Kim Tae-Hee

I didn't step back in that mansion again. I spent my time in the hotel room. A Brother came to ask me what had happened in school. I told him all. He made me understand my mistake in a better way than others. He didn't scold me for anything. He made me understood everything clearly.

I hugged him when he was going to leave the room. He even ate dinner with me. He asked me about school life. I even shared about Kim Won-Jun with him. He told me to give him a chance. He had met him many times. He likes him.

After talking to my brother, I called Kim Won-Jun. I said yes to him. He was on the seventh cloud that day. We talk every day on call. We both try to know one another. We both are totally opposite of one another. We both are taking small steps. We are not rushing things, just taking baby steps.

But my fears were still present in my heart. They came one in a week to destroy whatever I built. I will not give up so easily now. I will work every day on myself. I will work every day to overcome my fears. I will not let anything break my motivation.

My birthday is tomorrow. My birthday. I don't know how I am gonna spend my birthday. I am gonna visit mom's grave. The thought made my heart feels heavy. The liquid starts running out of my eyes when each time I thought about my mom.

After 11 years I am gonna visit my mom's grave. I will ask the uncle Henry to take me there tomorrow. I am gonna spend my whole day there with mom. I gonna tell her about the things going on in my life.

Tomorrow I will come to know the gift my father will give me. I haven't heard from him after the day I stormed out of his mansion.

I didn't go to school after it. Ji-Hu gave me the notes. He came to my room every day and teach me everything he learned from school. He is my teacher these days. He has good teaching skills. I easily piss him off. Every time I disturbed him he yelled at me that he will not come tomorrow. But he stands in front of my door the next day at the exact time.

Tomorrow I have to even go to school to submit the documents. I was thinking to tell Kim Woo-Bin to do this work for me. But we both are not so close still that I will ask him to do the work for me. I will do my work myself.

A few days back when I was reading my mom's diary. On one page it's written,

Now my love gives this diary to your brother. Don't turn the page. Give it to him.

I will love you always.

Be happy.

May God shower his abundance blessings on You..

After reading that I had given it to Kim Woo-Bin. He had taken it without questioning me. It looks like he knows about this diary already.

I am just curious about the things written in the rest pages of the diary. I wanna know about it too. I just feel like those pages hold the answers to my questions.

One day life will give me an answer to every question I have.

I should sleep now. I have to wake up early tomorrow. I will first go to school tomorrow then I will go to meet mom. I am nervous, anxious about tomorrow. I wanted the tomorrow to pass away in a second, in a blink. But it will be whole 24 hours. And I have to anyhow spend 12 hours even if I will sleep 12 hours.

I pushed all the thought aside. I switched off the lights and lie down on the bed.

I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep after a few minutes.

"You killed me."

"You killed mom."

"You killed my wife."

"You killed my daughter."

"You should have kept your mouth close."

"Your presence kills people."

"You don't have parents."

"Hey Jean, see this Kim Tae-Hee is an orphan."

"This girl has no one in this world. She is alone. She has no one. Her parents leave her."

"Her parents don't love her."

"She is homeless. Last night I saw her sleeping on a bench in the park. Poor soul."

"Last night I saw her drenching in rain."

"She has one uncle. I think so he doesn't love her. I saw him scolding her yesterday and she was crying so much."

"Mr. Henry, we need to talk to her parents. She is misbehaving a lot in school. We just can't bear this now. She had broken the nose of that girl. She is in hospital. Our school has a good reputation and I don't want it to turn into dust. So tomorrow we need to talk to her parents not you Mr. Henry."

Darkness has surrounded me. Many voices echoing in the whole room. Old scars are being opened. Old chapters are being reread.

The darkness was changed into light.

I was standing in a small room. I hear the loud voices of a man and woman. Both were arguing about something. I went out of the room. It's a small hatch.

"At least have some shame. At least hide your relationship with that woman."

"That woman has a name Kim So-Hyun. Why should I hide about her? Tell me why should I? You should get out of my life right now. If you with whom I am hiding a relationship." The man holds the shoulders of the woman tightly. His knuckles were turning white. The woman tried to get herself free from his hold.

"I divorced a long time before. Why don't you get out of my life? Why you are still present in my life and acting as a perfect wife? "The man pushes the woman forcefully.

The word "Mom" leaves my mouth. But none of them heard it.

The tear starts leaking from mom's eyes. I tried to move forward but my feet are jammed. The man walks towards the woman. She took one step backward. He holds her hair. She tried to get her hair free from his holds. "Leave me you are hurting me Kim Jo-on."

'Leave my mom.' My words were stuck in my throat.

"Just get out of my life. So I could stop meeting my love secretly. So I could make her the queen. Just go and die somewhere."

"In a few minutes, you will be free. Mark my word Kim Jo-on, 'you will regret hurting me. Life will hurt you too badly.' May God keep you and your wife happy? May the love between you and her never get decrease? May she helps you feel true love?"

He leaves my mom's hair and I was again present in the same dark room surrounded by voices.

"You were a burden on me."

The voices increases. Every vein in my head is exploding. I put hands on my ears trying to block the noises. I clenched my hair in my hand. The noises are getting intolerable.

I hear my phone ringing continuously. I open my eyes. I was present in my hotel room. I open the light and pick my phone from the nightstand.

Ji-Hu was calling me.

I pick it up.

"Happy birthday angelica "He shouts loudly.

I pull the phone a little bit away from my ears. A smile appears on my lips.

"Open the door of your room. My feet are aching. I am standing here for so long."

I get up from the bed and strides towards the door. I open the door and see the person wearing the biggest smile on his face.

"Are you planning to cut the cake here only?" He shows the box he was holding in his hands.

"Yeah. I was thinking to cut here only."

He gave me a weird look. I just passed a smile. He pushed me inside and closed the door from behind with his foot.

"You never forgets my birthday?"

He smiles.

"Do you forget my birthday?"

"How can I forget your birthday Dumb?" He gave me a look, 'You have gone insane.'

"Can we stop playing question – question? Because I really want to eat the cake. It looks so damn tasty." He licks his lips. His eyes hold a different spark. Which brought the sparks to mine too.

"I really love you a lot of Ji-Hu." I whispered to him. His eyes meet mine. The warmth spreads in my heart. I tilt my face. I forget the nightmare I had a few minutes ago.

"Did you celebrate your birthday before me? Because I think so you have drunk something?"

"Stupid. Let's cut the cake."

He is the person on this earth who don't forget my birthday at any cost. He is the person who will bring my favorite flavored cake on any place where ever I will be.

He put the cake on the table. He burns the candles. He starts singing the birthday song for me in his horrible voice.

"Did anyone told you, you sing horribly?"

"Yeah. You told me about this every birthday."

He forwards the knife for me to hold. "Make a wish fast and blow the candles. I am really hungry."

I chuckle at his childish behavior. I bend down. I close my eyes and make a wish.

God always keeps my best friend happy.

The same wish I have been making from the last 11 years. I blow the candles. He starts his horrible singing again. I cut a piece of cake and Stand in front of Ji-Hu. A mischievous grin appears on my face.

I forward my hand in front of his mouth. Before he could take a bite, I smeared his whole face by cake. His mouth was wide opened. My laugh echoed in the whole room. I ran to bed away from him. He takes a big piece of cake in his hand and ran behind me.

Our cake fight continues till the whole cake was on our faces, floor, and things present in the room.

"Ji-Hu let me get fresh. Then we will eat the new cake," I said before going inside the shower.

***

We both are eating the new cake he brought with him. He always brought two cake with him. Because he knows one cake he spoils in giving each other a facial massage of cake.

"Thank you."

He looks at me with narrowed eyes. "Don't spoil my mood."

"Where is my gift by the way?" I extend my hand forward.

His smile vanishes away. I know he had forgotten it at his home. "I forget it in the car down."

"Let's go then."

***

I woke up quite late in the morning. I look at myself for the last time in the mirror. I have worn a long sleeve zipper sport splice color tunic casual dress with white flat offers. I let my hair open. I apply lip glows.

My eyes lands on the big photo frame kept on the table. Ji-Hu gifted me with this photo. It includes me and his photos. It looks really beautiful. It has photos of our childhood too. I feel so happy about this.

I take my clutch and descend down. Uncle would be waiting for me.

He wishes me a happy birthday. I whispered a thank you .

I told me where I have to go. At school then at the cemetery.

***

I complete all the paperwork I have to do. I went to the cafeteria. I have got a message from Kim Tan to meet him in the cafeteria.

I walk towards it. It's break time. But as the distance between me and the cafeteria decreases, the area gets empty. Students were not there when I reached near the door of it. The doors were closed. Something is fishy. I know what's coming next. They have planned a surprise birthday party for me.

I pushed the door. The silence was removed by the noises. Students were singing a happy birthday song. The whole cafeteria was being decorated by balloons ribbons and all.

Kim Tan and Kim Won-Jun were standing near the table on which cake was kept. This whole area was somewhere decorated like that yacht. Tears brimmed in my eyes.

I walk towards them. I looked in Kim Tan's eyes. "You know all. Still, you did this." before he could explain anything I ran away from there to the car. Tears slide down my eyes.

Ji-Hu knows I don't like celebrating my birthday. I just like a small celebration with Ji-Hu. I feel hurt. Kim Tan knows I don't like all this still he and Kim Won-Jun did this.

A black car stops beside my car. I know whose car is this. Uncle was trying to console me. Kim Woo-Bin came out of his car.

He removes his glasses. "Happy birthday Kim Tae-Hee."

I whispered a Thank you.

"I have come to tell you that at night there is a celebration for your birthday."

"But I don't want any party or any celebration for my birthday," I said angrily.

"I know. I even told dad not to do it. But you know dad doesn't listen to us. You have to come. Please. You can invite your friends too. Your dress, shoes and all have been sent to your hotel's room. The beautician will come at 4 pm to get you ready. Uncle Henry will take you to the venue I will send him the address." He said before sitting in his car and driving away.

I know what's next coming tonight. Either the old wounds will be opened or new will be carved on the skin.