Chapter 11

At the Shim’s Resident

“I’m home.”

Changmin greeted, it was weekend and his family makes it mandatory for him to be back home every weekend. They don’t want any of the family members to grow apart from one another.

Changmin took a glance around the house, not much has changed ever since he left anyway.

His mother came into view, carrying along with her a tray of slice variety of fruits. She always looks beautiful, having her curly brown hair well styled, and weary some accessories to emphasis her beauty and status. She smiled once she saw him.

“Oh son, you’re home. Just in time, we were just about to have tea, come and seat with us.”

“Can I go to my room first? I need to change my cloth.”

“Of course dear. Fetch your sister as well, could you? She’s been locking herself in her room all day, god know what she’s up too.” His mother complained, well that’s the privilege being born as the eldest, you have younger siblings to take care off.

Changmin nods and goes straight to his room.

It’s on the third floor, right in the west wing of the resident. He entered his unused bedroom, there wasn’t much things have changed even after all this time, the bedspread is new and clean, the window is open and his wardrobe remain pretty much the same. The apartment he’s been living is the apartment provided by the hospital to the interns, he could had chosen living with his family but the thought of having a place of his own doesn’t seem so bad. The distance shorter anyway to the hospital than his parents’.

After changing into his casual cloth, he goes into his grandfather’s reading room. He knocks twice before a voice told him to enter, his grandfather’s.

“Harabeoji, I’m back.” He smiled like a little child he was. His grandfather was always the one that spoiled him the most. While his father is the figure he admirer, disciplined him to be a better man and taught him how to become the successor of their family legacy, his mother is the one that set his path in his live. His grandfather, however, has always been the one that spoiled him the most, being the only grandson in the family. The warmth that he seeks whenever he felt bitter and lonely. His very own personal’s comfort zone.

The old man lifted his head from the book he was concentrating on and saw him, smiling ever so widely at the returning of his favorite (only) grandson.

“Little Min, come in. I have something to show you.” He waved him closer like he was still a little child, calling him with the pet name he had always called him and showed him the book he was reading.

“You were reading this book harabeoji, have you finish it? Was it good??”Changmin picked up the book and read the title. One of the other interests their share together is reading books. His grandfather has always been introducing him to plenty of books, even ever since he was little, the memories of him clinging into his grandfather’s lap and asked to be read a story book seemed like one of the best things happen during his childhood.

Eventually as he grew up, they manage to pail up the books and created a library on their own.

Lately, he notices the way his grandfather seemed to be interested in this particular publishing company, saying that they produced fine works in literacy. It was the type of modern literature but hey, his grandfather always told him no matter what era the work came from, a good book is a fine art indeed.  

And just like what his mother had asked before, Changmin went to his sister’s room, knocking a few times before opening it himself, receiving no answer when he asked.

“Sooyeon, are you inside there?” He knocked on the bathroom door inside her room. He heard weeping sounds coming from there.

“Sweetie, are you alright? It’s me, oppa’s back. ” He asked her softer, getting her to unlock the door. The door abruptly opened and revealed a crying mess of a little sister. Well, not exactly little, she’s already 19 years old. She crashed herself into his arms, crying her tears out on his chest.

“What’s wrong, Sooyeon?” He patted her back, there was a hint panic voice lingered.

“Oppa, oppa…. I’m dead. Umma gonna kill me when she found out, and appa probably will probably be helping her as well with the process of getting rid of my remaining.” She squeezed herself harder against him. He chuckled a bit, because nobody gonna be dying, especially not by being murdered by their own mother, that is.

“Wow, wow, calm down and tell me from the start. What happen?” She released him and looks down on her feet. Her hand’s twitching and she bits her bottom lips, finally she takes out her left hand, showing him what she had been hiding behind her back.

A pregnancy test. His eyes widen.

She flipped it around and showed him the result of the test. Double RED lines.

“YOU’RE PREGNANT!!!?” He yelled at her, quickly silent by her palm.

“Oppa, help me. Please don’t tell umma.” She pleaded, he glared at her and quickly removed her hand from his mouth. God knows where her hand had been before it touches his mouth.

“Oh, you think you could hide something like this? What should you explain to her when the tiny brat poops out and say ‘hello granny’? or how about what are you gonna say when your body starts showing?”   

“Then I’ll just be going away for awhile.”

“Does the father even know about it? Who’s that kid anyway? How dare him to touch an underage!” Er, technically, his sister is not underage anymore but hey, he’s a big brother, the privilege of being older is that you could consider anyone below you (siblings) is underage, and know less about the world.

She pleads at him again.

 “He’s my boyfriend oppa and I’m planning on keeping it. He loves me, and he’s going to love this baby as well.”

He huffs.

“Huh, love? What do you know about love anyway? You’re only 19.”  

“Well you married when you were only 21, you have no right to lecture to me about love. Our love is pure.” She retorts back.

“Uh-ha pure….” There was a thick sarcasm laced behind that. “If it was so pure then he should kept guard your purity until you two were off married. And he didn’t even remember to put on any protection. What a bastard, just wait till I get my hands on him…”

She was getting tired of arguing with her brother, he is not that much different from their mother. She sat on the bed and rubbed her head, looking tired and beaten. He wanted to lecture on her more, but looking at her current state, he better stops now.

“How long have you been missing your period?” He asked calmly afterward, trying to take in the reality of the situation and what he should act.

“Couple of months, I just had my courage to test it out today.”

“Go to the hospital, get a proper check-up. You’ll be needing your vitamins and monthly appointments.” He instructed.   “Morning sickness?”

“You have no idea how bad it was.” He chuckles, yeah, she deserves that, but pitied her anyway.

“I’m not going to tell umma about this, but make sure you tell her yourself. If it’s too scary to do it on your own, call me. I’ll be there as well when the hell breaks loose. Just pray that appa would be a bit more mercy at you and doesn’t disown you right away.”

“Like how you had been disowned by umma the moment she learnt about you marrying hyung-boo?”

He knocked her head once, she winced, pain, probably exaggerating.

“Keep spurting that and you’ll be receiving none of my help, whatsoever.”

“Right, right. I’m sorry. I’ll be good.”  

He chuckles and pets her head where he previously knocked. She grins at him, eyes telling him a thousand meaning behind it, always with the mischievousness.

“Thanks oppa, for understanding, you’re the best. Oh, and welcome back.”

Sooyeon did came to the hospital for her check-up and set up appointments that she’ll be attending for the next following months. She didn’t come alone though, her boyfriend came with her as well. They met Changmin and while Seoyeon made her way to place their order at the cafeteria, Changmin made sure he lashed out at the boy who dares to knock his sister up. Like how it is every big brother duty to hate the future brother-in-laws, Changmin made himself clear how he hates the boy and would do any mean necessary if he ever hurt or even made his little sister cry.

Few days later,

With the Sooyeon’s problem, Changmin had completely, well almost completely, forgot about his drunk incident and his encountered with Yunho along with the kiss that they shared,

Well, the key word is ALMOST, not completely.  

The day starts off as one of the normal routine for him, he woke up early, went to work, then around after lunch break, a text came to startle his little peaceful bubble, causing a wave of tornado in it.

Sender :           U-know

Sorry for calling you a . That was out of my league, can you forgive me?

Changmin lifts off his eyebrow while reading the text. It had almost been a week, since their previous encountered and Yunho stolen a kiss from him.

Yes, stolen.

He does not consent to it. He groaned and rolled his eyes, all while staring grudgingly at his phone, unaware of the eyes that had been observing him for a while.

“Hyung, is everything alright?” Minho asked, he sworn he saw Changmin’s eyes widen, startled, like a baby fawn getting caught while sneaking around. He quickly toned down his expression.

“Yes, everything’s fine. Why? Do you think something’s wrong?” 

“Nothing, it’s just… you were looking like all flustered and worked out. A text from your lover?” Minho loudly guessed.

“I’m worked out? Like how?”

“You know, it’s like you’re doing 10 different expressions in just a split of seconds.”

“What?! I. Do. Not.” His phone blinked again, another text came in.

 Se