Under Her ✔

44 <Yuna's Narration>

Trigger Warning:

Kidnapping

I was 4

Ryujin unnie was 9

She was 14

That was when we first met each other.

We were at New Zealand because of our parent's work and they didn't wanted leave me and my sister on our own at our hometown, South Korea, so they brought us along once again. It was sad because we had to leave a very close friend, Lee Chaeryeong, but we promised to contact each other still. We've been moving through countries, and the last country we lived at for 2 years was Canada and its where we met Choi Lia unnie, and then she became our close friend. Sadly, we had to split paths and just hope to meet again in the future.

I had to apply at another school again, whereas Ryujin unnie had to be home-schooled. The reason was because back when she was only 3 years old, my parents lost her in a train station during a 'family bonding time' and it took my family a day to find her (also, I wasn't born that time yet). She survived alone for 24 hours, but the consequence was that she developed a trauma and an anxiety, that's why she had to be home-schooled from then on.

So it went on like that for years.

Until Ryujin unnie met her. Jennie Kim, the daughter of a rich couple and was 5 years older than Ryujin unnie. Just like my sister, she was also home-schooled, but for a different reason. Apparently, she was an easy target to her parent's business rivals, so they had to shelter and protect her. We should've know that it was a cover-up.

At first I found her odd and weird, but when I saw how how happy my sister was whenever she was around, I changed my mind. I shouldn't have.

She was Ryujin unnie's so-called soulmate, and they were literally inseparable. It was either she visits our house or Ryujin unnie visits her, and that happened almost everyday. Of course, Mom and Dad were very much happy to see a good improvement on Ryujin unnie's behavior, and they were even the ones who requested for the both of them to be home-schooled together.

So Ryujin unnie and Jennie really got home-schooled together. Ryujin unnie's behavior and attitude changed drastically, and I could say that it changed for the better. She was no longer the quiet kid who prefers to stay at her room rather than playing outside, and it made the whole family delighted.

Fast forward...

I was 9

Ryujin unnie was 14

She was 19

That's when things started to get messed up.

Ryujin unnie finally decided to attend a normal school just like me, and our family couldn't be any happier. It meant the world to us to see Ryujin unnie finally healing a wound on her soul and living as a normal kid, so my parents instantly enrolled her to where I was studying.

And because Ryujin unnie was a cool person, she instantly found a friend in the school. Jeon Heejin, a fellow Korean who became Ryujin unnie's partner in crime/ best friend. They were such a good pair that they do everything together in the school, and people recognized their amazing friendship.

But of course, Ryujin unnie never forgot about Jennie. She was always on her mind, and they would hang out every weekends. Jennie was still home-schooled for the same reason, and Ryujin unnie was sad about that. Nonetheless, they kept hanging out and maintained a quite stable relationship with each other.

Then one day, there was a special event for Ryujin unnie's class. They were going to have a mini-celebration after winning most sports on the Festival, and that included having a date for the day (by the way, it was a children's party, so it was nothing serious).

That's when a secret has been revealed.

Heejin liked Ryujin.

We were all too young that time, so when Heejin asked Ryujin unnie to be her date for the party, we weren't that surprised because we knew they were that close. Ryujin unnie, of course, agreed to it because she said she likes Heejin too. It was puppy love, I guess.

Another time skip.

It was the day of the party, and Ryujin unnie was very excited. My parents personally took her to the venue, and also because the families were invited for that celebration. It wasn't too grand, but it was a happy day. My parents and I were very happy to see Ryujin unnie having fun with her friends, especially with Heejin.

The day finally ended, and it was time to go home. Ryujin unnie and I fell asleep through the whole drive due to tiredness, and our parents just let us be.

We shouldn't have slept that time.

Because the moment we opened our eyes, our life has changed.

"E-Eomma? A-Appa? Y-Yuna?"

I still remember how Ryujin unnie's raspy voice echoed through the quiet place as she called out our names.

We were at an unknown room. The only thing we could see was the door, the bedside drawer, and the bed we were sleeping in. This wasn't our bedroom.

"U-Unnie? Where are we? Where's mom and dad?"

We were still young, but Ryujin unnie's senses heightened as she scanned the whole place, knowing so well that something was not right. She held my hand, and looked right through my teary eyes with an unusual tight expression. That time, she already had a rough idea of what was happening, but she didn't told me the whole details, knowing that I get scared so easily. She carried the heavy burden on her own.

"Yuna, don't cry. Unnie is here, okay? Mom and dad are somewhere out there, but I'm sure they will get us. Calm down, okay?"

"I don't understand, Ryujin unnie... What's happening?"

"We're... We're currently in a stranger's house."

I couldn't understand what she was saying back then, but she was trying to say that we were kidnapped. She tried to explain it to me in the best way possible. At a young age, Ryujin unnie definitely fulfilled her role as an older sister.

"Strangers? Good or bad?"

"Bad."

"They're monsters?"

"Yuna, listen to me. Mom and Dad will take a bit long to get us here, but don't be sad. I will find a way to get us out, okay?"

"..."

"Do you trust unnie?"

"I trust you, Ryujin unnie."

"Good. I will keep you safe, I promise."

And she didn't broke her promise, however, she had to sacrifice in order to do that.

I shouldn't have agreed to it...