A dreamcatcher—believed to ward off bad dreams—was something Lee Naeun's parents often spoke about. Their home was filled with them, and she had grown quite fond of the delicate trinkets. They came in a variety of colors and intricate designs, swaying gently whenever the wind passed through.
Pink, blue, green—no matter the shade, her parents had them all. They loved dreamcatchers, and Naeun shared in their admiration.
"Mama, why do you like dreamcatchers so much?" little Naeun asked curiously, her wide eyes reflecting her fascination.
"Well, it's how your father met me," Lee Sarang answered with a fond smile.
"Aw shucks, darling. You're telling her that again?" Lee Binda chuckled, his warm laugh filling the cozy room.
"Of course! Thanks to the dreamcatchers, I got the family that I always dreamed of!" Sarang declared, pulling Naeun into a tight hug and peppering her cheeks with kisses.
From the kitchen, her older brother Lee Nakyum appeared, balancing a steaming bowl of seaweed soup. "Hey! Don't forget about me! I'm the first child of this family. I can't believe I'm being forgotten!"
"Of course not, my son!" Sarang replied playfully. "You can get your attention from your father."
Nakyum placed the soup down carefully before dramatically rushing to his father. "Oh, my father! Mother is neglecting me! Give me love, huhu!"
"No! Get away from me! You're not the birthday kid so I'm not giving you attention! Shoo! Shoo!"
The entire family burst into laughter, their small house near the sea echoing with joy. They were the Lee family—Lee Binda, the devoted father; Lee Sarang, the affectionate mother; Lee Nakyum, the older brother; and the youngest, Lee Naeun, who was just hours away from turning 17.
Indeed, the day was special—it was Lee Naeun's birthday. The sun shone with a brilliance that seemed almost celebratory, casting a warm glow over the house by the sea. As the clock ticked closer to the hour, the air carried a sense of anticipation and promise for the girl who was moments away from stepping into her seventeenth year.
As the clock neared 2 o'clock, Lee Binda handed his son the match and said, "Light up the candles now, Nakyum."
Nakyum carefully lit the candles, each molded into the numbers symbolizing Lee Naeun's new age. The gentle flicker of the flames seemed to bring the room to life, marking the start of a special celebration.
The clock struck 2, and the familiar melody filled the air. "Happy Birthday to you…"
The Lee family sang joyfully, their voices mingling as they swayed to the rhythm. Lee Naeun sat in quiet delight, her heart brimming with happiness as she watched her family celebrate her special day.
With a tender smile, her mother slid the cake closer to her. "Blow your candles now, baby," she encouraged warmly.
Naeun returned the smile, her expression glowing with gratitude. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a heartfelt wish:
"I wish to spend my remaining life and other lives together with my family until the very end."
The candles flickered briefly before Naeun leaned forward, blowing them out with excitement. Laughter and smiles filled the room once more as she shared this joyous moment with the people she loved the most.
Lee Binda clapped his hands together with enthusiasm. "Okay! The wishes are finished. Let's eat, and then we'll head to the amusement park afterward!" he declared with a grin, his excitement lighting up the room. The family cheered at the idea, the festive energy of the birthday celebration carrying them forward into what promised to be a fun-filled day.
Lee Sarang took a big gulp of juice before gently poking her husband's arm. "Honey, can I talk to you for a quick minute?" she asked, her tone serious. "It's important."
Lee Binda glanced at her, curiosity flickering in his eyes, and nodded. The adults stood up and left the children talking to each other while eating cake, Lee Naeun noticed it.
Lee Nakyum attempted to redirect his sister's attention with a cheerful tone, saying, "It's probably not important. Eat up so we can head to the amusement park quickly! You've been wanting to ride that dragon ride for ages, right? Aunt Sujan left us her car and her place to use, so you really don't need to worry about it."
But Naeun's thoughts lingered elsewhere. She stared down at her fork, which had pierced a piece of cake, and said quietly, "It's not that. I overheard them talking about Mama being sick for quite some time now. I'm worried about her."
The lighthearted atmosphere seemed to dim for a moment as Naeun's concerns hung heavily in the air.
Nakyum offered a reassuring smile. "We can ask them about that later. For now, let's enjoy your birthday, alright?"
Lee Naeun nodded and returned his smile before savoring another bite of her cake. The lively atmosphere carried on, but outside, the weather began to shift. Snowflakes gently descended from the sky, and the sun dimmed as the weather transformed unexpectedly. The family remained warm and cheerful, their celebrations contrasting the chill of the falling snow.
The adults returned indoors, settling down near the children. Lee Binda glanced outside and remarked with a touch of surprise, "Would you look at that? It began snowing all of a sudden."
Nakyum grinned as he moved to the sliding door, his excitement palpable. "We didn't have a white Christmas, but we have a white birthday for the youngest, haha!" He slid the door open, revealing their porch now blanketed with a soft layer of snow.
After a while, the family cleaned up and marched their car to a white car–the said car owned by their Aunt Sujan. They're planning to spend the rest of the night in Seoul, where they promised Lee Naeun for a birthday trip in the Amusement Park.
"Okay, everything's packed up, and the house is locked. Let's be on our way," Lee Binda announced as he climbed into the driver's seat. He turned the key, and the engine roared to life, its sound cutting through the quiet snowfall.
They chattered throughout the ride, sharing laughter and jokes. Lee Sarang's gaze shifted to her husband, her eyes silently conveying a message. With a small, deliberate nod, she signaled something, and Lee Binda looked at the kids seated in the back with the mirror.
The father shifted his focus at the road ahead before speaking, his voice carrying a playful edge. "You know, kids, we've got something to tell you. It's a fun little surprise from your mother and me," he announced, a hint of excitement lacing his words.
Their mother turned to them with a gentle smile, her voice calm and reassuring as she spoke. "You know how you two have always wished for another sibling… Well, your father and I decided to bring another member into our little family. Isn't that right, darling?"
The father, focused on the road, nodded slightly and glanced casually at the rearview mirror to catch a glimpse of his children's reactions.
Excitement danced in their eyes, "WHAT?! REALLY?!" the two exclaimed.
With a dramatic flair, the brother clutched his stomach and staggered slightly, his face twisted in mock disgust. "At your age?!" he exclaimed, pretending to gag as he covered his mouth with one hand, eliciting a mix of laughter and playful groans from everyone else in the car.
"You little punk! Forty-five is still young, and you'll understand when you get to this age," he said. He then shifted to a more serious note, though the warmth in his voice remained. "Your mother and I thought about this for a long time. It wasn't an easy decision for either of us. From now on, you'd better treat your mother with extra care. She needs the ultimate attention—especially you, Nakyum! You're at the age to be married already, so you're back to training. Haha!"
Nakyum groaned dramatically, his tone filled with playful exaggeration. "I can't believe you're nagging me about that again! You have no idea how stressed I was when Mama was pregnant with Naeun. The constant food cravings—ugh, I still get chills just thinking about those days. You traumatized a three-year-old!" He laughed, shaking his head, before pulling Naeun into a warm hug. "But, we ended up with the most beautiful sister. Maybe those sleepless nights were worth it after all," he added with a fond smile.
"Oh you're overreacting, Nakyum. What is bad about asking for food every time I feel hungry." the mother laughed, holding her stomach.
"Oh yeah? You'd wake me up to pick up radishes in the garden, at midnight! Ma, I was three!" Nakyum nagged and hugged Naeun again. "You'll definitely experience what I had to go through, Naeun. Haha!"
"Then, I think I'll do a better job! I mean, I'm a grown-up now." Naeun answered.
Nakyum raised an eyebrow with a teasing grin. "Uh-huh, correction—almost an adult. You're still a year away from being a full-fledged Korean adult, so you better tell me everything. Like guys who confess to you… or needing your bike to be chained up again." His tone carried a mix of playful teasing and protective warmth, drawing out a laugh from his sibling.
The father's voice suddenly chimed in, his tone playful yet protective as he focused on the road. "Someone confessed to my princess? Who's that?" he asked, his curiosity evident. Without missing a beat, he added with a smirk, "They better be good guys... or ladies. Whatever you prefer, Naeun." He glanced briefly at his wife in the passenger seat and shrugged, his expression lighthearted and teasing.
The car ride was filled with laughter, the unbreakable bond of the Lee family. Their pride in one another shone through in every shared joke and playful tease, a reflection of the unwavering love they had for each member. Naeun couldn't help but feel a swell of gratitude and joy—she was beyond happy to be part of this extraordinary family.
The sudden blinding flash of light consumed the car, disrupting the joyful atmosphere in an instant. Everything happened too fast to comprehend. The deafening sound of metal colliding reverberated as the vehicle jerked violently. The laughter that had filled the ride was replaced by the jarring echoes of impact, leaving the Lee family lifeless in the middle of the icy road.
Naeun groaned softly as she tried to open her eyes, her visions in a hazy blur. A pounding ache throbbed in her head, making it difficult to focus. Disoriented and overwhelmed, she struggled to make sense of what had happened. The faint smell of smoke and the distant echoes of muffled voices reached her ears, intensifying the unease in her chest.
Naeun's voice trembled as she called out, her words barely above a whisper. "Brother Nakyum?" Her shaky hand reached toward the figure beside her, but there was no response. Panic bubbled within her chest, and tears welled in her eyes as she struggled to clear her vision.
"Mama? Papa? Wake up, something is wrong…" she cried, her voice rising in desperation. Her heart pounded against her ribs as dread began to take hold. The eerie silence around her felt suffocating, and the faint sound of sirens in the distance only heightened the terror swirling in her mind.
Naeun's breathing grew shallow, her body trembling as the weight of her panic consumed her. The world around her blurred further, darkness creeping into the edges of her vision. She tried to speak, to cry out, but her voice faltered, caught in the whirlpool of fear and exhaustion. Her strength gave way as her vision faded entirely, and she slumped forward, succumbing to the darkness.
Chapter End.
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