Last Chance to be an Unparalleled Superstar

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Last Chance to be an Unparalleled Superstar

作者: raeinyx

章 1: What is Happening?

"Grandpa! You know you can't drink! You're taking medicine. Give it to me!"

In a fit of rage, Min Jeong vehemently protested while attempting to snatch the bottle from her grandfather's grip. After what felt like an arduous struggle, she managed to secure the bottle, only to be met with an unexpected and forceful slap from her grandfather, causing her to lose her grasp and allowing him to reclaim possession of the bottle. Adding insult to injury, he proceeded to forcefully push her away, leaving her feeling both physically and emotionally overwhelmed.

"It's mine! It's the only thing that makes me forget everything! Might as well kill me. I'm dying anyway!"

Min Jeong's eyes welled up with tears and cascaded down her cheeks, her gaze fixated on the ground.

"H-how can you say that?" she said, almost whispering.

"What? I will die anyways. So don't even think about trying to stop me. I don't need you."

As she continuously wiped away her tears, which seemed to flow endlessly despite her efforts, she turned to face her grandfather.

"Grandpa, I'm exhausted. I have taken on numerous jobs to earn money for your medicine, savings for the surgery, and even to provide for our daily food. I am worn out from witnessing students leading normal lives, working hard to secure a job after they graduate, while I haven't even finished middle school. It is disheartening to see others achieve their dreams while I have forgotten about mine. I am completely drained from sacrificing everything-

"Then stop! Live your life. Forget about me, give up on me" her grandfather said he drinks in the bottle

"How is it possible?! I am extremely exhausted! However, I am also worn out from constantly being abandoned by everyone. How can I possibly give up on you, when it was you who never gave up on me in the past?! How is that fair?! How can I continue loving and caring for you, when all you do is cause me pain? How is that even possible?! Please, help me understand, because I am also tired of trying to comprehend your actions."

Min Jeong stands and walks over to the entrance.

"Please make sure to eat your food and take your medicine on time. I am running late for work." she says without looking back

She goes to her job and gets scolded for being late. Her coworkers in the shop don't seem to mind the redness of her cheeks; they appear to be accustomed to it, as it has happened before. Once she finishes her shift at the shop, she quickly runs to a stall where she also has a part-time job. She has 3-4 jobs every day, working until 2 in the morning. After completing all her jobs, she goes home and sleeps for only 3 hours before leaving again for another job. That is her daily routine, but today when she arrived home, her grandfather was not there. She drops her things and begins to search for him when her phone rings.

"Hello. Good Morning. Is this Miss Min Jeong?"

"Y-yes. I'm Min Jeong. Who is this?" She inexplicably begins to feel nervous.

" This is KJ Hospital. Mr. Yang Byung-ho (her grandfather) was brought here at 1:30 am as a victim of a hit and run incident. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival. --"

The moment the word "dead" reached her ears, her mind instantly became void of all thoughts and emotions. With every ounce of strength she possessed, she mustered the courage to form words and speak.

"I-I'm coming. Thank you" Following her statement, she hastily gathered her belongings and anxiously scoured the area in search of a taxi, regardless of the potentially exorbitant cost, all for the sole purpose of reuniting with her grandfather.

As she made her way to the hospital, a multitude of emotions overwhelmed her, and she found herself fervently praying that she had simply misheard the devastating news - that her beloved grandfather was still alive. With each step she took, her hope intensified, clinging to the possibility that the situation was not as dire as she feared. However, as she finally arrived at the hospital, her heart sank when she was directed towards the morgue. The sight of her grandfather's lifeless body crushed her spirit, causing her world to crumble in an instant. Overwhelmed by grief, she felt her strength waver, her legs giving way beneath her. Just as she was on the verge of collapsing, a compassionate nurse reached out and caught her, preventing her from hitting the cold, unforgiving floor. Summoning every ounce of resilience within her, she mustered the strength to stumble towards her grandfather's lifeless form. As she wrapped her trembling arms around him, she was met with the icy chill of his lifeless embrace, amplifying her sorrow and causing her tears to flow even more freely.

" This isn't really happening, is it? It's just a joke, like the ones you used to play when I was little. Please wake up and tell me. Is it because I talked back to you yesterday? I'm sorry. Please, please come back. Don't leave me." Tears streamed down her face as she cried inconsolably, overwhelmed by emotion, when the nurse unexpectedly reached out and gently tapped her on the shoulder.

"The police are outside and want to talk to you."

"Okay. I'll be there" The nurse acknowledges the statement by nodding her head and then proceeds to leave the room.

Min Jeong gazed deeply into her grandfather's face, her heart heavy with sadness, as she delicately wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I'll be back, grandpa," she whispers before setting off as well.

As she stood outside, two police officers made their way towards her.

"I apologize for your loss, miss, but we would like to invite you to the station for a discussion regarding the incident."

Without uttering a single word, she simply nodded her head in agreement and obediently trailed behind them as they led the way towards the awaiting police car.

As they made their way to the police station, she couldn't help but be overwhelmed by a flood of cherished memories that brought tears streaming down her face once more. However, upon their arrival at the station, she quickly composed herself and wiped away the tears. Eventually, they found themselves in a secluded room equipped with a computer, offering them the necessary privacy to engage in a conversation.

"Upon reviewing the available evidence, we were able to retrieve a significant amount of CCTV footage capturing the exact moment of the incident. In this footage, it becomes apparent that Mr. Byung-ho, the individual involved, was in the process of crossing the designated pedestrian lane when the unforeseen tragedy occurred. Regrettably, it appears that he was completely unaware of the approaching vehicle, which ultimately led to the unfortunate accident."

When they played the footage, she was confronted with a heart-wrenching scene. It depicted her beloved grandfather clutching a bag of McDonald's, only to be abruptly struck by a passing car. To her horror, the callous driver didn't even bother to pause, but callously continued on their way. This distressing sequence evoked a myriad of emotions within her, a whirlwind of anger, remorse, and profound sadness that seemed impossible to put into words. The significance of this incident became even more apparent as McDonald's was her go-to comfort food whenever she experienced sadness, and her grandfather was well aware of this fact. The location of the accident, which happened to be near her workplace, led her to speculate that her grandfather may have been on his way to bring her a meal as a way of apologizing, a gesture he often resorted to given his difficulty expressing his remorse verbally. This train of thought only intensified her anguish, amplifying the pain she was already experiencing.

"Due to the low quality of the CCTV footage, it was difficult to discern the plate number on the vehicle. However, our team managed to retrieve a black box from a nearby car in close proximity to the incident site. Although the black box did not provide any information regarding the plate number, it did capture a clear image of the driver's side profile, which revealed that the individual behind the wheel was a woman."

The image that was presented to her depicted a middle-aged lady with her hair styled in a tight bun, exhibiting a distinctive tattoo just beneath her ears on the side of her neck, resembling an inverted cross.

"At this moment, our team is diligently putting forth their utmost efforts in an attempt to locate the driver, however, regrettably, we have been unsuccessful thus far. Rest assured, we are committed to keeping you informed and will provide you with any new developments as they arise. Additionally, please be assured that we are fully prepared to offer you transportation back to the hospital. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused and deeply regret that you were left in a situation where you had to leave your grandfather."

------

The funeral proceedings were unexpectedly swift, as she found herself without any close relatives or friends to gather and mourn the passing of her grandfather. In the face of this solitude, she made the difficult decision to have her grandfather cremated, opting for a more personal and intimate way to bid him farewell. Now, she stands alone on a bridge that holds countless cherished memories of their time together. It was on this very bridge that her grandfather stumbled upon her when she was abandoned by her parents, providing solace and unwavering support throughout her life. Whenever she encountered a problem or faced adversity, it was to this bridge that she would retreat, knowing that her grandfather would always be there to find her and offer guidance. Thus, it seems only fitting that she has chosen to release her grandfather's ashes from this very bridge, as it symbolizes the profound connection they shared. With her grandfather's physical presence no longer with her, she finds herself at a loss, unsure of where to turn or where to seek comfort in the absence of this cherished figure in her life. The bridge, once a sanctuary of solace and reassurance, now stands as a haunting reminder of the void left behind by her grandfather's departure.

"Grandfather, I feel really bad. We still haven't found the person who hurt you. I'm also sorry for getting mad at you earlier. I'm sorry that you had to say sorry on my behalf and that caused this to happen. I'm sorry. I won't complain about anything anymore. Please, please, tell me this is just a bad dream, a scary dream, and that tomorrow, things will go back to the way they were before. Please. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm in so much pain and I don't have anyone with me anymore. Why? Why is this happening to me? Why is everyone I love leaving me?"

With a heavy heart, Min Jeong gently releases the sacred ashes of her grandfather into the wind, her sorrow evident in the glistening teardrops that gracefully cascade down her cheeks. She takes a deep breath and starts the ascent up the sturdy railing

"Grandfather, you are probably happy now that you have met grandmother there. You don't need to worry about me, as I am coming. Let's meet again soon."

With an air of resignation, she utters those words as she takes the leap off the edge of the bridge. As she plunges into the icy depths below, the frigid water engulfs her, embracing every inch of her body. The force of the current tugs at her, attempting to drag her down to the darkest depths. Instead of fighting against it, she chooses to surrender to the powerful current, allowing herself to be carried away by its relentless pull. In that moment, she shuts her eyes, embracing the unknown and accepting whatever fate awaits her.

---

"You're so cute" a young boy with blonde and green eyes says while hugging and kissing her

"Of course, she is our sister." Says the one with blonde and blue eyes that looks like twins with the first one. "Now, let me hug her too."

"No, Wait for your turn."

"You've been hugging her since a while ago, it's my turn" The young boy, who had captivating blue eyes, tightly grasped her delicate arms. In a synchronized motion, the other boy replicated the action, firmly holding onto her other set of arms. The intense pressure exerted by their grips caused the fragile baby to release a heart-wrenching cry, filling the room with its piercing sound.

Are you wondering who is the baby?

It's me. I'm the baby.

I was not supposed to be alive, so why did I end up being reborn as an infant?