There were boisterous applause, cheers and praise from the director and all the crew who filled the set. All of it is aimed at Seungyeon who is in their midst. The girl smiled broadly, bowed several times while saying thank you for everyone's hard work.
Seungyeon approached Jeongsu who immediately readily offered a bottle of drinking water.
"You are amazing today, your hard work is satisfying everyone. Starting tomorrow you can rest and be a little lazy at home." Jeongsu said while laughing.
"Thank you, Oppa. Yeah, it's finally finished. I'm very relieved!" Seungyeon exclaims happily.
Indeed, today is the last day of filming for her latest drama and Seungyeon managed to finish her part very well. She was confident enough after this she would definitely get a bigger role. That means she has to work even harder. Hard work won't betray the results, right?
"Oh, here. There was an incoming call but I didn't have time to answer." Jeongsu handed over the Seungyeon cellphone that he had kept earlier.
Seungyeon received it and then both of her eyebrows linked to see a series of numbers listed on the screen. And one message from the same number began to disturb curiosity.
010-38xx (3:15 p.m):
Can we meet? At eight tonight in the garden of your apartment I feel quite safe. I hope you will see me just once more.
***
To be honest, Seungyeon was hesitant to go to the park in accordance with the message she had read this afternoon but she didn't reply. But, again, curiosity overcomes all that doubt. So this is where she is now. Walk alone to the children's playground in her quiet apartment environment every past seven o'clock.
In the distance Seungyeon saw someone she would meet. Apparently she had arrived earlier, sitting alone on a bench.
With certain steps Seungyeon approached, wordlessly sitting not far beside her.
That person, Park Jisoo, turned her head and breathed a sigh of relief. "I don't think you will come." She said quietly.
Seungyeon glanced at her watch, eight more twenty minutes. Yes, she is late. But indifference, she will not apologize.
"I do not have much time." Said Seungyeon in a cold tone.
Next to her, Jisoo looked down, didn't know what she was looking at, or maybe her gaze was actually blank, then covered a smile.
I wonder what is on her mind right now, Seungyeon can't and doesn't want to guess. She was even busy thinking about the judge's decision that the woman had obtained a few weeks ago.
In contrast to Daehyun who received a sentence of seven years in prison and a fine of hundreds of millions of won for everything he had done, Jisoo only received a sentence of one year probation and a fine of hundreds of millions of won.
Too light?
She have no idea.
Maybe Daehyun is heavier because besides he is a drug user, but also at the same time a seller, while Jisoo is not related to it. Or maybe it's because Jisoo was defended by expensive, reliable lawyers, whereas Daehyun was only by free lawyers provided by the state. Whatever the reason, the judge has knocked the hammer.
Seungyeon secretly shuddered in terror, increasingly aware of what the entertainment world was like. The world where she is actually in it, which turns out to be very vulnerable to collapse if she is not good at choosing who to make friends with and build relationships. But at the same time she dreamed of the world since childhood. And not only herself, but many people, including Jisoo.
First, when she heard Jonghyun's story, Seungyeon knew how much that woman dreamed of the glamor of the entertainment world.
"For everything I've done to you, I'm sorry."
Seungyeon blinked several times, surprised by what she had just heard. Is this really Jisoo? Park Jisoo? Where have all the arrogance and scorn been attached to?
"I... Realize I shouldn't disturb your life, disturb your family and ruin your relationship with Jonghyun."
Seungyeon didn't say anything else, her gaze remained straight ahead, giving Jisoo time to talk.
"I should have always tried to be thankful for what I have without having to be jealous of someone else's. I should have been inferior enough to realize that all good things will come on time without hurting others. And I should have been able to do more accepting someone's sincere love without having to usurp someone else's love.
"After this, I will go to Hong Kong, join an agency owned by Daehyun's friend there and start things all over again, in a better way."
"How about YG here?" Finally Seungyeon said something, though still in a cold tone and a flat face, it still made Jisoo turn her head.
"My contract was terminated, they might not want to keep people like me, moreover I also didn't make much money for them."
Just nodding, Seungyeon didn't know how to react. Should she feel satisfied? Happy, sad, sorry? Or should she vent her anger?
Not.
To be honest, Seungyeon never really felt angry. She was quite aware that Jisoo had a lot of pain in her heart. Seungyeon was just annoyed, didn't like the way she was too cunning and endangering the safety of others.
Jisoo turned her gaze back, staring straight into the vast garden area with a dreamy gaze.
"In the end, I was saved by all of you who I hurt. My sentence is light because of Daehyun, I got a lot of lessons from you and Jonghyun. Maybe you think I'm shameless, but... I'm really thankful."
Seungyeon remembers at first she insisted on Jonghyun not to report Jisoo for fear she would ruin her life. But now, hearing everything she said, Seungyeon was grateful. At least not only a deterrent that she got, but more than that.
"I hope you can respect yourself more."
Jisoo smiles again, nodding in agreement with Seungyeon's words. "Ya, I'll do it."
Then for a few moments the two of them let silence take over. Let the spring breeze hit their face in a subtle way.
"Can you say sorry and thanks to Jonghyun, Yonghwa, Jungshin and Minhyuk for me?"
"Why don't you say it directly?"
Jisoo took a breath and exhaled slowly. "They don't want to see me anymore. Some time ago Jonghyun and Jungshin said, I had to make up for everything I had done to them by not showing my face again to them."
"That's why you chose Hong Kong? So you won't see them again?"
"One of them, yes. But the main thing is I want to open a new page in a new place with new people too."
After thinking for a while, Seungyeon nodded. "Alright, I'll say it. But... I'm here, just consider representing them, apologize to you if there are words that are too harsh and hurt your feelings."
Jisoo turned to Seungyeon again, staring at her for a long time until she didn't realize that there was a grain of water in the corner of her own eyes. Then she whispered. "I don't understand how wide your heart is, Seungyeon?"
"I just want us to live quietly together." She said with a shrug, pretending to be indifferent.
When blinking, a tear had fallen down her pale cheeks, but her lips raised in a smile. "I have nothing to forgive."
"Thank you." Seungyeon also reviews a small smile. "By the way, when will you go to Hong Kong?"
"As soon as the papers are taken care of."
"Are you going to come back here? I mean, to Korea?"
"I don't know. Maybe someday."
"Then, someday, if we meet again, whenever and wherever, I hope we meet in a better way and let's be friends."
The first time, Jisoo felt like she was talking to a friend. Make her even more aware that all this time is wasted until she doesn't know what it's like to have a friend. And Seungyeon who sat next to her, still willing to accept it after what she did, succeeded in making her chest tight with mixed feelings.
Jisoo felt ashamed, not only for Seungyeon but also for herself, and ashamed for her mother who might have been watching her from above. But there is also clear relief. After apologizing in the right way, she was relieved to really step forward.
Now a tear has turned into a long stream. Unable to resist, Jisoo sobbed softly. And when Seungyeon slowly got up, sat closer to her, and felt Seungyeon's hands bring her into her arms, Jisoo was sure Jonghyun had fallen in love with the right person.
Lee Jonghyun is really good at choosing. And Jisoo is grateful for that.
"It's okay to cry today, but tomorrow you have to smile again."
"Thank you." Jisoo whispered in her sobs.
***
Peace may be just a word. But for Seungyeon, a word has a very deep meaning. It can even change someone's life path.
Peace with the past, for example.
She must be truly at peace with Jonghyun's past, the man she loved, in order to move forward for happiness.
After talking a lot with Jisoo, now Seungyeon has just entered the lobby to return to her apartment unit. It was then that she saw a broad back and broad shoulders that she was very familiar with.
The owner of the body, Lee Jonghyun, walked casually without bothering around, only focusing on a bouquet of white and pink roses in his hand. Seungyeon chuckled from a distance, it seems like she had just thwarted one of his plans tonight.
As Jonghyun waited for the elevator, Seungyeon stood right behind him, innocently she patted Jonghyun's shoulder.
"Who do you want to meet?"
Jonghyun turned his head wide-eyed, his expression very funny. "You surprised me! What are you doing here?"
Seungyeon giggled to see Jonghyun who tried to hide the bouquet behind his back. Oh come on, she had seen him a long time ago!
Ignoring Jonghyun's question, Seungyeon pulled him into the open elevator. "So who do you want to meet at this time of night with the flowers?"
Jonghyun rolled his eyes, annoyed. "You really destroyed the scenario that I made."
Jonghyun no longer hide his bouquet, beside him, Seungyeon was still laughing. Then the girl put out her right hand.
"That's for me. Right?"
"Who said this to you? You are too confident." Jonghyun snickered, gently flicking Seungyeon's forehead.
"Then for who?"
"Nanan." Jonghyun answered origin, mentioning one of Seungyeon's pets.
The romantic scene he handed over a bouquet of roses accompanied by sweet words and continued with warm kisses and hugs that he had previously dreamed of being destroyed instantly. Obviously the man was upset not playing.
"Ya, that's up. Nanan is already sleeping, you can't be disturbed." Seungyeon walked ahead when the elevator opened, down the corridor leaving Jonghyun who followed behind her.
"Wait! Ya, ya, this is for you. Don't sulk like that, you look ugly you know? This flower is a congratulation because your shooting is over."
Jonghyun let the bouquet move into Seungyeon's hand, made her smile again, then he tightly embraced Seungyeon's shoulder. Walking side by side laughing and talking about anything until it disappears behind the door of the apartment.
***