Punchline (1/1)

It's not love when it's never desparate - or crazy.  “Man, slow down!” Yongbae grabs the bottle away from Seunghyun’s hands. “Will you tell me what’s happened this time?” Ignoring his friend, Seunghyun rakes his disheveled hair and lights up a cigarette. He has begun smoking again, the stress level of every shit that’s been going on with his life is getting unbearable.  First, he thought it was amnesia, and now some fairy from fuckland appeared to fucking play games with him? How fucked up is that? And she tells him it’s her job? Whoever gave her the permission to ruin a life? His hands are still trembling from the encounter and he can’t even talk to his friends fearing they might laugh at him again. He kept on glancing around the bar, suspecting every passing woman to be Dara, the fairy-monster-witch, observing her. But the last thing that he needs is his friends ganging up on him. So, he shuts up, it has always been his expertise, right? He even jumped a little when a waitress approached them, taking their orders, wearing Dara’s similar get-up from Daesung’s stag party in 2012. Yongbae waved in front of him, getting his attention and kept his mind out from wandering. “I… I don’t know.” He answers while swatting his friend’s hand. “What did you forget this time?” Yongbae grabs the cigarette away from him again, Seunghyun scowls and shifts restlessly on the bar’s couch. “I said I don’t know!” he raises his fist in an attempt to land a jab on his friend, luckily Yongbae was quick to move away. “Hyung, you are scaring me.” the younger man speaks steadily, calming Seunghyun down. “Deep breaths first, then let’s hear what you have to say, okay?” The latter merely nods. “There. Better now? Let’s talk.” “I think…” he starts slowly, Yongbae nodding to encourage him to talk.  “I think I should divorce Chaerin.”  Several seconds of awkward silence and his friend shouts. “WHAT!” Yongbae jumps from his seat, eyes wide in panic. Not far away, a clutter of utensils was heard and a small commotion went on. Yongbae moved closer to hear Seunghyun over the blaring sounds and the bickering of some patrons. He gripped Seunghyun’s shoulders, shaking him with vigor, “What are you saying Hyung? This isn't the first time you've said this! I thought we've been over this before. Go with the flow, remember? Have you gone mad!” “Exactly! That’s my point, I think I’ve gone crazy and it’s not safe for me to be with them anymore!” “But you love her!” Yongbae shakes him again, “Remember when you fought so hard for her against your father? Remember all those nights when we planned on how you were suppose to propose? Man, where’s that Seunghyun who loved her so much?” “You see, I don’t even remember, that’s what’s wrong.” His head hung low, “I don’t even remember how we first met. I don’t deserve her, you understand?” “But…” “But what?” “I don’t think this is a good idea Hyung, you have to talk to her, tell her you’re sick! I don’t know, you’re the one who’s an expert on these things, not me… I’m not the married one. Or maybe call Jiyong, he’ll know better.” “Nah, he’s happy, I don’t want to bother.” “But he’ll help. I know he would.” “I’m a helpless case Yongbae, I deserved all this shit.” He grabs the cigarette again and inhales deeply. Nicotine doesn’t even help anymore. Is there anyone in the world that could change this? And why is Yongbae still mumbling to him. “You’re zoning out again Hyung…” “What?” He shakes his head in an attempt to clear his clogged mind “I said, do you love her?” “Yes! But I’m not in the right mind. Can’t you see? I’ll eventually hurt her.”  Yongbae pats him in the back, “Man, isn’t that unfair?” Seunghyun laughs out of the blue while puffing smoke, worrying his friend more. “Since when did you become an expert on this shit, huh, Bae?” “I’m serious Hyung. She deserves so much more than just sending her some divorce papers.” “Alright, I’ll try and talk to her. I just need time.” “Time to what? Get coward and run away?” “Why are you even bugging me with this Bae?” he grunts in annoyance. “Cuz it’s destroying you!” “I don’t care!!” “Well, she cares.” “Not anymore.” “Hyung, let’s just get out of here, you need to rest, I’m not the best adviser, Jiyong is.” Yongbae surrenders and melts on the couch. “Fine. Let me just finish this.” He drags the cigar to his mouth and puffs smoke expertly, releasing the itchy tension to jab his annoying friend again.   Outside the bar though, Bom tries to catch up with Chaerin after a shouting match with one of the bar’s patrons. Her friend has bumped away even before she’d reach her husband, and now they’re running away faster than scared chickens. Chaerin walks so fast almost reaching the intersection of the next street, but Bom grabs her arms to slow her down. When she spun around, her heart was gripped with pity watching her friend break down in tears. She hugged her tightly, not knowing what else she’s supposed to do. “Gods unnie, you suck with your plans.” Chaerin clung on to Bom for support, her knees had gone weak, “our timing always sucks, you know… we’re supposed to… we’re supposed…” then she cried, non-stop, words were never enough to express the hurt that had built up. “I’m so sorry we have to hear that Chae…” “What did I do to deserve this unnie?” “Shhhh, calm down Chaerin-ah, we need to talk this through,” Bom soothes her back, trying so hard to calm herself cuz Chaerin needed her. She can’t believe Seunghyun would consider divorce. “No,” she sniffs, “it’s okay, at least… at least I know what he’s up to… it’s…it’s enough for me to know he’s decided.”  “No! Chaerin-ah! You have to fight for this. Maybe it’s just a temporary lapse.” Bom tries to straighten her friend, but her weight pulled them both down, they almost faltered to the pavement. Chaerin was crying uncontrollably, almost hyperventilating.  “It’s a losing battle unnie… he’s… he’s giving up… it’s been going on for weeks… and now… and now.. I don’t know unnie.” She struggled to get up, taking slower steps this time. She cried more, she cried to every cold night she suffered, to every uncertainty she has experienced because of Seunghyun, and every happy memory that’s left for her to remember. They stopped talking for minutes. It stretched on till their feet went cold, the evening air wearing them out.    She did not even remember how she arrived in her house. She saw the look of relief in her friend’s face when she woke up though. Bom said she fainted along the way and had to call Jiyong for help. They got into their house and of course, Chaerin made them swore not to tell Seunghyun about what had happened.  She spiraled into sadness and refused to go out. This resulted to Bom staying over her house the next day desperately trying to cheer her up, but as usual, Bom’s 'missions' failed, and they just have to face it: she’s not getting any better. She has finally convinced her though that she needs to continue her mother duties aka sending and fetching Haneul. So here she was on the school grounds, trying to blend in the surroundings so no one would notice them. Rows of children and mothers gathered around the bus stop to wait for the vehicles to arrive. Amongst the noise Chaerin found herself surrounded by mothers of other children. She felt quite uncomfortable at first but decided to play along for the lack of anything else to do. “You’re Mrs. Choi r