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Saturday, June 19, 2010
Part 2: Will We Change After All This...?code: English and Mandarin Chinese~ChinaTown Downtown 1997~ [Flashback]Onew's POVI recently pasted another photo of me and Veronica inside the photo album. I've been keeping this ever since Grandfather Han told me to 2 years after meeting his best friend's granddaughter, Veronica. She was 1 years old at the time.Grandfather Han shares ownership with Veronica's grandfather in a rich business; that's what I heard from my parents while they were talking to someone on the phone. My parents work for a second-rich business here in America. Grandfather Han told me it's best if I spend more time with Veronica and protect her always. I don't know why this has anything to do with his business trip here, but he says I'll learn due in time.It's been 4 years since I met her. Grandfather Han helped me put together an album of photos of all the shows and events Veronica and I attended. He let me continue the scrapbooking on my own, letting me take more picture memories of the 2 of us.She's my precious angel, even her name sounds more heavenly every time I say it.Veronica.Since she's Filipino, it was preferred that she calls me 'Kuya'. I learned that 'Kuya' means 'Older Brother' in Tagalog, the Filipino language. She was my dongsaeng*, so I called her Gong Zhu Xiao Mei* in front of businessmen and adults.When it's just the two of us, we each call each other by our first names. She calls me Jinki and I call her Veronica. That was the name I'd always love and treasure.I closed my photo album after reminiscing through each memory. Today we were going to celebrate receiving our grand prize from that youth contest the other day.My fingers fumbled over to my golden necklace. It seems strange that a Korean boy and a Filipina girl received 2 golden pendants with the Chinese character of Love. We got our customized messages engraved on each other's back pendants yesterday by a professional. We also won scholarship money, which Grandfather Han insisted on taking care of that portion of the winnings.I put my album away and ran outside the hotel room. Did I mention that I live in a hotel somewhere in ChinaTown Downtown? Well, so does Veronica. I was even more happy when I found her hotel rom is just closer to mine in the same suite.It was just me and her together all day today. After I picked her up from her hotel room, we left to eat breakfast at a restaurant. The restaurant was owned by my family's business company, so they let us children come in and eat for free. Afterwards, we took pictures of each other at a nearby park. Whenever we started chatting, we'd only talk in English and Mandarin Chinese.She'd always start the conversation."Kuya Jinki, you know you're my only brother, right?""I doubt it. You'll have plenty of guys going after you in the future.""Why?"
"Because you're pretty."She punched me on the arm and giggled. Although she has great strength for a 4 year old girl (it hurts!), I love the way she giggles. I couldn't help but smile."Well, I don't care! You have to promise me we'll be together forever, okay?" She stopped walking and turned to face me."Pinky promise me." she said with a smile on her cute face. Omo~ how could I resist?A grin appeared on my face. "Close your eyes first."
"Why?"
"Do you want me to promise you?""Yes!""Then close your eyes."She gave me a pouting look on her face. Ayo~ just close them!Finally, she gave in and closed her eyes shut. Her pinky finger was still sticking out in front of me. I locked pinkies with her and pressed our thumbs together, sealing the deal.Leaning forward, I planted a soft kiss at the corner of her mouth and her cheek. From the corner of my eye, I can see her eyes shot open in shock. Technically, I didn't give out my first kiss to her; it only counts if I planted my lips directly onto hers. At least, that's what I've learned from American movies.When I leaned back, I flinched, knowing she'd punch me to death. It took me by surprise that she didn't. She just stared at me with her small slit eyes.There was an awkward silence between us, and moments later I turned away from her and started running. I didn't know why I did that. Probably from all that embarrassment.Another surprise she gave me as I was running was that she was chasing after me, calling my name. "JINKI!" What was I supposed to do? I couldn't face her after what I did.Next thing I knew, we both ended up running back to the hotel. Veronica finally caught me and grabbed my arm. I spun around to look at her, but she just crouched to the floor, holding her chest as she was breathing heavily. Remembering she had asthma attacks as an infant, I immediately held her in my arms and pulled out an inhaler from my pocket. I always have an inhaler with me, just in case if a situation like this arises.After she took her dose of it, she calmed down a bit, repeating the same thing over and over again." *cough* Kuya! *cough2x* Kuya - *wheeze* Don't leave me! *wheeze+cough* ""Don't worry, I'll never leave you..."My voice trailed off as we both noticed an argument down the hall of the main floor of the hotel. I helped Veronica up her feet and, as the curious children that we are, we peeked around the corner to where the argument was. Good thing there weren't that many people around, or there might be bad stuff happening to our parents' businesses.Turns out bad things already happened. Veronica and I weren't stupid to comprehend the situation, since we've been tutored at such a young age. We listened into the conversation."I can assure you, I have no idea what you are talking about!""How could you use the scholarship money they earned from that contest to illegal exportations - and not to mention drug imports overseas!"
"Aish~ don't you realize little pocket money earned from these shipments could help gain money and power for our collaborated businesses?""Mr. Han, all of us agreed to your planning of an arrianged marriage towards the children; I have not given you any doubt about it. But because of what you did, we can no longer branch our company or emerge together!""I agree! What would the public think? The telemarketers?! Not to mention we will be targeted!""I did it for the money! For all of us!""You mean yourself! And to think we befriended you after all these years - " "Fine! Yes! I'm the main dealer! I'll admit it! But don't think I've betrayed you! I've treated both of your children as if they were my own grandchildren! I did what I felt was best!" "WHAT?! SO IT WAS YOU, ALL ALONG! I KNEW IT!"Next thing I knew, I was tackled onto the floor. A fight started to break loose, and my blurry vision seemed to take control of its own. A man accidentally scratched me with a knife. It gave me a semi-medium sized scar on left side of my stomach. I can see a little girl pulling him behind, so he turned around and swung at her, scratching the knife upon her right hip. She fell in the process onto the floor. It took me seconds to realize that the only little girl here was Veronica.Scared, helpless, and angry, I pulled her from the floor and made her run with me away from the mad scene at the hotel. I turned around to look at Grandfather Han. It seems that he wanted to clean his sins he committed to my family by plunging the knife into the stomach of the man who swung at Veronica. Grandfather Han seemed to lock eyes with me for one quick second, then mouthed the words "Run!"I turned back and started running with Veronica's hand in mine. If only Grandfather Han hadn't dealed with drugdealers and illegal stuff secretly, then that scary man wouldn't have to lose his business and his mind, thinking our family was at fault for his expense. I can tell by the look of Grandfather Han's face that he regretted doing so, but also he just wanted what's best for all of us.Yeah, I knew about this before. One time when Grandfather Han left me at his office as he was going to an imoportant meeting, I curiously peeked over what was laid out open on his desk. It were files explaining this whole secret scandal.We were still running, blood stains growing from the inside of our shirts. We couldn't stop - until I heard a car horn blowing at me as I was crossing the pedestrian lane. I stood frozen at the moment; Veronica ran. I saw her look back at me, and stupidly ran towards me and embraced me as we were both about to get hit by a car.Then, everything went blank.When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. I looked beside me, and there was Veronica on another hospital bed, resting like Sleeping Beauty from fairytales I've read about. Grandfather Han entered the patient room, and I noticed the terrible guilt on his face. I smiled at him and assured him I was alright, making him smile just a little bit. Just a little bit will do for me.We both glanced at Veronica. Without looking at me, Grandfather Han deeply apologized to me, and I kept assuring him that he's forgiven. Then he told me Veronica woke up earlier with no memories. I felt a sharp pain in my chest. So she doesn't remember our promise to each other? She won't remember me?Remembering the incident earlier, I noticed that Grandfather Han had a lot more blood on his clothes than the last moment I saw him plunging a knife into the crazy man who attacked us earlier. So he was the one who saved us. I thanked him, and he looked up at me with wide eyes, as if knowing what I thanked him for. He started to sob after that. I stared at him sobbing until he stopped and turned to face me again. He told me he'll be leaving back to Taiwan to restart his business again; this time without tainting anyone else's names whom he loved, so it was just a pure business on his own. He told me I should take care of her, but I refused.I refused and told him that we shouldn't have to help her remember this incident. He hesitated, and solemnly agreed with me. Although I love her so much, that's the reason I have to let her go. I don't want to have her remember this painful night. Everything happened so sudden and it's already midnight.After a few days, before I left the hospital to go to the airport, I had to see her one last time. I'm leaving to Korea with my family. Even though she doesn't remember me, I have to make her remember one important thing. As I entered the room she was in, she locked eyes with me and smiled. I'm going to miss that smile. She was sitting up straight on her bed and motioned for me to come sit with her.I managed to climb onto the bed next to her and looked at hber one last time. She was pretty as ever. I pointed to the necklace she was wearing."Do you remember where you got that necklace?""Um, no, sorry. Is it something important I should know?"I chuckled. "Sort of. But don't worry too much. Just do a favor for me.""Sure, what is it?""Keep this with you always, okay?"She smiled her brightest that day. "Okay!" she exclaimed.Before I left, I gave her a kiss on the forehead. I was tempted to kiss her on the cheek, but I'm afraid that she might remember everything.She blushed and still smiled at me. I smiled back at her as I left her life - for good.---------------------------------------------------*dongsaeng - little brother/sister in Korean*Gong Zhu Xiao Mei - pinyin (Chinese) for Princess Little Sister / the title is also translated as Romantic Princess from a show in 2007 in TaiwanLabels: fiction, guardian, story
# random thougths @
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