“You’re family”

-Aunt Mina

26 | Cows

KMW Electronics Co. Ltd. Charity Event

We from the family of KMW Electronics Co. Ltd. would like to invite everyone to join us for our annual charity event happening tomorrow at Shilla Hotel starting at 3pm. What’s even more special this year is that our esteemed heroine, none other than Miss Seoul Superwoman Kim SooJin, who is going to become one of the family members soon, will be giving a speech at the event. It is surely a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear our heroine’s motivational speech in public for the first time. So, don’t miss this opportunity and let’s participate and donate to help those in need.

From us, KMW Electronics Co. Ltd. family.

*************************

I used to hate this place.

Back then, I could not wait to grow up and get out of here. I wanted so badly to live the modern city life in Seoul. I had once thought that once I have lived in Seoul, I would never come back to this place that I used to call home. I was sure that I would never ever miss this weird place—this place where my life had been filled with nothing but embarrassment and heartache.

I was wrong.

It was funny how I literally had came running back after heartache. It did not even take me a minute to make that decision, like my own body knew what to do without thinking.

The look on Umma’s face when she opened the gate to our house, I don’t think I could ever forget that. Maybe it was because I was sobbing like a little girl that Umma decided to hug me without saying a word—like she understood that all I wanted most at the time was some comfort from her warmth.

“Oh my poor SooJin,” she had said after a while, “I didn’t know that it was real.”

 The rest of my family too was surprised by my sudden appearance but weirdly enough, none of them had asked me anything which made me come to the conclusion that maybe my crying face was too pitiful that they did not have the heart to ask me questions. Or maybe Umma had threatened them with some funny threats—like not cooking them dinner—that they decided that it was best to leave me alone. Nevertheless, the topic of MinWoo had never once came out of their mouths.

My family, although they could be the weirdest family in the world, they could also be the sweetest family at times.

For now at least, it feels good to be home.

*************

“Ta-dah! Here’s my super special fried chicken!” I chirped excitedly as I lay down the dish on the almost-full dining table.

My family’s mouths gaped open.

“This is your 24th super special dish!” SooJung exclaimed, “How many more are we expecting?!”

Umma sent her a look and she looked down, terrified by it. “Omo, SooJin-ah,” Umma said in that weird sugar-coated voice, “Don’t you think that we’ve had enough? There are only seven of us. Come, let’s just enjoy our lunch.”

“Yeah, it’s not like we’re feeding the entire village!” SungMin retorted. Umma glowered at him. “What?!” he asked defensively, “I was just stating the facts!”

“If you’re studying hard in college, you’ll know what ‘facts’ are, you rotten child!” Umma’s glares did not die down and SungMin was left defeated by lowering his gaze to his plate.

SoHyun was giggling at Umma’s outburst but immediately hid her giggles behind her hand when she was then the next target of Umma’s deadly glares. I did not even know my mother could be so terrifying. However, I knew that she meant well. She wanted to make sure that I was fine.

“Eat up, everyone!” I said in my made-up cheerful voice. My family just looked at me wordlessly, like trying to figure out what to say, “What’s with the silence?!” I said, “C’mon! Eat up! It’s going to be cold!”

SunMi was the first to oblige. Like a hungry refuge, she took the fried chicken and devoured them in a matter of seconds. The rest of my sisters followed suit. I saw Umma exchanging meaningful glances with Appa.

SungMin shook his head and slammed his chopsticks on the table. “What is it this time, SooJin?!” he yelled, sounding irritated, “What has that rich guy done to you?!”

Finally, someone was brave enough to mention about him.

“What do you mean?” I forced a smile, trying to act oblivion to his question, “Eat up. You’re going to eat this.”

“Just let it go, SungMin!” Umma said, giving him a look.

“Don’t tell me to let it go when she’s obviously acting crazy!” SungMin yelled, “The last time she cooked this much was when JiWoon broke her heart. So tell me SooJin, what is it this time? Did he call off the engagement? Is it what this is about?!”

“SungMin!!” Umma and Appa yelled in unison, their voices echoing through the house.

“He did?!” SooJung gasped, “But Oppa is so handsome. It’ll be a great loss!”

“I knew it was too good to be true,” SoHyun lamented.

“This is so delicious. I wish she’d cook for us everyday,” SunMin on the other hand did not even take an ounce of interest in my failed love life.

“Nothing’s wrong,” I said, using every ounce of my strength to keep myself from shaking, “It’s just been a long time since I cooked for you guys.”

“Bullsh.1t!” SungMin said, “You’re the world’s most terrible liar!”

“That’s enough, SungMin!” Appa bellowed, “You’re coming with me.”

I watched as Appa dragged SungMin by the collar of his shirt out of the house. SungMin tried to wiggle his way out but Appa’s force was too strong for him and he soon reluctantly followed.

My sisters took that as a sign that they should not further hurt my feelings or else something similar would happen to them so they quickly eat whatever was served in front of them with Umma following suit. It was weird how my loud family could eat in such a quiet environment.

“This is so good, SooJin-ah,” Umma smiled, being the first to break the silence. My sisters nodded their heads in unison, agreeing to Umma’s words.

It broke my heart to see how hard they were trying to take care of my feelings. I did not think that I was able to hold it in any longer so I stood up.

“I’m going out,” I said, blinking back tears that were already forming in my eyes, “I want to go around the village. I miss this place so much. Just finish everything up,” I forced a smile.

As I was leaving, I could hear Umma saying, “Be careful, SooJin!”

It was the same words that she had said to me when I wanted to run away to Haneul’s house after JiWoon broke my heart. I think it was the only words she could think of to say to me in moments like this. She was scared that whatever words she uttered could lead to my breakdown.

Tears that I had been holding began to stream down my face as I left the house. I knew the day would come when MinWoo would leave me for EunJae but I did not expect for it to come so soon. There was a glimmer of hope that it might be real when he started to act caring towards me but it might just be another lie. My tears became heavier when I thought about the kiss.

It was nothing, nothing but a lie.

Again, I had fallen for the wrong guy.

****************

I did not know for how long I had been sitting at the edge of the stream, just crying my hearts out. From my reflection in the water, I could see how my eyes were swollen like it had been stung by a bee.

Apparently, I was not the only one who thinks that.

“What are you doing crying here, noona? Your eyes are so swollen.”

Startled, I looked up to find the crazy boy who was in love with cows. It was not surprising to see the cow tied with a string around its neck beside him. It might be one of his strings of ‘girlfriends’, that playboy!

“What are you talking about?” I said defensively, “They’re not swollen.”

The boy shook his head, sympathy oozing out from his eyes as he gazed down at me. It was pathetic to be sympathised on, especially by a boy like him.

“Honey,” he turned to look at the cow which was munching on the grass near the stream, “She must have quarrelled with her boyfriend. I won’t make you cry like her boyfriend did, okay?”

“Moo,” was all the animal could muster.

The crazy boy nodded his head and patted his ‘girlfriend’s’ head lovingly. I did not know why but I found that loving scene so hilarious that I began to laugh like a maniac.

The crazy boy looked at me, still sympathising. “Are you okay, noona?”

“I’m fine,” I said in between giggles, “Thanks to you.”

The boy looked satisfied with my answer. He led his ‘girlfriend’ to the grass before leaving it there to sit beside me.

“Isn’t my girlfriend pretty?” he asked.

I choked on my saliva, trying hard to hold my laughter. “Very,” was all I could mutter.

The boy smiled, his eyes crinkled as he gazed at his loved one fondly. “You’re the only who agrees,” he grinned. Then, a flicker of hurt crossed his eyes and he looked down in sorrow. “My Umma doesn’t approve of us,” he stated sadly, “She wants to send me away.”

Oh, dear God! What is this?! I am having a serious heartache and you expect me to listen to this crazy boy’s love story with cows?

Seriously?!

“And why is that?” I asked. “Where is she sending you?” In my mind, I was already agreeing with his mother. I mean, what mother would let her son have a relationship with cows?

He shrugged. “She said it’s a place where there are others like me.”

It was obvious that she meant the mental hospital but of course I didn’t tell him that. I didn’t have the heart to say it, especially when I saw how sad he had looked. Instead, I tried to move on to a lighter subject. “What is your girlfriend’s name?” I asked, pouting my mouth towards the cow which was happily munching on the grass.

“That’s Honey,” he suddenly looked so happy, “She likes the grass here the most so that’s why I bring her here everyday.”

Honey?

Oh, dear God!

“What is your name?” I asked him. I suddenly realized that I didn’t even know his name—only referring him as the crazy boy who was in love with cows.

“I’m MinJoon,” he smiled.

“Don’t you wanna know my name?” I asked.

“I already know your name, SooJin noona,” he replied, “He was always talking about you.”

I looked at him confused. “Who’s he?” I asked.

MinJoon grinned. “JiWoon hyung,” he said, “He always comes here to talk about you. He told me all the crazy things you used to do to him. Even Honey finds it crazy.”

Okay, it was creepy that even a cow found my previous antics crazy.

“It was not that crazy!” I retorted defensively, “Besides, why does he even talk about me?!”

MinJoon chuckled. “Isn’t it obvious, noona?” he said, “He likes you, that’s why. But noons, I know that you don’t like him anymore. You like that handsome hyung from the other day, don’t you?”

I choked on my saliva. Was I that obvious that even this crazy kid knows about my one-sided love?! However, I didn’t say anything, too embarrassed to even let MinJoon knew that he was right.

“I know how you feel noona,” he said, “My ex-girlfriend was pretty too.”

I looked at him, curious to know whether his ex was human or not.

“My mother mated her with another cow. She said that they are from the same group so they belong together but she didn’t know that what we had was special. My mom said that I had to let her go so that she could be happy with someone who matches her.”

“You poor thing,” I said, able to share what he felt. It was really heartbreaking to think that he had to let her go so that she could be happy. Come to think of it, it was the same scenario for me and MinWoo. I had to let him go because we didn’t belong together.

Wait a minute.

What was I thinking? Was I even comparing my love story with this crazy boy’s?! I mean, his girlfriend wasn’t even human! I must really be going out of my mind. I shook my head hard, trying to get myself to think straight.

“So what did you do?” I asked once I had calmed myself down.

MinJoon shrugged. “I cut the string,” he replied.

I looked at him with one eyebrow raised. “String?” I asked. He must have meant the relationship.

MinJoon nodded. “Yeah, the string around her neck,” he said, “I cut it. I bought a new string and when I found Honey, I tied it to her neck so that we’ll be together forever.”

Oh, dear God! What am I even listening to?!

“So what if your mother wants you to end things with Honey too?” I asked.