Payphone
Jay has to go back to Seattle when the Korean backlash gets too much to handle. He tries to maintain his relationship with Jessica but "even the sun sets in paradise" Jessica breaks up with Jay. But Jay refuses to give up and decides to go back to Korea to get her back.
I'm at a payphone trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone
Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?
Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember
The people we used to be
It's even harder to picture
That you're not here next to me
You say it's too late to make it
But is it too late to try?
And in our time that you wasted
All of our bridges burned down
“Don’t give up on us,” Jessica said as she buried her head into Jay’s chest.
Jay put a hand to the back of her head as he pressed her closer to him. He felt his tears start to fall. Life had fallen dramatically for him after some harsh comments he’d written during his trainee days were revealed on the World Wide Web. He was leaving Korea with no idea of when he would be coming back. Jay wanted to stay. He wanted to stay with his brothers (2PM) and he wanted to stay here for his girl. He apologized profusely to his fans and tried to endure all the hate mail, complaints and death threats wherever he went. But he couldn’t endure it anymore. Everyone hated him. They wanted him out and even though Jay didn’t want to leave, he had to. It felt like he was being exiled and didn’t have a choice in the matter.
“You know you’ll always be my princess,” Jay said as he lifted Jessica’s chin so he could look her in the eyes, but it only made him tear up when their eyes met. Her thin sheen of tears crinkled and broke, but she smiled.
“Call me every day.”
“You know I will,” Jay said as he gave Jessica a final kiss. He slung his bag over his shoulder. There were a few of his fans at the airport, who were in tears because he had to leave. Some Jaysica fans were wailing about how the couple would be separating the day that their relationship was confirmed.
Jay waved at his few fans. He wanted more than anything to look back at Jessica as he left, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. It would hurt too much, so he walked straight into the terminal.
“Jay what are you doing? It’s just getting to the good part!” Jay was getting out of his seat in the movie theater, much to the dismay of his childhood friend.
“I have to make a call,” Jay apologized to his friend.
Jay exited the movie theater and took out his phone. To his dismay, there wasn’t a signal. Luckily they had payphones at the entrance. He quickly inserted his change into the machine.
“Jay? It’s three in the morning!”
“Oh right,” Jay temporarily forgot about the time difference. He and Jessica had preset times to call each other during the day but he missed her so much, he had to call her.
“What phone are you calling from?” Jessica asked.
“I’m calling from a payphone. I’m watching this movie right now. I thought of you,” Jay said sadly. He leaned against the wall and gave a sigh as he heard her voice.
“What movie?”
“It’s a love story.”
He could hear Jessica chuckle and imagined her eyes lighting up, “Does it have a happy ending?”
Jay sighed as he twisted the cord in his hands, “I don’t know. But the girl just found out she has cancer.”
Jessica was silent, “Jay. We have a strong healthy relationship okay? I love you. Stop worrying. And stop watching romantic movies without me!” Jessica teased; Jay laughed.
“How are things back there?”
Jay sighed as the phone kept on ringing. He threw his cellphone at the wall in frustration. It had been three weeks since he last talked to Jessica. Before that she’d been missing their calls and it was on a sudden whim when he called through a payphone that she answered.
“Hello?”
“Sica, why haven’t you been answering my calls?” Jay asked accusingly as he heard Jessica’s voice.
There was silence, “I’ve been busy, Jay.” She sounded really tired, “I’ve auditioned for Legally Blond. I thought that maybe your call was the director’s.”
“Oh,” Jay thought that was a plausible explanation to why she answered when he called through an unknown number, “Baby, you sound tired. I’ll let you rest. I’ll….call you later?”
“Okay.”
“I love you, Jessica.”
“I…love you too, Jay.”
She’d missed six of their last scheduled call times. There were articles on AllKpop that Jessica was dating someone.
It was killing Jay inside. He didn’t believe it at first. He and Jessica were in love. But why else would she be ignoring his calls. He even tried calling Seohyun and Tiffany but they only said that Jessica was busy.
He silently walked to where he’d thrown his phone. It was an old slide phone. He could afford an iPhone but this was the first gift he received from Jessica. He looked at the charm that was attached to it. It was a female teddy bear. Jessica had the male version…at least he hoped she did. Suddenly the phone lit up and Jessica’s pretty face appeared on the screen.
“Sica. Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you in weeks. I…miss you.”
“I’m sorry, Jay,” Jessica’s voice was flat, “I’m sorry, but it’s over. Please stop calling me and the girls.”
“What?” Jay exclaimed as he fell down onto his bed.
“It can’t work like this,” Jessica said miserably, “I…I’ve fallen in love with someone else.”
I've wasted my nights
You turned out the lights
Now I'm paralyzed
Still stuck in that time when we called it love
But even the sun sets in paradise
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
All those fairytales are full of sh*t
One more stupid love song I'll be sick
You turned your back on tomorrow
Cause you forgot yesterday
I gave you my love to borrow
But you just gave it away
You can't expect me to be fine
I don't expect you to care
I know I've said it before
But all of our bridges burned down
“Jay, stop moping around. Please!” Jay refused to acknowledge his friend’s voice on the other side of the door. It had been a week since Jessica broke up with him. Maybe he should’ve gone to a bar and get drunk. Maybe he should’ve had random sex with a girl or throw away all of the things that reminded him of Jessica. But he didn’t. He couldn’t do any of that when he was miserable. He had no more tears to cry out and he looked horrible. He even had a subtle mustache and beard going on. He had gigantic eye bags that made him look like a living zombie. Honestly he hadn’t eaten much either.
Maybe he was pathetic to be hung up on a girl like this. Jay kept on replaying their moments together in his mind. What had he done wrong? He thought that their relationship could work. Not many long distance relationships were successful but if his love was any indication, he was sure it would’ve worked out. His love could’ve sufficed for the both of them.
“Don’t give up on us.”
Jay got up as he thought of the words Jessica said to him in the airport.
“I’m not giving up on us,” Jay said as he arrived at Incheon airport with sunglasses on and a cap pulled low over his face.
He came back home. Back to Korea.
“Excuse me but can’t you go faster?” Jay asked the taxi driver. It was pouring rain outside and the wind was strong enough to knock down trees. The traffic was horrible. It was a little over 8PM and Jay knew Jessica would be at to her own house right now, probably making herself a hot chocolate.
“It looks like we’ve stopped,” the driver said apologetically.
Jay squirmed in his seat. He’d waited for too long already. He was in the city where his love was. He couldn’t wait any longer.
“Thanks,” Jay handed the driver money and ran out of the taxi. He was immediately pelted with heavy sheets of rain but he didn’t feel any of it. He was going to run to Jessica.
About 45 minutes later, an out of breath and exhausted Jay arrived outside of Jessica’s little house. There was light streaming through one of the windows; Jay could see into the living room perfectly. He realized he left his luggage in the taxi but luckily he still had his phone and cash on him. He took out his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. The rain was still pelting him but there was a big smile on his face as he saw Jessica through the window. She reached the table that was in front of the window and picked up her cell phone.
She eyed the number.
Jay had the phone pressed to his ear. He was holding his breath. What should he say when she answered?
But he dropped the phone when he heard the phone go straight to voicemail. The phone splashed into a puddle and broke. Jessica put her phone back on the table and disappeared from view. Jay felt cold as he collapsed on the ground outside her house. He felt wet to his skin and started shivering like crazy. His clothes were drenched and it felt heavy on him. His face was wet and his tears mingled with the rain that was still falling down. Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of the house. Someone got out holding an umbrella in his hand. He walked up to Jessica’s door and she opened the door for him, immediately pulling him inside before more rain fell on him.
I've wasted my nights
You turned out the lights
Now I'm paralyzed
Still stuck in that time when we called it love
But even the sun sets in paradise
I'm at a payphone trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone
Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
All those fairytales are full of sh*t
One more stupid love song I'll be sick
Now I'm at a payphone...
Jay had been in the motel room for a week already. He was miserable. He was still wearing the same clothes he had worn that day. And the truth was his shirt and pants were still wet.
“Maybe I deserve to be this miserable,” Jay coughed as he looked up at the ceiling. His body ached and he felt cold. He had a thin blanket over him but the still slightly wet clothes he had on, didn’t help him keep warm at all.
He had barely eaten anything in the last week, only the free things that were in his room that first night he entered the motel room. Even if he wanted to get up, he would be using a lot of his energy to do that.
“Maybe it was a misunderstanding,” Jay whispered as he pulled the blankets up. He sneezed, ‘What if that wasn’t her boyfriend. Maybe she didn’t answer my call because she was expecting company. Jessica wouldn’t do something like that to me,’ Jay thought.
And with this new hope in mind, he managed to pull himself into a sitting position on his bed. He looked around his room for his phone but remembered that he dropped it in a puddle that day. He fell down as he stumbled out of his bed. His feet felt like jello and the room was starting to spin. He was too weak and too exhausted. He was cold, but his body felt like it was burning. It scared him how sick he was, but he was more concerned about his love. He managed to open the motel door. He would have to look for a payphone. To his horror, it was raining horrendously…again! It was just as bad and he shivered thinking of the last time he’d been through a storm and the condition it caused him to be in.
Nonetheless, he put one foot in front of the other and walked outside. The rain was cold and Jay felt himself shiver as he continued walking around the motel to find a payphone. He gave a sigh of relief as he saw a phone booth under a light post near the motel parking lot. He walked quickly to it and closed the door behind him as he entered the booth.
His teeth were chattering and he was coughing like crazy with the occasional mixture of sneezes. He patted his pockets and found a few quarters in one of them. He took it out with shaking hands. He didn’t know if it was from anticipation, anxiety or the cold. He dialed the number and waited for her to answer. It kept on ringing.
“The caller you are trying to reach is not available at this time.”
Jay dropped the phone and slid against the booth’s wall. He let a tear fall down his cheek and laid his head against the wall. Did she really give up on him?
I'm at a payphone trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone
Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?
“What’s going on?” Jessica said as she entered the dance rehearsal room. All of her members had sorrowful looks on their faces. Most of them were looking at the floor and avoiding her eyes.
Tiffany looked up and went over to Jessica to give her a hug, “Jay was in Korea.”
Jessica was silent, “Did he go back to Seattle?” Her voice was void of all emotion.
Seohyun let out a wail and Jessica noted that the maknae was crying. What was going on? She knew Seohyun was close with Jay. When Jay was her boyfriend, he would always spoil her fellow members, especially the maknae, with gifts. He always wanted to be a good Oppa to her members.
“No.”
“Then where did he go?” Jessica asked.
“He died yesterday,” Taeyeon choked out.
Something clenched in Jessica’s chest as she heard this, “He what?”
“He was found in a phone booth yesterday. I think they said he died of exhaustion and sickness.”
“A payphone?” Jessica dropped onto the floor as she remembered the unknown call she received the night before.
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
All those fairytales are full of sh*t
One more stupid love song I'll be sick
Now I'm at a payphone...
I'm at a payphone trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone
Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?
Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember
The people we used to be
It's even harder to picture
That you're not here next to me
You say it's too late to make it
But is it too late to try?
And in our time that you wasted
All of our bridges burned down
“Don’t give up on us,” Jessica said as she buried her head into Jay’s chest.
Jay put a hand to the back of her head as he pressed her closer to him. He felt his tears start to fall. Life had fallen dramatically for him after some harsh comments he’d written during his trainee days were revealed on the World Wide Web. He was leaving Korea with no idea of when he would be coming back. Jay wanted to stay. He wanted to stay with his brothers (2PM) and he wanted to stay here for his girl. He apologized profusely to his fans and tried to endure all the hate mail, complaints and death threats wherever he went. But he couldn’t endure it anymore. Everyone hated him. They wanted him out and even though Jay didn’t want to leave, he had to. It felt like he was being exiled and didn’t have a choice in the matter.
“You know you’ll always be my princess,” Jay said as he lifted Jessica’s chin so he could look her in the eyes, but it only made him tear up when their eyes met. Her thin sheen of tears crinkled and broke, but she smiled.
“Call me every day.”
“You know I will,” Jay said as he gave Jessica a final kiss. He slung his bag over his shoulder. There were a few of his fans at the airport, who were in tears because he had to leave. Some Jaysica fans were wailing about how the couple would be separating the day that their relationship was confirmed.
Jay waved at his few fans. He wanted more than anything to look back at Jessica as he left, but he didn’t. He couldn’t. It would hurt too much, so he walked straight into the terminal.
“Jay what are you doing? It’s just getting to the good part!” Jay was getting out of his seat in the movie theater, much to the dismay of his childhood friend.
“I have to make a call,” Jay apologized to his friend.
Jay exited the movie theater and took out his phone. To his dismay, there wasn’t a signal. Luckily they had payphones at the entrance. He quickly inserted his change into the machine.
“Jay? It’s three in the morning!”
“Oh right,” Jay temporarily forgot about the time difference. He and Jessica had preset times to call each other during the day but he missed her so much, he had to call her.
“What phone are you calling from?” Jessica asked.
“I’m calling from a payphone. I’m watching this movie right now. I thought of you,” Jay said sadly. He leaned against the wall and gave a sigh as he heard her voice.
“What movie?”
“It’s a love story.”
He could hear Jessica chuckle and imagined her eyes lighting up, “Does it have a happy ending?”
Jay sighed as he twisted the cord in his hands, “I don’t know. But the girl just found out she has cancer.”
Jessica was silent, “Jay. We have a strong healthy relationship okay? I love you. Stop worrying. And stop watching romantic movies without me!” Jessica teased; Jay laughed.
“How are things back there?”
Jay sighed as the phone kept on ringing. He threw his cellphone at the wall in frustration. It had been three weeks since he last talked to Jessica. Before that she’d been missing their calls and it was on a sudden whim when he called through a payphone that she answered.
“Hello?”
“Sica, why haven’t you been answering my calls?” Jay asked accusingly as he heard Jessica’s voice.
There was silence, “I’ve been busy, Jay.” She sounded really tired, “I’ve auditioned for Legally Blond. I thought that maybe your call was the director’s.”
“Oh,” Jay thought that was a plausible explanation to why she answered when he called through an unknown number, “Baby, you sound tired. I’ll let you rest. I’ll….call you later?”
“Okay.”
“I love you, Jessica.”
“I…love you too, Jay.”
She’d missed six of their last scheduled call times. There were articles on AllKpop that Jessica was dating someone.
It was killing Jay inside. He didn’t believe it at first. He and Jessica were in love. But why else would she be ignoring his calls. He even tried calling Seohyun and Tiffany but they only said that Jessica was busy.
He silently walked to where he’d thrown his phone. It was an old slide phone. He could afford an iPhone but this was the first gift he received from Jessica. He looked at the charm that was attached to it. It was a female teddy bear. Jessica had the male version…at least he hoped she did. Suddenly the phone lit up and Jessica’s pretty face appeared on the screen.
“Sica. Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you in weeks. I…miss you.”
“I’m sorry, Jay,” Jessica’s voice was flat, “I’m sorry, but it’s over. Please stop calling me and the girls.”
“What?” Jay exclaimed as he fell down onto his bed.
“It can’t work like this,” Jessica said miserably, “I…I’ve fallen in love with someone else.”
I've wasted my nights
You turned out the lights
Now I'm paralyzed
Still stuck in that time when we called it love
But even the sun sets in paradise
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
All those fairytales are full of sh*t
One more stupid love song I'll be sick
You turned your back on tomorrow
Cause you forgot yesterday
I gave you my love to borrow
But you just gave it away
You can't expect me to be fine
I don't expect you to care
I know I've said it before
But all of our bridges burned down
“Jay, stop moping around. Please!” Jay refused to acknowledge his friend’s voice on the other side of the door. It had been a week since Jessica broke up with him. Maybe he should’ve gone to a bar and get drunk. Maybe he should’ve had random sex with a girl or throw away all of the things that reminded him of Jessica. But he didn’t. He couldn’t do any of that when he was miserable. He had no more tears to cry out and he looked horrible. He even had a subtle mustache and beard going on. He had gigantic eye bags that made him look like a living zombie. Honestly he hadn’t eaten much either.
Maybe he was pathetic to be hung up on a girl like this. Jay kept on replaying their moments together in his mind. What had he done wrong? He thought that their relationship could work. Not many long distance relationships were successful but if his love was any indication, he was sure it would’ve worked out. His love could’ve sufficed for the both of them.
“Don’t give up on us.”
Jay got up as he thought of the words Jessica said to him in the airport.
“I’m not giving up on us,” Jay said as he arrived at Incheon airport with sunglasses on and a cap pulled low over his face.
He came back home. Back to Korea.
“Excuse me but can’t you go faster?” Jay asked the taxi driver. It was pouring rain outside and the wind was strong enough to knock down trees. The traffic was horrible. It was a little over 8PM and Jay knew Jessica would be at to her own house right now, probably making herself a hot chocolate.
“It looks like we’ve stopped,” the driver said apologetically.
Jay squirmed in his seat. He’d waited for too long already. He was in the city where his love was. He couldn’t wait any longer.
“Thanks,” Jay handed the driver money and ran out of the taxi. He was immediately pelted with heavy sheets of rain but he didn’t feel any of it. He was going to run to Jessica.
About 45 minutes later, an out of breath and exhausted Jay arrived outside of Jessica’s little house. There was light streaming through one of the windows; Jay could see into the living room perfectly. He realized he left his luggage in the taxi but luckily he still had his phone and cash on him. He took out his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. The rain was still pelting him but there was a big smile on his face as he saw Jessica through the window. She reached the table that was in front of the window and picked up her cell phone.
She eyed the number.
Jay had the phone pressed to his ear. He was holding his breath. What should he say when she answered?
But he dropped the phone when he heard the phone go straight to voicemail. The phone splashed into a puddle and broke. Jessica put her phone back on the table and disappeared from view. Jay felt cold as he collapsed on the ground outside her house. He felt wet to his skin and started shivering like crazy. His clothes were drenched and it felt heavy on him. His face was wet and his tears mingled with the rain that was still falling down. Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of the house. Someone got out holding an umbrella in his hand. He walked up to Jessica’s door and she opened the door for him, immediately pulling him inside before more rain fell on him.
I've wasted my nights
You turned out the lights
Now I'm paralyzed
Still stuck in that time when we called it love
But even the sun sets in paradise
I'm at a payphone trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone
Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
All those fairytales are full of sh*t
One more stupid love song I'll be sick
Now I'm at a payphone...
Jay had been in the motel room for a week already. He was miserable. He was still wearing the same clothes he had worn that day. And the truth was his shirt and pants were still wet.
“Maybe I deserve to be this miserable,” Jay coughed as he looked up at the ceiling. His body ached and he felt cold. He had a thin blanket over him but the still slightly wet clothes he had on, didn’t help him keep warm at all.
He had barely eaten anything in the last week, only the free things that were in his room that first night he entered the motel room. Even if he wanted to get up, he would be using a lot of his energy to do that.
“Maybe it was a misunderstanding,” Jay whispered as he pulled the blankets up. He sneezed, ‘What if that wasn’t her boyfriend. Maybe she didn’t answer my call because she was expecting company. Jessica wouldn’t do something like that to me,’ Jay thought.
And with this new hope in mind, he managed to pull himself into a sitting position on his bed. He looked around his room for his phone but remembered that he dropped it in a puddle that day. He fell down as he stumbled out of his bed. His feet felt like jello and the room was starting to spin. He was too weak and too exhausted. He was cold, but his body felt like it was burning. It scared him how sick he was, but he was more concerned about his love. He managed to open the motel door. He would have to look for a payphone. To his horror, it was raining horrendously…again! It was just as bad and he shivered thinking of the last time he’d been through a storm and the condition it caused him to be in.
Nonetheless, he put one foot in front of the other and walked outside. The rain was cold and Jay felt himself shiver as he continued walking around the motel to find a payphone. He gave a sigh of relief as he saw a phone booth under a light post near the motel parking lot. He walked quickly to it and closed the door behind him as he entered the booth.
His teeth were chattering and he was coughing like crazy with the occasional mixture of sneezes. He patted his pockets and found a few quarters in one of them. He took it out with shaking hands. He didn’t know if it was from anticipation, anxiety or the cold. He dialed the number and waited for her to answer. It kept on ringing.
“The caller you are trying to reach is not available at this time.”
Jay dropped the phone and slid against the booth’s wall. He let a tear fall down his cheek and laid his head against the wall. Did she really give up on him?
I'm at a payphone trying to call home
All of my change I spent on you
Where have the times gone
Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?
“What’s going on?” Jessica said as she entered the dance rehearsal room. All of her members had sorrowful looks on their faces. Most of them were looking at the floor and avoiding her eyes.
Tiffany looked up and went over to Jessica to give her a hug, “Jay was in Korea.”
Jessica was silent, “Did he go back to Seattle?” Her voice was void of all emotion.
Seohyun let out a wail and Jessica noted that the maknae was crying. What was going on? She knew Seohyun was close with Jay. When Jay was her boyfriend, he would always spoil her fellow members, especially the maknae, with gifts. He always wanted to be a good Oppa to her members.
“No.”
“Then where did he go?” Jessica asked.
“He died yesterday,” Taeyeon choked out.
Something clenched in Jessica’s chest as she heard this, “He what?”
“He was found in a phone booth yesterday. I think they said he died of exhaustion and sickness.”
“A payphone?” Jessica dropped onto the floor as she remembered the unknown call she received the night before.
If happy ever after did exist
I would still be holding you like this
All those fairytales are full of sh*t
One more stupid love song I'll be sick
Now I'm at a payphone...