The sisters

Chapter 1

Dear sister, remember when we were younger we quarrelled over everything. I remember when we fought over cookies and sweets…. How amusing it was(chuckle) and I remember you reading me bedtime tales and how you would kiss my forehead before lying close to me (giggles)… in your arms I felt a warmth I have never felt before.

We had numerous ambitions, I just wish we were enjoying these ambitions together.

Mama used to say that we were inseparable, she said we will always be together because our bond was so strong. Sister, I miss you every single day that passes, what happened? Where are you? how long do you want me to feel this despair and misery?

Sister just come back home, I’m lonely, I’m afraid, there Is no extraordinary world without you sister just come back home, please.

These are the words that I uttered every night, there are the desires that I logged for so many years until I realized that you never coming back but there’s still slight, little tiny hope in me that believes one day you will come back home but for the meantime, I will wait for you until you come back home.

My name is Berthine born in France in the city of Paris in 1982, I come from a long line of powerful women that battled hard to regain freedom and contentment but it all began with one woman who had enough strength to break the cycle of slavery in our family…THE LEE FAMILY

Pyongyang 1910

There was a prophecy that a girl would be born to the LEE family that would alter the future forever, of course no one acknowledged it as the years kept on passing until one day a loud cry of infants were heard. Born on the full moon, as the skies were full of constellations, surely this was it…

'Your so tiny and yet so adorable sweetheart' Ha-Eun declared as she looked at her tiny little baby, her gaze full of tears, has she attempted to stay awake but fails as she nears her eye’s with no strength left in her.

While all this was taking place right outside the room had a husband who couldn’t but be concerned, as he was filled with so much excitement he couldn’t hold back as he took a step forward and opened the door… “Ha-Eun is she alright?” Anxiety filled his eyes, “she is fine, just exhausted.” The midwife reassured him. Right next to his sleeping wife laid an infant, her eyes reminded him of his mother, he seized her in his arms and sang a cradle song that his mother sang for him while he was young.

As he gazed into her brown eyes, something came in mind 'That’s it.’ He let out ‘Chae-yeong, a stunning name for a gorgeous tiny little girl.’

Jin couldn’t be more happier, at that instant he knew he had to do whatever it was to protect the infant in his arms.

Right next door another baby had been born.

'Thank you Yoona for this extraordinary gift.' Jeong expressed hugging his wife.

'Thinking of a name I see.' Though exhausted Yoona notice her husband straggling to find a name for the new-born.

'You know me too well don’t you, what about… Bon-Hwa.' He let out while chuckling

'I love it.' Yoona said smiling.

This is the beginning of a tragic yet exquisite story of the two girls born on the same day.

10 years later

'Bon-Hwa, Bon-Hwa, Bon-Hwa!' Chae-Yeong called out to her cousin, the two girls are comparable to a point where if one got into trouble the other is too, the only dissimilarity is that Bon-Hwa is more mature, and presumes more dipper than a regular child would. Chae-Yeong on the other hand is immature and believes that the world is full of rainbows and butterflies.

'What is it?' Bon-Haw responded slightly annoyed, as she didn’t even bother looking at her cousin.

'Come on, it's quite tedious here, don’t you want to go outside and have fun, instead of reading?' Chae-Yeong said while playing around with her hair and moving her body left and right.

Of course, Bon-Hwa pretended not to be interested and continued to read her book.

'Please Bon-Hwa, please.' Of course, Chae-Yeong continued to plead until Bon-Hwa finally agreed to go.

As they left home, to their secret hang-out, they passed the field where both their father work, they tried passing without being noticed, and while holding hands, they came to a stop as they spotted a beautiful View of the ocean, they watched children playing and helping their mothers catch fish.

They continued their journey while holding hands,

'Are you going to let go of me now?' Bon-Hwa asked

'Now I'm never going to let you go, I'm stuck to you.' Chae-Yeong answered while laughing.

There was something about Bon-Hwa's hands that Chae-Yeong loved it, maybe it was because it was warm and soft. It made her feel safe.

As they arrived at their secret spot, they couldn't hold back, as they removed their dresses and jumped from the cliff right into the clear water. They loved the waterfall, there was something about that clear water that enabled them to relieve tension and escape their reality, it helped them to create a world they yearned for…

As they spend the rest of their afternoon talking and having fun Bon-Hwa realized that it was getting dark,

'We have to go back now, it's getting quite dark and you know our parents very well and we might catch a cold, come let's go.' Bon-Hwa helped to dress back up, Chae-Yeong thought to herself while chuckling

'Though we are the same age, she act quite older than me!'

As they headed back home, just in front of their home, their mothers were waiting for their arrival.

They glanced at each other with apprehensiveness in their eyes, what would they say? What can they do? Run but to where? They decided to face the situation head on.

'Where were you?, I ask where were you Chae-Yeong?' Ha-Eun questioned with a furious countenance of course she was, her only daughter no where to be found, any mother would have felt the same but the two were too young to understand why they were over reacting to this.

'Dear, tell me did she pressure you to do this?' Yoona questioned while grabbing her daughters hand.

'Mom!' Bon-Hwa eradicated her mother before saying anything else.

'What, we all know that Chae-Yeong is a trouble maker in this family.' Yoona expressed.

'I'm sorry aunty.' Chae-Yeong plead for forgiveness.

Ha-Eun took a deep breath in before tugging her child in.

'Are you ok? Your not hurt anywhere right?'

Ha-Eun, asked with an exhausted look on face.

Before asking anything else, Chae-Yeong help her mothers face with tears in her eyes, she knew what people called her mother because of her and she knew how people view them.

'I'm sorry mom, please forgive me for everything!'

'Don't cry, you know how it pains me to see you cry, come give mommy a hug.'

Ha-Eun didn’t like seeing her daughter cry, whenever she did, she felt a sense of pain in her chest and maybe it was a motherly feeling one had and to this she promised herself to do whatever it takes to make sure her daughter gets the best in life.