Back in the hostel

 

MinJung:

"Do dodo doo~ Do dodo doo~~" the sound of new challenge's intro song echoed in my cozy green room. Its my ringtone! I almost forgot, I thought my neighbor had beame an Inspirit too overnight.. Silly me, I grabbed my phone from my desk and plopped down onto my bed.

"Yoonmi ah, what's the matter?" I speak into the phone without checking who is it.

"Yeobosayo?.."

A man's voice?! 

"Yeo..Yeopsayo? Nugusayo?(who is this)?" I stammered.

"Ah hahahaha its me, sunggyu."

"Oh oppa! Why didn't you say earlier?" 

"What? Oppa? what oppa?" Yoonmi cornered me. Oh yeah! I'm with Yoonmi now right... How on earth could it be her. Babo babo babo me yah! 

"Kekekeke..I just wanna tell you that Myung is fine now after taking some motion-sickness medicine from the doctor.. Geokjeong hajima(don't worry), arraso?" I heaved out a sigh of relief.

"Loudspeaker! Loudspeaker!" l was only sub-conscious to even the most~ annoying Yoonmi.

"Jinjaa? Phew, that's great, I was worried sick you know. Thanks for calling." I rushed to hang up the phone, worried of taking up his time.

"Aniyo,aniyo! It's not our promotion period now, we just have a few schedules once in a while to keep up with the trend."

"Isn't tomorrow your goodbye stage?" The words just fumbled out without thinking. Eomma.. I screwed up again...

"Ah right. Yeah... I forgot.. Hehehehehe.. Are you busy? Sorry to disturb you at this hour.. I'm hanging." His turn to worry.

"No no no. I'm super free now. Kekeke." I laughed awkwardly. 

"You know you.."

"Uh-huh..." I waited. What was he going to say? Oh my god oh my god.

"I don't know if it's appropriate to say this.. It's random but.."

"Yeah.." I clutched my chest.

"You look really like someone..."

"Nugu..sayo?.." I asked.

"Myung's.. Ex-girlfriend... Yoon.."

"Bwuh??" I choked.. This is so random. Ok. So random. 

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah yeah I'm fine," I coughed.. "What did you say earlier? Yoon what?"

"Uh nothing," 

"Ahh okay... That was.. Random. Was that a joke?" 

"I mean it. I thought I had be honest with you. Maybe Myungsoo noticed you because of her. Sorry, I know this comes off a bit sudden and.. unpleasant." 

I kept silent. For a moment, I thought he hung up. I didn't speak anyway, just held my phone there.

"Hello? MinJung? Are you still there?" 

He checked. I didn't utter a word. What should I say?

 

Sunggyu:

Was I too much? Maybe she doesn't even like Myungsoo, more than an idol. I must have hurt her.

"Nah I was just kidding." I laughed it off.

No reply.

"I'm serious. I really meant it this time,"

"It's okay, if that's really true." She spoke quietly.

That only made me more guilty.

"No. Really. It was a joke. So sorry dear. I shouldn't have cracked this lame joke."

"Ah, really?" She doesn't sound convinced.

"Yes. Now don't be bothered by this anymore. Promise?"

"Okay." I can hear her smile, somehow. 

 

Yoonmi:

Click. Unnie put down her phone.

U-wah finally..

"Unnie! Who is it??" 

"Huh?" 

"Unnie! Are you listening to me?" She looked half dazed.

"It's Sunggyu."

"WHAT?! Oh my god, why didn't you say?" I yelled.

"You didn't ask." 

"I did. You were just too engrossed talking to gyu. Hmph." I turned away.

"Mian Yoonmi ah.. I promise I'll remember it next time.. are you still mad? eung?" Unnie realised I must have been really mad.

She put her palms together and looked at me.

"Arraso arraso. Don't forget your promise!" I gave in.

"I won't." She assured.

 

Oh right. About that. Should I... tell her now?

Maybe tomorrow? Or the day after? Urgh. Just say it, Oh Yoonmi. If not till when do you want to keep this to yourself

.

"Unnie yah, thanks for all this while for taking care of me and treating me like your very own dongsaeng." I started finally, kind of too directly I realised.

"Bwuh? This little girl what are you talking about now?"  She scuffled my hair.

How should I say it. How should I. 

"I'm going back to Singapore," I murmured quickly before I got choked by the tears.

 

She stayed silent for a while. I was thankful for the time she gave me to be composed.

 

"..eonje?" I can tell that unnie is trying very hard to keep that plastered smile on her face.

 

"Next Friday."

 

"What? Why? Are you in such a hurry?" She protested.

"Well...I have quitted school to take over my dad's business. He's rather sick. He needs me. More than how much I needed my korean man~" I sniffled.

"You're still in a mood to joke? Why didn't you tell me? I know it wouln't be of much help but.. I would do anything for you." She stopped. "You're the closest person to me right now, and you know how bad it feels like when your dearest hides something from you, right?"

I nodded.

"There's no way I'm letting you go back by yourself. How are you going to settle all this alone?" My mouth fell open. 

"I'm going back with you." She concluded.

"No, you're not! I can do it, trust me I can." I cried. She has sacrificed so much for me all these years and I did nothing for her. 10,000 people. It's not that much, right? I can handle the company alone.

"I know you can," She touched my hand. "I promised my dad before he left the world, that I would take care of you no matter what. You don't want me to break my promise to my dad right?" I nodded softly. MingJung and I have been like sisters since we're young. Heard from dad that unnie's father once owed a huge debt and he helped him, that's how their friendship began. Her father later became his chauffer to pay him back, but he was more than just a chauffeur in dad's eyes. He was a great friend, like what dad always say.