She wanted to scream for help. The pain all over her body was unbearable. It was very different from what she had experienced when she gave birth to her baby boy five years ago. When every bone in your body started cracking up and all your organs started to malfunction as the toxic had reacted with your blood and fluids in your body, it was as painful as a tortoise being ripped off its shells or a cow being skinned alive. Min Young used all her strength and struggled to shout for help but her voice was stuck in . When all her efforts made no effect, she had no choice but to bare it quietly, alone.

“Woozi, is she in pain? Will she recover?” a boy around the age of five asked the teenager standing next to him while his big eyes kept watching the lady lying on the bed, sweating and mumbling words only she could understand. He couldn’t stop himself from staring at her. It was as if there was a mysterious bond that pulled them together like how opposite poles of magnet attracted to each other.

Woozi smiled at him and said, “Of course, Babe. Definitely she’ll be alright. Just let her rest and once she had fought over it, everything will be fine.” Carefully, Woozi wiped off the sweat covering her forhead.

Being an obedient boy as he always was, Babe sat quietly beside her. Both of them monitored and cared for her till Hyeorin came in and took over the duty. “You two may take some rest now. I’ll watch over her from now onwards.” Both of them obeyed and left soon.

Slowly Hyeorin put down the basin of water and towels on the bedside table. She pulled opened the curtains. The skylights of the busy city brightened up the room. She turned to look at Min Young. She prayed in silent that Min Young could make it through.

X                                          X                                        X

She didn’t know how many days had passed since she last struggled to free herself from the pain. Slowly she had noticed that the pain became lesser and lesser. And in the quiet and dark place she was standing, she could truly came to understand the meaning of peace. Her heart and mind, at this very second, was as calm as the sea. There was no worry, no sadness, no hatred but herself. It was a wonderful moment for her after all these years of suffering.

“Woozi, her eyes are moving. I guess she’s waking up!” Babe screamed in excitement after after he caught a glimpse of Min Young’s eyes moved.

Hearing what Babe had said, Woozi jumped to his feet. All his sleepiness had gone. He looked at Min Young and was surprised to notice the slight movements of her eyeballs. “Babe, stay here. I’ll go and inform Grandma about this. I’ll be back in no time.” Woozi sped out of the room after leaving the message.

Babe then climbed onto the bed and stared at Min Young. Waiting for the miracle he had been praying for the past three months to come true.

Another movement, Babe was holding his breath. The moment he saw Min Young opened her eyes, all he could do was jumped in joy. “Oh my, you’ve awaken!” Bab exclaimed and started to kiss her. He was over the moon and could no longer hide his happiness. His dream had finally came true.

Min Young was shocked to received kisses all over her face when she decided to open her eyes and check out her surrounding. Once the boy stopped showering her with kisses, she took a look at the cute little bot. With a neatly cut bob hairstyle, eyes as bright as the star and it was his billion watts smile on his face that attracted her. The smile was pure and innocent. Well, he is just a kid, he still haven’t seen the ugly side of the world, Min Young thought.

“Hello, can you see me?” he waved at her, trying to get her attention.

“Oh gosh, you can see me! Wow, it’s incredible. Okay, I’m sorry for not introducing myself. I’m Babe and I’ll be five years old on this coming 25^th of December. Yes, I’m a Christmas baby. And I guess that’s why Grandma decided to call me Babe.”

Seeing how active and talkative Babe was, Min Young smiled. But, deep in her heart, she could feel a sense of sadness too. Babe reminded her of her baby boy she left behind on Christmas Day five years ago. If he would be alive today, he must be as cute and healthy as Babe now. Just then, another image came across her mind and made her screamed.

“Ah, go away! Stay away from me! I hate you!” Min Young repeated it a few times before she broke down into tears recalling those bad memories.

Babe who was too busy telling her about himself was taken aback to see her sudden change in mood. Instantly, he zipped his mouth and slipped away from her like a cuttlefish. He wasn’t sure whether those words were directed to him. No matter the answer is yes or no, it still hurt him very much.

“Woozi, take Babe out of here NOW!” CL ordered as soon as she saw Min Young went hysteria. Hyeorin went over to calm her down.

“Relax and take a deep breath. It’s just your past. You’re safe now. Totally safe and far from it. All of us here are good people who will protect you from danger.” Hyeorin hold on tight to Min Young’s hands. She tried her best to calm her down. This was not the first time she came across such situation. She looked up to see CL Min Young’s hair. “I don’t want to see him. I hate him! Please take him away from me!” Min Young begged CL, with tears flowing down like the rain outside the window.

CL nodded her head and consoled her, “Dear, listen to me. You’re now a ‘Soul’ and no longer a human. All of us ‘Souls’ live in a different dimension from the human. It’s up to you to enter the human world on your own choice. And those who had hurt you in the past will never be able to any harm to you now. Those bad memories are history now. And in ‘TUSF’, you’ve all of our support and protection. You’re in safe hand.”

Hyeorin patted Min Young’s hands to give her reassurance, “Don’t worry. You’re not the only one with horrible past. In fact, almost everyone in ‘TUSF’ had an unforgettable past. But, do trust us. We’ll help you to start anew.”

After much cajoling and comforting, Min Young had cool down a little. She lifted her head to look at the two young ladies around her age. From their eyes, she could see security and peace. Slowly, a smile appeared on her face.

X                               X                               X

Woozi couldn’t close his eyes no matter how tired he was as his ears kept on hearing someone sneezing below him. He knew Babe has a habit of sneezing before he went to bed. But, today he could sense something amiss since it had been almost an hour Babe sneezing non-stop. There could only be two reasons for such scenario. Either Babe had a bad dream or had caught a cold.

Slowly, Woozi climbed down from the double decker bed and switched on the light before he walked near Babe. Babe was hiding under the blanket sobbing. He couldn’t fall asleep after hearing those words. His heart was in pain. He was wondering whether his existence did cause such a trouble to her.

“Babe, are you alright?” Woozi pulled over the blanket and found him wetting his bed with tears.

Babe shook his head and went into Woozi’s arms. “Woozi, didn’t you say a mother could easily recognize her son from the moment they meet? Didn’t you say there is a mysterious bond around them that nothing could stop them from gathering as a family again? Then why didn’t she recognize me just now? Why did she hate me? Am I such a horrible boy to her?” Babe voiced out all his questions in his heart. His tiny little heart could no longer hold it, it could explode in no time.

Woozi had no one to blame for making Babe feeling this way. After all, he was the one telling Babe that Min Young was his mother. He had been following Min Young since the day she left Babe while taking care of Babe as his own brother. All this time, he had tried his best to explain to Babe that his mother didn’t abandon him but will join him when the time is right. He even claimed that she missed and loved him as much as he did. Just then, Woozi knew Babe was too young to understand what his mother had gone through all these years.

“Babe, Woozi made a promise to you that I’ll bring your mother to you. And now the time had come for me to fulfil my promise and prove to you that ‘happily ever after’ do exist. Just give me a little time and Woozi is going to do it.”

Babe popped his hand up and asked, “Are you sure it’s going to happen? Woozi, you’ll never lie to me right?”

Woozi nodded and smiled, “Of course, my dearest Babe.” He wiped off the tears on Babe’s face and cajoled him to sleep. Once Babe was asleep, he switched off the light and looked out at the busy city.

By hook or by crook, he must bring the two of them back together as a family, Woozi vowed in his heart.