I slowly flickered my eyes open feeling as if I have been sleeping for how many years. The wound on my forehead had been patched while my filthy uniform was changed into a more decent one. I looked around my surroundings and realized I was in my own room.

How did I get here?

The door slowly opened as my mother emerged from it with a bowl of congee and a bottle of water on both hands. She smiled in relief as she approached me settling the things she carried on the table beside my bed.

“Thank God you’re awake. Are you feeling better now?” she said as she sat next to me and caressed my back.

“De,” I almost whispered.

“Here eat something I bet you’re hungry given that you were out of it since yesterday. Your school called me to fetch you and explain everything to me. I’m sorry you have to injure all of this, if I knew that this would happen we shouldn’t have moved here,” she almost cried explaining.

“No omma don’t say that. I promise this will not happen again. Your daughter’s not that weak, it’s just that the timing was not that good.”

“Aigoo~ you poor thing. Come here,” she moved towards me and gave me tight hug. “Here you must eat now and then after that go take a shower. We’re going out.”

“Where to?”

“You’ll see,” she eagerly jumped up like a teenage girl in love and left the room humming.

What’s with her all of a sudden?

~~

Okay so mom went ahead and said to be waiting for me in front of the building but—where the hell is she?! I’ve been calling her for the last few minutes but she wouldn’t pick up. I’m already getting impatient and at the same time scared when finally I received a text message from her saying that something came up and she had to go their company for a while.

“What’s the matter with her? This is the first time she cancelled our mother-and-daughter time together? Mmmm—never mind, the thing in their company must have been very important,” I sighed and decided to walk in a park just outside the building.

In my surprise, a little girl suddenly tugged my sleeves. She looked up at me smiled as she handed an ice cream and a piece of paper to me, “Unnie, someone wants to give this to you.”

I leaned towards the girl until our heads were on the same level, “Gomawo~ but who is that someone?”

The girl’s eyes narrowed as she think, “Namjachingu?”

“Namjachingu?” I echoed, confused.

“Ne ne!!! Maybe he’s your boyfriend since he was looking at you the whole time you were waiting in front of the building. Did you quarrel that’s why you have a patch on your forehead?”

“Eh?”

“We’ll I think he’s not a bad person. Unnie, you two should make up you can’t afford to loss a boyfriend who looks so good!”

“Eh?” Am I really talking to a little girl?

The girl giggled and waved goodbye as she run towards her playmates.

I read the note on my hands in confusion. It said, ‘It’s strawberry, your favorite ice cream flavor. Eat this before it melts. Hope you feel better now. I really wish you could forgive me after eating this just like you always did.’

I looked around half expecting to find in the crowd a smiling angel but there was no sign of him.

I felt another tug on my sleeves, this time it was a little boy holding a blue flower.

“Noona,” he started. “This is sce—sca—scartel—“

“Scarlet Pimpernel,” I almost whispered in astonishment.

“Yes! Yes! That’s what he said it was called. He wanted to give this to you with this note. I really hope you could make up with your boyfriend soon noona,” he smiled as he turned to run away.

Namjachingu?  What’s with these kids all of a sudden?

The note says: ‘Remember this? I hope you do. I’m still on with what I promised you. Meet me at the train station today. I’ll be waiting so be sure to come.’

For the first time, my mind actually worked slower that it took me a whole lot of time to process what just happened. Why is doing this? Why make so much effort just to be forgiven? What is it with you, Hongki?

With my eyes wondering in the crowd, I spotted a girl with a sad porcelain face, she slowly approached me. I recognize it was Min Ji.

“Annyeong hasaeyo,” she started.

I bowed. The situation made me feel awkward remembering what we talked about in the café.

“Ji Yeon-ssi I’m going back to states and I just wanted to say sorry for what I have said when we first met. I didn’t realize all of it; I was the one who misunderstood it all. I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about Min Ji-ssi?” I really am clueless.

She tried to smile but I could see she was about to burst into tears. “Just tell me you forgive me and with that I could go back to states without coming in between you and Hongki, please?”

“Ah—ah de, I forgive you then,” What’s happening?

Just as she finished saying sorry a crowd of little kids started to push me playfully towards the side walk where a taxi was waiting for me. The door was opened so as soon as they pushed me forcefully I ended up at the back seat of the car.

“Ahjussi what’s happening?” that was the only thing I managed to say as the engine started. The mirror at the front seat reflected my face with an expression of what-the-hell-is-going-on all over my face.

The driver just smiled at me as a response.

When I finally snapped out of it, we were already at the train station. The driver even said that I don’t need to pay since my “boyfriend” already paid for my fare.

My mouthed gapped as the taxi drove away. I walked inside the station with my head spinning round. I wanted to just run up to a stranger and asked him WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?! AM I STILL DREAMING OR WHAT? But if did that maybe I’ll end up in a mental hospital instead.

 As I walked around the busy station of Seoul I noticed it was already dark outside. I checked out my wrist watch. It read 6:09 pm. Feeling tired I decided to decided to take a rest on a bench I spotted not far from where I stood. As I approached nearer, someone caught my attention. He was seated on the bench. He had a short black hair and had two piercings in his left ear. His head was bobbing, probably sleeping, while white familiar earphones were plugged to both his ears. I sat beside him since it was the only seat unoccupied when suddenly his head fell on my shoulders. I cringed in surprise while he suddenly woke up and slowly opened his eyes.

My eyes popped out as I realized it was HONGKI!

We were eyeing each other for a whole minute when I finally snapped out and spoke, “Y-you cut your hair. Last time your hair was until your shoulders but now it’s—“

He snickered, “Yeah.”

“And y-you—p-piercing—”

This time he laughed heartily, “You’re speaking gibberish but I think I get you. Nope, my pierces were there ever since so don’t be too surprised.” He looked at his watch, “Oh! It’s our train come on!”

In a split of second, he was holding my hand as we got on the train.