Prologue

Prologue (10 years ago)

“Hana, I need you to make me a promise,” a woman said, her brown eyes filled with fear as she bent down to her little five year old’s eye level. “ Stay with your oppa and be a good girl okay? Promise Eomma and Appa that.

The little girl, Hana, tilted her head in confusion, not knowing what was going on. All she knew was that there were some bad people in her house and that her mother have given her big brother a blue backpack.

“Hana! Promise me,” Her mother whispered, her voice tense and eyes started to fill itself with tears.

Hana placed her tiny hands on her mother’s bruised cheek and stared at her with bright eyes, “Don’t cry Eomma, I promise to be a good girl,” She said with a smile, hoping to console her mother.

Her mother smiled in relief and looked up to the eight year old boy standing next to them, “Soohyun-ah, be a brave boy and protect your little sister,”

The boy nodded grimly before snatching Hana’s hand and pulling her towards the backdoor.

BANG, “Last chance Kim Min Guk, the papers, or your life,” A voice boomed through the house.

And then, another gunshot was heard. Loud footstep were getting closer and closer to where the siblings and their mother was hiding. She gave them a reassuring smile and mouthed, “ I love you”.

Soohyun took it as a signal and ran, Hana following closely behind.

Once the siblings were at a safe distance, they looked back, and saw their beloved home on fire.

“Oppa, we should go back,” Hana said, nudging his brother to follow her home. Her eyes getting teary, scared of what is to become of her loving parents.

Soohyun stood frozen in place, eyes staring at the flames dancing around their house, taunting him to come nearer, the screams, giving hope that they were still alive.

“Oppa! Let’s go, Eomma and Appa are waiting for us!” Hana started to scream, clearly frustrated that her brother isn’t moving an inch. She continued to pester him until, something in him broke.

“HANA! They are gone! Eomma...and Appa, they are gone,” He screamed, eyes staring at his little sister tearful face. He broke down, tears staining his cheeks.

Hana, not realising what was happening yet, hugged him and whispered, “It’s okay oppa, they aren’t gone forever, we will see them again, right?”

Soohyun looked up and realised, he was suppose to be the one protecting Hana, not the other way around. His lips, unknowingly, started to form a small smile. He rubbed his tears away and patted Hana on the head, before dragging them to who know where.

(eight years ago)

“Oppa! Higher!” A seven year old girl squealed on the swing while her brother was pushing her from behind.

Two years have passed since that day, her brother have brought her to Yeon San Orphanage. It wasn’t the best orphanage in the district, but it puts a roof on their heads. Hana, after a few rounds of explanation, finally understood the fate of her parents, and broke down after that.

She refused to eat for a few weeks before her brother managed to talk some sense into her, after that, the siblings lived peacefully and could always be found with each other.

Hana let out a huge grinned when she jumped down from the swing at it’s highest peak and landed on her foot. Her brother walked towards her and dusted the dirt that was staining her pink dress. Hana allowed him to do so until she saw a couple of familiar faces entering the orphanage.

She pulled Soohyun’s shirt as his eyes seemed to be looking towards nowhere. “Oppa, it’s them again.” she whispered, pointing to the couple at the door, talking to the caretaker of the orphanage.

Soohyun looked to where Hana was pointing and his eyes widened. Whether it was out of fear or shock, Hana did not know. “They aren’t suppose to be here until next week,” he muttered under his breath.

Hana looked at him curiously, waiting for him to answer her obvious question, to which he simply smiled and ruffled her hair. He led her up to the room both of them shared and sat down on her bed. Hana followed his actions and grabbed her favourite stuffed lamb and started to cuddle with it.

“Hana, I am getting adopted,” He said suddenly. His eyes, not leaving the wall in front of him.

Hana froze in shock. She place her lamb on her lap, and stared up at her brother. “ I thought we were going to stay together? Like Eomma said,” She whispered softly.

“Hana, I have to, if I stay here until I am of legal age, I won’t be able to care for you, or have a good future,” he reasoned. “ I promise, I will come back.

Hana shrank back, her chin sank into a pillow that she grabbed. “ But I promised Eomma that I will stay with you,”

“Hana, we will, just not now. When I grow up, I promise, I will be here for you.”

“But Eom-”

“HANA! Enough of this! Eomma and Appa are gone! Don’t you want what’s best for US?” He shouted.

Hana sank her head into the pillow further and whimpered. Not liking people screaming at her.

Soohyun, realising what he did, reach out to Hana, in which she pulled away. And then, there was a knock on their room door.

“Soohyun, they are here,” Mrs Lee, the caretaker said through the door. Not wanting interrupt the siblings. “Be down in thirty minutes,”

“Yes Mrs Lee,” He shouted back. His eyes, not leaving Hana’s shaking form.

He didn’t want to leave, he really didn’t. Hana is all that he has left. But he knows that he should. Hana have always been a bright and kind girl. He feared that he was pulling her back. And, being in this adopted family would mean that when he was old enough, he could support himself, and Hana without any problem.

He stood up from the bed, and started packing his things. By the time he was done, Hana have not moved an inch.

He rolled his given luggage to the door before going towards Hana, who he realised, have fallen asleep. He placed a locket, holding their family picture, in the palm of her hands, and whispered, “ I will always protect you, and I will come back, I promise,”

He kissed her forehead before closing the door behind him.

That was the day her brother left her alone.

(five years ago)

“Oh look what we have here boys, it’s the nerdy unwanted crybaby,” A boy, about ten years old taunted.

His group of friends which consisted of two other ten year old started to laugh at the little girl who was sitting on the bench reading a book. They then started to throw tiny pebbles at her which happened too often that she did not realise that she was in pain

“Go away,” She whispered, not daring to look up.

“Who's going to stop us? Your brother left you cause some WANTED him, he didn’t even want you that why he left,” Another boy, started. Laughing at her misery.

After her brother left, she started to realise reality. People in the world can be so cruel. The other people in the orphanage, especially the older ones, started to bully her. At first it was just taunting and other hurtful words. But soon, it started to get more physical, kids would shove her around the playground and no one wanted to come near her, believing her to be cursed with bad luck.

She stayed silent as the boys in her elementary started laugh louder and louder. Holding the tears that she had held back for the past three years.

She walked back silently to her classroom, believing that it won’t be long before her oppa comes to save the day, like he usually would. He wouldn’t break his promise. Right?

A/N: SO YEA PEOPLE! I AM REWRITING EVERYTHING. But the plot will be the same. SO NO WORRIES. Everything that have been revealed will not be hidden in the upcoming chapters. YUP THATS ALL. PLANNED NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ON THURS: 8 September. Leaving a comment would mean so much to me. And for those wishing to unsub and all, no guilt. I am not a good for going MIA for years. So i completely understand if you are going to unsub.

TILL NEXT TIME!