Chain of Memories - Chapter 4

MAYBE IT'S THE SOLITAIRE

The fans are screaming in unison:

Changmin! Changmin! Changmin!

Changmin closed his eyes for a moment. He breathed deeply to calm his nerves. Then, he signaled his manager.

The manager said, "OK!"

On stage, the lights went out. The fans became quiet. The atmosphere is tense.

Then the lights went on.

Changmin was met with a thunderous welcome by his fans - much to his amazement.

"Finally," he told himself.

Then he spotted someone in the front of the audience.

His hyung is in there.

"How did he -?", wondered Changmin.

Just a single look at his hyung's right gave him the answer.

Robe.

His hyung never knew that he's a solo artist now. Let alone knowing he have this concert.

Robe probably spilled it all to hyung, Changmin thought.

Feeling very happy and satisfied, Changmin closed his eyes. The audience fell silent.

Then he started to sing.

Suddenly, he found himself lying in bed in his room.

"Ah~~!!!" Changmin yelled

Jeff entered the room, alarmed with his brother's yell.

"What's wrong?" Jeff asked.

"I'm awake!!!", Min replied.

"What's wrong with that?"

"I have this very good dream, and just when the good part started, I found myself here in this stupid room. I wished I never woke up." Changmin exclaimed.

"You are really stupid." Jeff said. "Get up and prepare our breakfast. I'm hungry."

"Alright."

As Min walked down the stairs, the door bell rang.

"I'll get it," Changmin yelled to his hyung.

When he opened the door, he saw nobody.

"What the -"

Then he saw an envelope on the floor. He picked it up.

When he read where the letter came from, he became so excited. He ran up to his room at top speed, while hearing his hyung shout, "Hey, breakfast!"

"Just a moment!" he shouted back.

When he's in his room, he locked the door.

He opened the envelope with trembling hands.

The letter came from Rhapsody, the recording company where he sent his demo CD.

It said:

A good day to you.

This letter is sent to you in line with your application to be one of our talents.

Please check your e-mail address for additional information. This letter is for the purpose of alerting you as soon as possible.

Wishing you a good day,

Rhapsody Co.

After reading the letter, Changmin hurried to his computer. He opened his e-mail account.

He checked the message from rhapsodyco@gmail.com

--

"I can't believe it!" Min uttered for the nth time. He's reading the e-mail from Rhapsody Co. over and over.

After he's satisfied, he phoned Robe.

"Hi honey. Guess what?" Changmin couldn't contain his excitement.

"Hello honey, what's up?" Robe replied.

"I'm accepted! Rhapsody!" Changmin said.

"You what?! Oh my God! Congratulations honey!"

"Thanks! I'm so happy!"

"I told you that you'd be accepted, didn't I? Congratulations!"

"Yeah, thanks! This calls for a celebration. Can I come to your house right now?"

"No, you can't. I'm going there."

Then the door bell rang.

"Already here?" said Changmin as he hung up.

He saw Robe and his hyung on the doorway.

"There he is! Jeff told you were admitted on the mental hospital this morning. Knew he was lying," Robe said.

"I thought he's mad. You should've heard his screams," Jeff explained.

Robe then said, "That's because --" She stopped when he saw Changmin signalled her to stop.

"That's because we're getting married!", Changmin continued.

"YOU WHAT?!?"

Jeff rushed past Robe to his brother's room where Changmin retreated. Within seconds, they're wrestling. Jeff seems oblivious to his brother's "I'm joking!" cries.

Robe followed, then laughed at the two.

When Jeff cooled down, he told Changmin, "You're really stupid, you know."

"We're the same," Changmin replied, earning him another hit in the head from his hyung.

"What, you two wants to get married just because Junsu's getting married to-", Jeff stopped.

"Neru! Junsu-hyung's getting married to-" Changmin stopped mid-sentence as Jeff wrestled him to the bed.

"Hey, you two stop it already. I'm hungry." Robe said.

Changmin ran out of the room to avoid another hit from his hyung.

"Off to the kitchen then," Changmin said as he ran down the stairs.

"That stupid kid," Jeff muttered. He smiled when he heard Robe laughing.

--

"Hey Min, it's already 6:00PM!" Jeff said.

"Just a moment. Have you seen my tie?" Changmin replied.

"No."

"I forgot where I placed them."

Jeff left the room.

"Where the hell is that tie? It must be here somewhere," Changmin told himself.

"Use this." Changmin turned around to see his hyung holding a tie - a black tie striped with thick violet lines.

"That's beautiful," Changmin said. "Thanks."

He folded the tie and placed it above a tux, which he then placed on a grey paper bag. "I'm going."

"You're gonna attend a prom?" Jeff asked.

"No," Changmin replied.

"Alright. You can't use the car."

"Why? I thought it's mine."

"I'm gonna use it."

"Oh, ok. Just be sure to take care of it."

"Of course I will take care of it. Besides, it's yours."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Be safe."

---

It's 7:00PM. Changmin is excited and nervous as well as he wait inside the L'Renouille, one of the fanciest restaurant in the city.

He is on a VIP room. The room is huge. Walls are decorated with rich red tapestries. The floor is covered with an exquisite red carpet. The table is covered with rich white silk with two elegant chairs on the opposite ends. Candles are lit. The full moon flooded its light to the room through the open window. Trees are visible on the window, too, where one can hear the gentle rustling of the leaves to the soft breeze.

"'Tifa's Theme', please," Changmin told the man on the piano.

"Right away, sir," said the pianist as he started to play the theme.

"Beautiful," Changmin said.

"Thanks, sir!" replied the pianist.

The restaurant manager approached Changmin and said, "Sir, the lady's here."

"Show her in, please," he replied.

"Right away, sir."

As the manager left the room, the pianist paused and gave Changmin a thumbs-up.

"Thanks," Changmin told the pianist who resumed playing.

He's been planning for this event for three months. He handpicked the restaurant because it's famous for its VIP rooms. A lot of people recommend the restaurant because of its ability to create so romantic a setting for couples.

He placed the tiny box in his pocket.

"I should be nervous," he wondered. "Maybe it's the music that relaxes me."

Then the door opened.

Robe entered. She's wearing an ivory black dress which glitters. Her hair flows smoothly to her back, which is marvellously black and shiny.

Changmin thought his heart stopped.

Robe approached him. "What's up?"

He just stood there, smiling.

He closed his eyes, feeling in the beautiful music. He breathed deeply. He opened his eyes. He looked straight into Robe's eyes.

Then he began.

"Her smile, dazzling, so unique

Makes my heart stop just a beat.

Her eyes shine with such a light

That I'll remember through the night

Her voice, rich, lasts in the air

Maybe it's the solitaire

She stole my heart and swept my feet

Robe's her name that made me complete."

Robe is in tears now.

Changmin bent to his knees. He took the tiny box from his pocket and opened it.

A diamond ring sparkles inside it.

"Will you marry me?"

Robe was speechless. She can't say anything. The tears continued to flow. It took all her strength to say,

"Yes, honey. Yes I do!"

The pianist and the manager smiled.

Changmin stood up, then he inserted the ring on Robe's finger.

"Thank you, honey. I love you."

"I love you too."

Then they kissed.

Next : Chapter 5 - As Long as this Heart of Mine beats
Previous : Chapter 3 - Love