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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Part 1: Revealing the PastNikka ran as fast as she could. Memories started to appear to her brain - memories of her before she turned 5 years old. She shook her head as pictures of traditional Chinese festivals flowed in her mind. None of this made sense to her, and she had a hard time breathing in the process of running. But she couldn't stop. Not now. Not when she could feel people chasing after her.Taemin knew of Nikka's condition - she had asthma problems when she was a little girl. It was extraordinary how she could sing high and long notes. Nikka told him once that she practiced every time she gets a chance to be by herself. Now he's running ahead of his hyungs. He knew they probably didn't know of her asthma problem, and kept chasing Nikka with an inhaler clutched in his hand. By now, his wig fell, and so did his skirt, but at least he had shorts underneath.Onew and Jonghyun slowed their running pace, looking at each other. Nodding to one another, they grinned and turned around to meet the men in tuxedos."I'm sorry, but do you have a problem with our friend? You know, the girl one of your men tried messing with?" Jonghyun asked, almost with sarcasm."This matter does not concern you." one of the men said in Chinese."I'm terribly sorry, but we cannot allow you to go near her." Onew spoke politely with a smile on his face. He spoke fluently in Chinese.All of the men charged after the 2 eldest SHINee members, only to end up as cripples on the floor.Onew gestured for Jonghyun to leave. "Go to her. I'll take over here. Just make sure she's alright."Jonghyun hesitated at first, considering he knew Onew's feelings, but ended up nodding in agreement and ran to the nearest bridge, where Taemin was last seen chasing after Nikka.Onew saw one man on the floor who wasn't unconscience. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a pity." he said in Chinese. He bent down to look straight into the wounded man's eyes. "Please tell me who exactly sent you, and I'll call ambulance for you. If not, well, in this part of Korea, no one gives a damn if you're dead on the street." He said in a serious tone.And he was right. Where Onew was standing is an unknown district of Korea - and it was kept that way due to gang violence and street fights.Afraid, the wounded man finally broke down and told every little detail to Onew. Of course, Onew wanted proof, so the man slowly pulled out a business card from his tuxedo coat and gave it to him.-------------------------------------------------------------Taemin was pliant enough to move wherever Nikka went. He found a small alley which led to a dead end wall. Nikka was leaning against the wall now, her right hand holding onto her chest. She was breathing too quickly and heavily through her mouth.Remembering the inhaler, Taemin held out the object and aided Nikka into taking her medication. After she used the inhaler, she calmed down a bit and slowly fainted, only to have Taemin catch her before she fell. They're both on the ground now, with Taemin holding Nikka into his arms while still holding the inhaler." *cough* Kuya! *cough2x* Kuya - *wheeze* Don't leave me! *wheeze+cough* " Nikka managed to sputter out with her eyes closed shut, clinging onto Taemin's shirt as if it was her only lifeline. Taemin looked down at her and slowly patted her back as he continued to hold her.That's weird, he thought. The last part she managed to say was in Chinese. But before that, she kept calling 'Kuya'. She only calls Key-hyung that, right?...it's probably because she studied Chinese like I did. That's how we started communicating when we first met, after all...Taemin thought back to a moment ago, before Nikka bolted away from the mall. Weren't they speaking Chinese as well? he thought. He remembered what his noona shouted out before smacking the man's hand away.She's very protective of her family... I wonder why...?Just then, Jonghyun comes running towards them into the dead ended alley. He stops at least 3 feet away from them and bends down to catch his breath."Taemin-ah, you've been hanging out with Minho too much!" Jonghyun explained inbetween breathes. "You're too fast!""No, hyung, you're just too slow." Taemin replied.Jonghyun looked up. His eyes trailed from Taemin's solemn expression to Nikka's limp body. His eyes widened at the motionless figure."Is she - ""Yes, hyung, she's fine. She just has asthma problems, is all.""Oh." was all Jonghyun could say.Taemin carefully lifted Nikka in princess style and placed her into Jonghyun's arms."Be sure to take care of her. I'll go get Onew-hyung.""Okay. By the way, he's at the other side of the bridge where we passed a while ago.""Okay. Thanks, hyung. I'll take my leave now."Jonghyun left after Taemin. But before doing so, he stared at Nikka's sleepingface and slowly pecked her on the forehead. He smiled."At least you're okay."~2 hours later at the SHINee dorm~"I remember these Chinese characters flashing into my brain." Nikka mentioned as she was on her knees, brushing strokes against a jumbo white canvas on the floor.After listening to Nikka's strange dilemma, Taemin gave her black paint and a paintbrush that he borrowed from school in art class.Key, Abby, and Minho went to the police station to press charges against all the men who furiously attacked them. Onew left without telling anyone where he went off to. So, that just leaves Jonghyun, Taemin, and Connie staring (supposedly watching) over Nikka after what had happened 2 hours ago."Okay, I'm done!" Nikka got up from her knees and stoodover her masterpiece.Connie stood up also and went to her sister's side."Ate, what do these characters mean?"Nikka continued staring at it."I don't know exactly..."Jonghyun leaned over the couch and cocked his head to the side, studying the artwork laid out on the floor in front of him."These are Mandarin Chinese characters. I forgot how to read them, though...""It says, 'Smitten Love for Youth Contest of 1997'."Everyone turned to look at Taemin. He noticed 3 pairs of eyes staring at him."What?""You read characters?" asked Connie."Yeah, I studied Chinese in Beijing once.""So did I!" Jonghyun boasted."Hyung, you said you can't read Chinese.""I used to, but hey, I don't study as hard as you do. You're still at that age when you're pliant to your surroundings, unlike me.""That's because you're old, hyung.""What?! I'm only 21 years old!""And I was 4 years old in American years in 1997. Can we please focus on why this is happening to me?" Nikka tried to change subjects here. She's been trying so hard to think carefully, but nothing happened. No images flashed through her head like when she was running.Just then, Onew entered the dorm room."Hey, everyone, I checked out the business card that one of the men gave to me." he spoke while taking off his shoes. Taemin was the first person to greet his hyung with a smile. Onew smiled back, ruffling Taemin's mushroom hair as he walked through the living room. "It turns out that the old man who hired these men is just someone I know from Taiwan." He gave Jonghyun the business card and headed for the kitchen. "He traveled to America when I was 6 years old - in American years. I lived in America at the time since I was 4 years old, and left when I was 8. That's where I met him." Onew opened the fridge and closed it, revealing a gallon of milk in his hands. He went to go get a glass cup."Onew-hyung," Taemin spoke, "I never knew you lived in America for 4 years. How come you never mentioned this?""Oh, that's because, well, I guess I should tell you now." He stopped pouring the milk in the glass cup and went to put the gallon back in the fridge. "I spent 4 years of my earliest memories with one little girl. Ah~ I can never forget her name. She probably forgot mine. She was 4 years old at the time..." he trailed off and left it at that.Nikka walked over to Onew and ruffled his hair. "Sorry about that. That must've hurt really bad, since you never forgot her name."Onew's eyes locked gazes with Nikka. He smiled softly. "Yeah, but it's alright now."There was a cough coming from Jonghyun. Obviously he was jealous, but everyone was oblivious to his emotion except for Taemin. Taemin's a careful observer just like his "umma", Key."I get it that Onew knows this guy, whoever he is. He seems important, but what does he have in common with Nikka?"Onew shrugged his shoulders. "Beats me. When I asked him, all he did was chuckle and told me to figure it out for myself." His eyes trailed off to the jumbo white canvas on the floor. His eyes grew large just staring at it. He pointed to it, asking, "Where did you guys get that?"Connie saw where Onew was pointing at. "Oppa, that's what Ate drew from one of her flashed images in her head."Onew turned to look at Connie. "Flashed images?""Yeah, Onew-hyung, like memories which flow into your brain, but you're pretty sure you've never seen it before?" Taemin pointed out."In other words, amnesia. Nikka must have seen this 'contest' when she was younger, and it must have something to do with that old man of yours." Jonghyun added. And also pitched in quickly,"I meant the one with the business card. Didn't mean your dad."Onew slowly walked towards the thing on the floor. "This - this was the competition that girl and I won through when I was 8 years old in America.""EH?!" Everyone exclaimed.Without looking behind him, Onew started speaking. "Nikka.""Yeah, Onew-oppa?""Do you have a scar on the side of your hip?""...yes, but how did - ""Do you have a necklace you treasured the most in your life?""...yes, but not on me - ""Go get it."A few minutes later, without questioning Onew, Nikka came back from the MVP dorm room and held the necklace in her hand. Everyone's mind went perplexed."Hyung, what does this have to do with anything?" Jonghyun asked.Ignoring Jonghyun, Onew began to speak again when turning around, but his face was towards the floor."Nikka, read what's engraved in the back of the pendant.""O-okay." she replied, studying the front of the pendant on her necklace. It was beautifully designed with golden Chinese characters which represent Love. She turned the pendant around and noticed words engraved in English. She read them aloud."Be sure to never forget me every changing season, for I will always remember you, my precious angel. ~ Jinki"Everyone in the room gasped except for Onew and Nikka."What? What did I say?""Babo, stupid Ate! Jinki's stage name is Onew!""EH?!"Onew looked up from the floor to lock his gaze into Nikka's eyes. This is the second time they clicked like that today."Is your real name, by any chance, Veronica?"Nikka froze in place. Other than her sister and Taemin, no one in Korea knew Nikka's real name - not even Jonghyun. How does Onew know my name?Onew reached under his collar and pulled out a similar pendant to Nikka's pendant, with golden Chinese characters reading Love. He flipped the pendant over and showed it to Nikka.Her eyes grew larger as she continued to read aloud:"No matter where you go, always know I'll be waiting every change in season, my only prince. ~Veronica"Labels: fiction, guardian, story
# random thougths @
11:14 PM
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