Chapter 7

“sometimes we meet the right person but we just let they go like the wind”

The puppy that they bought last week had a few days stay in pet care. Minho drove its there when Sulli was hospitalized. He will not be able to take care of the dog alone, Hara wouldn't want to help take care of the dog. However, to this day, he forgot to pick up the puppy to back home. The good news is Sulli seems to forget that they have a dog, but the bad news is Sulli saw a box of dog food in the kitchen this morning.

"Why did you buy dog food?"

Minho replied nervously," I was wrong, I don't know if it was for animals."

"Oppa, is Dad going home today?"

Minho finally heard that question again after a few days disappeared. He was very happy that Sulli didn't forget their father figure, but on the other hand he didn't know how to answer the question.

"No, my father won’t come home." Hara come from the second floor while drying her wet hair with a towel after a shower.

It is time for Sulli asked the right reasons about his father who for some reason didn't go home, but she seems to feel intimidated by Hara eyes that somehow looks so scary. Sulli and Hara didn't relate well to each other, although they actually care for each other. Hara often behave badly at her so that she didn't talk a lot to her.

"By the way, the lamp in your room is broken, the lamp will not turn on, I don't know why." Hara said.

"Broken? I don't know if I'm having supplies or not, wait a minute let me check it, " Minho leave his sister in silence. "Apparently, there is still a supply, let me fix your room lights." Minho's heard from the warehouse next to the kitchen to break the silence between Hara and Sulli.

Sulli steal a glance at Hara, the girl was reading a newspaper that Minho read earlier. Without a word, she after Minho to his room. He was replacing a broken light, he stood on a chair and looked up, with his long arms grabbed the ceiling. Sulli standing in the doorway, recording the view that she saw through her eyes and put it in her memory. She may have forgotten a lot of things, but not with this one.

The arm embraced him from behind, makes Minho stop doing his job. Without having to look back, he knows well the owner of the arm which gives warmth, not only on his body but also his heart. "Ssul ... " he called.

"Just a moment," she said. "I want to be like this for a moment."

Minho smiled slightly.

-

Sulli peering out the window of her room. Through the window , she saw a stretch of road around her home freely and the most interesting is that she can see the sunflower garden freely. A grandmother who lived next door to her house love sunflowers. She planted a lot of flowers in the garden of her house and Sulli really like a view where she could see the flowers blooming from her window.

"Twenty- three , twenty- four , twenty- five... whoa three flower stalks grow," she said after counting the number of flowers that have bloomed in the yard of her neighbor's house. The flowers moves like they were dancing when the wind blows and gently touching the flower petals. "I also want to plant sunflowers." Sulli said.

"Guuk! Guukk​​!"

Her eyes widened when a little dog appeared in the yard. Dark brown fur and its tail move to the left and right. "Ahh it's really adorable dog," Sulli praise. She waved her hand at the dog even though the dog can't see it.

"Guukk! Guuk! " The dog barked again .

"Appa!" Sulli snapped back as she remembered the name of her dog, Appa. Sulli then ran down the stairs to the kitchen, that's where the puppy sit and sleep at this hour, but she couldn't find Appa. She ran to the other room, to the living room, into the dining room, even the room of Hara, but Appa wasn't there.

Hara who feel uncomfortable seeing Sulli in front of her eyes asked her, "What are you doing exactly?"

"Where is Minho?"

"You're wandering around looking for Minho? He's in the bathroom."

"I have to find Appa before Minho know Appa is gone." Sulli whispered to herself. She was relief when she was able to remember something she had forgotten, she remembered that she had a pet. But unfortunately, she forgot one other detail, it's not her who made Appa is gone.

Behind Hara, she quietly out of the house and look for Appa in her yard , but there are no signs that the dog was there. Sulli then opened the gate and ran out without no one knows. She trace around her house, but didn't get anything. She ran here and there even to places she had never visited before. In other words, she lost in the street.

"Appa! Appa, where are you?" Sulli called out its name as long as she stepped. "Appa! Let's go home! "

" Guuk... Guukk... "

Sulli looked back when she heard a dog's voice from a place not far from her. She finally decided to go there, but she still doesn't get what she was looking for. At that moment, when she began to lose hope to find Appa, a dog passing in front of her.

"Appa!" she then chases the dog, she thought it was Appa. At first glance, the dog is similar to Appa because their fur color and size are almost the same, but the dog isn't Appa .

Tiiinn ... Tiinn ..

"Yaaa! Do you wanna die?"

Sulli gulped. She blinked her eyes, still not believing that she was almost hit by a car in front of her. Her knees weakened. She lost her balance and almost fell to the ground .

"Are you okay?" asked a man who hold her shoulder from behind. "Sir, please forgive her." he said to the owner of the car .

"Aish, what do you say, huh! Who do you think you are?"

"I'm her brother." he said and bowed, "Once again, please forgive us." then, he brought Sulli to the edge of the road, to a safer place. Meanwhile Sulli still shocked. She just followed what he saying when he slowly led her to a chair provided by a restaurant owner who saw what had happened. "Miss, are you alright?" he asked Sulli.

Sulli looked at him without answering anything.

"You should be more careful, Miss, luckily the car wasn't hit you." he gave advice. His face was faintly visible in the eyes of Sulli, but for a few moments later, Sulli can see his face clearly.

"Who are you?" Sulli said. He smiled wryly at the question, showing rows of his white teeth while his  narrow eyes barely visible as he smiled earlier. "I shouldn't talk to strangers." Sulli added.

"But I- yaa! Miss, where are you going?" he hadn't finished his sentence when Sulli was about to stand up and leave. "Miss, wait a minute." the man hold Sulli's hands.

"Let go of me!" Sulli brushed off his hands. "Minho said I shouldn't talk to strangers, don't you understand?" Sulli snapped.

"But I'm not a stranger," the man said. "Let me introduce myself, my name is Lee Jinki. Now, I'm not a stranger to you, right?" he held out his hand towards Sulli.

Sulli looked at his hand with a doubt, while the owners smile as friendly as possible to her. In the end, she welcomed his hand, "My name is Sulli."

"Now, let's sit down again!" he leading Sulli back to the chair where they sat before. Friendly smile and soft speech proves that he is not the bad guy. "I accidentally saw you pass in front of my shop before, you get lost?" Jinki said after they sat down.

"You said you're my brother ..." Sulli ignore the question.

"Oh I'm sorry, I say that so that people won't disturb you."

"I was looking for Appa." Sulli answered the previous question.

"Appa? your father?"

Sulli shook her head, "Appa is my pet."

"Well, its name is very unique." Jinki chuckled. "Do you want me to accompany you?" he asked, and immediately rejected by Sulli gently.

Sulli looked at his face deeply. From his forehead, his eyes, his nose and his  lips.... There's something she doesn't understand when she saw him. A familiar feeling, a feeling of happiness but also sadness. Her eyes filled with tears within seconds thereafter. The palm of her hand touched Jinki's cheek and then a drop of tears flowing and she wiped her tears with her index finger immediately.

"Is there something wrong with me, Sulli-ssi?"

The voice revive her. She shook her head, then slapped her face with both hands. "I'm sorry" she said.

"You're very unique, Sulli-ssi." Jinki her head.

"Yes, I was different." she confessed.

"Byy the way, where is your house? how about I drive you home?"

"I don't have a home."

"Really? And where do you live?"

"I don't have a home, but Minho had. I live there."

"Minho? He's your boyfriend?" Jinki asked, he frowned.

However Sulli doesn't seem to listen to him, she caught watching Jinki's face again. "Sulli-ssi, are you sure there is nothing wrong in my face?" Jinki asked again.

Sulli turned her face, "I'm sorry, but your face reminds me of someone. Forgive me."

-

"Sulli ..." Minho called from the dining room. "Sulli, let's have lunch! Come here." he prepared a plate and a bowl of rice on the table.

Hara then come up with a very pretty dress. She sat down and grabbed a bowl of rice Minho provide. While her brother looking for Sulli in her room. But then Minho shout her name loud.

"What is it? Why'd you called me?" Hara said with a mouth full of food.

"Sulli, where is she? She wasn't in her room."

"I don't know, am I her assistant who must know where she went?" Hara replied arrogantly.

"Hara, I'm serious." Minho worried.

"Me too."

Minho sighed. Talked with Hara didn't help get rid of his anxiety. While Hara went on her lunch because she hurried away, she will do a photo shoot with a fashion magazine, Minho looking for Sulli in outside the house.

"Yaa! Looks like she went out of the house, the house gate open." Minho grumbled as he ruffled his hair.

His mind is more uncertain as he traced the roads around his home and couldn't find Sulli. Inwardly he wondered where she was going, he also swore to himself that he wouldn't forgive himself if something bad happens to Sulli. But that girl... he's looks like he was trying to catch a smoke with a bare hands.

-

"Jinki, I'm hungry."

Jinki looked at Sulli who looks holding her stomach as she pursed her lips. It's been almost an hour they walked around town looking for Appa.

"Do you wanna eat?" Jinki asked who was also starving. "How about fried chicken?" he suggested.

"That sounds good. Chickens with three legs." Sulli raised three fingers, mimicking the sound of a rooster crowing and doing her aegyo.

Jinki laughed. Met with Sulli like to meet old friend who already he knew well. He didn't need to adjust himself again, he seemed to be able to read her, understand her. In fact he is not bothered by her attitude who often didn't fit with other normal human behavior. He just laughed and occasionally the girl's head. Sulli also shows the same thing. She doesn't like strangers, but with Jinki feels different.

"Let's go!" Jinki said eagerly.

"Let's go!" then without hesitation she wrapped her arms around Jinki arm and follow where he was going with a big smile on her face.

No one thought that Sulli can feel very close to someone other than Minho. Even with Taeyeon, Sulli draw a very clear line although they care for each other like brother and sister.

"Ahh I've had enough, my stomach will explode huh," Sulli complained with a loud laughter. "Not only my stomach, but also the hands, my head, and my mind." she continued.

Jinki laughed. The man was probably three or four years older than her but his nature made the age difference between them is meaningless. He was so friendly on Sulli, hehe is very good for people who are new to Sulli. He is like another version of Minho, like an older brother who was very fond of his sister.

Jinki suddenly bent in front of Sulli and asked her to climb onto his back. "Get on my back before your legs off." he commanded.

Sulli smiled widely. Without hesitation, she jumped onto the back of Jinki. She put her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. She mused when she inhaled the scent of Jinki. His scent reminded her of something she had forgotten for long.

"Where do you live?" Jinki asked.

 "Do you live alone?" Sulli ignoring the question and asked Jinki.

Jinki nodded in response.

"You don't have a family?"

"I have mother and a younger sister, I think she was the same age with you."

"I also had an older brother." Sulli replied, closing the topic.

-

He rolled up his long-sleeved shirt to his elbows, perhaps it is sufficient to represent his hard work during these hours driving around town to find his sister. Sweat and heat of the sun became a witness how he fought to be able to see her face again, but it wasn't enough to restore Sulli to her side. The girl is now somewhere, make Minho worried almost to death.

Even he was too tired to pray, asking God to protect Sulli. "Now, what should I do? Sulli, where are you?"

"I'm here, Minho."

Minho turned around in an instant.

Like a magic, she luring him with a smile and eye contact, making him always follow what she wants, making him always think about her, making him willing to lose his own life for the sake of the girl. Sulli is definitely a very powerful witch.

Minho didn't say anything, he hugged her tight, lock the girl's body in his arm and didn't allow her out of it. He didn't need the words because he doesn't think there is the right word to represent how happy he felt when he could meet with Sulli again.

"Where have you been? I almost died because I thought I couldn't see you anymore."

Sulli pouted, "I'm sorry, I can't find Appa." she said sadly.

"Appa? Are you looking for Appa?" Minho asked.

Sulli nodded. She then introduced Jinki who had been standing behind them, staring at them with a smile on his face. "He is Jinki," she said, pulling Minho to be closer to Jinki, and then she said," Jinki, he's Minho. "

"Choi Minho..."

"Lee Jinki..."

The two men greeting to each other. Then the long-haired girl who stood between them holding the arm of Jinki, "Thank you for today." she said and then ran into the house after waving her hand at Jinki.

Minho scratching the nape of his neck. It feels a bit strange to see Sulli holding another man's arm and smiled at him, because she just smiled and held his arm and not others. Minho was curious, Sulli isn't the type of person who easily close to another person.

"You two looks very close," Minho smiled awkwardly towards Jinki.

"Oh..." Jinki scratched his forehead. "Sulli is a good girl and friendly, so I don't find a difficulty to get close to her."

Minho nodded as if agreeing his statement. Hearing that answer actually made him more uneasy. Sulli dislikes along with strangers, but if Jinki could called her good and friendly, that means Sulli feel comfortable with him. But how did it happen?

"How about the three of us had lunch together tomorrow?" Minho asked.

Jinki replied, "I'm sorry, I can't. I won't live in Seoul much longerm tonight I'm going to move out of town. Maybe this is our first and last meeting."

"Are you going to move?" Minho looked surprised.

Jinki nodded. "Can you tell her that I was very happy to meet her?"

Minho then feel bad. He felt guilty because it was a rush to suspect the man. Moreover, he seems a nice guy. His smile was really friendly and soft-spoken voice that sounded good broke all of his suspicions.

"Then I'll go home now," then Jinki said, "Please take care of her!"

Minho nodded. "Yeah, I'm definitely going to take care of her."

-

[Flashback]

Mr. Choi had no idea what he had just received in his office. A prisoner committed suicide in prison by hanging himself with bed sheets. He became increasingly depressed after receiving the prisoner's file. The case of the prisoner managed to make his attention to his two children distracted. Minho who is now 14 years old easily realize the change of his father attitude since he came home earlier.

After he brought Sulli into her room, he visited his father who was brooding in his office. From behind the door, Minho saw his father who was reading a file on the table without moving. Until the time of his father wiped his face with his hands, he get into his room.

"Eo, Minho, since when have you been standing there?" Mr. Choi asked while tidying up the files on his desk. Minho glanced at him, he knew that his father trying to hide something from him.

"Dad, what's going on? You're so weird since coming home from the office," he said. "And, is there something you want to hide from me?" Minho sat in front of his father.

"Something to hide? Nothing. I don't hide anything from you. How could you think that?" Mr. Choi turned pale.

Minho bit his lips, "Daddy, I'm sorry but I've read it. Cases of the prisoner who committed suicide ... he's Sulli's biological father, isn't he?"

Mr. Choi's hands stopped shaking and fell just above his knees under the table. He doesn't have any power to avoid this topic. He was caught. By Minho.

"A person who killed Sulli's mother was her own father, right?"

Mr. Choi sighed, then said, "Yah, you're right. And after that, I brought our Sulli to our home. Sulli ... I don't know why she could have such a bad luck."

"So it's true?"

"Not only that," Mr. Choi added, "she's lived miserably since childhood. Her father was a drunkard and gambler, while her mother is a housewife. Every day her father came to ask for money and beat her mother and herself, until one day her father killed her mother when he drunk."

"So Sulli become like this because of her father? Her trauma caused by her father?" Minho made a fist. "So, the news of her father's death is good news for us. I can't if one day he want Sulli back. Sulli is our family."

Mr. Choi looked down, not saying anything. To be honest, he was worried about the same thing, but it feels too rude when he was happy for the death of Sulli's real father. Anyway ... He reopened the files of prisoner who committed suicide.

"Lee Jinri ..." Mr. Choi pointed to a name.

"Sulli?"

"Her real name is Lee Jinri, and if you think that now she is ours completely, you're wrong. Jinri have an older brother who now don't know where." Mr. Choi turned the file and give it to Minho.

Minho glanced at the file, "Brother? Lee Jinki?" then Mr. Choi nodded.