The Flashback

10 years ago...

"Young Master!" The maid mewed after bowing and entering Rayan's room. His dangerous expression made her body trembled in fear. He has an argument with his father a while ago.

Rayan who was sitting on his easy chair glanced at the maid before leaning his head on the chair again. "What?" His voice was so dangerous.

The maid lowered her head. "You have a call." She said with a soft voice.

"Who is it?" Rayan asked as he closed his eyes.

"Haerin." The maid replied.

Rayan creased his forehead. "Who is that?"

The maid clenched her jaw. "She said she is your girlfriend."

Rayan immediately stood up as his eyes and mouth dropped open. "Who received the call? dad, mom, or you?" He asked anxiously.

"I received the call." As the maid replied, he let out a relieved sigh and pressed his palm on his chest. "Gosh! Thank God. dad or mom didn't. But how did she get the number of my house?" He gritted his teeth. He has many girlfriends, but none of them dare to call his house's number.

Rayan took his phone from his bed and dialed Haerin's number. He turned to the maid who was still standing. "Leave." He shouted angrily.

The maid left the room quickly. He held the phone on his ear as the phone was picked up. "Where are you? I'll be at the Han river park in 40 minutes. Meet me there." He shouted before declining the call. He didn't give her the chance to talk.

After getting ready, Rayan took his phone again and dialed Daniel's number. "I'm telling dad that I'm going to your house. Come to the Han river. I'll wait for you." He informed him. He has to lie to his father about going out. He is only allowed to go to his friends' houses without bodyguards.

"Whom are you going to meet today? Which number between 6?" A smirk was heard from the other side. He dates many girls together, so they numbered the girls to remember.

"4 number. Should I kill her today? She is just too much." Rayan said angrily as he opened the door of his room.

"Go. I'm talking with my manager. I'll be there. Bye."

Rayan hung up the call and came out of the mansion, he sat in his car. "Han river park." He said to the driver.

----

"dad." A scream was heard from the second floor of the park residence. It's a small two-story house, yet beautiful. Crystal's room was on the 2nd floor. Their parents stay in the master bedroom on the first floor.

Her father Henry quickly stood up from the couch and rushed to his daughter's room. "What happened?" He asked anxiously while going up.

Mr. Kelly let out are relieved sigh when he saw his daughter holding her wet shoes and staring at those shoes with her almost crying face.

Crystal threw the shoes on the floor and turned to her father. "dad. I told your wife not to wash these shoes today. Today is Alex's birthday. Because of your wife I have to wear school shoes. I'm going to take revenge." She pouted her lips.

Mr. kelly sighed again before coming to her and pulling her ear. "You almost gave me a heart attack." His daughter was always like this, playful like a little kid. She still behaved like a little girl.

Crystal stuck out her tongue at her father. "You should charge your wife for doing this to your daughter. Okay?"

Mr. kelly nodded. "Okay. Madam. I'll charge when She'll be back." His wife, Jo Misook came back home before 8 pm from her restaurant.

Crystal grinned. "Thanks. Mr. Kelly."

He smiled at his daughter too. She was really a loveable girl. Anyhow, she always finds a way to make the peoples around her happy. She always put a bright smile on her and makes peoples smile. She was helpful, kind. He was very proud of his daughter.

He caressed the top of her head and stroked her hair. "When are you going out?"

"Now. I need to buy a cake first. I'll get ready now. So go now." Crystal said while pulling her Father out of her room.

After getting ready Crystal quickly came out of her house and went to a pastry shop.

Crystal came to the owner of the shop. "aunt, is it ready?" She asked if the cake was ready or not. She ordered it yesterday.

The owner nodded and smiled mischievously. "Crystal, tell me the truth. I saw the name on the cake. Alex. Is it your boyfriend?"

Crystal widened her eyes and shook her head. "no-no."

The owner narrowed her eyes. "Do you like him?"

Crystal sighed softly and shook her head. "aunt. He is my best friend. He'll be my friend always. Nothing less or nothing more than a friend." She explained.

The owner smirked. "Wait. I'll bring your cake."

Crystal nodded and waited for her. When she gave her the cake, Crystal quickly came out of the pastry shop and waited for a taxi.

"Taxi."

--------

"How dare you? I told you not to call my house number." Rayan yelled at Haerin who was standing in front of him.

Haerin lowered her head and gulped. "I'm sorry. You weren't picking up my calls. So.."

"So what? I'll pick my calls up whenever I want. I told you before you're not my girlfriend. You're just the toy I'm playing with. How dare you introduce yourself as my girlfriend. Do you think you have the quality of becoming my girlfriend? Don't joke." Rayan laughed sarcastically.

"Don't dare to call me after today." He said with a cold expression and turned to walk away. Girls like her who put a fake appearance to make a rich fall for her don't have the quality of being his girlfriend. He just used these types of girls.

Haerin's body was trembling. Tears were rolling down to her cheeks. "You're a monster."

He stopped taking steps further when he heard that. "You should've known that a long ago. Now go to hell." He said calmly without turning his face before making his way to the Han river to wait for Daniel.

He heaved a deep sigh when the soft wind blew through him. As well as the calming sounds of a sea, a river has a natural soothing melody. While listening to relaxing noises of water he always felt more relaxed.

He started walking beside the riverside when his mind clouded with many thoughts. That girl called him a monster, right? He laughed at himself. Yes, he is a monster who plays with people's emotions. He doesn't want to change. He can't change himself.

He walked until the winds of change blew over him. A winds of change! His feet were unable to move, those were glued on the ground seeing the girl who was sitting on the bench beside a girl, talking on the phone. It was evening, the lampost's light was touching her skin. Her hair was flying across her face, she was trying to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear with her other hand. He felt breathless even in this place which was full of oxygen.

"Sunbin, where are you? I'm standing here alone with cake. Are you really with Alex?" Crystal shouted on the phone while trying to tuck away her hair, it's disturbing her. The wind is so heavy, pertinacious.

"I'm waiting in front of Alex's house."

"Okay. I'm hanging up." Crystal sighed and put the phone back in her bag. When she heard the sound of sobbing, she rolled her eyes around, looking for the person and her gaze stopped at a person who was sitting beside her who was burying her face in her knees. She must be crying.

Crystal tried to study her, but couldn't. "Excuse me, aunt!" She called softly. She didn't understand what should she call her. So she called her aunt. Rayan who was listening to her voice laughed softly. So she has this kind of habit.

The girl put her head up and turned her pale face to Crystal with her puffy eyes. She looked around her age. Rayan sighed seeing her face, it's Haerin.

Crystal brows furrowed when she saw her puffy, teary eyes. She cried a lot. "miss. Are you okay?" When she didn't reply, Crystal, put her hand on her hand. "It's okay to tell someone. You'll feel less pain if you share your pain with someone. You can trust me. Why are you crying?" She asked worriedly.

Haerin looked at her for some time and more tears started falling. "I don't want to live. I don't have the right to live." She sobbed.

Though Crystal didn't understand what was she talking about, she knew she was so sad. "Everyone has the right to live. God created you and you have the right to live from when you were born." She said with a soft smile.

Haerin shook her head. "I love him so much. But he betrayed me. He didn't love me. I can't. I can't live without him. I already died when he told me we're done." She cried loudly.

Crystal didn't know how is it feel but understood it's something that gives someone so much pain. Crystal came close to Hearin and covered her eyes with her palm.

"What.. are you.. doing?" Haerin asked, stunned by her sudden action.

"Stop thinking about him. Suppose, there is no human on this earth. Close your eyes and turn your face into the wind." She said while holding her chin gently and turning it to the right side.

As Haerin stop crying, Crystal took her hand down from her eyes. "Don't open your eyes. Feel the wind. Feel it sweep along your skin in an invisible ocean of exultation. Suddenly, you'll know you are alive. You'll feel your existence. Only yours." She said softly. She smiled when Haerin felt the wind, didn't reply back to her.

After a long moment, Crystal started saying. "When things in life get difficult for us, we think there’s no way for us to survive in this world. But I don't think that way, I will adamantly tell you that it isn’t true. We think we can't survive because of that word 'think.' We set our minds on it. We force our brains to think that we can't survive." She paused.

Inhaling a soft breath, Crystal nodded. "Yes, sometimes literally the death of our heart occurs, but it's for a limited time. Our hearts don't stop beating even for a second. If it stopped beating, we'll be expired. When people feel sad, they'll be immersed in the word 'sad.' If we want to overcome it, all we have to do is to forget the words which make us sad, which makes us think."

Crystal turned her head to Haerin. "Now open your eyes, see the world, and inhale the fresh air. Look at the people around you, but look at people who are smiling, smiling so brightly. Think about those people who are happy, who love you. Then you'll be able to smile for the person who smiles for you."

Hearing that, Haerin opened her eyes slowly. She already stopped crying. Her face was not so pale as before. Her heart wasn't aching anymore. That's right she feels alive. This girl was like a magician who magics on her and took her pain away. "Oh My God. It works. A thank you will not be enough. But what are you?" She looked at her with disbelief.

Crystal giggled. "I'm Crystal Kelly. 11th-grade student at Empire high school." She introduced herself and her gaze stopped at the boy who was standing not so far away, staring at her. He was looking breathtakingly handsome. Her heart started to pound against her chest, his messed up hairstyle, his big eyes everything was so perfect.

The one who was staring at her, dazzled by her every word didn't make any movement even when realized she was looking at him. He just wondered what's wrong with him. He was unfamiliar with his current feelings. He was afraid of these feelings. Her every word touched his heart, her appearance quivered his heart. She was different, really different.

Not just because of her outside beauty, she has inside beauty too. Something was in her eyes that can filter his whole world. Her eyes, her smile which can make anyone crazy for her. But no, he can't make mistakes by falling for those eyes.

He didn't realize someone came beside him. Both of Rayan and Crystal were staring at each other without blinking their eyes. Why? They don't know.

Rayan got back his senses when the person who was standing beside him coughed willingly several times. He turned to him and cleared his throat. "Ah! Daniel. When did you come?"

At the same time, Crystal averted her gaze to Haerin beside her.

Daniel smiled. "5 minutes? I arrived here 15 minutes ago. You weren't picking up my calls. 10 minutes of looking for you."

Rayan stole a glance at Crystal who was talking with Haerin before looking at Daniel again. "Let's go."

Daniel pursed his lips. "5 minutes." Rayan's lips parted when he walked to Crystal. Rayan slowly walked behind him. Though he doesn't want to go there because Haerin was sitting beside Crystal. But he was more curious about why Daniel was going to her.

"Hi." Daniel said to Crystal with a smile.

Crystal looked up at Daniel and grinned. "Hi." Then she bit her lower and turned her face to Rayan. "Hello!"

Rayan smiled. He knew Haerin was looking at him confusingly, that was making him uneasy. He needs to leave as soon as possible. He rubbed the back of his neck and look at Daniel without replying to Crystal. "Are you close with her?"

Daniel titled his head. "Are we?"

Hearing that Rayan's brows creased a little. He was already feeling so uneasy with Daniel's gaze. Already so curious about how did he know her!

Daniel laughed softly when he saw Rayan's puzzled face. "She also plays the piano. I help her. That's it."

Rayan looked at Crystal. "Are you here alone?"

"no. Today is Alex's birthday. Sunbin and he is coming. We planned to give him a surprise." Crystal said while showing them the cake.

"Okay.." Rayan put his hands inside his pockets. "Come when you're done. Bye." He said to Daniel before walking away from them.

Daniel sighed helplessly. "Crystal, I have to follow him. Bye." He said before rushing to Rayan.

"Rayan. Wait." When Daniel shouted, Rayan stopped walking and looked back at his friend.

Daniel glared at him. "What's wrong with you?"

Even he didn't know what's wrong with him. "What-t?" He mumbled. "What's wrong with you? Why did you talk with her?" He tried to look less nervous, less annoyed.

"Um... Let me think." Daniel pretended to think. Then he smirked. "Because she is so beautiful."

Rayan shook his head and scowled. "She looks like an ugly duckling." Daniel sneered.

Crystal let out a relieved sigh when she saw Sunbin coming here with her hands covering Alex's eyes. She stood up and winked at Sunbin with a smile.

She already lightened the candles. She quickly took the party spray and slowly walked closer to Alex. As Sunbin moved her hands from his eyes, Crystal sprayed the party spray.

"Happy Birthday to you." Both of Sunbin and Crystal shouted happily, wishing him. Crystal took the cake in front of him.

Alex who was fully surprised smiled heartily. "You crazy witches. When did you plan all these?" Alex looked at his two crazy friends.

Sunbin narrowed her eyes and put the birthday cap on his head. "Shut up. And make a wish."

Crystal pouted her lips. "Yea. I ordered this cake especially for you."

Alex took the knife and make a wish before blowing up the candles. Sunbin and Crystal wished him happy birthday again. Alex cut the cake and took a piece of the cake.

He took it in front of Crystal first but before she could eat it, Alex moved it and put it inside his mouth. "It was made especially for me, right?" He said when both of his friends glared at him.

Crystal put the cake on the bench and hit on his arm.

Alex massaged his arm and scowled. "Babe, How can you hit me? I'm a newborn baby." He pouted his lip, acting cute.

Sunbin smiled tightly and pulled his cheek hard. "Oh, my baby. You're so cute, baby." She teased.

Crystal giggled and held their hands, pulling them to the bench to sit.

"Are you sure they're just friends? I don't believe it." Rayan turned his head to Daniel when he saw Alex looked at Crystal.

Daniel who was about to get in the car narrowed his gaze at him. "Why do you care?"

"That's right. Why do I care?" Rayan ran his hand through his hair frustratedly and get in the car.

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