The Owner
Never stopped loving you
Sojin POV
"Where is it?" I slammed the drawer of my desk shut and ran my fingers through my hair, huffing in frustration. My eyes landed on the small porcelain box sitting beside my bed and my legs started to automatically walk towards it.
I rummaged through the tangle of necklaces and bracelets but to my luck, the familiar red stringed one was no where in sight.
"Crap." I muttered and frantically started to move things in hopes of finding it. In the midst of my searching a soft tap was heard followed by the opening of the door. "Uh, Sojin." Dongwoo's soft voice rung through the air halting me in my actions for a split second before I resumed them, deciding that finding the bracelet was top priority.
Confusion flushed over his face once he had realized he had been ignored and he slipped into the room, closing the door behind him. "What've you lost this time?" He chuckled at my flustered face and stuffed his hands into his jacket.
I walked past him over to my wardrobe and started to search through all the pockets of my clothes. "It's not funny" I whined opening up my drawer which was filled with shirts and pants. From the corner of my eye I could see him muffling a laugh with his sleeve. Rolling my eyes I turned my head towards him "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me?"
Hearing those words he jumped into action rushing over to the small bookshelf standing in the far corner. After a few quiet moments, Dongwoo rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly "So what exactly are we finding?"
I lifted up one of my shoes and relief hit me like a ton of bricks. "This" I said picking up the red stringed bracelet up with my fingers. I rubbed my thumb over the tree pendent before my mind went straight to the homemade bracelet that man was wearing in the café.
I shook my head, of all the people why was he coming into my mind. I don't even know him. But no matter how many times I told myself this I knew deep down that he had something to do with who I was now. Whether his sudden appearance was more than a mere coincidence or if he was trying to remind me of the past. But is he someone I know, or should know?
"Jinnie! I bought this for you." A 9 year old boy said revealing a small stringed bracelet. I stared at it with confusion but nonetheless gently took it from the boy. "But it's not my birthday oppa..." I said playing with the charm in my hands.
"Silly Jinnie, its a promise charm." he grinned looking down at the bracelet in my hands. I blinked at him "Promise...?" I questioned raising a brow at the smiling boy. "Yep! That no matter what, we would always be there for each other~"
I couldn't wipe the smile that was etched onto my face, someone cares. "Umma was right, if your friend is true you will always know what they're thinking." I whispered pulling out a bracelet crafted with various colored strings. His eyes light up at the sight of it as I tied it around his wrist. "There now we will never be separated." I smiled.
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Tired of listening to the boring rant from my teacher, I turned my head towards the window which had the perfect view of the school's garden. Honestly if it wasn't for the picturesque view I would have been snoring my life away ages ago. After remembering the origin of the familiar colored bracelet and it's connection it had with me, I couldn't stop thinking about him and what significance he had in my life now. Why did he come back?
My hand unknowingly found its way to the red stringed bracelet which was wrapped around my wrist and started to play with the ends of the string - a habit I had grown to ever since I had received it.
But before I could get lost in my thoughts, a small ball of paper hit the side of my face. With my mouth agape I lifted my head and scanned the room for the writer of this note. My eyes soon zeroed down at Sungyeol's mischievous smirk and I quickly scribbled down a reply before hurling the note in his direction.
Woohyun gently nudged me in the ribs then leant down and when he was certain the teacher wasn't looking, whispered in my ear "What'd he want?" I sighed but slightly turned my head "The usual." I muttered under my breath, my eyes darting around the room in case of any unwanted eyes.
He stifled a laugh but managed to quickly pull on a poker face once the teacher had turned to face the class - who, except for a certain few, were bored out of their minds. Just as soon as he turned back around, another piece of ripped paper from Sungyeol's notebook came flying to my head.
My fingers dancing around the crunched paper until they found an opening. Without any hesitation I straightened out the note. Wimp! We ditched last time.
Pulling open the cap to my pen I wrote down a reply and folded the paper back up again. That was a different scenario!
Soon enough I was reopening another note this time ripped from the page of Hoya's workbook. Slightly frowning in surprise, my eyes skimmed over the messy writing of Sungyeol. You're bored out of your mind...it's the same scenario everyday! You just don't want to because your precious Oppa isn't coming.
My mouth flew open in shock but before I could even think of a come back, the bell sounded and everyone flew out of the room in a hurry. I made my way over to Sungyeol and Hoya's desk, stopping in front of the cackling boy. I took a moment to regain my posture before leaning over, pinching his ear - hard!
As if on instinct he yelped, bringing his hand up to his ear in an attempt to ease the pain. I slowly let go, straightening my blazer "Ow, what was that for?" Sungyeol whined rubbing his now red ear lobe. I mockingly dusted my hands off, my eyes meeting his "Don't ever think of ditching no matter how desperate you are."
And with that we left the now empty classroom and made our way towards the back school garden, laughing along the way at the silly jokes we pulled. Out of all the boys, they were the easiest for me to converse with. It wasn't the fact that we shared the same age, but they were more easy-going than the rest.
It wasn't hard to have a chat with the others, but there was still a slight restriction on having a casual conversation with them. It wasn't hard to talk to them, but they seemed to have a bit more trouble to then these boys.
Sunggyu was more serious and level-headed, he liked to sit back in a group conversation and would throw in a few comments here and there, it was probably because he couldn't get much of a word in with the other chatter boxes around. I only ever talk to him when we were devising a plan to shut the boys up or if I needed advice. Despite us having one of the more awkward relationships between the boys, he's always the one I go to whenever I needed someone to talk to or vent out all my feelings to.
While Sunggyu was more the peace maker out of the group, Myungsoo was more of the bad , sassy one. He never spoke much, but if so he was either dissing you or begging for something with a little use of aegyo, which I always gave in to. Sungjong was just like the three trouble makers; crazy and loud. He used his mouth and his cuteness to get what he wanted. His diva side showed most when he talked while his adorable, noona killing side shone though his actions. Either way he took after Sungyeol and Woohyun the most; getting his talkative side from Sungyeol while his aegyo side came from Woohyun - the ultimate mix.
But just because he had personalities based on the two more easy-going boys of the group didn't mean conversations were a stroll in the park. He only ever talked to me when he wanted something or if he wanted me to defend him from his hyungs - either way he wasn't one I would casually talk to about things that happened, will happen, and are happening.
Woohyun, Hoya and Sungyeol made me feel like the teenager I never was. Around them I could let my hair down and forget about all the restrictions in life. They were my own age, and were the closest people I could ever have to being like a normal teenage girl. I couldn't shop or gossip or do what other girls in my class did, but I wasn't bothered. Because I wasn't your typical girl; I spent my time playing video games with the boys, or writing songs in my room.
These boys understood me, they included me in their little group. And despite the obvious differences we share, we got along more than anyone could imagine. These boys were the closest thing I had to family - a perfect family. So putting everything behind us, they made a silent promise to each other to help me build happier memories over the sad. And it was slowly working.
Now as I watch them goof around, all that goes through my head are the moments I was living.
"You know Sojin," Woohyun said snapping me out of my thoughts, "out of you and Dongwoo Hyung, you wear the pants in the relationship." The other two nodded in agreement snickering at the thought.
Hoya chuckled slinging an arm around Sungyeol, "Wasn't it only this morning where Sojin was summoned to kill a spider in Hyung's room?" He comically tapped his chin in thought. I shook my head cracking a smile as the memory replayed in my head.
"Hey, he can't help that he acts like a girl sometimes." I said in his defense causing us all to burst into another fit of giggles.
It wasn't long until we had managed to fight our way through the crowded hallway and out into the school garden. Taking the familiar path, our conversation slowed down a tad as we took in the beauty of all different flowers blooming no matter how cold and harsh the conditions were.
My hand reached out and gently traced a few of the flowers we passed. The sentimental feeling was brewing in the pit of my stomach as I was reminded of the red rose I had given Dongwoo just last week. That evenings events played through my head; his endless promises to always be by my side filled my ears. That night, in just a few simple words, he gave me what I always wanted - reassurance. The vow that no matter what, our love would never falter, our trust will never be lost and that the smiles will never fade.
"Over here guys!" Sunggyu shouted, waving us over to the picnic table by the big willow tree. Nodding, we made our way over to them and swung our legs over the bench so we could sit with them. We pulled out our lunch boxes, our mouths drooling over the delicious kimchi fried rice with kimbap made by Woohyun and I this morning. But before I could even dig my spoon into my food, I voiced out a thought that only just made its way into my mind.
"Where's Dongwoo Oppa?" I tilted my head to the side in confusion. This wasn't like him. Normally he would be the first one here since his and Sunggyu's classroom was the closest to the back garden where we were currently.
Sunggyu cleared his throat "He was going to show the new guy in our class around first."
Of course Dongwoo would do something like that. He is the easiest person to get along with when you first meet. He didn't go shying away and didn't give off any arrogant feel even though he is one of the kingkas in the school.
I nodded slightly at Sunggyu before tearing my eyes away to look back down at my untouched lunch. I could wait. Dongwoo would always wait for me no matter how much his stomach protested. So now I will do the same.
A few minutes passed and the silence in the air was unbearable. It was either something was wrong or the food was too good, because normally these boys would be yapping away while they shoved their mouths and filled their stomachs. I chose the latter, the air and mood was far too relaxed and bubbly for there to be anything wrong.
But my thoughts changed, however, once footsteps were heard from behind me. But what puzzled me was the sound of two shoes hitting the dirt instead of one. Before I could turn around to see who it was, Dongwoo appeared beside the table, a wide grin plastered on his face.
"Hi Oppa!" I waved, silently thanking the lords that he had come then and not later since my hunger wouldn't have lasted any longer. He clasped his hands together and in a breath, "I want to introduce you to someone."
At the sound of meeting someone new, I visibly stiffened. Sure I had gotten passed the whole being cold and not letting anyone in stage. But that only happened once with the boys. Everyone else that I had talked to were only mere classmates who I had only greeted every now and then, nothing more and nothing less.
So once the thought of the boys accepting someone new into their little group crossed my mind, I couldn't help but automatically put the walls back up and flip the switch on my emotions. In all honesty, I was still scared. Even though I had people who cared for me deeply, I was scared of hurting. I was scared of breaking, breaking back into the fragile girl who had lost everything in her life.
I didn't want to be the same girl who sat alone at lunch or who accepted the fact she was bullied for protecting herself. I didn't want to shut people out, but I didn't want to let them in either.
So just like that, I transformed back into the emotionless doll I had created and awaited for their appearance. But what I wasn't ready for wasn't what I had feared. What I wasn't ready for was the shock that had entered my system the minute Dongwoo had called over the boy.
What shocked me was what my eyes were drawn to first. Something my eyes just caught a glimpse of and stayed focused on. Something you wouldn't see because of the intensity his eyes held. I stared at his wrist in shock at what he possessed;
A faded, multicolored stringed bracelet.
I stared wide eyed at him. The walls around my heart were trying hard not to crumble under the immense fear and longing that had suddenly pulsed through my veins. So many things ran through my mind at that moment in time.
Slowly, I stood up and took a step back.
I closed my eyes not wanting it to be true.
This wasn't true. It can't be true.
I let out a small shaky whisper as my hands fell to my sides.
"Oppa..."
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A/N:
So who do you think it is? And what impact did they have on Sojin?
Did this chapter help with the understanding of Sojin's character and the others? I'm just curious... *starts singing SHINee's Sherlock* OH I'M CURIOUS YEAH!!
Oh and I want to ask your opinion...
Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think!
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