BESTOWED

Chapter 24: Name

"My deepest condolences." One of the visitors says.

I bow to show my gratitude to all the people who came to express their condolences to my family. I flinch when i feel someone tug my black suit. I look down and see a pair of big dark eyes staring at me.

I smile. My poor little Jisoo. The toddler giggles while reaching out to touch my face.

"Poor Jongsuk." I hear an old lady whisper behind me. "Both his parents passed away so suddenly leaving him only with his younger sister which is still a toddler."

"I heard the boy's parents are on their way to pick him up at his school. They're supposed to celebrate his birthday that day."

"Omo! How unfortunate. You mean his parents died on the day of his birthday?"

"That's exactly what i meant."

"Yah! Did you see it?" The other woman joins in. "The car's a wreck! It's a miracle the child survived."

"Now, how will an eight-year-old boy like him raise a child? He's still in school right? And no one in their family likes to take them in. They only extended their hands to help with the funeral expenses."

I bite my lip. I look down at my baby sister who is now falling into sleep.

"Lee Jongsuk-ssi?"

I raise my head and see a man in his early forties.

"Yes? And who are you?" I ask with my innocent voice.

The man looks down and smiles at the sleeping Jisoo at my arms. I scowl. I shift Jisoo at my arms so that the man won't be able to see my little sister's face.

"I'm Commander Jang Hyun Sung." The man introduces himself. "I'm a friend of your mother's."

The man holds out a letter with my mother's seal attached on it.

"She told me to give it to you when something happens to her."

*****

<Knock knock>

I flinch when i hear a knock on the door. I put down the cup of tea which was full a moment ago on the table and turn around.

"Come in."

Cha Seung Won appears behind the door.

"Everyone's waiting." He bows.

"Ah! Yes." I grab my jacket and follow Seung Won. "Ah! By the way, about my companion's room--"

"Ah! Yes, you don't have to worry about that. We've already taken care of it." Seung Won smiles. "As you requested, the agassi's room is located near yours."

"Thank you."

"Oppa!"

I turn and see Lee Sung Kyoung running towards me. The girl lands on my chest with a thump. Seung Won excuses himself.

"Oppa! Welcome back." The girl smiles at me.

I smile. "Thanks Sung Kyoung-ah."

"Yah!" Then a young man pushes himself through the gathering crowd and grabs Sung Kyoung by the ear. "Give hyung some space."

"Ah! Ah! Yah! Nam Joo Hyuk! Let go of my ear now! Aishhh!"

Joo Hyuk lets go of her right ear and smiles at me widely. "Welcome back hyung."

I smile back and ruffle his hair. "Glad to be back."

"You shouldn't have done that unnie." This time Lee Sung Kyoung's sister, Lee Ha Eun appears at her side. "You're just embarrassing yourself."