Chapter 1

Song for this chapter// Moondust by Jaymes Young

“The brightness of the sun, will give me just enough
I long to hear your voice, but still I make the choice
To bury my love, in the moondust”

YooJung~

In a split of a second my eyes glanced toward the pavement to see the fallen knife astray. My breathing turned heavy once the knife was gripped tightly into my right hand.

“YooJung ah!” BoGum exclaimed, writhing under the weight of the man’s arm that was pressing against his neck and restraining him to the brick wall.

“I can deal with you threatening me, but if you threaten or harm my friends, you will never get to see your money. All I have to do is win a couple more competitions and that is only possible if I can use my hands. A pianist’s hand is their lifeline after all. So either you let him go or I will cut my hands right here right now and you will never see your money ever again.”

“Don’t do this.” BoGum pleaded, stiffly shaking his head at me. Tears pricked at my eyes, but I was determined to do what it takes in order for my friends to no longer be in harm’s way. I was fully aware of how devastating an injury to my hands could be. This could possibly destroy everything I worked for since I was a child. All pianists knew that once their hands were injured that the chances of being able to perform the way they used was extremely slim. Almost all careers were ruined just because of our hands.

However I also knew how much this man sought after his cash. I pressed the blade into my palm, which provoked the response I needed from him. He finally released his arm from BoGum’s throat.

“8 weeks. I’ll give you eight weeks to pay back the rest of the money or else.” I dropped the knife to the ground, which he made sure to pick up on his way out of the alley.

With my feet glued to the pavement, I watched in despair as BoGum hunched over, gagging and coughing from the pressure that was limiting his ability to breath a few minutes prior. He gasped for breath with his chest heaving with every deep breath he inhaled and exhaled.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.” Was all I could repeat as I cried. My fingers trembled against his reddened neck, while my head hung low in remorse towards BoGum. My tears landed on his hands and when I went to wipe them away, he lifted his hand up to caress my cheek.

Whispering, he said to me, “I’m okay.” His airy and gentle voice was reassuring, yet the moon was reflected in his eyes. And the moondust surrounded us… once again.

2 Months Before~

It all started with my old music composition notebook. I was taking out the items in my safe drawer to pack them away into the boxes when at the bottom laid my old and battered composition notebook. I remembered why I put it there. I purposefully piled blank and new music notebooks on top of it in hopes that the day wouldn’t come for me to take it out. Overcome with memories, I leafed through the notebook. Every page was full and written from top to bottom except for the very last page. There was a blue sticky note attached to the last page.

When you perform this piece for the world, I’ll be the first one applauding you in the audience. Good luck, YooJung ah.

Love, BoGum Oppa

“BoGum Oppa…” My thoughts wandered for a bit before I closed the notebook and placed it inside the box. With a touch of somber weighing me down, I finished taping shut the last box that needed to be shipped.

“Is this the last one, Miss?” One of the hired movers asked me as he hauled the box onto his cart. I nodded, following after him onto the driveway where the moving truck was parked.

“Be safe in Seoul, YooJung for our sake.” My short statured grandmother embraced me deeply, my hair for the last time.

“I will. I’ll call you every chance I get. Take care of your health and I’ll be fine.” I told my grandmother before releasing myself from her comforting arms. My grandfather stood besides her with the support of his walker.

“Grandpa…” My eyes turned misty at the sight of my grandfather standing with a soft smile on his wrinkled face. “I’ll be back to celebrate your 110th birthday, so please be well till then.”

“Don’t worry about me! I love you grandma and grandpa! I’ll call you when I land.” I waved at them from the window of the taxi. My hands trembled slightly against my passport from fear and anxiety as I boarded the flight that would take me to Seoul from Boston.

I turned the knob to my dorm room, nervous to meet my new roommate. The door swung open to reveal a furnished room with two twin beds and two wardrobes. It was as though the room was a mirror reflection. The exact same furniture was placed in the opposite sides of the room, facing each other. My roommate was nowhere to be found within the room. I hauled my luggage inside and took the empty bed. I got to work, hanging up my clothes in the empty wardrobe and placing my study materials onto the desk. I plugged in my phone and laptop with my new international outlet chargers, so that I would be able