Jihyo never dared to sneak out anymore.

She was always on the lookout for Gary, though. From her window, she could see him dart around in the crowd, as if he was invisible. She watched him sneaking purses away. She watched him running away from other beggars. She watch him playing by himself with sticks and stones. She longed to call for him, but she never dared.

Months passed, then years.

Jihyo grew into a beautiful young lady. She never stopped watching after Gary, still hoping that there will be a day she gets the chance to thank him.

Gary grew up healthily too. He learned quickly, and was a valued apprentice to a shoe maker. The shoe make looked after him well. With no children on his own, he treated Gary like his real son and taught him everything from shoe making to life lessons. Gary too, respected him like his own father. He was devastated when the old shoe maker was killed in yet another riot.

Jihyo was worried when she didn’t see Gary around anymore. She knew that he still worked here, in the shoe shop. Several weeks passed, and she still hadn’t caught sight of him. Her instinct told her that something was wrong.

Finally, seven years since the time she last sneaked out, she decided to sneak out once more.

It was overwhelming. The noise, the smells. It never felt so close. She walked quickly to where Gary worked. The shop was closed. She knocked gently on the door for quite a while, but no one responded.

“Young lady, are you trying to buy a pair of shoes?” the lady from next door asked.

Jihyo nodded shyly. She had never talked to a complete stranger before!

The lady shook her head. “Then, I’m afraid you will be disappointed. The shoe maker died a couple of weeks ago, and now Gary is too devastated to do anything.”

Jihyo nodded, but still loitered around the door. “I’ll wait for a little while more,” she said meekly.

The lady left her as she was.

Jihyo knocked on the door again, harder this time.

“Mr Gary?” she called out softly. Then, a little loude