“Seunghyun ah!” I ran to him and threw my arms around him. He laughed and hugged me to him.

“Hey, hey, are we chopped liver?” Seungri’s voice said. I turned around and realized they were all there. All five of them. Even Daesung was there. He was looking away now, talking to Bum and Joon with a drink in his hand.

Jiyong patted my back and put his arm around me. “Hey, little sister. How are you doing these days?” His smile lit up the world. I gave him a big hug.

“Jiyong ah. I’ve missed you all so much,” I replied with tears in my eyes. I pulled back and looked at all of them. I realized they looked a little beaten up. “Hey. What happened to all of you?”

Youngbae got up and gave me a hug. “It’s not important. What is, is that you’re here and we’re here and we’re all safe now. I’m glad to see you, Soo Yun ah. We’ve been worried.” I smiled and looked over his face. He turned away before I could see the extent of the damage. Damage that was done because of you, an ugly voice inside my head screamed.

“It’s my turn, it’s my turn!” Seungri piped up, pushing all the other guys out of the way. “You look good, Soo Yun.” He hugged me tightly, holding me for a moment. “Are they treating you well? Are you eating good? How are you feeling? Do you like it here?” A million questions poured out of his mouth as I sat down with them.

It was nice to see them, sit with them, talk with them, be in their presence again. I felt whole. I felt like I was with family. I felt like I could trust everyone here. I also felt responsible for all the hurt that was being cause. Then I remembered the envelope Hyun Joong had given me earlier. I stopped talking, but watched as them rest of them enjoyed their conversations and drinks.

After a little while, I told Seungri I was going to check on Min Ho. I was getting a little worried about him.

When I got to his door, I knocked softly. I put my ear to the door and heard him tell me to come in. I walked in and sat next to his legs on the bed. He looked tired, but like he was feeling okay. He smiled at me.

“Thank you,” he said sweetly. “I don’t know what we would’ve done if you hadn’t been here.”

I looked down. “You wouldn’t have had to leave in the first place if it weren’t for me.”

He touched my arm comfortingly. “None of us have done anything we didn’t want to. We care about you because Hyun Joong cares about you, and because you’re a good person. I know we haven’t known you very long, but the four of us have grown quite attached to you. You saved my life, Soo Yun ah, and saved Hyun Joong from how lonely he was. Trust me, I can’t thank you enough. If you ever need anything, just tell me. Okay?” Tears were falling down my cheeks, so I wouldn’t look at him or say anything for fear of giving myself away. I just nodded. “Promise me. Say you promise.”

I inhaled deeply, sounding a little shaky, and told him I promised. He pulled me to his side and squeezed me.

“Now go have a good time for me. Hopefully I’ll be able to join you again in a couple of days.” He smiled and pushed me off the bed and gave me a gentle kick to get me out. I closed the door behind me. What he’d said was very sweet and sincere, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all because of me. I needed to see what was in that envelope.

I went into my bedroom—our bedroom?—and locked the door behind me. I’d tossed the envelope on the bed when I’d followed Hyun Joong into the bathroom earlier. I picked it up and turned it over a few times in my hands. It had my family name on it. I sighed and slid my finger underneath the sealed flap. I peaked inside, seeing several sheets of paper and what looked to be a bunch of photos. I pulled everything out and laid it on the bed, spread out so I could look at everything.

All of the photos were of my father. There was one of him standing in front of a man who was bloody and slumped over, tied to a chair. Another was of him shooting a man who was on the ground. The rest of them contained the same kind of images. Tears sprung to my eyes. Appa, what were you doing?

The papers contained extensive information about my father, the people he’d hurt and killed, the people he’d sent to prison, the plans he’d gotten wind of, his sources, the people he’d been trying to take down. Lastly, there was a list of possessions he had from people he’d interrogated, tortured, killed, etc. The list wasn’t long, but on thing was highlighted. A book. There was a picture of it next to the description. I vaguely remembered seeing it once. Appa had it, sitting in his chair at home, and Eomma came and took it from him. The got in an argument about it and after that, I never saw it and they never talked about it.

The words “we want it back” were nearly carved  on a small card that came out of the envelope.

I was the only one left. I was the only one in the world that could possibly know where that book was, and of course, I had absolutely no idea.