Forever Manoban (Jenlisa Adaptation)

Chapter 24

My Aunt Diane gave me the letter a couple of days after my dad died. She told me he gave it to her for safe keeping and if anything should happen to him before my eighteenth birthday she was to give it to me. I held onto the letter all these years because I was never ready to open that box.

I carefully slipped my fingers around the edge of the top and lifted it slowly till it stopped. I looked down into the box with the black felt lining and pulled out a wad of cash that was sitting on top in a white envelope. I set it down on the table and pulled out a silver heart locket with an inscription on the back, “Happy 18th Birthday, Love Mom. I covered my mouth as the tears poured from my eyes. I opened the locket and there was a picture of my mother one side and me as a child on the other. I wiped my eyes as I pulled out a video cassette tape that was labeled, “To my darling daughter.” Lying at the bottom of the box was a stack of bonds with my name on them. I took a deep breath and composed myself before closing the lid on the box and leaving the room.

My phone chimed. I reached in my pocket and pulled it out; there was another text from Lisa.

“Where are you Jennie?”

I looked at her words, my heart aching and I didn’t want her to worry, so I replied.

“Lisa, I had to leave, my being at your place was hurting you as bad as it was hurting me. The only thing I can tell you is I’m ok and please don’t worry about me. I have a few things I need to do and I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

I grabbed my things and handed the teller the safe deposit box and the bonds. As I was waiting for her to return, a text from Lisa came through.

“What do you mean you don’t know when you’ll be back? Where the fuck are you going? You have treatments to finish; you better get the fuck back here NOW!”

I lightly laughed because even over text he was yelling at me, but I loved her and I was doing this for her, for us. A few moments later another text came through.

“I will find you Jennie Kim even if I have to travel to the ends of the earth; make no mistake I will find you.”

I smiled and quickly replied, “I know you will my stalker.” I shut my phone off and took the money the teller handed me from my bonds. Combined with the cash in the envelope and with the money from the sale of my paintings, I had a little over $100,000.

I called a cab and had the driver drive me to the airport. I stepped up to the ticket counter and booked a one way flight to Busan. The flight didn’t leave for a couple of hours so I sat down and turned on my phone. I dialed Jisoo’s number and she answered on the first ring.

“Jennie, where are you? I’ve been so worried, we’ve all been worried.”

“Jisoo, stop and calm down, I need you to listen to me, you are the only one I’m telling this to so whatever you do, don’t you dare let Lisa or Minhyun know, please.”

She hesitated, “Ok, anything.”

I took a deep breath, “I’m flying out to Busan for a while and I need you to throw Lisa off my trail. I need you to talk to her every day and find out what she’s learned. I need to buy some time before she finds me.”

“Do you want her to find you?” She whispered.

“Yeah, I do want her to find me because if she does then I know we were meant to be together and everything I’m doing would be for something.”

“She’s pissed Jennie; she was throwing things and swearing. You should have heard the things she was saying.”

“She’s angry and she’ll get over it, just try to be a friend to her. I have to go, love you friend.” I hung up and threw my phone in the trash.