NA JAEMIN
Accustomed to the stop-and-move motion of the train, I easily find a position where I am totally balanced. I take out my phone to distract myself, every once in a while glancing back at the now sleeping girl to make sure she doesn't bother anyone.
Just because if she did, it might cause a ruckus and I would have to interfere because if I didn't I'd be held accountable by Beomgyu and the boys. If Beomgyu never asked me I wouldn't have done this.
While scrolling through social media, I receive a notification from Jisung. I read the preview and it makes me hesitate. I glance back up at Yun who is forcing herself to stay awake by blinking her eyes hard and pinching herself.
Even if we've been in this sort of relationship for years, the boys have treated us just the same. It's common knowledge and I know they don't agree with it, but I suppose now they realize nothing can fix it. I know that despite our disagreements, whether just trivial or deeply hurtful, they are on both our sides. Always.
I know just how much she matters to them, and me hating her doesn't mean I don't understand why. She's just as much a sister to them as they're brothers to me.
Jisung
Hyung I'm so sorry in advanced for what I'm about to ask...
But it's Yun.
I don't know if you read the gc, but we fought and you've seen how emotions can really...
bother her?
anyway, I just wanted to know if you saw her go to school today
I don't know if you remember last time, but we're trying to avoid that
hey jisung
it might be better if you ask Beomgyu, but I think I may have seen her
not so sure though
Oh, I didn't think of doing that...
Thank you hyung! see you
i'm sorry again...
hey
I read through what happened
are you okay?
yeah...i'm really just worried about Yun
what I did was uncalled for 😕
I stare at the chat and wonder if I should I ask for details to be polite, but the train arrives and I have to get off.
I step off the train and look for a spot where I can quickly reply to Jisung. I send the message and resume my walk home, when suddenly I remember Yun.
I turn around on the escalator that is bringing me up and anxiously search through the sea of people for blue. I turn the whole way around and when I am unsuccessful, I immediately bolt back down.
A few people give me strange looks, but I pay no attention to them. I get to the platform again and notice that the train we were on hasn't left yet, and even if this is its terminal stop, it doesn't stay this long. I hurriedly walk over and see that an employee is inside the one I was on, trying to wake a certain passenger.
Without thinking, I rush in and insert myself between the man and her, who by the way isn't budging. That probably means he hasn't tried to shake her awake. Which is good because the boys wouldn't like the thought of a stranger touching her. I mean, neither would she.
"I'm so sorry! She's my friend. I'll take care of her," I apologize to the man. He looks indifferent and simply shrugs his shoulders and tells me to hurry. I turn around and stare at her.
What am I supposed to do? Wake her up and then she'll be all moody? I know she'll somehow pin this whole situation on me.
"Sir?"
"Oh, uh yes," I mumble and first sling her bag over my other shoulder then take her off the chair.
What the hell am I doing?
She's much lighter than she looks, which is saying a lot. I gently secure my left arm under her knees and the other supports her shoulders. Her head lolls around a bit before settling on my shoulder. I try to inch away, but that is obviously impossible.
I rush out and don't even acknowledge the guy anymore. The situation is embarrassing to me–probably for her as well–and despite the fact that people don't even know us, it doesn't sit right with me if we're seen like this.
"I am going to KILL Choi Beomgyu," I say through gritted teeth.
She squirms and moves a bit and then snuggles closer to my chest, making me even more uncomfortable.
"Please don't wake up."
I decide it's more important for me to focus on where we're going since the area is quite busy. I get more stares and am thankful that the hood of the hoodie she has on is masking her face.
If I could see her clearly...nope. No thank you.
I begin to slow down as we ascend the last flight of stairs toward the exit.
I pant lightly once we get to the top and look at her distastefully. "How can you possibly sleep through that?" I adjust my hold on her and continue moving.
My eyes start darting all over the place, making sure that none of the boys are around. Or anyone from the floor.
I approach the apartment complex and notice the couches in the lobby. I can probably put her there. The building's guard has been here for years. He knows everyone.
I enter with the help of said guard who is seemingly amused at the sight, but sticks to just a greeting. I smile back innocently and hurry up with my plan.
I pick the closest couch and in spite of my urge to throw her on it, I lay her down gently, which takes a lot of willpower.
I take her bag off my shoulder and drop it next to the couch. I turn around and dust off my clothes, relieved to have finally gotten rid of her.
I walk toward the elevator that just arrives on the floor. I smile at my luck, but immediately go into panic when the doors open to reveal Jisung.
I run to the side toward a post and hide behind it. Fortunately he was on his phone and didn't see me.
I watch him pocket his gadget and notice Yun on the couch. I don't see his facial expression, but his shoulders sag and I can't decide between 'relieved' and 'guilty'. He crouches down and scoops her up with ease, looking much more comfortable than I felt. Sadly, he forgets the bag.
I wait for the elevator to head up before exiting my hiding spot. I walk toward it and wait patiently. I walk through the doors.
I ignore the bag. With no difficulty at all. No guilt.
Okay maybe not.
I curse and manually stop the doors from closing.
"Stupid fever, stupid sleep, stupid Jisung, stupid stupid," I grumble. I pick up the bag I had thrown minutes ago and once again sling it over my free shoulder.
I get back to the elevator and press the button. It takes few moments since it's already on a higher floor, and I pray it's none of the boys.
On that thought, I check my watch. They're probably all up there anyway. No reason to go out.
The doors open and it's a stranger. I bow politely and enter as they step out.
I let out a heavy breath once I'm in and lean on the wall with closed eyes. All too soon, I reach the 10th floor. The floor is deserted so I take the opportunity. I rush to my door and leave her bag outside hers. I punch in my passcode and don't breathe until I'm safely in.
"Oppa!"
I smile at my siblings tiredly. "Hey guys. Am I late for dinner?"
Nari shakes her head and her younger sister follows suit. "It's just us two. Dad left 30 minutes ago and mom isn't arriving till tomorrow from her business trip."
I stand up straight. "So there's no food? Dad didn't cook anything?"
"No...he brought us home, stayed for about an hour and then left again," Nari says. She rubs her belly and Areum mimics her again. "We're so hungry," she pouts.
I take a deep breath and dismiss my anger for now. "Okay. But before I get cooking, hugs?"
This time Areum is first as she bolts right into my open arms. Nari rolls her eyes but joins in with a smile.
Nari never really had time to be the baby of the family since Areum came just when she began speaking. Luckily she fit into the big sister role pretty well and many say she's already pretty mature for her young age of 7.
Areum adores Nari. She follows everything she does, so I have pretty high hopes she'll be really smart, just like Nari. But hopefully not as snarky. Even if I'm 11 years older than her, I definitely wouldn't wanna get on her bad side. It's probably because she goes to Donghyuck's place to hang out with his younger sister. They can be quite the influence.
—
"...Hyung? Why are you so quiet?"
...
He clears his throat. "So Yun messaged me this morning...she told me she had no idea on how she got home...Jisung just told her that he found her in the lobby, on a couch."
...
"You didn't happen to have anything to do with that, right? That would mean you would have had to have carried her. Which is–"
I turn to face him and when he sees my expression he recoils. "I am never going to say yes to something like that again. Understand?"
He nods quickly.
"And you tell no one about anything that happened."
He brings his hand to his lips, sliding it across from one corner to the other.
I stare at him as hard as possible for a bit longer, just to show him I mean it, and then return to my task.
"So you did carry her?"
Feeling enraged, I am so ready to tear him apart, but he just laughs.
"I'm kidding!!! Kidding kidding," he chortles.
I roll my eyes and go back to working.
"Oh and–"
"We have a deadline," I remind him with a sigh. "If we don't finish these photos by the end of the week..."
"One last thing! I swear. Then I'll shut up," he pleads.
With a heavy breath I signal for him to resume what he was going to say.
"Do you know what kind of tutorials Yun attends?"
I close my eyes, officially done with the nerve of this kid. "D–"
"I asked all the guys! Even if it was super awkward, I messaged each one of your friends!" he says quickly. "But..some had no idea. Only Jisung and Jeno-hyung mentioned something, but Jisung said Math and Jeno-hyung said Science."
"Could be both," I reply boredly. "And I have no idea either. Obviously," I murmur.
He shakes his head. "No. It makes no sense. She does just fine in those subjects! Her worst is probably...she doesn't even have a worst subject."
"Maybe she wants to be better at everyone else with grades, just to make up for her lack of sociabili–"
"I'm serious!" he snaps all of a sudden. He grabs his hair stressfully. "Please, just put aside this stupid hate for one minute and listen!"
As tempted as I am to argue back and go on about how impossible and unthinkable that is, I've never seen Beomgyu this worked up over anything and it's concerning. Even when he forgot his camera at an amusement park he wasn't that bothered.
I may hate her, but Beomgyu is my friend.
"Okay."
He raises his head. He looks at me suspiciously but continues speaking. "I went to the library yesterday, because I thought that might be where she has her tutorials and I was gonna tell the teacher she was sick, but when I asked the librarian about it she said there haven't been any tutorials held there since last school year. She said an academy opened up nearby so everyone started going there."
When he sees my lack of reaction, he groans. "Do you not find it weird at all? There are currently no tutorials being held here at school, and yet she leaves the campus at 5:30."
"Maybe she's in a club?" I propose.
He blinks a few times. He clearly hadn't considered that.
But his face goes back to a frown. "Why would she hide that though?"
I laugh drily while turning back to my computer. "She's–"
Before I can make my unflattering comment, I notice Beomgyu's troubled expression and stop.
"Hey, just ask her. You guys are close, I'm sure she'll tell you. Besides, I doubt it's anything serious," I tell him comfortingly.
He seems unconvinced. "I hope so," he says with a sigh.