Chapter 2: Mom's Necklace
1472 Words
Dr. Leo was right. I'm Kim Jinwoo. Leader of Nova7. Main rapper. Main producer.
And the lady working backstage today... with tired eyes but the same smile... she's my younger sister. Aram Santos.
That's why my hands shook when she passed me water. That's why I couldn't breathe when she said, “I don't have a brother. I'm an only child.” Familiarity. Guilt. Regret. All at once.
If I could turn back time, I would. I'd brake slower. I'd check the road twice. I'd never say, "Whatever it is, as long as you're happy."
But I can't.
Because seeing her like this — 24 now, but still with that same scar hidden, drags me back to the same scenario 12 years and 9 months ago.
[PUSAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL ROOM 307. Sept 1, 2013. 11:47 PM]
"Ddukbol-ah, I'm sorry! It's my fault, I should have been more careful. I can't lose you!"
I'm 18, kneeling on a cold hospital floor. Holding her 11-year-old hand. Her head wrapped in white bandages. Blood on my hoodie. My hoodie. From the crash.
I almost fell asleep, waiting. No food. No water. Just her breathing machine.
Then footsteps. Heavy. Angry.
"What have you done, Jinwoo?"
I was pulled away from her bed. From my little sister.
"You almost killed your sister!"
My stepfather. Mr. Santos. Aram's father. His face was infused with grief, while his hands were shaking in rage.
My heart crumpled like a piece of paper in his fist. I couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe.
I'm shocked. Still shocked.
I never wanted this. Never.
But I'm still the reason. My foot on the pedal. Every "Are you ready, Ddukbol-ah!" she laughed. My fault.
[ST. LUKE'S MEDICAL CENTER ROOM 2401. PRESENT]
Aram looked at me like I was a stranger. And she was right. I am.
I was her brother for 11 years. Then I became her accident for 3 seconds.
Now I'm just... Kim Jinwoo. The man who waited 12 years 9 months to apologize again.
The room was silent so I broke it.
“Ddukbol-ah, it's me.”
I hold her hand with my tears streaming down uncontrollably.
Confused, she smiled at me. A fragile smile, like she was reaching through fog to find me.
“Yeah, you're from Nova7. Thank you for bringing me here.”
I sobbed because finally, she talked to me. The first sound of her voice in twelve years.
But I don't know how I am going to tell her that her brother missed her. I missed her so much.
“Is everything okay?” she was stuttering as she held my face to wipe my tears. Her fingers trembled against my skin.
My little caring and sweet girl.
The hospital light flickered.
I remember back home, in Ilsan, I was seven years of age while she was one. Chubby and cute.
One memorable experience was when they were about to move to Daegu. We're both crying while hugging each other, but little Aram suddenly wiped my tears and kissed me on the forehead, which I think she learned from me.
“Oppa, promise me that I'll always be your baby girl? Don't cry, please? We will still see each other, Appa said.”
That tiny voice of my little Angel. My inspiration. Always.
A soft knock broke the memory.
Someone knocked on the door, so I wiped my own tears and stood up straight.
It was Dr. Leo, “So, Aram, are you happy to see your brother?” he said while smiling at Aram and me.
I was nervous when I looked back at my younger sister.
“Bro—brother?”
Shocked. The word hung in the air between us.
She looked at me confused. Her eyes were glowing—were those tears? Did she remember me now? For three seconds, the world stopped. Then I quickly hugged her and we were both seizing the moment. Her arms came up around me, weak but certain.
The longing love that was once lost.
Are we reuniting again?
Aram's POV
I can't clearly remember him, but one thing that I'm curious about is why my body acts like he's someone I'm close with. The hospital room felt too small. His scent, his voice… all wrong. Yet my chest tightened like I knew him. Whenever his lips mentioned “Ddukbol,” I felt like she'd called me. I flinched. My pulse jumped. That nickname… why did it feel like home?
I suddenly had thought of my necklace, so my finger ran on my neck to search for it.
Empty. Cold skin. Where was it?
I closed my eyes and a scene suddenly popped up.
[PUSAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL ROOM 307. Sept 3, 2013]
The lights were dim. The air smelled like disinfectant and rain.
It was as if I was suddenly regaining consciousness because of this sobbing man.
He slowly put a necklace on me, “Ddukbol-ah. Take care of this, so Mom can always watch over you since it's from her.”
His hands shook. His voice broke. The pendant was warm against my skin. He hugged me and no matter how dizzy I am, I can't recall anything. His arms were too tight. Too desperate. Like he was afraid I’d disappear again.
I don't know where I am. Why am I here? What happened? Who is this man?
The memory shattered.
[ST. LUKE'S MEDICAL CENTER ROOM 2401. PRESENT]
My eyes snapped open. Tears on my cheeks. The necklace was still gone. But his voice echoed: “Ddukbol-ah…”
UNKNOWN'S POV
I am staring at this necklace that I found in the dressing room. The pendant was cold in my palm. Engraved. Faded. But familiar. I think it's from the lady who brought us water earlier. She moved fast. Quiet. But her hands… they shook when she handed me the bottle. I suddenly felt like there was a rope tight inside my chest.
Have we met before? She looks familiar.
[BUSAN. 2006. MONDAY MORNING]
I woke up late. That's why I went to school in a hurry. Alarm screaming. Uniform half-buttoned. I was running as fast as if I was an Iron Man. Wind in my face. Backpack bouncing.
When I passed by the playground, I saw a group of kids bullying a small chubby girl. “Doyoon” was carved on the swing with a stone.
“You know what every new kid here pays respect to Doyoon by giving him all your money,” one of the bullies said.
“I don't have money. If you like, you can take this...” She was about to give her food to them, but I approached them.
Small voice. Shaking hands. But she didn’t cry.
“Who gives you the right to bully someone here?” They were all shocked when they heard what I said. The fat kid, I guess he's Doyoon, pushed me, so I stumbled onto the grass.
I shouted in pain while everyone was looking at my bleeding knee. Scared as they ran away. Blood mixed with dirt. My Iron Man act failed.
“Oh no! Can you stand up? Let me help you.” The bullied girl slowly helped me sit down on the bench.
I was more surprised when she started blowing my knees. “Fuuuh… there. Dads do that when it hurts.”
“This is my fault. Thank you for saving me. Please don't do it again.” Her worried voice sounded really cute, but I felt a sting in my chest when her tears fell down.
“No, don't cry! It's not your fault.” I comforted her. Her face was really sad, and I didn't like her blaming herself.
“Know what, this is just a small bruise. And as Iron Man, it's my job to save others in need.”
I never expected I would say a random thing just to make her smile.
And it worked. She laughed. Her dimples were deep. She was so pretty.
[CONRAD HOTEL. PRESENT]
I looked at the necklace again, that girl in the dressing room. She looks like Ddukbol, my childhood bestfriend.
Same dimples. Same way of tilting her head when she’s worried.
I was brokenhearted at an early age when she left. She was gone before I woke up.
But she promised that she'd come to visit me on my birthday.
Pinkie promise. Under the ginkgo tree. I waited. She never came back.
She left like a smoke. Nowhere to be found.
My fingers tightened around the necklace. The rope in my chest pulled tighter.
- Writer
