CHAPTER 40 

Dara

Ryong was skipping as he walked toward his classroom. After Jiyong's proposal, I sent him to school because Jiyong needed to go to their company.

He ignored our family when we passed by them. They were all crestfallen while Amber was crying,  looking at Jiyong who just walked past her. 

I wanted Jiyong to forgive them but at the moment he was still furious. Maybe in a few days I'll try to talk to him again.

Jiyong dropped us in front of Ryong school before he went to the office and promised to pick us up later to eat lunch together.

"Mama, I'm so happy." 

"I know baby, now go inside your classroom. I'll wait for you in the waiting area, okay?"

"Okay, Mama."

"Behave, listen to your teacher."

"Okay, Mama." He kissed my cheek and then went inside their classroom.   I just waved at his teacher and went to the waiting area with the other parents waiting for their children.

All their eyes were on me as soon as I stepped inside. This is the first time I've waited for Ryong until his classes ended.  I usually drop him off and only pick him up after or when I'm busy at the bookstore I ask the driver to pick him up or Ana. 

I smiled timidly at them and occupied one of the vacant seats. I hope no one will question my relationship with Jiyong. I'm sure they already know that Jiyong is Ryong's father because he was here yesterday.

I pretended I'm busy browsing on my phone when someone sat beside me. 

"Miss Park, we didn't know that Mr. Kwon, the most sought-after bachelor of Korea is the father of your child. You are so lucky." The woman beside me said.  I awkwardly smiled at her, and didn't comment about it.

"He's so handsome and wealthy.  I'm sure many women are dying to be in your shoes."

"His money is not the reason why I'm with him." I shortly replied.

"I know it, because why keep it for a long time if you don't love him. If you were those other women I'm sure they would already brag about it so everyone will know."

"Mama!!! Ryong burst inside the waiting area crying with his teacher running behind him.

"What happened, baby," I asked worriedly, and scooped him up in my arms. He was sobbing so hard as if someone hit him.

"What's wrong? Did you hurt yourself?" I asked, checking his arms and legs.

"Isa said Papa is not my real Papa. She said he is fake." He cried. 

"I'm  so sorry,  Miss Park." His teacher said.

"Baby, it's not true. Your Papa is your Papa. He is not fake. I'm sure Isa doesn't mean it.

"It's true, last time he said he had a fake Papa." A small girl said standing beside their teacher, arm crossed on her chest. 

"Isa, where did you hear that lie?" A woman beside me earlier asked. 

"Aunty, Ryong told me before that he has a fake Papa."

"But my Papa Jiyong is not fake." Ryong cried.

"He is fake, '' Isa stubbornly replied.

"Isa!" The woman scolded her and her lips quivered before her tears rolled down her face as well.

"I don't want her to be my friend anymore." Ryong sobbed. "My Papa is not fake, and my Papa loves me. He doesn't leave us for another woman. Papa is working so that he has money to buy my food." Ryong cried. 

"He is. My Daddy works far away. He said he needs to work there so that he can buy my doll and then Mommy finds out he has another woman and he leaves us." Isa cried. I gasped when the woman spank her. 

"Hey, she's just a child."

"Ma'am,  please don't hurt her. She doesn't understand what she is saying. She is just a child, Ma'am." The teacher told her.

"She's spouting nonsense." The woman said. While Isa is bawling now. Ryong, who was crying earlier, stopped crying and looked at his friend with pity. 

"Let's go home. You're an evil child." She dragged Isa away without caring that she is hurting her with her tight grip on her wrist and she is bawling.

"Ma'am please be careful with Isa you might hurt her." The teacher called out but the woman ignored her and kept dragging the poor Isa away.

"Is that her mother?" I asked the teacher.

"No, that's her Aunt.  Isa's parents separated a few months ago, and her mother died three months later because of an accident and she was left to her aunt."

"Does her aunt hit her? Did you see any bruises on her?"

"One time I saw on her leg like she was hit by a belt." The teacher replied sadly.

"Oh god. She's so small. How could she do it to her?"

"The school is already filing a case against her aunt." The teacher whispered so that I could only hear her. If her aunt was proven guilty Isa will be sent to an orphanage until someone will adopt her." I felt pity for the child. 

"How about his father,  her other relatives?"

"That poor child. No one wants her because his father's family is against her mother, and her aunt blames her for the death of her mother."

"Papa!!! Ryong screamed, stopping our conversation and I smiled when I saw Jiyong walking toward us.

"What happened?" Jiyong asked and took Ryong in my arms when he saw his puppy eyes.

"Papa, can we bring Isa home? Can she stay with us?" Jiyong frowned.

"Who is Isa?"

"She's my friend, and she's crying. Her aunt spanks her. Can we bring her home, Papa?"

"Baby, we can't bring home someone's child. Her Papa and Mama won't allow it."

"But her Papa left her, and her Mama died already." Jiyong looks at me this time. 

"Sir, Isa is his classmate, and she might end up in the orphanage soon." The teacher said,

"We will talk about this later, baby." I told Ryong."

"Okay, Mama."

"Teacher Mae, Ryong can go home now?" 

"Yes, Miss Park. We  just ended our class when they fought."

"Okay, Baby say bye to your teacher."

"Bye, teacher Mae. I'm sorry. I'm  a bad boy today." 

"Forgiven, but next time don't fight with your classmate. If they did something to you, tell me, okay?"