Kira's POV – Getting Ready for Dinner
Kira stood in front of her closet, pulling shirts out and tossing them on the bed. Nothing felt right. Everything looked either too casual or too dressy.
She groaned.
"Why am I even stressing. It's just dinner…"
Miyeong peeked her head into the room.
"Kira ya… what is all this mess?"
Before Kira could hide anything, Yuri walked in behind her.
"What's happening here. Are you going on a date?"
Kira spun around immediately.
"Aniya. It's not a date. Just dinner."
Yuri smirked.
"Dinner with a boy is a date. Don't lie to yourself."
Miyeong clapped excitedly.
"Ahhh uri Kira is growing up. Look at her blushing."
Kira threw a pillow at them.
"Why are you both being so dramatic. I'm just eating food."
But her cheeks were actually pink.
She finally picked a soft blue top and black jeans, did light makeup, grabbed her small bag and hurried downstairs.
Both moms were waiting at the bottom of the stairs with matching smiles.
"Have fun Kira ya."
"Not too much fun."
Kira sighed dramatically and rushed out before they could embarrass her more.
⸻
Dinner With Jack
Jack was already waiting outside the small restaurant, hands in his pockets, hair a little messy in that cute, effortless way.
"You look nice," he said when she approached.
"So do you," Kira replied, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.
They ate, talked, laughed. It felt surprisingly easy. Like they already had some invisible bond she didn't understand yet.
After dinner, Jack cleared his throat.
"There's something I've been keeping for a long time. I was waiting for the right time to give it to you."
Kira blinked.
"For me?"
He pulled a small old box from his bag and handed it to her.
When she opened it, her breath caught.
Inside was the tiny teddy bear she used to carry everywhere when she was little.
The one she lost when she moved from Korea.
The one she cried over for days.
Kira looked up slowly, eyes wide.
"How… how do you have this?"
Jack smiled softly.
"We went to the amusement park together. You dropped it on the last day. I picked it up but you were already gone. I kept it. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."
Her chest tightened.
"Jack… I can't believe you remembered."
"I remembered everything," he said gently.
"You were the girl with the bear and the loud laugh who said she would marry me when we grew up."
Kira covered her face, embarrassed.
"Omooo I really said that."
Jack laughed quietly.
"You did."
She lowered her hands, cheeks burning but smiling.
"Thank you… for keeping this."
Jack stepped closer.
"Can I do one more thing I've been wanting to do for a while?"
She swallowed.
"…what?"
Jack leaned in just a little, slow enough for her to pull back if she wanted.
Kira didn't move.
Their lips met in a soft, warm kiss. Not rushed. Not dramatic. Just gentle and real.
She kissed him back, feeling something warm spark in her chest.
When they pulled apart, Kira looked away shyly.
"Why did that feel… nice," she muttered in Korean.
Jack chuckled.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing," she shot back quickly, walking ahead so he wouldn't see her flustered smile.
Jack followed with a grin, knowing exactly what she meant.
THE BASEMENT KEY
The house is too quiet.
Miyeong and Yuri took Ava to the mall.
Jack already texted her he would see her later.
So Kira is alone…
just her, the ticking clock, and that key she found yesterday in her uncle's pocket:
B-13
She twirls it in her fingers.
Her heartbeat won't calm down.
"Ava whispered that number in the hospital…
So why does Uncle Jun-seo have a key with the same code?"
Kira tries to shake it off, but curiosity is louder than fear.
She stands up.
Quiet steps.
Soft breaths.
The hallway feels colder as she approaches the basement door.
Her hand hovers above the doorknob.
For a second she whispers to herself:
"Kira-ya… neo michyeossni? (Are you crazy?)"
But she pushes the key in anyway.
It fits.
Click.
The lock opens.
The basement air smells old, dusty, untouched.
Kira goes down slowly, the wooden stairs creaking under her feet.
She reaches the bottom.
At first she sees nothing…
until her eyes adjust.
Boxes.
Files.
Folders stacked in messy piles.
And then one thing stops her breath:
A picture of Ava.
Young Ava, maybe age six or seven.
The same picture Yuri keeps on the living room table.
Kira's stomach drops.
"Wae… wae… why is Ava's picture here?"
She steps closer.
Another file catches her attention.
It's labeled in bold black marker:
PROJECT J
Her hands tremble as she touches it.
She opens the first page…
Documents.
Dates.
Company stamps.
And then, tucked between two sheets….
Photos of the amusement park.
The exact place where Ava disappeared years ago.
Kira's knees weaken.
She whispers shakily:
"Eomma said that day was an accident… so why does Uncle have this?"
She reaches for another drawer ….locked …but the key B-13 fits perfectly.
Inside:
• a brown envelope
• Ava's name on a sticky note
• and a card with Yuri's handwriting crossed out
Kira covers her mouth, feeling tears prick her eyes.
This isn't normal.
It isn't coincidence.
Someone knew something…
and her uncle hid it.
Just then…
Footsteps upstairs.
Soft, then louder.
Coming down.
Kira gasps and steps back, hugging the envelope to her chest.
Uncle Jun-seo appears at the bottom of the stairs.
He freezes when he sees her.
His expression isn't angry ….
it's terrified.
"Kira…" his voice cracks.
"You weren't supposed to open that."
Kira's voice shakes:
"Wae? Why do you have Ava's pictures? Why do you have files about that day?"
He sighs, runs a hand through his hair, and looks older than she's ever seen him.
"Kira… listen to me carefully," he says, eyes shining with guilt.
"I didn't take Ava. I would never hurt her."
"Then why hide this?" she snaps.
He closes his eyes.
"Because if I told your mom, if I told Yuri… everything would fall apart. Their company… our family… everything. I kept the files because someone inside the company caused Ava's disappearance. I couldn't prove it, so I hid the evidence instead of speaking up."
Kira feels her heart sink.
"So you knew," she whispers.
"All this time… you knew something happened to her… and you didn't say anything?"
He swallows hard.
"I wanted to protect you, Kira."
But she shakes her head, tears falling.
"You should've protected all of us."