Untitled : Chapters 4-6
Chapter Four
Between the two of us, we had about $400. It wasn¡¯t much but Jiwon and I weren¡¯t reasoning. The only thing that mattered was the fact that we were together. After riding on Jiwon¡¯s motorcycle for a good half hour, we ended up on the beach as usual.
Jiwon chained his bike to the beach post as we walked down towards the shore.
¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this.¡±
¡°Neither can I but we¡¯re here now aren¡¯t we Jihyun? ¡°
Our relationship was definitely special. Some couples had to go out to fancy restaurants, clubs, or the movies to have fun. But to me, that¡¯s not really enjoying each other¡¯s company. It takes so much more effort to just go out somewhere quiet and appreciate what you have with that person. This is what Jiwon and I had.
¡°I¡¯m kind of scared, I mean are we just going to spend the night here sleeping on the beach?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re going to do Jihyun, I really don¡¯t know¡¦¡±
We tried to keep talking the whole night through and it was going really well until one of us fell asleep. I think it might have been me. All I know is that the next time I opened my eyes, I was snuggled in Jiwon¡¯s arms and it was daybreak.
A sudden rush raced through my whole body. I couldn¡¯t believe that I slept on the beach without even a fear. Minutes after I awoke, Jiwon too started to stir.
¡°Oh god¡¦ I feel great what about you?¡±
Jiwon looked over at me and I had no choice but to smile. I did feel great; even though my heart was pounding 1000 beats a minute. I grabbed Jiwon¡¯s arm and pulled him up, as we both got on our feet. The two of us stared into each other¡¯s eyes before we equally pulled towards each other to embrace in a kiss.
¡°Let¡¯s go Jiwon.¡±
Jiwon and I ran for his motorcycle and he unchained it. We had spent a wonderful night together, but now it was time to enjoy the day ahead of us together in freedom. On the beach boardwalk, Jiwon put me in the front of his bike. He was trying to teach me how to ride. I had to admit, I felt a rush being the one that actually rode the bike and it was great to have Jiwon¡¯s arms wrapped around my waist instead.
Soon after Jiwon assumed his normal spot as the rider of the bike, and took us into town. Around this time of day, the busy downtown area was at its peak. Jiwon and I had to maneuver through the streets just to not get separated. There was this one little store however that caused me to stop.
¡°Jiwon oppa, look that lady makes little sticker pictures and puts them into a chain.¡±
¡°Wow yea¡¦ I¡¯ve never seen that before, you wanna try it?¡±
We ran into the little store like children at a toyshop. The old lady was so happy to have business and a young couple that was so excited about doing this.
¡°Is there anything that you¡¯d like the picture to say?¡± asked the lady.
Jiwon and I looked at each other. And we simultaneously said at the same time¡¦
¡°Young won han sarang.¡±
After the pictures were taken, we walked out of the store with big smiles. For two people who haven¡¯t showered yet the entire day, the pictures came out pretty good. But we were hungry. We stopped in one of those little mini-mart places that sold ramyun and other little snacks.
Jiwon and I were sitting by the window eating and looking out when I saw something.
¡°Jiwon!¡± I grabbed his arm and started shaking him.
¡°Jihyun what¡¯s wrong?¡±
He then looked up and outside and saw the same thing I did.
¡°Oh my god¡¦¡± Jiwon whispered.
There was my mother and father handing out little flyers to the people who passed the streets. Just as Jiwon and I both looked up, my mother and father looked in and saw the two of us eating.
¡°Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking Jihyun?¡±
¡°Uh huh¡¦ RUN!!!¡±
Jiwon grabbed my hand as we ran out the back entrance of the store. My parents started calling after us, but we were already on the bike speeding away. Never have I held on to Jiwon so tight. This was it I thought¡¦ I was going to get it so bad¡¦ Just as we thought we had gotten away, I turned back around and saw a car chasing after us. My parent¡¯s car¡¦
¡°Jiwon, oh my god¡¦ Jiwon they¡¯re coming after us. They¡¯re following us. What do we do oppa?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know Jihyun, Jesus¡¦ I can¡¯t think. The smartest thing to do would be to stop the bike and go with them. But¡¦ no we¡¯ll just keep going.¡±
The chase continued for another 30 minutes until we hit one intersection. Instead of us going straight, there was a police car there that cut us off in a little alley. Jiwon brought the motorcycle to an abrupt stop suddenly as my parents car closed in on us.
My mother rushed out of the car and came running towards me. She took one hand out and grabbed my hair and slapped me with the other hand.
¡°You crazy girl! How could you!!!¡±
Jiwon hopped off the bike and ran up to mother and pulled her hand off of me.
¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch her again.¡±
My father came from the side and pulled Jiwon¡¯s hand down.
¡°Now you listen young man, don¡¯t try anything stupid. It¡¯s your fault that Jihyun behaves this way.¡±
The police came and took Jiwon away in their car as my parents pulled me and shoved me into their car.
I didn¡¯t even get the chance to look back at Jiwon, but this was the beginning of our goodbye.
Chapter Five
For three days now, I haven¡¯t been in school, haven¡¯t been outside, and haven¡¯t even breathed any real fresh air. I refused to come out of my room. There was no point. There wasn¡¯t any point of even living because of what my parents had done to me.
That night that I was brought back home with them, they told me something that I could never forget.
¡°Jihyun¡¦¡± my mother started. ¡°You have severely disappointed your father and I. Do you know how scared and worried we were when we went into your bedroom that night and found that you weren¡¯t there? I can and will not believe how you disobey your parents. Neither will I stand for it any longer. Next Wednesday, you will be flying to America. You¡¯re going to live there with your aunt. I¡¯m sorry but this is the only way to keep you from that Jiwon character.¡±
After those words were spoken to me, my body just shut down. I felt like my very soul had been stolen from me. I left the house that night and just sat outside crying and crying. And when there weren¡¯t any more tears left, I went back to my room. And I haven¡¯t left it since.
My mom would bring me food and water and leave it outside my door. But every time I felt like I could eat it, the tears just started again and filled me. But tonight, I had the strength to at least make a phone call. I dialed Jiwon¡¯s number and waited for an answer.
¡°Hello?¡±
¡°Jiwon¡¦¡± my voice barely whispered.
¡°Oh Jihyun, my Jihyun¡¦ are you ok? I haven¡¯t heard from you since they took us away, are you ok now?¡±
¡°Oppa¡¦ no¡¦¡±
I started to cry again, even worse than all the other nights combined. Even the soft love of Jiwon¡¯s voice couldn¡¯t soothe this overwhelming pain away. I continued crying on the phone until I could attempt to speak again.
¡°My parents are sending me to live in America Jiwon. They¡¯re taking me away from you¡¦ it¡¯s over Jiwon¡¦ everything we fought for is over.¡±
Jiwon just stayed on the line not saying anything. I was getting no response from him until I heard the soft sniffling coming from the phone line. Seconds after that, the sniffling turned into full-blown tears. Jiwon was crying too on the phone with me. The two of us just cried on the line together, and I hated to hear him in pain and not be able to make it go away. Even though we didn¡¯t say it, it was so obvious our fight was over. Our love had lost.
My bags were packed finally. I honestly didn¡¯t think that I would have everything packed by this Wednesday, but I managed to. The morning sun shone down on my head as I waited outside for my mother to come. My flight was at 8 this morning, but we had to check in for 6:30.
I wasn¡¯t crying, I felt absolutely nothing. All my emotions had been sucked out of me completely. When my mother finally locked up the house, we drove over to the airport. It was a long ride there, not really distance- wise though. It was a long trip because my parents were trying to reconcile with me. But it was too late, I just sat in the back seat silent for the entire time.
When my bags were finally checked in, I sat off to the side by myself. I could feel my parents staring at me. I was no longer the energetic child that yearned to live. My entire self had diminished down to a spirit without a soul, a heart without a love.
¡°Now boarding flight 722 to Los Angeles, California.¡±
The loud speaker had announced my flight. I picked up my carry-on bag and started to walk towards the boarding gate. Since the incident with Jiwon, I haven¡¯t seen him since. All I wanted was a chance to see him before I left. My parents hugged me and wished me a good trip, but I was already gone spiritually. I was almost to the gate when I heard someone yelling after me.
¡°Jihyun, Jihyun!¡±
I turned around in slow motion. You know those old movies where the girl runs to the guy and they hug each other and just stand there forever? Well, that¡¯s exactly what happened when I saw Jiwon. I dropped everything on the floor and just ran over to him. My parents started to disapprove but we had already locked arms.
¡°Jihyun, I know you have to go and I barely caught you but¡¦ I wanted to give you this.¡±
Jiwon held his hand out to me and placed a Calla flower in my hand
¡°I looked everywhere for this flower. And here it is. It¡¯s just for you Jihyun, the calla flower is a very special.¡±
¡°Thank you oppa.¡±
I took the flower from Jiwon and started to tear up again.
¡°Jihyun your flight is boarding¡±, my mother called.
¡°I know. Jiwon I have to go¡¦ I- I- love you¡¦¡±
I tiptoed up to Jiwon¡¯s cheek and kissed him goodbye as I ran towards the gate to board my flight¡¦
Chapter Six
{4 years later¡¦}
¡°I looked everywhere for this flower. And here it is. It¡¯s just for you Jihyun, the Calla flower is very special.¡±
My whole body shuddered¡¦ I never thought that I would hear those words spoken to me ever again. But now, four years later someone else was speaking the same words that Jiwon had told me four years ago¡¦
That person was now my current boyfriend Kang Sunghoon¡¦
I didn¡¯t realize how special this moment was between him and me. Tomorrow would make our 2-year anniversary, and he was here to take me home. But what was even more important was the flower that he was placing before me. The Calla flower was very hard to find this time of year, and Sunghoon had managed to bring me one.
It didn¡¯t really matter to me that he was giving me this flower, because Sunghoon awoke my feelings for Jiwon all over again. And now I found myself standing here thinking about him. When I moved to California, I attended college. I completed my degree and opened my own flower shop. Sunghoon and I met during my last year of college. He was everything a girl could ask for. Sunghoon was funny, charming, caring, sweet and smart. But he never filled that spot that Jiwon had in my heart.
¡°Jihyun, are you feeling alright? For a minute there, you looked like you had completely blacked out.¡±
¡°I¡¯m ok Sunghoon, I just need some rest.¡±
I finished closing up the flower shop as Sunghoon lead me outside to his car. On the way home, Sunghoon talked about so many things, but I just couldn¡¯t pay attention.
Since I left Korea, Jiwon and I haven¡¯t kept in touch. I heard however that when I left, he didn¡¯t continue high school. So maybe Jiwon didn¡¯t even make it to college. I had to live with the burden of knowing that his life was ruined because of me.
Only God knew if he still thought about me, or even remembered who I was. But I couldn¡¯t forget, even with the love Sunghoon offered to me.
Sunghoon stopped the car in front of my beach house.
¡°I really get the feeling that you¡¯re not listening to me Jihyun.¡±
I snapped out of my trance and reached over to Sunghoon¡¯s hand.
¡°I¡¯m so sorry Sunghoon, my mind is so preoccupied right now. I am listening to you though.¡±
Sunghoon got out of the car and walked over to my side and opened the car door for me. He took my hand and led me out as we held hands and walked towards my front porch.
¡°I can¡¯t wait for tomorrow honey, I have such a big day planned for us.¡±
¡°Me too Sunghoon, I know it¡¯s going to be so special.
The cool breeze, from the ocean right across from us, blew the wind softly into my face. I looked up into the sky to try and pull myself together. Jiwon was my past, a very beautiful past, but nonetheless he was no longer here with me. Sunghoon was a young rich successful businessman who loved me and cared for me deeply. I was happy to have him; I needed to appreciate his love.
When I looked down from the sky, Sunghoon pulled me tenderly close to him. He put his hand around my waist, and with the other hand he stroked my cheek. I could feel his mahogany eyes burning deep inside of me. I leaned in closer to Sunghoon and took the initiative to kiss him.
Sunghoon was so surprised because he tightened his hold around me and he put his hand around my neck.
¡°Jihyun¡¦¡± he whispered.
I closed my eyes as our kiss developed into something deeper, something more sensual. But suddenly an image crossed my mind. The memory of Jiwon often kissing me like this on the beach rushed inside of me. In my head, I was no longer kissing Sunghoon, I was kissing Jiwon. And it was Jiwon¡¯s tie that I was loosening up instead of Sunghoon¡¯s.
¡°Jiwon¡¦¡± I barely muttered under my breath.
Unexpectedly, Sunghoon froze and let me go.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Did you just call me Jiwon?¡±
My face immediately grew flustered and I started to panic.
¡°Jiwon? Who¡¯s Jiwon? Sunghoon I called you by your name. I¡¯m sorry if I said it so low that you couldn¡¯t really hear me but¡¦ that¡¯s what I said. I said Sunghoon.¡±
He seemed content with the answer because he pulled me back into his arms and nodded his head. From there we walked me inside of my house. But the realization I had that I still loved Jiwon made me think forever this night.
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Chapters 1-3
Chapters 7-9
