017: ACHING HEARTS

"My reflection in your eyes are the same as the your reflection in mine."

 - Ha Eun-bi pov

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

017: ACHING HEARTS

Eun-bi pov:

After the photoshoot mess, things became a little too quiet.

Even Seok-kyung, whom I thought would be going after Rona the moment it ended, was too quiet.

After finishing my classes, I thought of visiting mom and dad since even they are being quiet as well.

'They're so quiet that I'm actually worried.'

Or maybe. . . .

'Am I missing them?'

I scoffed at myself as I walked to their floor.

'I guess I really am their child. Even though I don't want to see them, even though they're criminals who are motivated only by their greed. . . I still miss them, and I still care for them.'

Their place was too quiet when I came in.

'Is silence a trend these days?'

My brow raised when I entered the living room.

Shattered glass table, shattered vases, everything in the living room is either broken or shattered.

I walked passed the living room and into my parent's bedroom.

When I opened the door, mom was on the floor, sobbing while her head rested on the foot of the bed.

"Eomma. . ."

I called out to her, but she wouldn't answer at all.

She looks defenseless and weak.

I've never seen my mother weak or defenseless. She always hides it so well.

I came closer and kneeled to her level.

"Your makeup is all smudged."

I took my handkerchief from my pouch and wiped her tear-stained eyes.

The dead look as she cries makes my heart clenches for her.

My mom stared at me with her blank and sorrowed eyes. I hugged her, and she hugged me back.

I am familiar with this expression.

I think I was seven when I first saw this look on her face.

and the cause is always, 'Dad!'

"What happened?"

"Your dad doesn't love us anymore. . ."

'I know.'

I knew from a very long time ago that dad was only with us cause he got mom pregnant with us.

When I first realized that to him, we were only a mistake, I started hating him.

But more than him and mom, I hated the fact that I found out too early about why my family existed in the first place.

'If I didn't find out. If I remained blind to it, I would have been happier whenever we were together.'

"It's gonna be okay, mom! It's gonna be fine."

I murmured into her ears as I comforted myself as well. The words of comfort felt like it was more for me than hers.

I helped mom to the bathroom and told her to take a long and relaxing bath.

"I will have the maids clean the room, so enjoy your bath, okay?"

She nodded her head and held the hem of my skirt.

"Eun-bi. . you won't leave your mom, right?"

"I'm your daughter, mom! Eun-byeol and I will never leave you alone, I promise."

I smile at her as I close the door.

I called the maids into the room and told them to fix the room fast.

I then went to look for my father and found him drinking in the bar of Hera palace.

He looks as miserable as mom.

'Why do we have to be born from parents who are like this?'

I sat next to him and gazed at him emotionlessly.

"My daughter is here. . ."

My dad looks so miserable and unhappy. His eyes are dead, his body is full of bruises, and he smells like a miserable old man waiting for death.

"Let's go home, dad," I whispered into his ears before ordering the bartender to help me get him up.

When I arrived at our pad, the living room was already cleaned. My bodyguards helped me get him to his bed.

I fixed him to his bed and covered him with a blanket.

He held my hands tightly like he never wanted to let go.

"My baby daughter. . ."

"We'll talk once you've sobered up. For now, rest. The party is until later anyway, so just rest, dad."

I went into the kitchen and ordered the maids to fix him a meal that would make him feel better from drinking.

"Eomma. . ."

"Eun-bi-ah. . ."

"Dad's in his bed. Why don't you rest up as well before the party."

"It's okay. I have a lot of things to do, unlike your dad."

And she's back to being a bitch.

"Okay. I have to go now."

"Why don't we have breakfast together?" She says, trying to stop me from leaving our house.

I nodded as we both went to the dining area.

"I guess me and your dad fighting has some merits."

She only smiled at me while preparing the pasta on my plate.

"My beautiful daughter rarely comes here, so I must serve her well."

I looked at my mother and saw the wretchedness in her dead expression.

I closed my eyes, feeling the wretchedness in my heart.

. . . . . . . .

Seo-jun pov:

I arrived at the dock before them, so I also walked around.

"What an excessive party for some teenage birthday parties."

After a few minutes, the cars started to arrive and park around. The kids came out, wearing their luxurious dresses and clothes.

Seok-kyung waves her hand at me, who is only looking at her.

'Don't feel bad now, Han Seo-jun. . . Remember, you need to do this! For your family!'

I walked forward and forced a smile on her.

"Happy birthday, Joo Seok-kyung. . ."

I hug her loosely as I also notice Eun-bi's blank expression on the scenery.

'Did something happen? She doesn't look too good.'

Seok-kyung pulled my hand and guided me inside the yacht.

The others enjoyed the extravagance of the yacht while I forced myself to smile at every reaction they made.

I managed to leave them and went to the top deck.

Eun-bi stands near the sea, with her eyes closed. I walked to her side and waited for her to notice me.

"You shouldn't have be here."

She said without opening her eyes.

"How can I not? It's Seok-kyung's birthday."

"It's also your family's death anniversary. The yacht hasn't left yet, so go and be with them."

"Its. . . Seok-kyung. . ."

"Go!"

We both turned around and saw Seok-kyung's lonely expression.

"You should have told me about your family."

I immediately came to her and smiled.

"You don't have to worry. . ."

"It's your family. How can I let you stay here when it's your family's death anniversary?"

"Why are you making me a bad person?"

"Go!!"

She cried while pushing me away.

"Seok-kyung-ahh. . ."

"I said go!!"

"Go! Before I call John to carry you like a sack and throw you off the yacht."

I smile bitterly at them and run away, leaving them bitterly.

'I will remember this, Joo Seok-kyung. . .'

. . . . . . .

Eun-bi pov:

I watch Seok-kyung cry while Seo-jun runs away.

"Why didn't he tell me it's his family's death anniversary?"

"You should've at least told me, Eun-byeol."

She glared at me and pouted.

"I made him promise to do all sorts of things today for me yesterday! Like an idiot, I felt happy with his promises!"

"It isn't my story to share."

"Is he an orphan?"

"He still has his grandfather, but they don't live together."

"Why?"

"You should have him talk about that, Kyung-ah. . ." I held both her hands and smiled at her.

"I can tell you everything I know about him, but don't you think it will mean much more if you hear it all from him?"

She nodded with a sad expression, and I gave her a tight hug.

'If it's you. . . I know you can make him happy. . . I'm sure of it!!'

. . . . . . .

Eun-bi pov:

I found dad in the bar lounge of the yacht, drinking again.

The images of my mother's swollen arms pop into my head.

I sat beside him, looking at the collection of alcohol.

"You shouldn't at least beat your wife!"

He gazes at me, shocked.

"Don't look too surprised, dad. I know you only married mom because of us. I know that you don't love mom, but at the same time, I know you're human enough not to beat your wife! Try not to fall from being human to being trash, daddy!"

I drank the alcohol in his glass before leaving him without hearing him speak.

The memory of the violet bruises on mom's upper arm popped into my mind again.

A tear escaped from my eyes as I found my situation rather funny.

"What a shitty life!"

I closed my eyes for a second and felt a hand wiping the tears away from my cheeks.

When I opened them again, Seok-hoon looked at me with sad eyes.

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

The two of us looked into each other's eyes, the tiredness and the sadness evident in our eyes.

No one would say anything, but we both knew we were having such a shitty time.

"Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

He takes my hand and leads me to where the others are eating.

Seok-kyung waits for us with a smile, waving at us as I smile back.

'You can't get tired now, Ha Eun-bi.'

. . . . . . .

Seok-kyung pov:

"Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday

Happy birthday

Happy birthday to you. . . ."

I smiled as my brother and I blew on our separate cakes.

"Happy 17th birthday, Joo Seok-hoon, Joo Seok-kyung. . ."

They took turns giving us their gifts. The adults bragged about whose gifts were better than the others.

Rona shyly gave out hers' to us, expecting something from my brother with that irritating look on her face.

Jenny laughed at her gift, saying how cheap it was, but Seok-hoon thanked her either way.

I only smiled fake at her and left the gift on the table.

"How about you, Eun-byeol?"

"This is mine."

I excitedly took the box and opened it immediately. Min-hyuk focused the video inside the box.

A beautiful earring is inside. It has two dangling stars. One is pure silver, and the longer one is a diamond framed in white gold.

I looked at my brothers' and the same design, only a moon is his.

But there's only one earring.

A dangling diamond star earring for me and a dangling moon earring for Seok-hoon.

"Uhh. . . where's the other pair?"

"One each, for both of you. A reminder of your bond as siblings."

Tears poured out of me before I could even control them.

Seok-hoon gave me a handkerchief and patted me on the back.

"It's beautiful."

"I'll put yours, Seok-kyung. . ." Seok-hoon put the earring on my left ear, and I put his on his right ear.

The adults chattered loudly, admiring the bond we have as twins.

"Best gift ever!"

I smile at Eun-byeol hugging her tight.

. . . . . . .

Eun-bi pov:

A pair of moon and star.

That earring actually has another purpose. It has a GPS chip inside the first star pendant on the shorter string.

'I hope this will protect you in the future, Joo Seok-hoon, Joo Seok-kyung. . .'

"I'll get you a better present on your birthday, Ha Eun-byeol, I promise."

"You should! That cost me a lot!" I teased her with a grin.

"Thank you for such a beautiful gift, Ha Eun-byeol. I will definitely repay this on your birthday."

"I will wait for that day, Uncle Dan-tae."

. . . . . .

Seok-kyung pov:

I sat beside Rona, who was feeling left out from our group.

Min-hyuk brought fishing rods that he didn't know how to use, so they all ended up doing whatever the hell they saw on television.

Rona, who felt left out, left our side and sat here, where she could watch Seok-hoon with her filthy eyes.

"You're starting to feel it, don't you?"

Rona turned to me, and I smirked at her.

"Why? Are you still not feeling it?"

"YOU. WILL. NEVER. BELONG. WITH. US!"

I stated word per word at her while my glare turned darker with each remark.

"How are you so sure that I won't?"

I smirk at her defiant expression.

I stood up and looked down at her, "Because I will never let you in!"

. . . . .

I close my eyes.

Enjoyed the breeze of the sunset wind.

Flashback. . . .

I hide here inside the cubicle, practicing on how I would apologize. . . .

"Eun-byeol. . . I. . . really feel bad about what happened, but it's your fault too. . . ."

"Aisshh! That doesn't sound like an apology. . ."

"Eun-byeol. Just talk to me already; we both got hurt. . ."

"Aisshhh! That's not it either."

"I searched online on lines I can use to apologize, but nothing comes up.

The restroom door opened, so I quieted down and waited for whoever they were to leave.

'Why am I hiding?'

"Ha Eun-byeol and Joo Seok-kyung's fight was so satisfying."

"Yeah!"

"Yeah . . . Do you know why they fought?"

"Of course, her sparkling eyes and pouting lips to Seo-jun are so disgusting!"

'This bitches!!'

I was about to open my door to give them a good slap when. . .

"The truth is, Bae Rona is the one who posted those photos.

I guess she did that out of jealousy!!"

They giggled in a high tone while I seethed in anger inside this goddamn cubicle.

"Oh well! At least we were entertained! They look really idiotic that time!"

"Hahaha!"

They continued laughing till they left the restroom.

I opened the lock and went out of the cubicle.

The look on my face reflected in the mirror looks very new to me.

'I guess I've never been this angry before!'

"BAE RONA!!!"

. . . . . .

TO BE CONTINUED