“I told you he was a control freak.”
Rainie turned to the man who stood beside her. He wore a simple black t-shirt that had a simple design on it, a black hangover vest and dark jeans, his hair neatly set. He hung his arm over her shoulder as they continued walking away from Kyuhyun and Tuuli.
“He was probably just worried about you,” he shrugged.
Rainie glanced at him before sighing, “I told you to learn a little bit of Korean before you came. Look, you couldn't even speak to them,” she said, holding onto the arm around her shoulder.
“I won't be here long, I just came to visit my baby sister,” he laughed while straightening his back. He quickly scanned the shops surrounding them, trying to spot one of interest.
Rainie chuckled, “and to shop.”
“Well, did you expect anything else?” He joked, pinching her baby like cheeks. He finally found a brand shop that looked attractive and dragged her along.
“How's everyone back in Taiwan?” Rainie asked, holding onto his hand.
“Good. Everyone misses you a lot, especially the kids,” he replied without removing his eyes from the shop ahead.
Rainie and Show were five years apart in age, but they were extremely close. They didn't look anything alike because they were only half-siblings; the shared the same father, but different mothers. Growing up together in a foster home, their father dying due to a disease when they were very young, they relied heavily on one another. Now that they have both grown into adults, they worked extra hard together in order to run a foster home for other children.
“I miss them a lot too, I just hope my work here finishes quickly and smoothly,” she sighed.
Show took a quick glance at her. He knew she must have been tired, having to live in a foreign country with a lot of strangers but with his optimistic attitude he tried to cheer her up. “It's like a vacation, a very long vacation,” he started rambling while flipping through clothes, “and treat it like an obstacle the kids have to get over, you know how much they rely on you.”
Rainie helped him sort through clothes, trying to find one that suited his well structured figure. “I guess so, I haven't talked to them once since I got here, I feel so bad.”
He pulled a creatively designed t-shirt off the rack and held it in front of him, Rainie looked and shook her head at him. “They understand. Even though they always complain about missing you, they know you're working hard for them,” he said while returning the t-shirt back in place.
“There's still so much longer before I return to Taiwan, you should send some of them over here with me,” Rainie joked.
Show grabbed a hideous t-shirt off of the rack and held it in front of Rainie, “That's expensive, and if I send them over for too long, I'll start missing them,” he said, lifting an eyebrow at the t-shirt, “this suits you,” he added.
Rainie was about to smack his hand but he retracted it quickly, “I'm getting it for you,” he laughed. They continued shopping for a while longer, looking in the children's section and at accessories before Rainie's cell-phone started ringing.
“Hello?”
“We're ready to go,” Kyuhyun's voice radiated over the phone.
“Oh, OK. Um... give me a few more minutes,” Rainie replied, looking over at her brother.
“Where are you?” He asked impatiently.
“We're shopping for some clothes,” Rainie answered, motioning for Show to hurry up. Show quickly grabbed the items they chose and headed to the cashier.
“Where are you?”
“We're checking things out right now,” she reassured.
“I asked where you are, not what you're doing,” Kyuhyun fervently scolded.
“Why are you being so impatient? We're shopping in S.O.S.,” she answered angrily.
“We're close by, we'll just meet you at the shop.”
Rainie walked over to Show and pinched his arm. “Ow! What was that for?” he asked, rubbing his wound.
“He's such a brat, the kids back home aren't nearly as bad as he is,” Rainie cried, sighing heavily.
“So you took it out on me?” Show laughed and patted her on the head, “just treat him like one of the kids then,” he said. They grabbed the bags and headed out of the store, Kyuhyun and Tuuli stood outside.
“Sorry to make you two wait,” Rainie apologized.
“Oh, no problem!” Tuuli answered, waving her hands.
Kyuhyun looked at the bags being held by Rainie and Show, “did a lot of shopping?”
“Yeah,” Rainie replied simply. She noticed that Kyuhyun had nothing in hand, but Tuuli had several shopping bags.
“Kyuhyun bought me some video games he recommended. Do you play video games, Rainie-sshi?” Tuuli asked.
“I don't, Show does though.” She answered, looking over at Kyuhyun who's eyes browsed the plaza. They all turned towards Show, who had a confused look on his face. Rainie laughed before explaining, “he doesn't speak Korean.”
Show turned to Rainie and whispered some things in her ear before waving goodbye to Kyuhyun and Tuuli. Rainie hugged him and handed him her bags before he left and turned back to the latter.
“Well, will we be escorting this pretty lady home?” Rainie asked with a smile.
Tuuli grinned happily. Rainie watched Tuuli grab onto Kyuhyun's arm and felt a little uncomfortable. Her eyes met with Kyuhyun and he nodded.
After they dropped Tuuli off at her house, Rainie and Kyuhyun sat quietly in the car; the silence was killing Rainie, she was so used to loudness.
“Did you have fun today?” She asked, trying to break the silence. He didn't reply. Sighing, she closed her eyes and rested her head against the window. Suddenly, something cold was being pushed against her arm. She opened her eyes and found a bottle of cranberry juice being held out to her by Kyuhyun, she took it from him.
“Thanks,” she said, opening the bottle. She took a sip from it and placed it in the cup holder. He still remained silent. The images of Kyuhyun and Tuuli ran through her head again, how was it that Tuuli was able to open Kyuhyun up so quickly?
Rainie watched as Kyuhyun took out another bottle of cranberry juice and drank from it, both of their lips were red from the liquid. The sweet and sour taste tingling their sensors. She couldn't help but think that they were so alike, yet so different. Both remained silent throughout the rest of the car ride, watching the yellow-orange sun set, letting their thoughts set with the sun.
----
Yesung smiled brightly, his eyes barely showing through his long bangs. Kyuhyun stepped out of the recording room and took a seat next to Yesung.
“Hyung, it's your turn,” Kyuhyun said, nudging Yesung. Yesung turned to Rainie and excused himself.
“Are you tired?” asked Rainie, handing Kyuhyun a cup of water.
“No, not really,” he answered, drinking from the cup. She stood by him, watching him drink his water. He looked up at her and suddenly tugged on her arm to make her sit down next to him. “It's still so early,” he said.
“Yeah, this is pretty much the only schedule you have today,” she replied. She looked at her watch, [11:35AM] it read. “Do you have anything planned?”
He thought to himself for a while before turning back to her, “Star-Craft”.
Rainie laughed, but suddenly a thought entered her mind. That meant he would be playing with Tuuli-sshi again. He played Star-Craft often, which meant they spent a lot of time together, and they've probably known each other for a long time. “Is that so?”
“There's nothing else to do,” he shrugged, “will you be cooking dinner again?”
“Um...-” she was cut off by the appearance of Donghae.
“Gamekyu!” he shouted, running over to Kyuhyun. When he saw Rainie he immediately greeted her as well, “Noona~ bao bei!” [my treasure].
Rainie laughed and waved at him. Donghae started horsing around with Kyuhyun; joking and talking about games, the one thing he never understood and not once attempted to touch.
“Getting back to your question earlier,” Rainie turned to speak to Kyuhyun, “I will be cooking dinner tonight. After this you have to grocery shopping with me,” Rainie commanded, looking Kyuhyun in the eyes.
“Why?” he asked. Rainie always went shopping by herself.
Donghae punched Kyuhyun in the arm, “just go with her! Look at her, she's so small, she'll definitely need help with the bags and stuff.”
Kyuhyun stared at Donghae, who ever so sweetly smiled at him, and could only helplessly nod. He hated grocery shopping.
----
Shopping with Kyuhyun wasn't the least bit pleasant. It didn't seem as if he had much interest in anything aside from the snacks, but what else did Rainie expect from a young man who couldn't take care of himself and lived with twelve other men who were just like himself?
“We're not getting that,” Rainie said bluntly without even looking over at him. Kyuhyun set the bag of chips into the cart. Rainie only sighed and continued on, knowing she couldn't win over him.
“What are you shopping for?”
“You wouldn't know even if I told you,” Rainie replied, running her hands through some packed vegetables.
“Well, maybe I can help,” Kyuhyun offered, trying to be kind.
“No, you can't.”
Kyuhyun pouted in protest and stayed silent as Rainie sorted through meats and vegetables, trying to pick the best of the best. He didn't understand why this meal was so different from all the others. “Why did you ask me to come along then?” He finally managed to ask.
“Well, I'll need help when we're finished, and you really don't eat much-” Rainie explained, but was cut off by Kyuhyun.
“But you won't let me get anything.”
“All the things you pick are treats and snacks, I filled a whole cupboard of them back at your dorms already.”
“You wouldn't know how to cook anything I wanted even if I suggested it,” he said, going through some kimchi and seasoning.
“Well, you don't know if you don't try. Tell me,” Rainie insisted, finally turning away from the groceries to look at him.
“Kibimbap, ddeukbouki,” Kyuhyun listed some other items but Rainie's head went blank. She knew she's heard of those dishes before but it really wasn't ringing a bell.
“...do you know the required materials to make them?” Rainie asked.
“No. Do I look like I would?” he answered provokingly.
Rainie rolled her eyes at him, after thinking for a while an idea struck her. “Call Ryeowook or Sungmin,” she ordered. Kyuhyun, shockingly, obeyed and dialed Ryeowook's number, he figured Ryeowook was the safer out of the two. After they wrote down all the needed materials, they quickly went through and gathered all the items and checked out.
“Why are you so hyped up about cooking today? You're usually so hesitant.”
“I have my reasons, I have a visitor today,” she answered, a wide smile spread across her lips.
Cold air rushed over Kyuhyun; the feeling he always had before she went off out of his sight or spoke to some strangers that he didn't recognized. It wasn't the least bit pleasant.
----
They returned to the dorms as quickly as they could, approximating that it would take hours and hours to prepare the meal.
Kyuhyun attempted several times to sneak back to his room and continue with his computer games, but Rainie would catch him in the act. “You said you wanted it, so you have to help me make it,” she would calmly explain to him. She usually disliked having others in the kitchen when she was cooking, afraid they would ruin her nicely cooked meals, but for some reason she wanted to keep Kyuhyun close by today.
He could only silently 'tsk' under his breath and oblige to her sudden commanding attitude. She was a lot more rough than usual today, was she nervous?
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