Flashback: May, 27, 1989
Setting: In a peaceful neighborhood located in California.

“Do you think umma will like this?”

“I think so. And I bet that she’ll be proud too!”

“Girls, I’ll be making dinner at the kitchen. You stay here, mkay?” their aunt, Park Hye Mi, left the two girls at the garden and proceeded in preparing tonight’s supper.

“Bommie-ah! Where are you?” a sweet voice was heard from the gate.

The five year old flashed a smile before vaulting into her mother’s dear arms.

“I’m here, umma! I missed you so much! It’s been months since I haven’t seen you!”

“I know, sweetheart. Mommy misses you too! You’re getting quite heavy now, my Bom-ah!”

“Of course, umma! And it’s all because of your buttered corn-on-the-cobs!”

The lady chuckled as she let down the hyped little girl.

“Umma! Look at what Go Eun unnie and I did!” she held her hand and dragged her to the garden.

In the fields of flowers, another girl, probably in her pre-teens was found, gracefully placing flower seeds on the bed of rich soil.

“What is this, Go Eun, Bom? H-how did you grow these flowers? A-are they…Oh, my, they are roses! Pink and red!” their mother crouched down to the girls’ eye level and placed her pretty eyes on the flowers.

“Yes, mommy! They are pink and red roses!” Go Eun said with a charming smile.

“Hye Mi imo helped us in planting those coz we know they’re your favorites, umma!” added Bom.

A satisfied beam lingered on Mrs. Park’s lips as she placed kisses on the kids’ foreheads.

“Thank you, my darlings!”

Before leaving the majestic garden, they called for their imo and favored if she could take a snapshot of the mother who was united with her daughters once again.

“Umma, please don’t leave us again.” said Bom, a tint of sadness sticking around her lips.

“I won’t, Bom-ah. I promise.”

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

Present time: September 29, 2011
Setting: A private dance studio; Backstage.

“Okay, everyone! Take 5!”

“Yes!”

A pandemonium of sighs clouded the room as they all hastily twisted the caps off their water bottles.

“Well, that was a great work out!” Bom exclaimed, happiness written all over her sweaty face, her orangey-blonde wisps disheveled and concealed with swelter.

“I’m with you, unnie! Dancing to ‘Lollipop’ with the oppas was jam-packed full of fun!” Minzy commented while her boyfriend, Seungri, helped her wipe the perspiration surrounding her face’s frame.

The two clusters were drilling in the most arduous manner for their ‘Lollipop’ performance at the 2011^th YG Family’s Concert. The others (Se7en, Gummy, and Psy, along with Teddy bear and YG Papa.), were at the subsequent room, ensuring that their throats were all cleared and clean and their voices ranged to the highest possible level.

“Oh, Bom unnie, your phone’s ringing!” Chaerin yelled at the other end of the room, along with Taeyang, who was beat out, dead tired.

“Answer it for me! Just...I’ll be back in a jiffy, mkay?” she screamed back as she shut the door.

“…Hello?” her curious voice stated.

“B-Bom-ah?” Chaerin became even more suspicious since the voice on the other line seemed uneven and the background was all sniffing and crying. She thinks.

“Uh, I’m sorry, this is not Bom. I’m her friend, Chaerin. She told me to answer the phone and keep you entertained for a while. May I know who is this?” replied CL as she stood up, causing Youngbae to lie still on the heated, wooden floor.

“Oh…This…this is Go Eun, Bom’s sister…”

“Ah, annyeonghaseyo, Bom’s unnie!”

Bom came back with a corn stick wrapped around a clear plastic. “Who is she, Chae-ah?” she approached the younger lady.

“It’s your sister, Bom unnie!”

“Go Eun unnie called?!”

She handled the phone ever so carefully and mindfully to the blonde girl.

“Go Eun unnie! What’s up? Why did you call?” she exited again outside.

 “B-Bommie…I-I…Umma…She…” Go Eun was now stuttering and stammering.

Bizarrely, Bom furrowed her eyebrows, her face scrunched up in confusion.

“Umma…what, unnie? What happened to her?” her voice became more softened and inquisitive.

“She…She was rushed to the hospital…Hye Mi imo and I didn’t know why she was like this but the doctors said it was a serious chronic disease that has been in her for a long time…”

Despite the bolt from the blue she’s experiencing, she stood strong and sturdy, not letting any tear escape from her eyes.

“I-Is she…okay?” Bom questioned, her voice shaking up.

“…”

“Go Eun unnie! Is umma okay?!” the tone started to change into a fit of rage. It was loud but since the outside world were chock-full of fans chanting their names.

“…”

“Unnie, tell me! Jebal…”

“Bom-ah…She’s…gone.”

Bom froze on the spot and hung up on the phone. ‘She’s…gone?’.

This time, her eyes ruptured in endless tears. She didn’t give a care to those people who were ringing her. All she wanted is to be alone. She mopped out her cries and sported an ersatz beam as she went inside the dressing room.

“Bom! Where were you? We were looking for you!”

Inside the spacious make-up room, all the YG Family was settled in for hairstyling or face-preparing.

Seunghyun stared into her wet eyes snoopily. He has always been worried about her and the thought of why her eyes were like jerking tears moments ago was completely bothering him.

“Mianhaeyo, MinSun unnie. I’m ready for my make up.” she sat down on the most possible seat available, a seat beside TOP.

“Noona, gwenchanayo?” he questioned, sadness etched on his face.

She beamed her faux smile again and turned to him with a slight nod. “Mhm. Gwenchana.”

Seunghyun twisted back to the mirror, a suspicious face playing around him. ‘Is she really okay?’

“Bommie, on the first performance, which is ‘Fire’, you are obligated to go on the most left entrance so that when you are transported to the stage, you’ll be beside Dara, mkay?” said their manager as they hold onto the stapled papers where the list of the songs are written.

“Are you really sure you’re okay, noona?” he asked again.

“Nae, Seunghyun. Chincha!”

TOP left the room with a bothered mind.

‘Don’t worry, noona. I’ll be there for you.’

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

First Chapter! Leave me some comments! :)

--AJ.