Preparing For the Show! Part 3. Looking Brighter
Karate Kids
Youngmin’s POV
I woke up to bright sunlight in my eyes. I sat up and tried to adjust my eyes to the glaring light by rubbing them. I looked at Yoomi on my right. She was sleeping soundlessly, her chest softly moving up and down. I leaned on my elbow and her cheek. I slowly crept my face closer to hers. I quickly kissed her forehead as if she might move away. I smiled at her peaceful face and kissed her forehead gently. I grinned and walked to the bathroom.
After I took a shower and got dressed, I spent another fifteen minutes fixing up my hair. I smiled at the mirror and walked out quietly expecting Yoomi to still be sleeping. I saw her sitting up and looking at me, confused.
I jumped. She supressed a smile and I tried to recover. "God, you scared me!" I crossed my arms.
“Oh sorry,” she said sleepily. She was sitting crisscrossed with the blanket over her lap. Her eyes were a little unfocused and her hair was a nest, but to me, it made her look cuter.
A smile slowly made its way across my face. “Ya, you know you look like a little kid right now?” I dropped my arms and walked to the bed.
She tilted her head. “How?”
“The way you're sitting and the expression on your face." I sat on the edge of the bed. I ruffled her hair. "Just like a little kid who just woke up!”
She tried to smooth her hair. After she failed, she was suddenly concious of how she looked. She smiled, embarrassed. She threw off the blanket and slid off the bed. "I'll go, uh, take a shower now!" The door slammed shut.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
I opened the door and saw HeeChin waiting impatiently outside. I tilted my head, confused, and stepped away so she could get through. "Come on in, but Yoomi's taking a shower."
She walked in with purpose. "I'm not here for her," she said. She turned around on her heels and smiled. "I'm here for you."
My eyes widened. She put her hands behind her and looked around the room. "How long has she been in the shower?"
I eyed her curiously. "Around a minute," I said cautiously. I took two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with water.
HeeChin clapped her hands together. "That's good, she takes long showers." She sat at the table.
I put a straw in each glass, more suspicious of this surprise visit. I walked over to the table wondering what it was she wanted from me. Certainly not to flirt? I set a glass in front of her.
She nodded and played with the straw. "Youngmin, I'm pretty sure you have no idea why Yoomi's been acting cold these days."
I sat up straighter. "Do you know?"
She smirked and her eyes turned their attention to me, then back to her swirling water. "You think I'd be here if I didn't know?"
I breathed out in exasperation. "Are you going to tell me?"
She smiled and nodded. "Do you remember when we had to take care of the babies?" She actually took a sip of her water. I nodded.
She set the glass down. "Do you remember what you said that day?"
I threw my arms up. "I say lots of things in a day. I don't remember everything I say!"
HeeChin rolled her eyes. "Does 'I wonder why the parents just dumped their babies on us?' and 'They don't want to take care of them.' ring a bell?"
I tried to remember that day. It came to me. "Yeah, sure," I said. "So what?"
"That offended Yoomi." She shook her head and took another sip.
My eyebrows furrowed. "Offended her? How?"
"Well..." I leaned forward.
She set the glass down. "Her parents abandoned her on her aunt's porch when she was a baby. There was no explanation. All the note with her said was her name and that they didn't want to take care of her, she was a waste of time." She paused.
"Of course her aunt took her in, but having babies of her own, Yoomi was sort of neglected emotionally." She sighed. "And Yoomi told you all of this right before the babies came, so when you said that, she thought you were hurting her." She looked genuinely sorry.
I sat there stunned. I never knew. My heart sank. I was a terrible person. I didn't remember her telling me this.
"So uh, what song are you gonna sing at the talent show then?" she asked casually.
I smiled. "'It Has To Be You' by Yesung."
HeeChin shook her head again. "Aish Youngmin. You like her right?"
"I thought that was kind of obvious..." I blushed.
"Well then I think you need to sing 'Nagging' by IU and Seulong," she said.
I looked confused. "Why?" I reached for my phone to look it up.
She rolled her eyes. "Because first of all, it's her favorite song. Second, the lyics match you two perfectly. Look them up."
The shower turned off. We looked at the bathroom door and back at each other.
"I guess I'll sing 'Nagging' then," I said quietly. HeeChin smiled. "Keep it a secret from her though, okay?"
She shook her head. "Why else do you think I came here secretly?" she whispered. She smiled and skipped out of the room.
I put in my earbuds and listened to 'Nagging'. I slowly closed my eyes, concentrating on the music. I tried to memorize the lyrics as I listened and instantly knew HeeChin was right. It was perfect for our situation... too bad I was singing solo. With only two days to the talent show, I had to know this song inside out...
"Ya! Youngmin!"
My eyes flew open and saw Yoomi waving in my face. "Are you sleepy?" Her face moved in close.
I got up quickly. "No!"
"Oh. You had your eyes closed so I thought you were sleeping," she shrugged. She walked over to the closet.
"Yoomi, you still don't want to do the talent show with me?" I asked, already knowing her answer. I leaned over to see her reaction. She stopped rumaging around in the closet.
"Yeah, I'm sure," she said, and went back to searching.
My shoulders fell in disappointment. "Okay..."
Two days later
Author's POV
Liu teacher clapped his hands. “Everyone please get ready, the show will start in 30 minutes, 30 minutes!”
Minwoo brought Hwayoung closer. “When I do this, you hold onto my jacket and we do the body wave together," he said taking her step by step.
She pushed away playfully. "I got this Minwoo," she said with aegyo. He ruffled the top of her head.
Hyunseung walked over to Nara with two water bottles and handed her one. “Drink some water so your beautiful voice won’t crack,” he said. Nara blushed and took the water bottle.
Hyunmi pointed at a place on the paper. “Oppa, remember right here, you have to go very low for this part.” She looked up at Kwangmin.
"I got this, remember, I'm really good at rapping!" She slapped his arm with a smile.
“Remember to repeat after me the 'forever' part” Donghyun reminded HeeChin.
HeeChin pouted and elbowed him. "Of course I'd remember that part, I put that in there!"
Jaemi pointed at their paper. “Jeongmin, alright, this part, do I have to go higher than you?” she asked. He kissed her forehead. She tried not to smile. "Come on, answer my question, otherwise I'm gonna think you forgot!"
Youngmin watched all the couples do their last minute touch-ups as he sat on the couch backstage. He looked slightly envious of them, but tried to maintain the poker face he was wearing. His only preparation was listening to 'Nagging' over and over on his iPod.
Jaemi looked over and saw him sitting with his arms crossed. She walked to the couch and sat next to him.
"Youngmin, you okay?" She sounded concerned.
"Yeah... well not really," he sighed.
She smiled encouragingly. "She'll understand soon." She patted his shoulder.
"I think I go last," he said. He stood up. "I need to get some fresh air, get the butterflies out, you know?"
Jaemi nodded and stood up too. "Take care of yourself Youngmin." She watched him leave throught the exit door. “Yoomi, it's clear!”
Yoomi slowly peeked around the corner. "He sounded sad," she said worriedly.
Hyunmi brought over a white mini dress. "Don't worry, he'll be happy once it's your guys' turn."
"Ya, Yoomi, you'll look cute in that dress," Kwangmin winked. Hyunmi narrowed her eyes and smacked the back of his head. He smiled sheepishly and rubbed his head.
Yoomi laughed. "Thanks guys."
Hwayoung ran up with white sparkly heels. Yoomi made a face. "Ya, it's not like you're dancing in them!" Hwayoung smiled. "And I'm doing your makeup too, so you better be amazed!" Yoomi stuck her tongue out.
Nara sprinted into the dressing room. “He’s coming, hurry, hide!” Yoomi ran around the corner.
“Youngmin, you’re back so soon...” Donghyun started. Youngmin shook his head and walked away. Everyone looked at each other and shrugged.
An hour later, Hwayoung turned Yoomi around to face her reflection. "Am I good, or am I good?" she said. Yoomi gasped. She almost didn't recognize herself.
She turned to Hwayoung. "Thank you unnie!"
Hwayoung pushed her away gently. "Don't get all teary on me, otherwise it'll come off!"
Nara dropped in to do the finishing touches with earrings and a necklace. "Perfect!" she gushed.
"Looks like all the other students are done," HeeChin commented.
"And next is... Jeongmin and Jaemi!"
Hyunseung hugged Jeongmin. “Hwaiting Jeongmin and Jaemi!”
“Jaemi hwaiting!” the girls cheered.
Jeongmin grabbed Jaemi's hand and they walked onstage together.
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Co-author: It's been way too long since last update D; I was really lazy and then stuff came up... JungYooMi wrote this quickly, I didn't edit it quickly... sorry guys T.T The last few chapters I'll try to edit as quickly as JunYooMi writes! And thank you for all the friend adds, y'all are too sweet <3
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