“I hope it all gets erased. I hope it all gets faint—even the good memories. The memories that remain in your heart, that makes you cry … are only painful. In the elongated memories only the unspoken words are echoed. I promise myself thousands of times to erase you but the promises get faint. I’m sorry, I can’t cry out loud; so my heart is blackened with bruises. But, in case you won’t be able to forget me, forgive me—Even if I’m not next to you, I hope you will slowly learn how to smile by yourself.” (Resignation, Jung Woo) 

 

Bed nicely made, clothes pack inside a suitcase; Joo Eun who is in a black dress and black stockings, sits on the floor next to the window holding tight onto her family portrait. Blood shut eyes, she’s been crying since the funeral which was four days ago. It’s a bright sunny afternoon, no clouds in the sky yet her life at the moment seem so cloudy and dark. She just lost her beloved parents due to a plane crash coming back home from Taiwan. She’s getting ready to head to the big city, Seoul; to live with her only relative, her Father’s Cousin.

 

Joo Eun put her feelings aside, grabs her belongings and walks downstairs. Taking one last good look at a place she once called “home” before leaving to the airport. While waiting for her departure, she receives a phone call from her Uncle.

 

“Hello.” She answers.

“Eun-ah—how are you? Are you alright?” He asks.

“I’m fine. I’m waiting to get on board.”

“Okay but I won’t be able to come pick you up since I’ll be working late tonight.” He pauses. “Your Aunt will be there.”

“Alright.” She replies.

“Eun-ah, do you still remember your Aunt? How she looks like?” He asks.

“Yes—I do.” She stutters.

“Okay then, I have to go back to work. I’ll see you when I get home.”

“Hmm.” She mumbles.

 

Not long after the conversation were over, a “please be ready to get onboard” announcement was broadcast over the speakers. Joo Eun walks over to the attendant and shows her ticket and passport to get inside the airplane. Hours has passed and she finally arrives at Incheon Airport, the closest airport to Seoul. Coming out from the “Arrival Gate” she searches left and right for her Aunt.

 

“Joo Eun-ah! My Joo Eun!” A voice shouts her name.

 

She looks ahead and sees her Aunt waving.

 

“Eun-ah! Over here!” She screams.

 

Joo Eun slowly made her way over carrying her backpack and a stuff teddy bear.

 

“Aigoo! There’s my little Joo Eun. Oh My, you’ve grown so big and pretty.” She compliments.

“You have not changed at all.” Joo Eun shyly states.

“Of course.” She giggles. “With all these cosmetics, it helps me to look young.” She continues.

“Cosme—“

“—Ah!” She interrupts. “I’ve told the housemaid to make something delicious for you.”

“T—thank you.” Joo Eun stutters.

“Before we go, I have got to find that little brat of mines first.” Aunt says while searching.

“Little brat?” Joo Eun says confusingly.

“Ah—ha, I meant my son. He’s somewhere around here.” She continues to search. “There he is.”

 

Joo Eun’s Aunt grabs onto Joo Eun’s hand and rushes over to her son. For a moment, Joo Eun felt a familiar atmosphere, she feels at home, welcome.

 

“Jungkook-ah!” She shouts. “Come here!”

 

Joo Eun seems to get use to her Aunt’s shouting and screaming since it was the first thing she notices ever since her arrival. She glances ahead and sees a young boy sitting at the end of the seat with headphones plug in his ears.

 

“Did you not hear me?” Aunt says taking one headphone off her son’s ear.

“Aish, Mum! That’s my expensive headphone! Be careful with it!” He argues back.

“Who taught you to talk back to your elders?”

 

Jungkook ignores his Mother’s word and only worries about his headphones.

 

“Say hello to your Noona. You still remember her, right?”

 

Jungkook stares at Joo Eun.

 

“What kind of Noona still carries a stuff teddy bear with her?” He says and quickly walks away.

“Oh My! You surely don’t have manners; I wonder where you get it from!” Aunt says rolling her eyes.

“It’s alright Auntie, I’m used to it.”

 

Her Aunt feels guilty for putting so much pressure on her when its Joo Eun’s first time in the big city. They went to the baggage’s claims section and grab the remaining luggage then head out to the parking lot where Jungkook was waiting for them.

 

“What took you so long?” He asks annoyingly.

“Well if you had help us, it wouldn’t take this long.” Aunt says putting the suitcases in the trunk.

“I didn’t know she had so much things.” Jungkook says not eyeballing Joo Eun.

“What are you doing just standing there? Come help me lift these into the car.”

 

Irritated, Jungkook went over and help with the luggage. Without saying much, he opens the back door and closes the door. Joo Eun didn’t know what to say, she didn’t like his attitude one bit. Quietly, she made her way to the passenger seat and sits down.

 

They finally arrive back at her Aunt’s place. It was a pretty decent house from the outside however Joo Eun was in awe when she saw the inside. It was way better than she had expect.

 

“I finished cleaning out a room, I hope you like it.” Her Aunt says climbing up the stairs.

“I’m fine with anything. I’m not picky about my living style.” Joo Eun quickly replies.

“That’s good, unlike my son. He wants everything his way.” She shouts loudly.

 

Jungkook overheard it yet pretends like he didn’t.

 

“Come on, I’ll show you.” Her Aunt says opening the door.

 

Rosy flower wallpapers, white curtains and a well-made white bed; it was a room made specifically for a girl.

 

“You did all of this?” Joo Eun asks skimming her eyes around the bedroom.

“Of course! I want my little Joo Eun to feel comfortable.” She says in excitement.

“You didn’t have to, Aunty.” Joo Eun replies.

“I want the best for you.” Her Aunt says walking towards Joo Eun, she pats her on the head. “My whole life, I’ve wished to have a daughter—now I have one.” She smiles at Joo Eun warmly.

 

Joo Eun feels uneasy yet at the same time she felt like she was at home. Later that evening, Joo Eun helps her Aunt in the kitchen. She thought since she’s going to part of the family, she’ll make herself useful. Right when she was setting up the table, she heard a shout at the front door.

 

“I’m home.”

“Oh—Honey! You’re home!” Her Aunt shouts back. “Hurry, let’s have dinner.”

“I’m starving.” Her Uncle comments while searching for Joo Eun. “Where’s my little girl?”

 

As soon as he walks inside the kitchen, he quickly rushes over to give Joo Eun a hug.

 

“Honey, let’s save the chit chatting for later.”

“I just miss her so much.” He says chuckling away.

 

Joo Eun set the last plate of food on the table and seat herself down like it’s her own home. Her Uncle and Aunt also sits down, Joo Eun glances around like something was missing.

 

“Don’t worry about it. Jungkookie usually comes late to join dinner.” Her Aunt says like she was able to read Joo Eun’s mind.

“He’ll come down when he feels like it.” Her Uncle replies while grabbing a piece of meat.

 

Not long after all the talking, Jungkook slowly creeps inside the dining room and seat himself down. Joo Eun glances at him but he didn’t make eye contact with her. The atmosphere was nothing compare to home but she didn’t mind. She actually like it like that; quiet.

 

After dinner, Joo Eun helps with the dishes. She came back into the living room to find her Uncle on his laptop looking over some paperwork. He reminds her so much of her Father, always working. Softly, she clears to get his attention.

 

“I’m going down to the store to buy some items for school tomorrow.”

“Do you know where it is?” Her Uncle says eyes still focus on his work.

“I saw it on the way here.”

 

He glances up and took off his glasses.

 

“Are you going to be alright going by yourself?” He says looking at Joo Eun with worry eyes.

“I’m going to be alright.” She responses.

 

He nods his head to let her know it’s okay to go. Joo Eun grabs her sweater and left the house. Around 20 minutes has passes, Joo Eun’s Aunt walks downstairs after a shower.

 

“Honey, do you know where my Joo Eun is?”

“She went down to the store.” Her Uncle replies.

 

Her Aunt nods her head.

 

“Jungkook-ah!” She yells. “JEON JUNGKOOK!”

 

Jungkook peeps his head down the hallway.

 

“What is it?” He asks.

“Can you go down to the store?” She says.

“This late?” He questions.

“Your Noona went down there, I want you to go check on her if she needs anything.”

 

Jungkook took a deep breath.

 

“She’s old enough.” He mumbles.

“She’s a girl.” Her Aunt quickly replies with an attitude.

“Alright.” Jungkook anwers.

 

After getting all the things she wants, she took a little detour around the block to ease off her mind. Walking around the neighborhood, she meets with two strangers.

 

“Where are you going this late?” Stranger #1 asks in a erted tone.

“Tonight must be our lucky night.” Stranger #2 says.

“Leave me alone, I don’t want trouble.” Joo Eun answers while walking away.

 

The two strangers follow her down the street.

 

“She’s a feisty one.” Stranger #2 says.

“I like it.” Stranger #1 comments.

 

Joo Eun continues to walk until her feet decides to stop when one of the guy block her front.

 

“We’re not letting you go easily.” Stranger #1 says.

 

Joo Eun’s heart starts to pound. She was afraid and was trying to find a way around but the guy behind her grabs her hands. She struggles to break free yet she was not strong enough to do so. One of the man then starts to caress her face and slowly made his hand down to her shirt. He rips her button down shirt, showing a little of her bra.

 

“Don’t you’re over doing it?” A voice roar from behind.

 

They all stare to see a man standing behind them.

 

“Who are you?” Stranger #2 asks.

“That’s not important.” He says.

“If you don’t want trouble then get lost.” Stranger #1 yells loudly.

 

The two man ignores him and focus back on Joo Eun who is frighten, fill with fear. Her eyes were fill with tears; she’s screaming her lungs out. The man ran over and kick one of the guy, knocking him down. The other let free of Joo Eun and punch the man when he was not looking. Blood fills his mouth; the man starts to fight back.

 

After several minutes of wrestling, the two strangers think they had it and ran away. The man who help Joo Eun was lying flat on the ground, bruises covers his face and blood splatter everywhere. Joo Eun didn’t know what to do buy cover herself in her torn shirt when he gets up. He stares into her eyes for a few seconds before grabbing his backpack from the dirty ground and walks off limping. She grabs her things that were scatter on the ground and quickly rushes the opposite directions. Carelessly, she bumps into Jungkook. Frighten, she looks up to see who it was. Jungkook witness her torn shirt and her messy hair.

 

“What—“

Before he got the chance to ask, she rushes down the block to the house. She quickly went to her room once she arrived at the house; open her suitcase and took out her clothes to change. She flinches by the knock on the door. After a few rounds of knocking, Jungkook gives up when there was no response from Joo Eun. He went to his room and lay on his bed.

 

“Is she okay?” Jungkook thinks to himself.

 

Joo Eun covers herself with the newly bought blanket and cries herself to sleep, silently. 

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