Chapter XI

It’s Going To Be Okay

January 10, 2007

Christmas vacation finally ended and students poured inside the Busan International Academy for the start of the new semester. Eun Hye, Kyuhyun, Eunhyuk, and Henry sat on the school’s court yard as lunch time rolled by. Henry, acting too cute for his own good was rolling around the freshly cut grass.

“This is fun!” Henry kept on rolling as and rolling.

“Hey, Henry, want to buy some ice cream?” Eunhyuk chuckled as he stood up and brushed himself.

“Sure!” the youngest of them exclaimed before joining Eunhyuk and they went to the cafeteria.

Eun Hye sighed heavily. “Kyu, do you think I should tell my brother that I know about you and him…” She whispered. Her best friend shrugged and kept his eyes on his Vans sneakers.

“I don’t know.” He plucked a piece of dry grass from the ground and crumpled it in his hand. “I mean, what if he hates the idea of you knowing about us. He is very manly, you know?”

“Oh I know that.” Eun Hye popped a piece of chicken pop corn in . “It’s just that I want him to know that I fully support his choices in life.” She sniffed the cold air a little before popping another piece of the food in .

“Well, if you want to tell him, I guess you can.” He sipped his strawberry milkshake and looked up in the sky. “My only worry is the reaction of our parents…you know…about me and Siwon having a relationship.”

Eun Hye nodded. “That’s my major dilemma too. I’m just hoping and praying that they would understand since they are the adults.”

The clock in their school tower twelve noon already which means that they have to ge back in class. “Can we talk about this tomorrow?” he asked Eun Hye as he stood up and helped her up.

“Yeah. Sure.” She gladly took his hand and they were greeted by Eunhyuk and Henry who were bursting out in laughter as they ate ice cream.

Athletics Locker Rooms That Afternoon

Siwon was wiping the sweat off his forehead. He eyes were a little droopy just like how it always gets when he had a hard days training. He couldn’t complain…rather…he not allowed to since his the captain of the basket ball team. He leaned his forehead on the cold metal of his locker and felt himself relax a little.

His teammates were so noisy it irked him but chose not pick up a fight. Mason Chen and Woohyun Song were in a shoving match near the showers. As soon as Siwon’s mind cleared up. He headed towards the shower stalls and took a soothing bath. He closed his eyes, relishing the sensation of the cold water as it cascaded down on his body. The conversation he had with his sister before basket ball practice made him tense.

“Siwon, can we talk?” Eun Hye sat on the bleachers.

Siwon shrugged and sat next to her. He was surprised when she placed a hand on his knee. “What is that you want to talk about?”

His twin sister sighed, clearly, she’s not ready for this but if doesn’t do it now, will she ever be ready?

“It’s about you and Kyuhyun.” She hesitated a little. Siwon seemed too stunned to even speak.

“Wha—What are you talking about me and Kyuhyun?” His heartbeat was going a million miles a minute and he feared that Eun Hye senesed his nervousness.

“You don’t have to put on a show in front of me,” The younger Choi  took his hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze. “I’m your little sister…not only your little sister, but you’re twin sister. You can tell me anything.” She paused making sure that her brother was listening to what she was saying.

“I want you to be honest with me.” She looked at him straight in the eyes. He suddenly felt nauseous because of the all purpose bleach that was used to clean the bleachers wafted all over the gymnasium. He nodded, waiting for want his sister had to say.

“Are you gay?” It’s a bit redundant to ask Siwon even if she already asked Kyuhyun the same question but she wanted to hear it straight from her brother’s mouth.

Siwon felt his throat suddenly go dry. He looked down, a bit ashamed even though he has nothing to feel shameful for. “If learning how to care, how to be a better person, and knowing what love really is at such a young age because of Kyuhyun makes me gay, then, I guess I am gay.” Not really caring about the tears that were streaming down his face, Siwon looked at his sister imploringly.”I don’t know what to do anymore.” He paused, sniffing a little. “What will I do if mom and dad will never be able to accept who I am? What if you can’t accept me?”

Eun Hye shook her head and wrapped her arms around her brother. “Siwon, mom and dad will get over it eventually. Yes, they may have a hard tim accepting it but they will love you nonetheless because you’re their one and only son. And as for me, I fully support your choices. I don’t care if you’re gay. You’re my older brother and I love you.” She looked at him as tears welled in her eyes. “I know that I don’t say that much but I do, I love you and I’m thankful that you are my sibling.”

“Thank you…and I love you too, you little rascal.” He ruffled Eun Hye’s hair a bit a comfort started to resonate with him.

A small smile crept to Siwon face. Eun Hye is surprisingly loving and caring and it made hi view her in a different light. Suddenly someone smacked his behind. “What the heck?” He whipped around and saw Yesung looking at him with a teasing smile.

“Hey!” Yesung flashed him a wink and snapped his gum at him. “You have a really nice and tight behind.” The shower began to cascade down Yesung.

“Please don’t do that.” Siwon turned away and washed himself and lathered soap in his chest area.

“Okay.” He lathered soap at himself as well and snickered. “…” he whispered.

Siwon whipped around. “What did you say?” Yesung looked at him with a feigned surprised expression on his face.

“Nothing.” The other boy rolled his eyes, finding the situation quite amusing. Siwon looked at him. “But just in case you didn’t notice it, we’re both …” he whispered to Siwon.

He pushed Yesung away from him. “You’d better hope that I didn’t hear you correctly.” Siwon turned away again and grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his slender wasit.

“.”

The blood that had been boiling inside Siwon just burst out. He leapt towards Yesung and grabbed his head and started punching him until Yesung’s nose was bleeding. “Siwon! Get off him now!”

Donghae tried to pull Siwon away from Yesung but to no avail, Siwon’s rage got the better of him and his punches started getting stronger. Yeusng kicked him on the stomach and stood up. He wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand. He flashed all of them a bloody smile. He looked at everyone and nodded.

“Listen up!” Yesung announced spinning a bit so that everyone could hear about it. “We have a here in our locker room!” He screeched. Everyone in the locker room started to whisper. Yesung went up to Siwon and patted him on the shoulder. “This man right here,” he pointed out. “Choi Siwon is in a man to man relationship! I only heard the last part of what he said, and it was really disgusting! But hopefully we’ll find out who his lover is someday!”

The murmuring started to get louder and Siwon felt Donghae’s grip on him loosen up. “Don’t get near him or he’ll pounce on you!” He chuckled. Siwon looked around looking at the faces of his teammates, the disgust on their faces, the snickering from someone and whisper like voices calling him a .

Tears began to stream down his face. “I—I can explain…” He nervously scratched the back of his head.

“No need to explain, we all get it.” Yesung walked back to the whol varsity team—baseball and basketball –and nodded at them. “Let’s go, we don’t want to be near him.” Siwon heard people agreeing and felt a slow sick roll in his stomach like it was eating him alive.

He looked around and saw Donghae slowly crept away from him. He looked shell shocked as well. “I—I have to go…” his best friend was starting to go with the others. “Bye.”

Siwon exhaled loudly as he rubbed his face hard. Will life be this really hard when people now know about my secret?

Eunhyuk’s House

Eunhyuk sat in his sofa, again alone earlier in the afternoon, he received a bunch of text messages from their classmates saying that Siwon is gay. Truth be told, why should people even bother with Siwon’s choices, it doesn’t really matter just as long as he is a good person.

There was a knock in the door and He got up and answered it. His eyes went wide as he felt arms wrap around him tightly. “Eunhyuk, what should I do?”

“Eun Hye…” He whispered softly as he caressed the small of her back. “It’s my fault that everyone knows about Siwon…I just…I shouldn’t have talked to him in school…” her sobbing broke Eunhyuk’s heart. He helped her in and say her down on the couch. “Yesung had always been like that.”

“I don’t know what to do. There was an incident between Yesung and Siwon in the athletic teams locker room and the school board called my parents regarding the matter…and they told them everything that they’d heard from other students.”

There really was nothing Eunhyuk could say at this point but all he knows is that Eun Hye is in dire need of a friend right now. “It’s going to be okay…” He kissed the top of her head.

Eun Hye looked up, tears made her eyes red rim. “I hope you’re right…” She closed her eyes snuggling closer to him. She’s so relieved that her best friend is here for her. She couldn’t tell that Kyuhyun was the one Siwon is in a relationship with because she thinks that she’s in no place to do so.#

Choi Household

“Is it true?” Mrs. Choi looked at her son with a worried look on her face. Mr. Choi clenched his fist.

“Son, answer your mother.” He spoke so calmly that it scared Siwon so much. He looked up at his parents with tears in his eyes.

“I’m sorry…I am gay...” his voice cracked a bit as Mrs. Choi inhaled a sharp breath and held it in. His father looked at the floor before standing up. Siwon closed his eyes, waiting for his father’s fist to meet his face. His heart skipped a beat when he felt his father hugged him tightly.

“My son…” He whispered. “Thank you…you don't have to offer us an apology because there's nothing wrong with you.” he pulled away and kissed the top of Siwon’s head. “Thank you for telling me and your mom about this…I really appreciate your honesty. In our family, we don’t discriminate, do you remember that little boy who kissed you on the cheek when you were five?”

Siwon nodded, immensed with tears.” I was happy that you smiled at him because that means that you don’t judge people based on who they are.” His father paused as Siwon’s mom approached and kissed him on the cheek. “No matter what your preference is, we are here to fully support you. People will talk but that’s life.”

“Siwon, just don’t let it get to you and if you ever encounter any problems with students in your school, then tell me because I will never ever tolerate them, Okay?” She smiled at him and hugged her son. “I love you.”

Siwon sobbed like a little boy in his parent’s warm embrace. Now, he’s finally able to set himself free from his confinements. He could only hope that Kyuhyun’s parents will be as accepting as his parents were.

End of Chapter

Thanks for Reading and Do leave comments lovely people!