Why didn’t you tell us before?” Samuel asked slowly.

“Because nothing happened from it,” she replied. “I found my family, they were happy to see me. That was it. Nothing else.”

“So why bring it up now?”

“Because . . .” Lia felt closed to tears. “I was asked to live with them, to live in Korea with them.”

“Ophelia.” Lia hated that name. Her dad only uses it when he meant business, like now. “We adopted you and we love you. We love you as our own. I’m sure even your brothers will agree.”

The three of her brothers nodded, even Jeff and he and Lia always fight so it was a big surprise.

“I know that,” she said quietly. “I know. I don’t want to leave you guys either. I love you guys too. But this is my real family we are talking about. I want to live with them too. I always miss them.”

“You do live with them, whenever you visit them,” Sam spoke up.

“It’s not the same.”

Jeff stared at her hard. “Are you implying that you want to leave us?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I don’t know. I really don’t know. I don’t want to but I miss them like crazy. It’s hard, not being able to talk to them like how I can talk to Shervonne and the others. I can visit them because they’re only a few minutes’ drive away and some are just living around this neighborhood. But Big Bang is a few hours — like ten hours. They’re so busy all the time. But when I’m there, I get to spend time with them. Sometimes they take me to the YG Entertainment so even though they are all working, I still see them. Instead I sit here and wait for them to call me.

“It gets harder for me and Ji Oppa. I really love him and I miss waking up, knowing I can see his smiling face. And the others, too. I miss them all. They are all like my big brothers. They take care of me so well. I love being with them, they always make me laugh.” Lia was crying. The more she said it, the more she wanted to go. But . . .

“I miss them yet I don’t want to leave you guys. How can I do that? You guys are my family too. I’ve lived with you for the past eleven years. You guys took care of me. I can’t just erase that.”

Samuel and Jessica exchanged glances. They could see how much it was affecting Lia. They seemed to be sending some sort of telepathic message to each other when they finally nodded.

“Lia, you can go,” Jessica said.

Lia looked up. “What?”

Samuel nodded. “You can go to Korea,” he said gruffly. “We can release the documents and everything. We understand how much it hurts for you, being away.”

“Ever since you met them, you’ve changed into someone more mature,” Jessica went on, “so we believe that you can make your own decision and you will still be our family no matter what, even if you choose to leave.”

“Mom, Dad, you don’t mean that,” Sam said exasperatedly.

“We do,” Samuel replied. “Lia has always had the right to choose what she wants. We’ve always taught you that. You kids are not bound by us as long as you obey our rules for your safety.”

Ding dong.

Michael went to answer the door.

“Who could be here so late at night?” Jeff wondered.

Michael came back. “Lia, a present for you!”

Lia’s eyes went wide. “Ji Oppa?” she said, not believing her eyes.

Her boyfriend smiled. “Hey, Lia,” he said softly. He bowed his head to her parents. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, I am Kwon Ji Yong, Lia’s boyfriend.”

“What are you doing here?” Lia asked. She got up and threw her arms around him.

“I came down to see you. I miss you.”

Lia was touched. She smiled. She wanted to kiss him but it would not be a good idea having her parents around.

“Have you eaten?” Jessica asked Ji Yong.

He nodded. “I ate before I came because I didn’t want to impose on you,” he explained.

“But you’re willing to ask for a place to spend the night,” Lia teased.

He blushed. “Well . . .” He didn’t want to admit that she was right.

“You can stay in the guest room,” Samuel spoke up. “I trust Lia to behave.”

Lia sighed. “Just like oppa,” she muttered. Then she stood up. “Let’s go to my room,” she suggested.

“You haven’t finished your dinner yet,” Jessica told her.

“I’ll finish it for her,” Michael said happily.

“Lia, sit down and at least take a few more bites,” Ji Yong said, smiling at little Michael. Just like Dae Sung, he thought.

Lia rolled her eyes but sat down. She ate as fast as she could before setting the plate in the dishwasher and dragging Ji Yong up to her room.

“Where’s the fire?” Ji Yong laughed, closing the door behind him.

“I can’t kiss you with my parents watching downstairs.” Lia put her arms around him and tiptoed to kiss him. “Oppa, I missed you.”

He carried her to the bed and laid her down gently. He slowly got on top of her and kissed her deeply. She stoked his cheeks and he took his fingers, kissing each and every one of them. He moved down to kiss her lips again.

After a few minutes they came up for air. Lia looked at him. “I noticed something.”

“What?” he breathed into her neck, kissing her there sweetly. “I love you.”

“Your kisses are more intense.” She glared at him. “You’ve been holding out on me!”

He chuckled, rolling them over until she was on top of him. “I miss you, what do you expect?” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He smiled sadly.

“What?” she demanded.

He shook his head. “I won’t say it.”

“Please?”

He cupped her face. “I was going to say that if you come back with me, you’ll get a lot more intense kisses like these.”

She groaned. “This is not fair. It's not exactly helping me with my decision”

“That’s why I said I wasn’t going to tell you, dummy,” he snorted. "Lia, I'm not going to make you choose to live with us, with me. I want you to make your own decision because it's what you want. Don't listen to what other people say. Listen to what your heart say, okay?"

She collapsed on him, taking in his cologne that she’d bought for him. “I asked my parents. They said I am free to decide on my own.”

“Okay.” It was all he could say. “Do you think your parents would let me sleep with you?”

“Nope.”

He sighed. “I want to sleep with you, but I want to make a good impression on them.”

“They’re going back to work later,” Lia said. “I can sneak to your room later.”

He kissed her lightly and smiled. Lia felt her heart skipped many beats. “Why are you so handsome, oppa?” she murmured. “You’re making it impossible for me to think straight. I’m losing my focus.”

“Why are you so beautiful? I can’t think of anything when you’re near me like this.”

She giggled. “This is why I love you.”

“Because I’m smokin’ hot and y?” he said playfully.

“Yes.” She rolled off him and snuggled close. “Yes, you are.” She sat up. “I’ll be right back.” She left the room.

Ji Yong walked to her study table, smiling at the photo frames of him and her. Something caught his eye. It was a little velvet book. He flipped it opened. A Poet’s Thoughts was what was written on the first page. He turned to the next page and saw a short poem titled Scars:

 

I put scars up to remind me of my mistakes

Not only mistakes; it's also filled with hate

When I am mad, I literally go crazy.

Get out of my sight; it ain't gonna be pretty.

 

They hurt, they bleed, they leave a mark so deep.

In pain, in agony, in torture I weep

Alone I suffer, I draw the blade to my arm

As the blood trickles down, I feel oh-so calm

 

Each scar up there tells a different story

Some tells fear, others tell hurt, the rest tells fury

But none tells happiness nor about joy

And it's all because of that one boy...

 

He winced at the last sentence. Was he the boy? He flipped to other pages and read her poems. “Wow, she’s good,” he murmured.

Lia returned. “Hey, what’s up?” she asked, coming up behind him to wrap her arms on his waist. “Oh, you found my poetry book.”

“Your poems are really nice,” he said.

“Thanks.”

He put the book down and carried her up, piggy-back style. She giggled. “Put me down!” she squealed.

He turned back and gave her his signature smile. “Never.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him there. “Put me down or I’ll bite you,” she threatened.

“Oooh, I’m scared,” he said in mock horror. He walked to the bed. “Oh, Lia . . .”

“Don’t —!”

Too late. He fell backward on Lia. He got up laughing.

Lia glared at him as her phone rang. “Hello?”

It was her cousin, Mark Wedloe. “Hey, can I come over?” he asked.

“Ummm, sure. How long will it take you?”

“Ten seconds. I’m outside your door.” He laughed sheepishly. “Sorry.”

Lia shook her head. “Aites, I’m coming.” She hung up and turned to Ji Yong. “Mark is here. Do you think you can handle my crazy brothers for a bit?”

Ji Yong nodded and kissed her forehead. “Sure.” He went to her brothers’ room where they were playing video games.

Lia answered the door and found Mark smiling at her. Her heart ached. If she leaves, she would miss him. “Hey.”

“I can only be here for half an hour,” Mark said, stepping inside. “Uncle Jack’s patrolling around the area, so . . .”

“I thought Jack was a park ranger.”

“He’s helping your dad tonight,” was all he said.

“Oh.” She closed the door and they walked up to her room. “Ji Oppa is here,” she said.

“Has he come to kidnap you back to Korea and not give you back?” he joked, lying down on her bed.

Lia froze.

He looked up and saw her face. His eyes went wide as he realized why she was silent, realized that he'd hit the nerve. “You’ve got to be kidding,” he blurted out. “I was joking! I wasn’t being serious!”

“Mark, they asked me to live with them.”

“And your parents let?” he asked.

“They said I can do whatever I want.”

“Lia,” he asked, his heart thumping with fear. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I don’t know,” she replied softly. “I don’t want to leave, but . . . there’s a higher chance of me leaving.”

Mark shook his head. He did not accept this. He won’t accept this.

Lia can’t leave.

 

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Just to let you all know, the poem called Scars is an original. I wrote it myself. I didn't get it from anywhere.