[f i f t e e n]

||PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHT, I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE FOR THIS LATE UPLOAD LIKE ALWAYS :') ||

♤Chapter 14♤

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"Ji-Rae?" Joonsung shook the girl awake.

"Go... away...Leave me aloneee" Ji-Rae mumbled, shrugging off the hand on her shoulder.

"Kultaseni, what are you talking about?"

"Get out of my... roooommm" she limply made a swatting motion with her hands, swatting away her brothers.

"She's sleep talking again" Leeseong sighed.

"Or she's just dreaming" Man Weol added.

"Kultaseni wake up, we're here" Joonsung tried shaking the girl awake again.

"I'm... awake" Ji-Rae answered, yet she was still asleep and in her own dreamland.

"Wait, I'll try" Seongjun butted in seeing the three having difficulty waking Ji-Rae up. He closed her mouth and held her nose, preventing her from breathing.

"Seongjun! Stop that!" Leeseong barked, seeing what the boy was trying to do.

"Relax, it'll only take a second. I'll let go as soon as she's awake"

And as Seongjun planned, Ji-Rae shot up, fully awake and gasping for air. Seongjun let go immediately and smirked, "Works every time"

"Seongjun what the heck! Why'd you do that?!" Ji-Rae exclaimed.

"You wouldn't wake up. I had to do something" Seongjun shrugged.

"You didn't have to result to possible death by suffocating, idiot" Leeseong hit the back of the other's head.

"Enough bickering, let's go" Baekjun called out to the others. The five that were inside the car then proceeded to get out of the car and follow Baekjun into the mall.

"We're only looking for luggage bags we're using. Nothing more, nothing less" Baekjun told the others and they nodded.

They entered the mall and began searching for bags that caught their eye.

Ji-Rae however, was more focused in her own thoughts rather than her search for her own bag.

"Hey, why aren't you looking for a bag?" Leeseong asked Ji-Rae, seeing she was spacing out and staring into space while she subconsciously followed along.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about something"

"About what? If it's bugging you, you know you can always tell me"

"...It's about mom... and dad" Ji-Rae muttered out, her eyes still focused on the ground.

Leeseong heard and it caught his full attention. He didn't utter a word and just continued to listen to her.

"But, nevermind that" Ji-Rae shook her head, clearing out all ber thoughts, "I'll focus on looking for a bag I like instead"

"If you say so..." Leeseong's brows furrowed, "By the way, what were you dreaming about in the car? You kept telling us to get out of your room"

"Oh, that" Ji-Rae rubbed the back of her neck, "I was uh.... crying in my room. And all five of you got in my room and tried to comfort me. I think it was when we were kids? I think I was also upset inmy dream. That's all I can remember"

"I see" Leeseong replied.

A few minutes had passed in silence until Ji-Rae had spoke up.

"Actually..."

"Yes?"

"I was also dreaming about.... when mom left us... I was crying in my room after they left and wouldn't let any of you in" she sighed, "Just like what happened back then"

Leeseong was silent as he stared at her.

"I was also thinking about mom and dad earlier because.... well, it's been years now and they still haven't come back yet"

A small frown made it's way to Leeseong's lips as he listened attentively to Ji-Rae.

"They've been gone almost my whole life now and I can't help but wonder where they are, how they're doing, when they'll...come back"

"Ji-"

"I've been wanting to see them for years now. Now that we're flying to another country at the other side of the world, I don't know what they'll do if they come home to an empty house and their children not in there.

I...also keep asking myself why they left. They've never told me the reason why they left the house. All mom said was that she was going somewhere really far and that she promised we'll see each other soon.

That was all she told before leaving.

And I remember mom talking to the five of you in Finnish. I've improved on my Finnish now, but I can't remember what she told you since I could only faintly hear some parts of it.

...Brother...Do you know why mom left?" Ji-Rae asked, but the only answer she got was silence. She turned to Leeseong to see him looking at the ground with his brows furrowed, and his mouth pulled into a small frown.

"Leeseong? You're not mad are you?" Ji-Rae tapped his shoulder, causing him to jump in surprise.

"Huh? Oh sorry, I'm not. You were saying?" Leeseong replied.

"...It's nothing brother.."

"Okay then"

"So I was talking to myself this whole time then?"

"Maybe, maybe not"

"You're embarrassing me"

"My apologies rakas"

"It's fine"

'I shouldn't have asked him... I'm not even sure if he knows the reason why mom left..'

"Hey, that one looks like something you'd like . Come, let's see it"

"Remind me why we have to look for something we like instead of just picking out a big and durable one for each of us then leave?" Ji-Rae asked as she followed her brother.

"I have no idea either. But I guess we just gotta make sure we'll be able to bring everything we need in the luggage we'll pick" Leeseong replied, shrugging.

"Alright"

Several minutes had passed by and they all eventually picked out their bags and paid for it. Well, it was more like Baekjun had to pay for it all since he was the only one who brought money out of the bunch.

"Where did you even get all that money from Baekjun? I never knew you had that much money" Man Weol asked.

"I've always been saving up in my bank account. You have your own accounts as well if you didn't know" Baekjun stated.

"What? Since when?"

"Mom and Dad used to save up money for us and made each of us bank accounts. Since I'm the oldest they let me hold all our accounts, but I never fiddled with yours. I just deposit some of my savings into them"

"Woow, how come you've never told us??" Ji-Rae asked in shock.

"Reasons" Baekjun grunted, not wanting to talk any longer. He wasn't the type to talk much, so he would either let out strings of words and remain silent for hours or just mutter out one to four words and go silent right after.

As they were about to head out the mall they heard a grumbling sound.

They all turned to Leeseong whose cheeks were tinted pink. He noticed the stares he was getting and looked up.

"Wh-what? Why are you all staring at me?"

"Baekjun do you have any spare money left?" Joonsung asked. Baekjun chuckled and sighed.

"Alright, let's go. It's about time we had lunch now anyway" He turned and started walking the opposite direction of the exit, passing by an embarrassed Leeseong. The others laughed at Leeseong's expression and followed along.