Photo credit : As shown in photo

Chapter 7. Homecoming

Present , Toronto Airport, Canada

 “Passengers depart for Inchon, Korea with flight xx, please proceed to Gate ...” an announcement could be heard clearly and loudly inside the hall of Toronto airport , an Asian look woman in black skinny jeans , tee and black coat is seen reading a book in the departure hall, waiting to board  

“Wherever you are, I’ll find you, please wait for me, I’m coming home” the woman thought before getting up from her seat and proceeding to the gate

***********

FLASHBACK

One month ago, Toronto, Canada

 “As we promised you, Jiyeon ah, after you graduate from university, we will tell you everything”, Mr.Kim said, on his side his wife Ryeo Won was holding his hand.

Jiyeon had been waited for this moment to come, the day she would find out everything about her mother, she worked hard on her study to accomplish her goal caring of no one but Mr.Kim and Mrs.Kim who raised her up with love and care as if they were her birth parents.

Ten years ago, Jiyeon was once hearted-broken when she had been informed by Mr.Kim one week after her two best friends ran away from the orphanage home, she went crazy for a week locking herself in the room, then she woke up again in hospital with her adopted mother by her side, she knew right at that moment she shouldn’t let them down and started to get strong. However, all these years, she still lived with guilt because while she had a good life there, she couldn’t imagine how her two best friends had to go through after running away.

Jiyeon calmly prepared for what she was going to hear this time and she hoped it wouldn’t hurt her much as it was ten years ago.

“About your mother, Tae Hee, we all were friends since high school before she met your father” Mr.Kim recalled the past, it surprised Jiyeon a lot but she remained calm and listened.

“When we graduated from university, me and Ryeo Won decided to get married and came to start our life here in Canada while still kept in touch with your parents in Korea” Mr. Kim continued

“Our hearts were broken when we heard from your mom that father passed away but we couldn’t make it to attend his funeral because Ryeo Won was so sick at that time” Mr.Kim told, his face was sadden.

“ We heard from your mom again when she was in Busan telling us that she was very sick and needed to see us one last time” Now Mrs. Kim started to cry , and Mr.Kim tried to comfort his wife before went on with the story

“She didn’t want to see you cry knowing that she was leaving this world so she just disappeared and went back to her hometown in Busan, leaving you under the care of your grandparents and Butler Kang”,

Jiyeon couldn’t hold her tear any longer, she let it run down her cheeks, didn’t care to wipe it away, Mrs.Kim came to her side to hug her and wiped away her tear.

“My dear Jiyeon, Please don’t be mad at us for keeping this from you” Mrs.Kim pleaded.

“I understand mom, you two tried to save me from a painful truth”, Jiyeon said trying to smile with her tearful eyes.

 “And please don’t be mad at Mr.Kang for sending you to orphanage home, he had his reason” Mr. Kim added, Jiyeon paid her attention back to Mr.Kim and he continued

“He accidently found out your aunt and uncle’s plan to get rid of you in order to make their daughter the one and only successor of the Park’s heritage that why he secretly sent you to the orphanage home to hide you from them, he planned to help you out later, unfortunately as year went by he was diagnosed with first stage of amnesia, before it was too late, he gave us a call one day telling us all about you that was when we flew all the way to see you and brought you here”

Now things seemed to make sense for Jiyeon when all pieces were glued together.

“One last thing, Jiyeon ah” Mrs.Kim said, guilt was obvious in her tone, she passed a box to Jiyeon

Jiyeon slowly opened a box to find six old letters lay at the bottom of the box, Jiyeon heart beat like a drum, she remembered her childish hand-writing , all the letter addressed to the same place, three were addressed to Ham Eunjung and other three to the girl she missed the most “ Park Hyomin”, she raised her bow confused.

“We are really sorry Jiyeon ah, but these letters have never been sent, when you asked us to go to post office for you, we kept them, we couldn’t risk to have people knowing your address”

With that statement, the long unanswered question in her heart was answered, she understood now why her two friends never replied her letters, it pained her more to know how the other two would be waiting to hear from her, tear started running her cheeks, she sobbed pathetically, and Mrs.Kim couldn’t stand the sight, she hugged her adopted daughter tightly, it took sometimes before Jiyeon calmed down.

“Mom, dad, I’d to ask for your permission, I want to visit my mother’s grave”, Jiyeon said after she stopped crying.  Ryeo Won looked at her husband concerned.

“Of course you can, dear” Mr.Kim answered Jiyeon with smile

“Honey but..” Mrs.Kim was about to oppose

“ Don’t worry Ryeo Won, now our girl is strong enough and it’s her time to face thing” Mr.Kim stated supporting Jiyeon’s idea

“ Right, Kim Jiyeon” Mr.Kim said and Jiyeon nodded in agreement.

END OF FLASHBACK

*************

Present, Seoul, South Korea

Jiyeon is standing in front of the gate to an orphanage home, beside the fade color of the building, not much has changed.

“May I help you, Miss?” a woman at late 30s asked Jiyeon when she noticed that the young woman has stood there for long. Jiyeon bowed and smiled at the woman

“You’ve never changed Sister Khahi”, Khahi is confused, she doesn’t recall meeting this woman before.

 “Don’t you remember me? I am your stubborn Jiyeon” Jiyeon said pretending to be sad that Sister Khahi can’t recognize her.

“Oh my God, Jiyeon”, Sister Khahi widens her eyes.

***********

At the Principal’s Office

Jiyeon is sitting in front of an old woman, beside the grey hair and more wrinkles on her face, she still looks the same for Jiyeon, the same kind-heart Mother Soo Ae that Jiyeon remembers, the atmosphere brings Jiyeon back to her childhood memories, she reminisces of countless times she was brought here for her misconduct. One of her bitter sweet memories is brought back to life, she remembers the first time she was brought here, she was very scared, Hyomin tried to save her from punishment by taking all the blame.

“How are your parents?” Mother Soo Ae’s question brings Jiyeon back to earth.

“They are fine, Mother, they also send their regard to you” Jiyeon replied

 The silence falls on them again before Mother Soo Ae spoke

“Jiyeon, I am sorry I couldn’t fulfill my promise to help Hyomin”, she paused “They disappeared before she got a heart donation”, This information wrenches Jiyeon’s heart even more, she is suffocating with frustration.

“We tried to search for them but it was in vein” Mother Soo Ae added.

Jiyeon is lost in her train of thoughts; she is frustrated, confused and scared, she doesn’t even know where they are or if Hyomin is still alive or not. What to do, how to start.

NOTE : Hyomin is at the 2^nd year at university while Jiyeon graduated because Jiyeon pursued her study as normal but Hyomin was back to high school after 3-4 years that she dropped.