the girl behind the music: beginnings and endings

4.2.6

Ever since Sunwoo got back from the hospital from meeting Bobby-hyung, he's been a lot... quieter. The usual loud kid that ran around and played video games with Eric was now curled up in his bed everyday. If not for the human body's need for food and water, he wouldn't be moving at all.

I'm sitting at the table when Jacob walks up to his room to call Kevin and the said boy for dinner. Jacob pauses for a while before calling them.

"Kebin, Seonu. Time for dinner!" he calls.

"Coming~!" Kevin replies as he puts away his laptop.

From the way Jacob's eyebrow furrow and Kevin's shrugged shoulders, there is definitely something on with Sunwoo again. Kevin comes to sit down beside me and I whisper to him.

"Is he on his phone again?" I ask.

"He's reading something. He's been reading something for a while from what I noticed," Kevin says just as Jacob comes to sit beside him.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, I push my chair out to get Sunwoo out of his room. I stop at the doorway and see that Kevin's observations were right - Sunwoo WAS reading; and it looked really weird. It wasn't like Sunwoo to read and be so focused on something for long periods of time - that something being reading.

"What're you doing there?" I asked the boy who's wrapped in his blanket and hoodie.

He doesn't answer.

"Hello?? Did you not hear me?" I called out again, voice trying to sound playful.

No reply.

Ever since Sunwoo found out that he was the last one to know about Sohee's leave, he wouldn't talk to anyone in the house, me especially. When we ask him something, he doesn't reply and instead gives us the silent treatment. It could be out of spite or maybe, he's trying to figure something out, but we let him be, knowing that it usually passes off after some time.

"Sunwoo. I know, I'm probably not the best person you would want to talk to but-" I start to say but suddenly, got shushed.

"Not- Not now hyung," Sunwoo replies through gritted teeth.

I blink.

"What's wrong?" I ask, stepping into his room to take a seat beside him.

I look over his shoulder to see an article, 'DAY6'S EAJ REVEALS TRUTH ABOUT SISTER + MORE INFO ABOUT HIS SISTER'. Sunwoo scrolls down and other recommended topics pop up, 'EAJ BEGS HATERS TO STOP THE HATE ON HIS SISTER. SAYS 'WILL TAKE THE FALL' FOR HER'.

"Have you read this?" Sunwoo asked. He knew I was peeping over his shoulder.

I take in a deep breath. "Yes," I let out simply.

"I tried to call her that same day, but she didn't pick up. Do you think she's alright? Maybe she's taking a social media break? Or maybe-" Sunwoo rambles on and I have to stop him from continuing before I never hear the end of him.

I hold him by his shoulders and grip them really hard to make the boy stop. In fact, it actually did!

"Sunwoo, maybe Sohee needs a break. She's been through a lot recently," I said. " First the hate, and now her brother's moving away. She's also in the middle of switching companies do it might be a little hectic for her right now."

"I want to be there for her, though," Sunwoo whines.

"You are! You are being there for her. Not physically but by not disturbing her, you're in a sense, helping her," I replied.

It was a moment of silence before Sunwoo spoke again.

"Hey, I want to apologise," he says and my ears perk up to see him. "I want to say sorry for turning a cold shoulder towards you all, especially you. I guess it was just a little difficult to accept Sohee's leave, and I got mad at y'all for no reason," Sunwoo apologised, finally turning around to look at me.

"It's alright. We understand. I also want to apologise for not telling you. I, also may have been the one to suggest hiding it from you, so I want to apologise for that too," I say and Sunwoo fakes a punch for that last part.

"It's alright, hyung," Sunwoo says. "I just wish it was this easy to apologise to Sohee. There're so many things I said that day we fought, and I want to take every single word back, but I don't know how," he continues, inhaling sharply. "It's like my heart's collapsing everytime I remember what happened, and what's worse is that I don't even know if she would take me back. What if she doesn't. What then?" Sunwoo shares and I can see the small streaks of tears.

Without another thought, I pull the younger boy into a hug. He hugs back, arms wrapping around mine, as he cries into my shoulder. From behind me, I hear small footsteps and turn back to see Jacob in the doorway. He sees the crying boy and makes his way into the room too.

"Sunwoo. I don't know whether you want to hear it from me but we - the others and I - we notice the way you and Sohee interact and it's much different from the way you interact with us or even the fans. With her, you're more you, than the on-screen Sunwoo everyone sees. We see the way you guys look at each other, the way you guys talk and play around," I share.

"Sunwoo. Just apologise and say everything you want to say. Even if she doesn't, I'm pretty sure y'all will stay friends," Jacob says and Sunwoo finally pulls away from me to look at the other boy. "And when she does, y'know take you back, just know that we're all here for it. We notice how your smile reaches your eyes everytime you're around her, and we're happy for that," Jacob advises, stroking Sunwoo's hoodie down.

"Thank you, hyungs. That really means a lot to me," Sunwoo says, wiping away the tear streaks on his cheeks.

He gives Jacob a hug and he hugs back. Feeling left out, I join in and a laugh escapes Sunwoo's mouth.

"Ahem," we suddenly heard from the door. "As much as I wouldn't want to break up this nice family moment, the rest of the family are outside waiting to eat together," the man in the door says.

"Oh! Right! Sorry hyung," Jacob apologised to the one and only eldest.

Jacob quickly filed out of Sunwoo's room to head to the table first. I was about to get up too when I felt Sunwoo tug on my wrist.

"Hey, is it true that Sohee's already accepted FNC's offer?" he asks, eyes gleaming with fear.

I blink, eyes softening and that's all he needs to understand. He leans back and away from me as I take my seat beside him again.

"If you want to apologise, you should do it before she actually leaves for good. End on a high note," I advise and Sunwoo nods slightly. "Let's go eat alright?" I invited and the boy nods again as he follows me out of his room.