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Chasing Summer

 

Myungsoo changed Miss 51’s name to ‘Sunshine’.

He contemplated if he should call her or not. He rolled around his bed, and scratched his head out of frustration due to the stupidity he had shown her the night before. Sighing, he grabbed his phone, and messaged her, instead:

I was the guy who told you to shut up over the phone last night. Name me whatever you want. This is the compromise for bearing with me. Don’t reply anymore. I’d rather if we call each other.

<:>

Suzy scoffed after reading a message she received from an unknown number.

“So you finally reveal yourself, huh?” she muttered, while sitting up straight. She leaned her back against the headboard, and grinned. For a stranger, he was a bit assertive and bossy. Not that she minded, though; she had encountered worse people in real life. Still, it made her wonder why she felt comfortable around him. Her parents—together with Sunggyu—never lacked in teaching her that talking to strangers was dangerous. That person was clearly a stranger, but in Suzy’s eyes, he was more familiar than that.

On a whim, Suzy named the stranger ‘Summer’.

<:>

“We’re home!” Mr. and Mrs. Bae cried, as they opened the door. The three siblings, who were watching a television show at that time, automatically looked back.

There was this definite silence, and finally Sang Moon stood up and ran towards the couple. The other two realized what was happening, and so they followed the youngest one’s lead.

“Welcome home!” they cried, as they showered their parents with hugs and kisses.

“You should’ve told me, mom,” Sunggyu said, smiling. “That way I could’ve picked you up from the airport.”

“Nonsense!” Mrs. Bae replied. “I know just how caught up you are with your work and looking after your siblings.”

“So did you have a good time?” Suzy chimed in, while jumping up and down giddily. “Did you enjoy London, huh, huh?”

“It could’ve been better if we were all there,” Mr. Bae said, chuckling. He put his luggage down to pat his daughter’s head. “Next time, let’s all go together.”

Sang Moon and Sunggyu carried their parents’ bags upstairs, while Suzy gave them their house slippers.

“Have you eaten?” she asked. “Oppa just cooked dinner. If we knew you’d be home tonight we could’ve waited for you.”

“It’s perfectly fine,” Mr. Bae replied. The older ones sat down comfortably on their sofa.

“It’s good to be home,” Mrs. Bae remarked.

Suzy smiled, and hugged both of her parents from behind. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”

<:>

Myungsoo stared at his apartment door. He changed the lock earlier, and wondered if he should change his phone number and home address, too. He was old enough to do that and yet, he couldn’t be bothered.

Myungsoo kept his gaze on the door, waiting for someone who wouldn’t come. He closed his eyes, and the image of his mother opening their old front door flashed before him.

“Welcome home, mom,” he whispered, before finally heading to the bathroom to take a bath.

<:>

He took his time undressing. He kicked his shirt, boxers and pants to a corner before twisting the knob of the shower. He waited for the water to warm up and finally, he entered the cubicle. Steam filled the tiled room and the sound of water splashing against the glass case bounced against the walls. Myungsoo grabbed his bottle of shampoo—it was the one his mother used to buy. Most of his acquaintances at school would say his hair smelled too feminine, but he never actually cared about their opinions. That scent reminded him of her, and that was all that mattered.

Tears began to emerge from Myungsoo’s closed eyes, and he wondered if it was because of the soapsuds, or if it was out of loneliness.

<:>

Suzy picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

There was a pause, and Summer asked, “Why is it so loud in there?”

She took a glance at her parents who were laughing along with Sunggyu and Sang Moon in the living room.

“I’m sorry,” she answered. “My parents just got home, you see.”

Silence.

“Hey,” Suzy called out. “Are you okay?”

<:>

Myungsoo froze. He let his towel rest on top of his head, and he didn’t care about the water droplets dripping on his bare skin. The plain white shirt he was about to wear lay crumpled on his bed, and he could only squeeze his pajamas with his free hand.

My parents just got home, you see.

Unpleasant thoughts began to dwell in his mind, and he asked himself why everything seemed unfair. Why was he always stuck with always getting the broken ones?

Broken toys.

Broken records.

Broken family.

A tiny, choking sound escaped from his mouth. It made him want to gag. The pain which began from his heart burned its way up to his throat. His vision became blurry.

“Hey,” Sunshine said, pulling him out from his awful reverie. “Are you okay?”

Myungsoo was about to lie, but he took a step back and after years and years of denial he finally admitted, “I’m not okay.”

Tears emerged from his eyes, and he couldn’t do anything about it. He plopped himself down on his bed, only to stare up at his blank ceiling. His tears traveled from his eyes to his ears, and he felt it trickle down, down, all the way to his sheets. He noticed how the warm and taunting noise grew fainter and fainter by the second. He heard a soft click.

“I’ll listen,” she whispered in that genuine voice of hers.

Then and there, he realized: someone’s world just paused for his sake.

<:>

Something grabbed at Suzy’s heart, but she couldn’t determine what it was. Her room was quiet, and Summer was quiet. Why, by all means, did she care? There was something about him that attracted her, but she couldn’t tell what it was, specifically.

“It hurts,” he choked out between broken sobs. “My heart hurts.”

Suzy bit her lower lip, and whispered, “It’s going to be fine.”

“No, it’s not.”

“You’re going to be all right.”

“No, I’m not.”

She closed her eyes, and said, “One day...all the pain will surely, surely go away.”

 “When?” he asked.

“One day,” she answered.

“When?” he asked again.

“One day,” she repeated.

“Tell me something about yourself,” the boy suggested all of a sudden.

“Something like what?” she asked, a tiny smile gracing her lips.

“What do you do?”

Suzy looked at her study table, and said, “I write.”

“That’s nice.”

“What do you do?” she returned.

“I play music.”

“What kind of music?”

“My kind of music,” he answered.

She chuckled. “You have vague answers.”

“I’m a vague person,” he replied.

There was another pause, and again he asked, “What’s your favorite color?”

“It’s pink.”

“You are such a girl,” he playfully pointed out. “Why do you like pink?”

“Because…” she began, already trailing off. “Because that was the color of the shirt he was wearing, when I realized that I fancy him.”

“When did it start?”

“When I was young.”

“When did it stop?”

“A little later.”

“Why did it stop?”

“Because he had a girlfriend.”

“Is that all?”

Suzy smiled. “No.”

“What else?”

“Because he’s my older brother.”

<:>

Myungsoo scoffed. “How can you fall in love with your older brother?”

“We aren’t related by blood,” she answered.

There was something different about her. He figured that she answered way too readily—too honestly. Myungsoo thought if he tried harder, he’d be able to see right through her, but he didn’t want that, so he chose not to.

“Why’d you fall in love with him?” he finally asked.

“Because I’m gullible.”

He couldn’t help but smirk at her reply. “You’re too honest for your own good.”

“At least you’re aware I’m not lying,” she returned. “What’s your favorite color?”

“It’s black.”

“Why?”

Myungsoo closed his eyes, and thought about the black dress his mother wore for the last time. When she died, the blood was barely visible because of its color.

“Because,” he muttered. “I hate red.”

Nobody spoke, and he didn’t know how it happened, but he fell asleep on the sound of her gentle breathing.

 


 

"Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart."
- Proverbs 17:3

 

Keyra: welcome aboard! Haha. Yes, I believe I did make him turn out to be a cold person.
I remember this friend of mine, who acts so indifferent on the outside but he's actually
sweet on the inside! And I'm deeply humbled by what you just said. God bless you.

Hanna: I love it when people say a lot of things. I have this affinity for people who ramble on.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this one! Anyway, Myungsoo might be nice, he's
just oblivious of that fact. I find it intriguing how Sunggyu always seems to be likeable in
every fic I make. If you lot didn't point it out I wouldn't have noticed. Heh.

leichanla: I have carried on~
loveisyam: -inspirit high five- Don't we all love that one friend who listens to you? Haha.
I believe she figured it out because he told her about the 'love letters' he'd receive~
To be honest the biting-pushing scene was based off from my encounters with my younger cousin.
It's fun if you're not the one getting bitten, though. Heh.

Aika: Updated!
Mickio: Beautiful voice? Intriguing choice of words you have there. I was conversing with several
familiar strangers and so far our online 'voices' popped up in one way or another. Heh.

Regine: True, true. Heh.
Cindoosh: Aw, glory to God ^^; I'm grateful by what you've just said, thank you! I don't know what
happened, to be honest. At first it was SHINee, then it became SHINee feat. Infinite, then it became
Infinite feat. SHINee, then it became Infinite!

Byunghee_Wife: No problem ^^; Ahaha they do seem like they'll get along well, don't they?
MsShylvia: I used to reply to comments back then, but sometimes I just don't have the time so I simply
update and dash out of my room. And I'm flattered, thank you!

Ginnie: Aw, praise God!
Yes, you can say that. Myungsoo admired his mom so much he carried on her legacy without
actually knowing it. Maybe Suzy doesn't understand yet, but she's acknowledging the fact that
Myungsoo's hurting, and that in itself is what pulled him in to talk to her even more ^^
I'm guilty of bickering with my younger cousins, so I'm pretty much used to that environment.
As for Sunggyu, I based that trait of him from one of my friends over here ^^
I'm deeply encouraged, Ginnie. Thank you, and God bless!

Watermelon: (simply because I like your name) To be honest Myungsoo calling random people...it's based off
on something real. It's not as 'special' as the one in this fic, however.
It is, isn't it?
Ahaha I guess I really should consider my squabbles with my younger cousins a blessing, then!


 

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summerchild
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Comments

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tomotomo_
#1

Irashaimase!
Are you looking for a place to have fun?
A place where you can unwind and relax?
A place where you can call home?
We have it all for you!

★ Non-au Facebook based rp

★ All asian faceclaims are welcome
★ All ualities

Come and visit us at Tomo-Mart RP.
[ https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1534999 ]
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thegarden
#2
a classic
Dodoistwo #3
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Orchidbaby
#4
For one second i thought this was deleted. So glad that it's still here. I read this a long time ago and planning to re read it again ❤️❤️
dindarvlt #5
Chapter 25: This story is so good!!
gyuhyeon #6
I love this so much ❤❤❤
miyoonji #7
Chapter 25: It's a beautiful story.
seokyuroro #8
I'm reading this again because I love this sm <3 !!!!!
anitaklr24
#9
Reading one more time! Because it’s so special!
tiffasdfjk
#10
TIME TO REREAD AGAIN