All day long we played until the sun is covered with thick clouds. The thick blackened clouds were dragged down by the heavy rain which struggled to withstand the burden of the weight which the rain held, soon gave in. The rain poured down over the city of Seoul with a roar. The sound of emptiness was disrupted by the loud gregarious boom of thunder. Clothes all soaking wet, I continue to run towards my home. There I find a black car parked which I failed to see in the first place. I stopped as I see my father and brother one by one, take our bags.

“Taeyeon!” I heard someone called me; it was yuri covered with blood in her shirt. The cold icy rain pierced her pale and wet skin. She ran across the slippery path, her posture weakened by the weight of her soaked clothes. She stopped in front of me and held my shoulders, “Help me.. my mother.. she.. she’s b-” a deep voice interrupted her as I turn towards the owner of the voice, it was my grandfather.

“Taeyeon, let me take care of it.” He said with a sad reassuring smile. Im so confuse. What’s going on? One minute we we’re happy, the next thing happened is… this.

“Kim Taeyeon, let’s go!” with a stern voice, my father called me and carried me to the car. I struggled in his arms. I don’t want to leave my grandfather. What about yuri? What will happen to her? Yoona? No no. I can’t go. I can’t go.

“No! No! Harabeoji! HARABEOJI!” I cried but failed to break free. The next thing I knew I was at the backseat of the car with Jiwoong oppa calmly seated beside me. I turn towards them with tears in my eyes, banging the window at the back of the car, I cried my heart out.

“Taeyeon! Taeyeon! Stop! Don’t leave!” Yuri followed the car as she ran bear footed on the slippery path. “KIM TAEYEON!” I sobbed as my body felt weak and that was the last time I ever saw harabeoji, yuri and yoona again until…

7 YEARS PAST

“Breaking news! High officials in the government plans to demolish Guryong, the last remaining urban slum in Seoul. Guryong is known for illegal encampment in a private land in Seoul. Residents are advice to move out of the place immediately.” The TV announcer said as I happen to pass by a shop. Carrying a bag full of vegetables, I instantly dropped it and ran to the nearest bus stop. Minutes past, I arrived at the village. Bulldozers, hydraulic excavator and common dump trucks arrived before me as men with long sledge hammer destroys and tear every home down. I ran towards them but two men stopped me from doing so.

“Where are you going young lady? Can’t you see we’re kind of a middle of doing something here.” The man with a thick beard said.

“As far as I know all residents have moved out from the place yesterday,” The other man said carrying a sledge hammer, “Get out!”

I sighed, turned and slowly walked backwards. Just as the two men went separate ways, I used it as an opportunity to run as fast as I can towards harabeoji’s place. “Stop!” I heard a man called. “You! Get her out of here!” he called one of the men. There’s no looking back for me, I have to see my grandfather, I have to see yuri and yoona.

Opening the front door, there are scattered news papers all over the place. Broken windows, calendar on the wall that is nearly a year behind, empty bottles of soju has sprawled about and prescription of medications that indicates health problems. There is a foul odor in the air as I covered my nose using the collar of my shirt. I look around but there is no sign of him. Entering his room, a piece of drawing caught my attention. On a sheet of paper, is a sketch of a ring that has a head and tail of a dragon and a body of a snake with scales. It exactly looks like the ones harabeoji describe to me. At the bottom a note says,

“Always, always, always believe in yourself because if you don’t, then who will?”

Why does it feel like this note is for me? Believe in myself? What is the connection of believing in me and this drawing? I’m so confused and lost.

“There you are!” I heard a man said behind me but I never budge. “Are you a relative of the old man l