Episode 2:
SEMBLANCE
April 19, 1997
Saturday, 9:46 AM
Sinchon Boarding House
SOLBITNA NOTICED SOFT light seeping through the corners of the drawn lilac drapery when she rolled to her side and slightly opened her eyes. Outside the bedroom, she could hear the continuous banging on the door as a familiar male voice repeatedly announced, "Hey, Sol! Wake up, it's time for breakfast!"
At this, Solbitna grew more and more frustrated. She wanted the male to stop therefore she quickly rose up from her bed and staggered her way to the door. She flung it open: "Okay, I get it! Can you shut up, now?! Jesus—you're so..."
Jimin flinched at her suddenness and found himself gasping at the sight of her disheveled hair and the dry drool on the sides of her mouth.
"Alright, I'm sorry. There's no need to be so feisty in the morning. Go fix yourself up and join us downstairs." Jimin calmly responded and turned away from the seventeen year old. He was heading for the stairs when he suddenly came to an abrupt halt. "Oh, and make sure to look cute. Kang Pureom just arrived."
"Already? Why is she so early?" Solbitna questioned but Jimin didn't seem to hear this as he was already climbing down the stairs. The girl shut the door and mumbled to herself, "Ugh, I wish I could sleep more."
After washing her face, changing into a new set of clothes and brushing her bob hair, Solbitna rushed down to the dining area to see all the commotion about Pureom. At her arrival, she noticed that everyone had already began breakfast. Solbitna quickly positioned herself in a chair beside Seora; she observed the others around the table before she finally landed her gaze on Kang Pureom who sat at the far side of the table right beside Seung Ho.
"You're late." Solbitna heard her father comment coldly which caused her to remove her curious gaze on the new tenant and shift her eyes towards him.
"It's because I was up studying last night so I slept in." Solbitna explained coolly.
Mr. Yoon set his utensils down, "Oh, really?"
Something about the way he looked while saying it made Solbitna think that her father was doubting her. Nevertheless, she let a small chuckle escape her. "Yeah, obviously," she uttered. "You'll be surprised to hear that I'm on top of the class from all the studying I do these days."
"You're being too cocky, Sol." Yoongi interjected with a laugh as he reached for an egg roll.
"I'm not," Solbitna deadpanned. "I'm saying it because I will be on top. I'll prove it."
Jimin and Taehyung made a brief eye contact with each other as if they were telepathically ridiculing the minor's conceited words.
"Enough with the nonsense, Sol," Mr. Yoon uttered in a cold tone. "You've been saying the same thing for three years but not once did you ever succeed. Take a look at your older sister. She's well-behaved...quiet—"
"Honey," his wife interrupted, nudging him on the side. "Please, not right now. The kids are listening."
Mr. Yoon pushed his wife's elbow away with his hand and shunned her eye. He continued: "Seora is hard-working and everybody likes her. Look where she is now—she's a pre-med student! If you were a bit more like her, then maybe you'd actually have more chances on being 1st place, don't you think so?"
He stopped—finally. Solbitna did not speak any more word and made any more sound. Mr. Yoon rose from his chair; he clicked his tongue in disappointment while shaking his head as he evacuated the dining area. In his absence, silence filled the whole room for a moment; the atmosphere darkened and everyone's bright faces turned grim. Jimin and Taehyung, on the other hand, exchanged glances again, both mouthing 'Oh shit' to each other. While Seora and Seung Ho remained motionless in their seats, Mrs. Yoon stole a quick glance at Solbitna, who sat silently with her head down, her ears bright scarlet.
"Wow," Pureom tittered, breaking the long silence. "What a scary husband you have, Mrs. Yoon. Does he usually do this to ruin everyone's morning?"
Mrs. Yoon averted her eyes from her daughter and laughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry, everyone. I know he can be a little severe at times but I swear, he's a go—"
The middle aged woman was suddenly cut off by the loud scraping noise Solbitna's chair made when she stood up.
"What's wrong, Sol?" Mrs. Yoon observed her grave expression, "You're not gonna start sulking at us and then leave, are you? Now, sit back down and finish your food. Your dad was just joking; he didn't mean a word he said."
Solbitna raised her head to make eye contact with her mother. She was still for a while. Then, without uttering a word, the others watched her slowly position herself in her chair again like she was finally admitting defeat. As much as Solbitna wanted to defend herself and rebel, she realized that doing such a thing wouldn't be of any benefit to her. By any means, she might just be humiliating herself even more.
2:19 PM
Since breakfast ended, Solbitna decided to lock herself up in her bedroom and remain there for the time being. Now, she sat with her back against the headboard, reading another Pastel magazine with headphones on while H.O.T's Candy played on her Walkman. She still seemed troubled by what happened this morning because every time she recalled the humiliating scene, she would make sure to put the volume even more higher than it was previously as a way to divert herself from thinking back of such thoughts.
Fifteen minutes passed by and a knock was heard on the door. Seora, who was also in the bedroom, reading silently at her desk, rose to her feet and opened the door. It was Kim Taehyung.
"Hey, can I borrow Sol for a second?" He said in his usual calm manner. Seora made a motion to call her younger sibling but she didn't seem to notice or hear it the first time. Seora called her again; this time, she approached the seventeen year old and removed the headphones from her ears.
"What?!" Solbitna shouted with furrowed brows. She now raised her head and saw Taehyung standing patiently by the door.
"Taehyung said he wants to borrow you," Seora uttered monotonously.
Solbitna closed the magazine and got up. "For what?"
She approached the male with a scowl. Taehyung, who leant against the door frame with his arms folded, released them and instinctively pinched Solbitna's nose. "Stop looking so angry. It doesn't suit you."
"Shut up. Who are you to tell me what to do? Anyway, what do you want?"
"The boys and I are gonna go play basketball. Pureom's coming too so we were wondering if you wanted to come along."
Solbitna gave him an impassive expression. "Do I have to?"
"Preferably, yes," he responded with the same serious tone as her.
Solbitna grinned a little before rolling her eyes and shifting back to her snobby disposition. She followed Taehyung out the door and trailed behind him quietly as they climbed down the stairs.
"What about Seora? Is it okay to not include her with us?" Solbitna suddenly uttered.
Taehyung sighed, "She wouldn't go even if I did ask her. She feels uncomfortable around people, doesn't she? Besides, she looked like she was doing something so I didn't wanna bother her."
"Yeah, you're right," Solbitna mumbled, gazing at Taehyung's wide back.
The two figures continued on in silence. When they reached the living room, they saw Jimin, Seung Ho, Yoongi and Pureom talking among themselves by the doorway. Just when Taehyung and Solbitna approached them, Mrs. Yoon, who came from under the staircase, entered the room.
"Be back for dinner, okay?" She announced to everyone, "And be nice to each other—don't fight and stay out of trouble."
They all nodded.
"You have nothing to worry about, Auntie. We're not children anymore," Jimin said.
"I know that but I'm just looking out for all of you..." The forty-three year old woman paused to take a sigh—"because I know how troublesome you all can be. Now, get outta here."
She made a shoo away gesture with her hand and the teenagers all adhered, each one of them leaving through the door. When the door shut close and the youths' chattering disappeared into the distance, silence flooded the boarding house once again.
Mrs. Yoon interlocked her fingers behind her and stretched her shoulders. After breathing a sigh of relief, she pronounced, "Finally, some time for myself."
EPILOGUE
Earlier this morning
Daegu: Min Household
A petite woman in her early 50s was awoken by the wailing of an infant. The woman rose eagerly, stepped out of the bedroom and walked across the hall where the baby's room was located. She opened it carefully. From the doorway, Mr. Min's wife stood erect, watching her oldest son pace slowly around the room with the crying child in his arms, rubbing its back gently in attempt of making it silent. Upon noticing his mother, Min Yeong Su turned his gaze towards her and offered her an expression pervaded with apprehension—as if to ask, "What should I do, Mom?"
Mrs. Choi approached the male, "Let me hold her, Yeong Su."
Yeong Su did as he was told and placed his daughter into his mother's arms.
"Did you change her diaper?" Mrs. Choi asked as she rocked the baby. The infant slowly began to calm down.
"Yes I did. And she's been fed too but she still keeps crying." Yeong Su informed with worry.
Mrs. Choi nodded her head without a word and continued to gently sway the baby. At that moment, a new figure arrived at the door way. The elderly watched the commotion quietly, forcing himself awake by rubbing his eyes. Despite being in his early 60s, Mr. Min (Yeong Su and Yoongi's father) still appeared healthy and vigorous.
"What the hell is up with that baby?" He snapped in annoyance, his brows furrowing. "She's gonna wake up the whole neighbourhood if she keeps on squealing like that."
Yeong Su's expression dropped. "You don't have to say it like that, Dad. You're being too harsh to an infant."
"No, I'm not," he countered. "Where's her mother anyway? Shouldn't she be looking after her instead of you?"
"She left at dawn for work."
"Work? What kind of mother goes to work and leave her child in this kind of state? How irresponsible of her! Jeez—I really don't understand why you married that woman."
"Honey!" Mrs. Choi shouted, her jaws clenching. "Stop it! Gaeul is working her butt off to provide for her husband and child. If you have nothing nice to say to her, then please...just shut your mouth."
Mr. Min scoffed and turned away without a word. As he started for the stairs, Yeong Su and his mother could hear him coughing severely.
"This is the reason why Yoongi still refuses to come home after so many years," Yeong Su said to himself as he sighed deeply.
Mrs. Choi heard her eldest son but she remained silent. As Byeol finally stopped her wailing, a certain memory of Min Yoongi, Mrs. Choi's youngest, flashed through her mind once again. It was the memory of him packing his bags in the bedroom, then dragging his suitcase out the door, and turning around to take a final look at his mother before he departed. Mrs. Choi remembered the look on Yoongi's face as an expression filled with sadness; an expression that elucidated so much hatred; an expression that would forever remain in her memory, always reminding her that what was once lost can never be regained.
that's chapter 2!
im sorry if this is a little boring :(
i swear there's gonna be so much
drama in this ff so please stay tuned