Seven years later

Seoul, South Korea

Time passed in a blink of eye but yet the scar remains. You don’t read it wrong. It has been seven years. It has been seven years since the last time he saw her. The last time ever he could feel his heart beat and its temperature. It was not easy to heal his heart but at least, he tried.

Kim Jong Kook walked down from his black colored luxury car with his right-hand man, Cha Tae Hyun beside him. It was nine in the morning that people are coming back and forth. He uttered a light smile each time he saw his employees bowing politely to him. However, a group of kids standing not far from him caught his attention.

“Do we have events for kids these days?” Jong-Kook asked with his narrowed brows.

Tae-Hyun nodded and replied, “Didn’t you forget that we created our own museum for aircrafts miniatures and aviation learning center for kids? It’s now open for public.”

“Ah, right.” Said Jong-Kook as his eyes are glued at the group of kids who looked like either in their early elementary or kindergarten.

The kids are seen hearing the instruction that their teachers are saying and Jong-Kook smiled for another time as he found them cute.

However, Cha Tae Hyun’s phone beeped and he rolled his eyes as soon as he read the message. He glanced at Jong-Kook, “I’m sorry but I think I have to go out for a while, Jong-Kook ah.”

“Why?” Jong-Kook asked, feeling weird.

Tae-Hyun sighed softly, “My son’s homeroom teacher called and said he fought with another kid in his class.” He shook his head disbelief, “Kids might be troublesome sometimes.”

Jong-Kook giggled amusingly, “Yah! Kids are blessing and you are lucky that you worked for your best friend.”

Tae-Hyun tapped Jong-Kook’s shoulder lightly, “Let’s see when you have your own kid.” He scoffed and left the scene after saying his goodbye to Jong-Kook.

Enough with witnessing the kids, Jong-Kook walked straight towards the elevator that’s made only for him. He was about to press the close button until the presence of a little girl with her hair tied into space buns startled him. The elevator closed and it’s going up with both him and the little girl in it.

“Little girl, you are not supposed to be here.” Said Jong-Kook, still looking surprised.

The little girl ignored everything Jong-Kook said as her eyes wandered around the spacious elevator. She glanced at Jong-Kook and pointed at the device which could scan his iris, “Ahjussi, did you put your eyes in those?” She asked innocently.

Jong-Kook felt like his eyes stopped blinking for a while. Not because he’s startled with her presence but how on earth could she know?

“Eomma didn’t lie. It’s indeed so big.” She mumbled on her own as her eyes kept on looking around.

Jong-Kook scoffed and slightly rolled his eyes, “Little girl, let’s go down. Your seonsaengnim might be looking for you.”

The little girl shook her head immediately, “Shiro. This elevator is going up to the highest floor, isn’t it? Ahjussi, can you do me a favor? I really want to see the view from top.” She said, begging with her puppy eyes, “Ahjussi, only once, eo? My seonsaengnim will be touring around and I will immediately go down after I see the view.” She added.

Jong-Kook shook his head disbelief, “Andwae.” He replied strictly.

The little girl pouted and tears almost leaked out from her eyes, “Ahjussi je bal.”

Seeing her tears made Jong-Kook agape that he almost panicked, “Yah! Why are you crying? Ahjussi is not scolding you.”

The little girl suddenly approached Jong-Kook and reached his fingers, “Ahjussi, je bal.” She repeated and gave Jong-Kook her puppy eyes look.

Jong-Kook sighed softly because this is really beyond his expectation. He looked at the little girl and his heart melted once he noticed his eyes. Before he can say yes, the elevator opened, signing that they have arrived.

“Ahjussi, gomapseubnida.” The little girl said and walked out without waiting for Jong-Kook.

“Yah! I haven’t say yes!” Jong-Kook replied and followed her from behind. He’s worried enough if he might lose her.

The little girl looked around and obediently followed Jong-Kook into his office. Her eyes were glued at the big glassed wall which she could see Seoul from top. Her lips curled into a smile as she squatted while looking out there.

It’s weird. There’s a slight relief once Jong-Kook saw the genuine smile of her as if he’s happy too when she’s happy.

“Is it enough? Let’s go, ahjussi will bring you down.” Said Jong-Kook as he wanted to held her hand.

The little girl took a step back and shook her head, “Shiro. I want to see the Han river view longer.”

Jong-Kook giggled amusingly, “Little girl, you can see Han river whenever you want.”

“Aniyo. It’s only my second time.” She replied without looking at Jong-Kook.

Jong-Kook’s brows furrowed as he asked, “Mwo? Where are you living? Perhaps, you are not from Seoul?”

She shook her head gently, “Japan.”

He’s even more surprised now, “But you speak Korean fluently.”

The little girl finally glanced to Jong-Kook, “Eomma and harabeoji are Korean. Eomma and I came here last month but we rarely go out.”

Jong-Kook nodded his head as he understood the little information he received, “What’s your name?” He questioned.

The little girl smiled and bowed politely to him, “Annyeonghaseyo. Sorry for not greeting ahjussi politely. Dong-Baekie and I am six years old this year.”

The smile on Jong-Kook’s lips slowly faded when he heard her name. Why? Because Dong-Baek in Korean means Camellia. A glimpse of a women’s figure appeared in his head once he heard the word ‘Dong-Baek’. There’s only a name that he could think of each time he saw Camellia.

“Did you say Dong-Baek?” Jong-Kook asked.

Dong-Baek nodded vigorously, “Ne. Eomma likes Camellia so much that she named me after it.”

“K..Keurae?” Jong-Kook felt like he ran out of words for a while, doesn’t know what to say.

Dong-Baek’s brows narrowed as she found it weird, “Ahjussi, waeyo? Is my name weird? I have a friend who’s named after a flower and her name is Jang-Mi. Isn’t it cool?”

“Ani. Your name is beautiful, Dong-Baek ah.” Jong-Kook muttered and smiled genuinely to her. He’s sincere when he said that. This little girl has a pretty face and a pair of big round eyes which kinda reminds him of a person. However, something still bothers his mind that he asked her immediately, “How could you know that the elevator is going straight to the highest floor?”

Dong-Baek’s eyes are now wandering around the airplanes’ miniatures in Jong-Kook’s office, “Eomma told me so.” She replied without looking at Jong-Kook, “Ahjussi, are all of this yours?” She asked again as she pointed the miniatures.

He nodded his head, “Eomma?” He couldn’t be more confused that he asked again, “How could your eomma know?”

Dong-Baek stick out her tongue at Jong-Kook, “Secret.”

Jong-Kook rolled his eyes and scoffed at himself, “Yah! Didn’t your eomma tell you to never follow strangers? Ahjussi is a stranger.”

“Eomma said this building has tight security system.” The little girl replied easily.

It couldn’t be more surprising for Jong-Kook because how could a mother taught her kid something like this? He felt a little annoyed for a moment.

“Seriously? I really need to talk to her.” Jong-Kook said.

Dong-Baek shook her head, “Andwae. Eomma is working and she’s a busy woman. She gets really tired when she came back from work every night and ahjussi may not disturb her.”

Jong-Kook shook his head again. This little girl is just six years old but the way she speaks is just like an adult.

“Ahjussi, I am hungry.” Dong-Baek blurted out suddenly.

“Didn’t your eomma tell you about how strangers could be dangerous? How if ahjussi is a bad guy?” Jong-Kook asked again because it started to get stressful for him because he’s a complete stranger for her but how on earth could she trust him that much?

“But ahjussi you are not.” Dong-Baek replied through her smile.

Jong-Kook still doesn’t get it, “How can you know? Your eomma doesn’t even know me.”

“Eomma told me that there’s a special elevator in this building made only for a person and that person is a good man. Ahjussi went into that elevator. It means ahjussi is a good man.” The little girl answered confidently.

It’s getting even more bizarre for Jong-Kook. It feels like her eomma really know so many things about him and this building that he started to wonder who is her mother.

“What’s your mother’s name? Did she work here?” Jong-Kook questioned.

Dong-Baek opened her lips and when she’s about to answer, Jong-Kook’s phone rang. He picked up and it’s Yang Se Chan.

“Sajangnim, the security team reported that the teachers from Rainbow Kindergarten lost one of their students. When they checked the cctv, it was seen that she walked into the elevator together with you. Perhaps, did you see her? She’s six years old and –“

“Dong-Baekie?” Jong-Kook cut him.

“Yes. Song Dong Baek. Did you see her?”

“Eo. She’s here, Se-Chan ah. I will bring her down.” Said Jong-Kook and hung up the call before glancing back at the little girl who’s looking all innocent as if she didn’t do anything wrong.

He sighed before saying, “Little girl, y