Mrs.Wu lay bleeding on the ground, her thigh wounded. She was bleeding out on the ship deck. The sun seemed a bit too harsh as it beat down relentlessly upon her, as if condemning her for her heinous actions. She smirked. This is my karma. My punishment for forsaking all morale. Forgive me dear, for abandoning you. I just wanted to protect you and protect Kris. Forgive me Kris, for not being a worthy mother. 

She felt her leg being bandaged, as the sweat coated her temples and her breathing became labored. Her wrists were clasped by cool metal. This was the end. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Seohyun watched as Mrs.Wu chest began to heave in erratic movements, her breathing becoming short and haste. She felt a pair of warm arms envelope her, and the scent of newly cut grass and cinnamon filled her nostrils. She smiled.

"Appa!"

"My daughter, I am sorry. I am sorry." He continued to murmur incoherent apologies as he rocked her back and forth upon the windy ship deck, in the middle of nowhere. "I should have realized it was you long ago my baby, my darling." His voice began to crack, and she heard sniffling.

"Don't cry appa. I didn't realize until today." 

He released her from the hug, and she turned around, so they faced each other. "I thought you only strongly resembled my Seohyun. I could never imagine, guess that in my wildest dreams, you were her." Seohyun shook her hand, attempting to vocalize her understanding. "We were too busy attempting to erase our past identities, in hopes that we would never be found. We attempted to become different people. Even went to the point of changing our profession. It was all to protect you dear. Forgive me for leaving you and Minjee behind."

Seohyun heard a croak come from Mrs.Wu as she continued to lay, drying like a fish upon the deck, handcuffed. "Don't worry Mrs.Wu. This ship is docking soon, and you'll go through proper procedure." Seohyun saw Baekhyun and Mr.Park being led out from below deck, probably where they had fled to.

Baekhyun was crying hysterically, begging to be released. "I didn't know! I wasn't part of this!" He wailed, spilling lies every whichway. 

But Mr.Park was just silent. He wasn't crying or begging. His face seemed...almost content, filled with acceptance. He was at peace. That dark look that Seohyun had seen a month or so ago was gone, replaced by pure sadness with almost a tint of regret. 

The ship stopped at shore, and Mrs.Wu began to scream. "MY DAUGHTER! MY DAUGHTER!" The deranged woman was carried off the ship in a stretcher, with Mr. Park and Baekhyun closely behind. It was over, She was finally safe. 

She felt her father's arms help her up off her knees, and held onto her tightly as she stumbled off the ship. She was wrapped in a tight embrace the moment she stepped on shore, engulfed by the smell of carnations and new laundry. Omma. 

The normal eloquent and graceful Mrs.Kim was gone, replaced by a teary mother who finally recognized her daughter. "My dear, my dear, my heart. You're back. Omma is back." Seohyun wrapped her arms tenderly around the small frame of her mother. Her body began to tremble, from the suppressed emotions. Do you know how long I have waited for you to come back? I sat on that park bench everyday, for years, hoping you or Minjee would magically reappear, bringing me home with you. I've missed you. 

"Omma--Minjee--she's, she's-" Seohyun couldn't bring herself to continue. "I couldn't watch out for her."

"We know dear. We know it all. When we heard, we were devastated, and it took everything for us not to come back to Korea, to see Minjee. But if we came back, Mrs.Wu might have traced our connection to you, and that would defeat the purpose of us leaving in the first place."

Seohyun sniffled, "She was hoping to see you guys." 

Then she felt a soft warm breeze, among the chilly gusts of that day. She smelled lemons, Minjee's favorite scent. Minjee? Are you here? 

She smiled, because despite the decade of separation, they were all together again for a moment. Even Minjee. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Kris awoke to see harsh fluorescent lights. Where am I? The room was completely white and the lone window told him that it was nighttime. I'm at the hospital. As he tried to wiggle into a sitting position, pain seared throughout his body from his thigh. Right. I was stabbed. 

He vaguely remembered the clerk rushing back in and several men carrying him. Then he knocked out and awoke here. Where is Seohyun? 

At that exact moment, Seohyun came hurtling into the room, tackling him in a bear hug. "Babo-baboo," she cried between hiccups. The Kim couple, oh--Seohyun's parents, walked calmly into the room, smiling genuinely at their daughter. I guess they figured things out. 

"Hey, Hey- look at me." Seohyun looked at him. "I'm fine okay? Nothing can hurt me. So don't cry. I'll be your hero~~" Kris began singing causing Seohyun to giggle and laugh at his childish antics.

Hitting his chest softly, Seohyun whispered, "Don't scare me like that again." 

Staring into her clear, pure eyes, b with trust and overflowing with honesty, Kris knew he had to tell her; she would have done the same if their positions were reversed.

"Minjee is my sister."

She froze, petrified. "No...She's mine.... She's lived with me since I was two, right after she was born. This isn't funny Kris."

"No, please listen Seohyun. She was originally my sister, and my mom gave her up. I'm not sure how she became your sister, but...my father told me, in one of this numerous letters, and what reason would he have to lie?"

Seohyun's parents stepped up slowly, and their voices were barely audible as they said, "Minjee is adopted."

"What??"

"Minjee is not your biological sister."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Seohyun wasn't sure how to react. She felt a little numb and ridiculed. Even Kris knew? How long has he been hiding this from me? 

"We weren't going to hide it from you, but we wanted to wait a little, when we knew you would handle it maturely. I'm sure you would agree that a two year old wouldn't be able to fully comprehend." Seohyun didn't know if she was supposed to be angry or hurt from the sudden news. 

"Here--this is a letter that Minjee wrote to you when she was six. She wanted to tell you everything, since she has known since the beginning. But for our sake, she kept quiet." Seohyun's hands shook slightly as she grasped onto the old, tearing envelope. 

Dear Unnie,

You're at school right now and I'm at home, sick, again. We just learned how to write proper letters in class the other day, and you'll be the first person to get one of mines! 

Omma told me a few years back that I was adopted. And of course I wasn't mad, because I got to meet you! You're a wonderful unnie, the best one I ever had. You'll still love me right? Because I will definitely never stop loving you.

I want to walk in the park holding your hand forever. Let's sing and catch butterflies for the rest of our lives neh? Best friends forever right?

Lots of love,

Minjee~

P.S. I made some cookies for you. Let's eat them together when you get home! 

P.P.S. I'll be going to the doctor more often now, he says to keep track of something. Don't worry! I'll stay healthy.

She still remembered that day. When she got home, Minjee had tackled her to the ground in a deathly tight embrace. Seohyun could still taste those horribly burnt chocolate chips, with a sour aftertaste because Minjee had added lemons into the recipe. "I didn't know they were that sour," Minjee had whined. 

"Let's go visit her," Seohyun managed to utter. "I haven't gone to see her in a while." 

~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a sunny day when the arranged date arrived. Kris leaned on his crutch for support as he stepped out of the car onto the soft green grass. He was dressed in all black, and Seohyun stepped out from the driver's seat, in a completely black lace dress. 

They slowly made their way to Minjee's grave.

Seohyun's parents were already there, heads bowed, eyes dry. They must have already shed their tears back in China, because now they just stared sadly, eyes full of contrite emotions. Kris hobbled over and looked down at her gravestone, with a new bouquet of carnations right beside it. The epitaph read, "Wonderful sister, amazing daughter, and loving best friend." Simple and short, but all probably true.

Time had threatened to weather away at her memories, to erase her, but as Kris stared at the three people beside him, he knew she would remain as alive as when she danced on this earth. It was so quiet, and a gentle breeze rustled through the grass, filling his lungs with a clean citrus scent. 

He never knew Minjee, but he felt attached to her from all the stories Seohyun had told him of their times together. 

I'll visit you often sister.