Spring 2007

Seoul “Suzy!” called her mother, she is in her new room, at her new house with her new family.

She just moved in this morning. Her mother have remarried her new step father and she got herself a brand new step sister. She has a mix feeling moving into their place, though she is happy for her mother because for the first time since her father passed away eight years back, her mother just throw herself with work and become the head of the family together with her grandparents.

She still can’t get over that this big house is her new home and her new step father make it sure that she’s comfortable. She met her new step sister IU, it’s a weird name but the girl a year older than her. She is very pretty and petite, she got a nice squinted eyes, long hair and milky white skin; compared to her she felt like a giant flat chest short hair gummy bear. Though she is not that fat her friends teases her that her baby fats are kinda cute. IU asked her to call her unnie, she is a jolly person and Suzy really feels that she has a genuine sisterly feeling for her. “I like your shirt!” IU pointed Suzy’s heart drawing shape on her pink t-shirt, it’s one of her favourite. “Thanks” she replied timidly, eyeing IU’s baby pink tank top with matching blouse inside together with a very skinny jeans, she looks like she came out in a teen fashion magazine. “My grandma made this for me” hesitantly telling her afraid that she will think that she is like hilly billy from the farm. “That’s so cool!” IU said with admiration, “How I wish I have a grandma like yours” she said wistfully, “Ever since I was born in this world, I only have my dad, he said that both of my grandparents pass away before he and mum got married, then my mom passed away after giving birth………” Suzy can feel the loneliness of the girl in front of her, maybe she is lucky in a different way, because she got her mother and grandparents that adores her. “You can call me Unnie, since dad told me that I’m a year older than you” she said excitedly clasping both of her hands, “finally I have dongseng that I can look after!” her eyes twinkle with excitement. Suzy shyly smiles at her new unnie, then she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. “And you can call me dad” Mr. Park said, the man in his forties declare, beside him is a slim woman that look like Suzy. “ We are now a big family” declares her new dad.

**************************

It has been three months since they move in together, the whole Park family is eating their dinner, in additional , the two elderly couple is dining with them, it’s the parents of Yeo Lee. Suzy’s mom.

Paul Park invited them one time for dinner and decided that they should move in with them, the bigger the better, he said. Suzy could not figure out her step father, father, is so good to them, he treats her like his own kid, whenever unnie IU and her will be in trouble, her dad will discipline her like IU. Her new found sister IU hit it like a blast, they become instant friends and sisters, people already recognize them as siblings which made her super happy. She could not ask anything more in this life!

“Suzy, I heard that you will celebrate your 13th birthday after two weeks, would you like to throw a party?” her dad said excitedly as if he is the one who’s going to celebrate.

“Thanks dad, but I don’t like parties, beside I have few circle of friends,” she replied smiling

“ I just wanted to spent time with all of you” looking around the table, her precious family.

“Ok then, how about we go spent some weekend out of town?” IU suggested hopefully.

Her mother looked at Suzy as if getting her approval. She slowly smiles and like the idea. “Ok then! How about let’s go to the beach……… In Busan!” he declared. “Ok dad, thanks.” She said gratefully. “I think I need to prepare my swimming costume!” grandma Seo said excitedly, “and I have to fine my swimming tube!” grandpa Wol exclaimed. Everyone burst out of laughing in the dining table. Paul cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention, “Before I forget, your mother and I have an advance gift for you” getting wrapped box under the table, “I asked the opinion of your unnie, of what would you like, so I hope you will love this.” Handing her a heavy box, her eyes shimmer with unshed tears of joy, she never been this happy in her life. “T-thanks, dad…..” meeting the warm eyes of her dad……to her mom’s teary eyes…….to her grandparents……and finally to her sister who’s eyes is b with tears as well. “Open it!” IU said brightly, wiping her tears at the back of her hand. Suzy eagerly tear the shinny wrapper and ribbon, then she finally saw what’s in the box cover, it’s the latest DSLR camera, it’s quite big and expensive! “I heard from your sister that you like love taking photos in your cellphone, so we decided to buy you a professional one, plus the whole equipment package including PC and printer will be yours in your real birthday.” Her dad said proudly. Suzy can’t take it anymore, she stand up and throw herself to her dad, then to her mom and all the members of the whole family. “This is the best birthday present ever!” she cries out.

*************************

“Thank you sir for checking in our hotel, we hope that you will have a pleasant stay.” The bell boys told Mr. Park and his family after they check in at their adjacent suite in Crown Plaza Hotel, they check in three separate rooms, two for the couples and one for the siblings.

“Unnie, let’s go!” Suzy said practically dragging IU, who is busy putting all her swimming paraphernalia in her bag. “Wait!” she said choking with laughter, as she saw Suzy with her plain white blouse with and a pair of flowery shorts. “Hey don’t tell me you’re going out looking like that!” she said accusingly, IU wears a sunny yellow pale dress under her swimwear. “You promise me that you’re going to wear what mother has brought us, Suzy got the pale pink dress, but refuse to wear it. “You know unnie that I don’t like wearing girly stuff!” she complained, “I look so bulky wearing a dress” IU take a look at her unattractive boyish attire, and let out a big sigh, Suzy doesn’t have any idea that she is pretty and attractive, she is losing a huge amount of weight since she have known her, she doesn’t know that her curves are showing and her baby fats are slowing disappearing. Many boys at their school are admiring her, she is just so innocent not to notice because she always busy with her camera, just like now her camera is hooked to her neck. For sure she is excited to capture nice photograph at the beach. “Come on!” she said impatiently, as IU grabbed the pink dress and put it inside her bag, “just in case you change your mind” she said muttered her breath. The sun is shining brightly and the beach looks like heaven, Suzy take a quick snap shots to the beautiful paradise, she asked IU as her model, asking her to do some serious poses like a professional model, but IU is just playing around her as she do some wacky pose, she finally said that she wanted to go for a swim, and Suzy said she will just take some picture of the sand and some shells. She is so busy taking some picture of the sea creature that she didn’t hear the warning to a man telling her not to go near the clip because of the strong wave. When she finally realize that young man oo life guard who is sitting in the high chair is shouting at her. “Hey you!” the young man scream at her, “are you deaf or something!” Suzy got started and finally make sense of her surrounding, she was so engross with her work that she didn’t know that she was at the edge of the clip! Though the clip rock is not that high but it’s still dangerous. Suddenly something splash of her face, the sea water hit her eyes and the salty water blinded her eyes temporarily and she loses balance. She just heard the young man cursing at her, and she fall in the deep water. She swims up the surface of the wate cursing the young man who startled her, and then she finally comprehend that her camera is spoil………..and missing!

The camera that her dad gave her.

“Crap!”she said hitting her head with her hand, taking a deep breath she dive into the water and search for it.

The young man is running very fast with his swimming tube to rescue the bull headed girl who refuses to listen to him………….this is his first life guard part time and everything is going smooth and fine not until he saw that tomboyish girl who is talking some pictures……who is defying all his orders. Suzy continue search for her lost camera, she went up in the water to get some air and to her frustration she started to cry and she went in again in the water after taking some air, then she felt that her right leg is in pain, she is cramping and she tried swim up to get some air, but she panic until she swallowed gallons of sea water.

She felt that darkness and swallowing her as she struggle for breath……..….. Lee Seung Gi dives in the water and quickly searches for her, he saw her motionless figure and quickly pulled her up in the surface, he swims as fast as he could because he wanted to save this girl. As he dragged her to the shore, people are now crowding in front of him, he asked the yellow girl in the dress to call an ambulance and he doesn’t notice that, that girl is crying her hearts out. He check her pulse, and when he can’t find it, he tilt her chin up and gives her rescue breath, and then pump her heart, he went to the same procedure twice as he finally breath with relief as the girl cough loudly and spit some sea water as he catches his breath as well.

The girl who is crying throws herself at girl in front of him, as they cried louder, and then he spotted 4 adults running to them. “Suzy!” her mother cries as she gathers her into her arms, “are you alright my baby?” cupping her face. “Aigoo!” the grandparents exclaimed, holding their hearts as if someone beat them there, “why did you swim alone! You bad girl!” Mr. Park is holding her daughter IU with a prayer of relief that everyone is alive………