Entry :: {28}

“Are you liking the personal time you’re having with your other brother?”

“Are you that jealous?”

“NO???”

“So you’re jealous…”

Himchan pushed himself up from the door frame and walked off from her room. Sora laughed as she picked the few clothes that she intended to bring along with her to the new apartment. In a few, Himchan came back and dropped himself in her bed.

“So how was it? Did he really remember a thing?”

Sora nodded, completely satisfied that her plan worked out well. Himchan placed the bottles she packed in her haversack. “Then what about you? Will you be going back to school anytime soon?”

His words caused her smile to turn into a frown. She wanted to but it wouldn’t be a pleasant ideal considering that in people’s eyes, she’s having a scandalous affair with the Royal Duo’s heir. Sora kept her eyes on her bag, only focusing on what she wanted to pack.

“Okay then, I won’t probe any further. Let me send you? It’s getting dark outside.”

Just a meek smile from Sora and Himchan took it as a sign of thankfulness. He made his way down and out of the house to get ready his car. But as Sora was about to leave her room, she found a scrapbook in her drawer. A hidden scrapbook that contained thousands of memories.

Jung Daehyun’s first visit to the wet market!

The caption said and there it came along with a picture of him poking some fresh squids.

Sora sat down back again and browsed the few photos that she took of him secretly. It was a throwback to the time when Daehyun was trying to grow out of his luxurious status and Sora trying to help him venture the life of an ‘average’ person.

Her heart ached when she recalled one of the touching moments where he thanked her for all the pleasant lessons in life that she had taught him. It was just as simple as eating a cup of instant noodles and Daehyun tear a little as he got to taste something as delicious as the meals he spent hundreds on.

“I learned a lot today, Sohee. As much as it is hard for you to accept your new family, I find it hard to adapt to the humble life that you used to live too. Without you, I think I’ll continue being the spoiled brat I was, throwing away food as and when I like… Thank you for teaching me the value of everything… thank you.”

She shut the scrapbook immediately.

“Kim Sohee, what’s taking you so long?” Himchan spoke at the foot of her room.

He noticed the single line of tear that she expressed. She fronted up for so long, fighting her emotions like a true warrior. And he could feel the pain she was feeling after watching her grow, watching her love for him grow. After years of longing with much hope she held in her hands, things had to come down this way and it was really unfortunate.

Himchan knelt next to her drawer and pulled the scrapbook out. He hadn’t seen it before but he flipped the first page of it and he knew that lots of time and effort were wasted just to create this meaningful little thing.

He didn’t have to say another word. He just s his arm around her neck and pulled her closer to his chest. Unknowingly, he gave her a kiss on her temple, hushing her down as he her back.

“I’m sorry… Sorry I couldn’t do anything to help you.” He uttered.

Sora broke her walls in front of him, breaking down like the depressed person she was.

“I can’t… stand it… anymore. People left my side one by one… i’m always the one being stabbed on…” She cried and cried.

It pained her that Taehee left her just when she thought that she’d be having a new sister. And Taehyung, the guy whom she depended on for life. He just left her without words, leaving her all alone with a family that she couldn’t adapt herself to. And one day, he returned. But what good is there to it if he couldn’t remember her at all? She was slowly trying to accept this challenges of life but it was too much. She couldn’t do it without breaking down, letting go of whatever she had to say in her heart.

Not to mention Daehyun, these people were really important to her but they left in some ways.

“Promise me you’ll stay oppa… promise me.” She tugged his elbow and cried in his arms. Himchan never felt so emotional before. That day when he discovered she was his sister, he cried over the crime he committed. But that was out of guilt.

He looked down at this vulnerable saint, a sense of weakness sweeping him away by his feet.

“I’ll stay, I promise.” He kissed her again on her forehead.

Her heart ached so much that Himchan did that in place of Taehyung. The brother who used to pamper her with his silly kisses, he’s now gone and Sora’s only hope of happiness right now was Himchan.    

-

Taehyung walked into the convenience store and looked for a bar of chocolate that could satisfy his craving. He strolled along to the other shelves to look at the instant noodles that tempted him.

There was a familiar lady right before his eyes, contemplating which cup she wanted to buy.

“Eunkyung…”

She looked up and beamed right away as she saw his surprised face.

“Oh, Bbangie! What are you doing here?”

“Question is, what are YOU doing here? Don’t the great leaders of Korea feed you well?” He took the cup that he craved for.

Eunkyung grinned and picked the same cup that Taehyung took without hesitation. The guy noticed her clothing; almost as close to a normal person as she donned her running tights and pink windbreaker with a white cap that could make her go unnoticed.

“Did you run away from that house?” He kept his eyes on her as she filled the cup with hot water. Eunkyung tittered as he kept on questioning her. It was nothing as close to that. She just needed to have a taste of the junk food that she hadn’t had for so long. The first and the last time was when Daehyun taught her the way to eat this cheap material. And sooner, she found that she loved it even though its spice was enough to burn her tongue.

They sat at the readied tables right at the end of the mini mart, isolating themselves from other articles. Letting their noodles to cool first, Taehyung sat with his arms folded. “How’s your wedding preparation going?”

Eunkyung sighed but she still smiled anyway. “Fine. It’s a struggle to plan things on my own but there’s still plenty of time left so… no worries.” Taehyung almost didn’t realise that she was the only one looking forward to the marriage.

“Okay… So, what have you been up to?” He asked again.

“Nothing much. I’ve been lazing around ever since I sat in that house. Recently, i’ve been cooking. It’s always the same response by those housemaids. I guess they just don’t want to disappoint me.” She chuckled again. Something about this girl lifted his mood. He didn’t know how her life was exactly but from what that was being told, he definitely knew that she was too lonely.

“You should cook for me someday then. I’ll give you a fair judgement.”

“Really? Sure, I’d love to face some critics!” It sounded absurd as usually, people want to receive praises. He laughed as well, shaking his head at her.

They blew on their noodles and began to dig in.

-

“I’ll text you if I want you to have a taste of my dishes!” She waved at him and Taehyung watched her trailing off into a polished black car with a guard that closed the door after her. He gave Taehyung the unfriendly glare but it’s not as if he felt offended anyway.

Taehyung checked his phone and warmed a little when he received a message from Sora. As she notified him that she’d be home in a few with Himchan’s company, he thought that he’d get going fast so he could welcome her home.

He stood in front of their apartment door, inserting the keys and unlocked the faulty barrier.

“Oh? You’re back.” Hyeri smiled warmly at him.

“Yeah… How’s your arm? Did Sohee apply them on you after I left?”

Hyeri frowned a little. She shook her head reluctantly. Such pretence.

“She didn’t? I thought I told her to continue where I left off...”

Hyeri kept her silence, letting him have an impression of Sora on his own.

Taehyung removed his socks and sat on the couch. He played with the remote and browsed through some of the channels that he personally liked. Hyeri tailed him from behind and sat on the floor that Sora usually lay on, intending to slowly take whatever she possess.

The apartment was filled with laughter when Sora came.

“I’m home~” She put on her home slippers but she stood right there when she saw Hyeri laughing away in her place. And Taehyung, not remembering the importance of her space, laughed as well as they glued their eyes on the gag show. None of them heard her soft greeting and she mentally slumped herself.

Sora walked pass the living room to get into her sanctuary without giving them any glances.

“Sohee,” Taehyung called just when he saw the passing figure darting into her room. He stood up from his seat to meet her but he was close enough when he heard the door close. He couldn’t understand. Was she bothered by something? Did he upset her in some ways? Did he do anything wrong for her to not spare him a look?

Sigh… clueless Taehyung pondered a lot, not knowing the simple things that could upset her just so easily.

Sora sat in her bed, huffing in slight anger. How could he let that girl be? Laughing together in the living room, giving her deaf ears when she greeted them and also, he didn’t leave her a reply when she texted him.

It was solely unfair, she thought. She didn’t know how this could upset her so much. She tried to understand that Taehyung couldn’t remember the floor that she spent nights on whenever he’s down with fever or whenever he suggested that they spend the night together in the living room. It was a special spot for her but he let another person have her way with it without hesitation. It wasn’t helping her at all as she knew about the feelings Hyeri had been reserving for him.

“Kim Sohee, why are you so hyped for nothing? It’s just a damn floor you’re making a fuss about. Calm down Sohee, calm down. You’re just a little down today that’s why you get disappointed over little things like this… calm down.” She breathed in and out, comforting herself.

But Hyeri’s confession had been replaying in her mind for so long. And she just couldn’t understand why it bothered her so much.