The Cat That I Love

"Story"Ch.16

Author's Pov.

On May 23, 1971, a healthy baby girl named Lucy Hwang was born, making it an unforgettable day for the Hwang family. They organized a grand celebration for their new daughter as soon as they returned home from the hospital. Everyone was overjoyed to meet the adorable new addition to the Hwang family.

The day was filled with excitement and cheer—after all, who wouldn't be thrilled to welcome a newborn into the Hwangs' magnificent mansion?

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Five years later, in March 1977, a baby boy named Hyunjin Hwang, or Sam Hwang in English, was born. The Hwang family was filled with joy once again as they welcomed the new addition. The little girl from five years ago was now a lively five-year-old, excited to have a younger brother. It was everything she had dreamed of—a sibling to play with and look after.

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On April 3, 1987, the two siblings were playing in their large garden located behind their house. The Hwang children were enjoying a game of soccer—Hyunjin was the goalkeeper, while his sister Lucy was the striker. Lucy kicked the ball so hard that it flew far past the goalpost.

As Lucy moved to retrieve the ball, Sam stopped her and said, "No, unnie, I'll get it!" He volunteered, and Lucy nodded in agreement. While Sam searched for the ball, he heard the bushes rustling as if someone was there, but he shrugged it off, thinking it was just the wind. After searching for a minute, he finally found the ball in the darkest part of the garden. 

Just as he was about to leave, someone grabbed him and covered his mouth. Sam struggled to break free from the masked man's grip, but the man was much stronger. However, Sam managed to shout loudly, and fortunately, someone heard him. 

It was his sister, Lucy. She had already been halfway to where Sam was because she thought he was taking too long to find the ball and decided to help. When Lucy heard her brother's shout, she immediately ran toward the sound to find him. 

And there she found her little brother, captured by the masked man who was covering his mouth. The man looked at Lucy in the eye with a hint of panic. "Let go of my little brother," she commanded. "Hahaha, little girl, you must be dreaming," he replied, laughing. Lucy saw the fear in her brother's tear-filled eyes.

One thought crossed Lucy's mind: "No one can ever make my little brother cry!" Without hesitation, she charged at the masked man, even though he was holding a knife. She struck his arm where he held the weapon, causing him to shout and drop the knife. Lucy quickly grabbed her brother and yelled, "RUN, SAM!"

Sam hesitated, unwilling to leave his sister behind. "It's fine, Sam. Call for help," Lucy said calmly, comforting him as she always did. He immediately ran back to their mansion to get help.

When he called for help and returned to where he had left his big sister, she was already gone. Only the ball they had been playing with earlier remained. His parents panicked, contacting the police, the FBI, and every connection they had who could assist. They were even willing to offer a reward to anyone who could find their daughter.

A month later, on May 1, the Hwangs received a late-night call from a mysterious man claiming to be the masked person who had taken Lucy. "Ohh, hi Mr. Hwang, it's been a long time since we talked, hahaha," the man said, laughing. "Who is this?" Mr. Hwang asked seriously. "My gosh, Mr. Hwang, I think you're getting old. You don't recognize your old driver's voice," the man replied. "Mr. Smith?!" Mr. Hwang exclaimed. "Yeah, that's right! You remember!" Mr. Smith said with a giggle. "Where's my daughter?" Mr. Hwang demanded firmly. "Wahh, Mr. Hwang, chill, hold your horses," Mr. Smith replied.

"HOW CAN I FU***** CHILL IF MY DAUGHTER IS IN DANGER?!" Mr. Hwang shouted, standing up in frustration and anger. His wife stood by his side, while their son, hiding near the kitchen door, listened to the conversation.

"Oh, you mean Lucy? Nah, she's fine—just sitting there crying silently while staring at me," he said innocently, as if he'd done nothing wrong. "LET ME TALK TO HER!" Mr. Hwang demanded. "Yeah, sure. Hey, Lucy, your dad wants to talk to you," he said, moving closer to where Lucy was sitting and sobbing.

Mr. Smith ripped the tape off Lucy's mouth, causing her to whimper in pain. "P-please don't hurt her," Mrs. Hwang pleaded upon hearing her daughter's cry. "Oh, yeah, sorry about that, hehe," Mr. Smith apologized with a giggle.

"U-umma, a-appa, save m-me," Lucy cried out as soon as she heard her mother's voice. Mr. Smith held the phone closer to Lucy's ear. "Don't worry, honey. You're going to be fine. Daddy won't let you get hurt, okay? Hold on for now; I promise we'll find you very soon and save you," Mr. Hwang reassured her.

"Time's up, Mr. Hwang. Bye for now. I'll call again tomorrow night," Mr. Smith said, pulling the phone away from Lucy's ear and hanging up. After the call ended, Mr. Hwang cursed the man who had taken his daughter. "Honey, calm down first. We can't solve anything like this," his wife urged.

Mr. Hwang sank into his chair, saying, "This is all my fault. I should have hired more guards to keep everyone safe. I-I should have protected all of you," his voice filled with regret over what happened to his daughter. His wife, through tears, replied, "No, it's my fault. If I had been watching our child, this wouldn't have happened," her sobs echoing in the room.

Sam then emerged from the kitchen, facing his parents. "It's my fault, Umma, Appa. I should have been the one taken, not Lucy Unnie. It should have been me, not her!" he cried, his guilt mirroring that of his parents. That night, the Hwang family was engulfed in sorrow, mourning the absence of their beloved daughter.