22. Naeun (1/2)
(OST- Come Home by One Republic)“Phew we did alright everyone,” our leader assured us as we came off the stage. We all grabbed our water and snacks which we were craving for.
Eunji unnie undid the lid on hers. “Who’s performing next?”
Namjoo looked up at the monitor which was in our room. Up on the screen was a familiar figure dressed smartly, walking over to the grand piano.
Hayoung glanced as the camera zoomed into him and then looked at me. “Oh, what’s this?”
I shrugged having no idea. I didn’t really know what songs he was going to be performing at the concert. The others weren’t paying much attention as the song began to play.Watching him I felt my breath being taken away. His voice trembled with sorrow and remorse of a love that he had treasured and lost.“Omo,” Eunji unnie said with her bottle still in her hands. “This song… It’s about you Naeun.”
“No that can’t be,” I said shaking my head. “He wouldn’t…”He paused through playing. It wasn’t very clear from the angle of the camera but it looked as though something fell from his eyes. Swallowing hard I found myself struggling not to do the same thing. Hayoung spoke up, “whoa he’s crying on stage.”
Bomi and Chorong unnie caught my eye and I didn’t know what I should say. Chorong unnie came over to me and patted me on the back. “Don’t feel bad. He realised the mistakes himself but it was too late.”
I managed to nod in agreement although I couldn’t help my own eyes starting to water. When no one was watching my way I quickly dabbed them with the back of my hand.
Ω
“Blow out the candles,” Namjoo urged me. Staring at the cake with deep red icing I took in a great puff and exhaled. They cheered as the candles all flickered out. Today was my birthday. I was now twenty six years of age. In four more I would be officially thirty.“Let’s get a knife and cut it up,” Eunji unnie declared. Hayoung followed her into the kitchen while Bomi and Chorong unnie started tidying up the food plates from our meat barbeque. The members, the company, our label mates and the fans had been very generous this year. I had been supplied with enough scarves to last me the rest of this winter and the next, a doll that looked exactly like me as well as a special scrapbook my fan café had created for me. They had taken a lot of time to write letters to me and send in photos showing their support in me being another year older.Namjoo was flicking through the pages of that as the others completed their tasks. “Oh that’s funny. Did you see this photo of that fan boy who reminds you of Taemin-sshi?”
My mind awoke. That was right. I was going to watch something. Grabbing my phone I turned on the internet and went to the broadcasting channel for Music Countdown. They hadn’t announced the results yet.
“Oh what do I do?” The girl MC said to the boy MC. “I’m afraid that he won’t like me.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”