PROLOGUE

10 YEARS AGO

“Minyoung-ah, there is some pudding for you” my eyes widened with delight when I heard umma’s voice. I turned to my right to see Jiyoung glaring at me and then turning away towards the wall, I pouted and pulled her.

“Let go of me, Minyoung-ah. I don’t want that pudding of yours” she pushed me away roughly and I looked at her, “are you really sure? But, if you want some; I will give half to you” I said with delight and she turned her head towards me.

“Really? Let’s go” she got up immediately and pushed me to the side as she ran downstairs, I smiled and walked down the stairs slowly; knowing that Jiyoung will leave at least half for me. As soon as I reached the dining table where umma placed all the groceries, I scanned for the pudding.

“Umma, where did Jiyoung place the pudding you bought?” I asked and slowly grabbed the plastics to the kitchen to put in the cupboard.

I placed the plastics on the floor and looked at her, “didn’t you say that you didn’t want it? Jiyoung ate it all” she looked at me with a shocked expression and began untying her apron to find Jiyoung, “ahh, I told her to have it” I smiled and umma looked at me, studying my face that shows my feelings.

“Minyoung-ah, why are you lying to umma?” she came towards me and caressed my cheeks before helping me with the groceries, “aniyo, I am not lying” I felt a lump form in my throat when I smiled to myself to shake away the feeling. “Jiyoung really wanted it so I gave it since I just finished my mango jelly”

She gave me a hug and patted my head, “aigoo... come on, help umma with dinner” she grabbed the plastics from the floor and placed it in a basket at the corner of the room. I nodded and grabbed another apron before I began to wash the cabbage.

It was night already, Jiyoung and I waited for appa to tell us our bedtime stories. “Jiyoung-ah, did you finish my pudding earlier?” I turned my head to face her, “it was getting bad so I threw the pudding away, I told mum about it” she told me in an annoyed tone.

The door opened and appa walked in with a book, “tonight’s story will be about ‘the forbidden forest’” he began and I gave him my widest smile, I really like listening to any type of stories that appa tell us.

“Appa, that is the stupidest title I have ever heard. ‘Forbidden forest’” I saw Jiyoung roll her eyes and pouted, “Jiyoung-ah, don’t interrupt appa from telling us his story” I told her but then she turned away from me.

Before appa began, he pinched my cheeks making me giggle.

“Long ago, there was a forest which scared many villagers in Takalu village” Appa said and I sat up to listen properly.

“They said that in a day more than two children disappear if they play in that dark, scary place. What they don’t know is that in that forest, there lived beasts that attack the children for their dinner. The chief of Takalu village, who was the bravest man in that area volunteered to find out the reason, but once the chief left; he never came back” I gasped and turned to Jiyoung who was still facing the wall.

“One day, a boy name Tae went to hunt for wild pigs in the evening; he held onto his spear tight along his conch shell. He kept walking and walking until all of a sudden he saw red lights, he grew frightened but he was determined that he can catch the beast with his spear so he chased after the red light.....” My eyes dropped before I knew it and fell off to sleep.

*End of Minyoung POV*

*Jiyoung POV*

I faced the wall as I listened to appa talk about his story, I grew curious and turned to the side and saw that Minyoung was asleep. I rolled my eyes and stared at appa.

After he finished the story, I sat up a bit. “Appa” I called out softly and he looked at me with a soft expression, “does the ‘forbidden forest’ really exist?” I asked him and he chuckled as he nodded.

“Yes it does, Minyoung-ah” he called me by her name and I clenched my fist under the blanket that I was sharing with Minyoung. “Appa I am Jiyoung, Minyoung is already dead asleep” he looked at me with a shocked expression before shaking his head, “Jiyoung-ah, appa is wrong but you don’t have to say that about Minyoung” I sighed as I knew that he would begin with his lecture about my choice of words.

I stopped him, “where is that ‘forbidden forest’?” I asked and he raised his eyebrow before looking at the back of the story book, “It is the forest that is just few kilometres away from the main road, Gongbi mountain” he said and I nodded.

“Goodnight, appa” I said as he tucked me in. I waited for him to close the door and looked at Minyoung with a smile.

*End of Jiyoung POV*

*Minyoung POV*

It was morning already and I sat up from the cold floor before I stretched my arms. ‘How do I end up on the floor every morning?’ I squinted my eyes as the sun rays hit my face and got up from the floor. Jiyoung wasn’t in the room; I smiled to myself and was surprised that she woke up early by herself.

Umma and appa was already at the table, having their breakfast. “Good morning umma. Good morning appa” I greeted them and sat at the table, they smiled at me “Aigoo, I think this is how a eight year old suppose to act” appa pinched my cheeks softly, making me giggle.

“Jiyoung-ah, Minyoung-ah” appa called us and I got down in a minute while Jiyoung took a while since she was bathing.

Umma showed us a paper that had a picture of a double bunk bed. Jiyoung’s eyes widen when I turned towards her, “umma, what is that for?” I asked and she smiled, “it’s a bed for you and Jiyoung”.

“Omo, umma that looks really nice. When will it come?” she was excited about the bed but I wasn’t. “I don’t think we need one, umma” I said and Jiyoung sent me a small glare so that umma and appa couldn’t see. “Waeyo? That bed is too small for both of you. Minyoung always end up on the floor and have bruises on her back” Jiyoung turned around and I heard her snicker.

I shook my head to their idea, “it’s too expensive and appa have to drive for a long time to get it” I pouted and looked out of the window.

Umma nodded and looked at appa, “Yeah, Minyoungie is correct. It would be expensive for it to deliver to our house which is the countryside of South Korea” she frowned and crumbled the paper before throwing it in the bin.

I turned around and saw that Jiyoung was tearing up, I felt guilty for not thinking about her. “Mianhae, Jiyoung-ah” I apologized to her before she ran up to the room.