Chapter 13

            In a quiet suburb near the center of Seoul, a quaint, modest house sat on the corner of the block.  A tall, concrete wall with a black, metal gate hid it from any passersby, but the inhabitants were hardly unfriendly.  The quickly aging husband and wife busied themselves with careers, volunteer work, and anything else that could take up their time.  If they sat around too long, they would begin to regret the very difficult choice they made to send their twin daughters to a top boarding school for so long.  Perhaps eight years of boarding school was excessive.  Maybe enrolling in the summer program was a bit extreme.  All they knew is that they hadn’t seen their daughters in four years.  And four years felt far too long.

            Ms. Ko was always very dedicated to sending a letter to them each week in order to update them on their daughters’ wellbeing.  Apparently the girls had been very adept in learning foreign languages.  And their physical fitness was very outstanding.  But, over the summer and the beginning of fall, Ms. Ko hadn’t sent any updates.  She hadn’t even returned any letters Mr. and Mrs. Heo sent to the school.

            Just as the sun came up on the morning of Sunday, September 25, 2005, an anxious Mr. and Mrs. Heo began to plan their day, hoping to fit in as many distracting activities as possible.  But a knock outside their door quickly upset their plans.  Mrs. Heo left the kitchen door to open it, somewhat curious, but not expecting anything particularly interesting.

            As soon as she opened the door, she felt her spirit leave her body.  Three people stood before her.  Two of them were her lovely daughters, who appeared so foreign, yet so familiar all at once.  Their faces seemed unchanged, so young and precious.  Their long, black hair was so thick and shiny.  The only alarming thing about them was the longing, confusion, and relief in their eyes.

            “Mommy,” Minjin sobbed, suddenly wrapping her arms around her mother.  As she dug her face into her mother’s shoulder, Mrs. Heo looked down at her daughter with wide eyes.

            “Minjin-ah,” she whispered breathlessly.  “Minjin-ah…Minseon-ah!”

            Mrs. Heo quickly pulled Minseon into her arms.  Minjin continued to weep as Minseon finally burst into tears.  Mrs. Heo held her daughters tightly, as if they might suddenly disappear.  She kissed their foreheads over and over as she realized just how much she had missed them.

            “Good morning, Mrs. Heo,” Soomin greeted, an unconvincing smile on her face.  Her right arm rested in a clean, black sling.  She used her left hand to run her fingers through Minseon’s hair.  “Your girls are back.”

            “What…What do you mean?” Mrs. Heo asked shakily, tears falling from her eyes.  “We received no notification.  Did something happen?”

            “Your girls exceeded all our expectations,” Soomin assured quickly.  “They were ahead of their class.  We’ve decided that it is best for them to learn any remaining social and academic skills in a private high school in Seoul.  We, the Comet Academy, will pay for it, of course.”

            “Really?”  Mrs. Heo grinned and kissed her daughters even more.  “Did you hear that, girls?  You exceeded all their expectations.”

            “Furthermore, we will pay for any further education that they decide to pursue after high school,” Soomin continued.  “We can also assist in admissions of public universities.  The board has even considered it fit to assist your daughters and your family with any living expenses you may have.  We will issue you a monthly check for as long as you allow.”

            “Ah, I’m not sure we’ll need that much help,” Mrs. Heo laughed shyly.

            “We can discuss it later if you’d like, but we truly insist.”

            Before Soomin could continue, Mr. Heo walked up to the door and stared in awe at his daughters.  “Minjin-ah?  Minseon-ah?  Is that really you?”

            “Daddy!” Minjin cried, running into her father’s arms.  Minseon still buried her face into her mother’s chest and cried harder.

            Tears began to fill Mr. Heo’s eyes.  “My…My babies.”

            “I think…I think it’s best if I leave now,” Soomin insisted reluctantly, giving a timid bow.

            “No, unnie,” Minseon whimpered suddenly, turning toward Soomin.  “How will we be able to live without you?  How can we even hold it all inside…”

            “Minjin-ah,” Soomin called, pulling Minseon closer.  She leaned down as Minjin finally tore herself away from her father to speak with them.  “Minseon-ah.  This won’t be the last time we see each other.  I gave you my phone number.  And once I find an apartment, I’ll invite you over often.  And…you know where Youngbin is.  Please…Please visit him as often…”  Soomin took a deep breath and closed her teary eyes tightly.  “Visit him as often as you can.  Okay?”

            “I’m scared, unnie,” Minjin hiccupped.  “I’m scared we might hurt someone.”

            “I’ll always be here to help you two,” Soomin promised with a heartbreaking smile.  “Just remember, you aren’t soldiers.  You’re still the little brats I met eight years ago.  Do you remember them?”

            “But, unnie, we aren’t the same.”  Minseon wiped her tears away with her sleeve like an adorable toddler, and Soomin found both ironic humor and devastating truth in her statement.

            “I know, Minseon-ah, I know,” Soomin sighed.  “Give me a hug.”

            Soomin pulled both Minjin and Minseon close with her left arm and squeezed them tightly.  Though she had just assured them that they would never truly be separated, she couldn’t help but feel she would never see them ever again.  The thought of not being there every waking moment to comfort them was horrifying.  It was so easy to think of them as her own little sisters.  But now she would yet again become Ko Soomin, the administrative director of Comet Academy.  Only she, the twins, and the old Comet Academy scientists and guards would know the secret of their eight years of torture.  Already, she could see the weight of such a secret dragging the twins down.

            “I’ll contact you soon.  I love you.  Remember, you are not what you were trained to be.  Resist it.  Resist all of it.”

            “…Okay, unnie,” Minjin replied nodding her head weakly.  Minseon only pulled her arms tighter around Soomin.  Finally, Soomin rose up and helped Minseon release her.

            “Please let me know if you have any concerns with your daughters’ academic performances, Mrs. Heo,” Soomin requested, taking a business card out of her jacket pocket and giving it to Mrs. Heo.  “You can speak to me about anything at all.”

            “Thank you for taking care of our daughters,” Mrs. Heo beamed, drawing her daughters into her arms again.  “We appreciate this special opportunity that they’ve been given.

            “Of…Of course…”

            As Soomin walked away, she became angrier and angrier with the lie she had to tell.  Mr. and Mrs. Heo had to believe that their daughters were actually treated like human beings.  They had to feel gratitude and respect for the monster who was her father, General Ko.  Furthermore, the twins had to show that same thankfulness that their parents showed, or else they would be perceived as snobby, unappreciative children.  They had every right to feel hatred and grief towards the Comet Academy.  But that right was going to be stolen from them through the lie and society.

            And just before she entered the black government SUV to be escorted from the house, Soomin wondered if there was any way at all for the twins to ever find peace in their lives.  They would either find it, or do everything in life and death to attain it.