Orphanage

Youi was packing all of her stuff as she was told to move out from the orphanage, she told herself that she won’t miss the place. There had been nothing but bad memories that she had of the place. Though she is going to miss the kids that she grew up with. She just had her 18th birthday and the orphanage couldn’t support her anymore so they decided to ask her to move out. Youi was a bright kid when she was young, she was sweet but sadly no one wanted to foster her. She ended up growing up and became the orphanage house ‘Big Unnie’. Every kid there respect her and they love her, so they feel sad when the orphanage manager kick Youi out.

“Unnie! Will we ever see you again?!” one of the kids cried.

“Yeah...I will come back, and I will take you all with me...so please wait for me patiently.” Youi told them in the gentlest way possible.

“Before you go Youi…” one of the admin of the orphanage stop Youi “Here take this, I promise this person that I will pass this to you once you got out from the orphanage.”

“What is this?” Youi asked as she takes the envelope from the admin’s hand.

“Actually, you were already adopted, but that person made us sign a contract to keep you here until you’re 18, in the envelope there’s your ATM card with all the monthly allowance that the person that adopted you provided from your 1st birthday until your 18th birthday.”

“What?”

“Just read the letter, and look there’s the car that they sent for you...goodbye for now, Youi…” the admin bid the girl goodbye and she slowly closed the door, leaving Youi alone by the doorstep.

Youi was contemplating whether to enter the black car or not, what if they wanted to kidnap her and sell her organs, or what if they are trying to make her e for her life? Youi decided to enter the car and she will deal with whatever that’s going to happen later on. She is curious about her adoptive family, why didn’t they just take her home like her other friends’ foster family.

“You’re not going to take me to a shady place are you? I got the police on my speed dial!” Youi warned the driver.

“No, Miss Youi, I will bring you to Ms.Kang.” the driver said.

“Ms.Kang?”

“I believe you haven’t read the letter yet?”

Youi looks down on the envelope that’s on her lap, she slowly opens the envelope and she discovers a bank book, debit card, and a handwritten letter. She flips the bank book and almost had a mini heart attack when she saw the amount in the bank book. She did a double check and not mistaken it is her name that’s printed on the front page of the bank book.

“What the is this?” she said to herself, then she proceeded to open the letter. A Polaroid fell out when she unfold the handwritten letter. She picked it up and look at it, she saw a couple holding a baby in their arms.

“Is this me?” she asked herself as she stares at the photo. She puts the photo aside and read the letter.

‘Dear Youi,

If you are reading this, it means we are already gone from this world. My dear sweet Youi, I want you to know that we love you more than our own life. We wanted what's best for you. One day, you will know what happened to us, whether we die tragically or peacefully, we want you to accept it as it is Youi. Your mother and I decided to name you Youi because your name means ‘You’ and ‘I’. When we conceived you, we know we are going against the law of the world and nature but we wanted to show the world that you can survive in this world and you will be the one who will one day change the way people view ‘love’ and ‘family’. 

When you were born, the world was in such a chaotic state, we had to give you up. We love you and wanting to see you grow up and be there in every stage and step of your life is what we’ve always wanted Youi, but our job will put you in danger so we had to give you up. Our best friend Kang Seulgi will take care of you once you reach your 18th birthday. In this letter you will find a bank book, and a debit card, we’ve consolidated our properties and change the ownership to your name, once you turn legally 18, the money and assets will be yours. We love you Youi. We wanted to write you a long letter but it won’t even ease the guilt we feel for not being able to be there with you. Live well and live to your fullest Youi. We love you forever and always.

Yours truly,

Wendy & Irene’

Youi holds the photo and looks at it one more time “This...is my parents?” she said to herself, “But...they are both women…”

Youi flips over the Polaroid and see the date ‘24/04/2001’ it was her 1st birthday and also the first day where she was officially the orphanage tenant. The two women in the photo looks happy but Youi noticed the sadness in their eyes. That day was the day they had to give her up. Youi was curious of her parents' identity, and why did they abandon her, why did they have to wait until she is 18 to give the letter to her.

“Hey Mr. Driver…”

“Yes?”

“Who is this Ms Kang?”

To be continued….