Ha-Yeon Lee/17/South Korea/S
Ha-Eung Lee/17/North Korea/S
Matthew Jones/17/Canada/S
Arthur Kirkland/30/England/Lawyer
Alfred F. Jones/17/America/S
Francis Bonnefoy/30/France/Model
Yao Wang/30/China/CEO of Asia Corp.
Kiku Honda/18/Japan/S
Mei Wang/17/Taiwan/S
Leon Wang/16/Hong Kong/S
Yekaterina Bradinski/17/Ukraine/S
Gilbert/17/Prussia/S
Natalia Bradinski/17/Belarus/S
Feliciano Vargas/18/Italy/S
"What the hell..." She was dreaming. Of course. Next to her, Alfred is dozing off and the TV is blaring. They had been watching reruns of Glee while eating popcorn. It was just an awful dream. It's not real life anymore. When she looks outside, she can see it's morning. There is a sound from the stairs.
"You're awake." Matthew. Matthew smiles at her and hands her a well-wrapped present. "Happy birthday." When she gingerly opens the box, she finds herself looking at-"Aw, it's soooo cute!" A teddy bear. She hasn't had one of those in what-A century? But it's so cute, and she thanks him. There is more noise.
"Bonjour!" Francis comes strolling into view, and he too hands her something. It turns out to be a dress-the height of fashion. She guesses it must be expensive, but the Kirklands and Wangs are rich. "Merci!" She gives him a hug and Francis laughs. "Well, ma cherie, it occurred to me that you had no need of makeup, and it is your birthday."
Arthur enters, looking a bit groggy, and holding a pile of what looks like ash. "Happy birthday, lass. Here. Have a scone." Ha Yeon forces herself to not cringe, and eats the ash-sorry, scone. "This is..." "Delicious? Scrumptious?" Arthur is looking all expectant, but the doorbell suddenly rings, and there is a shout.
"Alfred! School!" Then there is the usual cursing. "I forgot it was school-" "Geez, what am I supposed to wear-" "My photo shoot-" Ha Yeon glares at Alfred, who is still sleeping. "Wake up!" "Huh?" He sees the clock, and curses as he throws on his clothes. "# ! * # !" "Well, at least you have something to wear." She snaps at him. "You can wear my collared shirt." So senseless. Ha Yeon glares at him but takes his shirt, grimacing all the time.
Finally. They've arrived at school thanks to Alfred's car, and Ha Yeon hops off, practically clutching her cell phone which is teaming over with texts.
Happy Birthday, Yeon! Congratulations!
-Yekaterina-
Congrats.
-Hercules-
You left your clothes at home, idiot.
-Douchebag-
Ha Yeon stares at a figure running her way, looking positively furious. "바보, 멍청이, 병신." Ha Eung is holding a shopping bag in one hand, which he thrusts to her. "Get lost." She opens her mouth in disbelief. "What happened to you?" "You forgot your damn clothes. And that American's stuff looks ridiculous." Her brother looked as if he had been crying. And he never cried. "All right, all right. Geez." She hurried into the restroom, changing into her own clothes.
As she left the restroom, she heard the occassional "Hi"s and "Hello"s. She gave them a curt nod and sat next to Alfred on her usual seat. "Here." She handed him his shirt."Um, you don't have to return it." "And do what? I'd look foolish, walking around with a shirt not my size!" Alfred gave her a glare. He never glared at her, no matter what she did. "Well, I'm sorry." "Hey, Al, what's wrong?" "Nothing." "Well, it's not like you forgot my birthday or anything. Come on, you can always make up with a present-" "I don't feel like it." And with that he took his bag and dumped it next to the seat of Yekaterina. "You don't mind?" Alfred smiled at the dumbstruck girl. "Um..."
Ha Yeon glared at the cheerleader. She would pulverize that girl, she would. How dare she sit next to Alfred? He's mine! Wait.. What? She shook herself. It was her bloody birthday. She could live without the selfish, thoughtless, jerk that she called her best friend. "Hey, birthday girl's here!" It was Gilbert. "Hi." She answered. "Well, what are we doing? We should celebrate!"
And with that the class surrounded her.
"Happy birthday to you, you live in a zoo~"
"I do not live in a zoo!"
She protested, but then she was laughing. How she loved her friends, how kind they were to her. But then- they wouldn't have helped you if you didn't hang out with Al.
A voice nagged at the back of her head. No. She ignored it. Oh, yes. They just hang out with you because you live with important people, know powerful people.
"You smell like a monkey, and you look-"
She cut them off. "Enough." The mood for celebration had just left her. "Aww, something wrong? Perhaps lover boy could help out-" She smiled at the albino. "No, it has nothing to do with that. Where's my brother?" "Who? Psycho?" "He is not a psycho, but yes. My twin." "He left to the basement." She didn't like the idea of Ha Eung left alone in a basement. "Thanks." Ha Yeon slid the door open, and left.
He sat there, a cigarette poised at the ready. He had heard that smoking was good for curing broken hearts. Perhaps it could cure broken minds like his own. He pulled out a lighter, lit it, than began to smoke.
"That's what you call smoking?" A voice lilted in laughter caught his attention, as he coughed. It was a pretty girl, he knew her by the name of Natalia. She was a cheerleader, and she never smiled. There was the rumor that she was obsessed with her half-brother, who Yao abhorred.
"None of your business." Ha Eung stamped out his cigarette. Never again will I smoke. "Aren't you Ha-Eung Lee?" The question caught him. Nobody in this damned school called him by name. He was either psycho, crazy, or Ha-Yeon Lee's brother.
"Yes." He hid his surprise. "How do you know me?" "Oh, we crazy people have a way of knowing each other." She smiled, then lit a match. "You look normal." He commented, then thought how stupid it was. He was good-looking to a person who first saw him, with a serious look. They changed their words later on to scary and murderous. Not that he cared, it was almost funny how they changed so quickly.
"You look normal as well." Natalia sat on the stairs next to him. "They were preparing to celebrate her birthday, so I left. Boring, and too noisy." He knew who her stood for. There was only one her with a birthday to match his own. "Well, they're always noisy." The girl grinned at him. That was when he saw her knife. "You...You have a knife?" "Of course. It's a tough world." And there was that gleam to her eye that matched his own. As they discussed the various knives, the basement door opened and light flooded in. "What is it, Yekaterina?" It was not Natalia's sister, the teary one. "Do I look like her?"
It was his own. "너 누가 지하로 가래? 미쳤어? 그리고 이 구린내는 또 뭐야?(Who told you to go to the basement? Are you crazy? And what is that awful smell?)" She was clearly upset, using Korean. "진정해. 아무도 안 죽었어.(Calm down. No one died here.)" She wouldn't calm down. "쟨 또 뭐야, 왜 저기 쪼그리고 있어? 둘이 담배 핀 거야?(Who is she, why is she crouching there? Did you guys smoke or something?)" "Calm down, sis. It's unlike you to worry about health." He hadn't called her sis in a couple months. Ha Yeon gawked as he stood, and followed him out of the basement. As he sat down on his chair, he noticed that there was a new bag next to his sister's. "The American changed his bag?" She didn't say anything as she slid into her chair, and as the class began, he noticed that the American was sitting next to Natalia's sister. That's what pissed her off. He smirks, but then remembers the jerk happens to be one of the people who really cares for her. That wipes the smile off his face.
He cannot believe he's doing this. "So, I have to write?" "Well, if you are going to..." "Yes, I get it." Kiku cuts Feliciano off as he stares at the long, white piece of paper. Why didn't I realize how long A4 paper was? He, Kiku Honda was planning something. The only bad aspect of the plan was, well, he was reluctant.
To. My Dear Little Twins.
He erased Dear and Little. He rewrote the entire first sentence. He was never going to write a letter, again.
To. My Brother and Sister.
There. Much better. From behind him, Feliciano groaned. "What's with the formalities?" "They aren't little anymore." He explains, as he writes Happy birthday. Kiku looked at the two lines he has neatly written, as he slowly added another. I'm sorry. "That is the worst apology ever." The Italian pinched the bridge of his nose. It was hopeless to believe that the twins would ever forgive Kiku after reading this dense letter.
Alfred glared at the sight he saw before him. Lee Ha Yeon's desk was littered with gifts. "Hey, Lee! Happy birthday!" A boy he didn't even know approached Ha Yeon's desk and handed her a neatly wrapped present. "Thanks." Ha Yeon opened it, and screamed in delight. "Ohmygod! This is so cool! Thanks, seriously!" "What is it?" Her twin glared at his sister. "It's stationary! Look at it!" Now even the psycho looked jealous. "Hmph."
"Al?" It was Elizaveta, the most perverted person in the school year. Heck, she looked curious. "What." Alfred glared up at her. "YOU didn't congratulate Yeon on her birthday." She sounded a bit accusatory. "Cheerleaders." He snarled. He wasn't in the mood to say congrats, Yeon. Happy Birthday.
"I thought you liked her." "She's a good friend." Yes, a good friend. And it has to end that way. "Well, not like that." She was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "What are you implying?" "Just that although you are the definition of popular, Ha-Yeon Lee is capable of living without you." "No, she isn't!" He snapped, totally unaware that everyone was staring at him.
For some reason, the Hungarian was smiling. "So, she's incapable?" "She's spoiled! She always talks back, and she has to go and drink around! I have to take care of her, because I'm worried the idiot will get into trouble!" "Then why were you so upset?" "I AM NOT UPSET!" "Yes, you were!" It was not Elizaveta. The Korean was standing behind the Hungarian, arms crossed.
"Look, I just wanted to buy you a fucking birthday present, and the bloody airmail wouldn't arrive in time! And then that jerk Kiku just had to go and ruin your feelings again, and you looked so bloody unhappy. And it turns out the whole class bought you presents, and I am the only person who is incapable of buying you anything!"
There. Done. Alfred felt horrible as he looked at the sets of eyes staring at him. "It's okay." The Korean was reassuring. "No, it's not okay!" "Oh, yes, it is." Ha Yeon just nodded.
And then he received the ultimate taekwondo kick. "If you ever act like that again for a reason as stupid as that, I won't go over to your house-or come to your parties. Ever. Again." "Hey, I was just trying to be a hero!" Alfred protested, as his friends began to laugh. "Looks like the villain wins every time." Ha Eung commented. "She's not a villain, she's my heroine!" And that earned him a soccer kick from Ha Yeon's male counterpart. "How dare you nickname my sister after a drug!" Which earned more laughter. Apparently, Koreans didn't know confessions when they heard one.
The twins would be home soon. Yao held his breath as the door opened. "갖다 왔어요!" "다녀왔습니다!(I'm back!)" Their voices chorused through the household. Yao went to greet them. Ha Yeon's bag was bulging with gifts. Ha Eung-well, his younger brother didn't seem to have anything, but he looked pleased. "Wash your hands and come downstairs. I have a gift for you." "Hurray!" Ha Yeon scampered upstairs. Ha Eung lingered for a while. "Hyung-nim, I have a question to ask of you." The boy looked-shy? "What is it?" "I...received a gift." Now Yao was shocked as the teen pulled out a knife with a note attached. The note was pink, and Yao read it.
You aren't as bad as they say you are. Perhaps.
-From Natalia-
"Natalia Bradinski?" Ha Eung nodded. "I found it on my desk." Yao didn't know what to say. For one thing, he was glad his younger brother had a gift. But..."Why her?" "I don't know." Ha Eung sighed. "Hyung-nim, can't I keep this one?" "Okay." Ha Eung looked pleased as his sister returned, and gave Yao her usual hug. "Oppa, hi!" "Hello, Yeon-ah." He handed each twin a gift wrapped in silk. Ha Yeon removed the silk cautiously and gasped. It was a hanbok. The kind they saw queens wearing in Korean dramas. Ha Eung's gift was the gonryeongpo.(The hanbok that kings wore) "I bought them. If you don't like them.." "Oppa, thank you!" Ha Yeon threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, hyung." Ha Eung seemed to be speechless.
"What's going on?" It was Leon, who had returned. He took one look at the scene in front of him, and disappeared, muttering something about craziness. Within five minutes he was back. "Here." Ha Yeon stared at her brother, who had handed her a shoe box. "What is it?" "Never mind." Leon wouldn't meet her in the eye as he handed Ha Eung a box.
"Leon..." Ha Yeon was speechless as she opened the box. It was a pair of shoes. Goldengoose. The new popular brand. "I don't know your size, but Mei told me this would fit." Leon muttered, just as Ha Eung opened his present. "Kid, you didn't have to." His was a knife holder. Leather.
"I'm sorry about the knife. And your shoes. And I'm sorry about being rude to you." Leon stared at the floor. "Awww, sweetie, you didn't have to." Ha Yeon gave her little brother a hug. "How much was it? I'll repay you." "No. I messed up your shoes." And Leon kept on staring at the floor, his voice wobbly. "I'm sorry about your fireworks, little one." "I am not little." But Leon was slowly smiling. "Kid." Ha Eung spoke. "Yes?" "You aren't that evil." That was the closest to an apology. "You aren't that crazy either." Leon smirked. It seemed like the wounds were slowly mending.
"Hey, guys!" It was Mei. "What's up?" "Well, Kiku told me to give this to you. He said he would be out with his friends." "Such rudeness." Yao sighed, but beckoned Mei to hand him the box she was holding. Mei sat on the sofa as the twins opened the box.
To. My brother and sister.
I know I should be the one to give you this box, but it seems I don't deserve to look you in the eye. I have done many things in my life, and some things I am not proud of. I terrorized over you two, and I know you suffered a great deal. And I'm sorry. I know I should apologize in person, yes. But it's difficult. I'm not begging you to forgive me. Old wounds don't mend easily, and I know what I've done to you is cruel. However I hope you have a good day. Happy Birthday.
From. Kiku Honda
Ha Yeon was the first to speak. "He remembered." It was a pin shaped like a Sharon.
"Oppa, look!" Little Ha Yeon pointed at a blossom of a chrysanthemum. "It's beautiful!" "Yes, it is." Kiku smiled at his sister among the blossoms. "I heard Korea has sharons." "And?" "They're so hard to find here." Ha Yeon looked glum. "Don't be sad, I'll buy you the finest sharon on earth." "Really?" "Yes, really. You can look at it every day." "Promise!" "Promise." It was a small, sweet promise made by the two children.
Ha Eung stared at something else. "My knife. He took it from me." The knife that had been his father's, then which was taken to Kiku lay there in the box.
It was Yao who broke the silence. "You don't forgive someone for the sake of the person, you forgive for your sake." The twins were silent. As the night proceeded, the room slowly emptied-Leon for science homework, Mei for Chinese, Yao for talking with his clients.
The twins were still there when a slightly tottering Kiku entered. "What are you doing so late?" "We cannot forget." Kiku's face fell at the words. "I know." He seemed to have readied himself. "But we can forgive." The threesome locked eyes.
They were family, not by blood, but by relations and bonds. They had spent years of harmony and years of tears and blood. They would argue, and their relationship would be the most perilous.
It wasn't like Ha Eung could forget his broken rib, or Ha Yeon her cuts. Kiku forgetting his wrongs would never happen. It couldn't go back to the days when they were children. But they could mend, slowly.
Ha Eung stood from his place. "What's on TV?" Kiku asked. "Game of Thrones." "Well, let's watch." The odd threesome sat there, Kiku smelling of drink, Ha Yeon eating ramen she had brought from the kitchen, Ha Eung fiddling with his knife. Yes, they looked strange. But yes, you couldn't deny they were family.
바보- idiot in Korean
멍청이-fool in Korean
병신- ill or unstable person in Korean(rude)
Korean teens have a thing for stationary.
And yeah, I was adding a NKBel thing. Why? Because they seemed so similar.
Korean teens really have this thing for stationary. And yes, there's this NKBel thing I slightly added. There was a bit of Kimchiburger that we all love and adore. So Alfred's being kinda upset because he couldn't give Yeon the present in time. And Yeon was thinking, well maybe he doesn't care about me anymore.Korea's national flower is the sharon.The history thing in this one is the part where Ha Eung gets his knife back. Korea's treasures were stolen, or sent to Japan during colonization. After Korea became an independent country, Japan returned some of Korea's treasures. But there are still a lot left there.
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. I wanted to make this fluffy as compensation. But as you all know I am USELESS with fluff. Plus, could you guys tell me whose life you want to see? I have like five options.
1. Mei (feat. Leon)
2. Yao (feat. Ivan)
3. Ha Yeon (feat. Alfred)
4. Ha Eung (feat. Natalia)
5. All the Asians (feat. Movie Night)
Hi. Xihwa here.
So...Umm...There is a teeny problem. Actually it's not teeny at all.
So, someone(thank you..wink!) feedbacked and said that Korea's birthday was October.
And I freaked out.
Which is embarrassing. Why?
Because. The. Author. Is Korean.
After some research, I found out that there are two opinions about when Korea's birthday is.
1. October 3rd
2. August 15th
I decided to go with August 15th, because well, it seemed more fitting when I researched again.
I thank all of you who has followed me so far. YOU are my inspiration not to give up this pathetic tale.
Merci Beaucoup. Thank You. Arigato.
Xie-xie. And last but not least, 감사합니다.
-수화, South Korea
PS. Thank you, I really appreciated your comment!