Coming Undone

Description

Ten years ago, sixteen-year old Lee Sungjong fell off the roof of his house during his oldest sister’s engagement party. Jeju's local police reported it as suicide but they knew better.

Now that they're all back on the island to commemorate the youngest Lee's tenth death anniversary, the truth is finally about to come out.

Who killed Sungjong that night? And why?

Foreword

"Hey little brother," Lee Soojin whispered, kneeling down in front of the cremation garden their parents have had built in the backyard of their three story house, "It has been a long time, hasn't it? I'm sorry for not coming often, Jongbaby."

The familiar nickname felt heavy on her tongue, almost forbidden even. Nobody in their family dared to talk about him even if it had been years since that night. Pain wasn't something you shared, not in the Lee family. But then again, communication had never been their forte and Sungjong had been Soojin's only source of happiness among the headaches the rest of their family had and still caused her. With the sole element bundling them together gone, their already fractured family had quickly and irrevocably drifted apart.

She sighed at the silence that greeted her back, shaking her head at herself for hoping that maybe this time would be different. Her baby brother wasn't going to yell at her for calling him "Jongbaby" and making fun of him ever again. It had been tough to accept he wasn't coming back, that the bloodied, disfigured body she had seen lying on their front lawn had once been her lively and bubbly brother. Even now, ten years later, she was still haunted by the twisted smile and the lifeless eyes that had met hers on the darkest night of her life.

"Mom visited you recently, I see," she continued, caressing the soft petals of the dozens of pink tulips, Sungjong's favorite, neatly arranged in front of the headstone. "She's probably buying all the pink tulips this island produces, you know. I bet you would've liked that, uh?" He would have, knowing how Sungjong was. He would probably have boasted about it and and Soomin about how he was their mom's favorite, which they all knew was true anyway.

Almost as if he heard her, a ray of sunshine hit her face, temporarily blinding her — almost as much as his smile once did.

"Are you teasing me? Yah, Lee Sungjong!" Even dead, her little brother managed to make her childish side come out, the side of her she had locked away after Sungjong passed away and the aftermath of his death had her whole world crashing down. "Are you happy we are finally holding a gije* for you? Mom said everyone would be back in Seongsan for it."

More like she had threatened everyone to come though no one would say it out loud or in her face. It was impossible to break free from the hold Seongsan had on you. Everyone in their old group of friends was more than aware of it, after having been pressured to be present in the village for the ceremony.

For Sungjong, Lee Soori had pleaded. For Sungjong, they had said while accepting to attend or to comeback in Seongsan after years of being awol.

Sungyeol, Woohyun, Yesul, Jia, Howon, Yoojung, Dongwoo, Nara, Myungsoo and then Soomin and Sunggyu...

Living in Seongsan, a small village on the east coast of Jeju, and being the only kids in a fifteen mile radius had made them bond quickly despite their age difference and their gender. They hadn't had much choice in the first place, between being forced by their parents to play and hang together and the long bus rides spent together while going to school in the island's largest city. Being friends had been better than being a loner and they had all grow to genuinely like and care for each other over time.

It was all in the past now. Still...

"We are all coming back for you, Sungjong."

Rain suddenly started pouring, heavy and cold, drenching her clothes and her bare face and making her shiver — though she wasn't sure it was because of the cold or something darker.

Water hit her skin harshly through the thin material of her blouse and she wondered what could have caused such a drastic change in the weather. November usually wasn't a rainy month. Especially not in Jeju.

Was Sungjong sending her a sign?

 


 

*gije: a private ceremony Korean hold to commemorate one's death.

A/N: Wow, I never thought I would post this someday. It's a huge project for me and probably more than I can chew. I hope you will all support me through this fic (my first chaptered one!). Let's discover who killed Sungjong, okay? While the focus will be on Sungjong's death, you can expect romance and plot twists. LOTS OF THEM.

Updates will probably be very slow. I'm a very, very, very slow writer and I have other writing commitments going on so... But, I WILL update.

Support would be lovely! ♥

 
 

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
NurNadirah #1
OHHH update this story please~~~~
Myungeunsoo
#2
Urmm authornim :) when you will update this story? Sorry for asking but I think I love this kind of story huwaaa...