Trapped : The Island of Torment

Chapter 42 : Returning Home

Kate was waiting for us by the lobby when we arrived, just as a Cadillac arrived at the lobby. Se-hun climbed on his bike, gave me a knowing nod and drove off, just as Uncle Lee got out of the driver's seat. "So good to see you again Miss Isabella." he smiled. 

"You too Uncle Lee." I smiled. 

"Put your bags in the trunk and we're good to go." he said. He pressed a button on the key fob and the back of the Cadillac opened up. 

"Damn, your family's loaded." Kate said, placing her bag in the back of the Cadillac. Once everyone had placed their things in the Cadillac's trunk the door closed back automatically and we got in. 

"Ensure that the seatbelts are on." Uncle Lee said, pushing the ignition to start the vehicle's engine. The vehicle departed from the hospital, escorted by a small team of Secret Service agents in vehicles as well. It was a rainy day today, as rain splattered on the car windshield, prompting Uncle Lee to activate the wipers, wiping away the rain. With rainy days, come traffic jams as the vehicles drive slowly to avoid swerving on the rain-slicked roads. "Master Kim informed me that some other guests are also on the way to the residence." he said. "Including some guests that we didn't welcome but had to welcome." 

"Noted." mom said, her voice cold. I sat in the middle section of the car as it was an SUV, at the left side of the seat, my elbow on the car door as I watched the rain fall from outside. 

"Reminded me of those days. When we had to run home and catch the Seoul subway in the rain." I say. 

"Why didn't you bring an umbrella?" mom frowned. 

"Um... Chan had one, but he somehow broke it." I shrugged. "And the subway station was close."

"Are you sure that it wasn't the strong wind that broke it?" 

"Kind of. But the rain was growing strong." I say. "But we had samgyetang for dinner, after grandfather and grandmother lectured us on running in the rain." I added, with a small laughter. "Still they always checked in to ensure that I had my umbrella at all times when working in the United States." Uncle Lee's phone, which was connected to the in-car entertainment system's Bluetooth, began to buzz. 

"Yes, Master Oh?" he asked when the call was connected. 

"Hi Mr Lee." Uncle Daniel was on the other side of the line. "I have just departed from the American Embassy and was wondering if you're around the corner."

"I'm close by, and we have one seat left in the car, might be a tight squeeze should Miss An Hae decide to join us." 

"Oh no, it's just me." he chuckled. "I'm still in the embassy compound, give me a call when you arrive." 

"Of course." 

Bruce gave a look when I turned to look at him in the back, because he didn't know who that was. "It's Aunt Sophia." I whispered. "And that's Uncle Daniel." 

"Exactly how many aunts did you have West Point?" Kate asked me. 

"Oh, I have four. Aunt Stephanie worked for S.T.A.R Labs now as a quantum physicist, Aunt Philippa is a designer working for Tiffany & Co., Aunt Sophia was the Chief Curator of the National Museum of Korea at Yongsan, and Aunt Adelaide leads the cyber division of the Republic of Korea Army, used to, because she's retired now." I say. "Well, in South Korea that is." 

The car soon arrived at the gates of the US Embassy and Uncle Daniel exited the embassy compound, carrying a silver umbrella. He got in first, as the Marines guarding the compound saw dad and gave him a salute as a former commander in chief, a gesture he returned. "Hello Alice, Jeffery." Uncle Daniel greeted, closing the umbrella. "Hello Isa, Bruce." he added. 

"Hi Uncle Daniel." I smiled. "This is Kate, Bruce's maternal cousin." I introduced.

"Hello Kate." Uncle Daniel greeted. "I'm Daniel Oh Seung Moon. But people sometimes call me Daniel." 

"Nice to meet you." Kate managed a smile.

"Uncle Daniel is a professor at Seoul University." I say. "Plus a good history teacher." 

"Not to mention the hours I have spent teaching you and your cousins to boost your grades." the man himself added. 

The Kim Family Residence, Cheongdam-dong District

The auto gates parted when Uncle Lee's Cadillac pulled up, allowing the vehicles to drive into the manor house's compound. To us in the car, it was home, but for Bruce and Kate, it was their first glimpse of the newly revamped manor house. Built by my great-great-grandfather the manor house was originally built according to the style of Hanok, seen in the designs of various palaces in South Korea. When Solomon, my great-grandfather inherited the estate following my great-great-grandfather's death due to tuberculosis, he decided to revamp the estate. He kept the roof design but rebuilt the manor house in the Western style, which might have horrified my great-great-grandfather, who, according to great-grandfather Solomon's journals, was a traditionalist. 

Stopping at the staircase I opened the car door and got out. Uncle Lee did not follow, as he had to drive the car to the garage, and opened the car trunk for us to take our bags. We took our bags and climbed the stairs, to which Aunt Jacky had been waiting by the door. "Miss Isabella, welcome home." she greeted with a smile. Taking off my shoes I left them in the shoe cupboard and walked in, sitting in the living hall. "Please leave your shoes in the shoe cupboard." Aunt Jacky added. "In accordance with the customs here in South Korean homes." Bruce didn't have any trouble following this and entered the living hall, sitting next to me. "I'll have dinner prepared." she added. 

"I better head upstairs." I say. "To rest in my room." I added. 

"We'll be downstairs watching television." Mom said. "I'll get Aunt Jacky to wake you when dinner's ready."