Prologue

Friday nights at the Jung household usually involved the absence of both parents, who would spend their time mingling at classy pubs or the bowling center.

Friday nights at the Jung household used to involve the absence of two daughters, who usually spent their time perfecting dance routines in the practice room, posing for late night shoots, or recording songs into the wee hours of the morning.

The siblings would more often than not, end up zombie-ing towards their sleeping quarters, half-dragging their tired bodies under the warm shower before shifting into leopard-printed sleep wear and treading into sleep territory. More like, other sibling’s territory. But what was important here was, when their parents usually come home, it was easy to find the children. If one is not in her room, they’d usually find her in the other child’s room.

But that was the past when both girls were slaving as idols. Now, things have changed and the two girls ended up on different spectrums of their careers. One defected from the stressful limelight of idol-hood. The other rose to become an all-around public figure. Nonetheless, the household routines have shifted and although the parents were not the least bit affected, the norms have changed between the two daughters.

“SOOJUNG-AH!!!”

“WHAT?!”

Two distinct high-pitched voices now bounced off the white walls of the Jung household. The culprits: Sooyeon, the elder sister, and Soojung, the youngest child. Neighbors now got used to the ruckus occurring inside the Jung estate whether it be loud glass-breaking, dolphin-like shrieks or boisterous and unwomanly nasal laughs. They never minded because the two children were just… too lovable… and heavily generous although the neighbors knew that those Prada, Lanvin, Balmain, or Chanel lines received during holidays were the sisters’ way of atonement for their disturbances.

The somber and serene Fridays within the Jung household were now considered Freaky Fridays and it all started with the eldest Jung daughter coming in as early as six in the evening. The parents would usually be still around, but the youngest would be found nil.

And the parents would bequeath the responsibility of the house to the eldest before they disappeared past the front door at around eight, leaving the daughter to lounge at the living room in front of the television or end up playing mobile games which she usually ended up losing. At around nine, the youngest would slip through the door.

“I’m home,” came out soft and simple, enough to catch the attention of the older girl from the foyer. “I brought food, too.” And that was enough of a statement to get Sooyeon out of her seat to greet her younger sibling.

“Wow. The things food does to you.” Soojung would remark with a sneer.

Sooyeon would pout, “You made me wait. I’m hungry!”

And the two would slip into the kitchen and dig into a nice dinner of Korean-American dishes with a touch of wine. Dinner time would pass in silence and the two girls would wind up in front of the television right after washing the dishes. It would take a few moments of mutual calmness before one snapped and started a little rough housing.

The next morning would seem like a storm broke into the household; throw pillows thrown on the floor, the couch overturned, some magazines scattered across the carpet, and what not. Mr. and Mrs. Jung almost called the cops for a suspected burglary until they remembered  that their children were home for the night and would scurry over to their rooms to find the siblings unharmed and bodies entangled – both snoring.

And that was when Mr. and Mrs. Jung would realize the real culprits behind the wreck in the foyer. Despite all that, the parents never grounded them for they were too old for grounding. Instead, they allowed their children to be children, for once, because it was only within the Jung household that the two kids could find the freedom to tear down the walls they built in face of public.

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Epilogue

It was one of those Friday nights, and Sooyeon arrived home to find their house suspiciously devoid of life. The living room lights were on and Sooyeon had this feeling that someone was in the house. Where? She could only guess. Tired from a busy day at the office, Sooyeon ended up plopping on their couch and as if sensing her presence within the house, a door opened and footsteps padded down the wooden stairs.

It was not long before Sooyeon felt a warm derriere settle on the back of her mid-section and she groaned in annoyance when the weight did not budge. “Ugh! Jung Soojung!!!” Sooyeon struggled like a drowning kitten as she was being pinned to the sofa by a person’s . Not being able to take the weight anymore, Sooyeon reached over her back and pinched the assaultive derriere.

A high pitched laugh bounced off the walls of the house as the left her aching spine. Sooyeon glared up at her younger sibling, who was losing herself to laughter. She begrudgingly got up, feeling like a ninety-year-old elder, much to her sister’s amusement. “Granny. You’re home.” Soojung pointed out as she stood, arms crossed over her chest with that haughty grin which Sooyeon would so want to wipe off her face.

But Sooyeon’s back felt like breaking and her scheme of lunging onto her sibling, for almost giving her an early retirement, was now left to her thoughts. She tried stretching some and rubbing her back when soothing hands ended up beating her own to the task. Sooyeon turned to note her sister giving her an effleurage.

“Feeling better?” Soojung inquired as she resumed the wonderful massage.

“Hmm. That feels so good.” Sooyeon moaned, making Soojung grin in pride. “Gosh, you have magical hands, Soojung.” Sooyeon mused as she reveled in the hands smoothing over her clothed back.

“This isn’t for free, Sooyeon.” Soojung said matter-of-factly.

“What?!” Sooyeon was shaken from her trance after hearing those words. She turned to the taller person, standing behind her, “Hey, you did the damage on my poor back and you’re charging me for the massage?! That is ridiculous.” Soojung only chuckled at her sister’s protest, “Fine. Let’s go eat now that you’re feeling better.” Hand caught Sooyeon’s and before the older sibling could protest, the stronger Soojung had already led them to the kitchen.

Soojung snickered upon noting the sulking posture and the Puss-in-Boots-like pout being portrayed by her older sister. The youngest Jung only pinched Sooyeon’s cheek before she made the oldest child sit while she unpacked the food left for them by their parents. As per routine, the two siblings dined in comfortable silence; the clinking of utensils on plates resounding throughout the dining.

Moments passed and the two mechanically took on the task of cleaning up with Sooyeon doing the dishes while Soojung scurried about cleaning the table and storing the leftovers in the fridge. Then, in a blink, the two raced into the bathrooms, stripping like excited kids off to a pool party, only that they weren’t heading for the pool but under the shower instead.

Laughter bounced off the bathroom tiles as Sooyeon playfully splashed warm water at her younger sibling. Soojung retaliated by wiping a soapy foam over the eldest’s chest, a cheeky smirk donned on her face. “Yah! ert!” Sooyeon yelled, tossing a shampoo bottle at the youngest, who deftly caught the container with her swift hands.

“I learned from the best.” Soojung countered; a sly grin ghosting over her face.

“From whom?” Sooyeon demanded; arms akimbo under the warm torrents of water.

“Who else but my one and only… sister…” Soojung nonchalantly answered as she lathered her hair with the shampoo.

A huff of annoyance escaped from the elder much to the younger one’s amusement. Their bath time passed in unspoken truce as the girls took turns in washing and scrubbing each other – a normal routine both girls had undergone since childhood and ended in their busy teens, but picked up after their career shifts. Bath time ended with a smack to Soojung’s bare .

“Ouch!” Soojung grunted, hand rubbing her stinging derriere. She turned to see a chuckling older sister as Sooyeon covered up herself in a white bathrobe. Soojung hastily donned her own blanched robe and riposted with a full body attack. Squeals rebounded from the walls this time as Sooyeon tried with all her strength to prevent her younger sibling from smacking a hand to her poor .

“Hey, that was for what you did back in the living room!” Sooyeon protested, hands twining with Soojung’s as they both wrestled to domina