"My baby sister!" Jaemin exclaimed when Haechan drove her home from school and carried her belongings into the house. "What happened to you? Do you need me to go grab your belongings? Do you need me to ask someone to beat them up for you?"
"Just that new girl pushed her off the chair at lunch today." Haechan explained it very blandly and Jaemin was so surprised.
"That's so immature." Jaemin groaned, rubbing his sister on the back with his hand. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
"It's on my lower back but it's not bad, I'll heal by tomorrow or something." Jaein placed the ice pack into the fridge and came back. "I'll ice again later when we get home."
"Okay, good." Jaemin turned to Haechan who placed Jaein's school belongings on the couch and proceeded to go to the front door. "Thanks for dropping Jaein home."
"Anytime." Haechan responded to Jaemin and waved at both of the siblings quickly before leaving the house, shutting the front door tightly. "Also don't forget about the trip this weekend."
"I know." Jaemin went to the front door and waved goodbye to Haechan watching him get into his car before closing it.
Jaemin turned to Jaein who sat herself on the couch and crossed his arms. "Do I need to ask Chenle, Renjun, or Erin to beat this girl up?"
"I mean.... you could?" Jaein spoke with a questioning tone, tilting her head. "I don't think it's really necessary to do. We're just gonna look as bad and look like bullies."
"Good point." Jaemin was about to walk upstairs but his sister halted him by staring him down.
"What's up with the trip this weekend? You didn't tell me anything?" Jaein walked up to her brother and he looked at her, recalling the messages he had in the boys group chat.
"It's just a trip to Haechan's parents house in Ilsan. The one we went to in high school back in the day. They're not home so it's just a getaway." Jaemin responded to his sister who was debating whether to ask further. "If you're asking who's going, all of the boys are coming but not Erin and Hyunji cause they have stuff to do. I can ask the boys to let you come I'm sure they won't mind."
"You were just worried about asking me." Jaein spoke Jaemin's thoughts and he smiled, nodding since he is indeed worried about his sister being overwhelmed.
"Honestly, why not? When do we leave Jaemin?" Jaein shot up a smile and Jaemin wrapped his arms around his sister, giving her a bear hug.
"Friday afternoon. And to come back, Sunday evening."
-
Jaein waited inside her house that same Friday which passed so quickly while Jaemin was figuring out who was riding with who and how many cars to take. Jaein just decided to watch YouTube videos to entertain herself, precisely EXO's Travel the World on the Ladder Season 2.
After everyone had arrived, Jaemin explained the carpooling situation. Renjun, Chenle, Jisung were in one car with Renjun driving. In the other car would be Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, and Jaein with Jaemin driving. The drive was a little over 4 hours so everyone prepared a lot of things to bring.
"Let's go everyone, drive safe." Jaemin called out and Renjun did the same.
"It's my first time going to Haechan's house!" Chenle clapped excitingly.
"Really?" Jisung covered his mouth in surprise.
"Jisung it's my first time too, remember that Chenle and I came from China." Renjun made his usual savage remark while getting into the car. "Get in."
Jaemin on the other hand opened the door to the passenger seat for Jaein and he had the driver's seat. Haechan and Jeno got in the back of Jaemin's car.
"Let's listen to EXO."
-
After arrival at Haechan's family home in Ilsan, everyone settled in their assigned rooms. The only two people who had their own rooms were Haechan and Jaein. Haechan had his own bedroom while Jaein respectfully is a female who needs her privacy, Everyone else were roomates in groups of 3: Jaemin, Jeno, and Renjun and Mark, Chenle, and Jisung.
"Remember how in high school Jaein, how we always played with the water guns at his pool and it was nonstop shooting?" Jisung asked Jaein who sat on the couch while watching TV. The two same aged friends caught up.
Jaein took some time to recall that memory but once she did she let out a heartwarming laugh, realizing how good of a memory was. "I remember, wanna go at it again?"
Jisung's smiled turned upwards instantly as they immediately went to change in their bathing suits and started filling up water guns with waters.
"Na Jaein! You are insane!" Jaemin was trying to get avoid being shot but eventually he jumped into the water.
Haechan and Jeno sneakily got their water guns and started aiming at Jaein and Jisung.
"Jisung look! We have enemies!" Jaein pointed out to Jeno and Haechan and started aiming their water guns.
"Wait! I'm gonna join your team!" Chenle was splashing water from the pool to the older boys.
"This is so unfair we're outnumbered." Jeno complained but also had his good laughs.
"We always win, stop complaining kid." Haechan took his game seriously and Jaemin bursted out laughing.
"We're gonna win Jaein." Jisung pointed his water guns to Jeno and Haechan and the fight went on for a good while until they all somehow ended up in the water and stopped.
"These people are wild." Renjun commented while Mark leaned against the window from inside right in front of the sliding door. "You weren't there when they did this?"
"Visited Korea once in a while but it wasn't anything crazy like this when I go to Haechan and Taeyong's house." Mark shrugged, chuckling at the kids in sight. "Glad they're having fun."
Renjun looked at Jaein and Haechan who were happily teasing each other and his lips formed into a smile at the plain sight. It was like deja vu.
"Me too."
-
Jaein and Haechan were coincidentally alone after dinner sitting at the pool area in the backyard. The other boys were playing a bunch of board games but knowing how boys are, it can get crazy. Haechan planned to join the boys later but he decided to accompany the girl first.
"Stop kicking your feet too hard, you're going to get me wet." Jaein complained in her soft and pouty tone, brushing off some of the nonexistent water that already blended into her clothes.
"Oops, too late." Haechan ignored her and teased her by kicking his feet in the water to make more splashes on purpose.
"You're irritating. You know that." Jaein made a snarky comment towards him and he just let out a scoffed, chuckling in.
"Could say the same to you." Haechan winked and Jaein just crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
"I remember when we would end up pushing each other in the pool in the dry outfits." Jaein made the conversation go on, recalling the past.
Haechan paid attention to her form of language and debated whether or not to ask the burning question and then chose the latter. "How come you don't feel like you remember certain events?"
Jaein remained silent after hearing that question. Her mind become frustrated on why such events couldn't occur and what irritated her the most was that why she couldn't remember about her relationship with Haechan in college. She took a heavy breath and got up from the pool, leaving Haechan unanswered.
-
"Jaemin." Jaein met up with him across the hall upstairs alone. Jaemin came to her aid with bright eyes but later darkened with worry seeing her sad expression.
"Yes?" Jaemin held onto his sister's hands, providing the comfort she may need.
"May I ask you a serious question?" Jaein bore her eyes into his. Jaemin nodded, devoting his full attention to his sister. What he didn't know was that he was going to have the pandora's boxed opened.
"Why can't I remember my relationship with Haechan?"