N I N E T E E N
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
❝ The child who used to dance with a pure expression now sets a fire in my heart while smiling❞ — Renjun, Nct Dream, BOOM
S O O Y U N
MY BRAIN CELLS ARE about to collapse. It's like a never-ending maze the one in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire where you have to keep running and find a way out. However, apparently, I can't find a way out with hangul.
The Korean alphabets. I'm Korean since birth, having two blissful, healthy, loving parents who don't seem to mind the fangirl side of me. There's one problem though. My mother is Japanese and it's the first language I learned without difficulty.
As much as embarrassing this is, yes I forgot hangul, though I can speak Korean. If I don't know hangul, I can't read or write Korean.
Bullshit.
It's Thursday and I'm at class, frowning, head buried in my arms laying on the desk.
I'm dreading what the homework would be and if there's anyway less in a week or so hangul can get stored in the hippocampus part of my brain. Thankfully, we're switching periods once the bell chimes.
When I'm almost out, head looking over my shoulder, eyes moving around the classroom the old times knock at my memory door and they say hello.
Someone actually does. I shake my head, dipping it in embarrassment and my cheeks flush seeing the person in front me with dark brown hair swished across his forehead, face red from running. His eyes are blue like the color of an ocean, but they're light and happy—bubbly.
"Hello, uhh, Park Sooyun, was it?" He rubs the side of his neck, unsure if he got the wrong person. He's quiet for a minute then he begins, "Sooyun, you look a lot like Baekyun and if you cut your hair, oh wow, I don't think anyone would resist you," he says, laughing under his breath, still embarrassed.
Crap. I'm in trouble, no one's supposed to think that or witness me being Baekhyun's secret younger sister.
My eyes look anywhere but him, thinking of coming up with an answer until my phone rings, alerting me.
The boy notices, frowning. What does he want anyway? I can't just assume he's saying the actual Baekhyun, Byun Baekhyun, the very one from the K-Pop Idol group, EXO.
"Oh, you're Kim Jaeseon, right? I have to pick up this call, sorry." I say in a rush, actually wanting to dash out of here. As I'm running through the hallway, glares and weird looks past me and that's when it hits me.
I look like an absolute idiot, running while holding the phone to my ear. Oh, forget it, there's no point in your public image right now.
Noticing the restroom three feet away, I dash as quickly as possible only to see a huge line.
The area around me is crowded, jammed and if that's not any better a group of girls pushing their way past me, shout what almost sounded like . . . Byun Baekhyun! Oh boy . . .
This boy—Byun Baekhyun, my secret brother whose last name isn't even Park.
Dear God, can you please answer me why we became sworn brothers, I'll go back to being a child of yours.
My phone rings again—louder.
The line doesn's get any shorter and it isn't moving, so I come up with an excuse, hoping the ladies would make space for me because my brother has no patience and for some odd reason decided to call me.
"May I please cut in? It's urgent, I'm on my period and it's been more than two hours, surely you all would understand and wouldn't want to get infected, right?" Last bit of my words hang in silence, there are eyebrow raised, a few girls with long straight brown hair stifle a laugh.
"Oh dear, we're so sorry for holding up the line, but another one also has the same problem as you, Mrs. Transfer, Park Sooyun, or should I say newbie from America," she says in an apologetic singsong tone, curling her hair into twists like the girl's braids standing beside her.
Did she really just say that? Anger fumes me, my blood boiling, then I make a perfect comeback.
"Oh, sucks for you, not being able to speak English ever since you were born," the bad side of me desperately wants to punch her square in the face, "Oh, by the way, you might want to pull your skirt down, you're not a heroine in some manga or Japanese drama shit." he stares at me, astonished, jaw dropped. Satisfied with the outcome my legs carry me quick past the line into the restroom.
With a dash I'm in the bathroom stall, locking it and slide down the light caramel-colored door, releasing a long exhausted sight.
Then I pick up the call, phone next to my hear, hearing screaming from behind.
"Sooyun, um we have a bit of a problem here . . . "
"Baekhyun, I swear to god you are—"
"Hey, sis, help a bro out. Sehun, Kyungsoo, Chanyeol, and I were just out buying some groceries. Also, don't tell anyone I told you, but we're having a comeback in four months."
"What? I'm sorry, I can't hear you, where are you anyway?"
"I'm running, out in the streets, heading to your school to pick my little sister up," Baekhyun says in a yell, cheerfully, and I'm pretty sure he's smiling.
"What, do you have any idea, you're an idol? I don't need you to pick me up, you're not my boyfriend, Mr. Bacon!"
My frustration levels are rudely high. Distraught drowns me, yet, being the more cautious one, I storm out of the restroom. I run out the school gates and catch his figure.
"Sooyun! How I'm glad to see you. My little sister is all grown up," he tugs at my cheeks, smiling happily but he frowns seeing the annoyance written all over my face. "Did something happen?"
Cautious is a word that slipped out of my dictionary the moment Jaeseon said my face resembles a lot like my older sworn brother, Byun Baekhyun. He looks at me with concern in his eyes, then his ears perk up, and he pulls me along, running for the bus. And before we can calm down, we've taken a seat, then laugh like it was the medicine we needed so badly.
"Why did you decide to pick me up all of a sudden."
"Because I used to do that and I miss taking care of you. I miss my little sister, her presence lights me up and lets me know she's okay." Baekhyun lets out, patting my head.
"Hey, I'll always be your sworn sister." Ever since the day I've arrived in Korea and met Bangtan Soyeondan I've been meaning to tell him, so this is the chance now. "Baekhyun, I'm friends with Bangtan Soyeondan, well Jimin, Taehyung, and Hoseok for now."
"You're what now?" He says, alarmed, eyes round.
Before I could tell him everything my phones chimes. It's a message from Hoseok.
Jhope: We're about to do some photo shooting and the director suggested you come over
Either I'm delusional or my bias, Jhope just messaged me. Baekhyun leans, bumping into my shoulder, and there's a cheeky smile spreading across his face as his eyes gleam with mischief meeting my surprised ones.
What do I say? The voice in my head says go for it girl and another says, no I'm afraid I won't be able to make it because it seems scandalous, sure I won't be in the pictures or magazines but the staff there and cameras or anyone could get the wrong idea—
My fingers type away despite what I thought over and Baekhyun gives me a nod, saying if you go, don't pressure or hurt yourself. And my inner fangirl wants to come out, but it stays put.
Sooyun: That sounds great! I'm sure you guys will do amazing, but why should I come over?
Jhope: Jimin told him you're our friend, and Jungkook really wants you to come over so... oh almost forgot, the director knows you
Wait, the director knows me?
"So how'd you guys get each other's Kako Id's?" Baekhyun smiles cheekily, raising a brow, curiosity shining in his eyes.
Jhope: Actually I also want you to come over
Baekhyun sees this and he's laughing, then pats my head affectionately, taking my face in two hands, but then his eyes soften and he's sort of relaxed. "Park Sooyun imagine his reaction when he finds out you're the eight-member." Baekhyun's words immediately cause my heart to thump and the last thing I do is remove his hands and throw a book at his face, but he catches it.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
I'm staring at my lap, sitting on the sofa, hands over each other's, heart tampering against my chest. My baby hairs stick to my forehead, eyes on the brightly lit screen of my phone.
I hear someone say my name and my head lifts, meeting the boy's sweet brown eyes standing tall before me with a perfectly round face, has a look of an adorable bunny.
I stand up, greeting him and he pulls me into a side hug. We walk towards our destined destination, finding ourselves in a conversation.
Arriving there, everyone's excited to see both us, all smiley and joyful. It doesn't take too long until our greeting is done and the photoshoot begins.
When on set there are lights, cameras, and backdrops. The director eyes me and ends up relieved to whatever reason, and throws a laugh at the women beside him. He tells her something in a whisper I can't figure out.
"Sooyun! The girl I've taught ballet!" The woman looks around her late twenties, delicate features are well seen around her round face accompanied with bright brown eyes. I'm wondering what she's said is true and my question is answered when surprisingly her hand lands on my shoulder.
I look closely into her eyes and realization hits me.
It is her, Lee Chulsoo and the man, it's him, Lee Jaehyun—wait, Lee, isn't it Jeong? My mind snaps, hearing him tell me that they're actually siblings.
Oh—all this time and the years it slowly fades into me and every memory of them teaching me ballet gives me a comfort only a teacher and student knows.
The director tells us the poses they'll be doing, and eventually, they do group pictures first. Jungkook and Jimin rush to the set while I'm sitting on a bench, rooting for them silently. Around this moment, they seem happier and relaxed, unknowingly I find myself smiling.
My shoulder stiffens, turning around, I sigh of relief. It's just one of the makeup older ladies, she tells me what's going on and about it. This is all very interesting, ever since I came to Korea my knowledge about my heritage has even increased.
They're doing poses the director told them, laughing, smiling, and just the atmosphere is much cleaner yet energetic? It reminds me of the days I used to dance and now somewhere inside me melts. They do poses that are innocent and ones that aren't very, knowing well enough that the magazine they're doing this for isn't exactly soft.
And suddenly my name's called, "Hey, Sooyun, why don't you join the photoshoot? You won't be in the magazine, knowing well enough the public would question, and you wouldn't like that either." The man waves me over with a grin as the rest of the members look at each other dumbfounded.
"Is she okay with this?" Jimin asks, his eyes moving from Lee Chulsoo towards mine, concern dripping in his voice.
"It's not that hard right?"
I'm wrong, I am so wrong when the director orders me to be in front of the very boy who's practically my bias. His hair is now orange, bright as the sun and his brown eyes are so joyful but intense. We're standing in front of each other until the director asks us to move in closer. If this is Baekhyun's doings, his prayers, then dear God, can we please go back in time.
I'd say don't stop time but right now this moment isn't, no shouldn't happen. So I don't move in closer, but my eyes widen when Hoseok pulls me closer, one of his hand on my hip while my hand is on his shoulder. I look anywhere but him in the eyes, feeling my cheeks redden.
Eventually, the director suggests doing a not so innocent shot and well you could say just about I'm doomed. His arm comes around my back and he pushes me into him, my head laying on his chest, eyes wide, heartbeat thumping loud. I try to control my heartbeat and fight the redness creeping up my cheeks, his parted lips releasing soft breaths that run across the skin of my neck, sending tingles down my spine.
Oh no, oh dear no. He must not hear my heartbeat.
I become self-conscious, and push myself away from him, looking at him in the eye, face beet red. He looks at me before stepping any closer, leaning just so he's face to face with me directly.
"I'm your bias, aren't ?" Hoseok says, a smile tugging at his lips.
A/N: I'm totally not satisfied or proud of this chapter. It didn't turn it the way I wanted to although I actually wrote, deep inside I'm just you know thinking it's okay. What do you guys think?
I want to know what are your favorite moments so far in this book and if I'm doing any good, you know keeping you engaged, curious, excited, and other stuff. But yeah, I'm grateful for every reader I get even the silent readers, thank you for reading. And maybe if we can make 10k reads I'll do a double update eventually? I really want to update more often because I love you guys so much 💖