In Fiction★

Sister (4)

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 21:43:16 +0800

The voices had been bothering Youngjae the whole morning. When Himchan entered the room to tell him he was leaving, the younger boy just pulled the covers over his head and growled. He was too busy trying to protect his sanity to deal with another bout of coaxing to see his sister. The voices got louder, and Youngjae didn’t even notice when Himchan left with a sigh.

Youngjae lay miserably on his bed as the voices babbled, mixing together and creating a din in his head. He tried listening to a few. Some were reciting to him his past regrets; others were speaking nonsense, not even forming any words as they filled his ears. His head pounded. It was unbearable.

“ENOUGH!” he screamed. The voices stopped abruptly, as if the invisible mouths whispering them had disappeared.

“That’s a first,” he mumbled as he climbed out of bed. He normally had no control over them. Perhaps, perhaps he was finally getting better. Leaving the small storeroom-turned-bedroom, he made his way to the fridge.

Himchan’s apartment wasn’t very large. It consisted of a main room that had doors to three others - a bedroom, a storeroom (now Youngjae’s bedroom), and a bathroom. The main room had a kitchenette in the corner, where there was a refrigerator and an electric stove. The main room itself served as a living room, with a single couch at one wall beside the front door. Youngjae took exactly six strides to get from his room to the kitchenette on the other side.

He opened the fridge. There wasn’t much; some milk, a plate of leftover kimchi they bought from the store, and a half-eaten sandwich that was probably Himchan’s. Seeing his choices, Youngjae took the sandwich. Himchan could nag at him later. For now, he just wanted to relax.

Youngjae walked over to the window and looked out. The high school across the road was teeming with students. Thinking about it, he hadn’t been to school in years. At his age, other kids would be studying till midnight for their exams, worried about college choices. But him? He never went to high school. He never even completed middle school.

He shook the thoughts away. If he wasn’t careful, the memories would return, and maybe the voices too.

The front door clicked and Youngjae turned just in time to see Himchan enter.

“Hey Jae,” the older boy greeted, grinning. “You finally got up.”

His face fell when he saw the sandwich.

Sister (1)

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:44:05 +0800

“What about your sister?” Himchan asked, walking beside his friend with his hands in his pockets. Night was falling, and they entered a familiar dusty alleyway.

“Stop spouting nonsense, I don’t have a sister,” Youngjae growled angrily, kicking over an empty beer can that was in the way.

“She misses you, Jae,” Himchan insisted. Youngjae couldn’t have forgotten. He was denying it. His little sister was only seven when he left her. That was three years ago.

“Shut up,” Youngjae glared at him. Himchan knew he was pushing Youngjae’s limit.

“Little Jaehwa, she’s growing up. Don’t you want to be there for it?” He asked gently. “Maybe you should go back hom-“

“I said SHUT UP!!” Youngjae roared, turning on Himchan and hurling a blind punch. Himchan caught his fist immediately. Youngjae snatched his hand back, running it through the right side of his platinum blonde hair. The left side had been shaved off.

They walked for a while in silence. Himchan set his mouth in a grim line as he felt the anger from Youngjae burning like a vicious flame. He would have comforted the younger boy, but Youngjae was not the kind of person who appreciated concern.

“I can’t let her see me,” Youngjae said quietly. “Not like this.”

Three years before, Himchan had been living by himself. He had a stable job at the local bakery and enough money to get by. He knew nothing of his parents, and the orphanage had been so kind as to kick him out once he graduated from high school – not that he had attended the graduation ceremony, anyway. He had found Youngjae wandering on the streets with his little sister Jaehwa. He took them in and gave them food and shelter. Youngjae was only fifteen years old then.

With Himchan’s help, Youngjae managed to find his mother’s sister and left Jaehwa in her care while he continued staying with Himchan. In the three years that they had lived together, Himchan had learnt that Youngjae was a complexity all on his own. Why he hadn’t stayed with his aunt, why he had to drop out from school and live on the streets at fifteen years old, why he didn’t want to see his sister; these questions were still left unanswered. Each day just added a new side to the huge puzzle of Youngjae’s mind.

Himchan continued to visit Jaehwa regularly, and each time he went she’d ask if Youngjae was coming. It broke his heart. Youngjae seemed to want to erase his past completely, including his sister.

The Quiet Guy: Chapter 25

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:51:13 +0800

It was our first argument. To be honest, I never even saw it coming. It wasn’t like Hoya to lose his temper like that. Maybe it was the result of bottling up his feelings for so long, or maybe it was the shame of walking right into Jaemin’s trap. Either way, I had a long walk home alone. I hadn’t walked home from school alone since the day we met.

As I walked, I held my phone in my hand, constantly checking it for a text message or a call from Hoya, saying he was sorry, or even just an indirect request for forgiveness. The phone stayed silent. My anxiety grew. I had apologised, right? Even if he didn’t accept it, I apologised, right? He heard me, didn’t he? Was I supposed to call him again and apologise? Or did he need some time alone?

Did he need a break… from me?

I stopped by the playground and sat down on a swing. Swings were fun, right? Isn’t that why sad people sat on them too? The swing was like a baby’s cot, and I rocked back and forth. It was familiar. It was comforting.

I stared at the phone in my hand. Its screen was out. I hit the lock button, and it lit up. No unread messages, no missed calls. What was I to do? I quickly scrolled through my contacts. When I found the person I wanted, I hit “dial” and held the phone to my ear.

“Hello~?” came a cheerful voice on the other line.

“Oppa, it’s me.”

“Sujeongie? What is it? Oppa’s still in school, studying…”

“Sorry, but could you help me?”

“What happened? Normally you’d go to Hoya…”

I sighed. “This is about Hoya.”

“Well then,” he didn’t seem to understand what I meant, but was willing to take up the task anyway. “How can I help?”

I took the subway across town and met Dongwoo outside of his school. He looked smarter in his all-black school uniform, and the seriousness in his eyes added to that look. He greeted me with a kind, brotherly hug and led me a little down the road, where there was a low wall. He sat on it, and I followed suit.

“You were crazy enough to come all the way here by yourself,” he commented, looking me up and down. “Good thing you’re still in one piece. So, what is it?”

I related to him the events of that day, up to when Hoya sent me out. He listened intently, not interrupting even once. It didn’t seem to surprise him. Instead, he sighed.

“You’ve been through a lot today, Sujeong-ah,” he said sympathetically. “The mimicking was uncalled for, but his yelling is not your fault. It was bound to happen sooner or later.”

“Why? What’s going on? Jaemin won’t leave him alone, and every day I worry about his mental health from being tortured so much. Now he’s all beat up and can barely walk…” I spoke quickly as I felt tears forming in my eyes. I looked up at Dongwoo, who had his eyes on the ground. He was thinking.

“The members may not know whether I’m an idiot or a genius, but when it comes to Hoya, I know what’s best,” he began, his hands clutching the edge of the wall until his knuckles were white. “Jaemin’s going overboard, really. Something big must have happened. Hoya’s not the kind to share.”

He pulled out his phone. “I’ll call him now.”

Attaching his earphones, he let me have one while he put the one with the microphone on the wire into his ear. The phone kept ringing for a long time, but eventually, Hoya picked up.

“What?” came the unfriendly answer.

“Hoya~ My-y ma-an,” Dongwoo greeted in his poor English, dragging out each word into two syllables. “Hey, what happened to you?”

“What’s wrong with you, hyung,” Hoya replied dryly, and I could hear the misery in his voice.

“Hyung knows when something’s up. What happened?”

“Who knows… well… wait, did Sujeong call you?” he was suddenly more alert with that thought in his head.

“Who knows…” Dongwoo replied wittily as he fought back a smile. I gave him a thumbs-up.

“What did she say?”

“Listen to me, Hoya, tell me what happened.” Dongwoo was serious now.

“You must be kidding, right?” Hoya scoffed. “Whose side are you on?”

“I’m on your side, and so is Sujeong. Why did you shout at her?”

“I…” Hoya began defensively, but his voice faltered. “I really don’t know.”

“You love her, right? I thought you were crazy about her.”

“Of course I love her!”

“Then why did you yell at her? Sure, yelling’s no big deal when you’re me or Sungyeol or Sunggyu,” Dongwoo was speaking quickly, getting more and more agitated. He took some time to pause, then he sighed and spoke gently. “But this is you, Hoya; you don’t raise your voice to anyone.”

“I… I lost control. Jaemin’s getting to my head. He’s messing with me; messing with my pride, messing with my feelings. I thought I had everything under control. I didn’t want Sujeong to see me like that, but each time it was her who got hurt. She gets scared when I get angry, her heart breaks when she sees me beat up. And she always has to pick up the pieces after Jaemin is through with me. It… it’s not fair. It’s not fair to her.”

“Then how would screaming at her ever solve anything? You want her to break up with you? Leave you alone? Will you be happy then? Because she wouldn’t,” Dongwoo looked at me, and I wiped away a tear that was rolling down my cheek. He wrapped his arm around me and awkwardly patted my shoulder. Don’t cry, his actions were saying.

Hoya remained silent for several moments.

“Should I call her?”

“Yes, unless you want to talk to your crybaby now,” Dongwoo answered impassively, as if it was no big deal. I nearly fell backwards in alarm.

“What?”

“Your girlfriend came all the way to Jeolnam district to find a friend,” he explained. “Since, you know, you’re her only friend over at Gwangbu and all.”

I was surprised at Dongwoo’s sudden change in characters, from his usual self to a rarely seen serious side of him to a never before seen sarcastic, Hoya-guilt-tripping side. It was amusing, but I only had two seconds to be amused because he then unplugged his earphones and handed me his phone itself.

“H-hello?” I said, holding the phone to my ear.

“S-Sujeongie…”

I remained silent as I rubbed the tears from my eyes.

“Don’t cry, alright? Let me fix everything. No matter what Jaemin does to me, I won’t ever take it out on you again. I won’t ignore you again, I won’t let you get soaked in the rain again, and I will never, ever shout at you again. Come home, okay? Shall I meet you at the subway station?”

“…Okay,” I answered.

“See you later, be careful.”

He ended the call and I returned Dongwoo’s phone to him.

“All better?” He asked with his usual toothy grin. I smiled and nodded.

“Thanks, oppa, you’re the best,” I jumped to my feet and gave him a big hug. “Don’t tell the others I was here, okay? They’d be upset that I didn’t say hi.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he replied.

The Quiet Guy: Chapter 24

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 21:45:22 +0800

“I told you not to go! Look at you now, Lee Howon, battered and bruised like a thug!”

Hoya winced in pain as I placed a band-aid on his wounded forehead. There wasn’t as much blood as there were bruises. His lip had been bleeding, but it quickly dried up. He sat still in his chair, trying not to move. Summer break was over, and as usual we were in the empty classroom after school.

“Jaemin’s henchmen really made good work of you, aish, look at these wounds,” I continued, rolling up his sleeves to check his arms. They were in a terrible state, since he had used them to protect his ribs. His school blazer was hanging over the back of his chair. “Were they kicking you? Look at these bruises, this isn’t a joke…”

“Shut up, woman, I know!” He cut in, irritated.

Jaemin had lured him out during lunch, and shortly before the bell rang, he returned in that state, having to endure lessons with a bleeding forehead until I could fix him up. Oddly, even the teachers failed to notice. Maybe we were seated too far behind.

There and then, I had come up with one conclusion: Jaemin was pure evil. Who would hurt his own family?

“What did he mean, ‘At least my family is complete’? Aren’t you his family?” I muttered, taking the plastic bag of ice I had gotten earlier and placing it on his right arm. I had been taking down notes for him all day since he couldn’t write well with his bruised arm.

“Nothing, it’s nothing,” Hoya replied, his face scrunching up in discomfort.

“You’re keeping a lot of secrets from your girlfriend, Howon-ssi,” I mimicked Jaemin’s mocking tone.

Perhaps it was wrong to do so.

“I said shut up, alright!?” Hoya yelled at me, standing up furiously. He knocked his chair over and his blazer fell to the floor. The ice fell too. I felt really small.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, looking down.

“Do you think it’s so simple!? Do you think it’s a joke!? Is this a joke to you!?” He was so mad, he was screaming. “Am I really your boyfriend? Would you treat him like this!!?”

After he was done, the whole classroom was unbearably silent. I had my head down. He stood, facing me, breathing angrily. I could feel his angry eyes on me.

“Leave,” he said.

I didn’t move. I was frozen in fear. Hoya had never raised his voice at me, much less shouted at me. I was both shocked and scared.

“I said LEAVE!!”

I packed up my things and left.

두군두군 (Nervousness)

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:11:53 +0800

“Yoo Hyeseon, 20 years old,” she remembered saying to the person at the counter.

“Okay miss, here is your number, please stick this onto your T-shirt and proceed to the waiting room.”

It was all pretty new to her. She had never been to an audition before. The people already in the waiting room were all over the place; some were seated on chairs, some were pacing about, some were in groups and some were alone. Quite a lot of them were practicing or warming up their voices.

As she looked around her, one person caught her eye almost immediately. With his dirty blonde hair, he stood out from the other contestants. Unlike the others in the waiting room, he was seated calmly in a corner, eyes closed and earphones in his ears as he tapped his feet to the music. Eventually he was called in, and not too long after, she saw him walking out with a sheet of blue paper, which meant that he got through. Her turn soon followed, and afterwards she found herself holding onto a sheet of blue paper as well. She had done it!

As the singing competition progressed, she learnt that his name was Daehyun. He never had much to say, but he had powerful vocals that left her in awe, and with every round of the competition he stood out with his voice and his looks. As time passed, and the number of contestants began to dwindle, those left were no longer strangers. Some had met rivals, and some had made friends. Hyeseon had made friends with three people: a boy by the name of Changyup, a girl named Younghee, and unexpectedly, Daehyun. The four of them were nicknamed by audience members as “The Four”, because they were always seen together. Changyup was Hyeseon’s age; he was friendly, witty and humorous, and always kept the mood up. His hair was dyed a vibrant orange, bright like his personality. Younghee was the youngest, being 18 and two years younger than Hyeseon. She was small in stature, and had a baby face. She was also a good listener, and Hyeseon liked her very much. Daehyun was the eldest at 21, and he smiled and joked a lot after making friends. He kept them in line and took care of them like an elder brother. Though they were each competing for the winner’s spot, they had worked in groups, gone on tour, practiced together, helping each other to improve. The four of them had found their way to each other, forming a circle of friends that stuck together and supported each other.

Fast forward: it was now down to the top three. Not surprisingly, with each other’s help, the top four had been none other than The Four. Now, one of them had to go home. Changyup and Younghee were safe, leaving Daehyun and Hyeseon competing for the last spot. The two of them stood a few arms’ length from each other, waiting anxiously. Hyeseon hung her head and squeezed her eyes shut. She was afraid to hear the results.

“Hyeseon,” the host began, “Many have said that your performance last night topped everything else you have ever done in this competition. The judges praised your skill, and if you continue to improve, you just may win over the audience.”

The host took a breath and continued.

“Daehyun,” he said, “Last night, you had trouble standing out. The judges weren’t too excited over your performance, saying you were unable to pull off the different genre. Your fans, however, disagreed.” Cheers and shouts of encouragement for Daehyun came from the audience.

“Our viewers have voted; the one going home today… is…” the host paused dramatically, and in the silence Hyeseon could hear her heart pound. She braced herself. She knew her name would be called. She couldn’t compete with Daehyun, whom the audience had favoured from the start.

“…Daehyun.”

Hyeseon’s eyes shot open. She looked up in shock, then over at Daehyun. His head was down, and Changyup rushed up to him with Younghee. Hyeseon wanted to follow, but she found herself unable to. Daehyun couldn’t fight back his tears, and she spotted a drop falling to the floor. Her heart sank.

“Hyung, you’ve done well,” Changyup was repeating, patting Daehyun on the back. Younghee stood worriedly before Daehyun, giving words of encouragement. Hyeseon brought her gaze to the floor.

“Daehyun, you’ve grown a lot through this competition. Your votes weren’t too far behind Hyeseon’s, and I hope you have gained new knowledge and skills to bring home with you,” spoke a judge.

Daehyun got hold of a microphone and replied through his tears, “I have, and I’ve gained three great friends as well. Thank you to the judges and staff for taking care of me through these five months.”

Backstage, when Daehyun had dried his tears, Hyeseon found the courage to go up to him.

“You’ll keep in touch, right?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Of course,” he replied with a smile.

Daehyun fought back another round of tears. It was embarrassing enough to have cried onstage; he wasn’t going to cry again. He kept a smile on his face as Changyup came over and gave him a hug. He kept a smile on his face as he bade farewell to the staff and the judges. He kept a smile on his face as he got into the van and headed to his apartment. However, the reality hit him again as he packed his things. He had to go back to his family in Busan, his last performance in the competition not up to standard. He’d have to leave all this behind; the spotlight, the stage, the audience and the friends he’d made; the fun of just being in the competition, being a part of something big. He knew he’d have to eventually, but he hadn’t imagined it to be this way. He had made so many mistakes in a single performance and that had cost him his chance to win.

After Daehyun left, Hyeseon, Changyup and Younghee constantly felt his absence. The three of them were now competing, with one last performance, to win the competition. They were friends, but each wanted to win. They wanted to help each other, but they also wanted to help themselves.

The next afternoon, Changyup called the girls to meet him at the cafe nearby the apartments they were staying in, saying that he had something important to tell them. Hyeseon met Younghee on the way and they went to the cafe together.

“Hyeseon, Younghee,” Changyup began once they arrived, running a hand through his signature orange hair. His expression was solemn, and his usual smile was absent from his face. “We’re now fighting for the title of winner. In one week, we’ll perform, and then they’ll announce the results. One of us will emerge as the winner, but let’s remember that the other two, and Daehyun hyung too, aren’t losers. We’re The Four, our own Fantastic Four, so let’s still stay friends.”

Hyeseon nodded, and Younghee smiled brightly. Changyup’s smile slowly returned to his face.

“We can do this!” Younghee said, stretching out her hand into the middle of them. Changyup placed his hand on hers, and Hyeseon followed suit.

“Fighting!”

The next day, Hyeseon was in her apartment listening to the song she had chosen when her phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she saw Daehyun’s name and picked up immediately.

“Daehyun oppa! Have you reached home safely?”

“Yup, everything’s fine. How are you guys? I miss all three of you.”

“The apartments feel emptier now,” Hyeseon replied with a half-hearted laugh. “We’re having a bittersweet feeling about the final stage.”

“Ah, it’s inevitable,” Daehyun said, and Hyeseon could hear the smile in his voice. “I’m kinda glad I’m not in your shoes.”

“Who do you think will win?”

“Are you seriously asking me that?”

“…Yes?”

Daehyun laughed. “Hmm… you. You’ve got potential, Hyeseonie, and your style is what the audience likes. You can do it, but don’t tell this to the other two, alright? No gloating.”

Hyeseon smiled at the compliment. “And you’re still taking care of us all the way from Busan.”

“Actually, I’ll be on my way to Seoul soon,” Daehyun chuckled.

“Really??”

“Yup, got a call from an entertainment company and I’m going back to meet the CEO.”

“That’s great!”

“Yeah, it is. I’ll be staying there for a week to catch your final stage, and maybe by then I’ll have signed a contract with the company.”

Just then, Hyeseon had an idea. “Do you want to add another thing to your work experience?”

“What’s that?”

“Helping me with my performance.”

Once Daehyun arrived in Seoul, Hyeseon asked him for help every day. She hadn’t told Younghee or Changyup about it, but the three of them had decided not to contact each other until the day of the performance. She and Daehyun met up often to discuss ideas and practice the song. Often, they would spend a whole day together. When one of them suddenly had an idea, they’d call the other and talk about it. If they weren’t working together, they were on the phone with each other; the only time they were away from each other would be when they were sleeping in their beds at night. Spending so much time together, they became closer, and talked as if they had known each other forever.

From the start, Daehyun had caught her attention, and they became good friends, but now she knew she was genuinely falling for him. His charisma onstage, his bright and cheerful self offstage, his creative mind overflowing with great ideas, and even his flaws made him seem perfect to her. She knew it sounded ridiculous, but he seemed to glow and the time they spent together made her feel like she was walking on air.

The week flew by and before they knew it, it was the day of the competition. Changyup had called Hyeseon that morning, wishing her all the best. Younghee had left her a text, to which she replied. After lunch, Daehyun called to ask her over, and so Hyeseon made her way to the motel Daehyun was staying in.

“Hyeseon! Are you ready?” Daehyun asked with a smile once he opened the door.

“Yes, but a little nervous,” she admitted as he let her in.

“Wasn’t the dry run yesterday alright, though?”

Hyeseon shrugged and plopped herself onto the couch. Daehyun was staying in a studio apartment, and it was small, but it was all he needed for the week.

“Want a drink?” Daehyun asked, handing her a glass of water. She took it and gulped it down, placing the empty glass aside. Daehyun sat down beside her, a can of coke in his hand.

“Hey! Why do you have coke?” she asked, crossing her arms and looking at him with a frown.

Daehyun chuckled. “Coke is bad for you—hey!” he cried, as she tried to get the can from his hand. He raised his arm so that it was out of her reach. She made a face and sat back down on the couch. “You’re performing tonight, you shouldn’t be drinking coke,” he insisted, laughing at her expression. “Listen, let’s have some fun today. You’ve practiced enough; I know you’ll do well. Besides, the neighbours must be wondering why there’s so much singing going on in here.”

After Daehyun was done with his can of coke, he took out a game of snakes and ladders from the cupboard. “Let’s play with this,” he said. “I found it yesterday.”

They spent the afternoon in the studio apartment, playing games and watching TV. Time passed in the blink of an eye, and soon Daehyun sent Hyeseon on her way.

“Go back and get ready, alright? I’ll meet you there,” he said, placing both hands on her shoulders and looking her in the eyes. “You can do this, Hyeseonie, don’t worry.”

“Hyeseon, you’re up!”

“Got it~”

Hyeseon had been waiting nervously backstage for what felt like a long time. She was the first to perform, and Daehyun wasn’t there yet. Where could he have gone? She was nervous, and she could feel her heart pounding in her ears. It was beating quickly, and it got even faster as she followed the staff member to the stage. She stood in the wings as she waited for a signal from the staff member to go onstage. Just as she was about to step on the stage, she heard her name being called. Whirling around, she spotted Daehyun, grinning from ear to ear. “Fighting!” he called in a whisper-shout, giving her a double thumbs up. She gained confidence and smiled back, rushing onstage to her position, feeling determined to perform well.

The music began, slow and steady, her spotlight slowly fading in and soon she was entirely visible to the audience. The first verse was a little slow, and she could feel the audience’s energy waning. She smiled to herself as the music suddenly began to pick up. The show had begun.

The stage lights went on, and she got the audience clapping along, enjoying the music. The crowd was cheering, and Hyeseon was thrilled. Everything went according to plan. Before she knew it, her performance ended, and after bowing to the audience, she hurried offstage into the wings, where Daehyun was waiting.

“No mistakes! No mistakes!” she cried, overcome with relief as she ran up to Daehyun and hugged him. However, after a few seconds, it got awkward and she let go, muttering an apology. They never actually hugged each other, and it was weird. “Never mind,” he mumbled in reply, scratching his head. They ended up pretending it never happened, and watched the live feed of Changyup’s performance through a television screen backstage. When Changyup was done, he came backstage and gave each of them a warm hug. Changyup was never awkward with hugs. The three of them watched Younghee’s performance together, and it felt just like being The Four once again.

Not long after, Hyeseon found herself onstage again with Changyup and Younghee. The three of them anxiously held hands as they stood in a line, facing the audience.

“Welcome back to the live broadcast of our grand finale,” the host announced, and the audience erupted into cheers. “After five months, these three finalists are standing here today because they have earned your love. For the last three months, you, the audience, has had the power to decide who stays and who goes home. In our finale, our beloved judges decide on the winner. Remember, the winner wins a cash prize and also a chance to record a debut album.”

The lights dimmed and the audience grew silent. Hyeseon knew this atmosphere only too well.

“And the winner,” the host read from the little card in his hand, “of Star Idol 2012 is…”

Hyeseon tightened her grip on Changyup’s hand. He gently squeezed her hand in return.

Daehyun watched from the wings in anticipation. He couldn’t take the suspense. Crossing his fingers, he watched Hyeseon intently. He didn’t want to see her disappointed, or upset as he had been when he was eliminated. It would hurt his pride as the one who helped with her performance, and also… his heart.

“…Hyeseon!”

Streamers and confetti flew into the air, the audience applauded, her fans celebrated, and Changyup gave her a hug. Younghee joined in, and they just hugged each other for a while as the confetti floated down and landed in their hair. Hyeseon was handed a bouquet of flowers, along with a microphone. The feeling was overwhelming.

Daehyun grinned to himself, but he clung tightly onto a pillar. It was all he could do not to run out there to congratulate her.

“I…” she began, not sure of what to say. “I would like to thank everyone who has voted for me and helped me reach the top three. Thanks also to Changyup and Younghee, for being great friends and supporting me all the way. Special thanks also goes to Daehyun oppa, who has always supported me and spent the week planning tonight’s performance with me.”

The host took over from Hyeseon, who quickly followed Changyup and Younghee to the wings. She walked in behind them, and saw their families surrounding them, hugging them, comforting them. Hyeseon knew her parents would be proudly watching her from heaven, but watching their families made her a little sad. She smiled a little when she spotted Changyup blush as his girlfriend kissed him on the cheek. Younghee’s little brother ran up to her excitedly, and she carried him in her arms. She didn’t seem so much like a baby any more. Then, they left. Soon, she was the last one there, amongst the staff and crew who were scurrying all over the place to end the show.

Daehyun had been standing beside her, but she didn’t seem to notice until he placed an arm around her shoulders. She jumped, and upon seeing him she began to tear up, probably from relief, or joy, he couldn’t tell. Not knowing what to do, he hugged her tightly, repeating, “You did well, Hyeseon, you did perfect” as she cried into his shoulder.

“Why are you crying, Hyeseonie?” he asked as he let go, holding her hands and looking into her eyes. “I wanted you to win so I wouldn’t have to see you cry.”

Using his thumbs to gently wipe the tears from her striking brown eyes, he leaned in for a kiss.

With the hullaballoo of the technicians and staff members packing up, no one bothered about the young lovers in the corner. It was the end of one chapter of their lives and time for another: one they would continue together.

Sister (3)

Sat, 19 May 2012 23:50:59 +0800

“Himchan oppa~! Will Jae oppa come today?”

It was Tuesday, and on Tuesdays Himchan walked Jaehwa to school from her aunt’s home. He was generally a nice person, so he got along with the little girl and her young aunt well. It was just the two of them, both girls, in the small apartment and sometimes Himchan felt uncomfortable with leaving them alone like that. Youngjae should be there, protecting his family, he often thought, but there was no convincing Youngjae to return to his sister.

“I’m afraid not, sorry,” he answered gently, and the little girl’s smile faded as she brought her gaze to the floor in disappointment. It was the same thing that happened every week. After three years, the child still had hope. She still trusted and believed in her brother, who took care of her in the toughest of times. He may have disappeared from her life, but he lived on in her heart.

Himchan had tried, week after week, month after month, and even year after year to get Youngjae to tag along for just one visit. Youngjae had refused every time, giving excuses at first, but after a while he simply refused without even bothering to give a reason. Initially, Himchan did try to drag him along, but the younger boy fought so hard to not go that it seemed pointless to get injured over such a trivial matter. That morning, out of habit, he had wanted to ask again, but Youngjae had been in such a terrible mood that even talking to him proved impossible. So, in the end, Himchan went by himself.

“Ready for school today, Jaehwa?” he asked, to change the topic. Upon hearing his question, the elementary schooler regained the twinkle in her eye and nodded with a grin. She gave her aunt a goodbye hug and went to put on her shoes.

“Will she get hurt if Youngjae never comes?” her worried aunt asked Himchan softly, careful not to be overheard.

“Probably,” Himchan sighed. “If we just don’t say anything, we can leave her to grow up thinking he’s dead.”

“Is that what’s best?”

“For now, perhaps it is.”

“Himchan oppa!! Can we go to school now?” called the innocent voice from the front door.

The two adults looked at each other. They knew what the other was thinking.

She’ll have to know eventually.

Sister (2)

Tue, 15 May 2012 21:58:00 +0800

When Himchan was asleep, Youngjae left the house to cool down. He walked at a quick pace, hands in his pocket, but his frustration was building up instead of breaking down. Eventually, he found a playground and sat down on the swing. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Breathe, Jae, breathe.

“It’s late,” came a female voice from beside him. His eyes shot open in alarm and he turned to his right. There was a girl, about his age, on the swing next to him.

“Who are you?”

“No one,” she replied softly, looking at the ground as she lightly swung back and forth.

Youngjae watched her curiously, his anger slowly dissipating. She had long, brown hair in the shade of chestnut. It went halfway down her back. Her build was delicate, as if any sudden movement could cause her to break. Her fingers were carefully wrapped around the chain of the swing. He couldn’t see her face, but she felt familiar.

“Do I know you?” he asked, tilting his head in attempt to see her better. He couldn’t.

“Maybe,” she answered. Her voice was gentle, like a breath of wind. “But I know you.”

Creepy, Youngjae thought.

“Yoo Youngjae. Where should I start? Eighteen years old, fond of platinum blonde hair dye. Doesn’t normally express himself; needs to keep a distance from people; barely able to trust even Kim Himchan. Has a little sister, loves her but denies it. Afraid of his past, scared for his future.”

“H-how…” Youngjae stuttered, but she continued.

“Your parents died in a car crash. From that day, your life fell apart. You were only fifteen, and you got swindled into leaving the house. All you had left was a bag of your belongings. You searched for your aunt, whom you barely know. You travelled by train with your sister and ended up in this town. You wandered about for several days, then Himchan found you. You were lucky, but the voices, they never left you alone.”

Memories flooded Youngjae’s mind. Cold sweat ran down his face as the flashbacks started. All the memories he had been trying to erase, to get rid of, came back to him. Of course he remembered. He knew everything like it was just yesterday. His mind was crumbling. He fell to the ground on his knees, pressing his palms to the sides of his head as the tears began to flow. Make it stop.

“The voices were driving you crazy. You nearly got Jaehwa killed. You could never forgive yourself for that. That’s why you left her with Aunt Miyoung, to keep her safe. Safe from you.” Her voice seemed to get louder, and it echoed in his head. Gritting his teeth, he turned to face her.

She wasn’t there.

She was just another one of them.

Another voice in his head.

Music, Lyrics... and Dance Ch6 (FINAL)

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:33:53 +0800

After I had calmed down, we sat on the floor in our room and Junhong listened attentively to everything I had to say. I told him about meeting Yongguk at the CD shop – “Oh! Junhong, I forgot. Here, this is your belated birthday present” – and how we ended up spending the day together. Then I told him about seeing Himchan with the other girl – “I told you to stay away, didn’t I?” he said – and then how Yongguk cheered me up and how we met Himchan again – “That jerk,” he spat – and how Yongguk confessed to me at the end of it all.

“You’ve had a long day,” he said finally, when I was done. “Yongguk hyung shouldn’t have confessed today, but he was probably hoping you would feel better because of it.”

“I know… but… Himchan oppa…” I groaned in frustration. “Sorry, Junhong.”

“Yes, now you know that your brother is not an idiot and you will listen to him from now on?” he asked with a cheeky grin.

I laughed and hit him on the shoulder. “Yes, definitely.”

“Let’s spend tomorrow together, alright? Today makes me never want to leave you out of my sight. Luckily, you were with Yongguk hyung.”

Just then, Junhong’s phone beeped. It was a message from Yejin unnie that she wouldn’t be home for dinner again.

“You should take a shower and sleep. You need some rest. Then maybe you’ll actually wake up on your own in the morning,” Junhong joked, and I hit him again. “Ow! It’s true~”

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him in a bear hug. “You’re the best, Junhong.”

The next morning I woke up, not because of Junhong, but because of my growling stomach. It was only 7 in the morning, but I had slept about 12 hours. I probably would have slept more if it wasn’t for my hunger. Groggily, I shuffled my way to the kitchen and opened the fridge, hoping to find food.

I was pleasantly surprised by a packet of food left in the fridge. There was a note on it that said “for our Juhyeonie” in Junhong’s handwriting. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I placed the food in the microwave and left it to reheat while I went to brush my teeth.

“Noonaaaaa!~ You’re awake!” Junhong’s voice cried from our bedroom. He bounded into the bathroom and landed his hands on my shoulders, making me spit out the toothpaste.

“Junhong!!!”

“Ah, sorry.”

I ate the rice and curry, while Junhong had a bowl of cereal. He explained that he had bought me the packet of food in case I woke up hungry in the middle of the night. I thanked him and he just grinned.

“Well, now that you’ve had a good rest, are you able to face Yongguk hyung today?”

His words made me choke on my food.

“Today?”

“Yeah, but maybe later. Much later. It’s a new day, you should leave you-know-who behind.”

I knew exactly who he was talking about – Kim Himchan. I decided to change the subject.

“Have you listened to the CD?”

“Yeah! It’s awesome, thanks noona!” He beamed, taking the hint.

We spent the morning listening to music and having fun together, but the whole time I was thinking about Yongguk. What should my answer be?

Junhong was glad. Everything had worked out so well. Without him knowing, Yongguk hyung fell for Juhyeon, and Junhong could feel that she liked him too. Kim Himchan’s evil was finally unveiled, and though Juhyeon was hurt, she snapped out of her craze with that guy. Junhong knew Yongguk hyung would treat her well. Hey, Yongguk hyung as a brother-in-law would be awesome! But then again, that was thinking way too far ahead.

I had thought about my answer to Yongguk all morning. Eventually, it was too much to think about and I gave up as Junhong took me to the studio.

“Fighting!” he whispered as I went in by myself. He was going to be in the toilet while I talked to Yongguk. It would be better if he wasn’t there, but he couldn’t bear to let me go out alone. I made my way to the practice room; I had been there enough times to remember the way. Peeking in through the small window in the door, I saw Yongguk practicing hard. Since he wouldn’t be able to hear me if I knocked, I carefully opened the door and stepped inside.

Yongguk spotted me almost immediately and stopped dancing. He was sweating all over; proof that he had been there since morning. Grabbing a towel, he stopped the music and smiled awkwardly at me. I could tell that he didn’t know what to expect. Biting my lower lip, I slowly walked up to him as he wiped off his sweat.

“Ah, what unglamorous conditions,” he joked nervously, referring to the fact that he was sweaty. “I never asked you properly, did I?”

I watched as he put on a jacket over his tank top and rubbed his hair with the towel once more. Dumping the towel on the rest of his stuff, he walked up to me.

“I wasn’t being too manly yesterday,” he chuckled, taking my hands in his as he leaned his forehead on mine. “Choi Juhyeon, I’ve fallen for your personality and your beauty. You illuminate my world. I want to protect you forever. Will you be my girlfriend?”

I looked up at him and felt butterflies in my stomach. Though it wasn’t the most romantic scene, that moment was one I would never forget. I tilted my head upwards and kissed his lips.

“Yes.”

Music, Lyrics... and Dance Ch5

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:32:25 +0800

An hour or two later found Yongguk and me wandering around the shops in the area. I had nothing to do, and neither did he. For some reason, there had been some sort of silent agreement between us to stick together.

As we turned a corner I saw Himchan walk out of a store up ahead. Immediately, I turned back and ran into the nearest alley, leaving Yongguk standing by himself, confused. I peeked out from the corner. I saw Yongguk spin around and scratch his head, wondering where I had gone. Beyond that, I watched as Himchan seemed to be talking to someone. It was a girl. It could have been a relative, or a friend, until I saw him kiss her cheek. He wouldn’t have kissed a relative or a friend. He didn’t have a sister, so that was out of the question. I turned around, my back against the wall as I slumped to the ground. I knew Himchan was popular with a lot of girls, but I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy and hurt. We had been pretty good friends, and yet there was someone else for him? I should have known, really, and I didn’t have a reason to be jealous, but I was all the same.

Yongguk had found me and bent down in front of me so that we were face to face. I avoided his eyes, staring instead at the ground.

“Who was that guy? Is he your boyfriend? I could beat him up for you,” he offered, but I shook my head.

“He’s just… a guy.”

“We both know he isn’t ‘just a guy’.” Yongguk moved over so that he was sitting beside me in the alley. “You can tell me.”

“You really want to know?” I asked, looking at him.

He nodded. “Everyone has a story. What’s yours?”

“He…” I sighed and let the words out. “I have a huge crush on him. Junhong was right, I shouldn’t have let myself like him.”

It was pathetic. I fell for a guy with an eye for someone else. The image of Himchan with that girl wouldn’t leave my mind. It was etched into my memory, along with Junhong’s multiple “don’t go near him” warnings.

“You wouldn’t have known,” Yongguk said after a short silence. “Come on, let’s go somewhere to make you feel better.” Without another word, he took my hand and pulled me out of the alley.

Yongguk took me to a nearby karaoke box and got a karaoke room for the two of us. Without a word, he selected a song and began to rap. For me. Though the rap he chose was more his style – powerful and stuff – I knew he was just trying to make me feel better. The good thing was that it did make me feel better. After two songs, he sat down next to me and scrolled through the list of songs.

“Oh! I know that one!” I pointed at the screen, and he stopped.

“This one?” he asked, pressing the “OK” button on the remote. It was a song by Infinite, called Be Mine. My classmates had played it in class so many times that I had learnt most of the lyrics just by listening.

“Ah, I know the rap to this one,” he said brightly, pressing the “play” button. He handed the second microphone to me with a grin.

Before we knew it, our hour was up, but I was in a much better mood. We left the karaoke box chatting like we had known each other for ages.

“Has anyone told you that you sing beautifully?” he asked.

I shook my head and laughed. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m serious,” he urged. “You have a beautiful voice.”

It was funny how we got along well despite our differences. However, the mood was soon to drop again when we bumped into Himchan along the street. What luck I had.

“Hey Juhyeon!” he greeted chirpily, and I tried not to wince. He walked over to give me a hug. “How are you? I haven’t seen you all week.”

I let him hug me as I fought back the stinging in my eyes. “I’ve been fine, just spending more time with my brother,” I answered as he stepped back. I took a step closer to Yongguk. Yongguk made me feel safe. He took my hand and I held it tightly. I had to control myself. I didn’t want to cry in front of Himchan. I wondered where the girl had gone.

“Oh, so who’s this then?” He asked with a smile. His smile hurt.

“I can introduce myself,” Yongguk began, and I hid a smile when Himchan got a shock by the depth of his voice. “I’m her boyfriend, so I suggest you stay away from her.”

Wait, what?!

Before Himchan could answer, Yongguk put his arm around me and walked away, so that we had to walk away together.

Once we were out of sight, Yongguk let go of me and sat down on a bench. I sat down beside him.

“Sorry, I couldn’t think of anything else. He was hurting you. I don’t watch that many dramas but I know that line,” he explained apologetically. “I… I didn’t like how he was flirting with you.”

I didn’t say anything. The scene was replaying in my head. Himchan wouldn’t have believed that.

“Let’s get you home.”

We reached my house, and were standing in the small garden. The sun was setting. The mood hadn’t lightened very much, and our walk was mostly silent. I was holding his hand, because it helped me feel better, but I just didn’t feel like talking.

“I… uh, hey, I have something to show you.” He took out his phone and earbuds again, handing me one side while he put the other side in his ear. I inserted the bud into my ear without a word.

The music played, and I was expecting his voice to come from the earbud, but instead he took me by surprise and rapped it to me.

“Boring stories stop, my love story
Will I be able to express my feelings?
Endless worries
Today, I went to the store again to buy a loaf of bread
Cause this is all I can do

Will you like this when you receive it?
Or will you not receive it and turn around?
I’m a dwarf wandering around Snow White
I’m nothing special but
I can protect you, my baby

I act all tough when I run into you
I have no interest in anyone else
I only look at you, my baby

I wanna make a dance for you
And I wanna make a song for you
I’m attracted, you’re N, I’m S
These butterflies have no end
You’re my last love”

After ending the song, he leaned in to kiss my cheek. My eyes widened and I felt my heart skip a beat. I let the feeling of his lips linger on my cheek.

“Juhyeon… I know it’s a little sudden, with that guy appearing and everything, but I wanted you to know that I like you, and I’ll be here for you. I was jealous when he flirted with you. My heart hurt to see you hold in your tears. I… I know it’s too soon to ask for an answer, but I hope… I hope you’ll think about it.”

“I guess… I’ll see you then,” he added, and ran off.

Once he was gone, I turned to go inside, but Junhong opened the door.

“Woah! What was that?!” he asked, eyes bright. My mind couldn’t take it anymore – Himchan, that girl, Yongguk…

“Junhooongg…” I wailed, burying my face into his shoulder as the feelings and events of that day overwhelmed me. He patted my back slowly and led me inside.

“Calm down, Juhyeon, and tell me everything.”

Music, Lyrics... and Dance Ch4

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:31:48 +0800

The week flew by, with Junhong making me attend his practices almost every day. Once, he even brought along my own clothes to change into, without my knowledge. Because of that, I hadn’t seen Himchan at all, much less talked to him. Normally, when I stayed in school, Himchan was there to keep me company. He sometimes helped me with my homework as well. I enjoyed talking to him.

“What’s with you lately? You never took me to your practices before,” I asked Junhong one evening as we walked home. Yejin unnie would be home for dinner that night, so we were heading home as quickly as possible with food we bought from the eatery.

He seemed reluctant to reply. “I… I just think that you shouldn’t stay in school all the time, that’s all.”

“Liar,” I retorted, raising an eyebrow.

“No, I mean it,” Junhong said, speaking more confidently. “Just… you know, I like us to spend time together, and do stuff together, instead of leaving you alone in school.” He seemed sincere, but still I knew he was hiding something.

“Himchan oppa keeps me company,” I insisted, and he cringed.

“I said to stay away from him, Juhyeon,” he replied darkly. I decided not to push him any further.

We had dinner together with Yejin unnie, who looked happier than she had been in a while. It hurt us both to see her working so hard to support the three of us, and it was a relief to see her back home again.

That night in their room, Junhong flopped onto his bed. He was exhausted. The day had been especially tiring, not because practice was any harder, but because his brain was occupied with a plan. A plan to get Kim Himchan away from Juhyeon. His twin and best friend didn’t deserve to be treated like a toy. She deserved to be the one and only girl of a guy who wouldn’t break her heart. Juhyeon was a great sister to him, and he swore he’d be the best brother to her. After all, they only had each other and Yejin noona.

So far he’d been able to get her away from school, so Kim Himchan wouldn’t be able to find her alone. Now all that was left would be to get her to like someone else. He didn’t know anyone else she might like, though his friend Jongup was definitely not one of them. This was going to be hard.

When Saturday came, Junhong went out with a bunch of his friends. He woke me up at 10 in the morning, saying, “Noona, don’t waste your day away, alright? See you later.” He then blew into my ear – which made me yelp – and left. Left alone in the house, I decided to heed his advice. There was a new music store down the road that I wanted to check out; maybe I could get Junhong something. I got ready and left without a second thought.

I entered the music store, and a hip-hop song was playing – definitely Junhong’s type of song. The place was filled with rows and rows of CDs, sorted into many different genres. Browsing through the shelves, I quickly found the hip-hop section, and they had a pretty wide range. The only artists I knew were Eminem, Kanye West and Will.I.Am; Junhong especially liked Kanye West, but we didn’t have any of his albums because Junhong rarely spent money on himself. I was squatting down, staring at several albums on the lowest shelf, beginning to doubt my idea. I didn’t know anything about this music. I didn’t even know what these songs sounded like. Deciding to give up, I got up and spun around…

… And found myself staring at someone’s neck.

Startled, I stepped backwards and nearly lost my balance, quickly dropping to the ground before I could knock over the shelf of CDs. I blinked several times, still in shock. The person who had startled me didn’t move and now I was just staring at his jeans and shoes. He stretched out a hand to help me up, and I instinctively took it.

“Juhyeon?”

Bang Yongguk’s voice was unmistakeable.

“Oh, Yongguk o…ppa…”

“What a coincidence! Did Junhongie bring you?” He asked, smiling genially. He was less awkward with me now, and during the week he had treated me like family. I shook my head in reply.

“I was hoping I could find something for his birthday present, but I changed my mind,” I answered, mumbling towards the end. It was embarrassing to have to admit that I didn’t know anything, especially to Yongguk. He knew everything about hip-hop music.

“Hey, that’s a great idea. Why would you change your mind?”

I turned to glance at the shelf of albums, then turned back to face him with a raised eyebrow and an “are you serious?” look. He laughed.

“There are a lot of songs here that our Zelo likes. Here,” he said, bending down to take a Kanye West album. “He’s been wanting this for a while.”

My eyes lit up. Problem solved! “Thanks oppa!” I grinned and took the CD from him.

He scratched the back of his head as he laughed embarrassedly. “No problem.”

We ended up browsing the store together, and though I wasn’t too into the music scene, I did enjoy music, and Yongguk introduced me to some singers that he thought I would like. There were booths in the store for listening to new albums, and he let me listen to some. He seemed to have a lot more to talk about when the topic was something he enjoyed. After a while, with some new knowledge on some singers and their songs, I paid for Junhong’s CD and we left the store together.

By then, it was already nearing noon, and I hadn’t eaten breakfast. My stomach then decided, when there were no cars on the road and everything was peaceful and quiet, to make a loud growl. I felt my face burn up in embarrassment. Yongguk looked at me for a second before stifling a laugh.

“It’s alright, Juhyeon. How about we get something to eat?”

And that was how we ended up eating dumplings on the edge of a bridge. The river the bridge went across wasn’t very big, nothing like the Han River, but since the city was close to it, they had built pavements along the banks and a low wall to prevent people from accidentally walking off. The bridge, however, was made of stone and had no railings. We sat on its edge with our legs dangling over the water, enjoying each other’s company.

“So why are you without Junhong today? I thought you two were inseparable this week,” Yongguk commented, taking a bite from his dumpling. He had ordered several huge ones that I wouldn’t have been able to finish on my own, but he had a voracious appetite. It seemed fitting. I pulled my dumpling out of the paper bag and blew on it because it was too hot.

“He went out with his friends today,” I answered simply, taking a bite. “Thanks for taking care of him, by the way, and of me too.”

“Don’t mention it,” he answered with a smile.

Music, Lyrics... and Dance Ch3

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:31:30 +0800

Eventually, evening came and they were done, and Junhong told me to pack up as they showered. I finished the last bit of my homework before shoving it into my bag. Junhong came back out in a T-shirt and jeans, and he tossed me a hoodie to wear over my school blouse. As I put it on, he folded up my blazer and packed it in my bag. Yongguk was waiting for us at the door, so I took my bag from Junhong and hurried over.

“Yejin noona will be home late tonight, so let’s have dinner out,” Junhong said to me as we left the building. “There’s a local eatery nearby that I know you’ll like.”

It seemed that Yongguk was to join us for dinner, and the awkward atmosphere between us was burdensome. Junhong tried to strike up a conversation, but Yongguk didn’t seem like the kind to speak much, so all conversations ended pretty quickly.

We reached the eatery and sat at a table, Junhong and I together on one side, and Yongguk across from Junhong. After ordering, as we waited for our food, Yongguk looked sorry for being so quiet. He took out his phone and said, “Hey, I wrote a short rap the other day. Would you like to hear it?”

Junhong seemed pleasantly surprised, and Yongguk handed over the earbuds for us to share. He could rap well, and I liked the lyrics. It was about a guy who rose above his challenges to succeed.

“It’s really good, hyung!” Junhong said with a grin, and I nodded in agreement.

“You think so?” Yongguk asked, and his face lit up. I decided that he was less scary when he smiled.

After dinner, it was already dark, and Yongguk walked us to as far as our street.

“Take care,” he called, waving as we walked ahead.

“See you tomorrow, hyung!” Junhong waved back, and I felt obliged to wave politely as well.

Yongguk smiled and left.

Music, Lyrics... and Dance Ch2

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:31:13 +0800

“Noona~”

Despite his gentle voice Junhong was shaking me violently. It was a complete irony, but it happened nearly every morning. I had gotten used to it. The lamp between our beds was switched on, and its warm yellow glow filled the room.

“It’s time to wake up!” He pulled the covers from my grasp and gave me a hug. “I’ll use the bathroom first.”

He must have been in a good mood because of the day before. I yawned and stretched, staring off into space in a daze as I watched him leave the room. I really wasn’t a morning person.

Eventually, we made our way to school. Junhong stood out the most with his pink hair, but no one seemed to mind. Everyone knew he was a great dancer, and after recently dyeing his hair pink, it had become his personal trademark. He loved his pink hair very much because of that, and I was just grateful that our school was one of the few schools that allowed their students to do what they wanted with their hair.

In class, Junhong and I sat at the back corner, with him in the last row and me in the seat directly in front of him. Being the one with glasses, others expected me to be the more studious twin, but Junhong was just as bright a kid. Besides, I only wore glasses because I had an eye condition that wouldn’t allow my eyes to focus properly. Junhong had even picked them out for me - a pair of large black-rimmed frames that were all the rage, even amongst people who didn’t have glasses. Apparently, Yejin unnie had been told that it was surprising that Junhong didn’t have the condition too, since our genes were very similar. I was glad for him that he didn’t - he wouldn’t look the same in glasses anyway.

School proceeded uneventfully, and soon it was lunch time. Junhong must have been hungry; he excitedly dragged me out of the classroom and we were the first to leave. Our school served a daily lunch according to a weekly menu, and I remembered that on Mondays they served grilled chicken (probably to fight off the Monday blues).

After we got our food, we seated ourselves at the end of a long row of tables and benches.

“I’ll eat this well!!!!!!” Junhong cried, his eyes shining. I laughed and watched him dig in.

“Me too,” I said quietly.

While were eating, we didn’t talk much because our mouths were full, or rather, once Junhong had swallowed his food he spooned in another mouthful.

“Hey Juhyeon-ah~~” came a voice from behind me, and my heart skipped a beat. I quickly swallowed my food, fixed my hair a little and turned around.

There was no mistaking his voice. Third-year Kim Himchan, Commander Kim, Hime-chan, kingka of the school. He was popular with his good looks, and had dyed his hair platinum blonde after an unfortunate incident regarding loss of fangirls with his previous venture to short, black hair. He looked more like a shining prince with his bright smile that made girls’ hearts melt.

Though I didn’t like to say it, I was no exception.

“H-hello Himchan oppa,” I stuttered, stunned by his smile.

I had met Himchan on the first day of high school. At that time he was a second-year, and I had bumped into him while looking for a toilet. He kindly pointed out the way, and we’d been bumping into each other a lot since. By the time my second year started, I had developed a huge crush on him.

“Enjoying lunch?” he laughed, “Here, you’ve got some sauce on your cheek.” He wiped it away with his thumb. I turned bright red.

He waved and left, and I turned back to face Junhong. He didn’t seem very approving.

“Juhyeon, what’s so great about him? You shouldn’t like him. I told you to stay away from him,” he asked with a frown, and glared in Himchan’s general direction.

“But Junhong, he’s really nice, and he means no harm,” I protested meekly, looking down at my food. Junhong sometimes got protective, since we were still the same age after all. He stops calling me “noona” when he’s serious, and in some contexts it can be scary.

Junhong shook his head and finished his food. He had eaten most of it while I was talking to Himchan! Instead of waiting for me, he got up to go.

“Hey, wh-where are you going?”

“See you in class, noona, I have to pee.”

Even though he used “noona” again, his voice was still set in a serious tone. I didn’t think he really was going to the toilet, but I didn’t say anything.

Junhong quickly returned his plate and rushed off to where he’d last seen Himchan. That guy was no good, and Junhong knew it. Why couldn’t his twin sister of all people see that?

“Girls are so gullible,” he muttered to himself as he turned a corner.

Ah, there he was, that jerk. He was flirting with another girl, his arm propping him up against the wall as he spoke casually to her. She seemed to be a first-year. Flirting with first-years already? Junhong scowled. No way would he let this guy play around with his sister. She deserved better than him. Maybe even Yongguk hyung would be better than Kim Himchan.

After the girl had left, he strolled up to Himchan. “Hey Himchan hyung!” he greeted brightly, forcing a convincing grin. Himchan didn’t look terribly pleased to see someone other than another girl.

“Ah, Juhyeonie’s brother, right? Sorry, your name slips my mind.” He replied with a smile, which was rather convincing, Junhong admitted.

“It’s alright, hyung, my name doesn’t matter,” he answered as he neared Himchan. Himchan was about the same height, but Junhong made sure that they were making direct eye contact as he stared the third-year down. He could see Himchan sensing that something was wrong.

“I just wanted to let you know, hyung,” Junhong began, his tone threatening, verging on sinister. “That you should stay away from my sister. She doesn’t need to be played by the likes of you.”

To his surprise, Himchan laughed.

“And what will you do if I don’t? Look, kid, all the girls love me. I’m good-looking, smart, and I’m sweet. What girl doesn’t want that? Maybe you should learn from me, then you wouldn’t just be Mister Dancer. You could be the next kingka after I graduate.”

Junhong scrunched up his nose. The thought of it was of course, tempting, but he quickly remembered his purpose in confronting Himchan.

“No thanks, Mister Sweet-talker, I don’t ever want to become like you. I wouldn’t trick girls into thinking that they have a chance with me when in actual fact I care and know nothing about them. In fact, you’re just abusing your looks. Leave my sister alone.”

The bell rang at that moment, and Junhong walked away. Himchan was evil, damn it, and Juhyeon really liked him. Junhong messed his hair in frustration. He had to do something.

I was starting to get worried when the bell rang and Junhong wasn’t back. I asked his table partner, Jongup, where he had gone. Jongup shrugged. I thanked him, but in my head I sighed. Jongup wouldn’t have known anyway.

I was relieved when I saw Junhong run in. He was lucky to have arrived before the teacher did.

School went on, and it wasn’t long before it was over. Junhong then suddenly decided to drag me to dance practice. I’d visited several times before on days I stayed back in school to study, walking there after he was done and walking home together; but this time he was insistent on me going with him. I was a little intimidated by the thought of having to be in the same room as Yongguk, but I shook off the feeling and we went together, chatting and laughing happily.

Yongguk greeted us warmly when we were there. The studio was so popular that now it was a building all on its own with a considerable number of courses, instructors, members and of course practice rooms. Yongguk and Junhong had their own, since their team, BANG&ZELO, was one of the best in the studio. Yongguk also worked part-time as a course instructor and used the room as a course venue for when Junhong was in school.

Junhong changed out of his uniform and they began their warmups almost immediately. I watched them practice their new routine for the upcoming competition. Their moves, choreographed by Yongguk himself, were always powerful and tiring for the smaller Junhong, but as they danced they looked so alive. It was the thrill of dancing that kept Junhong going. His nickname at the studio, other than his stage name Zelo, was Fighting Robot Zelo just because no matter how tired he was he’d pick himself back up again and do it till the end.

I hugged my backpack as I sat on the floor behind them, my legs stretched out before me. I had taken off my school blazer and used it to cover my legs as I sat in my skirt. Since the room was a dance practice room, there was no point in having chairs. What was Junhong thinking, taking me there? I sighed and took out a textbook from my bag. I had Math to do.

Music, Lyrics... and Dance Ch1

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:30:20 +0800

Title: Music, Lyrics... and Dance

Style: Chaptered (completed)

Main characters: Zelo (Junhong), Juhyeon (OC), Yongguk

“Noona! Noona! Noooooonaaaaaaaa!”

I was jolted awake by my twin brother jumping up and down on my bed. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I slowly sat up and he stopped jumping to watch me. I frowned and reached for my glasses.

“Damn it Junhong, what is it?” I mumbled, fumbling to put my glasses on. He had switched on the light as well as drawn the curtains completely open, and it hurt my eyes. Once I could see clearly, I noticed that he was dressed in dark blue jeans and his favourite red hoodie, as if he was ready to go out.

“Firstly, noona,” he began, fixing his wavy pink hair. “It’s Zelo. Ze~lo. And secondly, you promised that we’d go out today!”

Oh, right.

“Okay, okay,” I nodded and stretched out my arms. “Come here.”

He knelt down to give me a hug, but I pushed him face down onto the bed and sat on top of his back.

“That should teach you to give me a headache first thing in the morning, Choi Junhong.”

“IT’S ZELOOOOOOOOO!!!!” He whined as I left our room to wash up. Sometimes, it was hard to believe that we were the same age. Though I was only half an hour older, he’d been calling me “noona” since we were three. He probably thought it was fun.

I got ready in a hurry. Junhong could be really impatient, and he probably decided to wake me up because he was tired of waiting. I grabbed a skirt and a light pink hoodie. He’d be amused that I wore something that matched his hair, and hopefully forget all about having to wait.

“JUHYEON NOONA!” He called from the living room, making me jump. I shouted back that I was coming and ran out with my bag. He already had his shoes on and was walking towards the garden gate. I slipped on my purple sneakers, and as we left he happily pointed out the pink hoodie and his matching hair.

“Are you hungry?” He asked as we walked towards the main road. He checked his watch. “It’s 11 o’clock.”

I hadn’t realised that it was so late – he had told me that we’d leave at 10. It was a Sunday, and our birthday, and we decided to spend the day together. Our elder sister, Yejin, was at work.

We didn’t have parents.

“Let’s eat lunch, then,” I replied, feeling rather apologetic. He had a valid reason for waking me up like he did; I was a heavy sleeper and on school days he would have to shake me several times before I’d wake up.

With his arm around my shoulders – just because he was taller – we made our way to our favourite hang-out spot: a small café on the street corner that sold everything from cakes to coffee to meals. We sat down by the window and a waiter came up to us. We ordered the usual – a plate of spaghetti and a coke each – and we talked while waiting for our food.

Our food didn’t take very long to come, and soon we were back on our way to the nearby shopping district. We chatted like we normally did, talking about almost anything. We were pretty close, so there were no secrets between us. We could talk for ages.

Just then, Junhong suddenly stopped talking and waved excitedly to someone ahead of us.

“Yongguk hyung!!”

I looked to where he was waving. Oh, great. It was Junhong’s favourite hyung, Bang Yongguk. Not that I disliked Yongguk, but Junhong always went on and on about how he was “so cool” and how he “wanted to be like Yongguk hyung” when he grew up. Yongguk was 4 years older than us, and they went to the same dance studio. They were a dance duo together, or whatever it was called; they’d entered many competitions, and won quite a few. Junhong always used his share of the prize money to help support our family.

Yongguk walked over with a brotherly smile. “Hey, Zelo,” he greeted, or grunted, I wasn’t sure. His voice was really low. I got a shock, but quickly got over it before either boy could realise. I had seen Yongguk before on several occasions, mostly when I attended their dance performances and competitions, but I never actually talked to him or heard him speak. The two high fived, and then Yongguk turned to me. “So who’s this? You two look really alike, by the way.”

Junhong laughed. “Yongguk, meet my twin sister, Juhyeon. Juhyeon, Yongguk.”

I was surprised that he had dropped the “noona”, but I supposed he didn’t want to seem weird for calling his twin sister that. Yongguk bowed politely, and I bowed too. I noticed that his messy hair was a dusty, greyish-purple colour that somehow matched my brother’s light pink. “Nice to meet you,” he said, a little awkwardly. I let out a timid hello. His voice was so low that it was a bit intimidating.

Junhong talked to Yongguk a while longer, and I just stood there, unsure of what to do. Was I supposed to pay attention? Yongguk was older, so I wasn’t sure whether being interested or uninterested in their conversation was rude. Eventually, I settled with somewhat paying attention, glancing every so often at Junhong and avoiding eye contact with Yongguk. Fortunately, neither really bothered, and soon Yongguk went on his way.

“His voice is scary,” I said once he was gone.

Junhong laughed. “He’s actually a really nice person,” he said, resting his arm on my shoulders again.

“Hey, if you keep resting your arms on me I’ll never grow any taller!!”

“That’s a lie, and besides, you’re more useful at this height.”

I folded my arms and huffed.

We spent the rest of the day walking around the shopping district, doing some shopping and enjoying the sights. There was a small ferris wheel in front of one of the malls, and he urged me onto it, even offering to pay for my ticket because he wanted to ride on it so much. It couldn’t go very high up, and though he left with a smile, I could tell he was a little disappointed. Junhong enjoyed fun things like that.

Walking back home under the orange sky as the sun set, we were tired out but I was glad of his company.

“Today was fun,” I told him with a grin.

“Yeah. Happy seventeenth birthday, Juhyeonie!” Junhong replied with a wide smile, wrapping an arm around me in a half-hug.

I laughed. “Happy seventeenth birthday, Junhong.”

Always

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:44:37 +0800

The house was silent. Hyemin, in her light blue pyjamas, crept down the old, solid oak stairs, trying not to miss a step in the darkness. It was nearly pitch black, with faint silver beams barely visible across the floor. She felt her way to the base of the stairs, jumping back in shock when her bare foot touched the cold cement floor. Outside, the wind blew the golden-red leaves off the trees. Slowly, carefully, she made her way to the kitchen.

She didn’t turn on the light. She wasn’t afraid of the dark, she told herself, as she shuffled towards the dining table and sat down in a chair. She looked nervously about her, her eyes darting all over the room. Suddenly, she felt a draft on her right.

“Minjong?” She whispered into the darkness, looking straight ahead. She was stiff with fear. She couldn’t bring herself to move.

In a second the draft was gone. Turning to her right, she saw and felt nothing.

“Minjong?” She called out again, tears springing up in her eyes, and a tightening in her throat threatening to choke her. She caught a glimpse of white before her, but like the draft, it went as suddenly as it came.

“Minjong, I miss you,” she squeaked, as a tear rolled down her cheek. “It’s been a year, and I don’t know how I’m going to live the rest of my life without you.”

A swirl of whites and greys formed from the darkness, hovering as it swirled, as if hesitating. Would it change into something, or was it all a figment of her imagination? After the loss of her twin brother, Hyemin felt that she could never be the same.

“We’re sixteen this year, Minjong,” Hyemin continued, not taking her eyes off the queer shape before her. “It’s our birthday today.”

The shape had seemed to make up its mind. Gradually, it changed to create the form of her dead brother. She tried hard not to cry out as she clapped a hand over her mouth. Tears fell from her eyes as he landed his feet on the floor and walked up to her. He had grown too; he was taller, and his babyish face was beginning to show some signs of masculinity.

“Hyemin, sister, I’ve missed you too,” he spoke. His voice was the same; giving off the same warm, comforting feeling. “I didn’t know that ghost children could grow too, did you?” He asked with a laugh, standing proudly with his hands on his hips. She could hardly think. Hardly breathe. Rushing forward, she hugged him tightly. He chuckled, hugging her back. He let go, but she refused to.

All of a sudden, she could feel his warmth slip away. It was leaving his body, like how it did when he died on that hospital bed after the car accident. She was frantic. “Minjong! Minjong!” She cried, looking up at him. A tear escaped from the corner of his eye.

“I’m sorry, I can’t stay,” he whispered, cupping her cheek with a cold, pale hand that did not feel any more solid than the wind. She found that she could no longer hold him. He was losing his shape, slowly fading into nothingness.

“I’ll always be with you, Hyemin,” he said, looking her straight in the eyes. “Always.”

And then, just like that, he was gone.

“Hyemin?”

Whirling around, she saw her mother at the doorway, watching her worriedly. “I heard you shouting, is something the matter?”

“I-it’s nothing,” she stammered in reply, “Probably just a… a squirrel.”

Her mother looked around and stifled a yawn. “It’s late. I know it’s your birthday, but you have school and it’s not a good idea to be up at this time.”

Hyemin nodded obediently as she shuffled behind her mother, back up the stairs to her room. As she climbed, she felt a rush of wind about her feet, making her move faster. She smiled.

“Always,” rang her brother’s voice in her head.

She smiled to herself and repeated his promise.

“Always.”

가지마 (Don't Go)

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:50:12 +0800

Original oneshot

Don’t leave, you can’t go
I won’t let you

He downed another glass, feeling the spirit burn its course down his throat. He could still remember the look in her eyes as she turned around and walked away. Without words, that was how their last meeting went. Her eyes had said it all. And that was the last he had ever seen of her. The burning sensation in his mouth and throat hurt, but they didn’t hurt enough to drown or even dull the pain he felt in his heart. It was like someone had ripped him apart from the inside. Indeed, he was nothing but helpless ragged shreds as he sat at the bar, sprawled on the table, barely even alive. He was deep inside of his own world, which had fallen apart. It was crashing down all around him. His mind could no longer function. It was like a broken record, replaying that scene over and over again until he could memorise every detail. He had had countless glasses by then, and the high concentration of alcohol was coursing through his veins. He no longer had any control of his physical self. Where was he? What was his name? His mind was numb. He knew nothing but the terrible pain in his chest and the fiery feeling in his throat. No matter how much he drank, he couldn’t make the former go away, nor could he run away from it.

Don’t lie to me, don’t turn away
Come back to me

He was lost. All he could see was her. Her eyes, then her back. Her, walking away. He didn’t see the bar emptying. The bartender packing up. The people around him shooting him pitiful glances. The owner sending furtive signals to his employees.

He felt himself being lifted up and brought out. The glass he had gripped so tightly in his hand was no longer there, and he felt a dull sting in his palm as his nails dug into his skin. His feet felt the ground and instinctively began to walk, even though his legs had no more strength in them. Once set down upon his own two feet, he found himself flat on the ground, arms and legs all over the place and a face full of gravel. He couldn’t move; not even to crawl forward or switch to a more comfortable position.

They left him there; face down on the rain-soaked ground, in the back alley. Next to the trash. Without lights. Helpless.

Rats were scurrying everywhere around him; he could feel their little whiskers tickling the side of his face. Then the rain decided to pour. He felt the heavy droplets fall on his back like a torrent of bullets from the sky. He welcomed the feeling, hoping it would wash the feelings away better than the alcohol. Of course, it couldn’t. It made him cold and gave him a terrible headache. His right arm also went numb from lying on it for so long. He had to remind himself to breathe. He couldn’t think.

Groaning, he tried to roll over to free his arm. He failed, and instead a horrible queasiness overcame him and he emptied his stomach onto the ground before him. Then everything went black.

Come back to me this once
No matter what I do, I can’t seem to let you go

Don’t leave, don’t go.

우리 (We)

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:53:14 +0800

Sungyeol/OC oneshot

“Eunjae… Jae-ya!” I yelled, running after her. School had just ended, and once we were dismissed, she had exited the classroom and was out of the school in a flash. She definitely heard me, because she started walking even faster. “Eunjae-ya, please!” I ran up to her and caught her by the shoulder. She stopped and turned to look at me. I saw in her eyes a look I had never seen before; it was a hodgepodge of feelings, like someone threw her heart into my mum’s cake mixer. I couldn’t read it.

“Jae-ya, please, can we talk?” I pleaded. My hand rested gently on her shoulder. It wouldn’t be right to cling onto her like I wanted to, right?

Without a word, she shook my hand off and walked away, and I stood there, watching her go.

We’ve known each other all our lives. I know all her strengths, her weaknesses, her dreams and her fears. I know when she’s lying and I know when she’s upset. I know her favourite colours; I know her favourite food. I know everything there is to know about her.

Why, then, couldn’t I figure out why she was acting this way?

When I came close, she avoided me. When I tried to get eye contact, she looked away. When I called her, she didn’t pick up. I was at the end of my tether, and it was making me lose sleep. Was it something I did? Argh, women are so frustrating.

That night my mind couldn’t stop thinking. When did it start? Or did she always hate me? I never was any good at detecting these things. But if you hated someone, you wouldn’t share your ice-cream with them or play games with them, right? I messed up my hair in frustration. I should have noticed it before it became like this. Everything has to start somewhere, right?

But what did I do?!

The next day was Saturday, and so I decided to try calling her again. It rang at least ten times, but just as I thought I’d have to give up, it was suddenly picked up. My heart skipped a beat as everything I had planned to say just escaped my mind.

“H-hello?” I stuttered, trying to regain my composure.

“Hello? Sungyeol-hyung?”

“Eh? Jaehyukie?” I was surprised to hear her younger brother on the line.

“Yeah, Sungyeol-hyung, Eunjae-noona…”

“Yes? What about her?” I asked desperately.

“Noona wants you to stop calling her.”

I was at a loss for words. How was I going to get this fixed? “Jaehyuk-ah, Jaehyuk?”

“Sorry, hyung, I have to hang up now.”

And he did.

I stared blankly at the phone screen and flopped onto my bed. What should I do? I quickly dialled another number.

“Hello~?” I was immediately greeted by the sweet voice and cringed.

“Woohyun-ah, it’s Sungyeol.”

“Tch, what is it, choding?” His player voice disappeared, and he sounded disappointed that it wasn’t one of his girlfriends calling.

“Eunjae is mad at me.”

“Aish, what did you do?”

“That’s exactly what I don’t know!!”

“Have you been ignoring her?”

“No.”

“Did you make fun of her?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary…”

“Dude, what are you doing, still making fun of girls?! You’re nineteen, nineteen!! This is why you don’t have a girlfriend,” he lectured. I could imagine him shaking his head.

“I don’t need one,” I retorted.

“Like you’re not totally head over heels for Eunjae already,” he scoffed in reply.

“Shut up!”

“Shut up? Okay, I won’t help you then~”

“Ahhh, wait wait!! Please, Woohyun-ah…”

He sighed. “Alright, alright. Have you tried talking to her?”

“She won’t talk to me. She won’t pick up my calls either. She even told her eight-year-old brother to pick it up for her to tell me to stop calling!” I cried in frustration.

“Did you text her?”

“She probably deleted them without reading.”

“Wow, what a problem you have. Why don’t I introduce you to some girls—”

“That’s not the point!!”

“Okay, chill,” he laughed. “Why don’t you write her a letter? Girls like letters. You can get her brother to deliver it or something.”

“What if she throws it away?”

“Don’t write your name… but I can’t guarantee that she won’t throw it away.”

“Got it, thanks.”

“No problem. Good luck!”

I put down the phone with my heart clinging onto my one and only remaining hope. A letter, eh? That shouldn’t be too hard… right?

I sat myself down at my desk with a pen and some brightly-coloured paper. How should I start it?

“To… Eunjae-ya,” I said out loud as I began to write. “Or should I address her correctly? Not many people call her that, right..?” I scrunched the paper into a ball and threw it away.

To: Jang Eunjae

Yes, perhaps that was better.

Eunjae… It’s okay if I call you Eunjae, right? I know that something has been bothering you recently…

Too much like stalker? I scrunched it up and threw that away too.

Eventually, after many attempts, I had something substantial. I held it up and read through it once more.

To: Jang Eunjae

Eunjae… something has been bothering you, right? Why are you always so angry? What made you angry? Was it that choding Lee Sungyeol? Ah, he’s an idiot, isn’t he? He deserves to die for making you so different. What happened to the always smiling Jang Eunjae? That Eunjae was the best. That Eunjae who likes strawberry ice-cream because it’s pink, that Eunjae who wants to be a world-renowned fashion designer. Are you still that same Eunjae? I hope so. There isn’t a thing in this world you can’t do! Anyway… it would be great if you could be your normal self again…

I miss you.

I folded it up out of embarrassment and quickly tied a string around it. Carefully placing it into my pocket, I headed out the door and down the street to her house. Luckily, Jaehyuk was playing outside with their pet dog.

“Jaehyuk-ah,” I called softly, so that I couldn’t by any chance be heard by Eunjae.

“Eh? Hyung?”

“Shhhh!!”

“Oh, what is it?” He asked, his voice lowered.

“Here, give this to Eunjae, okay? Don’t tell her who it’s from. Don’t say anything about me being here either, alright?”

“Okay, okay,” he said, taking the folded piece of pink paper. “High-schoolers are so weird.”

I thanked him and ran back home as fast as I could. It wouldn’t do to miss lunch.

Not even five minutes after I had left, I received a call. It was Eunjae! I picked it up gingerly.

“H-hi, Eunj—”

“Yah, Lee Sungyeol, did you think I wouldn’t be able to recognise your handwriting? I’m throwing this away. Stop trying to contact me!” I cringed, and had to hold the phone a slight distance from my ear as she shouted angrily.

“But Eu—”

“Leave me alone.”

Then she hung up.

I had no appetite after that. Telling my mother that I was going out with some friends for lunch, I left with just my wallet and my phone, wondering what I should do. Take a walk in the park? Sit on a bench? Visit the toy store?

I sighed. There wasn’t a place in this town that didn’t remind me of Eunjae. The streets, the nearby stores, even the trees… everything I could see had a memory with Eunjae. She was never out of my life.

Like you’re not totally head over heels for Eunjae already, Woohyun’s words suddenly came to mind.

Was I? I sat myself down on a bench along the side of the road, my thoughts already taking my mind far away from my body. Was it true, like in dramas, that the two best friends would fall for each other? Was that how it was supposed to happen? I started to confuse myself. Was I really in love? That, perhaps, was something Woohyun or anyone else could never tell me.

It was something I’d have to find out for myself.

Snapping back to reality, I casually looked around me. There were very few people around; probably because everyone was inside the cafés and restaurants, eating. I saw an old lady hobbling past, towards the supermarket; I saw a mother taking her two children to a fast food joint. Also walking right past was a couple happily in love.

I watched the couple curiously. Was that how people in love looked like? They looked like they were the best of friends, yet the way he looked at her and held her hand showed all the love and warmth he felt towards her. It should have been foreign to me, but strangely, I could relate.

If I could relate to how he felt, did that mean I loved Eunjae too?

Ah, how confusing.

I sat there on that bench for a long time, waiting for the right time to return home. It was a good thing the weather was nice and cool. I spent about half an hour daydreaming, and some people probably thought I was homeless or something. However, just then I spotted a familiar figure headed towards the supermarket. Eunjae! Not calling out her name this time, I ran up to her and caught her arm. She got a shock, but at least she couldn’t run away from me.

She tried shaking my hand off, but this time I held onto her tightly.

“Why won’t you leave me alone?” She asked, a scowl on her face. My heart dropped. I hated seeing her angry.

“Why won’t you talk to me?”

“What, did your girlfriend dump you already?” She spat.

I was stunned.

“What girlfriend?”

“Don’t pretend! I heard it from the girls at school! You have a girlfriend! You could have at least told me!”

“Eunjae, I—”

“Don’t talk to me!” She tried using her other hand to make me let go, but I caught it too.

“Listen,” I said firmly, holding both her wrists. “I do not have a girlfriend. I never did.”

“They saw you! They saw you with an unnie, and you walked her to the bus stop!” She protested, tears starting to form. Was I hurting her? I loosened my grip slightly and tried to think of what she was talking about.

Ah!

“That was my cousin!” I said, finally letting go of her wrists with a sigh. I gently cupped her face and wiped away her tears. “Why would you get so worked up over a rumour? It’s not like you, Eunjae.”

“D-don’t touch me,” she stubbornly insisted, pushing my hands away.

“Why are you so mad at me? What did I do wrong? Just tell me, I’ll put it right,” I begged, searching her eyes for an answer, but she broke the eye contact and stared off into the distance.

“Sungyeol, have you ever fallen in love?”

Her question caught me off-guard. How was I supposed to answer that? My recent thoughts weren’t of much help either.

“Maybe not fallen, but falling…?” I trailed off, wondering if I was right myself.

“Who is it? Tell me.” Her gaze returned to my eyes.

“Wait, why did you ask? Did you fall in love with some guy at school? It’s not Woohyun, right? That guy’s a player. I don’t want you to be hurt by him.”

“… Answer me first.”

“Well,” I began, scratching my head as I dreamily looked up into the sky. “She’s been there for me all my life. There isn’t a good memory I have that is without her. She loves the colour pink, and her passion is for the arts. She loves soft toys; especially dogs. But for some reason… she’s mad at me. I think she hates me, and I don’t even know why.” As I ended my sentence, I looked back at her. She avoided my eyes but seemed to be getting it.

“Why do you think she hates you?” She mumbled.

“I don’t know,” I answered with a shrug. “Do you have any suggestions? Oh, Woohyun offered to introduce me to some other girls, maybe I should take up the offe—”

“Don’t even think about it,” she said as she grabbed my shoulders and gave me a fierce glare. I laughed.

I finally understood.

“Why not?” I challenged, maintaining eye contact.

“Well… that…” She started to stumble over her words. Smirking, I leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She turned bright red.

“Ah, so it was like this the whole time? You were jealous?” I laughed. “And everyone calls me the choding.”

She hit me and we laughed like we used to.

We’ve known each other all our lives. I know everything there is to know about her. But I hope that we can know each other for the rest of our lives, so that I can not only know everything about her, but also do everything with her. Spending time together, creating memories – that’s what makes two people a “we”.

The Quiet Guy: Chapter 23

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:09:00 +0800

The park was huge. It being a Saturday morning, most of the people there were families with young children, and I thought the eight of us looked rather out of place.

I looked around us, taking in the surroundings. There was a water feature running through the whole park: a waterfall-style fountain at one end with a meandering, shin-deep “river” that ran from it to a gentle fountain where children could play. There was also a bicycle rental store, a playground, a snack store and the rest of the area was an open space to play and to fly kites.

“Yeah! Let’s have fun!” Woohyun cried.

We rode bicycles, had ice-cream, and played in the water. While playing in the water, the boys started to get rough, and they began jumping across the wide, flowing “river” and pushing the younger ones like Myungsoo and Sungjong into the water whenever they could. Hoya was pushed in a few times as well, and I laughed. Sungjong, being the youngest, was pushed in the most, and even when he put on his shoes and said he wasn’t going to play, Sunggyu pushed him in and he fell, getting all wet.

“Ahh! Hyungs!!!” He groaned, pulling a crying face. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him when all his hyungs did was laugh.

Hoya ended up being pushed in by Sungyeol, and he just sat in there, with the water nearly up to his chest. I stretched out my hand to help him out, but once he got hold of my hand, he suddenly pulled, and I fell in. I screamed, both in frustration and for fun, and he caught me, chuckling to himself. I got all wet too, and honestly I was glad I had decided to wear a dark-coloured T-shirt that day. I hit him, and he laughed.

“Yah, yah, we don’t need you two to be so lovey-dovey over there,” Woohyun called, leaping over us. Once his left foot landed on the other side, Hoya grabbed it, causing him to lose his balance and land in the water with a splash. Thankfully, he wasn’t hurt, and he laughed it off.

After playing for a long time, they started getting tired. Everyone had gotten soaked with the water, and I wondered if perhaps there was much less water in the fountain because of us. I was thankful we didn’t get into trouble for that.

There was a raised, sloping platform that resembled a concrete hill, for landscaping purposes, but we all lay on it in a row – Sunggyu, Woohyun, Myungsoo, Dongwoo, Sungyeol, Hoya, me and then Sungjong – to dry off in the sun. I chatted with Sungjong as the boys started to nod off one by one, and soon Sungjong did too. I sat back up, slowly stroking Hoya’s hair to get it out of his eyes. I smiled at his sleeping face, then looked out at all the other people around. Parents playing with their children, teaching them to ride a bike, or fly a kite – things I faintly remember doing with my own parents before I got old enough to take care of myself. A tear escaped my eye, and I quickly wiped it away, smiling at the little children who ran past. Staring off into the distance, I lost myself in my thoughts.

Sunggyu was the first to wake up, and he yawned loudly while stretching. My attention turned to him, and he looked around before looking at me.

“Oh, Sujeong-ah~” He laughed embarrassedly. “Did we all fall asleep?”

I nodded and laughed. “But we should head home soon. Should we wake them up?” I was already pretty much dry, but I was sure that the boys’ backs were not.

“Ah, yes. We’d better dry off.”

I immediately turned to Hoya and placed a kiss next to his eye, where he would feel it easily. Then, I poked Sungjong in his side and he woke up with a yowl. I laughed and ran over to Sunggyu’s side before either of them could see it was me. I busied myself with trying to wake up the sleeping log Dongwoo while they shouted at each other.

“Yah! Hoya-hyung! Did you poke me?!”

“I didn’t! Why would I poke you?!”

I giggled to myself as I poked Dongwoo. He didn’t even move.

“He won’t wake up like that,” Myungsoo said as he stretched. “Let me take care of it.”

“Sujeong-ah, can you resolve that, please?” Sunggyu asked as he pointed to Hoya and Sungjong. Sungjong had his arms folded, while Hoya simply scratched his head.

“Sungjongie~” I called, poking his side as I approached. He nearly screeched and jumped aside.

“Noona! It was you, wasn’t it?” He said with a pout. I laughed and turned to kiss Hoya’s cheek.

“Good morning, sunshines,” I teased, messing up Sungjong’s hair.

“Yah! Lee Sungjong! Why aren’t you mad at her too?”

“I can’t be mad at noona,” the maknae replied, sticking out his tongue.

“Why you little—!”

Eventually, they dried off and we were all headed home. Hoya and I walked home, while the rest took a bus. It was already about five, and the while the sun still shone brightly, the weather was slowly beginning to cool down. Because I hadn’t slept, I found myself getting sleepy on the way home.

“You look tired,” Hoya noted worriedly. “Will you fall sick?”

“No, no, I just couldn’t bring myself to sleep like that in the middle of nowhere.” I waved it off like it was nothing, but then I stumbled a little.

“Aish, come on,” he said, and without warning he stopped in front of me, with his back facing me. “Get on.”

I hesitated, but he insisted, and soon we were headed home with me on his back. Once home, he kissed me goodbye and told me to get some rest.

I took a shower and got changed, then I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling. It had been a fun day, and I finally got to see the fun-loving side of Infinite once more. Particularly, I had seen a different, playful side to the usually charismatic leader that day, and it made me realise that no matter what, we were all still growing up, and that sometimes the decisions we made, even the leaders’ decisions, could be either too ambitious or just not the right decisions. I decided there and then to be a better manager to the best of my ability, and with that, I fell peacefully asleep.

To Lie

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:25:00 +0800

Woohyun/OC oneshot - song-based

We can’t cross over
This cruel wall we’ve encountered
We must be separated
I’m telling bad lies
For your sake I’m telling lies

“Call me if you need anything,” I said, holding my hand to her face and caressing it for what would be the last time.

“You! Get away from my daughter! You dirty scoundrel!” I could hear her father shouting at me from his window.

Looking into her eyes one last time, I slipped away into the shadows, leaving her alone in the dimly-lit street. I hid, unseen, watching her try to find me in the darkness. Eventually, she gave up and went home. Once I was satisfied that she had reached home safely, I escaped into the dark winter night.

The darkness was my friend. I could see in the dark just as well as one could see when there is light. Navigating through the network of dark alleyways of the city, I made my way home.

It wasn’t that I hated the light. Where there is light, there is darkness; where there is darkness, there is light. One cannot be without the other. To have the darkness, there must be light. Shadows are not shadows if there is no light. To have the light, there must be the darkness. The light cannot be any brighter if there is no darkness to compare it to. And though they contradict each other, they coexist in this world.

She was the light. I was the darkness. We could coexist in each other’s worlds, but we could never be one.

And she could never be mine.

I only love you
Those feelings haven’t changed
We have our lovely memories
That we’ve piled up together but
Because we can’t spend tomorrow like we did today
I’m going to tell you a big lie

Ring

I stared at the phone. It was midnight. Why would anyone call this phone and not leave a message on my cell? I hesitantly moved over to pick up the receiver.

“Hello?”

“Woohyun?” It was her. I gulped quietly and took a deep breath.

“Yeah?” I tried to sound uninterested.

“Are you free right now? I’ve got some food for you.”

“I…” I closed my eyes and mentally kicked myself for wanting to say yes. “No, you can keep it.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

There was a brief silence. I decided to seize the opportunity to say the words I couldn’t bring myself to say to her face.

“I have something to tell you.”

“…What is it?” I could hear the worry in her voice. I felt my nose start to sting as a tear escaped my eye. I steadied my breathing and hardened my heart.

“I don’t love you.”

She didn’t answer.

“I never did. Your dad is right. I am a dirty scoundrel. But guess what, you can hate me all you like because I’m never going to change.” Lies, all lies! The voice in my head screamed. Take that back! Take it all back! She doesn’t deserve such pain!

“Well… you heard me. Don’t look for me anymore.”

And then I hung up.

Because you’re not thick-headed,
I say goodbye
I was sure that I’d be exposed right away
We have no choice, if we stay like this
We are falling down, and you say what

My tears just kept falling. I thought of her, sitting in her bedroom, alone, broken-hearted, crying her eyes out. I thought of her, probably in her own world of misery. I thought of her, perhaps wondering if it was something she had done. I wanted to call her, to tell her I didn’t mean any of it, that I loved her and that she was perfect. But I couldn’t. It was better that she fell and rose again stronger, than to be in a hopeless situation like ours. I wanted her to find a man she could spend the rest of her life with, happy and free. I didn’t want her to spend each day worrying that we might be seen together. I didn’t want her to have to hide her beautiful face in the darkness. Most of all, I didn’t want her to have to suffer an unhappy life because of me.

She’d find a great man for her, and move on.

I took my cell phone and deleted every photo, every text message, and finally, with much hesitation, her contact.

I’m burdened with a crime
Tell me all, inside my heart
That I want to resolve
To Lie

I couldn’t sleep that night. Whenever I closed my eyes, I saw hers. Her deep, brown eyes that always looked at me as if I was the light in her life. I couldn’t stop my mind from thinking back to my memories with her. She lit up my life like the light she was. A bright, shining beauty who deserved better than the darkness.

It made my heart ache to think that I had once sworn never to hurt her. To protect her from anything.

I felt like a failure.

Right now, your eyes
Are staring at me in this moment
Don’t cry, don’t cry, come on
You get hurt from my lies, you baby
When did I do that? Yeah, and then I kissed you, oh

Her eyes were shining as they looked at me, but they were shining with tears. Sorrow washed over me as I watched her cry. I reached out my hand and caressed her cheek.

“I love you,” I whispered, leaning in to give her a kiss.

I woke up to the buzzing of my cell phone on the bedside table. Picking it up, I saw a single message from her. Sure, I had deleted her contact in my phone, but that didn’t mean that I hadn’t memorised her number.

Will you at least tell me why? It said.

I deleted the text and threw my cell phone away, not caring where it landed. It made a terrible sound as it came in contact with the concrete floor. I sat on the edge of the bed, massaging my temples. Nam Woohyun, you are a terrible person.

I proceeded to rummage through my tiny apartment for anything that would remind me of her. The gifts she had gotten me for my birthday, for Christmas, or just because… I tried not to take a second look at them as I put them all away. Even if it was the only clock in the entire house. Even if it was the most comfortable pair of gloves I owned. If I looked at it and thought of her, I packed it up in the box. I was going to start afresh, and hopefully she was too.

I packed whatever that was left of my belongings in a backpack, and I carried both down to the lobby. The old landlord was already awake, and I greeted him politely.

“You’re going somewhere?” He asked, pointing to my backpack.

“I’ve decided to move,” I explained.

“Oh? Did you finally marry your girl?” He asked with a grin.

I forced a painful laugh. “No, no.”

“Well then, you’ve already paid your rent for this month, are you sure you don’t want to stay till the month ends?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” I said as I returned to him the keys to the apartment. “Please have a good day, sir.”

I bowed and left before he could say anything else.

I’m burdened with a crime
Tell me all, inside my heart
That I want to resolve

After dumping the box near some caravan parking site, hoping someone would be lucky enough to come across it, I adjusted my scarf and quickly walked the few miles to the train station. I didn’t have much money, but I hoped I would at least scrape a living in the next town.

Looking up to the sky, I mumbled, “Mum, dad, please watch over your foolish son.”

To lie, I shall sing it for you through the night
To lie, I shall be turning on the broken light…

Bittersweet

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:51:00 +0800

Myungsoo/OC oneshot

I hate you and your childish ways

I hate how you giggle at everything

I hate how you act before you think

I hate how you’re so talkative

Your smile, it’s infatuating

Your laughter, it’s infectious

Your eyes, shining so brightly

They’re a burden to look at.

But most of all, I hate you for making my heart flutter.

“Myungsoo-oppa, did you know that when winter comes, all the animals are already prepared?”

“Of course, and so are you.”

“But we have a calendar, and they don’t. Or do they?”

“No, of course they don’t.”

“Then how do they know?”

“The days get colder.”

I sighed. When would her questions stop? They didn’t even make sense. She was just like a three-year-old child in a seventeen-year-old body.

We were sitting in our old treehouse, built in the enormous tree between our two houses. It was just the beginning of winter, and the spacious treehouse felt slightly smaller because we were wearing thicker clothes. I was leaning against a wall, my legs stretched out before me. She sat beside me, cross-legged, playing with her hair as we talked. We’d been friends since she moved here when I was seven – that was twelve years ago. She grew up beautifully, but her mindset never seemed to change. She was an innocent girl, sometimes so innocent that my patience wore thin.

“Ah, it’s getting dark already.” She stuck her head out the glass-less window, watching the sun move behind the city skyline.

“Let’s go back, then.” I sat up and stretched a little. The treehouse was low and wide, so I stretched my arms outwards instead of upwards. The ceiling was so low that if you stood, you’d have to bend double. “Dinner’s at your place tonight, right?”

“Yep,” she said, getting up from her seated position and hitting her head on the ceiling. I cringed.

“Ouch…” she rubbed her head.

“Aish, did you forget that we have to crawl out?”

She giggled. “Oops.”

I sat her back down and climbed out before her to make sure she didn’t fall while trying to get down. Once she was safely on the ground, I lightly rubbed the sore spot on her head before we retreated to her house as darkness started to fall.

Our room windows were within a metre or two of each other. If I wanted to, I could climb over, but of course, I never did. That night was cold, so I sat by the closed window and wrote messages on paper, held up towards the window for her to read. She did the same to reply. Sometimes, she wanted to write so much that the words were squashed together on the paper and became too difficult to read. I’d laugh and write, “Too many words.” She’d giggle again, her gummy smile showing and her eyes forming a crescent shape so perfect that I always wondered how they could be real.

The next day, we went to the shopping district to help our mothers buy groceries.

“If you want, I can do it all. There’s not much to buy anyway,” I offered, noticing that she was busy admiring all the trinkets and little things that the shops were selling.

“Really?”

I was disappointed that she’d take up the offer, but I nodded.

“Haha no, I’ll go with you.” She stuck out her tongue. “You won’t get rid of me that easily.”

I smiled and stuck out my tongue back at her.

We walked along the street, and I examined the shopping list. Flour, sugar, and milk. I scoffed. What a short list.

Taking out my phone, I dialled a familiar number.

“Dongwoo-hyung, could you do me a favour?”

“… I think I know what it is.”

“Flour, sugar, and milk - double. Delivery. Can you manage that? I’ll return the money to you tomorrow.”

“Why do I always have to do this for you?”

“It’s for a very good reason this time, okay? I’m not being lazy.”

“Fine, see you later.”

I hung up and turned to her. “Hey, wanna go shopping?”

“Huh?” She asked, but didn’t even take her eyes off the toys in a display window.

I sighed and dragged her into the store.

Once she stepped in, she looked around the humbly decorated place in amazement. “Wow, it’s so pretty!”

I smiled as I followed her around the shop. She was amused by the littlest things, and every few minutes she’d find something she liked, show it to me, then put it back down. We visited different places, from gift shops to boutiques. We never spent too long in one shop, and soon it was she who dragged me from one to the next.

“Wait here, alright? I’ll be right back,” I said as she admired yet another trinket.

“Where-”

“I need to go to the toilet,” I lied.

I left the store and wandered up the street in search of one of the other stores we had visited earlier. Aish, which one was it?

Finally, I found the store I was looking for. There was a beautiful bracelet on display; simple, but beautiful. It was made up of baby pink and blue painted squares, linked together by plain metal ones. There was a single charm on it, in the shape of a heart. She had seemed to like it very much, and when she showed it to me her eyes were smiling.

I bought the bracelet, and got the cashier to place it in a decorative gift bag for me. Keeping it in my jacket pocket, I returned to where I had left her.

“There you are,” she said, relieved and somewhat impatient.

“Sorry,” I said scratching my head as I tried to hide a smile.

“Oh! The groceries!” She exclaimed, suddenly remembering.

I laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ve already taken care of it.”

We entered yet another gift shop (there were always so many when Christmas neared) and I could see that her enthusiasm was wearing out. “Oppa, are you tired of this?” She asked me, as she put down another of those little toys that were merely for decorative purposes.

“You’re bored already, aren’t you?”

“Well…” she laughed. “Yeah.”

“Want to have some hot chocolate?”

“Okay!” She answered excitedly, clapping her hands together.

We left the shop, and it was much colder. The sun had gone behind some clouds, and looking up, I saw that it was probably going to snow. She blew on her hands, trying to keep warm. I hesitated a moment before taking her hand in mine. My hands were always pretty warm, so I held onto her hand as we walked towards the café. I felt my face burn up, and quickly used my other hand to fix my scarf so that she couldn’t see. I held her hand gently yet firmly, and I felt her slowly wrapping her fingers around mine.

We arrived at the café, and after finding a seat, I told her to stay seated as I went to buy us our drinks.

“Good morning, what can I get you?”

“Two hot chocolates, please.”

I returned to our seat with our drinks.

“3,500 won, right?” She asked, taking out her wallet.

“Nah, don’t bother.” I sat down and gently pushed the cup towards her. “My treat.”

We sipped our hot chocolates in a comfortable yet slightly awkward silence. She wasn’t usually this quiet. I copied her posture, leaning forward and resting my elbows on the table, keeping my eyes on her. Our faces were close, but not too close. Normally, if our faces were close, she’d push me away, or start a staring contest, but this time she didn’t move. Our eyes met, but she looked away, taking another sip. I smiled.

“Why? Not up for a staring contest?”

She laughed a little.

I finished up my drink and set it down. “I have something to show you.”

“What is it?” She asked, setting down her cup as well as she looked at me with curious eyes.

I took the little gift bag out from my jacket pocket and placed it on the table, sliding it over to her. She picked it up gently, and I couldn’t help but grin as I felt the excitement in me build up. Her reaction when she opened it was priceless.

“Oh!!” She cried, admiring the bracelet. She was beaming. “When did you buy this?”

“I lied, I didn’t actually go to the toilet,” I answered, laughing embarrassedly. “Sorry.”

She really was like a child, so delighted by the surprise. She thanked me, her crescent-shaped eyes gleaming as she put it on immediately.

“Finish up your hot chocolate, we’re going somewhere.”

She quickly obeyed and soon, we were out on the street again.

“Where are we going?”

“Secret.”

She pouted and folded her arms. I laughed.

“So where are we going?”

“Secret.”

“You really won’t tell me? Tell me-e!” She said, shaking my arm.

“Secret~” I winked, catching hold of her arm and holding her hand. My heart was pounding in my ears, and I hoped I didn’t look as nervous as I felt.

Honestly, I hadn’t planned everything out. The errand that morning, and her interest in the shops just gave me the opportunity and the idea to spend the day with her. I was following my gut half the time, and so far she seemed to be enjoying it.

It wasn’t cold enough to go ice skating yet, and she was already cold so something indoors would be good. Just then, I spotted a pet shop up ahead. “Detour,” I said to her, pointing at the sign. I saw her eyes light up.

The pet shop had several puppies, and she was delighted. We squatted down before the pen, and the puppies came tumbling over to us. She giggled.

“Hey puppy, what are you thinking?” I whispered, looking into the eyes of a golden-coloured one. It was calmer than the other puppies and had deep brown eyes that seemed to contain a lot of thought. It looked back at me, and we had a mini staring contest before the other excited puppies pushed it away.

“They’re so cute,” she mumbled, allowing one to sniff her finger.

I watched her play with them for a while before getting up. Looking outside, I saw that the snow was beginning to fall. Taking off my scarf, I put it around her neck instead. “Shall we go?” I asked, and as we left I placed an arm around her shoulders to keep her close to me, sharing the warmth.

As we approached a corner, I could hear music being played. There was a guitarist, standing in the shelter and performing, just like that. He was playing a song that sounded familiar. Suddenly, I had an idea.

Letting go of her shoulders, I went right up to the guitarist and whispered in his ear, hoping she couldn’t hear. The guitarist nodded, and started playing the song. I smiled and turned to face her, holding her hands gently. Taking a deep breath, I sang for her.

“골목길을 돌아 들어가면When you make a turn in the alley and enter
혹시라도 그 애가 나타나That kid might come out
다시 또 놀래킬지 몰라요and surprise you
I can fly & fly again

까만 밤에 하얗게 빛나던You who was glowing white in the dark night
흰 눈 속에 유난히 빛나던And sparkled in the white snow
어쩌면 난 어쩌면 난 아직도 널Maybe I, maybe I still

사랑해Love you
흩날리는 바램을, 예 The fluttering wishes, yeah
못 전해진 고백을, 예 The confession that I never made, yeah
하얀 눈과 함께 찾아가서 I will visit with the white snow and tell you

말할게, 예 I will tell you, yeah
니 눈 보고 말할게, 예 While looking into your eyes, I will tell you, yeah
내게 남은 사랑을, 예 The love that remains in me, yeah
이제라도 네게 건네고 싶어 I want to give it to you now”

I sang my best, and though it was admittedly a rather impulsive move, I didn’t regret it. I made her blush, and smile, and I saw her crescent-shaped eyes once more.

“I love you,” I said, moving closer to her until our foreheads touched. “Will you be mine?”

Oh, you and your childish ways

When you giggle, it makes me smile

Even if you don’t think, your mistakes are cute

You talk so much, but it keeps me company

Your smile, it’s infatuating

Your laughter, it’s infectious

Your eyes, shining so brightly

They light up my world.

I think I’ve fallen in love.

You & I: Chapter 4 (Final)

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:00:43 +0800

He hadn’t changed at all since leaving for America. After spending more time together, she was both relieved and vexed to know that he was the same boy she’d known nearly all her life.

“Mihyun-ah,” he said, tapping her shoulder.

She turned, and her cheek was poked by his finger.

“Hahahaha! You fell for it again~” He danced around with glee, and she huffed impatiently with her hands on her hips.

“Oppa! This is already the fourth time!”

“And you still fell for it!”

“Aish, why are you like this?” She sat down on the edge of her bed.

“Hm… what do you want me to be like?” He asked, walking up to her.

I want you to love me back, she wanted to say.

“… Never mind.” She looked away.

“No, tell me, Mihyun, what do you want?” He gently held her chin and made her face him, looking into her eyes. She avoided his gaze. What should she say? The truth? No, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

I’m afraid my heart will be revealed in between my hands
My heart is overwhelmed, it’s sad

“You’re hiding something, Mihyun. Don’t hide anything from me.”

She softly pushed his hand away and shook her head, her gaze stuck to the floor. He knelt before her so that he could look up into her eyes. They had a staring contest as he came closer, and closer, then even closer still. He kissed her on the lips, a long, gentle kiss.

The times that I first peeped at
You and I, we were together
I like you, who plays with me
If I ask you, you like me too