Hate is the New Love

CHAPTER 2 – Forget the Past

FLASHBACK

The police officers took me and my sister. We struggled, thrashed, tried to break free, but they were too strong. We had no idea what they planned to do with us.

"Please! Don’t take my children!" Mama begged, falling to her knees in front of the officers.

"I’m sorry, ma’am. Your children need to come with us." One of the policemen said, gripping our arms tightly as they dragged us away.

"This is unjust! Why involve my children? You’re after my husband, aren’t you? Why must they suffer for his sins?!"

I was too young to fully understand what was happening, but I could feel something was terribly wrong. Was it Ate’s fault for sneaking out earlier?

They shoved us into the back of a police car. It was way too cramped and suffocating. Ate sat beside me, and a police officer flanked her other side. Both of us were in tears.

Together, Ate and I turned our heads to the back window.

And that’s when I saw her.

Mama was chasing after the car barefoot, her voice breaking as she screamed our names.

I felt all the strength drain from my body.

We watched her shrink into the distance... until she was gone.

I felt a wave of pity for Mama and the tears came pouring in. Ate gripped my hands tightly, as if to tell me without words that everything would be okay.

“Shut up, kid! You’re too noisy!” One of the policemen barked at us, irritated. His voice thundered through the car, and I quickly clamped my mouth shut, startled by his sudden outburst.

The car came to a stop by the seaside. I had no idea why. What was going on? What were they up to?

In the distance, I saw a large ship being loaded with massive cargo boxes. My chest tightened with unease. Were they going to transfer us there?

I thought they’re going to take us in that ship, but I was just actually overthinking. We were only passing by.

Still, I couldn’t shake off the dread. From afar, I noticed a man who looked about Papa’s age. He stood with such presence, adorned with gold jewelry and dressed in a sharp tuxedo. Behind him was an expensive-looking car.

Even with the round sunglasses covering his eyes, I could feel it. He was looking straight at us.

It almost felt like he was waiting for us.

But that couldn’t be. Could it?

They’re police officers. . . .not kidnappers. Right?

Fear was written all over my older sister’s face. We were thinking the same thing. She squeezed my hand twice. I nodded. I understood exactly what she meant.

We were getting closer and closer to the well-dressed man.

“One,” She whispered, just loud enough for me to hear.

“Two.” My heart pounded like a drum. This was it. Our chance to escape. We’d go home. Back to Mama. We could do this.

“Three!”

I sank my teeth hard into the officer’s hand. He screamed in pain, his grip loosening. I winced at the taste of his bitter and salty skin. My sister did the same, sinking her teeth into her captor like a wild animal breaking free.

Then I kicked him. Right between the legs.

Yep. Where it hurts the most.

Right in the hotdog.

He dropped to his knees, crying out in pain. In that split second of distraction, I grabbed the officer’s gun. People on the street turned their heads, alarmed. Even the elegant man tensed, his attention now completely on us. Three guards emerged from his luxury car.

Ate did the same thing I did. And then, we ran.

We sprinted like our lives depended on it. Eyes followed us. Whispers, gasps, cameras, everything. For a moment, we were the center of attention.

Then we saw the ship loaded with giant cargo boxes hadn’t left yet.

Without thinking too much, we darted toward it. The guard on duty didn’t even notice us slip past.

I managed to glance back and I was right.

The police were chasing us. Along with the suited man’s guards.

Ate and I dove into one of the large blue cargo containers just in time.

The ship lurched forward, pulling away from the dock. I heaved a sigh of relief when the people chasing us didn’t make it onboard.

Our hands were locked together, slick with sweat, our bodies still trembling.

“We . . . we really got away,” Ate couldn’t believe what we just did.

But reality quickly settled in.

How were we going to find our way back to Mama?

“Do you have any idea who that man was?” My sister asked, breaking the silence. She was referring to the elegant man in the tuxedo.

I shook my head. I’d never seen him before. But whoever he was, he clearly knew something about our family. Maybe even about the crime our father committed.

We didn’t speak after that. The exhaustion caught up with us. I was thirsty. My throat felt dry. Ate let me lean against her shoulder and gently patted my head.

Before long, sleep pulled me under.

We both jolted awake at the sound of a voice yelling above us.

The man shouted something we couldn’t quite make out, until a word rang out clear.

“K-Korea?” Ate stammered, her forehead creased as she turned to me.

I have no idea what that country is or how far it was from America. How were we supposed to get back now?

When the ship finally docked, Ate and I slipped out as quietly as we could. No one from the crew noticed us.

Then we sprint for our lives.

Our jaws dropped at the sight of the sprawling city before us.

Seoul.

I didn’t even know a place like this existed. Skyscrapers stretched high into the sky, glittering against the dusk. People passing from everywhere. Ate and I stood frozen at the edge of the port, unsure where to go next.

She held my hand tightly and began to walk, pulling me along.

The truth was . . . we had no idea what we were doing. Or where we were headed.

As we wandered through unfamiliar streets, my stomach let out a loud growl. I looked up at Ate. She sighed, tired. We were both starving and parched.

We had no money. Not even a single coin to buy food or water. We endured the gnawing hunger, pushing past the thirst as we kept walking, until we found ourselves in a quieter part of the city.

There, we spotted a bench.

Ate decided we’d spend the night there. She said we’d look for help tomorrow. But tonight, we needed rest.

“I never thought something like this would happen to us.” Ate murmured. She sat upright while I lay across the bench, using her lap as a pillow.

“Do you think we’ll ever see Mama again?” I asked, staring up at the sky.

It was so dark but beautiful.

The stars twinkled gently, scattered across the night like shy little lights. The moon peeked through the clouds half-covered, but still glowing.

I heard my sister sigh softly. “Y-yeah... Of course. I promise, we’ll make it back home.”

Imagine spending days inside that cargo box. No food. No water. Our bodies felt like they were about to give up. Maybe this really was the end for us.

If I ever become a ghost, the first people I’ll haunt are those cops. They were the reason we’re suffering like this.

“I’m sorry for leaving the hiding place,” Ate whispered as she gently brushed her hand through my hair. “Maybe if I hadn’t gone out, none of this would’ve happened.”

But I could never bring myself to be angry with Ate. Not even a little.

“It’s not your fault,” I told her. “Let’s just focus on how we’ll get back to Mama.”

“You’re right,” She said, forcing a breath. “But I still keep wondering . . . what did that man want from us? Why did they take us?”

“Maybe you owe him money, Ate,” I jokingly teased her.

I winced in pain when she flicked my forehead hard.

“You know, Nica, even in the face of death, you still manage to be annoying,” She said, chuckling subtly.

I was about to answer back when—growl! Her stomach rumbled loud enough to echo across the park.

“Whoa, Ate! That was loud! Can you keep it down?” I teased her again, playfully looking around.

“You’ve been teasing me since—”

She stopped mid-sentence when my stomach growled even louder.

She burst out laughing.

Now the tables had turned and she wasn’t going to let me off the hook.

“Our tummies are staging a protest,” I whispered to my belly. “Calm down, babies.”

Just then, I noticed a Korean woman nearby staring at me with her brows furrowed.

So, I furrowed mine back.

I turned to my older sister. I could see the exhaustion on her face. The sadness too. We looked like a pair of beggars.

She caught me staring.

“Go to sleep,” She told me softly. Even though she was exhausted, she still wanted me to rest first.

“What about you? We can’t both fit on this bench.”

“I’ve slept sitting up plenty of times, in class, actually,” She smirked.

I tried to sleep despite the hunger gnawing inside me.

“I love you, Ate.”We weren’t the kind of siblings who said that often. But in a moment like this, I needed her to hear it as I didn’t know if we’d survive another day.

“I hate you too, little sis.” I couldn’t help but laugh at her reply.

Minutes later, I finally drifted off.

But I was startled awake by the noise of people nearby. Laughing, chatting, their voices buzzing in the early morning.

I rubbed my eyes, slowly remembering . . . .we weren’t home anymore.

Ugh. I was so hungry.

But something felt off.

Why was I alone?

Where’s my sister?

Maybe she just went somewhere, maybe to find food for us.

But did she even have money?

I started walking around, unsure of what else to do. Not far from the bench, I saw a Korean couple happily feeding some birds. I wasn’t sure what kind of birds they were. I wanted to approach them, but I felt too shy.

Then the woman turned to me and got startled at my presence.

Maybe she thought I was a bird too.

I gave her the sweetest smile. So sweet it could attract ants and melt vinegar.

“Annyeong, jag-eun ai, mwohago issni?” She speaks in a soft manner.

I blinked. I didn’t understand a single word.

Did she insult me?

Still, I swallowed my pride. I rubbed my stomach and gestured that I was hungry. “I’m hungry,”

She placed a hand over her heart and gave me a sympathetic “aww.” Her husband turned to me too, and after a moment, he pulled out a cup of noodles and a bottle of water from his bag. Then, he handed me some money.

I thanked them both. They asked what my name was and where I lived. This time, in English so I understood.

I wanted to ask them for help, but then I remembered my sister.

I couldn’t leave without her.

She might be looking for me already.

Then hours passed.

The sky darkened, and night slowly crept in.

I found myself sitting once again on the same bench we had slept on yesterday. The food the couple had given me wasn’t enough to fill me, but I had no choice.

I was getting sleepy.

But still, no sign of Ate.

Where could she have gone?

I was slowly losing hope that we’d ever find our way back to Mama. And my sister . . .I didn’t even know where she was anymore.

I was all alone.

I couldn’t quite figure out if I’m mad with her. Maybe part of me was. It felt wrong that she left me in a moment where I needed her most. She promised she wouldn’t leave me. But she did.

I would get through this.

I had to believe that.

I’d find my way back to Mama. I would survive.

That’s a promise I made to myself.

The next morning, a woman approached me.

She looked kind. Wealthy, too. She asked for my name and why I was alone. She brought me to a nearby convenience store and offered me some food.

Then she bought me clean clothes, helped me wash up, and even fixed my hair.

She was unbelievably kind.

Eventually, she took me into her home. We tried contacting Mama, but there was no answer. No signal. No response.

Did Mama give up on us? Did she think Ate and I were dead?

Days passed. And then, she made a big decision.

She wanted to adopt me.

She only had one son, who was studying abroad. She took care of me and loved me as if I were her own. There wasn’t a day that passed when I didn’t think about Ate and Mama.

Sometimes, I wondered about Papa too.

Did the police ever catch him? Was he still out there?

Is my sister all right? Did someone adopted her as well?

It hurt, thinking she abandoned me. I wanted to be mad at her, but loneliness always won. I just don’t know how to hold a grudge. Maybe she had a reason. I wanted to hear her side.

The woman who adopted me turned out to be a big shot. A model. Owner of a fashion clothing line.

She wanted to change my name. My identity.

And I agreed.

It wasn’t like Mama and Ate were ever coming back for me.

My name used to be Jennica.

Now I am Cheon Red Hwa.

The woman who adopted me is the reason I’m still alive.I no longer plan to return to the life I once had… but I do want to see Mama and Ate again someday.

END OF FLASHBACK

CHEON

Today has been so draining. As if things couldn’t get worse, I got my period. What a great timing.

At least exam week is finally over. I can breathe a little easier now. Good thing I actually put effort into that essay. It had a huge impact on our final grade.

Oh, and I was late to my first class. Of course. Brilliant.

I braced myself, knowing our terror teacher would greet me with her usual laser eyes.

Before stepping into the classroom, I made the sign of the cross. God, please take the wheel.

“Why are you late, Ms. Hwa?” She snapped before I could even get both feet through the door. Wow, someone’s excited to see me. Should I say, “Did you miss me, ma’am?”

“S-Sorry, Ms. I got caught in traffic,” I lied through my teeth. Lying is my talent, really. The truth? I stayed up late binge-watching a K-drama and overslept. The teacher raised a brow at me, an eyebrow wave so sharp and dramatic it looked like the ocean. I wanted to sail boats on it.

“That excuse is so overused. Even I, a mother who has to drop off her kid at nursery school, never come in late. This is your second warning!”

My classmates struggled to contain their laughter. Same old scene with our teacher. I already knew she was about to launch into her ten-minute monologue about how she was a model student back in the day.

I slumped into my chair, exhausted.

I was supposed to sit at the front, but our teacher had me moved to the back because she claimed my presence was stressing her out.

Do I look like a walking problem?

“You should all be grateful you don’t have to walk miles just to get to school! In my day, we had to cross rivers just to attend class. And even then, I was never late! But you all—” blah blah blah...

As I sat down, I noticed an empty seat behind me. It was always been empty there before.

Who’s supposed to sit on it?

About ten minutes later, ma’am finally calmed down. I was zoning out while she kept talking. My brain was buffering. Nothing was processing.

“And now, you’ll be getting new classmates. They just transferred from Victory High,” She announced.

The entire class erupted. I nearly fell out of my seat.

Victory High?

Our school’s rival.

There’s been this long-running imaginary war between the students of our school and Victory High, though ironically, our teachers and principals are all friends.

Why would anyone from that school transfer here?

Miraculously, they got accepted even though it’s already been four months since the school year started. Must be because they’re from Victory High.

Then the door swung open.

A group of boys stepped in. All of them—boys.

The girls in our class screamed like fangirls at a concert. Honestly, I couldn’t blame them. These guys had the looks. They could totally pass as K-pop idols.

They clearly enjoyed the attention too. Ugh. Stars in their own little world. One of my classmates looked like she was about to summon a demon from sheer excitement.

“Kindly introduce yourselves,” The teacher motioned them.

The shortest one stepped forward first.

“Hello ladies and gents, I’m Mark Lim.” He winked and the girls were losing their minds.

Next was a taller guy, all smooth and composed. “A pleasant morning, everyone. My name is TJ De Guzman.”

Cue another wave of squeals.

Then the third boy spoke.

“I’m Irish Lopez.”

He was short and had small, sleepy eyes, but not as short as Mark. Honestly, Irish looked like he was one breath away from going home and taking a nap. He gave off the “I didn’t ask to be here” energy. Out of all of them, I felt like he’d be the quietest.

"Good morning, beautiful ladies and handsome gentlemen. I’m Charles Reyes, please take care of me." Then he blew a flying kiss.

"I’ll take care of you, Oppa!"

"I’ll take care of you until my last breath!"

"I’ll even pay your tuition fees!"

I covered my face in embarrassment. These guys probably think we’re all flirty. Just them. Not me.

"I’m Justin. Hep, not Bieber. My last name’s Avaler. Remember that, it’s Avaler, not Bieber," said the guy with the huge grin. He looked like he was glowing from his positive aura.

"My name is Jake Lopez. I hope we’ll get along in the future," Said the guy who, in my opinion, looked like the ultimate playboy. They all did, honestly, except for Irish. But I had a gut feeling Jake was the biggest flirt among them.

"I hope we get married in the future!" One of my classmates jokingly squealed. The guy next to her smacked her head. Serves her right.

Then my attention landed on the last guy. Like Jake, he looked like a playboy too. But he had a cold aura, maybe because of his poker face. He gave off quiet-guy vibes. I frowned.

It was his moment to introduce himself, "I’m Xiam Lee Vargas, please take care of me." He even added a wink. So much for thinking he was the cold type.

My girl classmates were practically going feral. Our teacher tried to calm them down. I just looked away.

Those guys were probably nothing but full of themselves.

"I’ve placed empty seats in between everyone. I separated them so you wouldn’t chat while I’m teaching," Then she pointed at my direction. "Jake and Xiam, go sit behind Ms. Hwa."

I nearly face-planted onto my desk when she pointed to the seats right behind me.

What kind of rotten luck is this? Those two were going to sit behind me.

The fangirls glared at me and pouted. They said I was lucky to have the two hottest guys behind me.

I stared out the window, trying to ignore the fact that Jake and Xiam were walking toward my direction. I prayed they wouldn’t try to talk to me.

I glanced at Charles and TJ, who took seats near the front. Mark and Justin sat on the side and had already made new friends, probably because most of the boys were seated in that row. Irish was isolated up front, surrounded by girls, but he didn’t seem to care.

The teacher began her lesson again. No more interruptions, this time. But not a single thing she said was sinking in, because I could feel Jake and Xiam staring at me from behind.

Fine, I’ll admit it. I’m assuming things.

But hey, you never know.

I subtly glanced at the two of them

And nearly had a heart attack when I saw them both looking right at me.

Jake was smiling devilishly, while Xiam had one eyebrow raised—as if asking what my problem was.

Dear God, my poor heart.