Train Tracks

"I'm getting married," you said casually as you sat next to me, sipping carefully at the hot chocolate that we bought at a nearby cafe. You stare distantly down the railroad tracks as we wait for the train to take us back to Seoul.

I stare at my mittened hands as my mind screams and my heart explodes. My eyes turn towards your smaller frame, your thin white hands. Silly noona, it's mid-February and you still don't wear gloves?

"Noona . . ." I fake a smile as you face me, looking at those beautiful dark eyes and long, straight, dark auburn hair. Gently, I take the foam cup from your hands and set it to my left, and as you whine, I take off my mittens and place them over your frigid fingers. I laugh as you pout slightly, for you were always that independent and stubborn noona that didn't particularly enjoy people pointing out the weather to you.

"Taemin . . . thank you," you say, smiling slightly. I hand back your hot chocolate and look down the railway, whistling a nameless tune.

"So, who's the lucky guy?" I try to ask casually with a smile, but I find that I just can't look at your face as I ask.

"A colleague I met while I was studying in Japan. His name is Jung Yunho, I think you'd like him. He's very manly, tall, and . . . well, he's really reliable and sweet." I continue to smile as jealousy twists in my gutt as your face blushes a few shades as you talk about your fiance. I wish your face would look that satisfied when you spoke about me, too, noona . . . I look at that face and my smile slips away as you turn away when the train arrives. You rise and place the now-empty foam cup in the waste bin and return to the bench with your mittened hand extended to me.

"Let's go," You tug my hands and lead me to our seats as my mind and heart travel to when we were younger, before you went away to study in Japan. Noona . . . why?

We were neighbours, and I can't remember life without you; my parents moved into the same apartment complex before I was born. Mom and dad loved each other very much, but they tended not to see eye-to-eye often, and I hated being caught in their crosshairs, so I often hung out at your place and played videogames with you and hyung. Back then, you guys had a hyper kitty called Heebum, but now he's all grown-up and bit fat, lazy, and spoiled. You helped  me with my homework many times, and according to mom, you and hyung used to look after me when she and dad were out.

Seven years ago, hyung moved out to live with some friends at a college dorm, and you admitted that you were a bit lonely without your weird older brother, so I hung out with you more than with my friends.

Six years ago, when I was in high school, I was stopped by some older kids on my way home from an evening cram school class. Back then, I was a lot thinner, shorter . . . Those kids wanted money for cigarettes, but I only had the allowance that mom and dad gave me to spend on emergencies and meals, so of course I told them, "sorry, I don't have any money," and tried to leave . . . but pain and alarms go off like fireworks in my brain as their leader begins to beat me, telling me I shouldn't be so rude to a sunbae. And it was that night that I think I fell in love with you. You were heading home with your arms loaded with heavy groceries for your mother; it really wasn't your business who and why these big hyungs were beating on the roadside. You confronted them bravely, and even as they pushed you and mocked your short stature, you didn't budge and told them to take a pee in the wind. My lip was busted and it was too painful for me to tell you to run, so I rammed the leader, hoping that you would run. But you didn't. You made all of them spit out at least two teeth each as you slammed grocery bags and your purse into their faces. And just like right now, you grabbed my hands and guided me home . . .

But then, our happiness ended five years ago when you went to Japan to finish your studies.

"Taemin?"

I blinked several times. "Sorry, noona, I spaced out. Did you say something?" I look around. When did we get on the train? And wow, there's a lot of people on the train . . .

"It's ok. Taemin," you begin, looking at me with your eyes narrowed. I gulped. You only did that when you were angry or unhappy. "How tall are you now?"

"My height?" You nodded. "Um . . . about 175 centimeters, I think . . . why?"

You sighed comically. "I used to see the top of your head back when it was undyed."

"Sorry, noona, but I grew," I grinned evilly. "You grew a bit, too, right? You're over 159 centimeters now, right?" You huffed and punch my arm lightly, staring out the window at the dark landscape. "Why suddenly interested in height, noona? How tall is . . .?" I can't say it. I don't want to say that word unless it relates to me. Fiance?

You flick a glance at me and my heart aches. You sigh. "He's about 180 centimeters. God, I look a grade-schooler standing next to guys like you two . . . I wish I was taller, maybe then I'd be prettier . . ."

"Noona, you're beautiful and perfect just the way you are," I blurted out, quickly covering my mouth as I feel my ears burning. 

You look at me with a slightly baffled expression.

"Sorry," I mumble, looking away. You ruffle my now-blond hair and chuckle.

"Thanks, you little rascal."

When we arrived at the terminal, you immediately dashed off to find a bathroom to fix your makeup and hair, even though I already told you that you looked fine at least ten times. I sigh as I stand outside the bathrooms, waiting for you. Passerbys whisper to each other, some thinking that I'm a ert, some thinking that I'm a sweet boyfriend that's waiting for his girl. I wish I was.

I look around the station and see many couples hand in hand and can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. I stare at my feet and want to sulk a bit, but someone taps my shoulder. I look up to see a very tall man with a small face.

"Hello?" I greet him.

"Hello," he smiles warmly and chuckles. "Your girl taking forever in there?"

I smile back weakly. "Yeah, noona tends to take forever in the bathroom. She thinks she needs to have makeup and perfect hair to be beautiful."

"Girls," the tall man rolled his eyes.

"Yeah," and we talk comfortably for a bit. 

From the corner of my eye, I can see Boa-noona leaving the restroom, and wrap up my conversation with this man.

"Sorry, but . . . What's your name, hyung, assuming you're older . . . ?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I probably am older, there's no way you're older than me and look like that."

"How old are you, if it's ok?"

"I turned twenty-seven last week," he laughed. It was a warm, pleasant sound. Almost a bit like a child's laugh . . . "I'm Yunho. Jung Yunho, you?" He extends his hand to me as my heart nearly stops.

"Taemin, there you go again, speaking with strangers! No wonder you got beaten up as a kid," you pinch my elbow teasingly while looking at your fiance. "Yunho, why are you here? I thought you were at work!"

"I left early--"

Then you began scolding him, and he shot me a helpless look.

I burst out laughing at you and him, realizing that even through my jealousy, you two are a match made in heaven by the way you scold him. "Noona, relax. Aren't you glad to see him?"

"Yeah, I left work early for you--"

"Why do you men always think the 'I did it for you' excuse always works!" you huffed. "Don't tell me you drove, you idiot! It's snowing out!"

He looks away sheepishly, and I can't help but smile and shrug when he looks to me for help. That's noona; you can't beat her, and if you make her upset . . . well, right now, you have to deal with her.

"Yeah, I drove--"

"Noona, I'm hungry, let's go eat," I cut in before she starts nagging Yunho-hyung again. Boa-noona puffs out her cheeks before quickly turning on her heel and walking a few feet ahead, and Yunho-hyung mouths a quick "thank you" before she turns around again.

"Well? Let's go, I'm hungry, too!"

"Coming, dear," Yunho shakes his head, following his fiancee. He tugs my hands just as she used to and we go together.

"Yes, noona," I say, smiling slightly. Congratulations, noona . . . 

I tug on Yunho-hyung's coat sleeve lightly. "I like you right now, but . . . if you ever make noona unhappy, you'll answer to me, got it?"

He pouts. "I would never do that. Besides, have you ever had her sling her purse or heels at you?"

I winced. "Nope." But I've seen her sling her purse. "Best of wishes to the both of you."

"Thanks."

"Hurry up!"

END

A/N 20130618 - Crack pairing made by dice whoo~ My first time ^^ I wanted to write an EunHae type scenario with a similar plot, but I noticed a lack of female idols paired with male idols on my wall ^^; && I just had to slip in a Kim Heechul reference with Heebum, apologies for that and any grammatical/spelling/content errors ^-^