Chapter 17: Part I

            At five in the afternoon, most South Korean citizens were finishing up their work for the day.  Some returned home to relax with their families.  Others finally began their fun by rushing to the Gangnam District with a few friends.  But, at Chrome Headquarters, Gummi was just waking from an eight hour sleep that seemed more like eight minutes.

            Rising up slowly from the stiff, uncomfortable bed in the sleeping quarters, she turned off the alarm clock on the bedside table.  She could hardly keep her eyes open.  Eventually they closed without her consent, staying glued together with a terrible lack of energy.  She felt her head fall back down onto the pillow, but she couldn’t resist the heaviness she felt in every inch of her body.

            “Unnie.”  Soyul’s voice stirred Gummi from her overpowering drowsiness.

            “Soyul-ah,” she called weakly.  “Help unnie up.”

            Soyul pulled Gummi up from the bed and gently tapped her puffy cheeks.  “Unnie, how are you so tired?  Isn’t Earman Kim giving you eight hours of sleep?  Is he giving you too many assignments?  I’ll slap him.”

            “Soyul-ah,” Gummi chuckled, finally opening her eyes again.  “I was given eight hours of sleep.  Don’t worry.”

            “Then why are you so tired?”  Soyul asked in frustration.

            “I’m not sure.”

            But Gummi was absolutely sure of why she was so tired.  For the past week, she had used some of her designated sleep time to chat with Jaejoong on the phone.  They even made time to meet for coffee a few times.  Earman Kim had scolded her once for not using her sleep time wisely, but he couldn’t defy her desire to occasionally visit “friends and family.”

            “Well, you’d better wake up quickly,” Soyul urged.  “You have to follow Taeyeon on her shopping trip with Heechul, remember?”

            “Yeah, I remember.”

            They were interrupted suddenly by the emergency cell phone buzzing on the bedside table.  Soyul picked it up and looked at the caller ID.

            “Father Baek’s Cell Phone?” she read curiously.  “Your dad got a cell phone?”

            “Um, yes!” Gummi exclaimed, snatching the phone from Soyul’s hands.  Now wide awake, she swiftly answered the phone.

            “Hi, Dad,” she smiled anxiously.

            “Dad?”  Jaejoong laughed quietly.  “Is your manager there?”

            “I’m just here with Soyul-ah,” she replied. 

            Soyul gave a mischievous smirk and cried, “Hi, Baek-ssi!”

            “I can call back at a better time,” Jaejoong grinned.

            “Actually I’ll be very busy all night.”  Gummi wondered just how suspicious she would look if she ran out of the room to avoid Soyul.  She sat down on the bed and sighed.  “Do you need something, Dad?”

            “If this is the only time you can talk…”  He was silent for a moment before clearing his throat.  “I’ve decided to throw a little birthday party tomorrow night.  It’ll bring all my friends together, you know?”

            “That sounds lovely,” she whispered cheerfully, observing carefully as Soyul lay down in the bed next to hers.

            “I feel foolish because this is so last minute,” he began nervously.  “And I’m almost certain you’ll be busy.  But, I was wondering if you would be my date for the party?”

            “Date?”

            Soyul’s ears perked up at Gummi’s surprised voice.  She rose up from the bed and stared at Gummi intently.

            “You and mother?” Gummi quickly continued.  “You’re going to go on a date?  Well, that’s wonderful.”

            Jaejoong snickered softly.  “Maybe I should call back later.”

            “As for the thing you mentioned earlier,” Gummi interrupted, moving quickly to the calendar on the wall.  “What time does it start?”

            “Seven.”

            She carefully scanned the detailed calendar which held each member’s assignments.  Every Girls’ Generation event or individual plan was on that calendar, and each Crayon Pop and K-Much member had to follow the schedule in order to ensure proper security for The Nine.  Gummi smiled when she saw her sleep schedule for tomorrow started at 6PM and ended at 2AM.

            “I can be there,” she informed happily.  “I’ll arrive a little early to help you set up.”

            “Alright,” he grinned.  “And you’ll be my date?”

            “…Yes.  I have to go now, Dad.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

            “Goodbye, Gummi-ah.  You’re my favorite daughter.”

            “Aish.”

            When Gummi hung up the phone, Soyul leapt up from her bed and rushed over to her.  “Unnie, what were you talking about?  What are you doing tomorrow?”

            “There’s a birthday party I must attend,” Gummi explained.  “It’s very important.”

            “And it’s during your sleep schedule?” Soyul questioned disapprovingly.  “Will you even get any sleep tomorrow?  You’re already tired as it is.”

            “I’ll take care of myself, Soyuli,” Gummi assured with a smile.  “Don’t worry about me.  This is your sleep time right now.  Take advantage of it.”

            “Unnie.”  Soyul rubbed her sleepy eyes and slowly shook her head.  “I don’t approve of this.  I don’t approve of this one bit.”

*          *          *

            The vast Seoul sky seemed filled with only the brightest stars as Gummi walked up to Jaejoong’s villa.  She had taken a taxi for a few miles, but resorted to walking so she could observe the glimmering sky.  Her fighting skill wasn’t much compared to the twins’ or Soyul’s, but she wasn’t too worried.  She let her purse swing loosely by her side.  Jaejoong lived in a very pleasant, safe part of the city.

            She reached the door of the villa and entered a four digit code into the intercom.

            “Gummi-ah?” Jaejoong exclaimed excitedly.  “Is that you?”

            “Yes, oppa!”

            The door buzzed open, and she quickly entered.  It was a short adventure through the courtyard to Jaejoong’s residence.  When she arrived, the door was already open, and she heard the soft clanging of wine glasses from the kitchen.

            “Oppa?”  As she entered, she noticed how flawless and beautiful his apartment appeared.  The wooden coffee table gleamed with polish, and showy pillows on his couch were placed carefully and perfectly.  A single electric light was the least of the living room’s radiance.  Numerous candles lit the room from every corner, and the fireplace blazed brilliantly.

            “Gummi-ah,” he called gently, entering the living room.  He gazed at her anxiously.  “Does it look al…right…?”

            She looked around the room in astonishment, trying to take in every exquisite sight.  Finally, her eyes fell upon Jaejoong and his astounded face.  “Oppa, this is beautiful.  So beautiful.”

            “Are you talking about yourself?” he asked, his eyes filled with wonder as he observed her chic black dress.

            “What?”

            “Oh, you look so stunning,” he insisted eagerly, strolling over to her.  “Wow, you are just so picturesque.”

She only hoped her cheeks weren’t so obviously red under this dim candlelight.  “Thank you, oppa.”

            He reluctantly scraped his eyes away from her and looked around the room.  “Do you like it?”

            “I love it,” she grinned.

            “I’m glad.”  He looked down at the ground and began to clumsily roll up the sleeves of his white dress shirt.

            She slowly reached out and helped him with his sleeves.  “Are you nervous about something?”

            “It’s just…I invited some SM artists,” he admitted sheepishly.  “It was foolish of me.  I’m afraid for them.  I don’t want any of them to be reprimanded if they come to my party.”

            “SM artists?”  Gummi’s heart skipped a beat as she wondered if any of The Nine were invited.  “Well…Don’t worry about them, oppa.  I’m sure everything will be fine.  Isn’t this your birthday party?  You shouldn’t be worried about anything.”

            “Ah, you are my perfect date,” he smirked.

            “What can I help you with, oppa?”

            “Well, I’m trying to clean up my good wine glasses.”

            The two went to work in the kitchen, wiping down wine glasses and preparing silverware.  Jaejoong had begun to make a few appetizers for the party, and Gummi was quick to help him finish them, fixing any careless mistakes a young bachelor might make in cooking.  As lighthearted banter filled the small kitchen, Gummi nearly forgot about The Nine.

            “Ah, Gummi-ah, you really don’t have to help with anything,” he laughed wearily.  “I shouldn’t have let you come early.”

            Gummi finished stirring some hot sauce and shook her head.  “Oppa, I told you I’d help you set up.  Don’t worry about it.”

            Just as he was about to continue his argument, a loud ringing interrupted him.  He looked out into the living room in surprise.

            “Is it really seven already?”  Taking a quick glance at the kitchen clock, he rushed out to the intercom near the front door.

            “Open up, you old man,” called a comical, yet gentle voice from the intercom.

            “Junsu, it’s 6:45,” Jaejoong sighed.  “You’re too early.”

            “Ah, I know.  But I brought something, and it needs to go into the oven for a little while.  Just let me in.”

            Jaejoong walked back into the kitchen and chuckled.  “The dongsaeng is here.  I suppose I can’t protect you from him any longer.”

            With all her work finished, Gummi turned to him and gave a disapproving frown.  “You are always so mean to him.  Why, oppa?”

            “Gummi-ah, I love the kid,” he laughed.  “We say these things about each other all the time.  Don’t you and your members ever talk this way?”

            “…Occasionally.”

            They heard the living room door open quickly, and excited footsteps followed shortly. 

            “Hyung, you’re going to love this thing I bought-”  Junsu stopped in the kitchen doorway and stared at Gummi in shock.  “Oh!  I’m so sorry.  I thought I was the first one here.”

            “Hi, Junsu-ssi,” Gummi greeted, suddenly overwhelmed by his presence.

            “This is Gummi,” Jaejoong introduced, moving next to her.  “She’s my date for tonight.”

            “Gummi?” Junsu exclaimed, his eyes filling with wonder.  He quickly placed the plastic bag he was carrying on the counter near the oven and walked up to her.  “Hyung, is this the girl?”

            Jaejoong’s cheeks burned red as he nervously glared at Junsu.

            “Aish, I don’t understand it,” Junsu began enthusiastically, throwing his hands to his head.  “You can write such poetic songs about love and sadness, perhaps the most poetic songs in the world!  Yet you fail to accurately describe this girl to me?  You fail to capture her beauty in your very words?”

            Gummi stood in utter silence as Junsu gazed at her merrily.  She could feel Jaejoong shift uncomfortably beside her.

            “Well, I suppose such beauty could never truly be captured in words, right?” Junsu continued, holding out his hand.  “Hello, Gummi-ssi.  I am Junsu.”

            She shook his hand and tried not to mentally devolve into a common schoolgirl.  “It’s very nice to meet you, Junsu-ssi.”

            He smiled brightly and picked up his plastic bag.  “Ah, hyung.  Please show me how this oven works again.”

            Before Jaejoong could help his friend, Gummi reluctantly looked up at him.  He looked nowhere in particular, as long as it wasn’t at her.  She could see the uncertainty in his shy eyes, as if he had just witnessed something incredibly traumatizing.  Perhaps he really had.

            “Oppa,” she grinned.  “Am I really the girl?”

            He nervously looked down at her and tried to return her smile.  “Ah…I’m sorry.  I can’t help but feel this way.”

            “Me neither,” she admitted quietly.  Slowly she reached for his hand.  “I don’t understand why I’ve been so hesitant.  I think…I’ve been silly.”

            “What do you mean?”  His voice was soft and kind, just as she remembered it on the night she met him.

            Giving a small smirk, she looked over at Junsu.  “Junsu-ssi, I’ll turn on the oven for you.  My boyfriend doesn’t know how to work it.”

            As she moved to help Junsu, she glanced once more at Jaejoong’s now surprised expression.  Just when she turned from him, she spotted a subtle smile developing between his red cheeks, and she felt herself blush as well.

            “That’s right, Gummi-ah,” Junsu sighed jadedly.  “Your man is ridiculously useless.  How in the world have I allowed myself to associate with him?”