Separated

A new start

dalae's pov

        I ride in the taxi with my mother and sister as we head to busan to live with my grandmother. my mom was holding my little sister as she slept. My mom just stared out the window as it seemed she was deep in thought. It was late, almost two in the morning. lights coming from the street lights as we went down the almost empty road. We had to leave in emergency. We hadn't planned on leaving prior but my dad came into the house telling us to pack and take the first taxi we saw to grandmas house. My dad was a higher level cop that worked with the government so we did as he said knowing he wouldnt tell us to leave unless we were in danger, unless ,he was in danger. As we ride in the back of the taxi he is all I can think about.

      "Dalae..." my thoughts are interupted by my mothers soft voice. "Yes mother?" i asked her keeping my voice down so that i didnt wake my sister up. my sister was 5 years old and didn't much understand the situation. my dad named her Areum. He told me as I held her when she was born that her name meant great beauty would reside in her. He told me no matter what to always protect her. I would never let anyone touch her, no matter how annoying she is sometimes. "You should get some sleep as well. We still have quite a long ride ahead of us so you should sleep." my mother said smiling softly at me. I agreed that I should sleep but I was worried about father. "Ill try mother but you know I worry about father." I responded to her explaining the doubts of sleep in my head. "You're father was trained well you know he will be fine." my mother explains back to me. I could hear the little bit of doubt in her voice as she spoke, I knew she was also scared but she hid it well. " Okay mother I'll sleep, make sure you get some sleep too." I say to her since she was tired herself. "I'll sleep once you have fallen asleep" I heard my moms childish response. "okay mother sleep well." I said to her as I moved to get myself somewhat comfortable. It wasn't long till I fell asleep.

      I wake up to the sunrise as the taxi pulls up in front of my grandmothers bakery. My mom was up already talking to the driver and paying him for the drive. my sister moved over and hugged me and I hugged her back with a yawn. I followed my mom out of the taxi holding my sister as she fell back asleep. since it was sudden we didn't pack much and I only really packed what I needed for school and a few clothes and stuff for my little sister to play with. The taxi driver helps my mom grab our things as I take my sister inside. "Dalae my dear." I heard a soft kind voice say. My grandmother came out from the back already prepared to work in the bakery and had flour all over her light blue apron. "Grandmother what did I say about working so early in the morning its only six o'clock." she smiled at me. "you know me, I always like to be ready for the day." I saw her eyes drift to Areum. "Is she sleeping?" I nodded "Is there a place I can lay her down?" I asked my grandmother softly. She nodded and pointed to the back. "You go lay her down I'll go help your mother." She patted my back as she walked by.

      I went into the back and layed my sister down in my grandmothers room. She looked so cute when she slept. Her long straight black hair covered her face a bit as I kneeled down next to her and brushed it behind her ears. I smiled at her and got back up covering her up with a blanket and walking back out to the front. My mother and Grandmother had just carried our suitcases in and sat them down. "What do you think Dalae? This is where your mother grew up." my grandmother said patting my moms back. "Yes and I still remember bringing my friends after school and begging you to make sweets." I smiled seeing my mom happy to be here. "I like it, anything that smells like sweets all the time will make me happy." 

        The rest of the day went on with no word from my father. I checked my phone every few minutes hoping to see a text or a call. Nothing was shown each time. It was late and I had to sleep since I had to go to the school the next day and enroll, but I couldn't sleep. My worry for my father overwhelmed me.

He has never gone this long without an update..

        I lasted another hour before my eyes became heavy. My phone slid out of my hands as i drifted slowly to sleep. Just as I fell asleep my phone dings, A message from an unknown number that read "0704/220714/03080418/22081111/0111814/030804" It was a code my dad normally used. I wake up the next morning to see the message. I decoded it like dad taught me. Each number corresponded with a letter of the alphabet. it was so simple and that's why he used it. No one thought to use it. I wrote the letters down as i decoded it. i had memorized the letters numbers it read. "he who dies also lives." I read it out loud to myself. I shook my head, This was not my father. It couldn't have been. He forgot our tag that we put to show it was us, But who was this then?

        My thoughts were interrupted as my mother came into the room. "Any news from your father?" my mother said hoping. I folded the paper up and shook my head "No not yet." I didn't want to tell my mom about the message till I knew what it meant and who sent it.  "That's fine he will call or text soon. Make sure you eat before you go to the school." my mother was always faithful that my dad would always return home safe. She walks out of the room as i get up and get ready dressing in my old uniform since after I enroll they will send me to a class. I step out of my room smelling a sweet smell as I go to the front. "good morning dalae I made you some cupcakes to take to school with you to give all the teachers." I smile at my grandmother from how thoughtful she was "thanks grandmother." i respond hugging her lightly so i dont get any food scraps on me. I look at the time and quickly grab the cupcakes "shoot ill be late for my meeting with the principle bye grandmother see you after school" she smiles " don't run too fast youll drop the cupcakes" I yelled yes grandmother before I was out the door

       I make it to the school and look around, It was a lot smaller then my school back in seoul.  I walk slow observing the school as I walk.  I watch as two boys run past me one yelling at the other to give their phone back.  I sigh heavily ' this is a boy and girls school.... there are boys here' I slightly panic from the thought of having guys in school since I came from and all girls school.  I walk past a few girls that looked to have been gossiping to each other.  one of the girls looked into my direction.  She had long black hair and had a look of disgust on her face. she laughed as she turned to the other girls and spoke the others soon starting to laugh as well. I take a deep breath and walk over to them as they all turn to me. "Excuse me, can you tell me where the principles office is?" I ask softly . the black haired girl steps forward. "its in the building over there labeled garbage cause that looks like where you belong" she says in a nasty taunting attitude. I sigh and readjust my book bag on my back. "thanks for the help anyways..." I say turning. " no problem try not to..." she puts her leg out tripping me as I fall down hard scrapping my knee. " trip, on your way there" she finishes with a laugh as the others do the same, except one of them. 

       I feel a soft hand grab my arm and help me up. "come on guys be nice, she is obviously new and you don't know what she is like or what is going on in her life." the girl said in a soft voice. I look at her. she had short black hair that fell just above her shoulders.  the other girls sighed loudly, " Minjee you don't know how to have any fun." the rest of the girls walk away as im left with the girl. 'Minjee, that name sounds familiar but I don't know why.' I think to myself. "here your knee doesn't look too bad, the principles office is in that building by the band room just take a left then a right and you should find it. after you should really go to the nurse to cover that cut, its the hall parallel to the office you will come out of." she said pointing making sure I understood. her voice was calm and kind. "t-thank you, Minjee right? im dalae" I say bowing to her " I should go but I hope we meet again Minjee ill go first." I say waving as I walk away from her as she waves back with a smile.

       I walk into the building she had said as it was quiet except for the sound of soft music. it was faint but beautiful. I decide to follow it getting distracted as it gets louder. a soft melody can now be understood as I fell in love with the softness of it. I come to a room that has windows to look into the room. I look in to see a boy standing there. he was holding a violin in his hands playing it delicately. his hair was a soft black not as dark as most as it softly fell over his face as he rested his chin where it belonged. I turn my head a bit trying to see his face as he stops playing and looks over. I see that he saw me but I get distracted as his face was just as soft as his hair. it looked kind and loving. he looked to have been six foot and was slim. he stares at me as I snap out of it and hid behind the wall next to the window my heart racing. ' Im definitely not ready for boys' I think to myself with a sigh my face completely red.