oo0 || prologue
the pursuit of happiness
00
prologue
"Out! Into the car!"
The small thin boy was trying his best not to cry as the tall burly man whip his baseball bat around, ushering the kids to get out of the door and into the awaiting truck. "W-where are we going?" He squeaked and he cried when he received a hit on his legs, causing him to stumble down.
"Jeno! You okay?" He stood up with the help of a fellow friend.
"Don't ask too much if you don't want to die in my hand. Get in quick."
He scampered away upon listening to the man's threat. He limped as he walked towards the awaiting truck. He saw the older kids offering their hands, and with the help of another kid, he felt himself being pulled in into the truck. He huddled into a corner, watching as the kids being piled up before the door closed down and all he saw was darkness. He must've fallen asleep after that, because he woke up startled when someone banged the door and opened the back of the truck, ushering them to get out.
"Get out fast and don't talk!"
This time, he didn't have the courage to speak up because the guy was carrying a gun. He jumped with wobbly legs as he followed the other kids into a small boat. He looked at it questioningly as he entered the lower deck, bulging his eyes when he saw there are tons of other people inside. Not just small kids like him but also big kids! And a few women too. He huddled himself in a corner, feeling cold in his thin shirt and worn-out shorts. His feet were freezing, not wearing any shoes. He saw several other kids sitting down next to him. He watched people after people filling the boat. After a while, people stopped entering and he felt the boat moving. He felt sick. And tired. And scared. He could hear people talking upstairs in a language he doesn’t understand. The lower deck was silent until a female cursed loudly.
The small thin boy was trying his best not to cry as the tall burly man whip his baseball bat around, ushering the kids to get out of the door and into the awaiting truck. "W-where are we going?" He squeaked and he cried when he received a hit on his legs, causing him to stumble down.
"Jeno! You okay?" He stood up with the help of a fellow friend.
"Don't ask too much if you don't want to die in my hand. Get in quick."
He scampered away upon listening to the man's threat. He limped as he walked towards the awaiting truck. He saw the older kids offering their hands, and with the help of another kid, he felt himself being pulled in into the truck. He huddled into a corner, watching as the kids being piled up before the door closed down and all he saw was darkness. He must've fallen asleep after that, because he woke up startled when someone banged the door and opened the back of the truck, ushering them to get out.
"Get out fast and don't talk!"
This time, he didn't have the courage to speak up because the guy was carrying a gun. He jumped with wobbly legs as he followed the other kids into a small boat. He looked at it questioningly as he entered the lower deck, bulging his eyes when he saw there are tons of other people inside. Not just small kids like him but also big kids! And a few women too. He huddled himself in a corner, feeling cold in his thin shirt and worn-out shorts. His feet were freezing, not wearing any shoes. He saw several other kids sitting down next to him. He watched people after people filling the boat. After a while, people stopped entering and he felt the boat moving. He felt sick. And tired. And scared. He could hear people talking upstairs in a language he doesn’t understand. The lower deck was silent until a female cursed loudly.
"They're selling us! They're bringing us to China! We're going to die!" She panicked.
Everyone began whispering between themselves. He panicked inside. Sold?
"How do you know?" Another woman spoke up.
"They're speaking in Chinese. I can understand them."
He clenched his fists, worrying himself.
"I-I have a kid, what am I supposed to do?" A woman suddenly spoke up with trembling voice.
He perked up and see a small baby, probably only a few months old, peeking from her jacket.
"How can you bring him? You're crazy! They're probably gonna sold him for illegal adoption! Oh god… It’s probably better for you to leave him at the road, at least someone will take him and bring him to the police office or something!"
Everyone began whispering between themselves. He panicked inside. Sold?
"How do you know?" Another woman spoke up.
"They're speaking in Chinese. I can understand them."
He clenched his fists, worrying himself.
"I-I have a kid, what am I supposed to do?" A woman suddenly spoke up with trembling voice.
He perked up and see a small baby, probably only a few months old, peeking from her jacket.
"How can you bring him? You're crazy! They're probably gonna sold him for illegal adoption! Oh god… It’s probably better for you to leave him at the road, at least someone will take him and bring him to the police office or something!"
The little boy shrunk on his space. He's scared. The boat rocked back and forth and the boy forced himself to sleep until there's loud voices everywhere. The boat came to a stop. He didn't know how long he was sailing but his body is numb from crouching too long and withstanding the cold. Suddenly someone opened the door of the lower deck with a gun in his hand.
"Everyone stand up and leave! Right now! Fast!"
The boy scrambled up on his feet, falling down quickly after clashing against the rush of people. He saw all the women being dragged forcefully. His eyes bulged when he saw the baby the previous woman had been hiding being left on the corner, crying amidst the loud noises but all the thugs didn't seem to notice.
The boy scooted carefully, slowly trying not to attract attention among the chaos and commotions, before bringing the baby to his chest, shushing it. He grabbed a fallen jacket to cover the baby and quietly followed the crowd outside. Once he’s out, the woman saw him and gave him a panicked look. He tried to squeeze his ways between people to get closer to the woman.
The boy scrambled up on his feet, falling down quickly after clashing against the rush of people. He saw all the women being dragged forcefully. His eyes bulged when he saw the baby the previous woman had been hiding being left on the corner, crying amidst the loud noises but all the thugs didn't seem to notice.
The boy scooted carefully, slowly trying not to attract attention among the chaos and commotions, before bringing the baby to his chest, shushing it. He grabbed a fallen jacket to cover the baby and quietly followed the crowd outside. Once he’s out, the woman saw him and gave him a panicked look. He tried to squeeze his ways between people to get closer to the woman.
“Imo—"
"Listen, kid. These people will hurt you. If you see a chance to run, then run! Take care of yourself and my baby, please. Sungchan. His name is Sungchan!"
“But, imo—”
“That truck? Do you see it? Get on it. It will bring you to the city. You can get help there,” She whispered before being dragged away.
"Listen, kid. These people will hurt you. If you see a chance to run, then run! Take care of yourself and my baby, please. Sungchan. His name is Sungchan!"
“But, imo—”
“That truck? Do you see it? Get on it. It will bring you to the city. You can get help there,” She whispered before being dragged away.
The boy looked around, trying to find a loophole. A chance to bolt. His eyes then bulged when he heard police sirens blaring loudly in the middle of the night. He tightened his hold on the baby, holding back his cry as the jacket fell down from his thin body. People are screaming. Police are firing guns. It was chaotic.
And so, he ran away.
And he made it.
He ran so fast, as fast as his bruising legs could take him. He saw an open truck and without the people noticing, he slid in, hoping the truck will stop somewhere and he can ask for help later on. It seems like luck was not on his side because after a few hours the truck stopped and the door was opened rather loudly, causing the baby on his hold to wail.
A guy cursed loudly.
The boy cried immediately.
And he made it.
He ran so fast, as fast as his bruising legs could take him. He saw an open truck and without the people noticing, he slid in, hoping the truck will stop somewhere and he can ask for help later on. It seems like luck was not on his side because after a few hours the truck stopped and the door was opened rather loudly, causing the baby on his hold to wail.
A guy cursed loudly.
The boy cried immediately.
"Help!" He begged and the guy looked at him funnily, not understanding the language he's speaking.
"Out!"
He trembled as he stepped down from the truck looking at the merciless guy who kicked him out of the truck.
"Out!"
He trembled as he stepped down from the truck looking at the merciless guy who kicked him out of the truck.
He dragged his cold tired body to walk. It's probably late at night because there isn’t anybody on the street. He didn't know where he is. He's probably in China just like the woman in the boat said. He touched the baby's head, feeling the cold temperature. He tightened his hold, trying to warm the infant as much as he could with his skinny arms. He cried helplessly as he looked at the closed stores around him. His crying intensified when rain started to pour, causing him to get cold and wet. His small body shook as he felt the baby not crying anymore, the tiny body stiff from cold.
"S-Sungchan? Your name is Sungchan, right? Baby?" He rocked his arms, panicking when the baby didn't move.
He cried as he walked with his tired legs trying to find a shelter. His eyes light up when he saw a fence, opened slightly. With trembling hands, he pushed the fence. He found a slight hope when he saw the lights inside the house was on. He walked as fast as he could before knocking the door. His whole body is freezing. He knocked the door again and he saw a tall guy looking at him in surprised.
"S-Sungchan? Your name is Sungchan, right? Baby?" He rocked his arms, panicking when the baby didn't move.
He cried as he walked with his tired legs trying to find a shelter. His eyes light up when he saw a fence, opened slightly. With trembling hands, he pushed the fence. He found a slight hope when he saw the lights inside the house was on. He walked as fast as he could before knocking the door. His whole body is freezing. He knocked the door again and he saw a tall guy looking at him in surprised.
"Help…" he croaked.
A/N
Hello! It's me byuntaefangull, and i'm back with another JaeRi story! I noticed that there's an apparent lack of JaeRi and NCTVelvet stories in general in this platform, and so, why don't I make another one? LOL. This is my 3rd JaeRi story on AFF! I'm surprised at myself lol. So if you're here from any of my two previous JaeRi story... hi again!
I posted like... 4 bonus chapters on vivre and I think the story is already good as it is and i don't want to keep piling up random bonuses. that's why i started this story!
And if you're here from catch him if you can, I stated that it was one of my most ambitious and longest story ever with 30 chapter and more than 78k of words.... I might be eating my own LMAO. This story was supposed to be a short something, but I spent the pandemic watching at way too many K-Dramas so I got all my creative juices going, and... this story... might be... longer than 30 chapters...?? This will be a lighter story compared to CHIYC, but not as light as vivre so I HOPE YOU GUYS WON'T BE BORED asdfghjkl, I promise I will put as many fluffs as possible because we all need a little fluff in this life, yeah?
And yes, this time we have Jeno and Sungchan as kids! Say hello to them as they will be joining Jaehyun and Yerim on this wild ride! I'll see you guys on the upcoming chapters!
AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIM YERIM!
Love, btfg <3
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