CHAPTER 5: Jonghyun's life

Still in Kim's dining room, having conversation while eating ramyeon, Dobong-dong kids continued to talk about their Queen, Hwang Sujin.

"Your favorite noona will be graduating this year, Dongho ya.. What will you do?" Hanna tried to tease Dongho.

"Aaaah that's right! She'll be graduating this year.. then I won't see her again at school.." Dongho ruffled his hair in frustration.

"Please, you can see her in Minhyun's house E VE RY DAY." Minki was annoyed looking at Dongho's exaggerating response.

"He won't let me." answered Dongho.

And it got Minhyun protest, "Yaa, I let you oversleep in my house last night, you punk!"

"But I didn't see her last night." Dongho complained.

"That's because you already sleeping once you lay your back on the bed." Minhyun argued.

Before Dongho had chance to counter attack Minhyun's argument, Jonghyun moved the conversation with asking, "Where will she continue the study?"

Minhyun moved his focus from Dongho to Jonghyun and answered, "She applied for Yonsei. But the result haven't come out yet."

"Woah, same as Aaron Hyung.." Jonghyun commented

Minhyun simply nodded.

"But Jonghyun ah, where will you apply to continue your study?" Hanna asked.

"Mmm.. I'll try SNU. Wish me luck, Hanna ya.." answered Jonghyun.

"Daebak.. You will reach the SKY*1.. ah, I could only dream of it.." Hanna pouted.

*1 SKY = Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University – Top 3 Universities in Korea

"You can also go there. Nothing is impossible.. we can study together, Hanna." Jonghyun looked at Hanna in the eyes and smiled. Something that always make Hanna melt.

But the moment she was treasured has to be disappeared once Minhyun said, "If you want to study together with Jonghyun, you need to stay awake until 2 am, and wake up  at 5. Can you do that? You even always late to school.."

Hanna turned her head to Minhyun immediately and asked, "Yaa, wanna die?"

With that, Minhyun was laughing. He surely loved to tease Hanna.

But listened to what Minhyun was saying, Minki couldn't help but to be worry. "Seriously, you need more sleeping, Jonghyun ah.. How could you barely sleep for 3 hours every day? Your body need some rest."

Dongho supported, "That's right, you also need to work out more.. Health is important.. No wonder we grow up better than you..".

Jonghyun smiled. " I do sports every morning by biking while delivering milks.."

"Aish, that's not sports, Kim Jonghyun.." Dongho shook his head in disbelief.

Jonghyun could only laugh it off while getting up to go to his dad's room to take the dishes.

"Daddy.. " He greeted his dad once he opened the door then knelt down in front of his dad's wheelchair and asked, "Have you done eating? Is the kimchi stew I made taste good?"

His dad nodded firmly while smiling.

The other Dobong-dong kids looked at them in silent. Jonghyun has always been a good son to his dad. And looking at their interaction, has always touched their heart, it was warm yet sad.

Jonghyun lives the hardest life among them. Since the beginning, his family was the least well economy. His dad was a driver at delivery and logistic company. But he got accident when Jonghyun was in the first year of middle school. Because of the severe accident he got, Mr. Kim not only lost his leg but also his voice.

It was a big life slump for Kim family. Mr. Kim became unemployed and that forced his wife to work harder for the family. Couldn't bear to live that way, a year later, Mrs. Kim decided to leave the house along with the kids. But what surprised her, her youngest son chose to stay.

Flashback

That happened in Chuseok (Korean’s thanksgiving) 2008. The other family were leaving Seoul to their hometowns, except Hwang's because Mrs. Hwang got a flu and needed to rest.

Minhyun was reading comic in the living room when he heard crying sounds from the next house which is Jonghyun's house. He decided to go out from the house and eavesdropping.

Jonghyun's sister was crying to see what was happening in front of her. Her mom was forcing the kids to leave the house.

"Mom, don't go.." Jonghyun was begging. "What would dad do if we left?"

But his mom ignored him and still packed Jonghyun's clothes.

"Why'd we have to go, mom? Can we just live together here?" Jonghyun was still begging.

"I DONT WANT TO LIVE HERE, ANYMORE!" His mom yelled at Jonghyun.

With that, she dragged Jonghyun and his older sister to get out from the house. But looking at his dad watching them from his wheelchair silently, Jonghyun didn't have a heart to leave him. So, he tried to beg his mom again. "Mom, please don't go.. I don't want to leave dad alone here..."

Instead getting calmer, his mom even tightened her grab on Jonghyun's hand. With that, Jonghyun fought to release the grab while screaming, "I DONT WANT TO GO!!"

Looking her son's reaction, his mom lose the grab and that made Jonghyun fall to the floor. "THEN JUST STAY!"

With that, his mom and his older sister went out from the house, leaving Jonghyun and his dad. Shocked because of his mom reaction, Jonghyun froze.

At the same time, Minhyun's dad approached Minhyun and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something happening in Jonghyun's house?"

Minhyun was shocked by his dad sudden appearance, but even before Minhyun could answer his question, they heard the sound of a slamming door.

Both of them were running to the front house and saw Mrs. Kim and Jonghyun's older sister went out from the house while dragging the suitcases. Following them, Jonghyun was trying to hold his mom's hand while begging, "Don't go, mom.. please.."

But his mom even tried to release his grab on her.

Jonghyun reached her hand again and begged, "Mom please, don't leave me.."

Listened to that, his mom told Jonghyun, "Then go grab your suitcase and follow me! Don't beg me to stay here because I won't! So choose, follow me or stay here with your dad?"

Jonghyun froze, it was indeed a difficult choice. How a child were asked to choose his mom or his dad?

There was a silent for a moment. Jonghyun looked at her mom, her face was full of anger. And then he looked at his sister's face, she was crying so badly. But the most hurting view he saw was from his dad's face. Jonghyun looked at his dad through the window, he was on his wheelchair bending his head down, powerless.

Jonghyun started sobbing, softly he said, "I.. I can't go.."

With that, his mom released Jonghyun's hand on hers, and dragged his sister and the suitcase to catch the taxi.

Mr. Hwang who saw the event, approached Mrs. Kim and tried to calm her by pursuing her to stay. "Mrs. Kim, why don't you calm yourself before making such a decision.."

"It's my family issue, Mr. Hwang.. You know you better stay out of it." Mrs. Kim said it firmly.

With that, she went inside the taxi and left them.

Jonghyun was on his knees while crying alone so bad. Meanwhile, Minhyun was standing few feet behind him, frozen. He really wanted to approach Jonghyun and comfort him, but he was too shock. It was indeed the most heartbreaking scene he ever seen right in front of his eyes. If it was already hard for Minhyun, then how difficult Jonghyun must felt.

It was Mr. Hwang who came closer, knelt, and pulled Jonghyun to his hug while whispering, "You're not alone, Jonghyun ah.. You have us..".

With that, Jonghyun was breaking into tears. Minhyun never saw Jonghyun crying that badly before. The scene when his dad hugging the crying Jonghyun is something that Minhyun can't ever forget.

Actually it wasn't only Jonghyun who had hard times after Mrs. Kim departure, Mr. Kim might have harder times. He blamed himself over what was happening in the family, he felt guilty to Jonghyun as he chose to stay with him, and he felt helpless, he didn't know what to do to make things better.

A day after Mrs. Kim departures, Mr. Kim wrote a letter to Mr. Hwang, asking him to adopt Jonghyun as he wanted to go to old people's home. Minhyun's dad welcomed the idea as long as Jonghyun agreed. But when Jonghyun found it out, he was furious. Never in Minhyun's life seeing Jonghyun mad that badly.

"How could you ask uncle Hwang to adopt me, dad??" Jonghyun asked his dad as he firmly objected the idea. "Why are you so cruel to me? Mom has left me and now you want throw me away like this?"

Mrs. Hwang who