Kai waited for the elderly man to respond. Every second passed by like a minute. He continued staring at the old man till he finally gave a little nod. A simple nod made Kai overwhelmed with delight.

 

Kai got out of his bed excitedly like the little child he was.

 

“Grandfather?” Suzy looked at Kai, as she raised one eyebrow. It was confusing. All of this. An elderly man appears in the forest, and he's Kai's grandfather? 

 

Kai heard this, but he didn’t know how to respond. He couldn’t believe it too. His greatly admired grandfather, here, right in front of his eyes too. The same eyes that beamed brightly as before. He rubbed his eyes to confirm it wasn’t a dream. He opened his eyes once more, and his mouth turned into a small grin.

 

He took a step forward, but the happiness and excitement that was surging within him, got him to quicken his pace as he gradually approached the elderly man, who was now standing up, right in front of him.

 

“It is you, Grandfather!” Kai shouted as he warmly embraced the elderly man.

 

The elderly man gently patted his back, as he too closed his eyes and smile. Feeling the warmth of his grandson's tight embrace. 

 

“It’s been a while Jong In.” He whispered into Kai’s ear. Contentment filled his body as  he saw his grandson again. 

 

Kai could feel tears trickle down his eyes. His grandfather, his best friend, back here with him. It was more than what he could ever wish for.

 

His grandfather moved backwards, taking a good look at his grandson who had grown so much.

 

“Silly child. Why are you crying?” The elderly man said, as he brought his hands to Kai’s face. Wiping away the tears that had landed themselves on his cheek.

 

“Now, you should explain to your friend. It’s not nice to ignore someone.” The grandfather smiled as he looked at Kai, and then to Suzy

 

“Ah… Suzy! This is my grandfather.” Kai turned to Suzy and gave an expression that she had never seen before. An expression that showed glee, joy, and excitement. All mixed together. An expression similar to a little kid who had just been given a rainbow coloured lollipop.

 

Suzy stood up and bowed at the elderly man. “Hello Sir. My name is Suzy. I’m Kai’s friend” she politely greeted at the elderly man, who nodded in response.

 

“Jong In! You got to give me details to why such a pretty girl is standing in front of me!” The grandfather cheekily nudged his grandson.

 

“Jong… In?” Suzy widened her eyes in curiosity. Puzzled. Who’s Jong In?

 

“You didn’t even tell her about that? You clueless little boy. What do you know about girls!?” Kai’s grandfather chuckled as he continued teasing his grandson.

 

“Erm… Jong In, that’s my birth name. Kim Jong In.” Kai looked at Suzy, avoiding the teasing Grandfather’s eyes.

 

Suzy then realised how her knowledge of Kai was so vague.

 

She hung her head low, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink at how she didn’t even know his real name. 

 

“But, I’m more used to the name Kai!” Kai tried to lighten the atmosphere but he wasn’t succeeding. He could read Suzy’s disappointed expression. His grandfather noticed his helpless grandson in distress and opted to help him.

 

“So … what’s the relationship between the both of you?” The elderly man sat back down on his stool and looked mischievously at Suzy then at Kai.

 

“N-Nothing Grandfather!” Kai replied almost instantly. He was then blushing at his quick denial.

 

The elderly man let out a laugh as he heaved a long and deep sigh and shook his head.

 

After a few moments of awkward silence, the elderly man spoke again.

 

“Hey Suzy. Are you interested to know why Jong In calls himself Kai?”

 

In the elderly man’s eyes, a story could change the atmosphere, almost like magic. No matter how glum someone can be, no matter how upset, a story with a happy ending could bring one in high spirits again. Well, that was witnessed from Kai.

As a child, whenever Kai was upset, a story could always turn his frown upside down. 

Stories had the power to bring people closer too. Letting the story slowly play itself in their minds, slowly witnessing the happiness in the story. Smiling at each other, at the sweet joyful moments. Getting a suspenseful feeling at the . Feeling anger and rage when the villian does something evil. All these feelings, portrayed with a simple story. 

Which is why he thought: A story could always bring two together, no matter how far apart their hearts were.

 

Suzy nodded her head in excitement. Something about the elderly man, made her feel like she was a kid again. Suzy simply adored stories too. When she was alive, she made it a point to read a book in her free time. Books had the power of making someone completely forget about something bad. And as she read books, she too forgot about the pain she was feeling.

 

Suzy sat on the bed as she waited for the elderly man to begin his tale. Kai too, took a seat beside her. And anticipated his grandfather’s story. Like the good old times. 

The main lead was a little boy named Kai. He had a great power. Which was to make any one happy. No matter how dull or upset a situation was, Kai could brighten it up once more. Somehow.

He brought the poor kids in the slums food, toys and whatever to brighten up their lives. He helped the elderly of the village in various kinds of tasks. Varying from chores to even babysitting little children. He was known as the village's beloved boy. The boy who seemed like he lived for others more than himself. 

Why? Because no one ever tried to make Kai happy. No one bothered. But he was happy any way. Seeing others happy. Which made him live day by day, watching others live by happily. Helping those in need. But one day.

One day.

Something changed. He met someone that made things different.

 

Kai took a short walk by the lake of his hometown. He was tasked to fetch a bucket of water from the lake. He whistled a tune as he gazed dreamily at the mixture of apricot, cream and peach in the sky. He watched the sun gradually faded into the horizon. He took a few steps, when he noticed a girl.  A girl cloaked in a beautiful pastel yellow dress. Her hair was in a simple bun, with a chopstick poked through it. She had porcelain white skin, with eyes filled with hope yet with a tinge of sadness. 

You could say, her appearance captivated him at once. Something made Kai feel that he wanted to protect her. 

Step by step, with a slight hesitation, he approached the girl.

She turned around and saw Kai staring at her.

But before either of them could speak a word, a man brought her away. Telling her she wasn’t allowed to leave the house. 

He managed to take one last good look at her, before her silhouette faded into the darkness that now appeared after the sun had set. 

Kai didn’t even know her name, but he never forgot her appearance.

Each day, Kai thought of her. Thinking about where she was. Thinking of how she was.

When he finally met her again.

He was out by the slums of the district, holding two bags filled with buns. He was ready to bring it to the starving poor children that lived there.

But something caught his eyes. The same beautiful pastel yellow dress right in front of him again.

She was there, patting a little boy’s head. She didn’t pay attention to the dirty marks he had on his body. Neither did she care if her dress got dirty.

She reached her hand into her pocket as she took out a piece of candy.

She bent down beside the little boy and gave him the candy, together with a warm and sweet smile. 

This was when she noticed Kai. Staring at her intently. 

She got up, and the little boy, eyes beaming at the candy he had just received, ran off, to show it off to his other friends.

Kai and the girl were left there alone. In the middle of the slums. 

It was as though the world had stop rotating for them. 

But, neither of them spoke a word. 

It was as if, their minds were connected somehow. 

 

They both asked for each other’s names, before the girl left in a hurry.

But that was not the last time they met.

Every time Kai visited the slums, she was there, dressed in a different coloured dress, spending time with the little children, sharing delicious candies with them.

 

This was when Kai knew, she wasn’t just beautiful on the outside. But also in the inside.

After a few encounters, they started talking to each other. They got closer and closer and gradually became best friends.

This was when Kai finally knew that, she brought him happiness.

No one ever could do the same thing. Like she did.

He fell in love with her beauty. She was the most perfect being in his eyes.

But everything changed when she stopped coming to the slums.

Day after day, Kai sat by the same bench they always sat at, waiting for her.

But she never came. And he knew nothing about about her background, which is why he could never find her. Even when he asked the other villagers, they shook their heads, saying they had never heard of her. 

Days passed, weeks passed, months passed, years passed. She never came.

Kai was 14 at that time. And now he was 18.

He tried to forget her since he could never find her. But he couldn’t.

He could never find another person who could make him happy like she did.

 

Kai decided to visit the bench once more. Before he left. Permanently.

He was tasked to leave the district and work at another part of the country.

He didn’t put his hopes up high. He visited the bench, every day before he turned 17. Hoping she would be there. 

At 17, he visited it once every three days. Whenever he visited, he sat by there, and let the hours pass by. He felt happy whenever he was there. Just imagining her being by his side.

 

He let his feet bring him to the exact same spot.

And there she was.

She, who grew at least 10cm taller. She, who had grown even more elegant and beautiful.

She sat there.  Staring at the clear blue sky. Wearing a different dress, but of the same colour of when they first met.

When she noticed him, she immediately stood up.

Kai didn't know what was that overpouring feeling within him. 

His pace quickened, as he went forward and brought her into a tight embrace.

He felt tears dripping down his cheeks, as he felt the warmth from her body going through his. 

As the hug broke, he felt her caress his tear-filled cheeks.

“I’m sorry. Sorry for leaving you all this while.”

She had explained, that her wealthy yet cruel stepfather had locked her away in the house. After finding out that she left every day suspiciously, he followed her one day, and saw Kai. With her. So he decided to lock her away. 

But this changed when her mother returned. Her mother loved her dearly. And she set her free. Her mother knew of the boy from the slums. And let her go.

And she immediately ran here.

To meet him.

All this while, spending time without him, she finally realised.

That he was the only one who made her heart flutter and beat faster at the simple thought of him. It was him who made her feel on top of the world when she imagined him by his side.

It was Kai she wanted to spend her life with in the future. 

Which is why. They started anew. And ventured beyond. Together.

 

---

 

So as Kai was a child, he too wanted to bring others happiness. He wanted to be like the Kai in the story. Like how he brought happiness to others. And like the little seven year old he was, he dreamed of having a girl like that too. He pestered me everyday, asking when she would come. And whether there was someone like her in the world, for him. 

 

Kai was extremely thrilled listening to the story once more, especially from his Grandfather again. But he couldn't hide his embarrassment that Suzy was there listening to it too.

Keeping a name from a fairytale, seemed a little childish to him. But it meant so much to him.

That was, after his grandfather passed away.

 

 

 

 

---

 

 

Ok i'm really sorry that half of this chapter is a side story. ;/ 

& that its really not that special. Felt uneasy posting it. LOL 

&&

Thanks for all your comments! They’re great appreciated ;)

Next chapter is probably still on Kai & with someone else ^^ . Don't forget about Ji Eun (IU) though! :) 

 

Oh i had a sudden burst of inspiration for another fic. 

And it stars Jinyoung & Suzy. HAHAHAHHAHAAH. Don't worry, i'll finish this before i start another~ 

 

i'll update soon! :)