The Story After 110106 - Chapter 7

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.12am)

‘Noona <3, what are you doing now? ㅋㅋ’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.13am)

‘I am in the saloon doing my hair.’

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.15am)

‘Doing your hair for what, noona <3?’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.16am)

‘For our new album. We need to have a new style.ㅎㅎ’

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.17am)

‘New hair style? Noona <3 , I want to take a look!!’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.19am)

‘I am not done yet. I will let you see after I am done, alright? ㅎㅎ’

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.20am)

‘Let’s do video call later. I miss you noona. ㅠㅠ’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.21am)

‘We just met yesterday didn’t we? You kept on following me during AML filming. Making me so embarrassed.’

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.22am)

‘Aigo, Noona <3, just admit if that you like it. Remember you only do your agyeo when you feel like it. You were giving me your eyesmile almost EVERY MOMENT. Just admit it.’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.23am)

‘Chet. By the way, where are you now? ^^ ’

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.25am)

‘ㅎㅎ We are on our way to studio. Got to practice for our concert. Wait, you are coming right?’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.27am)

‘For the umpteen times, YES if I don’t have any schedules on that day.’

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.28am)

‘Alright, that’s a promise.’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.29am)

‘Arasso. Better go and rest before your practice.’

From: KkapTick <3 (Received: 10.31am)

‘Algesso. 사랑해 noona <3’

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.32am)

‘사랑해.’

‘Ga In-shi, you looked so happy today. Just got a message that makes you happy? You can’t stop smiling over the phone.’ Ga In was in the saloon shop that she always visits. Ji Min unnie, the hairstylist can’t help but to notice Ga In’s cheery face.

‘Ohh, really? It’s nothing. Somebody just sent me a joke. It was very funny.’

‘Really? You seemed to be more cheerful these days.’

‘Is it? Do I always look very cold?’

‘Of course not, but I think you are always the quiet one.’ Ga In just smiled at Ji Min. She also realized how much she has changed ever since she got ‘married’ to Jo kwon.

‘Alright, your hair is done.’ Ji Min unnie made final touches to her hair and pull the cloth away from Ga In’s shoulder.

‘Thank you unnie. My hair looks especially good under your hands.’

‘Because you are already pretty in the first place.’

‘Thanks, unnie. I’ll be going then. See you soon.’ Ga In grabbed her bag and settled the bill.

Ga In walked out of the shop and waited by the road for KyungSan manager to arrive. Suddenly she saw a familiar figure got down from a big white van.

‘Seunggi-shi!’ Ga In waved violently at the finely dressed man walking towards her.

‘Hey Ga-In! Long time no see. What are you doing here?’ Seunggi walked over to Ga In’s side and gave her a friendly hug.

‘I just finished my hair session with unnie. You still come here and do your hair?’ Ga In smile shyly and pointed to the shop behind her.

‘Yea, I love their service here and I am used to this shop already. By the way, why are you waiting here alone?’

‘Oh, I am waiting for my manager, but she said she would be late. Maybe another 20 more minutes.’

‘Don’t tell me you are going to stand here and wait for 20 minutes? That wouldn’t be nice. Since I have time, may I have the pleasure to buy you a cup of coffee at that café?’

‘Should I? I shouldn’t be bothering you.’

‘Ga In-shi what are you talking about? It’s my pleasure.’

‘Alright then, since it has been a long time since we catch up with each other.’

‘That’s better, let’s go in then.’

Seunggi lead Ga In to the café beside the saloon and sat down at the corner. Since it’s still early there are not much people in the café. They talked over the coffee about their progress in their career. They also talked about their previous encounter and reminisce about the first time they met.

They spent a quality time until Ga In’s manager called that she will be there soon. Ga In bid Seunggi goodbye and promised to buy him a coffee next time. They gave each other another friendly hug before leaving because they don’t know when will be the next time they get to spend some time alone together.

*

Ga In put down her keys and food on the table. She grabbed her Iphone and pressed speed dial #1 using video call. She ruffles her hair and waited for the other party to pick up the call. But to her surprise, her ‘tick’ did not pick up the phone.

After trying a few times to no avail, she gave up and grabbed her lunch. After her lunch, she eventually dozes off from on her couch. Suddenly her phone vibrates and wakes her up. She looked at the caller id and saw it was Jo Kwon who called her. She lied comfortably behind her back before picking up the call.

[*Note: Below’s conversation was a video call]

‘Noona, sorry just now I didn’t manage to pick up your call. We were practicing our dance just now. It was so noisy and I din—‘Jo Kwon was seen resting at the corner of the dance studio, perspiring.

‘Arasso. I know you are busy. No need to explain so much to me.’

‘I am just scared that you might be angry at me for not picking up your call.’

‘Yah! You sounded like I am like a ridiculous and unreasonable person.’

‘Let’s not talk about this first. Noona, why are lying on your couch? You don’t have schedule today?’

‘Later I need to go and meet MinSoo oppa. I just had my lunch.’

‘No wonder you still have your make up on. I guess you have just fallen asleep on your couch again?’

‘I fell asleep while waiting for your call. Yah, don’t make it as if I am a heavy sleeper.’

‘Noona, I wonder which petite lady overslept and was late for recording last week?’

‘Yah, Jo Kwon if not for you for video calling me until late I night I wouldn’t have overslept.’

‘I have already said sorry for that.’

‘Kwon-ah, have you eaten your lunch? Where’s the other member? Are they resting too?’

‘They already went down for lunch.’

‘Kwon-ah, you better grabbed your lunch and has some rest. I don’t want you to fall sick. You looked really exhausted. Are you alright?’

‘We just have our first rest after 1 hour of dancing. I thought I was going to die. But I became energized again after talking to you now.’

‘Yah—‘ Ga In’s sentence was cut off by Jo Kwon.

‘By the way, why are you thinking about the other member? Noona, talk to me only. I don’t want to share this precious moment with you with someone else.’

‘Arasso.’ Ga In was really shy and look somewhere else. Suddenly her phone beep and there was a sign of another call coming in.

‘Kwon-ah, I have a call coming in. I need to hang up now.’

‘Arasso noona. Call me tonight. 사랑해~!’ Jo Kwon did a ‘Love’ sign with his hand over the video.

‘Arasso. I am hanging up now.’

Ga In hung up the call and switched to the incoming call. It was Kyungsan Manager. She reminded Ga In that she will be reaching her place soon to fetch her to the recording studio.

*

‘Alright, Ga In. Just sing this part with a higher note. At the end of the sentence make your voice softer so that it matches with the music. I want to emphasize on the emotional part of the song in this part. Arasso?’

‘Ne~!!’ Ga In re-sings the song as requested by Lee Min Soo, their producer. Being a professional singer, Ga In completed her task easily and was allowed to have a rest.

*

It was already evening when all the four B.E.G members completed their songs recording of the day. Everybody was about to leave when suddenly Ga In was called back by her manager.

‘What? Sa Jang-nim (president) wants to see me now?’

‘Yea, he just asked for you. He said it was urgent.’

‘Alright, I think I better go now. I need to tell unnies that I can’t join them for dinner.’

‘It’s okay, you go ahead. I‘ll tell them for you.’

‘Gumawo unnie.’

*

‘Come in.’

‘Sa jang-nim, annyeonghaseyo.’ Ga In bowed with respect at her President before stepping into the room.

‘Oh, Ga In please takes a sit.’

‘Sa jang-nim, why are you looking for me? What happened?’

‘Ga In, did you by any chance have been seeing Lee Seunggi these day?’

‘Seunggi? I accidentally met him outside the saloon today. It was a long time since we’ve met. Why?’

‘Some reporters saw you and him hugging in a café. Is that true?’

‘Oh yes! Because I was leaving already and we friendly hug each other. Don’t tell me that they—'

‘Thank goodness KyungSan-shi saw a man acting sneakily when she was waiting outside the café for you. She identified the man and I had him summoned.’

‘Sa jang-nim, I am so sorry for these to happen but I didn’t mean to –‘

‘I already paid him some money to force him to hand over the pictures.’

‘They took pictures?’

‘It’s fortunate that the photos are with us now. Imagine what will happened if the photos are leaked out. Seunggi fans would swarm over here and create a chaos. And don’t forget your Kkapliners and Adanes, their reaction would be massive.’

‘I didn’t know that a meeting like this could actually cause so much chaos. I am really sorry Sa Jang-nim.’

‘I don’t blame you Ga In. It’s just your luck that you are being photographed. Just try to be more careful in the future.’

‘Thank you sa jang-nim for understanding.’

‘By the way, I hope for these period of time, you better stay in. Try your best to minimize any interaction outside with other artiste for the time being. Since you are being photographed now, I think you are being ‘marked’. I believe you wouldn’t want to implicate others too. I hope you get what I mean.’

‘I..I understand sa jang-nim. I will follow your advice.’

‘Alright. Everything is alright now. You can leave now.’

‘Thank you so much. Then I will be leaving.’ Ga In bowed gently at the president before taking her leave. She then closes the door behind her.

Do I need to tell Kwonnie about the photographs? If I told him would he be angry? Since the photos are not leaked out then I better keep mum first. Moreover my consciences are clear. I just met up with a long time friend. Not some big deal. But do I need to tell him about Sa Jang-nim’s word? If I ever told him, he would be in a paranoid mood again. Telling him would just make the matter worse.

Ga In fished out her phone and was about to call Jo Kwon as she promised and the president’s word struck her again.

Try your best to minimize any interaction outside with other artiste for the time being.

She paused for a while and reflects on her president’s word again.

Now I have been marked by the reporters . If I am seen outside with Kwonnie at this period of time I think disaster would happen. I might be followed and photographed. Any pictures of me and Kwonnie would just cause 2AM’s encore concert news to be ignored. I don’t want to harm 2AM or Kwonnie. I think I should not attend the concert. But how should I tell him?

Ga In heaved out a big sigh. She puts back her phone into her bag and walked out of the the building. She hailed a taxi and headed home.

After bathing, she rested on her bed and called Jo Kwon. Jo Kwon, on the other line picked up the call almost immediately.

‘Noona!! I miss you!! Did you have a busy day? Why only at this hour?’

‘Oh, we have few hours of recording today. I am really tired.’

‘Is that so? I came back from studio in the evening too. I am tired too. But at the thought of being able to meet you tomorrow really make me all energized again. Noona do you still remember the lyrics well?’

‘….’

‘Noona! Are you listening to me? Are you sleeping already?’

‘Oh nothing, I am still here. I was thinking about something else.’

‘Noona, are you alright? You seem to be not yourself today.’

‘I am alright. What did you ask just now?’

‘Noona, you can’t lie in front of me. Today is not the first day I know you.’

‘…’

‘Alright alright. Noona, I shouldn’t be bothering you now. I know you are tired already. Go and have a rest now and we shall practice our performance tomorrow.’

‘Alright.’ Ga In was about to hang up the call when Jo Kwon stopped her.

‘Noona wait, did you forget something? I am always the one to initiate the words. You should try to say first too.’

‘What word?’

‘You know what I mean. The word that begin with사 (sa)’

‘Kwon-ah, I am really tired today. What is the word? I can’t guess it.’

‘It’s really hurting my pride noona as your boyfriend. Fine, it’s 사랑해.’ From the change of the tone of his voice, Ga In could felt that Jo Kwon was really hurt and sad.

‘Kwon-ah, why are you like this? You know I am always –’

‘It’s alright noona. Since you are tired already, I am hanging up now. Bye.’

‘Kwon—‘The other party already ended the call and all Ga In can hear is only the beeping sound from a hung up call.

Feeling worse than ever, she did not only made Jo Kwon angry over the trivia matter, she did not even have the chance to mention about her decision to not to attend 2AM’s encore concert.

I think I shall tell him tomorrow.

To: KkapTick <3 (Sent: 10.37pm)

‘I am sorry.’

She put her phone away and slides under her blanket. Tears start to stream down her fair cheek, but she could only cry in her blanket, not wanting to disturb her unnie, Jea.

She felt really awful that day, for the event that that happened that day. The thought of photographs that could just leaked out and might affects their relationship makes her shudder. She didn’t tell her unnies, not wanting them to worry. So she kept everything to herself, and suffers in the silence. The only thing that she could do at the moment was to listen to her president’s advice. And now, Jo Kwon hanging up on her made her felt worse. If only Jo Kwon understand the situation that she is in now. But she couldn’t blame him. He didn’t know what happened and after all, he was behaving like that because all he wanted was just a word from her. And Ga In was the one who chose to not to tell the truth to him.

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