“Chaeyoung-ah,” 

Chaeyoung felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned around she saw Jihyo, the cafe owner of the place she’s working, smiling softly at her.

She hummed, returning the smile. “You should go home.” She told the younger woman and when she was about to open , knowing she would reject the idea, she cut her off. “I will not take a no from you. You've been forcing yourself too hard, Chaeyoung.” 

Ever since she got fired from her previous work, all her applications were rejected and knowing well enough who’s behind all of these she gave up eventually and settled from working from her friend’s cafe. 

She gave up without a fight. She already knows what will happen to her if she ever attempts to. She will lose in the end anyway.

Chaeyoung sighed, Jihyo’s right she should at least take a rest for a while. But she doesn’t have anything to do after her shift.

“Alright, thank you Jihyo unnie.” Jihyo patted her head, giving her another motherly smile. 

When Chaeyoung changed into her clothes, she bid goodbye to her co-workers who had become her friends. Jihyo even gave her a new, fresh baked bread for her to eat at home.

Since she went off from work earlier than her usual time, she decided to walk instead of taking a bus. She smiled as she passed by different buildings. There is a flower shop not too far from the cafe, a bookstore next to it that looks so cozy and chill as she looks from the outside and boutiques.

The smile on her face didn’t leave her face until she passed by a park. She had always wanted to go to this park and walk around but because of how late she left from work, the place still looks dangerous since it’s an open space which means anyone could be lurking around at night.

She was almost near the end point of the park when she heard someone arguing with a child. She squinted her eyes as she was nearing what looked like an ice cream truck parked near the end point of the park.

“Your money...is not enough.” She heard a raspy voice, maybe coming from the owner of the ice cream truck who’s talking to a kid. She can hear the struggle of the old man as he was trying to talk in english to the kid. 

The kid was at his average height for a kid, he has an alabaster skin, very smooth if she will be honest, and he was wearing faded blue jeans and white branded sneakers (probably a three month worth salary of hers) and a white shirt topped with a blue flannel. She assumed he was 3 to 5 years old. 

She continued to listen to their conversation, not that she’s eavesdropping. No she’s not. 

“Well...I don’t have any more money with me but these coins I have in my pocket.” The kid said in straight english. She glanced over at the old man who was very confused about what this kid was saying.

“He’s probably raised in America.” She mumbled, though his features screamed Korean or maybe his parents taught him how to speak in english. 

“It’s not enough.” The old man could only say after a few seconds. 

Chaeyoung saw his face, though she could only see his side profile, pouting while looking at the ice cream longingly. 

Before she knew it, her feet brought her towards them, pulling her wallet and smiled at the old vendor. “How much is it?” She asked, glancing at the handsome boy. She tried to remain calm when she saw him already looking at her. 

A gasp was ready to be out of her lips. She doesn’t know if the world is trying to fool her. Because, right now, Chaeyoung was like looking at her younger self, but a boy version. He has the same round eyes that reminds her of a simba. Chaeyoung bit her lips when she remembered someone who told her that she looks like a simba. 

When the old vendor gave the ice cream he wanted, she gave it to him immediately. “Thank you so much!” What made her even was when she received a warm hug from him. She didn’t expect to receive it from a stranger. 

When he pulled away, she stared at him, weird she thought because they have the same shape of lips and that toothy smile that made him more like a simba. Or maybe, it’s just a coincidence. 

All Koreans look the same though.

She gave him a smile, “You’re welcome.” She even raffles his hair as he devours the ice cream she gave. 

She looks around, trying to find his parents because it’s too dangerous to leave their child alone, especially because he's too handsome to be left alone in a public place. 

“Where’s your parents?” She asked, dragging him with him at the near empty bench that has the view of the park. 

She glanced at him when she didn’t receive any answer from him. She chuckled when she saw some remnants of ice cream around his lips. She reaches for her handkerchief and wipes it off for him. 

“I don’t know.” He shrugged while the ice cream that made Chaeyoung frown. “They told me they have to buy something in the store and I should stay where they left me.”

“You know it’s dangerous for you to be alone, especially if you're not too familiar with the place.” Chaeyoung could only sigh. “Based on how you talk, I assume you’re not raised here?” 

The little guy nodded, glancing at her. “Though I was born here, we migrated to America when I was months old.” 

Chaeyoung hummed, staring at the view in front of them. There were people riding a bike, some families having a picnic with their child playing not too far from them and some pets and pet owners playing at the pet park. Chaeyoung flashes a small smile, it is so good to see this kind of scene in your busy life. 

“Are you here for a vacation?” She can’t help being curious. 

The little boy started to swing his dangling legs on the bench they’re sitting on. “Yes,” Chaeyoung saw him looking at the family in front of them. They were playing with their kids, laughter could be heard from their place. “Maybe for a month or two.” He shrugged, “Depends on how long they will finish their business here.” 

Chaeyoung hummed, nodding her head. She bit her lips, she doesn’t know what to say anymore, but the atmosphere surrounding them was not as uncomfortable as she expected it to be. 

They were silent for a few minutes, the afternoon breeze was cold but bearable. She couldn’t help but to take a glance at him. He has this gentleness in his eyes that anyone could look at all day. What buffles her was the feeling of being home in his presence. A feeling that has been long gone since she left her.

“How old are you?” 

Chaeyoung quirk her eyebrows at the sudden question. “I’m 30 years old. How about you?”

He nodded at the information. “I’m four years old.” He glanced at her with a smile on his face. “Do you live around here?” Chaeyoung nodded. “Then why aren’t you leaving then?”

Chaeyoung chuckled as she ruffled his soft hair. “I’ll leave until your parents come. I’ll stay with you for a while.” 

“Thank you.”

Chaeyoung almost melted at her spot when she heard his little soft voice. Her frozen heart started to feel warm at just his little presence. She doesn’t know that she is still capable of feeling this way because as far as she knows she had built a wall to protect her heart from inevitable heartaches. 

It was painful that she almost lost herself in the process. 

That she almost killed herself when she decided to file a divorce years ago. 

She shook her head. She didn’t want to remember how miserable she was that day. And how she wanted to kneel down in front of her to stay and accept all the consequences after. She’s all she had, after her parents died. 

But she knows she couldn’t do anything about it. So she defeatedly accepted her faith. She doesn’t know where she is right now, the last news she had was she flew away with her parents.

That she know, she doesn’t want anything to do with her anymore. So the first thing she did was to leave the house they built together. But she couldn’t sell it. It was a reminder of their success together. 

There’s a lot of memories that needed to be buried in the past togeth