Chapter 10

“Good night,” Kibum said, as we both stand in front of the dorm’s door. We reached the dorms by 11:30PM.

“Thank you, oppa.” I bowed at him. “Thank you for the company, the fish cakes. I loved them. It’s my first time to eat those after some years. Thank you for carrying me, and for the plushie. I’ll return your jacket after I wash it.”

“No problem, Gyu.” He smiled. “I’ll go now, good night.”

I waved at him as I watch him leave. I opened the door and walked straight into my room. I’m glad that no one is in the living room; no ambush interviews about my whereabouts will be done. There was nothing but pure silence.

Just when I was about to open my room’s door, someone behind me cleared his throat. I am very certain that that person is a guy.

I turned around to take a good look at that stranger, only to see Kyuhyun with crossed arms. He took a look at his wrist watch, and then looked back at me. “Do you know what time is it, missy?”

“11:30PM. So?”

“You’re grounded, right?”

“And so?”

“Don’t you think you should follow a certain curfew?”

“Go straight to the point, Kyuhyun. I’m exhausted.” I grimaced. “What do you want?”

“Where were you? Why weren’t you answering your phone?” he eyed me from head to toe, and then gulped. “And why do you look like that? Why are you barefooted? Where are your shoes? Where are your things? Did you get robbed or something? Are you hurt? And whose jacket is that?”

“Hey, calm down, araseo?” I heaved a long sigh. “Here we go with the ambush interview. . .” I muttered to myself.

“What did you say?”

I shook my head and forced a smile. “Nothing, don’t mind me. What were you saying?”

“Answer my question, Missy.” He raised his eyebrow.

“Ok. . . So, I’ll answer your question one by one,” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Where were you? I was at Hongdae. Why am I not answering my phone? You should ask your oh-so-awesome lead vocal. He sure knows where and what happened to my phone. Why do I look like this? Go and ask your oh-so-awesome lead vocal. I did not get robbed, and my stilettos’ heel fell off. And this jacket, it’s Kibum’s. He came to my rescue. Any questions?”

Kyuhyun was totally speechless, and it was written all over his face. “Y-you should have called me,”

“I tried, Kyuhyun. I tried. But you weren’t picking up.” I actually felt bad that Kyuhyun wasn’t there for me. He was the only one I tried to call, because I thought he would be there for me, since I am his sister. His younger sister, actually. But he wasn’t there, nor his shadow. He doesn’t even know a single thing about what happened to me.

“I’m sorry, Gyu. I’m sorry. I never thought. . .”

“Don’t bother, I’m fine. I’m not dead yet, so don’t mind me.” I opened the door and quickly went inside the room.

--

“Alex, did you see my things?” I asked Alex, as I wore my stilettos. Stilettos are my best friend.

“No. Where did you leave them? Maybe I misplaced them or something,” Alex started to look through her things, too.

“No, I was just wondering if that annoying person dropped them off in here last night,”

“Annoying person?” Alex raised her eyebrow. “I bet you’re talking about Yesung. Am I right?”

“Exactly.” I stood up. “So, did he drop them off or something?”

Alex shook her head. “Nope. You should ask him.”

I grimaced. “Maybe he left them there on the streets of Hongdae. What an annoying jerk. Now I have to buy new ones.”

“You two were together yesterday?”

“Sort of?”

“Oh, I see. Now I know the reason why he was late for their schedule last night. Kyuhyun told me.”

“He was following me, outside the university. He flooded my cell phone with lots and lots of text messages, and then suddenly appeared in front of me. Then dragged me to Hongdae, pulling be by my cardigan, asking me to treat him dinner, and annoyed the hell out of me! I swear I will never talk to that annoying person ever again. Everything in him annoys me, you know? Just seeing him irritates me. It’s like from here,” I gestured at a certain level. “It goes up here,” my hand went higher. “Whenever I see his face. You know that feeling?”

She nodded. “Ugh. . . I don’t know what to say. . . Calm down?”

“I’m a bit calm right now. At this state.” I smiled at her. “Hey, Alex. Thank you for listening to that nonsense I said a while ago. I hope I did not annoy you or something. . .?”

“No, it’s completely fine. I like it actually, that you’re comfortable to talk about those kinds of things with me.” She smiled.

I gave her a nod. “Okay. I’ll go ahead and find my things.”

When I went out of the room, Kyuhyun was the first person I saw. He gave me a small smile, but I quickly avoided his gaze. Instead, I scanned the room to look for that very annoying person.

“Hey, Eunhyuk,” I held his arm when he passed by me. “Where’s that guy?”

He gave me a confused look. “Who?”

I sighed. “Yesung.”

“Oh,” his lips formed an ‘o’ shape. “He left early this morning, he said he has some things to buy. Why are you looking for him?”

“Aish. That jerk. . .” I muttered under my breath. “Nothing. Thanks.” I let go of his arm and headed straight to the door.

“Oh, Gyu! I almost forgot!” Eunhyuk called. “He left these with me,” he ran towards me and handed me my bag and my cardigan. “He told me you left them somewhere.”

“Left them somewhere, what a nice excuse.” I muttered under my breath. I looked at Eunhyuk and gave him a small smile. “Thanks. Oh, and just in case, please tell that guy over there—” I pointed at Kyuhyun. “—that I don’t have a phone. Thanks Eunhyuk. I’m leaving, just tell the others.”

Eunhyuk nodded. “Araseo. Take care.”

I left the dorms and headed straight to the elevator. I looked through my bag for my broken cell phone, but it wasn’t there. Where did that person put my broken phone? Aish. He’s really annoying.

--

KYUHYUN’S POV

Gyuri didn’t even say goodbye to me. Psh.

I know she feels bad. I didn’t answer the phone the phone last night because I left my phone inside my backpack. And besides, there wasn’t any call from Gyuri. If there were any missed calls, it all came from an unknown number. But I can’t use that as an excuse. I am her brother, and I did not come to her rescue when she needed me the most. I know I am an evil brother, but not to the point that I ignore my little sister like that. Aish. Why are you so dumb, Kyuhyun?

I stirred my coffee and annoyingly sat down on the dining table. Now she hates me. She hates me. Aish.

“Yah, Kyuhyun.” Eunhyuk called me.

“What do you want?” I asked him without looking at him.

“What’s with Gyuri?” he asked as he sat beside me. He got a pair of chopsticks and ate the kimchi on the bowl. “I don’t think she’s in a very good mood.”

“She hates me.” I simply said.

“What’s new? She always hates you.” He joked.

“It’s serious this time.”

“Oh. What happened?”

“I wasn’t able to answer the phone last night.”

“That’s it? She should understand; we had a schedule last night.”

“That’s not it, Eunhyuk. Idiot.” I drank my coffee.

“Yah, don’t call me an idiot! You really are evil,”

“She isn’t that shallow for her to feel bad about the call. Something happened last night. She went home barefooted and exhausted.”

“Oh, I get it. I would really feel gloomy if I am in her position.”

A sudden idea popped up in my mind. She told me she was with someone last night, the lead vocal to be exact. Our group has three lead vocals, that’s me, Ryeowook and Yesung. Who is she talking about? Or maybe she’s being sarcastic. . . “Hey Eunhyuk.”

He looked up. “What?”

“You’re not the lead vocal, but, were you with Gyuri last night?”

He choked with the food he is eating. “K-kyuhyun, I’m not dating your sister, I swear. Don’t kill me.”

I hit his forehead. “Aish. I’m not Donghae, araseo?”

“Yah!” Donghae shouted from the shower. “I heard my name!”

“Don’t mind him,” I told Eunhyuk. “Going back. Were you with Gyuri last night?”

“No. What would I do with her? We were all in the SuKiRa studio last night.”

“Oh, yeah. But she said she was with someone last night, the lead vocal to be exact.”

He pointed at me. “You’re a lead vocal,” he suddenly furrowed his eyebrows. “And so is Ryeowook and Yesung hyung. . .” he scratched his head. “Aish. Who is she talking about?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“Ask the other two.” He suggested.

“I’m not in the mood.” I grimaced.

“Hey, you look like Gyuri when you do that.”

“Which?”

“That thing. When you do that.”

“Which?”

“When you do this,” he did something with his lips, like twist it or something. I really don’t know what the hell he did a while ago, but I swear, he looked like an idiot. “Do it again.” Eunhyuk teased, as he elbowed me.

“I’m not an idiot like you.”

“Aish. For once, can you speak formally when talking to me? Like, call me hyung just for once. Then you can hit me again.”

“You really want me to call you that?” he nodded eagerly. I smirked. “In your dreams.”

He pouted. “Ayy. Yah, Cho Kyuhyun. Instead of messing with me, why don’t you think of a way on how to make Gyuri feel better? After all, you’re the reason why she’s upset.”

“Conscience? Is that you? Better not, my conscience should look as good as me.”

“What the?!” he almost stood up, but composed his expression, and then sat beside me again. He smiled sarcastically. “Kyuhyun, I am trying to help you here, ok? Don’t irritate me.”

“I’m not irritating you.” I innocently said, and then took a sip on my coffee.

“Whatever.” He stood up. “Just do something that would make her feel better. Araseo?” he was about to leave when he suddenly faced me again. “Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Gyu asked me to tell you that she doesn’t have a phone. See? She really feels bad, up to the point that she would not even talk to you.”

I just nodded. Now, let me think.. What would make my little sister feel better?

She doesn’t like ice cream that much. She eats it when she feels like eating it, but throws them away when she’s not in the mood. She doesn’t like chocolate that much either. She would gain weight and she hates that. She likes pasta, the Italian ones, which are very sour, but where the hell would I get one? Aish. I never thought that thinking of what she likes would be this hard.

Oh.. I almost forgot.. She likes something.. Something very rare, and I can only get them in the US. Looks like I need to order them online.. Knowing my little sister, she would not forgive me easily. Remember the incident with Kibum hyung? She did not talk to me on the phone for three months; she wouldn’t even answer my e-mails. Aish, I can’t stand another one of those scenarios again.

I got up, and took my phone. I dialed Manager Hyung’s number. “Ah, hyung? I need help. Can you get me these. . .”

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