Only One - BoA

 

Narrator's POV

 

The clouds were rolling in slowly across the vast horizon, enveloping almost everything that came its way. On one side, there were cattles grazing over the fields in that early dawn. The sun hasn't risen yet even in the slightest. No light nor warmth could be perceived, only the spine chilling cold...not to mention the deafening silence.

 

"We still have 3 hours to go. Why don't you sleep?" 

 

Donghae looked as if he could have taken his own suggestion. His heavy lidded eyes were a proof of the omission of his freedom to sleep. And he could have, probably should have. But he didn't. The man carefully looked over his shoulder, wondering what else was so fascinating about the limited view out the window when all he could see was the darkness.

 

He gently reached over her shoulder, despite her cold, almost statue-like, stance and made his presence known. She lifted her elbow to rest against the metal armrest to her right and treaded her bony fingers through her chocolate brown hair. Her back was pressed against the soft cushions of the seat by an exhaustion that seemed to pin her down.

 

"A real man need not be wise," And, as if echoing from six feet underground, his father's wise sayings have once again made clear, like he was just standing right beside them. "It's enough that he knows his girl like the back of his hand, or like the words and lyrics to his favorite song. He knows when she's sad, aggravated, joyful because that's his girl."

 

Her eyes wandered out the space, as if the answers to all her problems were just around in the corner. Was life like a puzzle to her? But Min Yu knew quite well that as she grew older, finding a hero was similar to completing a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle while she was blindfolded with hands bound. She kind of wanted to think something positive coould come out of the present situation...as if she could find any.

 

Across the land of whatever places the old-fashioned train passed through, it was evident that home was still a long way to go. In comparison, there was still variety of things she hasn't known before, had known only now, or never will learn of. As usual, her gray aura influenced those of the many people aboard the same train.

 

"What is it like to train for years and years and suddenly end up to be a celebrity?" Min Yu's voice sounded sickly soft in contrast to the ear-screeching noises erupting from underneath as the rusting railways came in contact with the years-old train. The conductor had long bothered them for their ticket, which they presented with grave expressions.

 

Despite the obvious fact that he has seen her like this before in an altogether different circumstance, the sullen look on her pretty face had him in distress. And, perhaps, this particular distress had sent him packing away a week's worth of clothes, stuffing it all hastily in a suitcase whose limited space angered him that moment. She broke the news to him with widened eyes, revealing a look of expected surprise.

 

As I was about to ask what was so fascinating about a starfish, the door bell rang. They seemed to be the least interested about the visitor by the door. I wasn't THAT enthusiastic to meet her, too, but if she was supposed to stay with us for who-knows-how-many months, then...No. Her living with us isn't such a grand idea and probably never will be. 

 

I yanked the door open, only to be pushed aside the door frame as the woman invited herself in. My eyebrow arched involuntarily when she didn't even bother to notice me. She stormed right to the living room where two other people were wallowing in their own world. "Ya," I started, catching her attention before she could even bother a peaceful situation.

 

"Oh, didn't see you there," she laughed at herself. "Annyeonghaseyo." Her whole torso dipped forward as she bowed down low. At least this girl had some respect in her. She held her hand out afterwards, to which I just ignored. "So...you're Baek Sun Hye?" I had my arms crossed over my chest, making a strict first impression.

 

She nodded with a wide grin. "Can I go talk to Donghae?" she gestured behind her, to which I just nodded. She let out an ear-piercing shriek before rushing over to the other member. "Annyeonghaseyo~" Sun Hye greeted in a sickly sweet tone. Donghae glared back at her with an oblivious look on his face. "Who are you?"

 

"I'm Sun Hye. It's almost like a dream to be finally meeting yo--" She advanced towards him with her hand held out with a wide smile to match. "Oh. So you're Min Young's babysitter," he turned to me as he let out a laugh. "Do you really think she needs a babysitter?" And, shifting his gaze towards the child, "Do YOU think you still need to be supervised?"

 

"Ya, Donghae. She's not a babysitter," I corrected, though I myself stifled a laugh. 

 

"Well then," the confused member scratched the back of his neck in confusion. "Are you a tutor or something? Because she sure doesn't need any more teaching."

 

"I'm not a tutor, either," protested Sun Hye.

 

"Then what else are you here for? What are you doing here?" Donghae's words came out rude. I didn't have to ask where he got that attitude. "She'll be living with us for the next few months, so be nice to her, arasseo?" I scolded. I hope my forced concern didn't come out as fake. As I watched her reaction, even a small hint about her deadly ovarian cancer -- which is extremely hard to detect.

 

Narrator's POV

 

"You're so funny," Min Yu smacked Donghae's chest playfully. "You should've told me how to open a door in the first place," she managed to say in between hiccups. Her left arm wound around his neck weakly and threatened to fall off countless times as she stumbled on her feet. "I told you not to drink again, remember?" he accused, kicking the front door close behind them.

 

"What happened to her?" Ryeowook's feet shuffled from the kitchen. "Whoa, what a pretty boy~" Min Yu examined Ryeowook's face closely with her heavy-lidded eyes. "You didn't tell me you have a pretty friend."

 

"What is she talking about, hyung?" the member stared back at the drunken face. "She just said you're pretty," Donghae let out an exhausted sigh, earning him a shriek of excitement from Ryeowook. "Really?" he cupped either sides of his cheeks. "Thank you! It's the first time I ever heard someone tell me that. You're so nice~" he ruffled Min Yu's already messed up hair.

 

The older rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Why don't you just make her some coffee?" he suggested instead. Ryeowook, still not over her drunken compliment, whistled merrily while advancing towards the kitchen to oblige. "Come now," Donghae dragged her away. "You have some explaining to do."

 

"What? I don't wanna~" she whined while rubbing her eyes. When her feet gave up and surrendered, he had to duck down and place both her legs up his forearm to carry her up the stairs. "Why did you drink? Why did you let yourself get drunk, huh? I want to tell you something important," he stated the introduction of his usual sermon.

 

Each step he lodged up the wooden staircase earned groans until such time he came face to face with his bedroom door. And though his patience almost ran out and got thrown out the darn window, "Well, do you want to try opening this one?" he offered. She jumped at the offer and began hurling useless magic words towards the door.

 

"If this one doesn't work, you have to kill me," Min Yu turned to him in assurance. "Open sesame!" But, as expected, the door didn't budge. Holding her tight by her wrists, he yanked the knob and pushed it open. "Whoa~ what kind of sorcery was that?!" she exclaimed in needless amazement. He followed suit after she sank down to sit on his bed.

 

The silence resumed, but only for about a minute, since she couldn't fight back the alcohol rushing up from her guts. She dashed towards the bathroom, shutting the door close behind her even before Donghae can realize what was happening. "Ya!" His fist pounded swiftly, yet harshly, against the door. And, almost mentally slapping himself after realizing the door had been open all along, finally gained entrance.

 

He urgently attended to the girl bent over the sink, with the tap water running as she vomited. Feeling fretful and helpless at the same time, the least he could do was run his hand up and down her back to relieve her. Donghae looked at her for a long moment as she rinsed free of the disagreeable taste.

 

"Feeling better?" he asked after a whole ten minutes of unwavering silence. 

 

She nodded reassuringly, though he wasn't so convinced judging by her hair matting on her face as she broke out in cold sweat. "Come here," he gestured and led her hand out towards the bed. Donghae knelt down and untied her shoelaces, removing the sneakers gently off of her feet. He pushed her shoulders back to lie down on the bouncy mattress, before he proceeded to his closet.

 

The door flung open, jostling Min Yu from her sleepy state. "Here," Ryeowook sprinted to her side, presenting a mug of steaming Americano. "Drink this well~" he cooed whimsically before leaving the coffee untouched by the bedside table. Donghae, finally settling on the first piece of clothing he laid his eyes upon, closed both doors and trudged back to Min Yu. 

 

"Drink coffee," he ordered sternly, but she waved her hands as a no. 

 

Donghae hovered over her, first grasping a handful of her shirt before pulling it upwards. Min Yu quivered after feeling the cold air against her bare skin. "Ya, don't touch me," she fought back weakly. "Don't be so stubborn now," he scolded. But still determined, she kept shoving him away with all the might she could manage.

 

"Stop it! I have a boyfriend!" Min Yu commanded greatly. 

 

Watching as her chest tumultuously rose with every breath she took, Donghae smiled to himself before completely removing her shirt. "Yes, yes you do," he leaned forward until his lips reached hers and fulfilled his own need to feel her. After another peck, he spoiled himself with one more, taking advantage of her slowly falling asleep.

 

After that, he moved down to her jeans before grabbing the denim down to her feet. Donghae then encircled his arm on her back and gently lifted her up before replacing her shirt with a fresh one. Almost wanting to congratulate himself, he cradled her up and laid her upright on the bed. Turning the lights off, Donghae wondered what would her reaction be to his news.

 

He climbed the mattress and snuggled close to her, not forgetting to bury them both in thick bed sheets providing warmth for the ongoing winter. What was he angry about? He doesn't quite remember it now, because he was contented. He was sleeping with her, and it didn't meant making love. Just plain sleep. 

 

Both buried under the blankets with hands unconsciously intertwined. And her coffee left untouched. It was chilly, and one provided the warmth needed by the other. No talking, just even breathings. Just the sleepy, blissful -- not to mention happy -- silence. And then he remembered the matter at hand, and wondered if he would ever have a time with her like this again.

 

Min Yu's POV

 

With both hands shoved inside my pockets and a deep breath held in, I entered the room pinpointed especially by white-clad nurses manning the floor's lobby. It had been years since I last laid eyes upon spotless white walls and shiny tiled floors. The smell of life and death, even though faint, was still evident throughout the place.

 

Just being in a hospital turns on the switch inside me that suddenly makes me feel weak and sick. I gulped the nervousness down and pushed the door open. It was rather small, and I immediately pictured myself lying fragile on the bed. And sure, Chun Hae looked vulnerable with all the tubes snaking out from his skin. And it seemed pitiful.

 

"Hey," I flashed a warm smile, and he turned to look at my direction. With one second, he was already trying to sit up. "No, no! It's fine," I walked up with courage towards him with an apologetic look. "Why are you here?" he asked coldly. I never would have thought a father wouldn't want to see his own child. But then again...

 

"Omma told me what happened," I stated truthfully. "I had a feeling you might want some company."

 

"In fact, I do," he smiled sweetly. I wanted to say that I missed seeing him smile, but really now, it was the first time I had seen it. And practically, I wasn't really his daughter. "I haven't heard from you since...since you know..." he added.

 

How long has it been again since I sent my own father to jail? It had been exactly eight years since his own recklessness and my own stupidity that led to broken bones and permanent scars, not that I blame him for all of it. And I don't think six months of serving time wasn't anything compared to being fatherless for fourteen years, was it?

 

"All these years, I've been fine," I smiled to myself in response. "Might have had rough times, but I'm still alive, you see."

 

"And Min Jae?"

 

"Omma's fine," I answered, my eyes traveling up towards the heart monitoring screen. 

 

He held his fist up his mouth and coughed. "She's probably having a hard time raising another Min Yu, isn't she?" Chun Hae chuckled. His voice came out tight from his throat, giving him a hard time breathing. "So..." his eyebrow arched in suspicion. "You and Donghae, huh?" he winked slyly, making me blush a deep scarlet red. "Appa~" I whined, giving his arm a slight nudge.

 

The man smiled and patted my head. "You make me real proud, do you know?" And his hand caressed the side of my face weakly. "And it pains me to know I've never actually been a father to you, not even a parental figure." I backed away from his touch and faked a laugh. "Ya, don't act so melodramatic over my sudden visit." 

 

I stood up and helped my parched self with a glass of water, downing it in one gulp. "Why are you confined anyway? When will you be able to go home?" I demanded, resuming my previous position by his side. "A week or so. Appa is strong, you know," he joked. "I'll be out soon. There's no need for you to worry," he reassured.

 

After conversations of a wide range of topics, a woman lugging along a child entered. The mother didn't seem much surprised to see me. "Min Yu, right?" she held her hand out, which I shook whole-heartedly. I knelt down and was on eye-level with the little boy. "I'm Min Yu, and you are?" I said as introduction. Shyly, he clung onto his mother's jeans. "Tell her your name," she encouraged him.

 

"Seul Gi imnida," the boy mumbled hastily before running off. "Can we..." the mother gestured towards the door. I looked back at Chun Hae, and realized he had drifted off to sleep. I held onto the sleeves of my oversized sweater, wondering whether the chills came from my own tremors or from the naturally cold atmosphere.

 

"What's wrong with him?" I was the first to speak.

 

"It's a heart disease," she revealed, her eyes turning watery with every word. "The doctors had said his condition was getting worse. His treatment doesn't make his illness better. All the medicines and hospitalization are all for extending his life. And I don't know how long it will last," she sobbed violently, her shoulders shuddering with every cry.

 

I chewed on my lip and looked away. "Why don't you bring him to another doctor?" My tone sounded accusing.

 

"The cost for his regular check ups are enough to make us homeless," she continued, not bothering to dry her tear-stained cheek. I opened my mouth to say something, but she already stopped me. "As much as you might want to pay for all of it -- as we know you could -- he wouldn't allow it. He didn't want you to know about all of these in the first place. I just contacted your mother and informed her."

 

"WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?!" I exasperatingly shouted, not minding the passers-by who stopped and stared. Why are people being so difficult? The woman just cried helplessly. In agitation and anger, I stormed and left her by the hall, marching past old people in wheelchairs with nurses towing them from behind.

 

My next destination was a lone, cheap diner. The makeshift building made me feel at home even with the tent held up by pegs of metal. I had my face down, plus the soju bottle in hand as I tried tuning out all these darn voices in my head. Tossing a roll of cash down the counter, I stomped down the streets in obvious disarray, having along two bottles of alcohol as companion.

 

I followed wherever my feet took me, strolling past intersections and homeless people by the road. It was about eight in the evening, when, I finally remembered I had a life. Plopping down with legs sprawled on the sidewalk, I fished the handy phone out of my pocket, chugging the last contents of the third bottle. "Ya, Donghae," I greeted after he answered.

 

"And where are you, young lady?" There was already a hint of scolding in his voice. "I don't know. But I see a firetruck in front of me and many people. Take me home," I whined before hanging up. And when he arrived, I dragged my feet towards his car, closing the door, and not even bothering to put the seatbelts on.