Chapter music:
(video with english translation)
Her Voice
by YEOONE
(official video)
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Chapter 22
It's Party Time
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[[ JIYOO ]]
I thought there won't be anyone yet in Mijin's apartment but Seunghyub and I were both surprised to see Hyunjoo sitting on the couch, typing on her laptop; there's Seunghee in the kitchen busying herself with cooking; and then there's Hongseok setting up the snack table with Changgu. "She gained friends." Seunghyub said.
I chuckled. "Are you jealous?"
"Yeah, I'm stuck with you." He said before entering the door.
"Shut up." I said shoving him a little too strongly. He was out of balance so he fell down the floor with a thud. Everyone else turned to us. Mijin gasped. "Oppa!"
I scratched my head. "Hi, guys!"
"Whoa, you're strong, Jiyoo-ssi." said Hongseok.
"Yah!" Seunghyub yelled, tripping my feet. My eyes widened as I braced myself from the fall but someone caught me steady. "Gotcha." Changgu said.
We looked at each other for a while before I pulled away, "Thanks!" I kicked Seunghyub's leg quickly and ran away.
My duty was to make the drinks. For some reason, Changgu was beside me in the kitchen decorating cupcakes. I suppressed a smile at his seriousness, but then he caught me. I bit my lip and focused on my own work.
I went to the kitchen cabinets, searching for something good to go with the punch when Mijin passed by in a hurry, bumping on me. "Ohmygod! It's almost time!" She said, but my world stopped because I was thrown to Changgu who was next to me in the kitchen. His eyes were wide as our noses touch. "Sorry! Sorry!" I said, pulling away.
His hand was filled with pink frosting because he accidentally squeezed it. We both looked at it and laughed.
"How about you go get dressed? I'll take on your work." Hyunjoo told Minji.
"Thanks!" Minji said gratefully, leaving her work.
Once the party started and Minji's friends from college came, I grabbed a bottle of beer and a plastic cup, making my way to the balcony. I closed my eyes and replayed what's been on my mind since that nightㅡmy first kiss with Changgu.
I let out a sigh as I drank. The cold beer was freezing my hand. I went back inside and found people dancing in the living room. I noticed Hyunjoo wasn't dancing so I sat beside her. "Hi," I greeted.
She smiled at me. "Hi."
"Not much of a party animal, huh?"
She shook her head. "No, not like that guy there." She said pointing at Hongseok who was dancing funny. I laughed but it quickly faded away when I saw behind Hongseokㅡthere's Changgu and a girl dancing with him. Way too close.
I averted my gaze immediately.
And then I looked again.
"Hey, you okay?" Hyunjoo asked worriedly. She must have seen what I was looking at.
I nodded, forcing a smile. "Food. Wanna go get food?"
"Let's go." She said, leading me away from the wild crowd.
I hovered my hand over the snacks and paused on the cupcakes Changgu worked on. And skipped them.
The image of him dancing with another girl came back in my head.
"Jiyoo!" Hyunjoo called.
"Yes?"
"I asked what's the deal with you and Changgu? I thought you guys are... doing well?"
"Nothing," I said shaking my head. "Just friends."
"Huh," she said leaning against the wall. "I've been there."
"Really?"
She laughed. "Hm, I don't think you guys are 'just friends'."
I looked at where he was dancing with the girl and our eyes suddenly met. "Yeah, but we're not going to the 'more than friends' level either." I said, turning my back on him.
Hyunjoo looked me in the eye. "Who among you two is being stubborn?"
I choked on my chips. "What?"
"Think about it." She said before patting my shoulder. "I'll go get Hongseok. He's getting too wild."
I laughed. "Okay."
"Good luck, Jiyoo."
I shook my head and returned to the snacks, casually moving my head to the musicㅡbut honestly, I just want to listen to ballad songs and lay in my bed.
"Jiyoo," I turned to see Changgu behind me.
"Oh, hey." I greeted.
"Iㅡ" But before he could speak, the girl who was dancing with him earlier came over. "Changgu oppa! Let's dance some more."
Changgu's jaw dropped and then he looked at me as if he didn't know what to do. I smiled tightly. "I'm... gonna get a drink." I said, escaping from them.
I went back to the balcony with my drink. It was already dark. The moon had shown up. But suddenly, someone blocked my view of itㅡwho's apparently, more beautiful than the moon.
"Hi, again." Changgu greeted, he was holding a pink guitar. "Oh, I found this in Mijin's roomㅡwhere by the way, I may have walked in on her and Seunghyub making out."
I hate how he makes me laugh. "Please don't give me graphic imagination."
He grinned and sat beside me. "I told you I'd play the guitar for you someday, right?"
I nodded.
"Well, I wrote something. Do you wanna listen to it?"
I quickly nodded. "Yes!"
He smiled and then I stared at him as he tuned the guitar. He's even more beautiful under the moonlight.
He looked at me once more before he began strumming effortlessly. Once he began singing, I couldn't take my eyes off him.
Let's go
Let's go wherever you wanna go
I don't know just follow me
Wherever we go together is fine
Let's go
Let's go wherever you wanna go
Put away your worries for a while
Let's go far away together
I leaned my head against the wall, his soothing sweet voice filling my ears.
In the gap between worries
Let's go to the stars that welcome us warmly
To that blue sea,
To the cool valley of the mountain
Wherever we go,
If I'm with you
I think anywhere will be okay
I couldn't help myself from smiling and probably wearing my heart on my sleeves as I watched him. He kept smiling at me as he played and singㅡand God, I really do want him in my life.
"How long have you been working on that song?" I asked him once he's done.
"Two weeks?"
"No way!"
He laughed. "Really."
I gave him two thumbs up. "You're pretty amazing, Yeo Changgu."
He put the guitar aside and leaned his head against the wall too, now we're face to face the way we were in the beach. We simply looked at each other softly under the moon and the stars. It wasn't uncomfortable. Somehow, it was calmingㅡif only not with my heart acting up.
"Jiyoo," he called softly.
"Hm?"
"Are you in love with me?" He asked.
I chuckled, feeling my cheeks heat up. "What?"
"Because I'm in love with you."
Oh gosh. My heart. It was louder than the party music inside.
Changgu smiled a little, "I know you think we can't be. I keep wondering why. It must be my mom. Maybe it's because of me. Or, maybe it's you." He took a deep breath, caressing my cheek gently with his thumb. "But I just want you to know how I really feel."
He laughed when I stayed quiet. "Say something."
I leaned closer to kiss him but he pulled away. I was confused.
"If you kiss me right now, I'm going to date you. You're going to be my girlfriend. Son Jiyoo, take responsibility. I'm hurting too, you know." He said with a smile I just couldn't resist anymore.
A smile slowly curved my lips. "I'm sorry," I said before kissing him softly. "For hurting you." I whispered.
I felt him smile through the kiss that seemed to take us into a different world where there's only him and I. The sound of only our voices, our breathing and our heartbeats.
"And," I said touching his cheek. "I take responsibility."
He kissed me. So soft. Too slow. But perfect. I thought love is that intangible thing we could never taste, but kissing him certainly proved that wrong. And it's the sweetest thing in the world I've ever known.
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A/N: WOOO. R.I.P. EVERYONE.
HAHAHAHAH
thank you for reading this chapter!!
ALSOOO, SUPPORT PENTAGON FOR CLEAR SKIN & GOOD GRADES & GOOD LIFE