Chapter 91: 풍선 (Balloons)

“Annyeong haseyo,” Ee Teuk said. “Please introduce yourself.”

“It’s me…” the caller said.

“And who are you?” Skye laughed.

“Me? I’m the star that outshines Hyuk Jae,” the caller said, and that’s when we realized, it was Jun Su.

“I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you voice,” I laughed.

“You’re not paying attention to the show, Sierra. Tsk tsk…” Jun Su said.

“Why are you calling? This is not a helpline. It’s for our listeners to call in,” Eun Hyuk said.

“But I am your listener,” Jun Su said.

“You liar,” Eun Hyuk exclaimed.

“Yaaa… can the both of you take it off air. We have a show to do now,” Ee Teuk said.

“Mian…” Jun Su laughed.

“Do you have a song you want to dedicate to someone or something?” Shoei asked.

“Yes I do. I want to dedicate ‘Connect the Dots’ to my favorite friend, Hyuk Jae.”

“Which Hyuk Jae?” Skye piped in, just to annoy Eun Hyuk.

“Lee Hyuk Jae,” Jun Su said.

“Lee Hyuk Jae sonbae?” Skye asked.

“Aniya… Lee Hyuk Jae of Super Junior,” Jun Su laughed.

“You do know that ‘Connect the Dots’ is a song that is insulting an ignorant and idealistic person,” I said.

“Yes, I am aware,” he giggled.

“Yah! Xiah Jun Su… what is the meaning of this?” Eun Hyuk asked.

“So let’s listen to our first song! Thank you Jun Su, for calling.” Ee Teuk announced, cutting Eun Hyuk off before the show became a shouting match between the two of them.

“No problem,” Jun Su said, and we could tell he was pleased that Eun Hyuk had been cut off.

“Sierra, please introduce it for us?” Ee Teuk added.

“Nae. The first song we’re playing for you today, dedicated by Jun Su to Hyuk Jae, is our title track, ‘Connect the Dots’,” I announced and we went straight into the song.

“That was funny,” Skye said and he started laughing like crazy.

“Omoshiroi,” I said as I laughed.

“Not funny,” Eun Hyuk pouted. “How can you cut me off?” he grumbled at Ee Teuk.

“We’d never see the end of it if I hadn’t,” was his reply.

“Still… it was a perfectly good argument,” Eun Hyuk said.

“Aww… kwaench’ana,” I said as I patted Eun Hyuk’s back. “Plenty of chances to get back at Jun Su.”

“But I missed this one,” he wailed.

After half an hour of the fun and laughter, the show drew to an end.

“Thank you, S-Cube, for being here with us today,” Ee Teuk said.

“Aniya… thank you for having us. It’s a nice break in our schedule before we get on with the other shows and stuff,” I said.

“Are you saying you don’t take our show seriously?” Eun Hyuk said.

“Aniya…” I laughed. “It’s just extra fun working with family, don’t you think?”

“That I agree,” Ee Teuk said. “We look forward to having the three of you on the show again. Drop by anytime.”

“We will,” Skye said. “It’ll probably be you who will chase us away when we drop by too often.”

“Don’t be silly. You guys are free to join our show anytime,” Eun Hyuk said.

“Once again,” Ee Teuk said, “a big thank you to S-Cube for coming on the show today. To all our listeners… tune in next week for an exclusive interview with Lena Park.”

“We leave you now with an all time S-Cube favourite, ‘Ghosts’,” Eun Hyuk said, and the song faded in.

“So? Soccer this weekend?” Skye asked the guys as we stood up to leave.

“I’ll call you,” Eun Hyuk said.

“Araso,” Skye said. “You’d better remember, or I’m gonna come over to your place and bug you.”

“Nae… gawd… you’re such a nag,” Eun Hyuk laughed.

“Let’s go,” Shoei said as he stretched and yawned.

We spent the rest of the day attending more interviews at radio stations and some tapings at SBS and KBS. As our day drew to an end, I received the call I’d been waiting for the entire day.

“Dinner?” Jae Joong said, as soon as I answered his call.

“We need another hour,” I replied.

“Nan paegopayo…” he said.

“Then go eat first.”

“Aniya… I can wait. Where shall I pick you up?”

“I’m at the SBS studios now.”

“SBS it is. 1 hour?”

“Yep,” I said.

“See you then,” he said, and he kissed the mouthpiece on his phone.

“Araso…” I smiled, and kissed the mouthpiece on my phone.

As soon as I hung up, I could hear some people making kissing sounds. I turned around to see who the culprits were… Skye and Hee Chul.

“Jae Joong,” Hee Chul imitated as he clutched Skye’s arm, “I love you so much.”

“No baby,” Skye said, obviously in the role of Jae Joong. “I love you more.”

“Aniya… oppa… I love you more than you love me,” Hee Chul insisted and topped it off with more loud smacking sounds, which was reciprocated by Skye.

“Shuddup!” I laughed.

“Do you guys ever get tired of being so loving?” Hee Chul asked.

“Cut them some slack, hyung. They just made up yesterday,” Skye said.

“Ah yes… the big fight,” Hee Chul said, pretending to sound wistful whilst scratching his chin. “But the both of you are usually so mushy; it’s hard to recall the times you actually fight.”

“And that is a good thing,” I smiled.

“Hmm…” Hee Chul said.

“What’s the ‘hmm’ for?” I asked him.

“Nothing,” he smiled.

“Spit it out,” I said.

“I’m just joking. Just winding you up.”

“Cheongmal?” I glared at him.

“Would I dare mess with you?” he asked me, earnestly.

“No, you wouldn’t,” I smiled, and smacked his arm for good measure.

“Aahh… appuh,” he winced as he rubbed his arm.

“That’s to be sure,” I laughed.

We were at SBS to record an episode of Inkigayo, and Hee Chul was the host. ‘Connect the Dots’ had made the chart the first week it was released, and we’ve been invited to perform.

“Yeoreobun, please welcome the fastest climber in the past week, Sierra, Skye, Shoei… S-Cube!” Hee Chul announced.

The lights dimmed as the digital voice saying ‘Please connect the dots…’ played, and strobes flashed on the stage as the song began, the dancers surrounding us dispersed, and the three of us stepped forward as the spotlights followed us.

Shoei: Do you feel confused
Do you feel lost
Do you feel like you’re drowning in the information
Skye: Do you feel hurt
Do you feel devastated
Do you feel like you could die

Sierra: It took you that long
To connect the dots
It took you that long
To realize there was no such thing as everlasting love
[Skye: there was no such thing]
If you weren’t so dense
You might not have gotten hurt

S-Cube: There is no such thing
As a happy ending
There is no such thing
As love forever
There’re no castles built in the air
[Sierra: built in the air]
Sierra: There’re no unicorns, open up your eyes

Shoei: Do you feel the pain
Do you feel the fear
That someday, we’d be lost forever
Skye: Do you feel the ache
Do you feel the longing
Do you feel like this hell would never end

Sierra: It took you that long
To connect the dots
It took you that long
To realize there was no such thing as everlasting love
[Shoei: there was no such thing]
If you weren’t so dense
You might not have gotten hurt

S-Cube: There is no such thing
As a happy ending
There is no such thing
As love forever
There’re no castles built in the air
[Sierra: built in the air]
Sierra: There’re no unicorns, open up your eyes

Sierra: No such thing
As an honest lover
Skye: No such thing
They’d someday love another
Shoei: Open up your eyes
It has been so long
Sierra: That you’ve been, left in the dark.

The Seraphs in the audience cheered like crazy as soon as the song ended, and we bowed and waved back at them.

“Kamsahamnida!” Shoei yelled.

“Saranghamnida,” I yelled, and we started walking off the stage so that the next act could prepare.

After 2 more acts, we gathered on the stage for the announcement of the most popular song of the week, as voted by Netizens.

“And the popular song of the week is,” Hee Chul announced, “‘Connect the Dots’, S-Cube!”

Confetti burst up into the air and the Seraphs cheered like crazy. For the first time in our career, our song was the most popular within the first week of its release. Skye, Shoei and I hugged each other joyously, and we were screaming with the fans.

“Ch’uk’ahamnida!” Hee Chul said as he handed us the award and flowers with his co-host.

“Kamsahamnida,” I said as I intercepted the award from him.

“We dedicate this award to the Seraphs, who have always been here for us. Saranghamnida!” Skye yelled to the audience, and they cheered and clapped when he did.

“This is the first time S-Cube has won the award within the first week of a song’s release,” Shoei said. “It’s a new record for us.”

“And one we intend to keep always,” I added, and the Seraphs cheered again.

“Once again, ch’uk’ahamnida. Let’s hear it for S-Cube once more… and please put your hands together for their encore performance of ‘Connect the Dots’,” the female co-host announced, and we performed the song again.

“How are you guys feeling?” Hee Chul asked when he met us in the dressing room later.

“I really didn’t expect to win tonight,” Shoei said.

“We were kinda shocked ourselves. We knew S-Cube was doing well this week, but we didn’t expect such a drastic result. Within the first week; that’s a new record for S-Cube.”

“We’ve worked hard, and we’re finally being rewarded,” Skye said.

“That statement makes you sound so mature, Skye,” I laughed.

“Hey… I just act cute and silly. I have a really mature brain you know,” he protested.

“Yes… we can see that,” Hee Chul said.

“From the size of your head,” I added, and we laughed.

Jae Joong and I are back together, S-Cube had just won a long awaited award; is there nowhere but up from now?