Chapter 26

Strength in Weakness, Truth in Lies

"Eonni..." Seohyun kept trying to get the perplexed Sooyoung's attention, who had been staring blankly at the window pane. It is raining and they had just arrived from their late-night shopping. Hyoyeon is now preparing for something they could eat—pollock stew. 
"It is really good to go shopping in Namdaemun, right?" Hyoyeon smiled, continuing to stir the stew.
"Ne..." Yoona immediately agreed. "The cheapest retails, there is!"
"It's really fun even though it's tiring..." Seohyun chuckled, with her head turning to the two chodings.
"So, Sooyoung-ah..." Hyoyeon called. "Will you taste this?"
"Eonni!" The doe-eyed woman half-shouted when they realized that Sooyoung seemed to be lost in another world.
"Eonni..." Seohyun tried again, now approaching her with a pat on the back.
"Ne?" The brunette finally responded. "Yes, what is it?"
"Would you taste this pollock stew I'm cooking?" Hyoyeon repeated with a friendly smile.
Sooyoung chucked. "Pollock stew?"
"Ne..."
"Pollock stew..." Yoona echoed back, shifting her eyes from Sooyoung to Hyoyeon.
"The Choi cannot cook that!" She groaned, still chuckling.
"I'm not a Choi!" Hyoyeon protested. "I'm a Kim. Kim Hyoyeon... And... y'know, Seohyun really doesn't cook."
"Eonni!" The maknae grumbled.

"Choi Siwon-ah! What is this?! Do you even know how to cook?!"
"I didn't know it would turn out like this."
"Aissi..."
"Ya! Ya! Ya! That was for the second time this day!"
"Don't yell at me! I thought you know how to cook."
"Ya! I didn't say I can cook. I said I don't know! This is my first time cooking, be thankful!"
"How could I be thankful?! I'll be having a stomach ache because of you!"
"I can't believe you're the first person I cooked for!"
"Eh? So, it was my fault?!"

Sooyoung burst out laughing which made the trio wonder what's funny. "Your oppa tried to cook pollock stew but failed to." She blurted out.
"He cooked?" They chorused.
The tall woman raised her eyebrows. "When he stayed at my place, the next day he tried to cook that for our breakfast. It tastes awful!"
Seohyun couldn't believe her ears. "Oppa actually cooked?"
"Yes..."
"Are you sure he's the one who cooked?" Yoona asked, sharing the same feeling Seohyun is having.
"Of course!" She smiled. "I saw him the whole time doing it!"
"We just couldn't belive..." Hyoyeon shook her head, removing the apron she's wearing. "I mean, if he did, you're the first person he's ever cooked for." She took the potholder and placed the newly stewed pollock fish on the center of the table and prepared the plates, as she continues "He doesn't even touch these utensils... Doesn't cook even for Fany..."
"Ne..." Seohyun agreed. "Even if it's awful, he tried. You're special, eonni!"
Yoona's eyes grew big. "I knew it! That's why he's always checking out food recipes even when he's in school..."
"I remember him sneaking into one..."
A smile plastered across Sooyoung's face as Hyoyeon sat beside her who let out an enthusiastic "Let's eat!"

"Eonni... Do you miss oppa?" Seohyun whispered the question as if it's a secret.
Sooyoung halted from munching her food and gazed at each one of them, before answering "No. No... I mean, it's too early to miss him!"
Yoona frowned. "Really? You don't?"
"Ne..." she nodded. "I don't."
Seohyun made a face when something suddenly popped out of her mind. "Eonni... do you remember the day he sent you a dozen Peperos just because you won't talk to him?"
"Ne... Then after that, I instantly did." She smiled.

"Siwon-ssi!" The tall girl called out, holding two boxes of Pepero in one hand.
Siwon immediately turned his head to her the moment he heard her voice. "Ne?"
She slowly walked towards him and gave him one box. "Thank you..."
"Are you returning them?"
"Babo! Do you think I would return foods back?" she chuckled, raising the other box she's holding. "I'm giving that to you, so we could eat together."
Siwon looked at her playfully. "You're not mad at me?"
She tore open the pack, took one Pepero stick and handed it over to him. "How could I stay mad at you?"
"Babo!" He took one small bite and continued, "If it hadn't been for Peperos,you wouldn't even talk to me."
"Ya! Ya! Ya! I said I'm not even mad! I wondered why you event sent these..."
"Really? Then I'm getting it back!"
"Ya!"

"After that day, oppa always make sure he's got a stock of Peperos!"
Yoona clapped her hand. "And when he's not here, you and I always feast about those Peperos!"
"So that explains why he carries one most of the time!" Hyoyeon chuckled.
"Eonni! Eonni! Eonni!" Seohyun squealed. "Do you remember the time he stayed overnight at your place because you're sick?"
Sooyoung smiled lightly. "I even insisted him to go work the next day, but the big guy's too worried."

"Sooyoung-ssi... Are you feeling alright? Do you need anything?"
"No, thanks... You need to go back home now, it's late..."
"And left you here alone? I don't think so..." He said, dabbing the towel on her face, gently. "I'll take care of you."
"I can handle myself... I'm not going to die..."
"Would you like me to sing for you?"
"Don't."
Siwon ignored her and started singing out of the blue.

"Waa... oppa stayed for you?" Yoona felt giddy.
"Ne..."
"So sweet..."
Hyoyeon just smiled, gazing at Sooyoung's eyes which tells her that she misses him. Just staring at the brunette, makes her happy. "He really is..."
"So, eonni... do you remember the day he carried you on his back?" Seohyun started again.
"How did you know that?"
"Oppa used to tell me stories about you all the time... Like a child being told of fairy tales before bed. That's what happens."

"You should've been more careful!" Siwon carries her on his back, walking along the road.
The woman buried her head on his shoulders. "Ya! Don't scold me! I already broke my ankle!"
"Eo? If you didn't, you could walk and I won't carry you like this..." He whispered to himself which earned him a hit from her. "Then put me down!"
"Why would I?"
"Stop complaining! Aissi! This kid!"
"Kid?"
"Ne... Wae?" She tightened her grip on him. "Err... Siwon-ah..."
"What do you need?"
She leaned her head over his ear as if trying to see his face. "Nothing."
"Eo? I know it when you use that tone on me... What is it?"
Shaking her head, she smiled. "Nothing... I just want to say thank you for this... for carrying me..."
"Don't be! You're heavier than I thought, you know..."

"Or the day he went with you to the movies? Oppa told me you kept on insisting him because there's this movie eonni really want to watch..."

"Please?" The young girl pleaded, gazing at his eyes with endearment.
"We have a seminar on that day, Sooyoung-ah..."
She clutched his shoulders with her hands. "Please?"
"Could you just move the date? See it on Friday or Saturday... Just not on days before that... Or you could always invite Seo or Hyo... Or maybe your co-workers."
"No..."
"I couldn't."
Sooyoung pouted, revealing her pink and plump lips as she stared blankly at the young man's face with her eyes' continuous blinking like that of a child's. "Wonnie... Wonnie... Siwonnieee! Please? Eung? Eung?"
Siwon looked at her for a moment and sighed before turning away as he called someone through his phone. After the call, he quickly cupped the brunette's face. "Why do you have to be this adorable?"
She smiled with her eyes. "You'd go with me?"
He heaved out another sigh. "Yes, I will..."

"Eung! And the time you were nearly hit by a car?"
"What?!" Hyoyeon's eyes grew big. "Sooyoung-ah?!"
"Omo! Eonni...waeyo?"
"It's nothing serious..." She smiled, meeting their gazes as she continued to munch her food.

"Watch out!" The man yelled, running after Sooyoung who seemed rather lost and depressed at the moment. "What was that?!"
She looked at him as if nothing happened. "What?"
"You were nearly hit by a car! You could've gotten yourself killed, Choi Sooyoung!!!!!"
"Eo? Really?"
"Ya! Choi Sooyoung! Could you please learn how to take care of yourself next time?! What will happen if it actually hit you?! Huh?! Huh?! WOULD YOU BE MORE CAREFUL?!"
"Stop scolding me! I'm not dead! I'M AWFULLY FINE!!!! Stop that drama of yours!! I'm fine, alright?! I'm fine!"
Siwon disappointedly looked away before pulling her close to him. "Don't do that, Youngie... I almost died when I saw that car nearly hit you..." He her hair, closing his eyes. "I'm too worried, Sooyoung-ah... Don't do that again... Please be more careful... I would greatly appreciate it if you do..."
"I'm fine..." she mumbled as she found herself patting his back gently.
"I'm sorry... I was really just worried about you, SYoungie..." He pulled her from him, continuing "Wonnie oppa is sorry, eung?"

"Ah! I know! I know! What about the time we all went out for some groceries?" Yoona smiled, observing their faces as if to ask 'Remember?'
Hyoyeon guffawed all of a sudden. "And the Chois are seriously looking like some married couple arguing about what to buy!"
The maknae, who set the atmosphere up, thought to herself 'This is getting good!'
"Eo? It's just him!" Sooyoung chuckled, protesting.

"No. We should buy this." Sooyoung put the milk on the pushcart, taking away the carton of milk Siwon is holding.
The young fellow grabbed it back. "No, Ms. Choi... We should buy THIS."
"No. This brand is better." She insisted.
Siwon smirked, protesting "But this one is cheaper..."
"Ya! You two! Just buy it both!" Hyoyeon yelped.
They ignored her while Sooyoung walked ahead looking at all the meats and poultries. "Give me a kilo of that..."
"This beef steak, Ms?"
"Yes..."
"What's that now?" Siwon stood before her.
"Can't you see? It's steak, Mr..."
"I know... But we're not going to buy that, my Soo..." He smiled, derping.
"We are." She reached for the plastic bag from the lady and put it in the cart. "That's gonna be great..."
"Hey dear, do you know how much that is?"
Sooyoung stopped from walking, turned to glare at Siwon. "If you're so worried about the price, I'll pay for it, Wonnie..."
"Oppa... It's alright. I love steak too... Yoong does and Hyo eonni surely does too. Don't you love eating steaks?"
Sooyoung walked towards him and gestured a 'See? Stop being a tight wad, Choi!'
"Alright, alright..."
She leaned to him and whispered. "Aissi... You're not gonna be a good husband."
Siwon's mouth dropped. "Well... you're not going to be a good wife, either!"
"How about both the bad wife and bad husband married each other?" Yoona interrupted, chuckling as she walks with Seohyun, hand-in-hand.
"Disaster. Never gonna work out." Sooyoung shook her head.
Siwon smiled. "Perfect marriage."

They all shared a hearty laugh after each of them reminisced Siwon and Sooyoung's moments. "That bad husband!"
"Eonni, you're a bad wife too!"
"No." She chuckled. "Siwon-ah likes being called a 'bad husband'!"
"Because you're the bad wife.."
"He's just always picking on me."
"Now you miss him!" Seohyun squealed which made the tall woman smiled. "A little bit."
"Oh just admit it!"
Sooyoung held her chin up then sighed. "What is it his business in Japan again?"
"Oppa's dream is to further his teaching career in Japan, he kept trying to have the good universities notice him by continuous sending of his resumé. University of Tsukuba took interest of him and called him for an interview..."
Sooyoung frowned lightly, hiding the fact that she's lonely and disappointed. "And... err... When is he coming back?"
"Eonni misses him badly..." Yoona whispered to Seohyun, who sits beside her.
"I don't know eonni... But he said he'll be quick!"
"Do you want me to call him?" Hyoyeon offered, taking her phone from the pocket of the sweater she's wearing.
"No! No! No..." She smiled nervously. "No. Don't call him... No."
"Why?"
"Err... He's busy and he probably doesn't want to hear from me..."
"I think he's dying to hear from you, eonni!" Yoona argued and Seohyun agreed.
"Alright..." Hyoyeon started dialing his number.
"No! Don't!" She stopped her and held her hands.
"Why?"
She stood up and started putting off the plates she used and taking it to the sink. Hyoyeon looked at her for a moment before heaving out a sigh. "Err... Sooyoung-ah..."
"Ne?" She open the faucet and let the water run down.
"Oppa wants you to have this, by the way..." She handed her a small turqoise box from her pocket. "I don't know what's inside... But he said I should give it to you."
Sooyoung looked at her innocently, rubbing her hands on the towel by the fridge and reaching out for the tiny box. "What is this?"
"Open it, eonni!" Seohyun demanded.
"Yes, eonni! Open it, quick!"
She bit her lower lips and slowly opened it. There, she saw a pink little note and a keychain with the 'SS' letters on it.

I hate it when you act like you don't know you mean everything to me!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N: (04.07.12)
HAPPY 'REAL' BIRTHDAY SIWON-SSI <3 <3 <3

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sooyoungie08
writers... please update soon^^ i need a dose of SooWon fiction! really. everyone, please update your stories. T_T i'm begging youuuuu!

Comments

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Va_asianloverz
#1
Chapter 1: please update soon
gianisakim #2
Chapter 34: author nim...Aren't you planning on updating this? :)
LookAtKimberly
#3
Chapter 34: Please update this Author nim :)
annabelle7
#4
Chapter 34: Auwww so sweet, waiting for their wedding day.... good job author nim
shikshiin407 #5
Chapter 34: HEY! Guess who's back?! DAEBAK~ I missed your stories! I thought you've already buried this on a grave and forgot the you actually wrote this one but THANK YOU!! Finally! Soowon is LOVE! UPDATE SOON! :DD
dukongie #6
Chapter 34: One of the best SooWon fics I've read so far.
Two thumbs up for you author :)

Ahhhh, SooWon is so full of sweetness and cheesiness hahahha.
They are so cute :3
heysarang
#7
Chapter 34: Great story! Looooove it yo! <3
As much as I don't like Sunny here, she's still right. What happens when Tiffany comes back? NOOO! Just stay away from soowon!
Aghhh the sweetness of soowon is killing me! So cheesy :3
Soowon_Guardian4ev3r
#8
Chapter 34: Sunny is very mean here! It's non of your business sunny!!!xD finally you updated!!:D I love this chapter it's filled with soowon love! Update soon:D
WoodyThePooh
#9
Chapter 34: I really don't like Sunny here. But Yoona is daebak. :)