A Memory of Two: Lost and Found

Escape

-------------After two weeks--------------

Everything seems calm now. However, Sanem still mourns over the grave of her buried love within her heart and her face has withered. Hana and Bong Cha remains extra cautious for her. Both of them tries to be around her as far as possible. She noticed it earlier but today out of irritation, while she was reading a book, she asks to both of them in between, "Why do you both follows me everywhere? Am I going to escape from here or what?"

Hana - "It's not like that mam. We are worried about you."

Sanem exclaims and asks, "Why?"

Bong Cha - "Last time you fainted. It broke our hearts. It was all our fault. We should have taken care of you."

Sanem - "Don't treat me like a patient. I am not."

Hana - "We are absolutely aware of this fact mam. But, we know you spend most of your time alone. Either you read books or stays at your bed overthinking. This hurts us."

And suddenly a realization hits her, when thinks deeply, she found that one of them always stays by her side so that she won't feel lonely. They shows their affection in silence without asking anything in return. She realizes, why Hana keep telling her about those delicious dishes? They want her to eat well. She remembers Bong Cha putting different flowers in her room till the time, she smells jasmine. She loves its fragrance and by then onwards, Bong Cha brings jasmine for her bedroom every morning. However,  she never mentioned by herself that she liked its fragrance. 

Hana - "Sorry, if it bothers you mam. But please, let us remain by your side."

Sanem feels the warmth of their love. She says calm tone, "No need to feel sorry for anything. And thank you."

Both of them exclaims and smile. After a moment of silence, she notices that Bong Cha kept nudging her arms to Hana as if she is forcing her to ask something to Sanem.

Sanem - "Bong Cha, do you want to say something?"

Bong Cha hesitatingly replies, "Mam, we wanted to leave early for today because my nephew's birthday is coming so I want to go for shopping. If you allow?"

Sanem - "Yes, you can leave early today."

Bong Cha biting her lips asks - "Mam"

Sanem - "Yes?"

Bong Cha - "If you allow, can we also take you with us?"

Sanem's eyes widened with the question of Bong Cha. Ever since she came to this house, she never got any chance to leave the house. Taehyung keeps insisting her to stay in house because of her safety. But she never understood, who are her enemies? From whom is he protecting her?

Seeing Sanem taking too long to answer, Hana interrupts, "Mam, you can deny if you don't want to join us. No need to take stress for this pity thing."

But to their surprise, she accepts their invitation which made both of them happy. But suddenly she questions, "And what about Taehyung? What if he knows? And will the security let us pass?"

Bong Cha replies in excitement, "Mam, don't worry about these things. Master usually returns around 8 - 9 pm. By that time, we will be at home. It won't take long time. And for the security, we can use the basement for trespassing."

Sanem - "How?"

Bong Cha - "First, we will go to basement through the secret passage built in library."

Sanem interrupts in middle and asks - "We have a secret passage? How did you know? And there must be cameras in the basement."

Bong Cha - "Mam, I notice almost everything. One day, while you were in the library I found a shallow wall and grew suspicious. When I pushed it a bit, it opened like a door and I followed the path. I got to know that it leads to a spare place having two doors opposite to each other. When I opened the right one, I saw the basement and the left one leads to outside the house. So, that's how I discovered it."

Sanem says in surprise, "Great!"

After a moment, she continues, "Okay, so let's go now. Let me change and I will meet you both in 15 minutes in library."

Both of them nods and wrap up their work quickly. Three of them meet in the library and trespass the security as Bong Cha claims. Soon, they found themselves in the streets. Sanem's senses get overwhelmed with sensations she had never experienced before. The gentle caress of the breeze against her skin feels like a whisper from a world she had only glimpsed through windows. Suddenly she asks, "Wait! Where are we going?"

Hana - "Mam, we will go to Dongdaemun Market. There we will buy clothes and cosmetics and we will make you try delicious street foods in Mukja Golmok."

Sanem - "What if someone recognize me?"

Hana - "Don't worry mam, none of your photos are out in the media. There are only news. So, I don't think anybody would recognize you."

All of them continues walking to the bus stop and boards the public bus. Sitting in the bus and peeping out of the windows, Sanem realizes the actual world is far beautiful than her inside world. She inhales the breeze and smiles a bit. Hana and Bong Cha notice. They both smile at each other knowing that their efforts workout. Throughout the way, she keeps looking outside the window and notices small puppies playing together, little flamingo flowers planted near the bus stops, people waiting for buses and hustling, the birds hoping on the trees and the trees swings along the breeze. All of these fascinated her, she notices everything including the huge billboards of BTS members advertising different brands. Soon, the destination arrive and all of them get down near Dongdaemun Market. 

In the midst of a bustling crowd, Sanem's senses get bombarded with a cacophony of sights, sounds, and smells. People move around her like waves in the sea, their voices blending together into a symphony of chatter and laughter. At first, she feels overwhelm, like a deer caught in headlights. The faces that surrounded her are a blur of colors and shapes, each one unique and unfamiliar. She could feel the weight of their gazes upon her, curious and questioning, as if they sense her newness to this world. But as she stood there, taking it all in, she begins to feel a sense of connection. 

Hana - "Mam, you please be with us. There is a lot of crowd but I am sure you will feel good at the end of the day."