Conundrum ⤐ Na Jaemin

Chapter - 23 - Flashback

The devil will tell you nine truths, so that you'll believe one lie.

- Shannon Mayer

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It was a warm March night, a few days before Hana's birthday. Renjun's and Chenle's family decided to visit China, their home town since it's been a long time they visited.

"Aunt Eun, What are you going to buy for my birthday?" Hana asked, pulling the hem of her aunt's dress. She bent down and patted her cheeks.
"I have a big surprise for you Hana. But it's a secret," She said, placing her index finger over her lips. Hana giggled, she was really exited to become 10 year's old.

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March 23 2011

All the Nct has been presented on Hana's birthday. Including all staff members, family members, business partners, etc. It was a great celebration. The pretty little girl wore a mint green dress, her little hair left loose. She was totally excited. It was her first birthday without Renjun, which sort of saddened her, they always celebrated it together.

The party took place in their infamous beach house. People were everywhere in the building, balloons, ribbons, large curtains with her name on it all covered the entire building. The kids ran all over the place exited about their party.

"Hana, do you mind joining Aunt Eun?" She questioned with a wide grin.
"I would love to join you Aunt, only if you tell me what's my birthday surprise."
"Hana, surprises are meant to be secret. You might get to see the surprise, if you come with me." She turned around and acted as if she was moving away from her. Hana followed her.
"Then I'll have to go with you."

They both entered a room that used to be a storeroom downstairs.

"You're taking this to another level aunt." Hana said, putting her hands on the blindfold placed on her eyes.
"Of course, shouldn't I? It's your 10th birthday." She giggled.
"Okay, all done, stay here until I call you."
"Okay."

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"Jaemin, where's Hana?"
"I don't know mom, I have been searching for her too."

"Mom, look at this, the building's on fire." Jaemin shouted as he watched the curtains burn. People have already started running for their lives.

"Jaemin, listen to me. Run out of this house immediately."
"Hana, We have to look for her."
"I will look for her and remember this whatever happens, remember Hana will always be with you, so take care of her. Go now." She grasped his shoulders and gave him a small nod.

"Mom, you'll be with me, stop saying such things always." It was something she repeated all the time. By the time he says this, she's already gone looking for Hana.

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Hana sensed something burning, so she opened her blindfold. It's already been about 20 to 30 minutes. She was waiting there the whole time. It was suffocating, she couldn't breathe, it was too hot all of a sudden, she had a dry throat. She opened the door, she found people screaming and yelling, they were running towards the exit which was far away from the store room. The whole building was on fire. People pushed one another to escape. Hana was stranded, she had no idea what to do. She was just staring at everything.

She walked in, trying to get away from the house. A little wood fell next to her and she leapt back. She fell, couldn't breathe any more. She was gasping for air. She heard only the cry of the people to save their lives. She found a little kitten (which was her birthday gift) in front of her trying to escape, but her tail was caught on fire, causing her death.

She accepted her fate, she didn't try to escape or she couldn't because of the glasses that shattered on her body. She felt a hand gripping her small body. She opened her eyes only to encounter the most beautiful hazelnut eyes.

"Aunt." She murmured in the midst of grief.
"Don't worry Hana, I will take you out." Next minutes, she didn't know what really happened, she faintly remembers that she was safely bought outside, now she was in Mark's arms. She remembers, Mark asking aunt not to go back inside the house. She said she had to look for Harin.

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"So it was you who burned the building and brought us here?" Jaera asked the men who stood in front of her smoking pot.
"No girl, it was someone else."

"Guess, you're still afraid to fight people face to face." Harin laughed.
"I always hated that guts of yours."
"Yes, it's because I'm better than you."

All her trust was broken to pieces by the time she saw the woman enter the room.

"Eun. What are you doing here." Her twin sister asked.
"Eun, don't tell me it was you..." Jaera trailed.

"You're right, it was me. SURPRISE." She smirked sitting on the lap of the men. The same person, their family held in contempt.
"Why... " she whispered, she was truly astounded by the things that were going on in front of her.

"What a stupid question. I was done with the crap. You always got what you wanted. You got to marry the person you love, you got mom's talent for fighting, you were even our parents' favorite daughter. While, I got none of it. I was always someone who worked behind your back. I was never given the recognition I needed."

"So, you did this, you joined him?" Her face scrunched in disgust.
"Yeah, at least I should put some effort in love, don't you think Harin? I don't have to hide the real me when I'm with him." Jaera shook her head in disbelief.

She arose, took a bottle and began to pour it around them. It was kerosene.

"You are a loser Ji Eun, you still choose dirtiest trick to kill us. You still don't have guts to face us. Why don't you try to kill us by taking off the crap you tied us up with." Jaera was trying so hard to escape. She cannot let her win.

"Jaera, I always detested your mouth. I agree I'm a loser, but I'm not foolish. Harin, you're really lucky to be reunited with your daughter." She laughed.

"No, you didn't." Ji Eun, lit a match and threw it on the floor mixing it with the kerosene.

"I did." She said, walking away from the room. Harin was shattered, she had no intentions of escaping. She sat there letting the fire burn.

"I saved her Harin, don't worry. Now, let's escape."

They were unable to escape, their bodies were completely burned. Their burned corpses were then sent to the Nct base by Infinities.

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The moment Hana opened her eyes, she was in a room, with an IV attached to her hand. Her body ached. She found Jaemin sleeping, resting his head upon the table next to her. When she recovered, she learned that her mother and Jaemin's mother had passed away.

Later she found out the whole truth, when she heard her father and Jaemin's father talking about the incident. She started despising her own aunt. Since, that day her only target was to kill her, brutally. But, she was asked to leave to France after few days, so, that the Infinities would not try to kill her. Her father did all he could so that he could protect his daughter. He hid everything about her existence. He even became the bad father. She patiently waited to get her chance, like a crane, standing in one leg, patiently waiting for it's prey. She waited.

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