How the hell did Lee survive for eighteen years, living like this, and still turned out to be the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met?LeeI’ve never felt ashamed of my home because… it was home. It was the room I shared with my mother.
Every night we would lay out our blankets, and before we would fall asleep, we’d talk about everything we had to do the following day.
Mom would always wait for me to fall asleep first. For eighteen years, her face was the last thing I saw at night, and the first thing when I opened my eyes again.
Now I’ll never see her face again.
I’ve been to funerals before but never to one of someone I loved. I didn’t understand why people would weep so uncontrollably… until today.
Tears burn my eyes, and I close them.
Eomma.
How could you leave me behind?
Kneeling down on the floor, I rest my head against the wall.
What am I supposed to do while my mother moves on to her next life? If I’m lucky enough to be reincarnated in the same life as her again, how will I find her?
Will she recognize me?
Eomma.
Even in this time of mourning, I know I can’t be rude, and it forces me back to my feet. I wash my face and hands before I leave the bathroom.
The room is empty, and I walk to the door. Looking outside, I see Lake standing to the left. His arms are crossed over his chest as he stares at all the buildings.
I go back inside and seeing the rice cooker, I walk over to it. Kneeling down next to it, I open the lid, and I see a scoop of rice still left at the bottom.
And it’s as if the sight of it breaks something in me.
I grab hold of the rice cooker, and I begin to slam it against the floor.
Sucking in a breath of air, a strangled sound squeezes from my throat. It hurts, and when another one forces it’s way up, I grab hold of my neck. Hunching over, I let out a silent scream as the finality of death cloaks me in black.
I begin to rock myself back and forth, and when I finally manage a full breath, I let out a devastated cry.
Eomma!
Come back.
Please. Please.
Don’t leave me here alone.
Please.
Lake’s arm comes around my waist from behind, and he pulls me back against his chest. He wraps his other arm over both of mine, and I drop the rice cooker as he locks me to his chest.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs as sobs rob me of my breath. “I’m here, Lee. I’m not going anywhere.”
I’ve only really known him a week, and in the dark night of my soul, he’s become my lighthouse.LakeI wouldn’t wish the last four days of my life on my worst enemy.
No wait, that’s a lie.
There’s one person, and I wish I could make him suffer a million times more for what he’s done to Lee.
After the cremation and ceremony, which mainly consisted of Lee crying in a room while people ate out in a small hall, Lee wanted to come to the temple to pay her last respects to her mother.
I watch Lee kneel in front of an altar which has a photo of her mother on it, and then she bows to the floor before she gets back up. She does it two more times before she stands up.
I move forward, and I light an incense stick before I go stand slightly to the left of Lee. And for the first time in my life, I get down on my knees. As I bow, I promise to honor, protect, and to love her daughter.
I climb to my feet and look at the picture of Lee’s mother. She looks like she was a proud woman. We held her funeral yesterday, and today we’ve come so Lee could say goodbye.
When Lee is ready, I take her hand, and we walk out of the temple. We put on our shoes before we climb down the steps to where the group is waiting by the van.
Mason got tired of cabs and rented a van with a chauffeur. If I had the energy, I would’ve laughed.
The chauffeur drives us to the airport, and only when the jet begins to gain speed, and the wheels lift off the runway, do I let out a sigh of relief that I got Lee out of the country without any further problems from Mr. Park.
I glance around the cabin, and the corner of my mouth lifts when I see Kingsley lying with her legs draped over Mason’s lap.
Mason glances up, and he catches my eyes.
Where one goes, the other two follows.
I move my eyes to Falcon and see how he presses a kiss to Layla’s cheek. When he pulls back his eyes lock with mine over the top of her head.