JIYONG’S POV

“She’s mad, Omma!” Taeyeon cried, burying her face on her hands. “What should I do? She’s mad! My wedding is going to be ruined!”

I creased my brows. As much as I didn’t want to think of it, how dare she think of her wedding more than her relationship with her cousin? I didn’t really know Taeyeon but I was sure that she loved her cousin, but not to the extent that her wedding was becoming more important.

Dara burst out a while ago. I could understand her. She worked hard on the gowns. I witnessed how she did. That was why I called for her crew members back in Japan to help her. She had been lacking sleep these past few days. It was evident by how the dark circles became darker each day and how her energy became lower by day. I understood how she felt like her efforts were wasted. Besides, with all the hard work invested on one work, and even sacrificing others, it was but natural to eventually want to quit once what you worked hard on weren’t getting the praises and appreciation it deserved.

More importantly, I wonder where she went. I want to go and follow her a while ago. But it might raise suspicion. Until now, I was still thinking of what excuse I had to make to go after her.

“Hello?” I called Danny.

“Yes?”

“Dara had run off to who-the-hell-knows-where. Taeyeon had been crying because of it. Could you help me look for her?” I asked as I looked at Taeyeon and her family, who were expectant at how Danny would answer.

“Oh, yes, that’s not a problem.”

“And most probably, she might not listen to anybody, so could you please use their grandfather’s name so that at least she will go with you?”

“Yes, no problem,” Danny said before he hung up.

I paced around the room as Taeyeon continued with her wailing. Her mother was sitting beside her. Her father went off to look for Dara too. When I thought that it was time, I turned to them.

“Danny texted me. He said he needed help. He couldn’t leave your grandfather. I’ll go look for Dara instead,” I lied.

“You are?” Taeyeon asked, standing up. “I mean, aren’t there any other people who could?”

I creased my brow. “I don’t know with Danny. He told me to.”

“Honey, let Jiyong be. Dara might go with him. Besides, I’m sure like what he said, Jiyong will use your grandfather’s name so that she’ll go with her,” her mother cooed.

Taeyeon dropped to her seat again. “Fine. Look for her.”

And I walked off.

I actually felt bad lying, but I felt obligated to go after her too. Actually, I just received a text from Danny that Dara had safely arrived at their grandfather’s office. That old man was still working even though his health was already at stake.

Anyway, so I went straight to the company, walking fast. But when I turned the corner, I saw Taeyeon’s dad waiting and pacing outside of their grandfather’s office.

I immediately backed away and hid. What was he doing here? And why was he waiting outside? He might have entered right? He’s a family too. Well, maybe he just gave some lone time for them. Still, it was odd.

After waiting and hiding on one corner, I heard the door opening. I peeked and saw Dara coming out. Taeyeon’s father leaned away from the wall he was resting on and faced Dara. The latter looked up and I saw her eyes red from crying. She sniffed then gave a slight bow. She was about to leave when Taeyeon’s father spoke.

“You already knew?” he asked.

Dara looked up and then down again. She nodded then.

“I know it’s disappointing but it’s true,” he said. What were they talking about? “Taeyeon is your sister from your father. If your father didn’t just up, I might have accepted you as my niece.”

My eyes widened at what he said. Taeyeon and Dara were sisters? But how?

Dara lifted her eyes to level them with Taeyeon’s father’s. “Stop badmouthing my father.”

“But it’s true. If he didn’t go after my wife while I was abroad, I would have accepted you as my niece. Do you know how much I suffered when I knew that my wife was pregnant of your father’s child? Do you know how betrayed I felt that time? Do you know how much Taeyeon suffered as I found it hard to accept her as my daughter that she even insisted on using the surname Kim before she got my approval? She went through tough times and it was all because of your father! If not for him, we would not go through something like this!”

“Stop talking, you…”

“What?! What I’m saying is true! So just accept that alright!”

“Just stop it! I get it now. My dad messed up big time! You don’t have to rub it in my face. If you suffered, Taeyeon and her mother did too, I was sure that Appa did too! Stop thinking of yourself! He must have gone through more sufferings than you! And I didn’t even know it! I didn’t even have the least bit of an idea that he had a daughter besides me. I didn’t even know how Omma felt during that time, if she knew or didn’t. Can you even consider even just for a minute how I felt after the old geezer revealed that to me?! The next thing I needed now wasn’t another one of your mockery! Appa is gone, Omma is gone, and you’re against me! Taeyeon is… I don’t know, probably suffering because I ruined her wedding. The old geezer… I couldn’t even face him! I am alone, so just, ing stop rubbing it on my face!”

Dara started walking forward as I backed away and hid again. I had my eyes widened and my mouth covered. It was beyond unexpected. This kind of revelation was…

“Oh, by the way,” I heard her say. “Don’t worry. I bet you’re worried that Taeyeon’s wedding will be ruined because of me. I won’t let that happen. Knowing that she’s my sister, you expect me to do better and make way for her right? I know it’s your plan all along that was why you included the old geezer to tell me the truth so that I wouldn’t have second thoughts of quitting and instead go for it. Fine, you want that? I’ll give you that. I won’t quit. I will do it for my SISTER,” she said, emphasizing the last word before I heard her footsteps away from the hall.

I followed Dara as she walked and walked. She seemed to not have a destination in mind. Her head was bowed and her shoulders were slumped. She seemed to be sniffing once in a while too and raising her hands to her face as if wiping the tears away.

I couldn’t help it but blame myself. She would not have gone through this if I didn’t call Danny and tell him to involve her grandfather so that she would follow. I didn’t mean it that way. I told Danny to do that so that Dara would comply since it seemed disrespectful not to, especially since he’s her grandfather. Although, I might admit that it had low probability that she would comply knowing her attitude and behavior towards the old man. But I knew deep inside her that she still cared of the old man that was why I thought of that plan.

On the other hand, it would have been better that she knew the truth. It wasn’t so that she would change her mind of quitting on helping our wedding arrangements. Heck, I didn’t want that in the first place. It was better because if she would still be ignorant for more years, she would be hurt more once she knew. Although they already kept it this long, this was better than not letting her know at all.

But still… that was beyond unbelievable. I couldn’t even think of what to feel if I was on her place.

So, Dara just kept on walking until we reached a park. I kept my distance but I watched her. I watched her as she sat on one bench and bowed her head. She rested her hands on the edge of the bench to support herself. And after that, her shoulders shook as if she continued crying. After that, she raised her hands and covered her face as she cried more.

It hurt me seeing her like that. It hurt me seeing her hurt like that. And I couldn’t even do anything. It seemed she needed someone, especially by this time. Although she usually wanted to be alone, I think this was a different thing. But I know, once I walk up to her and comfort her, she would just drive me off.

What could I do, then? I couldn’t just stand here and watch her hurting.

As my brain was working a way to comfort her, a brown bear mascot holding a tray of cookies showed up in front of me. There was a girl dressed as an anime beside the bear as she said, “Buy one cookie, sir, and you’ll help a thousand kids from Africa to go to school,” she held up a sign board.

I looked for my wallet and bought one just so they would leave me alone. I was thinking here of a way to comfort Dara and they would just show up? Aish!

As they thanked me and I munched on the cookie in one bite, I heard the girl saying while leaving, “Alright now, let’s try there. Aish, I’m tired. We’ve been working all day but we’re not making profits. Poor kids,” she said as the bear mascot shook its big head.

They approached a mom who had her daughter on her arms. They offered the cookies as the kid reached out and touched the bear mascot. The mascot wiggled its head and the kid smiled.

Suddenly, an idea popped in my head.

DARA’S POV

I didn’t know how long I was here. I had been crying my eyes out and I was sure that the passers-by had their eyes on me. Someone even left a handkerchief on my side. I might have looked pathetic.

I couldn’t help it. If you were on my shoes right now, I was sure you would feel the same. I still couldn’t grasp the fact that while I was still two years old, my father once fooled my mother and even had a daughter on his brother’s wife. I never knew any of it. I never knew if my mother actually knew about it. I tried racking my brain if she mentioned about it, or even if they fought about it, but nothing came.

All these years, I was left unaware. All these years, I thought my father had only one daughter and that was me. Now that my parents were dead, I had no one to confirm it to except for the old geezer and his son. I don’t even know if they told the truth but with all those I heard from them, it was like the truth. It explained why Taeyeon’s dad hated me, why Taeyeon was a Kim and not a Park, and why the old geezer once disowned my father.

The last reason was the most convincing one. The old geezer explained to me a while ago why he never showed himself while Appa had us as his family. Appa was supposed to be married to someone else as he was getting ready to be the company’s heir. However, he met Omma and because the old geezer was against it, they decided to elope. When the old geezer knew about it, he disowned Appa.

As Omma and Appa’s love bloomed, they had me as their daughter. The next two years, Appa had another daughter but it was from Taeyeon’s mom. The old geezer said that Appa was drunk that night as they just fought with Omma. Taeyeon’s mom was then Omma and Appa’s mutual friend. As Appa called for companionship as they drank the night away, Taeyeon came into being. During that time too, Taeyeon’s parents just got married and Taeyeon’s mom actually had secret feelings for Appa.

And that explained how Taeyeon’s Dad was cold to Taeyeon before and how when Taeyeon found out about it, she insisted on keeping her mother’s surname Kim instead of using Park.

Complicated as it was, it happened that way. Now I understood why the old geezer disowned Appa in the first place. We were somewhat an illegitimate family and he was against us. He didn’t show up to Omma’s funeral and never even once visited Appa when he was still at the hospital. However, I still couldn’t accept that just because he wanted an heir, he looked for me to apologize. It was pathetic.

Honestly, my mind was jumbled right now. Too many concerns pop up every second. Each of them was equally important to the present and they just make my heart feel heavier.

Another one was the fact that with Taeyeon as my sister, instead of my cousin, I would have more reasons to work harder for her wedding… with Jiyong. As her cousin, it was already against my will to work with them, to help them with the preparations. Now, it was more painful, having your own sister married to your first love. However, I had more reasons to help her since she was my sister. It would have been unethical to break off their wedding because Jiyong and I had a thing in the past.

Honestly, through all these days with them, a part of me was still hoping that we could get back together. However, with these circumstances, the hope eventually faltered. With her being my sister, I would have more reasons not to hope for Jiyong and me to get back. It was already hopeless. They would be getting married and I had to accept it.

It was the most pressing matter I had in mind actually, not the fact that Appa fooled me and Omma before, not the fact that the old geezer disowned Appa because of that pathetic reason, nor the fact that Taeyeon was my sister.

It was the fact that my sister was getting married to my first love.

With that, a sob rose in my throat and I cried harder. I just couldn’t grasp the fact that I had to go through this. Why would even fate play with me like this? Was it really fun and laughable that I go through this?

As I cried, my hands covering my face, I heard a music playing. It was a children’s song and as I looked up because of curiosity, I saw a brown bear mascot in front of me. He just put the MP3 player on the ground and he was now stretching.

I thought it was a play as people started gathering. The bear raised its hands and waved at me. He pressed its paw on its lips and then with the open paw, he reached it out to me as if it was a flying kiss. Then he put his hands on its waist as he started wiggling his .

I looked around as people started taking pictures and clapping their hands. Kids were laughing too. As for the bear, he continued on making a fool out of himself, wiggling his hips left and right and doing all those silly steps with his arms and legs. I couldn’t even understand what dance routines he was performing.

One thing was for sure: he couldn’t dance but he sure was funny.

Somehow, my lips lifted to a smile. And as if he noticed it, he stopped wiggling his and raised his hands above him. He jumped and excitedly ran towards me. He pulled me up and let me join him. Holding my hands, we danced to the song and twirled around like were some kind of kids.

As he let go of my hands, he motioned for me to follow him. He went on to perform his crazy dance routines and I followed him. In no time, I was already laughing. As I couldn’t take it anymore, I bent forward and laughed hard, as he just continued dancing stupidly.

I laughed like I had never laughed before. I laughed like I didn’t care about the world. I laughed like I had no problems in mind before this.

However, with the last thought, the problems eventually returned and my laughter slowly subsided. I straightened up and what I had been thinking a while ago, before this strange bear mascot appeared, eventually came piece by piece.

In no time, tears flowed from my eyes and sobs rose in my throat. And in no time, I was wailing. I was wailing like a primary school kid who had her lollipop snatched by a bully. I was wailing as if I never wailed before. In fact, I think I never even wailed like this before.

My cries were getting louder that I couldn’t even hear the people around me laughing, that I couldn’t even hear the music, until what I could hear were my cries only. I shut my eyes as I didn’t want to see how people would react at this twenty-six-year old adult crying in the middle of the park like she was a lost child. I wasn’t ashamed though. I need to let this out. I need to let this pain out of my system and I could only think of crying.

I cried and cried.

And cried.

Until…

Something soft came into contact with my tear-stricken face. I opened my eyes and saw the bear mascot in front of me. His paws were wiping the tears off my face and then he cupped my face as if willing me to stare at his plastic eyes.

As I realized that this strange bear mascot came into the rescue of this child-like crying adult, I wailed harder, shutting my eyes as more tears pooled. Eventually, I felt myself being hugged by this cuddly bear, muffling my cries as I buried my face on its soft and furry chest.

The bear hugged me tight and somehow, I felt that I wasn’t alone.

How kind and, at the same time, strange the bear was.