3/4
👗IDENTICAL👠
(Kind, crazy & cold-hearted)
Episode 3
Kim nana (crazy):
I returned home and met mom in the kitchen, preparing something sweet – something sweet that produced an overwhelming aroma.
Wow!
I smiled and scuttled to the kitchen.
“Mother!” I Called excitedly and hvgged her from behind.
You don’t know how happy I was that she’s cooking. I was damn so hungry.
“Mmm” she just hummed and continued stirring the content in the pot.
Hm.
“Um…what’re you cooking, mother?” I asked and she glared at me.
“What I’m cooking is none of your business. So, don’t even think you’ll be getting as little as a drop of it. Your roasted chicken is still full to the brim” she said, pointing to the pot of the burnt smell.
I looked at her in shock.
“Mother…”
“Don’t mother me, Kim. It’s high time you learnt how to cook”.
“But, I do know how to cook. Simply because the beans got burnt…”
“Well, go ahead and eat it. It’s roasted chicken!”
“Well, I don’t like roasted chicken”
I rolled my eyes.
She ignored me afterwards and continued cooking and I just folded my hands and watched her.
Well, I know there’s no way on earth she’s ever gonna cook without giving it to me.
That’s one thing about my mum..she’s the kindest woman I know..
She’s the sweetest!
Kim Ji (Kind):
“Now, retire to your rooms and rest and first thing in the morning, we’ll be taking our trip back to Seoul” our coordinator addressed us after we returned from our excursion.
“Thank you sir” few of the students mumbled as we all started towards our different rooms.
Gyeong held my hand and walked along with until we got to our room.
“Oops! I really can’t wait for the sun to rise, Kim!” She said happily as she plonked herself on the be-d.
I smiled and also sat next to her.
“Are you still thinking about that? You heard what the coordinator said, right? We leave first thing in the…”
“Oh, plea-se! That’s what they always say. But, we’ll end up leaving by afternoon”. She cut me off.
“So…what if you dont find him there?” I asked and she thought for a while.
“Well.. I guess I’ll just accept my fate, then.” She replied with a shrug.
“So…do you have a guy you’re crushing on aside Williams?” She asked and I looked downwards and bit myl-ips
“No” I said bashfully.
Will was actually the only female friend I had and I could say I was really crushing on him.
Well, I think he likes me too.
“Hmm. So, if he pops the question; I mean, asks you to be his girlfriend, you’ll accept, right?” She asked and I laughed.
“Come on, Gyeong; there’s no time for this. We nee-d to get some sleep”.
“Hey…”
“Goodnight” I cut her off and la-id on the be-d to sleep.
⏰⏰⏰⏰⏰
#Next_morning.
Kim nana (Crazy):
I was trying to fix my belt when the door opened and mum walked in, fully dressed up.
“Kim nana” she Called me by my full name, ma-king me panic.
What have I done again?
“Where did you say you were going again?” She asked and I sighed.
“I told you, mum. I’m going to help Mr Young-soo. He nee-ds my help” I replied and focused on my belt and finally, I was done with jt.
I exhaled de-eply and tried reaching for my bag, but she st©pped me.
“Come on” she said and made me sit in front of the mirror.
Then, she took an hair brush and started brushing my long dark hair with it.
Hmmm.
“Are you set for work, mother?” I asked, looking at her from the mirror.
“Obviously” she replied.
I smiled into nothing.
She was actually a janitress.
We both didn’t say anything to each other until she was done brushing my hair and I stood up.
“Thanks mother” I beamed and reached for my bag
“Stay out of trouble, Kim. plea-se. Stay out of trouble” she warned.
“Of course! I always stay out of trouble” I replied and hvgged her before running out of the room.
I got outside to where my bicycle was parked and climbe-d on it immediately, taking off.
You wouldn’t blame me, I get so excited with anything that has to do with drawing.
*
*
Gyeong, are you really sure about this?” I asked in a whisper as she held my hand and approached the gate with me.
“What if the securities chase us away?”
“St©p trying to discourage me, Kim. Come on” she growled and I shook my head and kept mute.
We got to the gate and she left me and went closer to the securities there.
Now, I don’t know what she whispered to them, but surprisingly, they opened the gate for us and gave us free pas-sage.
What?
She smiled at me and signalled me to hurry up and I followed her out.
“What did you tell them?” I asked her as soon as we were out of the building.
“Well, I told what I nee-ded to tell them” she laughed and I scoffed.
This lady is something else.
We got to the roadside and awaited a cab.
“Well Gyeong, don’t forget we nee-d to be fast, else, we might have to walk all the way to Seoul
” I reminded her.
“Of course, Kim. I know” she rolled her eyes at me.
Soon, a cab pu-ll-ed over in front of us and we boarded it immediately.
After what seemed like forever to me, we got to *her destination* as she asked the cabby to pu-ll over.
“Thank you, Mr” she told him after paying him.
I stood and looked around.
Wow! The environment was beautiful.
“Hmm” she took in a de-ep breath, smiling.
“Wish me luck, Kim. Come on, let’s go” she held my hand and started walking with me.
I saw the Art sto-re she talked about – Mr Young-soo art sto-re.
“So, where does the boy stays?” I asked.
“Oh! Over there” she pointed to a place not far from the art sto-re.
then, I st©pped walking and withdrew my hand from hers.
“Um…you know what? Just go ahead, Gyeong. I’ll…just wait out here for you. Besides, I think I nee-d some ice cream” I told her with my eyes fixed on the ice cream kiosk not far away.
“Come on, Kim…”
“plea-se, I don’t feel like going in” I cut her off
She sighed with a disappointed look.
“Fine. Whatever” she grouse and walked away.
I shook my head and watched her leave.
Seriously, she should go into the sto-re herself. I really didn’t feel like going in with her.
I turned around and was about heading to the ice cream kiosk when I saw something that Caught my attention.
I paused as it got me stunned.
It was…a mother and her baby, having so much fun.
The girl was giggling while the mother carried her in her arms, petting her. I smiled as I watched them.
Such sight always made me gloomy. It made me feel pathetic of the fact that I grew up without a mother. I grew without someone to love and pet me. I have no idea what motherly love looks like.
Sometimes, when I see my peers being treated by their mothers, it makes me jealous.
I sniffed and tried to fight back my tears.
Then, I turned around and went to get the ice cream.
Kim nana (Crazy):
I whistled on my bicycle, feeling so happy. I couldn’t tell why, but I just felt excited that morning. And for that, I won’t be looking for anyb©dy’s trouble. Yes! I’ll just remain a good girl today.
I smiled and my joy increa-sed as I got closer to Mr Young-soo art sto-re.
Hah! At last.
Unfortunately and unexpectedly, I bu-mped into a lady.
Oh gracious!!!
What the hell??
I knocked her down with my bicycle and the ice cream she held in her hand spilled on the floor.
“Hey! Why weren’t you careful? Were you carrying some load on your eyes?” I asked angrily as I st©pped the bicycle close to where she la-id on the floor.
Although, I was wrong, but she was also at fault. Why didn’t she look carefully while walking?
She stood up slowly, backing me at first. I couldn’t see her face yet. Then, she started dusting her dress.
“I’m sorry” she turned to me and said and my jaws dropped immediately.
My legs fell from the wheel as I almost lose balance and fell from the bicycle as well.
What??
Her eyes opened wi-de in shock, the same time with mine.
“What?” She said beneath her breath and moved backwards.
I flin-ched.
Was this a dream or what?
Hold on;
Why the hell does she look exactly like me???
Episode 4
Kim ji (Kind):
I was done buying the ice cream and was about going to stand in a shade when I felt something hit me from behind and I found myself falling on the floor.
I gro-an ed and tried to regain my strength. Who could this be?
“Hey! Why weren’t you careful? Were you carrying some load on your eyes?” I heard the rider ask and figured out it was a girl.
I slowly stood up and turned to look at her.
“I’m sorry” I apologized, even if she was the one that knocked me down.
What??
My jaws dropped immediately. What the hell?
I mean, I don’t seem to un-derstand.
Is this a dream or what? Or am I looking at a mirror right now?
She…looks exactly like me.
“What?” I muttered.
She also looked surprised. What’s going on?
She climbe-d down from her bicycle immediately.
“Hey” she Called with a crumpled look and drew closer to me.
“Who are you?”
I was speechless and kept staring at her. It was shocking.
I stared at her from head to toe. She seemed real. But how’s that possible? The only difference was our hair. Hers was long while mine was short.
“I’m talking to you; who are you?” She asked again but I couldn’t find the right words to say.
She looked around and suddenly, gr!pp£dmy hand and started walking away with me.
Kim nana (Crazy):
I took her to a quiet corner where I was sure we wouldn’t be seen by anyone. I mean, I didn’t want anyone to see us.
I let go of her hand as soon as we got there.
“If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll beat you up” I said, pointing my f!nger at her.
“Who are you? Why do you look exactly like me?”
“I…I don’t know. I’m as surprised as you are” she stuttered.
I scoffed and t©uçhed her face, turning it from side to side. It seemed real.
“Are you some sort of spy huh? Were you s£nt to disguise me?” I still asked.
“I’m not! I…I don’t even base here. We just c@m£ over for an excursion” she replied.
What the hell is this?
“Where do you stay?” I asked.
“I stay in Seoul. And my school is on an excursion. We’re to return this morning, but I just accompanied my friend here to check up on someone” she replied and I shook my head.
Although, I’ve heard of people looking alike, but this is too much. Could it really be a coincidence?
“What’s your name?” I asked and she replied:
“Kim ji”.
Huh? Kim ji? And mine is…Kim nana?
“You stay with your parents?” I asked again.
“Yes – my dad”.
“Your dad? What about your mum?”
“I…I don’t know. I grew up without knowing my mum. I never met her and dad ba-rely talked about her”.
I furrowed my brows and thought.
Could this be another confidence? She grew up with her dad? The same way I grew up with just my mum? And her dad ba-rely talks about her mum, the same way mum ba-rely talks about dad.
Hold on; the old ph0togra-ph! The one with three identical babies. Could this be what I’m thinking?
“You…who are you?” She also asked me and I looked at her.
“Can you come with me? I nee-d to show you something” I told her but she remained quiet for a while.
“Come on; its important.
“Wait; we can’t move around like this. A lot of people know me out here and seeing us together might create confusion.
Stay here, I’ll get you a veil”.
“Okay. I’ll just text my friend” she replied and I ran off immediately.
Thank goodness I had a little money on me.
I rushed to the closest sto-re and bought a blue veil. Then, I returned to where she was and handed the veil to her.
“Here. Put it on. Let’s go” I told her and she covered half of her face with it, from her nose downwards. That way, it’d be impossible for anyone to figure out we were looking alike.
“So, where are we going?” She asked, her eyes beaming.
“Home” I replied.
*
*
Luckily, mum was still at work and that was just what I nee-ded. I nee-ded some privacy so we could sort this out.
I arrived home with the strange lady and took her straight to my room.
She kept running her eyes around.
I reached for my bag and brou-ght out the picture.
“Does this look familiar to you?” I asked, showing the picture to her.
She flin-ched immediately.
“This is my dad!” She said in a g@sp and collected the picture from me.
My eyes drooped.
“Re…Really?” I asked.
“Yes! He’s my dad! And…” She paused and scoffed.
“Who are these kids?”
“I don’t know” I replied and the confusion on her face increa-sed.
“I have some childhood ph0tos and the babies in this picture…look exactly like the ones I have at home. Although, I don’t know where I am in the picture but, it’s the same faces. How’s this possible?” She asked, aghast.
“This woman is my mum” I told her, pointing to mum in the picture.
“Could it be possible…my mum and your dad were married and we’re probably sisters?”
A stunned silence stepped in as we stared into each other’s eyes.
“Didn’t you ever ask her about the picture?” She asked.
“I did. But she told me the babies were dead. Obviously, that was a lie. She gets angry each time I try to ask her about it ”
“She denied us?” She asked pathetically.
“She…she told you I was dead?”
I shut her a stare, then took my eyes back to the picture.
“What about the third baby?” I asked.
“I mean, if you’re with dad and I’m with mum, then, where could the third baby be? Its possible she’s really dead”.
Surprisingly, I saw a tear rolling down her cheek, but she quic-kly wiped it off.
“So, what do we do now?” I asked after a while of silence.
“Don’t you think we nee-d answers? Do you think we should confront my mum?”
She sniffed.
“I don’t know” she replied tearfully.
“I mean, she said I was dead. She denied me. What if she doesn’t like me? And doesn’t accept me even if I show myself to her? I don’t know. I’m just scared.”
She bent her head and wept.
Hold on; why does she cry easily?
Well, I won’t deny it. I also felt bittered.
Why would mum hide the truth from me?
“But, what if we’re wrong?” I suddenly asked.
“Don’t you think there’s a reason our parents are ap@rt? What could’ve happened that’d make mum deny
having triplets? Don’t you think we nee-d to find out?”
“Still, I don’t think I can confront her. What if she doesn’t want to see me now? You said it yourself, she gets angry each time you brou-ght up questions about the picture. What if she really doesn’t like me?”
“Huh? But…”
I was about saying something when my eyes suddenly caught the sight of mum throu-gh the window.
“Oh my! She’s home” I exclaimed and the lady hurried to have a look immediately.
“That’s mum?” She asked in an endearing tone.
Why’s she home soon? I thought she was on the morning shift.
“Hurry up. Put on the veil. We nee-d to leave” I told her and she covered the veil immediately.
I hid the picture and we left my room together.
Getting to the sitting room, we met mom walking in, holding some bags.
Oh-oh.
“Mum!” I called and looked back at the lady.
“Kim nana!” She also called jn surprise and st©pped walking.
“Why re you home? Didn’t you say you were going to help…”
“Yes! I…just c@m£ over to do something” I cut her off.
“Um…and you? Why re you home early?” I further asked.
“Well, there’s a little adjustment in the duty roster and I didn’t notice. I’m off duty today” she replied, sounding tired.
“And who’s that lady with you?” She asked.
Kim ji (Kind):
I watched in bemusement. So, this woman was my mum? I do have a mum after all. She’s so pretty.
“And who’s that lady with you?” She asked my look-alike and my heart skipped.
“Oh! She…”
“Good evening ma’am” I cut in, calmly.
“Good evening dear. How’re you?” She asked, sounding so sweet.
“I’m…I’m fine” I stuttered, batting my lashes.
“Who’s she, Kim?” She asked my look-alike.
“She’s my friend,mum. And I just c@m£ to show her..”
“Your friend?” She cut her off.
“Since when did you start ma-king friends??”
“Well, I told you, didn’t I? I’m a good girl”.
“And…why does she have a veil over her face?” She asked.
“Oh! She’s…having some skin reactions and is shy to expo-se her face. So…” She paused and bit herl-ips.
“You know what, mum? We’ll just be on our way now. She nee-ds to leave” she continued and she tried walking away.
“Hold on; I got you something” the woman said and di-pped her hand into her bag, bringing out a pretty n£¢klace.
“I saw this on my way home and decided to get it for you” she said as she turned her around and locked the pretty n£¢klace around her n£¢k.
“Thank you , mum” my look-alike beamed.
I watched ruefully.
She turned and looked at me.
“Come on, let’s go” she told me and started walking towards the door.
I bent my head and followed her behind.
“What’s your name?” The woman asked when I got to where she was and I st©pped to look at her.
Our eyes locked.
“K…”
“Come on, there’s no more time” my look-alike cut in and I blinked ra-pidly and finally followed her out of the house.
My mind bec@m£ filled with disturbing thoughts.
The whole thing repla-yed in my head. That woman was my mum. The mother I’ve wished for my entire life.
“Geez! That was close!” My look-alike as we got far away from the house.
We were still walking.
I bent my head and didn’t say a word. I recalled how sweet she was – her voice and how pretty she looked as well.
And the way she petted my look-alike. It was something I’ve always longed for – the love of a mother.
“So, what do we do next!” She asked, still walking ahead of me.
“K…Kim!” I called and st©pped walking and she also turned and looked at me.
“What is it?” She asked.
I sighed and looked back at the house, then back at her.
“I have a suggestion” I said, nervously.
“I want us to switch”.
TBC.