Title: You're Still Beautiful {chapter 2}
Author:
writetress Pairing: Tae-kyung/Mi-nyeo
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own You're Beautiful.
A/N: This is actually part 2 and 3 of You're Still Beautiful, sorry forgot to update on this site! I'm currently working on part 4. I would like to say thank you to
caly76 for commenting on the first part, thank you! ^^ Enjoy!
You're Still Beautiful
Ep. 2 & 3
Tae-kyung stood frozen on the spot, his whole body went rigid, he didn’t blink and air seemed of little importance to him as her words kept echoing in his head. I’m in the hospital, hyung-nim.
She didn’t sound scared. Was it not serious? No, it had to be serious to send to her the hospital. Was his pig-rabbit just trying to put on a brave face like before when she wouldn’t go to the hospital to avoid being exposed? What happened to her? Suddenly all those scenario in his head seemed all too real.
“Hyung?” asked Shin-woo looking on in concern as the color drained from Tae-kyung’s face. He hit his back gently trying to snap him out of it. “Tae-kyung, breathe! What is it? What did Mi-nyeo say? Is something wrong?”
Jeremy’s eyes widened as his eyes frantically darted back and forth between Tae-kyung and Shin-woo. “Something wrong?” he said starting to panic. “With Go Mi-nyeo? What is it hyung? What is it?”
Tae-kyung suddenly seemed to come back to life as he sucked in a breath. “You’re…you’re in the hospital?” he repeated back into the phone in shock.
Shin-woo’s eyes widened and he took a step closer to Tae-kyung.
Jeremy’s lips started to quiver. “Go Mi-nyeo’s in the hospital,” he breathed then started weeping. “GO MI-NYEO! NO! WHY?” he started reaching for the phone. “Hyung, let me talk to her!”
Tae-kyung raised his arm up keeping the phone out of Jeremy’s reach. “No.”
Jeremy tried to reach the phone by climbing up Tae-kyung. “Give me the phone…give me the phone!” he whined as Tae-kyung continued moving the phone out of reach.
“No, get off of me!” Tae-kyung yelled as he struggled with Jeremy’s weight.
“Give me my phone back!” demanded Go Mi-nam joining in on the pursuit of the phone. “It’s my phone! She’s my sister!”
“Your point?” retorted Tae-kyung.
“Enough!” shouted Shin-woo stepping forward.
Everyone froze their eyes turning to Shin-woo.
“We have to find out if Go Mi-nyeo is okay, that’s the most important thing,” said Shin-woo calmly being the voice of reason. “Jeremy, Go-Mi-nam get off of Tae-kyung,” he ordered calmly. They did as he said not saying a word. Shin-woo looked to Tae-kyung. “Tae-kyung find out what’s wrong with Mi-nyeo.”
Tae-kyung started at Shin-woo feeling for a moment ashamed of himself, he was right Mi-nyeo was the most important thing. He had been feeling more of these foreign feelings ever since meeting Mi-nyeo, he stared down at the mobile phone in his hand then raised it up to his ear. “Go Mi-nyeo?”
“Hyung-nim?” her voice sounded a bit tense now. “Is everything alright? I could hear everyone shouting.”
Tae-kyung glanced around at everyone as they watched on in worry, although Go Mi-nam was eerily calm. “Yeah, we’re all okay,” he paused. “Are you okay?”
“Oh yeah, I’m doing great hyung-nim,” she said. “Though I do miss everyone a lot.”
“Tell me the truth Go Mi-nyeo,” he said not wanting to play around and get the blow over with. “Why are you in the hospital?”
“I am telling the truth, hyung-nim,” she said earnestly. “I’m here at the hospital because they needed some extra help, I’m having a great time volunteering here and everyone’s really nice.”
Tae-kyung stood dumbfounded for a couple of seconds. “Did…did you just say volunteering?” he finally got out.
“Yes, hyung-nim volunteering.”
His voice got dangerously low. “You’re volunteering at the hospital.”
“Um….yes?” she said like a timid rabbit. “Hyung-nim, you sound angry,” she pouted.
“You….you…you,” he stuttered in his rage, his hand squeezing the phone. “You don’t just say you’re in the hospital and end the sentence there and let people jump to conclusions. You should say, oh I’m in the hospital…volunteering. Not just, I’m in the hospital!”
“You asked where I was at, hyung-nim not what I was doing,” she pointed out in her never-ending innocence.
“You could have at least used the word at instead of in! In implies that you were admitted into the hospital, at means you’re just there…get your preposition words right!” he barked into the phone.
Oh, I’m sorry,” he heard her say.
“Yes, you should be sorry,” he said.
“Oh, I wasn’t talking to you hyung-nim,” she explained. “I was talking to the nurse, I forgot I’m not really suppose to use a mobile phone in here.”
Tae-kyung just ignored what she said and continued talking. “Why didn’t you leave a voice message or something telling me you were using a different number!”
“I know don’t, I thought you knew I was using a different number and that I was volunteering at the hospital for a little while, didn’t Oppa tell everyone? He said he would.”
Tae-kyung’s gaze turned sharply to where Go Mi-nam was standing. “He….what?”
“Hyung-nim, I really have to get off now. Tell everyone I miss them! Bye!” she said in a rush.
“Wait, wait have you had your malaria shot….hello, hello?” Tae-kyung took the phone away from his ear and stared down at it, his mouth slightly agape. “She…she hung up on me!” he pressed his lips together in annoyance. “She’s growing more arrogant by the second!”
“Did you just call my sister arrogant?” Go Mi-nam snapped.
Tae-kyung seemed to suddenly remember whose fault it was he had been stressed out and all the fury came back in full swing. His eyes pierced into Go Mi-nam. “You,” he spat out, voice dripping with venom.
“Hyung, what’s going on?” Jeremy asked feeling out of the loop as did Shin-woo who waited silently for an explanation.
Tae-kyung crossed his arms. “It seems Go Mi-nam here has been hiding the fact that he knew Go Mi-nyeo was volunteering at the hospital and that she’s been using her friend’s phone to call.”
Shin-woo turned to glare at Go Mi-nam as did Jeremy who clenched his teeth while making a growling noise.
“I just got sidetracked and forgot to mention it,” Mi-nam said casually then put out his palm. “My phone, please.” Tae-kyung returned his phone by throwing it up in the air making him have to make a dive for it.
Mi-nam got up from the floor, his phone in hand. “Thank you,” he said through clenched teeth.
Tae-kyung smirked at him. “You’re welcome.”
At this moment President Ahn opened the door wearing a big smile in his ignorance. “You boys ready for the photo shoot?” They all turned to him with stone cold expressions. “Okay.”
A.N.GELL went out of the set for the photo shoot as the photographer started directing them. “Okay, for this photo shoot I want to feel your brotherly love for each other,” the photographer said then looked up noticing the tense atmosphere,”…or not.” The photographer turned to look at President Ahn.
“Okay…Tae-kyung why don’t you swing your arm around Go Mi-nam’s shoulder in a brotherly fashion for this photo?” President Ahn suggested, he was surprised when Tae-kyung actually did it. “Good, Tae-kyung!” he said happy that Tae-kyung was cooperating for once, that didn’t last long as his eyes went wide. “Tae-kyung! Tae-kyung you’re choking him!”
Go Mi-nyeo sat on her bed in the room she shared with another girl, the day had been long and tiring volunteering at the hospital but also very rewarding. It filled her with a sense of purpose and she felt useful to those around her-at least most the time-she still had her accident proneness which wasn’t very helpful at times but the people she worked with never got mad they just laughed and would say it was okay.
Everyone Mi-nyeo worked with were very nice especially her roommate and friend Seung Cho-Hee, she hadn’t known her for very long but they had instantly bonded and became friends. Seung Cho-Hee was also from Korea and Mi-nyeo’s age, she liked doing missionary work but wasn’t a nun or anything like that, she was more interested in possibly getting a degree in social work.
Yes, Go Mi-nyeo wasn’t short on friends in Africa but she still felt lonely, especially when she would go out at night and look up at the sky and see the billions of stars-except the one she wanted to see the most.
Mi-nyeo’s thoughts lead her to gaze down at the star necklace resting below her neck, she reached down to pick up the diamond star and as she stared at it she thought about today.
Today she had tried to play and talk with children who had chronic illnesses when she came across an adorable little boy sitting in the corner with his arms crossed who wouldn’t play with the other children, in fact he glared at anyone that came within two feet of him. She herself received one of these glares when she kneeled down in front of him.
“Hello! I’m Go Mi-nyeo!” she said brightly at him.
The little boy just turned his head away and ignored her.
“Aren’t you bored just sitting here by yourself?” Mi-nyeo asked him. “I’m sure the other children would love to play with you.”
“I don’t want to play,” he mumbled finally speaking.
“I could introduce you to one of them if you-“
The little boy frowned at her. “Are you stupid?” he yelled. “I said I don’t want to play!” he quickly moved away from her and found another secluded spot-which she followed him to.
The little boy sat there for a couple of minutes pretending she didn’t exist and then he sighed. “You’re annoying.”
Mi-nyeo just laughed and smiled at him.
It wasn’t easy, but by the end of the day she had managed to get him to play with another little boy and as she watched them play together and see the little boy smile for the first time today, she then realized he reminded her of someone-he had reminded her of Hwang Tae-kyung.
Go Mi-nyeo was brought out of her thoughts when her roommate Seung Cho-Hee entered their room.
“Hi, Cho-Hee!” Mi-nyeo welcomed her warmly.
“Hi, Mi-nyeo,” Cho-Hee said in return, she gazed at her concerned for a moment. “Are you okay? You looked deep in thought when I entered the room.”
“Oh…yeah I’m okay,” said Mi-nyeo trying to brush it aside. She reached for the mobile phone sitting on her nightstand. “Here’s your phone, thanks for letting me borrow it again.”
Cho-Hee took the phone from her. “Yeah, sure no problem.” She walked over to her bed sitting down on it she let out a yawn. “Who do you call back in Korea?”
“Oh, I just call my friends and my brother.”
Cho-Hee smiled mischievously at her. “Do you call your boyfriend?” after Mi-nyeo didn’t say anything her expression turned more sober. “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me if don’t want to, I was just teasing.”
Mi-nyeo still sat silent for a couple of minutes her face twisting up in confusion. “I…don’t….know,” she finally answered faintly.
Cho-Hee tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
Mi-nyeo’s eyes widened as she realized something. “I…don’t know if he’s my boyfriend,” she bit her lip. “I mean he has kissed me, and he said I love you, and he bought me a necklace and a hairclip,” she rambled on frantically,” but does that make him my boyfriend? Does he want to be my boyfriend?” she gasped. “What if I’m still just a special fan? I don’t know, I never asked him-“
“Whoa, whoa breathe Mi-nyeo!” said Cho-Hee. “Are you trying to say…this guy has never asked you to be his girlfriend?”
Mi-nyeo’s shoulders slumped forward as she nodded dejectedly.
“I think you should just ask him whether he wants to be boyfriend and girlfriend, or if he already considers himself your boyfriend,” Cho-Hee said giving her advice. “Some guys they just won’t commit to a relationship, I mean one minute they’re all romantic then the next minute they’re saying she’s just a friend,” she paused. “Not saying your guy is that way, it’s just you don’t want to be stuck in that situation. Just ask him, I’ll bet he already considers you his girlfriend.”
Mi-nyeo laughed nervously. “Right, just ask him.” She looked away and glanced out her window at the night sky pondering over things.
Was she still just a special fan?
He hadn’t even said “I love you” everyday like he said he would.
She had caught her star but would it only shine for her always?
Tae-kyung stared at the ceiling while he laid back on the couch in the living room, it was soon being one of his least favorite pastimes. He wondered was his life this painstakingly slow before Mi-nyeo entered his life? He had nothing to do, or at least he couldn’t really concentrate on anything. He glanced down at his mobile phone and thought about how Mi-nyeo had somehow lost hers down the toilet and at that moment an idea stuck him which motivated him to get up and head towards the door.
But as he swung open the door ready to jump into his car something stood in the doorway blocking his path, someone blocked his path-his mother.
He stood completely frozen in shock to see her standing there right in front of him. How many times had he wanted her to visit him, to look around and see all that he had accomplished, to be proud of him?
He had lost count.
He had given up on that ever happening.
And yet there she was standing in the doorway with her hand in the air about to knock on the door he now held open. She also looked surprised to see him there standing before her.
“T-Tae-kyung,” she stuttered.
At the sound of her voice his instinct to put up his guard, hide his emotions and become hostile kicked in. He always felt he had to defend himself against his mother, defend his heart. “What do you want?” he said sharply.
Mo Hwa-ran looked down hesitating for a moment. “I…I came to see you.”
Tae-kyung crossed his arms. “Well, you’ve seen me.”
“I wanted to talk to you a little,” she said in a rush as if she was afraid he’d slam the door on her,” please,” she added on.
Tae-kyung looked down at his mother, he wasn’t used to seeing her this way, most the time she was like a lioness ready to pounce but now he didn’t know what to think. He turned around not saying a word and headed towards the kitchen. Thankfully, Mo Hwa-ran got the hint that he wanted her to follow him.
Tae-kyung sat down at the counter as Mo Hwa-ran took a seat across from him. “Talk,” he said.
“I don’t blame you for being this way…,” Mo Hwa-ran began looking defeated,”….I deserve it. I was living in a delusional fantasy and you woke me up from it,” her eyes started to water. “You never did anything wrong as a son….it was me.”
Tae-kyung stayed silent taking in breath and exhaling.
“Did…did you get to see Go Mi-nyeo again?” she asked tentatively.
“Yes, she’s in Africa now but she’ll be back,” he answered not going into detail.
Mo Hwa-ran exhaled in relief. “That’s good.” There was a long awkward pause. “You’ve grown so much-“
“Stop,” he breathed, his voice starting to tremble. “Stop it,” he slammed his fist into the countertop. “Stop acting this way I’m not used to you being…being…”
“Motherly?” she said weakly.
Tae-kyung winced at the foreign word. “Yeah, how pathetic is that?” he said curtly.
“I’m sorry, Tae-kyung.”
“Are you really?” he said trying to control his voice. “Are you just trying to reconnect with me just to get closer to Mi-nyeo and Mi-nam, Go Jae-hyun’s children?”
Mo Hwa-ran shook her head. “N-no honestly I’m not! Tae-kyung please trust me.”
He gave a dry laugh. “Can I? Can I trust you?” he bit down on his lip hard. “Where were you all those times I-“he cut of as his voice started to crack. “I need…I need more time.” He put his hand against his forehead. “Please, just leave.”
And his mother did leave seeing anything else would be in vain. After that Tae-kyung retreated into his room as his body trembled with raw emotion and tears ran down his cheeks. He reached for the pig-rabbit doll holding it close to him as if it held his last remaining sanity.
He didn’t want to open up and yet at the same time he did. He was scared of letting his mother in only to have her leave again, to be abandoned again. He felt that the second time would hurt more because this time he had hope and he was terrified that hope would destroy him if it didn’t hold true.
“Damn it, pig-rabbit why aren’t you here,” he choked out through his tears. “I need you to distract me…I need you.”
And then he turned off the lights not wanting to see anything, especially himself.
Mi-nyeo carried her tray of food over to the table Cho-Hee was sitting at, she and another girl seemed to be looking at something on a device that looked a lot like what that little girl in church was listening to that got her in trouble.
Mi-nyeo put down her tray taking a seat; she craned her neck to see what they were looking at. “What are you guys doing?” she asked in innocent curiosity.
Cho-Hee turned to look at her. “Oh, Mi-nyeo!” she greeted her. “We’re just checking out the new A.N.JELL music video, here look,” she said turning the device so Mi-nyeo could see.
Mi-nyeo’s eyes went wide at the sight of her brother, Hwang Tae-kyung, Shin-woo and Jeremy performing on the little screen.
“Um…Mi-nyeo?” asked Cho-Hee tilting her head. “Are you okay?”
“Oh! Yes I’m okay,” Mi-nyeo said her voice being a little high pitched. “So…you’re a fan of A.N.JELL?”
Cho-Hee nodded smiling. “And you? Are you a fan also?”
Mi-nyeo blinked a couple of times staring at Cho-Hee, she didn’t seem to realize that she was the sister of the Go Mi-nam of A.N.JELL or that she knew them other than in a fangirl way. “Um…..yes, I’m a fan,” she said uncomfortably.
“Really, so what’s your favorite song by A.N.JELL?” asked Cho-Hee happy just to talk about common interests.
“Um….What Should I Do,” Mi-nyeo said blurting out the first song she could think of.
Cho-Hee’s face twisted in slight confusion. “Really, I’m not familiar with that-,” she cut off when the other girl standing nearby nudged her, she looked up at her.
“Isn’t that the song Hwang Tae-kyung sung solo at a concert?” the girl said looking at Cho-Hee and Mi-nyeo. “It was a new song, I had never heard him sing it before. I hope they put it on their next CD.”
Cho-Hee sat silent for a moment and then something came to her. “Oh, you mean that concert where Hwang Tae-kyung went into the crowd and hugged that mystery girl.”
“M-mystery girl?” Mi-nyeo stuttered out.
Cho-Hee turned to her. “Yeah, he went out into the crowd and just pulled some girl into a hug, it was a great act people say,” she paused. “Then other people say it was for real and that the girl looked familiar, but most people believe it was an act.”
“A-act?” Mi-nyeo choked out. “W-what do you mean by act?”
“An act,” Cho-Hee shrugged her shoulders. “You know part of the concert to make the fans feel more involved with the song.”
Mi-nyeo’s head slumped forward, she turned to her tray miserably reaching for her chocolate milk as comfort food. “Oh,” she said feebly taking a sip from the small carton.
Cho-Hee smiled at Mi-nyeo. “I bet you’re a Hwang Tae-kyung fan.”
Mi-nyeo just looked away blushing and took a gulp of her milk.
“I’m so going to marry Hwang Tae-kyung!” giggled the girl.
“Oh, no I’m going to marry Hwang Tae-kyung,” laughed Cho-Hee, she turned to Mi-nyeo. “How about you Mi-nyeo? Are you going to marry Hwang Tae-kyung?”
Mi-nyeo spat out her milk, spurting and coughing. “M-marry Hwang Tae-kyung!” she choked out. “I…I don’t know…I mean it’s too soon…maybe someday..I don’t know….you…you think he would want to m-marry me?”
Cho-Hee raised her eyebrows looking somewhat dumbfounded. “Um…we were just joking Mi-nyeo, neither of us really think we’re going to marry Hwang Tae-kyung.”
Mi-nyeo just stared at her for a moment, then quickly looked away. “Oh…me too!” she exclaimed smiling awkwardly. “I was just joking….ha…ha…ha.”
Cho-Hee gave her a weird look but then shook it off. “Anyway if I was really considering marrying one of the A.N.JELL I think I would pick Jeremy, Tae-kyung just seems like he would make a …um…serious husband.”
“Oh, he comes off that way at first but,” Mi-nyeo paused getting stars in her eyes,” he’s really very sweet.”
Cho-Hee raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Mi-nyeo snapped out of her daydream, starting to fidget in place. “I…I mean…he just seems like the type that is misunderstood. He seems more like the type that would flip pogs with you at night in the park.”
“Sure, in out-of-character fanfiction,” said Cho-Hee looking on in disbelief.
Mi-nyeo looked away with her bottom lip in a pout. “But it’s true,” she mumbled to herself.
“Go Mi-nyeo?” someone suddenly shouted.
Mi-nyeo turned her head looking around. “Um, yes? I’m Go Mi-nyeo.”
A man walked up to her and held out a package with a postal stamp on it. “Can you sign here, miss?” he said holding out a clipboard and pen. Mi-nyeo signed her name on the clipboard and the man handed her the package. “Here’s your package miss, have a nice day.”
Mi-nyeo said thank you then looked down at the package wondering what it was. It was sent from Korea and it was addressed to her but that’s all that was on it.
“Did your brother send you something, Mi-nyeo?” Cho-Hee asked looking down at the small rectangular box in Mi-nyeo’s hands.
Mi-nyeo turned the box over in curiosity. “I don’t know, he didn’t say he was going to send me anything.”
“Maybe he was trying to surprise you?” Cho-Hee smiled. “Open it.”
Mi-nyeo unwrapped the box having some trouble getting the tape off at first and finally opened it to find another box with a picture of a mobile phone on it.
Cho-Hee gasped. “It’s a Samsung Galaxy S 2! The latest model! Your Oppa must have bought it for you knowing that you lost your old phone. Awww, that’s so sweet of him!” she crossed her arms. “My Oppa won’t even buy me new headphones and he works at an electronics store and gets a discount.”
“Oppa bought me a mobile phone?” Mi-nyeo said in wonder as she opened the box and took the new phone out, she turned it on to find it was fully charged already. “What are all these things?” she asked pointing to the different icons on the screen. “My old phone never had these.”
“You can get on the internet, Youtube, and buy music on this,” explained Cho-Hee. “It even has GPS and Facetime on it!”
“GPS…Facetime?” repeated Mi-nyeo looking lost. But before Cho-Hee could explained further the phone started ringing causing Mi-nyeo to jump slightly; the ringtone that was playing was “Promise” by A.N.JELL.
“Your Oppa even put an A.N.JELL song on as your ringtone!” exclaimed Cho-Hee.
Mi-nyeo kept glancing nervously back and forth between the phone and Cho-Hee. “I’m just going to take this call in our room real quick,” she said in a rush and got up to make her way to the room.
Once Mi-nyeo closed the door to her room, she sat down on her bed and pushed the answer button on the phone, she wasn’t expecting Tae-kyung’s face to pop up taking up the whole screen and for him to talk. “Good, you got it.”
Mi-nyeo let out a little scream and in her surprise dropped the phone on the floor.
Tae-kyung’s voice could be heard clearly through the phone on the floor. “DON’T BREAK IT ALREADY! IT’S BRAND NEW!”
Mi-nyeo got down on the floor and clawed over to the phone and stuck her neck on cautiously to look down at the phone almost as if she was afraid it would bite. “H-Hyung-nim?”
Tae-kyung exhaled thought his nose. “You’re lucky I got that accidental warranty on it.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Why are you just staring down like that?”
Mi-nyeo waved her hand back and forth in front of the phone. “You can see me, hyung-nim?”
“Yes, I can see you…and stop waving!” he ordered, she immediately stopped and put her hand down. “Your phone has a little camera in it on the front and so does mine, so we can see each other. It’s called Facetime, pig-rabbit…now pick up the phone.”
Mi-nyeo picked up the phone and sat back down on her bed, she stared at the screen completely amazed that she was seeing her star again. “Hyung-nim, how did you call just as I got the phone out of the box?”
Tae-kyung lips twitched upward into a smirk looking quite satisfied with himself. “I paid good money so you would get it around this time.”
Mi-nyeo blinked a confused expression on her face. “Wait, you paid….you mean Oppa didn’t get me the phone?”
Tae-kyung raised his eyebrows. “You thought he got you the phone?” he crossed his arms looking peeved. “You know I’m hurt you didn’t think it was me, I just might take it back-“
“N-no, no I’m very grateful! You didn’t have to buy it but thank you very much, hyung-nim.”
“That’s right, you should be grateful,” he said then pressed his lips together in annoyance. “As if that brother of yours would buy you anything, he’s too busy buying flowers for that demon fairy.” His irritation seemed to disappear as he suddenly became somewhat shy. “So…how are you doing Go Mi-nyeo?”
“Oh, I’m doing good…h-how are Oppa, Shin-woo and Jeremy doing?”
Tae-kyung’s glare pierced through the screen, his mouth in a tight line. “Aren’t you going to ask how I’m doing? Aish, don’t even know why I bothered calling you-“
“No, I…I didn’t mean..,” Mi-nyeo shook her head then paused. “I’m very happy to see you, hyung-nim.”
A smile started twitching on his face then he glanced away for a moment then looked back at the camera. “You are?” he said in a seemingly nonchalant manner.
Mi-nyeo bobbed her head up and down. “Yes,” she said, then paused looking down. “Are…are you happy to see me, hyung-nim?”
Tae-kyung paused as if he was thinking about it, he shrugged his shoulders. “Yes,” he said quickly.
Mi-nyeo grinned widely into the camera. “How are you doing, hyung-nim?”
“I’m fine, I’ve been very busy,” he said. “I have so many things to do being a star and all.”
“Oh, what things, hyung-nim?”
“Things, Go Mi-nyeo what is this twenty questions!”
“No, I was just wondering,” she mumbled then asked. “Have you been eating your carrots, spinach, and liver hyung-nim?”
“Who are you my mo-“he cut off as his complexion went pale.
Mi-nyeo noticed this in great concern. “Hyung-nim, are you okay? Your face looks-“
“I’m fine,” he said tensely, then avoided looking into the camera, after a moment he looked back at her, his eyes looking up and down. “Seems like your hair has grown.”
Mi-nyeo looked down at her hair. “Oh…yes, it’s right above my shoulders now.”
“Oh,” said Tae-kyung kind of being at a loss for words. They both kind of seemed lost in the moment just staring at each other not saying a word. Mi-nyeo broke the silence as she took a gulp and tired to ask the question weighing on her mind.
“Hyung-nim, are you my….”
“Am I your….?” He said after she didn’t complete her question.
“Are you my….my…..”
“Spit it out already!”
“Are you my….sushi?” she blurted out. “Sushi” meaning boyfriend in Mi-nyeo speak, since she couldn’t get the actual word out.
“Am I your….sushi?” Tae-kyung raised his eyebrows giving her an odd look. “What?” he paused. “Are you sure you don’t have malaria?”
Just at that moment a knock came at the door causing Mi-nyeo in her jumpy state to drop the mobile phone onto the floor again. The door opened to a crack and Cho-Hee peeked it. “Hi, I don’t mean to interrupt, I was just wondering if you were done with your call yet, I need to get my toothbrush.” She glanced down and noticed the phone on the floor. Mi-nyeo held her breath as she watched Cho-Hee walk over to it and pick it up.
“Why is this on the floor?” Cho-Hee asked, then looked at the screen. “Wow, it’s Hwang Tae-kyung.” She glanced at Mi-nyeo. “Is this off of YouTube? I’ve never seen an interview with him just staring into the camera like that…,”her eyebrows knitted together,”….he looks kind of angry.”
“That’s because I am,” said Tae-kyung into the camera.
Cho-Hee’s eyes popped out. “What the…that was weird, did he just answer me?”
Tae-kyung rolled his eyes. “I’m not a YouTube video, stupid. Give me back to Go Mi-nyeo.”
Cho-Hee gaped at the mobile phone in her hand then looked at Mi-nyeo. “Mi-nyeo? You…you…know Hwang Tae-kyung?”
Mi-nyeo nodded guiltily from her bed.
“Wait, you mean stupid here doesn’t know who your Oppa is?” said Tae-kyung.
Cho-Hee gasped. “Hwang Tae-kyung’s your Oppa! I didn’t even know he had a sister!”
Tae-kyung groaned. “No, she’s not my sister!” he snapped. “Are you that stupid? You don’t notice any resemblance between Go Mi-nyeo and Go Mi-nam whatsoever?”
Cho-Hee’s eyes went wide again as she pointed at Mi-nyeo. “Oh my gosh, you’re Go Mi-nam’s sister!”
“She figured it out quicker than I thought she would,” said Tae-kyung. “Now…give me back to Go Mi-nyeo!”
Cho-Hee walked in a dumbfounded state over to Mi-nyeo holding out the phone which Mi-nyeo took from her.
Mi-nyeo held the phone and turned it towards Cho-Hee. “Hyung-nim, this is my roommate and friend Seung Cho-Hee.”
Cho-Hee waved awkwardly at the phone. “Um…hello, nice to meet you?”
Tae-kyung just crossed his arms and pressed his lips together in a smirk.
“Hyung-nim, don’t be rude say hello,” Mi-nyeo pouted.
“Hello,” he said in a monotone.
“Um…why do you call him, hyung-nim?” asked Cho-Hee in confusion.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” mumbled Tae-kyung.
“It’s…it’s an inside joke,” Mi-nyeo said awkwardly.
“Oh,” said Cho-Hee then glanced at the phone to see Tae-kyung glaring at her. “Um…I’m just going to go now, sorry for interrupting,” she said in rush and exited the room.
Tae-kyung and Mi-nyeo talked for a little while longer until Mi-nyeo started to get tired as it was getting late. “Tomorrow around say 3 o’clock I might call, so keep your phone with you,” said Tae-kyung.
Mi-nyeo nodded as she let out a yawn.
“Goodnight, Go Mi-nyeo don’t let the mosquitoes bite.”
Mi-nyeo giggled. “Hyung-nim, it’s don’t let the bedbugs bite.”
“What are you laughing at?” he snapped at her. “I meant it literally! Don’t let them bite, I was watching this thing about Africa and…,” he cut off sighing,”…never mind, just stay clear of them.”
“Okay, I will hyung-nim,” she paused for a moment suddenly growing sad. “So…g-goodbye,” she said feebly.
Tae-kyung looked down his eyes moving around filled with unspoken words and then finally he said. “Good-bye.”
Then after a couple of moments they both hanged up.
Cho-Hee later reentered the room after making sure she wasn’t interrupting anything and sat down to talk with Mi-nyeo.
Cho-Hee glanced at Mi-nyeo. “You know you did seem familiar to me, but I couldn’t figure out why.” Her shoulders slumped forward. “Now I do feel stupid.”
Mi-nyeo bit her lip looking at the brink of tears. “It’s my fault! I lied...I...I..sinned!” she shook her head. “Do you hate me?”
Cho-Hee took Mi-nyeo’s hands in hers. “No, I’m not mad or anything, just really shocked. You know, I won’t tell anyone about you knowing A.N.JELL if you don’t want me to.”
Mi-nyeo’s eyes started to water as she sniffed her nose. “Thank you, Cho-Hee! You’re such a good friend! Now I feel even worst about lying!”
Cho-Hee shook her head. “Really, it’s okay.” She paused. “So…you and…Hwang Tae-kyung what’s that about?”
Mi-nyeo looked down. “It’s complicated.”
Complicated like she dressed up like her twin brother and found herself falling for the lead singer of A.N.JELL who just happened to be the son of the woman who was in love with her deceased father complicated, but she really didn’t want to get into that now.
“You’re the mystery girl…that was real,” said Cho-Hee as she realized something. “Mi-nyeo, is Hwang Tae-kyung the don’t-know-if-he’s-my-boyfriend guy?”
Mi-nyeo’s silence and blushing face was enough to answer her question.
“That’s why you reacted that way about marrying Hwang Tae-kyung,” Cho-Hee smiled and patted Mi-nyeo’s hand. “Don’t worry, Mi-nyeo I’m a fan but I’m not one of those crazed fans. If Hwang Tae-kyung does turn out to be your boyfriend I’m happy for you.”
“Cho-Hee!” Mi-nyeo cried out happily pulling her into a hug.
“I only have one question,” said Cho-Hee hugging her back.
“Yes?”
“I am invited to the wedding, right?”
Mi-nyeo let out a hiccup as her face turned red in an instant. “CHO-HEE!”
That night Mi-nyeo laid in bed feeling much better now that she told Cho-Hee and had someone to share her secret with. Though the question whether Hwang Tae-kyung was her boyfriend still bothered her since she wasn’t able to ask him earlier. Seeing him again, even if it wasn’t actually face to face, had lifted her spirits considerably. She looked at her star necklace lying on her nightstand glistening faintly in the moonlight and then picked it up and gave it a peck. “Goodnight, hyung-nim.”
And she closed her eyes dreaming of the day she would be reunited with her star again.