Chapter 1. Our younger years

Seoul, Korea 2002

                It had been three years since Hyomin stepped into a place where she now called it her shelter and that was as long as she had known Eunjung, a 14 years old girl (one year older than her) who had always been there for her since day one in this place.

                Eunjung was a nice and optimistic girl, she lived in this orphanage home since she could remember thing, she learnt the truth that she was a mistake and undesirable , though how much she longed for mother’s hug , the girl knew better than to live in her wishful thinking, and instead she lived with what she had . When she met Hyomin, the girl was a reason for her to live, to dream and to hope.

                Besides Eunjung, there was one another girl who Hyomin was close to not less than the older girl, it was Jiyeon, a girl who was one year younger than Hyomin but mature and strong. Out of instinct,  protecting Hyomin had become her priority. Jiyeon was kinda cold but to Hyomin , she was totally different, she was exceptional caring to the older girl . Originally, Jiyeon was from a decent family, after her mom went missing, she was sent here, that was around 4 months after Hyomin.

                Despite different personality , three of them surprisingly become close and inseparable, they shared the laugh and cry , pain and hope .There would be times when Eunjung and Jiyeon fought or argued but Hyomin would always be the one to mend the broken pieces and brought them back together. Eunjung and Jiyeon were all Hyomin had in this new world, the world without her parents to lean to. If Eunjung was a shoulder where Hyomin could cry on, then Jiyeon would be the warmest hug she always wanted to run to when she needed it the most.

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                One evening at the girl orphanage home, inside the principal’s office, the movement of clock hand was the only sound that filled the room until a stern faced lady behind the desk spoke up

“May I know the reason why you physically attacked Bora, Jiyeon?” , the mentioned girl changed her focus from the floor to a middle age lady in front of her , “ She deserved it ” calmly replied the girl ,

“ Jiyeon , you can’t always let your emotions get the better of you, violation can’t solve the problem ” .

 “I am sorry Mother Soo Ae”, the lady just sighed “As a consequence of your action, you need to apologize to Bora and you will also face your punishment afterward, now you may leave”.

                Hyomin was anxiously pacing back and forth inside the room she shared with Eunjung and Jiyeon, as soon as the door was opened, Hyomin rushed to hug the younger girl , “ Are you alright Jiyeonie?”, Eunjung who sat at the edge of the bed asked at the same time standing up , Jiyeon gave a reassuring smile to Eunjung. Hyomin broke the hug and checked on Jiyeon“ Do you hurt anywhere ? ” , “Nope” Jiyeon simply shaked her head , “ I am sorry that you got punishment because of me” Hyomin couldn’t help but at the verge of tear, “ It’s not your fault, she badmouthed about you” , “ Please don’t do like this again, I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me ”, Jiyeon obediently nodded .

FLASHBACK

Jiyeon was infamous for being cold toward other people but when it came to Hyomin, she couldn’t just sit still and could turn to a hot-blooded girl. An hour ago, she just caused a scene at the canteen by punching Bora , one of the girls living in this orphanage on her face and caused bleeding, because  she was talking bad things about Hyomin . At the result, Jiyeon was interrogated in principal’s office and was punished to do the cleaning the whole week.

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One week after the incident

“ Eunjung unnie, have you seen Hyomin ? ” Jiyeon asked her older friend

“ Nope, I wonder where she is too, haven’t seen her all afternoon ”   “ That’s kinda weird she never goes somewhere without us”, Jiyeon talked to nobody in particular before walking off to another direction , “ Where are you going ?” , frowned Eunjung.  “ I will be looking for  in Sister Khahi’s garden ?”

Meanwhile in one of the girls’ dormitory rooms

“Why do you have to secretly work on this?” Sunhwa asked a girl who was busily knitting a red scarf, “ I want to give her as a surprised gift that why she can’t see it before her birthday”, Hyomin replied with a big smile on her face, “ Oh I see”, said Sunhwa before returning to laze around in her bed playing with her patched stuff animal , “ Hyomin , You know you’re very lucky to have such best friends like Eunjung unnie and Jiyeon”, admired Sunhwa. The thought of her two best friends made Hyomin smile and then it hit her, “Oh my god, it’s already 4 p.m now, I lost track of time, they might notice that I was gone the whole afternoon, I’d better get going now, thank you for letting me use your room and give me company” , “ No problem” ,  Hyomin packed all her stuff and put them in her shoulder bag , said good bye to her friend .

“ Hyomin !” Jiyeon and Eunjung called Hyomin at the same time when they found her just a few steps before reaching their room. “Where have you been? we were looking for you for hour” Eunjung asked , “ Oh , I have helped Sunhwa to write an essay ” she lied . “ You know you got us worried when we couldn’t find you”, Eunjung said .  “ I am sorry to make you guys worried , I lost track of time” Hyomin felt guilty for making her friends worried , “ Hey don’t worry and apology accepted “ Eunjung cheered up . “ This evening, I don’t have to do the cleaning anymore, I wonder if we could go out to our usual place” Jiyeon asked . “ Sure, I miss our place” , Hyomin beamed. “Let’s get going now before sunset or we will got punishment from Sister again” Eunjung suggested.

Not far from their orphanage home was a place where they call their “usual place”. It was a playground at the back of an abandoned school secluded from view by overgrown grass. It was found by Jiyeon one evening on the way back from her school, she told Hyomin and Enjung about this hidden place. Since then they always hanged out whenever they could or when they wanted to be on their own world. They even tried to make the place more livable by cleaning and tidying up the place. 

Hyomin was sitting on a swing pushed slowly by Eujung while Jiyeon was on the other one, they seemed to enjoy their comfort silent until Eunjung spoke up “ When I grow up enough to make money , I want to buy a house with a large garden so we can have our own space ” , “ Will you hire me as your exterior designer ?” Hyomin asked . “ You have all right to do whatever you want with my property” . Jiyeon smiled upon hearing her friends’ dream. “ What’s about you Jiyeon ? ” Hyomin asked “ I want to find my mom when I grow up ”. “ Jiyeon, I am sorry” , Hyomin felt regret to ask the question “ Don’t be , it’s one of the things that I am determined to do” , “ And I hope you guys will stand by me while I will be doing so” , Jiyeon added  “ Sure we will , you can have our back” Eunjung encouraged . There was not much word exchanged between them afterward. As sun was setting, the girls headed back their orphanage home since they were not allowed to be outside by 8 p.m or they shall face the punishment.

NOTE : Eunjung was 14 yrs , Hyomin was 13 yrs and Jiyeon was 12 yrs .

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