A/R: Before you read this, please read this here. Please and thank you. Okay, this chapter will explain more about Ara's family.Thank youuu for staying dear loyal subscribers. Comments and new subscribers are lvoeddd and most welcomed. Please comment with suggestion. Hehee. It keeps me going. <<3

You sipped the coffee while you waited for your cab to arrive. “Miss Ara, your cab has arrived.” The bellboy said to you.

You smile and stand up. You left the payment and tip for the coffee on the table. You smiled to the bellboy and slipped some cash into his money. “Please keep this as a secret between us only okay. Thank you, Mr Lao.” You winked to that bellboy as you saw his nametag.

“Yes Miss Ara, I’m fan of yours of course. No need for this money” The bellboy return the money and ushered you to the backdoor of the hotel to your cab. You get on the cab and fled the scene. Little that you know Kris has been following you since you went out from your hotel room.

He has been sitting in the cab earlier that the bellboy has saved for him, following you little escapades. His cab stop in front of that bellboy and he got out his head from the open window. “Thank you sir. I really appreciate the help,” Kris said while thanking him and slipped some cash into his hand.

“No Kris-shi. I’m your both fan. Please take care, both of you.” The bellboy smiled and returned the cash to Kris.

“You are a good man, Mr Lao. Thank you. I will take care of her. “ Kris smiled and went of with the cab following Ara’s cab.

“Please go to this address sir,” You said while clearly remembering your old house address. Weird, the cab driver seems like a familiar person. He gives off a good vibe, a familiar one. Maybe you meet him before. The house you called home, where your father, stepmom and stepbrother live. You hope they still live there. Since you are in Taiwan, it doesn’t kill you to see them. For what reason, it has to wait. But for now, your heart just aching to meet them.

The cab stopped in front of a house. A house that seems very familiar but now it seems like it has been abandoned for years. You stared at the house until the cab driver said something that you didn’t catch.

“I’m sorry sir, you were saying?” You turn your attention towards the cab driver.

“Is this the house miss?” The cab driver asked.

You nodded.

“Looks like the house has been abandoned for years. Are you sure miss?” He asked again. You nodded and you step out of the cab driver.

“Miss, do I have to stay with you here?” He asked again. 

You stare at the abandoned house again and sighed. You smiled weakly and turned towards the cab driver. “It is okay. You can leave sir. How much is it sir?” You smiled at the cab driver and paid the fare.

“Miss, this is my number. If you need to come back, I will just be around here.” The cab driver said while returning the change and passed me a card.

“Thanks for the card. Please keep the change I insist,” You said while returning the change to his hand. “But it seems like I know you from somewhere. Have we meet before?” You asked.

“I knew it. Cho Ara right? This is uncle Xing. Your neighbour,” The cab driver said.

“I’m Ara, uncle Xing,” You smiled widely and shook his hand.

“Please wait here for a while Ara. Uncle will park the cab first. I’ll be right back,” Uncle Xing said.

You nodded in relief, to see someone familiar. Your eyes wondered to the abandoned house. You can see the picture of you and your stepbrother, Lao Ge running around the house. After a couple of minutes, your stepmom will came after you with brooms saying you spoilt his son’s new shirt. Then, when your dad come back home from work he will shower you with flowers.

When you were a kid, you never have pollen-allergies. It only happen when one day.

“98, 99, 100. Ge, ready or not. I’m coming. “ You smiled widely as you open your eyes. This time you have to seek for your stepbrother. Your stepmom has went out to buy groceries and this is the only time that you can play or even interact with your stepbrother.

You smiled, as you know where he usually hides. On top of tree behind your house. Same place everytime. You looked up at the tree but there is no sign of him. Well, maybe he has gone higher towards the higher peak of trees. Then, you saw his shoe was hanging on the branch. You decided to climb up the trees, “Ge, I’ll climbing up.” You said while climbing up the trees. Then, you saw another pair of shoes. You smirked as you thought he is be oblivious of his hiding. Then, as you reached a branch where he normally hides, he was nowhere to be found.”Gege, where are you?” You shouted around the tree but only silence replies to you.

“Gege,” You shouted against the silence that echo backs to you. “ g-gege?” You started to stutter. Then, you looked down and saw suddenly the ground managed to shrink itself only lower. The normal height that you always see from above the usual branch just scared the out you. You started to shake and squeak. “ g-gege. I am s-scared. Wh-where are y-you?” You wanted to hug your legs to your chest but you afraid to move since the branch tweaks a little like it is about to break.

Then, you heard footstep towards the tree and then you saw your brother. “ Lao Gege. H-help h-help. I d-don’t h-how to go down. H-help,” You squeaks. Slowly tears form at the bridge of your eyes.

“ B-but you always can go down by yourself,”  Lao said in a worrying tone.

“T-that is b-because I’m always w-with you. Y-you always l-let me go d-down first. You h-held m-my hand w-when I’m g-going d-down.” You sobbed.

“ Ara, it is going to be okay. Trust gege okay? I’ll help you to go down safely okay?” Lao said.

You sobbed again and nodded, “H-how?”

“ Uhmmm, I uhmm. Ahh, I know. Just go down and . And jump when I said so. Okay? You got it sis?”  Lao said in reassuring tone.

“ I c-can’t Gege,”  You sobbed and then you heard the branch tweak again. “ Gege, this branch is going to b-break. “ You squeaked and shuddered at the noise again.

“ Trust me okay sis? I trust you can do it, okay?” Lao held up both of his hand. “Come on Ara,” 

You nodded, “ H-how do I do this? Left feet or right f-feet f-first?”  You take a deep breath and looked deep into Lao’s calming eyes.

“ Urmm. Left feet, I mean right feet. Hugged the trees tightly okay,” Lao instructed me.

You hugged the tree tightly like you dear life depends on it. You put your right feet down first, then your left feet. “ L-like th-this Gege?” Tears that dare to form somehow just stopped for a while.

“L-like that baby sis. One more feet down, you are nearing down. Then, you can just jump to me. Okay baby girl,” Lao said softly.

His voice seems like a sweet whisper to your ears and you started to lose focus. “ Ara, not that branch. Don’t step on it, no!!” You heard Lao exclaimed.

“Ara,” Uncle Xing touched your shoulders.

You jolted from your daydream. You looked around. How did your feet bring you this particular tree. This tree that was in your daydream. You patted the tree. “ Ah, sorry. I was , urmm I urm just zoned out,”  You said. Then, you feel dried tears on your cheek. Have you been crying? You patted your cheek with the back of your hand.

“Its okay child,” Uncle Xing patted your shoulder.

“Uncle Xing, wh-where is m-my family?”  You asked him.

“ You d-don’t know what happen to your family?”  Uncle Xing asked back.

You shook your head.

“Your wh-whole family. They died in a car accident last year.  You really don’t know?”  Uncle Xing told you. He patted your shoulder.

You stared at Uncle Xing for a moment. “But but but. H-how. Wh-why? I j-just knew this. No-nobody inform me.” You mumbled.

“Maybe your relatives don’t know how to contact you after your loss. I’m sorry dear for your loss.”  He said.

“ But but but. How why. I. Are you sure about this Uncle Xing?” You asked him, not believing the reality that slaps  you back. You come back here, not hoping that your stepmother would welcome you in open hand. But this just to difficult for you to digest. D-dead. D-dead. D-dead.

“I’m sure. Ara. I was there when they buried your family. Ara dear. I’m sorry,” Uncle Xing continue patted my shoulder.

“But but. This is i-impossible. This is,” Tears forming on your eyes. And they started to run like broken pipes. You blinked for a few times as you see Uncle Xing appears like two person. Somehow you just feel dizzy and the ground beneath shook your leg. Then, darkness enveloped your world. And you saw faint familiar figure come and you think you fall into his/her arm.