1 CHAPTER - 1 : THE DAY BEFORE

It was a new beginning. Not for any of them, but for her. She came back to Korea after a long time. She doesn't remember how long. That is weird though. She was in Miami before coming to Korea. She still remembers how she was taken to Miami. She woke up in a hospital with nobody around her. She was 13 years old. She didn't know what happened to her nor why she was there. Her vision was blurred for a while, then after a few minutes, her vision was clear. A nurse came and looked at her as she moved her head a little bit. "Are you feeling better now kid?" the nurse asked her as if the nurse knew her for a long time. She nodded her head in a positive manner. "Wait here for a while I will go call the doctor" the nurse replied and went to call the doctor happily. After a while, the doctor came and did something. She doesn't know what he did. She could finally speak because they told her that she was in a normal condition. She asked, "what happened to me, why am I here?". The nurse was hesitant at first, confused she saw the doctor. The doctor nodded. The nurse went and sat beside her. While patting her head the nurse told, "You met with an accident, but it is alright right now." She replied, "But my head hurts." "It's just a small injury, you are really good right now."The nurse told. But she could feel a really big bandage over her head.

She felt pain in her head for a bit but she didn't tell the nurse. The nurse was about to leave. She had a thought that sparked her head at that moment. She grabbed the nurse's hand and asked, "where is my mother?" Her father died when she was 4 years old. The nurse was really hesitant, she didn't open her mouth to utter a word at all. The nurse looked at the doctor. She also turned towards the direction the nurse looked at. The doctor smiled at her and walked towards her. She slowly left the nurse's hand. The doctor went and sat beside her. He patted her head and then told, "Whatever happened, is all in the past, so it is better to worry about your future now, right?" She replied, "But my future is only with my mother, I want to know where she is, please tell me." The doctor then told her, " I'm really sorry to tell you this, but your mother passed away while taking care of you even though she had a major injury in her head." She couldn't speak. She felt empty. Tears welled up her eyes, but she didn't believe the doctor. She replied with a shivering voice, "you are joking right? Nurse sis, he is joking right." The nurse worriedly replied, "We are really sorry kid." and faced down. Tears flew down her cheeks. She wasn't able to speak anything after what they told her. Then she remembered what her mother told, "Whatever kind of situation you are facing, I will always be with you, no matter what and you should never cry, and keep moving forward. Don't cry and face the situation like a strong girl nobody can be." She always lived by that motto. After she remembered that, she wiped away her tears but still couldn't stop her tears after realising that she was not there with her at the moment. The nurse went and gave her a hug. She had stopped crying by that time to not disappoint her mom. The nurse told her, "It has been a long time since you've been here, so its time you leave right. It is 10 am now, you can leave by 6 pm since you are completely alright now." She replied pointing her hand towards her head, "what about this cast? Is it going to be there a while?" The nurse smiled and told, "Nope, we will take it off by the afternoon, be sure you take the meals properly, understood?" She replied by nodding. The nurse patted her head and continued with her work. Afternoon, the nurse came and took off her cast and then put a small bandage in her wound. The nurse left and came back with some things in her hand. The nurse kept them in a table beside the bed. "What are these?" The girl asked. "These are the belongings that were with you when you were admitted to the hospital. Oh, I forgot that. Wait a minute." She replied and left. She again came back with something in her hand, except for she took only a medium-sized box. The girl couldn't identify at first when she saw that. She looked at the nurse in a confused manner. The nurse told "This box is your mother's. She had with her till the day she passed away. When she found out that she had no time left. She told it to give it to you when you wake up. It is yours now." The nurse held it to her. She took it carefully in her hands and caressed it. The girl closed her eyes and felt the presence of her mom whilst she caressed it. The girl opened the box. There were a letter and a beautiful ornament. First, she read the letter it was in a lavender colour paper, which was her favourite colour. The letter read: " My princess if you are reading this letter it definitely means that you are alright now and are ready to take steps for your future. I know that you want to become an idol. So I have prepared everything for you but before that, u have something else to do, which is to continue your middle school. Since now our situation is not in a stable condition in South Korea. I have prepared everything for you to study abroad. Everything is with the doctor but I have to tell you one thing. It is time for me to join your father. It seems that he is missing me so much. Even I don't want to leave you but it is unfortunate that you have to continue you live without me. I'm really sorry. But don't forget what I always tell you " Whatever kind of the situation you are in, I will always be there with you no matter what and don't cry and face the situation like a strong girl no one can be. There is an ornament, which is a keychain. It is a very special one. You remember who gave it right. Definitely, you will, how can you forget that person. Be happy and do what you want, hereafter it is your life, be sure to take your meals properly and you have to wash your own clothes, pay your electricity and water bills, understood? Thank you for being with me till now and the life I had with you cannot be replaced by others. I'm really sorry. I will miss you so much. I love you princess. Goodbye.

                                  Always with you, your mom

                                    Jang Hye Na"

Tears flooded her eyes, she told: "I love you too mom". But the strange thing was about the keychain. It is a keychain with a tiny water globe attached in it. The water globe had two tiny cherry blossom trees in it and when jiggled, the very tiny pink petal-like substance was scattered. It was so beautiful. Coming to the strange thing, she can't remember who gave this, why they gave it to her when they gave it to her. Her mom didn't leave any clue too. How is she supposed to remember? She has never seen this ornament too. But she feels like this is something really important and special to her. So she has to keep it with her all the time.

She packed her things. Got the stuff that her mother left to the doctor. At last, she bid farewell to the nurse and the doctor and left. But before that she got the contact number of the nurse to contact the nurse after she buys a smartphone for herself. Till now she still keeps in contact with with the nurse. She is a very nice nurse, her name is Yoon Seul Hee. She talks with the nurse everyday till now. When the girl landed in the airport, the first person she wanted to meet was Seul Hee unnie. She calls her "Hee unnie". She sent her a message that she arrived at Korea. Seul Hee was very busy, she couldn't see the girl arrive at the airport. So instead the girl went to the hospital and wanted to give her a little surprise. She entered the hospital and asked the receptionist "Do you know where Yoon Seul Hee nurse is?" The receptionist replied "Who are you?" The girl replied, "I'm her friend, and I know her for a long time." The receptionist was alright with telling where Seul Hee was and told "She is in the next floor, when you enter the next floor, go straight and turn to the right." The girl thanked her and went to the next floor and found her busy, Seul Hee was asking the patients details. The girl got an idea. She was walking towards Seul Hee but then she turned right away to see the girl to identify who it was. Since the girl didn't want the surprise to flop, she turned to the opposite direction. When Seul Hee went inside the doctor's office. She went and sat in the chairs where all the patients were sitting and acted like a patient. She wore a cap. When Seul hee came outside , the girl lowered her head and then started to whine "Ouch, my head is paining, someone help me." Seul Hee came and told, "What happened? Is your head paining but can you go to the next doctor, here we treat only heart patients." The girl replied, "Oh is it? Then have I come to the wrong person?" and then looked at Seul Hee. She became really excited and was about to shout. Seul Hee replied very enthusiastically "Bo-!!!" The girl closed her mouth with her hand and shushed Seul Hee. She then lowered her voice and told " How are you? When did you come??" She asked so many questions in that busy time. The doctor called her and she had to go so the girl said, "I will wait at the cafeteria, come and meet me at your break." Seul Hee nodded her head and went back. The girl walked to the cafeteria. After a long time of waiting she finally came. She spotted Seul Hee puzzled in the middle and waved and told "Hee unnie!!" She smiled and walked towards the table. As soon as she sat she told "I'm sorry, I made you wait for a long, right?" The girl replied "No, not at all. First of all I should be the one asking you sorry. I disturbed you when you were busy." She replied "No don't tell that. Ok let's stop asking sorry. Now tell me how are you. How did you do in Miami?" The girl told, "I'm totally fine and I did well in Miami. How are you? Did your marriage go well? Sorry I couldn't come to your marriage." Seul Hee smiled and told, "It went all good and we are doing really well, don't worry. Yeah, I literally forgot. Do u have any place to live right now and some money in your hand?" The girl knew why exactly she asked her. The girl told the truth even though she knew what Seul hee's reactions would be. The girl told, "For now, I'm thinking o-." Seul hee didn't let her finish her sentence. She told " I know exactly what you are going to tell. So I prepared a place for you to live, I have paid the advance and you can shift there. About the money. I have some about a 150 thousand won in my hand for you." That is so much of money actually. The girl was really really really shocked. She asked "150 thousand won?? Hee unnie are you crazy? What are you talking about ?? What about your daily expenses?" Seul Hee held her hand and told "We are all set, my husband is also working, I'm also working. My salary is big and his salary is large too. We have so much in our hand. So don't worry about me and worry about yourself." The girl had a worried look in her face and told "Hee unnie..thank you so much." It felt too touching for her. Seul Hee asked her, "What are you going to do now?" The girl took a sip of her latte and told, "Umm, first I should look for a part time job. I should have some money earned by me. I can't always rely on you. I have applied for Sun Ah art high school." Seul Hee was extremely shook. She told "Sun Ah school? I heard it's the best school which train arts. When are you going to attend your first day of school?" She smiled. The girl told "Yes, and that is why I opted for that school. Day after tomorrow I guess." Seul Hee nodded her head and smiled at the girl. They both were talking casually. They treated each other like sisters. The girl is the only child in her family. Even though she is an orphan, Seul Hee never allows her to tell that she is an orphan. Seul Hee tells "You are not alone, I'm there with you and will take care of you till the end." Seul Hee tells that she is her sister and treats her like one too. So the girl never tells anyone she is an orphan now. They were talking about her life in Miami. Seul Hee was having something in her mind to as the girl. Finally she mustered up her courage and asked, "Do you have a boyfriend or do you have someone you like?" She was drinking her latte and the moment Seul hee asked her that, the girl choked on it. Seul Hee patted her head and was waiting for the answer eagerly. In that kind of life would anyone like to date and the girl never thought about that. The girl told, "Ah, Hee unnie is it really necessary to ask that to me?" Seul Hee said, "Why, I was just curious. Tsk tsk, from this answer I know what you are trying to tell. I just wanted to ask because u kinda had a new life in Miami right. I was worried, to be precise." New life in Miami? The years she was in Miami, she didn't have any memories there. She was all alone. She had no friends in school and no one talked to her either. She just had an "anti-social" school life in Miami. Nothing special in that. But her school life in Korea wasn't the same. But she doesn't remember how she lived her school life in Korea, but she felt like she had very good friends and a social life. The girl then told, after a long thought, "My life in Miami was normal. I didn't have any special interest in anyone and I don't have any plans to have a boyfriend or date. I have to work hard to be an idol, this is the reason I'm living my life now." Seul Hee sighed and said, "I am worried for how long you are going to be alone." She replied, "Hee unnie, I have you, I am not alone at all." Seul Hee told, " Yeah I am there but..." she stopped. The girl smiled and told "I will take care of it, so don't worry." Seul Hee smiled back at her. They talked for a long time and at last Seul hee gave her the address of the apartment and the cash she had in her hand to the girl. The girl told goodbye and left . She straightaway headed to the apartment. It was really a very nice apartment. She went and rested for a while. After a nap, She woke up went on the search of available part time jobs. She walked through the streets and asked every stalls and shops if they needed a part time worker, and finally a convenience store told they wanted to recruit a part time worker. She got accepted and offered her mobile number, they told her to come from tomorrow. She went straight back to home, really really tired. She reached her apartment and started to unpack her stuff. She was organising her things and came across that keychain her mother left in the box with the letter. She felt like the memories of this keychain and the memories associated with that keychain were erased or has left her or she forgot, but how could she forget something special and important. She finally woke up to a new day in Korea. She had to do many things but she just took rest at her new place. She wrote what should be done today in her planner. She first started to write with the things that should be kept ready for her school. She had her lunch at a restaurant. She had tteokbeokki(spicy rice cakes) and dak gangjeong(sweet crispy chicken). This was always favourite dish. Even though she had them in US, it was never the same like in Korea. After lunch she had a soda in the restaurant. She received a message. At first she didn't know who sent but her remembered it was the number from the convenience store's owner. The message read "Your work starts from 6. Don't come late." She felt like the owner was rude. Even the message he sent was really scary. The time was only 3 so, she went on thinking there is more time. She wanted to roam for a bit. She went shopping, and bought household supplies that she didn't have. It was four by the time she bought things. While on her way home she was pulled by the scent of eomok(fish cakes). She went on and bought them and had up to 10 sticks. Finally she went to her home. "Oof."she sighed after a lot of tiresome activities. "Shall we take a nap? Yes we can." She said to herself and went to nap. "But before that, add an alarm." She turned on her alarm and went to sleep. "Bzzz!!bzzz!!" The alarm kept ringing. She was breathing heavily. She couldn't open her eyes. Her eyes were heavy. She wasn't able to wake up but was waken up by the alarm. When she saw the time she couldn't believe her own eyes. It was 6.30. She was so scared about what was going to happen. Now she was late to her first day of part time job. When she was trying to get up from her bed and wash her face, her legs were numb. They didn't keep her stable. Somehow she managed to go to the restroom to wash her face. When she saw the reflection of the herself in the mirror, her face was tomato red. She was confused. She thought it was because she felt tired. When she touched her face with her hand, she could feel that her face was boiling. She thought it was nothing and left to the destination. When she arrived she could see a man in his 40s shouting at the employee. That man was the owner and the employee was the person who has to work before her shift. She told, "Excuse me??" to the owner. He asked "Who are you?" With a really angry face. She was startled. She told "I'm the new part timer." Lowering her head. He got really annoyed, and told "You are the new part timer?" She told "Yes sir." He shouted with a frown in his face, "Do you know what time is it? You are 45 mins late!! Didn't you read the message? And you dare didn't reply for the message!! Who do you think you are!!" She got really startled and bowed for more than 90 degrees and told "I'm really sorry sir!!" He scoffed and told , "Hey newbie, look at me." She slowly looked at him. As soon as she looked at him, the owner swinged his arm and slapped on her face. She looked at him in disbelief. He slapped her so badly, which made the ring in the owner's hand bruise her face. The other employee was also shocked that her jaw dropped. Even the employee couldn't believe that he slapped a newcomer. The owner said , "Your working time is over it is only for one hour, now it's 7!! Go back home and don't you dare come late tomorrow!!" And left. She looked at the employee once. The employee signed that there is a bruise in her face. She nodded and was planning to go to the pharmacy to buy a bandage. On her way, she started to walk in a zig zag manner. Suddenly, she fell down. A passerby saw her and asked, "Excuse me , are you okay?" Since there was no response, the passerby took her to the hospital in a taxi. That passerby was a young boy. They reached the hospital. He told what was the problem and admitted her in the hospital, but however he didn't leave for a while. Time passed by and nobody came, the boy had to go. When he was about to leave , she grabbed his hand and whispered "h...a...n." He didn't have a clue about what she was telling and when he was about to lean over to hear properly, the doctor and a nurse came over. The doctor asked, "What is the problem?" To the boy. He told "I don't know, when I was passing by, I saw her lying down on the road." The doctor after checking her told, "She has a high fever and do you know anything about the scratch in her face?" The boy told, "Maybe when she fell down, she might've got hurt." After a while the doctors went . The boy left too. She woke up soon. The nurse nearby said, "Are you feeling good miss?" She told, "I'm feeling alright, but what happened to me?" The nurse told, "It's nothing you had a high fever and fainted in the road. A boy left you here after seeing you lying on the road." She asked , "So when can I leave?" "You can leave now if u feel alright." Said the nurse. She soon got up from the bed and went to her home. She was really sick. The next day she has to go to the school but had a doubt if she could . While brushing her teeth, she felt her face, the temperature was lowered. In her reflection she saw the bandage and said to herself, "Why did this have to happen? It is okay, I have come through a lot more hard and more than this. I am a strong girl. I am Nam Bo Young."

CHAPTER-1 End

Thank you for reading, don't forget to vote and comment if you wish to😇😇(ik im pathetic🙂🙂). There are still more moments that is waiting in the story, keep reading to find out😉😉😊😇.

                                    - Yours truly

                                       Black_Wolf_3