Eun-Ae's feet touch the soft brown carpet and both faces in the living room turn to look at her. It was Seung-Hyun.

“How are you doing?” asked Seung-Hyun right away.

“I'm fine...” Eun-Ae replied.

Eun-Ae was speechless. Partly because of the fact that Seung-Hyun finally showed up but also because of how he presented himself. He wore some new pair of clothes and his longish hair was cut and gelled back. He wore a light blue v-cut shirt and blue jeans. Mi-Kum took a step back almost in tears like Eun-Ae was her daughter and it was her very first date.

“You guys, I can't take this. You both look so adorable! Halmeuni is going to cry!” Mi-Kum shrieks.

“Grandma!” yells Eun-Ae embarrassed.

“Seung-Hyun here says he has a surprise for you, so go along. Seung-Hyun can't stay here any longer but since you are injured, you can come back for the night. Okay?” says Mi-Kum.

“You have a surprise for me?” asks Eun-Ae looking at Seung-Hyun.

“Um, yes I do. It's nothing really, but I hope it makes you feel better,” smiles Seung-Hyun.

~

The sky was painted yellow and orange. It was only a matter of an hour or so that the sun would totally disappear from the sky and the moon would once again rise. As they walked on the city side walk, the street lights slowly began to flicker on one by one. It was warmer out earlier that day but now there was a soft breeze hitting their skins that made it a bit chilly. None of them wanted to start the conversation so they walked side by side, Eun-Ae following Seung-Hyun to their destination. Seung-Hyun didn't know if he should say anything for it was kind of nice just walking besides Eun-Ae in silence. He also didn't want to ruin the moment by say anything, but sooner or later someone had to say something.

“How is your chest? Is it bruised up badly?” asks Seung-Hyun.

“It's okay. Mi-Kum gave me some medication this morning so the pain wouldn't be as strong.” replies Eun-Ae. “How about you? How is your chest?”

“Oh my gash is also all healed up. It barely hurts anymore.” says Seung-Hyun.

“So what's this surprise?” asks Eun-Ae.

“I can't tell you! That's why it's called a surprise but I worked on it all day. That's why I was out for so long. I'm sure Mi-Kum began to worry but I am okay.”

“She wasn't the only one worried...” says Eun-Ae.

“Were you worried too? I'm sorry I didn't mean to worry you.”

“It's okay. I just thought... He might have bumped into you...”

“It's okay, nothing happened. Let's not think about it, I think it would be better for the both of us.” says Seung-Hyun. “Okay we are almost there. Cover your eyes and I'll continue leading the way.”

Eun-Ae covers her eyes and Seung-Hyun leads her into an alley. Once they reach the end of the alley, Seung-Hyun faces her towards the left wall of the alley. In front of her lie a big wooden crate and Seung-Hyun pushed it aside revealing a small wooden door. He slides his fingers under the door and found a paper clip ship-shaped like a key and puts it into the key hole twisting it until the door clicked open. He opened the door and walked inside. After one minute, Eun-Ae started to become nervous and she began to call out for Seung-Hyun. Seconds later he come out and tells her to open her eyes.

Eun-Ae slowly opens her eyes. In front of her was the entrance to her old home where her brother and she once lived before he died. She slowly walked inside and there were multiple candles lit up giving life to the old cracked walled that were once painted a soft yellow. A bright blue carpet lied on the ground with a small wooden table in the middle. The boxes that were once scattered on the floor, were now nicely stocked up in the corner and the dusty curtains were now tied to the side letting some of the sun light into the room. The glass doors were wiped clean letting you the see the freshly cut grass in the backyard.

Eun-Ae speechless continues to the second room where her brother’s portrait sat. The old ripped mats that once lay next to each other were replaced with new ones with sheets to cover up. She looks the other way to see the old picture frame replaced with a nice light wooden one and it hung on the wall. On the table below it sat fresh sweet smelling colorful flowers and two small candles lighting up the room. Eun-Ae didn't understand what had happened to her old house. It hadn't looked this alive in years even when her brother was still alive and she was beyond happy.

Eun-Ae turned to Seung-Hyun in tears and struggles to get out what she wants to say. In the end she throws herself at him and that gave away what she wanted to tell him.

“This is amazing Seung-Hyun. Did you do all of this?” shrikes Eun-Ae.

“Yes I did. I thought this place could use some cleaning up but I know you were too sad to do it.” says Seung-Hyun.

“But I don't understand? How did you know about this place? No one besides my brother and I knew about this place. Our place.”

“Let's just say the moon guided me here.” smiles Seung-Hyun.

“Thank you so much Seung-Hyun. You were right, I was too sad to clean this place but to tell you the true, this is only my second time back here since... well since after my brother’s official public funeral. I left the flowers and his picture here so he could still exist in this house even though I told myself I would never come back. It was too painful to come back to the place he once slept, laughed, smiled, loved, and existed. I have never told anyone this but I… I forced myself to forget him. It was too painful to overcome alone but I should only be ashamed of myself for ever trying to erase him from my heart.”

“It's alright. Don't be ashamed, I know your brother would understand you. You were too young to overcome what happened alone. Life sometimes is just not fair but it's not our fault.” says Seung-Hyun trying to comfort her.

Eun-Ae takes several more looks around the house and goes out into the backyard for the first time in years. She was surprised with herself when she first saw what Seung-Hyun had done with her brother’s home. She didn't know how to react at first; whether to be angry he messed with her stuff without permission on to happy be was so kind as to liven up her home. In the end, she followed her gut feeling and she was happy she did. She still didn't quite understand how he came to know of this place but in a way, she was glad it was him. He was being truthful about his feelings towards her and that made her slowly begin to become comfortable around him. She also had a strange feeling in her stomach around him. It was a feeling she liked but didn't like and it was hard to tell if it was butterflies or the pain from her chest mixed with happiness. It didn't matter, she was just happy.

After Eun-Ae finally came back inside from the backyard, they turned off he candles locked up the door and pushed the crate back in place. The sun was now set and the colors of the sky were fading into the night darkness. The moon slowly appeared as they began to walk back to Mi-Kum's house.

“Where will you stay?” asked Eun-Ae,

“I will stay where I did before Mi-Kum took me in. There is a small group of runaways camping out in the old movie theater to the north of the city. Only about a ten minute walk but it seems like it's been a while since I have been out on my own. I'll be okay though, it will all sink in once I'm back there doing my regular routine.”

“I didn't know you stayed there. I know a couple of runaways that stay there. I don't know them too well but sometimes I bump into them.” smiles Eun-Ae.

“Where do you stay?” asked Seung-Hyun.

“I stayed in an old abandon park. It's about fifteen minutes from Mi-Kum's house. It's a little bit out of the city and it’s nice and quiet. The abandon park has lots of trees surrounding and if you walk further, passed the park into the trees, there is a tiny hidden abandoned house. I stay there and I have the park all to myself.” Eun-Ae tries smiling cheerfully hiding the fact that she really feels alone there but it's the only place she feels comfortable.

They arrive at Mi-Kum's house just at the moon fully rises and brightens the night. Eun-Ae thanked Seung-Hyun for the surprise once again and hugged goodbye. She didn't want him to leave, she wished he could have stayed with her and Mi-Kum but rules were rules. After entering the Mi-Kum's house she notices all the windows and curtains were open. That was something unusually for Mi-Kum for she always put them down before night would fall. Eun-Ae begins to close the windows and pull down the curtains when she heard a loud band noise. She quickly runs to Mi-Kum's room only to find something she wasn't expecting and runs out to find Seung-Hyun.

Morning

It was a foggy morning. The city was up early like any other day on it's never ending cycle. Mi-Kum's house was silent to its core and all the windows and curtains were closed. She was lying in a hospital bed fast asleep, not knowing where or when she would wake up. When Eun-Ae had arrived home, Mi-Kum had fainted in her room and had stopped breathing. Eun-Ae not knowing what to do, ran back out for Seung-Hyun and the only other thing they could do was call the ambulance and watch from a far getting her taken away. They now both sat inside the house waiting for her to enter her home but what they didn't know was what was really wrong with Mi-Kum.

Afternoon

The sun shined brightly on the city. It almost made Eun-Ae furious seeing people walk by with smiles on their faces enjoying the day while she sat in darkness full of worry. She rests her head on Mi-Kum's couch and closes her eyes. She didn't get very good sleep since she was up all night crying for Mi-Kum and now as much as she wanted to stay awake, her eyes didn't let her. While Eun-Ae slept soundly on the couch, Seung-Hyun reminded awake by the window. He was trying to figure out a way to possible go visit Mi-Kum at the hospital but it was impossible without sneaking passed the receptionist.

Three hours and it was around six PM. Eun-Ae and Seung-Hyun was both passed out on the couch both tired of the worried feeling they carried. Suddenly the door knob from the front door was trying to be turned but the door was locked. Seung-Hyun instantly jumps up and looks carefully out the window making sure he wasn't seen by whoever was outside. It was the old women across the street who always gave Mi-Kum muffin baskets and trying to invite her inside. This time she looked determined to come inside because she was nearly breaking the door down. Seung-Hyun noticed something strange though. This time the old lady had her car parked in front of the house but he couldn't quite see if there was someone else inside. The door knob stopped turning and there was a moment of relief but before Seung-Hyun could take a step back, the lock clicked and the door was unlocked. Seung-Hyun rushed to Eun-Ae and grabs her by the arm pulling her into the hallway. The door know turns and the door slowly creeks open.

“Okay I got it open!” the old woman yells.

Seung-Hyun opens the nearest door in the hall way and rushes inside closing the door quietly behind him.

“What's going on Seung-Hyun? I was sleeping and you scared me to death!” shrieks Eun-Ae.

“I'm sorry but someone’s came into Mi-Kum's house. I think it’s that old annoying lady across the street and we can't be seen here! We need to hide in the closet!” Whispers Seung-Hyun.

“But I don't understand,” says Eun-Ae now in a lower voice, “why is she in Mi-Kum's home?”

“I don't know either but we can't get caught!” Seung-Hyun motions towards the closet doors and Eun-Ae follows.

They slowly open them and crawl inside covering themselves as best they could with clothing. If they were to get caught in Mi-Kum's house and she wasn't here, they would assume they were thefts breaking in and they would call the police on them. Then after being taken in, the police would check their records and see Eun-Ae and Seung-Hyun were both marked as runaways. They would then be put in separate detention centers for runaways and the parentless and wouldn't be released until they turned eighteen. They just couldn't get caught.

After a while of being in the closet, it became clear that the old women who came into Mi-Kum's house were the old women across the street. The hospital where Mi-Kum was taken called her to come and take her home safely and that's what she did. She stayed for a while to make sure Mi-Kum was alright to be alone, made her some tea and then than left. Seung-Hyun and Eun-Ae were relieved when the old women left for they could finally get out of that small space in the closet. They walked into the kitchen to see Mi-Kum happy sipping on some tea.

“Hello, my children. How was your day?” sings Mi-Kum happily.

“Are you alright? What happened we were so worried!” yells Eun-Ae.

“Pipe down girl! I'm fine, I'm just getting old. That's all.” replies Mi-Kum trying not to sound suspicious.

“We know there is something wrong Mi-Kum. You shouldn't keep it from us or you'll just worry us more.” says Seung-Hyun now being serious. Eun-Ae stands next to him waiting for Mi-Kum's answer.

“Alright kids sit down. I know your two are not that stupid but this shouldn't concern you.” Mi-Kum begins to say.

“But it does. You are all we have so how can we not be considered about you,” cries Eun-Ae.

Mi-Kum takes a second to think about what she will really tell them. She cared about them very much as well but it’s the cycle of life and she didn't want to hold them back any longer. Both had already gone through too much and she didn't want them to fall again because of her.