/a/n/

It was not as good as what I imagined. Well, I'm trying my best here. I hope all of you like this.

Do not hide the pain anymore

I could see it with my own eyes

Please don't hide away

I wanted to wipe those tears off your beautiful face

The sun peeked through the glass window of Sulli’s room. Her mother came upstairs and opened the window, the pastel-colored curtains danced at the direction of the wind blowing freely into space. The bright sun made Jinri’s eyes so irritated. She finally woke up, irritated yet again.

Her whole body was aching. She tried to stretch her arms as she forced her aching biceps to move accordingly. She grinned at the moment she saw her mom. “Umma…annyeong~” It was yet a nice Saturday. Jinri’s mom had just arrived from a long business trip.

“Good morning, sweetie.” Her mother crouched near her and kissed her left cheek. “Wake up, now.” Jinri moved forcibly as her steps were so worn out as if she could barely stand still.

She greeted everyone with sleepy eyes and fuzzy tone of voice.

“What’s up with you?” Kai frowned in dismay. “Tsk. Wash your face or you prefer that I would wash yours.” He smirked lightly as he watched Jinri going to the bathroom at his command.

“Hey…don’t be too hard on her. Her sunbaes are really something, that’s what I’ve heard from her.” Geun Young yanked Kai at his back. She glared at him with his wrong doings.

“Okay…I’m the bad guy now.” Kai just went to the living room and the television. “Aish, no good news.”

He shifted the channel from to and fro. He caught a glimpse of a new rookie group of the KPOP world.

“Blah. Blah. Blah.” Kai heaved a deep sigh. “What’s with K and M? Bwahahaha.” He chuckled loudly.

“Yah! Jong In-ah! Go here and set the table.” Geun Young called out to him.

“Araseo.” He stood up, always with a boring manner, he set the table nicely.

“Let’s eat.” Jinri’s mother sat first as she leaded a short prayer.

The four people quietly ate the breakfast Geun Young had prepared. Jinri was suspiciously watching Geun Young’s movements. Her own way of taking care of things, her slender body and pale skin, her sweet smile and voice of an angel, she’s just too no match against her.

“Kai… what’s up with school? Coping? Did you tell your situation with the school?” Mrs. Choi was getting bored with the quietude that she suddenly blurted out the scenario Kai was keeping to everyone in school.

“I- It was hard. We’re keeping it a secret.” Jinri backed him up, suddenly; realizing that she hadn’t even ate a spoonful of rice. She dug up to catch up with the people around her.

Mrs. Choi looked at both of them. “Isn’t uncomfortable for Kai to live with two girls? Haha. That school had a dormitory for transferees and foreign exchange students. You could apply---“

“I’m fine.” Kai calmed Mrs. Choi’s heart with an assuring smile. “I’d protect the girls.” He smiled brightly.

“Aww… It’s been a while since you’ve become so appreciative, Kai. Is it because you’re now living with your long time---… Oops.” Geun Young was just a chatter box. She could have revealed his purpose on coming to Seoul.

“Oh…Geun Young-ah, do you want to go shopping? It’s nice outside than to be stuck here like a mom raising two kids.” Mrs. Choi looked intently at Geun Young. Geun Young was too shy, so she just smiled.

“If Madame would be happy with it, then I’d…go.” She was really embarrassed. She became all red.

“No problem with me. I’m happy for you.” Mrs. Choi served her again with a bowl of rice. “Eat well.” She averted her attention to her quiet only daughter. “Come with her.”

“Mnmm…Yeah, I don’t have any plans for tomorrow.” She smiled so fake as ever.

“What about you Kai?” Jinri wanted to invite Kai. “Or you wanted to be a loner tomorrow?”

“No… I have some issues to attend to tomorrow.”

“What is that?” Mrs. Choi butted in. “Is that about you teaching Krystal soccer? I’ve heard it from Krystal’s mom.”

“No…not like that.” Kai’s expression became gloomy all of a sudden.

After having breakfast, Jinri took out the trash. She was followed by Geun Young behind. She didn’t notice it and just continued to sulk near the garden of the house.

“Sulli-ah…”She was surprised at Geun Young who was behind her. “Do you have any problem? Talk with me.”

Jinri was nervous at opening up with her. She just froze momentarily at the scene as she avoided her eyes that glitter with the morning glow.

 “You must have been…” Geun Young came closer to her. “I’ve met Taemin and Heechul in the past. They were like my own real brothers. I’ve heard from Kai everything. That they were constantly looking for me.” Geun Young crouched down near the flowerbed.

“You…” Jinri faced Geun Young which startled her. “… why didn’t you tell them the truth?” Geun Young just looked at her with the eyes that could not be sinned.

“I’ve made them suffer. How could I say that I had recovered?” She picked a dying flower. “Just like this flower I’m withering away, I’d rather die alone than to make all of them grieve.”

“So… you didn’t know everything? Taemin-ah, he…he also suffers alone. He… “ Jinri bursted into tears.

“I used him. I played with his innocent heart. He was the only one who knew of my sickness. He kept it deep inside him that even if he was always with me, he knew that my heart belonged to someone else from the start. I don’t want to drag him with me.” Geun Young lifted her chin up. She stretched her hands wanting to touch the sky. “I don’t want them to grieve upon me. I was too scared. I tried to hide away with Kai’s help. I’m always dragging kids around.”

“Unnie…. Why didn’t you confess to Heechul-oppa?” Jinri let out a deep sigh. But, her tears were still flooding.

“He never cared for me. For him, I was just right for his brother. His younger brother is the most important person in this world for him. Even if their parents divorced, he constantly took care of his innocent brother. That is also the sole reason why I loved him…” Geun Young’s scarred heart was at the verge of tears. “The sole reason that I wanted to…survive.”

Jinri hugged her grieving Unnie. She was only caring for herself, that’s what she had thought. She didn’t realize that more than herself, there was this person beside her who was engulfed in the flame of death. She had more reasons on living more than herself.

“I now know the reason why he likes you.” She whispered on her unnie’s ears.” Jinri wiped off her tears.

“You’re also so strong, Jinri.” Geun Young stood up. Still with the dying flower on her hand, she quickly released it.

Sunday

At the mall, with so many people sauntering from side to side, Jinri and Geun Young found their way to the big stores. They giggled at each other with the bonding time they had in hand.

Kim Heechul and his brother, Lee Taemin was also there. Taemin woke up early to be dragged by his nagging big brother. He was forced to also because he wanted Heechul to stop teaching Jinri weird ways of handling clothes and such fancy styles which do not suit the girl.

“Ahh…” Taemin yawned as he followed his brother anywhere he goes. “ Hey, hyung, where do you want to go? I’m tired.”

“I’m buying Sulli a dress.” Heechul chuckled.

“Tsk.” Taemin became annoyed all of a sudden. “Why do you want to buy her?”

“It’s for a sorry. I would stop all of my forcing lessons.” Heechul entered a nice clothes store.

“Good thing you realized.”

“Let’s go to another.” As Heechul took a step towards the exit, he caught a glimpse of a familiar woman’s figure. With a stature and fashion sense cladding with casual clothes, she stood out finely on his eyes rearview.

Just a moment, she was there. But, after a second, she disappeared again. But, Heechul was determined. It had been years since he saw that figure.

He ran and ran. Chasing, looking, like a fool, he never stopped. He looked from left to right, wanting to see her again.

At last her saw someone, with the very same face just like the old times, he called out...

“GEUN YOUNG! HAN GEUN YOUNG!” His voice alarmed everyone.

“Hee… Kim..Hee…chul.” Geun Young was so surprised. She sobbed all of a sudden. The joy and pain mixed with her heart.

But, there was this sideliner. He sulked as his expression became blank. He saw the two of them hugging each other. There was the suffocating pain.

He tried to turn back. He wanted to escape the moment. He wore his hoodie and tried to make his face hidden.

“Wait up….” But, there was someone also pursuing him behind. It was the cry of a helpless girl.

At every step he took, he heard the miserable moans of pain. But, he didn’t look back.

He charged forward, towards the exit. He didn’t want to see anything that would make his heart waver again.

The voice seemed so fuzzy to him. He thought, “She’s crying?”

There occurred something to her.  “No, it’s her.”

There, they stood again. At the same spot a month ago, like an event commemorating the day that the two of them stood opposite of each other. With those determined eyes, Jinri blurted out, “Pabo-yah! You…you wanted to suffer alone again?”

“Sulli-ah…” Taemin was confused. He wanted to touch the girl who was suffering in front of him but, the girl jerked upright wearing a smile just like of an angel.

“You don’t have to be alone.” Jinri looked at his eyes passionately. “I… “

“Then, can you take responsibility?” Taemin daringly went close to her.

“What…what are you doing?” Jinri was shocked. She didn’t think that….

“Sulli-ah, please stay still.” Lee Taemin wrapped her tightly on his arms. “I just needed a confidant. But, why are you also crying?”

“You’re such an idiot.”

Why would I not cry? I know from the very start, that I’m already rejected. I’m so hopeless that you don’t even know my feelings for you. I could only give you my smiles.

“Yeah… Just smile for me, I don’t want to see you smile.” Lee Taemin pinched her cheeks. “Promise that you won’t cry in front of me again, okay?”

“A promise?” Both of them swore that they wouldn’t break each other’s promises.

Choi Residence

Jinri’s mother was cleaning the lawn on their yard. She saw the exiting Kai.

“Where are you going?” Mrs. Choi asked the blank Kai. “Jong In-ah?”

“Oh…just visiting a…friend.” Kai was wearing a black tuxedo. He carried a bouquet of stargazers, a kind of flower that is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.

“What are you doing with all those lilies?” Mrs. Choi couldn’t shut out of curiosity.

“It’s a friend’s death anniversary today.”