Chapter 3
"It's beautiful," Min Nyu said in awe.
The room was of simple elegance, dorn in off-whites and beige. Splashes of black could also be seen in the trimmings, as part of an elaborate sound system that nestled within a long row of bookcases and the photo frames that line one of the walls, for example.
As they stood by the doorway, Min Nyu breathed in the sight of the huge room that was going to be hers after her stint in Uganda. It was huge enough to rival a high class studio apartment. In fact, it was slightly bigger than the boys' rooms upstairs, including Tae-kyung's.
On a quick scan, the room was basically divided into three main areas via a split-level architecture. The entrance to bedroom itself was a double door construction. From the doorway, one was able to see the sitting area before it steps down to the study area. To the right side of the main door, the floor raised up to the bed and bathroom portion. The bed was partially hidden by an intricate star and moon designed wrought iron painted in white, giving the area the privacy it needed.
The comfy sitting room simply housed a plush off white sofa with a small coffee table. What warmed this nook were the series of square and rectangular shaped potraits on the wall behind the settee. Unlike the boys room that boasted larger than life portraits of their respective selves, Min Nyu's collection of portraits were of group photos of either herself and the boys, or with the other staff and crew of AN Production. There was also one of Min Nyu and her Aunt.
The pictures were not the professional ones taken at their various magazine outings, rather they were candid photographs of themselves taken at their various home parties or during their band rehearsals or dance lessons. They did not display the professional qualities that the magazine shoots had, but they showed the warmth and love that were apparent when they were together.
It was quite amazing, thinking that Min Nyu was only with the boys for slightly over a month. The photos were all photoshoped to sport a sephia tone, to give harmony to overall design of the room.
Min Nyu slowly made her way to the wall to take closer looks at the pictures. At her soft delighted smile, Tae-kyung said, "Shin Woo was responsible for that. Those are all his selection. He showed us all the relevant ones and we shortlisted them together with him. He requested to do up that wall for you."
Min Nyu turned towards Tae-kyung, who was still at the door and smiled, "We all looked so happy in these pictures."
"That's because we were. And now that you are in our lives again, we will go back to being happy."
"Even if I am not physically here?" Min Nyu cocked her head to one side and asked.
"You are a part of all of us. Whether you are here physically here or not, does not really matter. Of course it is much better if you are here, where we can see you. But you not being here but 'with' us is better than you not being here and 'not with' us."
As weird as the statement may sound, Min Nyu knew exactly what Tae-kyung was saying. Being apart because of work or personal pursuits but still connected via phone or the Internet and knowing where each other were, was better compared to the severance of all ties, physically and emotionally, like how they were for the last two months.
Min Nyu smiled at him softly before continuing her exploration of the room.
This time around, Tae-kyung followed her. Min Nyu proceeded downwards into the study area. The study table was set in a slight angle facing a row of book cases. Unlike the boys' rooms that were done with a contemporary feel, Min Nyu's were designed with a slight English country feel to it, sans the flowery approach. The tables and bookcases were of whitewashed wood. And leafy plants in black pots adorned the room in appropriate areas.
Tae-kyung preceeded Min Nyu to approach the sound system that was tucked in the bookshelves and switched it on. Soft music filled the room and judging from the quality, it was definitely a very high end built in surround system.
"This is Jeremy's gift to you. He bought the AV system and supervised the installation," explained Tae-kyung.
The elaborate system also came with a huge wall-mounted flat screen TV which was visible from all angles of the room, the sitting room, the study area as well as from the bed. Despite the flashy, grandois feel to the TV and all accompanying electronics, they actually blended well with the décor because they could be hidden by a bulit in wall panel when not in use.
Min Nyu shook her head and smiled, "the whole system just screamed Jeremy's name," a statement that echoed Tae-kyung's feelings.
"Your oppa filled the bookcase with your favourite books and chose the CDs and DVDs as well," Tae-kyung added when he witnessed Min Nyu laughing and clutching a novel to her chest in glee - obviously, one of her favourite ones. He smiled at the scene, recalling a similar one when Min Nyu woke up to a Pig-Rabbit doll by her side.
"What about you, Hyungnim. Where are your touches?" Min Nyu turned, smiling towards Tae-kyung to ask.
"Pmmpphhh…Ya, Go min Nyu, do you think I have the time for such trivia?" he frowned down at her. But he then soften his words with one of his boyish smiles, as if challenging her to guess which part of the room that he contributed in.
In fact, rolling the name Go Min Nyu off his tongue sounded quite pleasant to him, which helped widened his smile.
Min Nyu dilligently scanned the the room, looking for a certain something.
"Ya, what are you looking for now," Tae-kyung asked, slightly puzzled.
"Emm, nothing," Min Nyu answered, but clearly disapointed, not finding the item she was looking for.
But she did find something else. In a corner of the study, stood a beautiful altar, made of marble and ivory. The statue of Mother Mary holding Baby Jesus stood in the middle of the altar with a black jade rosary beads hanging from her neck.
In front of the statue stood a book stand – "for your copy of the Bible," Tae-kyung explained.
"Hyungnim, this is your idea, but how would you know? Naa, this must be Manager Ma's idea," Min Nyu clearly delighted but uncertained.
Tae Keung smiled and moved to the altar. There was a little drawer in middle of the altar table, from which he pulled out a plane ticket. It was a ticket to Rome, in the name of Go Min Nyu.
"I kept this all this while. I seriously did not think much of it till you told me your name is Min Nyu on our way to see Mother Superior that day," Tae-kyung handed the ticket back to her. "Aren't we all lucky that you were too silly to just come up to me and claim the ticket? Did you really think we would have recognised you as Go Min Nam underneath that Nun's garb?" Tae-kyung chastised her.
"And by the way, I also found the MP3 player that you so 'thoughtfully' tucked in my desk drawer. That was why you were in my room on your first day, wasn't it?"
"He he," Min Nyu changrinly grinned at Tae-kyung's sarcasm, not even daring to look up at his face. "Hyungnim… your memory is too photographic for your own good."
"Hmmpphh, well, it just goes to show that the nunery is not your destiny after all, which is not a bad thing for some of us," Tae-kyung continued sarcastically, hiding his real happiness of what destiny had really bestowed him.
"Aja, you can continue to explore your room, but I suggest you get some sleep too. I'll wake the others up in the morning and let's meet up at 10 for brunch in the kitchen, ok? Then at 1.30, we'll all drive down to the airport."
Truth be told, Tae-kyung was nervous in accompanying Min Nyu to the sleeping area, prefering for Min Nyu to look through that portion herself. Besides a huge king sized mattress cased in a white wrought iron frame, the upper level also has a walk in cabinet and a door to the bathroom.
If Min Nyu were to go into the bathroom, she would find that it has a bath tub as well as a normal shower, again unlike the boys'rooms.
Another surprise she would find was that her room had access to a small balcony overlooking the little garden in their backyard. Tae-kyung had also thoughtfully placed two garden chairs and a small cocktail table there. The french doors that led to the balcony itself sat right across the centrally set bed, creating a dramatic effect to the room.
And last but not least, on her beside table, two picture frames - of herself and her father and oppa, and the other of her mother and her guitar - completed the area.
"Ok, Hyungnim," Min Nyu answered, suddenly sad at her choice of proceeding with her African stint. But she cannot leave Joanna on the lurch and calmed herself by saying that it will only be for three months.
"We did not manage to retrieve your luggage from the airport, but if you were to go through your closet, you would find a few girls' clothes that you can use," said Tae-kyung. What he did not mention was the fact that it was a walk in cabinet complete with a vanity table, shoe stand and island settee. And numerous outfits ranging from summer dresses to winter clothings, from colourful sneakers to sleek leatherboots, from denim jackets to sequined blouses, and from sports attire to demure lingeries.
"Ok, Hyungnim. Good night or morning, seeing that it's already 5 and see you at 10," Min Nyu said, suddenly feeling nervous at the prospect of being left alone in her room.
Tae-kyung turned to leave, but suddenly stopped and turned towards Min Nyu again.
"Ya, Goh Min Nyu, promise me one thing," he asked.
"Ne?" said Min Nyu.
"No matter what happens in the future, you must promise to always remember that I love you. I don't give my love very easily, so please know that I am very very serious about you," Tae-kyung was all heart at this moment. All the pent up feelings contained during the last two months and more, now bursting at the seams.
"You must promise me that you will help me overcome whatever problems that we may face together. Bacause I know that as much as I am serious about you, you are just as serious about me. I have come to acknowledge that and I personally will promise that I will not let pride or hurt get in the way. Uganda or Busan or Tokyo will not form any barrier for us, bacause where we are concern, distance is relative," he said strongly.
"I believe, and so should you, that our love is strong enough to overcome distance and anything else that may come our way," by that time, Tae-kyung had already placed both his hands on the either side of Min Nyu's shoulders, trying to let his words sink into her subconciousness.
"Yes, Hyungnim. Be rest assured that those are my feelings as well," Min Nyu affirmed. "Sometimes, I may be clouded by circumstances or feelings that what I do is what I feel is best for you, so I do hope that you continue to guide me through such situations," as usual said in the formal Goh Min Nyu fashion.
Tae-kyung nodded in agreement, earning Goh Min Nyu his signature smirk smile.
"Aja, rest now. I'll see you in a few hours time," Tae-kyung urged her again.
Min Nyu smiled up at him while trying to stifle a yawn. This time around, Tae Kyung could not resist but to steal a kiss from her, before his inner voice could even begun to whisper.
Moving his hands from Min Nyu's shoulders to her cheeks, he slowly descended towards her face, unlike the fake punch-turned-to-kiss method that he used the last time. This time, Tae-kyung bellied a soft confidence in claiming his lady love, emotionally and physically.
As his lips touched hers, he was pleasantly surprised that she did not flinch in surprise or protest. It was as if she was expecting or even anticipating the kiss, as much as he wanted to initiate it. He was even more amazed when he felt her leaning into the kiss, applying pressure to the closed lip kiss.
Needing no further encouragement, Tae-kyung snaked one arm around her to pull her closer and open his mouth slightly to take her bottom lip into his. Angling his head slightly, he tentatively sucked in her bottom lip. The shy meeting of lips slowly progressed to more heated ones, until Tae-kyung pulled away abruptly and breathlessly. Min Nyu, with her eyes still closed from the onslaught, swayed slightly at the abrupt movement.
Being just as inexperienced as Min Nyu, Tae-kyung was really quite scared of progression and the way it should progress. Hence, cutting it at the nub for the time being seemed like a good idea.
"Ehem," he cleared his throat looking down at Min Nyu, who was slowly opening her eyes. "Goh Min Nyu, good night."
And before Min Nyu could reply with a parting herself, the charismatic, perfectionist and highly creative leader of the ANJell sped out the door, leaving her dazed and confused in the middle of the room.
~ To be continued ~
