for someone whose mind holds the most complicated and intricate of thoughts, a walking labyrinth and a human embodiment of tangled webs, siwoo loves the simple things in life. he loves the rain, the sound and the smell of it; he loves the feeling of his dog flushed against his feet, the way her fur warms his ankles like it does to his heart, but mostly, he loves meals with his sister, even if it’s just a simple bowl of cup noodles at the convenience store near bd entertainment. quite frankly, he’d be satisfied eating leftover crumbs if it meant he got to eat with his sister who hasn’t been home for some time now.
it might be a little unsettling to see the min siblings huddled over their bowls of cup noodles at a convenience store; they never ate like that back at home, they never had to. nutritious and scrumptious dishes filled the min family’s dinner table and they always ate good, no matter how busy their parents got. perhaps, that is why he found his heart aching at the sight of his sister’s weight loss, or the mention of her company’s strict diet rules. it angered him, as much as it worried him and if he could, he would spend the whole night stuffing her with food, not wanting to see her starve herself for another second.
but he doesn’t tell her that, instead, his fingers worked on peeling her an egg, gaze darting between the egg and his sister’s tired eyes, nodding as she fills him in on her life as a trainee. it has been awhile since she started training at bd entertainment but he still hasn’t gotten used to life without her around. he misses her terribly, her absence at home too big a void to fill, but the idea of her pursuing what she loves was heartening enough and he’d give her all the support that she needs. you’d think that a boy his age wouldn’t be this overly attached to his younger sister but siwoo isn’t even embarrassed about how often he shows up at her company, in hopes to have a meal with her. one, he wants to spend more time with her and he’ll take whatever scraps he can get, and two, he wants to see her eat, like, actually eat. it fills him with joy to see her slurp on her noodles or down her banana milk the way she used to when they were kids, just like the good old days.
he peels off the final bit of egg shell and hands the egg to her, a soft smile lacing his lips. “here, eat up.” he pokes a straw into her banana milk, returning his attention back to his own bowl of noodles that were starting to get a little soggy, not that he minds, his attention was never on his food anyway. his attention was not on his food, or the unusual circumstance of their dining location, it was always on his sister, and it’ll remain that way, whether she was just down the hallway, or on his tv screen; she’ll always be his younger sister that he’ll take care of, even if the best that he can give her is a just a bowl of cup noodles.
the training process is difficult. everyday is different, but the same. trainees learn different dance moves or rapping techniques, but once they mess up or slack for a second it’s the same lecture and loud yelling that can be heard a two rooms away. despite the sweat, tears, and her sore body telling her to rest up, she’ll always have the time and energy for her brother. he was the light at the end of her tunnel, and the tunnel was far from over.
the shift from eating luxurious food to not eating much at all is tough for soyeon. there are moments when she wants to sneak in food or even sneak out to get food, but she knows the consequences and doesn’t bother. it wasn’t the singing or dancing that was hard, it was the restraint of eating and weight loss. she had always heard stories of how strict idol companies were about weight, and they weren’t kidding. the moments spent with siwoo and sitting outside with bowls of cup noodles or blood sausage were her favorite moments.
the dark circles beneath her eyes have gotten darker since the last time they saw each other but soyeon continues to reassure him she’s fine and getting enough rest. she tells him how her training is going and the compliments she’s been getting on her monthly evaluations. she’s glad she’s able to tell him something good to make his heart rest easy when she’s not at home anymore. although it was her decision to leave, there’s a part of her that wants to come home, not because she’s given up but because being away from her family and the only support system she’s ever had is tough. but she takes a deep breath, pushes away those feelings and tells herself she’s got it. she can do it, she can do anything, and her family doesn’t need to be holding her hand to let her know they support her and are cheering for her.
soyeon grabs the freshly peeled egg and chuckles with whatever energy she has left. “yah, our family has money. why can’t you take mom’s or dad’s card and treat me out to something nicer like steak?” she takes a bite of the egg and looks at her best friend, smiling and hoping he knows how much she’s thankful for him. “have you seen.. jeongmin.. lately?” she slowly asks, finishing her egg before taking a sip of banana milk. “is he okay..?”
