Shadows Of Stardom

Chapter 19

YEARS AGO

As I stepped outside my house, a biting cold wrapped around me. Luckily, I had grabbed a hoodie before leaving. For the first time in ages, a sense of peace washed over me. The constant torment from my parents was behind me, and I would never again have to face their anger...

But where was I going? The evening air was icy as I wandered through the dimly lit streets, the clock nearing 9 PM. Shops were closing, and homes were securing themselves for the night... Who would take care of me? Who would even notice I was gone?

I felt like a wanderer, a beggar on the streets. No one would pay me any mind; this was South Korea, where the relentless pursuit of jobs and money often overshadowed the struggles of homeless children.

As I drifted through the shadows, I saw children walking hand in hand with their parents, their laughter illuminating their faces. A wave of sadness hit me. I had never been one to envy others, but in that moment, I yearned for the warmth of a loving family. Why couldn’t I have that?

Just as I redirected my focus to the path ahead, I bumped into something—or someone. We both stumbled back, and as I looked up, a shiver ran through me at the sight of the person standing before me.

It was my Aunt—Aunt Seo-Lim. Had my father called her to let her know about my bold escape and that I had locked them inside the house? A wave of fear washed over me, but when I saw the confusion on her face, I felt a small sense of relief.

"What on earth are you doing outside, you little troublemaker?" she snapped, her voice laced with bitterness and a heavy undertone.

Fortunately, she was completely unaware of my little adventure.

"Father sent me to buy some more beer," I replied, hoping it sounded believable. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion flickering within them. She looked just like my dad, which was exactly why she seemed to hold such disdain for me.

She also blamed me for ruining her life in some inexplicable way—I still couldn't understand how I had supposedly done that.

"I don't think that's the right way to the store," she said, glancing around at the dimly lit street and the dilapidated surroundings. It was a grim area, cloaked in darkness, and even if I had screamed for help, no one would have come. They simply didn’t care.

"Mr. Lee's wife is in labor, so the shop's closed," I lied, the words slipping from my mouth with surprising ease.

Deception had never been my forte, but desperate times called for desperate measures. I craved distance from my family, a longing to sever ties completely. I wished for nothing more than to vanish from their lives forever, even if it meant facing dire consequences.

"Get a move on, you little brat! If you're not home by the time I get there, your dad and I will have to teach you a lesson," she snapped, her voice dripping with the usual bitterness.

I bolted, my heart racing. As I ran, she likely assumed I was off to grab my dad's precious booze, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I was breaking free from this suffocating family, determined to escape this wretched life for good.

By the time I reached the city, my feet throbbed with every step I took. Fatigue weighed me down, and even though I had eaten noodles earlier, my lingering hunger from previous days still gnawed at me. As I sank onto a bench, a food stall caught my attention, but I hesitated to approach it, fearing they might reject me and look down on me instead.

Suddenly, a boy about fourteen or fifteen years old sat down next to me, surprising me with his bright smile.

“My mom’s getting food; do you want some?” he asked, pointing to a lovely woman chatting with a vendor while holding the hand of a younger boy who looked to be my age.