Twenty

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Sunwoo kicked at the cobbles as he sat waiting on the staircase. His eyes wandered towards the group of kids playing around in the playground. The kids were giggling and chatting without a care in the world. Sunwoo smiled at the scene.

He wasn't good with kids but he liked seeing them happy. 

Sunwoo was at an orphanage he found as he began searching for Chanhee's profile. Turns out Chanhee was an orphan who never got adopted. That was heartbreaking to hear. 

"Detective?" 

Sunwoo stood up and bowed politely at the nun. The nun greeted him politely and escorted him inside the building. As they walked along the corridor, Sunwoo explained why he was here and that he wanted to ask some questions.

"I would love to help. But unfortunately, I don't know much about Choi Chanhee. I only met him for a few weeks before he moved out." The nun said apologetically.

"Then are there others who might've known him well?" Sunwoo asked.

The nun stopped walking and turned to Sunwoo with a sad look. Sunwoo suddenly felt guilty asking the question.

"This orphanage went through a hard time. Ten years ago, just the very year when I started staying here, the orphanage caught on fire."

"Oh, no."

"Oh no, indeed. It was very unfortunate. We lost so many lives back then including nuns and many of the facility workers. Chanhee also moved out during that period. There were many people who came to adopt the surviving children but Chanhee never went with them. He was a teenager at that time."

"Can you tell me as much as you know about him? There is very limited information on him."

Well, I first met Chanhee the very first day I moved here. He was sitting outside on the bench by himself. He always had a notepad with him but no one ever knew what he wrote. I managed a little sneak peek though." The nun chuckled.

"What did he write about?"

"All the stuff he saw in the day. It was almost like a diary but not quite. He jotted down memorable happenings."

"I see." Sunwoo nodded to himself. The writer genes started showing early.

"Oh, and though I didn't meet him, the other nuns told me that he had a little brother!"

"A little brother? Related?" Sunwoo asked. The nun nodded.

"His brother got adopted but I don't know where. You see, most of the records got destroyed in the fire."

"I understand. Is there anyone who would know more about Chanhee and his brother?" 

The nun thought for a while. Sunwoo waited eagerly.

"You see, Chanhee preferred to stay on the low. He didn't talk much with us or the other kids. I'll tell you what I remember from the other nuns who told me about him."

"I would appreciate that." Sunwoo said.

"He protested greatly when his little brother got adopted. Of course, he's his only blood-related family left. Chanhee didn't want to let go of him. I don't quite remember his name since I didn't meet him. Anyways, their story is quite tragic."

"Story?"

"Yes. I heard that their parents got killed by a burglar! Not only that, but his mother was even raped and their father died while trying to save her. Such a shame. Their father was a policeman too, from what I've heard." 

"That's very sad to hear." Sunwoo said. 

"It is. Such a tragedy happened to the two brothers at such a young age." 

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