Chapter 7. New life (1)

Author's note: Does he remind you of someone?

"We did it! We passed our final exam Jiyeon-ssi!"

"Yeah." Kang Jiyeon replied softly.

Three years have passed since then... since the day 'Ronan' mysteriously disappeared. She had lived these three years the same as her life before Ronan's presence, constantly reminding herself to 'move on'. ||||| I don't care about that fool. ||||| 

It worked, its performance was seemingly decent. However, it also felt like it didn't work, something felt very distant... like it's been lost. 

"You still coming to my birthday Jiyeon?" Kang Jiyeon's friends, who she had met 5 years ago were still there.

"Yeah."

Nothing had changed between them. The same laughter, the same group pictures, the same shared moments. But could that be said about everyone? What about Sa-rang?

Whether Sa-rang was Ronan's biological sister or not, they still loved each other unconditionally, at least that's what she thinks.

[ Have I been a bad sister? If only I had spent more time with him. ]

To this day, someone had been living with guilt, blaming herself. Greiving over someone's absence.

||||| I miss you big brother.... Please come back. |||||

Kang Jiyeon pretended to be oblivious, but in truth she knew people's intentions, their emotions very well. Kang Jiyeon was the type of person to not step into unnecessary things, always keeping to herself. Sa-rang who decided to transfer to her brother's school was often seen all alone. Kang Jiyeon denied her, she didn't want anything to do with her despite understanding how she's feeling right now.

No... can the word 'understand' be even used? Kang Jiyeon never lost her brother or her parents. She had a family at home- a big brother like Ronan, two little sisters. 

"Look at your brother Byung-ho, very easy to communicate, sweet and always studying. Try to be more like him."

But that doesn't mean she had no 'problems'. Ever since her brother left, she had always been compared to him. |||| Look at Byung-ho.||||| the same phrase every time. Everyone expecting great things from here, everyone expecting Kang Jiyeon to be like her brother Byung-ho.

She didn't like that, she wanted her own story. A pathway that's outside of her brother's shadow. Whilst all that, she had always kept it to herself. Could all that be the result of never asking help or never helping? 

[I'm not like him, I am a different person with different talents and different interests. Don't compare me to Byung-ho.]

||||| I want my own story too. ||||||

Understanding one another fully was as a rare as winning a lottery. Few have managed it, but not all. Because in truth, hard work betrays few. Dream betrays many. Just understanding one another through words was a dream only few accomplished. 

Does that mean it's impossible to understand others without words? Someone had told the answer to her a long time ago. But who told her the answer....

|||| Expecting people to understand without words is delusional. But what matters is the effort. When we love someone- we grieve for them, we share together and celebrate together eventually wanting to be that person. Kang Jiyeon, there are plenty of fakes around the world. That's why you should crave for something genuine. |||||

The voice was so distant she couldn't tell who it belonged to. 

"I'm home." Despite knowing that he wasn't anymore, Sa-rang still reminds him. 

Still hoping for him to return... But the more she thinks about him, the more distant he becomes. 

|||| I don't want to forget brother. |||||

The memories they shared together... they were not fancy, they weren't super rich. But those memories were something much more precious than it, something money can't replace. He seemed to be cold person but inside he always went around saving others. His way of showing love was sacrificing himself for them. But those saved by him were inflicted with an unhealable wound....

|||| Ronan's salvation was cruel. Like rescuing a memory better left forgotten. |||||

Should a memory containing nothing but tragedy be better off forgotten?

In a sense, she was rescued by Ronan with a permanent scar.

2022, May 13th the day Ronan Vercetti disappeared. 

I moved to different location with the money Seojun had given. "Jeju island."

Living a life with no limits on money was nice, treating myself whenever I want, not having to work. 

After waking up, Lee Dohyun slowly got up walking over to the balcony. He observed the ocean, the waves sparkling as if the stars had fallen to rest upon them, the moon looking at him.

"If you announce your former identity to anyone there will be terrible consequences."

Those words were implanted deeply into his soul. Although, he didn't know the 'terrible consequences' he was genuinely afraid. 

Lee Dohyun sighed. "I'm sorry Sa-rang. And if there are anyone else who gives a rat's a** about me, then I'm sorry." 

|||| How long would it take for them to forget me? No... How long would it take for me to forget myself, Ronan Vercetti. |||||

[I promise not to forget you.]

2025, May 5th.

In the span of three years, he had visited almost every single place in the world. Apparently, that was his excuse for still pitying her sister, for still missing certain person. Lee Dohyun tried many things to keep his mind from drifting to that moment, some of them worked but they were never permanent solutions. 

"So, how's everything going?"

The man who recruited him for this, a being with supernatural abilities Seojun and Lee Dohyun held a conversation in Dohyun's room.

"Fine." Lee Dohyun's tone carrying no trace of happiness. 

The silence continued.... "Does 'Chronos' have any other subjects other than me?"

Seojun grinned. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. However, there is one thing I would like to ask you."

Seojun resumed "Do you miss them? Are you genuinely happy now?"

"What is 'them' referring to?"

"People you have sacrificed yourself for."

Lee Dohyun thought... Currently, he is not happy rather in a state of depression, an empty, hollow feeling taking over him. As if nothing's real. His achromatic world....

[Do I miss them?] 

"Yes."

Seojun smiled with satisfaction "Then, I think it's time to tell you about the 'consequences' I've mentioned before. If you break the rules, everyone who knows you will forget your existence and you will forget them as well."

"What's the matter? It doesn't seem your surprised."

"Honestly, I expected this much." 

Seojun chuckled before "I see. Then are you happy? Does money bring you joy?"

Lee Dohyun felt a strong urge to look him in the eye and just vent. Tell him everything.

"I've been inciting myself all this time. Telling myself life is about being alone, and a new phrase that would temporarily raise my self-esteem. "I am Yoo Jonghyuk." The phrase Kim Dokja used. 

"I've had great moments- enjoying new things, travelling around the world. But I didn't have anyone to share my feelings with, I didn't have a person who I'd consider as my best friend, someone who can take away my empty feeling... Money, it can buy comfort but not true happiness. There are some things that can only by achieved together." Happy memories....

Seojun thought to himself ||||| He did in change... |||||

A sincere smile mixed with satisfaction formed on Seojun's face. "I see. Well, there's no rule saying you can't make new buddies."

"I know. But there's too many fakes these days."

"Lee Dohyun." he looked into my eyes, his expression ambiguous. "I really want the best for you, and I really mean it."