shi

Byul stands up, her hands going to her hair, pulling at it, looking around the park in despair, hoping someone just witnessed what transpired. (Byul refuses to call it a kidnapping because she does not want to believe that she just lost one of the most precious beings that was entrusted to her). Of course no one was there. Part of the reason they went to this park was because of how secluded it was compared to the rest of the park. No unwanted harassers but also no good Samaritans to help her.

She takes her phone out debating whether or not to call the police that can lead to more leaks and can put Shia's life in danger. She dials the one number that she knows could help her calm down.

She presses the phone to her ear as she listens to the rings.

The ringing ends and there was silence before a raspy voice croaks a, "Hello?"

"Yong!" Byul says her name with such relief.  "Are you busy?"

"I just woke up," Yong says. Byul can hear her puttering around. "I was the last one to film last night so I just went to go take a nap-" Byul assumes she was checking something, "3 hours ago? That can't be right," she mutters to herself, "Why do I feel like I just got dragged from high waters and back?" Byul can hear her muttering to herself, but she couldn't catch any words as it was too low.

"Yong please," Byul says. "I made a dumb mistake."

"Moon Byulyi, I swear to god if you broke another door doing one of your stupid-"

"Unnie! It's not that!" Byul interrupts her rants, not wanting to hear another underserved lecture about the fragility of doors, doorknobs, and doorways. She drops her voice to a whisper, afraid of being heard. "I lost Shia-yah."

No response.

Byul pulls the phone away from her ear to and checks the screen to make sure they were still connected. "Unnie?"

"What do you mean you lost Shia-yah?!"

Byul gulps. "I don't know okay?!" She yells, tears of frustration were building at the corner of her eyes.  "This girl just came and stomped on my feet and took Shia! Unnie, I don't know what to do!" The tears were at their precipice and Byul was on a brink of a meltdown in public park with the two ducks as her only witness. "Unnie?" she whimpers.

She hears some conversation being exchanged in the background, but Yong must've put her phone in her pocket as Byul couldn't hear it clearly. Her clothes muffling it.

When she hears Yong's breathing back on the phone, she asks, "Where are you?"

"I was taking a nap on set, Byul," Yong whispers. She can hear her walking, saying a polite excuse me to the crew. "That was Hyerim unnie. She says Hyejinie is wondering when you guys will be back. She's still filming."

"Unnie, I don't know what to do," Byul says again. She paces, back and forth, up and down the grass, as if trying to create a well-worn pattern. "Should I call the police?"

"You haven't called the police? Why did you call me first before the police?"

"Cos your our leader! Lead me!"

There was silence on the other side a sign that Yong was thinking. "No, don't call the police,"  Yong says, confusing Byul. "We need to keep these out of the tabloids and those cops can't keep their  damn mouth shut. I know someone who'll help us."

"Okay Unnie," Byul says.

"Which park are you at?"

"The one by the studio."

"Okay, just wait for me there."

"Okay." Byul looks around before sitting a few feet away where she was. She lays her sweater out and lays on it. There’s nothing to do but wait. One good thing about the lady that grabbed Shia. Byul knows she had good intentions. Hopefully, Shia remains safe.

-

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-

"," Wheein curses as she looks at the little girl looking back at her. "What did I just do?"

Shia continues to look up at her, no fear or hesitation whatsoever. She blinks. "."

Wheein's eyes widens as her hands automatically comes up to cover the little girl's mouth. "No nonono. We don't say that word. Okay?" She mimics nodding with her head until the little girl bobs her head as well. "Okay," she says as she pulls her hand away.

"!" Shia screams gleefully raising her hands up in the air, drawing all the attention to them.

Wheein just covers her face until Shia stopped trolling her. "Shia, where's your mom?"

"Hearsing," Shia answers. She holds her arms up, seemingly looking comfortable around Wheein. Wheein dutifully picks her up. She didn't need to receive anymore weird looks. Shia pats her cheeks with her small hand. She starts walking with her towards her friend's house. "Wheeinah."

Wheein stops as she looks down at Shia. Her eyes scream familiarity but she doesn't know who. "How did you know my name?"

"Eomma," Shia answers. "Eomma's fwiend, Wheeinah."

"Do you know your eomma's name, Shia?" Wheein asks. She tries to remember if she has any friends that has kids, but she's pretty sure none of them do. Especially since most of them are just starting in their careers.

"Eomma's name is eomma," Shia says.

Wheein sighs. Of course  little kids wouldn't know that their parents have an actual name. She takes out her phone and scrolls down her list of contacts to see which one she could run to right now. She looks over her shoulder. She really does feel like a fugitive right now.

She feels Shia playing with her dimple. She didn't mind. kids and adults alike were fascinated with it for some reason.

Shia pokes her dimple, giggling, drawing a smile from Wheein. She pokes it again. "Flour dough."

Wheein freezes mid-step. She looks down at the little girl, still giggling, unaware of the small confusion and agitation that she just stirred. Wheein hopes that she was hearing things. The ringing on the other side of her ear where the phone was pressed up against was probably just making her hear things. Yeah that's it. I'm just hearing things.. No one has called her that nickname since…

Wheein shakes her head, trying to free her thoughts. She'd rather not revisit that.

She presses the phone harder against her ear to make sure she doesn't miss it if her friend picks up.

She makes sure that Shia was secure against her. It must look comical to passerbys. She was barely over 5' and she was carrying a little girl ¾ of her size.

"Hello?"

Wheein almost jumps at the relief she felt hearing a familiar voice. "Namjoo?"

"Wow," Namjoo whistles and Wheein can feel herself flush in embarassment, knowing she's about to get called out. "You remember what a phone is?" There was no malice in her tone just a good old teasing.

"Namjoo," Wheein whines.

Namjoo laughs. "What's up, Whee?"

"You still live near that park right?"

"Yeah."

"Can I come by?" Wheein asks, opting not to mention her current predicament.

"A phone call and a visit?" Namjoo asks, surprise. "Are you finally coming out of your hermit ways?"

"Still a hermit, but a hermit in need of dire help," Wheein says, her hold tightening on Shia as they were jostled by the crowd. She didn't want to lose the little girl.

"Flour dough!" Shia shrieks right in her ear, making Wheein cringe.

"Is that a kid?" Namjoo asks.

"Yeah that's the help I need," Wheein says as she stops outside the building t