Chapter 14: “You should’ve thought twice before you let it all go- Taylor Swift”

-o0o-

“When did you come home last night?” Sunny wondered, whacking Sungmin with the rolled newspaper at her hand the following morning. He was drinking coffee, in his suit with hair gelled back, chuckling as his wife worriedly sat next to him.

“That’s sweet, darling,” Sungmin replied, taking a bite on the pancake he made. “Around eleven. Are you driving Jinhye to school today?”

She sighed, trying to look at herself. Her hair was a complete mess, her breath smelled awful and her feet sired as if it was fried all morning. She shook her head, pouting.

“You do it this time,” Sunny told him. “I asked Jasmine I’d take a break today. I feel horrible. I need to go to the spa. Can you do it for me instead, oppa?”

Sungmin agreed, happily getting up. “Then I should get going. I have to be early too. Is Jinhye awake?”

Sunny pointed the living room, where the 4-year-old was coloring her books. He looked at the direction, seeing now his daughter already ready for her music lessons in Daeyung. Sungmin kissed his wife’s cheeks, and swiftly grabbed his keys from the counter.

“Jinhye-ah, come along,” he called her, fixing his tie as he faced the mirror. “Appa needs to beat Kyuhyun-sshi to the office so he has to be early. And Appa needs to talk to your teacher about the reunion.”

Jinhye nodded, picking up her pink Barbie backpack from the floor and inserting her box of crayons inside. Skipping Jinhye approached her mother first, pecking her cheek.

“Umma, I will be going now,” Jinhye showed her respect as she bowed.

Sunny, somewhat annoyed, smiled as she wiped Jinhye’s kiss off. “You and your appa are the same.”

The little girl giggled, holding now Sungmin’s hand as they waved goodbye and out they went to his car. Sungmin was rather proper that morning---seemingly, there were no traces of alcohol in him when he slept with her. Sunny found it odd, that Sungmin was easily persuaded today, to do some chore or to be bossed around. He was usually hardheaded...

-o0o-

“We’re going to do ‘Why I Like You’,” Sungmin told Yesung that same morning, giving him an update to what the others had in mind.

Yesung looked at him strangely, eyes knitted together at the center. A hand by his chin, he flashed back all the songs they had practiced and done in college, maybe it would refresh his memory of what it was.

“Geudaega, geudaega, nan geudaega...saranghae, saranghae, neol saranghae...rago malhal ttae...”

His voice echoed through the room, all the children watched as their teacher sang extraordinarily---like a real professional vocalist. Time seemed to stop, all eyes falling on them, even as Choonhee entered, she was amazed at how competently impressive his vocals were.

“Yes, that’s the one,” Sungmin told him happily. He noticed that everyone was looking at the two of them talk, so he shook his head along with his hands, laughing at this trouble.

“Then I’m not growing that old yet,” Yesung responded, chuckling.

“I must be off though,” he told the other man. “I’ll be on my way, Yesung-sshi.” As he stood up and put on his coat, he gazed at Mrs. Kim Jongwoon heading their direction with her books at ready. Sungmin opened his arms cheerfully, laughing at the sight of her. “Choonhee-ah! You’ve...grown.”

Choonhee nodded, approaching the two adults. Her tummy was protruding much bigger than the last time for she seemed to be wearing long dresses. “I suppose that means I’m fat.” Yesung rolled his eyes, mouthing ‘Don’t mind her’. Choonhee thumped her husband’s shoulder, still smiling to the guest. “It’s okay, Sungmin-sshi. I hope to see you and Jinhye at the reunion.”

“Certainly,” Sungmin at once assured her. “Sunny and I debated about bringing her, and she just agreed. I’ll be on my way because I’m beating Kyuhyun to the office today.”

Yesung bobbed his head, getting up and shaking his hand. The couple ushered the man towards the exit, waving their hands together, as Sungmin got into his car and drove off.

Traffic was slack in Busan that morning, streets just about occupied and pollution less coarse. Because he wanted to take a shortcut, Sungmin turned left at the nearest corner that would cut him six miles from the original road. Cheerfully, he looked at his wrist, sensing time was siding him. Fifteen minutes before time in.

Upon passing by Haelee’s apartment, Sungmin, someone who could remember things so easily, noticed a black Jaguar; the very sight of it was familiar to his eyes. With further inspection, he knew why.

SH23GAEM628.

It couldn’t be his. No, it was impossible to believe (for Sungmin deemed Seohyun and Kyuhyun’s relationship patched) that he would be here early in the morning. Or was it because he stayed there all night? Sungmin knew that Kyu was drunk last night, and he overheard that the man was driving Haelee home.

Omo, could it be that they have committed something unspeakable? But...Kyuhyun would never touch something he didn’t find fun or amazing. Haelee was a special friend, according to what Sungmin rounded up. Did they take things a little higher because of their unstable mental state? He couldn’t take his eyes off it, staring at it as he moved passed Kyuhyun’s black car.

Could he be really interested about her so deeply that he’d go for third base just as fast? Had he forgotten why his car plate has ‘SH23GAEM628’ in it? It was personalized, he himself choosing each character, for the sake of keeping someone’s initials and birthday in them.

-o0o-

“Have you decided on what color to wear on the day of the reunion?” Heechul asked Sohee who was busily staring at her new nail polish. He was driving her to the school again, just like a good apt husband he vowed to be. Sohee, managing to hear only half of what he said, stared at him gladly, a bit flighty about the color blue.

“Yes, sweetie?”

Heenim rolled his eyes, smirking. “You’re a little deaf dear, aren’t you? Do you want me to loosen my voice a little louder?”

She quietly giggled and shook her head. “I’m sorry. Was it something about the reunion?”

“Yes, that,” Chul repeated. “What color do you think we should both wear to the reunion?”

Sohee had her eyes squinted, looking far off in the future. “There’s been a change of venue. I heard...that it’s going to be a beach party. Since our year would be the sponsor, one of the political science students in my year owns this huge resort around up North. The area’s huge. I’ve checked all the hotel rooms and I think everybody who’d like to stay in can reserve a cottage with a sweetheart or his family or even his friends.  Anyway, I’ve calculated all the students that are going. I checked the website. Exactly 80 lodging houses are available for use. And every cottage owes five rooms. That makes it...400 rooms. And mostly, not everyone is staying. Lunch and dinner for the first day will be served at the mess hall, while breakfast the next day was sponsored by the Management student Luna. Wouldn’t that be lovely? It’s just one night, and the catered food is bound to be delicious. We should reserve a cabin.”

Heechul, eyes on the road, cleared his throat. “Honey.”

She looked up with another charming smile, her eyes softly on her husband. “Yes?”

“I was only asking of what color we’re going to wear,” he stated blankly, laughing. “You didn’t have to tell me everything.”

She laughed gleefully as well, covering as her cheeks reddened. “Aigoo, I know. I’m just excited. We really must reserve a cottage. It’s like our...” she held out her fingers, tapping each one and thinking decisively. “Seventh honeymoon, right?”

“Okay, so I’ll be deciding then,” Heenim gave up, chuckling when Sohee realized his sarcasm. “Let’s go with pink, okay?”

She grinned, just agreeing. “I’d love that.”

-o0o-

Monday again and she was quite lucky to gather and make a few of the shabbiest news articles in the world.

Newsmakers were creators of chaos, a thought she learned from Onew himself, the News Editor. She entered the building, her coat draped by her shoulders because she felt chilly that break of morn. The office was already occupied with around two or three writers, typing quickly on to their laptops some assigned articles due that day. Sooyoung, worried that she’d fail Heechul again, hastily headed for her desk, and mindful, she noticed the note taped on her seat.

“We’re doing ‘Hoot’ on the reunion. We’ll practice for it a week before when everyone is present- Jessica,” she read, eyes furrowing. Hoot? Shooting arrows and aiming for some heartbreaker’s heart were the theme of its choreography, Sooyoung recalled. Skillfully, she enjoyed doing the corset steps, her skinny elbows and y walk always enthralling an audience. Oh, but she had some fat in her already...would it still be as y?

Intriguingly, Sooyoung’s arms were before her, practicing. She tried it one more time, the dance steps taught to them. ‘Your arrows mean trouble, trouble, trouble...’

“Doing hoot, eh?” Onew asked, watching her openly. She hid it away, shaking her head and looking down at her shoes.

“No...actually, I don’t know,” Sooyoung muttered, embarrassed, gazing at her desk.

“Follow me,” he invited as he turned towards his own stall, Sooyoung’s eyebrows raised high in wonder. Nobody seemed to be listening, except maybe Kari who was glaring at her in disgust. Sadistic, Sooyoung stuck her tongue out, following Onew to his workplace.

She entered the room, staring at the new arrangement Onew had inside. The desk was not anymore facing the door, but in fact, placed by the right, and two chairs were situated nearby. Around two pictures of Sica were hanging beside the clock, one where she had short curly hair and the other was taken during her birthday.

 He asked her to sit down.

Sooyoung scoffed. “Did...did you put the note on my chair?”

Onew shrugged. “It’s signed Jessica. Do I have blonde hair and weak ankles?”

“Very funny Chief,” she mumbled, finally sitting down. “Do you know that dance?”

Unexpectedly, he gestured his right arm forward, pretending to pull an arrow with his left, and his legs rhythmically in sync. Sooyoung laughed, kicking his table in frenzy.

Onew stared at her, also chuckling. “What’s so funny?”

“You are, you imbecile,” she remarked. “Don’t you have better things to do? Like, finish your column for the week?”

He sighed. “I already have. Actually...I was the one who left the note. Because Sica told me to. I’m bored now, that’s why I called you.”

“Yes, I know,” Sooyoung stated, a little smug at his thoughts. “Why don’t you call Jessica?”

“She’s busy,” he answered. “You’re not.”

Because he knew Jessica would not want to eat the chocolates he paid for with his remaining change the other night, Onew brought out it out himself, wrapped in pink ribbon that looked utterly the sweetest thing in the whole universe.

Sooyoung felt honored that he was sharing it with her, a lousy journalist who hated using the inverted pyramid when she wrote her news (although it was very critical, she ignored it, following her own patterns of writing). She didn’t pick one, Onew already ahead with two pieces of chocolates. Why? He didn’t know exactly. Was it because he bought it? Was it because it wasn’t Siwon Choi this time? Was it because he was plain Onew? When she wouldn’t budge for the third time, he pushed the box lightly towards her, gazing in an offertory manner.

“I’m diabetic,” she flatly replied.

“Since when?” he asked, picking another piece of chocolate. “You weren’t afraid of chocolates when we went to my brother’s party. You practically finished the whole chocolate fountain all on your own.”

Sooyoung smirked. “I was 19. Now, I’m 30. There’s a big difference.”

“Oh like what?” He wondered, interested now, taking a bite. Even when he was taunting her with this kind of temptation, she wouldn’t even look up and just...eat already. She was a damn foodie.

She sighed seriously, the weight on her back growing heavier. “Like...the number. It was 11 years ago, Chief. And...I was younger, so diseases were less prone to me. I also look different. I was skinny then, like skin and bones. I think I look more mature. My cheeks were very clear, and I felt like my height bothered everyone else---”

She was interrupted when Onew shoved one block of chocolate on to , her face as red as a tomato.

“Crazy excuse of a ,” he said, scowling. “Of course, you’re more mature. It’s normal. And your height never bothered anyone. Well, to me that is. I think you still look prettier.”

She swallowed it before replying with glare daggers. “Liars go to hell. Besides, I like having my hair long. Maybe I’d have it short for a while.”

He shook his head, against with the idea. “No. Longer hair looks prettier. Keep it that way, please.”

She giggled. “I thought you said you’d prefer my hair short, right before you said I can’t call