Chapter 8


3 years ago...

She looked nervously to the left and right of her. Seeing nobody was on the same aisle as her, she quickly grabbed some of the food and the ramyeon on the shelves. She snuck it all inside her large black sweater. Anyone can see that the sweater was a tad too big on her slim frame. She looked back around her to make sure that nobody saw what she had done in the 24 hour convenience store. She knows that there were two mini cameras in the store. One was at the cashier’s place and another at the corner of the store. But she already analyzed the blind spot of the cameras. She was pretty sure that she wasn’t caught on tape.

Then she slowly walked to the front of the store. To make it looked like she actually came in to buy something; she went to the counter and took one of the cheapest gum candies. The cashier looked at her with guarded eyes. 

Have I been caught? I have done it exactly as they told me to. 

She began to panic and shifted her stance from one foot to another. She stared at the cashier with innocent eyes and trying hard not to blink or looked away from him, in case he suddenly punched in the emergency siren button below the counter. Finally, the cashier turned to punch in the price on the cash register.

“That will be 800 won miss.” He said lazily.

She took some coins in her sweater’s pocket and counted the right amount to hand it to the cashier. The cashier took it and shoved the gum candies to her on the counter top. She took the candies and put it inside her sweater’s pocket. She turned from the cashier counter to head off out of the store. She can’t wait to go out from the store that she had stolen their goods. She never done this before and the anxiety was racking her body.

Before she can made it out safely from the store she bumped into a person who just came into the store with a small run. The impact of the person that came in and bumped into her made her lose her balance. The impact caused her to fall down hard on the linoleum floor.

She landed on her back and all the goods that she had stolen strewn out from her large sweater. Her eyes widened in shock that the food were all strewn out. Her pain was forgotten and she quickly got up to retrieve it all back. But the cashier saw the food that had not been paid and quickly went out from his position behind the cash register counter.

“Yah!!! I knew it. I knew it that there was something off with you. You thief! Let me get you!” The cashier said angrily.

The person that came in and bumped into the girl looked at the scene unfolding in front of him with calm. He was watching the scene in front of him with analyzing eyes. The girl was on her knees retrieving the strewn out food on the floor. The cashier went to the girl and forcefully grabbed her forearm. He pulled her roughly up that made her hissed with pain. He made up his mind and stepped up to the cashier to halt his movement from hurting the girl more.

“That’s enough sir.” He said with authority.

The cashier looked at him with an incredulous face, hand still gripped hard on the girl’s arm. Making the girl’s face twisted with pain.

“What’s it with you boy? Don’t give me that tone of voice. What? You’re just a high schooler by the look of you.” The cashier said with an indignant voice at the boy.

“I may be a high schooler but that is not the way to treat a lady.” He said calmly while staring at the cashier.

“I do however I want to a thief! This lady that you see here is a thief. She took all of these foods without paying for any of it. So don’t you try to teach me anything young boy.” He said gruffly.

“Is that so? Then I’ll pay for all of it. Just let her go.” He said with ease.

The cashier looked questioningly at him. Puzzled by the boy’s attitude in helping a thief. He shrugged his shoulder then let go of the girl’s arm while straightening himself. The girl rubbed her forearm that the cashier had roughly handled and looked up to the boy that had just helped her out. She was puzzled at the boy’s action too.

Why is this guy helping me out? Does he have other intention in helping me out? I need to get away from him.

She slowly edged herself away from them.

“Well, if you say so.” He took the foods and brought it to the counter. He punched in the price for all of the foods. “That will be 10500 won.” The cashier said.

The boy took out his wallet. He took the exact amount of bills and handed it to the cashier. Then he took the plastic bag that contained the food on top of the counter. He turned to give it to the girl when he realized the girl was near the door trying to run away. With a swift flurry of movement he was by the girl’s side that had gone out of the store. He took her wrist and turned her to face him. She looked at him with fear in her eyes.

“Hey. Don’t you want your foods?” The boy asked.

The girl looked down at the plastic bags that contained the food that she tried to sneak out earlier. Then she looked back at the boy’s face.

She gathered her courage and jutted her chin out. “Like the guy in the store said. What’s in it for you by doing this? I didn’t ask for your help.” She said.

The boy looked at the girl calmly and handed her the bag of foods. “Just take it. But please don’t try to steal them anymore. There’s nothing wrong with me helping a girl out right.” He said. 

She looked at the bag of foods, thinking that it was better to take it since she needed it. She took it from his hand. Then she looked at her other hand that he still held. She tugged her hand and he let it go.

“Thanks anyway.” She said while looking down at the floor.

“You’re welcome. I’m Lee Jinki by the way.” The boy introduced himself.

She was surprised that the boy suddenly introduced himself. She replied to him automatically, “I’m Park Jihyun. Umm, I got to go. Thanks again.” She said and turned to quickly get away from the guy that named Lee Jinki.

***

Lee Jinki just watched the said Park Jihyun that went away in a rush. He wondered why she resorted to steal the food in that store. 

She must have her own reason to have done that. But what intrigued me the most was the fear in her eyes for a split second when I grabbed her wrist. 

He was not used to a female looked at him in fear. Even the maid in his mansion never looked at him with fear like Jihyun did.

“Jinki hyung!!” Taemin called and jogged his way to Jinki who was still rooted outside the convenience store. The bright light from the store and the street light cast a shadow over Jinki’s standing form.

Jinki looked over at Taemin who was standing in front of him panting a little from his little run. His red hair was a bit disordered from the running.

“Hyung! What took you so long?” Taemin asked his older brother after his breathing had calm down.

“Ah. That...” Jinki started to explain, but before he could do so Taemin interrupted him.

“You don’t have that slurpy drink that you said you must have before we go to the Red Phoenix mansion.” Taemin realized that Jinki didn’t have what he said he wanted to buy at all. “And you took a long time here. Jonghyun hyung was getting impatient at the car and asked me to ask you to hurry up.” said Taemin with his face scrunched up.

Jinki observed his dongsaeng who looked annoyed to have been ordered around by Jonghyun again. It was always like that. Since Taemin was the youngest in The Pack, aside from Hyerin, he had always been the target by the hyungs to be ordered around. Hyerin was exempted for the sole reason that she was a girl and the fact that her two overprotective brothers won’t allowed it.

“Mian Taemin ah. I’ll explain it to you and Jonghyun once we get in the car. Come on.” Jinki said. He placed his arms on Taemin’s shoulder and dragged him forward towards their car a few blocks up front.

“But hyung, your slurpy drink..” Taemin began to protest.

“I don’t feel like drinking it anymore. Come on. Kibum will start nagging at us again if we’re late.” Jinki urged the younger boy.

Taemin rolled his eyes. “We ARE already late hyung.”

“Well then, come on.” Jinki said and started to push Taemin forward. They quickly walked to the car and got in it. Taemin went in the backseat while Jinki went in the driver’s seat.

As soon as Jinki closed the car door, Jonghyun, without missing a beat started his million dollar questions. “Why were you taking so long in getting your so called must have slurpy?” He asked while eyeing Jinki. Jinki started the engine without looking at Jonghyun. “You don’t even have one.” Jonghyun said.

So Jinki told them what had happened in the store about the girl who was caught by the cashier for stealing the foods. How he had helped the girl out from the harsh cashier guy. Taemin and Jonghyun listened to Jinki until he finished telling them the story.

Then Jonghyun asked with puzzlement in his voice, “Why would you help that girl Jinki? She surely deserved the treatment from the cashier for stealing the store’s goods.”

Jinki took a quick glance at Jonghyun before focusing back on the road ahead. “She must have a reason for doing so. By the look of her attire she seems to be from the poor side of the town. She may be doing it because she sees that there’s no other way to obtain it.” Jinki explained to them. “Anyway, who says what we are doing are legal anyway? We are in a gang and no one connect a gang with something to be proud of. Even though we didn’t break any law. Yet.” He continued.

“Hmm. You’re quite right.” Jonghyun said.

“We’re here.” Jinki said and turned off the ignition. He went out of the car and started to walk to the main entrance of the Red Phoenix mansion; the residence of the Kim’s family. Jonghyun and Taemin followed behind him. 

Jinki took a look on his wrist watched and sighed a deep sigh.

We’re really going to get it from Kibum. Hongki and Minho must have an earful of it already.

As soon as the butler of the Red Phoenix mansion opened the door, Key went straight to Jinki and said, “You... Argh, I can’t really box you.” Then he turned to Jonghyun behind Taemin. 

Key moved with a purposeful step to Jonghyun. Jonghyun unconsciously took a few steps backward until his back bumped on the wooden entrance door. “What time did I tell you guys to come here? We were waiting for a whole half an hour for you guys to arrive. What did you guys do after the detention at school anyway?” Key demanded.

“Uh, well, umm..” Jonghyun was speechless by Key’s outburst. Then Key pinched Jonghyun’s ear and dragged him to the living room where Hongki was lying on the leather sofa while holding the TV remote. He scrambled to a sitting position when he saw Key dragging Jonghyun in on the ear. 

“Ow.. Ow.. Ow.. Kibum... Ow..” Jonghyun hands were flailing around him.

“Key hyung, please. Don’t treat Jonghyun hyung like that.” Taemin pleaded to Key.

“Kibum ah, he is still your hyung.” Jinki tried to help Jonghyun too. He was feeling a bit guilty. It was because of him that they were late.

“No. I don’t care if he is older than me. He still needs to be discipline about time. This is not his first time anyway.” Key won’t be distracted from Jinki and Taemin’s plead.

Then Minho and Hyerin came into the living room. They were not even surprised by the scene in front of them. It was common knowledge that Key always acted that way to Jonghyun. Minho shook his head while pushing Hyerin gently towards Hongki who was seated rigidly on the sofa. The reason for Hongki's action was because he was scared that Key would suddenly turn his attention to him. Hyerin and Minho sat down on the sofa with Hongki. 

“But then Kibum ah. It was not Jonghyun’s fault this time. It was me that cause us to be late.” Jinki said quickly to relieve Jonghyun’s ear from literally disconnected from his head.

Key stopped pulling Jonghyun’s ear for a while. “Jinjjayo?” He said. Then he immediately let go of Jonghyun’s ear which the latter quickly ran away from Key and squeezed himself beside Hyerin. Jonghyun lifted his sister from her seat and placed her on his lap to make her as his shield from Key.

“Omo oppa.” Hyerin exclaimed in surprise that she was suddenly lifted up from her seat.

Key turned to them. “Don’t think I can’t get you by using Hyerin as your shield hyung. I can always lift her up from you. Now see what you have done. You distracted her from her tutoring by Minho.” Key said indignantly.

“We just finished Kibum. Don’t blame it on Jonghyun hyung.” Minho said in his low voice. Key looked at him then focused his attention back to Jinki. Minho’s words pretty much end any discussion that they have. Minho was someone who wouldn’t lie anyway.

“Explain.” Key said to Jinki.

Jinki re-told the story that he had told Taemin and Jonghyun. Like Jonghyun, Key asked the same thing. It shows how these two are really brothers. They even think alike. After the interrogation with Key, the matter finally dropped and they continued with their supposed to do activities. It was actually just to watch a movie in the theatre room of the Red Phoenix mansion. It has been their tradition to gather together on a Friday night to watch a movie.

But unfortunately, that night they were a bit late in starting their ritual as Jinki, Jonghyun and Taemin was held back at school in detention. Reason for detention? It was because Jinki and Jonghyun were caught sleeping in class together. Taemin was in fact caught sleeping in class by the teacher too. These three ended up sleeping in class because they had a gruelling practice in martial arts by Lee Jongmin, the head of The Pack.

After the fiasco of Key’s outburst, they managed to watch an action movie that they had been waiting to watch together. The night went on without anymore outburst by anybody.

***

On the other side of town...

Jihyun took a tentative step into the rundown apartment that she called home which she stayed with his older brother Park Jeongsu. She quickly went in the apartment when she saw the coast was clear. That means her oppa and his so called friends were still out. She put the bag of foods on the kitchen counter. She leant on the counter and started to play with her fingers. Waiting for the group of guys that will come into the house and demand foods from her.

Really, she can’t take any of this nonsense again. Ever since her mother died from cancer five months ago, she and her brother were left to defend and search for meals by themselves. Her father had left them for another rich woman who can provide him with a luxurious life. Leaving them on their own and cutting all ties with them. 

Jihyun moved from leaning on the kitchen counter to sit on one of the rickety dining chair. She propped one of her elbows on top of the table and face palm her cheek.

Jeongsu oppa shouldn’t mix with that so called group of friends of his. They are only scraping our money, which is running out very fast.

She jumped from her seat when she heard the door was opened. Her brother’s friends came in with loud noises. She just stood rigidly in the kitchen, watching the boys came in and went straight to the living room. Jeongsu came in last. There were a total of five people excluding her and Jeongsu. Jeongsu came in silently and closed the apartment door. He turned to the kitchen on his left and saw Jihyun standing in the middle of the kitchen. 

He looked at his younger sister with apologetic eyes. He knew that Jihyun was scared by the guys and hated them being in their apartment all the time. But he can’t help it. He hadn’t told Jihyun that he had borrowed money from these people on a loan and he had to pay his debt by doing every whim that they asked him to do. The money that he borrowed was to settle their mother’s debts and to arrange her funeral. Their last scrape of money was running very thin now. He didn’t even know if he can afford paying for Jihyun’s school fees for the next year. 

He walked to Jihyun and gave her a hug, to give her comfort in what they were lacking. Jihyun held on to him. Then a shout was heard from the living room.

“Hey Jihyun, come here.” One of the guys yelled for Jihyun, whose name was Dongjae. The so called head of the group. 

Jihyun looked up at Jeongsu with uncertainty in her eyes. Afraid to face Dongjae alone. Jeongsu nodded his head and followed Jihyun to the living room.

Dongjae looked at Jihyun with a sly smile. “So, have you done what I had asked you to do?” He asked.

Jeongsu looked questioningly at Jihyun. He didn’t know that Dongjae has even spoken to Jihyun before. Jihyun nodded her head slowly.

“So, where’s the food that you stole? It’s easy isn’t it? That’s my girl. You need to learn all this stuff to survive you know.” He said with a chuckle. The rest of the guys chipped in their 2 cents laugh.

Jeongsu snapped his head to look at Dongjae with narrowed eyes. He couldn’t believe it that Dongjae included Jihyun in his sick game. He doesn’t want Jihyun to do any dirty works that these guys capable of. It was enough for only him to do those stuffs. He won’t let his dear sister go through with this.

“I thought I told you to leave my sister alone.” Jeongsu said with a growl.

“Easy there boy. Don’t you want your sister to help you pay the money that you borrowed from us?” Dongjae taunted him.

This time it was Jihyun who was surprised. She didn’t know that that was the reason his brother hung around with the guys.

“I will pay my own debt. Don’t involve her in this.” Jeongsu stressed it out.

Dongjae held his hands up as if surrendering to Jeongsu. “Okay man. You don’t have to be so over dramatic with it. I won’t ask her again alright.” He said with an ugly smirk on his face. It become uglier coupled up with a long knife scar on his left cheek.

The two siblings didn’t notice how Dongjae was eyeing Jihyun from head to toe while his smirk widened.


***


To be continued...


A/N:
Okay guys, this is the continuation from Chapter 1 & 2 from 3 years back. From this chapter I will bring you guys to their past on how some of them met.  

Don’t get Jihyun wrong when she said “I begin to fall for you from that time itself.” From the previous chapter kay. She doesn’t say she fell for Jinki on the first time they met but rather BEGIN to fall for him.  Just to clarify that. Hehehe.

This may be a bit boring again since I just begin to tell the story on their way back when.  I hope I manage to paint a picture of how they were all such a tight knitted group of brothers and sister. When everything hasn’t been blinded by what Hongki said “love”. But aside from that, have you guys noticed who Jihyun’s oppa is? If you’re a fan of SuJu then you will know that it’s SuJu precious leadah Teukie.  Hehehe. Hope you guys like him here. Dont’ be surprised of the cameo or characters from SuJu members ya. As you must have guessed, I am a fan of SuJu too. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and see you in the next update.  Ciao.