Gibson N-225.
In red.
I smiled in pure admiration as I scanned through the gorgeous electric guitar hanging on the wall in front of me. I had to have it. It's my third trip to this music store, I fell in love at first sight with this baby last month but the price was too expensive. After sleepless nights of thinking about it, last night I finally decided that I need to buy it despite its price. So, here I am.
"Ahjussi, I'm going to buy this one." I turned my head to the store owner who was drinking his afternoon coffee behind the counter. He looked at me then to the guitar I pointed, his face fell in symphaty towards me.
"I'm sorry young man, that's already has its owner."
"What do you mean?"
"Someone called me this morning, she will come later to pick it up. That's the only one we have, so.. I'm sorry."
"By phone?" I asked in disbelief. That means she hadn't even pay for it. I'm going to pay full in cash right now, so why can't I have it?
"Yes. She's a regular customer, so I made an exception. Do you perhaps want to look at the others?" He showed me a brand new guitar that I knew just came in today. It was no less beautiful, but I didn't want any other.
"No, thanks. I'll just go now.." I gave him a bow and turned to the door. As I reached out my hand to grab the handle, the door opened and came in a young woman with her black hooded jacket.
"Ah, that's who I was talking about. Dahee-ah, you're coming to pick the guitar?" The store owner welcomed her with a warm smile as he took down the guitar from the wall. I look at the girl in front of me, she's the one who stole my baby from me? Without intending to be rude, I stared at her from head to toe.
She was dressed in a worn out blue jeans paired with a plain white tank top inside her hooded jacket. Her face feature showed that she's no older than me and the thick eyeliner she wore didn't really cover the fact that she has a gentle eyes. Nothing screamed "rock 'n roll" or "an expensive electric guitar" from her. I deserved the guitar much more! With a sense of defeat, I took my step out of the store and into the cold night air.
* * *
I drank my iced Americano in a loud slurping sound as I look at the caller ID on my phone screen. It's Jonghyun again. I decided to ignore him and call him later, because I knew he just called to rant about how he regrets breaking up with his girlfriend just because he got caught by our company. Blah blah blah. Not that I don't care about him, I just didn't need to hear it now in the middle of the street while I'm still bothered over that guitar.
I threw my empty paper cup into the trash bin and saw the girl from the store walking passed me. She had her guitar case slinged on her shoulder. Should I ask her to sell it to me? I thought about it and without realizing it I followed her. Five minutes later, she turned to an alley and climbed down the stairs towards a dark looking door. Once she got inside, I climbed down the stairs myself and opened the door where a big built guy welcomed me with an annoyed look, "Who are you? It's a staff only door. The main entrance is that way." He pointed above the stairs.
"But I saw her walked in earlier."
"Who? Dahee? She's the owner. Just get out." He leaded me out and closed the door in my face. Okay, maybe this was my fault afterall. I sighed and walked to the direction he showed me to find the main entrance. I stopped when I saw a blue neon lights above my head and decided that this was the main entrance he meant. Blue Moon Club..
Once I got inside, I realized that this wasn't the kind of club where people grinds their body against each other. No. It was the kind where underground musicians played every nights with their own crowds. I look around the small yet cozy interior and found an empty seat at the bar. I scanned the room and found the girl I was looking for just besides the stage. Without her hood, I saw her whole face for the first time. She's beautiful.. and by the way everyone was checking her out but no one dared to approach her only told me that she was someone respected in this place.
"The name's Kim Dahee, but just forget about it. She's out of your league." The bartender broke my train of thought. I turned my head to him and asked, "You know her?"
"Of course, I work for her. She owns this place." He smiled at me and his eyebrows furrowed in recognizion, "Wait a minute.. are you that CNBLUE guy?"
"Ah nae. I am." I nodded bashfully.
"You might want to get out before she saw you.." He pointed at Dahee with his chin, "She doesn't like idols coming in and out of this place."
"What? Why? I actually have some bussiness with her, that's why I'm here."
"I don't know, but it seems like she had a bad experience with idols. Well, just do what you got to do, but don't say I never warned you." He shrugged and gave me a drink, "This is on the house."
I said my thanks and turned on my seat to face the stage. Turns out it was Dahee's turn to perform with her band. Well, I thought she's just the owner. The crowd went crazy the moment she climbed on the stage and slinged her new guitar. That guitar was supposed to be mine. I have to find a way so that she will agree to sell that to me.
But, what I said earlier about how she doesn't look at all like a musician, let alone a rocker, left forgotten by the moment she sang to the microphone. It was as if I was looking at a totally different person. She has that gentle face and delicate feeling about her, but when she's on the stage she turned into a charismatic singer with a piercing eyes that left me dumbfounded in my seat.
All of my reasons about why I came here being threwn outside my mind as I watched her sang and moved gracefully on the stage. I was so drowned into her world of music that I didn't even realize when she stopped singing and jumped down into the crowds, walking towards me with an unreadable face.
"Idols are not welcomed. Leave. Now."
* * *
I could never forget her eyes when she said those words. She looks furious, annoyed, but the most important thing was.. she looks hurt. Why? What happened?
Despite that, tonight I found myself walked into the same club I went in the night before. I convinced myself that I need to talk to her about that guitar. But who am I kidding? I came here just because I couldn't stop thinking about her. I need to see her again, either with the guitar or not. I laughed at myself, I was totally enchanted by her..
As I typed in a reply for Jonghyun's text about the same old story about his ex, the same bartender as yesterday greeted me with a confused look, "You have quiet a gut." He shook his head in amusement, "Didn't she tell you that you're not welcomed here?"
"What can she do? Call the police? I'm not doing anything wrong.." I grinned and put my phone back on my pocket.
"There she is. Pretend you didn't know me." He glanced towards my back and shifted his attention to the customer besides me. I turned around and saw Dahee rolled her eyes in disgust upon seeing me.
"What are you doing here?" She stood in front of me with hands on her waist.
"Getting a drink, is that a crime?" I raised my glass and drank it. She sighed and took the seat besides me.
"What can I do to make you leave?" She blurted out.
"Why do you hate me anyway?" I shot back.
"I don't hate you, at least not personally. It's just.." She paused, "Idols make me sick." There it was. The hurt I saw yesterday came again in her eyes. "Now, can you go?" She asked me. She looks especially tired today, and she looks like she's been crying. I felt bad for her. Seems like tonight wasn't the right time for me to bother her. I sighed and grabbed my jacket.
"Fine.. but I'm not sure that I won't coming back."
* * *
Ignoring her warning, I came everyday. I couldn't shake the thought of her from my mind and so here I was, walking in the alley that leads to her club with Jonghyun. He insisted that he wanted to know where I was going to every night, and he looks like he needed some drinks so I agreed to take him. Apparently, he called his ex-girlfriend several days ago to ask her back but they're just end up fighting. She already hate him for being a coward and break up with her without giving her any chance to talk.
I stopped at the neon sign in front of the club, "Here it is." I look back at Jonghyun who was staring at the blue neon lights with his jaw dropped.
"Blue Moon. It's her club, it's Dahee's.." He said, almost whispering.
"Dahee? You know her?" I asked in confusion.
"It's her.. the girl I told you about.." I could feel my heart sank when I realized that the same girl that's been filling my minds for days was the same girl Jonghyun's been killing himself about. By then, everything started to make sense. Her hate for idols, her disgust upon seeing me, and... her sad eyes. All of that was because of my friend.
I was going to show Jonghyun the girl I admired deeply. I was going to brag to him that I found an enchanting girl that I'm going to chase no matter what. I was going to tell him that... that I fell in love.
Never once I thought that the same girl who made me crazy these day was his girl.
I gritted my teeth, trying to shake off the painful feeling in my chest. Jonghyun was ready to take a step inside when I pulled him by her shoulder, "Don't."
"What's wrong? I need to see Dahee." He said, trying to let go from my grip. But I love her! I screamed in my head. "Hyung, what's wrong?"
I felt my grip loosen and my hands fell to my sides as I stared at the younger guy. I can't. I can't tell him the truth. "Ani. Go.." I amazed at myself for being able to give him a smile of support, "Just.. don't hurt her anymore." He nodded confidently and ran inside, leaving me alone with an empty feeling inside of me.
I looked up to the bright blue neon lights above me, realizing that it might be the last time I ever set foot in this place. Blue Moon club.. I would always remember it as the place where I fell in love..
...and got my heart broken.
