The bus pulled up in front of you, the hydrolic doors opening with a whoosh. You walked onto the bus, your card beeping in your back pocket. You slumped onto your seat fixing your teal fringed bangs. Your head rested against the seat as you closed your eyes feeling goosebumps raise on your arms as the airconditioning blasted above you. The next stop was announced over the intercom and a smile spread across your face. A small girl walked onto the bus humming to SPICA with her eyes closed, her bright pink head bobbing with the beat of the music. A mischevious thought invaded your mind and your foot crept into her path.

Her ankle made contact with your foot and you swept it underneath her. The girls eyes shot open as she tumbled towards the floor, and landed with an oomph. Slowly she sat up, blinking as she tried to realize what had in fact happened, an earphone hanging loosely.

You placed a hand over your mouth laughing into it trying to hold back. Neri looked up to see who had assaulted her. She pounded her palms on the floor kicking her feet like a two year old. "Yah!!" She yelled, pounding her fist onto the floor.

"Mehrong," you teased before leaning over and pushing her forehead with your finger. "Paboyah, that's what you get for not watching where you were going..." You scolded her with a chuckle before reaching out your hand to help her up onto the seat next to you. She dusted herself off before blowing her bangs away from her eyes.

"How are you eonni?" She asked with a smile leaning her head on your shoulder. You leaned your temple against her head and sighed. At your answer she laced her fingers in yours and puffed her cheeks out. "Do you need me to do anything?"

You nodded your head. "Your class finishes at the same time as Minjae's after school program right?" you asked, eyes closed.

"Eung," Neri hummed, "I'll pick him up if you need it." You smiled, she knew you so well.

"Neh," you nodded. "I need you to take him to the hospital, he wants to visit eomma. My shift today doesn't finish until a few hours after his after school program."

_______________

You pushed the door to the shelter open popping two allergy pills in your mouth.

"Annyeong Mina," You were greeted by your father's military friend. He smiled as widely as possible with the right side of his mouth, the left side of his face stretched taught by the webbed scarring left by explosions. Yet, even with half a face, he was a rather handsome thirty-three year old, the scar hadn't invaded his hair line and it gave him character.

"Annyenghaseyo Jaesung Oppa," you bowed slightly and smiled in return. You walked up to him and placed a gentle hand on his scar. He closed his eyes with a smile. "minamja," you complemented and removed your hand. "Minamja," you complemented again.

"Stop lying Mina, I'm too old to be lied to." He smiled at you, brushing your bangs from your face.

"I wouldn't be so disrespecful so as to lie to you. You are handsome no matter what, I just need to remind you so you don't think you need some surgery or something. It gives you character, and an icebreaker when meeting women. You get to be a hero and say how you sheilded my father from a grenade!" You smiled at him. It had always been this way between you, this comfortable skinship and way of speaking. He had become a father to you after your father was killed in war. Jaesung was the youngest in your father's platoon. He had learned quickly and at only twenty-three years of age, served with the older and experienced soldiers.

"Mina, look." Jaesung smiled, holding his hand out for you.

"What about your hand?" You asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Pabo, take it." He said as he grabbed your hand in his and led you behind the counter to see the basket of tiny newborn puppies.

"Waaaaaa~ Gwiyeopda!" You ran over dropping your bag underneath the counter and let go of his hand. You the puppies softly before turning to him once more. "Jaesung oppa, how is Mtani?" You asked as you scratched a black puppy's belly. He looked at you, his eyes melancholy.

"She had trouble giving birth we almost had to put her down. She is in her crate if you want to see her. She is recovering from surgery so she is very lethargic." You stood up quickly and ran to the crates at the back of the shelter. You knelt by Mtani's crate and opened the latch, door creaking open. The black Jindo only shifting her eyes to see you. You leaned in closely and her coat tenderly.

"Hey Mtani, you need to get better, ok? Your pups need their eomma." She your hand lazily, nuzzling into the crevice between your thigh and calf.

"You really miss her dont you?" Jaesung stood leaning against the doorway, bottle feeding one of the puppies. You looked up at him with a smile.

"Of course I missed her. I love this dog." You scratched Mtani's back.

Jaesung shook his head. "I meant your eomma."

You sighed chewing on the inside of your cheek. You didn't take your eyes off the Jindo as you replied. "Neh..." you looked at him forcing a smile. "But I can manage."

Jaesung squatted by you, his hand placed on your shoulder. He squeezed it reassuringly and smiled. His face lighting up. "That's my strong dongsaeng." He stood up and attended to some paperwork. "How is she?"

"The lupus in her liver attacked her causing complications with the filtration of the chemotherapy in her blood stream. Doctor Kim said the cancer may start to spread to her blood," your voice caught in your throat. "I... Jaesung, I'm scared." He turned around to see you twidling your thumbs. He sat down in the office chair spinning absentmindedly as he blew air at the ceiling.

"There's a Thai food place down the street, you want to go get some Thai Iced Tea?" He rested his elbows on his knees and wiggled his eyebrows. "I know its your favorite."

You raised your eyebrow at him, "Oppa the crates have to be cleaned, the dogs have to be bathed-"

"Ah, that can be done later, after your Bobba cheers you up." He inturrupted, pulling our his wallet and handed it to you shooing you towards the door.

_______________

You walked out of Thai Table sipping on your iced tea. The cold drink cascading down your throat deliciously. Part of you was happy that Minjae would be able to see your mother today, but you were hesitant because she didn't look the same as she had when he last saw her.

You pushed the fears away and went back to work.