A few months later.

Today Liliana met her beloved Jikyo again. The woman had a small present for him. Just as he had given her something for her birthday, she had done the same. Today, January thirteenth, was Park Jikyo's birthday.

The young people had a nice day together, and before going their different ways for now, Lily wanted to give her boyfriend a gift.

"This may not be a great gift, but... " She began at the moment when the man unwrapped the gift. "I hope you'll like it. Wear it for good luck. " She smiled pleasantly.

"It's beautiful. " Park said with a wide smile on his lips.

Liliana gave her beloved a brooch in the form of a small sparrow. It was a modest gift, but very special.

"Thank you, nae salang. " Jikyo said and kissed the redhead on the forehead.

"I'm glad you like it. " She walked over to him and helped him fasten the gift on his shirt.

"Very. " The elder nodded, then took her hand and looked deep into her eyes. "Lily..." He began. "That day has finally come. " He said tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'm an adult now, and I'll be able to leave this damn orphanage."

"Mm. " Redhead nodded and smiled kindly at the boy. "I know, I remember. " She looked into his eyes. "You'll take me with you, won't you?" She took his hand in hers.

"As I promised. " Park nodded. " "We'll leave this place and eventually we'll both be free."

"I can't wait. " Wilkinson said.

"I'll take care of the rest of the business and meet you at the usual place in two days, okay?" He asked to which she nodded. "See you soon, nae salang. " He stroked her cheek then kissed her goodbye and after a while he went back on his way.

Liliana watched the departing boy for a moment and then wanted to go back to herself when she suddenly froze when she heard a familiar voice right behind her.

"So it's him, isn't it? " Sheree, Lily's mother, said curiously. "That's the one. "

"What are you doing here? " The frightened teenager asked.

"I'm visiting. " She replied indifferently, then pulled her daughter behind her. "Your father won't like this." She said sternly.

"Don't tell him anything, please. " She pleaded as her mother was still dragging her behind her. "You don't have to tell him. "

"You're kidding? " She looked at her hostilely. "It's my husband. "

"And I'm your daughter! " She interrupted her and forced the older woman to stop. "Please... " She said with tears in her eyes looking at her mother. "You used to look at me as your child, as your daughter... " She reminded. "A long time ago, you showed me some love... Sometimes you even protected me... So please..." She took her hand. "This is my only request. I never asked you or father for anything. " She cried. "Don't tell him anything about Jikyo, I beg you."

The woman was silent for a long time. She seemed to think for a long time before making a decision.

"You love him? " Sheree asked after a moment.

"Yes, I love him. " Teenager replied immediately.

"You love him... " The older one pondered. "Do you even know anything about love?" She looked at her with contempt. "No. " She answered for her daughter. "You say you love him?" She snorted. "How can you know it's true if you've never known love?"

"I did. " Liliana interrupted her. "Maybe not as much as from you... " She said with tears in her eyes. "But from Jikyo. " She added confidently. "He taught me a lot and showed me... Moreover... He loves me. " She said proudly. "And I love him."

Sheree shook her head in disbelief, then walked forward.

"Mom...? " She called uncertainly. "You won't give me an answer?"

The older one looked at her over her shoulder.

"You'll know the answer at home. " She added firmly and moved on.

Liliana had already guessed what her answer would be. Wilkinson also knew one thing, that was the last time she called this woman 'mom'.

~*~

Several more days passed. Lily didn't show up at the appointed place at the right time, and this fact greatly worried Jikyo. The man no longer needed to be in the orphanage, he was finally free. Until his departure, the boy stayed with the Walkers for a few days. But the lack of any news from Liliana worried him greatly.

"Where are you going? " Edmund, his foster father asked. "To Lily? " Added with concern.

"Something must've happened. " Park replied putting on a leather jacket. "I need to see her." He glanced at his father. "I'll be back soon. " He added and left.

After a few more minutes, he was there. Jikyo looked at his beloved's house for a moment. The man took a deep breath, then walked over to the door and knocked. Soon after, Judson, Liliana's father, opened the door.

"You again. " Parent snorted.

"Where is Lily? " Jikyo asked immediately.

"Pf, what manners. " He shook his head. "You're not even going to say hello?"

"Where is Lily? " He asked much more sternly, ignoring Judson's words.

"She's not here. " The elder said indifferently.

"Oh, yeah? Somehow I don't believe you. " Park interjected.

"It's not my problem. " He replied with a smile. "Get out of here before... "

"Before what? You'll hit me like your daughter? " Jikyo interrupted him. The boy guessed what was the situation in his girlfriend's house. "I'm asking for the last time... " He looked at him hostilely in the eyes. "Where is Lily?"

"What's happening? " Sheree asked, who had just approached her husband. "What's he looking for here?"

"His mind? " Judson snorted.

"Lily. " Jikyo said. "You don't care about her. You never cared for her, you treated her as your enemy. " He exchanged. "What are you doing all this for, huh? If she bothers you so much, let her go. "

"With you? " Father laughed. "Over my dead body. "

"I'm not asking for permission. " Jikyo replied sternly. "You won't take away her freedom. I'll come back here. " Park said and nervously left their premises.

When he returned to the Walkers, he wanted to talk to Edmund. Jikyo explained his plan to him and his father gladly helped him.

The men took advantage of the absence of Liliana's parents. While Sheree was with friends, Edmund was talking to Judson, and Jikyo sneaked quietly into their house.

"Lily? " He said as he entered, but silence answered him. "Lily, are you here? It's me! " He called, looking around. "Lil..." He stopped as he heard some murmurs.

Man focused on a given sound, which, as it turned out later, was coming from the cupboard under the stairs.

"J-jikyo...?" A faint voice came from inside. "Is it really you?"

"Lily! " He knelt in front of the door. "What happened?! " He pulled the handle but the door was locked.

"You can't open them, they're locked. " The redhead said in a hoarse voice. "The key is in the drawer in the kitchen. "

Jikyo ran to the mentioned place and opened Liliana's small prison. The woman fell weakened to the floor. Park quickly took in his arms and hugged his trembling beloved.

"I'm sorry I'm late. " Jikyo said and looked into her eyes.

"They can't know you were here. You have to go. " She said in a weak voice.

"No way, you'll come with me. In a few days..."

"Let them think they won. " Woman said. "You'll come back for me later." She smiled faintly at him.

"But..."

"Please. " She interrupted him.

Park sighed.

"Okay. " He said reluctantly. "I'll speed things up as fast as I can, and then, we'll be out of here once and for all."

~*~

In the next few days, everything was practically ready. Wilkinson's parents thought they had win with them. They released their daughter, who took advantage of their absence and met with Jikyo despite the ban. What she didn't know, however, was that her parents found out about their meetings. When the redhead returned home in the evening to take the rest of her things, she was sure that her relatives wouldn't be there yet. She was very wrong. Lily couldn't enter her own house, her parents changed the locks and didn't want to let her in. They cursed her.

"If you want to come in here, leave that bastard Jikyo! " Father yelled.

"I'd sooner die than leave him. " She replied, then wiped her tears and got to her feet.

She was tired of banging on doors and sitting on the front steps in the rain. She decided to find another shelter, so she went ahead. It was late, very late. The redhead was humming her lullaby when she suddenly had a feeling that someone was watching her.

She wasn't wrong. But before Liliana managed to defend herself, a man attacked her, and what happened to her later was another dark nightmare for her.