YEAR 1994

“Seong Im! Jae Bum! Dinner’s ready ! Come eat now honey!”. Mrs. Park shouted to call her lovely childrens who were busy playing just outside from their rooftop house, at the small size yard. 13-year-old Cheon Seong Im ran into the house leaving the 7-year-old Park Jae Bum, but being a good sister,she intentionally ran slower so that Jae Bum could win ‘the race’. Yeah. They were not a blood related siblings but they loved each other so much that their relationship was much stronger than siblings could have.

“Yeayyy!! I win, noona loses !”. Seong Im made a frown face as Jae Bum kept teasing her. They both settled themselves in front of Mrs. Park who’s been smiling looking at them bickering with each other. The innocent Jae Bum started to feel guilty as Seong Im didn’t want to talk to him, even he already apologised to her for teasing her.

“Noona.. Seong noona.. Please look at Bummie. Bummie is sorry.. Noonaa”. Seong Im just kept stuffing with foods her mum had made. Their mum just watched the drama silently. She knew that Seong Im was just pretending to be mad.

“Seong noona.. Bummie will do anything for Seong noona. Bummie will buy anything. Bummie will buy lots lots of lollipop for Noona, eoh?”Jae Bum looked to Seong Im’s eyes deeply, pleading her to forgive him.

“Bummie will be a slave for noona forever”. Seong Im held her laughter. Her mum too did the same.

“Noona…”. Jae Bum seems to give up. His eyes were full of tears.

‘Noona did not love me anymore. It’s all my fault’.

Seong Im can’t hold anymore. Seeing her younger brother almost cried broke her heart. She stopped eating and quickly hugged her little brother while patting his head gently.

“Noona was never mad to Bummie. Bummie is so cute. How can noona stay angry for Bummie.. Noona loves you soo much”. Jae Bum smiled to hear that Seong Im doesn’t mad at him. He hugged his noona tighter, as like he was afraid to lose her. Mrs. Park smiled watching the two of them.

‘I am so glad that I have you two’. The three of them then continued to eat and joking happily, although their family could be categorised as a poor family.

They were actually from a quite wealthy family. Mr. Park, who is Mrs. Park’s ex-husband was a well-known businessman. Mr. Park owned a pharmacy company which is established as the top 10 company in South Korea. They were married for more than five years but unfortunately,  they didn’t get any children. Since then, they started to adopt Seong Im. But, after 7 years, just like a miracle, she was pregnant. Her husband was so happy that they finally get to own their own child, that he completely throw Seong Im away from his life. He did not even care about her anymore. Seong Im was sad. She’s just a little girl after all at that time. But fortunately, Mrs. Park cared for Seong Im just how much she cared for Jae Bum. One day, Mr. Park decided to chase Seong Im out of his house, since he no longer needed Seong Im. He already had his own child, and on top of that, a boy, which is surely going to be his inheritor for his company. Mrs. Park strongly disagreed with Mr. Park’s decision that she finally came up to file a divorce from Mr. Park. The three soon stepped out from the luxury house and started living their ordinary life. It was hard at first for them, but somehow with the support from each other, they finally managed to live their life up until now.

#

Mrs. Park was on her way back to her home after buying some groceries. Today was Seong Im’s birthday, so she decided to make a small feast with her children. She was about to cross a road when a car speeding towards her. Mrs. Park was so deep in her thought, thinking what meals should she make for Seong Im’s birthday that she didn’t notice the car. The car’s driver loose his control and knocked Mrs. Park hard, until her body was full of blood. Her face couldn’t be seen at all since it was all covered by blood. Blood’s gushing out mercilessly, and she was dying. In her mind right now was only her precious children, Seong Im and Jae Bum.

#

“Seong Im-ah! Jae Bum-ah! Your mum was hit by a car near Chok Hee ahjumma’s shop!”. A friend of Mrs. Park who was also the owner of the building they lived was breathing hardly as soon as she told the poor children. Seong Im and Jae Bum who were busy cleaning their house were speechless. Seong Im guickly held Jae Bum’s hand and they dashed out to where their mother were.

Once they arrived at the scene, they could see a sea of people crowding at one spot. They ran towards the crowds, pushing everyone so that they could reached their mum.

“Omma! Omma!” both of them shouted out loud while their tears couldn’t stop flowing. When they arrived to the front, both of them froze. Seong Im and Jae Bum couldn’t believe their eyes. Their mum was covered by blood. They almost couldn’t identify their mum.

Seong Im dropped down beside her mother, and so did Jae Bum. They were too little to handle this huge tragedy. Seong Im held her mother’s head and put on her lap. Jae Bum followed quietly , and sat beside Seong Im and his mother, while holding his poor mother hands tightly.

“O-omma. S-seong Im is here. J-Jae Bum is here too. Open y-your eyes, omma”. Seong Im tears dropped on Mrs. Park’s face. Jae Bum too was crying. Like a miracle, their mother opened her eyes slowly. Although she was in pain, she managed to put a smile on her face. She couldn’t feel happier that she could see her children’s face, before she leave. Mrs. Park hardly raised her hands and caressed each of her children’s face.

“Don’t cry my children. Please love and take care of each other, like always. I will always be with you”. Mrs. Park’s tears dropped. Not because of the pain, but she was scared to leave her two precious children. But she knew, the two siblings will take care of each other. Seong Im, being the eldest, nodded her head, and kissed her mother’s forehead lovingly. Jae Bum followed Seong Im’s action obediently. He knew that his mother was going to leave him. The moment Seong Im and Jae Bum kissed their mother, she’s no longer with them. Both of them cried their heart out, mourning for the death of their beloved mother.

#

“I told you already, right? If only you listen to my words, these wouldn’t happen” Mr. Park muttered in a low voice to Seong Im. Seong Im was silent, didn’t even want to hear what her adopted father just said. She just stood there with Jae Bum, greeting all the people who came to their mother’s funeral. After the funeral was done, Mr. Park secretly took Seong Im to a secluded area.

“Leave. I will send you to the orphanage. I will take care of Jae Bum” Mr. Park said with a cold face. He didn’t care about this girl at all. Seong Im sighed.

“And what? Let you turned him into a working robot? Just so that he would inherit you company? I won’t, appa. I will take care of Jae Bum by myself”.

“You think you can win me with this? And don’t call me appa, you killer” Seong Im made a poker face, although her heart was bleeding badly for her father’s words.

“Say what you want to say. But I’m taking him”. And so she left her father. Mr. Park watched her leaving, with anger.

‘You’ll see’

#

“Noona.. Bummie missed omma soo much” Jae Bum muttered slowly, while laying next to his sister. The both were laying down on the bench, outside their rooftop house. It’s been three days since their mother passed away. Thankfully, it was school break, so Seong Im could take care of Jae Bum. It was not really hard for Seong Im since Jae Bum was a good kid who listened well to her, and since she knew how to cook and taking care of house, thanks to her mum who had been teaching her all the time. Seong Im smiled bitterly, and brought Jae Bum into her hug.

“Me too..It’s okay.. Omma will always watch us.. From there”. She said in a low voice while pointing at the stars. Jae Bum’s eyes looked to where Seong Im’s hand pointed at, and he smiled. He trusted his noona.

“We’ll be together, right?” He hugged Seong Im tighter as he asked the question. Jihyo smiled.

“Forever”

#

Three men silently walked upstairs to where Seong Im’s house located. Their mission was only one. To take the boy in Seong Im’s care under their boss’s command. The guys spotted Seong Im and Jae Bum sleeping on the bench outside of the house. One of the men slowly took Jae Bum and carried him away from Seong Im. Seong Im could feel like Jae Bum wasn’t in her hug anymore. She was in horror to find that Jae Bum was already carried away by a man who was already walking down the stairs hurriedly.

“NOO!! DON’T TAK-“ The other men shut with their hands and held her firmly as she was trying to chase over Jae Bum. Seong Im’s tears rolling non-stop, thinking that she lost another her beloved ones. She dropped down to the ground, still held by the men.

‘Bummie….’

#

Months passed and school already started. Seong Im now lived at an orphanage. She still didn’t give up in finding Jae Bum. As the other normal days, she would come home with a tired face. After she lost her brother, she had turned to a spiritless person. At school, she only sleeps, didn’t even give attention at the school. Her fellow classmates and friends didn’t even bother to talk to her. They knew what was going on with her, though. Well, she was normally like that, actually. Since she was an orphan, people seemed to can’t find any topic to talk to her. And since she was orphan, she was a perfect victim of bully. But Seong Im didn’t mind that. She had her mum and her younger brother that she can rely on, she can love when she’s home. But now, the situation was different. She has no one anymore to rely, to love. She laid on her bed while staring into the empty space. Her tears dropped as she thinked of her mum and Jae Bum.

“Seong Im-ah.. Someone is here for you”. The guardian of the orphanage called her gently. She woke up lazily and walked out to the living room. She didn’t even give a look to the guardian and just walked past her. The guardian sighed, feeling sad that Seong Im was reacting that way to her.

#

Her feet froze once she saw a familiar back. The person who was dressed smartly turned around, facing her with a cold expression. She wasn’t expecting a smile from her ex-adopted dad at all, actually.

“I see you’re living well here. Despite that you’re not mending well with others.” Mr. Park spoke after a few minutes of silence. She had no idea how the heck Mr. Park knew about her life but that’s not what’s bothering her now.

“Where’s my dongsaeng?” Seong Im asked in a stern voice. Mr. Park smirked.

“He’s not even has any blood related to you. Who are you to call him dongsaeng, huh?” He continued to speak as he saw Seong Im was about to cut him.

“Anyway, I come here for a reason”. Seong Im eyed him, feeling curious with his visits, but she somehow knew that it had something to do with Jae Bum.

“Don’t come to search for him anymore. He’s happy by himself. He didn’t even think of you. Please, stop bothering him”

“No. I will find him and-“

“And what? You’re going to keep him and let him starve? Yeah sure you’re going to do a good job in taking care of him, giving him love. But you do know he won’t let you suffer all alone. He surely will not let you drop your school, right? Just let me take care of him. You are not capable. You had brought a lot of misfortune to my family. Look at my wife. Where is she right now? It’s all because of you that she died. Now, are you going to let the same thing happen to Jae Bum? No, right? Letting him go is the best decision. Don’t come to him anymore. He deserves the best for his future. You do know that he’s a smart kid”.

Seong Im was speechless. How come she didn’t even think about the very important things-- his future. Dad was right, she thought.

‘ I should do this at least, for Bummie’s sake.’

She looked into Mr. Park’s eyes, with a sad look. She knew she had no other choice, than to let him go.

‘I’m sorry Bummie. I do this because I love you’.

YEAR 2000’S

As years passed, Seong Im started to accept her life. Well, at least she did try. She moved to all-girls high school, where she finally started to find friends. Although the loss of her brother was still affecting her, she was happy for having friends by her side now. The guardian and the members of the orphanage too were starting to be friendly with her since she started to open her heart to them. She tried, so hard and the others noticed it, and they were more than glad for Seong Im’s hard work. They knew that Seong Im was a decent person, but having her to muster her courage was more than enough. After high school ended, she started to take acting lessons. It was her guardian’s suggestion to have her pursuing in acting since they saw how well she did in her role play during her theatre presentation. But still, she managed to graduate with degree in Taxation in one of local universities despite her hectic schedule with acting classes. She was really close with actor Ryu Seung Soo who was her acting teacher and her colleagues, Jo Insung who happened to take the same classes as her.

”Jihyo-yah, walk carefully with Insung to home, okay? If he did something bad to you, tell me, okay?” Seung Soo shouted to Seong Im, or her name is now Jihyo who was already walking far away from her teacher with Insung. The both smiled to their teacher while waving their hands to him. Seong Im used the stage name Song Jihyo as she was now an actress. She was already debuted, but she still didn’t have any major role, except in movie Whispering Corridor and Some where she acted along with Go Soo, and also the hit drama, Goong where she used to date the male lead, Joo Ji Hoon, but it was not for too long. They broke up after more than a year dating.

Jihyo, Insung and Seung Soo were having a drink earlier, as they get to reminisce their time together in the classes.

“Hyung, is it okay we walk like this together? What if people caught us? You’re a big star, you know?” Jihyo whispered to Insung’s ear. He chuckled softly. To him, Jihyo is always cute.

“What do you mean big star? You’re a star too! Gwenchana.. At the very least, some rumours about us dating would come out”. Insung