SPIDERMAN 2: MARK LEE

4

When years passed by, he progressively got better at it and now, he probably cooked better than Gordon Ramsay because his food was always full of love.

As I said, things never change.

Every time I would walk into the kitchen and discover that Taeil was making food, he would always announce that he was making my favorite, kimchi jjigae. Usually, whenever something was being eaten repetitively, it was only natural to get tired of it. Not me though. I always felt like wanting more.

"Oh, by the way." Taeil uttered. "I have good news about my possible debut under SM Entertainment." He explained, spinning in his stance to show me the excitement and bliss seen in his face.

I could feel my lips part, my eyes slightly widened. "Oh for real? Tell me about it."

Taeil leaned against the counter by the stove, his hand resting on the edge of it. "I submitted another song yesterday. Another song I produced, this time with the help of Taeyong. You know the drill, they'll examine it and check if it's worth the debut." He paused, his lips perking into a smile, a smile full of hope and determination. "I know I've done this several times but... I feel like this time feels different. You know?"

Taeil's path in the future relied mostly on the musical industry. He was ambitious about singing, the same way I was ambitious about Molecular Engineering. Actually, perhaps he was a bit more ambitious and determined. Taeil was definitely more hard-working and enthusiastic with his music career. He had always been singing, even from such a young age. He attended a lot of competitions and lessons, and he even sung me to sleep when I was little.

Eight years ago, I remembered a stormy night filled with tension and dread. Taeil announced that he was leaving for a bit to travel to Seoul and audition under one of the biggest singing company, SM Entertainment. Our parents were not too fond of it, mainly because it was spontaneous and was done without their approval. Taeil didn't care. He was an ambitious sixteen year old at the time. Our father was worried for his safety since he was gonna be alone, meanwhile our mother was more concerned about his ambitions. She said it was a risky and unclear path for him and demanded him to stay. Of course he didn't, he kissed me goodbye and promised to be back.

Expectedly, his talent never disappointed. Taeil was accepted after the audition and promised to debut him someday, but they were liars. For the past 8 years, he had been producing numerous songs, hoping it'd satisfy and fit the company's standards to permit him in debuting, but they were always rejected. Each and every single one of them. All the hard work thrown in the trash can like nothing.

I never liked SM Entertainment. To be honest, I didn't even want Taeil to be under them anymore, but I could tell how much this meant for Taeil so I supported him through thick and thin.

I smiled warmly. "They better approve the song this time. I'm sure they will."

There was a bit of shift in Taeil's face. He didn't appear as hopeful as how he was before.

"And when they do approve the song-" I exclaimed, boisterous and joyful, an attempt to maintain that smile Taeil had on his lips. "I would be able to see your face in every Korean tv-shows. And you better tell the world that you have the most coolest and prettiest sister." I smirked with my arms crossing against my chest.

Taeil merely rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll tell them the struggle of having to make kimchi jjigae for you everyday."

The atmosphere inside the kitchen was like a warm embrace, suffused with love and tenderness. It was a space filled with a sense of peace and harmony. It was a moment of true siblinghood, where the bonds of love and care were felt deeply and sincerely.