Chapter 28 - Tonight.

 

"Unnie... I have a question to ask you.." Areum started a conversation while all the girls are eating in the van, on their way to their goodbye stage on Inkigayo.

 

"Umm.." Hyomin chewed on her food. The other girls were busy chattering among themselves including playing ttakbam and all sort of staff to overcome their boredom.

 

"During Hwayoung unnie's scandal..." Areum began and Hyomin began munching her food slower.

 

"I read something online about you on one of the forums and..." 

 

Eunjung was listening too.

 

"You were in an Iljin group for parties... That's not true right..." Areum smiled, knowing it wasn't the truth but still she wanted to ask.

 

"Areum ah!" Eunjung raised her voice. By that time all the other girls were already paying attention.

 

"How could you ask that?!" Jiyeon shouted.

 

Hyomin was silent and her eyes began watering and she was hurt. She stopped eating her food. Qri who was sitting between Areum and Hyomin found herself in a very awkward place.

 

Areum was shocked to hear the reaction from her other members.

 

"It is a very sensitive issue to talk about.." Eunjung sounded disappointed and turn herself to sit back properly. Jiyeon and Boram did the same and Soyeon pretended she didn't hear anything and sleeps all the way to SBS Building.

 

The bubbly group from home turned sour by the time they arrived at the building. The other girls rejoiced the mood but Hyomin lost it all at once.

 

"Hyomin ah..." Qri caressed Hyomin's arm to console her while waiting for their turn.

 

"I have nothing to say, unnie.." Hyomin take her arm from Qri's hold and Qri respected Hyomin's decision not to talk.

 

Areum felt guilty but was left wondering if what she read on the Internet was after all true.

 

The girls returned home to pack their bags as they will heading early to the airport at dawn tomorrow to finally start on their Japanese promotion of y Love.

 

"Unnie.." Areum caught up with Hyomin on their way up to next floor. 

Hyomin ignored her and kept walking.

 

"Unnie, if you keep avoiding like this, you're really showing that whatever I read online is true." Areum grabbed Hyomin's attention. Well, pretty much everyone's attention in the house.

 

"Yaaa!!" Hyomin yelled. 

 

Hyomin went back few steps to Areum.

 

"You really believe whatever you read online? Really? Than me?" Hyomin glared angrily.

 

"Sun young ah.." Eunjung climbed the stairs and even called Hyomin by her real name to calm her down.

 

"Then how about you become members with those people online instead of me huh? Am I really an Iljin?" Bull.." Eunjung hugged Hyomin who were already pushed over the edge for her to get this angry.

 

"What more did you read?! Oh?!" Hyomin yelled.

 

Areum was also pushed over the edge.

 

" I don't know! That's why I asked! We're so called 'family' now but I don't know anything, that's why I asked!" Areum felt unfairly treated.

 

Hyomin scoffed and said,

 

"Well 'family' means you know each other inside out! And you obviously don't!" Hyomin yelled. 

 

"Yaaa! Stop it!" Eunjung got frustrated.

 

"How am I supposed to know you inside out if we don't get to know each other!" 

 

"Areum aaaaah...." Eunjung said, disliking the fact that she is adding fuel to the argument.

 

"How would I know if you're not some bunch of fakes!" Areum was talking without thinking, overcome by her emotions.

 

"What?!" Hyomin yelled even louder.

 

Danee who just arrived from school was shocked to hear the word 'fakes' . She was quickly ushered out by Boram and both of them went out.

 

"Mind your mouth with people who are older than you.." Jiyeon pushed Areum to the wall hard.

 

"Fakes?" Jiyeon smirked.

 

"Just wow.." Jiyeon said again.

 

Eunjung felt as if Areum was rebelling. She felt like her daughter is rebelling. She felt the same way when Hwayoung rebelled.

 

"You shut up, you shut up and you too, shut up. I don't want up deal with fools who are spitting so called facts on my already painted canvas," Eunjung directed her saying to Jiyeon, Areum and Hyomin.

 

"Go pack up and be up by 3.00 am.." Soyeon went up and dragged Areum to her Areum and Eunjung did the same with Hyomin.