Chapter 6.2

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With a handbag right on a shoulder and still wearing her business work suit, Seo Hyun took a heel, heading to the room she regularly visited recently. Her steps in a firm way, gaze spotted straight forwards, as she always kept taking a nod by the maids she bumped on the way. Jung family’s house was another familiar place for her, almost like a second home, by her routine visits towards the head of this family. The sick one, Mr. Jung.

She opened up the doorleaf and took exactly just two steps before her eyes spotted someone right on there. Not laying unconsciously, but sitting upright on the chair beside the bed, eyes shutting with no clue of real sleep or just a nap. It was Jung Yong Hwa. His face was right on her direction.

She managed to go back by skulking a little slowly, but a voice turned to break her plan.

“Seo Joo Hyun.”

Caught. Seo Hyun turned around and to her right guess, she saw Yong Hwa stared at her, full of focus. Oh, so he just takes a nap.. or pretends to take a nap.

“Sit down.” Yong Hwa gestured her to take a seat accrosed his, and seeing her hesitancy to even go near him, he kept the glare right onto the inner side of her eyes. It was Yong Hwa’s knack: conquering over someone, at least, over her. So she walked slowly to approach him in reluctence. “I know what you did, Seo Joo Hyun, your routine visits, how you get here—“

“Mianhe.” She cut off, receiving all the blame she knew she deserved it. Right. She understood by the every conscience voicing through her heart, all. Doing these good things by helping Mr. Jung to regain consciousness, on the other side, produced a bad impact upon his real son. Not letting Yong Hwa to know her comings, it was okay if now he’s mad at her. I’m interfering you. Oh, not only you, Jung Yong Hwa, but also you father. It’s okay. Just say everything you want to spat out. “I’m wrong by coming here without a notification. To you.”

“You’re my brother’s guest in this matter.” He exclaimed, gaining a snap from her, “So you have my family permission to take these visits.”

“N-ne?”

Yong Hwa inhaled, suddenly getting nervous. He raised his hand and landed fingers on his lips, thinking of something. A wary gesture was being caught by her, and no voice being muttered from him. He faced her up after split seconds, “What—“ He stopped, trying to collect energy, “What were you doing to my father? Can you—“ He swallowed, convincing self to continue the hard words he was struggling to utter, and finally sentenced in a fast tone, “Seo Joo Hyun, can you teach me your method? By making my father better?”

“Method?” She was blanked at first, and then bursted out in a small laughter, “Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. I did nothing, really.”

“I was going crazy by all of this matter. You, no one, unknown person, brought my father onto this very good level. Teach me. Every step. One by one.” Yong Hwa emphasized, a hope sparked in his eyes. Seo Hyun felt a tickle touched her heart as he downplayed himself onto this level: begging her.

Seo Hyun then looked at him, she knew he was in a difficult position all this time. “Look, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.” She began to intently stab a deep gaze on him, “Your father needs nothing except love. Your love. And voice, your voice. And the most important thing, you. Yourself. And by barely not hearing your voice over your escape for seven years? It was damn hard for him. He maybe just laid there, unresponsive physically, but we know he hears voice.” She paused, took everything out, “He loves everything on you. Music, indeed, is included, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi.”

Yong Hwa shaked. She knew he was trembled by every word she just said upon his father.

He was so fragile on this way.

She then brought out her iPod, scanning through the screen, turning on the speaker, and a piano melody then rang into the air. A song vibrated to fulfil the room by the line of notes suddenly appeared inside his head. This song. He shivered. Her song by his correction and addition in it.

Their song.

“I played this song every second I got here to visit. Non-stop.” Seo Hyun excluded, then crossing a flash smile, “He likes it, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. Your father likes it.” And by that time, Seo Hyun saw a gentle crystal glimmered on his eyes. Yong Hwa turned his head, avoiding her gaze by looking away at his father, restraining a water b slightly on his corner eyes.

For the first time in her life, she felt the sudden urge to hug him under her console.

“Try it.”

She then offered her iPod, and for her surprise, Yong Hwa hold his hands out, receiving. She then contendedly got off from her seat and reached him, plugging the earphone onto his one ear, then Mr. Jung to another one. She smiled at him after the position was already fixed, “Better, right?” Needless for his response, she let the song being played for some moments.

Seo Hyun savoured every moment this rude boy dealing with her father in a blend of music. Yunho was right, Mr. Jung was everything for this Jung Yong Hwa. A boy whose life depended on his father, and was willing to chase every possible things to get his father back into normal condition.

“Gomawo.” A hoarse voice cracked up in a restrained tone, breaking the silence surrounded. When she looked at the source, she saw Yong Hwa glanced up at her, hissing, with a crystal stain in his eyes, “Gomawo, Seo Joo Hyun. Gomawo.”

She couldn’t help to resist but getting him by arms, pulling him under her embrace. Her small hands finally cupped his whole body which was oddly, not giving any offensive reaction. She poked her back lightly by sending a small reassurance. And she knew precisely, that Yong Hwa was letting out everything under a silent cry.

*&^%$#@

 

Seo Hyun loved evening, children, and Melody Orphanage.

She loved staying with kids after the end of music class, helping them doing homeworks, teaching some school materials, or taking a dinner together. Her mother always told her to always hug and care for them like her own siblings. And it became her habit to often spend time here whenever she had done for works, except her jobs occasionally not giving her some spare time.

Beside, she somehow felt being alone.

It was seven years after her mother’s death. The sadness of being left always crawled whenever she yearned for her mother, and of course, her twin, Seo Jong Hyun whom last time she saw was trying to rob her bag right before Yong Hwa literally broke his leg to safe her. Jong Hyun was a total jerk for her, wandering around without real destination, spending money altogether for uncertain motives, then backed home if he felt tired after those no use activities. No job, no income. He behaved in that way for two years, leaving home and barely backed. And Seo Hyun didn’t mind his presence anymore. It was up to Jong Hyun, to be a good voyager or just to be a vagabond, to do work or just lay on the street, she didn’t care.

But soul reached limitation sometimes. Her conscience tapped her, telling them how much she missed Seo Jong Hyun, from the worst he was.

She was performing a small guitar Twinkle-twinkle Little Star for Min Hyuk and it was another cast of a bliss evening for her. She felt a soft joy creeped up whenever she saw this boy clapped for her playing in amazement, though she did some mistake strumming in. She shifted her gaze and found Yunho sat in front them with Hara next to him. The three of them put a full of attention upon her simple playing.

She smiled.

Some moments ago, she was surprised enough to see Hara coming along with Yunho, while the director just said seriously, “Hara should know how kids in orphanage manage self. She should be introduced about how blessed his condition up for now compared to the kids here.” He stated.

And Jung Family should have been grateful with that kind of gentleman director.

Standing ovation exploded outloud after the last note she plucked, Min Hyuk then run to hug her, “Thank you, Noona! You’re the best!”

She was nothing but hugging back, “Thank you, dear boy. Here, I keep my promise to play a guitar for you. You like it?”

“Ne!”

“Want to learn guitar?”

“Ne!”

“Good boy,” She brushed Min Hyuk’s head off, then went down to the same level as him, “I’ll teach you next week.”

“Really?” Min Hyuk squealed in excitement, “Gomawoyo, Noona!”

She crossed a wide satisfied smile. Then glancing at Yunho, she found a raising thumb from her boss.

“Seo Hyun Unnie, how can you be that talented?” Hara schreechied in her shrill voice.

“By learning, Hara-yah. Practice and practice. And not skipping class.”

“Listen to that.” Yunho echoed, adding the small teasing allusion. “Not skipping class. Not escaping your lesson. And do the class earnestly.”

Then the girl pouted upon the adults’ rattle.

Seo Hyun laughed by Hara’s changing expression. “Aigoo, my another dear student is getting mad here.” She consoled, than backed to them, “Want to have a dinner? I’ll bring some to us.” Then she got off.

It was the exact time when she raised her head to start steps before discovering someone stood after her. Yong Hwa just emerged from the corridor right to the terrace they had been gathered.

“Yong Hwa Hyung!” Min Hyuk was the first to response. He cheerfully darted to him and requested for a friend hug.

Yong Hwa reacted dearily, “Hello, Boy.”

Yunho turned around before catching his brother, “Oh, you’re here, too.” There was a strange plain tone on his marks.

The Dongaeng shifted the glance to meet Yunho up, getting a bit surprised, “Oh. Hyung. And Hara.”

“Yong Hwa Oppa!” Hara yelled in surprise.

“Why are you here?” 

“I’m often here. Visiting, Hyung.” Yong Hwa answered briskly.

“Yes, Yong Hwa Hyung is my friend!” Min Hyuk added.

There was a split second to buildup the awkward moment between the brothers. A slight rub under Yunho's chest.

 “Okay, I’m taking the dinner now.” Seo Hyun broke in, taking steps forward.

“I’m with you.” Yunho leaned on toes in reflex.

“What? No!” She refused, never dared to let her boss do this job. Even though Yunho stated himself to always consider him as a friend since the first time, she couldn’t bear it. Boss is a boss.

“No need, Yunho-ssi, thank you. I’ll just take the dinner from the kitchen near here and back for less than 10 minutes.”

“You need more than one tray, I guess.” Yong Hwa chimed in, “I’ll go to the kitchen now.” Then he spun around, walking slowly to the direction where the kitchen was located.

And Seo Hyun chased after him, “Wait, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi!” And finally both of them walked side by side and exchanging talk on the way. Yunho couldn’t help it but feeling dissappointed.

*&^%$#@

 

Five of them gathered on floor table, eating dinner.

“What’s that?” Min Hyuk Hara’s tab, getting so curious upon the colourful animation and games spread on the screen.

“Angry Birds.” Hara answered without glancing at Min Hyuk. She continued tapping and dragging the touch screen, ignoring.

“What’s Angry Birds?” Min Hyuk asked cluelessly.

Hara rolled her eyes, getting annoyed. “It’s a game. Where have you been?”

“Hara-yah.” Yunho broke in, “Don’t be like that. And eat up your dinner.”

She paused the game and peeked her bowl, then frowned in rejection, “What’s this? Vegetables? I hate vegetables!”

“Hara-yah.”

“Shiro!”

“You should eat dinner, otherwise you maybe sick later. Come on. Eat up.”

“I prefer hamburger on the way home.”

Yunho sighed. It was hard to deal with this youngest kid. Stubborn and was so much spoiled.

Yong Hwa took a turn, “Jung Hara. You learn from school, right? What’s the benefit of eating vegetables?”

She paused, “I don’t remember. I don’t know, Oppa.” She looked like want to escape from this question.

“You know. Look up on google. Use your tab.”

And now the girl had nothing to defend over. She reluctantly search on google, and opened one of the web page.

“Read it out.”

She pouted, and just followed Yong Hwa’s command, “.. vitamin and mineral source, natural food, healthy food. And prevent us from cancer.” Then she stopped, returned to her Oppa, “What is cancer?”

“A disease. And somehow it causes fatal impact.” Yong Hwa answered.

“Like death?”

“Like death.”

Yong Hwa knew Hara’s silent mean she started to think of this matter. This youngest girl had learned enough upon their father condition: how a human could become a real sick, being unconscious for years, and being half-dead all over this time. It gave a big impact on a young girl like Jung Hara.

And for Yong Hwa, either making a little girl scared, he preferred to let her find the truth by herself.

It needed one minute before Hara incredulously picked her chopsticks, “I’ll eat.” Then began to chew the food. “I want to be healthy.”

Seo Hyun praised her in surprise, “Wah, good girl. It’s delicious, right?” She caught Hara was nodding after one chewing, then shifted her gaze to a young boy who ate in gluttenous way right after her. “Look, Min Hyuk is almost done! Come on, Hara-yah. Eat up eat up.”

“Finish!” Min Hyuk put the bowl on the tabe in satisfication.

Yong Hwa rubbed that boy’s hair, also gesturing an endearing praise. And some minutes after that, Hara finally finished eating, she exclaimed in a proud tone, “Done!”

Yong Hwa suddenly reached her then lift her up, carrying the youngest girl on piggyback. 

“Oppa!” Hara bursted of laughter by this. "What are you doing?!"

“Promise me to eat vegetables.”

“Anniyo!”

“Then Oppa won’t let you down.”

Hara exploded, “Put me down, Oppaaa!”

“Answer ‘yes’.”

“Yes!”

Instead of keeping up the promise, Yong Hwa did small run all over the room, carrying Hara on his back. The youngest girl kept to squeal contendedly, felt like flying. Min Hyuk then got off and chased after them. They run in a circle inside the room.

Everyone laughed, except Yunho who just smiled on his seat. He sensed Yong Hwa was so much happier recently, a half of his burdens evaporated, went away. His relationship with Hara was not this closer due to his leaving for seven years, but it was about brother and sister as it may. Yunho himself was relief, for everything his brother finally regained the life back.

And for Seo Hyun, this was the first time she saw a joyful Yong Hwa, laughing over with children, raising up cheeks bursting and smiled widely. He’s no longer in a grim, sorrowful cloud. He is alive. He is different. And he looks more handsome under those laughters. Her heart skipped a beat. Wait. Handsome?

That dinner session ended after Yong Hwa, Hara, and Min Hyuk sat down back in tiredness.

They shifted into a studying time by doing homeworks, and Seo Hyun helped the kids. It took around one hour before finally Hara went asleep, and so did Min Hyuk. It was ten and Yunho recognized the time to go back.

She hold Hara arm by arm then said the gratitude to Seo Hyun, “Thank you, Seo Hyun-ssi. We have a great time here.”

“You’re welcome, come visit us when you have time.” Then she rubbed Hara’s cheek, “Have a nice sleep, Dear.”

“Thank you, Unnie.” Hara nodded, then looked up to Yunho in a hopeful voice, “Oppa, I’m so sleepy.”

“Do you want us to take you home?” Yunho offered.

Seo Hyun then refused politely, “Ah, thank you, but no. It’s okay. My home is just near, walking on foot will do. And Jung Yong Hwa-ssi can accompany me along.”

“Oh. I know.” Yunho understood then he caught Yong Hwa was trying to carry a sleepy Min Hyuk on piggyback, ready to take the young boy onto his bed. “We go home, Yong Hwa.” He announced.

“Be careful, Hyung. See you soon.”

“Bye.” And he waved a goodbye sign, then with Hara, walked away.

After their leaving, Seo Hyun and Yong Hwa took Min Hyuk to his bed before heading to home. On the way Min Hyuk’s bedroom, Seo Hyun bothered to ask something, “I start to teach Min Hyuk a guitar, next week. Do you want to come?” She then quickly added, careful by Yong Hwa’s reaction, “It’s all out of my intention to get you back on music, Jung Yong Hwa-ssi. I just—“

“I’ll come.”

“Ne?”

“For Min Hyuk, I’ll come.”

She agaped in disbelief. “Really?” What’s this? Indirect action on a coming back sense?

Gaining a nod from Yong Hwa, Seo Hyun yelled in a full of excitement. One level up to reach her true goal: Yong Hwa produced positive response!

“Thank you so much, Yong Hwa-ssi!”

“Sssst.” Yong Hwa broke, “Min Hyuk is sleeping.”

She lowered down her voice into a whisper, repeated, “Thank you.”

Yong Hwa’s lips tugged into a little small, she swore she caught it. A warm one.

After he laid Min Hyuk on a bed, they traced along the corridor to reach the exit door. It was the exact time when a hard rain suddenly brushed over the land, falling fown hardly from the sky. They stood side by side on the terrace, right after the orphanage gate.

Seo Hyun dazed for a moment, cursing self she did not bring any umbrella. How can this happen? She shook her head while Yong Hwa asked her how if she brought one, and that guy produced a frustrated laughter.

“Great, so I guess we shall stay here until tomorrow.” Yong Hwa commented.

Something flashed under a sudden fun idea of her.

She then pushed Yong Hwa over the terrace, letting him down being showered under the rain. Seo Hyun exploded into a long jest.

“Yah—“ Yong Hwa protested, getting all soaked, “Seo Joo Hyun!” And he returned to send an attack reply, he grabbed her by wrist then pulled her closer to him.

“Andwee!”

But Yong Hwa’s strength was no joke. It was easy to draw her. Needless for one minute, both of them already stood up under the sky, getting all wet just by one splash. Night was dark, eeing enveloped by the rage water, rain dropping roughly. Yong Hwa then let out a snicker in satisfication. Seo Hyun’s fringe fell covering some part of her face, she shifted it backwards then joined him into a hard laughter.

“You’re impossible, Jung Yong Hwa!”

Hard rain was so precious to be skipped. Everytime the splash bathed them, it felt like all the problem they just faced then waved away. Cold but so damn relaxing. It’s been many years since childhood passed through the run time, and Seo Hyun did not remember when the last time she was drenched over the rampage rain.     

They run and walked along the trace to the home. Yong Hwa was one who was getting more excited, looked like a little boy playing under the crazy rain and enjoying the water dampened every inch of his body. He took a dart, then swooped in, kicked the water slick on the road, then laughed again.

“You seem like this is your first experience being under the rain.” Seo Hyun screamed at him, voice almost faded by the rain sound.

“It is!” Yong Hwa yelled out, “This is my first time, Seo Joo Hyun!”

Then she ran after him, bouncing her pace while both palms looked up the sky, catching up the fallen water.

“Crap, this is so hell fun.”

She heard Yong Hwa mumbled for himself after she approached him, then instead, she throw a splash of water on his face before breaking into a long satisfied guffaw. Yong Hwa snapped in surprise before reflexively took a reply, but Seo Hyun ran away first. He snickered out loud while chased after her.

“Yah! Seo Joo Hyun, come here!”

And that’s what they spent the time for a blissful fifteen minutes before stepping into apartment building. It was rain and under the night sky. They did have battle nowadays, but who cares?

*&^%$#@

 

She reached her room while Yong Hwa tried to swung his own door.

Finally stepping in, she then tried to turn on the lamp, but found it failed. She made some attempts to flipped the electric switch for about five times, but found no change. She run to the sink nearby while the darkness engulfed her, but also discover there was no water flowing. She backed to the electric switch, pressing it again, but all the result was the same.

“Seo Joo Hyun!” She heard Yong Hwa called for her from her doorway. “Come. Quick!”

She approached him while rattling, “There’s a severe blackout in my room and I don’t even—“

“Look.” Yong Hwa showed her a red card from her post box, and then together they read the message with an official printed letters. It was from the apartment management.

Ms. Seo Joo Hyun,

Due to the delay of three months rent payment, we will close your access into room number 391 by tomorrow. We already gave you a compensation month and it now reached the limit. You have two weeks more to accomplish the payment and stand for the room back, or else we apologetically sorry for your drawing upon your ownership. We are sorry once again for this unpleasant news. 

Best Regards.

She perceived the world had been cracked for her.

 

 

 

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will post the next chapter soon. mianhe. LJ is available of these new parts ^___^