SEOUL HIGH UNIVERSITY | saida

long-lost kim

"Daewon, how much longer must I wait to meet our precious daughter? You promised they found her. Where is she?" The woman's impatience erupted in her words as she channeled her grievances toward her husband. The man could only release a profound sigh, his countenance bearing the gravity of the situation, as he extended a folder to his wife.

"I've been pondering how to approach our daughter. My operatives have maintained a watchful eye on her for weeks now," he elucidated with composure, resting his hands on the table, fingers interlocked.

Amidst their dialogue, muted cries seeped from the confines of the office, accompanied by a faint chuckle. "Is this our dear Yuna? Is this what she looks like now?" The woman's voice quavered, a cocktail of emotions as she scrutinized a surreptitiously captured photograph of a girl on her way to school.

"She has my eyes. Our child is so beautiful," the woman observed, a mixture of emotions swelling within her.

"Our child..." the man's voice trailed off, laden with emotion. "She no longer answers to the name Yuna. She identifies as Kim Dahyun now."

"Kim Dahyun," the woman echoed with an affectionate smile.

Gazing at the photograph, the woman gradually comprehended that her long-lost daughter now adorned the same school uniform as Sana.

"Is she enrolled at S-SHU?" The woman's voice quivered, hope infused with concern.

"Yes," the man affirmed with a slight nod, his tone a gentle caress as he brushed away a tear tracing down his cheek.

"And what tier is she in?" The woman's query lingered, a blend of anticipation and apprehension lacing her words.

"An underclass," the man responded, his tone subdued. Tears cascaded freely down the woman's cheeks as she empathized with the challenges their daughter might be grappling with as an underclass student.

"Our dear child... I can scarcely imagine the trials she endures as an underclass scholar," the woman murmured, her heart aching for the hardships her daughter could be facing.

The man rose, enveloping his wife in a consoling embrace. "Daewon, let's bring our child home," she whispered, her voice a fusion of determination and longing.

Near their chamber, Jisoo inadvertently overheard the discourse between her aunt and uncle. Her jaw dropped as she registered the name of her long-lost cousin.

"Sooya! What are you doing here?" Jisoo nearly leapt out of her skin when Seokjin materialized behind her. As the couple emerged from their chamber upon hearing their voices in the corridor, the trio exchanged glances. Seokjin, baffled by their demeanor, shrugged it off and exited, earpiece in place, receding down the hall.

"Jisoo, were you eavesdropping?" Soohyun inquired, eliciting a nod from the startled girl. Daewon excused himself, attending to a call from the company that demanded his attention.

"So... Auntie, is it true? Do I really have another cousin?" Jisoo wasted no time in getting to the crux of the matter, as the woman welcomed her into the room for a private talk.

"Yes, it's true. We've traced her. We located your cousin," Soohyun affirmed.

"Hah! I knew it! I remember playing with a certain girl with monolids, but I could never fathom why she vanished overnight like a soap bubble," Jisoo mumbled, her memories piecing together.

"It's been fifteen years, and we concealed it to safeguard the family's standing," Soohyun conceded, her remorse palpable in her demeanor.

"If only Daewon had heeded me, she wouldn't have had to endure all of that." Soohyun's emotions surged, her frustration tangible. Being aware of her child's whereabouts yet unable to take action was a torment she grappled with.