NOT MINE

(Part I)

by: midorinohime

DING DONG!

The two kids, a little girl who is about five years old and a lad who looks a year older than than her, scrambled to their feet, trying to beat each other to the door.

DING DONG!

"Sujin! JaeSeong! Don't open the door. Let me go get it!" A voice from the kitchen said. Must be the mother of the two cute children. She hastily washed her hands, and went to get the door. It's pretty dangerous nowadays to open the door at night. There are many bad guys so they have to be more careful.

Being young and full of energy, the kids managed to reach the door of their apartment, the little girl jumping up to unlock the door while her brother turned the knob to open it. Kids, they don't really listen to their parents much. Very hardheaded. Aigoo~

"I told you not to open the door!" she scolded the kids, but they weren't listening to her anymore. They were so busy jumping around the newcomer, who appeared to be enjoying the attention of the mischievous cherubs.

"Hey! Hey! Careful!" he managed to get inside the house and chuckled at the 'hyperness' of the children.

"Appa! Appa!" the little girl called ou to him with both arms extended to him, wanting him to carry her up. "Appa! Appa!"

"Ne... my little princess." he scooped her up in his arms while ruffling the little boys head. "Did you give Eomma a hard time?"

JaeSeong shook his head quite animatedly with his eyes wide and round, "Ani! Ani. We did not!" then he looked at his mom and said, "Right, eomma?"

Dara smiled. "Yes, but next time when I told you to not do something, just do as I say, okay?"

"Deh..."

"Let's go, it's dinner time appa must be very hungry right? So go prepare the table!" she said, acting like a child herself.

Sujin wriggled in her father's arms, indicating that she wanted to go and help prepare the table with her Oppa. They ran off towards the kitchen. Shuffling of chairs and sounds of plates being put on the table quite roughly could be heard.

Jiyong chuckled after seeing his wife grimace. "We can buy new ones, baby. Don't worry about it." he gathered her in his arms, smoothing out the frown on her still baby like face. She doesn't look like she already have two kids at all. It's like she's still in her early twenties. He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose lightly.

Dara closed her eyes, savoring their intimate moment, biting her lower lip. She missed him so much. Although they only had been apart for the whole day. Good thing is, she has the kids to take care of and have fun with.

She studied him a little. He looks so tired and stressed out. "Come on, babe. Eat a lot tonight and have a good slep. I think you need that the most." She tiptoed to give him a kiss and they both headed towards the kitchen, walking hand in hand.

"Let's eat!" he said, enthusiastically.

"Yay!"

Dara's POV

"Dee-ah.. wake up, baby."

"Hhhhmmmm.. what time is it?" I looked at my wrist watch and sighed, after seeing the time. "Baby, do you know what time it is?" when he just pulled her up to a sitting position, with no sign of ever answering her, she added, "It's three in the morning Ji."

"Yes, you have to go now. Bring the kids with you."

"Huh? what do you mean?" I asked, a bit confused. My brain is a little bit fuzzy for i just woke up.

"Babe, you need to get the kids and you out of the country. I already prepared the things you will need. Other things I might have missed out you can just buy it okay?"

"Wait! Why?"

"National emergency. North Korea has started attacking the city of Seokcho. I already booked a flight for the kids and you. Stay in the Philippines for now."

"How about you?" feeling a bit scared of the sudden turn of events. Just last night, everything had been so perfect and peaceful and now... "You are not going with us?"

"Dara... we don't have time for this. I will go wake the kids up and drive you to Incheon International Airport. Go get yourself fixed up. Move fast." She sat there on their bed, not believing any of this events are happening right. 'This is just a nightmare, once I open my eyes it'll all be the same as yesterday, I'd wake up. Prepare the kids food for school. Make a cup of hot coffee for Ji. This isn't true!'

But I guess, life is really playing a game on me. I opened my eyes and saw the traveling bags near the open door of our bedroom. I saw the kids being ushered by my husband towards the living room and rushed up to our room.

"Dara lets go!" he exclaimed, bending down to get the bags. I scrambled up to my feet and followed him."Get the kids."

"Eomma, where are we going?" Sujin asked, rubbing her eyes with his little hands, while Jaeseong held my other hand.

I couldn't answer her. what should I say to my daughter when I don't even know what's happening!

"Princess, you'll go to the Philippines and have a vacation. Be good and don't give your Eomma a headache, arasso?"

"Vacation? Only us appa?" Jaeseong asked. "You not coming?"

We stopped in front of the car and put all teh bags at the compartment. He opened the back door for the kids to get in. "Put your seatbelt on, Jaeseon. Help your sister."

"Appa!" Sujin called out to him as soon as he was settled on his seat in front of teh car, beside me. "Appa, come with us!" she pleaded. She'd always been a daddy's girl.

"I can't Princess, Appa needs to stay." Sujin started to sob. JaeSeong hugged his sister and assured her.

"Don't cry, Sujin-ah... Appa will go after he finished his work. Right, Appa?" seeking his father's eyes.

"Neh, princess. I'll follow after all my work is done." That made the little girl smile a bit.

"Promise?" she asked, her lips quivering a bit and eyes a little puffy from crying.

"Neh," he then looked at me. Then, I know that it'd be really hard to fulfill that promise. I was panicking inside. Screaming at him, beg him to just go with us.

"Jiyong, just come with us. They wouldn't know..."

"No, dee. This is what I have to do. I promise I will come and follow you there." with full determination in his voice.

"You don't even know if you'll come out alive after this! Why are you being hardheaded?" I yelled at him, making sujin cry once again. Jaeseong lent the iPod to his sister. 'Sujin, listen to this song! It's your favorite!' he says. "Don't do this please, Ji" I begged. "Please..."

But I know, no matter how much I begged, he would still not go with us. That was when I realized, in these situations,

My Jiyong,

Isn't really ours to keep...