I am working on a few more chapters. Please review!

After their night guest had finally left, the brothers were still reeling from the shock and humiliation she caused. They talked about the most horrible and embarrassing stories she would come up with and could not even imagine how they would play with anyone again. They stayed up all night, trying to figure what to do with their lives. Ultimately, the only solution was to run away to a place where nobody knew them.

"Omoni will be upset and cry," said warmhearted Soon Hwon.

"I know, but do we have another choice?"

"I guess not. We can't let Aboji find us. This time he will beat us to death," grimly added Soon Hwon.

"He was obviously mad we embarrassed our family, so he won't be missing us much," replied thoughtfully Soon Uk. He let out a deep angst-ridden sigh. "Heung, I miss having fun with him. Will he ever forgive us?"

Soon Hwon gave his brother a hug. "Oma says he loves us and just wants us to behave."

The youngest hugged him back tightly. "Oma loves us for sure. We have to tell her we are leaving," he whispered and started crying softly.

"Maybe, we can live her a letter, so that she is not worried that we drowned or something. Don't cry." Soon Hwon wiped his brother's tears. He was the eldest and it was up to him to take care of things.

So it was decided. They would go about like nothing had changed and hope that Yoo Seong was scared enough by their threat to keep her mouth shut at least for a few days. By then, they would have their escape plan in place.

. . .

Go Jin Ah checked the children's bottoms as usual, noticing market improvement. They were still walking funny, but mainly due to habit, rather than the severity of pain. She put the ointment on and announced before they went to bed, "I think the worst is over now. Just make sure not to get your father so upset any more. I have never seen him like that..."

"Omoni, does he hate us now?"

"No baby, of course, not. He was trying to teach you what's right, that's all," she said, soothingly. She patted their heads and gave them kisses.

As soon as her steps could no longer be heard, the kids got up from the beds and quickly collected their traveling sacks they hid behind a dresser. They had enough provisions for three days and a change of clothes each. They also borrowed from the barracks a bundled set of traveling mat and blanket, and Soon Uk helped Soon Hwon pull it over his back, securing the strings in the front. Soon Uk placed a note on his pillow and straightened it with his palm.

"I think that's it."

The kids climbed out the window and quietly tip toed past the houses. They reached the gate unnoticed and slid out into the night.

The path toward the nearby forest ran by the river. The sounds from the croaking toads and buzz of mosquitoes they had to wave off kept them company. Soon they entered the thicket and stopped. It was too dark to figure out where they were exactly. Soon Uk pulled out a small lantern he prepared and lit it up. Light illuminated a narrow clearing between the thorny bushes, throwing fantastical shadows all around them. Kids bravely moved forward till they reached a small cave, which they scouted during their previous excursions. There they hid other provisions they managed to snick out from the house. They started a small fire, drank a few sips of water, quickly organized the dried tree branches they collected and rolled out their mattress. They got comfortable with a blanket on top and began their adventure by watching the starry sky that opened up above through the cave's mouth. They were alone, but they had each other. Tired and satisfied with the first hurdle conquered, they quickly fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning after a snack, they packed their belongings and returned back to the path by the river. They knew that eventually the path will lead to a small village, where they decided to stop for a break and then find a place to sleep nearby, as they thought would be safer. Children were in good spirits and only half way down the road toward the village, when Soon Hwon suddenly stopped and looking back sighed, "Omoni already found the letter. She is probably crying..."

"Come on," bravely said Soon Uk, although his voice shook a little. "She will be fine. Appa will take care of her."

. . .

In the morning Go Jin Ah was busy with breakfast and at first had not realized that something was amiss. She called the kids twice, but they never came from their room. Dae Man was out for the night duty and has not returned home yet. When she finally checked the empty room, she thought they ran out to play, skipping breakfast. After everything they've been through, she chose to ignore a small infraction on their part and was happy they could enjoy themselves.

Only when the lunchtime came around and they did not return, she began worrying. She asked the neighborhood kids and none of them saw the brothers since yesterday. A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. She sent a message to Dae Man, growing more despondent with each passing minute. She was afraid to leave, pacing back and forth in front of the house in hopes to see the boys coming home any second now. Instead she saw her husband, his feet hardly touching the ground, he appeared flying toward her, sides of his long caftan swinging with each leap like wings.

Dae Man halted next to her, catching a breath. He bent down, panting quickly as his hands rested on his thighs. "Jin Na-ya, I got your message."

She cried out, her voice breaking, "I'm afraid something bad happened. What do we do?"

Without answering, Dae Man rushed into the house to the boys' bedroom. His trained eyes immediately spied a note. He quickly scanned it. It just did not make any sense, yet the overwhelming guilt materialized as he read carefully scribbled and riddled with mistakes words:

Omoni, we ok. Not worry.

Wee decidd lieve. Tel Aboji, we are sorry. Not be angry.

Your lovng sons, Soon Hwon and Soon Ok.

His hands fell helplessly; his vision came out of focus and the room tilted, rocking from side to side as if he was in the open sea. Dae Man squinted to make out the double image of Go Jin Ah, whose pained eyes were right in front of him.

"What does it say?" he heard her distant anxious voice. Hesitantly he handed the note to her as the muted sounds and sights slowly were coming into focus. She looked at the piece of paper and collapsed on the floor crying. All Dae Man could do, was hug and console her as her whole body shook in his arms.