67 - Upki Girl

< An Ocean of Tears and "What the...?" > A group of five or six people hurriedly ascended to the first floor. After acknowledging the kindly maid's announcement that dinner was ready with a request to wait a moment, everyone gathered around the living room sofa. Just from climbing up and down the stairs a few times, all the color had drained from Hong's face. "Phew, huu..." "Hong, is it tough?" "Hoo, no, I'm fine." Trying hard to suppress the sound of their breathing, they seemed so pitiful. "Should I bring you some water?" "No, I can get it myself. May I open the refrigerator?" "Of course, you don’t need to ask for such things. This is your home now." "Y-yes. Thank you. Oof." Even standing up seemed quite difficult for them. I wondered if they could manage any exercise at all. I watched Hong head toward the kitchen. Unable to find the refrigerator, they wandered around until they asked one of the maids. The maid graciously opened the built-in refrigerator for them. Hong was surprised, exclaiming as they realized it wasn't just a cabinet but a fridge, clearly a cultural shock. They scanned the contents of the refrigerator from top to bottom, left to right. Even from the wondrous glow in their eyes, one could guess how many groceries and snacks were packed inside. Hesitation. They kept reaching for something and then pulling back, revealing a visible internal conflict as if two minds were battling inside. What will they choose, I wondered. The moment was as tense as the reveal of a mystery film's culprit. When I looked around, I realized that everyone was intently watching Hong, not just me. What was it about such a mundane act of opening a refrigerator that captivated people? Perhaps that was Hong's charm. Stick to your initial plan and grab the water. Or maybe—no—grab the juice or snacks and give me a guilty thrill. Just like Hong's hand hanging indecisively in the air, my mind was also torn between two opposing desires. Grab the water! Grab the juice! Water! Juice! Water... It's settled! Hong finally pulled out a bottle of water—the same brand Aliya drank. Good job, Water Machine! Hong! You've finally overcome the temptation! To others, it might be just plain water, but for Hong, it was a significant step forward. I exhaled a sigh of relief through my nose. Not realizing I had been holding my breath until then. Yet, what was this lingering sense of dissatisfaction in my heart? Was I secretly hoping they'd give in to temptation for my own amusement? Sigh, it seems my own nature isn't so pure... Anyway, moving on. What could Yona and Aliya be discussing in the basement? As Hong returned to their seat, the world started moving again. Seowon turned to Eunbyul, asking for confirmation. “But is this what Yona meant by the plan?” “No.” “Right? This wasn't what she initially said.” Seowon grumbled that what Yona had told them yesterday at the hotel was different. I asked, "What was the original plan?" “Well, the idea was to let them in as the youngest member and then boss them around.” “Haa, guys… that's basically bullying…” “It's not bullying, it's teaching them a dose of reality for thinking they're the best just because they have a sponsor. Why do they treat Director Kweok and our representative so dismissively? Age is harsh enough.” The comment drew laughter as Yeom and I shared a small chuckle. “Does having money make one superior?” "Did Yona actually say to boss them around?" Doubtingly, I asked, and Eunbyul corrected. “She didn't say to boss them around, just that Hong's personality seemed easy to manage if brought in as the youngest. So we thought we might as well accept them into the team.” “For goodness' sake, Han Seowon. Can’t you relay things properly? Managing and bossing around aren’t the same, are they?” “Well, that's how I took it. Whatever. They're annoying.” “Everyone here feels the same way. Still, you should aim to resolve things through discussion instead of being so emotional.” Reflecting, I realized I was reprimanding like an adult even though I couldn't resolve matters through dialogue myself. Seowon, feeling unjustly accused, protested. “Eunbyul started it! Why am I the only one getting told off?” Ah, right. Ignoring Seowon’s pout, I turned to Eunbyul. “Eunbyul, why did you act out of character?” “What on earth does acting ‘like myself’ mean?” she joked with a clichéd line from a drama before continuing seriously. “I agree with Seowon. Why flaunt wealth and demean Director and Representative when they're pitiful? If I knew that's their character, I wouldn’t have accepted the investment even if it meant living modestly.” Yeom let out a dismissive chuckle. With a deep voice, he warned them. “Hey. Who are you to decide to accept investment or not? Whether we get disrespected or not, you just focus on practicing. Got that, or not?” “…” “…” “What, no answer? Did you get it or not?” “Yes.” “Yes.” Yeom’s stern reprimand silenced them. Watching from the side, even Hong, who had been quietly observing, felt the need to respond meekly, almost in a whisper. “Yes, understood…” Our dear Kaku, the more I see, the more charming you become. If Aliya's beauty were to fully blossom post-diet as suggested by the info window, she might become quite popular on reality shows. Of course, reality shows and everyday life are two different things. "But still, Riya treats you guys well, doesn't she? That's enough. She grew up without any shortcomings, a bit spoiled perhaps, and seems quite young at heart. Just think of her as raising a child and treat her kindly. When you think about it, it's a bit sad. Having lots of money isn't everything." As I picked up where Yeom left off, Seowon responded with a disdainful look. "You started it by provoking her into a tantrum. No doubt you teased her with, 'Oh, is that so?' again." "Hey, I didn’t do it this time. She tried to stand up in frustration, hit her head on the ceiling, and threw a fit because she was embarrassed. Anyway, the point is, I'll try harder from now on too, so let's all do better together. That's the end of it." Just as I finished speaking, Yona and Aliya emerged from the basement stairs. The atmosphere grew tense again. We all fell silent, gauging Aliya's mood. She'd cried some more after we came up, her eyes were swollen. She sniffled and wiped her nose with her hand. Yona gently draped an arm around her shoulder, steering her into the living room where we were gathered. "The youngest has something to say." Caught by surprise, Aliya stared wide-eyed, asking, "Huh?" "Just say the same thing you told me downstairs." Yona seemed to have managed her well. The atmosphere didn’t feel too bad. Aliya took a step forward, staring at the ground and fidgeting. "Um..." Though she’d stepped up, words didn’t seem to come easily. ―Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap! The unexpected applause came from Hong, offering encouragement. Hunmin immediately picked up the cue. "Everyone, clap!" ―Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap! Only after receiving everyone's applause did Aliya begin to speak. She wiggled her toes in her slippers and started, with halting Korean, "Umm... Aliya lived abroad since she was little, so I don't know well how to deal with people. Especially, I really dislike men." Yona corrected her. "Not hate, but scare. You find them scary." "Yes... They are scary. Because many have done bad things to Aliya. Whether in Vietnam or London, gangs would come and threaten my mom and me, saying they'd kill us if we didn't pay." In the solemn atmosphere, Aliya continued sharing her past. Though every grave has its story, Aliya’s experiences were of a magnitude unimaginable to ordinary folks like us. Cassie later filled in the details. Aliya's mother, a Korean flight attendant, met the Sultan of Brunei at an airport in Morocco. Stuck due to bad weather, the Sultan met and was smitten with her at first sight. And money knows no boundaries. Thus, Aliya was born. Granted, as the unacknowledged daughter of a concubine, Aliya was royal nonetheless, the Sultan's blood flowing through her veins. Since she was a baby, she’d been exploited and suffered across various places, even on a national scale. There were, naturally, life-threatening moments. In England, then the colonial ruler of Brunei, Aliya and her mother were once kidnapped by an organization demanding a hefty ransom. In Malaysia and Vietnam, they were held captive by gangs for several weeks. These were trials she faced before even turning ten. Following an official request from the Brunei monarchy, the British intelligence services provided protection for the mother and daughter, gradually making their lives safer. Yet, this meant her mother stayed in Korea while Aliya shuttled between the UK and South America. Most who troubled them were men, deeply ingraining her fear and aversion, leading her to naturally react that way. Moreover, years of solitude had eroded her social skills. ―It wasn’t her father as I assumed that led to Aliya's fear of men. My guess was entirely off― Her interest in Korean culture ignited by chance while in Costa Rica, where she happened to watch a K-pop performance. Particularly, she was captivated by the confident and bold stage presence of Korean girl groups. "Yona unnie said everyone here is not bad people. Though Aliya doesn't know well yet, she told me to believe her if she says so. I want to be closer with Eunbyul unnie, Seowon unnie, and Yeonhong unnie. I'm very sorry for being mean to Mr. Kim and the boss. I'll try to do better, so please don't kick me out." Tears trickled down Aliya's face as she wiped them, sniffling deeply after her heartfelt speech. ―Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap! Again, Hong broke the silence with applause, and Hunmin picked up the momentum once more. "Let's give a round of applause for Aliya's courageous confession!" ―Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap! It felt like being at a testimonial gathering. Watching the sniffling Aliya, I turned to Seowon, hinting for her to lead the team in solidarity. "Seowon, go give her a hug as the representative." "Why me again? It's too mushy." "Come on, quickly." "If we do, let’s all do it together. Eunbyul, you come too." "Okay." Seowon gestured to Hong as well. "You too, come on." "Huh? Uh, yes..." "Should we just drop the formalities? We’re the same age after all." "Uh, okay, let's do that." How heartwarming. The three approached Yona and Aliya, with all five kids huddled in the center of the living room. Hyeondong chuckled, making a suggestion. "Starting with Eunbyul, each of you shout out: earth, fire, wind, water, heart, and then give a cheer." "What is that?" "Don't you guys know Captain Planet?" "Hey, of course they don't. They're probably from the Pokémon generation." Yona shook her head at my remark. "I preferred Digimon over Pokémon." Hong added, "I was into Beyblade..." Hunmin and Bicon, the older ones, wrapped it up with a touch of nostalgia. "I was into Tetsujin 28-go." "And I liked 2020 Wonder Kiddy." "Man, that was epic. Come to think of it, 2020 is just around the corner." "We should just die of old age..." "When are we going to stop this?" Seowon brought everyone back to the present from the sidetrack. The gathered kids stared awkwardly at each other. "Alright, alright, let’s work well together from now on." Eunbyul initiated contact by putting an arm around Seowon and Hong, drawing them together with Aliya in the center, while Yona apologized to Seowon and Hong and hugged them too. "I'm sorry for being rude earlier." "It's fine. Let's move on. Aren't you the leader?" "I'm fine too..." "Unnie, just drop the formal speech already." "Uh, okay..." "Riya, I'm sorry for earlier. I got carried away in the moment." "It's okay. It's nothing." Eunbyul calling herself "unnie" to Aliya was so awkward. "Why does Eunbyul as an 'unnie' feel so out of place?" I remarked, and Hyundong agreed. "Right. I guess Aliya's the youngest now. Eunbyul isn't the youngest anymore?" Girls, they're mysterious creatures. They’d been at each other's throats, claiming it was awkward, and suddenly the mood shifted, and they were all sniffling. "Ugh, Yoon Eunbyul, why are you crying? You're making me well up too." "I didn't plan to cry, but then I saw Yona unnie barely holding it in..." "What? Yona's crying too?" Hearing this, Yona seemed lost in her sorrow, brows furrowed until she finally burst into tears. "Hiiing..." The tears that day were different from those seen in the karaoke bathroom. Thus, the serious crying session began, started by Yona. Well, except for Hong. With no emotional ties yet with the members, he simply patted their backs, offering comfort. Supporting his forehead against Yona’s shoulder and trying to scrunch his face, it seemed he tried to cry but soon gave up when no tears followed. By the way, Hong must be really hungry... "Okay, let’s stop crying and eat now." "Yeah, the aunties have been waiting for a while." And so, the tearful meeting ended. Just like monkeys grooming each other, they wiped away each other's tears to wrap it up. Or so I thought it was over. "Wait a moment." As everyone headed to the dining room, Yona stopped us. "Aliya and the manager need to make up too. With a hug." A chorus of confusion jumped from both Aliya and me. "What?" "What's the..." < An Ocean of Tears, and "What the...?" > End