Chapter 10

Hyorin went to her room. The room which seems so unfamiliar is now going to be called her “home”. 

Sungmin: This use to be my room. Omma did a renovation and all furniture is new for our wedding.

Hyorin: It’s very cosy and pleasant. And the portrait, should we hang it here?

Sungmin: Do whatever you want with the room. I won’t be staying here anyway.

Hyorin: Oh, you will still be staying at the dorm.

Sungmin: You didn’t expect me to stay here with you, did you?

Hyorin: We are married, is normal that...

Sungmin: We are not like any “normal” couple. Please always remember that. And you will shift out as soon as I find an apartment for you.

Hyorin:   “You”? Which means you are staying out even with the new apartment, but that’s not how you explain to your parents earlier?

Sungmin: You still couldn’t get the picture? When I told my parents we need to shift out to protect our privacy, protect you from the fans and also easier for me to travel to my company, I am just finding excuses for them to agree with me. But the truth is, I will never live under the same roof with you nor will l share the same bed with you. You may find what I am saying now very hurtful, but I have state my point very clearly to you since the beginning, I am never a willing party in this marriage.

Hyorin: Than why do still...

Sungmin: Because without getting married to you, my career as an idol will go down the drain and my appa is capable of making that happen. It may sound selfish of me, but you readily agreed to this marriage, didn’t you?

Hyorin: Than we will live like strangers even though we are married?

Sungmin: I will not let this go on forever.

Hyorin: What do you mean?

Sungmin: We will divorce one day.

After saying this, Sungmin left the room and went out of the house.

Hyorin’s body weaken and she let herself fall onto the bed.

“What he just said is not going to come true. I will never divorce to happen between us”

“we barely know each other when we got married, I must show him the best of me”

“One day, he will grow to love me just as much as I do”

“yes, Hyorin, fighting!!”

Hyorin’s thoughts were distracted by a handphone beeping sound. And it seems to come from Sungmin’s jacket which he left on the dressing table chair earlier.

“Should I see his message, will he get angry?”

“Ok, I will wait for 5 mins, if he doesn’t come back for his phone, I will see it”

Hyorin held on to the phone for the next 5 minutes while looking at the bedroom door preparing for Sungmin to dash in anytime.

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1..Ok, I am seeing it. He can’t blame me, what if it’s an emergency?”

Hyorin look at the sender and it read “ oppa, I miss you. I will be at the same place waiting for you”

“oppa? Who is she? Is Sungmin oppa on the way to meet her now?

That night Hyorin couldn’t go to sleep, it could be the unfamiliar surrounding but she knows it’s the message she saw earlier, she hate to think her husband may with another woman now. The night seems to last forever, and since she can’t sleep, she decided to head over to Super Junior’s dorm.

When she reached the dorm, there is no way she could enter and she could not contact Sungmin either. All she could do is to wait opposite their apartment with a group of fans hoping Sungmin will be back soon. 1am passed, 2am passed and still no sight of Sungmin and the night is getting colder.

She realised there is pointless to keep on waiting like this and decided to head back home. As she walks closer to the main road, a car high beamed and stopped besides her.

Sungmin: What are you doing here?

Hyorin: Oppa! You are back!

Sungmin: Get in the car quick.

Hyorin: You went drinking? You shouldn’t be driving if you did. Next time, just call me, I can be your chauffer.

Sungmin: You haven’t told me why are you here?

Hyorin: I...I saw...ahh...your handphone.

Sungmin: Bor?

Hyorin: You left your handphone at home so I came. It’s very important to have your handphone with you all the time.

Sungmin: How long have you been waiting?

Hyorin: About 2 hours.

Sungmin: What? How do you know I am coming back?

Hyorin: You mean you sometimes don’t come back to the dorm?

Sungmin: What I mean is if I have a schedule or practice.

Hyorin: You said you had none today. Did you really just went drinking?

Sungmin: I really had enough of you today. Let me send you home.

Flashback to 1 hour ago

Sungmin was ready for another one night fling with Hye Jung and they are in the car heading towards the hotel.

Hye Jung: Oppa, do you have water in your car?

Sungmin: Think there is a bottle in the compartment in front of you.

Hye Jung: I will help myself.

Hye Jung than open the compartment and found the bottle of water. However, she also found Sungmin’s wedding band.

Hye Jung: Oppa, why is there a ring here?

Sungmin: What? Why did you take that out? Put it back now.

Hye Jung: It’s just a ring. What are you getting so uptight.

Seeing the ring seems to send Sungmin an emergency brake alarm and the words of Sungjin, Hyorin’s omma and his appa came flashing past his mind:

“ Sungjin: Hyung, I am not interfering. But you are getting married today, I don’t wish for Hyung-seo-nim to get hurt. No responsible man should hurt their wife.”

“SM’s appa: If I don’t see you tomorrow, than I will make sure you are out of the entertainment industry.”
 

“Hyorin’s omma: I am handing my princess to you.”

Sungmin: I am sending you home.

Hye Jung: Wae oppa?

Sungmin: Either I send you home now or do you want me to drop you by the road?

End of flashback

After Sungmin send Hyorin back home, it’s was already 4 am in the morning when he return back to the dorm. He was surprised to see Kangin still awake.

Sungmin: Hyung, why are you not sleeping?

Kangin: I am hungry so I came down since we ran out of ramen on the 12^th floor.

Sungmin: I am going back to my room.

Kangin: Why are you back so late? Teuk hyung was here earlier and he asked about you. Kyuhyun made up some stories to him.

Sungmin: I wasn’t supposed to back anyway (mumbling to himself)

Kangin: Har? What did you say?

Sungmin went back to his room without answering Kangin. He flung himself on the bed looking up at the ceiling thinking about how he actually rejected a night of fun just because all of a sudden, he was reminded that he is a married man now or is he worried about the consequences he will faced from his family members if he screwed up this marriage?

Sungmin (mumbling to himself): I just have to bear with it, once I find a chance to divorce her, I will find my freedom again

Hyorin barely slept for 2 hour and was time for her to wake up. After she cleaned herself up, she got down to the kitchen intending to prepare breakfast. However, she was stopped by Sungmin’s omma and the housekeeper.

Sungmin’s omma: Hyorin ah, we have a helper here. You don’t have to help with the household chores at all. Go back and get some more sleep.

Hyorin: But I...

Sungmin’s omma: I know you are a good girl, but you really don’t have to bother yourself.

Hyorin: Ommani, just let me prepare breakfast for today. Moreover, I would like to prepare some food for oppa as well.

Sungmin’s  omma: oh..haha..I don’t demand much from my daughter in law as long as she takes care of my son whole heartily. Ok, go ahead and prepare, we will leave you alone. But this is just for today, leave everything to the helper next time.

After preparing all the food and putting them nicely in a bento, Hyorin make her way out. However, the moment she got into the cab, she didn’t know where she needs to go. Since she is not sure where will Sungmin be today. She got off the cab and called Sungmin.

Instead of Sungmin picking up his phone, it was Kangin that pick up his phone.

Hyorin: Isn’t this Sungmin shi’s handphone no?

Kangin: That’s correct but he is not free to come to the phone right now.

Hyorin: ah....

Kangin: But “Sandpaper Voice”...

Hyorin: Bor?

Kangin: I am sorry, but the caller ID says “Sandpaper Voice”. I will tell him you called.

Hyorin: no...no..actually I need to know where will Sungmin shi be at today? Dorm, company or?

Kangin: Who are you?

Hyorin: I...I...I am his friend and supposed to pass him something today.

Kangin: I see, we are at the studio today. Do you know where it is?

Kangin gave Hyorin the address and the moment he hang up, Sungmin came back to the practice room.

Kangin: Sungmin ah, your friend says she is coming over.

Sungmin: Friend? Who?

Kangin: “Sandpaper voice”

Sungmin: Who is “sand..... Hyung, you told her I am here?

Kangin: Yes, she said is your friend and needed to pass something to you. Moreover, you have her number saved in your mobile so I trust that she is your friend.

Sungmin: Aishhh...what is it that she want again?

Kangin: But your friend name, is very cute. And her voice, remind me of a girl I met.

Sungmin: You remember?

Kangin: Remember what? I supposed to know your friend?

Sungmin: Anio, anio. I mean you must have remembered wrongly.

Kangin: But she really has a very unique voice.

After saying this, Kangin seems to be drifting away in some deep thoughts. And Sungmin had noticed that.

Not long after, Hyorin arrived based on the address given. She called Sungmin near the security guard office.

Hyorin: Oppa, I am at the dancing studio. They wouldn’t let me in, can you come down instead?

Sungmin: Why did you come here for? I can’t come down to meet you, can’t you see there are fans waiting outside as well?

Hyorin: I prepared some food especially for you, and I thought I could see you for a little while before I go.

Sungmin: Leave it at the security office. I will collect it later.

Hyorin: But...

Sungmin: I need to go for my practice now.

Hyorin had no choice but to leave the food at the security counter.

Hyorin: ajushi, this is not food from fan. So can you please take special care and passed to Sungmin shi personally?

Security guard: arraso, every fan says the same thing. Leave it with me and don’t loiter around here.

Hyorin: Never mind, it’s ok. I will pass it to him personally.

Hyorin decided to wait around with the other fans hoping to catch a glimpse of Sungmin and pass him the lunch box personall. It was 1.30pm which means Hyorin had waited for nearly 3 hours, she sees some commotion among the fans as Super Junior was coming out of the building. Hyorin only managed to catch Sungmin for split seconds before he was hurried into the van.

She ran after the van with the rest of the fans screaming “oppa! Oppa!” However, this did not catch Sungmin’s or the members reaction as its normal for them to have fans chasing after them like that. Hyorin soon ran out of breath, she stopped and bend herself over panting hard.

Hyorin: otteke?