Chapter 26 – Remembering the past

 

“What did Kyuhyun told you?” Yesung asks Eunhyuk after he saw the boy hanging up his phone.

 

“He said he’s coming back with Sungmin.” Eunhyuk answer back.

 

“Great then. We will be able to play the fireworks together.” Donghae said gleefully and agrees by Ryeowook beside her.

 

All the others has already reach home when Kyuhyun call just now. They decided to play some firework that they bought before the night end. Moreover, they did intentionally to leave Sungmin with Kyuhyun only. They want them to have some time alone, though Sungjin a bit protested when he heard that. He insisted to go and take Sungmin home from the shrine but Dongwoo drags him away to do some work instead. And being the good president he is, he will not be able to resist that. That is also how Yunho is left alone to take care of the kids.

 

“Ryeowook-ssi, can we have a talk?” Ryeowook is surprise when suddenly Yunho request that from her.

 

She nods slowly, and they have a seat next to each other.

 

“I didn’t have the chance to speak to you the last time because of certain circumstances. But, there’s something I want to tell you.” Ryeowook waits for him to continue.

 

“I just want to say my thanks for being Sungmin’s friend.” He told Ryeowook, “Sungmin really treasures you a lot.”

 

Ryeowook tensed a bit by that sudden compliment. “She told me that it was you who first become her friend at school.” He adds more, a smile plastered on his face.

 

The girl smiles sadly when she hears the compliment. She didn’t feel contented at all but guilty consume her instead. She remembered that it was also her who first turns her back away when Sungmin needs her.

 

“I didn’t deserve the compliment at all.” She said, “I left Sungmin alone when she needs someone. It was my fault that she was being bullied back in school. If only I put my trust on her in the first place, she will not be all alone. I even ignore her even though I saw it every day she was being bullied by the other students.” She said, full of regrets by everything that she did to the girl especially what she told Sungmin that clearly hurts her best friend.

 

Yunho smiles, “Well… I want to put the blame on you.” It makes Ryeowook even more depressed when she hears that.

 

“But, then you come back.” The girl was confused when he said that with a smile.

 

“You know, back in Japan, Sungmin didn’t have much experience of having lots of friend.” He starts, “It is us to put to the blame most of it. After the death of her parents, we become overprotective of her and didn’t let her go to school after she enrolls in elementary school.”

 

“Why?”

 

Yunho sighs.

 

~~

 

“Kyukyu…” Sungmin calls him out, after a long of silent.

 

Kyuhyun hums. He stays silent and waits for Sungmin to continue talking.

 

“Aren’t you going to ask anything?”

 

“How about you? Aren’t you going to tell me anything?” he gives the question back to her.

 

Sungmin becomes silent again. She hugs Kyuhyun more, while Kyuhyun continue on walking slowly.

 

“Are they your friends, Minnie?” Kyuhyun asks, deciding that he should take the first talk.

 

“Used to be.”

 

“Used to? They did something bad to you?”

 

Sungmin shakes her head, “Not them. But, I did.”

 

~~

 

“Being born in a Yakuza clan is not always a good thing. There are mostly bad of course. It affects everything around you. The way you talk, think and behave will be different than other people. You will not notice it, but, we, whom were born from the Yakuza family, will always be overprotective of everything that we love. We will be so sensitive and often…stubborn.” He snickered at the last word, because he knew that it is the truth.

 

But, his face turns dull soon after, “Still, Sungmin is a girl. She is the first daughter that is ever born inside the Lee family clan after many generations. And it affects Sungmin the most.”

 

All attention becomes more focus after he said that.

 

“Since birth until the age of five she stays together with her parents in Korea. The people there are oblivious about their true identity because we tried our best to keep it as a secret. But, after her parents’ death, it became another story altogether.”

 

He stares faraway in front of him.

 

“She came to live with us here, in Japan after that. During her elementary school, everyone avoids from becoming her friend after they know that Sungmin comes from the yakuza family. She didn’t even get a chance to make any friends. Other kids always for being in such a family and also because she is an orphan.” He explained.

 

“She always come back home with a smile on her face, but we know she’s hiding the pain from us. The only person that could understand her heart is her grandmother which is Sungjin’s mother. She will always make sure to greet Sungmin in front of the door and that is all that it takes to make Sungmin smiles again. But then, her grandmother is always sick, and a few years later, she passed away. It makes Sungmin’s life saddened and to make it worse, her grandfather followed just in that few months. All of us lose our support especially Sungmin. Slowly, we notice the changes on her. She didn’t speak much and often avoids the topic about school. Finally, we found out that Sungmin is badly treated in school. Being the next leader, Sungjin decided to stop Sungmin from going to school. He prohibited Sungmin from the outside world, and hides her away from the other clans to protect her.”

 

~~

 

“Jin-chan always makes sure that wherever I went, there’s someone from our group in protecting me. He also never let me outside so much.”

 

“He’s just protecting you from getting hurt by the kids’ harsh comments.” Kyuhyun states his opinion.

 

“Maybe, but still it’s lonely. There’s no other kid around my age in the Lee clan. I pray often so that, one day Jin-chan will let me go to school. And it comes true when I was 13. After few years of home-tutored, I finally able to go to school. I felt so nervous and while I was fidgeting away by myself, a girl comes to greet me.”

 

Flashback.

 

“Hi, my name is Yuriko.” The girl extended her hand to Sungmin.

 

“Ah…I’m…”

 

“Yuriko!” a boy called, comes running from behind, towards them.

 

“Where have you been? I have been searching all over for you…”

 

“Hehehe…gomena, Ko-kun. I’m just wondering around.” The girl replies back.

 

Sungmin stares at them who have been conversing with each other. The boy realizes her presence and they turns together towards Sungmin.

 

“Who…is she?”

 

“Tomodachi (friend).” The girl said.

 

“Tomodachi (friend)?”Sungmin and the boy said together, confused written on their face.

 

“Yup. I just told you my name just now. But, I will tell you again. I’m Yuriko, Matsu Yuriko.” She introduces herself again, then she pulls the boy’s arm, “And this boy here is my childhood friend, Kotarou.”

 

“Yah!” Kotarou protested, though still ignore by the girl.

 

“What’s your name?” she asks Sungmin instead ignoring Kotarou.

 

“I’m…I’m…” Sungmin shutters to answer the question as the new people wait patiently, “Sungmin. My name is Sungmin.” Sungmin smiles, hoping that will be the new start for her.

 

Flashback end.

 

“She’s your first friend?” Sungmin nods.

 

“Is she among the group just now?” Sungmin nods again, “And…don’t tell me that boy just now was Kotarou right?” she nods again, answering Kyuhyun’s question one by one.

 

Kyuhyun sighs.

 

“Then, why did he apologize to you?”

 

“You understand that?”

 

“A little. Well, I understand that ‘gomena’ means sorry.” Sungmin fell into silent again, “What has happened, Sungmin? Why did he say sorry to you?”

 

“I hurt him.” Kyuhyun stop walking after hearing the answer.

 

“Him? Are you serious?” Sungmin nods.

 

~~

 

“We start letting her go to school only after we make sure that she is strong enough to be independent on her own. Well, she actually forced us to make a promise that we will not interfere with her school and friends. We enrolled her in school far from our hometown hoping that no one will know about her true identity. I guess, me, Dongwoo and Sungjin just want her to be a normal teenager. But, what we didn’t know, the Lee influence is much more than that.”

 

“What happened, oppa?” Ryeowook nervously ask.

 

Yunho turns to her and pats her head to washes away the worry from her.

 

“Her first friend and best friend was the girl from the next neighborhood. They are attracted to each other by the same passion that they have, music. Her name is Yuriko. She is a very beautiful girl, and has a very sweet voice just like Sungmin is. After they become friends, Sungmin’s life has gotten even better. She helps Sungmin into finding new friends.”

 

“How about the family? Does she know about Sungmin’s true identity?” Donghae asks in place for her other friends.

 

“Somehow, yes. She coincidentally found out about us. We were afraid at first, thinking that she might avoid Sungmin after that. But the girl smiles at us and promised that she will never hurt Sungmin ever. And that is what the most important thing for us.”

 

“But,” Yunho sighs, “Even though everyone likes the girl, Sungjin is the total opposite.”

 

“Sungjin-oppa? Why?”

 

“We don’t understand it at first. He just said…”

 

There’s y aura around that girl. I hate that kind of smell.

 

“He said that.”

 

“Why?” the others ask in sync confusedly.

 

“A mother’s instinct he said.”

 

 ~~

 

“Yuriko has always been a popular girl even back in her middle school. She’s very sweet and beautiful girl. She has beautiful voice too. And during one summer festival, there was a singing competition held at our school. Big sponsor was there. They said, the company was searching for a new artist to debut but what they want was not a solo but a team or a duet. Because it was too sudden, many students didn’t have much time to practice. And at that time, Yuriko suddenly asks me to do a duet with her.” Sungmin sounds really sad when she said the last sentence.

 

“I refused at first. I never sing in front of the public. So, I was really afraid that I might make mistake. But, she said there is no one else that is much more harmonized with her voice than me. She pleads me to help her.”

 

“And you, being the nice girl, agreed to her request?” Sungmin nods to Kyuhyun’s guess.

 

“She said it was the best opportunity for her to be famous. She didn’t want to let it go just like that. She chose one song that we often sang together back in the music club and we practiced a few times before we went on stage. It was almost perfect. She looks so happy and super excited. But, I didn’t feel that way.” Sungmin confessed.

 

Kyuhyun feel confuse to hear that.

 

“It’s been so long since I ever sing in front of so many people. Yuriko told me to not be nervous but… it feels so different. I…on that stage, what I see is not anything that I want to see at all.” Sungmin closes her eyes.

 

Flashes of the scene once again repeated in front of her.

 

Flashback.

 

“Yuri-chan, I’m scare.” Sungmin said, her hands have already shivering.

 

“Oh, come on, Sungmin-chan. Just hold on. Do it for me. This is my big chance to shine, I don’t want to let it go just like that. You will not hurt my feeling right?” Yuriko insisted, her eyes are full of determination.

 

“But…”

 

“It will be fine. Drink some water or something. We need to be the best.”

 

Yuriko didn’t give a chance to Sungmin to say anything else. She shoved the microphone to Sungmin and gleefully drags her to the stage when their name was called. Every student and spectator is watching. Sungmin gulps her saliva bitterly. Everyone gave a big applause to them after Yuriko introduce themselves. The song starts playing and Yuriko sang her part skillfully. On the other hand, Sungmin isn’t feeling good at all standing there, her hands already sweating badly and what she saw in front was totally different than the reality.

 

‘What is that girl doing there?’

 

‘You can’t sing!’

 

‘Sungmin is tone deaf! Hahahaha!’

 

‘What an ugly voice.’

 

‘Who’s that girl? What’s she doing there?’

 

‘You’re a yakuza! Your father hurts people!’

 

Sungmin hears lots of bad words about her inside her head. Her face turns pale slowly. When it was her turn to sing her part, she couldn’t say a word and shutters. Her eyes are seems as she was staring at the crowd but her voice stuck in .

 

“Sungmin, sing.” Yuriko whispers, and pushes her on the side.

 

The people are already complaining and booing for the bad performance. Sungmin hastily runs away from the stage. The performance was totally ruined. Sungjin, Yunho and Dongwoo who were there among the crowds rushed to find Sungmin. they could sense that Sungmin is in fright with what happened. Yunho was first to arrive at Sungmin’s side. He ran towards her and hugged the trembling girl tight. Sungmin was already a crying mess in his hug.

 

“Yun-kun…” Sungmin calls, hot tears streaming down from her eyes.

 

“Shhh…it’s okay. I’m here. Just cry…shh…” he hugs Sungmin even more.

 

He wipes the tears from Sungmin’s cheeks.

 

“Are you scared?” Sungmin nods, still crying.

 

“Then, cry.” He hugs her again, “I’ll be here for you, hime.” Sungmin closes her eyes, and continue crying her heart out.

 

Just after that, Yuriko and the others come storming inside the room where there at.

 

“Yuri…”

 

Pang!

 

Yuriko slaps Sungmin hard on her cheek.

 

“Yuriko!” Yunho and Kotarou call out of shock and anger.

 

The others were astounded by that sudden scene.

 

“How could you put a shame on me like this, Sungmin?!” Yuriko yelled in anger and hurts all written on her face.

 

“I told you I need this! I told you that this is my chance to be popular! How could you destroy it! Damn it, you !”

 

“Watch your mouth, Yuriko!” Yunho yelled angrily, he couldn’t stand the harsh word from her anymore.

 

“You’re just the same, Yakuza jerk!” Yuriko talks back.

 

Every spectators were speechless with that vulgar words used by Yuriko. It was a side that no one ever saw before.

 

“You don’t know how much this means to me!” she screamed her heart out.

 

“I hate you, Lee Sungmin! You should just stay silent and never get out from your Yakuza house ever!”

 

That word stabbed Sungmin’s heart completely. It hurts her so much.

 

“Yuriko, enough!” Kotarou hugs her from going forward to hurt Sungmin again.

 

“Let me go, Ko! I want to kill her!” Yuriko struggles from his hold but the boy hold her tighter.

 

And before the scene turn out worse, he drags her away from there. Sungmin stares at the door as Kotarou took Yuriko away. Sungjin and Dongwoo arrived at the room after that.

 

“Jin-chan…” Sungmin calls sadly and once again she cries.

 

Sungjin sighed heavily. He really hates it when his instinct is right.

 

Flashback end.

 

TBC

 

 

So, after so….long I finally update. It was almost 2 months I think since the last time I update this fic. I just seem to lose the muse again in writing. The work is getting busier every day, but I will never forget this fic, hehehe so, forgive me ne? and i know, it's lame as usual hehehehe

Anyway, thank you in advance for the people reading. Also thanks for the new subscribers!! *sorry for any grammar error, English is not my forte after all ^^*