My Senior Year : A Second Home

"Sungmin!" Ahra Noona opened the door for me and Kyuhyun.

"Ahra Noona! How are you doing?" I asked when she came to me for a quick hug.

"I'm doing good, how about you? Did you really get your memory of meeting us back?" Ahra Noona held me at arm's length.

I smiled and nodded quickly. Ahra Noona gave me a hug again.

"Noona!" Kyuhyun said from behind me "You're gonna squish him, you know..."

"Oh Kyu baby! Shush!" Ahra Noona started pulling on my hand "Come on Sungmin, Appa's in the garden with Umma, she's waiting for you!"

I looked back on Kyuhyun as Ahra Noona dragged me to the kitchen that led to the backyard. Kyuhyun smiled and looked down, shaking his head at Ahra Noona's obvious excitement.

"Omo! Sungminnie? Our Sungminnie? Is that really you?" Mrs. Cho let go of the plates she was setting down on the garden table and walked quickly towards me, her eyes glassed with tears.

Mrs. Cho... She became my Umma when I stayed here at this very place. She took me in a warm and gentle hug.

"You've grown up to be wonderful!" she exclaimed and held me at arm's length only to hug me again. "You've been doing well, right?"

"Yes Mrs. Cho. How about you? How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm good. When Kyuhyun told me that you were going to come over, I got really excited. I've been wanting to see you."

"Really? I kinda felt the need to see you too, after suddenly remembering what happened. I'm sorry I only came to see you now."

She cupped my face and smiled as she stared at me "Aigo, Our Sungminnie, it's okay... You've been through a lot, I'm happy you are all better now"

"Yeobo..." Principal Cho stood by the grill "Let Sungmin sit so we can all eat together and chat"

"Omo, you must be hungry, we'll eat soon, I know it's still too early for lunch, but Ahra thought that maybe we should start eating early so we can catch up and talk over barbeque" Mrs. Cho led me to sit on a long bench by the table.

I was surprised when Kyuhyun whispered from behind me "Let me take the jacket, so you'll feel comfortable" before I was able to look back, Kyuhyun was already able to slip his jacket off my shoulders.

Kyuhyun went inside the house taking the jacket with him. Ahra Noona sat in front of me and Mrs. Cho sat on my left side. Soon after Cho Kyuhyun already took place sitting to my left.

"Kyuhyun is taking care of you well in school, right Sungminnie?" Mrs. Cho said while bunching up food on my plate.

I nodded slowly. Showing uncertainty on my face.

Mrs. Cho gave me and Kyuhyun a look "Have you not been taking care of Sungmin, Kyuhyun-ah?" She sounded disappointed.

Kyuhyun pointed at himself, speechless, he gave me a look and then Ahra Noona and Mrs. Cho and then back to me "Yah! Have I not been watching you?"

I laughed "I was only kidding" I turned to Mrs. Cho "Kyuhyunnie has been watching over me. He's not being nice though" take that, Cho Kyuhyun! *evil Sungminnie smirk*

"Yah! You're the one who's being mean! Umma! He even threw an apple at me when I was at the hospital"

"Yah Kyuhyunnie! It's because you keep acting like a jerk!" Ahra Noona said which made everyone laugh except for Cho Kyuhyun.

Principal Cho placed grilled meat on the table and sat beside Ahra Noona "Sungmin, I especially asked Kyuhyun to take care of you in class. He was mad about it and he didn't want to. He said you've forgotten him and you didn't even remember us. I even know that he didn't give you the tour you needed on your first day. He was even once gone for class because we had to discuss it and I have to make him agree to be nicer to you, and watch over you."

"Appa..." Kyuhyun said, he obviously he wanted to change the topic. I felt embarrassed that I made him felt forgotten. Now, I couldn't blame him for being not too welcoming when I first came to school.

"But all is better now, right Kyuhyun?" Ahra Noona said, sensing the embarrassment I felt.

"He doesn't even need me" Cho Kyuhyun said taking food from my plate "He can protect himself"

I smiled and started eating with everyone. I know I really can protect myself and I'm old enough to do things myself too. But somehow I felt a bit hurt when Kyuhyun said that I don't need him.

I glanced at him, he was busy with eating. Kyuhyunnie... I'm sorry I forgot you... I'm sorry I forgot this family...

"I'm sorry I have to leave Sungmin, I really need to go to my friend's house to finish something we are working on. You know I'll see you again, right?" Ahra Noona said one last time before getting up from the table.

I nodded "It's okay Ahra Noona, let's just go out some other time, okay?"

"Yes, that would be great! I'll see you soon! Umma, Appa, I'll be going now... Kyu-baby... Be nice!" she said the last part with scary eyes darting to Kyuhyun, then she turned to me with the sweetest smile and waved goodbye as she walked away.

We had so much to talk and laugh about over lunch. Mrs. Cho reminded me of my stay in their place. She told me stuff we did and she reminded of things Kyuhyunnie and I would usually do back then. Slowly, I was able to remember most of it.

"Kyuhyun, why don't you take Sungmin around the house? Your Umma and I will clean up here first" Principal Cho said, deciding to stand up and tend to the grill.

Kyuhyun was mostly quiet the whole time. He would only nod and give short answers.

Upon hearing what Principal Cho said, Kyuhyun just stood up and waited for me to stand up as well. "Let's go inside" He said softly and started walking.

I followed closely behind him.

Walking inside the Cho's house was bringing back more of my memories. I can literally see myself as a kid walking around the house, playing with Kyuhyunnie, bothering Ahra Noona with her violin lessons, watching Mrs. Cho cook and bake in the kitchen, seeing Principal Cho watching TV with me and Kyuhyunnie joining him, asking him tons of questions he would laugh hearing.

We came to the bottom of the stairs. I remember this now. This is where Kyuhyunnie promised me that he will protect me and help me whenever I'm in danger. He promised that, how can he say that I don't need him and I can protect myself?

I slowly walked up, my hand sliding on the railings of the stairs. I remember how Kyuhyunnie and I would usually play here. Who'd reach the top first, or who gets to go down the fastest, or we'd play rock-paper-scissors. I smiled at the memories. I didn't notice Kyuhyun waiting for me at the top of the stairs.

"What are you smiling about?"

I blushed thinking how silly I looked. I shook my head "Nothing, I just... I just remember how we'd play here"

He only nodded then turned to walk.

I followed Kyuhyun. Too soon that he stopped in front of a door.

I know this door very well. It's the door to his room. The room we shared for a couple of weeks.

Kyuhyun turned the knob slowly and held the door open for me to come in first.

His room hasn't changed so much. The bed is still located in the same place by the corner, except for now that the bed is higher and bigger, same goes for his study table that was more formal looking and the books weren't for kids anymore. I touched the walls, same color... Blue... Instead of drawings posted on the wall there are certificates, game posters, other stuff that interested Kyuhyun.

I came across a shelf right next to his bathroom door. The shelf contained some medals, awards, trophies, and photos. What caught my attention was the framed photo in the middle.

It was Kyuhyunnie and me. We had our arms draped on each other's shoulder and we were wearing our backpacks and baseball caps and we looked so happy. I can remember that the photo was taken about 2 days before I left the Cho's. Principal Cho took everyone to the park because I was feeling bad and I kept having nightmares. Kyuhyunnie begged his father to go out so I can have fun and forget about my nightmares.

I ran my finger over the photo, it didn't look old at all. Kyuhyunnie... He treasured our friendship this much and yet I forgot about him and his promises. He must have felt sad when I promised to see him but I never did.

I turn around to look at Kyuhyun. He was fiddling on a rack of DVDs and games, his back facing me. Kyuhyun was pretending to be busy with picking something from the rack, he didn't even bother to face me when I walked to stand behind him.

I wrapped my arms around Kyuhyun's waist, pressing my cheek against his back. I felt him stiffen as i clasped my arms over his abdomen. It was like he stopped breathing for a while. I closed my eyes and breathed in.

"I'm sorry I forgot you Kyuhyunnie..." I pressed myself closer to him and tightened my hold around him.

He didn't move. He didn't speak.

"If I could just go back, I wouldn't even think of forgetting you. I wish I never did. I'm sorry..." I wasn't really expecting a reply from Kyuhyun but just before I decided to remove my arms from him, he was already able to turn around and hug me back, his face buried at the crook of my neck and shoulders.

Kyuhyun adjusted his arms around me and hugged me tighter, he even buried his face deeper in to my neck.

I felt something wet against my neck. "Kyuhyunnie, are you crying?" I said his back.

I felt him shook his head. He then sniffed a bit.

"You're crying..."

"Don't forget me again Sungminnie..." his voice muffled from hiding his face.

He treated me coldly when we met again because he was mad at me for forgetting him. He tried to avoid me and yet he was still there. By force or by accident, we were being brought together by the people around us.