Danny

I’m really so lucky to be given by God wonderful parents who loves me more than themselves, takes care of me very well, and supports me in everything I do even if half of it ends up in failure. Thing is, having them is complicated.

Ever since young, I’ve always been curious as to how popular my Dad is. During that time, all I know is that he sings with the uncles for a living. I can still remember when I was around seven years old, I badly want to tell Dad not to go to work ever again and just stay at home because he rarely spends time with us and goes to different countries all by himself, leaving us. Mum on the other hand is very busy too but unlike Dad, she’s always there for us. The only drag is, she always seems so problematic because of Dad and seeing her cry even when she tries so hard to hide, is very heartbreaking. As the eldest boy amongst my siblings, I promised to myself that I’ll protect her in every way I can.

Time has passed, my siblings and I have grown, and our parents,are not that busy anymore and have a lot of time for us already.

“Oh!” one of my good friends, Dong Min gasps upon seeing my test paper.

I look at him curiously “Why?”

With his high-grade glasses almost falling off, he walks to me and handed the paper “You failed Dan-ah”

Shocked, I just stare at the red mark on the top right of my paper. This can’t be.

“This is really unexpected” Hyun ki, my other good friend says then sighs.

I take a deep breath and exhaled heavily “Oh well” and tries brushing off my disappointment.

Failing in a test is not that new to me, but I’m getting a lot of red marks these days and it’s frustrating and disappointing.

“We already told you…you shouldn’t hangout with the seniors that much” Dong Min says in the middle of lunch.

I put my chopsticks down and look at him intently “And why is that?”

He sighs deeply “Dan… they have a bad reputation here in school…according to my Omma…the group you’re hanging with these days are notorious…they have a gang and have fought different high school gangs already”

Hyun ki nods in agreement “He’s right Dan…that group of seniors does nothing good”

Being in high school is fun. Most of the students know me and I owe it to Mum and Dad for their popularity reached their children as well. These past few weeks, I was recruited by a senior to join their group that as far as I know is so far from what Dong Min’s Omma said about them. The group is made of popular boys in the campus and I’m the only junior in their team.

I’m not bragging, but my popularity is not in this campus only but to other high schools as well. Some says it’s given, for I have one of the many music legends of Korea, G-dragon, as my Dad  and one of the best selling author, magazine genius, Clara, as a Mum. But, if you think that it’s fun to be under their wings, honestly, sometimes it’s not.

“Look who’s here” one of the seniors, the second most powerful in the group says upon seeing me walking pass them.

My English class is still ongoing. I just went out for a while to pee.

Another senior walks to me, wraps his arm around my shoulders and leads me to the group. I wonder why they’re out here when break time is already over.

“Yo Dan! My man!” the leader of the group greets and we exchange our self-made fist greeting “What’s up?” he asks.

“I just went out from class to go to the restroom” I tell them nervously.

I’m still awkward and comfortable around them.

A senior, the short but chubby one, smirks “Aigoo…little Dan went out to poop” he teases, making all of them laugh.

Shaking my head “I didn’t hyung…I just peed” I defend myself but they’re still laughing at me.

“It’s alright baby Dan” one of them cooed while my head “We understand”

Giving up, I just smile “Nice seeing you here but I have to go back to class now”

They suddenly stop from laughing and look at me intently “You’re going back to class? Ow c’mon Dan! Lectures are too boring!”

“But I have to” I say shyly.

The leader put his hands on my shoulders “You want to be one of us…right?” he asks and I give an unsure nod “Good” he stands up straight and smiles “Then be one of us!”

Feeling hypnotized, I ditch English class and found myself climbing a high wall at the far back of the school. From the way the seniors look, I can tell that it’s not their first time to sneak out of the school premises for they are so skilled.

“This is where we spend the whole day” the leader says after all of us have climbed over the wall.

It’s my first time of being here. Truth is, I didn’t know that there’s an ally beside the school. All of a sudden, I feel free.

“Your Appa smokes…right?” one senior asks.

I nod “He does”

The second powerful senior suddenly pulls out a pack of cigarette from his bag. He always brings one with him, and yesterday, he even left his half empty pack with me. OH! Wait! I left it under my pillow!

Worried and seriously scared, I keep on the biting my inner left cheek and fidgets “This is not allowed…a guard might see us”

Right now all of them are puffing cigarettes already. The leader smirks and gives me his stick “Here…try it”

Dad is a smoker. He’s like a chimney according to Mum but he never fails in telling me how bad smoking is. Honestly, I cannot understand why he’s telling me those things when he’s the one who needs it. Nevertheless, I promised him that I will not even hold a cigarette stick ever in my life which I stick up for, until now.

With the cigarette in between my index and middle finger, I stare at the smoke going out from the other end for a while “Take a drag!” the leader shouts at me and I scarily obeys him.

I coughed the moment the smoke fills my lungs and my throat hurts so badly as well. Why? Why are they enjoying cigarettes when it doesn’t taste good at all? Also, it just hurts your throat and makes you feel suffocated. Now I’m curious as to how Dad handles himself being a smoker and a singer at the same time.

“Dan” the short and chubby senior calls “How does it feel to have G-dragon as your Appa?” he asks.

Ever since young, I’m always asked this question.

“Well” I clear my throat, hoping for the foul taste of cigarette to be gone “He’s just a normal Dad”

The leader smirks “Normal? Really?” he says then hisses “As far as I know your lives are far from normal…my Omma told me that your Dad has caused a lot of problems to his group during their glory days by always being involved in scandals…also…he has this playboy image…but he makes up for all the trouble by making good music”

“I don’t know about any of it” I tell him, feeling down.

I feel down because never in my life have I thought that someone will talk bad about Dad. Ok. Maybe he’s involved in a lot of scandals in the past, but that doesn’t make him a bad g