CHAPTER EIGHT

LEE TAEMIN

I reached for the door knob and turned it slowly. I saw mum setting up the table so I went over to her.

" Mum"

" Hey....come on let's eat"

" Oh...okay"

I sat beside her and took the bowl she offered.

" Taemin from now on let's both do our best to live well and happy okay?"

" Okay mum"

" So....where have you been?"

" I was with a....

" Huh? A what?"

" I don't know "

" Huh?"

" I don't know what to call him. Is he a friend, stranger, acquaintance, strange coincidence or an enemy? I don't know "

" Oh...uhmm.....how's the food?"

" It's amazing "

Mum suddenly laughed and I laughed too. There was still a hole to fill but we'll get there somehow.

.....

I sat down on the chair in my room, having made up my mind on what to do. I picked up my phone and dialed his number.

" Hello uncle Byung"

" Hello?"

" Uncle....please it's very urgent. The suspect of my dad's case.....he has a son right?"

" Yes. How did you know?"

" Uncle....do you have a picture of this son?"

" Taemin you know I can't share such information. It's private "

" Please...just this once...please "

" Why are you asking for his picture?"

" Oh....uhmm....there's this boy in my school.....he uhmm....has the same name so I was wondering if it really was him"

" Oh...he doesn't go to your school. He goes to Yori High School. He should be around your age or a year or two older"

" Oh...but can I please get a picture? "

" Taemin.....

" Please....just this one time"

" Okay....but this is the last time"

I was in the bathroom when I heard the notification sound from my phone. I rushed out and dried my hands. I grabbed my phone and opened it.

* Uncle Byung sent a photo *

I stared at the unopened message for a while,before forcing my fidgety fingers to click on it. He was putting on a red hoodie and black pants. It was him.....Eunsoo.

I dropped my phone on the table and sat down. I didn't know what to think or do as I stared at the picture aimlessly.

" So....he is that man's son"," What do I do?", " Does it matter?,

"let's focus and see how it goes ".

Thoughts upon thoughts filled my head as I reached for the drawer and pulled the journals out.

" Maybe there was something I missed the first time I checked "

I went through them over and over again but there was nothing. I was about to close the journal when my hand brushed over an empty page. I paused then ran my fingertips across the page. It felt like it had been written on. I grabbed a pencil and began shading lightly across the page.

The words were slowly appearing across the page. A little while later,the whole page was covered with words.

* 1999 October 12th, I joined a new company called Tiger Corp. It's my first day at work and I'm a little nervous but there are lots of new recruits too. We exchanged contacts and I think we'll be good friends. I,Kang Yoonamin,Cho Jihyun , Shin Mirae and my brother Byungchan ,look forward to working here.

That was where it ended. I shaded across the second page and words started sparing. I think there's more to this or else he wouldn't hide it right?. I kept shading across the other pages until the book was finished. I glanced out of my window and he was still there.

There was a car parked a little distance from my window. I had seen that same car when I was with Eunsoo at that convenience store and even when he walked me to the bus stop. I pulled my curtain closed and sat back down.

I was tempted to read the journal but I shoved them back into drawer. My final exams are coming up soon and I can't afford to fail and let dad down.