Our Little Secret (last part)

The Secret Promise

BGM: Hyuna ft Rado - Time

[Hyunseung]

“We will make a sexy collaboration with you both... it will be a big hit... we should also make a controversial act... like kissing...”

We stared at each other in silence.

“Ah! It seems so great!”, said Hyuna happily few seconds later. “I would like to collaborate with Hyunseung-oppa. It will be our first cooperation since I don’t really know Hyunseungie-oppa, I wish we could have great chemistry…”

“Geurae?” I smirked “Na do joha. Let’s do it.”

Those tiny conversation kept repeating in head. Sexy collaboration. Yes, absolutely. Only Hyuna and Hyunseung who have this image.

The photo shoot for album cover and photobook had ended few minutes ago. The photographer said that we had great chemistry. Of course, we have. We were used to be together. We were…

“Hyunseungie oppa.” Hyuna called me happily.

I turned my head at her.

She smiled widely. “From now on let’s have more and more and more good chemistry.” She bowed at me.

“What are you doing? Michyeoso?”

“I’m not crazy oppa, I’m serious. We have to be professional. It’s a job.” She patted my shoulders. “See you in practice room, oppa… Annyeong!”

She dashed out the photo shoot room. I smirked. She doesn’t change. She never changes. Still the same Hyuna that I used to know some years ago.

***

We have finished recording our all songs for troublemaker collaboration album. I decided to change my stage collaboration name into JS. Jay Stomp. The reason is I don’t want to hear collaboration between Hyunseung and Hyuna or Hyunseung featuring Hyuna. Let this be JS feat Hyuna. My unreal name. So that, the reality of Hyunseung and Hyuna are never together. Hyunseung and Hyuna remain strangers or two people who happened to work in the same company. And the fact is JS featuring Hyuna. JS and Hyuna. Not Hyunseung.

“Why do you change your name?”,she asked me as we finished recording. There were few persons in the recording room.

“Waeyo? It’s cool, I think. JS. Jay Stomp.”

she giggled.

“Waeyo? Waeyo?”

“Aniya oppa.”

“JS feat Hyuna – Troublemaker. Doesn’t it sound good?”

I just couldn’t let she or others know my real reason.

She still giggled.

“Doesn’t it sound good, hyung?”

Rado-hyung shrugged his shoulder. “Mollayo…”

Rado-hyung and Hyuna laughed out loud.

“YA!” I yelled at them.

***

“1, 2, 3, 4” She counted “5, 6, 7, 8”

We were in the practicing room. Learning our new dance moves for troublemaker debut. Our dancers had gone home. There were only me and Hyuna.

“Ya! You missed again!” I yelled. “Geumanhae. Let’s go home. We still have MV shooting tomorrow.”

I packed my bag, about to step out from the practice room. But, she still laid there on the floor.

“Ya! Hyuna-ah! Ppalli! Let’s go home!”

“Oppa, pull me up…!” She started her aegyo again. “Ppalli oppa… Pull me up…”

“Hhh…” I sighed. I pulled her up.

“Hehehe… gomawo...”

She put her bag and walked behind me.

“What new game do you play?” I asked her as we stepped outside the practice room.

“What game?”

“Ah… Nothing…”

***

[Hyuna]

We received our first award. I never expected this kind of things happened to us. We are really a great team. No, actually, we have really great team. And yes, I’m here sitting with my great team to celebrate our first award.

“Congratulation!” We screamed happily while tossing our glasses. I’m about to sip my drink. A hand grip my wrist.

“Don’t drink it.” Hyunseung-oppa stopped me. “It’s alcoholic. You can be drunk.”

I put down my glass.

“Here.” He handed me a glass of orange juice. “Drink this, instead.”

“Ne, oppa.”

The party went well. Some of them were drunk. But, after all, our hard work were paid well.

“Hyuna-ah, let’s go home. It’s late already. We still have to perform tomorrow.” Nagged Hyunseung-oppa. “I’ll take you home.”

“Eh?”

“We could ride taxi, right?”

“Taxi? Both of us? At this hour?” I checked my phone. “I’d better call…”

“You don’t need to call anybody. Just go home with me.”

I wear my coat in silence. He was ready to go from this place. He suddenly put on white-clothed-mask on my face and on his face.

“Kaja!” He pulled my wrist.

“Wait oppa.” I took two shawls from my bag. One shawl to cover his head. One shawl to cover my head.

“Kaja!” I smiled happily. Slowly and secretly leaving those people in the party.

Our dorms are not too far away from the restaurant which we had party earlier, so we decided to walk along the way to dorms.

Hyunseung-oppa still held my hand. It was so freezing. We hobbled along the way because our body were trembling.

“We are like a couple, aren’t we?” I asked.

“Geurae? Why do you think so?”

“Because we walk together along the way home.”

“Is that what couple do? I think many people can do the same. Not only couple.”

“Aaa, oppa. You don’t understand.”

“What? About what?”

“Stop asking, oppa! You’re so annoying?”

“Waeyo?”

“Stop it oppa.”

“Waeyo? Wae? Why can’t I ask?”

“You ask too much oppa, I can’t answer it.”

“Do I? Jinjja?”

I laughed. “Geumanhae, oppa.”

“Waeyo? Why do you laugh?”

I laughed harder.

“Oppa, do you remember those days?”

“What days?”

“Our days.”

“Our days? We never have our days.” He looked away.

“Hhh…” I sighed.

“Ah! That’s your dorm.” He released my hand. “See you….”

I saw his back slowly moved away from me.

“See you…” I whispered.

I hobbled into the dorm. We never have our days, he said.

That’s absolutely a lie. We really had our days.

We secretly date. Yes, after our first kiss, we were couple. We met everyday in the secret refuge. But, we had to hide it to everybody in this company, from our trainees friends, sajangnim, company crews, yes, everyone.

Hyunseung-oppa was still practicing in the storage room. I jumped into the room.

“Oppa!”

“Oh. You came.” He continued dancing. He wouldn’t care about anything when he danced. He danced so passionately.

I unpacked my bag. He came to me as soon as he finished practicing.

“This. For you.” I handed him a bar of chocolate.

“What’s this?”

I smiled widely, showing my white teeth to him.

“A chocolate? What for?”

“A chocolate is to eat, oppa.” I snatched the chocolate from his hand, opened the seals, crack a piece of chocolate, and forcefully push it into his mouth.

“Ya!” He yelled while chewing the chocolate.

“Hahaha!” I laughed.

“YA! Neo!”

I ran and dropped the chocolate. He took the chocolate and chased me.

“Come here you!”

He caught me and pushed the chocolate into my mouth. We ended up having our teeth turned to be brownish because of the chocolate stuck on our teeth.

“Oppa, I’m going to debut, soon.” We both laid side by side on the dirty floor, my head’s position was against his head’s position.

“It’s good then. But, you have ever debuted before…”

 “Second debut felt so frightening…”

“Hmm… every debut is frightening…”

“If I finally debut… what about us?”

“What about us? I don’t know. We are still us, I think.”

“Or there will be no more us?” I turned my head at his.

He stared deep into my eyes.

“Geurae. That’s what you want? No more us. Or actually, it’s indeed no us from the very beginning.”

I touched his cheek. “That’s not what I mean, oppa. You don’t understand.”

“About what? About us?”

“Oh! Hyuna-ah! You’re home already?” said Gayoon-eonni when she saw me crossing the kitchen.  

I woke up from my flashback moment.

“Hmm… eonni. Why don’t you sleep?” I yawned.

“I’m going to sleep. You, too, go to sleep. Good night.”

“Good night…” I said while opening the fridge and poured a water on the glass. I gulped so many cold water and sat alone in the kitchen.

“Let’s not think about tomorrow…” he whispered to my ear. Those pieces of memories flew around my mind again as soon as this dorm became quiet.

It was around a month before I debuted. We sat recklessly on broken couch found in the storage room. My head laid on his shoulder.

“Let’s just think about today… because today may be over soon…” He whispered again.

“Hmm…” I answered softly.

We mingled our hands in silence. He placed his head over my head. Slowly, we fell into deep sleep.

 
“Hyuna-ah! Go to sleep!” yelled Gayoon-eonni. “Turn off the lamp!”

“Ne eonni!” I turned the lamp off and hobbled to the room.

***

[Hyunseung]

The MV shooting is finally over. What a tiring day! I stretched my body and yawned as many as I want.  From this day went on, I have to be ready for any consequences. The fact is I connect with her again. That is the hardest thing.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your hardwork.” I bowed on every person I met in the studio. Jintaek-hyung was already in the van. I dashed to the van which was parked in front of the studio. I dragged the van’s door.

“Annyeong, oppa!” She was there, waved her, and smiled so brightly.

“Why are you here?”

“It’s better to take her along also.” Said Jintaek-hyung.

“Ah. Hyung. I will sit in the front.” I closed the van door and moved to the seat in the front, beside Jintaek hyung.

I looked at the seat behind as I put on my seatbelt.

I glared her and opened my mouth in no sound “Neo michyeoso?”

She smirked.

I turned my head to the front. Yes, she is crazy, indeed.

“Where should we go?”, asked Jintaek-hyung.

“Do we have to go home?” I asked him back.

“Jintaek-oppa, I’m hungry. Let’s eat before we go home.”

I side-eyed her. “Aha! That’s a great idea!” I said sarcastically.

“Araseo.” answered Jintaek-hyung as he moved the car to the nearest restaurant.

It was a quiet restaurant. A late night restaurant. I put on mask over my face and so did Hyuna.

We ordered some meals and ate quietly.

“Ah! I’m full. I can’t finish this.” She quickly put some of her unfinished food in my bowl.

“Ya! Mwoya igo?”

“Finish it, oppa. Eheheheung…”

“You don’t want it?”, asked Jintaek-hyung while lifting his chopsticks on my bowl. “Let me finish…”

“No! It’s mine!” I covered my bowl with my hands.

“Aish…”

She laughed a lot. “You’re so funny, hyunseungie-oppa”

“Geurae? So you know now.”

***

“Hyung, I will sit behind.” I dragged the van door. Hyuna was already inside the van. She put earphone on her ears pretending not knowing me sitting beside her.

I took my earphone and put it into my ears. As the van moved, I yawned, and fell asleep. I felt warm hand on my hand. Is it her hand? Is it only a dream?

“Ireona!” yelled Jintaek hyung “Hyunseung-ah! Ireona!”

I opened my eyes. Looked around. Hyuna was not there beside me. I brushed my eyes and hobbled to the dorm. “Jaljayo, hyung”

***

“Kissing on the stage? Ahahaha! Is that for real? Me and Hyuna?” I pointed at myself and Hyuna.

“Well, yeah. That will be daebak.”

“I’m okay with that. After all, that’s just a performing act. Nothing serious. We can be tricky, right?”, answered Hyuna carelessly.

“Nah! Do you hear that? So what about you, hyunseung-ah?”

“Okay. Na do joha.”

We practiced that kissing part almost everyday. It was so weird to have people around seeing us pretending to kiss. We always ended up laughing or rolling on floor laughing out loud.

“Oppa! Be more serious!” She yelled.

“Mian mian… but this is just too funny. What about we practice alone, just the two of us? I can’t practice if they are still around…”

“Ya oppa! You’re so weird. We will be watched by thousands or maybe millions of people… or you actually don’t want to kiss me?”

“Eh?”

“It’s true, you don’t want to kiss me, right?”

“Ara… Ara… Let’s do it again.”

No. That’s not true. It’s not like I didn’t want to kiss you. Anyway, it was just a fake kiss. An act. 

*** 

The D-Day. Me and Hyuna was already on the stage. Dancing sexily and passionately. The fake kissing was about to come. I kissed her for real. The lamp dimmed off. The audience screamed crazily. Nobody knew whether I kissed her for real or not. We had to keep dancing until the music was over.

Few minutes after our performance, the news was flooding with our kissing performance, screencaps, and videos. Well, I don’t really care about that. It’s just an act. 

***

[Hyuna]

This week is the last week. Our goodbye stage on music shows. Few months had flown away. Our collaboration became hit everywhere. Many people liked it and even made cover on it. Yet, the fact the haters are still coming is undeniable. But, finally, I could end this promotion. Even, after this we may still perform as collaboration, we don’t need to meet very often.

We have received many awards and that’s enough for me. After this, I will continue my life as Kim Hyuna of 4minute. As well as he continues his life as Jang Hyunseung of Beast.

Again and again, we gathered here, in the same place, celebrating our last performance with my great team.

“For our hard work!” We tossed our glasses. I already had orange juice in my glass. No more alcoholic drinking.

“Hyunseungie-oppa” I stood up. “Thank you for your hard work these past months with me. Let’s become more and more professional idols.” I bowed.

He stood up and bowed at me. “Yes, you too.”

As night became darker and darker, some of our crew members went home, some of them were drunk, some of them were dancing on the floor. I was sitting side by side with Hyunseungie-oppa in silence. Just the two of us.

“Oppa… Do you remember my second debut day?” I stared blankly to the front.

“Oh.”

“That was a crazy night for me.”

My memories wandered around that time

I dialed his number. “Oppa, I finally had my second debut!” I screamed excitedly. I called him as soon as I got into my room.

“Congratulation!”

“I will do my best from now on. Oppa, you should also do your best. I believe your debut day will come.”

“Hmm… Araseo…”

“Oppa… To celebrate my second debut day…”

“Hmm… what do you want?”

“Let’s break up…”

We hesitated. There was an awkward silence in the air.

“Oppa… are you still there?”

“Geurae? Araseo. Let’s break up.”

My heart beat faster. It felt so painful. My tears fell down.

“Hmm… Let’s continue pretending not to know each other…” My voice trembled.

“Araseo…”

“Let’s keep pretending there are no us…” I cried.

“Hmm… Araseo…”

“Let’s keep all these as our little secret…” I cried harder.

“Hmm…”

“Gomawo oppa. Jinjja. Gomawoyo…” I wiped my tears.

“Gomawoyo… Hyuna-ah…”

“Goodbye oppa…”

“Goodbye…” 

***

[Hyunseung]

I buried everything all about you. But now, you come again in my life and grow something in me. I don't even know what I feel now. I'm just happy and annoyed when you're around. I sometimes don't know how to act because you still the same as you were before. So, I end up enjoying every moment with you.
Yet, I still don't know if this love or not. The fact that I was in love with you is the past. The past I used to forget. Now is now. Don't force me to remember old things.

[Hyuna]

“I can’t remember anything about your second debut day.”, he said as he stood up and stepped ahead.

“Where are you going?” I followed him.

“Looking for fresh air.”

 “Oppa… wait for me…!”

He reached out his hand to me. I grabbed his hand. We strolled along the quiet road. We forgot to wear our masks or shawls to cover our face and head but we didn’t really care about that.

“After this, what will we be, oppa?”

“What do you mean? We’re still us, I think”

“Hahaha. Always the same answer.”

“It’s so cold.” He nagged.

I grabbed his arms.

“It’s still cold.” He nagged again. “Let’s go back. We should wear mask, gloves, and shawls.”

I giggled. “Oppa baboya…!”

“Come on. Let’s go back. It’s freezing”

I released his arms and stopped walking.

“Oppa, did you ever love me?”

“What did you say? Are you drunk?”

“Because I ever loved you... I was in love with you. Then, I started to forget it without realizing whether I still love you or not. Up until now, I don’t know whether I still love you or not..."

“...thank you for being partner in work, partner in team, partner in sing, partner in dance, partner in practicing, partner on stage... Thank you so much… We still have long way to go... We don’t know what future holds… It will remain mystery… So, from now on let’s do our best for our dream and future… Be more professional in our field of work… If someday we should collaborate again, just put aside our heart-feeling…” I took a deep breath. 

He smiled widely. 

[Hyunseung] 

I smiled widely. I almost giggled. 
So, that's what we actually feel?, I thought. So, we actually have the same feeling? 
This stupid crazy girl started to say non-sense things. She must be really drunk. What game does she want to play with me? Well, I'll take every game she wants to play with me. Until the day she'll say 'Game Over'.


[Hyuna] 

“Let this be our secret promise…” I showed my pinkie finger on him. “Promise?”

“Another secret promise?” He mingled his pinkie finger with mine and pushed our thumbs together. “Hm… Promise…”

I smiled happily.

“How about partner in keeping our little secret? or partner in keeping secret promise? or partner in playing secret game? You haven’t mentioned it.” He questioned me while releasing our fingers. 
"Or partner in love?" I said mischievously. 
We hesitated for few seconds, stared at each other, and then laughed a lot. 

***

[Hyunseung] [Hyuna]

Partner in love?

Maybe.

Someday.

-THE END-

-ultrautogia-