THE RESTLESS AUTUMN (completed) (a full-length novel)

Spirals Within

Chapter 17

A black thick smoke soared up the sky. Screaming sirens broke out, sending people into the streets in a matter of minutes. Euna stood some meters away, securing Seung-jin in her arms. Mrs. Chu held her arm and say, "Stay here, Euna ssi. It's too dangerous to move around." But Euna didn't pay attention. She traced back the sequences at which point she had lost contact with Ji-heon. She silently screamed in her head, scared of the fact that she couldn't hear his voice anywhere.

"Bba-ba…." Seung-jin mumbled as her cheek pressed on Euna's shoulder, her fingers tangled in her mother's hair.

Euna's face protruded, anticipating for Ji-heon's presence but his voice was nowhere. It dawned on her that Seung-jin too, was looking for her father. She had no choice but to ask out loud, "Where is he?"

"What?" Mrs. Chu leaned closer.

"Where is he?" Euna shouted in the housekeeper's ear.

"Sajang-nim? He went back inside! He's trying to retrieve some valuables," Mrs. Chu shouted back with a finger in her other ear.

"But …" Euna was cut short when a hand touched her shoulder. "Ji-heon?"

"Euna, thank God you're safe!" Eun-jung threw her arms around Euna and Seung-jin. "I was calling him but he wasn't answering anymore, that's why I came rushing here."

"He called you?" Euna asked.

"Ji-heon ssi called me when the fire broke out. He said he needed me to look after you." Eun-jung noticed Seung-jin was slipping from Euna's arms. "Here, let me hold her for you." She pulled the little arms away from Euna's neck and carried a droopy Seung-jin. After a few pats on the back, the child fell asleep again. Eun-jung noticed Euna facing where the noise was coming from. She looked distraught, her true feelings showing without her knowing it. A burly man appeared from behind and said, "Excuse me, but Ji-heon had sent me to bring you to a safer place. I'm Dong-neul, by the way, I'm his friend," he said, bowing at the ladies.

"But where is he?" Eun-jung asked.

"He's safe. He'll come to you once the fire's out."

Lee Jung-hwa wheeled himself into the room and stopped some few feet away from the bed. His eyes studied the face of his visitors, particularly the little one sleeping soundly in the middle of the bed. Eun-jung, aware of the animosity of the host, got up on her feet and took a deep bow. She asked Euna to rise too but Jung-hwa cut in, "Can you excuse us a second?"

After Eun-jung left, Euna held her hands out and found the armrest of the wheelchair. Quietly she bowed, with both hands on her sides, her thoughts in shambles.

"I'm sorry, ajusshi. I never meant to disturb you this way but …"

"She's the one," Jung-hwa said, his eyes finding Seung-jin. "She has your looks, and my son's, too." Wheeling himself near the bed, he asked, "How young?"

"She'll be turning two in three months' time," Euna answered, turning her head a little to Jung-hwa's direction.

"My son has told me about you. He said he wants to be with you," Jung-hwa said, looking over his shoulder. "Tell me why I should trust you this time."

She lowered her head without answering.

"How much do you need?"

Euna remained silent.

"How much will it take for you to leave?"

"I will never leave my daughter."

"You know I was the one who helped the Chois, don't you?"