Cherry
I continued to hit the punching bag with force, even though my ribs seemed to be responding in pain. I just felt frustrated for some reason.
After the discovery last night, I kept tossing and turning in my bed. I could not sleep at all, my mind racing ahead. I had one too many mixed emotions running through my head. Relief to know he is okay. Anger which resurfaced. Worry and fear. Uncertainty.
I shook my head as I tried to focus on the punching bag when I heard footsteps approaching. I ignored them as I continued to punch. I did not really feel like talking to anyone this morning but I knew whoever came here was not going to leave.
‘Should you be doing this Cherry? I don’t think your ribs are fully healed yet,’ I heard Hoseok say. I did not bother to look as I continued to punch.
‘I feel fine,’ I said as he came in front of me and held the punching bag in place. He looked at me, his voice showing how unconvinced he was.
‘You don’t look like you’re fine,’ he said with a scoff. I rolled my eyes and punched harder, forcing the punching bag to sway slightly.
‘You don’t know me,’ I replied, this time kicking the punching bag. It rattled but Hoseok held it in place, ensuring to keep his balance.
‘Maybe but I can tell you’re not okay. You didn’t even sleep, did you?’ he asked but I remained silent. ‘I’m sorry if my questions led to things you didn’t want to,’ he said, in a quieter voice.
‘You’re not the problem,’ I said as I went to punch but felt a wave of pain around my ribs. My breath hitched and Hoseok grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me away.
‘Stop exerting yourself like this. You’re only going to reinjure yourself,’ he said and I nodded as my hand went to my ribs. ‘Do you need some ice or something?’ he said.
‘No,’ I replied coldly. He sighed as he forced me to sit on the bench.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said again.
‘I said it’s not your fault Hoseok,’ I replied and he nodded. ‘I don’t blame you. I should have kept my mouth shut about my family,’ I said.
‘Why?’ he insisted as I looked away. ‘Don’t you want to see your brother again after all these years?’ he asked softly.
‘I… I’m not sure,’ I admitted. ‘I may not want revenge against my family Hoseok and I might not hate them, but it does not mean I forgive them,’ I added.
‘I know but your brother, he was a young boy. He didn’t know anything,’ he said but I remained silent. ‘Hanuel…’ he said.
‘NO!’ I said as he flinched for a moment. ‘Don’t call me that. Call me Cherry or Umbra or whatever silly name you want but not that,’ I said and he nodded.
‘Okay,’ he said, ‘Cherry, what I was going to say is that Yeonjun, he’s been looking for you since he was sixteen. It’s the reason he joined Bangtan in the first place,’ he said.
‘That does not concern me or interest me Hoseok,’ I said and he sighed. ‘I know I sound like a cold hearted * and maybe I am, but I don’t want anything to do with him. He’s a reminder of a time I want to forget,’ I said.
‘Are you sure that’s the reason?’ he asked when we suddenly heard the door open. I turned to look and this time I saw Jungkook walking with the pink haired boy.
I looked at him as I took in his appearance. He had grown tall and was rather slim, although there were visible marks of training in the way his muscles bulged. He had soft facial features, hardly the features of a mafia’s member. He definitely had grown to be a handsome man.
‘N—noona?’ he called out and I scoffed as I looked away.
‘Um, we’ll leave you two to talk. I can count on you not to shoot him, right?’ Jungkook asked and I shrugged.
‘It’s okay hyung. Go,’ Yeonjun said as I stood up and headed towards the station. Hoseok put a hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
‘Try not to be too hard on him. Remember he was a child, innocent like you,’ he whispered before he left along with Jungkook.
I gulped as I started to remove the tape from my hand while Yeonjun walked closer. ‘Will you not even look at me noona?’ he asked.
‘Don’t call me that,’ I said. ‘My name is Domina Umbra, or, as the Bangtan members like to call me, Cherry,’ I said, my voice flat and devoid of any emotion.
‘Maybe but you’re still my noona. You’re older than me,’ he said and I shrugged. Was he teasing me? Pompous little *.
‘Whatever,’ I replied. He came right next to me and I could feel him studying me. ‘Stop looking at me like that,’ I said.
‘Then look at me, noona,’ he replied and I frowned as I removed the last bit of tape and grabbed my sword and sheath. I turned to look at him and saw him smile – it was not a smirk as I might have expected but a genuine smile.
‘Why are you smiling *?’ I asked.
‘Because I have been looking for you for half of my life and I finally found you,’ he said as he went to approach me. ‘Do you know how much I missed you?’ he asked.
‘Too bad,’ I replied as I scoffed. I watched the hurt flicker on his face but he remained looking at me. ‘Maybe if our father didn’t send me off to the Scarlets, you wouldn’t have missed me,’ I said.
‘I know what our father did. Namjoon told me,’ he said as he looked down. He sounded ashamed and could barely look at me. ‘I wished he never took those loans and that you were never given away noona,’ he said.
‘If that would have happened, you’d be dead and if I weren’t given up, we’d all be dead,’ I replied drily.
‘Please don’t push me away Haneul, You’re my sister and I love you,’ he said as he went to grab me by the arm. I turned quickly as I pushed him against the wall with a lot of force. Within a few second, I had my sword at his throat.
‘Don’t ever touch me again,’ I said through gritted teeth. ‘And don’t you ever call me Haneul or your sister again. Your darling big sister died the moment she was forced to walk away from her family and go with the Scarlets,’ I yelled.
‘I refuse to believe that!’ he yelled back. I stared at him for a moment. I no longer saw the eight year old kid I left behind. I saw someone who was still young but someone who has seen some * that has forced him to grow up. ‘I won’t lose you again noona. I don’t care what I have to do, but I’ll get my noona back,’ he said.
I gulped as I removed the sword from his neck and scoffed. ‘Good luck with that kiddo because I damned guarantee that you won’t succeed,’ I said.
‘I like challenges,’ he said, tilting his head but even through his smirk, I could tell he was hurting.
I scoff as I leave the room, leaving him behind me. I walk out of the door to find all the boys waiting there. I stopped as I raised one eyebrow. ‘Really?’ I asked.
‘Someone had to make sure you won’t hurt him too bad,’ Yoongi said with a shrug but there was more to it.
‘Are you okay?’ Namjoon asked and I scoffed and walked away. I could not reply because I did not know if I was okay or not. I hurried to my room and closed the door behind me. I locked it and threw my sword on the bed.
I to the wall and slid down quietly. I brought my knees close to my chest while I rested my head against the wall. I closed my eyes just as I felt a single tear roll down my cheek.
Maybe not the reunion most of you were expecting. The question that comes to mind is - why is she acting this way? Does she hate him? Does she blame him? Or is there something more? I look forward to what you think. - Tae's Misfit
"I never thought love was worth fighting for but then I looked into your eyes and I was ready for war."