Chapter 6

A man sat worriedly on a sofa, holding a white file folder on his hands. The man looked as if he was about 70, wrinkles covering his face.

He was worried; worried that his grandson might’ve been kidnapped or maybe even something worst. ‘I should’ve just let my stubborn grandson go to Korea’ he thought.

However he knew he couldn’t do that. Especially when that girl was in Korea.

‘Kwon Boa’ the folder said.

He threw the folder on the table in front of him furiously. He wanted that girl dead.

His phone suddenly rang and it was Yeonhee, his number one spy. Yeonhee has been searching for Boa for years however; she only found her a few days ago.

“Sir,” A soft voice came from the other line. “I’ve looked all over Japan. Jaejoong is not here.”

“GO TO KOREA AND LOOK FOR HIM!” The man shouted. “And don’t let my grandson come near Boa no matter what.”

The man hangs up and threw his phone. Many of his maids heard the racket and quickly walked over to the man.

“Get my medications,” He ordered and the maids bowed and walked away to look for his medications.

The man slowly massaged his temples.

He knew that if Jaejoong ever meet Boa, Jaejoong will definitely know who killed his family.

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A small 7 year old boy stared at the clear glass window. He softly sighed as he stared at the colourful field right beneath him. The grass danced likes waves in the ocean and the field was covered with beautiful flowers. The sun was brightly shining and the birds were happily singing however, he was trapped inside his room.

He examined the field carefully, only to find out a boy and a girl occupied the field. The boy was none other than his younger brother, Han Hyunjoong. Although he was far away, the small boy could tell that it was his younger brother from the way he acted. However, He acted oddly, as if he was a different person.

Hyunjoong was the cold, icy one. He didn’t smile and would always express his own honest opinions, whether it was good or bad. This made a lot of people dislike Hyunjoong.

The small boy studied his brother carefully. The boy he was looking at was different. He was smiling. But, the small boy knew it wasn’t because of the girl or because he was having a great time, but because of something else. His eyes showed victory, as if he was winning some kind of game.

The girl next to him however, was someone he has never seen before. She was definitely younger than the boy and Hyunjoong. The way she acts seems to be more childish yet at the same time, very delicate. Her soft brown hair rested just behind her lower back and the way she smiled was definitely different than what the boy has seen before. It showed warmth, kindness and love. Something he hasn’t seen in a long while.

The boy’s heart suddenly started beating fast and he places his palms on his chest, feeling the quick little thumps his chest was making. For a boy, he didn’t know exactly what was happening and thought it had to do with his disease.

He looked at the window again, only to find out that the young girl was staring at him. He swiftly hid behind the wall beside the window. He didn’t want this girl to find him living in this attic.

The small boy then walked towards his bed, resting once again.

That’s what he did all day.

All he can do was rest and pray to get better.

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“Jaejoong oppa,” The young girl tugged the boy’s shirt and pointed. The boy turned to her with a smirk. “I think I saw someone at that window on the top of your house.”

The boy scratched his head. “Umm I-I think you saw a cat. Yeah. I have a cat and he likes going to the attic.”

The young girl nodded and hugged the older boy’s arm tightly. “Oppa, please remember our promise arasso?”

The boy looked the girl hugging his arm and he gave out another smirk, not believing that this girl was believing the whole act.

“Of course I will,” He muttered under his breath.

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“Hyung! Hyung! Hyung!”

A voice was heard and the boy that was sleeping quickly woke up. Heavy footsteps could be heard just outside the attic and the door quickly opened. There stood Hyunjoong, puffing and breathing heavily.

“Jaejoong Hyung! You’ll – never – guess - what!” Hyunjoong stated between breaths. The older boy, Jaejoong, sat up staring at his younger brother, waiting for him to explain what it was.

“I met a girl! She’s only 4 years old and I acted all nice to her and she bought it! I can’t believe it! Girls are so gullible!” Hyunjoong explained, laughing in hysterics. However, Jaejoong wasn’t laughing. His eyes widened. How can his younger brother do something like this? He knew that the girl would surely be upset if she ever find out.

“We also made a promise to meet on that nearby bus stop every year when it’s her birthday. Can you believe that? I only met her today and now she’s making stupid promises! Plus, No way am I going to that filthy bus stop!”

Jaejoong looked at his brother in disbelief and didn’t really know what to say. However, a question appeared on his mind and he wanted to know what the answer was.

“What’s her name?”

“Boa. Kwon Boa.” Hyunjoong replied. “What a weird name. Isn’t a boa a snake? Haha! Her parents must be crazy to name their daughter something like that.”

Jaejoong ignored his last comment and smiled when he heard what the pretty girl’s name was. His heart was beating fast once again as he thought about how small her smile was. However, his fist slowly turned into a fist when he realised that his younger brother was toying with the girl.

“And the best part is,” Hyunjoong paused and Jaejoong waited for him to continue. “I told her my name is Han Jaejoong!”

Jaejoong stood up furiously and walked towards Hyunjoong, who was still in hysterics. Jaejoong pushed him with all his might and Hyunjoong fell on the floor. “WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!”

Hyunjoong gave out a smirk and looked at his hyung. “That way, when she plans revenge, she’ll do it on you, not me. Plus, you’re going to die anyways with your cancer. You don’t have to worry about it.”

Hyunjoong stood up and put his hands on Jaejoong’s shoulders. “Me, Umma and Appa are moving to Japan. We’re planning to leave you. Umma and Appa don’t want a child who’s too weak to even walk.”

Jaejoong pushed Hyunjoong’s hands off of his shoulders. All Hyunjoong can do was smile.

“Annyong Jaejoong Hyung.”

And with that, Hyunjoong slammed the door close.

Jaejoong stared at the floor, tears running through his cheeks. He hated how he has cancer. He hates how his parents hated him once he had this incurable illness and most of all, how his parents locked him inside the attic and he couldn’t live like a normal boy.

He lay on his bed, hugging the pillow tightly as he cried himself to sleep. He just wanted to die. There was no point living on Earth anymore.

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It was 4 in the morning and the attic’s door slammed open. Jaejoong quickly woke up and saw a man in his 50s appearing at the front of the door.

“Haraboji!” Jaejoong stood up and hugged his grandfather. He had missed him so much as he hasn’t seen him for almost a year.

“Jaejoong,” The man hugged his grandson tightly. “I missed you!”

“Me too,” Jaejoong said with a huge grin on his face. “Has umma and appa seen you yet? Come on! Let’s go downstairs!”

Before the young boy can walk, the man held his hands tightly. “Your umma and appa are dead.”

Jaejoong’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“They were on their way to Japan when they got into a car crash,” The man replied and hugged the young boy. All Jaejoong could do was cry. He couldn’t believe that they were dead. And worst of all, they really were planning to go to Japan and leave him on his own.

The man looked into the child’s eyes. “Don’t worry. Haraboji here will take care of you. We’ll cure your disease so you can live freely. Haraboji will search all over the world so you can be a normal boy, free of cancer. Forget about your parents. I’ll take care of you.”

Jaejoong sniffed and tried holding back his tears. However, it didn’t work and the tears continued running down his cheeks.

The man wiped the boy’s tears with his thumb.

“You’ll start a new life. And from now on, you’ll be taking my surname. You’ll be Kim Jaejoong.”