[CONTENTID1]FORTY-TWO[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]Cinderella's Step-Brother[/CONTENTID2][CONTENTID3]

Jun Mi stared at the ground as she mindlessly walked to Eun  Byul's home. She had her head held high, but her eyes looked ahead -- blank and empty. She fought back her tears when she reminiced something Baekhyun had said to her once -- he promised her that he would always be there for her.

 

But that promise crumbled down as soon as she heard Chanyeol telling her : "Baekhyun's leaving."

 

She laughed bitterly, irritated that she somehow accepted that 'Promises' were really meant to be 'Broken'.

 

As if she was on bipolar mode, which she actually is, her bitter expression turned to a grim one. Her eyes, as well as her heart, turned darker and emptier than ever. Jun Mi was somehow surprised at how she was acting right now; as if someone she loves a lot died when, in fact, that someone she loves a lot was just going away. No one knows until when, but Jun Mi has a feeling that his leave was for a long time, or worse -- forever.

 

Once that she was in the Kims' house, Jun Mi blankly walked to the guest room she was occupying. As soon as she was inside her dark room, she went straight for her bed lifelessly before laying down on it -- not even bothering to change from her school uniform.

 

Her eyes drifted permanently to the ceiling above her. Jun Mi would have probably stared at it for a while, admiring the way mahogany wood panels would match very well with the glossy white paint of the roof. Aside from arts and crafts, Jun Mi was interedted in architecture.

 

But right now, Jun Mi didn't think that architecture and admiration would matter at the moment since her mind was full of the news she received a while ago.

 

Without any warning, tears started invading her eyes -- making her former vision of the panelled ceiling blurry. Soon enough, Jun Mi found herself crying. Jun Mi didn't bother covering her face as she let her arms to just lay on either side of her. She bit her lip roughly that she started tasting her blood.

 

As if she found her strength again, Jun Mi started abruptly wiping the constant tears away, preventing them to trickle down her cheeks. "Stupid tears, why did you come back?"

 

The girl didn't expect to feel tears stinging her eyes, or rather she didn't want to feel the tears. So, the sudden crying surprised the girl.

 

As much as Jun Mi wants to get mad and angry at Baekhyun for his sudden leave, she just couldn't. Just like when she caught Baekhyun making out with Na Eun, Jun Mi just felt anger and guilt for herself. She blamed herself for the boy's departure.

 

Jun Mi continued crying the whole afternoon in her dark room. The only source of light she saw was from the slit on the bottom of the door. At times, she would see something blocking the light from outside. Jun Mi figured it would be Eun Byul. She even imagined her best friend raising her fist -- ready to knock on the door anytime -- only to have it hesitantly going down her side. The shadow would disappear, letting Jun Mi assume that Eun Byul was gone already. Jun Mi was somehow thankful that Eun Byul decided to just leave her alone.

 

That night, she didn't bother eating her dinner and just let her cries lull her to sleep. The next morning, Jun Mi woke up with the same puffy and red, swollen eyes she had the day after the ball. This time, she decides to skip school, acting as cliche as Baekhyun.

 

###

 

Eun Byul stayed silent during the ride to her school. Last night, her boyfriend -- Park Chanyeol -- suggested to drive her to school. Her eyes drifted from the moving scene ahead to Chanyeol's driving appearance.

 

Eun Byul admired how Chanyeol's hair ruffled with the wind coming from the open window. She also admired how hot he looks like with only his white, long-sleeved school polo. But, somehow, Chanyeol's irresistable appearance didn't distract her from worrying about her best friend.

 

"Hey," a low voice made Eun Byul disturbed her blank staring at a small scratch on the car's window. The girl directed her attention to where the sound came from -- Chanyeol.

 

"Are you alright?" Chanyeol stole quick glances at his girlfriend, shifting his eyes from the road to Eun Byul.

 

Eun Byul smiled before replying, "Yeah. I'm just worried about Jun. Thanks for worrying about me, Yeol."

 

Chanyeol grinned as he kept his eyes on the road. He risked to steal ten seconds to look at Eun Byul before turning his attention back to the road. "Of course I'll worry about you. I'm worried about Jun Mi and Baekhyun too. But don't take it too seriously. Everything's gonna be alright."

 

"I hope so." Eun Byul sighed as she continued to watch the house they zoomed by.

 

"I'll do everything, Byul." Chanyeol saw Eun Byul look at him with a small smile on her face. "I love you, Kim Eun Byul."

 

Eun Byul temporarily became shocked. But it soon turned into embarassment. She has heard those words for many times now, considering that they always talk everywhere, everyday, everytime. Either they were together personally or are talking with each other on the phone, they would randomly tell each other 'I love you'. Somehow, no matter how many times Chanyeol has said it to her -- and vice versa -- Eun Byul never got rid of the crumpling pain in her butterfly-invaded stomach as well as the swelling of her abnormally-beating heart.

 

"I love you too, Yeol." Eun Byul grinned as she caressed her hand on Chanyeol's lean shoulder. She smiled knowingly, telling herself her endless feelings for this muscled, gigantic Happy Virus -- Park Chanyeol.

 

###

 

Jun Mi went out of the bathroom, her unnamed puppy approaching her as she came out -- fresh, clean, and ready-to-go.

 

The girl ran a towel through her wet hair, letting a few water particles drop on the back and shoulder parts of her plain red tee. Her legs were exposed, as smooth and as milky white as a baby's skin, as she only wore a white pair of shorts.

 

She walked towards her room silently, making herself look presentable for her short trip outside the Kims' house. Jun Mi felt bored as she just kept lying down on the guest's bed. She didn't want to cry anymore because she had no more tears to use, or rather she didn't want to cry because she was tired.

 

She ruffled the towel on her hair one last time in front of the mirror before throwing it aside then grabbing a comb to straighten out the dried fringes that were sticking out all over the place. After combing, Jun Mi took her phone, earphones and wallet before saying goodbye to the puppy ("Good bye puppy."), then went outside the room.

 

Jun Mi stopped by the kitchen, where Mrs. Kim was, to inform her about her short departure. Mrs. Kim bid goodbye as well as Jun Mi went out the house.

 

She difficultly squinted her swollen eyes when she felt the sun rays of a late morning hit her whole body. Jun Mi breathed in a deep amount of air before confidently walking to a particular and familiar house.

 

She plastered a somewhat fake-happy smile to her old neighbors. Jun Mi waved when the ahjumma she used to get sugar from acknowledged and enjoyed her appearance. The girl has definitely been away from this neighborhood that somehow she felt like she was an alien in her own neighborhood. She continued walking until she was a very few meters away from the house she wanted to visit.

 

Jun Mi climbed the steps of the porch before knocking on the familiar peach old-style wooden door. Her heart hammered on her chest. She hasn't been in this house for a long time. The girl raised her fist before knocking again three times. Jun Mi held her breath until the door opened up -- revealing an older replica of Jun Mi. The girl smiled before greeting the one who opened the door, "Hello Umma."

 

"J-jun Mi-ah?" Her mother sputters. Of course she would be surprised. Imagine your daughter/ son, who doesn't visit often, suddenly appear on your doorstep. Mrs. Choi's eyes wandered along her daughter's figure. She's thinner than last time.

 

The woman's eyes travelled up to Jun Mi's face. Mrs. Choi tried her best to hide her worry and surprise when she saw Jun Mi's swollen and red eyes. The mother figured that her daughter didn't want her to talk about why due to the smile on Jun Mi's face.

 

Mrs. Choi could clearly see the agony and pain behind the warm smile. Somehow, she could see the happinnes behind it. The mother had a sudden flashback as she looked at Jun Mi: She was exactly like this after leaving home; the same home she was opening the front door for Jun Mi at.

 

The mother snapped out her trance when she figured that she's been staring too long. "Come in,"

 

Jun Mi smiled even warmly, but more than half of that smile was the opposite of warm. Once she was inside her old house, the girl inhaled the atmoosphere. A warm breeze seeped into her skin. As she took a step further into the unchanged interior, familiar scents of flour and chocolate combined invaded her clogged nose. "Hmmm... Smells like choco chip cookies..."

 

"Oh," Jun Mi saw her mother swipe her hands on her pink half-apron. The girl smiled as she remembered that it was her mother's habit to do that. "I was making some, would you like me to give you some?"

 

"Of course, I kinda missed your cookies." Jun Mi smiled shyly.

 

"Well then, why don't you sit down on the couch and I'll serve you some cookies?" Mrs. Choi asked.

 

"Oh, no. I'll come with you to the kitchen." Jun Mi instantly insists. She followed her mother into the kitchen; the same kitchen where she ate her dinner alone when her mother was gone. Nothing has really changed except the atmosphere: it was as warm as when she re-entered her old house for the first time in years.

 

The girl's eyes lingered across the same childhood picture frames that hung on the wall of the house. "Where is appa and oppa?", Jun Mi asked.

 

"Your appa's at work. Your oppa is at his friend's house, practicing a song his band was going to perform.", Mrs. Choi explained as she and her daughter entered the flour- painted-table-counter kitchen.

 

"Oh...", Jun Mi was glad that it was just she and her mother in the house. Her sole purpose in coming into the house was what her mother shouted to her when they mat again: "If you ever have any problem, we'll be at our old house."

 

Jun Mi breathed in a more detailed scent of her mother's chocolate chip cookies: a whim of cinnamon; a teaspoon of vanilla; and pure flour and chocolate chips. "It smells as delicious as before, Umma."

 

"Now, when did you learn to flatter people, Jun Mi-ah?" Mrs. Choi flashed a teasing smile as she handed a plate of freshly baked cookies to Jun Mi.

 

Jun Mi smiled and took a bite out of the warm cookie in her hand. She gave off a raspy -- but teasing -- laugh. "I really missed your cookies, Umma."

 

The girl's smile turned a tad bit sad. Jun Mi remembered that she was missing someone as well at the moment -- aside from her family; someone that was leaving her -- either temporarily or for-good; someone who she was supposed to hate; someone who she realizes was the one she still loves despite the drama that has happened; someone who was the reason why she went back to her family house; someone who was named as Byun Baekhyun.

 

Jun Mi felt tears stinging her eyes as she remembered that Baekhyun was leaving who-knows-where for who-knows-when. Her mother looked up at her just in time to see a tear dropping gracefully at the cookie she had in-hand. "Jun Mi-ah..." Mrs. Choi ran to Jun Mi's comfort -- wrapping her motherly hands around her daughter's crippling self.

 

The daughter felt warm. Soon, her self-control (Jun Mi prevented herself from crying out loud) fell down and the next thing she knew was that she was crying hopelessly in her mother's arms. Jun Mi creased up and wetted her mother's shirt. She took note in her mind to apologize about that when she calms up.

 

But, she thought that calming up was hard when she felt her mother's hand carress her head as encouraging words from the mother's mouth was spoken out to her ears.  Jun Mi's cries deepened, as she poured out her sadness onto the comfort she has been wanting to feel for years.

 

"It's alright, baby. Everything will be alright," Mrs. Choi repeated -- making it sound like a charm, a mantra, to Jun Mi.

 

Jun Mi wanted to believe that. But, how can she? How can everything be alright if she wasn't even ready to face Baekhyun? How can everything be alright if Baekhyun was leaving? "Umma... Wh-why did B-baekhyun h-have to g-g-go?"

 

Her mother hushed her but she continued, "U-umma, Baek-b-baekhyun's l-l-le-leaving!!! H-how dare h-he walk out on me when I'm the one who is supposed to do that? I'm the one who's supposed to be angry at him anyway. But, why can't I make myself hate him? Why do I still think that I'm the one at fault? Why am I blaming myself for Baekhyun's leave? Why can't I let him go? Why can't I still face him? Baekhyun's still the same jerk, the exact same one who made my blood boil when he rubs in my face that he's better than me; who called me 'Ms. Second Placer'; who was the owner of the house I rented a room on; who was my vice president; who asked me out to the ball; who took my first kiss; who was my first love and boyfriend; who danced with me the whole ball; who didn't wait for my explanation when DO-ssi kissed me; who was furiously making out with Na Eun; who didn't show up for days; who gave up his position as my vice president; who would never call me 'Ms. Second Placer' ever again; who was leaving. Umma, why?"

 

"Look, I don't know this Baekhyun guy, but all I know is that you love him. And if he really was the teasing jerk who became your boyfriend, then I guess he loves you too. If he's leaving, then go and talk to him. You can't let go of him because I have a feeling that you love him too much." Mrs. Choi stated. She could feel Jun Mi calming down in her arms as Jun Mi's once violently rising shoulders rose and fell in a steady and slow pace.

 

"I do, I do love him a lot. But, I don't have the courage to speak to him, Umma. What if I suddenly break down? I don't want him to see me like that." Jun Mi explains, completely calmed down. She stayed in that position with her mother -- their arms circled on each other to form a warm and comforting hug.

 

"That doesn't matter when you're in love. Baby, when you love someone, all of your walls and self-control will be broken down and all of your emotions will be shown no matter how much you try to hide it. And if that person is in love with you as well, then he would understand and will show his true feelings to you as well. What I'm trying to say is that it doesn't matter if your words will be muffled by your cries when you tell Bakhyun ("Mom, it's Baekhyun") your feelings, as long as you let it out. If he truly loves you, then he'll immediately understand. Relationships have ups and downs like this. And the couple in a relationship should do whatever it takes to get through this problem even if they have to fight. In the end, they will get a greater reward for their hard-work in surpassing the trials -- but it won't be as great as the love you can feel from the other. Just go and talk with whatever-his-name-is, and I'm positively sure that everything will turn out right." Mrs. Choi lifted up her daughter's head. She saw dried-up tears staining Jun Mi's flushed cheeks.

 

The mother wiped away the tears, "Don't cry anymore, dear. Wouldn't want to look like this when you talk to him right?"

 

Jun Mi smiles then laughs quietly before nodding softly. "All right, umma. Thank you."

 

"Anything for my daughter," Jun Mi's mother hugged her even more. But this time, the girl didn't cry anymore. For once, she finally believed that everything will work out. She was just being a coward. She wanted to blame herself for Baekhyun's departure just because she was scared to talk to him. Jun Mi thoought that she should have atleast stayed. If so, Baekhyun wouldn't have to leave and then everything would have been alright.

 

###

 

Jun Mi's supposed short visit was extended until night time. She and her mother talked for a while -- catching up with all the things they missed when they were apart.

 

A few hours later, Jun Mi's older brother and father arrived. "Oh my, what a surprise visit from our baby~", her brother teased.

 

"Yah! Oppa, I'm not a baby anymore!" Jun Mi pouted.

 

"Oh, right. You have a boyfrien--", MrS. Choi immediately wraps a hand around her son's mouth before he can continue what he was going to say. The mother saw the sadness creep back up in her daughter's face when Jun Mi heard the first syllable of 'that' dreaded word: 'boy'.

 

"May I speak to you two boys in the kitchen? Only for a while, please?" Mrs. Choi sent a go-to-the-kitchen-now-if-you-don't-want-to-get-punished. So, the father and the brother bowed their heads and went to the kitchen. The mother followed right after telling Jun Mi that they'll be back in a minute. Once Mrs. Choi arrived in the kitchen, she scolded the two boys to not mention anything about Jun Mi’s boyfriend. The father and the son never really had any second thoughts about mentioning about that topic, but Mrs. Choi’s intense glare made the two boys keep their mouth shut. They even promised to themselves that they will stay away from the boyfriend topic as far as possible.

 

Mrs. Choi rejoined her daughter in the living room. Jun Mi looked up and saw a warm smile lingering on her mother’s lips. “Would you like to stay for dinner, dear? We’d be happy if you could.”, her mother asked.

 

“That would be alright with me, umma.” Jun Mi smiled back. She didn’t know how glad she was to accept an invitation to sit down for dinner with her family.

 

###

 

The sit-down dinner lasted for a few hours. Jun Mi enjoyed filling up the empty gap between she and her family within those few hours. During the dinner, she noticed how her father and brother would get queasy whenever the ‘relationship’ topic would almost come up. She also noticed how the two boys would send worried glances at her mother. That scenario seemed to lighten up Jun Mi’s mood even more. When it was getting late, Jun Mi contemplated whether she should stay for the night in her original home. But she decided that she still wasn’t ready to come back to her warm home; not when her problem with Baekhyun wasn’t still solved. She didn’t want to bring a dark aura into this light home of hers.

 

When she was about to go, her brother asked to bring her to where she was going to stay (“It’s late anyways,” Her brother reasoned). Jun Mi smiled and accepted the suggestion. She gaped at the luxurious car her brother opened up for her. “That’s yours?!”

 

“Yup, why? Are you jealous?” her brother teasingly smirked.

 

“No, I’m not. I’m not even interested in newly branded cars, they’re just cars anyway.” Jun Mi shrugged as she got into the passenger’s seat.

 

“Then, what’s with the shocking expression when you saw my baby?” the brother asked as he slid into the driver’s seat and inserted the key to start the engine.

 

“Yuck, you’re as crazy as the rich boys I read in stories. You know, the boys who have this unbelievably expensive and branded car and call those machineries names like ‘baby’.” Jun Mi explained. She felt the late evening wind brush through her face and hair as the car accelerates.

 

“What? I’m not that crazy. I don’t freak out whenever someone with greasy or moist fingers – especially the ones who leave smudge marks on the exterior -- touch my car.” Her brother chuckled.

 

“Oh, really? Why, then, did you have your defense completely detailed? Are you using some reverse psychology on me?” Jun Mi feigned a surprised a gasp, “Or, are you lying to your own little sister? Tsk tsk. Shame on you, oppa: Lying to a child.”

 

“I didn’t know you like quoting lines from movies and stuff. That’s childish of you Jun Mi-ah.” Her brother scolded, adding a amused laugh at the end.

 

Jun Mi laughed along, only for it to die down immediately. She remembered how she said the same thing to a ‘certain person’: Byun Baekhyun. Suddenly, her warm thoughts about her family morphed into guilt and sadness. Out of all the sad and guilty thought that swarmed through her mind, one thought stood out: BYUN BAEKHYUN IS LEAVING.

 

The brother noticed how Jun Mi’s laugh died down. He sighed and started talking, “I’m not supposed to say anything, but I guess that you’re currently thinking about your boyfriend. I figured out much that you broke up especially after umma scolded me and appa to not to make your boyfriend a topic. I was really not going to talk about it, but it’s just frustrating to see you like this, dongsaeng.”

 

Silence surrounded the siblings before the older brother spoke again, “I know I may not know anything about this boyfriend of yours, but what I know is that you love him too much. I know mom for too long that what I think she said to you was talk to this boyfriend of yours. I fully support umma in this; your situation with that guy might not be too late to fix with talking to him. So I really suggest that you do what your oppa and umma are telling you now, arasso?”

 

Jun Mi looked at her brother then smiled. She nodded her head before directing her eyes on the road again.

 

“But, if that boy will mess this up and make you cry like this again, I’ll honestly beat the life out of him.” Her brother added an amused chuckle at the end.

 

“Awww… Oppa is being an over-protective brother. How odd,” Jun Mi stuck out her tongue at her brother. The rest of the trip towards the Kim’s house, the siblings bickered like how siblings really bicker, and enjoyed the temporary company. Another thought invaded Jun Mi’s mind as she laughed at how stupid her brother was (her brother was dared to put nail polish along his toes and fingers, making his girlfriend – at that time – to think that he was gay): I need to talk to Baekhyun. No more getting scared, Choi Jun Mi. No more.

 

###

 

Despite the cold breeze from the night breeze, Eun Byul felt warm all over especially whenever her shoulder would brush against Chanyeol’s arm (not shoulder, he was tall for goodness’s sake).

 

The couple was currently walking toward Eun Byul’s house. Chanyeol insisted on walking her home since it was very dark and late outside. (ChanByul had a date out in the city in a bubbly newly established fast food restaurant.)

 

For a while, the couple forgot the problems surrounding them as they just enjoyed the seconds they spent together as a couple; as boyfriend and girlfriend.

 

Chanyeol coughed awkwardly, forming puffs of his warm breath into the chilly air. He looked away when he saw Eun Byul crane her head up from his peripheral vision. His shaky hands reached down to finally take Eun Byul’s hand in his, eventually intertwining each and every finger with his. He raised their hands to his eyes level as he slowly inserted the fingers in the slots of Eun Byul’s hands.

 

Eun Byul watched their hands. Chanyeol’s fingers closed one-by-one – every finger making the girl’s heart beat faster. The girl chuckled as she saw how suave Chanyeol looked as he watched their fingers intertwine. Her heart almost ran out of her chest when she felt a pair of warm and soft flesh linger on the back of her hand. She looked up to see Chanyeol kissing each of her pale knuckles.

 

“Your hands feel cold.” Chanyeol whispered Eun Byul’s hands. The girl shivered as she felt the boy’s warm breath grave across her hand. “Don’t worry, I’ll always be here to make them warm.”

 

“Y-yah, you’re being cheesy again, Park Chanyeol.” Eun Byul couldn’t help but giggle. Eventually their hands fell on their side – still tightly intertwined.

 

“I don’t care, you like me like that anyway.” Chanyeol grinned.

 

“Now you’re being cocky,” Eun Byul took a step closer Chanyeol.

 

“Call me anything as long as I can be your everything,” Chanyeol laughed, “Oh god, I agree that that sounds cheesy.”

 

“If you’re my everything, what am I to you Park Chanyeol?” Eun Byul grinned.

 

“You, too, are my everything, Kim Eun Byul.” Chanyeol looked down at Eun Byul only to his girlfriend grinning up at him. His heart skipped a beat at how beautiful Eun Byul looked with a simple – not to mention cheeky and teasing – grin. Chanyeol grinned back as they continued walking.

 

A few meters later, they arrived in front of the Kims’ residence. Chanyeol walked Eun Byul until the front porch – their hands still intertwined and warmed up. “See you tomorrow, Yeol.”, Eun Byul stated but her actions betrayed her as she just stayed with Chanyeol outside.

 

Eun Byul hesitated for a while, but after a while, she tiptoed and pecked Chanyeol’s freezing cheeks. The giant’s cheeks reddened, when he realized that his girlfriend just kissed him on the cheek. He looked down to see Eun Byul bowing down her head. He composed himself and grinned. The giant raised up his forefinger and placed it below Eun Byul’s chin, only to lift it up. He saw Eun Byul’s tomato cheeks and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

Chanyeol slowly leaned down until their eyes were leveled. He can sense how Eun Byul held her breath and eventually he felt himself holding up his breath as well, as he leaned in closer Eun Byul’s face; closer Eun  Byul’s lips.

 

Eun Byul squeaked and closed her eyes when she felt Chanyeol’s warm breath graze across her warming face. She braced herself for what was about to happen, but she ended up sighing when she felt Chanyeol’s lips on hers. She also felt Chanyeol’s free hand – the one that wasn’t holding Eun Byul’s hand – cup one of her cheeks.

 

Their lips didn’t move, but their emotions spilled out. It was just a mere peck on the lips, but to them it was everything; it was amazing; it was heart-stopping; it was just perfect.

 

They stayed like that, lips connected but immobile, until Chanyeol moved back – his lips leaving a lingering kiss on Eun Byul’s, “I love you, Kim Eun Byul.”

 

Eun Byul composed herself before blushing madly. “Y-yah! W-what was th-that?”

 

“Our first kiss.” Chanyeol nonchalantly replied, a cheeky grin on his face, “want me to do that again?”

 

“A-a-aniya!” Eun Byul hid her flushing face. Why does it feel hot out here? Phew… She began fanning herself in secret, but Chanyeol noticed that small act.

 

“At least tell me that you love me back.” Chanyeol chuckled.

 

“I-I l-l-love y-you too, P-Park Chanyeol,” Eun Byul stuttered.

 

“It was your fault by the way. The reason I kissed you was because you kissed me first.” Chanyeol teased.