Hatching

Sorry, what?

Dawa held my guitar, playing a few chords. Essie, his little sister had requested her all time favorite. "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis Presley, and who was he to deny it? So, Essie sat back on the couch her legs dangling off. She had gotten her phone out, which was decorated with stars, and started recording her brother's beautiful singing.

Dawa had once asked her why she didn't just listen to the original version and she sat their thinking about it for a while.

Two days later, she tapped him and gave him her answer. "You sing it with never ending love, and I like listening to your voice better than Elfis Pretzel." Dawa had laughed when she had mispronounced both the first and last name. But from then on, he always sang that song to her when she requested it.

"I can't help, falling in love with you~"

Dawa finished and stared back at Essie. Her little briads with lavender purple beads chimed together as she clapped her hands. Her dark hazelnut skin glowing as she smiled. She didn't stare back of course, she couldn't. All she could do was try to pinpoint where her older brother was sitting. Her eyes gazing, unfocused.

"Were you recording me?"

"Yup! And I'm not deleting it. It's so I can listen to this before I sleep!" Essie jumped off the couch running away before Dawa could so anything, but he didn't really mind. Instead he went to the kitchen. It wasn't that big, it just had the essentials. A small table for four, a stove, oven, some storage room, a sink and a drying rack.

"Mum is home! Dawa! Mum is home!" Essie shouted running up to him.

"Essie, no running." Dawa reminded her. "And I heard the first time you know!"

"She bought us cake from the bakery!" She squealed.

Dawa took out a mug from the mug and cups cabin. Set a water to boil on the stove as he waited for his mother to walk in.

The sweet perfume of vanilla entered the room, and a soft voice with it."Hi sweetie, how was your day? Was Essie being good?" His mother kissed the top of his messy dark hair, ruffeling it even more.

"When is she good?"

"Hey!"

"Joking, she was good, we had a good day. Watched a movie, went to the park, walked dog." Dawa recapped the day while adding milk and sugar to the tea. "And made my mum her favorite tea." He added.

"Dawaaa! our dog's name isn't dog! It's Kitkat or Kat! I told you this morning, and yesterday, and the day before yesterday and when we first got him!" Essie pretty much was going belistic, but she was small, and her cheeks were puffed up in frustration. And that was too cute for Dawa to take her seriously. But nonetheless, he apologized.

"Mum, I'm going to get ready for bed and read before dinner, bye!" Essie runs off again.

"Don't run." Dawa mentioned, but she had already gone.

"That girl thinks she's all grown up, doesn't she?" Dawa's mother sighed, her eyes tearing up. "I'm worried she'll change because of her blindness, and I can't protect her all the time."

Dawa rubbed his mother's back, massaging her. "Mum, she'll be okay. She's strong because she took after you." The corners of his mother's lips curled into a graceful smile. The corner of her eyes wrinkled a bit, giving her a wise aura.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawa woke up in a fit of sweat and the to the sound of his phone ringing. He let out a loud groan as he tried to find his phone. Patting the small table next to his bed until he felt the hard, cool surface of his phone.

Without checking the caller ID, he answered. His voice gritty and rough.

"Hello?"

"Is this Dawa Anderson?"

"Who's asking?" Dawa sat up, rubbing the sleep away.

"Oh, sorry. We're from BigHit entertainment. We're pleased to inform you that you passed your audition. Is it possible for you to come to South Korea on Tuesday? We would like to introduce you to a group that we think you will debut with and get you signed up for lessons and other n-"

"Wait, sorry what?"

"You passed your audi-"

"No I heard that bit but I don't understand, I didn't audition for anything."

"You were the one who sent that video of you singing Elvis Presley, am I wrong?"

Dawa finally understood the situation, he was fully awake and aware that he was about to scold his little sister. Which he absolutly hated.

"I'm sorry, is it okay for me to call you back another time?"

"Of course. Take care." Dawa hung up, letting his phone fall on his unkept bed he dashed towards Essie's room.

"Essie." He grumbled. "When did you sent that video in?"

Essie stirred awake, slowly, yawning. "About a week ago..wh-" Then she gasped, hands covering her mouth. She couldn't really see her brother's face, only a blur, like every other day. But she could feel his hot scorching glare on her. And she gulped all her fear down, but to her dismay, more fear bubbled up inside her.