“Ma~ I’m hungry!” The tall kid whined, running into the kitchen, to see that her mother is sitting at the dining table, frowning. She shot a glare at the kid, shocking the kid. Realising what she just did, the adult got up immediately and hugged the kid, apologising. There’s no doubt she loves this kid. But she had just made up a decision just now to solve their problem. It’s cruel, but she had no choice.

“... Sooyoung, let’s go to the park and play, okay? I will buy you some ice-cream later.” The woman patted the kid gently, and the kid smiled, nodding. Sooyoung ran back to the room to get changed. Seeing how happy and cute her child was, the woman felt a tug on her heart. She couldn’t bear to do it. But her finances is killing her. They did not have enough money.

Ring. Ring~ Ring. The phone started ringing suddenly.

“Hello?” She picks up the phone reluctantly, after seeing the number on the caller id.

“Are you done?”

“... Going to. Don’t rush me...”

“If you want me to support you, get rid of that trash. I don’t need someone that would eat my money away. Neither do I want a child of another man.”

“Shut up! She’s not a trash!”

“Ma~ I’m ready~” The kid interrupted the conversation over the phone. The woman hung up on the call immediately, trying her best to replace her frown with a motherly smile.

“Alright, let’s go.”

.....

“Stay here and play, Sooyoung. I will go and buy ice-cream for you.” The woman pats her child for one last time, before leaving her alone in the playground, with the other kids. Holding her tears in and bearing with the pain in her chest, she ran off. She had done it. In order to get the support from that man, she had done it. She abandoned her own child.

Sooyoung didn’t even have the time to nod. She watched as her mother runs away, before resuming her own little game. She never thought that she would never get her ice-cream, and never see her mother again. She made friends at the playground, and played with them happily, forgetting the fact that her mother was gone for a long time already. Soon, night falls, and all the other kids went home with their parents. She was left alone.

“Ma~” She turns around, to see that her mother isn’t there. “... Ma? W.. Where are you? Ma!” She shouted, looking around frantically. She’s scared. She wants to cry. She wants her mother. And she wants some comfort. But she finds none of it. She sat on the swing, hoping that her mother will come back soon to look for her.

“Little girl..” Someone tapped on her shoulder suddenly, making her scream. “Oh.. Wait. I’m sorry for scaring. What are you doing here alone? It’s late already.”

“... I.. I’m waiting for Ma...” She answered, looking at the person. It’s a policeman. Probably patrolling around the area. The policeman frowned suddenly, looking around. Only a few young couples around the corner and no one else. It’s obvious that this kid is abandoned.

“Do you know how the way back home?” He asked, and the kid shook her head. He sighed. “Come on kid, let’s go to somewhere that will give you some warm... It’s cold out here.”

-----

“She’s abandoned.” The next morning, Sooyoung was brought to a place full of kids. She looks around with curiosity, before running to a group of kids nearby and started playing with them. “So I brought her here...”

The lady in charger nodded, and thanked the policeman, before approaching the tall kid. She held her small hand in hers, and brought her to a room, settling her down on the sofa and sitting down beside her.

“What’s your name?”

“Sooyoung. Who’re you?” The kid asked, giving her a questioning look.

“Your guardian from now onwards, Sooyoung.”

“... I.. I don’t need a guardian! I got my Ma. Ma will definitely come and look for me!” Sooyoung retorted, getting off the sofa and running away. The policeman had brought her home yesterday and explained to her that she is abandoned. But she don’t believe it. She knows that her mother loves her a lot. She believe that her mother would never abandon her. But after waiting for nearly three months, her mother never came. Not even once. She had given up.

For the next two months, she had been stuffing herself with food and isolating herself. Eating is the only way to make her happy and forget about that fact that her mother had abandoned her temporarily. The lady in charge was worried, but there’s nothing she could do about it. Sooyoung refused to listen to her. Anyone who tries to get close, would get hit by her.

One day, she is walking to her secret spot to eat some potato chips, when she heard someone crying suddenly. Approaching with caution, she saw a girl sitting at her secret spot, crying silently. “What are you doing?” Unsure that the girl is actually crying or not, she decided to ask first. The girl looked up, and it’s confirmed. The girl is. “... Wait. Are you crying..?” She felt sad suddenly. For herself and for this girl.

“.. G.. go away...” The girl hides her face instantly.

“.. Here. Eat this. I bet it will cheer you up.” Sooyoung didn’t know what is she doing, offering her potato chips to the girl. She never share her food before, but now, she is actually trying to do that. Seeing that the girl is hesitating, she grabbed a bunch of chips and stuffed it into the girl’s mouth. “It’s my first time sharing my food, you know. Give me some face...” She watched as the girl munched on the chips quietly, noticing some crumbs around . “.. It’s all over your face, pabo..” She used her own hand to wipe the crumbs away for the girl. “I’m Sooyoung. What’s your name?”

“... Y.. Yoona..”

“That’s a nice name. Very suitable for your cute face.” Sooyoung smiled. She really thinks that this girl is cute. And she is determined to make her smile. To make her happy. “Come, show me a smile. As a repay to my kindness, show me a smile.” Yoona stares at her for a moment, before smiling. A genuine smile. “There! See? It’s good. Smiling is good. Isn’t your mood better now?” Sooyoung pats the girl continuously.

She’s happy that she managed to get the girl to smile. Grabbing the girl’s hand, she pulled the girl up and dragged the girl down the corridor. “Come on. Let’s get more food.”

“Yoona!” She heard someone calling the name of her new found friend.

“M.. My sister is calling me..” Yoona spoke.

“I know. But cheering you up is more important. Come~” Sooyoung grinned, speeding up. She pulls the girl into the snack room, and grabbed the tin of cookie, putting it on the floor. “Sit down. Let’s eat~” Yoona sat down in front of her, and soon, both of them are eating. Sooyoung tries to crack some jokes, and Yoona laughed. It makes Sooyoung happy. She’s glad that she is cheering someone up. And she never wants to abandon this friend. She never wants to leave this friend. Never.