Yours Truly

57: I'll be on your side, always

"Jeong Ae-ra. Sierra Juliette Jeong. Daughter to Marlene Moreau and Jeong Dae-Hyun."
Taehyung shook his head and sighed. Devouring the whole mandu that Mrs. Kim held in front of his mouth using the chopsticks, in one go. He slowly chewed on the doughy-meaty goodness. The warm dumplings, the savoury juices pouring out. Was this heaven?
Taehyung slowly parted his lips as a very deep voice sprung out. Unbothered, hints of satoori twirling on his tongue,
"You didn't research enough to know that she feels more of herself when addressed as Sierra rather than Jeong Aera? Tsk. Eomma, failed. And Juliette is her middle name, Eomma. You don't need to bring that up, it's more of a private thing for her. She doesn't like to tell people or be addressed by her middle name, unless she's really close..."
"Well, I'm her soon-to-be-mother-in-law. I'm pretty sure I can call her by any name I like, with love, of course?"
Mrs. Kim saw her dearest son's eyes glow up. His bun cheeks fluffing up as his teeth came out, into a big smile,
"You met her, didn't you?"
She smiled, feeding Taehyung another dumbling. Her boy needs to get all healthy again. Even if for the sake of that poor girl. Sleeplessly staying by him. Always wandering in the corridor, if not his cabin. Hunger pleading he rto take one bite. But her heart and soul and mind using her eyes to stay fixated on Kim Taehyung.
"She is a brilliant young girl."
"Does Appa know?"
She ruffled Taehyung's messy, brown locks. Smiling, slightly pinching his cheeks,
"Appa did the research himself. He adored Sierra."
Mrs. Kim pecked Taehyung's forehead. She smiled, packing the lunchboxes. Taehyung felt a bubbly, sugary feeling in his heart. He had contemplated about telling his parents about Sierra. What if they turmed to be like Jennie's ones? But now. Now he knows he would marry Sierra. With her consent and a rather grand proposal, of course.

"Just tell us how to stop this fucking curse!"
Lisa roared out. Tears in her doll eyes. Her hairtips cupping her small, now red face. Fists balled up. Her heart breaking into thousands pieces. Last time they were here, Rosie was here too. Last time they were here, her parents were waiting for her. Last time they were here, she actually ahd people of her own.
"What curse, young lady? It's an arcade. It's a place where you play games."
Jisoo wasn't strong enough to hold Lisa back. She raged out. Fists in the air. Lisa always had a thing for boxing. She even gave Jungkook a tough competition. She was that good.
But Sierra, knew what to do. Always. She had a calmer mind. She stepped in between Lisa and the arcade owner. Hugging the similar figure and pushing backwards. Until Lisa was in Jennie and Jisoo's arms. Sierra then turned away from a furious Lisa. Blocking her entirely, incase she kicks. She stared deep into the hideous dwarf's soul. A deep voice, perhaps she mimicked from Taehyung's. A mix of the Busan accent she picked up from Jimin and Jungkook with hints of Daegu accent from her Yoongi Oppa and Kim Taehyung.
"Yah! You know exactly what you are doing. You do use magic. You ruin people. You take it as a game. You make people play this game. Who are you working for? The devil?"
The dwarf giggled. Which soon turned into a laughter. The one a maniac laughs when on the verge of insanity. One a psychopath laughs when playing with their victims. Sierra took a step back, towards her Unnies. As if a fortess, built in no time. Built with nothing but four hearts. She made sure her spine was straight. All those dreadful years of following her mother's passion didn't go in vain. Chin high, back straight, confidence pouring out of her eyes,
"Stop laughing at this moment! Tell us what we want to hear, right now!"
His blue eye shone again. A twinkle in the hideous gaze. Evil written all over the dirty face. He leaned in,
"Well, young ladies, you truly have an undying nerve. You yourself called me a wing of the devil. Yet you guys are standing in front of me, rather than scramming away? Jennie Kim and Lalisa Manoban, or are you more confortable with Pranpriya, dear? You two testified that it was a curse. But your friend here, Sierra Juliette Jeong, or should I just call you Ae-ra? Jeong Ae-ra? Since you are in Korea, I'll call you Ae-ra, rolls off the tongue well. Ae-ra, you testified that it was a game. Well, if I take your word and call it a game, don't you know how game levels end? Why are you bothering me? Games end on their own, when the levels end. Even kids know it, Ae-ra. Aren't you smart enough to figure it out by now?"

Sierra found herself walking towards Jungkook's room. Oversized t-shirt, a rather oversized short. Both of Jungkook. Open hair, bare face. She knocked twice on the door. Her voice tiny as hell,
"Ggukie?"
A rather lifeless voice from the inside came back. Tired. Strained. Wet.
"Si, the door's never locked for you."
Sierra slowly twisted the metal handle of the wooden door. It creaked, to declare it's opening. Sierra slowly walked inside, as if still in a dream. She slumped down in Jungkook's bed,
"Kookie, he knew my name."
Jungkook was aimlessly strummibg his guitar. He hated how hypocritical his heart was. How he lied to Lisa when he said he'll always love her. How he lied to everyone when he said Lisa's the one for him. But now, Sierra was more important. Sierra's words were important. After all it was about them only. He mumbled,
"Maybe he heard Noona call you or Rosie or Lisa call you."
"Jeong Ae-ra. He called me Jeong Ae-ra."
Jungkook's doe eyes fluttered towards Sierra, in a flash of light. He place dhis guitar on the side, standing up from his bean bag. He shifted next to her. Taking her hands in his. He gasped,
"He did not!"
Of course it was weird, no one but the boys and her Unnies know about her korean name. She just didn't tell anyone. She left her parent's righteous daughter in France. She was her own self here. She quipped, looking down at her hands,
"He also knew my middle name."
Jungkook threw an arm around her. Wrapping her closer, in a bear hug. He softly said,
"You gotta sleep now Si. You can't keep stressing over it. That wretched man perhaps has something going on. And you meed to keep fighting it. For your sake. For Taehyung's sake. For our sake."
"I can't sleep, the thoughts in my head won't just let me, Koo."
He ruffled her hair,
"I'll sing for you."
He made sure Sierra was lying comfortably in his, a teeny-tiny, dirty bed. He gave her a comfort pillow to hug, his fuzziest blanket. He went back to the bean bag, slowly strumming his guitar to the tunes of Imagine, by John Lennon.