“And drop everything?” eomma interjected. “It’s that bad?”
“Yes, I’m afraid it is. I’m sorry, but you are one of the lucky few. Pack up and be out of your house by the morrow.”
“You lot are just going to force us to pack and leave, just like that?” appa asked, getting angry. I couldn’t completely understand what they were talking about, but I knew it wasn’t good.
“Please do, sir, for you own good. And for the sake of your family. This is not a condition to mess with. We also recommend you all take a visit to your doctor, as a few have already been diagnosed as affected by the dioxin.”
“Are you kidding me?” my appa let out a breath, and eomma gave him a rub on the back.
“It’s alright, we’ll do as you’re requesting,” eomma assured the man.
“Please do, ma’m. It’s for your safety. Free hotel services will be held for the next month while you and your family find a nice place to live. I wish you well, and if you have any questions, call the officers here,” he finished, handing my mother a card before turning around and strutting away.
“Oh no,” eomma whispered. Her face was blank but pale.
“It’s alright, we-we’ll go live with my friend in America, I don’t think it’d be too much of a problem since it would cost money to move anywhere else in Korea, anyways.”
“America? We’re only getting kicked out of our house, Seunghee! We don’t need to move to another country!” Eomma was getting mad.
“But, listen. I was actually going to propose idea earlier. I think it’d be great change.”
“But what about Sujin?”
“Her schooling will be much better there, anyways.”
“But we’d have to learn English!”
“You already know the basics!”
“Suenghee, I don’t know. Moving away from my family…”
“But think, America! It’s every child here’s dream. Wouldn’t it be an adventure? A new start? Plenty of people move to the States and vice versa, why can’t we?”
“I’ll think about it, Seunghee. Let’s go inside. We have to pack.”
“Oh, alright.” My father looked at me as hurt filled his expression. It was the first time that sadness had taken over his sparkling eyes. And from that moment on, he would stay that way. This was the start of the change of my father.
Wait. Dioxin?
A click of the door behind me made me jump slightly, pulling me straight out of my memory, and I turned around with wide eyes. A younger man came stumbling out the door and approached me as my heartbeat quickened. He looked slightly drowsy, but awake enough to notice me. As soon as he was right behind me, he sat as I watched him. He rubbed his eyes before looking at me.
“What’s such a young one like you doing here?” he asked, looking me up and down. He was one of the youngest men I had seen there, and I was surprised to smell a hint of alcohol as he looked underage. His ruffled blonde hair and pale skin made him look scrawny.
“I-” I started. I wasn’t sure what to say. “T-the host is my father.”
“Ah,” he nodded, before his face fell into a frown. “I wasn’t specifically invited here, I’m afraid I don’t know the host too well. I came with my father.”
“I see,” I nodded. The boy gave me a small smile.
“I can see what you’re thinking. And yes, I’m underage. I don’t have the best family situation at the moment. I’m my father’s toy, I guess.”
“Oh,” I nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” he shrugged. “I’m Daehyun,” he introduced, giving me a hand. I gave it a shake.
“I’m Sujin.”
“Nice to meet you,” he smiled warmly at me. “Hey, so are you living here with your father?”
“Y-yeah, for now,” I admitted. I wasn’t sure how much I could trust him, but I felt strangely safe.
“My father says it’s very unfit here. Did you ever wonder why your house is the only occupied one in the whole street?”
“Yeah, actually. And we just kinda moved back in a few days ago. I think we’re moving to the States soon.”
“Oh. So you don’t know about the dioxin poisoning?”
“N-not really,” I shook my head, thinking of what scene I had just seen in my head. Was I supposed to trust myself?
“Really? It’s dangerous.”
“Is it?” I was starting to get nervous. “How do you know?”
“Well your father told us it was illegal to get in here since after being surrounded by the poisoning long term can affect you, but he said a night party isn’t long enough to do harm. So we all figured out how to sneak in. I’m not quite sure how it happened. My father wanted me to drink a few minutes ago, and it was only my second time. Everything’s blurry at the moment.”
“Oh. That’s not healthy, you’re too young.”
“I know. Don’t worry about me, though.”
“Ah.” I looked to the yard.
“So, you should try to move as soon as you can, it’s not good to stay in the area for long.”
“I know, but I guess you can probably tell, I-I don’t have the best family situation either. You see, I was adopted...” I trailed off. I wasn’t sure how much to tell him.
“Into this family?” He looked at me thoughtfully.
“Listen,” I started. For some reason, I trusted him already. He was just like me. I needed to tell someone my situation. “Do you know the boy band BTS?”
“Uh, don’t think so,” he said, scrunching his eyes and leaning back in thought.
“That makes life simpler,” I mumbled, “So they adopted me, long story. But the person here, the host, is my real father. I was placed in alternative care for a long time because he abused my mother. She took me to the care home before she died to save me from my father.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear. Do you know what killed her?”
“No,” I shook my head.
“Maybe it was the dioxin poisoning, I heard a lot were affected before the government knew it was a problem.”
“Oh, wow,” I gasped. “I think you’re right. I mean, maybe not, but that makes sense.”
“Yeah. Well, either way, I’m sorry. But why are you here now? Didn’t those boys adopt you?”
“They did,” I lowered my voice. “My real father somewhat.. Kidnapped me. He forced me here and I don’t know how to get back. I legally belong to the boys, BTS. But I’m here.”
“Seriously?” he screamed, surprising me and scaring me that someone would hear.
“Shh!” I warned.
He lowered his voice, “Sorry. But you’re seriously being held here? Against your will? Like literally, kidnapped?”
“Yeah.” I sighed as tears pricked my eyes. I hoped the dark would hide them “I want to go home. This isn’t my home anymore.”
“Oh my gosh, well I’ll help you!”
“How can you? I shouldn't've told you, it’s too risky to try anything.” I shook my head, wishing I hadn’t told him my secret. “I’m too scared. I tried to escape the other night. I-” I stopped as my words got caught in my throat.
“But don’t you want to leave? Or is it,” Daehyun continued, “Did the boys not treat you well either? Are you happier here?”
“No! No, I promise,” I started to chuckle at this thought. “They were perfect. I do really want to go home, but I guess at this point, I’m too scared of my dad. I tried to escape once, so trying again just doesn’t seem too hopeful.”
“But this time I’m here. Hey, my father’s in there drinking until he passes out, and I’m not particularly happy with him either. I can at least accompany you until we find someone to help you.”
“I just will always feel uneasy. I will always feel like my father is right there behind me, about to take me back again. I thought I was safe when I moved in with the boys, and then… this happened.” I sighed.
“Listen,” Daehyun whispered, leaning into me. I could see his deep blue eyes clearly as he looked into mine. They were beautiful. “My father did the same to me, I’m not supposed to be he-”
“Hyung?” A voice from behind us rang, making Daehyun’s head shoot to the side, interrupting his sentence. I couldn’t see the other boy very well in the darkness, but a faint glow cast in a streak along his face.
“Hey, Dongsaeng,” Daehyun said, getting to his feet. “Listen, I need your help.”
“Who’s this?”
“Her name’s Sujin, and she needs-”
“No, no, wait,” I stopped him. “Daehyun, I’m not ready for this.”
“Why?” He looked at me, concern washing over his features. “Don’t you want to go home?”
“I- I don’t know...”
“But Sujin, I thought you wanted to go back? I told you, I can help you.”
“But I told you, I’m scared.”
The other boy looked back and forth at us. I could tell he was confused, but that was understandable.
“Listen to me,” Daehyun said, grabbing my hands in his. “You can trust me, I will make sure you get home. I can tell that they will give you a much, much better life than your father here. And I may have just met you, but I know that I can help you. So please, let me. It will make my life worth it. Please.”
“Hyung, what is this about? Who is this girl?” the other boy asked from behind Daehyun.
“Sujin, what do you say?” Daehyun asked me, ignoring the younger’s question.
“Y-yeah, I guess so. Thank you, but if we get caught-”
“We won’t, we won’t. And if we do, it’s okay. I’ll make sure you get out of here. I don’t have anything I’d loose if my father found out.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
“Of course, now come here.” He grabbed my hand and dragged me towards his, what seemed to be, brother. “Listen, don’t ask questions, but I need you to go back inside and do whatever you can, make whatever excuse, and make whatever distraction you possibly can. You know I wouldn’t leave you, so I’ll be back. I have to take Sujin home. Okay?”
“I don’t really understand, Hyung,” the boy said, crossing his arms over his chest. “What would I even have to do?”
“Go find father, make sure he doesn’t notice my absence for the rest of the night. I don’t know how long I’ll be, but I’m pretty sure father will be here until early morning.”
“Daehyun, you’re not making any sense. Is it because your father made you drink? I don’t think you’re thinking.”
“No, please, do as I say. Please,” Daehyun pleaded to the younger.
“Hyung-”
“Please, just listen to me! I need your help. Remember the other day when you said you felt bad?” he asked the other boy, nervousness in his voice.
“Yeah, but what does that have to do with this?”
“Think of this as a way to help repay me, I don’t want to guilt you into this. I really don’t, but if you do this, I can explain later. Please, she needs our help.” The other boy glanced over to me, looking me up and down as if he was trying to assess the situation without asking.
After a minute, the boy sighed, throwing a gloved hand into the air. “Fine, but if you get hurt, remember I can’t patch you up. I’m not the nurse here, I’m the troublemaker. Keep your phone on though so I can find you later.” Daehyun grinned, turning towards me. “Alright, Sujin, we need to leave. He can take care of himself for now, but we need to go as soon as possible so our fathers don’t come looking for us.”
“Okay, but Daehyun, I need to grab something from inside the house first. There’s one thing I can’t leave here.”
“Ehh, are you sure that’s a good idea? We really need to go.”
“I have to get it,” I told him before removing my hand from his grasp. “Wait for me out here. I’ll be back.”
I ran inside before he could protest, and sneaked around the corners. I was so nervous and I slipped around all the guests once again that I didn’t notice my held breath until I slivered into Suhee and Seunghee’s room. My feet were so soft as to whisper across the floor until I reached the drawer that I had neatly half-polished the other night. Carefully, with light fingers, I slid open the third drawer, and smiled with satisfaction when my thoughts were confirmed. Back in its place were my mother’s beautiful purple ring and earring, laying on the soft cushion. I took off the glass cover carefully and set it back into the drawer before grabbing the ring and earring and stuffing it into the pocket of the black jeans I had been wearing. I put the glass case back onto the pillow, as if it had never been disturbed, and then tip-toed back out of the room.
Once I had slipped back downstairs, feeling enormously accomplished, my spirits lifted even higher as I could hear my father and another man laughing at the end of the living room as the younger boy’s voice from earlier rang. I was out the back door with no problem where I met Daehyun.
“I did it, I’m ready.”
“Great.”
“So, do you have a plan?”
“Not really.”
“Well I don’t either. That’s why I didn’t think we’d be able to make it.”
“We will. I’m good at devising plans as we go. Let’s get out of here.”
Haha, don’t worry readers, more BTS is coming back into the story really soon.. Like the next chapter. Oh, and Jungkook stans, you might wanna watch out.