Chapter 5: Getting To Know You

“Yong Min oppa,” she said as she scrambled off the bed and ran towards him.

“Hey baby girl,” he smiled, and they hugged.

Baby girl? Damn… did I just lose her to another guy? Then again, I never had her in the first place.

“Erm… Jae Wook,” she said as she turned to me. “This is my oppa, Yong Min.”

“Hi!” was all I could muster.

“So what were you doing with my baby sister, under my father’s roof?” her brother said in a stern tone.

He was a tall, slim and handsome fella. Sierra was tall and slim herself, but they just didn’t look like siblings to me.

“Oppa… nothing happened.”

“Nothing?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“It was I who was clumsy. I fell on top of him and we couldn’t disentangle ourselves from each other.”

“How convenient,” he smiled. “And how is it you managed to do it the moment I walked in?”

“Oppa!” she exclaimed and smacked him on the arm. “Stop teasing! It’s not funny.”

“I’m sorry,” I spoke up. “It really was a misunderstanding. It’s not what it seemed like.”

“Araso,” he laughed. “Sierra looks ready to explode. I’d better stop teasing her.”

“Hmmph,” Sierra huffed, and walked out of the room.

[Sierra’s POV]

Since Yong Min oppa had come home, we’d decided to have tea on the patio. Oppa sat at the head of the table and I sat on his right. At the other end from oppa was Hee Chul. Sung Min sat beside me, and Jae Wook opposite me.

“Are you really siblings?” Jae Wook asked oppa and me.

“Well…” oppa said. “Don’t you see the resemblance?”

“Don’t pay attention to him. If I looked anything like him… the first thing I would have is his small eyes,” I said.

“Then how are you both related?”

“We share the same father, but different mothers,” oppa explained.

“I see,” Jae Wook said.

“My mother died when I was 2, and my father remarried soon after,” he said.

“Wow… but the both of you seem so close. I’d never have guessed you were half-siblings,” Jae Wook said.

“Well… I’m a big-hearted person and I believe everything happened for a reason. You can’t choose your family.”

“Aww… Yong Min hyung,” Hee Chull cooed, “you’re just too sweet.”

“Oppa, how long are you staying this time?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. But aboji asked me to stick around longer since he won’t be back for another few weeks. I’m supposed to make sure you stay out of trouble.”

“Did Sang Hoon oppa come back with you?”

“Ne, but you know him. He’s run off to meet his friends as usual.”

“Talking about me?”

“Sang Hoon oppa!” I cried out and ran to hug him.

“Speak of the devil,” Yong Min oppa joked.

“Wow... So how many brothers do you have? I’m starting to get confused,” Jae Wook said.

“Just us two,” Yong Min oppa said to Jae Wook. “This is my brother, Sang Hoon,” Yong Min oppa introduced. “This is Jae Wook,” he said to Sang Hoon oppa, “Sierra’s new boyfriend.”

“Hi,” he said, and sat down next to Jae Wook.

“No he’s not!” I protested, feeling hot all over. “I just met him today.”

“Well, you sure work fast these days, baby sister,” Sang Hoon oppa teased, and I pouted.

“So who’s older?” Jae Wook asked.

“Sang Hoon is,” Yong Min oppa replied. “But we’re born in the same year. So it’s really no difference.”

“There is…” Sang Hoon oppa said. “You see… our parents were overeager for another child… I was born in March, and in December, came Yong Min.”

“Whoah!!!” Hee Chul exclaimed. “I never realized that.”

“You do now, eh?” Sang Hoon oppa winked.

“But anyway… we started school the same year and we did everything together, as if we were twins. Except that we looked worlds apart.”

That, what pretty evident. Yong Min oppa was always looked like the gentleman, while Sang Hoon oppa looked more like the rebel with his long hair and piercings.

“Hey Sierra,” Jae Wook said.

“Hmm?”

“What’s your surname?”

“Hwang,” I replied.

“Hwang Yong Min, Hwang Sang Hoon, then Sierra Hwang? Why don’t you have a Korean name?”

“She does… but because her mother is Chinese and insisted on a Chinese name, it turned out really ugly in Korean,” Sang Hoon oppa laughed.

“So she has an English name,” Yong Min oppa said.

“So what’s your ugly Korean name?” Jae Wook asked.

“I know!” Sung Min exclaimed and raised his hand.

“You say it, you’re dead,” I warned Sung Min, and shot daggers at him with my eyes.

“Party pooper,” Sung Min grumbled.

“Why can’t you tell me?” he asked me.

“I don’t tell strangers my real name,” I smiled sweetly.

“Stranger? Do you invite strangers to have tea in your house?” he pointed out.

“Yea… do you, sis?” Sang Hoon oppa remarked.

“You guys are driving me nuts,” I complained. “I’m not telling and if anyone does, you’re gonna get it from me,” I said and glared at everyone at the table, except Jae Wook.

“Stay out of her hair,” Sang Hoon oppa said in a stage whisper. “She’s got this really scary temper.”

“Yea…” Hee Chul said.

“I do not!” I protested.

“Right…” Sang Hoon oppa said.

“Oppa!” I said in exasperation as I looked at Yong Min oppa.

Why do my brothers always have to embarrass me in front of my friends?

“Right… stop…” he laughed. “Look at Sierra… can’t you see the smoke rising above her head?”

“I’m going to take a shower,” Sang Hoon oppa said as he got up. “See you guys around.”

“Bye hyung!” Hee Chul and Sung Min waved.

“I think I’d better go too,” Jae Wook said. “My family must be wondering where I am.”

“I’ll walk you out,” I said, and I got up.

As we got to the gates, we stopped for a moment to say goodbye.

Music: TVXQ - Keyword

“Thanks for today,” I said to him.

“I didn’t do anything,” Jae Wook said. “I got knocked out with the first punch, remember?”

“At least you tried,” I smiled.

“Well…” he laughed shyly, he was actually kinda cute when he got shy.

“Bye…” I said, and quickly ran in, towards the house.

As I reached the door, I turned back to watch him walk down the long driveway, towards the gates. He was skipping…

******

Celebrity Tidbits

Hwang Yong Min is Tim, the sexy fella who sang Saranghamnida.

Hwang Sang Hoon is a member of Black Beat, a group under SM Entertainment. You can watch Sang Hoon on YouTube.