The Gathering

The rain had stopped by morning, leaving the world washed clean. The estate felt strangely alive, as though it had been holding its breath all night, waiting for this moment.

She stood by the window of her room, her hood gone, the early sun catching the edge of her face. Her hair, once wild and untamed, now fell sleekly down her back. The girl who had left this house was gone. The woman standing here was stronger, sharper—yet beneath it all, there was still that ache of belonging.

The knock on the door was soft, hesitant. “Young miss,” came the maid’s voice, a little steadier than last night. “They are here.”

For a moment, her chest tightened. They.

She descended the stairs slowly, her footsteps quiet but certain. And then she saw them.

At the bottom of the staircase stood her family—the people she had not seen in eight years.

The first to step forward was Kim Alina, her eldest sister, now thirty. Her elegance was still intact, her presence commanding yet warm. At her side stood Jeon Archer, her partner and her strength, his protective gaze softening when it landed on the woman before them.

Alina’s lips trembled, but she smiled through it. “You’re here…” Her voice cracked, and suddenly, all the grace and poise of the eldest sister melted away as she rushed forward, pulling her into a crushing embrace.

She froze for a second before her arms slowly came up, hugging Alina back.

Then came Kim Larson, her second brother, taller, broader, and with the same sharp jawline that ran through their bloodline. He didn’t say a word at first—just stared at her, his eyes wet, before stepping forward and ruffling her hair gently like he used to. “Took you long enough,” he murmured, his voice breaking despite his attempt to sound casual. Park Yeona, his partner, stood just behind him, tears glistening on her lashes as she gave a respectful nod before stepping in to hug her.

Kim Heluria, her third sister, followed next, her eyes shining with a mixture of anger and relief. “You’re cruel,” she said, smacking her lightly on the arm before pulling her into a tight hug. Jeon Jackson, Heluria’s partner, grinned softly, his usual mischief dimmed by the raw emotion of the moment.

And then there was Kim Vincent, the youngest of her elder brothers. He hesitated for a moment, as though he couldn’t believe she was real, before closing the distance between them and wrapping his arms around her. “Don’t disappear again,” he whispered, his voice shaking. Julia, his partner, stood behind him, smiling softly through her own tears.

The last one to step forward was not a sibling, but someone who had been a part of her soul long before she had left—Jeon Riyan, her childhood friend. He didn’t speak, just looked at her with that quiet intensity she remembered so well. Something in her chest stirred when she saw him—something she thought she had buried years ago.

Before she could say anything, Park Julian—Yeona’s elder brother—entered with his wife, Lee Liya. Julian’s usual cool demeanor softened as he smiled at her. “Welcome home,” he said simply, Liya giving her a warm, sisterly hug.

The tension that had hung in the air all morning began to melt.

What started as tears soon turned into laughter. Alina teased her about how much taller she had grown. Larson dragged her into the dining hall, insisting she eat with them like she used to. Heluria complained about how quiet the house had been without her. Vincent challenged her to a game they used to play in the courtyard.

Even Riyan, quiet as ever, stayed close to her side, his presence steady and comforting.

The house that had felt hollow last night was now alive again. The halls rang with voices, with warmth, with the sound of a family rediscovering the piece of themselves they had lost.

For the first time in eight years, she allowed herself to smile.

She was no longer just back.

She was home.

...... CONTINUE .....

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