Family is a great mystery that happens to be a gift. It was one of those things that make us question the word ‘Why’. Family is a source of great power when we feel so down and the world is pushing us out in a corner where we can’t even breathe.

We all say that in everything we dream off and achieve we dedicate it to our family.

But

Sometimes family will also break us into something we don’t want to live. Family will either break or make us. We live in this world because of our family but sometimes we tend to forget that they are there to support and guide us.

It is the only foundation in this world that give us the warmth of Love we so much deserve and the harshness of the reality of life.

The whistling of the wind makes everything seems so cold as Vernon tries to hold the tears in his eyes. The white crystals falling from the sky covered the sole of his shoes as he keeps on running. The silver rain makes him realize that he is still alive but the coldness of it makes him understand that he’s numb from everything.

Vernon keeps on running until he reached his breaking point. He sprawled on the ground as the tears keeps on falling from his eyes.

All the emotions running around in his mind has been being pulled into questions without any answer. Questions from the past that will never be answered by anyone but the only person who believed in him and his dreams.

‘Am I not cursed enough when I married that ? Why do I have to feel more pain when I only want what is best for me? ’

He wants to shout but the cold thin air makes it hard for him to grasp for air. He closes his eyes as he feels the cold snow on his face. He can feel the coldness crept inside of him but he doesn’t mind it as long as it numbs the pain in his heart.

*******

Umji was on the show Running man when she receive the call that break her fragile heart. She did not show it to the cast and production crew of the said show so that she will not worry them.

As the hours go by her heart is becoming heavier and heavier so the moment the show ends its filming Umji bade her goodbye sincerely and politely before running towards their car.

The moment she went inside all the tears building in her heart falls so fast she knows she’s having a breakdown. Their manager tried to calm her down but Umji can only hear the whistling of the wind.

Umji’s breathing becomes shallow and painful that their manager pulls her in a big hug. It is one of the things she needs in order to collect herself. It was one of those moments where she questions herself if she can really survive any kind of calamity when little things can break her.

It was a call that she knows will put a big hole in her heart. The tears in her eyes don’t know when to stop. The persistent ringing of her phone jolt her back into the world as she calmly answers the person on the other end.

She can hear the hollow voice from the end of the call. Umji knows how hurt he is. She paints a smile in her lips as she said her goodbye and understands her responsibility as part of the family.

Umji stop herself from crying anymore as she looks outside and thinks to herself that if she’s only an ordinary person she’ll be able to do the things she can’t do right now.

Umji held the phone in her heart as if she’s laying her soul into it when another call caught her attention.

It was their CEO and she answered him without shedding another tear. As the car drives Umji calmly breathe and calms herself. It is now that she knows the dark days are showing its shadows into her.

The colorless crystals in the sky keep on falling. It is not a cry from heaven but a cold curse that has began its revenge on them. The whole city of Seoul is now buried in snow and the wind is chilly but in Umji’s heart it is only a show that will uncover their secrets in no time.

*****

The members of SVT take Vernon inside their dorm and tried to hide their pain as well.

They have to be strong for their friend. They were also asking the question ‘why’ because a series of heartaches has been breaking Vernon since the day fate intertwined with all of their lives.

It is such a bad year for Vernon as he was push in the wall of marriage at a young age and now he lost the person that always challenge him into becoming a more matured person.

They help Vernon change his clothes as they hear the engine of a car that is outside of their dorm. It was Vernon’s dad.

The father and son travel silently into the cold night. Uttering silent pain and sighing heavy breathing. Vernon can’t still accept the truth.

He is still in denial when he felt the hands of his father gently giving him strength.

‘Son, it’s okay to cry again. You’re grandpa is already at peace. He doesn’t want you to know that he’s suffering so much.’

‘Dad, I haven’t even said sorry for what I did to him a couple of months ago. I was such a brat not to see through his eyes. I thought it was that old Kim who is going to die but why dad?’

‘They both wanted to keep it as a secret for you and Yewon but your grandpa is as headstrong as you are. Hansol I know that you hate us for real but your grandpa just want to see you be married even for all the wrong reasons and wrong way of doing it.’

‘Dad’

It was the only thing that came out of Vernon’s mouth and he hated it. He hated how unlucky he is in this life. He hated the idea that he is being punished for something that he greedily kept in his heart for a long time.

Is it hard to understand his reasons, his reasons for hating his ‘ing wife’ as he called her or is it hard to understand his feelings for that ‘ing ’? Why is he the one being curse when the reason for all the misfortunes that is happening to him and his family is because of that ?

He really hated her to the moon. His anger escalates into a mass of curses that every time he touch his ‘ring’ he is reminded of the agony that until today hunts his ing mind and heart.

It is the reason his soul is dead. No one knew about it. No one really cared about that dark lingering shadow in his aura. All they think is that it was his way of being different but it’s not like that. His heart is really full of darkness just because of a certain girl named Kim Yewon.

Yewon on the other hand change her clothes fully into black. As she descended the stairs she can see the sadness covering her grandpa’s eyes. She can also see the tears forming on those luminescent eyes.

The eyes they say she greatly resembles. A lot of people say that she got her eyes from her grandfather. The eyes that can never hide the truth on what she is feeling. They say that her eyes are expressive enough that a lot of people knows what she feels inside.

Yewon went on to hold the hands of her grandfather and share its warmth. She can see a small smile formed in his lips as he stand up and makes his way to the main door where a car is waiting for them.

When they are all inside the car the old man touch Yewon’s cheeks and tears welled up in his eyes again.

‘I know that I’m asking you this much but you are now part of his family. It is now part of your responsibility. I know that going into my best friend’s funeral will be a great risk for you but you are the granddaughter that had made him smile. I know that I am asking you a lot of things and it brings you pain but I know that one day you will be able to forgive your silly granddad. This is also hurting me knowing that in a blink of an eye people will see you in a negative light because of the promise I had kept but it is the only thing that reminds me of him. He is not just my best friend but he is my brother through thick and thin. He is my brother through happiness and pain. He was the only person who understood the pain I felt when I lost your grandma. He was also the only one who stayed with me when I lost my after the war. He’s always there for me and now that he is gone I want to be there for him. I want to be able to bid my farewell with you in there. Why? I know that you always ask that Yewon-ah but you are reminding me of that night we both risks our life. Your marriage is not just about us wanting to be a brother by blood but it was something more. I swear I could’ve died that night but he save me and for me that promise is what keeps me fighting until the last bullet was fired and the wars came to a stop.’

‘Grandpa’

It was the only thing that came out of Yewon’s mouth but the tears are now freely falling from her eyes. She can also see the pain in her grandpa’s eyes as he put his right hand in his chest and made small thump as the tears in his eyes keeps on falling.

It was a hard sight to see. The two are crying because of two different reasons that are nothing but grunts and grumbles but for those two people with an aching heart it is so much more.

Yewon keeps on clenching and unclenching her fist when she heard her father from the driver side announce that they have arrive at the building where the funeral will take place. Yewon sighed deeply as she gets out of the car and give her grandfather a deep hug. It is a deep hug that gives him strength.

When they reach the funeral hall for grandpa Choi dark howl can be heard from Kim grandpa. He cried. It was the only thing that he did for a great minute when his son carried him into a room and pacify him. It was the only thing that he can do to stop his father from collapsing.

On the other end Vernon is crying silently. His friends were being helpful by greeting guest and showing them the resting place. The family made it as solemn as possible by not inviting the media and all. The only guest that came is the families of both sides.

They say that crying eases the pain but why is it that crying only makes matters worse for Vernon. For a moment, he stopped and eyed the girl giving her respect before she is asked to stand beside Vernon.

Both of them are quiet. It is a distant memory that Vernon tries to bury into the depth of his subconscious but it sprung out of control. This is the second time they both stand in funeral. Vernon can remember it vividly but the feelings are the same. He is in agony. He clench his fist as he dry his tears knowing that he will be criticize by their distant relatives for crying.

On a traditional Korean funeral men are not allowed to cry. They are only allowed to be calm and not show any signs of sadness. It is a practice being applied for centuries ago but who the hell cares if Vernon will shed a million ing tears