Chapter 3

Act III 

Scene I: Verona’s streets

A cloud had fallen over the streets of fair Verona. It turned the air into a fine silvery mist. Yet somehow the sun made its way through the dense fog, signifying the beginning of a new day; its rays however, were not playful. The rainbows of colors formed by their mixture with the fog were dull. The mood was ominous; the perfect setting for a fateful day, when hate would lead young love astray.

---

Lee SungMin sat on the wooden porch of his friend’s house. He was gently strumming a chord on his acoustic guitar. His eyes were shut as if to allow the music to slowly fill his soul. The song began to crescendo when KyuHyun stepped through the door. SungMin immediately turned around to look at him, cutting the music off abruptly.

“What took you so long?” SungMin demanded.

“Well I had to get ready for our date, of course!” KyuHyun exclaimed in a high breathy voice as he batted his eyelashes girlishly.

SungMin rolled his eyes as the younger man sat down next to him. They both were silent for a long moment as they gazed out at the hidden town below. Despite SungMin’s greeting, they were in no rush, nor did they really have any plans for today, but the two friends were inseparable and therefore as soon as the sun was up, they were together.  

After a while KyuHyun suddenly sprang up and turned around to look at SungMin with an unspoken inquiry. After sighing and taking a quick look around SungMin stood up next to KyuHyun, and the two departed without a single idea of where they were going.

---

Anyone who’s ever moved to a small town will tell you that they are the hardest places to try and find acceptance in. They are small pockets of the world, untouched by the troubles of the outside world yet completely and totally consumed by their own affairs. For anyone who doesn’t have three generations of family roots it feels like a xenophobic nightmare.

If there was anyone in Verona who understood that, it was the Chinese brothers. The Chinese brothers weren’t actually brothers, nor were they all Chinese (or indeed all male). They had arrived one day with only a few possessions on their backs, they rented rooms in the town's tiny motel and didn’t associate with anyone. For months the rumors spread, most of them vicious lies, but in a town such as Verona you cannot hope for much more.

The informal leader of the Chinese Brothers was a man named HanGeng. He was the oldest of the group and the only one who ventured out into public at first. The tallest was a man called ZhouMi. He was very quiet and kept to himself. Henry was the name of the youngest man of their group. One person had reported seeing him with a violin down by the lake. The youngest of them all was actually a Vietnamese girl, named Miyu. She was not seen until three months after their arrival; thus their misleading name.

Their seclusion didn’t last long though, Choi SiWon, one of the three most eligible bachelors in Verona (according to every living female thing in town), ran into HanGeng at the grocery store. After HanGeng had discovered that SiWon spoke Chinese he immediately opened up, relieved to have someone to talk to. He told SiWon all about their problems and soon the four outsiders moved in with SiWon. Once they had been adopted into the Kim family all uneasiness wore off and soon HanGeng was one of the ‘Flower Four’ of Verona.

Now, two years later the Kim’s were preparing for ZhouMi’s birthday party…

---

Omoni smiled warmly as she looked at ZhouMi. He was a fine young man who was always polite and kind, and yet he was one of the things that kept her up at night. Whereas HanGeng and SiWon had become sworn brothers and Henry and RyeoWook were best friends, ZhouMi had no one. She felt sad as she watched him. He was awkward around everyone, even HanGeng, as if he was out of place. She needed to find him a friend. This was one of the reasons that she had invited EunHyuk to the party. EunHyuk was such a nice boy that obviously he would be the best person to be ZhouMi’s friend! And at the same time she could try to get HyoLi and EunHyuk hooked up! It was a perfect plan without any chance of failing! Or so she thought.

KangIn scowled at the world in general. He was in a sour mood and had been for days now. He almost wished that he’d seen a Lee today so that he would have some excuse to punch something. The memory of the spring bash still burned in his mind. When he remembered the hateful DongHae violating his dear sweet cousin, HyoLi, his vision turned blood-red with anger. He slammed down the paper plates he was setting the table with, causing Christine, who was setting out the forks, to jump in surprise.

Christine had been jumping a lot lately, especially around KangIn. Deep down inside she was terrified that he would learn her secret and hate her forever. No one knew her secret.

---

EunHyuk picked up a rock, attempted to skip it and watched sadly as it sunk into the water with one big splash. He sighed deeply before picking up another small handful of rocks and throwing them all into the water. Today was not one of his better days. He’d heard from LeeTeuk who’d heard from Mai who’d heard from Nona who’d heard from KyuHyun who’d heard from SungMin that DongHae, his COUSIN, was in love with him. As if that wasn’t creepy enough he was being forced by LeeTeuk to attend a party today. He had gotten yet another ‘special invitation’ from the Kim Omoni. He shuddered as he thought of the last party when she kept winking and giggling at him. He would have to break it to her that he wasn’t that into Noonas….or Ajummahs. Sometime he really wished that he wasn’t quite so good-looking, and then maybe people would stop falling so hard for him! He was still staring at the spot where the rock had long-since disappeared when he heard two familiar voices on the road behind him.

“Isn’t that EunHyuk?” SungMin asked pointing down at the person by the river.

KyuHyun looked over SungMin’s shoulder and cupped his hands around his mouth before shouting “Yo, EunHyuk-Hyung!”

EunHyuk looked up at them and smiled before quickly running up the small, grassy incline that separated the river from the road. He noted gladly that DongHae wasn’t with them

“Hey what are you guys doing here?” EunHyuk asked his two friends. They looked at each other and shrugged.

“What we always do.” SungMin answered simply.

“Oh…so a grand total of absolute nothing?” EunHyuk asked, his smile growing.

“Pretty much.” KyuHyun agreed. “What about you? Any interesting plans for today?”

EunHyuk’s grin faded. “LeeTeuk’s forcing me to go to a party…”

KyuHyun and SungMin exchanged a communicative look.

“That doesn’t sound that bad, mind if we come?” SungMin inquired, he was always up for a party.

EunHyuk shook his head. Hey, maybe if he brought a few of his cousins he wouldn’t have to stay that long! That thought had him quickly replacing his frown with his famous gum-showing smile.

---

“I’ll see you at eight then?” DongHae asked. The response made his face light up. He spoke again in a deep, smoother voice “Bye, Juliet.”

He flipped his cell phone shut and grinned up at the sky. It was unbelievable to him how lucky he was to have Kim HyoLi all to himself. If you had asked him a week ago who Kim HyoLi was he would have stared at you like you were an alien. But now he couldn’t get the wonderfully beautiful name out of his head. HyoLi, HyoLi, HyoLi… If it was the only thing he heard for the rest of his life he would be satisfied.

“DongHae?” KyuHyun’s voice called from behind him. He quickly turned around and saw EunHyuk, SungMin and KyuHyun standing there. He waved at them before quickly covering the distance that separated them.

“Hey, what are you guys doing? He asked the silly grin still evident of his face.

“Nothing, just going to a party…Wanna come?” SungMin asked eagerly.

No one noticed EunHyuk’s displeased face.  He was going to say something but DongHae’s reply cut him off.

“Sure!” he exclaimed, still in his state of lovey-dovey bliss.

The four of them proceeded down the path, EunHyuk staying as far as he could from DongHae. Little did DongHae know that his life would have been happier had he said ‘no’.

---

“Omoni, PLEASE!!” YeSung wined from his place at the table.

“I said No Kim YeSung, not one bite of that food until the prince arrives!” She said harshly.

YeSung pouted and pretended to grip his stomach in hunger.

Omoni, satisfied that YeSung wouldn’t disobey her, turned her attention to HyoLi who was failing to suppress her elated expression. Omoni was getting suspicious about this ‘Romeo’ person. HyoLi didn’t react at all, not even with a blush, when Omoni mentioned that she invited EunHyuk. All she got in response was an ‘Okay’. ‘OKAY’!?!?! Is that anyway to act when you’re madly and passionately in love?? And here the girl sat grinning her fool head off! There really was something fishy about her behavior… In Omoni’s mind there were flashbacks to the party…she saw HyoLi blush… connections were being made in her head but before she could come to a conclusion she saw HyoLi’s smile widen and followed her gaze to the five men who just walked in.

An immediate tension filled the room. All eyes, but LeeTeuk, EunHyuk and HyoLi’s were wide. Before she could move LeeTeuk went over to Omoni and gave her a warm hug, then, still holding on to her shoulder, drew back and said: “I hope you don’t mind that I brought my cousin and his friends, do you?”

She shook her head and slowly plopped down into the seat next to YeSung. LeeTeuk looked back at the four men behind him and waved his arms for them to come and sit down.

After the immediate shock, DongHae’s eyes were glued to HyoLi’s and vice versa.

Kangin jumped up. “You call those things friends???? he asked incredulously. His finger was pointed directly at DongHae.

LeeTeuk’s face twisted from a smile to a frown. “One of those ‘things’ is my relative so I suggest you show some respect.”

“I wasn’t referring to Mr. Cho KyuHyun.” KangIn said with as snide a voice as he could muster. “I was talking about the three LEES.”

Omoni was about to speak before HyoLi piped up. “Oh give it a rest will you KangIn? This is a birthday party, for crying out loud!” she said glaring at KangIn, who was left dumbfounded at her outburst.

The others at the table all turned to look at her but she didn’t notice, all she saw was the smile on DongHae’s face as he approached the seat next to her. His hand with the smile face ring flexed as he sat next to her. No one could speak at all.

KyuHyun was the first to recover. He looked around the room for a place to sit and bravely took the seat next to ZhouMi. KangIn growled, as that had been his seat, but under the watchful eye of LeeTeuk he dared not do anything about it. EunHyuk took a seat next to one of the quiet girls around the table and LeeTeuk sat in the seat next to Omoni. Unfortunately, that was the last of the open seats SungMin stood there and looked around before deciding to sit on a bench in the corner of the room. Before he sat down he realized that he still had his guitar with him and turned to Omoni.

“Noona, would you mind if I played some music?” His mouth flashed into a cute grin that would win over the toughest soul.

Omoni was slightly flustered as she shook her head no, but several of the Kims grumbled disapprovingly.

The first part of the party passed without incident, though it was increasingly quiet and awkward. About five minutes in DongHae kicked his foot lightly against HyoLi’s causing her to giggle a bit before kicking him back.

Then SungMin started singing ‘Just When I Needed You Most” just as Omoni went to get the cake and LeeTeuk went to use the restroom.

KangIn, who had been simmering this whole time, decided that this would be his moment of attack.

“What language are you singing, SungMin? It sounds like Thai or Viet.”

It wasn’t a very good attack but he tried to push every button he could think of to try and turn this party into a fight.

“He’s singing in English.” ZhouMi piped up helpfully.

KangIn scowled. “Oh. I guess I just couldn’t tell through his accent.”

“Or maybe you just don’t understand English.” KyuHyun said, earning giggles from the Lees, Chris and HyoLi.

“Of course I do. What do you think I am, stupid?” KangIn countered.

“Yes, I do think that.” KyuHyun rebuffed. “But I’ll give you a test; count to ten in English.” He smirked as he finished speaking.

“O-ne, Tuh, Tree, Pive, Phor, Seven, Sik, Ten, Eight.”

The whole table exploded into laughter.

“And you thought SungMin was bad???” KyuHyun said between laughs.

KangIn’s fist bunched up and his eye flamed up and in a split second there was a sharp crack as KangIn’s fist connected with KyuHyun’s face. He reared his fist back, punching KyuHyun’s nose this time, he hit him again and again.

SungMin was the first to break from the shock of the situation and stop KangIn before he could hit again. Everyone else looked on in horror as KyuHyun stood up. He already had the beginnings of a black eye and blood dripped from his nose and lip.  As he tried to take a step forward he tripped over EunHyuk’s innocently out stuck foot. When he stood up and looked around the second time his eyes were full of hatred.

“You know what? Screw you all! I don’t care if you are a Kim or a Lee. In fact, a plague on both your ing houses! What am I the community punching bag!?! You’ve made worms meat out of me!” He then limped off.

“Did you understand what he said?” EunHyuk asked his neighbor, Miyu.

“Not really,” she replied. “I think he has a broken jaw.”

“I think he has a broken head!” KangIn exclaimed walking back toward his seat.

DongHae’s fist tightened as he stood up and stormed over to KangIn who eyed him with skepticism. “What, you want a piece of this?” KangIn asked referring to himself. “You gonna defend that little basket case?”

DongHae’s fist tightened with every one of KangIn’s words. “You Bastard!” he finally exclaimed before punching KangIn in the face.

“Lee DongHae!” LeeTeuk’s voice sounded from the doorway. DongHae turned around to see Omoni and LeeTeuk’s shocked faces, then turned to see KangIn’s bloody face . Out of the corner of his eye he saw HyoLi, his beloved, crying. He just couldn’t take it! His feet moved before he realized and he was stalking off.

LeeTeuk looked around at them all before looking to SungMin. His words reflected the thoughts of all.

“What the hell just happened here?”

-

HyoLi was in a state of shock, how had it gone from a birthday party to a fight?! She watched through teary eyes as Omoni and her own cousin, YeSung, escorted KangIn to the hospital.

LeeTeuk had taken SungMin and EunHyuk with him to look for KyuHyun.  Everyone else was cleaning up the table soberly.

“Whose is this?” Christine asked as she was dutifully cleaning up the mess that was the remains of the birthday party.

HyoLi looked up and saw the smiley face ring. “That’s mine!” she said quickly and rushed to grab it out of the confused Christine’s hands.

-

Scene 2

It was six o’clock. HyoLi sat in her room staring at the wall. DongHae’s smiley face wedding ring was grasped tightly in her fist. She was trying her hardest to hold back her tears, her anger, and the grief that threatened to take control of her. The images in front of her eyes didn’t help any. The look of pure hatred in DongHae’s eyes as he attacked KangIn. Her heart was breaking into microscopic pieces.

There was a light knock on her door and she quickly got rid of her tears before saying, “Come in.”

The door opened and Omoni quickly shut it behind her before looking at HyoLi with eyes full of sadness and sympathy.

“How’s KangIn?” HyoLi asked quickly.

Omoni sighed and sat down next to HyoLi on the bed. “Just a few bruises and a broken nose. His pride is his most damaged part. DongHae apparently-“

“HyoLi’s face twisted into an agonized expression at the name.

The matronly woman looked at her for a moment putting pieces together in her head. “He’s your boyfriend, isn’t he?” she asked sympathetically.

HyoLi shook her head. The older woman’s expression betrayed her surprise.

“He’s my husband” HyoLi whispered, unclasping her hand to the ring. In speaking those words all of her anger at DongHae melted away leaving its two companions; love and sadness, to fill HyoLi’s heart.

Omoni’s eyes widened but she didn’t say anything besides: “Apparently his friend KangTa is helping him move out of town. I heard some of the nurses talking about it. It was, I believe, ‘Strongly Suggested’ by Prince LeeTeuk.”

She watched in sadness as her young friend, her adopted daughter, cried. Her arms wrapped around HyoLi’s shoulders and her blouse became a handkerchief. They stayed like that for an hour before HyoLi’s eyes couldn’t cry anymore.

“I have a date with him at eight. I really wanna see him before he – he” HyoLi couldn’t finish. Omoni just nodded.

“If you can, do you think you could give him this ring?” she added placing the smiley face ring in Omoni’s warm, outstretched hand.

“Thank you.” She whispered hoarsely as Omoni’s form disappeared behind the door.

-

Scene 3

“I’m such a stupid IDIOT!” DongHae yelled, slamming his head against KangTa’s painted walls.

“Careful, you’re going to break my wall!” KangTa chided.

“How could I do that? How could I punch her cousin right in front of her and her whole family?” he asked, ignoring KangTa’s chides.

“I don’t know. I think it’s because you’ve killed all your brain cells by slamming your head against my wall!”

“I’m such a terrible boyfriend!” He exclaimed.

“Husband” KangTa corrected, and even that didn’t earn a reaction. “Look, if I’m the only one packing your stuff I’m not going to pack you any underwear!” He said in an exasperated tone of voice as he stuffed DongHae’s belongings into boxes. DongHae still didn’t react. “Well, if that is how you’re going to be I guess I could always call Nona…”

DongHae’s head snapped up. “If you dare…”

There was a knock on the door.

“Hide!” KangTa yelled.

There was another, louder, knock.

“Why?” DongHae asked.

“Because I know that knock!” KangTa yelled as he pushed DongHae behind the couch.

The door was shaking with the force of the next knock and KangTa rushed to answer it.

“Noona!” he exclaimed as he opened the door to a very wet and grumpy looking Omoni. She scowled at him before pushing her way into the room.

“Is it raining out there?” KangTa asked needlessly while staring out at the raindrops.

“It always rains when my HyoLi is sad.” she said sighing. Omoni was HyoLi’s foster mother.

DongHae popped up quickly from behind the couch causing KangTa to hit his head in aggravation.

“It’s because of me isn’t it? It’s all my fault! I should just curl up in a corner and die! I’m such a horrible person!!” DongHae cried.

KangTa and Omoni were silent.

DongHae looked at the two of them and then began to head into the kitchen, his goal the row of sharp knives.

“Hold it there boy-o” KangTa said pulling him back and then pushing him down on the couch. “Are you a man or aren’t you? HyoLi’s sad and you’re just gonna hurt yourself and take the easy way out? You should be there with her comforting her! Do you think hurting yourself will make everything okay? Are you stupid?” KangTa’s eyes were filled with disappointment as he saw DongHae’s eyes well up with tears.

Omoni stepped forward and slapped DongHae across the face. He looked up at her with shocked eyes. She angrily pulled the ring out of her pocket and shoved it into his hand. “If you DARE cry in front of HyoLi I will personally see to it that you get the change that you obviously need.”

She pulled him up by his elbow and roughly pushed him out the open front door and slammed it behind him.

KangTa applauded. “Way to go, Noona!”  he cheered and she smiled and bowed. KangTa scratched the back of his head nervously before shyly asking: “So do you wanna go get a bite to eat?”

Omoni’s returning smile was dazzling.

-

Scene 4

LeeTeuk sighed as he sat next to EunHyuk on the waiting bench outside of KyuHyun’s hospital room.

“Such a sad thing isn’t it?” he said gesturing to the two rooms in front of them, one containing KangIn, the other KyuHyun.

“Yeah” EunHyuk nodded sadly.

“Kim HyoLi looked really upset about it…” LeeTeuk said, remembering her tragically pained face. “She and KangIn are pretty close.”

“Yeah, sorta sad when tragedy taints something so beautiful…”

“Do you like her?”

“Eh, not really, she’s pretty though.”

“Such a shame… I might’ve been able to hook you guys up.” LeeTeuk said a playful smirk on his face.

“Really??” EunHyuk asked wide-eyed. Maybe the Kim Omoni would be satisfied with him dating her foster daughter and drop all of her strange affection for him!

“Sure!” LeeTeuk said, his grin widening at EunHyuk’s enthusiasm. “Are you free this Thursday?” he asked.

EunHyuk nodded.

“Well you’re not anymore; you have a date with Miss HyoLi that day.” LeeTeuk replied.

EunHyuk flashed his gum-showing grin at him.

-

Scene 5

The sun began to rise, its light making the dewy grass shine.

“It can’t be morning yet!” HyoLi said stretching her arms and yawning.

DongHae laughed and lightly touched her nose. “Oh, but it is. And I’ve got to be outta town by seven.”

“Where are you going to go?” she asked with a frown on her face.

“I’m going to spend some time with my great aunt in Mantua.”

HyoLi pouted. “But that means you’re going to be a whole 50 miles from me!”

“Trust me” he said softly, “I know that.”

“No! I’m not allowing it! You’re living in my closet, so there!”

He grinned brightly at her and held out his arms awaiting the shackles. In his mind there could be nothing better than being her slave for eternity.

She giggled and put her hands around his wrists. Her watch glittered in the soft morning sunlight and she looked down at it. She quickly stood up and started pulling on DongHae’s elbow.

“What is it?” he asked, concerned.

“It’s 6:30!! You’ve got to go! What if they find you? They might kill you!!! ahh!!!”  she exclaimed.

He smiled at her again but this time his smile was heart wrenchingly sad.

“Okay then, my Juliet” he said softly. He bent his head down and softly brushed his lips against hers and with that he left.

HyoLi’s tears rolled silently down her flushed cheeks.

“Bye, Romeo” she whispered to his disappearing form.

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Thanks, everyone who has applied!!

unfortunatly I might have to extend the dead line and therefore delay writing the story becuase there are still alot of roles not taken-- if you have any friends who like Super Junior and might like to be in this story-- please ask them to apply!!
<3

Hope you liked the chapter ^^