If you look up at the sky at dusk, you'll see a ton of stars, and each one has a story to tell.
The alarm rang. Eight-thirty in the morning! Sunny felt as if her heart had stopped. That shrill sound had yanked her from her wonderful dream. So much so that she suddenly forgot almost everything she had dreamed. Hasn't that ever happened to you? She ran quickly to the bathroom to brush her teeth. There was no time to eat anything. She was late for her Korean class! Minutes later, she was already dressed and leaving the house when she tried to remember what she had dreamed. Her efforts were in vain. She went outside and saw the bus arriving. At least luck was on her side! She wouldn't be late to her class. Suddenly, as she got on the bus, a flash of memory came to her mind. Dark eyes were looking straight at her. She tried to remember more but couldn't. Well, it didn't matter. It had only been a meaningless dream. So, she went to the back of the bus, sat by the window, took out her headphones, and played her favorite song.
The ride wasn't long, nor was the Korean class; it only lasted about three hours, but everyone was used to it. Just as it had become a habit for the students to watch music videos at the end of the class. It was a collective hobby. This time, they were projecting videos on the classroom TV. The girls laughed and sighed over their favorite artists while the boys made fun of them.
—You look like idiots drooling over those dummies —the boys said, but it was pointless because none of the girls paid attention; they only had eyes for their superstars.
Well, all of them except Sunny. To be honest, she never joined them in watching videos. She always stayed busy working on her assignments.
Sunny took advantage of this moment to finish her homework. It was better to do it in the classroom than to waste time at home.
—Sunny, you're missing out on the best part—said her friend Claudia —Come and see…there are new videos—Her friend thought that might lure her, but it didn't. Sunny remained focused on her homework—Are you listening to me?
—Claudia, sorry, but right now, I don't feel like watching videos. Finishing my homework is more important so I can spend the whole afternoon watching videos.
—Don't be so boring! You're nineteen, but you act like a grandma.
—Claudia, you'll never get me to watch those weird music videos— Sunny said with a smirk and went back to her homework.
Minutes later, her friend interrupted her again.
—Hey, Sunny, aren't you done yet?
—Alright, I give up. When I'm done with this, I'll watch those weird videos with you.
At that moment, one of the guys called out.
—Come on, Claudia! You're the only one missing. Don't take too long, or the restaurant will get crowded.
Claudia looked at Sunny.
—Oops, you said it too late. Esteban, Lia, and I are going to lunch at the new restaurant two blocks away. Sorry! Next time, for sure—she said, grabbing her bag—Send me pictures of the homework later— she winked before crossing the door.
Sunny was left speechless at her friend's last words. Obviously, Claudia wasn't planning on doing her Korean homework, as usual. For her friend, only fun existed; she never thought about working hard to achieve a goal.
—You work too hard— her friends and family always told Sunny. And of course, nothing in life is easy. Fruits don't grow on their own; you have to plant the seed, water it, and care for it so the plant will grow.
Effort and patience. Above all, that last one was essential. But Sunny considered herself very patient. She knew how to count to ten and wait while she worked to achieve her dreams.
When she finally finished her homework, her senses returned to the present, and she realized the guys had left the TV on with the music videos playing. How irresponsible! After packing her things and grabbing her bag, she planned to turn off the TV. Just as she picked up the remote, a new video started playing: a young man dressed somewhat elegantly in a gray jacket, with long, tied-back hair, was standing and singing with a microphone. The song was very peculiar, a ballad about how emotions could be conveyed without saying a word. But what made Sunny freeze in front of the big screen were the young man's eyes. They were dark, but it felt like he was really looking at her. It was as if he were standing before her, singing and saying those words to her. Suddenly, she felt detached from the world, and something caught her attention. The young man was singing and seemed happy, but his eyes said otherwise. He was sad. Sunny knew it instantly. And it wasn't just any sadness, no. It was something much deeper.
That was the moment something strange happened. A connection, maybe...
When the video ended, Sunny was still standing there, frozen. She then turned off the TV and left. For the rest of the day, she didn't talk much. She didn't want to think about that strange experience she'd had. But the truth was she had never felt so unsettled after watching a music video.
That afternoon, she went to an internet café. Where she lived, regular people didn't easily have internet access, so it was common to see many people go to an internet café, which, by the way, was very expensive. But Sunny decided this was an important occasion to spend her savings. Well, let's be honest…she didn't think twice. She only had an hour to investigate that young man.
Keun Chan, a twenty-seven-year-old who dedicated his life to music and acting. And he was also very funny…or at least that's what the internet said. There wasn't much more than videos of him playing pranks or laughing in interviews, dreamy music videos, high-energy concerts, successful dramas…that young man's life was perfect. But then…why was Sunny still so uneasy?