-05

Take My Breath Away

Chapter Five
"Who are you?"

8th of January 2014


 

"It's getting horrible, don't even get me started on it." Hee Young groaned as she rolled on her bed, a phone by her ear as she heard her sister chuckling on the other end. "I know, Hee Young-ah. They came to me at work."

Hee Young shot up from the bed on her two feet messily with her eyes popped open - they did not just do that. "They what?" Her voice dropped an octave. She had made it clear to not bug Hee Min especially when Hee Min is having such a good job now - a high rank in the company of her friend who was kind enough to take her in and to even let her stay for such a long time with a few promotions and bonuses here and there - it was amazing. Having people go there to disturb her during working hours was a total hell no. Hee Young has waited for so long for her sister to come back and there was no way her sister was going to get transferred again just because of her 'bad performance' when the cause of it all was because of her ignorant mother who doesn't care.

But then again, when will she actually care?

"Don't worry, Hee Young-ah. At least they came during my break-"

"There's still no excuse, unnie. I waited for you - for four years. Four years of agony of living on my own here and finally you're back. If you're getting transferred away from here, I don't know what I'll do." The girl who had bluntly admitted that sounded so hurt, so desperate and indeed, she was. For four years she's been living on her own, without parents, without her siblings - it was agonizing and painful everyday but she pulled herself together with her sister constantly sending money for her to pay the rent but she easily used that for her studies while she had a few part time jobs. Juggling both her studies and working at the same time, she came out pretty good. And to her 'pretty good' means not to end up on the streets.

Finally after four years, her sister managed to bag a good job as she worked her way up in the States just to transfer herself back here to reunite with her sister. After all the hard times, Hee Young had someone near her that she could call her own family.

If her sister was going to get transferred elsewhere again? There was no denying Hee Young might break to pieces despite the fact she was so strong now - she wanted her her sister to remain by her side no matter what. She doesn't want to be alone anymore. She didn't want to go through festive seasons alone as her sister couldn't even find time to come back considering her sister's schedule was so packed, she didn't want to be selfish to ask for her sister's time but instead, she wished her sister the best of health when it was supposed to be the other way around.

Being in Hee Young's position was tougher and Hee Min, being the older sister, knew that very well.

"H-Hee Young-ah..."

"So please, promise me that if they come and bug you, ignore them. I'll deal with them. I only have a year and a half in this dump - I'll be done soon and out of here when it's over with."

The older one sighed, not knowing that else she could say to the younger one she was talking on the phone with that could change her sister's mind. To be completely truthful, Hee Min wants to give their mother a chance because regardless of anything - their mother is still their mother but perhaps... perhaps Hee Min would rather follow and let things go Hee Young's way considering Hee Young was the one who went through the most pain.

Hee Young was the one pulling and striving most for the family.

Therefore, Hee Min has got to give the lead to Hee Young to decide things through as Hee Min didn't know how tough it was.

She didn't know how tough it was to witness her loved ones take in their last breath for the last time.

She would never know how painful it must be to not be able to do anything to help - not to be able to lend a hand.

It must be, truly painful.

And indeed, it was.

"H-Hee Young-ah," The older cleared , causing Hee Young to gulp as she muttered a soft reply, questioning what does her sister want to say before they bid each other goodnight. "I'm staying here for you. Unnie is here now, you know that."

Somehow, just somehow, Hee Young managed to smile genuinely with her hand clutching onto the phone tighter. "I know, unnie. I wake up every morning feeling blessed knowing you're here now. Knowing that I won't go through things alone, it feels nice."

Hee Min couldn't help but snicker. "You were never alone to begin with, Hee Young-ah. What about Minseok?"

The older one swore she had tried all she could to stifle a laugh when Hee Young let out a few profanities along with a few complaints about how Minseok was being an irritating butthead rather than a friend to go through everything with her. Even with all the things she said about Minseok, Hee Min could easily hear through all her words that Hee Young cares for Minseok a whole lot more than anyone else in the world would have.

"Whether you want to admit it or not, you know he's one of the closest friends you've got."

Not wanting to cook up an argument, the younger sighed, "Goodnight, unnie."

Smirking triumphally, "Goodnight, Hee Young-ah."

When the phone was put aside with a small smile, Hee Young looked around her dorm where she easily dragged herself towards the bed just to lie down on it. Her head turned to the side where she stared at the empty space on the bed. A small white figure formed beside her - a little kid's figure was beside her with a huge grin.

He had these pair of eyes that could light up the whole world if he tried, a curve on his lips that could set everything straight in her life, the small hands she would love to hold and play around with him just to hear his sounds of joy - his giggles and his chuckles, it made him so lovable and so cute as he did so. Her lips parted as her hand lifted up, wanting to place it onto his cheek but the moment she did, the white figure had disappeared - evaporating into thin air to show that her mind was playing tricks on her. The little boy beside her was gone and there was nothing she could do to bring him back as she stared at the empty space on the bed that a moment or two ago, was everything she wanted to hold onto.

Her hand retreated back to herself as she remained in that position, her legs dangling off the bed as she had her arms in front of her chest pressed together with a small sigh, "I miss you, Young Jae-ah."

And with a teardrop rolling from her cheek, her eyes closed on their own accord, drifting off into a deep slumber.

 


 

"Good morning, Hee Young-ah!" A boy chimed beside her and she remained stagnant as she tilted her head to meet with a cheeky gaze where as she had a blank look on her face. "Morning." She mumbled quietly and he frowned a little, "What's wrong?" He sensed something was wrong and he was right - the look on her face showed it all but he wanted to know what was making her feel this way. She shook her head with a small sigh, "I don't even know anymore." Her voice was so monotonous that he couldn't even get a glimpse of what she was feeling.

"Minseok!" A guy shouted behind the two standing by the lockers in the hallway, causing Minseok to look over his shoulder where he showed the guy who had called him out a toothy grin, "Hey."

Hee Young followed Minseok's gaze only to tug her bag on her shoulder where she gave Minseok a small wave, "Leaving."

With just one word, Hee Young had already made her leave, turning on her heels to walk around Minseok where she wouldn't awkwardly bump into Kai but it seems like he had one step ahead of her as he purposely stepped to the side just to bug her. He walked ahead towards her - each step mirroring hers until the two stopped just in front of each other. With the clearing of , her eyes flickered up to glare at him, "Move."

He clicked his tongue cockily, earning a few glances from the people in the hallway with them. "You really hate me, huh?"

She scoffed with a shaking of her head as she stepped to the side, "I don't have time for this."

Just as she walked past him, he spun around to grip onto her arm tight - erupting a few gasps from the girls watching them attentively from a distance. Those girls being Kai's admirers that probably the whole university was aware of. "Where do you think you're going?" He hissed at her, yanking her back as he expected her to stumble backwards or something like that but nowhere near that had came. She balanced herself well as she maintained her stand on the ground before her head darted towards his in an agonizing pace that surprisingly, sent tingles on his skin just meeting her fiery gaze.

Clearly, he had messed with her at the wrong time.

"Touch me again, and I swear to God that if we were alone, I'd kick somewhere inappropriate." He smirked at her fiesty remark, "Why don't you do it here, and no-!" He cursed at the end instead when a hand was placed on his shoulder where she harshly pinned him against the locker where her knee had pressed roughly in between his legs, earning an eye popper from the guy who was currently trying to keep his cool as she repelled from him, leaving him groaning and grunting in pain while a few girls almost instantly ran over to hoist Kai up with worried and high pitched screams on how pained Kai looked.

She couldn't even care less - she was too used to seeing that expression.

A girl tried to grab onto her but since Hee Young had the agility, she dodged it and walked around her where she stood behind the girl and this time, Hee Young had her hand on the girl, "Lay a hand on me, and you'll join him."

With the shuddering from the girl Hee Young was holding onto, she simply let her go just to allow her to join the other girls in aiding Kai. "H-Hee Young..." Minseok croaked out quietly but kept his mouth shut when she had heard him and she waved her hand behind her back just a little as she made her way down the hall - people making way for her as she stormed her way down.

It was not a good day at all.

 


 

"She kneed you in the balls?!" Sehun laughed his head off, earning a death glare from Kai. "I'd like to see her do that to you one day, you brat."

Lay couldn't help but pitch in a laugh, "Serves you right for messing with her."

"We told you to back away from her, Kai." Suho commented, earning a groan from Kai along with the shaking of his head, "You guys will never understand. There's something I need to know from her."

"Are you sure you'll even be alive before you find out what it is?" Chen laughed, earning a french fry being thrown at his face which he tried to dodge it but ended up lightly banging his forehead on the table - causing choruses of laugter from the boys around the table. An arm was slung over Kai's shoulder as he was brought closer towards Baekhyun, "Dude, is it because she's hot?"

Kai scoffed, coolly slipping the straw into his mouth to take a sip on his drink, "I'd say she's alright but that's besides the point."

"Are you just telling me that so I wouldn't go after her?" Baekhyun wiggled his eyebrows, earning yet another icy stare from Kai along with the aura radiating around him - it was not a good combination. Baekhyun retreated, flashing two hands in front of his chest. "Damn, I get it. Your dibs on the girl."

Kai couldn't help but laugh softly - he was definitely with a group of goofballs he could call his brothers.

 


 

"Try not to get kneed in the balls again!" A few of his friends hollered down the hallway of the dorms, earning themselves a finger being shown to them before Kai turned his back on them. He was walking back to his dorm, hands almost putting his headphones on when he heard a familiar beat from a distance down the hall. Freezing momentarily on the hallway, he furrowed his eyebrows, shoving his headphones back into his pocket before clutching onto his bag strap. He walked towards the sound until he stopped in front of a door, supposedly a dance practice room that he’s never exactly been in for a long time but it was already nearing midnight, so who would be in here at this hour? He didn’t need to unlock the door since there was a slight gap. He peeked through the space only to see a girl moving in sync with the music.

Her hair just going with the flow of the way her head moves along with the beat. Each step she made with her arms and legs complied well with the music playing. Her flexibility was enough to amaze him a little when she did a body wave with her hand trailing down from her chest up to her waistline. He gulped and was rather pulled into her dance piece as she continued to move along with the music, as if all her worries would be gone with each step she created.

As she danced, he felt as if his soul was taken away from him and was placed right beside her as she moved. His eyes followed her every move, every twist, every turn and every roll she made. He could instantly tell she was a dancer based on how well she controlled her breathing pace to make sure she didn’t run out of breath. But how come he’s never seen her before? His eyes widened when the music picked up the pace and her speed of dancing increased. She started popping and his eyes bulged - it was as if she was trying to dance her anger out, something he knows very well based on how he would do it most of the time, alone, that is.

He’s never seen a girl pop that well before but the next move made his eyes pop like saucers. She ended her popping with a smooth, well done back flip, causing him to grip on tighter onto his bag strap, anticipating more and more from this girl. When the music stopped suddenly, he was pulled back to reality to stare at her pose. Her chest rising and falling with a bead of sweat running down from her temples to her neck... her hair, sweaty from the immense dancing as she pushed it to one side to show the crook of her neck. Her lips parted as she took in deep breaths were something so interesting to watch. Kai gulped but froze when she turned around to meet with his gaze.

Kai’s eyes softened when he saw a pair of hazel eyes staring at him but gained back his conscious when she snapped at him, “What are you doing here?”

Silence filled Kai's mind when he didn’t know what to say but he knew he had to say something. He couldn’t possibly just leave after what he felt as he watched her dance.

“Really, who are you?” Those four words escaped from Kai's lips but that didn’t enter her mind - she had definitely passed the line now. The road down to end her university life without being noticed by Kai would be impossible by now.

She walked across the small dance practice room to pick up her phone that she used to play the music she was dancing to. before she took a quick glance of how she looked like at the mirror in front of her but simply lifted up her jacket and wear it over her tank top that revealed her stomach.

Kai’s question was left unanswered when she brushed past him to walk back to her dorm. He instinctively reached out to grab her arm with her back facing him. “I asked, who are you?” his voice with a pinch of curiosity and annoyance when she ignored him. She pulled her arm back and looked over her shoulder. He his lips nervously when he saw her lips parting, waiting for her personal introduction - a clarification of who she really was that never came.

“None of your business.”

 

 


 

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JulyGoddess
#1
Chapter 58: I'm so happy to find another great story
Thank you for this wonderful, amazing story!
atheerjongin #2
Chapter 24: Why didn't I discover this story earlier?
Seulkai99
#3
Chapter 58: This story is so amazing :)
mistymountains 193 streak #4
Nice story!
Lisha_el
#5
I love the trailer!
ashin_333 #6
Chapter 58: Awesome.. daebak and exciting.. thank you for sharing it??
kyunism #7
Chapter 58: It was really good. I really enjoyed reading this story and I LOVE IT! ♡♡♡ thank you for writing it~
ChrizHK
#8
One of the best stories that I ever read... Thank you so much!!! This is so beautiful!!!
eveangel
#9
I'm starting to love this story!!
So beautifullll!!