Dancing On My own

Chapter 11

Jongin went home at around 1am savoring his precious time with his girlfriend, and at the time he was about to go out, Kyungsoo came speeding inside with a paper bag on his hand. The night was already cold, all the windows darkened and the streets are already undisturbed by footprints.

"Yeon—" Kyungsoo panted. He saw Jongin standing in front of him and he jumped a bit by the figure. He saw Yeonhee peeking from Jongin's back and he immediately hugged his little sister pushing Jongin aside. "I'm so sorry Yeon. I'm really sorry I couldn't make it earlier than what you expected. Please forgive me little sis, I'm really really so—"

"Yah, shut it. It's okay!" she mumbled, "where have you been really" as she escaped from his ferocious hug.

"I was busy with work that I took the overtime and here-" he gave Yeonhee the paperbag he was holding unto just a while back, "I bought you your favorite food-"

"Tteokbokki?!" she waited and glitters appeared in her eyes. Kyungsoo nodded and Yeonhee was so happy she has forgotten about the presence of Jongin. Jongin cleared his throat and the siblings remembered he was still there and they looked at him, "I'll be going now." he informed, "Happy Birthday again, princess" looking her in the eyes. Yeonhee smiled and hugged him quickly. "I love you" he said, he put his cheek against her. She grinned, wonderful and brilliant in the late morning light. "just be careful," however, her voice had sounded minor in the harbor wind.

At the same time, Kyungsoo had gone to the kitchen to prepare the food he had bought for his little sister. He heard Yeonhee sit on the chair waiting for the food.

"Here" Kyungsoo announced while putting a plate of tteokbokki on top of the table, "your favorite food that your oppa lined up for an hour"

"1 hour? Really huh.." she took a bite, "or are you just saying this to make you less guilty."

"Bingo!" he said and laughed. "I'm really sorry little sis I wasn't here on your birthday." He frowned and sighed while taking a bite from the food.

"Naah, don't mind it. For the things you have given me, it's alright. Besides, Jongin made my day special." She smiled and continued eating. After a minute of silence, Kyungsoo asked her sister.

"Yeon," he started, "can you imagine your life without Jongin?" he asked and the atmosphere became dead. Yeonhee stopped eating and thought of it. A life without Jongin? Would that be possible she thought. "Honestly," she put her fork down, "I haven't thought of that really. To answer that, I don't know. Maybe? Why you ask?" and then she took her fork again and ate.

"Nothing, I was just wondering." he said, " let's just eat." For the minutes that they had celebrated her (belated) birthday, he watched his sister solemnly and thought how she can accept the truth about Jongin's background and who he really is.

The next day, Yeonhee woke up earlier than Kyungsoo and went to the bathroom first to wash-up. Her lazy eyes drifted around the room like a child looking for the bathroom. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and noticed she was still wearing the necklace with a letter 'J' around her neck that Jongin had given her last night as a gift. She ran her fingertips along the chain and settled the pendant on her throat. "I hope everything gets better" she said to herself.

She heard a knock on the bathroom door and opened it slightly, "Oppa?" she said as she saw a sleepy Kyungsoo in front of her.

"Mother nature is calling" he said lazily. Yeonhee half laughed and shook her head. "Aigoo~ upset stomach eh?" as she went out of the bathroom and Kyungsoo immediately went inside and did his thing.

She decided to prepare breakfast and made seaweed soup for both of them. Kyungsoo already took a bath and prepared for school. Yeonhee also took a bath after cooking and changed into her uniform. They ate their breakfast silently and headed to school after.

"See you later!" Yeonhee shouted to her brother when they went separate ways. She strolled down the hallway going to her locker and he wasn't expecting Jongin to be there leaning against the locker beside it. "Wrong locker huh?" Yeonhee mumbled as she opened her locker to get her books.

"Oh? Who said I was waiting for you? I'm searching for beautiful ladies here.." as he winked at a student and that student almost fainted. Yeonhee suddenly glared at Jongin and rolled her eyes. "Bye" she said in a serious tone and closed her locker. She started walking leaving Jongin behind, but Jongin quickly followed her behind. "Ya I was just joking" he explained. Well, there are no rumors ciruculating why on earth Jongin is walking with a girl because.. okay, Jongin has friends too right? Female students are only jealous and envious that they wish they can be close with the Captain.

"You're still wearing the necklace, I'm happy" he mumbled quietly to keep it silent. Yeonhee didn't respond and just smiled. "Thanks, I'll see you when I see you" she said when she was already in front of her classroom. Jongin just smiled at her and left quickly to go to his own classroom. As usual, another boring day for Yeonhee. When the bell rang for lunch break, Yeonhee immediately left the classroom and went to the cafeteria to meet with her dance groupmates.

She saw Baekhyun waving at her when she went inside the cafeteria and she smiled at him. Everyone was already there except one person. She quickly went to the table and noticed Taemin wasn't there yet. "Where's Taemin?" she asked. "He went to the bathroom" Haeun explained, she sat down beside Soojin and grabbed her sandwich that she bought earlier. Taemin already came and sat down across Yeonhee. The reason why they gathered in this hallowed place is to talk about their dance project and how they are going to manage their time wisely since exams are fast approaching.

"Are you okay Yeonhee?" Eunsoo asked, "you look like you didn't sleep last night" all of them looked at Yeonhee and agreed.

"Really? Well, I only had 3 hours of sleep" she explained, "sorry if I look like shit right now" they all laughed except Taemin who was observing her. They talked and planned for almost 30 minutes to be exact until the break already ended. They all quickly left the cafeteria and bid goodbyes to one another as they went separate ways except Yeonhee and Taemin who had the same direction going to their own classrooms.

They were walking side by side in a fast pace. "I didn't know you and Jongin are very close" Taemin suddenly asked when they were walking along the hallway.Yeonhee almost choked on her saliva when she heard Taemin.

"What? We're friends." she tried to be composed, "we're just really close" she said in a demure manner.

"Just be careful with him." he said and stopped walking and looked at Yeonhee who had the strangest expression on her face, "trusting a person can be easy, but knowing the truth can be heart-breaking" he said lastly and continued walking leaving Yeonhee dumbfounded there.

Yeonhee was not able to concentrate the whole day in her classes for 2 reasons. Her brother had been acting weird for weeks already and his sudden question about can you imagine your life without Jongin? last midnight had bombarded her mind because it was a random question and Kyungsoo seemed to be serious that time. And the other reason is because of Taemin. He sounded serious that time and disappointed that she is 'friends' with Jongin, and his tone was more of a warning.

"Do I really know Jongin?" she thought to herself.