NU'EST Imagines - 2017

History Repeating - Baekho

    It happened again, you came home from school to hear your sister crying. Dropping your bags to the floor, you quickly took your shoes off and walked to her bedroom door. You knocked twice, and waited for any response. She whined a "Hello, I'm alright, go rest and I'll prepare dinner" and cried some more. You turned around, grabbed your bag from the entrance and went to your room. You took your laptop, plugged in your headphones and listened to some videos to stop hearing her sobs. She'd come knock to your doors thirty minutes or more later, and you'd have dinner at a table set for three. This scheme had become a frequent routine for the past weeks, and you were emotionally tired from it. Tired to hear and see your sister cry every evening, tired of technically living here with two other people, but feeling like you live alone. Just tired about this life in general. 

     This life. It hadn't started as such a bad life, though:

     A year ago, your younger sister had met a guy at her university. A Korean exchange student with whom she had fallen in love. They dated for about four months until he had to go back to Korea. But your sister didn't want to live away from him. Young first love. So she managed to ask for an exchange/transfer and studied in Korea. Of course, your parents didn't want her to go there alone, living with a boy they didn't know well, so you had to leave with her so you could watch over her. Everything went well at first. You got accepted into university, found a decent flat for the three of you, got a decent job, you made friends; you really built a home. Your relationship with your sister even got better than it was at first. 

    Then how could it have gone so wrong? What made it change so badly? What happened that made your 'brother-in-law' leave home and your sister cry everyday?

     There was no definite answer, or you just simply ignored it. Her boyfriend just started to miss some dinners more and more frequently, until he was barely sleeping at the apartment anymore. And of course, the more absent he was, the more your sister was crying. It hurt to see her like that, but at the same time, there was nothing you could really do. You'd gladly help her cooking or taking care of the house, but she said taking care of you was the only thing that took her mind off of her ghosting boyfriend. But you had enough. Working all day and then coming home to an empty house full of your sister's cries wasn't bearable anymore. You had to do something to change that. After dinner, you asked as usual if you could clean the dishes, but your sister refused. She put the dirty ones in the dishwasher and stored the clean ones, -set for her boyfriend in case he would miraculously come back.- 

     "I'm going out." You told her, hugging her waist from behind. "Take care of yourself okay? Keep studying. I'll buy some ice-cream on my way back." And on those words, you left the flat.

     You needed to put an end to this story. Either your sister's boyfriend was coming back, or they were to break up officially. This pending situation couldn't last. But for that, you needed to find the guy. You started walking to his and your sister's university. He had to be there; you guessed he was sleeping at some of his friends' dorms when he wasn't in your flat. While you were walking, you tried to call him.

    "..."

     Of course, he wasn't answering. You tried three of four more times, but still, nothing happened. You felt stupid, all of a sudden. You had arrived at the entrance of the university, every room had their lights on, even if the night had arrived. But how could you find one person here without any clue? You decided to use your secret weapon. Your sister's boyfriend had a brother living in Seoul too. Your sister mentioned him a few times but you've never seen him, talked to him, or even saw photos of him, which was quite weird. But she had given you his number 'just in case' she said once.

     "Yobeoseyo?" A voice answered.

     "Yes? Hello? Mmh, sorry. Is this Junho's brother?" You asked.