Chapter 2, Without you

          Pink petals swoop elegantly across the veranda and collect decoratively upon the pieces of furniture, falling from the budding cherry blossom tree’s surrounding the small country house. As the petals continue to prettily spot the outdoor table and patio chairs, a little girl sits on a wooden swing further down the dirt road with her loose charcoal hair blowing in the breeze. Her mood is solemn; she hadn’t spoken a word the whole afternoon. When Mrs. Kwon calls her in for lunch, she stays put until a certain lovely old man goes out to get her.

          “What is the matter, dear?” granddad Jung softly asks, going over to crouch down in front the beautiful little girl. She sighs, her fingers slipping off the ropes on the swing as she stares down at her shoes, her long hair blowing gracefully across her doll-like face. She parts her lips and looks up at her granddad, a flash of hurt crossing her honey brown eyes.

          “I miss Daehyunnie oppa,” she mumbles, letting her gaze travel longingly towards the dirt road where she awaited her shy-natured cousin with the thick tufts of black hair and long nose. Granddad Jung smiles and cups the little girl’s face, thumbing the rosy tint on her soft cheeks. Bisuri leans into her granddad’s touch and forces a smile, witnessing his everlasting love glitter in his greying eyes.

          “He will come home soon, Suri-ah. Just wait on him for a few more years. He’ll be back before you know it. Focus on your homework and school friends for now, okay?” granddad Jung informs, bringing her into a warm hug. Bisuri tries her hardest to stop the tears from falling. She couldn’t wait for a few more years for her Daehyun; it’s too long of a wait for her to physically bear. Little did she know granddad Jung was missing his grandson far more than she would ever be able to fathom.

          When Daehyun turned eleven, Mr. Jung thought it would be best for Daehyun to attend an all-boys boarding school. Bisuri hadn’t been told until she found Daehyun alone in his bedroom, quietly folding the last of his clothes into a suitcase a day before his departure. When Daehyun reluctantly broke the news, Bisuri begged for him to stay. She cried all night and even sneaked into his room to sleep beside him despite knowing it would get her into trouble.

          When Daehyun awoke from the disturbance, he drew Bisuri in closer and pressed a kiss into her hair, promising he won’t forget her and that he’ll be home soon. Although no matter how much he reassured her, Bisuri couldn’t accept the fact that her cousin and her only best friend was leaving her for 5 years and only sobbed harder. It hurt too much.

          Holding out a palm, granddad Jung takes a hold of his granddaughter before leading her inside to get something to eat. Until Daehyun is gone, Bisuri’s only challenge was to focus on her studies and the friends she got in school.

Swaying her attention was the only way forward and eventually, that was exactly what Kwon Bisuri managed to do. 

        5 years had swiftly gone by and the day of Daehyun’s arrival had come. The Kwon’s were thrilled to have the boy back but there was one drawback they weren’t entirely conscious of. Kwon Bisuri freed her memory to the wind, forgetting almost her entire childhood with the boy she once thought of as her world. Jung Daehyun no longer played a part in her life, and she was happy with who she became after he left. It took her a while to get over him, but gradually, over time she did.

          When Mrs. Kwon told her that those 5 years of waiting was over, Bisuri paid no mind, simply going back to doing whatever she had been doing. As if Daehyun meant not a single thing to her, she barely acknowledged him when he emerged on the horizon of their dirt road. She barely remembered who he was, and neither did she recognize him. Whilst the family embraced Daehyun in warm, welcoming hugs, Bisuri resorted in writing up a new page in her journal about how uneventful the day had been, including some details of her cousin Daehyun.

“Dear Journal

           My cousin returned from boarding school today. Mom tells me were close when we were kids but…I can’t really remember much of  it. I can’t really see myself rebuilding that bond we once had and besides, ‘whatever is left in the past, should always stay in the past’, right? Because surely, that’s where it belongs. After all those years, I’ve grown accustomed to the feeling of being alone. Growing up with Daehyun was nice, but it’s time for me to move on from that now. I'm not that naïve little girl I once was, I've matured a lot since then. And I'm sure Daehyun has too.  
                                                       
                                                    Love, Bisuri.”