The howls through the open courtyard ,kicking up dead leaves that swirls under the pale moonlight.
Min-sun stands frozen in the center of the concrete clearing, her face puffy and swollen from hours of crying.
Her father-a dedicated CIA operative-dead.
Still sounds like a dream.
She stares blindly into the dark,the crushing silence pulling her back to a warmer night just months ago when he sat right beside her on the porch.
“You have a fire, Min-sun” his voice echoes perfectly in her memory.” The world will try to blow it out, but you have to shield it.”
“How?”she had asked him then ,looking up at his tired face.” What if the storm is just too big,dad?
What if I can’t keep it lit?”
He had placed a heavy hand on her shoulder smiling softly.
“Then you keep burning brighter,kiddo. Never let the darkness dictate who you are. You’re a warrior’s daughter, and you are stronger than any tempest.”
“I don’t feel strong when you’re away.”she had whispered.” I just feel waiting ,always waiting.”
“I’m always here with you,Min-sun “he had replied tapping her chest.” Remember that.”
The memory shatters against the reality of the icy wind.
Min-sun curls her fingers into a tight fist,her nails digging deep through her palms.
She throws her head back, locking her gaze into the bleak sky, and screams with every ounce of agony left in her soul.
“You promised you weren’t gonna leave,dad!”She shrieks into the void, her voice cracking.” You’re a liar!
A big,fat liar!”
Weaken by sheer force of her grief, her legs gives out.
She collapses heavily onto her kneels.
“Eonni?”
A small trembling voice breaks through the whistling wind from a distance.
Min-sun chokes back a ragged sob, wiping her eyes with her sleeves.
She turns her head towards the back doorway.
Standing at the edge of the grass is her younger sister, shivering and clutching a worn out teddy bear tightly in her arms.
Prim’s eyes holds the heavy of someone who already knew the truth.
“Prim?”Min-sun says, her voice raw
“What are you doing here? It’s freezing ”
“I couldn’t sleep ” Prim whispers taking a slow across the cold concrete .” Seul-gi’s house feels too big.
Anytime I hear the floorboards creak, I think it’s him walking down the hallway.
But then I remember.”
Min-sun swallow the bitter lump in her throat.
“I know sweetie,come here.”
Prim walks over,her slippers dragging against the ground and collapsing right next to her sister in the dirt.” Are you looking for him up there?”
“I was angry at him.” Min-sun confesses,her voice dropping.
“And I was angry at the sky. I was asking why they take every one from us. First mom, and now him.”
“Do you think he was scared? Prim asks suddenly,tighten her grip suddenly on her teddy bear.”When it happened?
The men in the black suit didn’t let me see him.
They said he was a hero.”
“Dad wasn’t scared of anything.” Min-sun says trying to force a confidence she did not have.” He was the bravest man we’ll ever know.
You remember what he used to say about his job,right?”
“He said he went into the dark so we could live in the light.”Prim mutters.” But the dark came inside our house anyway.
It feels like it’s every where,eonni.
“We won’t let it stay.” Min-sun promises.” We just have to hold on to each other.
Aunt Seul-gi’s with us.”
“The lawyers on the phone earlier…they were talking about all the paper work.
They said Seul-gi has to sign everything to become our official guardian.
“She will.”Min-sun snaps, her voice cutting through the wind like steel.
“Nobody is gonna split us up,and no one is taking us away from each other.
Aunt Seul-gi’s going to take care of us,and I’m going to help her.
“But they are grown-ups,eonni. They have badges and police cars. Dad’s friends from the office…they don’t even look at us when they speak. They just look at the floor. ”
“I’m going to take care of us. I’ll protect you.” Min-sun says,her voice dropping into a low register that even surprises herself.
Prim sniffles,looking at her with wide stretching eyes.”Promise?”
“I promise.
“Min-sun says,nodding firmly.” As long as i am breathing,nothing will ever harm you.
Dad taught me how to be strong, and I’ll be strong for both of us.
We only have each other now,Prim.
We have to be brave.”
Prim looks down at her teddy bear then back up at Min-sun, a tiny,fragile spark of hope returning to her eyes.” Can we sleep in the same bed tonight?
I don’t want to be alone.
”
“Of course we can.” Min-sun murmurs,finally offering a small,sad,but fiercely protective smile.
She stands up,picking Prim up into her arms to shield her from the biting wind.”Let’s get out of the cold.”
As Min-sun turns and carries her sister back into the safety of the house,she casts one last final look at the moonlit courtyard.
The wind still blows but she no longer feels like she’s about to be knocked over.
She sets her jaw,turns her back on the shadows and walks into the light.