Ch.8: Black Cocktail Dresses and Doorbell Ringers

“So you were the one leaving Hyunnie roses?” asked Victoria, bewildered, tried to hide her hurt by taking a sip from her cappuccino. Minhyuk nodded. “But you just came to this school… how would you know her so well already?”

“We go all the way back to junior high. Her dad had decided that it would be good experience for her and her siblings to spend their junior high at a public school. Hard to believe but she felt out of place among us so… I kinda befriended her.” He sighed, looking down at his cup of hot chocolate. “Sooner or later, I realized that she had my heart firmly in her grasp but I never wanted to confess. I mean, she’d probably never like someone like me. “

“What do you mean someone like you? You’re smart, cute—” Victoria stopped abruptly and blushed.

“Thanks but I’m nothing like that.” He smiled thinly. “I was poor and wretched and I could never even dream of supporting her until… now. I helped my father build up his dream business and then I came looking for her.”

He’s so loyal too, thought Victoria. Stop it! You have to learn to let go. He isn’t yours and will likely never be, Victoria chastised herself.

“So Yonghwa punched you when he figured out that you were the one who was leaving Seohyun roses?”

“Yeah.” He frowned. “Somehow he caught me and he’s not happy about it. Either Seohyun’s his long lost sister or I’ve got a rival.”

“The nerve of that guy!” fumed Victoria. “Don’t worry. Just treat him like the ton of other admirers Seohyun doesn’t care about.”

“So that means you’ll help me?” asked Minhyuk with a smile.

“Uh…” she hesitated. “I don’t think Seohyun will appreciate me messing with this…”

Minhyuk gave her a pleading look and Victoria felt a pain in her heart. How could this boy she had known for less than a week have such an impact on her? Victoria sighed.

“Fine… I’ll do my…best.” Every word punctuated her heart with pain. No Victoria, she told herself, you can’t be so selfish.

“Thanks. You’re an awesome friend, Toria!” smiled Minhyuk. It was Victoria’s turn to smile thinly.

~~~~~`````

“Welcome home.” The butler bowed as Victoria pushed open the grand front doors of the mansion she lived in. (AN: Time to check out Toria’s background!)

“Thank you, James.” (AN: Lols… I thought of butlers and then I thought of English butlers and then I immediately thought of James… HehexD) “Where’s… mother?”

“The madam is in her office, young miss.” Madam thought Victoria scowled inwardly.

A snow white carpet, contrasting with the jade green marble floor of the entrance led into the house. The ceiling was high and domed; two sweeping staircases rose up on either side, leading to the second landing. It rivaled in majesty the house of Seohyun.  

“Oh, Unnie. You’re back.” Said Krystal Song hanging off the upper railing of the second story. “Late today, are we now?”

“What do you want Krystal?” asked Victoria wearily, walking up the stairs .

“I’m going to the nightclub tonight and I want your black cocktail dress.” Said Krystal, checking her nails. “I’ll trash your closet if you don’t lend it to me.” She whined like the brat she was.

(AN: Oh… lols. I hate her already…)

“Fine.” She walked into her room and came out a minute later with a breathtakingly elegant, black cocktail dress.

“Take care of it please, I want it back nicely okay, Krystal?” asked Victoria handing the hanger with the dress wrapped lovingly around it to her dongsaeng.

“On second thought, unnie.” Smirked Krystal. “It’s so pretty, I think I’ll keep it.”

“Krystal!” All she could hear in reply was a cruel chuckle from the direction of Krystal’s room.

“Victoria!” Song Qian, an elegant but severe, cream colored suit covering her slim body, looking every bit and at the same time, not at all in her forties. Her figure never betrayed her age yet she carried herself with the sternness and hardness of someone who had seen the injustice of this world and knew how to survive in it. It was the face of one of the most influential woman in Korea, in Asia even. She had built her hotel business from the ground up almost singlehandedly and when she married her husband, she had absorbed all his assets and rendered his position pretty much just a figurehead. (Meaning that he had no real control over what happened.)

“What are you doing coming home so late!?”

“Mother, I—“

Song Qian waved away her daughter’s “excuse”.

“You should be studying for your SATs now, young lady. You’re 18, not 8.” As if you have ever really let me act 8, thought Victoria. “Stop frolicking with your good-for-nothing friends!”

“Mother!”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Yes, Victoria?”

“I mean, yes, Mother.”

“Victoria, you are the eldest. One day, the company will pass on to your hands and you must be ready for you carry the most responsibility. Remember, you may ask James if you have any questions regarding the SAT” Song Qian gestured towards her daughter’s door, dismissing her and Victoria meekly followed her mother’s command.

Her mother had great expectations for her daughter.

“One day, you’ll understand what I’m doing is for your own good.” Said Song Qian, continuing down the hall.

“Check in on her once every half hour.”     

“Yes Madam.” Nodded James, the butler.

~~~~~`````

Krystal Song stepped out from her room, wearing the cocktail dress she had “borrowed” from her sister. Of course, she had no intention of giving it back.

“What do you think unnie?” she said, twirling once as she passed Victoria in the hall. Krystal had cut the dress to the point of being almost obscenely short. The neckline seemed to have changed too, dipping down into an outrageous V-neck. Her hair was teased and loose against her shoulders and reached halfway down her back. Dark, smoky eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara lined her eyes.

“You’re never going to get out of the house looking like that.” Sniffed Victoria, following her down the stairs.

“That’s what back doors are for aren’t they?” said Krystal pointing to the back garden door. 

From behind the house came a loud honk. “There’s my ride.” Smirked Krystal as she slipped on the black peep-toe stilettos she had carried down the stairs. “Care to join us?”

“No.” said Victoria, firmly.

“Suit yourself,” shrugged Krystal. “Although I think it’s kind of sad I have like, waaay more experience than you, unnie. You’re so stuck up.”

Victoria closed the door behind her sister. Was she right?

Sighing, she trudged back up the stairs to her books.

~~~~~`````

Yonghwa looked from the sleeping Sunwoo to his bruised knuckles. He hadn’t punched something in a long time and it surprised him that he had punched someone he had barely known. Why did he get so mad when Minhyuk admitted to be leaving things for Seohyun?

Was it because he didn’t want to lose his precious bike?

He frowned. Could it be…? Could it be that the stress was finally taking its toll and he was going crazy?   

(AN: Hehe… did I have you fooled? Nah… I don’t even know why I made Yong punch Minhyuk. In fact, it was supposed to happen later on in the story as the straw that kinda made Yong understand he liked Hyun. Oh well… and then I thought… I’ll make Minhyukkie the bad guy! But then I couldn’t bring myself to do that…)

~~~~~`````

“All those years you’ve never once visited me!!”

“Jonghyun dear, why are you bringing that up again?” tried his mother.

“Don’t you Jonghyun dear me. You don’t actually care about me. Quit pretending to care!!” He roared. “I hate your fake act!”  

Jonghyun slammed the door behind him, stepped into his black car, jammed the ignition key into the slot, steered the car out of the garage, past the BMWs, Lamborghinis and the like and roared off into the night.

Thanks Yonghwa, for fixing the car. Then he realized that there were no races that night. Screw that. He kept driving. Subconsciously, he steered the car in the direction of the Royale nightclub.   

(AN: 0.0 Why are there so many negative emotions at this point??)

~~~~~`````

“Are you sure?” asked Seohyun, concerned. She was perched on the edge of her Sica unnie’s bed watching her get ready.

Seohyun’s POV (Wow the first POV in this chapter…0.0)

When Sica unnie announced that she was going out with friends tonight and that they were going to the nightclub… I was really shocked. She had been so… normal and so like the Sica unnie before grade 10 for this entire week. I scowled. I should have known it wouldn’t last.

“Hey, Hyunnie-ah. Don’t scowl. It’s not pretty. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” She finished putting on a light layer of eye shadow. “I’m grown up okay? And I’m the unnie. It should be me worrying about you, not the other way around!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I didn’t stop scowling. “Really convincing especially since you came home drunk the last time you went to a club with some guy.”

“Look, he’s a nice guy. He’s the one I met on campus a couple days ago. You can meet him before hand.” pleaded Jessica unnie. I said nothing.

“I promise, I’ll only have 3 shots okay? Pinky promise.” Reluctantly, I reached out and hooked our pinkies and pressed our thumbs together.

“Even if I said no, it’s not like you wouldn’t still go.” I pointed out.

“Nope, my baby sister’s opinion is important to me.” Promised Sica unnie. “But really, I think he’s the one!” She squealed when I rolled my eyes. “Remember I told you when—“

The doorbell rang, cutting her off.

“Oh!” She rushed to get it. That was a good sign. Car honkers were bad. Doorbell ringers were better. I followed her down the stairs.

“Hi, Sica.”

“Anneyong Jonghyun oppa.” Eh? Jonghyun? As in Lee Jonghyun? He was the one going out with my sister?

“Nope… as in Kim Jonghyun.” Huh? I said that out loud? I blushed but inside I was relieved. The idea of Jonghyun and Sica unnie… somehow that didn’t make me very happy. Besides, the other Jonghyun wouldn’t be an oppa to Sica unnie.

“Hey, it’s you! The dino dude from the race! The one with the red Ferrari.”

His puppy eyes widened under his blond bangs. 

“Oh… you were that girl in Lee Jonghyun’s car!” he said in recognition. “Cool, is that your sister, Sica?”

Sica unnie nodded, kind of confused.

“It’s Seohyun right?”

“Yup. Take care of my Sica unnie, Dino Jonghyun.” I chuckled, glad that she was at least with someone I knew. He acted outraged but waved back then he walked out the door, hand interlaced with Sica unnie.

“Thanks Seohyun.” smiled Jessica, following him out the door.

“Wait a moment.” I heard Jonghyun say. “You wanna come with us Seohyun?”

My opinion of him totally went up.

“um… no, it’s fine. Thanks for asking though.”

“Well, you can always change your mind for next time.” He shrugged. “See ya.”

“Bye.” I locked the door behind them. Sica unnie… do me a favor and come home with mind and body in one piece.  

~~~~~`````

Jonghyun smoothly slid into the parking lot and parked his car

“Whoa, you’re hot. Wanna spend the night with me?” a girl dressed in a obscenely short black, cocktail dress, latched on to his arm the moment he stepped out of his car and into the moonlight, ditching the guy she had come with. The guy shrugged as if he didn’t care and walked into the club solo. Jonghyun snorted.

“Get off me.”

“Now, now, don’t play hard to get.” She smirked slyly, leading him into the club.

“I told you to get OFF me.”

“Ok, ok. No hard feelings.” She backed off and went in search of another target.

“Beer.” He slapped down a couple bills in front of the startled bar tender.

“What kind?” He asked.

“I don’t care.”

~~~~~`````

“Here?” asked Jessica, steeping out of the red Ferrari.

“Yup, like it?”

“Um… I don’t know.”

“Well, anywhere you are, I like.” Smiled Jonghyun.

“So cheesy.” Laughed Jessica.

“C’mon. Key, Onew, Minho and Taemin will be waiting for us inside.” 

The Royale sign flashed royal blue in the sky as they stepped in together.  

Whoa… over 2000 words and no Yongseo moments...

I added Kim Jonghyun on a random Intuition (yes, song reference!) and I think he'll be important. An important cameo.

 Sorry… there are no Yongseo moments in this chapter but… ah wells. I don’t know where my brain was when I was writing this. I guess we’ll find out where this is going soon enough.

How’s everybody’s summer? Eh?

So… It seems like a bunch of people are at the Royale tonight. You going? Yeah, I’m going. Hmm…

@hiko27

Lols My first bias was Yonghwa, then it switched to Jonghyun, then Minhyuk, then Yonghwa then it started all over again. I can’t make up my mind=.= I’m sorry I skipped Jungshin but he’s like the perfect best friend type y’know? I think Jonghyun’s the most handsome but Yong’s got that charisma, Minhyuk too!XD

I know… roses are cliché but… I’d love to get those! Lols and everything will be revealed in its own time. (mysterious look lols)I know this chappie didn’t really help much but I just felt like writing this one. I think it’s significant.

 I didn’t plan on Yong acting so violently… it was supposed to happen later but it kinda just happened while I was writing… Ah well, all’s well that ends well right?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE (CN blue reference) these long comments! xD Don’t worry about not commenting before… just start now! 

 C’mon everyone!!! Where did my commentators go T.T

Love,

Rena/UMakeTheSunComeOut