I was running…

Running as fast as I could…

Everything was dark and I cannot see anything…

Where am I going anyways??

I do not know, my feet keeps running and I can’t help it…

There was nothing there until I heard a thunder-like sound of a gun

BAANG!!!!! BAAANG!!!! BAANG!!

Suddenly, I stopped.

All I can see now is a red-flowing liquid all around the floor

I tried searching where this red, sticky liquid comes from and then…

“M..om?? Da..ad? Bro..the..er??” I struggled for air as I saw the three most important persons lying dead on the floor, bathing in their own bloods.

I felt a sudden heat inside me and soon tears started rolling down my cheeks.

I walked towards them slowly. My sobbing could not stop. I tried calming myself but I could not do it. It flowed even more as I saw a crushed cake beside my father’s sprawled body. I could guess he tried saving the cake more than trying to save himself.

I looked at my mother and I saw a ruined box wrapped with a red paper and a wrecked white ribbon near her spread out legs.

Finally, I saw a blood-stained man-sized teddy bear lying at the right shoulder of my brother. It was a blue one which was my favourite color. He really knew me, my ever loving and sweet older brother.

My tears shed more than ever. I gasped for air as I knelt beside the corpses in front of me.

“Mo..om….Da..d..(hiccup)..Bro..th..ther..” I cried. I cried at the scene infront of me. I wish this was all a dream. I wish it could all be a bad dream.

.

.

.

.

“Madame, it’s time to wake up. You will be late for your first class.” An old deep voice of a man was everything that I can hear now.

Another nightmare, I thought.

I slowly opened my eyes as the morning rays blinded me behind the open windows. I saw Mr. Lee at the side of my bed. He was wearing his usual tux and ribbon as he flashed his warm smile with his white moustache making it manlier.  He was definitely the one who woke me up this early since a very few people are actually allowed to enter my room. I mean it- very few.

“What time is it now, Mr. Lee?” I asked half-awake as I stretched my body, still at the bed.

“It’s 7 o’clock in the morning, Madame. You’re going to be late if you will be spending more time with your precious bed” he replied with a smile.

“Ugh. I really hate waking up early Mr. Lee..” I complained and I mean it. How it did come that classes starts at 8 in the morning? Can’t it be 9am at least? It’s a torture, really, it is a torture.

“I know Madame but you have your school responsibilities. You cannot skip your first day at your new school. Besides, it’s your last year in high school so maybe you can take some time cherishing your last months in it.” he said, again with his warm smile.

“I hate it when you’re right, Mr. Lee” I said as I walked away from my bed towards the bathroom.

I heard a small chuckle behind me.

“I am going to prepare now for your breakfast, Madame. What would you want to eat?” he asked as I was about to open the door of the bathroom.

“Just anything Mr. Lee. You know that I eat anything.” I smiled as I said the last words. I am really a food-lover.

My guest chuckled for the second time.

“Oh sure you are Madame...” he smiled. “I have to go then and prepare you something.” He bowed to me and went out my room.

“Another day Yoona.” I talked to myself before I decided to start my daily routines.

***

After taking some time in the bathroom, I finished and put on my new school uniform. It is a white long sleeves with a round neck collar topped with a black jacket matched with a blackish-grey skirt.

They will definitely admire me wearing this uniform. I thought.

I shrugged the thoughts off and headed for the door.

“Now that’s a dream.” I whispered to myself before exiting my vast room.

As soon as I stepped out of my room, I saw the usual tux bodyguards of mine standing each side of my door. They are as usual as stoic as a statue. At first, I actually thought they were but I was mistaken as I accidentally saw one of them sneeze the other day. They never left that side of my door though, trying to watch over me. That’s tough!

“Good morning boys!” I said positively as I passed through them.

“Good morning, Madame!’ they responded more like an answer to their commander-in-chief.

I headed off to the kitchen where I found Mr. Lee managing the chef’s food preparation. At the table was my surprisingly early, favourite cousin Taeyeon eating breakfast.

“Unnie!” I said excitedly.

“Hey kid!” she replied coolly before sipping her coffee.

“Why are you here this early?” I asked as I went to sit across her.

“Well, I’m just checking on you. I thought Mr. Lee here will be having a hard time waking you up and assisting you for school. I know you are such a heavy-sleeper” she responded with a teasing smile on her face.

Mr. Lee chuckled at my cousin’s statement.

“Yah! I am not!’ I retorted at what Taeyeon unnie said.

“Well, Madame here is such a sleeper but I was able to manage, Madame Kim. After all, I served and attended to her when she was still a kid and even before she went to America. I was able to master her personality from waking up to sleeping habits.” Mr. Lee replied smiling.

I pouted at his statement. I am not a heavy-sleeper. I just want to regain the energy I lost.

“Well, just call me Mr. Lee if you are having any trouble with my cousin here. I will personally come and drag her to school” Taeyeon unnie added.

The two ‘elderly’ laughed. I just looked at them annoyingly.

“Unnie, when are you going to move in here with me anyway? I am lonely here without you.” I interrupted to change the topic.

“Well, I have a lot of things to do now Yoona. The society has a lot of works to do and I have to manage them. It has been 5 years since I personally handled my society’s jobs and I kinda missed it. Besides, you had me with you during that last five years.” Taeyeon unnie answered.

Yes, she was with me throughout the darkest years of my life. Taeyeon unnie is the only family that I got now. With my parents and my brother mercilessly killed during my 12^th birthday, I became a billionaire orphan and Taeyeon unnie took care of me. She was the one to drag me off the hell that I was living at and protect me from the persons that were trying to kill me too. We flew to America and there she helped me brought back some parts of the old me and created most of the new Yoona that I am today. The bolder, the wiser, and the stronger Yoona. Thanks to her, I am still living.

“Well, that was not enough. I want you all mine.” I said cutely.

“Oh come on kid, did I train you for five years to end up like that? So cheesy Im” she pretended to feel chills throughout her body.

I laughed.

“It is one of your rules unnie. Be persuasive enough to capture your victim.” I replied remembering one of her teachings when she trained me.

Taeyeon unnie is one of the leading agents of the Classified Society or CS that was made to protect and resolve confidential cases of the government as well as significant persons of the country. It so happened that my family was one of the significant people and that a lot of these significant people badly wants to see my parents’ wealth burn down. They saw our business as a threat to their growing enterprises. I found out that they wanted my father to collaborate with them, stop being a headache and be a part of the League of the Tycoons but he declined the offer. He knew what it takes to be in that league and that is: giving up his time with our family, sacrificing his humbly-founded company and worst of all, letting go of her one and only daughter to marry one of the heirs of the great businessmen. It was one of the rules in the league in order to give them continuity and let the tycoons’ grandchildren run the association in the future.

Taeyeon unnie personally handled my family’s case as soon as she discovered the league’s evil schemes. She was really brave to do it although she was still a newly initiated agent back then and I always thank her for doing a lot for us. But the enemies were a bit ahead than the society. They were able to get a chance in carrying out their evil plans at the day of my birthday. It was a simple birthday that my family prepared before my parents fly to America for a business trip and my brother to England for his Oxford education.  I was at school that day and I only knew what happened after Taeyeon unnie went to get me. It was the worst day of my life and at an early age I already learned the cruelties of the world.

“You should have misunderstood what I said.” Taeyeon unnie said grinning.

I laughed at her alibi.

“Whatever unnie” I replied smiling.

Before I could distract her more, Mr. Lee handed me a plateful of a scrambled-like egg with bits of pork on it. I do not know the name but I definitely think it’s delicious. Yummy.

“Here you go, Madame. Slowly, still hot” my old man cautioned me.

I deliberately charged at the food in front of me ignoring what Mr. Lee said.

“Woah! Slow down shikshin. It’s not like you’ve never eaten before.” Taeyeon unnie uttered before having another good sip on her coffee.

I just grinned at her while munching my breakfast.

“By the way, keep a low profile while you are in school. Although I enrolled you in an all-girl institution it doesn’t mean you are safe. We have to be careful.” Taeyeon unnie suddenly said in a stern voice.

“You don’t have to worry, unnie. I can handle myself. You have trained me remember? I can protect me” I assured her with a smile.

“We still have to follow precautionary measures Yoona. I can’t risk you. If anything happens to you, I will definitely regret going back here.” My ever caring unnie insisted.

I stopped eating my delicious food and reached to grab her hand situated across the table.

“Unnie, everything’s fine okay? Nothing’s gonna happen. Besides, I have you right? You will never leave me behind. And sure, I’ll keep a low profile” I said caressing her smooth-fair hands.

“Promise me you will not do anything that will harm you.”

“I promise."

***

“We’re here” I heard Mr. Lee announced from the driver’s seat.

I went out of the car and saw a tall-huge gate right in front of me.

“This is your new school, Yoona...” I heard Taeyeon unnie slam the door of the car as she went to stand beside me.

“Yeah, and it’s huge.” I commented while my eyes roam around the place.

“Do you want me to accompany you to get your section?’ Taeyeon unnie offered.

“Nah, I can handle myself unnie. I can ask the guard or the students as to where the principal’s office is.”  I replied while I pick up my things at the passenger’s seat of the car.

“Are you sure?” Taeyeon unnie asked.

I nodded.

“Okay then. Call me if you need anything.” She said and gave me a warm hug before going back in the car.

The car drove away after we bid goodbyes to each other, leaving me alone to face another part of my life.

“Let’s go.”