"When I open my eyes to your voice

in the morning

I can't help but keep smiling all day

When we're together I want to hold you forever

And never let go of you baby

Don't wanna go chasing after these---"

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The knocks on Donghyun's room's door interrupted him from singing with the accompany of his guitar.

Without saying a word, the door opened a bit. He saw his smiling mother tucking her head inside.

"COme here. There's something I have to discuss with you," said Mrs. Kim in her sweetest voice.

Donghyun didn't answer right away. He glanced at his song piece, then looked at his mother. A smile curved on his lips. "Sure."

*********

"I have 4 cousins in my school?"

"Ye."

"What are their names?"

"You'll find out this Sunday."

"Whoa." Donghyun fell back on his sofa. "That's really surprising. And so intriguing."

"THere's only one who's not  studying in Avalon. But he'll be studying there this Monday and he's also coming to the house."

"I wonder who are they." He's really curious that he couldn't wait for Sunday to come. "Hyungseong couldn't be one of them. . . could he?" he muttered and started to get upset.

***********

"--in one house to learn independency and to develop friendship as well--"

"Where is he going?"

The gruff voice of Mr. Shim interrupted Mrs. Shim in explaining to Hyunseong about the living in one house together with his unknown cousins. Mr. Shim is always angry to his son. He gets ill-temper whenever he sees Hyunseong or just hearing his name.

Mrs. Shim and Hyunseong threw quick glances at his ill-tempered father who just made it up to the stairs. He seemed to hear their conversation. He looked at his wife and his son suspiciously. Eyes angry. But his wife managed to stay cheerful.

"Ahm. . . he'll be living together with his cousins. . . I explained this to you last night, don't you remember?"

They waited for him to answer. Mr. Shim got this frowny looks. Just one glance at him, you could already tell that he's a bitter man. A stern man. His forehead is always wrinkled. Like he's never satisfied with anything. A lot of people are scared to approach him because he looks so furious all the time.

He eyed his son. "That means I wouldn't be seeing you for a long time. I couldn't wait for your disappearance," he stated bitterly.

Mrs. Shim glanced at Hyunseong sympathetically, worried if he'd take offense at his father's remark.

But Hyunseong is a good son. She knew that. He never said things back against his parents whenever he's scolded or being yelled for some reason.

Mr. Shim walked away from them and went inside his and his wife's room.

When he was our of their sight, Hyunseong's mother tapped his shoulder and let out a slight smile. "That's okay, son."

Hyunseong smiled back at her. But weakly.

*********

Jeongmin was fixing his hair in front of his room's wall mirror when his door slammed open.

Nobody slams his door like that but her mother.

"Omma, you're drunk again?" he whined after seeing Mrs. Lee staggering and was holding the doorknob to prevent from falling on the floor. The door was making squeaky noises as she was moving back and forth. Her eyes were a bit red and she smelt so disgusting. "How many times do I have to tell you not to drink alcohol?" he lectured as he guided his mother to sit on his bed. They were both sitting on his bed now.

"You," Mrs. Lee started. Then hiccupped. "have 5 more cousins. . . " Hiccupped. "Oh, was that five?" She started counting her fingers. "One, two. . . three. . . four. . .seven. . . seven cousins. . . yeah, seven. . . " Then she turned confused again. "Oh, was that seven?"

It took 2 hours for her to explain, and 1 hour for Jeongmin to understand. He's not even sure if she was even telling him the right things. But he listened to her anyway because he loves her.

Only the 2 of them were living in their one-storey house. He's the only son.

His mother started drinking alcohol when his father left them. Mrs. Lee was so problematic, stressed, and sometimes out of her mind. He cried for a month, didn't eat for a week, and was always drunk. She made a lot of troubles like quarrelling the neighbors. But even though she's like that, Jeongmin never gave up. He loves his mother and there's no way he's leaving her. WHo would take care of her when he's away? Who would defend her when she makes troubles again? Who would comfort her when she cries again?

"I'm not leaving you, omma," he decided, shaking his head. "I don't care about the mansion, my nine cousins in Paris, the sports car and the limousine. I am staying here with you, and that's final."

"Yah! You have to listen to me." Hiccupped. "Don't be hard-headed."

"No."

"Jeongmin-ah. . . you don't have to worry about me . ." Hiccupped. "Germany is not that far. . ."

First Europe, 2nd Spain, 3rd Paris, and now Germany? Aigoo omma.. . I don't know what to do to you. . .  you're just making all this up. . .

"Omma, you know I can't stop worrying about you. . . " he protested. "You're always drunk. . . and you're. . . .uncontrollable. . . "

"Is that all you worry about?"

"Not really. There are alot more."

"Araso. . . I promise." She raised her right hand. "I won't drink alcohol again. Swear," she assured. "Just please, join them. . ."

"Say that tomorrow. I can't trust you when you're drunk."

********

The sound of Minwoo's keyboard's laptop and the sound of the Tetris Battle filled the room. He was sitting on his study table, eyes 5 inches away from the screen. But for him, it's not a study table because he never studied. He called it as an I-net Table.

He ranked down again and he's getting angry and impatient.

"Minwoo! I need to talk to you!" Mrs. No called from the living room.

"MOM, I'M BUSY!" Minwoo yelled back.

"This is really important!"

"Mom, whatever it is, I AGREE!"

"You sure, honey?"

"Yes mom!"

"Araso!"

The 6 boys started packing up on Saturday and they all changed their hairstles. When Sunday came, they all said goodbye to their family.

"Honey, did you bring everything?" Mrs. No asked her son. "Did you forget something? Huh?"

"Mom, relax," said Minwoo calmly. "Everything's set."

The whole family gathered around the living room. Except for his father. He's woking abroad--as a Structural Engineer. He got 3 sisters--Tiffany, Yuri and Yoona. He's the youngest and the only boy in the house.

"Oh, my baby boy is leaving me. . . for real," his mother cried, pinching his cheeks.

"Mom, you're the one who's making me do this," corrected Minwoo.

"I got no choice," she retorted.

"Yah," Tiffany joined. "Don't forget to drink milk every morning and every night, okay?" she reminded him.

"Okay, okay, okay." He rolled his eyes. Being the youngest, his mom and sisters couldn't stop from baby-ing him becos he's an only boy. And that sometimes annoys him. Just like now.

ANd what annoys him most is that whenever his family treats him like a baby even his friends are around. That's just so embarrassing. He's now a grown-up boy. WHy couldn't they treat him in a mature way?

Tiffany made a cheeky smile and ruffled his hair. That annoys him too.

He fixed his newly-styled hair and said goddbye. When he spun around and headed to the door, his mother suddenly cried. "Omo!"

He turned back at them, startled of his mom's sudden reaction.

"What's wrong,mom?" he asked.

"How could you forget to put a towel on your back?!"

"Oh, big deal," he mumbled, rolling hiseyes. That irritates him either! He's not a baby anymore for heaven's sake!

His mom walked away and came back with a white towel.

"Come here," she ordered, spinning Minwoo around and started to put the towel on his back.

"Mooom. .. " Minwoo uttered an annoyed wail.

"You know that you sweat easily, how come you forget reminding me? Aigoo. .. now I'm worried about you. . . who would put a towel on your back in that house? You should ask one of your cousins there to do this, okay?

Ugh! That would be so embarrassing. "Yes mom," he answered flatly, voice mixed with disgust. As if he would really do it.

"Don't forget to take your vitamins," Yuri reminded him.

"And eat the right meals," Yoona added.

Mrs. No had finished putting the towel on his back.

"You know what?" said Minwoo. "I'm so excited to live with my cousins. I can't wait to go there." The truth was, he just wanted to get out of the house and avoid his family's annoying behavior to him. This would be cool, he thought. No girls in the house. All boys. No baby-ish treats. Hahahaha...

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

Up next. . .

CHAPTER  5: WELCOME TO THE MANSION

"It's gigantic. . . super. .. superhouse!" he announced in awe.  Kwangmin couldn't wait to get inside.