二
12 Handsome Brothers of the Zodiac
'Frost'
I walk into the kitchen and see Suho, Xiumin and Baekhyun. I don't really pay much attention to them as I'm so tired! It's been about a week since I moved in, althouhg I'm still completely confused whenever someone morfs into an animal, I'm just going to live with it for the time being. I don't have much of a choice.
"Good morning Sora, how did you sleep last night?" Suho asks with his cute eye smile.
I nod. "Yeah it's getting better, does Kai have to howl every night at stupid o'clock?" I ask, I know my sleep-filled eyes can tell them that I'm not getting used to the midnight howl, and 2am howl-- and 4am howl. But I don't look at them just look at the empty fridge.
Baekhyun laughs catching my attention. "Yes, he does." He comes closer to me and is about to say something when Xiumin shouts.
"You can't put us on basic rashonings?!"
I look to them and Suho grabs his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "None of us work apart from Kris, we can't afford to live like this."
I grab Baekhyun's arm, pulling him towards me. I didn't even notice the tension in the air as I came in 5 minutes ago... "Why is there so much drama first thing in the morning?" I try to say it quiet so only Baekhyun can hear me.
"We're running out of money fast, althought we're Chinese mythical creatures doesn't mean we can magic up food, we only get a certain amount of time to come and live with humans... but we have to live like they do." He explains.
I sigh and say. "You have to live like humans, but- you still have your powers and transformations?"
He nods.
"Look Xiumin, unfortunately we're going to have to cut down. Unless you want to go and get a job, that's not going to need your personal information. We're going to have to live a bit less luxurious." Suho says calming down the ragin pig that's slowly forming.
Within seconds he's transformed... and is roaring around the kitchen.
Baekhyun sits on the counter and asks me. "Would you like some breakfast?"
"The fridge is empty." I state the obvious.
He nods and tilts his head to the stove, where there's soup cooking in a large pot. "I've cooked enough for everyone."
I can smell it. "Mmmm... Baek you are THE best chef ever."
He laughs and Suho stops chasing the pig and comes over to us. "You two have gotten pretty close... Baek?" He raises an eyebrow at us.
We just giggle together. It's true, we do get along alot better than I do with the others, I've never seen Baekhyun transform and he doesn't make me feel awkward and scared at all. He doesn't even use his powers much... "We're friends." I say with a smile.
Suho nods and then pouts. "What about me Sora? Am I not your friend... you only want to spend time with Baekhyun."
There's a growl from the door. "Why is there a pig on the counter?" Chanyeol asks.
We look towards the stove and see Xiumin-pig stood next to the pot. Not yet eating. "Xiumin!" Suho yells then water from the sink raises and with great force pushes Xiumin-pig off the counter, he turns back to his human form and is practically crying.
"How can you think I can live on basic rashonings, I'm a pig! I'm naturally a pig! Since before time I've always been a pig." He sobs.
I get closer to him and put a teatowl on his wet hair, I start to dry it and say. "Maybe, if you want to have such glorious food, you should do as Suho says and get a job."
"I've got one now." Chanyeol says stood in the door way.
I look to him. "Who would hire a hot-headed tiger boy?"
"A 'Host Club' I'll introduce you late Xiumin, they want good looking men. And well none of us lack." He snarls.
I start laughing. "You're going to sell yourselves?"
"All you have to do is talk to rich ladies, doesn't seem too hard?" He says edging closer making me a bit jumpy. "Plus you don't need any personal details."
Xiumin hops to his feet, leaving me crouched on the ground. "Really? Can you introduce me? Do you get meals during the breaks?"
Suho grabs my arm pulling me to my feet. "Are 'Host Club's bad Sora? We haven't been in this time long..."
"Well it's not innocent like the manga's make it out to be." I answer.
He nods. "I'm against anyone under this roof working in a host club."
Chanyeol growls and grabs my wrist lifting me from the floor. "Why are you listening to this peuny human?"
I look at him with a stern expression then reach for a glass full of water on the side and splash it in his face making him drop me. "Bad kitty."
He goes for me again and Suho steps in. "Leave. Sora. Alone."
I flinch and see Chanyeol storm out of the room. "Hot-headed feline..." I mumble with a stern puff in my voice.
"Don't worry Sora, he's just like that." Baekhyun says examining my body to see if there's any wounds.
I nod. "He's the only one that makes me worry anymore..."
Part 2;
"I'm going out." I call when I reach the bottom of the stairs, it's late afternoon... I didn't know if anyone was home and I'm surprised to see a pig staring at me. "Xiumin, what's up?" I ask when I come around from the shock.
He transforms and sighs sitting on the bottom step. "Where are you going?"
"I want to contribute to the earnings here too, since I have a birth certificate and passport- I thought it'd be easier for me to find a part-time job." I pat his shoulder and say. "When I get paid, I'll buy you some chicken feet?"
He shakes his head and says. "Pork skin!"
I look around and then back to him. "How can you eat that? I mean you're a--- pig?"
"I'm a mythical pig, and since we came to Korea... Pork skin is the best!" He says with a bright expression.
"Mythical pig? Still a pig in my eyes." I state with a stern voice. "Anyway, I'm going... see you late tonight."
He stands up and acts all weird. "I'll come with you."
"Why?" I retort.
"I want to get a job too, I think I know an ajumma who can give us both jobs, if you're interested?" He says with a smile.
I shake my head in confusion. "I thought you didn't have 'papers'?"
"This ajumma is really cool, and makes the BEST ddokbokki."
I nod and open the door ushering him out, he slips his converse on and I slip on my vans we're gone. Out the door, out the front garden and down the street. "So this ajumma's place, why do you think she'll hire us both?"
"She's been asking me to work with her, because of my knowledge of food and good looks." He says with a grin.
I cringe at his self confidence. "Right, okay?"
"Plus, she's all alone and her place is always really busy. She cooks, serves and cleans! I'm sure she'll want the help." He nods as if he knows everything, mystical pig.
We arrive at the resturant after a, practically awkward to death, walk over. It's not to far, which is good, I wouldnt have to pay for travel. But is Xiumin really--- nieve or is this Ajumma that great? I sigh when we enter and soon Xiumin is bombarded by an old lady.
"Aigoo, look at you. You're losing weight, my little Minseokie!" She says with a sad expression. Did she just call him Minseok-ie? Minseok... could that be the Korean name he has and uses? "Sit, I'll get you some food."
He nods and then says. "Actually ajumma, do you need any part-timers?"
She smiles and says. "Of course! You want to work with ajumma, how could I say no?" She looks to me and I straighten myself out. "You too?" She askes with a warm smile.
"If it's not an inconvinience... I'm looking for part time work to." I say with a slight bow. "I'm Sora."
She giggles and places her hands on my cheek. "A pretty name for a pretty girl... Minseokie, is this your girlfriend?"
I shake my head. "No, it's not like that Ajumma... We live-" Oh, crap.
"Live?"
"I'm a room-mates younger sister... I'm temporarily staying there." I say with the best excuse I can find.
She nods. "Oh, who's sister? I've met all 11 of the other guys, Minseokie brings them often."
I think hard, who should I pick? Who do I look like... Thinking, thinking... "Baekhyun." Random... I don't look like Baekhyun at all. Oh well, I'm closer to him than the others.
"Yeah, she's Baekhyun's little sister, we're treating her well."Minseok- uh, I mean Xiumin says whilst eating some food placed on the side. "You knew I was coming ajumma, look at this pork belly--- ummm..."
I laugh at him and the ajumma grabs my arm taking me into the kitchen. "Is Minseok's state any better?"
I look out at Xiumin whose greeting some customers, he's right, it's busy. "State?" I ask confused.
"You don't know? I thought since all the boys are the same." She says with a hurt expression. "Maybe because Baekhyun is improving Minseokie too..." Her eyes start to water and I lean my hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, I must look really silly."
I shake my head. "Of course not, you seem really worried about Xiumin?"
"His mother left him, she doesn't believe he'll recover... his little sister and-- all his family just up and went." She says. "Since he was little he ate at this resturant with his family. I thought since he came on his own he was progressing... on the memory loss."
I look at her and blink a couple times, memory loss? What memory loss... "Right, the memory loss..." I play along. "I don't know Xiumin's situation much though- sorry."
"He was in an accident with his father and little sister, his father died at the scene and Minseokie was put into a medical induced coma. For his own health... it's been 4 years-- then he woke up. But he doesn't remember anything about himself or his family. He adapted the name Xiumin after living with the other boys. All of them miracolously woke up from comas-- I think anyway, I didn't hear every story." She says with tears running down her cheeks. "I thought today he might have remembered since he used to work part time here before the accident."
I nod. "Oh. Really?" I bite my lip, how am I meant to respond to this?
"I think you should go and help Minseok take the orders." She smiles wiping her tears.
I leave her with a smile and go to Xiumin, who looks really busy and irritated. "Who knew working would be this hard?" He says with a scoff.
I laugh at him and then look back to the ajumma, so he was in an accident, then in a medical induced coma for 4 years, to wake up and remember nothing. Oh, didn't the guys mention something about taking the older bodies? Or something... I don't quite remember. But, does that mean they've just taken the bodies of people in comas? People that aren't able to get up and have fun-- they've just taken them. What about families? Or friends... I just don't get it, peicing it together makes sense, but then why do they have no personal documents? If they were real people, no if they took real peoples bodies, they'd have birth certificates, passports?
"Sora, can you take the order at table 4?" Xiumin says pulling me from my trance.
"Yeah, I'll do that now."
I smile and take the order, though I'm still thinking about those 12 brothers.
Work ends it's now 1am and the shop is closed. I look to the ajumma who is staring at Xiumin whilst he wipes the tables down. It was weird today, watching him work and her admire him as if he's amazing... because she thinks he remembers her? But Xiumin doesn't know her right?
"Xiumin..." I see the ajumma look at me. "...oppa, shall we head home?"
He nods. "You never call me oppa?" He says with a funny face.
"Don't like it too much, I need to act natural around normal people." I say, then poke his arm.
"Wait, your money!" The ajumma calls out. We turn to her and she hands us both about 50 each. "Here, it's not much but I hope you come back tomorrow... at say 12 noon? That's when we get busy."
I nod to her and then say. "This is a bit much for only a few hours..." I try to give her some money back and she pushes us out the door. "You fed us too, Ajumma!" I call as she shuts the door. I look to Xiumin who's just happy having money.
"Wah, let's go buy food!" He goes to skip off but I grab his hood and pull him back, taking his money. "Yah..." He groans.
I smile and say with a adult like voice. "Why did we get a part time job?"
"To buy food?"
I shake my head and then hit his. "Why did we get a part time job?"
"So we can live comfortably at home with food." He says with a pout.
I nod and pat his head softly. "Good boy, pigs can be obidient too."
He runs his hand through his hair and smiles to me, really cutely. "Let's get home, I think I need a 1am snack!"
I laugh and nod. "Shall we?" I throw my arm around his shoulder and we joke, I feel we're a bit closer after this working thing... but I still need to know about the whole ajumma situation. "Xiumin, why does that ajumma call you Minseok?"
He shrugs his shoulder and says. "I don't know, about 2 days after we arrived, I walked past that place and got a good feeling in my stomach." He smiles and pats his baby pudge. "So I went in, the ajumma was so happy and soon started calling me Minseok, maybe it's a cute thing to call people who like your food?"
I shake my head. "It's not, people that like their food, are usually called pigs."
"I wonder then..."
I bite my lip and the question is bubbling.
"Yah! Get him out of here!"
We look up and see a club at the end of the road, there's some sort of brawl outside. "What's going on?" Xiumin says getting closer.
I grab his arm and say. "Don't go too close, these kind of things you need to stay away from."
"He touched my !"
Xiumin coughs and becomes awkward all of a sudden.
"Really..." I say with an eyebrow raised. I go to turn when I see a familiar tall guy falling from the club. "Tiger."
"Chanyeol?" Xiumin says catching sight of him too. Then he storms forward and flattens a man trying to push Chanyeol around.
I sigh and run towards them knowing I'll need to make a distraction. Then I scream and pretend to faint. Everyone gathers around me and as I 'come through' I gesture the two to run away. "I'm okay now... It's fine just a bit hot tonight." I say weakly getting pulled to my feet by some incredably handsome men.
"You look so pale, shall we entertain you as compensation for fainting at the sight of this terrible scene?" One asks, he's sparkling, isn't he?
Another holds my hand and pats it softly. "You're a noona, right? Noona is the prettiest, I've seen!"
Oh crap, these flower boys are my weakness! I feel myself blushing and their ushering me towards the door, until there's another hand on me. On my wrist, tight and firm. Not one of these flower boys... I look out and see Chanyeol with sweat running down his forehead. "Let's go."
Before I can answer he pulls me out from the hands of the flower boys and we run down and meet Xiumin, then run more until we reach home.
"What were you doing?!" Chanyeol yells getting inside the mansion.
I cough and catch my breath bent over, I don't know either.
"She don't know either." Luhan says coming from the living room. "Dont yell, it's almost 2am."
Suho has joined us with D.O and Lay. "What's happened? Why are you all so-- out of breath?" Suho asks.
I look up and see blood dripping from Chanyeol's head. "Blood." I point and Lay moves towards Chanyeol in a panic waving his hands around.
"You didn't answer my question." Suho says with a stern look.
I look to Xiumin who's sat on the stairs holding his side. "We got a part time job, and was walking home when there was some trouble outside a club."
"I was working too!" Chanyeol said whilst the blood slowly dissapeared. "Don't act like you were the only one working."
I sigh and say. "You actually started working in a place like that?"
He nods. "Why not?" He pushes Lay aside whilst the cut on his head remains half open. "We need the money, it was a good job... until."
"Until what?" I say raising my voice. "Go on? Until what? Some older woman wanted you to do 'after hours' work and you said no?"
He's silent.
"I'm right aren't I? So she said you touched her, which your not allowed to do!" I shout at him, I'm fuming at him for not listening to me in the first place.
He looks away and says. "I never touched her, they didn't believe me and then I got hit with a beer bottle..."
"I told you." I said then walked up the stairs. "Hot-headed tiger."
Part 3;
I wake up the next day and think about everything that happened the day before. "I never asked Xiumin properly." I think out loud.
"Asked Xiumin what?"
I jump and see a dog laying on the end of my bed. "Oh. Kai, you scared me." He shuffles towards me, his big warm dog form reminds me of something comforting. I let him lie with me a while... then I ask him. "Kai, whose body did you take?"
He trasforms and I sit up looking back at him as he lies on my bed. HALF .
"Put some clothes on!" I shout throwing a pillow at him and getting up to my feet.
"I took the body of a guy who was dying... Kim Jongin." He nods. "I thought I'd give his family a chance for time with him, that's why I'm not always here."
I nod. "Dog's really are loyal."
"Why are you so curious?"
I look at him and ask. "Xiumin, who's body did he take?"
"Oh. Xiumin... he took the body of a guy who was in a long term coma, the family had given up and gone. So he thought it'd be easier to be alone." He nods. "Why?" He askes again.
I sigh and sit back on the edge of the bed. "Did all of you take the body of someone dying?"
He shakes his head. "No not all of us, Minseok wasn't dying... he was just given up on."
"Yeah by his family..." I repeat his words and the ajummas.
He shakes his head. "The doctors too even they gave up on him, Xiumin took Minseok's body because Minseok isn't brain dead or anything, he's perfectly fine. He just hasnt woken up yet, like he's sleeping--- just for a long time."
I've got to sort Xiumin out, tell him about that ajumma... it's not fair on her. I won't be able to work there if it's like that. I stand up and say a little fighting to myself then look at the clock on my wall. 10... omg I have two hours... sugar!
We've done another day at work, I'm having fun because there's lots of funny people that come in, old ajusshi's that tell silly stories, young kids that were trying to hit on me and Suho visited after the lunch time rush to see how we're progressin in our job. The ajumma went home after 2 because she wasn't feeling too good, thankfully Xiumin knows how to cook most of her famous dishes--- well actually he knows how to heat them up, since their pre-made.
"Xiumin... when you take someone's body, do you not take their memories or anything?" I ask with a natural expression, as if it's all just curiosity.
He nods. "Yeah none of us have the memories, just brains. Though we do get pushed towards people who have similar personalities and traits. Incase we do meet someone we know or well that knows our bodies."
"The ajumma that runs this resturant. She knows Minseok." I say bluntly.
He chuckles and says. "Of course she knows me, I come here all the time."
"No Xiumin, Minseok is the name of the guy whose body you took... she knows your- his parents." I state.
He shakes his head. "No way, I was drawn to this body because of his love for food, and the plus that he had no family was a bonus. I didn't have to play nice like most of the others do."
Thankfully the shop is closed because I walk up to him and slap his face. "Minseok isn't a pet name for people who like to eat. It's his name. He was in a 4 year coma after being in an accident with his father and sister. His father died and his sister and mother left, giving up hope on him. The only one he has left here is the Ajumma. And she thinks you've lost your memory."
He stares at me, holding his cheek. "That hurt."
"Xiumin! I'm trying to say-"
"I don't care what your trying to say, I accepted this body because he had no family or relatives around. So I could live what time I have on earth the way I want to." He yells back to me.
I throw my arms up. "You know what. Live how you want to live." I put the cloth I was wiping the tables with on the side and open the doors to leave, but before I do I say one last thing. "The person who gives you 12 time on earth, he would give you your own bodies if he wanted you to live how you wanted. The fact he makes you take someone who can't physically do things tells me he's not giving you another chance to live amoungst us. But the people's family or friends another chance to be with them..." I feel myself starting to tear up, because what I just said I really do believe... there's alot of crazy and wrong things between those 12 brothers that I don't believe or want to believe, but I do believe this. "I'll see you at home, make sure you lock up and drop the keys off at ajumma's door."
I've been home for a couple of hours now, there's no one else around. Kai's with Jongin's family again, Sehun had to stay behind at his school and the others are all in their part-time jobs, they've somehow found. Well except Chanyeol who's now searching for a new part-time job, since he lost his crappy one yesterday. I sigh and look at the large dining room as I eat some instant ramen alone.
"I'm home!" I hear Suho call out. "And the cute little ajusshi gave me some extra money for helping out..." He comes to the dining room and sees me alone. "Oh, Sora... where is everyone?"
I look up at him and say. "Working I guess."
"Nice, this is unity. Usually someone takes the body of a rich chaebol or something when we come to earth, but this time we've all had to pull our weight." He smiles happily as if he's a teacher and his students have graduated. "How was work at ajumma's place?"
I nod unconvincingly. "Yeah, was great."
"You don't sound like you enjoyed it, want me to ask the ajusshi if he needs help?"
I laugh, Suho's actually delivering water for drinking coolers in all the big companies. Something he doesn't need strength to do as he just uses his powers to hold it just above his shoulders. Doesn't have to break a sweat. "No, I don't think I'll be able to carry water bottles that big up and down stairs."
"No. That might be a problem..." He sits next to me and I continue to eat my ramen. "So, what's the problem?"
I shrug. "Maybe it's my fault for being too involved, but I can't just sit by."
"Okay, I'm confused... explain everything. Every detail." He leans closer and nods waiting for me to talk. And I do, I tell him everything, from the crying ajumma to Minseok's story, to today incident when I slapped Xiumin for being insensitive. He just takes everything in without answering me or nodding. Just listens, when I'm done I feel like I'm waiting forever for him to answer me.
"Suho... aren't you going to say something like 'you were wrong for slapping him and getting involved' or 'maybe Xiumin should have thought about someone other than himself'." I plead for him to talk.
Finally he does. "I think you're both wrong."
"Ehh?"
He sits back and sighs saying. "You shouldn't have slapped Xiumin, no matter how you felt you should never use violence... also I agree with you for being upset, he's putting you in a situation where you have had to lie to that ajumma... and he shouldn't run from Minseok's life. That's not the point of taking a body here." He looks at me with a serious look. "We all have our stories, but we've been doing this a long time, that's another thing you have to understand Sora."
Suho has this authority-- and feeling that you have to feel bad when he's telling you your wrong. I don't usually stand and take it when someone tells me I'm wrong or tells me off period. But I feel terrible for getting involved. I can't even answer him with a simple 'I understand'.
"Look, I don't want you to feel bad or anything... I just think your still new to the situation to understand fully." He finishes himself with a small smile. "When Xiumin get's home, I'll tell him what you've told me and that you regret hitting him, then I'll tell him to sort this problem out before it becomes severe. It's up to Xiumin to decide whether he'll still see the ajumma or disapear from her."
I nod and stand up grabbing the bowl of ramen which is now cold and half empty. "Okay." Finally I can speak and then he grabs his phone and answers it.
"Oh, Xiumin... Oh, you're going to stay at the ajumma's house?"
My eyes widen as I turn back to face Suho who has a big smile on his face.
"Okay, no problem..." His smile turns warmer and he says once more. "Okay."
He hangs up and places his phone back in his pocket. "So... Xiumin is talking to ajumma?"
"Well, I doubt he'll tell her he's not actually Minseok, just a mythical pig that stole his body for a short period of time... but he said because of what you said, he's going to give the ajumma more time with Minseok, even if it's just his face." He smiles and pats my shoulder standing up to face me. "Well done Sora."
I smile and take out my bowl, I wash it, dry it and even put it away before going upstairs to my room so I can just sit and smile to myself... "Well done Xiumin..." I bite my lip and feel happy that he did the right thing by the ajumma. I move off my bed to sit at the small white desk placed in the corner of the room, I grab my diary and write my second entry whilst being at this house.
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Sora's Diary - Entry: 2
Maybe, just maybe... I'm starting to befriend a few of these brothers. I thought Xiumin was selfish and only wanted to eat. But he's nice- his 'frost' doesn't suite him well. Because his heart is warm. Thank you Xiumin, for doing the right thing for the ajumma... and the right thing for me. I'm happy I've gotten to know Xiumin more. And even more excited that I get to work with him everyday. Diary... should I start giving the brothers more of a chance to show their true selves? Or should I remain living, just getting by with them? Well, I don't know yet, but next time I write here. I'll write my answer. Promise!
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Next Chapter: 'Telepathy'
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