Chapter 24

(Two days before Song Rin ran away)

Song Rin arrive home at 11 in the evening after he had met with Zee. He was supposed to finish and close his store at eight in the evening and go home early, but Zee suddenly came. And as he was enjoying his time with Zee he had forgotten that it's already late.

Zee had take him back with his car that Song Rin knows he had bought weeks ago and he would put on his friends garage if his going back to Thailand. He was also staying with his friend/business partner Joong this time around if he would be staying longer in Korea.

Song Rin went inside the house and was met with his mother who was sitting on the couch looking at the television so seriously, but from the looks of it she wasn't even focusing on watching instead she was just staring in space.

"Where did you go?" She coldly ask making Rin swallow in nervousness.

"I- I was with Yim eomma." He immediately make a fake excuse.

"I know you're not Rin." She said as she shook her head and looked at him in the eyes.

Song Rin went speechless as he didn't expect her mother would know he was lying in an instant.

In his head he was thinking if she had known the truth already.

He look away as he couldn't take the scrutinizing gaze she was giving him.

"Tell me where did you really go." She ask. Rin only bite his lower lip as he can't even get himself to talk to her about the truth.

"You're with Zee Pruk Wang, right?." She straightly said when Rin didn't answer. Rin immediately turn his gaze towards her, mouth agape as he couldn't believe his mother really know who he was with.

"How- how did you know Eomma?" when Rin finds himself to ask.

"Why wouldn't I know." She said as she slowly stood from the couch.  "There's nothing I wouldn't  know about you Song Rin, adeul." She said.

"Did you get someone to follow me?" He ask unbelievably. He couldn't imagine his mother would do such length to him.

"Why?" He asked again and just couldn't believe his mother.

"To make sure of your safety." She said before she turned around and walked towards the kitchen. She gets some glass of cold water and drinks it.

"What? My safety?" As he followed her to the kitchen. "I am old enough to protect myself and ensure my safety. That's not a good reason to have me follow, eomma." He said trying to hold back the anger he felt.

"And I am doing this because I'm your mother." She said as she reason again. But Song Rin still couldn't understand why she would have him followed. Yes, she is his mother but doing that is disrespectful to his own privacy.

So all this time when he's with Zee, someone was watching him secretly. That's the most ridiculous and creepiest thing he had ever figured out.

"So you knew all along? You pretend like you didn't know where I was when all along you know I  was with Zee? You knew." wanting to hear the truth from her.

"Yes I know." She said nonchalantly as he put down the glass on the countertop.

"So what if you're with Zee that doesn't mean you're dating." She said in serious voice.  "Are you having a special relationship with him than as a friend?" She ask.

Song Rin was speechless for a moment as he didn't expect that question from her.

"But that doesn't justify on why you're hiring someone to follow me." He half way shouted in convection.

"Now that's not how you talk to me Rin." She said intimidatingly.

"When did you learn to shout at me like that,huh." As she gaze him like she's throwing a dagger

Song Rin felt scared at the moment as he didn't expect to see those kind of look she was giving. But just a second she change her demeanor and smile at him. Rin doesn't felt right at what he is seeing now.

"I know he's your new found friend and I respect that. That's why I didn't told you that I have you followed. As I said he's new and I'm just worried that he might take advantage of your friendship." She then explained then she walked towards him.

"I'm sorry if I have you followed adeul." She said looking so sorry as she held his hands. But Song Rin didn't see through her intentions at all. Nothing of all she said in true to her.

Song Rin look at her face contemplating of he would let it pass or would still be angry at her.

"You still have an amnesia adeul and I'm scared that the results of that would affect you. And you have your phobia  That's why I'm always worried about you all the time. " She said making him frown. What's the connection of his condition to these following things she did to him. Yes they got that he is scared to drive on his own but that's not appropriate to hire someone to follow him.

"Dr. Choi found something on your record the last time you went for an overall health check up, adeul." She started as her eyes started to water.

That got Song Rin's attention.

"What do you mean eomma?" He ask in confusion as he felt scared to hear what she would say next. Few months ago he underwent on an over all health check-up as what his family had wanted because of his constant headache, but he didn't know the results yet. Did they find something in his body or more on his head?

"Sh- she found a tumor in the CT-scan they did you aduel." As tears fall on her eyes and Song Rin went rigid. How the heck did he have a tumor?

"H- how?" He find himself asking after a minute of shock.

"Doctor Choi said that it may have been because of the head trauma you experienced years ago. Now she said that it's best to take it out immediately." She continue.

"Do I have to undergo a surgery?" He ask.

"Yes adeul. You have to.  I have contacted the best doctor in Germany for a safety surgery and your schedule for that is done." She said.  Rin got more  confused of the information she had tell him.

How can this happen? And why did she just told him now?

Song Rin couldn't take the information in his head that easily. Why does this have to happen to him. Would he die because of this?

"I've already booked a ticket to Germany, and we'll be going in two days now." She added making Rin look at her unbelievably.

"W--w wait what? We're going to Germany?" He ask in shock to the added information she said.

"Yes, You would be doing the surgery in Germany" Seo hyung said in confirmation.

"Why did you have to tell me just now? And why Germany, when we can just undergo surgery here in Korea." He ask. All the information she tell him makes Song Rin's head ache.

"There's a great surgeon there that's why. And to answer why I have to tell you now. So you wouldn't dwell with questions and worry in the long run. I just have to tell you all now as I know that you would worry yourself more if I had told you earlier." She explained but Rin couldn't grasp that explaination. He let go of her and turned around as flip back his hair in frustration.

"But you should have told me Eomma." As he turn around and look at her in displeased. He just couldn't take this news all in one go just like that.

How would she expect him to do that at all.

"I'm sorry adeul." She just said. Song Rin sigh in frustration. He doesn't want her sorry. Bad news after one is not really pleasing to him at any one bit.

"This is for your own good." She added.

"But you should have told me sooner though." He said in response. "Let's continue to talk about this next time eomma. I need to absorb this information first. My head is aching with your sudden news."

He sighs deeply and turns around and walk out of the kitchen. He went straight to his room leaving his mother.

Song Rin knows that her mother only wanted what is best for him, but sometimes he thinks and contemplates if it was really best for him or not really.

++

"You should prepare for your things as we are going  tomorrow." Seo hyung said to Song Rin who was about to eat his food.

He stops and looks at his mother unbelievably. He had almost forgotten that they are going tomorrow as what his mother had planned.

If he could just say no, but he can't. He just nodded and continued eating. He doesn't want to talk about anything else anymore as he was so upset with his mother about hiding his illness to himself. He has the right to know in the first place. He was the one who was sick and not them.

"Do you want me to help you in packing your things dongseang?" James interrupted. Song Rin looked at him in sadness before he nodded in agreement. He's not surprised that his brother had known all alone. If he could just remember his past he wouldn't be like this, clueless of his families actions.

Now he is even thinking if they are hidding some more things from him and not just this illness he had.

But the thing that he had really been thinking about since last night was Zee. Last night after he had sent him home Zee already went back to Thailand so he didn't get the chance to tell him about his condition and the surgery he needs to undergo in Germany that his mother had planned. He doesn't have any choice at all.

They doesn't have another source of communication except the contact number they had exchange. So right now the only time they could contact each other is when Zee would be back in Korea again. Since he's not in here at the moment he can't contact him and tell him about the surgery and how long would they stay in Germany.

Zee might think he would leave for good if he wouldn't tell him where he went.

When he finished he stood up and went back to his room without saying anything. After a minute his brother James came in and help him pack the things he needed.

Unbeknownst to Song Rin, James had already known his mothers plan to take Rin out of the country and never come back. He look at his brother in anguish as he knows if he wouldn't do anything he wouldn't be seeing him again for good.

His mother who would do anything with his obsession, and that is his brother Song Rin. James had to do something once again.

++

EVENING at 12 midnight

Before James came inside his brother's room he makes sure that the cctv camera his mother had put was all been taped. The camera was maybe working but it had been stop and had played on the same. You could even think that nothing was really going on with it.

He knows his mother and his grandfather's men had been monitoring the camera from time to time and he knows right now she may be thinking that everything was going with her plan.But he won't let that happen.

He had been planning this since and he can't afford to make the slightest mistake. He would do everything to stop his mother's evil plan. He won't let her mother do the same thing she did back then.

He walk towards his brother who was peacefully sleeping. Her mother made Song Rin think that they'll just be gone for weeks or so, but he didn't know that it would be for good.

"Song Rin." He nudge him and wake him up. He knows his mother had put a secret camera on the place but he had already taken everything out secretly. Not before long now she would figure out, but he would make sure to help Rin out this hellish place before she finds out.

Song Rin slowly wakes up and was confused why his brother was in front of him.

"Hyung? What is it?" Song Rin ask as he slowly sat on his bed.

"You have to hurry." As James said while he immediately rummaged Rin's closet and took a black hoodie coat and gave it to Song Rin who was so confused of what was happening.

"Wear it faster." James said. Rin who was just wearing his pajamas confusedly take the coat and wear it.

His brother's face was full of determination and he couldn't understand why. The way he talks is not a way that he just wanted a walk or anything. He make seems like he's helping him in a dire situation.

"What is happening hyungnim." He asked in confusion as he was zipping his coat.

"Dongseang whatever happens all you need to do is to trust me and listen to me." As James put on the hoodie on his head.

"Why? What's happening here hyung." As he ask again in panic. Shouldn't he be explaining to him?

"I've got no time to explain everything now dongseang. But you have to get out of this place immediately." He said

"I don't understand. Why would I get out of here?" He got more confused. Cuz why would he be out in this place? In his brother words, why does it seem like this place is dangerous for him. This is their home how come it's dangerous.

"If you still want to see Zee, you would run away from here." James replied as he took  Song Rin's phone and wallet. Rin was dumbfounded by what he said. Why would his brother talk about Zee like he wouldn't be seeing him again.

He faces Nunew again and hold his shoulder.

"Mom would take you to Germany, and never come back. She won't let you be back here again." He said but Song Rin just couldn't comprehend the information. James put the phone and wallet into his hands.

"But does she supposed to just take me there for the surgery?" Rin frowned even more. Does their mother lied to him?

"No.. Once she'll take you there, she would never bring you back here Rin." James said as he look at Rin in worry.

"But why? She never said anything about that hyung." This time Rin looked even more panic. So his mother really lied to him? All along she planned to take him to somewhere and never come back?

"Is it to stop me from meeting Zee again." He ask as that idea came to him.

"That's just one of the reasons. But that the main thing dongseang." James replied and Song Rin felt more puzzled. Is there other reasons besides on her mother trying to make me stay away from Zee.

"We don't have a lot of time, dongseang. I'll explain everything to you once you get out of here. Listen to everything I want you to do." James said in determination as Rin nodded in response trying to be rational.

"All the cctv is not functioning and you can get out of the house without mom noticing. But we got only an hour for them to figure out that it's not functioning, dongseang." James said.

"Them?" Rin was confused. Was their CCTV was only connected to their mother's desktop?

"Yes, them Rin. Many people are monitoring your movement. Whether you're in the house or in your shop. Even when you're outside." Song Rin went shock.

"WHAT!" Song Rin shouted but James cover his mouth immediately as he can't guarantee no one would hear them.

"Hush.." James stop him but Rin couldn't believe what he heard from his brother. Many people are monitoring him? Why? Who?

He couldn't fathom the idea that there are people watching him secretly and not just outside but inside the house? Song Rin felt chills with that information.

"W- wait hyung. What are you talking about. Who are this people. Why would they monitor me?" As fear suddenly creep inside of him.

"There's no time for me to explain now Rin. I want you to do what you need to do so you'd be out of their sight. That's the only way I can guarantee your safety." James said.

Song Rin wasn't getting anything right in his mind. What is really happening. Guarantee his safety. Is he not safe in this place anymore, why? Many questions but no clearer answers.

"If you get out of the gate there is a black van park on the left side of the street don't turn that way. Go on the right instantly make sure they wouldn't notice you getting out. One of my man is waiting for you on the other side of the street. He's on white Honda civic car. Don't worry he's my most trusted man on this. Even if they can follow you he can make sure of your safety." James instructed as Rin listened diligently.

"But hyung I still don't understand why I'm doing this. Does eomma know about this other people following m-" Rin stops when he remembers his mother had him followed. He realized something.

Is it her people who are watching him secretly?

"Is it-?" He try to ask and his brother nodded getting what he was trying to say. That his mother was behind all these. His brother knows that their mother was the one behind all these things he was talking about with him.

"Why?" He ask as his tears started to fall. He couldn't imagine how their mother was doing this to him.

"When? When did he start doing this?" He ask again as he would want to know when was it started. James immediately wipes his tears feeling worried about him but he needs to tell his brother some of the truth.

"Since you came here." James said as Song Rin forrow his brows, confused once more.

Came? Was it the time he came back home from the hospital 7 years ago. Song Rin gasped at the truth his brother had said. How many shocking things he has to find out in just one conversation.

"Rin..Rin dongseang." James shake him off as he was dumbstruck with everything he found out.

"You have to move now." James said.

Even if he was still confused as he couldn't get the right answer to why their mother did this to him he must listen to his brother first.

"What would I need to do? Will everything be okay?" He ask feeling scared of what their mother would do.

"I don't know if helping you on this would make everything okay. But I'll make sure to keep you safe as long as I can." James said holding his brother's hand tightly.

"Let's go." As James dragged him to the door.

James and Song Rin came out of the room and slowly walk towards the staircase. They walk out silently as James accompany him to the door.

"I have turned off your phone. That maybe taped and they can track you down with that. Here" as James handed him another phone.   I'll call you with that. Whatever happens don't open your phone." He continue to explain as Song Rin feels scared and uncertain of everything, but still he take the phone and nodded to his brother.

Whatever happens he knows that all he can trust his brother.

"Go now." He said before Rin nodded once again and turn around and walk to the gate. He slowly unlocked the gate and immediately walked to the right side of the street as he felt scared that they might see him and follow him and take him back. So he walk faster and as he was at the end of the block he saw the white Honda civics that his brother was saying.

At first he was contemplating if it was the right car, but the can turn his signal light two times signaling him that it was the one he was looking for.

He immediately walk towards it but he heard another car on his back approaching him faster.

He felt panic when he saw that it was the black van his brother had said. The car honks many times trying to make him stop, but instead he ran towards the white car who instantly opened the car door for him and turned on the engine. The driver shouted faster as he ran immediately and in just a second he slide inside and close the door as the driver smoothly maneuver the car.

"Put your seatbelt on." The driver said as Song Rin followed what he said. The driver drives faster while the van follow them, trying to make them stop.

But his driver was more pro. He drives like a racer in full speed. Making those people who's following struggle to follow after them

Song Rin who had forgotten that he had phobia on a drive that's faster, is now acting up. He felt his chest tighten as he watched how they were faster like a speed of light maneuvering from left to right section trying to go out in that place and out from those who's following them.

He's breath went fast and he's trying to focus on the street but instead of doing that he suddenly close his eyes as memory came to him.

The same as this driver had driven. In the car a guy drove faster but as he was trying to make him stop.

The guy couldn't get the breaks on making it miss the lane and crash to the signage that the car had met on the street. He couldn't make it stop even if he tried to.

"Nunew make this stop now!"

"Hey.. Hey.. wake up. We're here" the driver tapped him as he was heaving fast like he had just finished running a marathon. Did he just lost consciousness.

"I thought you're gonna die. Thank God you're fine. You're brother might kill me if you might end up died in my car. Are you okay?" The driver ask in a worry.

Song Rin look at the driver dumbfounded. What did he just remember? He frown and felt confused looking at the man.

"Hey. Are you okay?" The driver asked but Song Rin didn't reply instead he looked outside of the car and noticed that they had already stopped and all he could see outside was an old buildings.

"Where are we?" Song Rin asked in a dazed.

"We're on my apartment building." The driver replied.  "Those people who are following you are really persistent eh." He said as he got out of the car and walked to the other door to open it for Song Rin.

Song Rin slowly comes out and looks around to see if no one is following them anymore before he takes off his hoodie.

"No one would know you're here in this place." The driver said assuring him before he walk towards the building. Song Rin followed him consciously.

They went up to the second floor of the building before the man stop on one of the apartment. He open it and went in. He turn the lights on before he invited Rin inside.

"Welcome to my humble home. This maybe small for you but this would be fine." The man said as Rin scan the place.

The place is a bit messy because of the things that plastered on the wall. There's a poster of a different kinds of racing car, a clothes that's been hanging on the sofa and the chairs. A guitar was been place on a center table.

But the floor was very clean that's what Song Rin had noticed.

The man immediately tossed all his clothes in a clothes rack before he invited Song Rin to sit down.

"I bit you only see this kind of messy in your life." The man said as Rin didn't respond. The man sat across him studying his look.

"It's already 2 o'clock. You should go to sleep." The man said. He stood up and walk towards a room. He open it and tells him that he should rest on that room.

Rin slowly stands and walk towards the man and went inside the room.

"What's your name." Before the man can walk away Rin couldn't help but ask him.

The man stares at him first thinking if he should introduce himself but he did though.

"My name is Boss Chaikamon." The man reply.

"You are?" He ask in return.

"Park Song Rin." Song Rin replies as Boss nodded.

"Feel at home Song Rin-ssi." Boss said and turned his back on him and went to the other room.

"Thank you." Song Rin said lastly as Boss nodded and smile before he closes his room.

Then Rin went to the room trying to take a rest even if he really wants to call his brother and ask him many questions, but guess he needs to wait.

***************

SONG RIN'S POV

It was already morning and I still can't believe that I left home last night. Many questions were left unanswerable and it felt like I was being kept with something very important.

"Here." I was awake with my thoughts when Boss place a bowl of ramen in front of me.

We are in his small dinning in his place awkwardly sitting together in his four sitter dinning table.  I look at the food in front of me before I look at him.

He started digging on his ramen while I stare at him. Boss is will belt man and handsome as he is. He is like someone who can really protect anyone in danger and that's what he has done to me last night.

But I was really surprised that my brother has someone like this man working with him. Boss is not some kind of guy that works in a corporate. He looks like a gangster instead and looks ragged.

"Am I handsome?" He asked teasingly while still eating as he felt my stares.

"Yeah." As I take the chopsticks and slowly mix my ramen. I heard Boss choke and cough with what I replied as I move the glass of water in front of him, then I continue stirring my food.

"You're too blunt." He said when he finished drink the whole glass of water.

"You ask and I just answered your question." I said and I started to dig my food.

"Are you attracted to me?" He curiously wonder.

"Nah, you're not my type." I reply as he scoffed and couldn't believe that I would talk like that.

"And you're not my type to." He said.

"Fair enough."  I smirk at him before he laughs so hard as I continue eating.

When he stop laughing he started staring at me intently.

"You know what. You seem familiar to me. I just don't remember where I saw you." He said frowning.

I was about to ask where he thinks he saw me when my brother calls.

"Hyungnim?" As I stood up on my chair and walked to the living room.

"I'll be on the way dongseang. Prepare yourself now we'll be going to Japan." He said hurriedly before he puts down the call leaving me confused once again.

I looked at the phone for like a minute and couldn't believe what my brother said when Boss suddenly talked from the back.

"Is your brother coming?" He ask and I nodded before a sat on his couch and started to think through things and where does everything went wrong.

I waited for my brother for twenty minutes before he came in a hurry.

"Hyung." As I stood up immediately.

"Good morning James." Boss greeted him too

"We're going to fly to Japan in an hour now Rin." James said not minding Boss greetings. He was really in a hurry.

"Why are we going to Japan hyung." I ask cuz really how would I really know the main reason on why are we running, or why am I running away from home. If this is about Zee or the surgery maybe I can talk this out to mom and maybe she would listen.

And about those people secretly watching over me for many years. I couldn't get that. Maybe I could ask her about it right and she would give me a plausible answer. I don't know I just don't get it really.

"Mom is now finding you Rin." He said. Will that's understandable cuz I really ran away from home.

"Maybe I could talk to mom about this hyung. I couldn't just ran away like this without knowing her side." I tried to say but he shake his head abruptly.

"You don't understand what is happening here dongseang." He said.

"Then make me understand hyung." I said feeling frustrated of everything. Why does it have to be like this now. He just suddenly wanted me to run away.

Yes I am angry with my mom for not telling the  truth and wanting me to leave Korea for good. But maybe there's a way I can make her understand.

"I couldn't make you understand this dongseang. The only one who could get this is you." He said. My mouth agape couldn't get his point.

"I- I don't -" I tried to say but he cut me off.

"You could only understand this if you could remember what happened to you dongseang. You have to regain your memory. Only then you can answer the question why I want you to run away from here." He said and that makes me speechless.

What's with me remembering my past. Did I do something in my pass that I only know of? What's with my memory that's connected through all this.

"Could you just tell me what I really forgotten hyung." I said but he shake and refuse to.

"Why can't you just tell me." I try to beg. Cuz shit I feel like I'm stupid here.

"Cuz I think your memory is different than what I know Rin." He said. Now that's even more confusing.

"I don't know why. I don't know how to explain, but I still don't have evidence of this." He said looking down in his feet so frustrated.

"What evidence hyung." I ask but then he look away looking at Boss helplessly.  "Tell me what evidence is that hyung." my brother stayed silent and from the looks of it he's contemplating if he's going to tell me or not.

"Hyungnim.." I call him in frustration. But I was even shock to the core of what he had said next.

"That you're not Song Rin." He said. I was speechless for a whole damn minute.

What the heck. If he is joking it's not even the right time to do it. I scoffed couldn't believe of what I heard.

"Ok, if this is some kind of joke you have to stop it now hyung. It's not funny." As I tried to hold back my emotions.

Who in his right mind would say to your own brother that his not really him. How could he say this to me. I know I can't remember anything of my past, except the 7 years that I know of since I woke up from being comatose. The years that I spent with him trying to regain my memory.

But why is his brother making it all hard for him.

"I know I have an amnesia and can't remember anything. But I'm trying hard to remember hyungnim. If you're not seeing I'm trying hard here. Why are you doing this to me." As tears falls in his eyes rapidly as my heart clench. Denying me as his brother is making me hurt so much.

"That's what I'm saying Rin. That's why you can't remember because you're not really him." He insisted once again making me lose my strength and fall down to the couch. Why would he make me hurt like this.

"If I'm not Song Rin. THEN WHO AM I?" As I shouted at him. Cuz shit if he is insisting this he should give the right answer.

But instead of answering me he wipe the tears from his eyes and look at me straight.

"You are the only one that can answer that." He said. Then he walk towards me and kneel.

"But whatever happens dongseang. I want you to know that I'll always be your hyungnim either your Song Rin or not. I'll always be here to protect you." He said as he pulled me and hugged me tightly. As I bawl and cry even more. This is all complicated.

Right now I don't even know if I should believe him or not. If he's right, then what am I gonna do.

The only question that's running in my head is,

If I'm not Song Rin as what my hyung said, then

Who am I?

____________________________________________________________

Now things are turning up the way it supposed to be. Would Song Rin see Zee again?

Let's wait and see.

That's it for this week's update. See again next time.

Leave a vote and comment your thoughts. That would be appreciated.

Thank you🧡