[CONTENTID1] Keeping Up With The Kims [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

"I see Yunho has a type."

"Like what?"

"Pale, sharp-mouthed girls like you," Minnie said, glancing up. "Like Hye Kyo."

"Hy...Hye Kyo?" I asked.

"His first love Hye Kyo..." 

"..." 

"You're quite the replicate of her face and personality wise," Changminna said, narrowing her eyes. "Even the same financial status."

~

Her comment seemed genuine, not like the fake ones, judging from the fascinated look in her eye.

“He...he looks exactly like her...” Yunho muttered.

“Huh? Exactly like who?” I asked.

He probably thought that I couldn’t hear him. Guess what er? I have good ears.

“No...no one,” Yunho said, clearing his throat.

~
“Well...” Ji Cheol said. “The last girl he was with...she was uh, very eccentric.”

“Eccentric?” I asked.

“Yes. His first, and last love...” Ji Cheol said, steering the wheel to the right.

“...”

“For some reason...” Ji Cheol said, changing lanes. “She reminds me of you.”

My breath hitched.

“Me?” I asked.

“Yes. You look a lot like her too...”

“Really...that’s strange,” I said, shifting in my seat.

“The only thing she beats them in is...her beauty. She was absolutely breathtaking,” Ji Cheol said. “But...she was impatient, impulsive, loud, and... stubborn.”

“...”

“Just like you Jaejoong-ssi.”

**'

I didn't even want to know if it was Yunho. I rather not. I won't acknowledge it...not at all. Maybe...maybe he's here for someone else. Even though I tried to deny it, the feeling in my stomach made it hard to delude myself, as I gained the sudden urge to throw up.

Was Hye Kyo Yunho's first love?

"Yunho?"

Oh no. My omma spotted him. What do I do? My hands trembled, as Yunho turned around. His eyes widened, as he saw my whole family. I hid behind a pillar, hoping he wouldn't see me. A wave of emotions consumed me, taking the energy away from my legs, as my knees hit the ground. I slide inches away from the wall, getting a peak of Yunho with my whole family.

"O...omoni," Yunho said, bowing at both of my parents.

I don't want to hear anything. I don't want my questions to be answered. It was better not to know anything about Hye Kyo and Yunho's relationship. The flowers that I was supposed to put in the vase were still in my hands, waiting to be put in the vase. Somehow, I was like that empty vase.

"Where did Jaejoong go?" Changwook asked.

"Maybe he went to the bathroom..." Yoojung replied.

Right. The bathroom. I should get out of here. Using the left over energy I had, I placed one foot in front of the other, and rose from the ground. The night air greeted me, as I pushed the doors open.

Only the night was here to comfort with me, along with the stars and the moon. I looked up, hoping Hye Kyo could sense my pressence in some sort of way. A chill crept up my spine, as a draft of air blew past me. It was getting colder by the day.

"Hye Kyo..." I muttered.

"..."

"Did...you know Yunho?" I asked. "Were you really his first and last love?"

A sense of defeat crawled over me, as tears stung my eyes. Men were only supposed to cry three times. But...for some reason...the tears won't stop, no matter how much I try to beat them. I'm like a warrior that always failed to win his battles; no matter how sharp my sword was, or how much armor I had.

All the times I've spent with Yunho were all in vain. He probably didn't think of me as 'Jaejoong', or 'Jaekyung'...but my own sister. Hye Kyo. It was messed up, yet we both agreed to it. As we spent more time together, we forgot about the flaws in our relationship, and how strange it was.

Hye Kyo was probably shaking her head in heaven, questioning every move we made.

I quickly stepped towards the shadow of a tree, as the doors opened behind me. To my fear, it was Yunho. His steps were slow and heavy. His head was down, as if he was trying to hide something. He went down the steps, soon sharing the same ground as me.

He lifted his head up high, as if he were to talk to the moon. Suddenly, he raised his hand to his face and wiped his cheeks with the base of his palm. I tightened the grip to the set of flowers in my hands, as the sight of Yunho causes my stomach to turn.

I didn't know what to think of him now. Was he a hyung? An enemy? A friend? A brother? A man who loved my sister?

"Sorry...Hye...Kyo..." Yunho croaked, as tears fell from his eyes. "I'm really sorry..."

The ringing of a phone sets me apart from my daze, causing me to immediately answer it. . It was Changwook. I immediately hung up.

"Jaejoong?"

The phone plopped to the ground, as my hands lost its grip. God. I don't even know how to feel now. It's like Yunho has some force against me, that can make me do the absolute stupidest things. But, it wasn't a good force. It was a force that frightened me.

"Y...Yunho...." I croaked, picking up my phone.

"I saw your family...."

"I know," I muttered, as I lowered my gaze. "That's why...I went here."

"Your-"

"That's right," I said.

I turned away from him, unable to bear the sight of him. "I'm Hye Kyo's brother."'

Just like how I feared it to be, a silence hung between us, cutting away the friendship we had left. I couldn't feel a single bone in my body, as if nothing existed within me.

"You probably used the fact to your advantage...right?"

"Jaejoong..." Yunho said, his breath shaking. "I...I didn't know..."

"You didn't know?" I asked, raising my brow. "But you had a feeling right? Just like everybody else."

"..."

"That's why you made me dress up as a girl?" I asked. "To relive your moments with Hye Kyo? Is that why?"

"I-"

"For the time we spent together..." I said, turning around to face him. "You probably didn't feel a single thing for me...right?"

"I did but-"

"Those feelings were probably from Hye Kyo...right?" I asked, raising my voice. "Those damn feelings....were all for her right?! Is that why...you were nice to me...is that why you bought stuff for my family? Not because of me...but because of her?"

"Jaejoong, please listen-"

"No..." I said, biting my lip. "I don't....I don't want to hear anything anymore..."

"At first...I did...do it...because of her," Yunho said. "I made you do those things because it did remind me of her...but Jaejoong..."

"..."

"I started to...." Yunho muttered as he looked down at me. "Fall for you."

"..."

"My feelings were getting deeper and deeper for you...that it started messing me up. The thought of Hye Kyo began to haunt me...and pester me..." " he stammered. "So then...I wanted to repay you and your family..."

"Re...repay me?" I asked. "How is this repaying me?!"

"You were right at the party...when you said that I used you to rebel against my mother...do you...wanna know why?"

"Why?"

"Even though the things I've done to you seem horrible...there's more bad things that I've...that I've done..." Yunho croaked. "That...you don't know of..."

My heart stopped, as that statement of his cut deep through my skin. Was a monster hiding within Yunho all along?

"They were hidden for ten years...because of the power of my family..." Yunho croaked. "It's also...the reason why...my father's still alive...."

"What...what are you trying to say Yunho?" I asked, batting my eyes. "I don't get any of it! At all!"

"The plan worked Jaejoong," Yunho said. "Because of you...I got kicked out of the hotel...my car has been taken away from me...my credit cards...everything. I have nothing in my name now."

"..."

"In three weeks...when our contract ends..." Yunho said. "I'll reveal everything that happened...ten years ago."

"Reveal.....what?" I asked.

"The...truth," Yunho paused. "About Hye Kyo's death..."

"Why can't you tell me now?!"

"Because..." Yunho said, lifting his eyes away from the ground. "I....just want to cherish the three weeks that I have left...of you not hating me."

"I already hate you," I spat, as I clenched my fists.

"You'll hate me even more...once I say the truth."

"Jaejoong-ah!"

I turned around, my omma was in front of the door, gesturing for me to return. My gaze returned towards Yunho as I gave him one last look.

"Those three weeks will be wasted," I said, stepping away from him.

"..."

"Because I'm never...ever going to see you ever again," I finished.

**

"Yah...where were you?" my omma asked.

"I....was getting a breath of fresh air," I said.

"I know you don't like being here," my omma said, placing her hand on my back. "But...your sister probably misses you."

"I know," I sighed. "It's just that...it scares me everytime we go her. Knowing that she's not a human...but just a jar of ashes.."

"Don't say that," my omma pouted. "Even though she's not physically with us...her soul is probably present."

And that's what scared me the most. Her soul. She was probably watching my every move, swearing at me for stealing Yunho. She probably made a deal with Jesus to send me to hell once I die. This will mark my life forever and it's all because of that stupid car.

If I was a little more careful, then none of this would've happened. If I'd just done my chores quietly, I would've ended this three month contract by now. No feelings would be attatched. I would be a free man. But now I was chained by my own guilt.

There was no tears left within me. I couldn't cry anymore. I was too deep in my sins that my madness had become a part of me.

I followed my mom as we walked towards the urns. There was Hye Kyo, trapped behind a wall of glass. I placed my fingers on the cold surface, in hopes of greeting my sister. The flowers were still in my hands.

Changwook pulled the small, compartment door, leading me to put the flowers inside the empty vase. I smiled as I pulled my hands away. Hye Kyo was no longer alone. Along with the vase, there was also a framed picture, containing a photograph of Hye Kyo and our family posing in front of cherry blossoms. It was our last picture together. 3 months before she'd died.

I picked it up and held it close to my gaze. It was quite dusty, I must admit. It's been six months since we last came here, back when it was my mother's birthday.

"Something fell," Yoojung stated.

It looked like a card. I placed the photo frame back to the shelf and bent down to grab the object. Curious, I flipped the back of the card. To my surprise, it wasn't a card, but a small photograph. My heart dropped as I immedietly recognize the boy beside Hye Kyo. He was my age. He had sharp eyes, a small mouth, and spiky hair. His eyes resembled the shape of crossiants as he smiled, and held a 'V' sign. The date June 6, 2007 was written in black ink.

"Who is that?" Appa asked.

"Is that Yunho?" omma asked as she took a step closer.

"It looks like him..." my appa said.

"I don't know," I said leaning the photograph against the frame.

"It's such a coincidence that they knew each other..." my appa croaked. "He did seem familiar."

"He...he did?" I asked.

"Your sister will curse me for saying this..." my appa said, shifting all his weight on one foot. "But...ten years ago...I saw your sister walking home from night class. It was raining...and..."

"And?" I asked.

"Hye Kyo called me. She was standing in the apartment entrance. She asked for an extra shirt. Your omma was sleeping. So then I got the extra shirt from my closet..."

"..."

"Then I walked all the way from our floor to the entrance. There was that boy...soaking wet. I was going to scold Hye Kyo for walking home alone with a boy...but then I saw the newspaper in his hands...I couldn't get mad at him for protecting her. And I was tired...so I just gave the shirt, and silently went back upstairs with Hye Kyo."

"..."

"Who knew...that he would be your friend," my appa muttered.

"That's really coincidental," Yoojung stated, dropping her jaw.

"Son," my mom smiled, placing her hand on my shoulder. "Maybe...your friendship with Yunho is fated."

"F...fated?" I asked, my lower lip trembling. "That's...a little too much."

"But honey..." my omma said, turning to my dad. "Are you sure that it was really Yunho?"

"I'm...sure it was him..."

There was no doubt in my appa's eyes, as he looked at my noona's picture. A small grin appeared.

**

For the whole car ride, I thought about Yunho and his plan for the next three weeks. What would he reveal? My parent's love for Yunho seemed to have deepened. But what will happen once they know about the 'truth'? Think about how heartbroken they would be once they find out.

I had mixed feelings about the whole thing. If Yunho revealed the truth that I still don't know about, then he'll lose everything including my parent's trust. Why was he willing to do such thing? Couldn't he stay behind the shadows and play dumb?

Who is he doing this for? Me or Hye Kyo? Is he able to separate our identities? Through the days I lived as Jaekyung, I was always compared to Hye Kyo, from looks, to our personality. Hye Kyo was my sister, we were blood. But I'm different. I'm also my own person!

I was in bed. It was 1 AM, and everybody was sleeping. The clock was slowly ticking in my ear, waiting for my downfall. Below me, Changwook was snoring. I could see nothing but my own guilt. No matter how much I tried, I twisted back and forth, messing up my bedsheets. Maybe Hye Kyo was playing tricks with my body, hoping that I could die from lack of sleep.

"Hye Kyo-noona....I'm sorry..." I whimpered. "Just let me sleep for once..."

Then it hit me. I was officially 18. I wasn't a kid anymore, but an actual adult. I could do 'adult' things. I don't have to lie about my age anymore when I sign up for 'adult' websites, I can go to bars, I can...

Drink.

But...my parents will kill me, especially when they find out that I snuck out of the house and drank my sorrows away in a food tent.

But, my body was begging me. My soul was itching for me to do it. Maybe just one sip of soju, then I'll eat other food.

I climbed down from my bunk bed and reached the found. That fool Changwook. If he hadn't slept so early, then maybe we could've got drunk together. But, I wasn't willing to get him in trouble again for something that I'd started, so I'll leave him in peace...for now.

I snuck into the living room, with my toes barely touching the ground. Every beat of my heart sounded like bombs dropping. I narrowed my eyes, surprised at the sight of an open box, which sat underneath the coffee table.

I knew that box very well. It was a box of my sister's belongings. Either my mother, or my father, or both of them were too tired to put it back on the shelf. They usually looked through it when it was Christmas, or her birthdays. The year after her death was the most painful when my mother ended up sobbing at the sight of her photograph, her cries loud enough for the whole complex to hear. But, no one, not even our neighbors said a word, knowing what my family was going through.

I was tempted to look inside the box, and go through its contents. But somewhat, I was scared. Just the sight of it made my hands shake, knowing that I would be going through the belongings of the person who would first greet me in hell.

I kneeled down and took a peek of what was inside. There were books, a jar of paperclips, sticky notes and strangely; a small digital camera.

It's been so long since I've seen these types of cameras. Since...2007? Then everyone got flip phones, so then people forgot about these kinds of gadgets. I picked it up, leveling it closer to my eyes. It was blue, and had a bunch of stuck-on rhinestones around the lenses, along with a bear chain.

I turned the camera on. A picture of Hye Kyo flashed onto the screen, along with a boy, whose face was out of focus. I pressed the right arrow, as I furthered away from my own conscience.

**

The moon and the stars followed me, as I walked towards a tent near my house. Luckily, the lights were still on. The ahjumma was stirring a whole pan full of fish cake and tomato sauce. The camera was deep in my grip. I turned it off at the third picture, as I saved myself from going insane.

"One bottle of soju please," I ordered as I sat down on the bench. "And...ddeokbokki."

In less than a minute, the wo