Novels by Pia Oyuku

“Kuronomiya-kun, you’re leaving already?” Yamato-kun asked when I got up from my desk after packing up. “Yes. I have somewhere to go.” I replied and said goodbye to Shirokawa-san as well who was sitting next to my desk. “Thank you for your good work.” “Likewise.” They called back. I dropped by Hamada-san’s cabin and informed him of my progress on the new project that I had been assigned to. He was rather pleased with my progress too. Conscience clear, I headed out into the 06:00 pm streets of Tokyo. I checked my phone out of habit. There were no calls or texts from my brother. There was, however, a text message from my boyfriend. ‘Come fast.’ ‘Half an hour.’ I replied and po

“Where’s Hiro?” Hikaru-nii’s voice came from behind me as I was attending to the egg that I was frying. I turned to the doorway to find my brother leaning against the doorframe, his hands folded over his chest. He had been sleeping when I had gone to check on him earlier. So, I had started preparations for breakfast while trying to think of the various possible scenarios I would have to make my through once he woke up. “Not here… now.” I responded rather cautiously. “He hadn’t stayed?” He frowned. “I thought I had told him that he could.” “You… remember all that?” I had hoped that we could ease into this conversation but this being brought up right off the bat made me a little anxious. “I was a lot more sober by the time you had gotten home. I don’t remember sending

“You’re still not done?” I asked as I sat on the floor next to Hiro-san at the coffee table after my bath. “Maybe… one hour more?” “That’s okay.” I leaned against his arm. “I’ll wait.” “If you’re sleepy, please go to sleep.” “I can’t sleep properly without you, Hiro-san.” A lie… Maybe. “What is with that?” He laughed and patted my head. “Then, you can wait.” I nodded. I was planning on waiting anyway. I had left my phone on the coffee table next to his laptop. When I began looking around, I saw that the notification light was blinking. I reached out to take it. “Had someone called?” “No. I think you had a message though.” Hiro-san replied. “I did not check.” It definitel was a message and it had surprised me enough to make me sit straight up on reading it. “It’s from Hikaru-nii.” “Hikaru?” Hiro-san stopped what he was doing and looked at my phone as I opened the message. There were just two words on the

I was the first one to wake up the next morning. However, I could not even bring myself to move from the position that I was in. For one, Hiro-san was still holding on to me closely. Secondly, my back hurt a bit. Moreover, I did not exactly want to move. The clock on the bedside table revealed that it was a little past 10:00 am. I had managed to somehow apply for leave on my phone last night before falling asleep. Considering that I had been wide awake before it, it was incredible how much that sex had taken out of me- actually, taken out of Hiro-san and I. Once was far from enough for the both of us and by the time we settled into each other’s arms after that, we barely had enough energy left to move. I looked up at his sleeping face. It was no wonder that he was so popular. Anyone would want to see a face like that as soon as they woke up. Ah… Now I wanted to kiss him. It was past 10:00 am anyway. He had slept enough. I moved his arm

He held my gaze and slowly smiled. “You seem sure enough about this.” Sliding one hand down my right arm, he grasped my hand. “Let’s go back to bed though.” Saying that much and indulging in a soft kiss, he led me back to the bedroom. He came to a stop next to the bed, turned to face me and took both my hands in his. I gave him a questioning look. “You don’t have to treat me like one of your women.” “What? This?” He raised our hands to ask. “It’s not that I am trying to be really gentle or anything. It’s… Despite all my experience and how eager I am now,” he placed my hands on his chest and smiled sheepishly. “I feel like such a boy.” His heart was pounding against my palms. I let go of his hands and wrapped my arms around his neck. “When was the last time that you dated someone for real?” “Towards the beginning of college. Why are you asking me that now?” I shrugged. “Because I wanted to know.” Then I kissed him. “Because this is… amu

I opened my eyes fast because it was still too dark for me to see anything. I was breathing heavily and my eyes felt moist. There was a throbbing heaviness in my chest and my entire body felt numb. I had had a dream and it was painful enough to jolt me awake, almost crying, but I couldn’t even remember what it was about. It was rare for me to dream in the first place and, hence, a dream that was capable of leaving me in a wreck like that was even rarer. It made me close my eyes and try to recollect it again but all I could remember were the emotions and that I was not alone. Maybe… it was a good thing that I couldn’t remember it. I turned on my side and picked my phone up from the bedside table. The time was 01:57 am. I had barely just fallen asleep at 12:30 am too… I turned back and looked at Hiro-san. I was still lying on his arm but he had turned onto his back, his other arm lying over his stomach. He hadn't been awoken by my movement

"Hello!" S.T.A.Y bowed repeatedly to everyone in the big now-decorated practice room that had been converted into a Christmas party hall for the sake of the joint event. The cameras had all been set up and the lighting crew was just getting the lights ready. Everyone was hustling about with last minute preparations. In the middle of the room, where a long table had been set with goodies near a tall and elaborately decorated Christmas tree, stood 04:00 am all clad in shades of red, green and white much like ourselves.While the rest of S.T.A.Y were just a tad bit more formal, I had gotten acquainted enough with them to throw a bright smile and hug whoever was closest. "Sunbaenim!""Ah. I still can't get used to your black hair." Youngjae Sunbae said and tapped his own head. "I miss your blue.""Tell him!" Changmin chimed in at the support. He was standing towards the end of the line of seven members but even though he wasn't in the 'closest' range, I couldn't not hug him."Everyone nee

The next few weeks seemed to fly by. Changmin and I had wanted to drop certain hints prior to the release of 'For Old Times' Sake'. After discussions with the team and Kim PD-nim, we decided to start with a few texts and then a few pictures that wouldn't reveal too much.10 days before release, DayBreak posted a statement: 'We have lived worth 10 lives.'The 9th day before release: 'What was it that they said? A stitch in time saves 9?'The 8th day: 'The winds from 8 years ago have never smelt as sweet before.'The 7th day: 'Just you and I in all these 7 billion.'The 6th day: '…6…'The 5th day, we took photos of our right hands, wearing gloves and put them together such that half my hand and half his hand together made up the 5 fingers of one hand.On the 4th day before release, we posted a picture of 4 dumplings.On the 3rd day before release, we posted three blank pictures- one black, one white and the last one a mix of both in an elaborate floral pattern.When there were just 2 da

"That was nicely done!" The MV Director announced once we had confirmed the final shot. "Thank you, everyone, for your excellent work. That's brings the shooting of the MV to a successful close." He bowed and so did everyone else, congratulating each other. The Director then turned to us. "Changmin-ssi, Jeongwoo-ssi, it was flawless. It's just sad that your viewers won't get to see this in person. I was mesmerised through and through. Your chemistry is one of the best that I have ever had to work with."Beaming, I bowed, taking hold of Changmin's sleeve too as he bowed. "Thank you!"Manager Nam was waiting for us off to the side with a big smile on his face. Manager Park was with S.T.A.Y and 04:00 am was at the agency so Manager Nam had been able to accompany Changmin and I for the MV shooting. We had finished up according to schedule too.It had been a very productive day."I'm really excited to see the MV." I chirped when we had gotten to the green room and everyone else had left u

"Jeongwoo-ssi." Song Taejoo-ssi- one of the best choreographers in the industry- stopped counting beats and frowned a little. "That's moving a little too fast.""It is?"He nodded. "It would be really impactful if you could shadow Changmin-ssi's every move with a half-beat lag. Close your eyes to show that you knew him well enough to know what he's doing but that you're still falling behind.""We'll try again." Half a beat lag. Got it."Can't he watch me instead?" Changmin asked. He was standing a little to the right, in front of me. We were planning to make the light fall on him at such an angle that I would be standing in his shadow. I was going to portray the inner self."Watch you?""I understand what you're trying to go for but I just had this thought- We are referring to how he watches but I don't notice and then how he forgets to look, right? What if… he watches and still goes half a beat slow and then we can probably add in a turn or a twirl or something at which point we're f

Everyone around me had jumped to their feet and begun cheering. My members were shouting in joy and hugging each other. All I could bring myself to do was rise to my feet in utter disbelief, jaw dropped. I wasn't entirely sure of how to react- or rather- whether I should be reacting at all.I had heard that correctly, had I not? I was reading the name flashing on the big screen properly, was I not?S.T.A.Y."Jeongwoo! Jeongwoo!" Hanseol caught me by my shoulders and turned me towards himself, his face lit up in a way that I had never seen before. "Ya!"Jaehyeon then caught my face in his palms and made me look at him. "It's us! It's really us!"It was us…The emotions crept up to my chest even before the smile could reach my lips. An eternity seemed to pass before reality sank in.S.T.A.Y had just won our first ever award since debut. And it wasn't just any award. We had won 'Best Song' at the Music Awards for 'To You'.We had actually won."Come on, let's go!" Jaehyeon turned me arou

The lights come on and the stage is set. I leave you behind to go do my best. You know where to stay and wait on me- Somehow that's how we had turned out to be. - YC We learnt our trade and which voice to trust Through conversations we had had with just us. You and I- we were young, we believed. We immersed our futures in the songs that we weaved. -CJ But your footfalls then came from somewhere new And I hid that my voice was still searching for you. -YC We'll sit together again, for old times' sake, And watch the now we had sung of then. In those times you didn't notice these eyes on you And in those times when I had forgotten to look- Unadmitting, we had missed each other And we still knew why our hearts ached. So, take my hand now when I take yours, We are both heading to the same place. ________________________________________ The voices were loud and I had come a long way But to whom do I tell my stories at the end of the day? There seemed to have been some