Title Song:

Dynamite - SHINee

Chapter 5: Foster Cousin.

“I’m kind of busy right now, Tao.”

“But hyung, Kris-hyung won’t come with me to the mall!” Tao whined on the other end of the line as I kept my eyes on the road. “And Sehun’s being a lazy brat. He said he’s going to sleep the whole day! Could you believe that?!”

I chuckled upon hearing Tao’s distressed voice. When will he ever grow up?

“That’s not so hard to believe, actually.” I said proudly as I can imagine the dumbfounded look on Tao’s face right now. “Kris is still in his office, his table was loaded with . I actually pity that guy.”

“How about you? Where are you and what are you doing?” Tao asked, full of suspicion in his voice.

“I’m driving right now. I forgot something back at the condo.”

It was a Saturday today and I’m heading back to my place again. It was only 5 am when I woke up and knowing me, it was a miracle. I immediately went to my office in the company and decided to be diligent in my work, solely due to the reason of wanting to keep my mind preoccupied—I’m not a career-oriented type of guy. I actually planned to take the day off, but seeing as I almost screwed up big time last night, if I only idle and rest back at my place, my mind wouldn’t think of anything but what happened. Believe me, it was dreadful.

Last night after getting back to my place, I immediately went to bed and wished to just forget about everything. Though it may sound easy, my mind didn’t forgive me and allowed me to think about it for the whole night. Albeit I don’t look like the type to get bothered with things like that and I actually had a few encounters with the female species here and there before, I actually do care. I may keep a calm and careless look but deep inside, I’m already freaking out. Not to mention the age of that girl which I almost screwed—seventeen! The girl that lives right next to our building is freaking seventeen! Not only did I get late before but I also almost went to jail because of her!

Yes, I forgot her name and I don’t have any plans on trying to remember it anymore.

Ah, this must be fate. Maybe I’m getting punished for breaking all those hearts that I used to play with before. I’m not really a Casanova or anything alike, but I admit that I did take on quite a few ladies back in my younger years. Why did I sound so old saying it like that?

I sound so experienced with the opposite gender but here I am, a twnty-two year old man that still gets nosebleeds over a seventeen year old girl. Fantastic.

“I don’t believe you, hyung.” Tao argued. “You must be on your way to the club now.”

I chuckled at Tao’s accusation. “It’s freaking 6 in the morning and you expect me to go clubbing? Please do me a favour and use your head for once.”

“How cruel, hyung!”

“I know.” I said, turning right on a street. “Go ask Xiumin or Lay, not me.”

“But hyung—“

“Bye!” Without hearing what Tao has to say, I immediately ended the call and tossed my phone on the passenger’s seat.

I was driving carelessly on the road when I saw faint figures of what seems to be luggage and people just beside the streets. I narrowed my eyes and saw an old and rundown building nearing my sight. That’s not the condominium, is it?

Upon getting closer, I realized that I actually drove to the old apartment building right next to the condo building. Damn, Tao made me drive on the wrong side!

I was about to go straight and make a u-turn when a person suddenly jumped on the road, just in front of my driveway, causing me to press the breaks really hard as if my life depended on it. Good thing there’s no car behind me or else it would be total wreckage. I mean, who the hell in their right mind would suddenly jump on the road?!

I removed my seatbelt and unlocked the car before getting a closer look in front of me. In that instant, I knew that I was possibly hallucinating.

“Lu Han-ssi—I mean oppa!”

Or not.

My eyes instantly doubled their size as my ears twitched. Did that girl from last night just call me oppa?

Without my consent, I was already being pulled from my car and into the road as I was faced by a middle aged woman and a youthful looking man. 

“Oppa! Why are you late? I was waiting for you!”

Right at that moment, I don’t think anybody could beat the size of my eyes as I really can’t comprehend everything that’s happening. The girl from last night’s calling me oppa, she’s pouting really cutely, she’s clinging to my arm really close, causing for me to realize that her body’s really matured compared to most of her age, and here I am, a grown up man thinking of a few impure thoughts just because he was able to feel a young girl’s chest. Is my mind really that corrupted?

I shook my head to clear up any polluted thoughts and looked at the girl beside me sternly. “What are you—“

“Who’s he?” The middle aged woman and the man wearing formal clothes asked in unison, eyeing me from head to toe.

I was about to answer back when the girl beside me beat me to it, causing me to really have the biggest surprise in my entire twenty-two years of living.

“He’s my cousin, Lu Han-oppa.”

“Oh, nice to meet you Lu Han-ssi.” The guy said, taking out his hand to shake mine. I turned to look at the girl beside me as she only gestured for me to take it, and I don’t even know why I hesitantly followed. “I’m Kim Joonmyun, the class adviser of Jaera’s class.”

So her name is Jaera, now I remember even if I said I don’t have any plans to—wait! I don’t remember having any cousin by the name of Jaera!

“You might be a little surprised with my sudden visit.” No, Sherlock. “But I need to talk to you about Jaera’s recent behaviours in school which is getting out of hand.”

I turned to look at Jaera again and saw her rolling her eyes discreetly at Mr. Kim. Well, what do we have here? A problematic student with a bit of an attitude, makes me feel nostalgic.

I was watching Jaera as she mouthed some words like ‘please’ and ‘I beg you’ to me when the middle aged woman suddenly interrupted. “Well, before you proceed with your conversations and what not, since you two gentlemen are here already, could you remove all of Jaera’s boxes from her room? The new tenant will be coming in later this afternoon.”

Jaera’s eyes widened as her hands suddenly unclasped themselves from my arm and grabbed the middle aged woman’s hand. “But ahjumma—“

“So that’s why your luggage is here.” Mr. Kim said, eyeing the bags scattered on the floor with a smile. “You and Lu Han-ssi are moving out.”

My face fell as Jaera also did the same, obviously not expecting this. “Uh… yes Mr. Kim.”

And she even said yes! I didn’t know that I used to live in a rundown apartment.

“Okay then, since I’m here already, might as well help the two of you move.” Mr. Kim said, pulling up his jacket before crouching down to the bags. “Where to though?”

Now what are you going to say to this kind man? I wasn’t saying anything as I find this situation kind of funny and interesting. These kinds of things never happen to your everyday life and recently, I’ve been very much stressed because of some stupid family matters that I don’t want to discuss. Although meeting with this girl is my last wish, I’d like to see how far she’ll go with lying to her class adviser.