first downpour
It all came crashing down for Jihoon. It was all too fast, nang dahil lang sa pagbabalik ni Chan (kasama ang mga magulang niya) ay masisira ang planado niyang buhay dito sa Korea.
Music has been Jihoon's passion since he was a child. Marami siyang inaral na mga instruments noon. He was so curious about how the beat of a song is made kaya naman nang magkaroon siya ng chance na makapasok sa isang studio ay inaral na rin niya kung paano gumawa ng beat sa isang kanta. Since then, marami na siyang nagawang mga kanta sa tulong na rin ng kapatid niya na si Lee Chan.
As for his sibling, Chan's passion had always been dancing. Idol pa nga nito si Michael Jackson kaya sa tuwing umuuwi siya ay madadatnan niya ang kapatid niya na nagsasayaw sa sala nila habang malakas na tumutugtog ang mga kanta ni Michael Jackson. He once made a song for Chan na nilagyan naman nito ng choreography.
They could've been the perfect duo performer if it weren't for their parents.
Their parents were so against Jihoon and Chan's passion for arts. Para sa kanila, wala silang mararating kapag ito ang career na pinili nila. Ang gusto ng mga magulang nila ay kumuha sila ng kursong business management para may mag-manage ng business nila. But Jihoon doesn't want that. Anong karapatan nilang diktahan ang pangarap niya?
Kung susundin niya ang mga magulang niya, kaninong pangarap ang tutuparin niya? Kaniya ba? Hindi naman, kaya bakit kailangan niyang sundin kung ano ang gusto ng mga ito?
"Hindi ako sasama sa inyo. You told me to follow my dreams. Wala sa France ang pangarap ko, Ma," the young Jihoon told his parents. "Nandito sa Korea, sa Pledis University. I've worked hard to enter that school so please, 'wag n'yong sirain ang pangarap ko. I'll prove to you na may mararating ako through music."
His family left him, including Chan who was too young to be left with him. Walang kahit anong tulong ang ibinigay sa kaniya ang mga magulang niya, so he had to work to support his basic needs. Mabuti na lamang at nandiyan ang kaibigan niya na si Soonyoung na hindi siya iniwanan kahit anong mangyari. Soonyoung even let him stay at his place when he has nowhere to go and has literally nothing with him. Not even a single cent.
Kahit ang pagkakaibigan nila ni Soonyoung ay hindi tanggap ng mga magulang niya. Soonyoung's parents are the rival of Jihoon's parents when it comes to business, but the problem mostly relies on Jihoon's parents. Wala namang pakialam ang mga magulang ni Soonyoung sa mga competitors ng business nila and they don't hold any grudges to anyone kaya tanggap ng mga ito si Jihoon. Mas anak pa nga ang turing ng mga ito sa kaniya kaysa sa sarili niyang mga magulang.
Jihoon doesn't understand why his parents act like that. Sure, galing sila sa hirap at ayaw ng mga magulang niya na maranasan nila iyon ni Chan, pero hindi ba mas maghihirap sila kung hindi naman nila gusto ang ginagawa nila?
To be honest, naaawa siya sa kapatid niya. Panigurado, nagtitiis iyon sa pag-intindi ng mga business lessons na hindi naman nito gustong intindihin. If only he could give sustenance to his younger brother, he would have taken him away from their parents. Pero hindi pa niya kaya, kaya hanggang awa na lamang ang maibibigay niya sa kapatid niya.
One more thing, hindi pa talaga sila nagkakaayos simula nang umalis ito. They fought, a usual scenario between two siblings. Jihoon pushed Chan to pursue his dream rather than following their parents orders but Chan didn't want to disappoint them. Kaya naman nagalit si Jihoon, saying that Chan is so dependent on their parents that he would only be a dog to his parents, following them around with a leash on his neck. Chan was furious, kahit naman bata pa ito noon ay may isip na rin naman ito. Their argument came to the point where they both spat hurtful words to each other. Umabot rin ito sa punto kung saan itinakwil na ni Chan si Jihoon bilang kapatid.
"Hindi kita kapatid. Wala akong kapatid na disappointment," was the last words Chan said to him.
That day, Jihoon almost lost everything. Soonyoung, thankfully, was there to fill the emptiness inside him.
"Jihoonie..."
Napabuntong-hininga na lamang siya nang marinig ang boses ni Soonyoung mula sa kaniyang likod. Narito na siya sa bahay niya at nag-iisip. Gusto niyang mapag-isa kahit sandali pero nakalimutan niyang binigyan nga pala niya ng susi ng kwarto at bahay niya si Soonyoung. Nalimutan din siguro niyang i-lock ang gate kaya nakapasok ito.
Hays.
"If you're here to ask me to meet my family," hindi niya ito tinignan at nanatili siyang nakatitig sa labas ng kaniyang bintana. "then leave. I would never listen to you."
Hindi niya ito narinig na sumagot kaya naisip niyang baka nga umalis ito. Napatawa na lang siya nang mahina sa sarili. Akala niya iba ang rason nito kaya pinuntahan siya.
Jihoon doesn't know but something seemed to break inside him.
"Jihoon."
Muntik na siyang mapatalon nang biglang may yumakap sa kaniya mula sa likod. He was panicking at first but when the familiar scent lingered in his nose, he was calmed. The familiar warmth also brought back the pain he was feeling a while ago, and he couldn't help but shed a tear at the unexpected contact. Galit dapat siya, alam niya yun, pero tila bula lang na naglaho ang galit niya nang yakapin siya ni Soonyoung.
"I'm sorry," bulong nito habang hinahaplos ang kaniyang buhok. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. Hindi ko dapat sinabi sa 'yo 'yon."
Instead of answering, he just buried his face on Soonyoung's chest. Kahit papaano, na-miss niya ang best friend niya, at nagi-guilty din siya dahil somehow, may kasalanan din naman siya sa nangyari.
"Bati na tayo, Jihoonie?" mahinang sabi nito.
Tumango naman siya kahit nakayakap pa rin nang mahigpit. "Hindi naman tayo nag-away."
"Hoonie," hinaplos muli nito ang kaniyang buhok. "Naintindihan ko naman ang side mo, pero sana, kahit si Chan lang ang kausapin mo. He misses you."
"Sorry," bulong niya. "Natatakot ako. Hindi ko alam kung kaya kong harapin ang kapatid ko."
"Okay lang, Hoonie," kahit hindi nakikita ay ramdam ni Jihoon na nakangiti si Soonyoung. "Naiintindihan ko naman. Just try. I'll always be here when you're ready to face them. Para saan ba at naging mag-best friend tayo 'di ba?"
Jihoon chuckled lightly. "Right."
"Talk to your parents, Jihoon," Soonyoung rested his head on his. "Kung papipiliin ka man nila, piliin mo kung anong gusto ng puso mo. Kung kailangan mong umalis..."
"Hindi ako aalis," Jihoon grabbed the hem of Soonyoung's shirt. "Hindi ko iiwan ang mga pangarap ko. Hindi kita iiwan."
"Hindi mo ako iiwan?"
Umiling siya. "Hindi."
"Promise?"
Hinigpitan ni Jihoon ang yakap niya kay Soonyoung bago sumagot. "Promise."
x
BINABASA MO ANG
NEMESIS.
Short Story[COMPLETED] Jihoon Lee falls in love, unfortunately, with Soonyoung Kwon.
