“Why does it always have to be me? Why?” Her heart ached.

The moonlight faintly draped upon her small fragile figure as the cool autumn air lightly brushed against her smooth milky skin, leaving shivers down to her spine. Dancing casually with the wind, the dried leaves rustled along the cold pavement, swirling and twirling about on the footpath with grace. The sight was pretty amusing for the little girl, considering how horrible home was for her, the mother rather. Allowing the fresh air to enter her system was a really nice break from hell if you would say, though it is inevitable for her not to return to reality- and by reality, I mean living a miserable life with her obnoxious mother. Looking up at the dark gloomy sky, her words recurred.

‘Why can’t you be more useful rather than being just a living nightmare to me?’

A soft sigh escaped her thin lips. Her feet dangled on the edge of the wooden bridge as she stared into space. ‘Why can’t I be more useful? Heck, why am I even her living nightmare?’ Her brows furrowed at the centre, her face full of confusion. This had always been a mystery for her, and will remain unsolved forever. She would never understand how complicated her mother’s brain work. Hyesung shook her head in defeat.

Picking up a twig nearby, she noticed a familiar figure coming towards her from the opposite direction. Not being bothered by his presence, she let her eyes wander off into the distance to clear up her already baffled mind. She watched the water rippled as the twig submerged into the glistening pond after throwing it with minimal force. Her reflection distorted slowly.  There goes another sigh.

“Why does she hate me so much, Oppa? Did I do something wrong to make her feel this way?” Her innocence reflected on her young face. Looking up to the older one with her round and teary eyes, she pushed her lower lip out into a pout, making his heart skip a beat.

With a heavy heart, he occupied a seat next to the little girl, his lips gone flat on a straight line. “I’m sorry Hyesung-ah. Oppa wasn’t able to protect you, again.” He apologised as he fiddled nervously with his fingers. The girl turned her head towards her brother’s direction, completely puzzled about the situation.

“I know I already told you that I will always be here for you but-”

Hyesung placed a finger on his perfectly shaped lips. “Shh,” She started. “You have always been there for me Oppa, you know it’s true. And I thank you for that.” Her lips tugged into a faint smile as she dropped her hand from his lips. “Don’t worry about it anymore… I guess.”

Silence blanketed over them, their rhythmic breathings becoming more audible to one another. Her reflection warily stared back at her as she studied her delicate features through the water, her deeply scarred eyebrow evident under the dim moonlight. Another sigh threatened to come out. The night grew older.

“Here.” The boy muttered under his breath. Grabbing the little girl’s hand from her lap, he swiftly slipped a colourful beady bracelet on her wrist, earning a startled look from his sister.

“I made it.” He chuckled as he stared back into the distance, keeping his composure. She examined the bracelet closely with a glint of joy in her eyes. A soft smile played along her lips.

“Really? You made this for me?” With a huge smile plastered along his face, he replied with a simple nod. He took both of her hands into his as he looked deeply into her chocolate brown eyes that are now filled with happiness.

“Hyesung-ah, I’m sorry for being weak all the time. I’m sorry for not being able to stand up for you and protect you.” He apologised once more, his eyes welling up in tears.  Casually brushing his tears away with the back of his hand, the boy sniffled loudly, causing the little girl to giggle. He smiled in embarrassment and looked down onto their interlaced hands in between them to avert his gaze. “But now I’m here to make a promise to you.”

The girl tilted her head in anticipation. With a deep breath, his eyes found its way back to hers as the words came flowing out of his mouth in a natural manner. Hyesung couldn’t help but to forge a smile.  

“Shim Hyesung, I promise to remain by your side from this day onwards, to protect you, to guide you, to make you laugh, to be that shoulder you can cry on, to be that someone you can lean on. Let this bracelet be the symbol of my promise…”

Hyesung looked at him with worry. Why did he pause all of a sudden? Has he gone sick? What is going on?  “Oppa?” She asked, her voice wavering only in the slightest bit, her face full of concern. “What’s wrong?”

Sniffling once more, he wiped his tears away and found the urge to continue on. “Hyesung-ah,” he called.

Her heart trembled at the sound of his quivering voice. “Yes Oppa?”

The look in his eyes suddenly changed, transitioning from those soft and caring stares, to an intense and cautious glare. Hyesung’s eyes widened. What have I done now?

 “If you just dare to break this bracelet, or worse lose it, you are so dead to me! I don’t care if it’s unintentional or not, you are going to suffer! You got that?”

She blinked.

Laughter immediately filled the once dull air, their misery and sadness no longer remembered. It’s funny for her to think that he’s only 2 years older than her, yet he acts far more mature than his actual age; The charm of her brother indeed.

With the whole world still ahead of them, it is safe for her to say that in this cruel and unfair society that they live in, her world would never be in darkness. Of course, ups and downs are guaranteed. But in the end, even if the sky starts crashing down, she knows that she will always have this one special person standing beside her, travelling with her in this journey of an uncertain future. Time will eventually come though, where they would have to split up and part ways. But one thing will remain unchanged, her unconditional love for this special person, that special person with a certain part in her heart.

That special person, none other than her dearest brother, Shim Hyunseong.