with the little amount of money he had in his pocket- which he was about to use it to buy food, he took a taxi to go home. on the journey, he kept praying that wonu would be safe there. "keep hanging there, wonu", his small heart said. "where are you from, kid?", the driver in his 50s asked. "oh, from my friend's house", he lied. "so why dont your parents pick you up?", he asked again. "they are so busy with their works lately. they dont have time just to pick me up". "oh but it's dangerous for a boy to wander and go home alone like this. at this age, you should be with adults. do you know, there are so many kidnappers nowaday" the driver reminded him. mingyu just nodded.

during the journey, they talked about various topics. gratefully, the driver didnt ask him further about why he's all alone. "here you are. we reached", the driver woke mingyu up from his sleep. maybe he was so tired with all problems he faced with the kidnappers. "thank you, uncle", mingyu thanked him and bowed politely to the man. he smiled while saying goodbye. "he is such a good kid. why his parents arent paying attention to a cute lovely boy like him", the driver murmured as he start his drive again.

"mom, i'm home!" he shouted from outside the house. mina who was getting ready under a pastel blue blanket to sleep, heard his brother's voice. "mingyu!", she ran to the door and opened the lock. "where's mom and dad?" he asked as he saw there was nobody's home except mina. "it's already 12 am. of course they are already in their dreams" she pointed to the clock hanging on the wall.

"oh, okay hehehe" he smiled shyly. "brother, where are you going? and what are you doing that you come home this late?", she asked out of curiostity. "i already told you i'm staying at my friend's house" he lied again. then, mina hugged mingyu. "do you know how worry i am waiting for you to come home? today is my birthday!", mina cried.

"sorry mina. i love you, dont cry like this. you're not like mina that i know. i promise i wont leave you alone again", mingyu pat mina's head and hugged her tightly. "hm mina. what about mom and dad? do they ask where am i?". "only mom asked. but they dont seem so worry when you still didnt come home at 7" mina explained. he speechless.

"where's wonu?", she suddenly thought about her crush. wonu stuttered. "brother? helloooo" mina asked again when there was no response from mingyu. "emm how to say this. mina, look at me. promise me that you wont tell other people about this". "okay, promise", they made a pinky promise.

"wonu is dead", only those came out from his mouth. "dont lie to me. where's wonu? is he home already?" mina didnt believe mingyu. "mina. look at my eyes. wonu is already dead, he was killed in front of my eyes. so from now on, stop asking about wonu anymore", mingyu tried to make his sister believe his words.
"but wh-" before she finished her sentence, she already cried. she cried when she lost her loved one. just like when she lost hoshi.

"dont think about him anymore, okay. mina dont cry. you still have me by your side" he patted his sister's head again. "but he's my friend. we already promised to be friends forever but why he's leaving us?" mina asked mingyu while crying. mingyu didnt answer back. he felt wrong for telling a lie to a little girl who didnt even understand anything.

mina went to her bedroom and searched for her diary. "22 May 2005. today is a memorable day for me. it is my 8th birthday and my friend is dead" she wrote on the blank page. teardrops fell from her eyes onto the book.

she rested on her bed while hugging hoshi and dino. she hoped what was happening was a dream. she wanted to wake up from this nightmare. she tried to forget wonu. she didnt want to be sad. "i will forget him, forever" mina said to herself before falling asleep.