Hwang Hyunjin || Call My Name

3. Foundations

Song recommendation: CHA NI - Starlight

Hyunjin POV

I entered the apartment room after entering the security code. I went inside after leaving my shoes at the door. I placed my bag on the couch and looked around to see if everything was still in order.

"Jeonginaa~ " I called.

Jeongin enters the living room from his room while playing phone games.

"Oh hyung (referring to an older brother when a younger brother calls him), you're here? " He says without making eye contact with me because he's too preoccupied with his game, then he sits down on the couch.

Hwang Jeongin is 16 years old and in the ninth grade. He's my only younger sibling.

I took my bag into my room and changed into something comfortable.

"Did you eat yet?" I asked, half-shouting so he could hear.

"Not yet, you?" he responded.

" Not yet, either; have you purchased any food?"

"No "

"Why? You should have bought something so we could eat right when I got home," I grumbled.

"I'm sorry, hyung, I didn't know what to buy or what you wanted to eat, and then I forgot about it when I did my homework," he apologized. I sighed in relief and exited my room.

"All right, I'll go buy something at a convenience store; what do you want to eat?" I asked, checking how much money was still in my wallet.

"Hmm, just any lunchbox and a xxx Soda. We still have ramyeon, so I think that's it for me," he replied, oblivious to my presence.

I didn't mind and just got dressed to go out. As I was about to leave, I heard him say something in a faint but still audible voice.

"I miss Eomma's (Mother's) cooking."

Suddenly, I felt a pang of sadness. I exit the building and walk to the closest convenience store. I kept thinking about what Jeongin said as I walked slowly because I feel the same... Everyday. I'm missing her.

Our parents separated two years ago. Eomma has been working abroad and has never visited us here in Korea since she began working there, but she has consistently given us money for our daily needs. That's fine, but... We need and miss her. After my sixteenth birthday, Appa was nowhere to be found. That's why Jeongin and I have been living on our own for the past two years.

I went to the closest convenience store. I started by taking what Jeongin wanted to eat because I couldn't decide what to eat. I fought for about 5 minutes before deciding on a lunchbox, a hot dog, and XXX soda.

******
"Jeongina, your food is ready!" I exclaimed.

He slowly emerges from his room, still holding his phone. He sits across from me, and I just look at him to see if he notices that I'm annoyed by what he's doing. He looks at me, then returns to his game, and after a few seconds, he puts his phone down.

"Sorry, and thanks for the food," he apologized before beginning to eat.

We ate in silence for a few minutes until Jeongin decided to break the silence.

"How was your first day at your new school?" he questioned, his gaze fixed on me as he chewed his food.

"It was fine and I didn't make any friends... yet," I responded.

"That's fine, hyung, as long as you don't make the same mistake you did at our school," he said, and I stopped chewing while staring at my food. Then I resume eating so Jeongin doesn't notice how much it bothers me.