The Road That Led Straight To You
*I couldn’t sleep last night and as I was listening to my playlist…this song inspired me to write this chapter. Sukkie’s sad look when he arrived in Singapore for his Asian tour also had me speculating that led to this chapter. I’d like to give special thanks to my good friend Ericka for introducing me to this wonderful song. Ecks, this one is for you!!*
It was a beautiful day. Shin hye and Keun suk were spending sometime together before he takes off for his Asian tour the next day. He is leaving for Singapore in the morning for his Cri-show’s kick off and he had to see her before he goes. They had dinner at his house as requested by his Omma, who apparently loves Shin Hye so much. Shin hye and him decided to go and get some coffee and have some time alone for themselves. They were on their way to Bukaksan Skyway but had to stop because Shin Hye had to give in to nature’s call. Keun Suk was waiting for her at the car when her phone suddenly buzzed. It was a text message. Keun Suk didn’t know why but somehow he was tempted to grab the phone and read the message that just came in and so he did. It showed a message from an unregistered number and that definitely got him more curious.
“Annyeonghaseyo Shin Hye-ah. How have you been doing? Are you well? Ya, I don’t know if you have been in touch but this is my new number. Save it okay. I’ve been missing you. Gimme a ring sometime okay. You take care. – Lee Jung Min.”
I’ve been missing you? Gimme a ring sometime? His head is gonna blow from wondering and his heart will just explode from jealousy. As he puts the phone back where it was, he saw Shin Hye running her way back to the car. Keun Suk compose yourself. He said to himself, wondering if his face was still burning red with jealousy. “Mianhe Oppa. There was a queue at the ladies room.”
Keun Suk revved up Khan and suddenly told Shin Hye “I think a message came in for you, your phone buzzed.”
“Sincha Oppa?” Shin Hye picked her phone up and started to open her message inbox. Keun Suk maneuvered Khan and drove silently again to Bukaksan.
Shin Hye noticed Keun Suk’s silence and, from the way it looks, she knew he read the message from Lee Jung Min. Keun Suk changed his mood from jolly when they first hit the road to just plain old dull. And Shin Hye knew he was affected. “Ya, Oppa, why so silent now?” Shin Hye leaned forward and looked towards Keun Suk.
“Ya, can you lean back again? You are blocking the side mirror. You’ll get us into an accident.” Keun Suk said bluntly, afraid that he offended his girl.
“Oh, mianhe.” she sat straight and looked out the window. the night was beautiful but she was afraid it won’t be as beautiful as she pictured it would be. Finally, they got to Bukaksan skyway and Keun Suk yielded at a vacant lot. He got out first and when she thought he would open her door for her, she saw him went straight up to their usual spot. Shin Hye went out of Khan quickly and ran towards Keun Suk. She knew what was wrong. ..but she had to be sure. She ran with bigger strides so she can catch up with him and when she kept up she continued to run so she can over take him, then she turned towards Keun Suk and asked…”What’s with the cold shoulder, Keun Suk? You were just rude there for a second.”
Keun Suk stopped walking, glanced at her for a moment, and then continued on with a sad look in his eyes. He sat down and stared blankly at the mountain in front of them. Shin hye led out a deep sigh, looked at Keun Suk, and walked towards him. “This will be a looooong night,” she thought. She sat down beside him, looked at Mt Bukaksan and finally blurted out “You know it wouldn’t be good to leave for Singapore tomorrow without telling me what’s wrong, Keun Suk.”
“Who is Lee Jung Min, Shin Hye?” he finally asked. “Why did he have to say he misses you and why did he ask you to call?”
Shin Hye found his jealousy kinda cute but she pretended to be upset. “Ya, who asked you to read my messages, Keun Suk?”
“Mianhe Shin Hye.” Keun Suk still didn’t face Shin hye when he said sorry but instead looked at his feet. “I know it was wrong of me to butt in to your privacy. You don’t have to answer my question if you don’t want to.”
Shin hye smirked a little at his boyfriend’s transformation then started to say, “Jung Min is a friend…well, actually, he is my ex-boyfriend.” Shin Hye stared at the sky as she told her present about her past. “I met him in junior high and we became a couple after being friends for a year. Didn’t I tell you about him before?” Shin Hye looked at his boyfriend, who was writing something on the ground with his feet ridiculously. “Remember when I told you about this boy who kept on teasing me in school like you do? That is him Oppa. “Shin Hye paused to see how Keun Suk would react.
“Ahh…I remember, yeah,” was Keun Suk’s only reply. He found a tiny stone on the ground, picked it up and threw it with full force towards the mountain. “So, you’re still friends with the guy?”
Why did you not mention this to me before Shin Hye? Keun Suk’s heart shouted in silence.
“Ne Oppa, I still am. His family had to migrate to Australia sometime three years ago. He practically asked me to give up my career and go with him but I told him otherwise. I said I have dreams and when I asked him to stay instead he said he can’t. I loved him. We were great being friends but I guess we suck at being a couple. So we decided to keep the friendship instead.” Hearing that she loved him was like a knife through Keun Suk’s heart.
Shin Hye still can’t believe that Keun Suk is keeping his silence. She finally reached out to his hand resting beside her and to her surprise, she still was amazed how they fit perfectly. “Ya, are you alright?” Shin hye touched his chin and forced him to turn his head towards her. “Oppa, look at me.”
Keun Suk shook his head and then met Shin Hye’s eyes “Nope, I am not okay Shin Hye.” he said. “When i read that message, my heart just froze and I was filled with jealousy all over. I thought…”
“You thought you were gonna lose me to him.” Shin Hye finished his words for him. Keun Suk nodded and bowed his head again as if ashamed.
“Oh, there is one more thing I haven’t told you about.” Shin Hye continued.
Keun Suk’s heart skipped a beat and then asked her “Mwo?”
“I met him a couple of weeks ago when He went to Seoul for a vacation and…”
Keun Suk released their grip and stood up. “Ya! You have been sneaking behind my back meeting up with some ex-boyfriend of yours…”
Shin hye reached out for his hand and pulled him down to sit beside her again. “I haven’t finished yet and you…you keep on butting in…now shut up and let me finish okay?” Keun Suk knows he doesn’t win during their talks like this.
She laced her hand onto his again and went on. “As I was saying, he went back to Seoul a couple of weeks ago and he begged me to see him and I did. I knew I had to because I had something important to tell him. To tell you honestly, one of his objectives in coming home is to win me back…and I knew that so I had to meet him. I had to meet him to tell him that I am already happy…”
Keun Suk shifted his gaze towards Shin Hye. “De?"
Shin Hye nodded. “I told him that I’m happy and contented because I found the place where I truly belong…with you.”
Keun Suk enclosed her hand in his and held it tight. “Shin Hye-ah, mianhe for acting so childish.” then he slowly pulled her hand towards his lips and gently patted it with light kisses.
“Ani, Oppa. you don’t have to be sorry. ” Shin Hye pulled away his hair from his eyes. “I perfectly understand why you acted that way and I actually am thankful for what happened Sukdi. Yes, I may have hurt before but I am still thankful. and I told him this. That God has plans…and us breaking up is a part of that grander plan…and I thanked him because he pointed me to this road…the broken road that, greatfully, led me straight to where you are, Oppa. If not for him, I wouldn’t have met you. Do you get what i mean Sukdi?”
“Yes, Shin Hye. Ahrasso…I understand clearly.” Keun Suk drew shin hye closer to him and she rested her head on his chest. Keun Suk planted a kiss on her forehead, and once again looked straight ahead. “I know what you mean now Shin Hye. and Yes, I know now that everything happens for a reason. You are right, we had to experience the pain of our hearts breaking because if we didn’t, then we wouldn’t be here tonight holding each other in each other’s arms.”
“Uhmmmm.” Shin Hye turned to where Keun Suk is and wrapped him in her arms tightly while slightly swaying left to right. She lifted her head up and said…”Sukdi, look at me.” Keun Suk kissed her head first and then gazed into her eyes. “You are the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me…and no one, not even Lee Jung Min, can ever change that…ahrasso.” She pulled him by his shirt so she can quickly kiss him on his lips.
Keun Suk was a bit surprised with that move but deeply touched with what she said “Ne, Hye-bi.” And he answered back with a deep kiss this time.
Shin Hye smiled and pinched his cheek. “You are so cute when you get jealous. I think I want to do this more often. I have to get more accomplices…should I call my former suitors and tell them to send me text messages…” She stood up as she said that and ran at the corner teasing him.
“Say what?” Keun Suk shouted and ran after her. “I’m kidding Oppa!” she yelled back. He finally caught her and hugged her from the back. “I love you hye-bi. Be mine forever?” he whispered in her ears while the wind blew in his face.
Shin Hye placed her arms on top of Keun Suk’s arms resting on her waist. “You know I am Oppa…I am yours forever.”
Keun suk smiled and he felt his heart leapt at her words. “Oh, and when you call Jung Min, say thank you to him for me, will you?”
Shin hye turned around so she can see his beautiful face when she asked…”What for Oppa?“
“Tell him komawo for leading you to me…” and Shin Hye’s heart melted once again with his words…
“Sure Oppa. But what do I get in return?” she teased.
“This…” Keun Suk leaned over and gave Shin Hye the price she knew no one else in the world could give.
**Lee Jung Min is a fictional character...I made him up. **