Chapter 260 - Comeback (20): The Siblings

KJ stood there, too shocked to respond while Sunye looked as if she was about to cry any moment. 

"W-what-" he began to ask but Mirae interjected.

"Let's talk inside," she suggested. "It's a really long story and we'll tell you everything."

Sunye stepped aside to let them in. "Follow me," she said. 

She led them to her living room. Her house was quite cozy with warm, neutral colored walls. There were many ornaments hung on her walls and a balcony was attached to the living room. A warm fire was lit in the chimney, giving a sense of comfort to the place. Everything was spotlessly clean without a speck of dust. It was similar to how KJ kept his place neat.

"Sit," she said, pointing towards the couch next to the fireplace. KJ and Mirae sat down while Sunye took the seat opposite them.

"I know you have a lot of questions," Sunye started. "Honestly, even I cannot understand many of the things myself. It's hard for me to even believe that you're my brother."

"How can you be so sure?" KJ demanded. 

Sunye stared at him for a few seconds before taking out her locket. She opened it and showed the picture inside to KJ.

"That's me!" he exclaimed. He examined the locket and the picture. It was an old picture of him as a toddler and he was being held by a girl who was a few years older than him.

"It was a picture which I had when I woke up at the hospital after an accident," she narrated. "I was five years old and for some reason, someone was chasing me. I can't recall the face but I only remember fear. I was afraid of that person for some reason and kept on running from that person. During the chase, I was hit by a car and lost consciousness. When I woke up, I had little memory of my past life. All I remembered was my first name and a flash of a memory. It was your face I remembered. And this locket was all I had that time."

"When Sunye tried to find you with the aid of her guardian, she could not find you since Grandpa Kwon had already taken you," Mirae supplied. "So she had no way to find you. The neighbors knew very little about your parents so they had no idea about anything. She could not find you."

"I've looked for years," Sunye said. "But I had no lead. Even though you went on to become famous, I didn't recognize you. I had tracked down Goo Soo Bin's identity and went to Busan to find answers. But he disappeared by then."

KJ listened to her story. The missing pieces were finally falling to place. He was stunned to know that his sister was still alive and that she had been in front of him all this time.

"When I met Sunye that day at the mall, she gave me this picture," Mirae recollected. "I recognized this locket's logo. It was designed by Jeon Shin, an exclusive jewelry maker. He only made ornaments for the top families of the country. He made some for my family as well so I recognized his signature style. We tracked down his daughter at Itaewon and found his old photo album."

She rummaged her bag to find the album and took it out. "It has a picture of you with your family," she said. KJ took the album and skimmed through until he reached the picture of his family. His father and mother were in it, smiling widely. Both of them had two children on their laps: a five year old girl and a toddler boy. There was a caption underneath.

"Sungmin Kwon with his wife Song Sia and their two children Sunye and Jiwon," he read. He could feel his voice cracking. A mix of rapid emotions played in his mind as he tried to control himself.

Mirae read the conflict going on in his heart. He would not dare to talk freely with his sister in front of her so she stood up and announced, "I'll make some tea for everyone. Where is the kitchen?"

"Just down the hall," Sunye replied. Mirae nodded and left the two siblings alone to bond.

They were silent for a while, trying to say something to each other. Just a day ago they did not have a family and now they suddenly found each other. The awkwardness was difficult to overcome. What did one say to a long lost sibling?

"Are you doing well?" Sunye asked, trying to diffuse the tension.

"I am," KJ replied. "You?"

"I'm alright," she nodded. She fidgeted her hands, feeling nervous and awkward.

"That night," KJ began. "You don't remember anything else? The man who chased you? Goo Soo Bin said that when mom and dad were taken away, you left the cellar and followed them. Did you see something which you can recall?"

"Nothing," Sunye said, shaking her head. "Just that man. I can't remember his face but I only remember being scared."

"You must have seen mom and dad's murder!" KJ exclaimed. He rushed to her side and held her hand. "Sis, do you remember anything? Any detail? Anything?"

Sunye pressed her mind hard but it was blank. "Nothing," she admitted. "Although…"

Her eyebrows formed a frown. "He had a very strange voice," she said. "As if his tonsils were burned."

"Will you remember this person if you hear his voice?" KJ asked.

"Yes," she affirmed. "I'll remember his voice. It was very unique. Hard not to remember. It...it haunted me for years."

Her last sentence was followed by a shudder. Just thinking of the voice made her go cold. She would never forget it nor would it leave her alone. For years, that man had stalked her in her nightmares and there was no end to it.

"What happened to you afterwards?" KJ asked. 

"I began to live with the Kim's," she said. "They took me in and christened me Han Sunye in order to protect me. But after a few years, the entire family died in a fire. The whole house was ablaze. Mr. and Mrs. Kim perished while their son, Kim San disappeared. He was my closest friend. After that, I left town with Kim San's nanny, Ms. Kwak Songhee. She raised me as her own. I went off to college and now...here I am."

There was a lost melancholy in her tone. She tried to keep herself calm but the memories of her childhood were too painful. She had lost two families in a short amount of time. Her heart was closed off and yet, she could help but cry alone whenever those memories rushed back. Sometimes, they would not come for days. But when they did, she fell into an endless depression.

KJ knew her feelings very well. Both of them had lost many loved ones in life. He was wondering what would have happened if their parents had never died. Would they have been happy? How differently would their lives have turned out?

He reached out his arm and hugged her. Sunye's unshed tears began to fall freely as she hugged her brother back. The overwhelming emotions were pouring out of her heart as she cried on her brother's shoulder. KJ did not say anything but let her cry her heart out. She had been holding in her emotions for many years and even though they do not know each other well, he could at least give her a safe haven.

They stayed like that for several minutes as Sunye tried to rearrange her thoughts. Finally, she pulled herself together.

"Are you alright?" KJ asked, feeling concerned. She nodded.

"That night at Sunny Daze," she hiccupped. "Someone had informed me that my brother, meaning you, would be there."

"How did you know I'd be there?" KJ asked, frowning. "Only those of us who were involved in the plan knew of it. Who was this person who informed you this?"

"SD," she said. "You won't know him but-"

"I know him!" KJ revealed. "That information broker. He knew we'd go there? How?"

"SD…" Sunye trailed off. How should she phrase it?

"SD is a complicated person," she said. "No one knows how he gets so much information. He's never wrong about it either! Even the best kept secrets are not safe from him. Once he's determined to find someone, he will find that person even from hell. Even if none of you revealed the information, he could have easily tracked down the information from those other people who attacked you that night. It's not hard for him."

"But if he gets information about us then that must mean he sells it to the Cartel!" KJ pointed out. This lapse in their security was highly concerning. 

"You won't be able to stop him," Sunye warned. "You may think he's a mere information broker but he's dangerous. Even more dangerous than the Cartel. All he understands is money. If you want to stop him, then you'll have to simply pay him. Once he's paid, he'd keep your secret safe. Forever."

"You're expecting me to believe him?" KJ questioned. "Even if he's paid by us, what if someone forces it out of him."

"I can handle SD," Sunye assured him. Even though she hated to deal with that man, Sunye was the only person he seemed to listen to. "I can keep his mouth shut. So don't worry about him."

KJ wanted to argue back but Sunye held his hand and said, "I want to know more about you, little brother. How did you grow up? Are you eating well? And are you happy?"

She wanted to know many things at once. She wanted to know her baby brother more and learn about him. Even though his life was open like all celebrities, she wanted to hear everything from him.

"I am happy now," he smiled. "The past doesn't bother me anymore. Nor do I know the future. But right now...with you and Mirae by my side, I'm happy. Truly happy."

His sincere words made her smile. Her brother had grown up to be a fine man. And he even had an amazing life partner with him.

"She's a gem," Sunye told him. "Don't ever hurt her."

"I won't," KJ said in a firm tone. "I promise."

The clanking of china indicated Mirae's arrival. She re-entered the living room, holding a tray with three cups on it.

"Tea is here!" Mirae announced in a cheery tone. She had deliberately prolonged the tea making process to give the siblings more time to catch up. She was about to put the cups on the glass table when both KJ and Sunye yelled, "Stop!"

Startled, Mirae looked at them in surprise while the siblings gave her a stern stare.

"Don't put hot cups on the glass!" KJ scolded her.

"Yeah, you'll get scratches over it," Sunye added in a strict manner. 

These two really are siblings, Mirae thought hopelessly as she put the tray down.