A GAME OF TERRITORY

[Back to reality]

Minjae turned to him. "How is your brother now?" she asked.

"Still the same," he replied simply, and she smirked.

"I guess now I can relate," she said. "My sister is in the same situation as your brother... I wonder who will wake up first," she added, turning back to gaze outside. The place was now dead silent.

"May I ask where we are?" he asked, his gaze wandering around.

"This is the so-called estate my father willed to me," she said mockingly. He simply nodded silently.

"What can I possibly make of this place to prove him wrong, wherever he is?" she murmured. "To show him I'm worth it." She could barely hide the sadness on her face as a soft breeze blew, making her short hair dance in the air. Silence took over once again.

Suddenly, they heard a sound downstairs. Both of them glanced at each other, and Jung Shin rushed out to investigate, with Minjae following behind.

Jung Shin ran downstairs and spotted a small figure hiding behind a corner, watching him. When the boy noticed that Jung Shin had seen him, he tried to run, but Jung Shin was fast enough to catch him. Just then, Minjae arrived.

"What's going on?" she asked, noticing the little boy Jung Shin was holding. She frowned and walked toward him.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice stern and serious, making the boy flinch. Slowly, tears started to well in his eyes, and he began crying.

"Ugh, for the love of God," Minjae muttered in distress. Suddenly, a woman rushed to them, grabbing the little boy in a warm hug—his mother.

The woman glared at Minjae, who just stared at them blankly, waiting for an explanation for their presence on her land.

"Who are you people?" Minjae asked impatiently, not bothered by the boy's crying.

The woman stood up, frowning as she glared at Minjae.

"I should be asking you the same question. Who are you?" she demanded. Minjae scoffed in disbelief and slowly walked toward the woman, making her step back. She didn't know who Minjae was, but something about her made the woman want to stay away. She gulped, trying to maintain a straight face.

"We live here," the woman said.

"And I own here," Minjae retorted, making the woman's eyes widen. Immediately, the woman dropped to her knees.

"Please, do not chase us away. We have nowhere else to stay," she pleaded, rubbing her palms desperately as she stared down. Before Minjae could respond, three more people entered—two women and a man. Minjae stared at them, confused and unsure of what was happening.

They led Minjae and Jung Shin to the back yard of the building, which they hadn't known existed. At the back, there were several incomplete buildings with many open rooms.

As they reached the yard, it was eerily silent. Suddenly, the woman whistled, and people began walking out of the rooms and corners where they had been hiding. Minjae stood in silence, unsure of what was happening.

Finally, everyone was out—around sixty people, young and old, teenage and middle-aged, men and women, boys and girls. The woman who had brought them there and the others joined the group.

From their appearance, Minjae could tell they were homeless, poor people. But she was confused as to how they had gathered here like a community on her land.

The mother of the little boy whispered to the old woman at the front, who seemed to be the leader of the group.

"Mother, I think she might be the true owner," the woman murmured.

"How can you be so sure?" the elderly woman asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I believe she might be..." Minjae interrupted.

"Should i as well bring the papers to prove I'm the owner?" Minjae asked mockingly, folding her arms.

"That's unnecessary," the woman replied. "Many people have brought fake papers claiming ownership of this land."

"So you scared them away?" Minjae completed. "What are you then, guardians of the estate?" she asked, as the woman frowned at Minjae's disrespectful tone.

"I heard this place is haunted, and no one dares cross this path," Minjae continued. "I suppose that's your doing," she added, as they all glanced at each other.

"They are all con people, and I believe you are too," the woman said, as Minjae walked closer.

"A con, you say?" she smirked. "Granny," she called mockingly, and they all stared, shocked by her rudeness. "Are you sure you can handle the weight of what you just said?" she asked like a question, but it sounded more like a threat.

"Let me make it simple. I will be back in a few days, and by then, I expect you all to be gone," she said.

"And if we don't?" the old woman asked.

"Then I guess we'll continue this conversation in front of the law," Minjae replied, as some of them gasped.

"You're going to sue homeless people?" the woman asked. "Don't you have no shame as a wealthy person, suing penniless people?" she added.

"Is that the threat you used on the previous people? If you're as observant as you seem, I'm sure you can tell that such a threat won't work on me," Minjae said. "I'm already very shameless as it is," she added. "And I believe you all are more shameful than you should be. You've gained shelter from one's land and are now unwilling to leave, chasing away potential owners. You've given the place a bad name so it could all be yours. Don't you think that's too greedy?" she said as everyone remained quiet.

"I believe I've made my point," she said, turning to leave. But she stopped in her tracks when the mother of the little boy asked:

"Where are we going to go?" Her voice trembled, and it seemed she was about to cry.

Minjae turned to her. "Like she said, you're homeless people, and I believe your place is in the streets," she replied. "Homeless," she added, and walked away. Unbeknownst to her, she was being followed, and a picture of her was being taken.

Minjae returned home and was heading to her room when she paused, recalling the construction paper that belonged to her sister. She turned left and walked toward her sister's room, which shared the same hallway.

When she reached the front of the room, she hesitated before grabbing the knob and walking inside. But she stopped in her tracks when she saw her niece, Mina, sitting on her mother's bed, sobbing silently.

When Mina noticed her presence, she slowly stood up, and a frown replaced her crying face. She glared at Minjae, who had just walked in, and turned to leave. As she walked, Minjae sighed tiredly and rubbed a frustrated hand over her forehead.

"Mina," she called, and the young girl stopped.

"Mina," she called again, More softly this time, Mina turned to her. Minjae sighed. "Your mother is my sister. Don't you think I'm hurting too?"

Mina abruptly turned around. "You said you wanted them dead, and now..." she sobbed.

"I'm no magician, Mina. If every word that came out of my mouth comes true, then I wish they all came back," Minjae sighed. "I said things I never meant. More than anything, I wish my family back." Mina's face lightened as she seemed to realize that Minjae was hurting too. It was the closest to emotion Minjae had shown since the tragic incident. Then, Mina went and hugged Minjae.