C H A P T E R
F O R T Y - F O U R
Inside Grandma's house, the kitchen rippled like kettle, wheezing heat out and moistening the interior. The door slammed behind us, windows shut tight against the winter.
She lent a warm blanket for me and Yuta. Then while she was dusting snow out of my hair, her eyes were trained on me, and they were chirps of gold like mine. It's almost like I'm looking at my mirror.
She said no word as she gave Yuta a heater and placed it on his hands. He obediently let her do as she wanted. His blue eyes would sometime steal glances on her face but Grandma was quick to switch from place to place. One second, she's assisting Yuta and by the next second, she's at the kitchen counter, preparing two cups of tea.
We haven't spoken a single word yet. And I reckon she could tell who Yuta was, since she acted as if she didn't know me. She knew well, more than anyone, how important our secret was. And for the Capital's inheritor to be inside the very same room as us, it's better to keep safe and act like strangers.
"Wolves," Grandma muttered. "They've been acting strange. Beasts of the forest, not anymore. They've turned to hunters," then she placed the cups of tea on the table, steam oozing upwards to the air. "Here, have something warm to drink."
Yuta glanced at me, doubt painted all over his face. His lips were still shivering because of the cold.
"Don't worry, young man. I do not make poison. This tea is made of natural herbs," Grandma told Yuta.
I stood up and walked towards the table. I grabbed one of the cups and smelled it. It's not like I was doubting my own Grandma to poison me; it's an act of confirmation in front of Yuta.
"Nothing bizarre about its smell," I said to the man behind me.
Yuta didn't move from his seat. I sipped an amount of tea, and sighed in contentment when I felt it warm my insides. Yuta's throat bobbed, as if he was tempted to have the liquid warm up his stomach too.
"Don't you want a drink?" Grandma asked Yuta, noticing how vacant he was. "The second cup is for you."
He waved his head. "I've been taught not to accept food from strangers."
I realized he's talking about his trauma. For someone like him who had experienced a couple of assassination and poison attempts since he was small, it's understandable why he's so mindful and insecure now.
Grandma glanced at me and slid the cup of tea that was intended for Yuta to my direction. "Here," she whispered softly. "Take this to him. He's cold."
I obeyed what she said. Bringing the cup with me, I sat next to Yuta.
"Please, you need to drink something," I said.
He flattened his lips to a line and looked away.
"Yuta," I sighed. "Please, do it for me."
His eyes flickered, as then the decision was made. It took him a few seconds to turn around and face me, taking the cup from my fingers.
Then he brought the container's rim to his lips and, hesitating, drank from it.
After a while, his face made an expression of discomfort. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand, and he was blinking sluggishly, as if he was insanely dozy. I suddenly felt worried.
He started to be indolent on his actions. "Soo-" he mumbled, and then thrusted the cup to my direction, offering me to take it. I did, circling my fingers on its handle. Then when I looked back at Yuta, his eyes rolled on the back of his head, until he collapsed on the couch, unconscious.
"Wha - ? Grandma! What have you done to him?!"
Grandma was already moving in quick motions towards me, shushing and easing. "It's okay, Sooji. It's okay. Nothing harmful. Just a sleeping drug."
"But - "
Before I could say any more words, she was already cupping my cheeks with her wrinkled hands, rubbing her thumb across my cheekbones in a delicate way. "He's that boy, right? The Capital's inheritor. I'm sorry for doing that to him, Sooji, but it's necessary. We need to talk. And he musn't hear it. Do you understand?"
I nodded.
She flashed me that familiar warm smile. "Good girl," she said, then pulled me to her for an embrace. "You've grown so, so much. I missed you, more than anything. Oh god, thank you, thank goodness that you're alive."
An inevitable warm feeling bloomed in my chest as I returned the hug. I was now taller and larger than she was. It's crazy. She felt like a little bird on my arms, small and fragile.
"I am so sorry I wasn't able to fight for you. I've been thinking about you ever since the day that they took away. Everyday, I pray for your happiness and safety. Oh Sooji, darling, you have no idea how guilty I felt."
"Grandma, it's okay. It's not your fault."
"And your Baba, your father," she sniffed. "He never stopped looking for you, waiting for you, every single day, Sooji. He's still bringing a spare of apples for your share, keeping your room tidy in case you come back, wishing you a happy birthday everytime winter came. He didn't lose hope. He never gave up, until... until he left me too."
I pulled away from the hug and stared directly into Grandma's eyes. "H-How did Baba die?"
"I-It's a long story," she stuttered. "He died because of the virus."
"B-But," I felt my eyes water. "That's not possible. Our hometown's far from the city, far from the source of the plague. There's no way it could have contaminated him-"
"Oh, Sooji. Come, come. Take a seat, please. I have something very important to tell you," she gestured me to follow her to the table, before pulling out a chair for me to sit on.
"I an going to tell you the story behind the bargain that I made with the Dong family 10 years ago."
I felt my entire body stiffen.
Grandma opened her mouth and started speaking, "Your father and your mother met inside the city. He, a normal townboy, and, she, a normal worker. Your mother worked at a dress shop, and your father delivered materials from the town to the city. They met two to three times a week. And they fell in love.
"When they started seeing each other, the Dong family, the person who hired your father to work, also started to show interest to him. He was given credit for how wise and inventive he was. He actually came up with a lot of machines to quicken your mother's work. It was his act of helping her, of showing his affection. And your mother was no ordinary dressmaker, she was very beautiful and creative, and people couldn't stop ordering from her, just to glimpse at her beauty. But later, it started to become different. Your father got hired to work inside the Dong household as their official clockwork. Your mother had too many dresses to finish. They stopped seeing each other frequently. And then while your father was working inside the Dong's house, his boss's daughter grew so fond of him."
I gulped. Sicheng's mother. She fell in love with Baba. Oh god.
"They grew close. Very close, I'm afraid to say. Dong even introduced your father to the other family of bosses. The Wong, the Kim, the Jung, the Kwon and the Lee. That's how much she admired him. But when it was time for your father to choose, he picked your mother."
I swallowed a lump in my throat and balled my hands into fist.
Grandma continued speaking, "Dong was so jealous of your mother. She got rid of her by firing her from her work. A cyborg replaced her, a-and then, of course your father got angry. Sewing dresses was your mother's passion and for Dong to take that away from her..." Grandma paused to sigh. "He argued against the Dong. And he left the city, along with your mother. They refused to return.
"And then you were born. Beautiful, lovely Sooji. Light of our life. You have no idea how warm you turned our cold winter to just with your golden eyes and sweet smile."
A small smile managed to tug on my lips. I felt my heart melt at the thought.
"But the thing was, your mother was not used to the woods. She got so sick, to the point that she cannot smile anymore. Leaving the city was harder than she had ever imagined; she basically left her life behind just for your father. Things started to turn out unwell. She was very sick. And your father was desperate to keep her alive, to make her happy. And so he returned her to the city and asked help from the same girl who fell for him in the past. He turned to the Dongs, Sooji. For your mother. And it seems like the Dong's daughter has now taken the position of her parents, became the boss, but still has feelings for him. She agreed, but the proposal was very unpleasant."
"And it is?" I asked.
"It seems like your mother was in a severe condition. She cannot return to the woods, or else she will suffer. She had weak lungs. Used to the city, used to luxury, so the woods are too much for her to take in. Dong told your father that she could make a replica of your mother. One that is healthy. One that can survive outside the city. It was a wild decision. But your father agreed. Then the Wongs are needed for that, since they already made a successful experiment. But then that clone that the Wongs made was disowned for reasons that weren't explained to us. Your father took that boy in, that clone, to observe him. To see if he could tolerate the moment your mother will have a clone too. His name is Wong Kunhang."
Hendery. She's talking about Hendery. It's no wonder why he called Baba "uncle" back then. Because Baba adopted him. Hendery and I are really connected, all along. Dear heavens.
"And do you know the exchange of all of this?" Grandma asked. "You. The Dong wanted to have you. It's a give-and-take. Maybe it's because you're your father's child, and they're expecting great potential. They gave your father the privilege to raise you, to keep you for ten years, but after that...you're theirs to keep. And your mother's replica will be provided to us.
"Years had passed, and a place called the Capital was made," Grandma glanced at Yuta, who was still sleeping soundless in the couch. "And it destroyed your mother. The clone took long to be made. It wasn't even made at all. Your father visited the city to see your mother, and according to him... she seemed like a different person. She couldn't stop talking about the Capital, about how lovely it is, how breathtaking and magical it is. Your mother talks about it all day. She even told your father to take you to the city, so you could see the Capital. Sooji, you were still a very little girl back then. Your mother wanted you to leave the woods, to see the Capital with her. Your father said she was out of her mind. And when your father refused, she was so mad at him and told him to give you back to her. She was... corrupted. We couldn't, your father couldn't... at that moment, he knew he already lost her."
"Then, how did Baba got the virus? Did my mom die?"
"The fire," Grandma said. "It was always the fire, Sooji. The cause of the plague. The cause of every mayhem. From our house, we could see the sky turning red. You were 16 that time, I believe. Ashes started to float everywhere, outside the walls, to the beach, to the trees. Your father grew worried, returned to the city, searched for you and your mother. And when he went back, to us, he appeared... lifeless. He couldn't save either of you. And he was devastated about it. Then as time passed by, we found out he got the virus and it slowly killed him."
I felt my heart sank. Grandma flashed me a sympathetic look. "And that ends the story," she brought her hand on my hair and gently stroked it. "I am so glad you're alive. All along, I was worried that you might have caught the virus too. But thank goodness you're not. I don't know what to do anymore. Kunhang left the town, and I was so so lonely..."
"That Kunhang boy. The clone," I said, taking in a deep breath. "Do you know where he is now?"
"He asked for my permission to go to the city. He was so attached with your father, Sooji. It took him a lot of time to move on from his death. He pledged to do something about this mess."
By acting villain? By seeking revenge? By working with the president?
I don't have the heart to tell Grandma about his whereabouts now. So instead, I said, "Grandma, why can't I remember him? Baba adopted him, right?"
"Oh, Sooji. You always confuse their names because they're complicated. But all of you used to be the best of friends."
"They?" I asked, confused.
Grandma blinked, smiled, and stood up from the chair. "Oh, forgetful Sooji. Wait, let me show you something," she disappeared into another door on the leftside, must be her room.
While I was waiting for her, I glanced at Yuta, who looked so peaceful in his sleep. He's less annoying with his loquacious mouth shut.
Grandma returned, now holding something with her. She sat next to me and showed me a picture.
"This is Kunhang," she smiled while pointing at the little boy sitting on Baba's lap. "This is Yangyang," then she moved her finger to a pretty brown-haired boy, "Xiaojun," she pointed the shortest of the three, the one who was glaring at the camera, "And you!" then her finger's pointing at a younger version of me, arms wrapped around Yangyang's neck. "Maybe you can't recognize them. They were only around six years old when you left. Very small, very young."
It was really us. And we looked so close and happy in the picture. Speechless, I grabbed the edges of the photo, a giggle rising from my throat, as the memories I had with them started to sink in.
"I can't believe it. I have nearly forgotten."
"Oh, little darling Sooji. You can't forget your friends' names just because they weren't able to attend one birthday party," Grandma joked.
Oh. So the friends that I was waiting for at my 10th birthday party. It was them.
Smiling, I asked Grandma if I could keep the photo. She said yes. Then she even told me I needed to sleep too. I asked her when will the sleeping drug that Yuta drank lose it effects, and she said about five hours.
I laid Yuta's body comfortably on the couch, letting him rest his head on the pillow that Grandma had taken from her bedroom. Then I carefully wrapped the blanket around him, making sure to tuck him properly.
While I was doing this, Grandma was watching with a smile. "He's handsome."
I felt my cheeks burn. "I-I..." I sighed and resisted the urge to blush even deeper. "He's annoyingly blessed with a silver tongue. You'll forget his handsomeness once he starts talking."
A soft laugh escaped Grandma's lips. "So he's the reason why the Dongs desperately want to have you."
"It's not like that. Yuta equally doesn't like his position as much as I do."
"Is that so?" she said then opened the door to her room widely for me. "Go to bed, darling. You need some rest."
I stood up and followed her to her room.
She turned off the lights of the living room and the kitchen, letting Yuta's sleeping figure get overlaid by darkness like he's inside a murky pitch-black chamber.
"Come in," urged Grandma. "The wolves are still on a hunt, and they bite at the most unexpected times."
________
A/n:
Kunfused? If yes, I suggest you to review Chapters 1, 12, 16, 29.
This is why updating fast is important so that the readers could still recall the recent events :( I admit I slacked off during chapters 20-35 (my updates were so slow during this time)
And this chapter is another long chapter. 2.8K words. I'm so proud of myself ✊😑
And! I'm writing the scenes longer than I expected lol. So my outline might have some changes. What's happening right now, should have happened in Chapter 42 already. I guess I really suck at keeping the story short😟
Please vote and comment :) It will be very much appreciated <3 Thank you!
And tysm for 20K votes in Champion! ^^ I will work harder! Dream Launch MV is coming up in a few minutes, I'm ready to cry skskksksks I'm loyal to Yuta, don't test me