A/N #1: The GIF has nothing to do with this chapter. Sungmin just looks so cute there. Kkkk~

 

 

Chapter 11

 

 

“Stupid Kyuhyun...” I muttered under my breath as I shot glares at the innocent and lifeless plushie Kibum gave me the other night. I am on my way out of the university, walking as fast as possible to avoid the sudden number of people exiting the front gates at 5:30PM. If it wasn’t for that research assignment, I could’ve left the university at 4PM.

This innocent little thing, whom I called Seongkashin, which means annoying (I am not referring to someone, just in case there are some ideas formed in your mind.) will surely suffer on the next days that will follow. “You should’ve answered the phone instead, or sent me a message as soon as you saw my calls! I hate you, Kyuhyun. I hate you!”

Two days already passed, but still, I haven’t exchanged even a single word with Kyuhyun. I just don’t feel like talking to him... I’m not blaming him for not being able to answer his phone. I mean, I should understand. My brother isn’t an ordinary person; he’s a star. He’s the great Cho Kyuhyun of Super Junior, known all over Asia and around the globe because of his amazing singing voice and very unique personality. He is loved by millions of fangirls everywhere, and is watched by a thousand pair of eyes every day... And who am I? I’m just his younger sister that isn’t as important as those screaming fangirls that he values. I understand. I totally understand…

But I just can’t help it. I can’t stop myself from feeling bad. I’m his sister for goodness’ sake! Shouldn’t he try his best to be there for me when I need him? Even for once… At times like this, I just wish that I have an ordinary brother… Not Cho Kyuhyun from Super Junior, not that celebrity that gets chased by fangirls everyday, but that geeky math whiz named Cho Kyuhyun that doesn’t have those double eyelids. Just a plain brother. Can’t he play his role, as my oppa, after doing his part for the group?

“Hey, hey!”

I looked behind me, and saw my older sister, Ahra, and my cousin, Hyesub. They were standing beside each other, waving at me with smiles on their faces.

Ahra walked towards me, and stretched her hands out for her to hug me. “I miss my other half so much!” Ahra calls me her other half. When we were young, we always stick together, bought the same design of clothes, ate together, and did almost everything together. We were that close.

I giggled, as I hugged her tight. “Unnie! I missed you more!”

Hyesub patted my shoulder. “Hey, don’t you miss me, too?”

I raised my eyebrows in a teasing manner. “Should I miss you? We were together last Friday,”

She pouted. “I hate you!”

“Kidding!” I hugged Hyesub tight. “I missed you, too!”

She chuckled. “You should miss me, or else you’re dead.”

“Anyways, what are you two doing here?" I placed Seongkashin inside my bag, securing it inside the secret pocket. I don’t want to lose it, it’s a gift from Kibum, and besides, it’s my stress reliever.

“Well, we wanted to surprise you,” Ahra started. “Actually, we had been waiting for you since 4PM, since Hyesub told me that your classes are done by that time. But I guess they weren’t?”

“You should’ve told me! I was in the library, doing my research assignment. If you told me beforehand, I would just do it tomorrow, or tonight. I’m sorry I made you wait.”

“It’s ok, we understand,” Ahra smiled. “Anyways, are you done?” I nodded. “Do you want some bonding time with the two of us?”

“Yeah,” Hyesub agreed. “I’m sick of shopping with you. And besides, I missed Ahra~”

I pouted. “No one forced you to accompany me while I shop! And besides, I help you look for decent clothes to wear! All of the clothes you buy make you look like an ahjuma!”

Hyesub made a face, and then suddenly hid behind Ahra’s back. Ahra laughed gently. “Aigoo, you two are so childish. Can we go now? We’re going shopping, and to the salon and spa! Promise, we will have lots of fun together.”

--

“Does this dress look good on me?” Hyesub asked, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Ahra shook her head. “No, that looks awful! Go find another.”

“Araseo.” Hyesub scratched her head. “Aigoo, I really don’t have that much taste when it comes to choosing clothes to buy.” She went back to the fitting room.

“So,” Ahra looked at me. “What was that something you were holding a while ago?”

“Oh,” I looked through my bag and got the plushie. I showed it to Ahra. “This is Seongkashin.”

She looked at me with an amused expression. “Seongkashin? Darling, of all names, why Seongkashin?” she got the stuff toy from my hands, and then examined it closely. “This cute toy doesn’t look like annoying, you know.”

“Ayy, unnie, that’s not it. Kibum gave me this the other night, when we were at Hongdae. That is a very long story so I would skip that part for the meantime. He gave me this, so that I can release my anger nor irritation in it. Like, squish it, or anything. It’s like my stress reliever.”

“By any chance, are you referring to Kibum? Kim Kibum, Kyuhyun’s group mate with that cute smile?” I nodded. “Your crush?”

I blushed out of embarrassment. “Ani. That was ages ago, I was very young back then, so I clearly don’t know what I had been doing.”

“Well, I won’t blame you. Kibum is cute, though.”

“Unnie, enough with that thing. I’ve had enough about that with Sungmin and that annoying person.”

She raised her eyebrow. “Annoying person? Oh, and how was it? What does it feel like when you live with those guys?”

“You would not want to live there, unnie.” I grimaced at the thought. “It’s chaotic, and full of annoying people.”

“You don’t like living there?”

I shook my head. “No. I would never want to live with those crazy guys!”

“I told omma and appa about that, too, when Kyuhyun volunteered to watch out for you when you come back. I mean, as a girl, who would want to live with a bunch of guys under one roof? Especially those guys? At first, I thought Kyuhyun will buy you a new apartment near their dorm, but since he isn’t that generous with money, he just made you live with him. Psh, that guy sure knows how to use his brain.”

“Yeah. And I hate him.” ><

“Had another argument again?”

I shook my head. “I just feel bad towards him.”

“Why?”

So, I told her everything about the incident including Yesung, and then Kibum, and then that little talk I had with Kyuhyun before I started to ignore him. I tell Ahra almost everything, I don’t edit whenever I talk to her. She’s my other half in the first place.

“I never thought Jongwoon can do those kinds of things,” Ahra said with a gentle laugh. “He always pay attention to his turtles most of the time.”

“Jongwoon?” Who is Jongwoon? I don’t remember meeting someone with that weird and old-fashioned name.

“That’s Yesung’s real name.”

With that, I laughed really hard. Looks like Ahra was dumbfounded with my sudden reaction. “Why are you laughing?”

“Revenge.” I simply said with an evil smirk plastered on my lips. I think Ahra knows what I’m thinking.

“You know what?” I looked at her. “Don’t do that. You don’t look like me anymore. You look like Kyuhyun when you smirk.”

I gave her the what-the-hell look. “Hey. Don’t ever say that.”

“I’m done!” Hyesub went out of the fitting room, wearing a floral dress that looks weird. “What do you think? I found this really cute p—”

“Go find another!” Ahra and I said in chorus. We both looked at each other, and laughed gently.

--

“What do you think, should we get a haircut?” Ahra asked, as we stood in front of a salon. We just finished shopping for clothes— mostly Hyesub’s since her wardrobe is full of a bunch of clothes that looks too old for her age.

“I’m fine with it,” Hyesub said coolly. “You two will do things your way anyways, I am left with no choice.”

I held my hair, and then stared at it for a few seconds. It had been five months since I last visited a salon to get my haircut. Maybe I should agree, too? My hair is a bit long, anyways. “Sure, let’s go inside.”

--

“Hey, Gyu.”

“Hmm?” I didn’t look at Ahra since I was busy focusing on my nails. They made a cute pattern on my nails, and I so so love it.

“How are you?”

“Are you really asking me that question?”

She nodded. “I’m just concerned about you.”

“Concerned? Why? Thanks, and I’m fine, you don’t have to worry.” I gave her a small smile, and then looked back at my nails. “The pattern is cute, aren’t they?”

“I know you’re not okay, Gyuri. Don’t give me that answer.”

“I’m okay, Ahra. What makes you think that I’m not?”

“Hyesub told me everything. Are you sure you’re okay?”

I grimaced. “I told her not to tell anyone.” I sighed, and then looked at Ahra. “I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

“If you happen to have problems, I’m here, ok?” she held my free hand. “I’m your sister, you can tell me anything— even how annoying Jongwoon is.” She smiled at me.

I laughed gently. “Araseo. I know that already, I just don’t want to burden you anymore. I can handle these things by myself.”

“Gyu, you don’t have to face them by yourself. I am here, Kyuhyun is, and so is Omma and Appa. We are your family. You can talk to us about it, and we will be very happy to help you.”

“I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, it’s my problem anyways.”

“But Gyuri, p—”

“I’m fine, really. And please, I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” I avoided her gaze, and just looked at the view outside. Suddenly, I saw a familiar figure enter the salon.

He stopped at the entrance. The others beside him stopped, too, and they looked at him with question marks written all over their heads. “Yah, mwo-yah?”  I heard the one behind him say.

He looked at me with a surprised expression. “N-noona?”

I gave him a smile, and a nod. I waved at him with my free hand. “Kwangmin-ah, annyeong.”

He bowed awkwardly at me. “G-gyuri noona, annyeong.”

The boys behind him pushed him in, giving me a slight bow as they passed by me. Youngmin waved at me when he passed by. “Noona, annyeong~” he greeted me. I just gave him a smile since I noticed that they are in a hurry.

“You know them?” Ahra asked me.

I nodded. “I met them at the Music Bank’s studio. I know the twins, not all of them.”

After my nails were done, I sat down beside Hyesub, and had my hair done. They chopped of a few inches off my hair, and curled my hair, since they said it will look good on me.  After I was done, I went out for a while, since Ahra and Hyesub are still getting their haircut done. And for Hyesub, Ahra told the stylist dye her hair brown. Well, Ahra really knows best.

I sat down on the nearby bench outside the salon, thinking about some things, especially Ahra’s words. Am I really ok? If I think about it, I really am not… Going back to South Korea from the US is like escaping from my problems; running away from my life full of clichés and problems. I haven’t really moved on; everything that happened is still clear on my mind.

“Noona.” I looked up, and saw Kwangmin standing in front of me. He offered me a bottled drink with a smile on his face. “Gwaenchana?”

I accepted the bottled drink, opened it and drank some. I shook my head. “No, not at all.”

He raised his eyebrow. “Why? What happened?”

“Something is bothering me,” I said as I held onto the bottle tight. I bit my lower lip. There was a sudden rush of emotions that came to me that time, tears suddenly started to form at the corner of my eyes. “I feel really bad, you know.”

“Why, noona?” he asked curiously. “If it’s ok, you can tell me. I’m willing to listen.”

I held onto the bottle tighter. “I feel really, really bad.” A single tear came out from my eye, and then it was followed by another, then another, then another, until the tears were non-stop. I hate myself whenever I cry like this. I feel weak and very vulnerable whenever I shed tears.

Kwangmin awkwardly wrapped his arm arm around my shoulders, patting them lightly. “It’s ok if you don’t want to tell me, noona. Just cry your heart out, noona. I’m here. I’ll just change my coat just in case it gets wet with your tears.”

I laughed gently at Kwangmin’s joke. I quickly wiped my tears with the back of my hand, but Kwangmin held my hand to stop me. He smiled as he offered me his handkerchief. “Noona, use my handkerchief.”

I waved my hand as a sign of refusal, and then smiled. “Ani, I’m ok. Don’t bother.”

He scratched his head. “Noona, at this time, I feel like I am older than you, jinjja,” he placed his handkerchief on my hand, and forced me to use his handkerchief.

I smiled, as I wiped away the tears on my cheeks using his handkerchief. “Araseo, Kwangmin oppa.” I .

He blushed lightly. “Ah, noona. Don’t do that, it feels awkward.”

“Araseo, araseo.” I settled on my seat. “Thank you, Kwangmin. And, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have cried in front of you, I feel really embarrassed right now.”

“It’s ok noona, you don’t have to worry.”

“You know what.. I feel bad towards Kyuhyun.”

Kwangmin looked at me. “Why noona?”

“I can’t feel his presence as my brother. He isn’t there whenever I need him.”

“But he’s an idol, noona. You should understand,”

“I know, and I understand. But why can’t he answer his phone? I could’ve died without him knowing.”

“Noona,” he said in a worried tone. “Please don’t talk like that,”

“I mean, he took responsibility of me, he should do his job… At least answer his phone for goodness’ sake!”

“Ah.. Eh.. N-noona..” he played with his fingers awkwardly.

“But, can you blame me? I really needed someone that time, and he was all that I could think of. I could’ve frozen to death that night! I mean, I am barefooted and I don’t have any jacket or sweater on that night…” I pouted.

“You should’ve called me that time, noona.”

“I don’t have your number, and I don’t have a phone that time. I destroyed it.” ^^v

He furrowed his eyebrows. “You destroyed it? How? Why?”

I laughed gently at the memory. Maybe I really looked dumb that time. “I stepped on it because an annoying person won’t stop texting me.”

He laughed gently in amusement. “Noona is a scary person, huh? Yo—”

“Hey, Kwangmin!” someone suddenly appeared behind us, wrapping an arm around Kwangmin’s neck tightly in a playful manner. He looked at me and then smiled. He looked back at Kwangmin. “Yo, Kwangmin, who’s this pretty noona? Yeojachingu?”

“I’m Cho Gyuri,” I introduced myself. “And, no, I am not Kwangmin’s yeojachingu. And you are?”

“Minwoo,” he offered his hand for a handshake, and I gladly shook it. “Finally, I met Kwangmin’s Gyuri noona,” he smiled at me. “You know noona, he kept on talking about you in the dorm, how much he wanted to see you again and talk to you again,”

I looked at Kwangmin. “Jinjja?”

His cheeks are blushing really hard as he bit his lower lip.

“Jinjja!” Minwoo answered. “He really wants to see you, BADLY.”

“Y-YAH.” Kwangmin warned Minwoo in a very deep yet awkward voice. He tried to remove Minwoo’s arm around his neck.

“Oh, and noona,” Minwoo struggled to keep his arms around Kwangmin’s neck. “Kwangmin’s right,” he smiled warmly at me. “You’re really pretty.”

I laughed gently. “Thank you, Minwoo,” I looked at Kwangmin, and then pinched his cheeks lightly. “Thank you, Kwangmin. Noona feels so much better than before.”

His expression became livelier. “Jinjja?”

I nodded, and then pulled out a pen and a piece of paper inside my bag. “Here. Give me your number, so that I can treat you something soon. Ppali,” he wrote his number on the piece of paper.

“Noona, can I come, too?” Minwoo asked.

“Araseo. Also, bring Youngmin with you. That would be so much fun.”

Minwoo smiled. “Thank you, noona!”

Kwangmin happily handed me the piece of paper. I smiled at him. “I’ll call you as soon as I get myself a new phone.”

He nodded. “I’ll wait for your call, noona.”

I stood up from my seat. “I’ll go inside first, okay? Thank you, Kwangmin. Nice to meet you, Minwoo.” They both waved at me as I went inside.

“Unnie,” I called Ahra, as I entered the salon. I walked towards the sofa and picked up my coat. “I’ll go ahead, I’m a bit tired,”

“Wait, Gyu,” Ahra said. “C-can you wait a little longer?”

“Why?” I wore my coat, and prepared to leave. “I’ll go ahead, anyways. Annyeong.”

“WAIT!” Ahra shouted, which caught everyone inside the salon’s attention. Even Kwangmin’s groupmates who are currently getting their hair done, looked at Ahra. She bowed at all of them, and then looked back at me. “Just a little while, please?”

“Why?” I looked at my wrist watch; it’s already 7:45PM. “I’ll be late. Those guys would ambush me with questions again.”

“Just a little while, please?”

“Why?”

I saw her gulp. “B-because…” she held her phone tightly, as she bit her lower lip. “H-hyesub’s almost done. Yeah, yeah. Hyesub’s almost done. Can you wait for us Please?”

“Unnie,” I sighed. “Sorry, but I really need to go. I don’ have a phone, they might be worried about me.” Or not… “I’ll go ahead, thanks for today. See you next time.” I made my way towards the door, but before I could open it, it opened by itself.

Kyuhyun suddenly appeared in front of me, sweaty and panting. He held onto his knees for support, and then looked at me straight in the eyes. “Gyu,”

“K-kyuhyun? What are you doing here? How did you know that I am here?”

He smiled in relief, and then stood properly. “Can we talk?”

--

 

A/N #2:

I will be back soon. Wait for me! Kkkk~ Love youuuu~ <3