𝐂 𝐀 𝐌 𝐁 𝐈 𝐎 𝐍 | ᴀᴛᴇᴇᴢ [𝘴𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘯𝘤𝘶𝘣𝘶𝘴]

𝐕

That was how Areum and San were feeling, at that moment. Despite being a completely unreasonable and unattainable scenario, it wasn't hard for them to believe that something like what movies and films always showed as "pure fantasy" could also happen in real life. And the couple and their friends could confirm it.

Their shaky pupils landed on a girl, who they thought was about five or six years old, with dark hair tied up in cute pigtails, cheerful eyes, and dressed in a frill, blue dress. On one hand, she was holding a teddy bear the parents had never seen before; on the other one, there was something Areum hoped to never had the chance to see again. 

No words, nor sounds came out from their mouths. San and Areum were still wondering who that girl was, fighting against the sixth sense that was poking in their brains and telling them that she was exactly who they thought.

Areum's cellphone slipped from her hand, falling ruinously on the floor as the girl chuckled and hopped towards the woman, swaying that devilish object in her hand.

"Mommy! Daddy told me to give you this."

The little girl exclaimed whereas pulling the skirt of her alleged mother, aiming to make the woman crunch down to be at her same height. But Areum didn't do that, instead, she looked at San, asking him if it was one of his pranks. However, when she spotted his pale skin tone and trembling eyes, she immediately knew that it wasn't one of his playful jokes. 

The woman's eyes leaned back on the girl, trying to look for a feature or a detail that could tell her who her parents were. She couldn't be Hee-Young: San and Areum's daughter was only a month old, couldn't speak nor walk, all things that the girl in front of her could do. 

"W-What's your name?"

Areum asked, without moving an inch from her actual position. The girl jumped the last time, before answering.

"My name is Hee-Young! You're my mom, don't you remember?"

The mother's knees gave up, but she was quick enough to hold on to the side of the table. Tears started running down her cheeks like a waterfall as reality hit her again. She couldn't believe she was back in her worst nightmare. Though, no matter how much she wished that to be only a dream, there were too many details which confirmed it was reality. The first one was red with black tips rose Hee-Young was holding and was asking Areum to take. 

"What's going on, here?"

San whispered, pointing his finger at the girl. Ever since the girl had walked inside the room, she had never mentioned San as her father, she didn't even look at him. All of the man's certainty started crumbling like sand through his fingers, heart slowly and painfully cracking at the thought of being cheated on by Areum, who had confessed her eternal love to him during their wedding ceremony. 

As if his thoughts captured the little girl's attention, she turned around and placed her eyes on him for the first time. Then, she pointed her short and chubby finger at San and, with a cute pout on her mouth, she asked.

"Who is that mister, Mommy?"

Those words hurt like a stab, to San, who felt like he had fallen into a deep, black hole and forgotten there forever. Areum shook her head, that couldn't be the reality, San was the only one she had spent the last three years with, she could never cheat on him, she had no reason to. San brought a blinding light in Areum's life ever since Seonghwa was banished, cheating on him, had no meaning for her. No one could ever make her feel happy the way San did. 

The woman didn't reply, she didn't know what to say. Explaining to San that Hee-Young was his daughter in that situation where they were both shook and confused might have taken them to a sure fight and misunderstandings. 

So, Areum stretched her arm towards the rose the girl was holding and took a look at it. There was no doubt, it was the same rose Seonghwa had given her years ago, when he started haunting her. The smell, the colour of the petals, and the fact that it was naturally without thorns confirmed that it wasn't a normal flower. On the stalk, she found a yellowish note attached to the flower by a short, silk, red thread.

The woman opened it and, for her, it was like going back in time for brief seconds. Inside, a thin cursive black sentence that made her shiver, even if those words weren't mean to scare her. 

"I missed you, kitten."

____

Heyo, guess who's back and still a bit stunned from new year's day? Yep, it's me!

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR MY CRACKHEADS! This 2020 has been shitty for the reasons we all know, but let's look at all the good things that happened and what we can do in 2021!

Well, there isn't much to say about this chapter, I know you're all confused, but don't worry, things are going to get messier and everything will be explained as the story develops, hehet ;)

Thank you so much for this amazing year we have spent together, I hope to still be able to feed you with good stories and to get to know you better!

Luv ya! ♡︎

(ᴘs: ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴏ ᴍᴀɴʏ sᴛᴏʀɪᴇs ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴅʀᴀғᴛs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ᴛᴏ sʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ :)