Ephemera

nine

Okay, we're on the ninth chapter already, and I'm saying this just now. I actually put some hidden quotes in this book, and I'm gonna be really proud to the person/people who can crack 'em. Good luck in cracking it! Also, this story has a twisted plot twist, so gl fam👍🏻

Chapter 9

"But I happened to be an exemption, right oppa?" Eunmi asked Taeyong again. She chuckled bitterly and stood up.

She bowed in front of Taeyong and left the house, regretting going there in the first place.

Taeyong sighed and watch the person, who's supposed to change Mark, left. He went upstairs and knocked on Mark's music room.

He didn't get any response, so he assumed that it was alright to to in. He opened the door and he was taken aback when he saw blood stains on the floor, and Mark picking up pieces of broken glass.

"Mark!" Taeyong rushed towards his brother to prevent him from bleeding more.

Mark picked some pieces up which cut his hand. He closed his eyes, still wincing at the pain. Taeyong swatted his hand that was still picking up broken pieces of glasses.

"Stop it!" Taeyong held Mark's wrist and dragged him towards the younger's swivel chair. "Stay right here." Taeyong said, rushing to his room to get some medicine for the cuts.

Mark didn't respond and just looked at the frame that fell earlier. He smiled bitterly, "Oh, it's been a year..."

He looked at his left hand that was bleeding. There were a lot of blood coming out, but it's strange because he wasn't feeling anything. Well, aside from earlier.

Taeyong came rushing with the emergency kit he got in his room and held Mark's hand to show him the cuts. "What were you doing?!" He said, dragging Mark towards the bathroom to wash his hands.

Taeyong opened the faucet. Mark closed his eyes, as he finally feels the stinging pain which he deserves.

The older put some ointments and covered it with gauze pad.

The older Lee looked at his brother sternly. "You. Sit there and I'll take care of this mess you made." Mark did what his brother said and sat on his chair.

Taeyong turned back to pick up the other debris. His eyes widened when he saw the picture. It was the picture of the band when they first performed.

"Why do you still have this photo?" Taeyong asked his brother who was looking at nothingness.

Mark shrugged, "I removed it from the shelf. Threw it. Eunmi suddenly knocked on the bin, making me see that again." He sighed.

"Will you keep the picture?" Taeyong asked.

Mark looked away and shook his head. "No. Throw it away. Get it out of my sight."

His brother was surprised, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, hyung." Mark looked at his brother. "All of those memories are only memories. An ephemera will always be an ephemera."

***

"You're back early." Jaehyun said, watching his sister go upstairs without even sparing him a glance.

Eunmi came back downstairs a few minutes later and followed his brother who was in the kitchen.

She sat on the counter and watched him cook, like she always do. "Oppa, am I annoying?" She asked out of he blue.

Jaehyun threw her a weird look, "Why did you suddenly ask?"

"Just answer me." She said.

He covered the pot with the lid and sat on the counter beside her. "Well, I'm your brother. There are times that I do find you annoying, but most of the time, you aren't."

She looked down, and his eyes were too sharp to see the pain in her eyes. "Is something wrong? Are you okay?" 

"I honestly don't know..." She said, smiling sadly.

"Did you two fought...? again...?" He hesitantly asked. He didn't get any response. "Woah, and you two aren't even dating."

***

Monday came and it was another day for Eunmi. Although she doesn't want to attend school, she had to. She eas absent for two days already. She already missed a lot of school works.

"How is your rehearsal going?" Yeri asked her once she arrived.

"Bad." She forced a smile.

Yeri was worried. She knew that her friend won't openly admit it, but she knew that she had a tiny crush on Mark. She wouldn't say it because lots of people would tease her. Literally.

"Ey, don't think about it too much. You're more worried than me." Eunmi smiled at her.

"Of all people." Yeri sighed. "Why does it have to be Mark?"

The other girl looked down. "I was asking myself the same thing."

"Honestly though. Does he even know what you feel?" Yeri asked. "I mean—"

"It doesn't matter." The younger forced a smile. "Besides, these are just feelings. I can just get rid of them."

"Are you sure?" Yeri asked. She knew that the other was really hurt.

Eunmi nodded.

***

Lunch came and the girls were the only ones on the table.

"I have a question..." Eunmi said out of the blue.

Irene looked at her, "What is it?"

"Mark told me when we rehearsed before that no one dared to audition for the female vocalist." She said, and noticed that the others were silently and subtly sending signals to each other. "Why?"

"What do you mean, why?" Wendy asked.

"Why did no one auditioned?" She asked.

Wendy sighed, "I assume Mark already told you about the former vocalist, Seo Jiyeon?" She asked.

Eunmi nodded, "Yeah, he told me that she left one day. I wonder why she did."

Wendy, Yeri, Irene, Joy and Seulgi looked at each other worriedly. "He told you that?" Seulgi asked.

"Yes... why?" Eunmi was confused. She had no idea why her unnies were acting like that.

"He just told you that she's the female vocalist, and that's it?" Irene asked.

"Well? what he did tell me was Seo Jiyeon used to be the band's female vocalist. He told me that they were very close, and that people shipped them, which made things kinda awkward for the two of them... and then he told me that one day, she left." Eunmi said, recalling everything that Mark had told her.

"He didn't know the reason why she left?" Joy asked, confused.

The younger shrugged, "I don't know... maybe he just said that because he didn't want to tell me..."

—tbc
What's with Seo Jiyeon? What happened to Mark and Eunmi? :0