7th✯
I stood on my toes, trying to see if any familiar red head was close.
So I stupidly told Jeonghan where I was and at all costs, I must make sure the boys doesn't meet him especially Yoon Sanha. In case my stupid brother might blurt out some unimportant details about me to any of them, I needed to know why he asked me not to tell Sanha we were cousins.
I checked my phone for the time. It's been ten minutes since our call. Could it be possible he was stuck in traffic? I hoped that was the case and that he decided to go home and have a talk there, where it was actually safe from unwanted ears like the boys from Astro.
"Yoon Aerim," a very familiar—almost unwanted at this rate—voice called out to me.
Oh no. Closing my eyes and hoping everything would turn out for the best, I turned around with a force smile to face my brother. "Oppa! Funny thing, right? You see—"
Jeonghan angrily pointed at the poster behind me. "This is his entertainment, isn't it?"
I followed the direction of his finger and noticed the huge and very obvious Astro poster stuck on the wall. Maybe I should have asked one of the boys to remove that even for ten or five minutes. It would have saved a lot of trouble.
"What are you up to these days, Yoon Aerim? You're skipping school for those," Jeonghan pointed at the poster again, "boys? What's there to gain?"
"Technically, oppa, if you just let me talk, even for a moment—"
"This won't do. I better call Mom and tell her that you're skipping school because of some boy craze," Jeonghan said, taking his phone out of the pocket of his jeans.
I quickly snatched the phone away from his hands and extended a hand in front of me to stop him from coming any closer. "You can't!"
"And why's that?" Jeonghan asked with gritted teeth. He took a step closer to snatch his phone back but I only took a big stride back. "Give that back, Yoon Aerim. If you don't, I might as well get you grounded."
"Oppa, you're not listening to me." I gave him a disappointed face as I shoved his phone into my pocket. "You're not even giving me a chance to talk."
Jeonghan stared into my eyes for three more seconds before he placed his hands on his hips and looked at the floor. "Arasso, arasso! What is it? What's going on for real?"
I looked around, hoping there was no sign of any of the six boys. Pushing Jeonghan down the low steps, I whispered, "Not here. Let's discuss it in the convenient store nearby."
✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯
Jeonghan sat down on the seats provided after buying some chips in the convenient store. I threw him a weird look and he asked me, "What? I'm hungry."
Shaking my head, I told myself to forget about the chips because that wasn't my aim right now. I finally started, "You remember about the act I told you about?"
"Ah... That pretend boyfriend thing?" Jeonghan asked as he ate some chips.
"Yes," I replied with a small sigh. "Yeah, so, I didn't go to school yesterday either because—"
"Mwo?! You didn't go yesterday, either? Aish, Yoon Aerim, I'll seriously—"
I took a handful of chips and stuffed it into his mouth. Pressing a finger against my lips, I hissed, "Shh! I'm not done talking!" Since he wasn't able to talk because his mouth was full of chips, I took the opportunity to continue, "Anyway, so we had a brief meeting about it yesterday. Today, we filmed the first ever episode. I'm going to have to continue like this for... I don't know how long. Hey, at least I get paid."
Jeonghan was staring at me like I just stole money from the bank and told everyone I was innocent. As he swallowed the chips in his mouth, he asked me, "And you're going to do all these couple things with your own cousin?"
"Hey, now that I have the chance to ask, how come I don't remember him being my cousin?" I asked, seizing the opportunity before it flies away. "And why did you tell me not to tell Sanha he's my cousin?"
Jeonghan was now looking out the window, avoiding my eyes as he stayed silent for one whole minute.
"Oppa?" I called softly. The way he was acting was strange but it made me feel afraid at the same time so I couldn't mutter up a lot of words.
"Just do as I say," Jeonghan answered before he stood up from the chair he was sitting on. He gave me a glance and told me, "Whatever you do, don't tell him. TV show or not, just remember he's your cousin but don't tell him, okay?"
Then, Jeonghan left the convenient store. I was just as confused as ever.
✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯
"Where did you go?" Sanha asked once I entered the entertainment. He waited for me by the entrance of the entertainment for me and I was surprised at first but just shook my head, thinking it was normal.
"Somewhere," I vaguely answered before walking past him.
Sanha ran up to me and stopped in front of me, holding my wrist. He tried to meet my eyes but I kept avoiding his eyes. "Are you okay?"
I pretended I didn't hear him and broke free from his grip before walking ahead, even knowing that I didn't know where I was going.
"Yoon Aerim!" Sanha called behind me.
I fastened my pace and eventually found the girls' bathroom. I entered it and stood in front of the mirror inside the empty bathroom. I stared at my reflection before turning the faucet on to wash my face and snap out of it.
"Is this all just a dream?" I muttered to myself in the mirror, watching the water droplets drip down my face. I slapped my face a few times and wiped my face with the provided tissues in the bathroom.
"Are you okay? You're acting weird," Sanha said as I walked out of the bathroom stall. His back was leaning against the wall but the moment I came out, he stood up straight and approached me.
"I'm... just tired," I weakly replied. I was mostly drained from everything. It seems as if everyday will be more eventful.
"Are you sick?" Sanha asked me, putting a hand on forehead. "You don't have a fever. We should still bring you to the hospital, just in case."
I shook my head and pulled his hand on my forehead down. "I just want to go home and rest, Sanha. I'll be fine."
"Should I walk you home? I don't want you fainting somewhere in the middle of your journey," Sanha said, holding me by the shoulders.
I shook my head and gave him a weak smile. "I appreciate you acting all caring, Sanha, but we don't want the reporters chasing us, do we? There aren't any cameras here. You don't have to act like my boyfriend."
"Even if I'm not your boyfriend, I'm still your friend. And I care for you, Aerim," Sanha said, holding onto my hand.
Surprised, I quickly retreated my hand from his. "It's fine. I can see you care, but not now. I just want to go home. I'll see you during the next recording, Yoon Sanha."
Then I left Sanha where he was and walked out of the entertainment to go back home. I had a feeling that Jeonghan will never tell me the answers to my questions. I didn't even know if he'd be at home when I came back. He probably went back to Sungcheol's house again.
Once I arrived home, Mom was there. She looked up from her chopping board and gave me a warm smile. "How was school, Aerim?"
"It was... okay," I replied, avoiding to look at her. I didn't even carry my bag and she thought I went to school? At least that was better than being scolded. As long as she still didn't know I was Sanha's pretend girlfriend, it's fine. "I'll go wash up first. Where's Daeul?"
"He's in his room playing," Mom replied, carrying the carrots over to the chopping board to cut them. "He misses you. You two, such a close bond."
Unlike Jeonghan and I. I mean, Jeonghan and I were close, just not now. We aren't on good terms at the moment. "Yeah, I'll go wash up first."
"Okay," Mom answered before she continued cooking.
I entered my room and the first thing I did was land on the comfortable bed which I missed. I closed my eyes and replayed the scene of Jeonghan and I in the convenient store.
"Don't tell him."
Why? Why on earth can't he know that we're cousins? Is it because it'll stir up news in Sanha's life? Is it to protect him? Maybe that's the reason why. Even if I may not know the real reason behind to why he won't let me tell Sanha we're cousins, as least I have an assumption.
"Noona?" The door then suddenly swung open and revealed my cute little brother by the door, smiling cutely. "Noona!"
"Daeul-a," I greeted, opening my arms for him to come into my arms. "How are you doing, my adorable and loving little brother?"
"Daebak!" Daeul replied with his cheeky smile. He showed me his fingers and then laughed. "Noona, is hyung busy?"
"Which hyung?" I knew for a fact that Daeul refers to both Jeonghan and Sanha as hyung, so at times, I could get confused on which he referred to.
"Hyung at store," Daeul replied.
Oh, that hyung. "He's really busy with... things, Daeul. He can't come and play. I'll see if he has time next time, okay?"
"Promise?" Daeul asked as he extended his pinky in front of my face. "Noona promise?"
I didn't want to have to promise something that I won't do but I can't disappoint my little brother. I'm a fool for my little brother. I intertwined our pinkies and smiled at him. "Eung, promise."
Daeul was now feeling excited as he started dancing in my arms, which made it almost hard to hold him securely in my arms.
In the end, I had to put him down on the floor, laughing at how adorable he acted. "Yah, Yoon Daeul, are you that happy to be able to see hyung? Do you like hyung that much?"
"Nae!" Daeul happily replied and it made me smile.
"Daeul-a! Come here! It's time to eat!" Mom's voice was heard all the way from the kitchen. When Daeul didn't run out of my room to head to the kitchen, Mom came inside my room. "Oh? You still haven't washed up, Aerim?"
"I'm going to wash up now," I told her, grabbing an oversized t-shirt and comfortable sweat pants. Patting Daeul on the head, I entered the bathroom to take a bath.
Twenty minutes later, I wrapped the towel around my head and headed out to eat with my family. They were already eating so I just sat down and began eating as well.
"Where's your oppa, Aerim?" Dad asked me. It was funny to see that they've already forgotten about the uproar from yesterday.
"Oppa?" I echoed. I really didn't know where he had wandered off to. I played around with my food before replying, "He's probably at Sungcheol oppa's place."
"Without telling us?" Mom asked, pausing from feeding Daeul. She put Daeul's spoon down—which resulted to Daeul feeding himself—and picked up her phone. "No messages nor calls from him."
Well it clearly wasn't my problem anymore. I just sat down peacefully and continued picking on my food while thinking about how to tell my parents that I'm now my cousin's pretend girlfriend on a show. I'm sure they'll be proud, right?
"Did Jeonghan text you, Aerim?" Mom then asked me.
"Huh?" I was too absorbed in how to break the big news to my parents that I didn't clearly catch what Mom had just asked me. "What was that?"
Mom frowned, disappointed that I wasn't listening to her. "Were you daydreaming, Aerim?"
"Sorry, I'm just really tired from school today," I lied, rubbing my eyes so I'd look believable. Actually, because of this show, I realized that I was gradually getting better in acting. I might benefit from this whole thing, with the bonus of cash.
"Did he call you or tell you anything?" Mom repeated the question I failed to catch.
"No, oppa didn't mention to me anything about his whereabouts," I answered. Jeonghan just straight on left me in the convenient store without another word. Who knows where he was now at this late hour.
Mom, being a mom, couldn't help but worry so she dialed his number, in hope that he'd pick up his phone to answer her.
I just sat there quietly, eating my food, even if I didn't really had the appetite to.
"Yeobo, he's not picking up," Mom informed Dad, who then raised an eyebrow at her.
"What do you mean he's not picking up?" Dad asked in a grumble as he slowly put his chopsticks down. "Call him again."
You see, my dad is a really scary man. Jeonghan and I knew that ever since we were young. Daeul... let's just say he still hasn't discovered the side of Dad yet. He was still young, so he was oblivious to what's Dad really like.
When we were younger, Jeonghan and I used to cause trouble a lot because we thought it was a really fun thing to do. That was until Dad showed a different side to himself. Instead of a warm caring man, he turned into a man who would get his belt and beat us. It wasn't called child abuse... not really, at least.
That was how Jeonghan and I stopped causing trouble. At least, noticeable trouble because, like now, we were still up to no good. Jeonghan going AWOL and me, well, joining a show to get cash. If Dad found out, he'd probably shave my head.
I guess that's where Jeonghan got his genes from. I got mine mostly from Mom and as for Daeul, he was still in the middle line, since he was still growing.
"He's still not picking up," Mom told Dad, setting her phone down.
Oh, snap! I thought, biting my lower lip. Jeonghan may be 20, but that doesn't mean he's too old to get whipped by Dad's belt. I took out my phone to sneak a message to send to Jeonghan oppa: yah! oppa! you better answer your phone! i think dad's going to get his belt... hurry!!
I just hoped that he'd see my message.
✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯
Nothing.
There were no replies from Jeonghan and Dad was getting ready to go out and probably file a report on a missing person or something.
Aish, where is that oppa?!
I heard the door click open outside and that made me climb out of my bed. I was curious to see what decision my parents had made so I tiptoed to my bedroom door, carefully twisting the doorknob to peek outside.
I saw my dad wearing his black coat as he gave my mom a firm nod. He wore his shoes then left the apartment we lived in. Mom wore that concerned and worried face on her face before she turned around. That was when I immediately shut the door. Afraid she'd come and check on me, I ran to my bed and threw the blankets over me.
I decided to stay under my blanket for five more minutes before marking it's safe to peek outside for the second time. When I did, I saw no one by the front door nor heard any sound. Closing the door back, I turned around, my back leaning against the door.
Oppa, where are you? Why aren't you picking up?
Questions continue to flood my head, even at this hour of night.
I picked up my phone from the bedside table again and tried calling Jeonghan's number.
"Your call is being forwarded..."
I pulled my phone away from my ear and looked at it oddly. Aish, oppa, what's going on?
I just decided to wait and see what happens tomorrow so I tried my best to fall asleep, only to find the monsters in my nightmare haunting me throughout the whole night.
✯~✯ ~ ✯
"Omona, you look horrible," said Sanha, who waited for me by the lobby of our apartment.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, startled to see he was here so early.
"Did you even brush your hair? It looks as if you made a monkey comb it for you," Sanha said, ruffling my hair to make it even messier.
"Yah! You're saying things like that but you're messing it up even more? Geez." I tried to fix my very messy hair with my fingers by untangling some of it. I wasn't able to sleep properly last night and ever since I woke up, I've been so out of it that I used a fork to eat cereal instead of a spoon. Daeul even said I was a funny noona.
"I guess people weren't kidding when they said looks doesn't matter. Even with messy hair and dark circles under your eyes, you're still so lovable," Sanha said, grinning as he pinched my cheek.
I cringed. I wasn't used to all these endearments still. They looked cute in dramas but to actually be feeling it was something I'd rather exclude from my life's to-do list. "You know we're not dating for real, so why do you keep saying things like that out of no where?"
"Wae? Are you afraid you'll be shaken by my irresistible charms?" Sanha asked with a grin as he leaned in closer to wiggle his eyebrows.
"No, ew." I pushed him away, feeling as if I might gag anytime soon. Me? Falling in love with my own cousin? I'm getting chills every time Sanha tries to act like my boyfriend.
"We should really get you fixed up," Sanha said, gathering my messy hair together.
I slapped his hand away and tied my hair into a low ponytail. "There. Happy? You're so naggy over my hair, geez."
"Just being a good boyfriend." Sanha smiled as he walked me to a car parked by the sides.
"Boyfriend my ass." I snorted and took a seat in the car, looking out of the window again. I felt a pair of eyes watching me and without turning around to see if it was Sanha or not, I just said, "Eyes off me or I'll pull them out with a fork."
"Feisty. What else are your charms, Yoon Aerim? I want to know everything," Sanha said, grinning like a cute kid.
I clammed his mouth and closed my eyes. "Sleep. I didn't get enough sleep last night so I'm going to sleep and make sure you don't talk or stare at me while I sleep. Got it?"
I felt him nodding with my hand.
Then, I removed my hand off his mouth and drifted into a nap.
✯ ~ ✯ ~ ✯
When I woke up, I felt the warmth of someone. I looked around the car and my eyes landed on Sanha's hand that was locked with mine. He fell asleep who knows when but when on earth did he hold my hand?
I quickly retrieved back my hand and folded them over my chest, clearing my throat several times while looking out the window.
"You're really fun to tease," I heard him whisper in a hoarse voice.
I turned my head to look at him. He was still in the same position as he was before he woke up. "No I'm not."
"Yes you are," Sanha said, grinning with his closed eyes. "You don't even want to hold hands. What are you going to do if we do that on the show?"
I gulped and felt a shiver travel down my spine. "Obviously kick you in the shin."
He frowned. "That isn't nice."
"Nothing's nice in this world," I told him, giving him a quick pat on the head before looking out the window again.
Sanha moved closer and rested his head on my shoulder once again. "You're frozen."
"Am not," I protested, though he wasn't lying. Every time he does these things, I'll always get stuck—frozen. "G-get off me, Yoon Sanha. Get off me before I pinch your nose."
Sanha just smiled and leaned in closer, as if anticipating a pinch from me.
I decided to just shrug his head off my shoulder, which resulted to his head falling and crashing onto the car seat. I had a triumphant smile on my face and I was trying my best not to make it look obvious.
"Hing~"
"Yah, stop doing those things, Yoon Sanha. Do you have any idea how much cringes and chills I've received over the past thirty minutes?" I asked him, rubbing my arm with rising goosebumps. I showed it to him and said, "Look at this!"
Sanha only chuckled as he massaged my arm. "Your arm's squishy."
Immediately, I drew my hand back from his touch. "I'm not fat!"
"I never said you were." Sanha looked into my eyes before trying to hold my arm again. "Can't I hold your hand?"
"No," I answered, folding my hands over my chest once again. "Go hold your own hand, Sanha."
"Your hand looks heavy," he whined. "Want me to hold it for you?"
Great, another cringe attack early in the morning. "What's with the sudden pick up line, Yoon Sanha? It's giving me more chills than I already received from you this morning."
"You're just really fun to tease."
How many times have I heard those words before? It's as if Sanha was a music player set on repeat.
We arrived at the entertainment minutes after we got stuck in a jam and boarded down the car. Sanha was busy stretching in public while I went ahead. I wasn't paying attention to the ground so when I stepped on something soft, I was startled.
I looked at my shoe and saw a red scarf stuck under my shoe. I bent down and picked it up from the floor. I gasped and dropped it on the floor, taking a step back. The screams in my head started.
I grabbed onto my head and tried to block out the deafening screams in my mind.
"Aerim!" Sanha worriedly called behind me.
I eventually lost focus and felt dizzy. In the end, I dropped on the ground. The only thing I remembered when I blacked out was the sound screeching car wheels.
~Author's Notes~
I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while! I was working on finishing my other story, Promise Me, and I finally finished it! Yaaay!
In the short time I was gone, this book managed to reach 1K views and 100 and counting votes! Omona! You guys are awesome, bbyong! <33
Well, see you guys in future and hopefully faster updates! :))
xoxo
Byun Sang Kyung