“Unnie, open your eyes.”

“No, I can’t !”

“Come on unnie, the screen won’t eat you...”

Of course, I knew this, but I was scared like a kid believing in monster under her bed.

I was sitting at the edge of the dining table and the sun hitting my back across the windows. My  left foot was shaking nervously, outside I could hear birds chirping, free of any worries, unlike me. Whee in  on my right and Hyejin on my left. Both were standing, their hands on the table except for Hyejin’s right hands, which was softly combing my hair.

My outlook was open, and lost between conversation and spam, this particular email was waiting for me.

“Unnie, do I need to call Heeyeon ? I’m pretty sure  she’s waiting for you to call her so- “

“No ! no wait, I..I’m opening it”

I said, my left hand taking Hyejin’s, putting it away from her phone.

I saw the small smile on her lips, a mix of fondness and amusement in her eyes as she was looking at my antics.

For my defense, this day was one of the most nerve-wracking day I ever faced.

I didn’t sleep  the night before, I had my stomachache and was on the edge. Only because I was waiting for this email.

It wasn’t just a random digital message, but the conclusion of 2 years full of breakdown, hard work and hard decision. Every thing I did, I sacrificed for the past 2 years would have a sense, but I had to be brave and click on it.

And it was exactly what I did, after taking one last big breath.

I took time to look at every word, afraid to misunderstand the whole message, but I was interrupted by the excited scream of my 2 best friends. I jolted up my head, and look from left to right, as they were stamping.

“Unnie you did it, you did it !! look !!”

My hearth  pumped wildly in my chest, and my head turn back to the screen so fast that my neck cracked. I thought, to  hell with the slow reading ! My whole body start shaking as my eyes laid upon the text:

“Ms Moon,

Here are the result of the 1st month of sale of “Doll”

2000 copies.

For a rookie author, this is particularly amazing ! As the director of Banana Culture edition, I would like to congratulate you !

Heeyeon will contact you for the fansign event very soon”

2000 copies...

2000 people brought my book.

2000 people took an interest in my work and read my story !

I was being heard, my story was known to the world.

As I realized it, tears start to fall on my cheeks, and I was unable to control it.

They were a mix of relief and gratitude, but also happiness.

Finally, I could close this chapter of my life.

I could forget about the first 25 years of my life, I could move on.

Both Whee In and Hyejin throw themselves at me, in a collective bear hug.

“Girls ! I sold 2000 copies of my book !”

I said, struggling to maintain my voice still.

“Yes you did ! Moonstar  !”

“Unnie, your book is about to become a best seller !”

My emotions took over me as   I was holding them tightly, my life savior.

“Thank you, thank you”

I said, over and over again in the crook of Whee in’s neck, letting go of all my worries and fears.

Thanks to them, I found the courage to stand for myself.

Thanks to them, I start to believe in myself.

Thank to them, I was able to do what I always wanted, what was taken from me:

 Writing

It all started 2 years ago, after that dreadful afternoon, after my husband hit me, after I was pushed away by the woman I love.

At that time, I didn’t bother to take anything with me. Reckless, I managed to get out of the prison I grew up into and met with Whee In and Hwasa as they drove back to Jeonju.

I remember how nerve-wracking the journey was, and how I would look behind us, to make sure no cars were following us.

At first, I lived  in Whee In and Hyejin’s couch, afraid to even put a foot outside. Even if the two girls had told me that   nobody could find their location, that the house wasn’t in their name. Yet I was scared that my father, or husband would do to them and me if I was being recognized.

Their house looked like so much like them , like their personality. I t was chic, tidy, vintage and full of character. While I was living there, I tried to make   myself useful for the couple as I couldn’t stand doing nothing. I revealed myself to be a great cook, strangely enough. The two girls were nothing but patient and nice with me, and now I can’t imagine my life without them, they are my new family.

But I didn’t want to be a bother for them, and soon enough, I found a place to live on my own. It all start ed with a random conversation with the owner of the jazz club Hyejin work to, the “Cat fight”. His need for a new worker found echo in my need of a place to live. In exchange of being the housekeeper, he allowed me to live in the attic, which he turned into a small yet cozy flat. It matched the universe of the club, and the dark wood beam surrounding the bedroom and living room made the place quite relaxing.

I quickly found my place within this new environment. Tidying the club during in the day, helping the owner with the administrative task, and even working as a make-up artist and stylist for Hyejin at night. I never thought my life would take such a turn, but I decided to cherish every second of it.

For 6 months I enjoyed my new life, I pushed away my old and painful memories to make new one, with the two youngsters, with all the friendly people I met in Jeonju.

But then, the scandal happened.

I was with Whee In and Hyejin at that time. We were sitting on their carpet, our backs against their couch with some fried chicken, ready to binge-watch yet another show. Every channel showed the face of my husband, letting me white as a paper. I froze on the spot as the 24/7 information channel related in loop how him and my father embezzled millions of won from the citizen, nicknaming them as “the worst scammer of the history of scammer” .

The journalist knew every detail of the case and spent hours to discuss on how toxic they were from the start.

“Unnie ? ”

It was Whee In’s  voice which made me coming  back to earth. As I looked at her direction, I exhaled the deepest sigh I ever held. I realized she was tightly holding my hand, while Hyejin on my left put her arm around my shoulders.

We stayed silent for a while, the only sound coming from the TV. The couple looked at each other, figuring  what to say, how to react.

“Good riddance, motherer”

Hyejin started, in her own way. It made me smile, it was so much like her.

“Hyejin !”

“No… she’s right Wheeny, it’s the least they deserve.”

I replied, looking back and forth between my friend s, who sandwiched me once again. I felt their embrace getting tighter as tears start to run on my cheeks. Really, Hyejin once told me I was a cry baby, I understand why she was teasing me about it.

My life as a runaway was ending, as I watch clip of them getting in the police station, heads down, handcuffed I felt nothing but disdain toward them. Justice was being made and even if I was still legally married to Eric Mun, I felt one step closer to freedom.

But the rollercoaster of emotion just begun, I realized it when the next headline of the new s forecast came. It was link to the case of my father and husband arrest, and somehow gave me the missing piece of a lifetime mystery.

“Kim Yong Sun, Daughter former CEO Kim Dong Wan is elected as the new CEO of Shinhwa Corp”

This headline was everywhere and left me awestruck.

Thanks to it, I solve my lifetime mystery. However, I didn’t imagine how would it felt, to learn the truth.

Yongsun unnie’s father was the former CEO of my husband company ?

Was it the reason she worked for Eric ? Did she planned it all along ? What did happened  between the two of them ?

What about us ? Was the thing we had really meant to her ?

This revelation was like having the satisfaction of opening a locked  door after so many tries. But instead of being relieved, it was irksome, as I discovered the maze hidden behind it.

One thing, however, was sure : Kim Yong Sun became one of the most powerful woman in Korea.

“It’s her” I said softly, gaining the couple attention.

“She put him, and my father in jail”

“Unnie ? Who did what ?” asked Whee In.

“Yongsun unnie...It has to be her”

“The assistant ? The one who played you ?”

Their wonder met silence. My eyes were glued to the screen. It was showing my ex-lover, or “Ms Kim” as the anchors called her during her latest press conference.

And as much as try to avoid it, I was still attracted to her. Clad in a black suit, with vertical thin white line, her long and almost red hair stood out. She was as beautiful as I remembered, if it wasn’t even more. Behind the counter, she was carefully reading her notes, about how she regretful she felt, in the name of the company and all its workers, about how they would amend themselves from the mistake of the former CEO and all this time I couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to put them in jail and most importantly, did she play a part in my father’s arrest, and why would she ?

“He had what he deserves, to treat you like he did” said Hyejin and Whee In.

But as I could understand why she act against Eric, I was trying to thinkg about a time  when my father had wronged her, something that would merit her wrath.

Kim Yong Sun gave me justice and the year I spent on trying to forget about her fall like a house of card.

One part of me wanted to listen what Hyejin and Whee in told me, that she didn't put him in jail for me, that she only wanted power, that she was only the girl version of all the man who used me. But another part kept on replaying the months I spent with her, the moment I believed were genuine, the few happy memories that I have from when I was locked in the manor, I shared it with her.

I couldn't help but remember that one particular pillow talk we had, a month after our first meeting. Everything was different back then, when I thought something could bloom between the two of us.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Why are you smiling like that princess? Was I that good?"

She asked, with her usual cockiness. One could find it arrogant, even annoying yet coming from the cutest girl I ever saw, I found it adorable. feeling shy, I hide my face in the crook of her neck and my arm around her waist tightened my embrace. She let me, which was unexpected. Usually she would leave after our lovemaking, so as the addicted fool I was, I decided to forget about everything, except about how incredible her bare and soft skin felt against me.

“It's not that, it's just.... I feel normal?"

"How so?"

She asked, laughing a bit. I knew she couldn't understood what I felt.

"being like this with you, cuddling at 2 am in my room, it's kind of peaceful you know? I don't have to be the real me, Moon’s Daughter."

"Is it being the Korean version of Paris Hilton the real you though?"

"Not really… but my father and Eric want me to be like this-"

"Then what do you want to be?"

"I just want to be Byulyi, the girl who read and write a lot. But here... I know I can’t"

"Hmm. Should I take you away then?"

She asked. I knew she was joking around. At that time, I did not understand what our relationship would be, but I couldn't stop my heart to go wild because of her question.

"hm... I wonder How could you manage to do it?"

I replied, dreamily. I changed my position and put my head back to any pillow, looking at her from my side. The  only light came from behind her, from the lamp on her side of the bed, yet I could see how stunning she was.

"First, I need to beat my rival. And then defeat that king of a father you have."

She begun, looking dead serious, strangely enough.

Then she moved our position in my bed, hovering me and I felt small under her, like a prey trapped by this irresistible predator.

"And... and then" I dared to asked, never leaving her stare .

   I saw a smirk appeared on the lips I was already craving for,  as she slowly reduced the gap between the two of us.

“Then I'd put my best shining armor and take the princess with me"

She said in a whisper. Our noses brushed one another and soon I gave in and closed the gap between our lips. As always, I was weak against her touch.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The news displayed 24/7 at that time moved me in a way I couldn't explain. It showed what Kim Yong Sun was capable of and even if it wasn't for me, I was forever grateful for what did she did.

Thanks to her action, I was one step closer to my freedom and it was around that time that I took the decision to write my story. I needed to write what happened to me, but instead of a simple autobiography, I decided to use my life story to write a novel, similar to what I experienced.

I need it, to free myself.

Writing was my way to lock all my memories away, to live away from them.

Like I was studying for a thesis I was writing every night after work, on every paper available.

Sometimes it was a painful exercise, and the two youngsters were wondering why I was calling them in tears in the middle of the night.

Sometimes it was bittersweet and annoying, thinking about how I should have act for my own sooner, about how I let everybody choose my path, agreeing like I was told to.

I learned a lot from myself while I was writing my story, it thoughtfully helped me to move on from my past life.

But I didn't want to publish it at first. It was a way to cure myself from the frustration and heartbreak I once faced.

It all started when I met Ahn Heeyeon, Hyejin's cousin- She introduced her to me 6 months prior to the publication of my book. At that time Hyejin’s motive were far from helping me to become an author.

She wanted me to start dating other people and thought of her cousin as the perfect choice.

And she was right, because Heeyeon was gorgeous, funny and serious when needed. We found we had a lot in common, even flirt with each other on the few dates we had but in the end,  I couldn’t bury my feeling for Yongsun unnie.

Nevertheless, I became fond of Heeyeon, and we soon became close friend.

She was working for a publisher, Banana Culture and one thing leading to another, she became aware of my story.

After a night over a bottle of château Haut-Brion, leaning against the dark granite counter of “the Cat Fight”   she told me that with a few changes, she could see my biographical novel could be the next text her company, Banana Culture could publish.

My previous self would have hesitate, would have thought about my father's opinion first, but this indecisive girl was no longer afraid.  For years I was the trophy wife, the mute pretty thing the world loved to ridicule, the puppet my family controlled , the doll they dressed up for their interest.

It was time for the real Byulyi to shine, to let the world know my side of the story, to break free from my name.

I signed a contract with Banana Culture  a few days after, I started a new chapter of my life.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Here it is, chapter 2 ! I hope y'all liked it ^^

Please tell me what did you think about it and any kind of comment, I love to read them +__________+