Chapter 3

          But everything became worst when my parents divorced.

          [Sulli’s POV]

          Ah.. The audition went well. It wasn’t that kind of hard or anything, but kind of easy, actually. All I needed to do was sing my heart out, and then dance with the music. According to them, I need to become ‘one’ with the music. I tried, already and from the look on their faces, they did approve. They gave me a sheet of paper, saying that I could come again for the call-backs, and I was overjoyed! Taemin oppa got one too, he said the judges were immediate to give him his, right on the moment when he was dancing. He didn’t need to prove his singing skills just yet, because the call-backs said that he will have to prove his singing skills on the second audition.

          It won’t be long, only after a week, the call-backs would be called back. [hehe] Together with that sheet of paper, they clipped together a song, that somehow was familiar to me, and also some dancing instructions to the song. It was, an upbeat song. I tried hard to understand what it meant, but it all seemed.. confusing. I sat down on the bench, when Taemin oppa came.

          “Hi Sulsul! What are you doing here?” He said, while sitting besides me, later patted on my back.

          “I’m trying to learn this written choreography. I’m usually good when somebody actually taught me how to do the dance moves, but like this, it’s hard,” I explained, made my pouting face.

          “Aigoo.. Even when you pout, you look soo cute!” he pinched my cheeks. It’s became a habit now, I’m wondering if I need any blusher any more..

          “Let me see. Maybe I can help you? I am the Ultimate of Dancing,” Taemin oppa said, and grabbed my choreography sheet away from me. He read it carefully, and surprisingly fast, then laughed weirdly.

          “Hahaha! Sulli-ah, this is too easy for me! All you need to do is this..” and he started to show me some cool dance moves. I just stared at him, and wondering how he got to understand so quickly. Well, maybe because of his wonderful skills in dancing, and also because he’s Mr Smarty Pants. Not to mention Mr Rich too.

          “Sulli?! What are you staring at? Come here! Follow me, or you’ll never get to understand how to do this!” he pulled me up from my seat, and demonstrated the dance moves. He explained each of them carefully and also line by line.

          “Now, you get this?”

          “Kind of, oppa. I still need some practice, though,” I said, as I scratched my non-itchy head. When somebody actually teaches you, it’s really starting to look real easy.

          “Well, then we’ll practice every day, after school at my house. How bout that?” he smiled.

          “If it doesn’t bother your family, perhaps I can do just that.”

          “Then it’s set! You’ll be coming home with me every day, after school. Just wait for me in front of my class. And don’t do that thing again if I get scolded or whatever, okay Sulli?” he ruffled my perfect hair. I nodded, and tagged along with him, going outside the building. Then, I suddenly thought of something..

          “Oppa.” We both stopped walking. Taemin, who was pulling my hand whilst walking, turned around to look at me.

          “Ne?”

          “If we get accepted as trainees, can you teach me every time when they give me written choreography?” I said, looking into his eyes with big puppy dog eyes.

          He shrugged for a bit. Looking to the left, right, up and then down. Finally, he looked at me. He held my shoulders with both of his amazingly soft hands, with a smile forming on his face, and said, “Of course, Sulli. I’ll forever teach you, not to worry. Just ask for help from ME and ME ONLY, and I’ll continue to help you.”

          Taemin oppa turned front again, and started walking. Ah.. I’m soo glad to have a friend like oppa. “Thanks oppa.. Saranghae!” I said, as he was walking, giving him a back-hug. He was stuck at the moment, didn’t move an inch nor a muscle, yet I couldn’t see his face cause I was too busy hugging him as tight as I can.

          “Ah…” he stuttered. “I love you too, Sulli.”

*****

          Ah! It’s really a good day! That butler was surprisingly nice to drop me off at my house. That’s kind of weird though, the other day, he was really cold and mean to me. Maybe he had a change of personality after seeing me and Taemin oppa cheering for each other? Ah.. I don’t care anyway.. I’m in  a really good mood now, and nothing could ruin this for me!

          I walked along the pathway to my front door, the door that had many holes in it, but it’s still useful to us, as long as it didn’t show the insides of the living room. I was excited as ever to open the door, when I heard something crashing from inside the house. Must be another plate that Umma broke again, just because she had a fight with Appa and again, not in a good mood. This wasn’t new to me, I was used to this.

          Sometimes, she would feel better after I came home from school, and actually set up some lunch for me, her little cute kid or always, she would be in a really really bad mood from morning til dawn. When appa’s home from work, she would usually lighten up because appa hates to see her so moody, and would usually be angry if he ever saw her in a bad mood when he comes from work. Umma is always like that, I don’t care, as long as it doesn’t affect me.

          I opened the door, and as always, the living room was as messy as ever, looked like somebody had a fight there. I marched up straight to my room, placed my bag on my chair, and ran towards Umma to help her. I’d usually help her when I’m in a good mood, but I have to always help her, even when I’m forced, because we don’t have any maids in the house, unlike Taemin oppa, who has like 5 maids for himself.

          I neared Umma, and saw her picking up the pieces of the crashed plate. Then, I heard sobbing. Was she crying? Now that, is something new. I’ve never heard her cry before, even on the really really toughest fight she had with Appa. It’s quite a surprise. I crouched down, helped her picked up the crashed plate. She stopped picking at once, while I finished the job and threw the crashed plate in the dustbin-together with all the other crashed plates and glasses and saucers and bowls. We’ve gotta get some new plastic plates, instead of glass ones.

          I came back to Umma, and she stood up, and head towards me. She started to cry on my shoulders, and all I could do was only pat her on the head, even though this was my first time doing this, I don’t know whether should I be called rude for doing that, though. Yet it’s the only way to calm her down. I know I’m kind of tall for my age, even if my growth spurt hasn’t grown completely yet, but I had to admit, my mother’s kind of short. I brought her to the sofa, the patched up sofa that Umma had always worked hard on doing.

          “Jinri-ah.. Umma’s sorry, okay.. Umma just.. Don’t want you to get hurt anymore..” she said, as soon as we sat down.

          “It’s okay, Umma. Why are you crying? Tell me, please?” I begged her to tell. She was sobbing, her eyes were puffy red, as puffy as a big blowfish, and I swear she would search like mad for her old sunglasses next morning.

          “Umma.. And.. *sob* Appa..” she stopped right there. She turned away, secretly like she doesn’t want to tell me.

          “You and Appa what?”

          “Umma and Appa’s getting separated. Appa’s home early, to file for a divorce with the government. Umma’s sorry, Jinri..” she continued to burst.

          No, Jinri. You mustn’t cry. This is your parents’ problem, and it will have nothing to do with you. But then you’ll be lonely.. And other kids will tease you, for the fact that your mother and father are no longer together. NO! You are the strongest, Choi Jinri, doesn’t matter if they are going to be separated, one of them away from you, or whatsoever. Yeah, it certainly doesn’t matter when you will never get to see either your mother or father anytime soon. That’s not gonna work well for you, forever you’ll be haunted by your parents’ memories together.. How will Taemin oppa gonna react when he knows this? He would be ashamed of you and never want to speak to you ever again.

          I lost to my own heart. My own mind. Tears started to flow from my eyes down to my cheeks, but was later wiped away, for I don’t want other people to see the strong Jinri crying. Umma was now on my lap, and I had to remain her there, just until she stopped crying. She soon fell asleep, and so did I. Well, until there was a bang on the door, whoever it was at front, was shouting, telling us to open it.

          I removed the still sleeping Umma from my lap, and opened the door slowly. There was Appa, his face burning rade with furiousness, his eyes were beaming red and his ears looked like they’re going to blow any second. There was some sort of paper in his hand, and when he turned to glance at me, his burning rage cooled down. Probably because of my cuteness, and also because of my black pouchbags under my eyes.

          He lowered down to me, crouched and touched my chin, pushing it up. “Choi Jinri, did you cry? Would you like to tell Appa why?” The eleven year old me just shooked my head, I already knew Appa loves me just as much as Umma does, and he wouldn’t dare to even lift a finger at me. He was always sweet and kind to me, but not always to Umma. There must’ve been some kind of flaw that Umma had, that always made him furious. Perhaps that’s why they’re going to divorce. Oh my, I think tears are starting to flow again..

          “Anniyo, appa.. Why were you.. mad?” I asked him, trying my best to hid my sadness, and put on a plastic smile.

          “I was only looking for your Umma. Now, let’s go in, Jinri. We don’t want both of us to catch a cold in this late evening, right? Where’s your Umma, again?” he looked around. Appa was tall, I mean really tall, and I don’t ever think anyone could’ve been taller than him. Or was it just that I hadn’t been exploring the world much. I got my tall gene from him.

          “If I tell you where is Umma, would you hit her like you always do?”

          “No, Jinri. I would not. All I want from her is something, now go to your room, and take a shower. I see you are still in your audition clothes. After this, tell me what happened at the audition, kay? Now tag along..” he pushed my back towards the small hall, that happened to connect to my bedroom.

          I walked slowly down the small and not long hall, and I could’ve already heard the bickering and shouting Appa and Umma were doing. I entered my bedroom, and later took a wash, just to clear myself, and make myself feel fresh. But just as I was dressing myself, I heard some kind of kicking and hitting was happening, and I couldn’t help but to hear.

          I quickly dressed myself, and opened the door a bit, just a bit, to peek on what was happening, and to also keep myself cover, from being found out by furious raging Appa. I’m never going to marry someone like Appa, he’s too hot-headed. Nor am I going to be like Umma, too soft and gentle. They really are an odd couple.

          “Yah! You’re no longer my wife! STOP clutching to my feet, old woman! You’re not even yourself anymore! GET OFF! I’m going to marry someone else, someone better than you, ***ch! Get away!”

          “But I love you, honey! Don’t you understand? Don’t you remember our old times, when we were together? You promised to forever love me, promised to never leave me alone, even if I was the one who begged for it! You said that even if I threatened to kill myself for us to break up, you still wouldn’t leave me!” I could hear Umma’s shouts together with her sobbing clearly. And slowly, without me noticing, I could feel the pain in my heart, just like Umma was feeling right now.

          “I told you, get away before I start to kick and fly you away again! That was before! When you were someone who I’ve known to be an imposter! That was only puppy love, and I realize that now. Get off of my freakin feet and let me go with the woman whom I truly love, not YOU!”

          “No.. Please.. What about Jinri.. She’s only eleven, and she’s going to be devastated about this.. Please? Just for the sake of our Sulli?” Okay, when did she figured out that my nickname was Sulli? Was that from Taemin oppa?

          “WHO THE HECK IS SULLI? Choi Jinri is her NAME! Her real birth name. Stop calling her that! And as for Jinri, I’ll take her along with me. She’ll actually be able to debut as a celebrity, like she always dreamed to be with me! My future wife is way better than you, I’ll make sure she forgets you, and wished she’d never had a terrible mom like you!”

          “NOOO! I’d rather have you leave than you to take Jinri with you! Don’t take Sulli away from me! She’s my own precious blood! She’s the only thing that I have other than you. I don’t happen to have a mom and dad, or any relatives! Please don’t take her!”

          “Too bad. Cause I already have her custody rights. And here, what I need is just for you to sign it, and we’ll be done. I’m going to take her away tomorrow, and there’s no way for you to stop it. Here’s the paper, sign it. And don’t even think of ripping it apart cause I already had it sealed. Have Jinri ready for me by tomorrow morning. I’ll take her to her new big house after school tomorrow. Prepare all her stuff, and make sure she leaves nothing behind. Goodbye and good riddance.”

          I heard the door slammed. It was as loud as ever. I don’t know why, but my tears can’t be controlled. It can’t ever be controlled like this. How could nice Appa turned into bad Appa just like that? And all that nonsense of he leaving Umma? And that I’ll be forgetting Umma? No way that’s ever going to happen. That new stepmother must’ve been wicked, like those in fairytales.

          I wiped my tears, I know I must be strong. But it was a failed attempt, as my tears started to flow like a flowing river when the rain comes by. And I’m extremely puzzled, because most of my tears weren’t caused by those hateful words that both Appa and Umma got out, but mostly because of Taemin oppa. What am I going to say to him? It’ll be a total embarrassment tomorrow, for sure.

          I’ve gotta run. Somehow. Somehow. I have to avoid people from knowing this. But there’s too many kids in the neighborhood. They’ll be sure to know that my parents were divorced when they see me with my bags. I’ll be the laughing stock in my whole school.

          Ottokhae? 

A/N : Get ready, it's getting started. :D