CHAPTER 2

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Hanum's POV

After attending the BTS concert in Japan, I went straight to see my Namjoon oppa. Being a model for the same company, Big Hit Entertainment, it was not back-breaking for me to find his hotel location at all.

I had been dying to meet him. On my way to the hotel, I had wondered what he would say, imagining it all. And, once again, I had been fooling myself.

He was definitely not happy to see me. I was able to predict that clearly by his face. I had reckoned that, after all, he was tired after the concert, but… I couldn’t live without seeing him a day. I loved him immeasurably, and I wanted him at any cost. Maybe I was selfish, but selfishness was what made us humans.

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Hae Jin's POV

“Noona!”

I was working when I heard my brother, Chen, call me. His sweet voice made me smile.
He hugged me from behind, and I hugged his arms back. I noticed he was crying. Before I could say anything, his words stabbed my heart like a thorn.

“I don’t want to die, Noona.” I felt as if the ground had slipped from under my feet. My world toppled over its axis.

“I don’t want to leave you,” he cried at the back of my shoulders.

I felt numb, but I had to muster up the courage. I couldn’t quit. I was his only hope. How could I leave him in a situation where he was not able to help himself? He was my only family.

“You will not die. I will never let you go.” My words sounded grave and made him cry more. I hugged him and patted his head until he calmed down.

He was only 15 years old, but the pain he was going through made him a lot more mature. He had been diagnosed with liver cancer. The doctors said that his liver condition had deteriorated and only a transplant could save his life.

I had only been eighteen when Eomma died, and Chen had been eight. After that, our Appa abandoned us to live a delighted life with his second wife and kids.

I was not surprised when people left. I was more surprised when they stayed. Since then, we were left alone to survive on our own in this dark world. This painful life taught me a lot. All the pain that I had gained in my life had made me strong. I knew pain was a great source of strength. I was strong. But at what cost? With each passing year, I kept losing sight of what was important.

After much thought, I concluded that I should seek his help, and so I dialed his number immediately.

Appa cut off my first call. Does he hate us that much? The third time I called him, he finally answered.

“What do you want?" No greeting. I hadn’t expected him to treat me well.

“Appa! I need your help!” I pleaded. No reply. “For Chen’s liver transplant, I need some money. I don’t want to lose him. He’s all I have.” My voice cracked.

“That’s all you wanted to say?” he replied. “I don’t have extra money to waste on you people.” His voice sounded foreign. He was not the Appa that I had once known.

“Please, Appa! Or else he will die!” My voice was trembling. The call got cut off, and the last words I was able to hear were, “I don’t care.”

For a moment, I felt shattered. I should have known better. Those three words echoed in my head for the next three days. Though I did see it coming, I was hopeless. I would have done anything for Chen.

“Nothing seems to be going right for me...” I whispered and closed my eyes.

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