The Unexpected Rhapsody || ✅

Epilogue

Five Years Later

South Korea is a beautiful place. Mostly demarcated by innovative modern architecture, it would surprise many when they would visit ancient palaces and museums in the same country. While there is a craze for pop-culture and pioneering patents, there is also a serene grace in the historical ethos.

This description would be incomplete without mentioning the extraordinary illustration of the capital city's night life.

Maybe this is why I find it so difficult to wake up this morning. Well, every morning to be more specific.

The sun's soft rays waft through the open window of the bedroom and create a striking reflection against the white blankets. I can hear the trees rustling, the birds twittering and waters resting. Am I still dreaming?

With eyes still refusing to open, I extend my arm in the distance, searching for the warmth of the body I have grown so attached to.

But when I'm met by nothingness, deep creases form on my forehead and I slowly open my eyes.

Wait. Since when did I sleep under mosquito nets?

That's when it hit me: I wasn't in Seoul, but in Chuncheon.

Reluctantly, I sit up, with seeing her being my only motivation. The 'beautiful body art' on my arm catches my eye and all my focus centers on the characters on the knuckles of my right hand: A R M Y. I watch the letters carefully, along with the 'J' and let my mind wonder about my hyungs and our lovely fandom.

Not a minute goes by when they do not linger in my memory.

Should I get more tattoos? Well, let's think about it later.

As I pull the warm blanket away, my bare torso shivers in the hasty chill of the room. I begin searching for my sweatshirt which I had removed before going to bed.

When I don't find it anywhere, I sigh and begin folding the covers and the net otherwise she'd give me a hard time.

I finally walk out of the room and don't stop until I get a glimpse of her. She stands against the sink with her back to me. Of course she's wearing the hoodie I was looking for. I should've known.

My eyes dart down to her exposed legs. Unintentionally, I find myself appreciating those muscles she had worked so hard to develop. No matter how many hours we spend in the gym together, I highly doubt I'll get used to seeing them. But then again, those are what a mountaineer's body must possess.

Actually, the twenty months which I spent away from her left a bittersweet impression on my mind. The worst part was of course not being able to see her and tell her what she means to me. I thank the heavens that I had the luxury of hearing her latest songs even while camping away. I couldn't help but feel a little jealous every time my comrades hooted at her stage performances. 

But the day I heard the news of her going back to Nepal to fulfill her father's dream, I felt extremely proud.

And when she returned, she came back with the title of 'the first ever K-Pop idol to have climbed the Mt. Everest.'

Truly amazing.

Without making any noise, I stand behind her. Slowly, I trap her small waist between my arms as I rest my chin on her shoulder. She immediately freezes at the contact and I chuckle softly as her breath hitches.

She'll never stop being shy around me, would she?

But then again, I've seen her exact opposite persona just as much.