Egocentric [Book I]

Fight

Having been slightly blinded by the sun entering his windows, Xiumin sat up and rubbed his face, cursing to no end the moment he remembered what happened last night. He quickly stood up and showered so he could join his family and Minah for breakfast, perhaps talk to her as soon as possible and explain and apologize.

After she ran off to her room, he answered Yumi’s call and let out his bottled rage for so many days. Nothing happened and he didn’t say anything that would piss Minah off again, something he wished he could’ve done before all that crap had happened. It’s fun to think how things change. He used to have this burning will to strangle Minah so she’d stop annoying him, and now he’s chasing her because he couldn’t stand having her mad at him, hurt even.

Before Xiumin could even make his way downstairs, he stopped by the hallway and knocked on the guest bedroom door, just so she’d be the first person he’d see in the morning.

“Minah, are you awake?” He called. It was too early, so he thought she’d still be snoring the day away. “Minah.”

They were in his family house, and in that house, he knows no boundaries. He breathed in and turned the doorknob, peeking inside the room to see if she was still sleeping. His pulse started to race when he saw the bed neatly made and no bag placed on the floor. When he went in and checked the bathroom, everything was the same, not a single thing misplaced.

Xiumin ran out and downstairs, straight to the kitchen where his parents and noona were talking about her forthcoming nuptials.

“Where is she?” Xiumin asked, almost shouting his words. “Where’s Minah?”

“She didn’t tell you?” Jinkyung stood up, furrowing her eyebrows.

“She didn’t tell me what, noona?”

“Minah left three hours ago.” Jinkyung replied, completely confused. “I thought you knew.”

“I was sleeping!” Xiumin yelled, pacing back and forth as he fished the phone out of his pocket. “You didn’t even have the decency to wake me up?”

“Minseok, calm down and sit.” His father demanded, standing up as well. Xiumin shook his head and dialed her number, after which he cursed internally when it went straight to voicemail.

“I was hesitant at first, but she seemed pretty eager to go home.” Jinkyung explained, walking to Xiumin to stop him from pacing. “Calm down, please.”

“Did she go alone?” Xiumin asked, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“Of course she did.”

“You have a driver, noona. You could’ve at least made him take her home!”

“Stop yelling at your sister and calm down!” Their father scolded, pushing his chair back so he could approach Xiumin as well. Xiumin stepped away from them and dialed Minah’s number again, only to get the same result as the first one.

“Why are you making such a big fuss out of this? Minah can take care of herself. She’ll be fine.” Jinkyung assured.

“I won’t be able to forgive myself if something bad happens to her. This is my fault.” Xiumin mumbled, dialing again. “I have to go. I’ll visit here again some other time.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to eat breakfast first?” Their mother asked, gesturing at the prepared food for them.

“I’m sorry. I really have to go after her.”

Xiumin ran upstairs to get his keys and quickly left the house, leaving his family inside the kitchen, all smiling like idiots because of how he was acting. Jinkyung shook her head in amusement and went back to her seat, the same way her father did.