chapter six: i remember

"i'll remember our past. ... the side of me the used to laugh doesn't exist anymore "   

"Can't you understand this one little thing? Give us a break!"

Anger isn't actually in Jonathan's dictionary, but seeing his sister huffing and nearly begging for air, he had to take the role of a violent, angered guy here. He is, to be honest, a pacifist. Someone against violence. Someone who refuses to see violence as an option or as an answer. But now? The oh-so called calm Jonathan is temporarily out. This time, it's the manly, grown-up Jonathan facing the staff.

"My sister is sick! What part of that can you not understand? She's sick! You cannot force us to promote with a sick person!" Joanthan continued to bargain.

"I'm sorry, but we don't see that as a valid reason, Jonathan. Why, we had lots of idols that were sick and we heard no complains." one of the staff replied with a cold tone. Despite the sight of the group's leader heaving heavily, the staff were someone trained by him to be equally heartless towards them. Of course, Jonathan cannot bear this any longer. He can't just stay quiet in a corner while his sister receives all the burdens.

"No! I am sick of it! We are not promoting, whether you like it or not." Jonathan glared. "I wouldn't want my noona here to have her health risked. I will not let that happen!"

"We are the staff here! You are just performers. You are in no rights to take that tone of voice to me, kid!"

"I don't care if you're even the president!"

Slap.

"Jonathan! You leave my brother alone!" Hyerin growled as she hurried towards her brother, who had just received a rather crispy slap across the face. Her eyes burned with anger, furious that her younger brother had just been hurt. And despite the tiredness she was feeling, coarsing through her veins, she gathered the strength and jolted up, grabbing the staff member by his collar and pulling him close, enough for him to meet her burning eyes. "You did not just messed with my brother, you dip."

"Excuse me?" rather unfazed, the staff member replied. "What did you just call me?"

Oh, but Hyerin refused to answer with words. Instead, her hand had just found its way instinctively across the latter's face, slapping him rather harder than he did to Jonathan. Being one who lost balance, he fell on his back and looked up at Hyerin, rather astonished and afraid of the female's sudden actions. She was showing no respect nor did she show any hints of fear. He could feel the anger coarsing through her veins and for some reason, it made him tremble. "You do not mess with my siblings, dip." she hissed before she helped Jonathan up. "And what's said is said. Tell your damned CEO President, Mr. Kim Youngmin that Pandora Street will not promote for now."

As she and Jonathan turned their backs at the staff, they were sure one of them shouted "You'll pay for this" or something like "You'll regret this!"

But do they care?

No.

The two hurried to the practice room, where Huiying was by any chances practicing her dance solo. Seeing her siblings made her smile widely and run in Hyerin's arms, only to notice on how weak Hyerin was and on how heavy her breathing was. Along with this, by the time she raised her head, she noticed the red and burning mark on Jonathan's cheek. "What happened?!" the youngest gasped as she tried to inspect their brother's cheek-mark. "A-are you okay?" she nervously asked as she inspected in a closer range. "What happened, eonni?"

"Your brother just did the right thing." Hyerin smiled assuringly. "And for that, you've got to be proud, Huiying." she grinned before she patted Jonathan's back proudly. "Proud of you, bro!" she grinned.

"But I didn't act well. I could've solved it in a calmer way." Jonathan sighed.

"Psh! Stop being a pacifist and be a man." the older grinned. "Sometimes, you just gotta take a few events in your fist." she grinned wider and cheekier, only to make the middle sibling wince in awkwardness.

"I sometimes doubt if you're even human... or if you're a monster psychopath." Jonathan pouted.

"I might be both~" she chimmed, making Huiying flinch. "I was kidding! I'm totally human! ... Only a bit psychopathic at a few times."

"Eonni!"

"Only to Kim Monster!" 

"... I am now afraid to even sleep with you anymore." the youngest squeaked. 

"Aw, c'mon!" 

The three's joy was soon cut off when the practice room's door swung open, only to reveal the dreaded head CEO behind it. His brows wereknitted together and his face obviously flashed a great spark of anger. He looked, indeed, like a monster the three calls him as. He could literally eat the three in one sitting, and not even be obvious that he did. ... He surely won't leave a mess neither.

"You three." he growled, making the three freeze in place. The once brave Hyerin simmered down into nothing but a weak puppy and the Jonathan, who had made a scene earlier, melted into nothing but a puddle of anxiety and fear. As usual, Huiying hurried behind her older siblings, squeaking in fear as she saw the CEO himself.  His eyes were like arrows being shot to their hearts, straight. "I heard from the staff that you and Jonathan were making an ugly sight earlier." he says as he eyes the young female leader. "Why?"

"Why?" Hyerin faltered. "I'm sick, sir. I've got a serious illness. I can't continue promoting until my doctor says I'm good to go. I am literally endangering my life!"

"Oh, but I never heard the Jung sisters, Jessica and Krystal, back then when they were active as well, complain despite having anemia." he retorted back. "And they were able to garner such wonderful career life. They continued promoting. I should say... you're just being selfish, Hyerin."

"I am not, sir." Hyerin shook her head. "Brain tumor is different from anemia."

"Oh, but they're still life-threatening. But you're just being a wuss in the illness itself."

"Sir, my sister is sick!" Jonathan cried.

"Don't get into this, kiddo!" he warns, making Jonathan shut himself up. Hyerin really wanted to bury her dear fists in that ugly face of his, oh, but she can't. If ever she did, she'll get fired, her siblings will be left behind and that'll be followed the numerous anxiety attacks. She can't bear such! "Anyways, I'm here to tell you that you three are to continue promoting—"

"What? No!" 

"I am the boss here! Whether you like it or not, you are promoting!" and with that, Youngmin heads off, shutting the door close. Hyerin took the chance to unleash her rage by kicking that huge, green ball they use in aerobics. Huiying can only collapse on the floor, legs giving in while Jonathan can only watch. 

They're helpelss.

They can never conquer the head. The body's parts is useless without the head itself. And a single attack on it that'll surely make it fall, they'll go useless and berserk as well. So it's a lose-lose battle. Whatever they'll do, it's surely useless.

"Noona, let's go home. Come on, calm down already." Jonathan weakly cried out as he tried to stop Hyerin's rage. The eldest was still busy to hear her younger brother. Anger had gotten her whole being well and all she could see is red. Huiying was already in the verge of crying, and within seconds later, her tears spilled down, followed by choked sobs and muffled weeping. Jonathan, though knowing the fact that his sister is in her violent mode, grabbed his whole courage and took that one moment to grab Hyerin's arms and lock them behind, forcefully pulling his sister towards him as he hugs her tight, whispering assurance to her. "Hyerin-noona... please. Please stop. Let's just go home." 

Hyerin heard it.

Her brother's weak and hopeless and somewhat helpless voice. She snapped back to reality and made her body fall limply as she felt her whole body tense up. The air was suddenly thick and that familiar but extremely painful headache returned. She felt the world blur but with all her might, she tried to hold it in as she felt her brother's trembles. He was afraid, yet at the same time, angry at well. Not because he's a pacifist doesn't mean he can't feel anger. But he's not angry to anyone but himself.

Angry for he was too weak to even stand up and be a man. He's the man in the family, for Pete's sake! The only guy. The only man that should bear the heaviest responsibilities. But what does he do? Let the sick, eldest sister bear them all.

He's angry for being weak.

He's mad at himself.

"Huiying, noona, let's just go home." Jonathan repeated, making Hyerin nod before she closes her eyes. 

That's it, she knew it.

They need them back.

Hyerin rested on the couch rather uncomfortably. For the nth time, she's seeing those three familiar faces in the television again, and taht made her heart wrench rather unpleasantly. But her head was too painful to bear, so she just decided to rest there and watch alone.

"You want something to eat, eonni?" Huiying softly asked as she approached the eldest, carrying a bowl of her self-made macaroni soup. "I... and oppa made it together. You might be hungry too."

"Thanks." she smiled before she reaches out for the bowl and eats the hard-worked soup her younger siblings made. She smiles alone and nods her head. Hyerin knew that the youngest can't really cook that well and with that fact, she tried not to scrunch her face with the taste. It was pretty bland, and even if Huiying claimed Jonathan had helped her, Jonathan can't cook that well neither. And knowing him, he must've let the youngest do the work all by herself. Well, as Huiying always tried to tell them, she's a "big girl" now. She can do her own things now.

"How is it?" she excitedly asked, smiling widely.

"It's... delicious." she smiles sweetly before she reaches to pat her head. "But I think you can still put some improvement to it, yeah?" 

"Will note that down!" Huiying smiles before she turns around to see what's on the television. Her smile retains, but with hawk-like eyes, Hyerni can see how it slowly faltered and soon, faded. She still retained a small, faint smile though, not wanting her sister to be worried. "You know... they still carry that undying charisma on stage. It's been years, but it's as if they've never changed." Huiying mumbled as she eyed the television.

It was one of the closest guys she was closest to on stage.

Suho. A father of theirs.

Or as they claim him as. It's not even sure if it's still worth calling him, or them, as their "fathers". Fake fathers.

"... He never changed. He's still got that overly-dramatic face on him whenever he's on camera." Huiying laughed light-heartedly as she observed Suho's stage. She watched and focused on the show and smiled at the grand finale Suho had showcased. It was wonderful, and Huiying can be approve so. Even Hyerin was smiling.

"You two guys watching his showcase?" Jonathan, who just finished taking a quick shower. He was wearing an oversized tee and shorts, with his hair messed up and partially wet. "... He looks classy." he smiles.

"Doesn't he?" Huiying grinned cheekily.

Hyerin can only look at the television before she nods, smiling as well. She watched that ex-leader live his solo life flawlessly, charming thousands of hearts with his undying charms. His eyes never failed to charm ladies and to add another member in his fanclub. His voice continuously melts everyone's hearts. Everything... it's still there.

And it's one of the main things that made her heart wrench.

Her eyes were swelling up with tears.

"Noona, do you think he still recalls us?" Jonathan asked out of no where.

Hyerin hasn't felt her heart this painful for quite some time.

"... Of course he does. Parents don't tend to forget their kids." Hyerin smiled.  There was kind of a long silence before the eldest pushed herself up, despite the head-tearing headache she's suffering. It was somewhat typical now. Brain tumor... isn't really something to treat as a joke, nor as something one shouldn't pay much attention to, because like an over-obsessed fan it is, it finds its way to grab one's attention.

And way.

"I'll go... prepare dinner, okay? Soup won't be enough to fill our growling stomachs." Hyerin laughed before she gets up and walks towards the kitchen. The younger ones knew that nothing can stop their sibling from what she's decided so, they simply let her off.

Once she was out of sight, Huiying coughed.

"You're sick?" a worried Jonathan questioned.

"Nope. just wanted to grab your attention." she answered. "I think we should do something for her. She's done so much for us, you know?"

"... I'm listening."

"Bucket list. Let's make her a bucket list."

Jonathan isn't that dumb to not know such.

"What's in it?" somewhat whose attention is garnered, Jonathan leans forward. "Tell me."

"Here it is." Huiying nodded, somewhat formulating a genius plan once more on the spot. " We get EXO back together. We mend our foster family." she smiled cutely.

"You're wishing for something impossible, sis." Joonathan huffed. "It's impossible."

"Only for those who see it as impossible, maybe." Huiying nodded her head as she eyed her brother. "Look, if there's a will, there's a way. That's what eonni always tells us, right? And we're gonna prove it this time." she grinned once more.

Jonathan, out of all people, can see it through.

Behind her cutesy image and twinkling eyes lies a mad genius who can formulate the deadliest plan. She's not called "genius" for nothing, and for her young age. It has a reason.

And this time, it'll be proven.

"Okay. I'm in it." Jonathan nodded.

"Oppa, you silly guy." Huiying laughed softly, her cute image somewhat discarded in the time being, just to be replaced by that of a mad genius's. "Even if you aren't, you've got no choice."