The Piano and The Past. /Johnny/

Chapter 4

Youngho poured another shot on Nara's glass. It was her third shot.

"Nara ssi, you're not drunk, aren't you?" He gently asked.

"I'm not." She gulped down one shot. "But I want to."

The tent bar was not crowded but there was another girl in the tent. She had five bottles of soju on her table, yet she didn't seem to be drunk at all. The tent bar ahjumma approached the girl as she worried about her.

"Ayoung agassi, don't drink too much! Aigoo, this girl, really. You can't go home like this." The ahjumma patted the girl's back. The girl just smiled as if she hadn't had any drinks. She mouthed 'I'm fine' to the ahjumma.

Nara stared at the girl and suddenly chuckled. She aligned her glass in front of her eye, seeing the girl though her glass. "She had a problem and came drinking alone."

Youngho starred at her. "Don't you?"

"What?" She put down her glass.

"Have a problem." He poured his glass.

She flicked his forehead. He almost flipped out and did the same to her but he restrained himself. "Babo-ya. I don't have a problem."

"You're drinking with a stranger." Youngho took the shot. "It's one problem."

Nara poured another soju into both of hers and his glass.

"Earlier you looked like you were waiting. And also two days ago." He took the shot again. "That's also a problem."

She stopped drinking her soju and put down her glass. Nara stared into emptiness. Youngho noticed her face, wondering if he said something wrong.

"I didn't mean- I mean, it was a prob-"

"Are you in a relationship right now?" She suddenly said, and focused her face toward him. "If you are, can you tell if she's the one or not?"

Youngho was surprised with her sudden question. He didn't have any girlfriends. The closest situation with a woman he ever had was with his mother. But when he started to take interest in her, it hit him that she might have a boyfriend.

"Is it about your boyfriend, then? The problem." He nervously asked.

Nara just chuckled. "Boyfriend? It's more complicated than that, Youngho ssi." She nibbled the snacks from the table.

"Fiancé? Hmm but you look too young to get married, though."

"Just forget it." She grinned. "You don't have to pay me back for the coins. This companion will do just fine. I haven't gotten myself to drink. Especially with a stranger."

Youngho kept his eyes at her while drinking his shot.

"I'm going, then." She stood up. "Thank you, Youngho ssi."

"Let me walk you back." He followed her.

"I'm going home. My sister had left. You can't walk me back there." Nara said, half drunk. "It's fine. I can take the subway. You can go now."

"But I can't leave a drunk girl-"

"Shh. Just go home. Your gachapon brothers might be waiting for you." She walked backwards and imitated his hand sign like the first time they met. "Anyeong."

He couldn't help but kept an eye on her while she was walking.

--

[the next morning]

"Hyung! I heard a new family is moving next to your house. Do you know something about that?" Jaemin asked Youngho who was washing his motorbike.

"I know. The family has a son around your age if I'm not wrong." Youngho brushed his hair back with his wet hand. The wavy hair kept his sight blocked.

"Really? Should we ask him to join us then?"

"What is it with this joining thing?" Youngho sprayed a bit of water to Jaemin playfully. "Are you making a gang or something?"

"Ack, stop it! Hyung~ I just washed my hair this morning.

"It's a punishment for skipping school today. Here, eat some more." He sprayed more water on Jaemin.

"Stop it- aaa- hyung-"

Then Youngho's phone rang. He immediately turned off the hose and wiped his hand dry on Jaemin's shirt, the latter sulked. It was a call from his friend.

"O, Jaehyun-ah? What is it?"

'Hyung, we're having a secret gig in Seoul this weekend. Taeyong hyung wrote new songs. Will you come? I'll text you the location.'

"Secret gig? If it's a secret why are you telling me?" He asked, while Jaemin tried to eavesdrop the conversation after hearing he mentioned Jaehyun's name.

'Eyy, you're our hyung. Why should I keep it a secret?'

"The little boys can come too?"

'I wish they can, but it's for 18 and up. Mark almost didn't make the cut.' Jaehyun explained.

"Okay, then." Youngho ruffled Jaemin's hair, making him sulked even more.

'But you can bring a friend. Other than the little boys. I have asked Ten hyung, Doyoung hyung and Taeil hyung to come.'

"If you have invited them all, who am I going to invite then? Okay, I will come."

'Thanks, hyung. See you.'

"Okay." He hung up and noticed that Jaemin was not in his sight. He looked around to find him. "Jaemin?? Na Jaemin??"

"Geronimo!!" Jaemin aimed the hose toward Youngho's face from behind the bush.

--

Nara sighed as she heard her sister asked her to come to MBC for showing product samples. "Can't Haeun eonni do it instead? I mean, after she's done with class?"

"By the time she's done, the working hours has ended, Nara ya." Nayeon gave the box to Nara. "Just this once. It has to be today and I have to go to the factory."

'But it's MBC, eonni. Can't you understand my heart?'

She finally complied to her order after deliberating hastily. "Fine. But buy me food. Hint. Meat."

"Ck, this wench. Fine, eonni will buy you some meat."

"I don't want 'some'. I want a lot." She said as she walked outside.

"It's okay, Park Nara. It's a big building. The odds are too small."

--

"Here you go. This is your temporary ID to pass that gate. The drama merchandising team is in Room 8-2 on the 8th floor. You will see the sign on your way as well." The front desk assisted Nara with the temporary magnetic card.

"Thank you."

She walked pass the gate after scanning the card and followed a crowd of ten people waiting for the elevator. The box in her hand kept sliding so she moved backwards not to make people felt uncomfortable.

'Ding. Ground floor. The doors are opened. This elevator is going up.'

As Nara heard the notification voice, she entered the elevator and immediately took the backside. A lot of people was coming in.

And she saw him.

He saw Nara. He clearly saw Nara but he just stopped momentarily before people patted him to go inside as the door was closing.

'Ding. Ground floor. The doors are closing. This elevator is going up.'

Nara felt her eyes a bit teary. From anger and longings.

'Kim Youngjin. I met Kim Youngjin and he seems fine.'

____________
If any of you know the group JJCC (the JackieChan's kpop group), there's this member named Simba. I used him as depiction of Kim Youngjin. And it's also happened to be his real name. His height is around 185 cm with a nice built and deep voice. At first I wanted to use SF9's Jaeyoon for his serious face only, but I can't imagine his serious face anymore since this Roar comeback, him messing around with Inseong and Dawon....just can't.