MADE IN KOREA

MIK 52

52: The truth.

24th May, 19xx

My little princess is finally getting married to the love of her life. I was surprised when James's parents accepted my daughter and their unborn child, but even if they didn't I still would support my daughter.

6th August, 19xx

Today marks her 4th month, but my kid is unhappy with her life. The problem is my son-in-law always believed his parents words, without any doubt. I'm not saying he shouldn't, but he should at least try to find the truth. Him working outside the city was not letting him have any sort of connection with Jane.

28th October, 19xx

Yesterday my child called me, saying to bring her back which I did because her in-laws were mentally torturing her. They are monsters. They said words that no mother can bear hearing. They called my daughter a slut, saying the unborn child wasn't their son's child. How did my child bear such words this long? Even James believed their words.

4th February, 19xx

My grandchild was born today. Aww, my grandson is so cute and small. We named him Jisung and guess what? He always grabs my pinky like his life depends on it, well my life depends on him now.

4th February, 19xx

Today, Jisung turned three years old and the upcoming death anniversary of my husband. Oh how much time flew away. He is such a naughty child and we love him to the core. Sometimes I feel sad knowing that he only has us, not his father and their family and it devastates me. I will protect him from this world.

6th August, 19xx

Why is the universe cruel to us? What did my family ever do to you? My child, my baby, is diagnosed with ovarian cancer and it needs immediate treatment since it isn't spread, but how can we afford the expenses? We don't have any sort of income other than from the vegetables we sell. How can I treat her? I'm feeling useless now.

Jisung noticed the tear stains over the paper and he knew his grandmother was crying. He gulped feeling his heart tightening at the suppressed sad emotions that were so ready to burst out, but he didn't let that happen. He never knew his mother was once a cancer patient and he has always wondered about his father's family as he had never seen them, now everything was making sense.

He went for the next page, reading the continuation.

14th September, 19xx

I hope his family dies! How can they be so cruel? Jisung is only three years old! How can they have the audacity to tell me to bring my daughter back to their family but their grandchild? How dare they! Just because I'm being helpless doesn't mean I would agree with everything.

They offered to help my daughter with her treatments, well James did because he wanted his lover back, but not my grandson? How can a child live without his mother? I will inform James since he isn't aware of it.

16th September, 19xx

I'm glad that James stood for my daughter and grandson, they will be moving to his house. I'm a bit sad that I can't see my grandson since travelling expenses are too much. I wish they would visit me at least once a year.

11th January, 20xx

It's been so long since I wrote anything here, but there was none to point out until yesterday. Jane called me and said that James got to know everything his parents did to her. She actually recorded what they said and the part where they tried to kill her during her pregnancy.

The fact that James' parents wanted their daughter, Chai, to have the child first because James was adopted is plain cruel. James always worked hard and provided this ungrateful family, but they always reminded him that he should be grateful for getting adopted.

I never knew they tried to kill my kids and it shocked me when Jane said that. However, finally they left the house. Jisung will be staying with me from now since James and Jane found a stable job. My little champ will be five years old next month. He is growing up so fast.

2nd February, 20xx

I don't know what's wrong with these kids.
How will I say to a child that his parents won't be visiting him anymore?

18th July, 20xx

My Jane can't get pregnant and it's a known fact, but then why are they even trying? If she gets pregnant it not only affects her life, but also the baby because by chance they both survive then the baby will be having any sort of problems where it will be incurable.

Even though James knows this then why are they always arguing about this? Why did they decide to get divorced?

23rd July, 20xx

Today Jane and James visited us with advocates. James no longer has any contact with his family so his only family is me. I know for a fact that they both were suffering a lot and these advocates were making it worse. Therefore I decided to talk to both of them individually. Finally they understood what they were doing and decided to take a break. I hope this will be resolved soon.

19th November, 20xx

I'm not physically good now. Jisung is now ten years old and seeing him growing up is making me feel nostalgic about the time when he was a newborn. I hope my child will have a good life ahead.

Jisung, dear, if you are reading this, do know that your parents never abandoned you, but they were trying to protect you from the evils. Do forgive them, at least for this old lady.

Jisung closed the diary as he finally let out a sob break out from his lips. He hugged the diary close to his heart as tears started streaming down his face.

All this time his parents were suffering and just protecting him made him realise how much of an ungrateful person he was. Only if he tried to hear his parents wouldn't have wasted years under the misunderstandings.

The fact that his father was adopted shocked him. He didn't know that and he always thought his father's parents were dead a long time ago, but now knowing that his parents ran away from that abusive family made him feel relieved. His parents never once talked bad about his father's family which made him realise that his parents didn't want him to know their painful past.

He took a shaky breath and slowly stood up, the diary still in his hands. He glanced at the diary and got out of the room, a solid determination taking place in his mind. He clenched the diary with the tip of his fingers; marks leaving over the torn surface of the diary.

He grabbed the cigarette lighter from the kitchen and got outside the house, reaching the backyard. The cool breeze swayed his hair, touching gently over his tears, making a small shiver go down his spine, feeling the cold moisture over his cheeks.

Jisung stretched his hands out – where the diary was being held – staring at it for a few moments. All the memories came rushing over his head like a fast paced movie, showing all of the emotions he has gone through – the painful yet misunderstood pasts, his friendship, his determination– and finally he reached a memory which was recent and beautiful.

Minho.

Jisung smiled and slowly lightened the lighter, emitting the candle like flame and placed it over the tip of the diary, the flame slowly catching the cover and finally it started spreading over the papers, burning the book at the same time their memories.

He dropped the diary over the ground, watching it burn into flames and turn into ashes. A newfound solace formed over his mind, making him feel light headed over the painful past.

"All of our painful memories will die here, today."