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Dayeon thought her high school life would remain a living nightmare until graduation. She thought Hiujin would continue to haunt her with her bullying, unkind words, and physical abuse. She thought her classmates would continue to watch as passive observers, turning a blind eye to her suffering. Day in and day out, it was all the same for two whole years and probably would’ve continued that way.
If it hadn’t been for her long-lost brother.
Dayeon has no shortage of familial love from her parents, who adored and treated her kindly, and her dear Grandfather, who took her in - no questions asked - following the tragic plane crash that took her parents’ lives. If Grandpa knew what was happening, she has no illusions that he would have stood up for her and attempted to stop the bullying. Even help her transfer schools if she wishes.
Despite the inconvenience of commuting to another area and wasted tuition fees. Even if Grandpa is to get unjustly fired with a few pulled strings from his job. Grandpa would’ve believed her and fought for her, unlike the principal, even against that powerful politician and his family, and her worst fear had been seeing him under all that stress for her. Grandpa Yu gave her enough already.
She’s young and wants to do something for him this time and get through it on her own without worrying him. She’d already attempted to report Hiujin to the police, and it didn’t work. She didn’t want to allow Hiujin to hurt or involve her golden-hearted grandpa in any way. So yes, she was resigned to pushing herself through the hurt, the fear, the humiliation, the loneliness, and the pain.
Then Ijin contacted them, and they found out he was still alive, and it was as if someone had turned on another bright light in her world that had been growing steadily darker. Her school life became more manageable, just knowing Ijin was there, but harder at the same time once her brother caught the attention of Hiujin and her brother Gisu Kim. To see him fighting was scary.
Less because she was afraid of him hurting someone and more because she feared he’d get hurt by someone else. Since she met him, he has been a kind older brother — kind to Grandpa. He spent ten years without his family and finally returned home. He is always nice to her, and she may not have known him well, but they were family and shared the same parents, and Grandpa already loves Ijin. Never stopped, in fact. It didn’t matter that she was the little sister. She wanted to protect him too.
So the day Gisu Kim floods Ijin’s class with his underlings, he calls friends, and she runs straight to them. To do what exactly, she hadn’t known, but anything she could’ve done for him to get him out of that situation would’ve been better to her than sitting still. It was because of her, after all, that Ijin was caught up in this mess. All he did was return to Korea and try to keep her out of harm’s way. He was still adjusting to life here. It had only been a few days, and he was already in a terrible situation because he was associated with her.
Dayeon had given up on friendships partly because she wouldn’t drag anyone else into her mess — if anyone had been willing. And here comes her big brother, prepared to fight too many guys she couldn’t even count at that moment, and he won. He said that they should be sorry, not her. She hadn’t realized until then just how much she needed to hear that. To be absolved, even though she’d known it wasn’t her fault, she must not have known it to the extent she should’ve.
When beaten up at Karaoke, she resolves to keep Ijin out of Hiujin’s crosshairs again. She thinks teenagers can’t hope to fight against a political family as powerful as the Kims, but Ijin proves her wrong again. Somehow, he drives them away. Somehow, he gets Hiujin out of her life for good. Dayeon doesn’t know if she will ever see Hiujin again. The possibility is always there that she could return, but once all the corruption of Hiujin’s father is exposed, she has hope that perhaps they will never cross paths again.
Dayeon can’t help but believe her brother when he says she won’t ever have to fall down the stairs again - the excuse she gave - because Ijin so far has done all he can to ensure she’s alright. Something is reassuring about knowing he has her back. She was only seven years old when she lost her brother, so Dayeon doesn’t quite understand what it’s like to have a sibling either due to the vague memories, but she’s starting to get it little by little that it’s really a good thing. She has another person to care about, who cares about her and will also be there for Grandpa.
A missing piece that was taken away on the plane returned; thank god it was Ijin. Dayeon misses her parents too, but she’s sure that if they wished for anything, it would be for their children to get along as she and Ijin do. She doesn’t feel as lonely anymore in that respect. Her family is complete as far as she is concerned, and she is eternally grateful for Ijin and her Grandfather.
Dayeon is content that they have such a warm home and are all happy together.
Especially Ijin.
“Hey, Ijin,” Dayeon says while her brother stands in front of the kitchen sink in the family apron, washing dishes with a slight barely-there smile that always speaks volumes, given how reticent he is. Ijin always seems to have a smile to spare for his family.
“Hm?” Ijin turns off the sink and focuses on what she’s saying, like what she has to say matters, and that’s something priceless that no one can take away from her. “Yes, Dayeon?”
She knows his answer before she asks it, but she wants to hear it anyway.
She props her chin on both her hands. “Are you happy?”
Ijin’s eyes crinkle at the corners, and his eyes pool with warmth, “Yeah.”
She beams brightly, heart swelling two sizes. That’s all she needs to know.
“Good!”
Life is good.
And Dayeon won’t ever question that again.