Dreaming of you-Chapter 23: Clear the misunderstanding and to reminisce

Me and brother Taewon sit facing each other.

"I used to blame you a lot before. I always thought that maybe if you had talked to her, stayed by her side during her bad times, she would be with us today. In fact, I was trying to lighten my guilt by thinking about these things. But actually I am a bigger criminal than you. Or even being with Ha-na all the time, I couldn’t understand what was going on in her mind! I couldn’t save her! Maybe I was a failure as a friend and also a failure as a sister. " I say crying.

As I continues to cry, brother Taewon said in a soft and worried voice, "Su-jin..."

I look at him with a smile, "Don’t worry about me oppa. I’m fine. And I’m sorry for everything. I misunderstood you."

"It’s not your fault. I was wrong too. Before Ha-na’s death, I received many phone calls but I didn’t pick up. I was sleeping with cold medicine. So I had no idea that day. By the time I called her in the morning, she is no long with us. I felt very guilty that day. I just thought that if I had picked up her calls, maybe she would have been alive. I felt like a murderer. I didn’t dare come in front of Ha-Na. But you know that even though I went to the exam hall, I submitted a white paper in the exam. And now I still regret not attending the funeral. I tried many times to forget about it. But I couldn’t. I still haven’t been able to forgive myself quite like you."

He started to cry as he said the words. Many times he stopped because of crying. There is silence in the room. We both are crying silently.

Taewon sits with his head down. He looks at the keychain and remembers the day Ha-na gifted it to him.

Flashback-

10:30 p.m. Taewon is working part time at a bar. Serving drinks one after another. Taewon was cleaning a table when he got a message on his phone. Taewon takes out his cell phone from his pocket and sees Ha-na’s message. Seeing Ha-na’s message, he gestures to his colleague to look at that table and goes to the washroom. Entering the washroom, Taewon took out his phone.

Ha-na sent a message, "Are you still at work?"

"Yes" Taewon replies.

"When will your work be finished?"

"I don’t know. Today’s workload is high. It will be a lot and a half."

"Ohhh..."

"Do you need anything?"

Ha-na no longer replies to Taewon’s messages. Taewon sits in the washroom for a while. But Taewon doesn’t get a reply from Ha-na and goes back to work.

Taewon looked at his mobile after a while. Seeing him doing this, the manager called for him.

"Taewon...."

"Yes sir...!"

"Is there any problem? I’ve been seeing you taking out your phone for a while now..."

"Sorry sir."

"Look Taewon, you can tell me if there is a problem, but if you take out such a phone repeatedly at work, the customers may also feel annoyed."

"Sorry sir. I understand. It won’t happen again."

"Okay. Go to work."

Taewon gets back to work.

__

12 o’clock at night. Taewon’s shift is over. However, he did not go home yet due to heavy workload. The manager left long ago. Taewon looks at the bar clock. His colleague asks him for staring at the clock like this.

"What happened Taewon? Are you in a hurry to go home today?"

"No, not much. But there was an important event today."

"See, if the workload decreases! If it decreases, then leave. But today is Thursday. I don’t think it will decrease."

"Huh...." Taewon replied upset.

Shortly after, a delivery arrives for Taewon. Taewon’s colleagues call him.

"Taewon, you have a delivery."

"Ok."

Taewon comes out of the bar.

"I didn’t order anything. What did I get delivered?"

Taewon walks up to the delivery man muttering to himself. The delivery man was wearing a mask, so Taewon couldn’t see his face.

"Are you Taewon?"

"Yes."

"Here’s your order."

The delivery man hands Taewon a box. As Taewon takes the box and leaves, the delivery man stops him.

" Excused me, sir. Please open the box and see if everything is okay! Actually, it’s our policy."

"Okay."

Taewon starts to unwrap the box. He saw a cake inside the box, a note on the top and a small packeted box on the side. Taewon is surprised to see this. Taewon took the note and started reading. Written on the note-

"Happy 5th year anniversary future Aristotle."

Taewon reads the note and realizes it was sent by Ha-na. Taewon smiled and walked away. Taewon opened the small box and found a bike keychain inside and another note. Written on the note-

" My dear future Aristotle, who solved the most difficult mathematics. Did you not recognize your lovely and beautiful girlfriend even after hearing my voice? Or did you forget my voice after going to a big university? "

Taewon realizes after reading the note that the delivery man is none other than Ha-na. So he runs out to find Ha-na. After searching for a long time, Taewon can’t find Ha-na. Taewon quickly took out his phone and called Ha-na. Ha-na doesn’t pick up the call first time, but receives it in the second time.

"Ha-na... where are you?"

" Congratulation. Finally you recognized me, Mr. Aristotle."

"Sorry. I didn’t notice. Please forgive me. Please tell me where you are now..."

"Ummm, why should i say so easily? No punishment for such a big mistake!"

"I will accept whatever punishment you give me. But please come infront of me."

" Then keep in mind about your punishment..."

"I will remember. Now pleaseee come out."

"Look behind you."

Taewon turns around to see Ha-na leaning against the wall. Upon seeing Ha-na, Taewon runs to her and hugs her tightly. Ha-na also hug Taewon. Taewon started to smell Ha-na’s body as if he had been without oxygen for a long time. A lot of time goes by but Taewon doesn’t leave Ha-na. cake’Ha-na reminds Taewon that he is at work now.

"Isn’t your manager at the bar? No one is saying anything because you’ve been out for so long? Aren’t you afraid of losing your job?"

"please not now....!"

"Go, right now."

"Where will you be then?"

"There’s a convenience store next to the area. I’ll go and sit there."

"Okay."

Taewon takes off. But after taking two steps he came back again and asked, "Can i stay?"

"I think i need to go home..!"

"Okay, I’m going."

Taewon leaves upset to say goodbye to Ha-na. Ha-na smiles and waves at Taewon.

___

It’s 3 p.m. Taewon’s work is done. He hurried to the convenience store. Arriving at the convenience store, he saw Ha-na is asleep. Taewon smiles.

"Too late isn’t it? "

Ha-na narrows her eyes. Then open the cake’s box and light the candle. Take Taewon’s hand and wish together. Then blow out the candle. Ha-na cuts the cake and feeds it to Taewon. Taewon eats the cake and says,

"You came alone?"

"So where can I get a partner? If I wanted to celebrate the anniversary, I would have to come alone. You can’t leave the university anymore. How many part-time jobs do you do on top of that? Do you have time?"

"I couldn’t do much for you."

Taewon says upsetly. Ha-na puts some cake on Taewon’s nose and says,

"It’s okay. You don’t have to worry so much on this little thinks. Study well and get a job. After that, just marry me. I don’t need anything else."

"Will you stay here for a few days?"

Ha-na says a little upset, "Tomorrow, I have to leave on the night train."

Seeing Ha-na upset, Taewon hugs her from the side and says, "Then tell me where you want go? As long as we’re together, we’ll spend that time walking back and forth, happily."

"Ummmm...then...let’s go to your house... you live alone, right?"

Ha-na blinks as she says this. Taewon blushed. Ha-na laughs as Taewon blushes. Taewon realizes Ha-na is joking with him. So Taewon takes Ha-na’s hand and says.

"Okay. Let’s go. And yes, I rent a room alone. It won’t be a problem."

Ha-na is surprised to hear Taewon’s words. She continues to hit Taewon with his bag. Taewon stood up from the side.

"Why did you beat me like this? You wanted to go to my house."

"I was just kidding. Will you agree with that? You’ve changed a lot since you came here, you’ve gotten worse."

"Huh, it’s all my fault?"

"So?"

"Okay, okay. Now let’s make arrangements for you to stay at a hotel. It’s late at night."

Ha-na and Taewon get up and leave.

"But Su-jin is very angry with you."

"Su-jin? On me? But why?"

"Did you wished Su-jin on her last birthday? It’s been 3 years, since you haven’t spoken to her properly. You forget to wish her on her birthday again. She has given me a lot of Complaint."

"It doesn’t matter. You’ll see that when I go, she will come to visit me first. Don’t you remember, when we were child, she used to cry when I came from grandma’s house. Why didn’t I take her, why didn’t I communicate with her for so long and else. After eating a chocolate, she forgot everything."

Taewon and Ha-na laugh as they reminisce.

"Does Su-jin know you’re here?"

"Who knows? Su-jin? Do I have the ability to come here without telling her? I did all the shopping for you with her."

"Tell her I’ll be back soon. She will be happy."

" Really? "

" Yeah... "

Ha-na kisses Taewon on the cheek happily. At first, Taewon was shocked by the sudden kiss. Because this was the first time in their relationship that Ha-na kissed him. Then Taewon laughed and started joking with Ha-na about it. Ha-na also started to feel shy.