[Home Sweet Home]

 

Cringg! Cringg! Hurriedly Yun-ho picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Hello? May I speak to Mr. Park Jung-min?” an unknown voice echoed on the line.

“Dad, a phone calls for you,” Yun-ho called. He handed the telephone to his father.

“Yes, Mr. Park here. Who’s on the line?” Mr. Park asked demurely.

“Hello Mr. Park. I just want to inform you that someone wanted to buy the house which is located in Bangi-dong,” he told him. The house mentioned was a house that he used to live with his wife before he moved in China 15 years ago. Silence from Mr. Park. He remembered that he had promised to his wife to never sell the house whatever it takes. Memorable memories flooded his mind.

“Full House?” repeated Mr. Park.

“How does it sound?” asked his wife as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Good. But, why Full House?” he asked back.

She looked around and said, “It’s not a museum for great people. House is where the heart is. It’s like a hospital for the broken. When a heart full with love, you can’t never imagine what it can do. Therefore, Full House is a heart that is full of love. Just like you and me,” explained his adorable wife.

 

“Mr. Park?” the person on the other line woke Mr. Park up from the flashback. It gave him a slight.

“Oh, I’m sorry. That house is not for sale,” he decided.

“The buyer said to me that he is willing to pay whatever it may cost. It mentions here that the house is under your name and your wife. Perhaps, I should inform her about this matter?” that man asked him again.

“She’s no longer reachable,” Mr. Park replied.

“So, what is your decision about the offer that I told you just now?” the man asked again to reassure.

“I said it is not for sale. Even though nobody stays there, but it doesn’t mean that I wanted to sell it, understood? I hope I have made myself clear here,” informed Mr. Park with serious expression on his face. Without further delay, he hung up.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[School]

 

Ji-yeon gave a peek to her Mandarin test paper. She could see a big and red-colored letter F written on the upper corner of the paper. “Fail?! Yahhh, Mr.Stephen is really something. This is embarrassing!” she grumbled as she crumpled the paper and threw it behind wishing that nobody noticed what she got especially her juniors. ‘The cleaners will handle it. No worries,’ she thought. Feeling secured and confident, she marched on like nothing happened and right after she threw it, a voice cried from behind.

“Yahhhh!” someone shouted at her.

Ji-yeon felt as if her feet were rooted on the cement and she couldn’t move. ‘Did someone notice it?’ she asked herself tremulously. She gathered all her courage and steered her head behind.

“Are you blind Fish Ball? Can’t you see the dustbin right over there?” that guy appeared again. What a shock Ji-yeon! Si-won bent down to pick up the crumpled paper but before he could do that, Ji-yeon shouted, “Leave it there! Don’t pick it up!” Jiyeon face was flickered with worries.

“Fish Ball, are you illiterate? Can’t you see that sign?” he pointed on a signboard. It showed ‘Do not litter’. He picked it up. Right now, Ji-yeon’s heart thumping even stronger.

“Don’t open it. Just throw it directly to the dustbin!” she told him, hoping that he would not open the crumpled paper.

“Don’t open it? Why?” he looked at her suspiciously. “Is this your love letter?” he . He did open it. ‘Stupid! Why did I say that!’ she regretted it so bad. She turned away and ran as fast as she could. She did not have the nerve to wait for further comment from that weird guy.

 

*   *   *   *   *

[Class 6A]

 

“Why did you run away just now?” a voice came from behind. At the same time a familiar paper was put on Ji-yeon’s table. The crumpled paper! “Study hard Fish Ball,” encouraged Si-won in a teasing manner then walked by and sank on his seat. Ji-yeon’s ears steamed up. She noticed something on the paper. Corrections were made to all her mistakes! Ji-yeon grinned at him as she bit her lower lip, annoyed.

‘Show off!’ snapped Ji-yeon in her mind.

Huiren noticed the paper as she was sitting right beside her. “Whoa, he did all these corrections for you?” said Huiren in amazement. “You’re lucky Ji-yeon. The girls are begging to get his assistance in this subject and yet he ignored them. But you got it like a piece of cake! How did you manage to get his concern?” question mark appeared on Huiren’s facial expression.

“What? Begging? I didn’t even ask for it. Furthermore, I don’t think all the corrections that he made are correct. He might do it just to give me a kick,” she told Huiren soberly.

“Of course they are. He had studied 4 years in China before he moved here. That’s why he’s really good in Mandarin. He refused to take Mandarin course at the beginning because he’s good enough in it. But her father insisted him to take it since it is compulsory to everyone in this school. Just to be fair to other students I suppose,” Huiren informed the unknown story.

“No wonder!” Jiyeon murmured.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Principal’s Room]

 

“Si-won, Mr. Stephen told me that you skipped his class once again. What has gotten into you?” asked Mr. Choi Min-soo to his stubborn and boasting son. The one and only son that he had in his life but yet it felt like he had ten.

“I told you that I didn’t want to take that course, right? I feel like I am in Kindergarten dad. I feel stupid being there. Spelling, pronouncing and even practicing sentences that I already know. That’s not my level,” complained Siwon.

“Don’t put the blame on me. I told you to take that course earlier but what did you do? Stop messing around. You are turning 20 soon and yet you still behave like a kid!” Mr. Choi lectured his nursling. Si-won stood up and turned away. “Where do you think you are going?” Mr. Choi asked him.

“Dad, please. You can lecture me at home but not here. Don’t you think it affects your reputation?” he said as he turned back.

“Don’t talk back to me. I am your father, and you are my responsibility!” he thundered at him. What an earful you got there Si-won! “One more thing, don’t drive to school anymore. It’s unfair to the other students. Use the bus,” commanded Mr. Choi. He knew that he should do something to this spoiled son. He had been pampering this nursling ever since he was born in this world. Perhaps, it’s the time to make a change.

“Dad, it will ruin my image,” he begged him.

“It’s better than riding a bicycle right?” Mr. Choi replied with a stare. That kid was very concern with his status in the school and Mr. Choi knew it really well. He had never taken the bus to school since the first day of his enrollment. “Don’t mind my reputation but first and foremost concern yours,” reminded Mr. Choi. “Start taking the bus from today. I’ll ask someone from our house to pick your car from here so no more complaining!”

What a bad day you had Si-won! Taking the bus to school had never come across to his mind. Somehow, he had no choice. He lived by the book, a Spartan’s life.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Bus stop]

 

Ji-yeon was walking towards the bus stop. Her mobile phone rang. A text message received.

Yun-ho: Have a safe trip. I got dance practice. See you at home.

 

Now she was alone. Even Huiren had left earlier for something else. She looked at her Mandarin test paper and drew a deep sighed. ‘What a shame!’ she grumbled. She remembered the compliment given by the principal regarding her academic record. She was someone who concerned her result on top of everything. So, it was something that she considered as a big problem for having an F in a test. As she walked towards the bus stop, she noticed an empty tin of Coke on the ground. And with unknown source of strength, she kicked that tin with all her heart. Perhaps she was really that frustrated with her mark?

“AAAHHH!!!”  a voice shrieked.

She looked at where the voice came from. ‘Omo!!!’ She covered . Someone had his forehead bleeding. Who do you think it was?

“Yaahhhhh!!!!!” those fiery eyes stared at her sharply. “Fish Ball!!!!!” shouted Si-won with his full heart.

Ji-yeon was paralyzed, not knowing what to say. Shivers ran up her spines. ‘What should I do?’ She was nervous.

“Yah! You come here!!!” called Si-won.

“Are you um-um-um o-o-okaayyy?” she asked Si-won.

“Yahhh, is this okay for you?!” he showed her the blood stains on his hand. “I’ll make sure you deserve this!!!” warned Si-won.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Hospital]

 

“It just a small wound. It’s not that bad though. He’ll be fine soon,” the doctor informed Mr. Choi Min-soo. He was quite worried for it was the first time his son bleed in his entire life. He was not allowed that kid to get involved in any heavy activities just because he did not want anything happen to him. No sports, no hiking, no cycling and etc. But what had caused the bleed? He went into the room. He stood beside his son’s bed and looked at the wound. “The doctor said you’ll be fine soon,” that 52-years-old father informed him. “Does it hurt?” he asked him.

“Of course it hurts! And it even hurts when I see that Fish Ball again!” a complaint spitted from his mouth.

“Fish Ball?” Mr. Choi was puzzled. “A food caused you this?” Mr. Choi had no idea of what that kid was talking about.

“I told you I did not want to take the bus. See what I got?” that guy grumbled at his father like a kid who seemed had his lollipop stolen. “Do you want me to bleed everyday at the bus stop?” he tried to scare his father. He knew his father would always put his safety first. “Who knows someday I got knocked by a huge lorry. Who knows …” he added something sounds more terrific.

Those words really worked to Mr. Choi. “All right then. You’ll have you car again by tomorrow,” he said to his son.

“Can I skip Mr. Stephen’s class by the way?” he showed a painful expression on his face. He knew exactly his father’s Achilles’ heel.

“Wae? Andwae!” Mr. Choi denied his request.

“Dad, how do I suppose to study with this? I am afraid I can’t concentrate,” he made another excuses. “Just bear with it. See you at home,” his father gave him a denial reply as he stepped out from the room. He knew that the longer he stayed there the higher the probability of ‘yes’ to that nursling.

“It’s all because of you, Fish Ball. You-you-you … eish!!!” he grumbled as he touched his forehead and cried, “Ahh … ahh! Fish Ball, I’m going to get you for this!!!” shouted Si-won.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Home Sweet Home]

 

“What should I do?” she asked herself. She pondered for a while of what she had done to Si-won. “I caused a guy bleed on his forehead,” she murmured. Her mobile phone vibrated. It was a call from her homeroom teacher, Ms. Lee.

“Ji-yeon?” she greeted. “Yes, teacher?” she answered her. “Mr. Choi called me just now,” she informed. “He wanted to see you tomorrow,” she added.

‘What?! I’m dead …’Ji-yeon exclaimed in her mind as she expressed her nervousness in such way that everyone could expect what would happen to her tomorrow.

“What’s wrong with you?” asked Yun-ho.

“I made someone bleed today,” confessed Ji-yeon.

“Really?” it was an unbelievable confession for Yun-ho.

“I’m dead,” she murmured as she put her face on the dining table.

“Who is it? Yeoja? Namja?” he asked her further question. He couldn’t believe what he heard just now. This sister that he had been protecting knew how to fight?

“Our principal’s son,” she mumbled weakly. Instead of pitying, Yun-ho burst into laughter as he heard that statement.

“You made a duckling bleed today?” he looked at her as excitement flickered on his face.

“Wae?” she was puzzled on why her brother looked so excited with something that bothered her so bad.

“Good job!” he said to her and gone, laughing.

‘Hmmm? What’s wrong with him?’ She had no idea why that brother of hers laughed by the news she had thought to be so bad.

 

*   *   *   *   *

 

[Principal’s Room]

 

“Annyeonghasaeyo …” Ji-yeon greeted the principal meekly.

“Do you know why I called you here?” asked Mr. Choi immediately. His voice was firm and tensed.

Surprisingly, without further delay, she confessed everything without a single pause. “It was an accident sir; I was frustrated. I saw an empty tin. I kicked it. And I heard a voice cried. I looked at it. And I was so surprised. That voice was that weird guy, I mean Choi Si-won. I didn’t do it on purpose. It was an accident sir. I didn’t do anything like um …” she stopped and looked at the confused principal. Her explanations created a surprise look on Mr. Choi’s face.

“So, it wasn’t a type of food that had caused him bleed?” he uttered as he looked at her.

“Wh-wha-what do you mean sir?” she looked confused. ‘He didn’t know it was me? Food?’ She tried to make sense of what she heard just now.

“So, the Fish Ball that he mentioned was you?” he asked her to assure with a bit of smile on his lips. Her face turned cloudy. She could almost see the thunder above her head.

‘He even told his father that I am a Fish Ball?!’ she snapped again in her thought.

“Forget it. But I hope a matter like this won’t happen next time. If you have problem, you can always meet the counselor,” he gave her a piece of advice.  She nodded lightly. “I understand that it wasn’t done in purpose. My son is like a gold fish, a fish that can only be seen in an aquarium. It doesn’t know how to be with other types of fish, if it does then it won’t survive. It has its own world. Even me his biological father, I don’t fit in his world. He is too immersed with his own surrounding. If it is thrown into a pond, it will surely die,” he told her something which was like imagery and allegory to her. Did she understand of what the principal was saying?

“Anyway, the reason I called you here is not something related to the Fish Ball thingy or the bleeding incident. Mr. Stephen told me about your result in Mandarin test recently. I’m quite disappointed with your grade,” said Mr. Choi bluntly. “I don’t want to say this to you, but in this school, we keep the best among the best out there,” he told her directly. “It must’ve been difficult for you. I hope you try even harder. Si-won is good in this subject. Perhaps, you could ask him to assist you,” he suggested his son to be her mentor in that subject.

‘Never’ a thought twinkled. “It’s … okay sir. I’ll just take extra class for this subject or I can have a tutor on my own at home …” said Ji-yeon, declining Mr. Choi’s suggestion “I’ll do my best for the next test sir. I’ll try,” She assured him that she would come out with flying colours the next test. She’d rather suffer than asking Si-won to assist her. If she does, that would mean more suffering. Fighting Ji-yeon!

 

 

*   *   *   *   *

TO BE CONTINUED