Back on the porch, Taeyeon sat on the steps slouching, realizing that she is now completely alone. Not a trace of warmth nearby.

“Don’t be sad, Taeyeon.” The man tried to give her some comfort, “the couple I found, although they are not nearly as wealthy as your parents, they will still love you very, very much.”

No response came. The man looked around and eventually, his eyes landed on the apple tree that she saw when she arrived at the house.

“Do you remember that apple tree?” He asked her in a soft tone. “Come on, we had some memories here when you were smaller.”

Taeyeon glanced at the tree, which she remembered climbing. “What about it, Mr. Choi? I fell” She pouted slightly at how much she failed that day.

“Look at it in a different way. You climbed right back up. And if I remember correctly, you even got an apple. You made me and…proud that day.”

“I…I got it from the lowest branch. I didn’t get the one on top.” She answered honestly.

“That’s because you were smart! You got the job done while using the least work possible. Nobody told you to climb to the tallest branch!” Mr. Choi smiled at her.

“You did.” She retorted.

“No, I didn’t.” The man pretended to be confused and innocent.

“Yeah! You did!” Taeyeon argued, raising her voice cutely.

“Uh, no I didn’t!” Mr. Choi made a silly face.

Taeyeon cracked a smile, but almost immediately sunk back into a frown.

“It’s okay, Taeyeon. Just work hard for your sister and you will never know what might happen in the future. Now, let’s get ready soon.” Mr. Choi said before getting up and going back inside.

Taeyeon followed with a pout. But I have been working hard…everyday.

———

Taeyeon’s soulless eyes looked away from Mr. Choi’s face. She wondered: instead of finding another couple, why couldn’t Mr. Choi just take her in. After much thought, she gave up and looked at the endless display of roads that kept on rewinding itself. It was a long drive from the capital to the city, so her mind inevitably wondered back to the event. Her thoughts were on the scene when the lady was on the ground and one of the men knelt down to pry open . In the man’s back pocket was a handkerchief. Although only the corner of it was visible, she remembered the pattern stitched on it. Big “X” and four clubs stitched between the lines.

After two more hours of driving, they have finally reached their destination. Mr. Choi decided to stop for a much-needed snack break, which he rarely did during business trips. But he wanted to spend some more time with Taeyeon before letting her go for good. Although he was just one of Mr. Lee’s subordinates, he enjoyed when they brought Taeyeon with them. She liked playing with him. Her adoptive parents were glad that she always found ways to busy herself and behaved, because Joohyun was a handful.

“Please don’t do this!” A voice suddenly came from inside the store.

Mr. Choi squinted his eyes and looked through the sheets of advertisements taped on the window. He saw the cashier being confronted by a male in a hoodie. Upon seeing the male was armed, he pulled Taeyeon away from the store.

“Can you save him?” Taeyeon asked him innocently, upon seeing the cashier through the glass door.

“Taeyeon, we can’t risk it. We are not in the right situation. Let’s call the police and leave.” He tried to pull Taeyeon further from the store.

“Please, I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt today!” She pleaded.

He sighed. “Stay in the car. Do not go anywhere.”

Then he handed her the car keys and told her to lock the doors.

Taeyeon sat in the back seat and reached forward to start the engine as the weather was getting chilly. After sitting back down and buckling her seat belt, she felt the low rumble of something scary shaking in the front of the car.

Without warning, the rumbling stopped for a brief moment, and the front of the car lifted violently upward off the ground. Its debris falling like hail amidst the black smoke.

“Taeyeon!!!” A distant voice was heard before everything turned black.

———

Taeyeon felt rather terrible, shaking her head to stop whatever it was that is making her head spin. She wanted to throw up. To her surprise, not only that she couldn’t vomit, but she also can’t feel . Could she be dead?

In her thoughts, she cursed at herself. Look at yourself! Dying already!? Do you still think you are your sister’s hero? Are you working hard enough?

I cannot die. Taeyeon thought to herself, then she realized a blurry, but bright light shone in front of her. It was the morning of the same day when the