" You don't have a smaller size?" Jinyoung bit his cheeks as he passes the dress to the salesgirl.

" We have a size smaller for this dress..." the girl blushes while she admires Jinyoung's good looks.

" Ok. I'll take that." Jinyoung showed his gums at her while he heads to the counter.

* Jinyoung pays for the dress *

" Toothbrush...checked. Warm clothings...checked. Looks like I've got everything... Why Am I even doing this again?" Jinyoung laughs to himself as he made sure that he had bought all the necessary items for Ah-ra.

With his headphones on, he slowly walks towards Sandeul's house. The neighbourhood was really unfamiliar to him, the streets were narrow and there was something creepy about it. As the night slowly crept in, the temperature dropped below freezing point. Even Jinyoung found it difficult to breathe and the wind was so strong that his fragile body felt like it was going to snap into two.

" Why is it so cold today...Ah...my nose feels like it's going to bleed soon. Damn Ah-ra. I should be at home composing songs now. Always making me worried...pfft." Jinyoung complains as he kicks an empty can.

* Cat yelping *

'' Oh?! Who is that? Don't come near me... Don't..." Jinyoung hugs himself as he struggles to look at the shadow infront of him. 

It was slowly creeping towards him. It was so dark that he could only see the shadow of the unknown being. Fearing that it was a ghost, Jinyoung cowers and covers his eyes as he repeatedly mutters to himself, as if trying to comfort himself. He could hear it coming towards him, the hair on his neck started to stand up.

*Meow*

" Meow? Ah...It's a cat." Jinyoung giggles as he lovingly bends down to pat the cat. Although his appearance was of that of a brave person, deep inside his heart there were still things that he fears, it was just that he didn't showed it.

Jinyoung bit his lips as he trudges his way up the slope, the cold weather was so bitter that he felt his lips cracked one by one. His ears were freezing and his fingers were numb. With the upbeat songs playing on his MP3, all of those discomfort didn't matter to him. After losing Dal-rae, it was as if his life was empty and to think about it, if it wasn't for Ah-ra. He would have been using his extra time to dwell on his loss, maybe even crying in his bed for hours and getting all depressed like a lost soul.

" Shin Ah-ra. You're right, at the end of the day, I'm only left with you and Shinwoo hyung. The first day that I stepped into Korea, I should have tried to find you. Instead, you found me... Only thinking about myself...about music...and her. I'm a selfish person. I didn't keep our promise." Jinyoung laments to himself as he bit his lips.

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* Jinyoung's flashback *

- The fateful day he left Korea -

'' Ok, let's take a picture... Aigoo...Ah-ra yah...stop crying... Appa is trying to take a picture.." Mr Shin comforts his daughter as he carries her and places her down next to Jinyoung.

Shinwoo turns to look at his little sister and felt sorry for her. He was also sad to see Jinyoung leave. With a heavy heart, he held his little sister's hands and wiped her tears.

" Hyung... I will miss you... Ah-ra yah... You're such a baby...stop crying..." Jinyoung utters those words as he prepared himself to look at the camera.

" Alright. Kids. On the count of three, smile? Ok?" Mr Shin rushes to the camera as he raises his hands up.

* 1...2...3 * * Snaps *

" Aigoo...Ahgasshi... Why are you crying so badly...Jinyoung-ah, we're leaving in ten minutes. Say your goodbyes. I'll be waiting for you in the car." Jinyoung's father taps him on the shoulder as he heads to the car.

Jinyoung quickly turns to look at Shinwoo and Ah-ra. He was reluctant to leave, on his mind, where was he going to find two good friends? Was he going to adapt well in a new environment? Will he ever meet them ever again? Will they miss him? 

* Ah-ra sobbing like crazy *

" Yah. Babo. Why are you crying... I will come and find you first thing when I come back... If you're going to continue crying, I won't come back ever" delivers those meaningless words to make Ah-ra feel better.

" Really? Promise?" the little girl rubs her eyes as she hugs him.

" I promise. Don't forget me, araso? I have a present for you. Close your eyes." Jinyoung clumsily takes out the diary from his bag; that he had bought with his hard-earned money and passes it into Ah-ra's small hands.

As soon as the diary got into Ah-ra's hands, she confusingly looks at it.

" Yah, you're giving her a diary when she can't even write?" Shinwoo mocks Jinyoung's present as he folds his arms. Obviously jealous that he was receiving nothing.

" Hyung! Do you know how much I saved to buy this? I didn't even buy food for myself just to get her this. Ah-ra, when you're old enough to start writing, make sure you pen down each and every important memories in this. I was never a good Oppa to you, always bullying you and pushing you around; just because you had a crush on me. I was afraid that you'll forget me so I wrote something for you in the two front pages. I have to go now... be well. I love the two of you! Bye! Shin Ah-ra! Don't ever cry because of me! Annyong!" Jinyoung hurriedly utters those words as he ran into the car. 

* Ah-ra and Shinwoo waves back *

" Appa... I think I will miss them badly." Jinyoung slowly turns around as he covers his face. He was about to cry too.

" Don't worry... Our fate with the Shin's will not end here. Jinyoung-ah, they've helped us a lot. I hope that you'll grow up to be a successful person and when you do become successful...don't forget their kind deeds. If it wasn't for them, your future would have been bleaked." Jinyoung's father spouts those very deep words as he focuses on driving. 

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As Jinyoung sheepishly smiles to himself while thinking about the past, he could hear frantic footsteps coming in his direction. His heart was smiling to himself at how childish he was when he was still a child. The frantic footsteps got so urgent that Jinyoung decided to look up and see what was going on ahead of him.

* Jinyoung drops the shopping bag *

Dal-rae stops as she stares into Jinyoung's eyes. What was he doing? Why was he here? All of those thoughts overcame her. There was not enough time, she was too impatient to get to Sandeul's side. Her heart was about to burst thinking about her little brother's cries. How much he must have been hurting for him to break down like that. She wanted to know how he managed to get to her.

On the other hand, Jinyoung was trying to analyse the situation. Why was Dal-rae here? Maybe she found out about Ah-ra staying over at a guy's house? How did she find out?  His mended heart was again broken into pieces as he gazed at her beautiful face. In his eyes, she had always been perfect. Meeting her here, what was the meaning of it? No matter how many times he convinced himself that he was over her, in a matter of seconds all of those thoughts seemed to be fading away. He missed her.

* Dal-rae approaches him *

" What are you doing here?" Dal-rae voices out as she helps him pick up his shopping bag.

Jinyoung kept to himself as he stares at her lips. She was talking to him, the voice that he had been missing to listen to for weeks, finally his prayers were answered. Again, he found himself trying to breathe. 

" I was just on my way back home. Shopping. " Jinyoung lied through his teeth as he composed himself.

" Shopping? A girl's clothing? Toothbrush? Perhaps... Ah! Ah-ra is still not back yet... Haha... She's with you then...Cool. It's not even a month yet and you got over me. That's good...that's just great..." Dal-rae bit her lips as she stared into Jinyoung's shopping bag.

" Argh. Caught again. Why must these situations happen to me..." Jinyoung turns away as he twitches his eyebrows.

Dal-rae who was observing him knew that he was still not over her. It was so obvious. It was still to early to go ahead with her plans, she needed to go to find Sandeul first. 

" Go to your Ah-ra. I'll be on my way first. " Dal-rae swiftly turns around and continued on her path to find Sandeul's house.

Jinyoung painfully glanced at her back, the words " Go to your Ah-ra " ripped his heart because he was indeed going to find Ah-ra. How did Dal-rae so easily forget him? 

" Should i erase all of our memories now? Like a fool, my heart only looks for you..." Jinyoung closes his eyes as he tries not to cry.

This time with heavy footsteps he heads towards Sandeul's place, little did he know he was going to bump into Dal-rae again. All of a sudden he stops in his footsteps, as if something strucked him in the head.

" If Dal-rae is going to find Ah-ra, won't I meet her there? Maybe I'm wrong...but...what if?" Jinyoung whispers to himself as he looks around. Dal-rae was indeed heading to the same place as him. It was a narrow street not a normal street where you would bump into people you know.

* Jinyoung decided to follow Dal-rae secretly *

Both of them were slowly nearing Sandeul's residence. Dal-rae was already going up the steps, clouds of mists were coming out from as she huffs and puffs. Jinyoung was already confirming that she was coming for Ah-ra. He bit his lips as he thought about how he was going to get to Ah-ra. All of a sudden, a force grabs him to the side.

* Someone covering Jinyoung's mouth and holding him tightly *

Jinyoung tilts his head to look at the person who was holding him. Deep inside, his heart was pounding like crazy. He was ready to give up his belongings and money if that was what the mugger wanted from him. He knew there was something about this neighbourhood, they were filled with scheming thieves!

'' Hyung. It's me. Baro." Baro whispers those words into Jinyoung's ears as he covers his mouth.

" Baro? " for a moment, Jinyoung freezes. Why was he here? To protect Ah-ra?

Baro continued to hold on to Jinyoung as his heart starts to pound. He knew there was no way he could hide Sandeul's secrets anymore. He insidiously prayed that Sandeul wouldn't open the door when Dal-rae knocks. The fact that Shin Ah-ra was there, he knew that all hell would break loose soon. Everyone was going to get hurt. Before it happens, he decided to spill half of the beans to Jinyoung.

" Hyung. You have to listen to me. Actually, I'm Sandeul's best friend. At the same time I'm Ah-ra's bodyguard. So don't ask me why I'm here because I live here. On the third floor. You have to keep quiet. Whatever that you're going to listen or see... Don't be too shocked. " Baro presses Jinyoung on the side of the stairs as he whispers those words to him.

Jinyoung stares into Baro's eyes in a confused manner. It was only yesterday that he got to know him as Ah-ra's bodyguard, and now he's telling him that he was Sandeul's best friend. Why did he hide that fact?  

* Dal-rae calling Sandeul *

" Sandeul-ah...are you inside?" Dal-rae softly knocks on the door as she calls for his name.

Jinyoung's eyes widened as he heard Dal-rae calling for Sandeul's name. She was looking for Sandeul?!

----------------------------------

" Sandeul-ah...are you inside?".

Sandeul who heard Dal-rae's voice panics as he looks on Ah-ra. There she was sleeping like a baby. He scrambles to the front door and quickly exits the house to prevent Dal-rae from knocking on the door again which could wake Ah-ra up.

* Sandeul exits the house and finally sees Dal-rae *

Both of their eyes met. Sandeul's eyes were red and swollen from crying, whereas Dal-rae was already tearing up as she took a few steps closer towards him. He had grown so much, tall and of course handsome. Her little brother was no longer the petite boy that she knew. However, he was still a cry baby.

" Junghwan-ah..." Dal-rae difficultly articulate those words to him as her hands reaches for his cheeks.

" Noona..." Sandeul embraces her as he continued on sobbing.

" Junghwan-ah...how hard it must have been for you... I'm sorry. I should have known better when I saw that necklace on Ah-ra's neck. I should have recognised you that fateful day. My little brother...after all, you're still my little brother... Omma... where is she? Is she inside?" Dal-rae questions him as she comforts him by patting his back.

" Little brother? In your eyes...I'm still your little brother? Omma...those words that you're saying now. Why are you saying it only now? How long I've waited for you to come back and at least look at us. The situation that we were in...didn't you promise to come back? Although you're a  Shin now..." Sandeul clenches his teeth as tears fell from his eyes.

" Junghwan-ah. I'm sorry. I was bad, I was selfish. I didn't have the heart to see you and mother... I-" Dal-rae apologises as she ruffles his hair.

" She's dead. She's gone. If you had come to find us a little bit earlier...maybe her last wish to see you... After all, you're not her daughter. You're-" Sandeul hesitates to tell Dal-rae the truth and quickly removes himself from embracing her.

Her eyes were slowly filling up with tears. Again, she lost somebody important to her. Her 'second' mother was now dead. 

" Junghwan-ah... I'm really sorry. Noona will take care of you so don't worry. What do you need? Oh? Tell me..." Dal-rae calms herself as she hurries to enters his house to look at the condition that he was in.

" Andwae! No, noona. Not the house. It's late. You should go home. I'm sorry. I just couldn't control myself." Sandeul covers the door with his body as he tries to stop her.

" Junghwan-ah..." Dal-rae attempts to comfort him as she tries to go in.

" Noona... I need some time on my own now... Now that I've seen you... I'm a bit unsure of myself. I feel confused. My name is not Junghwan anymore. You must call me Sandeul now. Lee Sandeul." Sandeul quickly responds as he grabs her hands.

" I understand... Sandeul-ah. We'll talk tomorrow. Good night..." Dal-rae sighs as she prepares to leave.

" Noona...I've gone through thick and thin to find you... I'll talk to you tomorrow..." Sandeul exhales slowly as he painfully utters those words.

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Jinyoung's legs gave way as he overhears the conversation between Dal-rae and Sandeul. Baro who knew that Dal-rae was already done and was going to go home, grabs Jinyoung by the waist and rushes into his house that was on the 3rd floor. 

* Jinyoung enters Baro's house *

" I'm not dreaming...Am I?" Jinyoung pinches his thighs as he blurts those words out from shocked.

" Hyung..." Baro tries to calm him down.

" If Lee Sandeul is related to Dal-rae in the past... Don't tell me that my guts are right..." Jinyoung bit his lips as he made his hands into a fist.

" What are your instincts telling you?" Baro nervously gulps as he avoids Jinyoung's eyes.

" That Lee Sandeul... is making use of Ah-ra to get to Dal-rae. The reference that Dal-rae was making to the necklace that was on Ah-ra's neck. I've seen it. If Dal-rae knows about the necklace and Lee Sandeul gave Ah-ra the necklace, it definitely makes sense. Ah-ra was the key to Sandeul finding Dal-rae. I mean, it's only been like two weeks? Sandeul is suddenly telling everybody that he 'loves' Ah-ra. Cha Baro, since you're Sandeul's best friend...do you know anything?" Jinyoung suddenly turns around to question Baro as everything finally made sense to him.

" Hyung, I'm not going to lie. But whatever that you said is the truth... I-" Baro voices out as he holds on to Jinyoung's shoulder.

" Yah! Why are you only telling me this now?! You lied! You lied ever since the first day we met! How am I going trust you now?!" Jinyoung yells at Baro as he pushes him.

" I'm sorry. I was just trying to protect Sandeul. However, I changed my mind... Shin Ah-ra. She's going to be in danger if I try to stop him..." Baro regretfully answers him as he eyes Jinyoung.

" What? Danger? What do you mean?!" Jinyoung stands up as he raises his voice.

" The Shin's. They took everything away from him. His Dad committed suicide after falling into a huge debt and was framed with fraud. It was because of the Shin's. Sandeul tried so hard to find Dal-rae and even enrolled into the same school as her. Meeting Shin Ah-ra was just a bonus." Baro finally spills the beans and confesses.

" Wait. Shin Dal-rae, she called him her little brother and he called her Noona. How are they related to each other? That means, what you're saying is, he's taking revenge against Ah-ra's family? What about Dal-rae? To me, it looks like he's only looking for Dal-rae..." Jinyoung tries to piece together the evidence he had so far.

" No...Hyung. He will harm Shin Ah-ra and take everything that belongs to him. Unless, Dal-rae stops him." Baro convinces Jinyoung that Sandeul was going to harm Ah-ra after seeing him hold Ah-ra at knife-point.

" You're positive of this?" Jinyoung reconfirms with Baro as he raises his eyebrows.

Jinyoung covers his face with his hands as he tried to study the confusing situation. If Ah-ra was indeed in danger, then he must at least find out the roots to why Sandeul was searching for Dal-rae. What Lee Sandeul's identity was, he had to find out. That innocent-looking kid was not as innocent as what he thought. 

" Cha Baro. You're on my side right?" Jinyoung turns to look at Baro with his phoenix-like eyes.

* Baro nods his head *

" I'll try to figure this out. I trust you. Cha Baro... pertaining Ah-ra's safety...I believe you will protect her. No one must know about this, understood? These are items for Ah-ra. Pass it to her. At least Lee Sandeul won't suspect you. I'm going to rest my head first. Bye." Jinyoung passes the items to Baro as he shakes his head while leaving the place.

Jinyoung laughs to himself as he hails for a cab. As he turns around to look at the dark-looking neighbourhood, he just couldn't believe about what he had heard. Not only that, now he was also having doubts about Dal-rae's identity, her past and everything about her.

"One by one, I'm going to dig the truths out. Lee Sandeul, I feel like skinning you alive. I'm not hundred percent sure about what your true motives are, but if you ever harm her. I won't stop myself from killing you with my own two hands." Jinyoung bit his lips as he enters the cab and left the place for home.