Prologue and Chapter 1

Originally posted here

♦ Prologue ♦

3 YEARS AGO…

"Ri In ah… If you dare to leave me for real, I promise you that I'll never reply your letters, emails, whatsoever… and I'll never answer your phone calls… so that you'll know how much pain you've inflicted on my heart"

"Haha… Stop threatening me, you bully! I know you wouldn't have the heart to do so. You'll reply my letters and you'll answer my phone calls. I bet you'll miss me like crazy… right?"

"I've told you I wouldn't. That's a promise. That's the price you've got to pay for leaving me here alone by myself…"

"Junsu ah! It's not up to me to choose whether to leave or to stay. My whole family is going back to China and I have to follow them. But I promise you even though we'll be apart by distance, I'll try my best to retain this friendship. I'll never forget you. You should do the same, too."

"…"

"Besides, you'll never be alone. You passed your SM Entertainment audition and you'll start being a trainee soon. You'll make a bunch of new friends! Cheer up!"

"But they're not the same as you"

"I know. Because none of them is Jang Ri In. Hahaha!"

"Stop making such a lame joke…"

"…"

♦ Chapter 1♦

TODAY


I was very wrong at that time. I thought that he was just joking about not going to reply my letters, not to answer my phone calls.

He really keeps his promise. Stupid Junsu and his stupid promise!

But being a faithful friend I am, I keep my promises too.

I always remember him and I try my best to keep in existence the friendship between us. I never stop sending him letters and birthday presents for the last three years. I never fail to insert every detail of myself and my wellbeing in those letters. I wrote down my home address, my phone number… even my exam results (sometimes).

But never that I get a reply from him. Not even once.

Question: What about phone calls?
Answer: "The number you have dialed is no longer in service.." that's what I listened to when I tried calling him for the first time immediately after my plane landed. Well I guess he changed his phone number immediately after I board my plane to China. He's cruel, isn't he?

Question: Maybe he moved away and thus, my letters can't reach him?
Answer: No… he didn't move houses as far as I'm concerned.

Question: Maybe he's dead?
Answer: NO, no… he's not dead. That's for sure.

Question: How do I know the answers of the previous two questions?
Answer: Tsk… That's an easy question for me to answer.

Do you guys know the infamous Xiah Junsu of Dong Bang Shin Ki? The one who loves to bully the other members? The one who's good in imitating the sound of a dolphin? The one whom people find cute and adorable?

Well, that's him. That's my stupid and cruel -used to be- bestfriend, Kim Junsu.

I get to keep in track of his news and updates from the news and the internet.

He is cheerful as ever. He is a bully as he always is. But being cute…? Cute, whatever!

Besides, he's happy now. He finally became a singer. He finally made a bunch of new bestfriends: Micky Yoochun, Hero Jaejoong, Max Changmin, U-know Yunho. Maybe that's the reason why he no longer needs me as a bestfriend of his, isn't it?

Am I being jealous? Yes I am. A little bit…because I miss him…so much!

But deep down inside my heart, I'm happy for him. He's living a happy life and that's enough to comfort my heart.

My phone's suddenly ringing.

Caller id: Park Heebon (my neighbour. She's a Korean. Her family moved to China last 6 months and they moved right next to my house. She was delighted to know that I used to live in Korea and that I'm able to speak Korean. We became bestfriends ever since. But she used to laugh out loud the very first time I told her that I used to be Junsu's bestfriend. I never brought up that matter again in order to avoid her to think that I'm an obsessed fangirl of Dong Bang Shin Ki )

"What is it, Heebon?"

"Yah! Ri In ah! Do you remember telling me that you used to be Xiah Junsu's best friend?" There you go. She's making fun of me again.

"I don't" and I'm feeling rather irritated.

"I'm sure you do! Haha! By the way, your so called bestfriend is getting married! Didn't he tell you about that? Hahaha" Ouch. That's sarcastic.

Wait… what???

"He's getting what??? Married? How do you know?" I'm so shocked to hear this

"Omo… you sound so shocked as if you really know him. Haha! Come on! The news is on the internet. Check it out yourself. Hahahahahaha"

She hangs up.

I quickly jump on my bed and grab my laptop immediately.

Google Search.

News

Search news. Xiah Junsu Dong Bang Shin Ki.

Enter.

"Xiah Junsu of Dong Bang Shin Ki is getting married"
Seoul, South Korea-30 minutes ago

Click.

"Seoul, South Korea- Xiah Junsu of Dong Bang Shin Ki has announced in a media conference earlier this evening that he is getting married next week. But the details of his marriage were not being disclosed, not even the name of the bride.

But the media and fans unanimously agree that the bride is most likely to be Ms Lee Yeon Hee, a fast rising new actress who had been romantically linked to Xiah Junsu since last year, although both them had been denying the gossips of them being together since the beginning. This shocking news has successfully shocked the whole entertainment industry, not to mention the fan base of Dong Bang Shin Ki a.k.a Cassiopeia which was just crowned with the Guinness World of Record for being the biggest fan base in the world not a long time ago.

There had been rumours circulating around the nation as to the reason why he came out with such a sudden marriage announcement. Some said that it is because of out of wedlock pregnancy and some others said that it is because both of them are really in love with each other and wanted to get married as soon as possible.

The news of his marriage is really shocking and depressing for Xiah Junsu's fans all over the world and at the same time it raises up the curiosity of everybody pertaining to his marriage. Why he need to get married so soon? He's only 22 this year and he is at the peak of his career. Doesn't he afraid of losing his popularity after this? Whatever the reason is Xiah junsu, congratulations!"

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My heart's beating faster than ever.

It's unbelievable, isn't it? Usually, these kind of news from the internet are not really reliable, aren't they? Someone could have made up the news, right?

-My phone is ringing again and I pick it up immediately.

"What is it again, Heebon? I've read the news. Are you satisfied now?!" I have no idea why am I being angry all of sudden.

"Hello? Ri In..?" a familiar voice which does not belong to Heebon is on the other line.

"…Junsu??" My heart's going to explode.

"Yes, it's me. I'm sorry-"

"-Junsu? Is that really you?"

"Yes, it's me, Ri In… I'm sorry for not contacting you all this while… I was…"

"You were…What?"

"I was… ah! Forget it. I just wanted to tell you that I'm-"

"-Getting married?"

"How do you know?"

"The news"

"Really?"

"…"

"Ri In ah… I wanted you to be here. To witness my wedding day. Please..."

"…Why should I?"

"Because you're my bestfriend???"

Tsk...

Am I??