Chapter 20
Flashback ends.
Present.
Lucy was crying when she finished her story.
"It was my fault" she said hitting her chest "They died because of me. I KILLED parents".
Kim Jo pulled her to himself and hugged her and whispered into her ear.
" No Lucy..you didn't kill your parents. Stop it. Have you been carrying all this pain all this time?. You are a strong girl Lucy. You're lovely and you have a heart of gold. How could you say you killed your own parents? Don't you know your parents would be sad when they hear it?"
" But I killed them" she insisted
" No you didn't Lucy".
"But it was my fault"
" Not it wasn't! Lucy please stop blaming yourself. If the rain hadn't fell that day,you and your parents would had made it to the house and you would had been with your parents by now and if it was like that, that means....(Inner thought) "I would have never met you and that would be terrifying." He thought and sighed.
The soft glow of the bedside lamp bathed the room in a warm, amber hue as Kim Jo pulled the duvet higher around Lucy. They sat propped against the headboard, the world outside their bedroom door ceased to exist. The silence of the night was broken only by the rhythmic ticking of the clock and the shaky, shallow breaths Lucy drew as she tried to find her voice.He reached out, his thumb catching a stray tear on her cheek, wiping it away with a tenderness that seemed to ground her.
"Tell me the rest, Lucy," he whispered, his voice a low, steady anchor. "You're safe here."Lucy leaned her head against his shoulder, her eyes fixed on the shadows dancing in the corner of the room.
"From that day... everything changed. The story of what happened to my parents... it didn't bring me pity. It brought fear. People in that town started calling me a witch. They whispered that I was a curse—the girl who survived while better people died."She let out a dry, hollow laugh that vibrated painfully against his chest."At school, I became their punchbag," she continued, her fingers nervously tracing the hem of the blanket. "Literally. If a boy failed a test or a girl was angry at her mother, they took it out on me. I was the girl nobody wanted to be friends with, but everyone wanted to strike."Kim Jo's jaw tightened. He felt a cold, sharp anger beginning to coil in his gut, but he remained still, his hand gently stroking her hair to keep her calm."That was how I met Mr. and Mrs. Hanuel," she said, her voice softening for a moment. "They were there on a business trip. They saw me one afternoon, cornered in an alleyway by a group of students. They didn't just look away. They stopped. They saved me."She looked up at the ceiling, a ghost of a smile appearing. "They stayed for weeks just to visit my Granny Mary. They begged her, Kim Jo. They went to her house every single day, pleading with her to let them take me. Granny was stubborn; she thought she was my only shield. But they promised her I'd have a future away from the bruises. Eventually, she realized they could give me the life she couldn't... and she released me to them."Lucy shifted closer, seeking his warmth. "When we got to Korea, they gave me a name: Bisog-ui Sarang. They told me it meant 'Love in the Rain.' They wanted me to know that even in the stormiest parts of life, love could find me." She chuckled sadly. "I was so young; I couldn't even pronounce it right. I'd stumble over the syllables, and they'd just hug me and tell me it was okay."The light in her eyes faded as quickly as it had appeared. "They were the only ones who ever truly loved me. I was alone after they passed... until I found him. My ex. I thought he was my second chance at that love." Her voice dropped to a terrified whisper. "But he wasn't. He became a devil, Jo. He took the pieces the Hanuels had put back together and tried to shatter them again."
Kim Jo felt a surge of protective fury so intense it made his blood run cold. He turned, taking her face in both of his hands, forcing her to see the absolute sincerity in his gaze."Listen to me, Lucy," he said, his voice ringing with the weight of a sacred oath. "I am making a vow to you right now, in this room. As long as I have breath in my body, no one is ever going to hurt you again. I will spend every day of the rest of my life making sure you are happy. You aren't a punchbag, and you aren't alone. I will be your shield."
Lucy looked at him, the weight of years of trauma finally bowing her shoulders. She didn't have the words to respond. As the exhaustion of the confession finally took hold, her eyes fluttered shut. She slumped against him, her breathing evening out as she fell into a deep, heavy sleep in his arms.Kim Jo adjusted her against the pillows, but he didn't sleep. He stared at the bedroom door, his mind a dark, calculating storm.
"I will find them," he vowed silently, his eyes turning to flint. Every child who struck her, every neighbor who called her a witch, and especially that devil who tried to break her...
" I will deal with them so heavily they will pray for a mercy they don't deserve. No one makes my Lucy cry and gets to keep their peace".
He kissed her forehead, holding her tightly as the sun began to set.
****
Half an hour later, downstairs, Lee Dae and Seo Joon were sneaking into the house. Lee Dae was carrying a cartoon of spaghetti and and Seo Joon was carrying a cartoon of noodles. As they tiptoes to the kitchen they stumble upon Kim Jo who was standing behind the door and they gasped in fear of being caught by Lucy. When they saw it wasn't Kim Jo they sighed in relief.
Seo Joon dropped the cartoon of noodles on top of the cupboard and turned to face Kim Jo in a low tone.
" You scared the life out of me man. Do you really love me?"
" Where is Lucy?" Lee Dae asked after dropping the cartoon of spaghetti on top of the cupboard interrupting whatever Kim Jo was about to say.
Kim Jo smiled and responded.
" Sleeping "
" Thank goodness" Seo Joon exclaimed but paused. He stared at Kim Jo suspiciously " sleeping? Why is Lucy sleeping by this time?"
" What happened? Is she sick?" Lee Dae asked looking worried.
Kim Jo shrugged and started leaving the kitchen to the living room. Lee Dae and Seo Joon followed him to the living room and sat beside him.
" Give us the detail,what happened while we were gone" Lee Dae ordered and Kim Jo frowned but finally gave in
***
" That's what happened. She is a strong girl. Very strong and I'm proud to have her" Kim Jo said and they all sighed.
"She's going to get sick." Lee Dae said and the others turned to look at him confused.
" What?" They both chorus
" Lucy gets sick whenever she's so sad"
" So what should I do?" Kim Jo asked looking concerned.
" Make her happy. She's a sweet girl. I can't watch her fall sick when I am around"
Lee Dae said and Seo Joon snapped at Kim Jo.
" That supposed to be your line dummy!"
Kim Jo sighed.
" Okay. Thank you".
Seo Joon and Lee Dae both stood up and tried to go upstairs but Kim Jo stopped them
" DON'T!" Kim Jo's voice cracked like a whip, stopping them at the base of the stairs.
Lee Dae and Seo Joon froze, looking back as if they were about to step on a landmine.
" Lucy..." Kim Jo trailed off ,a mischievous glint entering his eyes.
" Lucy what?" Seo Joon asked, already poised to bolt.
Kim Jo grin widened, feeling a surge of triumph he hadn't felt since last time
" Lucy is sleeping in our room... In my bed"
He finally dropped the bomb and they both exclaimed in shock.
" WHAT?!"