Jung Taekwoon

Trudging up the stairs to our apartment, I pray that omma is not home. Knowing Jaehwan, he would have told omma what happen in school just now.

My phobia, me fainting, missing out on school on purpose.

Omma is very touchy on this subject. The last time my phobia acted up on me, she fetch me straight after school, make me stay at home for a few days, taking care of me. That was years back and I hope omma won't do  it again.

I took out my key from my bad sidepocket and unlocked the door. I haven't even fully pen the door when omma rush up to me, fussing around me.

"Taek-ah! Where have you been? Are you ok? Does it hurt anyhwere? Oettokhae?"

I just stand there, not doing anything, letting omma do all the talking. After she take a breather, I close the door and hug my mum. Listening to her nagging and fussing over me makes me realise I just need a hug from her. An assurance from her.

"Omma, na gwenchana. It's ok.." I told her, not wanting to worry her.

"But Jaehwan said you fainted in school. Because of crowds. Taek, are you still not over it?" she questioned me, this time her voice sounded serious and worried.

I just shook my head, gave her a faint smile before excusing myself to wash up before dinner. Omma just look at me, not knowing what to say and walk towards the kitchen to prepare dinner for the two of us. I went in my room, closing the door and flop myself on my bed. Looking up at the ceiling, the incident that happen just now kept on replaying in my head.

Trying to distract myself from the incident, I fish out my phone from my sidepocket and texted Jaehwan.

Yah! Why did you tell omma?

Wae? Can't I?

You know she'll be worried. Idiot.

Looks who's the idiot who ran in the crowd.

I ignore Jaehwan's last reply to my text. Right, I'm an idiot who ran to the core of his phobia. Making his panic attacks act up back. I'm the idiot.

Idiot Jaehwan.

My phone buzz again and I ignore it. Not bothered to take a look guessing it was Jaehwan. I took my towel off the handle behind my door before going in the bathroom to take a short shower before dinner.

10, 15 minutes in the shower, washing up, clears my head from what happen the whole day.

Dinner with Omma was quiet, not our usual quiet but an awkward kind of quiet. And I hate it. I know she worries for me but I didn't want to burden her with my problems.

"Omma, mian for worrying you" I said quietly, starting off the conversation.

"Jung Taekwoon, you shouldn't be sorry. It's a mother's job to worry."

I can only manage a small smile, before hugging my mother. She really is the only one that I can lean on to and pour everything that traps up inside me.

She is my pillar and I know I'm hers.

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My phone buzzes, disturbing the tranquility I was enjoing while trying to finish off my assignments.

Jaehwan.

I picked up the phone after contemplating whether or not to pick it up.

"Hmm?" I greet him over the phone.

"Yah, why didn't you reply my texts and calls since just now?!" Jaehwan shouted over the phone, making me pull the phone away from my ear.

"Didn't notice."

"Excuses. You just didn't want to pick it up. So what did Imo said just now?"

"All thanks to you Jae omma was worried. Komawo. And Bye."

With that I put the phone down and switch it off. No more annoying calls from Jaehwan.

Lee Jaehwan

"All thanks to you Jae omma was worried. Komawo. And Bye", and Taekwoon hang up the call.

Idiot.

Other people are worrying for him and there he is shutting himself from everybody else.

And here I am thinking that things have change ever since Myung Hee came into our lives. He have started to open up bit by bit, smiling slightly here and there and talking slightly bit more.

But after the incident in the morning looks like we'll be looking at the old cold Taekwoon back again. The one that does not let anyone enter his heart, the one that survives on his own.

I only told Imo about the incident because I thought she deserve to know. She really worries alot about Taekwoon and his phobia. Especially after Taekwoon's dad passed on. That was one of the things that contributes to his phobia too.

I still remember how all this started. Looking at the potrait that hangs on my wall, the incident that happen on that day rush inside my head.

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"Okay boys, KIMCHI!"

"KIMCHI!" all of us shouted in unison, two fingers prop up, wide smile plastered on our face.

It was a day out for all of us with our parents and they decided to bring us to the amusement park. 

Our favourite place.

Appa had insisted for us to pose in front of the amusement park entrance for a picture together. For memories sake he said.

We don't mind much about it, all we care about was when Wonshik's appa will appear with the tickets in his hands to let us entrance inside the park. We've waited for I-don't-know-how-long yet he still haven't return.

For a 9 years old, even 10 minutes seems like 10 hours. And that is what we feel like right now. I was already fidgeting on the spot, picking at the sides of the sleeveless shirt I was using.

The sweltering hot weather is not helping too.

"Yah, Wonshik! Why is your appa so late?" I cried out from where I was standing, under the shade of the tree.

"Yeah Wonshik! I WANT TO PLAY!" Hakyeon complain, plopping down on the ground, only to get scolded from his mother for dirtying his new jeans.

The parents only look at us, laughing along, talking to one another. They are use to us complaining about this and that. All of them have watch us grow up since we were young.

"KIDS, TICKETS HERE!"

Hearing the voice of Wonshik's appa calling out for us, all six of us clambered up, standing up before running up to him to grab the ticket from his hands.

Our little grubby hands hold on tight to the tickets that were used to let us admission inside the amusement park. I look up at the noona that was chekcing my ticket before she give me a smile and ruffle my hair before letting me in.

I scowled lightly, fixing back my hair.

"Ooohh Jae! That noona likes you!" Taekwoon shouted at me when he saw what the noona did to me.

He teased me and the others join him. I ignored them, only concentrating on having fun today.

All six of us wanted to go on different rides so we played rock-paper-scissors to determine whose ride to go on first. Hyuk won the first round and him being the brave soul wanted to go on the roller-coaster.

"Ah, shirro! Andwae!" Hakyeon scream out as we pull him along with us.

"APPA! OMMA! HELP MEEEEE!"

His parents just follow behind us, with the rest of the adults, just laughing along at his childish antics.

We taunted Hakyeon by telling him how scary the ride was and how high it was. He almost burst out in tears before we promised to go on his ride next.

The crucial 2 minutes of our lives on the roller coaster was scary. We scream out loud, our soul almost went flying away. The only one who was laughing and begging to go on one more timewas Hyuk only. That kid really knows no limit. Aish.

The day went on and we continued our amusement park adventure again after lunch at the fast food restaurant in the park.

The next ride that was decided upon was Hong Bin's bumper cars. All six of us skipped along, going to the bumper car area. We make sure to look out for one another since it was crowded that day.

Taekwoon who was next to me pulled me towards the souvenir shop nearby.

"YAH!! OVER HERE!" I call out to the rest.

They turn around and saw us going in the shop before rushing in with us too. We pick out the items that we wanted, head bands, miniature toys and other things, begging out parents to buy it for us.

"Omma jebal! Can I have this! Jebal!"

After much persuading and almost crying, we got what we wanted. We went out of the shop with our souvenirs and our parents complaining about our antics.

None of us noticed that Taekwoon was missing at that point of time.

"Where's Taekwoonie?" Hyuk suddenly ask me when we were queuing up for the bumper car.

I look around when he mention that name only to find the 5 of us standing in that row, no Taekwoon.

Realising the situation, all five of us squeezed out of the line, running up to our parents to convey the news.

"Omma! Taekwoon is missing!"

"Taekwoon is nowhere!"

"Taekwoon eodiga omma? Imo?"

All this questions were bombarded out once we reach the place where the adults was waiting for us.

They seem to catch what we were saying because Taekwoon's mother was in a state of shock and his father stood still, rooted to the ground.

"Jaemin, I think we better split up to search for Taekwoon and also announce it and ask around." My father told Taekwoon's father.

We each went back to our own parents and follow them around, looking for Taekwoon. Taekwoon's parents followed me and my parents in search for their son.

"TAEKWOONIE! EODIGA?!" I shouted, people looking at me.

After searching for more than half an hour, we received a call from Hong Bin's mother.

Taekwoon was with them. They found him in the middle of the amusement park.

All of us rush towards the place where they were.

They he was, crouching down at the corner, crying. We have never seen Taekwoon crying. He look up when he heard his parents voice. His face. It was full of fear, worry and other emotions.

He huddled with them, not wanting to let go. Us, kids, can only stand with our parents eventhough we wanted to hug Taekwoon, to console him, telling him everything is fine.

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That was almost 10 years ago. In the summer. That incident made Taekwoon afraid of people. Afraid of crowds. He was even down with fever for a week after what happen.

After what happen, all five of us take better care of Taekwoon, knowing his phobia and his fears. We make sure that in a crowded place, he is never alone. We stood by his side throughout all these time although he shuts us out. We know it was not on purpose. He just didn't know how to open up after what happen.

Looking back at the picture of us ten years ago, I realise how much things have change. We have change.

After Myung Hee steps in our life, Taekwoon seems to try to open up, letting go of his fears bit by bit. I thought we might see bright, smiley Taekwoon back again in the near future but I guess the future is bleak for that Taekwoon.

Sighing, I pick up my phone, texting an apology to Taekwoon. Hopefully he feels better tomorrow at school.

A/N: HI! I'm back people! EXAM IS OVER! OH YEAH! So as I've promied, I would come running here after exam is over and I will update, so here I am! Sorry is this chapter , I didn't have enough time to write it and I wanted to give you guys an update, so here it is. Thanks to all of you who wish me luck for my exam :D (Hopefully I did well *prays hard*) And throughout my hiatus, the number of subscribers increased *tearing up* WHY ARE YOU GUYS SO SWEET :') Hopefully all of you loves this story and continue to read and comment on it! SARANGHAE!

P.S: DID YOU GUYS WATCH VIXX'S ON AND ON REMIX VERSION. OMG. I AM SO LOVING IT. SPAZZING LIKE MAD WHEN I WATCH THAT PERFORMANCE! Ken's vocal was very strong and damn, it was perfect.