jungkook was single again, there were many new students whose enthusiasm level could match that of Lalisa. However, Jungkook always managed to get rid of them in two to three days time.
Once, Jihyo could not help but asked: “You hate it when girls pester you. Then, why didn’t you hate Lalisa?”
Jihyo regretted her outburst being too rude and impetuous. Thus, she immediately laughed to brush it aside, not expecting Jungkook would reply.
“That is different.” At that time, Jungkook answered briefly in a flat tone.
Jihyo could not think where the difference was. Perhaps— he gave Lalisa a chance to pester him but did not give the other girls the same opportunity.
After hearing what she said, Namjoon said seriously for once: “A love relationship is like drinking water. The person who drinks it knows best whether the water is hot or cold.”
While everyone was still chatting, Jungkook and Lalisa have arrived. Jungkook still looked annoyed. As for Lalisa, she probably had been scolded miserably. She greeted the crowd in a very low voice without any enthusiasm.
Lalisa was a frequent visitor to the Faculty of Law so she knew Jihyo. She looked at Jihyo and smiled faintly: “Hello.”
Jihyo made a reluctant “ah” sound. She did not have a chance to reply because a loud cry of surprise interrupted her.
“Mrs. Park!”
The loud and passionate voice of the speaker caused the noisy lobby to quiet down. People were amused by the accent of the man when he spoke in English. The portly middle-aged man was not in the least conscious that everyone’s attention was focused on him. He walked happily across the lobby to stand in front of a stiff Lalisa.
"Mrs. Park.” The middle-age man was a little incoherent from excitement, “I didn’t expect to see you here. Did you return with Mr. Park? I’m Kim Jong-in, president of Da Shang Company. Do you remember, hehehe…… Last year in the U.S., I was honored to be treated so well by you and Mr. Park. This time since you and your husband have returned home, you must let me return the favor by hosting you.”
Lalisa was stunned, her hands and feet growing cold.
She could still remember this middle-aged chubby man. His company and Jimin’s company did business together. When he visited the U.S. last year, Jimin had hosted a dinner at their home for him and his wife.
But why did she have to run into him here?
At the worst time, in the worst situaion.
Lalisa felt Namjoon and everyone else looking at her in suspicion and also surprise. She did not have the courage to look at Jungkook’s expression.
Just recently she only started to feel to have a little bit of happiness, very feeble, would it disappear so quickly……
The fearful feeling was spreading bit by bit to all corners of her body. However, in the next moment, a warm and strong hand took hold of her trembling hand.
This hand that just pulled her across the street in anger.
It was now full of reassuring strength and clasping her hand.
Lalisa slowly turned her head. Jungkook was looking at her, his eyes were calm but filled with pain.
He…… had guessed what happened?
Indeed.
Lalisa heard Jungkook’s clear and calm voice, “I’m sorry, now she is not……”
“You have the wrong person.”
Lalisa interrupted before Jungkook could finish talking. He paused and his eyes appeared puzzled.
Lalisa gently pulled her hand out of his hand and repeated her words to President Kim: “You have the wrong person.”