Chapter 2 -

I took a glance of the street from the car's window. It's been two weeks after the sudden-rain incident, Oppa has make it up to me, and we're as good as before.

There are a lot of activities around the corner already. Well, the sun is not yet rises but I've ready to live the day with this medium pink VICTORIA' SECRET suitcase sitting comfortably next to me.

"You're not forgetting something, aren't you?" that low-bass timbre voice startled me.

"No, not yet maybe?" I shrug off.

"I hope you're not forgetting to bring extra underwear" he then chuckled.

"Tabi! Please?! I'm no baby. You and Jiyong Oppa are the same!"

"I'm more handsome though" he smirk while driving me off to school.

"I'm charmer than you Tabi" Jiyong Oppa chimed and punches his arm lightly from the passenger seat beside the driver's seat.

"I'm cuter"

"You're older"

"Yeah, you two have the same annoying expression" I pout and crossed my arm.

"Aww, our baby Hunchae is being cranky" he chuckled and look at me from the front seat. I throw my gaze to the window, act sullen.

"She looks more annoying than you Ji" Tabi leered at me from the rearview mirror.

"She looks cuter that way"

"Both of you, please? Can you not ruin my mood early in the morning?" I quickly turn my eyes and glared at Jiyong Oppa.

"Wooooo, she looks scary. Tabi, help me" he's acting like he saw a ghost and shriveled up on his seat.

"I thought you say she's cute before" Tabi chuckled.

"Yes yes, she WAS"

"Okay, I'm not talking to both of you especially Jiyong Oppa"

"Tabi, she's angry! Hurry up and get our special weapon"

"Should we get three buckets of ice cream at Seven-Eleven? There's one near here"

"Tabi! Jiyong Oppa! I'm fourteen not five!!!" I bang the suitcase in frustration and they laugh me off like I was some kind of a funny joke. They always act like that.

Tabi and Jiyong Oppa has a close relationship like a real brother related by blood. I was wondering that maybe Tabi wasn't really my brother because he's too close to Jiyong Oppa.

"Okay, Okay. Fourteen fourteen. I think I should get you this then!" he shoves me a black box.

"What's this?"

"What's that?" me and Tabi said in unison.

"A surprise. Open it up Chae and Tabi you're driving too slowly, we have to arrive in four minutes straight or I'll be late for campus" he demands us.

"Yes boss, anything for you" Tabi speed up the engine while I'm busy un-boxing the gift.

"What is this?" I raise my eyebrow out of confusion.

"What? What? Show me?" Tabi tries to peek at what I got.

"Don't you know what it is?" Jiyong Oppa raise his eyebrow looked confused, the same goes for me as I raise this particularly weird looking watch higher so Tabi could catch a glimpse of it from the rearview mirror. When he finally saw it, he burst into laughter.

"Are you trying to be the stalker of my sister now?" Tabi chuckled.

"It's only regular check-up"

"She doesn't need it Ji" he scoffs.

"She needs it Tabi, what if the bus suddenly got flat-tire in the middle of nowhere? How if Huncahe suddenly fall sick? How if she's not enjoying the trip so much, she needs to go home?" he snorts.

"It's a soft way of invading privacy. Don't you know what that is, Chae?" Tabi is pestering on Jiyong Oppa's nerve and he enjoys it so much, I can see from the way he grins.

"A weird-looking seems like a high-tech kind of watch?"

"What?" Jiyong Oppa yanks.

"How could you expect her to know? Gadget has always been boy's toys. It's a smart watch Chae" Tabi said in composure then brushed off his hair.

"Why are you giving me this Oppa?"

"To invade your personal spa- ouch! Hey, it hurts!" before Tabi finished his word, Jiyong Oppa slap his arm hard.

"You have the obligation to remain silent Tabi Ahjussi and focus on the road! Let me explain to Chae before you ruin up the true meaning behind that watch" Tabi chuckled and act stern when Jiyong Oppa throwing him a death glare.

"Should I really put this thing on? How do it works? Wait, it must be expensive!" I scan the watch.

"It's not that expen- Wait, you little girl, define expensive!" he appoints my face.

"Expensive means something I couldn't buy" I pout while Tabi chuckled again and Jiyong Oppa cleared his throat, giving Tabi signal to remain silent.

"This is something that I can buy so it's not expensive. Now put that thing on!" he demanded. I sigh but I comply. I can never win this war against Jiyong Oppa's will. Nobody win against him. Nobody.

"Good. Now synchronize it with your phone"

"I don't bring phone" I chimed.

"You what?!" he rolled his eyes and Tabi once again chuckled then clear his throat.

"She's having a field trip as the school program, do you think they'll let her bring the phone and her way out like she's going on a vacay?"

"!" Jiyong Oppa cursed and curled up his body.

Oh, no! Jiyong Oppa's curse is a bad signal.

"Jiyong Oppa you have to calm down!"

"! ! !" the air are getting tense. Me and tabi could feel it in split second.

"Ji calm down man. Breath in, breath out, relax… Good, just like that, breathe in, breathe out" Tabi glance back and forth to Jiyong Oppa.

"Relax Oppa" I hold his shoulder while he was shriveled up in his seat, bend his body onto his knees and hold his head with both of his hands, squeezing off his perfect hair while closing his eyes to get composure.

"Ji, relax… You ruin your hair" Tabi nervously glance to Jiyong Oppa.

"Yeah Oppa, you could ruin your hair, come on, are you going to campus with that messy hair?" I chimed and nod, agree with Tabi's way of making him relax.

"………" He groans.

"I could bring Tabi's phone. So I could synchronize it with the watch, right Tabi?" in split second I come up with an idea to make him comfy.

"Well, yeah.. But, you know… My phone is…"

"Use my phone" Jiyong Oppa suddenly straight up, taking his phone and shove it to me.

"Yea-yeah... It will work this way right?" I glance at Tabi asking for confirmation and he nod in awkward movement.

"Yes. Problem solved. See Ji? It's not that hard. Don't push yourself to hard" he pats Jiyong Oppa's shoulder.

"………" he leaned back to his seat, close his eyes to gain composure, and seems exhausted.

I try to fix his messy hair back into its place and he suddenly tugs my arm to the front. I was startled and so do Tabi; I can see him leering on us from the corner of his eyes. Jiyong Oppa is doing something with the smart watch and his phone.

"Later on you'll received my text from the watch and when you see it, you have to right away reply with my phone that…" he sounds demanding before suddenly stopped.

"I'll try?" I said slowly, I'm not sure whether I can do that, I mean, the teacher will be everywhere, I could just pull the phone and text Oppa back right in front of my teacher's nose.

"Ji…" Tabi sigh.

"I-I mean text me back when… You know, when…" he close his eyes again, brushes off his hair messily.

"Calm down Ji, calm down… Breath in, breath out"

"Textmebackwhenyoucan" he said in one breath then breaths heavily as he was just suffocating. He's panting and massages his temple.

"Okay Oppa, I'll try my best to right away replying your text. I might have a slight chance to call you before I go to sleep" then I grab his phone from his sagging hand. He leans back to the seat.

"You should Huncahe" he pats my head gently. I can see Tabi smile from the corner of his mouth.

"We're here" Tabi said suddenly, I didn't realize we've arrived since the tension inside the car is still up in the air.

"Wait, I'll help you up" Jiyong Oppa starts to fix his hair in a hurry.

"You stay there and fix that, I'll help Chaerin" Tabi get off the car and pull my suitcase out, I make my way out of the car as well. I put the phone into my pocket and try to fix the smart watch.

Some the students already arrived at school. Just like me, some of them are drove by their driver, tiny of them drove by their parents, and some of them walk themselves up with the suitcase. It's good that nobody care nor notice my appearance with this car.

I argued with Jiyong Oppa because he wants to send me to school with his favorite LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR which I believe will attract too many unnecessary eyes. He's even say that he's modest with that car. Gosh!

It's good that Tabi can calm him down so we ended up driving Tabi's electric blue MINI COPPER which I also believe already attracting unnecessary eyes now.

"Be good and stay out of trouble, I don't want to get a call from the teacher just to hear that you and Bommie are making troubles during the trip" Tabi mess my hair then go back to the driver seat. I hit his arm and pout.

Jiyong Oppa is lowering down the window and calling at me to come closer. Upper part of his body is practically out of the window now. He's fixing up my messy hair that Tabi made and try to clean my shirt up. He glance through me from top to bottom, doesn't feel satisfied. He then pulled out the HBA jacket around his hip and gives it to me.

"Put this on around your hip" without further complain, I comply with what he said and he smile satisfied.

"You look perfect" he pinches my cheek lightly.

"Okay, I'm going now" I step back and I can see Jiyong Oppa rolled his eyes onto his watch.

"No hug for Oppa? I still have a minute" he spread his arm and Tabi need to pull the back of his clothes so that Jiyong Oppa won't fall from the window.

"No Oppa. Everybody is watching" I hissed and glance at Tabi, looking for help; he only chuckled and nod his head. What? I need to hug him right here right now? Are you kidding me?

"Come on, give me a hug" I reluctantly step closer to Jiyong Oppa, but he's nippy enough to tug n my arm and hug me, almost squeezed me literally. This is the most embarrassing event that can happen in my live, I hope nobody notice this.

"Oppa will be very vey very very missing you" he whispers on my ear, sending me unusual chills. I know he's telling the truth, I can hear the sincerity on his tone. I look at Tabi; he smiles to see us. I wrap my hand around Jiyong Oppa's hand.

"Me too"

"Me three?" Tabi joke and I pout.

"Not for you Tabi. Okay, I'm going now" Jiyong Oppa releases me and once again, for the last time, fix my hair and slipping the strand of my hair into the back of my ear. I smile at him.

"We're going now?" Tabi asked.

"Hummm, okay…" Oppa glance through his watch and sigh then sluggishly close the window.

I can see Tabi wave at me and drive off while Jiyong Oppa is clearly turns his body to see me along his way of leaving me at school gate. I smile and I wave my hand in the air twice at them; the car fades away along the street.

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"Okay, everybody line up according to your group! We're going to the pottery kiln before we're seeing the actual pottery master making an item. Stick with your group" Jang-ssem shout his throat out to the crowded students.

I positioned myself next to Jennie. We're making two rows line now as instructed by Kang-ssem. Bommie in the other hand, stuck in another group and she doesn't seems to like it so much, I can see her cranky sullen face as she lazily move her step to make row with her group.

I'm so lucky that Jennie and Zico are in my group but I feel annoyed by the presence of Seungri who ends up in my group as well.

"Ahh so bad, why I have to end up with her?" Seungri stands in front of me, next to Daesung, pout and appoint me with his thumb. Daesung only giggled and shakes his head.

"You may go out of the group Seungri-ah, nobody ask you to stay here" Zico blurts out and Seungri face him off with annoyed face.

"And why I have to end up with you as well?" oh not again, they are not in a good term with each other.

"I don't mind you transfer to another group" Zico then throws his gaze to me and smile.

"What did you say?" Seungri yanks.

"Seungri shut up! I'm giving instruction here!" Kang-ssem startled us and both of them stand sternly facing front.

I gaze onto Bommie and giving her this-is-not-a-good-group-either face and she can only smile weakly since she's in one group with Jiyeon which she hates.

We went to the pottery kiln as instructed, feeling hot and sweats our shirt up. The teacher brought us to meet the pottery master who keep blabbering bout how hard it is to make pottery and we have to induce our art and creativity to make one.

We need to take note on whatever the pottery master says and that spent almost seven pages of papers. Zico, as usual was very nosy to the group including me. Once on the pottery kiln's back door he poke my shoulder and pretend that he's not the one who poke me. He continues poking me throughout the way to the pottery master's private room and I just give him a dead glare which he finds it amusing.

Seungri in the other side didn't help at all, he doubles up my bad mood by keep mumbling about my weird jacket and how weird my hair today. He was accidently nudging at one of a display pottery vase and I skipped a beat when Daesung is  nimble enough to catch the almost fallen vase. The member are all giving Seungri death glare from his careless hustling action and he can only smirks innocently.

I was in the pottery making area, ready to make one, when my watch vibrate. Oh no, not now. Before I get myself dirty, I turn my body and secretly read the incoming message.

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From: Kiko

Yong-ie, I'm free today, find me in HARLEM at usual spot.

XXX, can't wait to meet you <3

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I was startled, who is Kiko? Wait, it's Jiyong Oppa's number; is she his girlfriend? I never heard about her.

I know Sohee Unnie; Oppa's beautiful high school classmate whom he dated only for 6 months. I know Sulli Unnie; Oppa's lovely girlfriend who loves to bring me chocolate every time we hangs out together, they only last for 7 months. I know Yoona Unnie; Oppa's older girlfriend who work as amateur photographer. She took a picture of me, Tabi and Jiyong Oppa which now hanging on my bedroom, too bad they last for 7 months only. I also know Sandara Unnie, Jiyong Oppa's latest girlfriend. She's very cute despite her age and she acts childish and lovable too, she's the first girl Oppa brought to our house even though she didn't have the chance to meet Oppa's mom and dad, well, they only last for a year.

So who's this Kiko girl? From the text, I can calculate how intimate their relationship might be. From one to ten, this Kiko girl already reach 6 out of 10 with Oppa, which pretty high score already.

"Chaerin" Zico startled me, I awkwardly hide my watch under my long sleeve top. He's shoving me a long plain apron.

"Oh, thank you" I try to put it on but I can't tie the back. Suddenly, Jennie helps me out to tie it.

"Thank you!" I said happily, this is the first attempt she does to me. Usually, I'll be the one who ask her to walk with me or to ask about the additional note.

"You're welcome" she said lightly then sitting down next to me, on my left side, while Zico take position on my right and Seungri sit right across to me on this circling position.

Now we're learning to make a small pottery glass, the circling table are set up right in front of each students. We're curios yet so excited to make on. I can see from the never ending eye to eye smile coming out from Daesung and Seungri. They can't hide it that they can't wait to spat the pottery dough everywhere.

The rest of this session is so fun. As I thought, Seungri and Daesung the troublemaker combo spat the dough here there, making the session boisterous and razzle-dazzle with laughter. The dough flies here there and we even start the dough war with another group. Kang-ssem and Jang-ssem have to raided both of them to stop the useless dough war that makes the pottery master's face wrinkled up. I can see Shin-ssem apologize to the pottery master for this ruthless childish behavior.

As the atmosphere of playing has been driven away, we come back to our serious self to make the pottery glass, minus Daesung and Seungri who still try to find opportunity to start the dough-war part 2 and laugh off at their dirty face from the dough-war before. Jennie's sleeve and my hair is one of the dough-war victim and we only chuckled.

I get closer to Jennie as we talk about many things during the pottery making session. She's really a nice girl and she smiles a lot. She didn’t show me those fake smile nor she laugh overly, like Bommie does, when she heard something funny from me. She's very elegant.

"Who'll you make the glass to?" Jennie suddenly ask, she's fixing the handling right now. Her works are really clean and neat compare to my messy dirty rolling desk.

"You?" I retorted and try to fix the handling as well.

"My dad" she said after a short pause, still focusing on her glass pottery.

"I don’t know yet" I shrug off.

"To one of your Oppa?" she asks again and took glance onto my pottery.

"I only have one Oppa" I look confused.

"Ohh, I'm sorry. I thought you have two Oppa. I saw this morning" she turns to see me. Great! she saw Tabi and Jiyong Oppa, duh....

"Ohhh…..No, it's not like that" I said and then long pause. I don't want to explain about Jiyong Oppa's status.

"You must've been so close to your Oppa then, I saw him squeezing you before" she said then chuckled. Great, she mistook Jiyong Oppa as my real brother.

"Yeah…." I force myself to chuckle then another long pause.

----------------

It's good that we're able to pick our own roommate during this trip. After a long-long day, we're finally free this evening. Next schedule is Kimchi Village early morning tomorrow, so now we can rest and recharged our energy for tomorrow's activity. I and Bommie finally assemble in our bedroom, right next to Jennie and Nana's room.

"Gosh! It's so tiring! That Jiyeon laughed like there's no tomorrow during the dough-war. She giggled like old witch. Chae-ah, how can I continue my day?"

"Bommie, too much" I checked my watch and also my phone.

"Wait, you bring phone?" I started her from her daily beauty routine, putting on the masker.

"Jiyong Oppa's, you know, he insist,  I defeat"

"Oh how I wish I have an Oppa who'll insist me to bring phone during field trip" she apply the mask-cream smoothly.

I throw myself onto the bed, checking the incoming text; another text from that Kiko girl.

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From: Kiko

Yong-ie baby, how dare you ignore my text? Where are you now?

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Baby? She's really her new girlfriend then? I wonder why Oppa didn't tell her that I brought his phone. Or he probably forgets about it? But Oppa isn't forgetful type of person.

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From: Kiko

Yong-ie, babeee? We should really meet now, did I do something bad?

Reply ASAP

Xoxo

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Hmmmm… Suspicious, this Kiko girl could probably have one-sided-love to Oppa. Calling Oppa 'babee' could be done by everyone. I wonder if all those Unnies break up with Jiyong Oppa because they discover Oppa's illness.

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From: Tabi

You've been nice during the trip right? Has Jiyong text you? He was so down and frustrated during dinner, you should probably replying his text, okay? Be good.

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Tabi, I'm good you know? How come Appa and Omma didn’t ask about the whereabouts of their only-precious daughter? I was just about to reply Tabi's text when another message coming.

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From: Hunchae <3

Huncahe!!!! Oppa miss you already, I assume you're free to reply Oppa's message right? Oppa has been very good not to disturb you today; you should reward me when you get back home. If you're not feeling good during the trip, right away text Oppa, I'll send Tabi to pick you up. If he didn't want to do it, I'll personally pick you up, okay? Hurry up and reply!

---------------

Gosh! What kind of name he gave to me? And how dare Oppa take my phone without permission. Without further ado, I lead myself onto the bathroom and start dialing my cell phone number.

"Chae, are you okay? You shocked me" Bommie knocks the door.

"I'm fine. I just wanna make a call"

"Okay. Don't be too loud or you'll wake the wolves up. Send my regards to Jiyong Oppa"

"Gosh, Bommie!" she chuckled.

With that, I can finally get my personal space. After a couple of dial tone, he finally pick up. Before he could say anything, I bombard him with splendid long angry sentences.

"Oppa! How could you take my phone without permission? I left it on my bedroom before, right? Are you invading my room without permission? You don't do something weird there, right? And what's with my name on your phone?"

"Huncahe…" he welcomes me with a cold tone and I yank. I know this kind of tone; dissatisfaction expressionless tone.

"…………" I realize that I've been impolite and he doesn't really please with this kind of attitude.

More than Tabi or even Omma and Appa; Jiyong Oppa doesn't really tolerate impoliteness. In fact, he'll get dissatisfaction by the slightest impolite action from someone's younger than him. We, Korean people, has a very strict rule over ethic code of manner and Oppa is one of those people who stick his way tightly into that kind of rule of manner. Well, he didn't do that rule he honor so much very well but he hates it when a younger person giving him this impoliteness vibe.

"Do you know that what you did just now is imbecile, ill-tempered and impolite kind of manner?" that cold flat tone sending me chills to my neck. My heart throb. In one side I just want to burst into anger but in the other side I was so afraid of him.

"…………"

"Lee Chaerin, answer me" that razor sharp tone really cut deep into my heart. I was trembling; the feeling from two weeks ago crept back at me. It's not that new though, but every time Oppa's illness relapse, I will have to budge my ego down because as I said before; nobody wins against him.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault." I let my ego down again.

"……….." long paused, I can clearly hear him sigh then mumbled something I can't hear.

"I'm sorry" I said once again, gaining my composure and realize that my childishness would definitely trigger a bad reaction from Jiyong Oppa.

I might be young, fourteen years old, but I have to face myself with reality that not all fourteen years old girl will always facing a fourteen years old problem. As what Omma said to me; if it's good, it's a gift but if it's bad, it's a lesson. Jiyong Oppa is two sides of coin, he's a gift and a lesson.

Lesson learnt, Jiyong Oppa will need more time to be healed and I have to help him by act more mature and letting down my ego for his sake.

I never imagine that I'll have this kind of life. While Bommie's problem might be around diet and fat, or Zico's bling-bling problem, or even Jiyeon drama queen syndrome are the only problem they face every day. I didn’t know for sure but it might be around that right?

Omma once said that experience is what you get when you didn't get what you want. I guess, she's right.

"Oppa?" I sigh and take courage for me to talk back at him.

"Next time don't do that again, understand?" he sighs again.

Yeah, he didn't even bother to say sorry to me nor accepting my apologize, I guess he still mad. Can't blame him though, that illness is the root.

"Understand. Okay then, I'll hang up" I said quickly. As much as I miss him, I don't have the mood to start another arguing in long-distance-chat with him.

"Wait, I still have three more minutes' bef-"

"I'm tired Oppa. I'll go to bed now. You can use those three minutes to call someone else or be ready for anything you're up to. Goodnight"

I hung up. I feel so angry and upset now; I think I need to throw this phone down to calm myself down. I don't know, my head seems swinging around. I'm so angry right now till it's hard to breathe.

That phone vibrate again, startled me a bit. I look down to the caller id. My name popped out on Oppa's cell phone.

I reluctantly draw the phone closer to my face, making sure that it's him who called me. That phone vibrates for the third time. I want to know how much longer he can waste his time to make this useless conversation.

The fifth vibration.

The sixth vibration.

The seventh vibration.

He's not going to make it till the tenth, I'm sure.

The eights vibration.

It stopped. See? I know him too well. He's not going to make it this long. His time is more precious than this.

With this messy feeling I went sleep. No follow up text or phone call from Jiyong Oppa. Well, I get used to it anyway.

But somewhere in the corner of my heart, I feel the freckle of heartache poking at me. Somewhere, deep in my heart I hope that Jiyong Oppa will put more effort on fixing his own impoliteness attitude. I know it's quiet nonsense right now. I wonder what will cure him.

My mind wanders off and I fell asleep.

Chapter 2 - end

Hi

It's been a long while kekeke...

I'm developing this story into complicated one so please forgive my complicated brain and fingers (and also errors)

Actually, this story was made after I watched [A Gentleman's Dignity] which is sooo damn good

You guys have to watch it also

There is this part in beginning of the drama that involved red thread, so... yeah...

RING RING RING... An inspiration come

Can you guys guess what kind of illness Jiyong have?

kekeke...

Anyway, hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do

And please keep supporting me through comments :)

xxx

<3