Mrs. Jung

“Yah! Would you all stop interrupting me when I’m talking!”, I scolded the kids, as I was interrupted for the nth time this night.

 

“Sorry, Imo/Imonim..”, they all said in unison.

 

“As I was saying, I’m happy Joo Hyun-ie is going to be Yong Yong-ie’s wife in a TELEVISION SHOW—”

 

“Ahhhhhh..”, intoned everyone as understanding dawned on them.

 

“Although, it wouldn’t hurt if they could make it real, now that they have a daughter—”

 

“Eomma!”, Yong Hwa interjected.

 

“Arasseo! Arasseo! I know it’s none of my business, but Joo Hyun-ie already knows how I feel about this.. I already told her even before you guys met..”, I informed them as I smiled fondly at the lady beside my son, hugging a beautiful blue-eyed baby girl from the back.

 

Awww, she’s blushing.. How cute.. Good thing, I didn’t say anything when I saw their accidental kiss earlier or she would have been what, probably maroon-ish by now.. Aigooo..

 

“Is it true, Joo-Joo-ie? You’re going to be in a TV show?”, inquired one of Joo Hyun’s Eonnies.

 

“It’s still in negotiations.. I think.. Right, Oppa?”, Joo Hyun asked, turning her attention to my son, who was caught off-guard.

 

Probably staring at Joo Hyun-ie again.. Aigooo.. I think my Yong Yong-ie is hiding something from me.. I’ve never seen him like this before..

 

“Oh, uhhh yes.. Manager Hyung is negotiating the details with the network.. Hyun and I want everything we’ll get to be deposited in an international bank under Cherisse’s name—”

 

“Awwwww—”

 

“Omooo—”

 

 “So sweet—”

 

“Aigooo—”

 

“—but we have to make sure Cherisse is the priority, i.e. we have the right to stop filming if she’s uncomfortable or in any danger.. You know, those kinds of details that will protect Cherisse.. But the primary objective now is to get Cherisse’s parents’ permission to air any footages of her..”, he continued, as if he heard nothing while he looked at Joo Hyun, who was nodding.

 

“Give me a copy of the contract before you sign anything, Yong Hwa-yah, okay? I’ll make sure you get everything you’ll need to protect Cherisse..”, Joo Hyun-ie’s eldest sister, Mi Young, piped up to which my son nodded.

 

Right, she’s a lawyer.. These Seo kids are really something.. Their parents really brought them up well..

 

“Oh, thank you, Eonni!”, Joo Hyun acknowledged, smiling at her sister.

 

“Yah! I’ve been helping people I don’t even know, of course, I’m going to help my OWN sister! Cham! I’m just hurt that you didn’t even think to consult me..”, Mi Young replied, pouting.

 

“I’m sorry, Eonni.. With everything that’s happened lately and my work—”

 

“Oh, you told them you quit your job, Seohyun-ssi? That’s really unfortunate, but what can you do.. You had to..”, I heard a man’s voice say from somewhere behind Joo Hyun’s laptop, as everyone went quiet.

 

 

 

Jung Yong Hwa

“Yah! HYUNG!!! Shut—”

 

“YOU QUIT YOUR JOB?! Why, Joo Hyun-ah?!”, Mi Yong Noona exclaimed, shocked.

 

Aishhh Hyung! Arghhhh!!!

 

“It’s not—”

 

“I had—”

 

“I swear we don’t know what’s going on with you anymore, SEO JOO HYUN!”, Yu Ri Noona interjected, cutting me and Hyun off.

 

Uh-ohhh..

 

“Eonni, I—”

 

“Omo! Weren’t you talking about that? What were you talking about then? Was it Seohyun-ssi’s bruises—”

 

“WHAT BRUISES?!!!!!!”, everyone shouted, making Hyun, Cherisse, and I jump in surprise.

 

“I guess not.”, Manager Hyung quipped, looking at Hyun apologetically.

 

“YAH, HYUNG! HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE, ANYWAY?!”, I demanded before anybody else could yell some more.

 

“Through the door of cour—I have a duplicate key..”, he admitted after I gave him an infuriating-look.

 

“Give it here!”, I exclaimed as my Manager reluctantly handed his duplicate to me. “We were almost on the finish line, Hyung! AISHHH!”, I added under my breath, as my Manager looked at the floor guiltily.

 

“Yah, Seo Joo Hyun! What did the Ahjussi mean when he said your ‘bruises’?”, Yoo Na Noona asked, her arms crossed in front of her, like her other Eonnies.

 

“I’m not an Ahjus—”

 

“Oh, my God, Hyung! Please! Gahhh!”, I pleaded with my Manager, asking him to keep quiet.

 

“It’s nothing Eon—”

 

“BRUISES ARE NOTHING?!”, Min Hyuk exclaimed, making us all cringed while I noticed Soo Jung ask Ga Young to take the baby out of the room for a while.

 

“Just show them, Hyun..”, I urged her while I took Cherisse from her.

 

As Hyun pulled up her sleeves, her black and blue bruises became visible, making everybody gasp and flinch.

 

Oh God, it looks so painful.. Poor Hyun.. I HATE THAT JERK!!!

 

“OH MY GOD! Who did this to you, Joo Hyun-ah?!”, Mi Young Noona asked, looking so worried.

 

“Did my son—”

 

“Yah—”

 

“No! No, Eommonim! Yong Oppa didn’t do this to me.. I just—”

 

Thank you, Hyun.. But it was still my fault.. I shouldn’t have given him the key.. Aishhh!!! I REALLY HATE THAT JERK!!!

 

“Please don’t tell us you just had an ‘accident’, Seo Joo Hyun! Or I swear I’ll—Aishhh!!!”, Min Hyuk asserted, looking so mad, his face was red. Soo Jung took a hold of his hand which visibly calmed him a little.

 

“Did you, at least see, a Doctor, Joo Hyun-ie?”, Eomma asked Hyun, concerned.

 

“I did, Eommonim.. Manager Oppa provided one earlier.. He gave me something to make the color go back to normal and it doesn’t hurt as much anymore..”, Hyun answered quietly.

 

“So that’s why you keep wincing every time Cherisse holds you there..”, Yu Ri Noona observed. Hyun just gave her a weak smile.

 

Yet she never complained.. I’m so sorry, Hyun..

 

“Who did this to you, Joo Hyun Eonni..?”, Soo Jung asked.

 

Oh, here we go..

 

“It’s not important who did—”

 

“YAH, SEO JOO HYUN!”, yelled the four Seo siblings together, making Hyun cringe and groan.

 

“It’s her boss, Cho Kyu Hyun-ssi.. Sorry, Hyun.. They already know, so might as well tell them what happened..”, I answered instead as I looked at Hyun who was thinking and after a while, nodded slowly.

 

We again told them what happened, skipping the part about me breaking that jerk’s nose while I noticed Hyun, AGAIN, skipped the part WHY that jerk did it in the first place. When we were done, everybody’s concern shifted to Cherisse, but my attention was still on Hyun.

 

She’s keeping something from us.. From me..

 

“That jerk! How could he do this to a girl and a baby!”, Min Hyuk exclaimed, red-faced again.

 

“Where were you Yong Hwa Hyung when that happened?!”, Jong Hyun asked, frowning.

 

“I told you I was punching the door open..”, I said calmly.

 

“But WHY did Joo Hyun Eonni’s boss do tha—”

 

“You didn’t even punch Joo Hyun Eonni’s boss, Yong Yong Oppa?! Cham!”, Eun Ji cut in, looking at me incredulously.

 

“And who said I didn’t..?”, I argued, putting my bandaged right hand up while my Mother frowned at me.

 

“It’s not broken, Eomma.. Just sprained—”

 

“Yah! Yong Hwa-yah! Is that WHY Kyu Hyun-ssi needed an emergency operation—”

 

“Nice, Hyung! Good job!”, Jong Hyun exclaimed, cutting my Manager off, as all the men started nodding in agreement.

 

“Wait, Hyung.. How did you know that jerk needed an emergency operation?! You were in contact with them, weren’t you?! Aishhh!”, I accused my Manager, feeling exasperated.

 

“I needed to talk to them about, you know, Seohyun-ssi’s schedule for the show we’re doing soon.. Or lack of it, now that she quit her job..”, my Manager mumbled, but then added, “Don’t change the subject, Yong Hwa-yah! Why didn’t you tell me about this?! What would we do if they press charges—”

 

“I’ll take care of it.”, Mi Young Noona remarked, cutting my Manager off.

 

“Oh, uhhh okay..”, my Manager replied, at a loss for words because of Mi Young Noona’s sudden statement.

 

“I am going to HAUL that jerk’s a—”

 

“Eonni—”

 

“I know! I know! Aishhh, Seo Joo Hyun!”, Mi Young Noona fumed, looking so frustrated at her sister.

 

“Manager Jo Han Chul.”, Eomma suddenly interjected, rendering us all to quiet down.

 

“Yes, Eo—Eommonim..?”, my Manager stammered, looking nervous all of a sudden.

 

“Where were you when all that was happening?”, my Mother asked calmly.

 

Uh-ohhh.. Eomma’s talking calmly.. This is not good.. You’re dead, Hyung..

 

“I uhhh I was uhhh.. Where was I—”

 

“YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHERE YOU WERE?! So you weren’t WITH the kids when it happened?!”, Eomma exclaimed, making my Manager jump in surprise.

 

“No, uhhh Eommo—Eommonim—”

 

“Didn’t you tell us, when you scouted my son, that you’ll take care of him?! You promised, even!”, Eomma continued, speaking dangerously slow, emphasizing every word.

 

“Yes, Eommonim uhhh—”

 

“Is that taking care of him?! Now you want Joo Hyun-ie and Cherisse to do a TV show when you couldn’t even take care of 1 person! Look at what happened to our Joo Hyun-ie?! And poor Cherisse, going through that AFTER what she went through in the airport! ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GOING TO TELL ME YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THEM ALL WHEN YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHERE YOU WERE AT THE TIME???!!!”, she exploded.

 

“No, Eommonim.. Yes, Eommo—Eommonim.. I’m uhhh I’m sorry, Eommonim.. I’ll—I’ll take better care—”

 

“Oh, you better take care of them, Manager Jo Han Chul.. Because you see that beautiful girl over there..”, my Mother cut in, gesturing at Mi Young Noona, who waved and smiled at him a little too sweetly, it was almost scary.

 

“Yes, Eommonim..”, my Manager answered, who looked as pale as a ghost.

 

“I’ll make sure she strips you of everything you and your whole family have and then I’ll let her throw you in jail for the maximum penalty of DEATH. Do we understand each other?”, Eomma said, threateningly.

 

“Gulp. Ye—yes, Eommo—Eommonim.. I understand com—completely..”, Manager Hyung replied. He looked like he’s almost about to pass-out.

 

Poor, Hyung.. That’s what he gets for not knocking first.. Tsk tsk tsk!

 

“Hello?! Isn’t anybody curious WHY Joo Hyun Eonni’s boss did that in the first place?!”, Jin Ri suddenly stated, diffusing the tension that my Mother and my Manager created.

 

We all looked at Hyun, waiting for her explanation. She looked like she was backed up in a corner.

 

“Yah, I don’t think that’s any of our business.. The point is, he could just have talked to Hyun without shouting or hurting her.. And he didn't have to take Cherisse away from her! Especially, when Cherisse was already crying and Hyun begging for him to let her go so she could soothe Cherisse..”, I reasoned-out as Hyun released a silent sigh of relief.

 

 

 

Seo Joo Hyun

Thank you, Yong Oppa.. You saved me again from something I’m not comfortable talking about out-loud, especially not in front of Eommonim..

 

I looked at my siblings. I knew that they weren’t going to let it go just like that without me explaining everything. They all gave me a surreptitious nod that only siblings as close as ours would notice. It was as if to say ‘you’re off the hook right now, but wait till we’re alone later’.

 

Sighhh..

 

“Yah, that’s it! I’m going there to see you, Joo Hyun-ah! I’ll rearrange my schedule and see when I can go.. Hon, I’m going—”

 

“I’m? I think you should say WE—”

 

“Really?! Thank you, Honey!!!”, Mi Young Eonni cried out, while hugging and giving her husband a kiss, who just agreed to come and see me, too.

 

“Thank you, Eonni and Hyungbu—”

 

“Hey! We’re going, too!”,Yoo Na Eonni chimed in, kissing her husband Seung Gi Hyungbu on the cheek, who I guess just said yes.

 

“Us, too! Right, baby?”, Chang Sun Hyungbu added, who gave his wife a kiss instead, after she nodded.

 

“Yah! Keep it for general patronage, please.. Cherisse is looking at you, not to mention the rest of US who DOESN’T want to see that! Yuck!”, Min Hyuk commented, looking disgusted.

 

“If you want to go, too, we can go, Crinkles.. I understand.. And I know how much you miss Joo Hyun Eonni.. Don’t worry about Min Jung-ie, we can talk about that later..”, I heard Soo Jung say to her husband Min Hyuk, who nodded and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

 

“Yah! Look who’s talking, CRINKLES!”, Nich Khun Hyungbu teased.

 

“Nich Khun Seobangnim!”, Soo Jung protested, embarrassed, as everyone else made kissing noises and started laughing.

 

“Daddy, Mommy, vous deux baiser..1 (Daddy, Mommy, you two kiss..)”, Cherisse remarked all of a sudden, looking back and forth between me and Yong Oppa.

 

What?! Cherisse! No, baby!

 

“Ummm Non, ça va, ma chérie..2 (Ummm No, that’s okay, my darling..)”, I said, hoping no one was paying attention.

 

“What did she say, Hyun?”, Yong Oppa asked.

 

Aishhh! This guy never misses a thing!

 

“It’s not important, Oppa..”, I told him, trying to find a way to signal him to just let it go without letting the others know.

 

“But—”, he stopped talking as soon as he saw me shake my head surreptitiously.

 

“Vous deux baiser, se il vous plaît..3 (You two kiss, please..)”, Cherisse repeated, insisting this time.

 

Cheriiiiissssseeeee!!! Aigooo!

 

“Baiser.. I’ve heard that before..”, Yu Ri Eonni repeated, thinking.

 

“It’s nothing, Eonni.. She’s just blabbing—”

 

“Google it!”, Jong Hyun Oppa suggested eagerly.

 

Gaaahhhhhh!!!

 

“It says here it means—ahahahahahahaha!!!”, Yoo Na Eonni exclaimed, cracking up.

 

“What?! Aishhh! Google it, Min Hyuk-ah!”, Jong Hyun Oppa ordered impatiently, while I tried to get Yong Oppa to change the subject.

 

“Yah! What about my family?! Aren’t any one of you coming t—”

 

“Ayiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!”, I heard Yong Oppa’s female-cousins’ squeals of delight, cutting him off mid-sentence.

 

Oi! Too late! Aaaaarghhhhh!!!

 

“What?!”, Eommonim asked, who looked at the monitor where Jong Hyun Oppa was pointing.

 

“Omo! She wants you two to KISS?! Hahahahahaha!!!”, Eommonim remarked, laughing while all my blood rushed up to my cheeks.

 

Oh God, this is so embarrassing.. Oh, Cherisse..

 

“And look, she’s still waiting for them to do it! Ahahahaha!”, Mi Young Eonni pointed out, looking at Cherisse who was still looking at Yong Oppa and I, back and forth, expecting.

 

But you already did, didn’t you— – Yah!

 

“Let me see you two get out of this one..”, Manager Oppa quipped, who I forgot was still in the room with us.

 

I glanced at Yong Oppa, his cheeks and ears were red, but he was smiling widely.

 

Is Yong Oppa liking this?! No way..

 

“Babycakes, aren’t you sleepy yet—”

 

“Yahhh—”

 

“What?! She’s sleepy—”

 

“Mommy, j’ai sommeil..4 (Mommy, I’m sleepy..)”, I heard Cherisse say, rubbing her eyes in the process.

 

“What did she say, Joo Hyun-ie?”, Eommonim asked, looking concerned.

 

“She said she’s sleepy, Eommonim—”

 

“See?!”, Yong Oppa commented triumphantly.

 

“Omo! It’s almost 2 am! Of course, she’s sleepy..”, Eommonim exclaimed, looking at her watch.

 

“Oh, poor baby.. We’re sorry, Cherisse.. I guess we just miss you all so much, that’s why we forgot to check the time..”, Yoo Na Eonni apologized.

 

“We’ll say goodbye for now, okay? We’ll contact you with our flight details as soon as it’s confirmed..”, Mi Young Eonni advised while the others nodded.

 

“Yah, if you’re all going to Jeju Island, then we’ll meet you there!”, Jong Hyun Oppa added while his female cousins nodded.

 

After all the I-love-yous, good-byes, I-miss-yous, and see-you-all-soons, all that was left was me, Cherisse, and Yong Oppa; and Min Hyuk, Soo Jung, and their baby, who was given back by Ga Young.

 

“Ga Young-ie! You haven’t met Joo Hyun Eonni, right?”, Soo Jung asked her younger cousin, who nodded.

 

She looks so familiar to me.. Have I met her before.. Hmmm..

 

We were introduced. I said hi, but she only bowed and didn’t say a word before she left. I looked at Yong Oppa, he looked baffled and so was Soo Jung. Soo Jung apologized and said their cousin must be tired. I nodded, but felt worried that I might have said or done something to offend her. I was thinking back, analyzing what had happened through our chat, when I heard Min Hyuk and Soo Jung’s baby cry.