28 Making of an Idol (10): Coffee Time

Jinhyun was sitting on a park bench, scribbling on his notebook when Cherry stormed up to him. She thrusted a coffee can into his hands.

"Here!" she snapped. "Cold vanilla latte! I'm leaving now."

"Tut tut," Jinhyun said. "You gotta repay the favor by sitting here with me while we finish our coffee. If you wanna show gratitude, then don't do it half heartedly."

Cherry wanted to scratch out his face but she grudgingly sat next to him. She was carrying a shopping bag consisting of numerous chocolates and another coffee can. She took out a knicks bar and began to munch on it, ignoring Jinhyun completely.

Jinhyun did not mind. He was just happy to finally have their coffee date. He quietly sipped his coffee and continued to draw.

Cherry peeked at what he was sketching. Despite her irritation, she had to admire his artistry. He was drawing a picture of a family with three people. A child was running into the arms of his mother while the father laughed merrily.

"How do you do that?" she blurted out.

"Do what?"

She pointed at his drawing. "This?" he laughed. "I don't know. I just draw whatever I want."

"You can draw and sing," she scoffed. "And judging by your fans' claims, you make your own music."

"I also have a photographic memory," he boasted. "I was at the top of my classes."

"Show off," she muttered. Typical of him to be this arrogant, she added inwardly.

Jinhyun chuckled. "Took me a long time to perfect my drawing skills," he admitted. "I wasn't interested in it until I turned eleven."

Cherry raised her eyebrows. She did not ask out loud, but she was curious to know more. If she changed his fate, then she must know more about his current life. Maybe she will be able to figure out his destiny if there was more information about him.

Reading her unspoken thoughts, he went on.

"On my eleventh birthday, I received an art set from an anonymous sender," he said. "I don't know who sent it, but I think it was my mom. For the first time, I felt that my family was out there somewhere. She knew where I was but something kept her away. I figured that she was always watching me. So, I started drawing pictures of the people I see around me. Maybe, in one of those pictures, I will find her. "

His eyes were on his drawing the whole time. He kept on perfecting it until the picture looked realistic.

"Since then, she sends me gifts every year," he went on. "I still have them stored away in my closet."

He paused before adding, "It's my birthday today."

Cherry raised her eyebrows. Is this why he forced her to accompany him?

"This is why you made me come here?" she frowned.

"Sort of," he admitted sheepishly. "Also, I didn't want to be alone. I would have dragged Manager Shun with me if you weren't around."

He flashed a mischievous smile which made Cherry feel like barfing.

"Aren't you curious?" she questioned him. "Why did she abandon you?"

"She has her reasons," Jinhyun said firmly. "I'm sure she will come to me on her own someday. I figured, she wants to see me as much as possible so I had to do something so that she can see me everyday."

Cherry was confused by his words before it hit her.

"Is this why you chose to be an idol?" she realized. "So that she can see you on TV everyday?"

"Yes," he admitted. "So that she does not have to sneak out to see me. Instead, she can see me anytime she wants on TV and papers. That way, she will know my whereabouts and know that I'm happy. I'm safe."

He sighed. "Ahh! Thinking about all that is a drag," he complained. "Tell me something about you. What do you like to do? Besides hating me?"

Cherry winced and ignored his question.

"I know you love to binge on sweets," he stated. "You like the color red."

"How do you-"

"You wear something red everyday," he laughed, pointing at the red shirt she was wearing. "Even in your old woman persona, you're wearing red. I never saw your other self but it is so obvious."

Cherry pursed her lips. "You like to drink even though you're a terrible drinker," he continued. "You hate owing favors to anyone. And you hate it when someone hurts children."

"Stop pretending you know me!" she snapped. His words brought her back to reality. He had no idea about her. Not even a clue.

"I don't," he said. "But I want to."

Cherry sneered. "You have a false image of me," she claimed. "You may be able to see my real self, doesn't mean you know my true self."

"Then stop hiding," he advised. "The world hasn't been kind to you so you hardened yourself. In the process, you lost sight of who you are."

Cherry glared at him before letting out a laugh. Jinhyun was taken aback by her behavior.

"You want to know why I was cursed?" she asked, her lips curving into a strange smile.

She leaned closer and whispered into his ears.

"I killed someone," she revealed. Jinhyun felt his heart stop for a second at her revelation. "And as a punishment, I was cursed."

She backed away from him. "The girl you're looking for never existed," she said menacingly. "So don't fool yourself."

With that, she picked up the bag and stood up to leave. Jinhyun watched her back as she walked away. His mind was replaying what she said.

"I killed someone…"

She admitted to a murder. Her punishment was befitting for such a crime. It was what she deserved.

Jinhyun looked down on the bench. There was a piece of chocolate cake left behind on it.

Then why did he find it hard to believe her?

"Just what are you?" he wondered loudly. "I guess I won't be able to stop myself from finding out."