START6

Needless to say, my mind never let that phone call. Every time the phone rang, I found myself rushing towards it and answering in my flawed Korean.

"Yeoboseyo?" my voice would crack weakly. Then I would proceed to talk in my native language or in English. My state of mind was pitiful. It was only one day but those moments had such a strong hold on me.

I curled myself into a human cannonball as I watched the TV screen. There was only one way to solve problems like these. Watch tear jerking dramas or movies and cry until my heart's content. Dong Young refused to watch them with me. So I would throw my cell phone at him and tell him to call up old friends. For several short moments, he would pause as if he had something to say but then with a small disappointing shake, he would turn his head and walk out of the house.

Then I would mutter to myself as the lead girl in the movie teared up. "I thought you said you'd be my wings but now that I've fallen you won't pick me back up." I remembered the day clearly like the way the stars shone on a velvet black night. The night my uncle died without letting me see him one more time.

My uncle loved me more than anything in the world but he lived halfway around the world. He always had a heart disease that he couldn't control. Suddenly, he was sent to the hospital for no apparent reason. Slowly, day-by-day, he grew weaker, so weak to a point that he couldn't breathe on his own. My family planned to fly back to our hometown the very next day but while I was in school, I received a phone call that devastated me.

He died that very morning. As I prayed for him to get well, he left this earth.

I cried so hard that day, so hard that my pastor who was visiting had to reschedule our interview about my baptism. Everyone who walked by me acted as if nothing had happened. Only Dong Young dared to ask what happened. And I spilled it out in three simple words, "My uncle died." And unlike anyone else, Dong Young came up to me and held me in his arms.

"So I'll be your wings from now on. I'll be the one who loves you more than the world."

Funny. A few months later, he chased another girl.

This time, I was, once more, broken down by a simple phone call. The last phone call, I should have never made or answered. This phone call, the one I should have answered, I didn't. But nothing I do can change the fact that it happened.

I guess Lee Junki got some idea in his head that I didn't want to talk to him.

I bit my lip as the lead male character on the TV screen embraced the girl. His forehead rested against the girl's head as his arm wrapped around her shoulder. They sat on the balcony, watching the dark sky. Suddenly, a shower of meteorites came. Neither of them dared to make a wish because of their past. The girl refused to make a wish because the last time she did, the guy died and left her. But as the meteor shower ended, the boy began to slowly disappear. Bit by bit, his body became magical particles that brought him back to heaven.

She should've just made that wish, I thought angrily as the movie ended. I sniffled and blew my nose in the tissue. Aiming it directly at the trashcan in front of me, I threw it in and watched it pop back out. This is the same reason I never played basketball. Anything I throw in just bounces back out.

Suddenly the phone rang, making me jump in my seat. I rushed up to get it. With a timid voice I said, "Hello?" I had long given up answering in Korean.

"Yah Haneul," Dong Young's voice said on the other line. I frowned as I leaned against the counter, waiting for him to continue. "Come out of that gloomy house."

"I'm tired Dong Young. Let me go to sleep."

He coughed, making me pay more attention to him.

"You've slept for ten hours yesterday. I think you've had enough sleep. Get up and come out with me."

"Didn't you call Emily?" I muttered. Emily was the girl Dong Young had left me for. "Weren't you meeting her today?"

He answered a little quickly. "Emily's in China. Haneul, come out please?"

"No."

"I'll buy you a new tear jerking movie if you come out."

I paused. That Dong Young always knew what I wanted. The offer was tempting. "What movie?" I asked.

"I don't know, something with Gang Dong Won in it?"

I almost let out a squeak.

"A Wolf's Temptation?" He didn't need to say anything. I already knew what he was talking about. Throwing the blanket over my shoulder, I switched the phone to mobile and ran into my room. As I talked to Dong Young about where to meet, I changed into more suitable clothing. When I finished, I hung up on him and threw the phone on my bed.

Grabbing my keys and wallet, I rushed out the house to meet Dong Young. I took the bus and then ran to meet Dong Young at the CD store. He was waiting patiently at the front door. His eyes lit up with joy as he saw me running towards him. Those strong cheekbones of his appeared as he grinned brightly. I ran past him and grabbed him by the sleeve, dragging him into the store.

We quickly dug up the DVD of A Wolf's Temptation. Dong Young reluctantly bought the movie. The shopkeeper placed it in a plastic bag in the most agonizing way. Slowly, and carefully he smoothed out the bag and gave it a small fold before handing it over. I grabbed it and rushed out the store.

"Hey, hey, hey," Dong Young said as he ran up next to me and pulled me by the arm. I slowed down to a stop and looked at him with clueless eyes. His eyes flickered all over my face as he looked worried.

"What?" I asked.

"Where are you going?"

"Where else? Home."

"To do what?"

I laughed as I swung the bag in front of his face. "You silly," I said with so much pretense I thought I was going to be sick. "You're the one who bought it for me."

"No, I bought that because you promised to come out."

Lifting my hands, I pointed to the scene around me. The bustling people that walked past us without giving a notice that we were standing in the middle of the way, the marble floor that was spotted with old bubblegum and the pillars that held up each floor, all that proved that I was out. "What you do mean? I am out. Now I can go back in."

I turned to leave but Dong Young grabbed my arm. He pulled me in the opposite direction. We walked past the doors that led to the stairwell. Dong Young backed up and pushed me past those doors. I shivered as he pushed me against the wall. His hand slammed the wall right next to my face. I almost felt sorry for him as he trembled to look at my face.

"What's wrong with you Haneul?" he whispered. "Why are you acting like this?"

I held the plastic bag to my chest. For some bizarre reason I thought it was going to protect me. My eyes were wide as Dong Young slowly looked up. Then I could see that I wasn't the only one who was tired. The signs of sleepless nights showed up under his eyes. I gulped as I tried to answer him. My mouth opened and closed but no words came out.

"Is it because of that one phone call? Do you really think it's from Junki?"

I nodded, feeling the rough tiles of the wall against my head. It was scraping my scalp, slowly causing a strange soothing but painful sensation.

"You haven't changed since I left Haneul. When a guy gives you the slightest attention, you devote your whole life to him."

I pressed my lips firmly together as he looked at the floor. His breath was ragged as his shoulders heaved up and down. I frowned at the sight of Dong Young breathing so hard. It wasn't like his usual self.

"But I thought you were smarter than that. I thought you were smarter than that to fall in love with a celebrity. Get it into your head that he won't call back. What would Lee Junki do with a normal girl when he has all of Korea chasing after him?"

His words were beginning to make sense. What would Lee Junki do with me? Especially when I did not know a single word of Korean. The plastic bag dropped, like my defense, to my side. With a single hand, I made Dong Young look at me. In a shaking voice I said, "I don't know. But you're right – I haven't changed."

Dong Young smiled but I didn't smile in return. I looked away but not fast enough. I saw the smile fade into a questioning glance as he tried to get back into my view. My vision did not include him as I stared at the hand that rested against the wall. I began to see it turn red and white from the amount of pressure he was exerting upon it.

"Why are you giving all of yourself to him? Forget about him Haneul!"

For some reason, I felt compelled to yell. Dong Young was yelling. Why couldn't I as well?

"IT TAKES TIME!" I yelled. I found myself yelling in a voice so much louder than Dong Young's. He was taken aback. Now that I was facing him, I saw his hand leave the wall. A small imprint of the tiles was placed into his hand. "Do you think I got over you at lightening speed? I'm the same with every guy I fall in love with. It takes time to forget about them!"

"Love?" Dong Young whispered. "You love Junki?"

I gasped and covered my mouth. I didn't believe it myself when those words escaped my mouth. Dong Young's hand was trembling as he tried to control his temper. I pressed my lips together and stood up tall.

"What's it to you if I love him?" I said daringly. "Do you think I watch this movies for fun? No, I'm trying to dry my river of tears before I can get hurt more than ever! Now leave me alone and let me wallow in self pity!"

I pushed past him as he stood dumbly in the stairwell. I stormed off to the swinging doors when I felt his hand wrap around my wrist. Angrily, I flung my hand, trying to get rid of him. But he wouldn't relax his grip.

"Let go of me Kim Dong Young!" I screamed. "Let me go home!"

He grabbed me and pulled me forward. I found myself floating into his embrace but I pushed him away. He had his chance long time ago. It was too late now. Dong Young placed his hands on my shoulders, trying to make sense of my actions.

"I think it's just best if we are friends," I said.

His voice came in a shaking tone, "I just wanted to give you the hug I never gave you when your uncle died."

I broke down, falling to the floor. He had to bring back the past like it was nothing. My knees were bent as I dropped the movie onto the floor. I held my knees and buried my head into my arms. I found myself rocking back and forth as I was reminded of my uncle. I felt the wind from Dong Young's movement as he bent down to be at my level.

"I'm – "

His words were cut off by a phone call from his pocket. I looked up slowly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the vibrating phone. He frowned at the number as he hesitantly answered it. I watched him as he stood up and began talking rapidly in Korean.

My ears perked up at the mention of my name. All of a sudden, Dong Young began to yell, outraged, in English.

"YOU LISTEN TO ME LEE JUNKI. YOU WILL LEAVE HANEUL ALONE."