“Ok Eunsun-ee are you ready to go?”

“Where are you two off to?” Donggun asked as he sat with his wife curled around him with a movie in the background. Eric was playing puppets with Soo-yoon while HYoungmin was reading some documents.

“We have an errand today,” HoDong said to them, “we shouldn’t be too long.”

“Ok have a good day,” Eric said turning away from Soo-yoon to tell them this.

“Will we expect you for dinner?” Youngmin asked, “It’s going to be curry tonight.”

“Sure we will call in advance,” HoDong offered as he closed the door behind them. They left the hotel to come to the lobby and they got into a taxi. HoDong read the address to him and they were off.

***

The drive down the town was a quiet if not nerve racking one for Eunsun. The taxi was quiet except for the engine, the wheels bumping against the earth and the anxious comments of her uncle sitting beside her.

“Are you sure this is the right place?”

“If my GPS is correct then yes,” the driver said the umpteenth time. They’d left the big city and entered a small town before turning off onto a mud road. Eunsun closed for her eyes for a moment to silently pray, she didn’t know what for but she hoped God understood.

They stopped in front of a house almost surrounded by rice crops. There was a pen of chickens nearby and the house was a bungalow. HoDong paid the driver while Eunsun got out, wrapping her jacket around her tighter, it was a cloudy sky without a sign of rain or sun.

“You must be Kang HoDong-sshi,” they turned to see a middle aged man in some overalls with a brown woolen jersey come towards them with gum boots.

“Jabez-sshi,” HoDong extended a hand which he shook, ‘this is Kang Eunsun.” Eunsun bowed to him.

“Pleasure,” would you like to come in for a cup of tea?”

“Oh we should probably go meet them,” HoDong interrupted.

“No need there’s plenty of time for that,” Jabez assured him taking them inside. It was a small house inside but cozy though.

“So where are you folks from?” He asked them as he put the kettle on.

“Icheon,” HoDong told him.

“Ah that’s a big place what do you do?”

“I run a catering business and my niece here is engaged to the king.” Jabez whistled as he turned to take a closer glimpse at Eunsun, “well I be damned… I think I’ve seen her in the newspaper. Hold on for one second and I will get it,” he left the room and came back with it. On the front was Eunsun’s face from the photo shoot.

“See?”

“Ah yes,” Eunsun agreed cringing at how bright her complexion appeared. Jabez stood up and went to the kettle.

“Here you are,” he said pouring it into two cups and handing it to them, “normally my wife prepares something but she went grocery shopping a few minutes ago. She should be home in time.”

“In time for what?”

“So when’s the wedding?”

“Umm… Three months,” Eunsun said counting in her head.

“Wow that’s soon,” Jabez told her, “but I’m sure it will be lovely.”

“I’m home have they arrived?” A female voice called from down the hall.

“In here honey,” Jabez said as a middle aged woman with a short bob in a dress with stockings and a green coat.

“Hello I’m Woori-sshi Jabezs’ wife.”

“Nice to meet you,” HoDong said, “So what type of farm do you two--?”

“What about my parents!?” They stopped, Eunsun was annoyed, she had a fist clenched on the table.

“Eunsun-ee…” HoDong began cautiously.

“Alright,” Jabez pushed his chair in, “I think it’s time we showed you.”

“Showed us what?”

“Where they are.”

***

They went back outside, a wind whipped at their faces making it cold.

“Just down here,” Jabez pointed ahead as they began to walk down the path that was grass. HoDong turned to Eunsun both were confused as they followed the couple down the path. The crops rustled in the breeze, the sound of crickets as well as birds from amongst the greenery. Eunsun found herself clutching the cross at her neck. Something didn’t feel right and it had been eating her away since HoDong told her that he found them.

Her instincts proved to be right. They came out of the path to a patch of grass close to the woods and wilderness. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw some shapes lying by the edge, they looked like wooden boards. She couldn’t be sure that she was seeing what she had been dreading but as they stepped closer the mounds were revealed. HoDong made a strange noise in the back of his throat as if he already knew. Eunsun wanted to deny it so she made no gesture in response.

As they came to them Eunsun found her heart torn. Carved on the boards was the name of her eomma and appa. Kang Leehyun and Kang Kimmi. She fell to her knees, HoDong letting out a cry as he touched the worn wood with a hand.

“Hyung…” He said choking back tears which started to build up in his eyes. Eunsun didn’t want to cry yet, they weren’t a hundred percent sure yet.

“D-do you have a picture of them?” HoDong asked, someone took something out and handed it to him. HoDong unfolded the paper letting out a sob; Eunsun glanced at it from afar. She recognized that photograph. It was of them when she was only three. Tears built up in her eyes which soon fell from her eyes and onto the grass. HoDong’s sobbing was painful but it was the realization of what they had found that had broken the dam for Eunsun.

“Eomma,” she sobbed, biting her lip, “appa…W-why? Why did you…?” She couldn’t enunciate any more words so she just cried onto the grass. She felt a hand on her back but it only eased her sobs for a moment.

“I’m sorry,” Woori told her and Eunsun cried even harder.

“Eomma,” she wailed sitting up for a moment before slumping into Woori’s arms. She buried her face against the cotton, holding on tight to her. They sat like that for a while as Woori rocked Eunsun gently from side to side.

***

After HoDong and Eunsun felt they had cried enough they stood up as they watched the graves with heavy hearts.

“How?” HoDong could only utter one word questions.

“In the most unfortunate way,” Jabez said grim faced.

“What did they say to you the last time you saw them?” Woori asked.

“They…” HoDong wiped his eyes, “they were going on a date night. They have one every month so they gave Eunsun to me to look after,” his eyes misted as he added, “I got worried when they didn’t call or say where they were and when they would get back so I called the police,” his lips began to tremble, “they didn’t find anything… So I took responsibility for her.”

“When was this?” Jabez asked.

“Eunsun-ee would have been… Ten,” HoDong answered, “It was a couple of months before her tenth birthday, the thirteenth of July, nineteen ninety five.”

“Oh my,” Woori lowered her head as her husband drew her close to him.

“They came to us on November the first at seven am. They were terrified, scared out of their wits. We asked what was wrong. They told us that they were in danger and that they had to leave to protect something important. We didn’t know what it was but then we saw the photograph and we realized it was you,” Eunsun nodded tearfully.

“We kept them safe as best as we could,” Woori added, “but then….We went out for a bit and when we came back,” she dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she added, “someone had put a bullet through them both.” Eunsun let out a sob her tears freshly falling again.

“I’m so sorry,” Woori said putting a hand on Eunsun’s shoulder, “we called the police and they took them away for a bit. But the murderer couldn’t be found.”

“They were so kind to let us bury them,” Jabez said, “but our hearts ached when we weren’t able to contact you or your uncle.” Eunsun’s tears were falling freely.

“We’ll give you their things,” they turned the grieving pair as they went back up the path.

***

“This is all they had,” they handed the pair a plastic bag as well as a handbag and a wallet and an old mobile phone.

“That’s their clothes, washed and dried.” Eunsun nodded clutching the bag close to her.

“He has almost no cash,” HoDong commented as he went through his hyungs wallet, “typical of him to not carry much on him.” He made a smile but it faded within an instant.

“There’s one more thing,” Woori left the room as the pair clutched the items close to them. She came back and handed it to Eunsun.

“I don’t know what it is but I think she was going to give it to you on your birthday.” Eunsun put her arms around Woori holding on to the package still.

“Thank you,” she moved away.

“We thank you for giving them a place to rest,” HoDong said in a small voice, “hyung…He would have been most grateful to you both.”

“We should thank you,” Jabez told them, “finally we’ve seen the face of their daughter and are blessed that their daughter is the chosen queen for this country.” Eunsun swallowed a lump in ; she looked up at the sky.

“Come with me, I will take you into town where you can catch a bus back.” Woori hugged Eunsun again.

“Your mother would have been proud,” Woori said examining Eunsun’s face, “she was a beautiful woman your mother.”

“Have a safe trip,” Woori waved to them as they got into the small van and were on their way.

***

Eunsun’s heart was still tearing itself to pieces again and again as they caught the bus, rode it in silence back to where their hotel was. Eunsun didn’t even join the others so she just let herself in and closed the door, HoDong entered where the others were. They stopped what they were doing as they looked up at him holding some items in his hands. Their eyes went to the items and then up at HoDong.

“W-what is that…?” Eric was almost scared to ask.

“It was my hyungs…” HoDong went to a room and closed the door. There was silence, Eric’s face showed the realization and Donggun and his wife sat in shock, her swallowing. Youngmin got to his feet.

“Where are you going?” Donggun asked as he watched his majesty leave the room. He went to the door across. He hesitated to knock. Fist shaking he took a deep breath as he knocked. There was no response. His hand went to the handle which moved for him with ease. He opened the door which was unlocked. Inside it was silent except for the background noises of cars outside and people. Eunsun was kneeling at the window sill, her head down and barely moving except for her shoulders.

Struck with compassion Youngmin crossed the room to her.

“Eomma, appa,” she said in a sob. He kneeled beside her. His pressure on her back made her freeze for a moment.

“Eunsun-ee…”

“Why?” Eunsun shook her head, “why did they have to die? T-they did nothing wrong…They were good people weren’t they?” Youngmin didn’t have an answer for her.

“B-but why would someone want to them to be dead?” Youngmin let out a breath of shock. Eunsun’s crying continued tearing at Hwang’s heart.

U_U T_T ;_; < I figured these guys would come in handy  :( . I’m sorry everyone but in the actual story the girl is an orphan so she is adopted by her uncle. I just went about it the long way and waited for 40 (holy wow) chapters to reveal that they were no more. Anyone know the song that the title is written after? Guess right and you may get a prize (LOL we will see).