Nana

"Nana-ah, wake up darling~" said a sweet voice I could only recognize as my mother. I slowly open my eyes to her bright smile. "Happy 10th birthday sweetheart!" I sit up and wrap my arms around her.

"Omma, you promised to take me to the park today. Lets go!!!"

"Then lets go brush your teeth." My mom picks me up and we walk to the bathroom . I stand on my step up chair so I am chest-level to the edge of the sink, I was pretty short for a now ten year old. After brushing, she gently wipes my face with a cold hand towel.

"Omma I wanna wear my pretty dress today, where is it?" I ask.

"I had the ahjumma wash and dry it, let me call her." Mom went to the intercom near the door and pressed the button. "Ahjumma, can you please bring up Nana's white dress with jewels on it?"

A couple of minutes later the ahjumma comes into the room and gave us the dress.

"Ahjumma, do you know what today is?" I said with gleeful eyes.

"Ne, it's your birthday. I made you seaweed soup downstairs. Happy birthday Nana-ah!" I quickly changed from my pajamas to my sundress and ran down the two flights of stairs to the dining room . I sit in my appa's big chair, because it's my special day. Ahjumma sets the bowl of seaweed soup in front of me and I start eating it hungrily.

"Nana, we haven't brushed your hair yet." Says my mom coming down the stairs slowly. She makes her way next to my chair and begins brushing my hair, I turn to her to ask a question.

"Omma, can oppa come to the park with us?"

"I'm afraid Yongguk is helping appa right now at work."

"Appa and oppa can come with us!"

"Mianhae sweetie. You know they are really busy, appa is having troubles at work right now." I sigh and push at my soup with my spoon.

"It's just like my last birthday." I say grumpily.

"Aniyo, tonight we are having a big party for you. And you know what? Appa and Yongguk will be there." Says my mom, pushing my hair behind my ear.

"JINJA ?! Is Ji gonna be there?"

"Ne, Ji and her parents will be there."

"Omo I'm so excited! When is the party??"

"Tonight at 6:30 p.m."

"I can't wait. Omma, I finished my soup. Lets go to the park~" We pack up some snacks and set off walking to the park since it was just a block away. When we reached the park, I instantly ran to the sandbox and started playing.

"Nana, I left my phone back at the house. Omma will be back okay?" Says my mom.

"Ne~" I continue playing with the sand. I was in the middle of making a sand castle, when I hear a voice.

"What are you making?"

I turn around and there's a scary guy in a suit hovering over me.

"I'm making a sand castle."

"That's very pretty."

I stand up and brush the sand off of me.

"Omma told me not to talk to strangers. I have to go."

"I'm no stranger, Bang Nana. I'm more of an uncle."

"I've never seen such an ugly uncle."

"Yah, you little brat." I stick my tongue out at him and run away. All of a sudden, I'm lifted up in the air and thrown over the ahjussi's shoulder.

"Ahjussi let me down!! OMMA . OMMA. STRANGER DANGER."

"Shuttup kid."

I thrash around and scream and bawl my eyes out as a van appears down the street. I see my omma coming from our house.

"OMMA. OMMA!" I scream. My mom sees and starts running towards us. Bodyguards that work to guard us come running in all directions, but the van gets to us first. The ahjussi carrying me bangs on the back door to open, until another guy opens the doors for us to get in. I'm thrown inside and the door is closed behind us.

They tie up my hands behind my back and put duct tape over my mouth. I kick my legs around, but then they tie my feet together. I begin crying, I've never been so scared in my life. There's three guys in the van, all in suits. One is driving and the other two are staring at me.

"What are we gonna do with her?" The bald one asks.

"I don't know, kill her?" Says the one driving. The one who grabbed me slapped his head.

"Pabo, she's the key to the seven star mob fortune. We kill her, and we're dead by the boss."

"Aish I didn't know okay."

So this is why they kidnapped me...cause I'm a key. But how am I so important? Aish I want to go home.

"Yah kid, do you want a juice or something?"

I look down and shake my head. I'll pee my pants if I drink anything.

"Suit yourself."

We sit there in silence when all of a sudden we brake to a stop and crash into something. I wasn't wearing a seatbelt of any sorts so I was thrown against the van wall on the impact. I hit my head, my sight becoming blurry. The only things I remember are the doors opening and guns being held up. I was untied and the duct tape was carefully pulled off. I was carried outside. I kept opening and closing my eyes, my vision almost blurring completely.

"NANA, GWENCHANA?" I look up and see my omma's worried eyes. She's carrying me in her arms. I look over and I see appa and oppa running towards me.

"Oppa" I cried out. Yongguk takes me out of my mom's grasp and hugs be tightly. He's crying, I can feel his tears. I slowly close my eyes and everything goes black.

"Nana, Nana wake up." I notice that as my mom's voice. I open my eyes, hoping its the morning of my birthday and I'm just waking up. That everything was a dream. I look around and we're at a strange place. Oppa is sitting next to me with his head in his hands and dad's talking to some people.

"Omma where are we?"

"The airport. You're going somewhere."

"Where am I going?"

"Los Angeles, California in North America. That's the only other safe place in appa's business."

Los Angeles? I've never heard of that place. I turn to my brother.

"Oppa, you're coming with me right?" Oppa looks at me with sad eyes and slowly shakes his head from side to side. I feel fear creep into my heart. Appa slowly walks over to where we are sitting.

"They are about to call to go on the plane. Nana, you're going to a safe place, don't worry. Appa loves you." He leans down and hugs me tightly. He kisses my cheek and hugs me more.

"I love you Nana. I will call to check in on you. Omma is gonna miss you, my poor baby." My mom starts crying and pulls me into a hug. After a minute she pulls away.

"Oppa, I don't want to leave. Please don't let omma and appa send me away." I cry to my brother.

"It's okay dongsaeng, don't cry. You're going to be safe okay? Here, this is my email. Email me everyday arasso? Oppa loves you." He slips a piece of paper into my hand and I grasp it tightly. He kisses my forehead and I hug him and start crying into his chest. He hugs me back and cries.

"Plane to Los Angeles is now ready to board."

When I heard those words I hold on tightly to my brother. I wouldn't let go, so dad had to pry me off of him.

"NO OPPA NO." I try to get back to my brother, but the flight attendant was instructed to get me on the plane. She picks me up and starts walking toward the entrance. I scream no over and over and over again, at an ear piercing level. We enter through the entrance and everything goes dark.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please buckle up. We are about to land in Seoul, South Korea." I open my eyes slowly and take in everything. I was dreaming about that day again, for the fourth time this week. Well, that's pretty much all I've been thinking about since I decided to fly back to Korea. Its been eight years since the incident. I buckle up and feel the plane slowly hit the ground, and stop.

"We have now landed, thank you for choosing Korean Air."

I grab my stuff and step off the plane to baggage. As I wait for my luggage, I fix my outfit. I'm wearing black leggings with a knitted creme sweater that reaches mid thigh and a bandeau underneath with light brown moccasins. I loosen my fishtail up a bit. I see two cheetah suitcases come out and I grab my suitcase, or should I say suitcases, and step outside and call for a taxi. A taxi comes up next to me, and puts my stuff in the trunk and I get in.

"Where to pretty lady?" Says the taxi driver.

"This address please." I give him the address my brother told me he moved to in Seoul after my almost kidnapping in our hometown Busan.

"You got it."

We start driving and I sit back and close my eyes. I began thinking about how life went after I arrived in Los Angeles. I ended up living at one of my dad's close friends that worked for him at his Los Angeles territory. It was just him and his wife. Sure they were nice, but complete strangers. I hated being there. Hated my parents for sending me there. The only person I trust is my brother, and he was a whole ocean away, I can't wait to see the look of surprise when I see him.

After thirty minutes we pull up to this big mansion, yep definitely the right place. I hand the taxi driver money for the drive and thank him. I get my things out of the trunk and walk up the sidewalk. I remember back to emails I've had with my brother, and remember something. He lives in the guest house, all by himself behind the big mansion. A big smirk appears across my face and I walk to the back. The guest house is as bigger than a regular house. I go up to the door , I'm a bit nervous. I take a deep breath, and ring the doorbell twice.