12 Misses Them

Minjoon was carrying Hyomin in his arms, smiling as he watches her drink from the milk bottle. He had just left his bathroom earlier when he heard her softly crying inside the baby crib. His family had bought the crib as they thought it was dangerous to leave Hyomin sleeping on the bed like that.

Though Minjoon initially didn't know what she wanted at first, he soon realizes that it might be because she was hungry. Seeing that her diapers were clean and nothing could have possibly woken her up, he had only one remaining answer to it. So he quickly prepared the milk and gave it to Hyomin to drink. He was relieved when he saw her quietly drinking away, slowly getting sleepy again.

When Hyomin had finished up the milk, Minjoon gently sways her to sleep before gently laying her down in the crib. But before he could turn and quietly walk out from the room, a panicky Minjung rushed towards him. She was looking quite stressed out and he knows that wasn't a good sign. She must have done something for her to suddenly rush at him like that.

"Brother! We have a problem! Sister in law suddenly started crying while we were talking. What should we do now? Do you know why she's like that? Is she depressed or something? Should I get her some medicine? Will she be okay?" Minjung was looking at her older brother with anxious eyes.

She was genuinely worried about Haeun and for her to suddenly burst out crying like that, something must be wrong. Was it because of what they were talking about? Or was she hurt somewhere? Minjung has got no clue and it wasn't making her the only one worrying about it. The rest of her family members was too.

As soon as Minjoon heard what Minjung had said, he immediately rushes into the living room, leaving Minjung hanging for an answer. He practically made her invisible the moment he heard something was wrong with Haeun. He didn't care if Minjung feelings were hurt a bit by his action because all he could think of at the moment was Haeun.

"Haeun, are you okay? What's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere? Should we bring you back to the hospital for a recheck?" Minjoon asks Haeun worryingly as he sat in front of her, looking up into her eyes. He wasn't sure if she heard him because her eyes seem blank as if she was deep in her thoughts.

Not knowing what else to do, he engulfed her into a warm embrace. He doesn't know if it might work but he was sure she currently needed it. Seeing her in that state, it made Minjoon heart crushed. He never wanted to see her like that again and he would do anything to make sure she never makes that expression ever again.

Minjoon's family was currently awkwardly standing around the living room as they watch the scene unfold in front of them. They weren't sure how to react, seeing Minjoon act in such a way. They never thought they would ever witness this side of him and they have to thank Haeun for it. Because of her, he seems more humane than before.

Since they felt like they were invading their privacy at the moment, they excuse themselves outside while Minjoon tries to calm Haeun down. Though they were curious as to why she suddenly cried, they knew this is something Minjoon should settle on his own. Whether or not it's a serious matter, they would know once everything settled down.

Back in the living room, Minjoon was still hugging Haeun tightly. He gently stroke Haeun's hair in an attempt to calm her down, which didn't seem to work. Rather, it made her crying worsen as her tears made a big patch on the side of his shirt. But he didn't mind it at all, if it will lessen her pain, it was just a small matter to him.

"Minjoon.. I miss them.. I miss my parents.. What should I do? I want to see them so badly but I can't.. Have they forgiven me yet? Will they be happy to hear they've got a grandchild? Will they be willing to see me? I've got many things to tell them about but will they want to hear it?"

"I regret.. I regretted not listening to them when they said my husband was a trouble maker. I regretted going against their words and married my husband. I regretted not believing them when they said he was going to go missing eventually. I regretted everything I've done and I want to see them again.. Can't you help me, Minjoon? I want to go and see my parents.."

Haeun was crying uncontrollably at that moment, leaning her head on Minjoon's shoulders. She didn't know when she started crying but when she realizes it, Minjoon had suddenly engulfed her into a warm embrace. It somehow calms her down but when he started stroking her hair gently, she couldn't control her emotions in.

All her sadness and loneliness that she had buried deep inside her, all came gushing out. She never thought she would ever tell anyone about it but there was something about Minjoon that made Haeun feel like it was alright for her to share her problems and her honest feelings with him. She can't explain it but there's just this feeling that she gets when she was with him.

Even though she was with him for only two days, Minjoon had helped her in a lot of ways. He made her feel reassured from her worries, lighten her burdens and made her feel warm inside, erasing the empty and cold feeling she was having. He was like the perfect guy everyone wanted and she was the lucky one that he had chosen.

But she knows she wasn't deserving of someone like him. She was still a married woman, already had a baby and was totally on a different standard then he is. She knows Minjoon deserve a way better partner then she is but just thinking about it, she doesn't know why her heart was aching badly. It's as if she wasn't willing to part ways with him.

"It's okay, you'll be fine.. I'll help you find your parents and we'll meet them, alright? I'm sure they are over it by now. Parents are like that, they just get mad for a while and they will forgive you after a few days. You don't have to worry.. I'm sure they are missing you too and want to meet you again. And I'm sure they will be thrilled to hear they have become grandparents. So don't be sad anymore, alright? Trust me, I promise you that everything will be fine."

While Minjoon was consoling Haeun, he was deep in thoughts. He was thinking of a way to help reunite Haeun with her parents but he wasn't sure if it would work. From the information he got while searching for her, it was said that her parents had moved out and went to Busan. There was no news about them since then and their whereabouts were still unknown. So if he really wanted to help Haeun out, he has to start searching for them immediately.

Busan wasn't exactly a small place and they might have moved elsewhere in those months that they were missing. But nothing was impossible for Minjoon. If reuniting Haeun back with her parents would make her happy, he'll search for them in every corner and parts of Korea. Even if his man has to cross the borders in hope to find her parents, he's willing to be a wanted just for the sake of Haeun. Nothing meant more to him then seeing her smile again and he was determined to make it happen.

==

Somewhere at the other end of Korea, an older couple was running endlessly for their life as a group of thugs was chasing behind them. They didn't expect them to find them so soon when they had moved from one place to another countless time in order to hide from them. But it seems their effort wasn't a match for them. They knew they wouldn't be able to hide forever and this day would eventually come but for it to come so soon, there was no escaping this time.

After running for a long time, their energy was drained and they were eventually caught by the group of thugs. They were then thrown inside a van, with their eyes covered and hands tied tight. They have no idea where they were going but they knew they were heading to where the big boss was at. The evil big boss, the devil that shows no mercy to no one and loves torturing her prey before killing them off pathetically.

They knew this was the end for them but somewhere in their hearts, they wish someone would save them. At the very least, they want to see their beloved daughter one last time before they were killed. They have so much they wanted to tell her, on how they miss her every day, on how they longed to see her again and how they regretted letting her go and abandon her with that evil bastard.

They never wanted to leave her but they got no choice. They were found out by the devil and if they try to keep her hidden again, they were sure something terrible would happen to her precious daughter's life. They don't want that to happen to her, so they have no choice but to put up an act as if they hated her. But that was never really the case. If they didn't love her, they wouldn't have kept her and raise her all those time. They would have thrown her out to die, just like what they were instructed to do.

When the van halted to a stop, they knew they have reached their destination. They were once again dragged along by those thugs and thrown to the ground somewhere. Though they can't see, they can hear the sound of waves crashing, indicating that they were by the seaside somewhere. Immediately after, those thugs pull their blindfold off their eyes roughly, making the side of their face to bleed a little. Before they could even feel the pain, their vision falls on someone in front of them, making them shiver in fright.

"Long time no see, Traitors."