Chapter 32

"Yo, Hachiro! Yo, man, over here!" Jinwoon shouted, as he waved his hands in the air, trying to get Hachiro’s attention. The old butler shook his head as he watch his young master, Jinwoon, waving his hands frantically in the air like a monkey. Damn that master! He usually never acted properly in crowded area but he adored Jinwoon to death. Hachiro spotted Yunho & his face light up with a wide smile. He miss Yunho, too. Hachiro was the Jung's butler. He had been with the family for so long that he was like a family to them. He had watch the two young master mature into handsome & respectable mans & they treated him like an uncle, "Jinwoon, I think he saw you so you can lower your hands & stop making a fool of yourself." Yunho said, grabbing onto Jinwoon’s hands. Jinwoon gave Yunho a grin & rush over to embrace Hachiro, "Young master Jinwoon, young master Yunho, so great to see you & glad your home. Did master Jung accompany you boys home?" Hachiro asked, searching the crowd for him.

"No, mother is still in shock from what she had discover so father is staying back in Korea to look after her & besides, I think we can handle this on our own. Oh, I nearly forgot. These are our friends from Korea. Yuri Kim, Kim Taeyeon & Shim Changmin." Jinwoon introduce them to Hachiro. Hachiro smiled & at the guest, his eyes widen as it landed on Yuri. Hachiro nearly had a heart attack. He thought he saw Miran but this lady was younger so she couldn’t be Miran but she look so much like Miran when she was young, "Yo, old man, are you alright? You look as though you have seen a ghost." Jinwoon said, slapping Hachiro on the back playfully, "Oh, pardon me, young master Jinwoon, but miss Yuri resemble Mrs. Miran so much I thought for a moment there it was actually her." Hachiro said, his face turning red. Everyone went quiet as they didn’t want to hear that.

"Does she really look like Miran, Hachiro?” Jinwoon asked, while the butler pull out of the parking lot, "Yes, young master Jinwoon, but miss Yuri is younger. Those eyes, they are exactly alike." Hachiro said, staring in the rear mirror to look at Yuri again. He saw the sorrow in her eyes & felt sorry for her & Yunho. They must be suffering a great deal. Ai, the housemaid, greeted her two young master as they entered the house, "Ai, go & prepare some refreshment for our young master & his guest. Young master Yunho, I will notify you immediately once detective Wakahisa arrives." Hachiro pause as Yunho interrupted him, "Hachiro, you know I don’t like you calling me young master, just plain Yunho will do." Yunho said, smiling up at Hachiro, "Yes, young...Yunho." Hachiro noded & walked over to the door where he stood, hands on his side, preparing to open the door when detective Wakahisa arrive.

"Oh, god. Even he says I look like her. There’s no mistake. Oh Yunho Oppa, I'm so scared." Yuri cried, leaning into him, "Yuri, that doesn’t prove anything. Let’s not jump to conclusions until we have met Miran & hear it from her." Yunho said, as he lead her to the sofa, “Yunho Oppa is right Yul. Let’s not think about the worst until we have the facts." Taeyeon said, sitting down next to her sister. Ai appeared from the kitchen doorway with a tray of drinks & set it down on the coffee table & handed it around then vanish back into the kitchen. Yunho fiddle with his glass of coke, constantly turning towards the door. "Where the hell is he?!" Yunho shouted, after waiting for half an hour. He set his glass down, stood up & walked over to the wine cabinet. He poured himself a glass of sake. He was just about to put the bottle back when Changmin reach out to take it from him & pour himself a glass. Three minutes later, the five of them were drinking sake, the soft drink sitting on the coffee table, forgotton.

"Man, this stuff is strong." Changmin said, after drowning his fifth glass. It didn’t burn his throat like the first one, instead it warmed his belly, "Hell yeah! Why the hell am I drinking this?!" Jinwoon asked, to no one in particular, "Bloody hell, shut up & just drink it! ! I can’t focus properly." Said Yunho, rubbing his eyes. Yuri & Taeyeon giggled. They were drunk after drowning eight glasses of sake, "Man, should we be drinking this?! , where’s my glass?!" Jinwoon wailed, trying to find his glass, "Hey, Yunho, that was mine. Geez, don’t bloody hog the drink." Jinwoon said, grabbing his glass back but the sake was already gone. Yunho snorted at him, "Does it have your name on it? !" Yunho swore, as he tumble off his seat & fell onto the floor, "Oh Oppa, what are you doing on the floor?!" Yuri cried out, with laughter. Hachiro shook his head as he watch the five drown their misery. He felt so sorry for them.

Hachiro open the door as the doorbell rang. Detective Wakahisa was a tall man in his mid thirties, with clury black hair & a hint of gray in them. He had broad shouldesr & wide jaws, giving him a powerful look. Hachiro smiled at the detective & motion for him to enter, "Young." Hachiro paused, "Yunho, detective Wakahisa is here." Hachiro announced, "Who?! Wakahisa?! I don’t know any Wakahisa!" Yunho cried out, from the floor. Hachiro rolled his eyes & turn to the detective, "Pardon my young master. He's a bit drunk." Hachiro apologize, "Please excuse me for a moment." Hachiro rushed over to Yunho & help him up then he pinched Yunho on the arm, causing Yunho to let out a scream. Yunho turned to the butler & gave him a quizzical look, Hachiro pointed to detective Wakahisa who was standing in the hall, staring at them. Yunho followed Hachiro’s finger & saw the detective & was no longer drunk.

"Detective Wakahisa, my apologies. Please take a seat." Yunho said, walking over to him. The other four began to focus as soon as Yunho spoke detective Wakahisa's name. They too, followed him & sat down on the sofa, not saying a word, "Please start whenever you are ready." Yunho said, as he indicate for Hachiro to get a drink for the detective, "I have been searching for Mrs. Miran for so long but had no luck. Not until I ran into an old friend of mine. His wife knew Mrs. Miran. Well, she is now known as Mrs. Insook Lee. She changed her name when she married Mr. Lee Jinki five months after leaving your father. It appears Mrs. Lee, Miran as you know her, married Mr. Lee soon after she left your father but after eight months, they filed for a divorce. No reason was given. I tried tracking her down & came up with this address." Detective Wakahisa handed a slip of paper with Miran’s address to Yunho. Yunho looked at the address & froze, "I went to see her there but...I don’t know how to tell you this but she isn’t in a stable condition. I couldn’t ask her anything since she wouldn’t talk to me. All she does is sit on her rocking chair & cradles a pillow, believing its her child." Detective Wakahisa paused, watching the five pairs of eyes widen in shock then continue, "I'm sorry but I can’t be of anymore help & I do apologize for being unable to locate the whereabout of her daughter. I’m sorry I failed. There will be no fees." Detective Wakahisa stood up & headed for the door. Yunho thanked the detective as he held the door open for him to leave. Closing the door, Yunho stared at the little piece of paper & cursed.

"We are looking for one of your patient. Her name is Mi...No, I mean, Insook Lee." Yunho said to the nurse, behind the front desk, "Are you her family?" The young nursed asked Yunho, "No. Well, sort of. She is this lady’s mother. We would like to see her." Yunho said, squeezing Yuri’s hands tightly. The nurse looked at them curiously. She was new to the hospital & wasn’t aware that proof was needed when visiting patients. The nurse rose & indicated for them to follow her. The nurse led them down a narrow corridor, stopping at the third door. She warned them not to upset the patient before opening the door. Miran was sitting on a rocking chair, cradling a pillow. She was paled & her eyes were expressionless. She didn’t look up at them when they entered but continue to cradle the pillow, singing softly to the pillow. The nurse left them & said she would be back in an hour to collect them.

Yuri’s eyes were filled with tears as she watch the woman who was thought to be her mother. They did look alike. It was like looking into a mirror, only this women was much older & her hair was now covered in grey. Her eyes were big, yet it didn’t seem to have any warmth in them because it was filled with emptiness. She even looked old for her age. Yuri walked over to Miran & knelt down beside her. Just looking at this woman broke her heart. Seeing Miran prove to Yuri that she was the daughter of Mr. Jung. Pain tore at her heart as the realization compelled her to cry out in pain & anguish. Yunho wanted to run to Yuri & grab her into his arms but he couldn’t because the truth had hit him so hard in the gut, he wanted to double over in agony. Taeyeon, Changmin & Jinwoon stood motionless as the truth squeezed at their heart, "Mom!" Yuri cried, as she wrapped her arms around Miran, crying. Miran didn’t respond. She just sat in her chair, singing softly to the pillow. Yuri tired to pulled the pillow away from Miran but Miran wouldn’t let it go. Instead, she started screaming. Suddenly, two nurses burst inside. The young nurse who had lead them here ran over to Miran & tried to sooth her while the other nurse usher them outside, "Wait! I can’t leave! She's my mother! I have the right to stay here with her!" Yuri cried in protests, "Please miss, you can’t stay here. You have upset her. Please leave? She needs to rest & visiting time is over." The nurse said, closing the door behind them.

Changmin wrap his arms around Yuri, trying to comfort her. They all stood outside the room, listening to the cry of Miran which floated out from behind the door, "What are you still doing her?" The nurse asked, when she step out, "How is she? Will she be alright?" Yuri asked, as she tried to step past the nurse to see her mother, "Please, she needs to rest. You have upset her enough. Please leave." The nurse said, & usher them away, "What is wrong with her?" Taeyeon asked, "I'm sorry but that is confidential. Only family are allowed to know." The nurse said, rushing them out to the front desk, "But I’m family! I'm her daughter!" Yuri shouted, "You can not be her daughter. Her daughter...Look, please leave before I call security." The nurse said, waiting for them to leave, "Wait. I mean no harm to Ms. Lee. We are concern for her. Please, here's our number. If she needs anything, please don’t hesitate to call me or miss Kim here." Pointing to Yuri, "We want to help her in any way we can." Yunho said, writing his & Yuri’s name & number on a piece of paper & handed it to the nurse, "Yes, please? If she needs anything, please call me? My name is Yuri Kim & I’m her daughter." Yuri said, looking straight into the nurse’s eyes, "Ms. Kim, a lot of people comes in here claiming they are relative of the patients & its not that we don’t believe you, its just that we need proof. Do you have any documents proving you are her daughter?" The nursed asked her. Yuri let out a sigh, "No, I don’t."

The nurse watched as they left & let out a sigh of relief. She was tired & would give anything for a full body massage right now. She went back behind her desk & sigh. No massage but a load of work to complete before she could go home to her family, "Rei, you look terribally tired, my dear?" Rei looked up & smiled. She was familiar with this voice as she hears it everyday, "Hi, Ms. Mihee. Boy, am I so glad to see you." Rei said, stretching "Why would you be glad to see me? I thought you would be sick & tired of me by now." Ms. Mihee said, smiling down at the nurse, "Oh no, never Ms. Mihee, but its important that I tell you this. Three male & two female came to see Mrs. Lee today. One of the female claimed to be her daughter." Rei paused, when she saw Ms. Mihee’s face paled, "Ms. Mihee, are you alright? You don’t look to well." Rei said, getting up from her seat, "No, I'm alright, my dear. Where are they now? & what did they look like?" Ms. Mihee asked, motioning for Rei to sit back down, "I made them leave when they upset Mrs. Lee. Hmmm, I don’t remember their look but the girl who claimed to be Mrs. Lee's daughter had lovely big eyes just like yours & Mrs. Lee. Come to think of it, she does resemble you, only younger. Oh, but they did leave a name & number. They left instruction that if Mrs. Lee ever needed anything for us to call them. Here is the number they gave me." Rei handed the piece of paper to Ms. Mihee who accepted it with trembling hands.