Busan, 14:30

“IRENE!!”

Someone kept shouting without a care in the word. The sound was so loud and at the same time so angry that even if it wasn’t calling your name, you would get scared for your life.

“IRENE! Gosh! Where is this girl again…”

Now it was clearly the voice of an old and tired lady. It was the friendliest neighbor Irene ever had and she was looking for that young girl again. Where is she off to this time, she thought. She is always running to somewhere without even saying something, which makes the old woman more anxious. She can’t understand either the reason. She is not even her daughter, why would she feel worried. Well the truth is she felt compassion for that little hardworking girl. Ever since her parent’s death she was always lonely and sad. After growing up she learned how to conceal it but she can’t run away from Taeyeon. Irene always kept a smile on her face and loved her step mother’s parents as if they were her real grandparents. But no one cared to see that inside she was hurting. Not even the people that are raising her who are old and hate that they have to raise a child that they don’t know. So they don’t give her the best treatment and just live like she doesn’t exists. However Irene is thankful to them and is working as much as she can in order to repay her debt to them and help them with the home economics. Taeyeon knew all that because somehow that little girl trusted her from the very first moment and opened her heart to her as if she had known her for years. For that, she was really happy and always ready to give a shoulder for her to cry on. But Joohyun is just a really close type of person, someone that you can’t just go and talk to. She is afraid and hurt and really careful and suspicious of others. She doesn’t make friends and does not have a boyfriend. She never had anything of that. Just by herself, walking in the forest, the beach or the streets of her town with her headphones on listening to her favorite relaxing music. All these happen of course when she only has some free time.

“UNNIE” that must be her, she thought as she recognized her soft pitched voice.

“Unnie I am here, what happened? Are you hurt? “

Now finally Taeyeon could see the worried face of Irene which was also the most beautiful face she knew. Perfect soft white skin, big brown eyes, big bright smile, pink and full lips and long brown hair. Nothing could describe how crazy pretty she is.

“Unnie are you okay?” Taeyeon snapped out of it and smiled at her beloved friend

“I am just fine, don’t worry! Unnie was just searching for you and got a little too nervous.” She said with an awkward laugh, and felt relief running through her skin as soon as she reassured that Joohyun was ok.

“UNNIE!” she shouted irritated “don’t be like this, you know I have to work. I was at miss’s Hwang house doing her chores”

“Aish you are so young why you need to do these kinds of things every day? Just stay here and I’ll do them for you” she scolded her with a concerned look.

“Unnie I need to do this it’s not too much. I am actually used to it. So don’t worry too much and just let me be” she said with a smiley face to make Taeyeon stop feeling worried.

“Ah whatever I can’t deal with you anymore! Have you eaten?” she asked as usually “Actually…” Irene said with hesitation” For today I thought I would eat with grandma and grandpa…” her head down, eyes peeking at Taeyeon’s reaction.

Taeyeon instantly understood that Irene was afraid of what she was going to say and she controlled her expression trying to hide the weird feeling she had about this “Do as you please.”

She said relaxed “But you must be sure about this. The last time you talked to them you were barely alive”

“its ok I can handle it. Besides, I want to make better our relationship.” Irene told her with confidence “I am going now see you later untie!” Irene exclaimed happily as she waved goodbye.

“Ok be careful! If you need me just scream!” Taeyeon called her with a concerned mind. She shouldn’t be talking like that. Irene will be fine, they are the ones who raised her and her grandparents after all.

Grandparents House

Irene was playing with her hair nervously as she stood in front of the door of the house, feeling hesitated whether to knock the door or not. She just stared at the poor small house that offered her its hospitality for so many years. Although those years were sad and full of tears, she felt really thankful to the people who fostered her even though she was an outsider. For all this time they were providing her food, a roof to sleep and supplies for school. Never in her wildest dreams would she have a better destiny. That’s the reason why she should show them some gratitude and today was the day. After a lot of thought she finally knocked the door quietly and suddenly a very old woman appeared surprised by what she saw.

“Why are you here?” she said with a strict voice, her eyes looking at Irene with dispassion.

“Grandma wh-what do you mean…I live here” Irene answered awkwardly and at the same time afraid of her grandma’s cold behavior.

“Ani, you are supposed to work at this kind of time right?”

“Aaaa yeah right, I am, but today I asked for permission to rest a little bit”

“You don’t need to rest just go immediately back. I am sick of talking to you”

“Grandma it’s not that I am tired…I just…I…I wanted to spend some time with you and grandpa because we never have launch together” Irene wanted to make that statement confident and happy but she sounded disappointed, like she already lost.

“We don’t want to spend our precious time with someone like you. Just go!” the lady said angrily as she pushed violently Irene, who was in the edge of tears.

“Grandma…please don’t be like this”

“AH I am going crazy! Yah just go! Do you want me to call the police?!” Irene now was bursting in tears and couldn’t hold them in anymore. Another person appeared from the door and this time it was her grandpa who was annoyed from all this fuss.

“What’s going on here?!” he asked with a strict tone that would scare anyone that was nearby

“This girl! She is too much. Now she wants us to have lunch with her. Ani as if it wasn’t too difficult for us to raise the daughter of a stranger. Our daughter died following her father and her stupid mother. They killed her so why do we have to do this?! I was very compassionate but I can’t do this longer. She thinks we are her family! YOU, you are nothing but a stranger! Your damn parents killed our daughter! I don’t want to see you again so disappear right now!” Irene was hurt as never before.

She couldn’t believe that the people who raised her, her grandparents would think these things. She felt extremely sad and sorry. She didn’t know what to do so she was just standing there crying. But in order to change he r grandma’s mind she fell on her knees and showed a fake smile. “Grandma is right, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I will go for work and come back at night when you are asleep so you will not see me! I promise!” she said trying to convince her.

She was so desperate right now. She just needed someone by her side to feel safe. All these years they were her everything. She couldn’t lose them now in a blink of an eye. “How low have you fallen?! Get up!” Irene immediately did what she was told to from her grandpa as he continued speaking “Can’t you see that we don’t want you here?! I don’t care about what you will do, so just disappear from my eyes this instant!”

“Grandpa…” Irene said while sobbing “p-please….d-d-don’t do this to me. I have nowhere to go”

“That is not my business anymore! It never was! You should appreciate that we took you in and be thanking us! Aish you have truly a bad personality!”

“Thank you grandpa but…but don’t leave me alone! I am begging you!!” Irene said and she kneeled once more down, begging for his kindness.

“Stop it you have said enough!” her grandma said while coming from the door and holding a luggage probably with Irene’s belongings. “Take these and go. I will keep everything else because I paid for them!” Irene thought she would faint she couldn’t do this any longer she just stayed at her grandpa’s legs and kept holding his hand asking him to let her stay “please…just let me stay…p-please” she begged quietly because she didn’t have any more the strength to shout back.

“If you don’t go now, I will have to call the police! Don’t end it like this.” Irene understood what he was saying and stood up. She took her luggage with her head bowed down not even having the guts to look at them. She bowed 90 degrees and turned to go her own way.

“Look at her! That little bad she doesn’t even say thank you! That’s all her parents fault. They should have learned her better!” Grandpa didn’t answer. He just looked as Iren left not really knowing where to go.