Family Affairs
Not so Simple Love
"What? You want me to go to church with you guys?"
Sooyoung asked, her phone on her shoulders as she leaned on it to hear the person on the other line. She was eating her favorite morning cereal. The wooden floor is wet because of the milk she spilled out of shock when her phone suddenly rang, she was half asleep by then.
"Yeah. I know you've never been to Church ever since you started living on your own."
Sooyoung choked out of her own guilt. It's true, her devoteness to God she always believed in has ceased since she started living with her best friend, Kwon Yuri who is snoozing at this time, resting. She coughed one last time before replying to her Big Brother.
"I don't think I can come, Yuri caught a cold last night when she got home from I don't give a damn where she went to. I don't want her walking around like a zombie, looking for the pills."
"Oh come on... Just let her rest, we'll be done in an hour anyway then you can come back after that."
Sooyoung just grabbed the cereal box and shook it, making sure if there are still more left for tomorrow. She stood up from the chair she was sitting on and put back the box at the top of their fridge. The tall girl didn't answer for a while and the man on the other line just sighed.
"I know you don't come anymore because of Abeoji..."
"It's good to know that you still remember my way of thinking, Siwon oppa..."
"You do know it's an important day today right? At least for us?.."
She looked at the old calendar and flipped it over, it was stuck at May and it's now November. A little note was sticked to the date that was actually the date today. Sooyoung's eyes narrowed when she read what's written on the note. It said:
"Yeah... Mom's birthday..."
"... That's right... So would you come now? I'll ask Seunghyun to pick you up since he said he's leaving a little later."
Sooyoung's face was blank. She thought of her deceased mother, the mother she has never seen nor do know existed in her life.
"Let me inform Yuri first, if she'll say yes then I'll just call Hyung..."
Siwon on the other line, closed his eyes and took a deep breath before responding. He knows when Sooyoung uses this kind of speech, she will not listen to any of his selfless demands.
"Okay... I'll better see you here okay?.."
"Depends... Bye..."
"... Bye..."
Sooyoung pressed the hang up button hardly. She stood in front of the crooked calendar, looking at the ceiling. In her mind, there was nothing. How can she think of anything? She never saw her mom. No memories, no laughs, no love. The warmth of the mother she never felt or had.
" This day always makes me feel so empty... Why did all of you go?.. "
Sooyoung looked down and covered her right eye with her wrist, wiping the noticeable tear that was forming. She walked inside their room. Yuri was sleeping soundly but she coughed a little. The tall girl sat down at the edge of Yuri's bed and flicked the strand of her hair that was irritating her friend's nose. Yuri slightly opened her eyes and smiled as she saw Sooyoung staring at her first thing in the morning.
"Going out today, Soo?.."
"... I might..."
"You should... I know that this day is important for you..."
Yuri held Sooyoung's hand that was resting at her side. Sooyoung just stared at her with a blank face. She has always been honest with Yuri, she never lied to her. She tried but Yuri can read her like a book, she at lying.
"This day... It has never been an important day for me... It's just like any normal days..."
"Soo..."
Sooyoung turned away to look at the wall full of Brad Pitt's posters still wearing a blank face. Yuri squeezed her best friend's hand tighter, keeping her from falling apart. She knows Sooyoung is a strong person ever since she was a kid. She needed no help or pity for this matter, not even from her.
"At least see your family..."
"I don't want to hear that from you too Yul... I'm..."
"They're still the last resort you'll ever have in the end... Meet with them..."
Sooyoung just slumped herself on Yuri's chest making the tanned girl exhale out loud due to the pain. The tall girl just smiled as she heard Yuri's heartbeat and pinched her sick best friend's nose.
"Be sure to call me if you ever threw up or ted on the floor while I'm gone okay?"
Yuri shoved Sooyoung's long arms off and snorted at her speech.
"I always do that for you, I can manage myself... Now go, the more I see you, the more I wanna throw up..."
"That kinda hurts!"
"It should hurt, you Nutcase!"
Yuri smacked her tall friend with her pillow which made the latter laugh.
"Ewww! Don't get your own bacteria on me! Gross!"
"Shut up! I'm gonna rest now get your big outta here!"
"I will! Don't expect anyone to make you a warm bottle of milk okay?"
Yuri threw her pillow as the tall girl quickly rushed to the door and closed it faster than a lightning. She giggle one last time and her cheerful face dropped down after a second. She leaned her back on the door and held her forehead, digging her fingers in her messy hair. She grabbed her phone from her jacket pocket and dialled a phone number from her contacts.
"Pick up already..."
"Yeoboseyo?"
A high pitched individual picked up the phone. Sooyoung's face lit up. She walked towards their small living room and used a lower voice to not disturb Yuri from resting.
"Hey, Minki. Your appa still there?"
"I told you to call me Ren, Sooyoung Noona!"
"Well okay demanding princess! Is your appa there, REN?"
"Good, yeah he's still here. You coming?"
"Don't get too nosy kiddo! Give your phone to your dad first... You'll know pretty soon enough."
"'Kay..."
Sooyoung heard cluttering sounds and an echo of Appas before Ren gave the phone to the one she wanted to talk to in the beginning. A man with a deep voice answered Sooyoung's clearing of throat.
"Sooyoung..."
"Hey there Seunghyun Oppa! How's it going?"
"You coming or not?"
Sooyoung faked a grin and laughed.
"Don't be like that on the phone Hyung. It's kinda rude being so straight forward sometimes, especially talking to someone you haven't heard of for years.."
"Thanks for the useless advice. So?"
Sooyoung sighed. This big brother of hers has always been the impatient one, having a son at the age of 19, being married to a woman who's 4 years older than him, being a total party pooper and rude while talking on the phone. She looked at the wall clock before replying.
"Can you come here after 10 minutes?.."
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"Unnie... Why did you want me to go shopping with you again?.."
Taemin sheepishly asked his older sister as they passed through the Women's Lingerie Aisle of the Shopping Centre.
"Because Mom said so?.. Oh come on Taeminnie, someday you're gonna have a girl showing you this kinds of things because of your undeniable appeal, if she ever lets you see it though!"
Sunny pinched her little brother's cheeks as she saw him blush by what she just said. Taemin just hid his face out of embarassment because a sale's lady was giggling at them.
"Argh unnie... You always say some weird things on the public... This is why I don't like going with you where there are so many people... So embarassing..."
"You'll love me because of it someday! Now let's go."
"I'm not a little kid anymore you know!"
Sunny held Taemin's hand tightly. She lead him somewhere he haven't seen before. His mouth was hanging open, wide enough to just shove a whole potato in it. He then looked at his sister terrified.
"Jeez... The things that Umma wants us to buy sometimes... She has no shame..."
"Uhhh... Unnie... This place... What did Mom say to buy again?.."
Sunny smirked and surprisingly showed him what their vulgar mother asked them to fetch. Taemin just screamed inside, he felt like his innocence was taken away from him out of it.
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"I miss you already oppa... When will we see each other again?.. Oh a party? For sure? Are you gonna pick me up?"
Krystal kept pacing back and forth at their kitchen, talking loudly on their home telephone and her big sister just watched her while standing at the stairs with a hint of irritation on her newly awaked face. She was wakened up because of her sister's loud voice, and the fact that she sounds so happy made her more annoyed.
"You are? De, I'll go then... You're so sweet... Uhn! I'll see you then... I know right? Yeah... Saranghaeyo oppa~ See you..."
Krystal squealed and held the phone in front of her chest. Jessica quickly approached her and snagged the phone from her and slammed it on the table.
"New house rule. No phone while I'm sleeping araseo?"
"I don't need you to restrain me nor do I need to obey that rule."
They held a 30 second glaring competition. Jessica just turned away and headed straight back to her room. Krystal scoffed and opened their fridge.
"Eh? Where the heck did my Haagen-Dasz Ice Cream Dairy Goodness go?.."
Jessica on the other hand sat at her bed and grabbed something next to where her night lamp is. She opened an ice cream cup and devoured it. She her lips and just smirked like an idiot.
"Everything tastes better when you've stolen an expensive brand of food from a bird brained child."
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"Are you really sure you don't need anything, Miyoung? I can get it for you... Do you need a new bed? New furnitures? Name it, I'll go get it for you..."
"I want new pillows and a curtain. It has to be pink of course!"
Tiffany requested while reading a book entitled "The Ballad of Reading Gaol". Her big brother, Minhyun just leaned on the threshold facing his little Sister's back.
"Is that all you need?.."
"Yes Oppa..."
Minhyun narrowed his eyes out of worry. He has never been home in Korea for half a year nor had any contact with Tiffany. He approached her and held her shoulders.
"Mianhe Miyoung... I should have stayed with you..."
"Waeyo? Don't worry, I've never felt alone. Jessi and Taengoo are with me everytime. We walk to school together, go home together, we even phone each other all the time... I'll never be alone again."
Tiffany flashed an eye smile towards him. Minhyun just smiled back. Their smile looked pretty similar. He cupped her cheeks and bumped their foreheads to each other lightly.
"Axys oppa... What are you doing?.."
Tiffany laughed at what her big brother was scheming. Minhyun's worry faded away as he clasped her cheeks and held her closer. He closed his eyes, not wanting to let go and just cherish this peaceful moment with his precious little sister. The uneasiness still haven't gone away completely.
" is not legal in Korea you know."
"I'll be honest with you, I once wished it was legal so I could stay with you forever."
"I don't know if that meant on a erted way or a different one, but I'll go with the first. You !"
Tiffany playfully pushed his face away and returned back on reading. Minhyun just laughed and kissed her in the forehead.
"I just love you, that's all... Well better go shopping now... Are you sure that's all you want me to buy for you, Miyoung?"
"That's it... Oh and a New Totoro plushie too! Pink one!"
"Okay I'll buy you one once I go to Japa---"
Minhyun turned around and saw Tiffany looking at him smiling. He pictured a memory of her, eating all alone at the same place when he went home on Christmas eve. The lights were dimmed. The neighbor's bright lights were the only ones that lit up the dark room and made Tiffany's figure visible. He held back tears from those days when their father and big brother just left her alone, not wanting to take care of her. Minhyun was the only one who cared and embraced her from their mother's sudden death along with their unborn sibling that left Tiffany traumatized.
"Hyung! Axys Oppa! Oppa!"
Minhyun snapped out of the sad memories and realized that he was shedding continuous tears. He wiped it off but it didn't stop, he weeped silently. The feelings he harbors for his little sister are powerful, he can't bare to leave her again but he has to, for the sake of Family.
"I don't want to leave you again..."
Tiffany went closer to him and grasped his hands, looking at him intently and smiling.
"You've done so much for me... I don't want you to worry too much... Thank you Oppa... Saranghae..."
Without any hint of hesitation, Minhyun hugged Tiffany tightly. Tiffany hugged back and felt a comfortable sensation all over her body. She broke it off after a few seconds and grabbed Minhyun's blazer and car keys.
"I want my pillows and curtain now."
Tiffany pouted cutely after her impatient demand making her big brother laugh as he kept on wiping his tears. He took the things and patted her in the head after heading out of their door.
"I'll come back soon enough! Don't let any one suspicious in okay?"
"Since when did I let that happen?"
"Just making sure! I'll see you later!"
He closed the door and Tiffany jumped on the couch and planned on going back to reading.
After being alone inside the house that felt like it was a prison for her, the lonely girl suddenly wore a serious face as she was staring over nothing.
"Do you ever think I'll forgive all of you so easily... After what you've done?.."
Tiffany stood up and stared at the mirror in front of her. Her reflection was wearing an abominable look and disgust. She held up her shirt, revealing a huge, stitched up scar all over her chest.
"I'll never forget that day when you toyed my life and made me your Guinea Pig... You'll all pay..."
She flipped the book's pages and read her favorite poem of it.
Anger, disgust, hatred, an overwhelming will to have a source of power. That was all she ever had, the emotions that she has always felt alone.
"Nobody knows..."
" Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard
Some do it with a bitter look
Some with a flattering word
The coward does it with a kiss
The brave man with a sword. "
She laughed histerically and threw the book at the mirror, breaking it to thousand, millions of pieces. Tiffany held her eyes, looking down at the shattered pieces reflecting her face making her see thousands of her.
"You horrible person..."
She dug up some pieces with her left hand. Tiffany shook her head angrily and clenched the broken pieces. Blood came out and it started to drip on some of the broken fragments. She looked intently on her reflection wearing a pitiful stare.
She was more broken than anything. Just like the mirror that's showing herself separately by every crack, the reason why they're both broken is only because of her.
"You will never be saved..."
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"Oi Yoona! Get up from there!"
Nana hit her napping niece at the head using the magazine she just finished reading. Yoona bolted up out of shock but went back on lying down which made her Aunt poke her multiple times instead. Yoona kept on flailing her hands at each poke.
"Uhhnnn... Stop that... Noonaaa..."
"Get up! Get up! You're in charge of making food today!"
Yoona took a glimpse at the clock and dug her face on her pillow.
"But it's still early... I need some sleep... I'm tired from all the holla yeserdey..."
Yoona pulled her blanket up to her head, rebelling to obey her Aunt's nagging. Nana kept on tugging her niece's cover till Yoona kicked her arm with her long legs. A nerve struck on her beautiful forehead and she threw the blanket down fluttering towards Yoona's exhausted body. Yoona heard cluttering sounds echoing her room.
"Pipe down---"
Yoona felt a slimy thing tickling up her cheeks. It gave her the cold chills and she hurriedly placed herself at the corner of her bed still lying down. Her aunt was holding their pet snail, well actually Nana's pet snail named Lizzy (The name of her rival in the kind of business she's in). She laughed and held her stomach while stumbling down to put Lizzy back in her "Home".
"Not funny Im Jin Ah Noona!"
The young girl wiped her face with a Kleenex and received another loud laugh from her Aunt. Looks like Yoona got her Chodingness from her childish aunt.
"It's funny for me! Now get up and make breakfast for me I'll kick your bony out off my house."
It's a good thing that she didn't inherit her bad mouthedness. Yoona scratched her messy hair and lazily went up to the bathroom.
"Oh Lizzy... You can be so useful to me sometimes..."
Nana said towards the snail she picked up during the rainy season in front of their apartment complex. Lizzy responded by going inside her shell. Nana just smirked and slouched herself on the couch, reading the daily newspaper.
"The Hwang's got another recognition for their successful hail of Korea's field of Medicine and Expert Hospital Services... Must be nice to be rich... I hope I can meet the CEO's Son and marry him so I can get out of this dump."
"Who're you talking to? Getting all cuckoo in the head again?"
Yoona said, rotating her index finger next to her head.
"No talking, Go start cooking."
Nana made a shooing gesture with her right hand at Yoona, her eyes still glued in the newspaper. The young girl just rolled her eyes and made heavy steps towards their small kitchen.
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Sooyoung, together with her Big Brother Choi Seunghyun and his son (more like a daughter due to his girly appearance) Choi Minki who prefers to be called "Ren" is driving towards the long road. Their destination is the Seoul Cathredal to meet up with their family. Sooyoung kept looking outside the window, her minds on the gutters.
"Now I know why Yul keeps on looking outside that stupid window... It can keep her mind from thinking something bad..."
The tall girl mentally said. Ren is sleeping at the back seat looking like a total princess. Seunghyun made a sharp left turn and parked at the single free spot that they encountered. He locked the gears and turned off the ignition. Sooyoung unbuckled her seatbelt and shook Minki while her big brother got out.
"Oi... Minki we're here..."
"We're here already?.."
Ren wiped his eyes still looking sleepy. He rested his back on the seat not wanting to get out and continue on sleeping.
Sooyoung just grunted.
"You're really a princess..."
Seunghyun opened the back door and grabbed Minki out of there. He closed the door and locked the car for security.
"Let's go Let's go... Ahhh... Jinjja..."
Minki still didn't move making his dad carry him like a baby. He slept on his arms until they reach the inside of the Cathedral.
"Hey Seunghyun!"
Siwon's wife, Yujin (Best known as UEE of After School alright?) greeted them with their children Jonghoon and Ye Eun. Yujin turned her head and looked at Sooyoung, her smile faded a little.
"Hey Sooyoung..."
Sooyoung just turned away after nodding at her Sister-in-Law.
"Minki's sleeping again? God he looks like a girl..."
"I told you many times to call me Ren right? And I don't look like a girl, I just look like my Beautiful Mother."
Jonghoon just shrugged and Minki put out his tongue at him. Sooyoung smiled a little out of her nephews' childishness. She then saw Siwon together with their Youngest Brother, Minho.
"So everybody's here now? Where's your wife Seunghyun?"
"Bom had stomach cramps after she ate the rotten corn in the fridge so she can't come."
Seunghyun put down Minki and patted his head.
"I hope she gets well soon."
Yujin worriedly said and Seunghyun just nodded his head. Siwon turned his head towards her little sister who was looking bored from all the occasion.
"How about you Sooyoung? How's your studying?"
Sooyoung got dragged out to reality and pointed herself.
"Me? Oh... Uhhh... It-It's going well..."
She said stuttering from every words. The tall girl just sighed and earned a smile from her big brother.
"That's good to hear... I haven't seen you since that day you were playing with your small friend at the street."
"Let's stop with all the awkward greetings. The mass is already starting."
Sooyoung quickly went inside towards the crowd. Little did she know that her Father and Step Mother were inside the whole time.
"A-Abeoji..."
"Well if it isn't the only troublemaker..."
"Hello Sooyoung... It's nice to see you again..."
Sooyoung wore an undescribable face. She looked angry and scared at the same time. She kept on standing at where she stopped.
"Sit here Dear... This row is saved for the whole family, come..."
Her Step Mother gestured her to come but Sooyoung just stood there and looked down. This made her Father a bit annoyed and look away from her.
"Just let her stand there and make use of her thin long legs. The kids can have more space."
"Don't say such things..."
"Fine, I don't want to sit together with you anyway..."
The tall girl turned around and walked away towards the back wall. She crossed her arms and bit her lip.
"I knew agreeing to go to this family is the stupidest thing I ever did... Another one for the list..."
She just grabbed her phone and played Angry Birds just before the Mass will start.
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"Dasom, where did you put your shoes?"
- Kim Jung Ah, 26 years old. The Strict Eldest child of the Kim Household.
"I know I putted it somewhere... Izz here!"
- Kim Dasom, 12 years old. The Endearing Maknae of the Kim Household.
"Okay hurry up Sweetie! We have to catch the bus!"
- Kim Heechul, 25 years old. The Hard Working 2nd child of the Kim Household.
" Yoobin Noona, where's the toothpaste?"
- Kim Kibum, 15 years old. The Trouble Making 6th child of the Kim Household.
"Aish Kibum! You're just gonna brush your teeth? The toothbrush is beside the other ones you moron!"
- Kim Yoobin, 21 years old. The Loud Mouthed Middle child of the Kim Household.
"He asked where the toothpaste is, not the toothbrushes! And please turn down the volume of your radio Wookie Oppa..."
- Kim Taeyeon, 19 years old. The Smart 5th child of the Kim Household.
"What?.. I'm cooking pasta if that's what you asked..."
- Kim Ryeowook, 23 years old. The Caring 3rd child of the Kim Household.
7 of the Kim Siblings started being loud again today. Everyday has always been a party inside their house (whether it's happy or not), that's why there are some neighbors complaining about their loud noises every day and night.
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"Ms. Seo, Mr. Seo wishes to see you..."
A butler knocked on a big wooden door.
Beneath the door lies a glamorous and organized, library-like room of the only daughter of the successful Seo Family. Inside, the Seo Princess was re-reading her favorite book that her mother bought her for her 6th birthday.
"Please tell him I'm coming."
The young girl politely requested towards their butler.
"Understood, Ms. Seo."
The butler took his leave as the girl rolled down her bed. After she brushed her hair and fixed her clothes, she went downstairs and saw her father talking with his subordinates at his work.
"Appa..."
Seohyun sweetly called her father making him turn slowly and wear a smile.
"Ah there you are Juhyun! Everyone, this is my only treasure and shining star, Juhyun."
Her Father introduced. Seohyun being one of the most well mannered person bowed her head down towards every one of her father's visitors and all of them bowed back. Seohyun looked at Mr. Seo with a confused look.
"Oh that's right! These people are from the Talent Agency your mother and I talked about. They're here to see your playing."
" Talent Agency?.."
"We want to see if what Mr. Seo said was true. We've heard from them that you play the piano really well."
"That's right, they sound happy when they talk about how talented you are too so we got a lot more curious."
"W-Well... Thank you so much from all the compliments but... Appa, why didn't I know all about this."
Seohyun confronted making her father glare at her indirectly. The young girl is really conscious on how her parents always boast about the girl's talents behind her back and make her do unexpected things like play the piano for every visitor they have.
"Just do it Juhyun. Can't you see your mom and I are helping you mold your future?"
Seohyun looked down as she felt hopeless, being trapped with the future her parents decided for her.
" I don't want to be trapped inside the top of the castle forever... The future I wanted is to be with my knight... "
"Excuse my rudeness towards you Appa, should I play now?"
"Very good Juhyun. Please proceed."
"As you wish..."
Seohyun made her way towards the piano that was set up at the middle of the living room. She played the sad sonata she made on her own during sentimental moments.
The audience was in awe as Mr. Seo just smirked and nodded his head.
" I want to be with my knight... Yoona... "
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A filler chapter :)
The Kim and Lee siblings has got to be my favorite ones XD And the Jung's :)))))
And we got a little glimpse of Tiffany's mysterious-hidden personality. I'll make a clearer vision of her character in the next chapters :D
Please do comment and subscribe. Thanks for the support! <3
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